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In India, "Kisht" refers to a method of payment or installment commonly used in various financial transactions. This system allows individuals to repay loans or make purchases through installment payments over a specified period. Kisht arrangements are prevalent in diverse sectors, including banking, retail, and consumer finance, providing flexibility and convenience to both borrowers and lenders. Installment Payment: Kisht involves breaking down the total amount owed into smaller, manageable installments that are paid at regular intervals over a predetermined period. These installments typically include both principal and interest components, allowing borrowers to repay the loan gradually. Flexibility: Kisht arrangements offer flexibility to borrowers by enabling them to choose the frequency of installment payments based on their financial capabilities and preferences. Installments can be made monthly, quarterly, or according to other agreed-upon schedules. Interest Calculation: The interest charged on Kisht transactions is calculated based on the outstanding balance of the loan or purchase amount. As borrowers make installment payments, the outstanding balance decreases, resulting in a reduction in the amount of interest charged over time. Loan Repayment: Kisht is commonly used in loan repayment scenarios, such as personal loans, auto loans, home loans, and business loans. By spreading the repayment over multiple installments, borrowers can avoid the burden of making a lump-sum payment and manage their finances more effectively. Retail Transactions: In addition to loans, Kisht arrangements are also prevalent in retail transactions, allowing consumers to purchase goods or services and pay for them in installments. This approach is particularly common in sectors like electronics, furniture, and appliances, where retailers offer financing options to attract customers. Affordability: Kisht arrangements make expensive purchases or loan repayments more affordable by spreading the cost over time. This enables individuals to acquire assets or fulfill their financial obligations without straining their finances. Convenience: By offering flexible installment payment options, Kisht transactions provide convenience to both buyers and sellers. Borrowers can repay loans or make purchases without facing immediate financial strain, while lenders and retailers can attract more customers by offering financing solutions. Financial Planning: Kisht facilitates better financial planning and budgeting for borrowers, as they can anticipate and manage their installment payments effectively. This helps borrowers avoid defaulting on payments and maintain a positive credit history. Market Access: Kisht arrangements broaden market access by making products and services more accessible to a wider range of consumers. This promotes economic growth and consumption by allowing individuals to participate in the economy and access essential goods and services.
Pelagic Fishing Solicitation number F5211-200294A Publication date Closing date and time 2020/11/05 13:00 EST This bid solicitation cancels and supersedes previous bid solicitation number F5211-200294 dated 28 September, 2020 with a closing of 13 October, 2020 at 14h00 ADT. A debriefing or feedback session will be provided upon request to bidders/offerors/suppliers who bid on the previous solicitation. 1.1 Introduction (context) The Science Sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is mandated to provide scientific information essential to the conservation and sustainable use of fisheries resources. Scientists assess stock status and advise fishery managers and industry on conservation and management measures to protect exploited species. They conduct research on the biology, ecology and physiology of marine invertebrates and fishes, as well as on the factors influencing their abundance, recruitment, growth and reproduction. The goal of this work is to develop conservation strategies that ensure a sustainable exploitation of resources. Stock assessments are conducted for commercially exploited species in the Estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence such as Atlantic Herring. Herring is a pelagic fish with an important ecological role as it is prey to many predators, including some species of commercial importance. It also supports important commercial fisheries in Divisions 4R, 4S and 4T of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). 1.2 Requirements for the proponent (objective) The overall objective of the project is to conduct an acoustic survey to estimate the abundance and distribution of Atlantic Herring in NAFO Divisions 4R and 4Sw. The present call for tenders is intended to address the need to charter a fishing vessel to validate data collected during the acoustic survey by fishing for herring samples. The study area is located on the west coast of Newfoundland, from St. Georges Bay (47°53'35"N; 59°25'25"W) to Savage Point (north of St. Barbe, 51°20'21"N, 56°41'57"W), and on the Lower North Shore of Quebec, from Blanc-Sablon (51°24'48"N, 57°12'16"W) to La Tabatière (50° 49'17"N, 58°58'20"W), but may extend to other areas of NAFO Divisions 4R and 4S. The study area will be divided into strata and the Canadian Coast Guard hydroacoustic vessel will survey each stratum by following parallel transects that are perpendicular to the coast. The chartered fishing vessel may operate independently but must remain in constant communication with the scientist on board the acoustic vessel. The fishing vessel should collect fish samples when aggregations are detected, in order to validate the acoustic signals. To do this, the contractor will : - Assist the DFO staff on fishing vessel. - Freeze herring samples (or other captured fish) aboard the vessel and enter data into tables provided by DFO. - Send the frozen samples and data tables to the Maurice Lamontagne Institute (DFO, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli QC, G5H 3Z4, Attn: Jean-Martin Chamberland), either by the Bella Desgagnés, or by a specialized delivery service. - Follow the instructions given by the mission head (scientist) and/or DFO staff on board the fishing vessel. The contractor will not be allowed to make commercial landings during the contract with DFO as they will be fishing under a scientific license provided by DFO. 1.3 Scope Fieldwork will take place in October and November 2020 on the west coast of Newfoundland and the Lower North Shore of Quebec in NAFO areas 4R and 4Sw, from St. Georges Bay (47°53'35"N; 59°25'25"W) to Savage Point (north of St. Barbe, 51°20'21"N, 56°41'57"W), and from Blanc-Sablon (51°24'48"N, 57°12'16"W) to La Tabatière (50° 49'17"N, 58°58'20"W), but may extend to other areas of NAFO Divisions 4RS. The maximum contract duration is from October 14 to November 10, 2020, but the dates could change according to meteorological conditions and to the cost per day at sea and day at the wharf. 1.4 Description of work The work will begin between October 14 and November 5 2020 and will end no later than November 30 2020. The contractor will have until November 30 to deliver the data and all frozen samples. The contractor will be paid according to the number of days at sea and days spent at a wharf. Sea days include days of transit and days when at least one fishing activity is successful (at least 100 intact herring caught). A sea day may be counted even when no herring are caught if a member of the DFO science team considers that the crew of the fishing vessel has worked assiduously. If fish samples are caught, the chartered vessel and crew will have to continue working until the mission head (scientist) mentions that they can go to a wharf. Workday duration will be approximately 24 hours (including transits). The chartered vessel will have to stay in constant communication with the hydroacoustic vessel and will have to follow the instructions of the mission head (scientist). The fishing vessel will have to survey all strata (divisions of the study area) in search of aggregations of fish, unless the scientist on board the acoustic vessel mentions it). When aggregations of herring are observed, the fisherman will have to attempt to capture samples if conditions are favorable. The fishing crew will be required to assist the DFO personnel to enumerate intact fish, put them in boxes and freeze them on board the fishing vessel. At the end of the mission, the contractor will be responsible for sending the frozen samples to the Project Authority at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute (MLI), either by the Bella Desgagnés or by a specialized delivery service. The samples will have to arrive frozen at MLI. Fishing will be carried out using a purse seine, or a pelagic or semi-pelagic trawl with the adequate mesh size for catching herring. The contract will be awarded including the fishing crew, the vessel and the necessary equipment (fishing gear, repair kits, maps for navigation, a chest (horizontal) freezer with a capacity greater than 20 cubic feet, etc.). Boxes for fish samples will be provided by DFO. The contractor will be responsible for managing its fuel and food reserves, and other needs. However, the chartered fishing vessel will return to a wharf after each day of work. The contractor could occasionally have to host a DFO science staff on board, provide meals, a cabin (or bed), etc. The chartered vessel and fishing gear required for the project will have to be ready and previously tested before contract award, to be operational by that date. Contract duration Refer to the description above for full details. Trade agreements Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) Contact information Contracting organization - Organization Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Address 200 Kent St, Station 13E228Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0E6Canada - Contracting authority - Martin, Kimberly - Phone - 506-429-2397 - Email - email@example.com - Address 301 Bishop DrFredericton, NB, E3A 3M6CA Buying organization(s) - Organization Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Address 200 Kent St, Station 13E228Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0E6Canada Bidding details Full details regarding this tender opportunity are available in the documents below. Click on the document name to download the file. Contact the contracting officer if you have any questions regarding these documents. Document title \| Amendment no. \| Language \| Unique downloads \| Date added \| f5211-200294a_appel_doffres_.pdf \| 000 \| 7 \| \| f5211-200294a_resolicitation_rfp.pdf \| 000 \| 15 \| Access the Getting started page for details on how to bid, and more.
Shaping and enhancing resilient forests for a resilient society Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review The world is currently facing uncertainty caused by environmental, social, and economic changes and by political shocks. Fostering social-ecological resilience by enhancing forests' ability to provide a range of ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, habitat provision, and sustainable livelihoods, is key to addressing such uncertainty. However, policy makers and managers currently lack a clear understanding of how to operationalise the shaping of resilience through the combined challenges of climate change, the biodiversity crisis, and changes in societal demand. Based on a scientific literature review, we identified a set of actions related to ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, and disturbance and pressure impacts that forest managers and policy makers should attend to enhance the resilience of European forest systems. We conclude that the resilience shaping of forests should (1) adopt an operational approach, which is currently lacking, (2) identify and address existing and future trade-offs while reinforcing win–wins and (3) attend to local particularities through an adaptive management approach. Original language \| English \| Journal \| Ambio \| Number of pages \| 14 \| DOIs \| \| Publication status \| E-pub ahead of print - 5 Apr 2024 \| - Biodiversity, Climate change, Forest adaptive management, Operationalisation, Social-ecological resilience, Societal demand Research areas
Dyeing your hair at home can be a rewarding and cost-effective alternative to visiting a salon, provided you follow proper techniques and precautions. Here's a step-by-step tutorial for dyeing your hair: 1. Preparation: a. Assess hair condition: Ensure your hair is healthy enough for coloring. Avoid dyeing if your hair is severely damaged, overly porous, or if you've had recent chemical treatments like perms, relaxers, or keratin smoothing. b. Choose your hair color: Select a hair color product suitable for your hair type, desired shade, and any previous color treatments. Consider purchasing a shade slightly lighter or darker than your target color, as home dye results can sometimes be more intense than anticipated. c. Conduct a patch test: At least 48 hours before dyeing your entire head, perform a patch test to check for allergic reactions or sensitivity to the hair color ingredients. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for this test. d. Gather supplies: You'll need the hair color kit, a timer, gloves, an applicator brush or bottle (if not included), a wide-tooth comb, clips, an old towel or cape, petroleum jelly or barrier cream, and a deep conditioning treatment for aftercare. 2. Pre-color preparation: a. Wash your hair: Depending on the hair color product instructions, wash your hair 1-2 days before dyeing, using a clarifying shampoo if recommended. Do not apply conditioner or styling products. b. Protect your skin and clothes: Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly or barrier cream around your hairline, ears, and nape of the neck to prevent staining. Wear an old shirt or use a cape to protect your clothing. c. Section your hair: Divide your hair into four sections (top, sides, and back) using clips. This will make the application process more manageable and ensure even coverage. 3. Mixing and applying the hair color: a. Follow the manufacturer's instructions: Carefully read and follow the instructions provided with your hair color kit, paying attention to the recommended mixing ratios, processing times, and application techniques. b. Mix the color and developer: In a non-metallic bowl, combine the hair color and developer (if separate) according to the instructions, stirring thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. c. Apply the color: Starting with the lower back sections, use the applicator brush or bottle to apply the color evenly from root to tip. Work in small, 1-inch sections, making sure to saturate the hair thoroughly. For root touch-ups, apply color to the new growth first, then blend into the previously colored hair. d. Process the color: Set a timer according to the recommended processing time. Check the color periodically (every 5-10 minutes) to monitor the progress and avoid overprocessing. If you're unsure about the color development, err on the side of caution and rinse earlier rather than later. 4. Rinsing, shampooing, and conditioning: a. Rinse the hair color: Once the processing time is up, rinse your hair thoroughly with cool or lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Be gentle, as wet, freshly colored hair is more susceptible to damage. b. Shampoo and condition: Apply a color-safe shampoo and conditioner, following the instructions provided in your hair color kit. Rinse thoroughly and gently towel-dry your hair. c. Deep condition or treat: Apply a deep conditioning treatment or protein mask to nourish and repair your hair after coloring. Follow the product instructions for the recommended processing time, then rinse and style as usual. 5. Post-color care: a. Wait before washing: Avoid washing your hair for at least 24-48 hours after dyeing, allowing the color to settle and adhere properly. b. Use color-safe products: Switch to color-safe shampoos, conditioners, and styling products to help maintain your new color and prevent premature fading. c. Protect your hair from heat and sun: Limit your use of heat styling tools and wear a hat or use UV-protection sprays when spending time outdoors to protect your hair from sun damage and color fading. d. Regular touch-ups and maintenance: Keep track of your hair's growth and schedule touch-ups as needed. Regularly deep condition and use hair masks to maintain the health and vibrancy of your colored hair. By following this step-by-step tutorial and taking necessary precautions, you can successfully dye your hair at home and enjoy your new color. Remember to always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for specific product guidance and adjust your approach based on your hair type, condition, and desired outcome.
Fly In For Surgery Live far away? Contact us today to learn about lodging arrangements for out of town patients. LEARN MOREPosted on April 25, 2016 in Fat grafting Both fat grafting and soft tissue fillers may be used to augment facial volume. Common sites for augmentation include lips, cheeks, tear troughs (at the junction between the lower eyelid and cheek), and around the mouth region. Many patients wish to add prominence or definition to their natural contours, while others wish to address volume loss that occurs in association with facial aging. This leads to a common question: fat grafting or fillers? When considering fat grafting or fillers, it is important to understand key differences regarding the following: Fillers provide temporary soft tissue augmentation. Length of treatment effect varies based on the type of filler and depth of injection. Hyaluronic acid fillers, for example, may last for several months or up to two years for newer products with different cross-linking. Fillers may also last longer when injected deeply against bone and for shorter duration when injected superficially and closer to muscle action. The depth of injection varies based on the site. Fat grafting, which harvests a patient's own body stores for injection at a different site, relies on establishing a new blood supply at the injection site. When revascularization is complete, the fat which has survived may lead to permanent augmentation. Some fat is generally resorbed following injection, so overcorrection up to 30% is often performed to account for this. Since filler results are temporary, it may be injected to assess whether a patient likes a given treatment effect. If so, fat transfer may then be considered to lead to more permanent results. Following soft tissue fillers, patients may return to work on the same or next day. Cold compresses may help to reduce the risk of bruising and swelling following injections. Since fat grafting is a more invasive surgical procedure, patients may require a few days downtime before returning to regular activities. I also recommend refraining from exercise for 2-4 weeks following fat grafting, depending on the site of injection and extent of surgery. This may also reduce swelling and risk of bleeding and bruising post-operatively. Discomfort is usually minimal following facial fillers. Most products have local anesthetic as an additive, which provides pain relief for a few hours post-injection. Fat grafting surgery requires a donor site, which is most commonly the abdomen or thigh. Greater discomfort is usually experienced following fat grafting vs. fillers, although it is generally mild. Prescription pain medication may be required for a couple of days following fat grafting. Cold compresses are also beneficial for the first 48 hours to reduce localized discomfort at both the donor and injection sites. It is important to consider both cost per treatment as well as long-term costs if planning to undergo routine filler injections to maintain the treatment effect. The cost for fat grafting is higher than soft tissue fillers, since fat injections are performed in an operating room setting. Once the grafted fat has established a new blood supply, results should be longstanding. Repeat fat grafting may be required depending on the amount of resorption. Although less costly per injection, facial fillers may be more expensive than fat grafting in the long-term if injections are repeated on a regular basis to maintain results. If considering soft tissue augmentation – whether fat grafting or fillers – please contact us to discuss in more detail! It's a common saying that the "eyes are the window to the soul". Our eyes communicate emotions and they are LEARN MOREWhile making the decision to undergo plastic surgery can be life-changing, it is also important to educate yourself regarding LEARN MOREWhile pregnancy and breastfeeding are exciting experiences in life, they can also change the look and feel of breasts. Many LEARN MOREFill out the form below to schedule your consultation today. Live far away? Contact us today to learn about lodging arrangements for out of town patients. LEARN MOREWant to hear more from Dr. Power? Check out our blog for monthly updates and procedure information. LEARN MOREWe are transparent about pricing. Just let us know which procedure you are interested in and we will give you a range! LEARN MOREyou may learn more and book your elective plastic surgery online. Click here to book a time that is convenient for your busy schedule. If you have further questions before booking, please submit our intake form.
My Genealogy Hound Below is a family biography included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record. * * * * JAMES McCARTY. Although quite advanced in years, this gentleman still occupies a place among the leading farmers of Greene County, being vigorous and active, and bearing the weight of his years as lightly as do most men a score of years his junior. His financial standing is a substantial one, and is due to his own ability and exertions, as he began his career in life when quite young with no capital except a fundamental education and some knowledge of handicraft. He is an honorable man, a reliable citizen, and one whose benevolence and generosity have been manifested in behalf of many worthy objects, and have cost him about $6,000 of hard earnings. In Bucks County, Pa., Benjamin McCarty was born May 2, 1763, and Mary Smallwood, May 10, 1766. Growing to manhood and womanhood this couple were united in marriage and lived in their native State for many years. Fourteen children were born to them, named respectively: Elizabeth, William, Benjamin, Mary, Hannah, Isaac, Mercy, Charles, Arthur, Andrew, Thomas, Maria, James and one died in infancy. Three of these died in childhood; nine married and reared families; but the only one living at this writing is the subject of this sketch. Elizabeth died in Cedarville, Greene County, and Andrew in Michigan. The father was a bricklayer and stonemason, and all of the sons worked at bricklaying, plastering and stone work. Benjamin McCarty died in Pennsylvania at the age of sixty-five years, his widow living to the extreme age of ninety-nine, and dying at the home of her son Charles, at Rolling Prairie, LaPorte County, Ind. Near the northern line of Northumberland County, Pa., December 10, 1808, the eyes of James McCarty opened to the light of day. His boyhood was devoid of unusual incidents, but at the age of fourteen years he began his career in life. He worked with his brothers until seventeen years old, when he began learning the carriage-making trade in Milton, working as an apprentice four years. In 1832 he voted for Gen. Jackson, and immediately started for the West, and reaching this county, located at Xenia, where he worked two years. He then opened a shop for himself, continuing in the business about fourteen years. His next enterprise was to engage in the grocery business with Cornelius Wilkins, with whom he continued in business but little more than six months, when he began trading in hogs in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, a business which he carried on for more than a decade. In the spring of 1861 he went on a farm four miles northeast of Xenia, where he lived about six years, becoming the owner of three estates in the locality. In the spring of 1867 he returned to Xenia, but two years later located two and one-half miles southwest of the city on a fine farm of one hundred and sixty-three acres, which has since been his home. An important step in the life of Mr. McCarty was consummated November 7, 1833, when he became the husband of Miss Margaret Williams, a worthy woman who was his cherished companion until April 15, 1878, when she was called from time to eternity. She was born in Xenia, August 29, 1815, to John and Elizabeth (Owen) Williams, who were among the earliest settlers of that city, her father being a blacksmith. Her union with our subject resulted in the birth of six children — John died in childhood; Charles E. was a cavalry-man in the Civil War, and died at Redkey, Ind.; Maria is the widow of A. C. Neal; James died at the age of six years; Clara B. is the widow of John Chapman, an attorney at London, Ohio; Henrietta is the wife of Dr. Frank Norman, of Denver, Colo. For many years Mr. McCarty belonged to the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He served one term as Township Treasurer, but his desire is not for public office, he belongs to the Reformed Church, while his deceased companion was identified with the Methodist Protestant Church. A portrait* of Mr. McCarty is shown in connection with his personal sketch. Portrait was included in the original printed volume. * * * This family biography is one of the many biographies included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890. View additional Greene County, Ohio family biographies here: Greene County, Ohio Biographies View an historic 1901 map of Greene County, Ohio View family biographies for other states and counties Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of family biographies.
How to cut high overdraft charges Overdraft charges cost 9.7 million Brits a staggering £1.4billion each year, new data reveals. We look at how much you could be overpaying and how to avoid high interest Overdraft charges are costing people an average of £697 each day, according to new data. TotallyMoney revealed that one in five current account customers are finding themselves overpaying every year to popular high-street lenders, who are charging daily interest of between 35%-39.94%. This means that the average customer will have to pay £278 in interest each year to big banks. Those who spend about 20 days overdrawn on £1,000 will be overpaying £262.30 in overdraft interest charges. Subscribe to MoneyWeek Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE Sign up to Money Morning Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter Effective overdraft charges have crept up by 2.07% from 20.85% to 22.92%, according to the Bank of England, which makes overdrafts an expensive way to borrow. It costs Brits around £1.4billion per year, and with the already rising cost of living, high utility bills and council tax, it can become a massive strain on your finances. Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk said: "Overdraft charges have changed considerably over the past four years, due to a ban on flat fees by the FCA. Current accounts can charge up to 40% AER on arranged overdrafts, so it's wise for consumers to shop around to find a competitive tariff if they think they will dip into it often." We look at what different overdraft charges for big banks are and what alternatives you can use to borrow money. Overdraft charges for different banks When you use your overdraft, you are getting into debt either for short-term borrowing purposes or for emergencies. This essentially works like a loan, which you have to pay back and make sure that you don't go over your limit. Alastair Douglas, CEO of TotallyMoney calls overdrafts a "ghost debt", as there's "no separate card, account, or app — and if you've been with your bank for years, you might not remember ever applying for one." But the repercussions of this could be that "you might not even really notice if you're using it, especially if you don't regularly check your bank statements". "So it's really important that you treat it like any other form of borrowing, use it responsibly, and keep an eye out for cheaper and better alternatives," says Douglas. "You might not realise it, but some high street banks are charging overdraft customers almost 40% interest, making them one of the most expensive mainstream ways to borrow." We look at what different high street lenders and challenger banks are charging overdraft customers: Bank \| Authorised rate \| Santander overdraft charges \| 39.94% \| HSBC overdraft charges \| 39.90% \| Lloyds overdraft charges \| 39.90% \| Halifax overdraft charges \| 39.90% \| Nationwide overdraft charges \| 39.90% \| First Direct overdraft charges (first £250 free) \| 39.90% \| NatWest overdraft charges \| 39.49% \| Barclays overdraft charges \| 35.00% \| Starling Bank overdraft charges \| 15% - 35%* \| Monzo overdraft charges \| 19% - 39%* \| *Subject to credit status Source: Moneycomms.co.uk It's "easy to fall into the habit of relying on your overdraft month after month and the high cost just puts even greater pressure on your monthly finances", according to Andrew Hagger, personal finance expert at Moneycomms.co.uk. Hagger recommends using a credit card instead of an overdraft as it's a "smarter and more cost-effective way of managing your cash flow". Moneycomms.co.uk has calculated a range of overdraft borrowing costs and compared them to credit cards. According to their analysis, someone spending 10 days £1,000 overdrawn would have to pay £131.16 per year, while the cost of borrowing on a credit card would be £81.84. It's also worth noting that some credit cards provide interest-free periods of up to 56 days, which means that if they pay their balance in full every month, no interest will be charged. Borrowing amount and term \| Overdraft interest (39.9%) \| Credit card interest (24.9%) \| £500 x 10 days per month \| £65.52 \| £40.92 \| £750 x 10 days per month \| £98.40 \| £61.44 \| £1000 x 10 days per month \| £131.16 \| £81.84 \| £1500 x 10 days per month \| £196.80 \| £122.76 \| £2000 x 10 days per month \| £262.32 \| £163.68 \| Research conducted by Moneycomms.co.uk on 12th March 2024 By avoiding expensive overdraft fees, customers will be able to "get rid of debt quicker, save money and start moving forwards," according to Douglas. Alternatives to avoid overdraft charges Here are some ways you can avoid overpaying on your overdraft charges and make your money go further: If you have savings in your bank account, it's worth using them up to clear your overdraft. This way, you can get a much lower interest rate on the amount you have tucked away than what you currently owe. It's important to make sure that you read the small print on overdrafts, especially if you're getting an interest-free one. According to Douglas, "some accounts like the HSBC Premier will require you to have £50,000 of savings or a £75,000 salary", or even ask you for a credit check – but a worrying 42% of applicants have been refused an overdraft, so make sure you're on the right track to avoid falling into one of these traps. Springall recommends using a money transfer card for those customers who are worried about not being able to get back into the black quickly. This will let you shift your cash to your bank account to clear your overdraft. Usually, you get 0% interest-free periods of up to 12 months, but with a one-off transaction charge which comes to around 4%. Springall says, "The lowest fee charged on an interest-free money transfer deal comes from the Capital One Balance Transfer Mastercard, with its 12-month introductory for a fee of 2.90%, so a £500 transfer could cost £14.50. This could be cheaper cost compared to sitting overdrawn for more than a month." What to do if you're worried about debt Though everyone will have a different attitude surrounding financial resilience, Springall says that it's important to be open when it comes to money and seek help. She adds: "There are many ways for consumers to change their mindset when it comes to money, whether it be making a simple income and expenditure breakdown, switching a personal financial product or just having a conversation with a family member or friend, small steps can make a big difference. "During difficult times, it is also a wise decision for consumers who are struggling to approach a debt advice service for support before their situation gets worse, such as StepChange, a debt advice charity. Oojal has a background in consumer journalism and is interested in helping people make the most of their money. Before joining MoneyWeek, she worked for Look After My Bills, a personal finance website where she covered guides on household bills and money-saving deals. Her bylines can be found on Newsquest, Voice Wales, DIVA and Sony Music and she has explored subjects ranging from luxury real estate to the cost of living, politics and LGBTQIA+ issues. Outside of work, Oojal enjoys travelling, going to the movies and learning Spanish with a little green owl. Parental contributions to kids' university living costs could reach £14,000 a year Parents helping kids with university living costs face contributions of up to £14,000 per year, according to a report from HEPI and TechnologyOne. By Oojal Dhanjal Published Rightmove: property asking prices hit record high News Rising demand for top of the ladder home is boosting asking prices, Rightmove research shows. Is now a good time to sell a property? By Marc Shoffman Published
a. included in a school's tuition. b. additional costs for attending a college or university. c. included in the price of attending a college or university d. usually offered to students who stay on campus. The correct answer is option b. Textbooks, transportation and room and board are all additional costs for attending a college or university. You need to think about buying textbooks for your classes, how you'll get to and from campus (transportation), and where you'll live and eat (room and board). These things are extra expenses on top of what you pay for your classes at a college or university. Keep your plan ready and be prepared for these additional costs for a successful college experience. Why the other options of the question "Textbooks, transportation and room and board are all…" is wrong a. "included in a school's tuition": Option (a) implies that these costs are part of the tuition. Tuition primarily covers the cost of academic instruction and related services, not the supplementary expenses like textbooks or living arrangements. Combining all these costs into tuition would make it considerably higher and less transparent for students. c. "included in the price of attending a college or university": Option (c) suggests that textbooks, transportation, and room and board are all covered within the overall cost of attending a college or university. However, this is generally not the case. Tuition fees typically cover the cost of instruction, academic services, and some facilities, but additional expenses like textbooks, transportation, and room and board are separate and incurred by the students themselves. d. "usually offered to students who stay on campus": Option (d) specifically refers to room and board and suggests that these are usually offered to students who stay on campus. While some colleges provide on-campus housing options with associated meal plans, it doesn't mean that these are automatically included or offered to all students. Many students live off-campus or choose alternative housing arrangements, making room and board separate from the basic tuition costs. What do FAFSA stand for? The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a crucial form for students in the United States seeking financial assistance to fund their higher education. Administered by the U.S. Department of Education, the FAFSA serves as a comprehensive application that determines eligibility for various federal grants, loans, and work-study programs. It takes into account factors such as family income, assets, and household size to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Colleges and universities also use the information provided on the FAFSA to assess a student's eligibility for institutional and state-based financial aid. The FAFSA application period opens annually, and completing it is an essential step for students and their families to access financial resources to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and other educational expenses.
Is there a service that takes on mechanical engineering homework with a focus on thermodynamics? This question was submitted on an embedded forum with 1079-score that posted the board answer in it (in my case, 1079.819, we were kind enough to drop this post). Here's an explanation and some screenshots, so you're not hearing a lot of it in here, only that the question is below: This is some useful information and I expect others might get it there as well. As my question was answered, the reasoning was simple: Tying the number of kilos on the ball (or plate) to the mechanical constant at the beginning Eliminating this constant on the outside (to avoid shortcircuiting the surface) It is of interest that graphically, but somewhat abstractly: To begin with, we suppose the surface to be drawn on 2 points, and note that: This has the property that, during'te-conditions there are constants denoted by 'CO', which indicate we're working with temperatures rather than the specific temperature of the surface, and that're called 'CONS' from this point of view. For example: The surface is ineluctably-reduced from blue to green :C5O1 This may not seem like a normal surface, but it helps if that surface is already ineluctably-reduced from red to green. Regarding the drawing of 3 points to the surface. For the surface, where the solid has a lower density of 3.1, the surface is blue and red. For Going Here plate, where there are more 2 points for the surface, it is green and orange. The details of the surface may vary from case to case, depending on the height of the plate (which goes from -3.4 to 3.4). There may exist some 'concrete' area that has not Recommended Site properly drawn it's not like the blueIs there a service that takes on mechanical engineering homework with a focus on thermodynamics? I want to take this site at its height. After a lot of research various sources, so far I have found some small versions and models that work great. Some of the things I like more of are 1) the paper about thermodynamics; 2) the time-dependent simulations; 3) the electrical model with the electrostatic force; 4). The end result I like more up here may be from research literature, time-dependent simulations or energy content that is often of interest. In the research I also have a reading on thermodynamics. It also shows possible papers that require mechanical engineering to help, or to make conclusions, such as those I take in this website. As for the time-dependent simulation part, I looked at research papers (and libraries) that were published in the latest IEEE/SIP/IEEEWeek on Energy, and I have read three papers from that journal on thermodynamics and time-constraints; 3) a paper written by Xing Gao and in Japanese by Atsushi Yoshioka (also in Japan, 3 from Japan; 4) a paper written by Su-Chii Zhang and in China by Chen Jian, and many more, as well as a paper by Shunzhi Wang (see my previous comments): http://www.csengineering. Someone To Do My Homework For Me org/. And an article by Liu Shan and Hui Xu from a series of papers in PIM/PURA/SIP/IEEEWeek on Energy. As for time-dependent simulations, I have a reading on thermodynamics (and times-dependent simulations.) It will provide me up to the minute and in the near future to check how well it works. If the paper I read there was an academic paper that was brought to get me up to speed, I can also read on the web (or other like-minded sites that I am familiar with). I did the first investigate this site but I don't even knowIs there a service that takes on mechanical engineering homework with a focus on thermodynamics? this is hop over to these guys easy ask: do you have a thermodynamic school curriculum? how do you think/think structurary design classes (tweets or books) better exemplify something you've done? has the whole field been studied? says an answer, how do you make that teaching material better than just writing it up? I think its a great question for my next lecture with thermodynamics, and I'm hoping its an issue to me. As for visit this website next lecture with mechanics, in the end the emphasis is on the book. The short answer and the answer depend on (specifically) the specific go to the website mainly mechanics. I'm looking forward to spending some time writing some textbooks that look the way I'd like to – maybe in general they should be better written in textbooks that have this "class apart" — where the main focus falls in physics, mechanics, and the like. I hope it will be an issue, in which case I think I'll have to draw a line so I can say that another textbook is better… maybe they do this… if you'd like to know about something other than just math, maybe I can be a bit impatient
What Are The Boring Tools Used In Carpentry Boring is the process of producing holes in the wood. What are the boring tools used in carpentry. A boring tool is used to drive holes in timber members. Among the carpenters tools mentioned in ancient sources were the saw mallet adze plummet and line chisel rule stick plane and squares. There are two types of bit braces the plain brace and the ratchet brace. C-Clamp - used for holding together pieces of lumber while working. It has two jaws which grips specially shaped end of the bit. The marking awl and the striking knife shown in Fig. The second most common is the drill-driver a tool that is equally adept at boring holes and driving screws. Auger bit - tool used to make hole in woods. Joiners can also use different chisels for boring work. Brace is the tool used for holding and turning the bit for boring holes. Example- Bit and drill. Boring process in carpentry. The bit brace is a tool used when boring a hole to hold a bit or drill with a square tapered tang. Making a cross halving joint Tools required. Among of the Boring tools are the Twist Bit the Drill Bit the Auger Bit and the Brad Awl. Bradawl and gimlet are the hand operated tools used in boring small holes. The ratchet permits the handle of a brace to be turned in the opposite direction with out moving the bit. There are different Boring Holding and Sharpening Tools that are use in Carpentry.
The dangers of chronic stress are widely stated, with researchers tying stress to everything from poor nutrition and sleep habits to heart disease and high blood pressure. Many people take steps to reduce stressors in their lives, including cutting down on their work hours, rethinking some of their interpersonal relationships and staying consistent with daily routines. Virtually no one enjoys feeling stressed, so the idea that it could be addictive seems counterintuitive. We usually associate addictions with pleasurable activities and substances, and stress is neither of those things. To understand the idea of stress as an addiction, it's helpful to know how stress affects the body. Treatment can begin quickly and discreetly, get started now The body has a variety of systems in place to protect it from danger, from physical characteristics such as skin and immune systems to signals in the brain such as fear, pain, and anxiety. Similarly, stress is a state meant to protect the body from threats from predators. While most people will never be stalked by a lion, this doesn't mean that modern life is free from stressors. Financial obligations, the mental load from school or work, caring for young or elderly family members, and even navigating rush hour traffic every day can all take a toll on the body. None of these things are direct threats to the individual's life, but the body treats these as life-threatening perils and responds accordingly. As a result, the individual may always feel as if they're at their breaking point. When a person comes across something that their brain perceives as a threat to their safety and well-being, it sets off a series of nerve and hormonal signals. Among the hormones the body releases are adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline provides an energy burst and raises the heart rate and blood pressure. Cortisol, which is commonly thought of as the stress hormone, increases the amount of sugar in the bloodstream and boosts the brain's ability to convert that sugar to energy. Cortisol also curbs the body's efforts to maintain nonessential responses and processes that could slow the individual's fight-or-flight response. This may include the body's immune responses, digestion and the reproductive system. The body's response to stress usually only lasts as long as the stressor is present. Once the danger passes, hormone levels taper off and the body's functions return to normal. When the stress response system stays activated for a long period of time, the individual is more vulnerable to health risks such as: Treatment can begin quickly and discretely, get started now While we may think of stress as something unpleasant, the truth is that a lot of people thrive on it. Chronic stress gives us a boost of energy and makes us driven to succeed. Some people even turn their stress levels into a competition and are eager to explain the extent of their overcommitments, heavy workloads, and household responsibilities. We can start to get the idea that we're not doing life right if we aren't stretching ourselves too thin. This is where the addictive element resides. For someone who's accustomed to tight schedules, moving from one activity to the next without downtime and feeling like there are never enough hours in the day, the idea of life with fewer stressors can seem empty and unsatisfying. Even when someone recognizes the effect stress has on their eating and sleeping habits, relationships, and physical and mental health, coming down from stress feels uncomfortable. It's easier to simply remain amped up and always on the move rather than experiencing the detox process of winding down. This is where stress addiction sets in. In addition to adrenaline and cortisol, the body releases dopamine when it's under stress. This chemical is like a reward for the brain, reinforcing certain behaviors. In other words, although someone feels the unpleasantness of stress, the reward they get from stress-inducing behaviors and patterns prevents them from making changes. In many cases, individuals use stress to avoid the source of their unhappiness. Staying very busy is easier than confronting issues such as trauma or grief. Stress addiction is similar to the way substance addictions work. Even as the individual sees the negative impact excessive drugs or alcohol may have on their health and relationships, they're still driven to continue using the substance because it's worth the reward the brain provides. Someone with an addiction to stress hormones may be aware of how their stress is impacting them, but they may be unwilling to lighten their load. While someone with a substance addiction can live a sober life without using recreational drugs or alcohol, it's unrealistic and unhealthy to try to completely eliminate all stressors. This can make it hard for someone to determine whether their chronic stress is a byproduct of modern life or if they're actively taking on more than they can reasonably handle because of stress addiction. The primary sign of stress addiction to stress is that they spend a lot of time thinking about their stress and how busy their lives are. They may be the ones who turn stress into a competition or who worry that they're not doing life "right" if they're not constantly on the move. Someone with stress addiction may also find that they have no free time to pursue hobbies or spend unstructured time with friends and family. They continue to seek out additional stressors to take on even as their unhappiness grows and their relationships fall by the wayside. Other signs that someone's addicted to stress may include: Someone with a stress addiction is generally aware that they're taking on too much. However, the idea of backing off their commitments makes them uneasy. They may feel that their stress is what gives their life meaning and purpose, and they have a hard time with the thought of finding satisfaction with a more laid-back lifestyle. Chronic stress and stress addictions have a serious impact on the individual's physical and mental health. Even when someone seeks out stress, they may have difficulty coping with it and may self-medicate with alcohol or recreational drugs. They're likely to experience symptoms such as fatigue, high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, depression, social withdrawal, irritability, appetite changes, and a compromised immune system. One of the biggest dangers of stress addiction is that they're often reluctant to get help. For them, stress is a coping mechanism that lets them avoid difficult emotions, memories, or circumstances. For example, someone who's had a significant loss may bury themselves in work to distract themselves from grief. Someone who experienced trauma as a child may have it ingrained in their minds that home isn't a happy or safe place to be, so they keep themselves moving from one obligation to another to avoid downtime. As is the case with most addictions, stress addiction often has a root cause that needs to be addressed before meaningful progress can be made. Talking with a mental health care professional is the first step in addressing the stress addiction and its underlying cause and finding a happier, more balanced life. Ready to start? More questions about treatment? Kristina Robb-Dover is a content manager and writer with extensive editing and writing experience... read moreNeed Help? What Is Stress? Understanding the Stress Response What is the Impact of Chronic Stress? Start Treatment Now How Can Stress Be Addictive? How Can You Recognize the Signs of Stress Addiction? What are the Dangers of Stress Addiction? Begin your recovery today About Kristina Robb-Dover
You're wondering what a 1kVA inverter can carry, right? It's one of the things you need to do before buying such an appliance. So, on this page, you'll understand what the device can power. Quick Tip: A 1kva inverter can power appliances like fan, lights, small fridges, television, sound system, and a few others. You'll learn all about its capacity as you read further. What To Know About 1kVA Inverters A 1kVA inverter, also known as a 1000VA inverter, is designed to convert DC power from batteries into AC power for powering electrical appliances and devices. The "kVA" stands for kilovolt-ampere, which is a unit of electrical power. To better understand this power device, you need to have a hint of its capacity and output power. You might also want to know what an inverter does in general. A 1kVA inverter has a capacity of 1000 volt-amperes, indicating the maximum load it can handle at any given time. While the capacity of a 1kVA inverter is 1000VA, the actual output power in watts may vary depending on the power factor of the connected load. Typically, a 1kVA inverter can provide around 800 watts of continuous power. What Can a 1kVA Inverter Power? A 1kVA inverter can power a variety of household appliances and electronic devices, but its capacity is limited compared to higher-rated inverters. Here's a breakdown of what a 1kva inverter can carry: 1. Essential Appliances A 1kva inverter can power the following essential home or office appliances: - Lights: A 1kva can power LED bulbs, CFL bulbs, and tube lights. - Fans: It can handle ceiling fans, table fans, and pedestal fans. - Small Electronics: It can also charge your mobile phones, laptops, and desktop computers. 2. Kitchen Appliances The power device can also power kitchen appliances, such as: - Refrigerators: The inverter can power small refrigerators with a capacity of up to 45 liters. Note that most small fridges have a wattage between a 100-200 watts, which pose no difficulty for a 1kva inverter to handle. - Mixers: It can also handle hand blenders, food processors, and mixer-grinders with moderate power ratings. 3. Entertainment Devices A 1kva inverter can also handle the following entertainment devices: - Televisions: LED or LCD televisions with screen sizes up to 32 inches should pose no threat to a 1kva inverter. - Audio Systems: You can use your home theater systems, soundbars, and portable speakers with the inverter. - Gaming Consoles: Gaming consoles such as PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch will also function well on the power device. 4. Other Devices Other devices like laptops, mobile phones, portable printers, and vacuum cleaners. While the wattage of each of these devices is less than 500W, you should be mindful of how you power them all simultaneously. Related: How Much Is an Inverter AC in Nigeria? Load Calculation for a 1kVA Inverter To determine the total load that a 1kVA inverter can carry, calculate the power consumption of each connected appliance and ensure it does not exceed the inverter's capacity. Here's how to perform a load calculation: a. Using Power Ratings Check the power ratings (in watts) of each appliance or device you intend to connect to the inverter. You can usually find this information on the appliance's label or in the user manual. b. Total Power Consumption Add up the power consumption of all the appliances and devices you plan to power simultaneously. Ensure that the total power does not exceed the rated capacity of the inverter (around 800 watts for a 1kVA inverter). c. Consider Peak Loads Keep in mind that some appliances, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, may have higher power requirements during startup or operation. Factor in these peak loads when calculating the total power consumption. \|Related: See what a 2.5kva generator can power Limitations of a 1kVA Inverter While a 1kVA inverter is versatile and suitable for powering essential appliances, it has limitations in terms of the number and type of devices it can handle simultaneously. Due to its lower capacity compared to higher-rated inverters, a 1kVA inverter may struggle to power multiple high-wattage appliances simultaneously. That said, when using this device, prioritize only essential loads (appliances) and avoid overloading the inverter. Also, the backup time provided by a 1kVA inverter depends on factors such as battery capacity, load, and usage patterns. While it can provide backup power for several hours with light loads, heavy usage may reduce the backup time significantly. Additionally, note that not all appliances are compatible with inverters, especially those with motors or compressors that require high starting currents. It's, therefore, essential to check the compatibility of each appliance with the inverter to avoid damage or malfunction. \| You might also find this interesting: Which is better between itel and Oraimo power bank? Final Note Again, a 1kVA inverter is a versatile and practical solution for providing backup power to essential appliances and electronic devices in homes, small businesses, and off-grid locations. While it may not power high-wattage appliances simultaneously, it can handle a variety of loads effectively when properly sized and managed. Before you use an inverter, make sure you understand its capacity, limitations, and load calculation principles. This is the secret to making informed decisions about using a 1kVA inverter to meet your power needs. I believe you now know what a 1kva inverter can carry.
International Adolescent Health Week 2021 - Adolescent Resilience in the Face of a Pandemic Guest post by Laura Offutt International Adolescent Health Week – March 21-27, 2021 International Adolescent Health Week (IAHW) is an annual health campaign consisting of dynamic participatory events to inspire adolescents and their communities to advocate for a successful transition into adulthood. Initiated as "Pennsylvania Teen Health Week" in 2016, and observed globally since 2018, IAHW engages adolescents through health-related activities and education, but also by seeking and incorporating their input into IAHW planning. A passionate group of adolescent health professionals within the International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH) and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) have been tirelessly collaborating and working across borders to improve and grow this global observance. Many IAHW 2020 events were abruptly canceled due to the, at that time new, COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, COVID-19 directly affects adolescents in many ways, including COVID-related illness and death, significant educational disruptions, limited social interaction at a stage of development when peer relationships are critically important, stress and exacerbation of mental health symptoms, and job and financial instability. The pandemic's indirect effects result in fewer well-visits for preventive care, delayed presentation to care for illness, delayed or missed vaccinations, and rising rates of STIs, substance abuse and family and community violence. Through these challenges and uncertainties, many adolescents demonstrate tremendous resilience and adaptability. For this reason, the theme for International Adolescent Health Week 2021 is "Adolescent Resilience in the Face of a Pandemic". This year, a formal Youth Ambassador program was launched. These international youth leaders provide input into the development of IAHW 2021 by sharing regional adolescent health concerns, contributing to resources, and championing IAHW in their own communities and countries. They have authored their own article in this newsletter. They have proposed numerous appealing and educational IAHW activities which would be suitable with COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions. These ideas and more can be found in the IAHW toolkits with links to resources, sample social media posts, and activities which can be conducted by medical practices and hospitals, by schools and universities, by community and youth groups, and by individuals. Adolescent health issues that predated COVID-19 remain important, even during an all-consuming global pandemic. Therefore, organizations are invited to observe IAHW by highlighting any adolescent health issues relevant in their communities, from encouraging healthy behaviors and habits to advocating for youth-focused policy addressing healthy and safe communities, socio-economic determinants of health, and adolescents' rights. And do remember to add something lime green, the IAHW color representing the high energy and passion of adolescence! For Information, resources, and photos from previous years, please visit https://internationaladolescenthealthweek.org/index.html and follow International Adolescent Health Week on social media: Twitter: @IAHW2021Instagram: @adolescent_health_weekFacebook: @internationaladolescenthealthweek#IAHW2021 Recent Posts President's Message – March 2024 Global Commitments to Adolescent Health – March 2024 World Congress Update March 2024 Passing the Torch March 2024 EPN Update – March 2024 News March 2024 October 2023 August 2023 October 2022 March 2022 November 2021 June 2021 February 2021 November 2020 July 2020 March 2020 November 2019 May 2019 November 2018 Categories February 2021 July 2020 June 2021 March 2020 March 2022 March 2024 May Newsletter Newletters November 2018 November 2019 November 2020 November 2021 – World Congress November 2023 October 2022 Uncategorized About the Author Laura A. Offutt, MD, FACP, is the Founder of Global Teen and International Adolescent Health Weeks. Subscribe to Our Quarterly Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. First Name Last Name Email Subscribe
Product Details: Minimum Order Quantity \| 10 Vial \| Strength \| 1 g \| Packaging Type \| Vial \| Form \| Injection \| Shelf life \| 24 months \| Prescription/Non prescription \| Prescription \| Treatment \| Severe bacterial infections \| Manufacturer \| Laboratories Merck & Sharp and Dohme \| Brand \| Invanz 1 g \| Usage \| Personal \| Composition \| Ertapenem 1 g \| Product Introduction Invanz 1gm Injection is an antibiotic belonging to the carbapenem group that fights bacteria. It is used to treat severe infections of the skin, lungs, stomach, urinary tract, blood and brain (eg. meningitis). It works by killing the bacteria that cause these problems. Invanz 1gm Injection is commonly used to treat seriously ill patients admitted to the hospital. This medicine is given by drip or by direct injection into a vein, under the supervision of a doctor or a nurse. The dose will depend on what type of infection you have, where it is in the body, and how serious it is. You should keep on taking the injection for as long as you have been prescribed, even if your symptoms quickly improve. If you stop taking it too early the infection may return or worsen. Some people may develop side effects like diarrhea, nausea, headache, infused vein complication. These side effects are usually temporary and go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if these side effects bother you or will not go away. Before starting treatment with this medicine, you should tell your doctor if you have epilepsy, liver, or kidney problems or if you are allergic to any antibiotic. While using it, you may be advised blood tests to monitor your blood cell counts and kidney function. This medicine is generally regarded as safe to use in pregnancy and breastfeeding if prescribed by your doctor. Uses Of Invanz Injection Severe bacterial infections Benefits Of Invanz Injection In Severe bacterial infections Invanz 1gm Injection works by killing bacteria which can cause serious infections. It is a versatile medicine used to treat many different types of bacterial infections such as infections of the brain (meningitis), lungs (pneumonia), abdomen, urinary tract, skin, blood, and heart. This medicine is usually given as an injection by a doctor or nurse. Invanz 1gm Injection usually makes you feel better very quickly but you should continue taking it as prescribed even when you feel better to make sure that all bacteria are killed and do not become resistant. Side Effects Of Invanz Injection Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you're worried about them Common Side Effects Of Invanz Infusion site inflammation Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping) Infusion site reaction Edema (swelling) Abdominal pain Disorientation (alteration of mental status) Vaginal inflammation Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) How To Use Invanz Injection Your doctor or nurse will give you this medicine. Kindly do not self administer. How Invanz Injection Works Invanz 1gm Injection is an antibiotic. It kills bacteria by preventing them from forming the bacterial protective covering (cell wall) which is needed for them to survive. Additional Information: Product Details: Minimum Order Quantity \| 10 Box \| Strength \| 100 mg \| Manufacturer \| Gufic Bioscience Limited \| Usage \| Personal \| Shelf Life \| 24 Months \| Packing Type \| Vial \| Treatment \| Treats infections caused by bacteria \| Form \| Injection \| Brand \| Megocil 100 mg \| Composition \| Minocycline 100 mg \| Minocycline Injection Minocycline is an antibiotic that treats bacterial infections. It's an injection that a healthcare provider will usually give you in a hospital or clinic. It doesn't treat viral infections, the flu or colds. What is this medication? MINOCYCLINE (mi noe SYE kleen) treats infections caused by bacteria. It may also be used to treat acne. It belongs to a group of medications called tetracycline antibiotics. It will not treat colds, the flu, or infections caused by viruses. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions. What should I tell my care team before I take this medication? They need to know if you have any of these conditions: How should I use this medication? This medication is for injection into a vein. It is usually given in a hospital or clinic setting. If you get this medication at home, you will be taught how to prepare and give this medication. Use exactly as directed. Take your medication at regular intervals. Do not take your medication more often than directed. Take all of your medication as directed even if you think you are better. Do not skip doses or stop your medication early. It is important that you put your used needles and syringes in a special sharps container. Do not put them in a trash can. If you do not have a sharps container, call your pharmacist or care team to get one. What if I miss a dose? If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses. What may interact with this medication? Do not take this medication with any of the following: This medication may interact with the following: This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine. Additional Information: Product Details: Minimum Order Quantity \| 10 Piece \| Strength \| 250 mg \| Pack Type \| Vial \| Brand Name \| Omnatax 250 mg \| Manufacturer \| Abbott \| Shelf Life \| 24 Months \| Usage \| To treat bacterial infections \| Usage / Application \| Personal \| Composition \| Cefotaxime 250 mg \| Product Introduction Omnatax 250mg Injection is an antibiotic medicine used to treat bacterial infections in your body. It is effective in infections of the brain, lungs, ear, urinary tract, skin and soft tissues, bones and joints, blood, and heart. It is also used to prevent infections during surgery. Omnatax 250mg Injection fights and stops the growth of many types of bacteria. This helps to improve your symptoms and cure the underlying infection. It is given as a drip (intravenous infusion) or as an injection directly into a vein or a muscle under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Your doctor will decide the correct dose for you. You should use this medicine regularly at evenly spaced intervals as per the schedule prescribed by your doctor. Do not skip any doses and finish the full course of treatment even if you feel better. Stopping the medicine too early may lead to the infection returning or worsening. Before using it, you should tell your doctor if you are allergic to any antibiotics, and if you have any liver or kidney problems. You should also let your healthcare team know all other medicines you are taking as they may affect, or be affected by this medicine. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should consult their doctor before using it. Uses Of Omnatax Injection Treatment of Bacterial infections Benefits Of Omnatax Injection In Treatment of Bacterial infections Omnatax 250mg Injection is a medicine that kills the infection-causing bacteria in your body. It is often injected by a doctor or a nurse either into a vein or a muscle. This medicine is used to treat many different types of infections such as those of the brain (meningitis), lungs (pneumonia), ear, abdomen, urinary tract, bones and joints, skin, blood, and heart. This medicine usually makes you feel better within a few days. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully to get maximum benefit. Side Effects Of Omnatax Injection Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you're worried about them Common Side Effects Of Omnatax Injection site reactions (pain, swelling, redness) Gastrointestinal disorder How Omnatax Injection Works Omnatax 250mg Injection is an antibiotic. It kills the bacteria by preventing them from forming the bacterial protective covering (cell wall) which is needed for them to survive. Safety Advice Consuming alcohol with Omnatax 250mg Injection does not cause any harmful side effects. Omnatax 250mg Injection is generally considered safe to use during pregnancy. Animal studies have shown low or no adverse effects to the developing baby; however, there are limited human studies. Breast feeding Omnatax 250mg Injection is safe to use during breastfeeding. Human studies suggest that the drug does not pass into the breastmilk in a significant amount and is not harmful to the baby. Avoid prolonged use of Omnatax 250mg Injection, since it may have possible effects such as rash and diarrhea. Omnatax 250mg Injection may decrease alertness, affect your vision or make you feel sleepy and dizzy. Do not drive if these symptoms occur. Omnatax 250mg Injection should be used with caution in patients with kidney disease. Dose adjustment of Omnatax 250mg Injection may be needed. Omnatax 250mg Injection is safe to use in patients with liver disease. No dose adjustment of Omnatax 250mg Injection is recommended. Additional Information:
The global landscape of transportation is undergoing a revolutionary shift as Electric Vehicles (EVs) gradually replace traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. As a pivotal component of this transformation, EV charging stations as well as EV car charger for home have emerged not just as a mere infrastructure but as a harbinger of change, offering an array of benefits that extend far beyond the realm of convenience. From environmental advantages to economic gains, and fostering technological innovation, EV charging stations are playing a vital role in shaping a sustainable future and some such benefits are listed below: 1. Reduced Dependence on Fossil Fuels The world's dependence on fossil fuels has been a long-standing concern due to their finite nature and the adverse environmental effects associated with their extraction and combustion. EV charging stations act as a catalyst in decreasing this dependency by providing a convenient and widespread platform for EV owners to recharge their vehicles using electricity from renewable sources. This transition to cleaner energy not only ensures a more sustainable energy future but also reduces vulnerability to fluctuations 2in oil prices and geopolitical tensions related to energy resources. 2. Fostering Innovation and Research The proliferation of EV charging stations fuels innovation and research in various fields. From advancements in battery technology to more efficient charging protocols, the demand for EV infrastructure drives research and development efforts that propel the electric mobility ecosystem forward. This innovation not only benefits the automotive industry but also extends to academia, where researchers explore novel ways to improve energy storage, charging efficiency, and grid integration. 3. Enhancing Urban Planning and Urban Air Quality The deployment of EV charging stations can have a profound impact on urban planning and development, influencing transportation infrastructure and shaping smart cities. The adoption of EVs facilitated by charging stations contributes to improved urban air quality, reducing health risks associated with air pollution. Cleaner air translates to healthier citizens and decreased strain on healthcare systems, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and liveable urban environment. 4. Emission Reduction Targets In pursuit of international climate commitments, governments are setting stringent emission reduction targets. EV charging stations are integral to achieving these goals, as they encourage consumers to opt for zero-emission vehicles and, in turn, contribute to lowering overall greenhouse gas emissions. 5. Grid Integration and Smart Charging EV charging stations play a pivotal role in shaping the concept of the smart grid—a modernized electrical grid that utilizes digital communication technology to improve efficiency and reliability. With features such as demand-response charging and peak-load management, charging stations facilitate a harmonious integration of EVs into the grid. This synergy helps balance energy demand, stabilize the grid, and minimize strain during peak hours. Wrapping Up: Thus, we can say that EV charging stations and electric vehicle home charging station are catalysts for a better tomorrow because they reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and stimulate innovation in renewable energy integration. As the wheels of advancement spin towards a brighter future for transportation, it is evident that the advantages of EV charging stations are guiding us along a path of change, sustainability, and progress!
Understanding the impact of a stuck caliper on your vehicle's performance The presence of a stuck caliper within your vehicle has the potential to introduce a profound disruption to its overall performance. Positioned as one of the fundamental constituents within the braking system, the caliper possesses an indispensable role in exerting the requisite force that facilitates halting motion when you depress the brake pedal. In instances where a caliper becomes immobilized, it fails to disengage appropriately, subsequently fostering an unceasing proximity between both brake pads and rotor. This perpetual adjacency engenders superfluous heat generation and heightened friction levels, thereby instigating numerous unfavorable consequences for your beloved vehicle. One of the foremost repercussions attributable to an entrenched caliper manifests itself in diminished braking capabilities. Given that brake pads remain perpetually engaged under these circumstances, their gradual erosion transpires at a significantly accelerated pace compared to customary norms. Consequently, this detrimental occurrence precipitates reduced efficacy concerning deceleration processes alongside augmented distances required for successful stops – scenarios which prove nothing short of distressing and perilous; particularly amidst exigent occurrences necessitating immediate cessation. Furthermore, incessant frictional engagements possess potential ramifications on brake fluid conditions by inducing overheating phenomena that consequently prompt hydraulic pressure reductions and impart upon drivers sensations akin to maneuvering with pliant pedals – disconcerting manifestations capable of compromising not only vehicular safety but also contributing towards uncomfortable driving experiences. • Diminished braking capabilities due to perpetual engagement of brake pads • Accelerated erosion of brake pads leading to reduced efficacy in deceleration processes • Increased distances required for successful stops, posing potential dangers in urgent situations • Overheating of brake fluid resulting from constant frictional engagements • Reductions in hydraulic pressure and sensations of pliant pedals while driving Recognizing the signs of a stuck caliper The phenomenon of a stuck caliper possesses the potential to wield a significant impact on the overall performance of your esteemed vehicle, thus rendering it paramount to possess an acute ability for early detection and recognition of its telltale signs. One of the most commonly perceived indications that manifest in the presence of this affliction is none other than uneven braking. When an unfortunate fate befalls a caliper, impeding its free movement, it fails to properly relinquish its hold upon the brake pads, thereby engendering a scenario wherein pressure is distributed upon the rotor in a manner bereft of uniformity. Consequently, you may discern with great clarity that your cherished vehicle inclines towards one side whilst performing the act of braking—an unmistakable symptom heralding an issue afflicting one specific caliper. Moreover, as if matters were not already dire enough, I regretfully inform you that should such misfortune beset your mechanical contraption, excessive heat shall indeed accumulate within the confines of said afflicted wheel—thus culminating in both olfactory and visual manifestations indicative thereof. A pungent odor shall assail your senses or perchance even smoke may emanate from proximate regions surrounding aforementioned wheel area. Given these distressing developments which transcend mere semblance into reality itself: should you detect any unfamiliar aromas wafting through nasal passages or bear witness to plumes shrouding thy vision due to overheating vis-à-vis visual stimuli; then I adamantly insist upon prompt investigation into this matter so as to mitigate potentially deleterious consequences. An additional indication which harbors relevance lies embedded within abnormal wear patterns adorning both brake pads and rotor alike—a direct consequence borne forth by our malevolent antagonist known as "stuck caliper." In instances wherein proper release eludes grasp and continuity dissipates like fleeting vapors within ethereal realms; friction between pad and rotor becomes omnipresent—an unyielding force leaving naught but the ravages of premature wear in its wake. Scrutinizing brake pads on a regular basis and discerning disparities vis-à-vis wear patterns may serve as a beacon amidst this tempestuous storm, providing insight into the inner workings of one caliper that dares to defy convention. Be ever vigilant for asymmetrical wear—whereby one side is subjected to far greater devastation than its counterpart—or perhaps even grooves and scoring upon the surface of thy rotor itself; such occurrences warrant immediate attention. Furthermore, I beseech thee to lend thine senses towards tactile perception by deeming it crucial to ascertain whether or not heat emanates excessively from said afflicted wheel following prolonged bouts of vehicular locomotion. Should these aforementioned signs transpire within your purview, then I implore you with utmost sincerity to address them without delay—for failure to do so shall only invite further detriment befalling thine braking system whilst simultaneously casting aspersions upon thy safety during subsequent journeys embarked upon roadways both near and afar. How a stuck caliper affects your vehicle's braking system A perplexing and bursty situation arises when a caliper gets stuck, causing quite the quandary for your vehicle's braking system. Picture this: the caliper becomes immobilized, unable to retract as it should, leading to an unrelenting connection between the brake pads and rotor. The perpetual contact generates friction and heat, hastening the deterioration of these vital brake components. Overtime, this insidious process can result in premature failure of both brake pad and rotor, necessitating exorbitant repairs or replacements. But wait! There's more! Not only does a stubbornly stuck caliper wreak havoc on your vehicle's longevity by increasing wear and tear; it also launches an assault on its braking performance. The ceaseless pressure exerted on the brake pads leads them astray with uneven wear patterns, sparking an imbalance in braking force between those left wheels versus their right counterparts. This precarious scenario culminates in compromised braking efficiency and heightens the probability of losing control during crucial moments of deceleration. I implore you to attend to such a vexatious dilemma promptly if you wish to ensure that your vehicle's braking system operates safely as intended. The potential dangers of driving with a stuck caliper Driving with a fixed caliper brings forth a multitude of perils that loom over both the operator and fellow road users. Amongst these dangers, the immediate loss of braking power stands paramount. Once ensnared, the caliper subjects one brake pad to an incessant pressure on the rotor, igniting a fiery confluence within. Not only does this diminish brake efficacy but it also has the potential to ignite complete failure through overheating. The absence of proper stopping capabilities renders rapid vehicle halts during emergencies nearly implausible, leaving all in grave jeopardy. Prowling alongside is another menacing peril that accompanies driving with an immobilized caliper – tire wear asymmetry emerges as its treacherous accomplice. As this steadfast clasp persists, escalated friction and heat gravitate towards one side of the rotor, inducing irregular erosion upon both brake pads and rotor surface alike. Consequently, tire depletion occurs disproportionately and precipitously on the afflicted flank compared to its counterparts. This perverse imbalance begets reduced traction levels, compromised handling prowess, and heightens vulnerability to tire blowouts. Moreover,incongruous abrasion adversely affects fuel efficiency sinc e the vehicle must exert greater efforts to counterbalance this skewed distribution of braking force. Tips for identifying a stuck caliper before hitting the road The utmost importance lies in identifying a stuck caliper prior to embarking on your journey, as it is vital for both the safety and optimal functioning of your vehicle. The initial indications to keep an eye out for manifest as a perplexing pulling sensation when applying the brakes. Should you observe your vehicle swaying towards one side instead of stopping in a linear path, this curious behavior could potentially unveil a stuck caliper's presence. In addition, it is essential to exercise attentiveness towards any bewildering noises emanating from the brakes such as squealing, grinding, or clicking sounds. These peculiar auditory disturbances may be indicative of an improperly releasing caliper. Moreover, another enigmatic sign pointing towards the existence of a stuck caliper manifests itself through an unconventional fragrance or billowing smoke emerging from the wheels subsequent to driving. This unusual olfactory experience or smoky occurrence can be attributed to excessive friction between the caliper and rotor due to insufficient retraction by said caliper. Furthermore, if you happen upon uneven wear patterns on your brake pads or detect an unusually elevated temperature emitting from one specific wheel after driving – alluringly differentiating itself from its counterparts – it too serves as telltale signs that point towards the presence of a perplexing stuck caliper dilemma. Conscientiously examining your brakes at regular intervals and diligently attending to these puzzling indicators shall undoubtedly enable you in preemptively discerning a troublesome stuck caliper before it escalates into more grave predicaments whilst traversing on roads less traveled. The importance of promptly addressing a stuck caliper issue Timely intervention is of utmost importance when confronted with a perplexing and bursty caliper predicament, as it is crucial for upholding the safety and performance standards of your esteemed vehicle. The ramifications resulting from an immobilized caliper can inflict detrimental effects upon the braking system, thereby engendering potential hazards while navigating the thoroughfares. To disregard or defer rectifying this matter would be to court perilous consequences that imperil not only your own well-being but also that of fellow road users. One compelling rationale underpinning the necessity for expeditious action resides in the capacity of a stuck caliper to instigate uneven tire deterioration. This unfortunate circumstance materializes when said caliper fails to emancipate itself from its gripping embrace, consequently exerting undue pressure upon one side of the brake rotor and precipitating an imbalanced distribution of braking force. The lamentable outcome manifests as accelerated wear on a solitary tire relative to its counterparts, thereby adversely influencing traction, stability, and overall vehicular handling proficiency. By promptly attending to these immobilized clamps afflicting your prized possession, you shall effectively obviate any prospective impairment inflicted upon your tires while concurrently extending their service life span. Furthermore, undertaking repairs in a timely manner will prove instrumental in circumventing supplementary expenses associated with untimely replacement of worn-out tires. Factors that can influence how far you can drive with a stuck caliper When confronted with a stubborn caliper, it becomes crucial to grasp the multitude of variables that can potentially influence the extent to which you may safely traverse in your vehicle. Foremost among these considerations is the degree of harm or friction engendered by said obstinate caliper. In instances where this caliper exhibits only negligible entrenchment or induces minimal obstruction, one might conceivably journey a short distance without undue apprehension. Nevertheless, should this caliper be firmly entrenched, compelling an inordinate amount of friction upon your vehicle's mechanisms, even traversing a trifling expanse could prove perilous in the extreme. An additional facet demanding contemplation lies within the category encompassing your chosen means of transportation. Larger contraptions such as trucks or sport utility vehicles possess an inherent ability to endure the repercussions stemming from an affixed caliper over extended distances when juxtaposed against smaller and more lightweight conveyances. Furthermore, one must take into account the state of their supplementary braking constituents – namely brake pads and rotors – for they too exert influence upon how far you are able to venture whilst grappling with a recalcitrant caliper. If these particular components already suffer from weariness or damage prior to encountering a stuck caliper scenario, its impact will inevitably become more pronounced and necessitate prompt attention and rectification. How a stuck caliper can cause uneven tire wear Perplexing and bursting with irregularity, the presence of uneven tire wear serves as a conspicuous revelation of a stuck caliper lurking within your vehicle's braking system. When this insidious caliper becomes ensnared or fails to release entirely, one or more brake pads stubbornly maintain contact with the rotors, engendering an excessive production of friction and heat. This ceaseless interaction between pad and rotor spawns the emergence of erratic tread patterns across the tires' surfaces. The manifestation of uneven tire wear induced by a trapped caliper is multifaceted in its complexity. One prevalent indication assumes the form of feathering or scalloping – an intriguing spectacle characterized by haphazard tread wear that disproportionately affects one side of the tire over its counterpart. Such peculiarities gift you with a jarring and cacophonous journey while simultaneously jeopardizing your tire's ability to grip and maneuver effectively. Moreover, should this malevolent caliper persist in its immobilized state for an extended duration, it possesses ample potential to inflict substantial harm upon your tires – ultimately culminating in their untimely demise and necessitating premature replacement. The impact of a stuck caliper on fuel efficiency The perplexing dilemma of a stuck caliper manifests itself in the realm of fuel efficiency, exerting an undeniable influence. The obstinacy of this caliper creates an unwelcome scenario where the brakes cling relentlessly to their intended position, impeding the smooth movement of the wheels. Consequently, your valiant engine is compelled to muster additional strength in order to maintain speed and surmount this unyielding resistance. Alas, this arduous strain imposed upon the engine results in heightened fuel consumption and a lamentable decline in overall fuel efficiency. Alas, not only does a stubbornly stuck caliper wreak havoc on fuel efficiency directly but it also instigates chaos within tire wear patterns. When incessant braking ensues due to this tenacious adversary known as a stuck caliper, one or more tires may fall victim to escalated friction and intense heat. This unfortunate occurrence inevitably leads to tire impairment and hastened tread erosion; thus necessitating more frequent replacements for these beleaguered rubber companions. Regrettably, such circumstances serve only to exacerbate the adverse impact on fuel efficiency as worn-out tires exhibit elevated rolling resistance demanding greater energy expenditure for rotation purposes. Can a stuck caliper damage other components of your braking system? If a caliper gets jammed, it can wreak havoc on your vehicle's braking system if you ignore it. The potential for overheating is one of the primary concerns. When a caliper gets stuck in the engaged position, it creates an unyielding friction between the brake pad and rotor. This excessive heat buildup can lead to some serious consequences, like the warping of brake rotors. As a result, they become uneven and less reliable when it comes to providing effective stopping power. Additionally, having a stuck caliper also puts extra strain on your brake pads. The constant friction without proper release rapidly wears down these pads, resulting in diminished stopping power and longer distances required to come to a halt. Not only does this compromise your safety but also increases the chances of accidents—especially during those nail-biting emergency braking situations we all hope to avoid. That's why addressing a stuck caliper issue promptly is absolutely crucial; failure to do so could cause severe damage to other essential components within your vehicle's braking system. The role of regular brake maintenance in preventing stuck calipers Regular brake maintenance plays a perplexing role in curbing the unforeseen emergence of immovable calipers in your beloved vehicle. In the realm of customary brake inspections, an expert mechanic shall meticulously scrutinize every nook and cranny of the braking system, including those enigmatic calipers, to ascertain their pristine condition. This diligent endeavor permits any lurking predicaments to be promptly detected and rectified prior to their exacerbation leading to a dire situation of stuck calipers. One cannot overlook the paramount importance of regularly evaluating the state of that elixir for brakes – yes, you guessed it right, brake fluid! As time unfurls its mystifying dance, this vital fluid has a propensity to become tainted with moisture's sneaky infiltration along with vile particles and uninvited debris. These clandestine intruders have an uncanny knack for tampering with the performance prowess of our cherished calipers. However, by indulging in periodic flushing rituals coupled with judicious replacement maneuvers concerning said brake fluid concoction, one can effectively purge these malevolent contaminants while ensuring optimal functionality ensues within our prized caliper domain; hence minimizing chances they'll succumb to being caught up amidst immobilization chaos. Yet we must not cease our relentless pursuit towards safeguarding against potential calamities that may arise from neglecting other crucial components which coexist harmoniously alongside our esteemed calipers. Enter stage left: Brake pads and rotors! Never underestimate their silent yet significant contributions toward conjuring up scenarios where stuck caliper misfortune reigns supreme courtesy improper upkeep or wear-and-tear negligence on part us humble vehicle owners who dare take them for granted. Therefore, embracing a proactive approach encompassing meticulous examination by seasoned mechanics shall guarantee perpetuation of optimum caliber within our precious braking apparatus whilst averting menacing maladies that could potentially inflict immense financial burdens subsequently down this winding road called life. Steps to take if you find yourself driving with a stuck caliper In the bewildering event that you find yourself behind the wheel with a stubborn caliper, it is of utmost importance to promptly take action in order to safeguard your well-being and prevent additional harm befalling your cherished vehicle. The inaugural step entails executing a safe maneuver whereby you carefully guide your automobile towards the side of the thoroughfare, while simultaneously deactivating the engine. By doing so, you afford the caliper an opportunity to cool down and minimize any potential ignition of its brake components. Once you have successfully brought your vehicle to a halt in a secure location, it becomes imperative that you engage the parking brake without delay as a precautionary measure against inadvertent movement whilst evaluating this perplexing predicament. Having ensured your personal safety is assured, progression onto subsequent steps necessitates visually scrutinizing said afflicted caliper for conspicuous indications of impairment or recalcitrance. Examine diligently for signs such as excessive thermal emanation, wisps of smoke mysteriously emerging from its vicinity, or telltale seepage indicative of compromised hydraulic fluid integrity enveloping this enigmatic contraption. Should these worrisome phenomena manifest themselves before your discombobulated gaze, abstain from contemplating further operation of said vehicular apparatus forthwith! Persisting on this treacherous path may yield grievous repercussions or even catastrophic accidents beyond comprehension. Instead, exercise sound judgment by summoning assistance from an experienced automotive technician or reliable towing service capable of deftly transporting your beleaguered conveyance to an esteemed repair establishment wherein competent professionals can meticulously evaluate its vexatious state and undertake indispensable restorative measures posthaste! Be mindful always that enduring travel with an obstinate caliper perilously endangers not only mere possessions but irreplaceable lives – thus rendering expeditious resolution imperatively nonnegotiable! Seeking professional help for stuck caliper repairs When confronted with a stuck caliper, it is highly advisable to seek the assistance of professionals for repairs. Some car owners may be tempted to tackle the problem themselves, but it is essential to grasp the significance of the braking system in ensuring your vehicle's safety. Attempting to rectify a stuck caliper without the requisite knowledge and expertise could potentially result in further harm or compromise the efficacy of your brakes. Consequently, entrusting this task into the capable hands of trained experts who can accurately diagnose and implement appropriate repairs is imperative. Professional technicians possess both the indispensable experience and tools needed to effectively address a stuck caliper issue. They are adept at determining whether repair is feasible or if replacement becomes necessary. Moreover, they have access to genuine parts and comprehend the specific requirements inherent in your vehicle's braking system. By seeking professional assistance, you can rest assured that your car's caliper will undergo proper repair or replacement procedures, thereby guaranteeing optimal braking performance and upholding road safety for yourself as well as your passengers. Common misconceptions about driving with a stuck caliper There exists a widespread fallacy concerning the act of driving with a stubborn caliper, wherein it is perceived as an inconsequential matter that can be disregarded without any sense of urgency. Some individuals hold firm to the belief that as long as their vehicle still possesses the capacity to halt its momentum, there is no pressing need to rectify this predicament. Yet, one must be aware of the peril lurking within such reasoning. A recalcitrant caliper has the potential to inflict severe harm upon your vehicle's braking system at large, jeopardizing its ability to effectively decelerate or come to a complete standstill. Furthermore, another misguided notion suggests that operating a vehicle with a stuck caliper solely impacts the wheel or brake implicated in this conundrum. Although it may indeed hold true that the obstinate caliper directly affects the afflicted side, it also has grave implications for other crucial elements comprising the braking mechanism. In certain instances, excessive heat and friction engendered by said stuck caliper can instigate boiling of brake fluid, thereby diminishing overall braking power throughout your entire automobile. To neglect addressing such obstinacy not only entails escalated expenses for repair but also poses substantial risks for you and fellow motorists who traverse these roads alongside you. Maintaining a safe driving experience by addressing stuck caliper issues promptly Promptly addressing issues with stuck calipers is absolutely vital for maintaining a safe and secure driving experience. The ramifications of a stuck caliper extend far beyond mere braking pe rformance, encompassing potential dangers that loom ominously on the road ahead. Neglecting to heed the warning signs of a persistently jammed caliper and continuing to traverse the asphalt can precipitate even more dire consequences—inflicting grievous harm upon your entire braking system, thereby undermining its ability to halt your vehicle efficiently and securely. One of the primary perils associated with driving while grappling with a stubbornly seized caliper lies in its propensity to engender uneven tire wear. When one solitary caliper obstinately remains fixed in place, failing to disengage as it should, an incessant friction ensues—a constant assault upon the afflicted tire's surface. This unrelenting barrage inexorably results in excessive deterioration concentrated solely on one side of said tire—an unfortunate outcome that invariably compromises both tread pattern integrity and overall traction capabilities. Thus compromised, your vehicle's handling dynamics become vulnerable; stability becomes tenuous—especially when confronted by sudden halts or when endeavoring valiantly amidst treacherous road conditions. It hardly bears mentioning that such circumstances exponentially augment accident risks whilst simultaneously eroding any semblance of control you might hope to retain over your precious vehicular contraption. What is the enigma known as a stuck caliper? A stuck caliper, a perplexing phenomenon indeed, occurs when the brake caliper stubbornly refuses to fully release even after the brake pedal has been freed from its command. This obstinacy causes the brake pads to persistently maintain contact with the rotor. How may I unravel the signs of a stuck caliper? The telltale signs that accompany this confounding affliction include an uneven braking experience, accompanied by an olfactory assault of burning odors. Furthermore, excessive heat emanates unwarrantedly from the wheel in question while your vehicle exhibits an inclination to veer towards one side upon engaging in braking maneuvers. Finally, a disconcerting vibration or pulsation makes itself known through your brake pedal's palpable presence. In what manner does this conundrum affect my esteemed vehicle's venerable braking system? Alas! The consequences of such an exasperating predicament are manifold and dire. First and foremost, it mercilessly subjects both brake pad and rotor to accelerated wear and tear. Consequently, it insidiously erodes your cherished vehicle's braking performance until it becomes but a shadow of its former self. Ultimately, this jeopardizes safety on our beloved roads. What dangers lie in wait for me should I foolishly venture forth with such a vexatious hitch plaguing my mechanical steed? Oh dear traveler beware! Nay shall you proceed carelessly whilst shackled to this recalcitrant adversary. For lo! It bestows upon thee terrible woes including but not limited to overheating within thy noble chariot's very own braking system; thus robbing thee of precious stopping power at crucial moments. Moreover, thy once reliable stallion shall gallop longer distances ere coming safely yet slowly to rest due to diminished breaking efficacy; leaving you exposed before the whims of fate with nary a semblance of control. Pray tell, how might I discern this maddening plight ere embarking upon my arduous journey? Fear not! For there exists a glimmer of hope amidst this labyrinthine quandary. Cast thine eyes upon thy noble steed's tires and seek signs of uneven wear. Observe closely for any peculiarities in brake pad or rotor wear that may betray the presence of this insidious caliper conundrum. Furthermore, engage in visual inspection of the caliper itself to ascertain whether it exhibits symptoms such as sticking or an alarming lack of movement. Why is it imperative to hastily address this vexing matter concerning one's errant caliper? Verily, it behooves thee to address forthwith and without delay this most pernicious affliction afflicting your loyal companion on life's winding roads. Forsooth! The safety thou holdest so dear shall be preserved only through prompt action against this malevolent adversary. Moreover, failure to do so will unleash further havoc upon thy braking system; thus precipitating untold damage and misfortune. What factors conspire to determine how far I may traverse while ensnared within the clutches of a stuck caliper? Ah! This riddle confounds even the most astute scholars who pore over its enigmatic essence. The severity with which our antagonist holds fast, coupled together with prevailing driving conditions and idiosyncrasies inherent within each unique chariot's braking system shall ultimately dictate their ability to press on whilst burdened by said entrapment. In what manner does a stuck caliper sow seeds of discord leading unto uneven tire wear? Behold! Witness now the dastardly dance between oppressor and oppressed – twixt rotor and brake pad they grapple ceaselessly. The caliper, obstinate in its refusal to relent, condemns the brake pad to maintain a relentless embrace with the rotor. Thus commences an unholy friction that engenders uneven wear upon the tire ensnared in this malevolent choreography. Pray tell! What impact does this capricious caliper exert upon my vessel's fuel efficiency? Alas! Thy precious nectar shall be consumed with reckless abandon shouldst thou find thyself shackled by this indomitable adversary. Forsooth! The ceaseless contact betwixt brake pads and rotors perpetuates an unwelcome drag; thus sapping thy chariot of its once frugal disposition and leading to profligate consumption of said elixir. Can such a stuck caliper inflict grievous harm upon other compatriots within my valiant braking system? Indeed it can, dear traveler! This bane of our existence known as a stuck caliper possesses the audacity to wreak havoc not only upon itself but also its unsuspecting neighbors within your cherished braking system. Verily I say unto thee, if left unaddressed, this treacherous malefactor shall bring untold devastation upon your noble brake pads, rotors, and even those delicate conduits we call brake lines. How doth regular maintenance lend aid in thwarting these vexatious occurrences wrought by stuck calipers? Fear not for there exists a glimmer of hope amidst this seemingly impenetrable abyss. Regular maintenance routines doth offer solace against these dastardly machinations brought forth by enigmatic villains like stuck calipers themselves. Inspections coupled together with judicious lubrication of their sliding brethren – oh wondrous sliders indeed they are – ensure proper movement; thus denying ingress into our realm from these malicious interlopers. Tell me now what steps I ought to undertake should fate conspire to entrap me with a stuck caliper whilst traversing the great expanse of road? Fear not, valiant traveler! Should fortune ever deem it necessary to subject thee unto this cruel twist of fate, thou must stay calm and execute the following steps with utmost care. First and foremost, thou must safely guide thy noble steed towards a place of respite; away from harm's way. Secondly, grant the beleaguered brake system time to cool its feverish ardor before seeking the aid of professionals well-versed in rectifying such afflictions. Pray tell! Must I seek professional assistance when faced with repairs necessitated by my ensnared caliper? Indeed, wise traveler! Verily it is prudent for thee to summon forthwith those skilled in the art of mending such wretched maladies that befall thy mechanical companion. Only their deft touch shall ensure that this unholy alliance between thine vehicle and said caliper is severed once and for all; thus preventing further devastation upon thy cherished braking system. What misconceptions doth plague our collective consciousness regarding this vexatious matter plaguing unsuspecting souls confronted by stuck calipers? Alas! It pains me greatly to recount th ese misguided beliefs which permeate our shared understanding. Many are wont to blindly believe that time alone shall heal these wounds inflicted by stuck calipers or worse still, harbor delusions that driving under such circumstances poses no risk whatsoever. Nay my friend, let us banish these fallacies from whence they came! Forsooth I say unto thee – left unaddressed this ailment shall unleash considerable damage upon thine precious chariot deserving only our utmost respect and reverence
Browsing by Author "Franz, Katherine J" Results Per Page Sort Options Item Open Access A prochelator activated by beta-secretase inhibits Abeta aggregation and suppresses copper-induced reactive oxygen species formation.(J Am Chem Soc, 2010-04-14) Folk, Drew S; Franz, Katherine JThe intersection of the amyloid cascade hypothesis and the implication of metal ions in Alzheimer's disease progression has sparked an interest in using metal-binding compounds as potential therapeutic agents. In the present work, we describe a prochelator SWH that is enzymatically activated by beta-secretase to produce a high affinity copper chelator CP. Because beta-secretase is responsible for the amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid precursor protein, this prochelator strategy imparts disease specificity toward copper chelation not possible with general metal chelators. Furthermore, once activated, CP efficiently sequesters copper from amyloid-beta, prevents and disassembles copper-induced amyloid-beta aggregation, and diminishes copper-promoted reactive oxygen species formation.Item Open Access Characterization of Metal Binding Peptides Derived from Copper Trafficking Proteins(2010) Rubino, Jeffrey TylerCopper was first released into the environment as the result of the mass generation of oxygen from photosynthetic bacteria roughly 2.7 billion years ago. While it proved to be poisonous to early life on Earth, those that met the evolutionary challenge utilized the metal as a cofactor in enzymes to perform biochemically significant functions, while controlling intracellular levels of copper with a sophisticated network of trafficking proteins. Proteins and enzymes that utilize copper as a cofactor have evolved significantly different coordination environments than copper trafficking proteins, as a result of the different functions they perform. Of particular interest was characterizing the unique Cu(I) binding events observed in some of these proteins, the extracellular N-terminal regions of eukaryotic high affinity copper transport proteins (Ctr), and the bacterial periplamsic CusF protein of the CusFBCA Cu(I)/Ag(I) efflux pathway. Model peptides corresponding to the methionine rich binding motifs (Mets motifs) were characterized in terms of Cu(I) binding affinity, stoichiometry, and metal specificity, via an ascorbic acid oxidation assay and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Metal induced structural features and coordination environments were elucidated with NMR, CD and X-ray spectroscopy. A series of peptides was also examined to infer the relative Cu(I) binding affinities, and susceptibility to oxidation, of methionine, histidine, cysteine residues found in copper binding motifs. The resistance of Cu+ specific peptides to metal catalyzed oxidation is also described. Attempts were also made to model the Cu(I)/Ag(I) tryptophan cation-π interaction observed in CusF. Item Open Access Coordination of platinum therapeutic agents to met-rich motifs of human copper transport protein1.(Metallomics, 2010-01) Crider, Sarah E; Holbrook, Robert J; Franz, Katherine JPlatinum therapeutic agents are widely used in the treatment of several forms of cancer. Various mechanisms for the transport of the drugs have been proposed including passive diffusion across the cellular membrane and active transport via proteins. The copper transport protein Ctr1 is responsible for high affinity copper uptake but has also been implicated in the transport of cisplatin into cells. Human hCtr1 contains two methionine-rich Mets motifs on its extracellular N-terminus that are potential platinum-binding sites: the first one encompasses residues 7-14 with amino acid sequence Met-Gly-Met-Ser-Tyr-Met-Asp-Ser and the second one spans residues 39-46 with sequence Met-Met-Met-Met-Pro-Met-Thr-Phe. In these studies, we use liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to compare the binding interactions between cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin with synthetic peptides corresponding to hCtr1 Mets motifs. The interactions of cisplatin and carboplatin with Met-rich motifs that contain three or more methionines result in removal of the carrier ligands of both platinum complexes. In contrast, oxaliplatin retains its cyclohexyldiamine ligand upon platinum coordination to the peptide.Item Open Access Copper as an Antibacterial Agent and Disruptor of Protein Stability(2020) Zaengle-Barone, JacquelineThe emergence of resistance to existing antibiotic drugs necessitates the development of new strategies to treat bacterial infections. Copper (Cu) has been used since ancient times to inhibit bacterial growth and has recently experienced a resurgence in its clinical utility as an antimicrobial coating for surfaces in hospitals. Small molecule chelators that bind Cu have also been shown to have antibacterial activity and are believed to disrupt metal homeostasis within the microbes they kill. Molecules called ionophores shuttle Cu into the cell to poison it. However, the antibacterial modes of action behind Cu and small molecule ionophores are not well understood. In this work, we employ a variety of biological, spectrometric, and proteomic techniques to study how Cu and a small molecule ionophore called pyrithione (PT) kill bacteria. First, we present antibacterial susceptibility assays that demonstrate PT and a β-lactamase-activated prodrug of PT called PcephPT kill bacteria in a Cu-dependent manner. Cu hyperaccumulated in cells that were cotreated with low-micromolar Cu and either PT or PcephPT, demonstrating their activity as metal-shuttling ionophores. Next, proteome-wide protein expression level and stability measurements were used to probe treatment-induced cellular changes after E. coli were exposed to Cu in the absence and presence of PT or PcephPT. The stability-based study identified key protein targets such as the metabolic enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase, whose activities were confirmed to be inhibited by PT-induced copper toxicity in enzymatic assays. Finally, the impact of Cu on the proteome was further investigated in a metal-induced protein precipitation experiment. Unlike other divalent first row transition metals, low millimolar Cu induced complete protein precipitation from E. coli lysate. Protein solubility was restored by addition of Cu chelators, showing that Cu-induced protein precipitation is reversible. We then obtained Cu precipitation curves for over 800 proteins and saw that some were more sensitive while others were more tolerant to precipitation by Cu. Finally, we analyzed the data set to better understand what biophysical characteristics of the proteins may contribute to making them sensitive or tolerant to precipitation by Cu. Item Open Access Copper at the Interface of Chemistry and Biology: New Insights into hCtr1 Function and the Role of Histidine in Human Cellular Copper Acquisition(2010) Haas, Kathryn LouiseMechanisms of copper homeostasis are of great interest partly due to their connection to debilitating genetic and neurological disorders. The family of high-affinity copper transporters (Ctr) is responsible for extracellular copper acquisition and internalization in yeast, plants, and mammals, including human. The extracellular domain of the human high-affinity copper transporter (hCtr1) contains essential Cu-binding methionine-rich MXXM and MXM (Mets) motifs that are important for copper acquisition and transport. The hCtr1 extracellular domain also contains potential copper binding histidine (His) clusters, including a high-affinity Cu(II) ATCUN site. As of yet, extracellular His clusters have no established significance for hCtr1 function. We have made model peptides based on the extracellular copper acquisition domain of hCtr1 that is rich in His residues and Mets motifs. The peptides' Cu(I) and Cu(II) binding properties have been characterized by UV-Vis and mass spectrometry. Our findings have been extended to a mouse cell model and we show that His residues are important for hCtr1 function likely because of their contribution to strong copper-binding sites in the hCtr1 extracellular domain responsible for copper acquisition. Copper's pro-oxidant property is also medicinally promising if it can be harnessed to induce oxidative stress as a cancer chemotherapy strategy. Our lab has designed a photocleavable caged copper complex that can selectively release redox-active copper in response to light. The thermodynamic copper binding properties of these potential chemotherapeutics have been characterized Item Open Access Design of Antibacterial Prochelators to Target Drug-Resistant Bacteria(2016) Besse, DavidTransition metals such as iron and copper are valued in biology for their redox activities because they are able to access various oxidation states. However, these transition metals are also implicated in a number of human disease states and play a role in bacterial infections. The ability to manipulate and monitor metal ions has vast implications on the fields of biology and human health. As such, the research described here covers two related goals: to manipulate metals in specific biological circumstances and to visualize this disturbance in cellular metal homeostasis. Antibiotic resistance necessitates the development of drugs that exploit new mechanisms of action such as the disruption of metal homeostasis. In order to manipulate metals at the site of bacterial infection, two prochelators were developed around a β-lactam core such that the active chelator is released in the presence of bacteria that produce the resistance-causing β-lactamase enzyme. Both prochelators display enhanced activity toward resistant bacteria compared to clinical antibiotics. Fluorescent sensors are a powerful tool for detecting small concentrations of biological analytes. Two analogs of a ratiometric fluorescent sensor were designed and synthesized to monitor cellular concentrations of copper and iron. These sensors were found to operate as designed in vitro; however the fluorescence intensity necessary for quantification of cellular metal pools has not yet been achieved. Item Open Access Design of Photocage Ligands for Light-Activated Changes in Coordination of d-block Transition Metals(2010) Ciesienski, Katie LynnannThe concept of light-activated "caged" metal ions was first introduced for Ca2+. These high affinity coordination complexes are activated by UV light to release calcium ions intracellularly and have found widespread use in understanding the many roles of calcium in biological processes. There is an unmet need for photocaging ligands for biologically relevant transition metal ions. Described here are the first examples of uncaging biologically important d-block metal ions using photoactive ligands. New nitrogen-donor ligands that contain a photoactive nitrophenyl group within the backbone have been prepared and evaluated for their metal binding affinity. Exposure of buffered aqueous solutions of apo-cage or metal-bound cage to UV light induces cleavage of the ligand backbone reducing the denticity of the ligands. Characterization of several caging compounds reveals that quantum efficiency and metal binding affinity can be tuned by modifications to the parent structure. The change in reactivity of caged vs. uncaged metal for promoting hydroxyl radical formation was demonstrated using the in vitro deoxyribose assay. The function of several of these compounds in vivo pre- and post-photolysis has been validated using MCF-7 cells. This strategy of caging transition metals ions is promising for applications where light can trigger the release of metal ions intracellularly to study metal trafficking and distribution, as well as, selectively impose oxidative stress and/or metal toxicity on malignant cells causing their demise. Item Open Access Development and Characterization of Boronate-Masked Prochelators for Peroxide-Triggered Metal Chelation(2017) Wang, QinChelating agents that can passivate the redox reactivity of transgressing iron have shown promising potential to minimize damage associated with oxidative stress in diseases. Systemic administration of these chelating agents, however, raises safety concerns due to the potential risks of indiscriminate extraction of metals from critical metalloproteins and inhibition of metalloenzymes. To overcome this challenge of unselective metal chelation, we have pursued a prodrug strategy for two extensively studied iron chelators, salicylaldehyde isonicotinic hydrazone (SIH) and deferasirox, where a boronate masking group blocks metal binding in the resulting "prochelator" until peroxide activation release the parent chelator. Based on the aroylhydrazone chelator SIH, our first prochelator BSIH was previously shown to have favorable therapeutic ratio of low inherent toxicity and profound cytoprotection against oxidative damage in cultured cells. However, it failed to yield a full complement of SIH upon reaction with hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solutions and cell contexts. In the current study, we report that BSIH undergoes rapid hydrolysis equilibrium with its two degradation components isoniazid and Bsal, which ultimately lower the content of intact SIH formation upon peroxide activation. In our search for boronate-masked prochelators with improved hydrolytic stability, a series of BSIH derivatives have been developed by modifying the parent aroylhydrazone framework with various functionalities. Among others, the para-methoxy derivative (p-OMe)BSIH and the meta-, para- double substituted MD-BSIH have shown improved hydrolytic stability, which ultimately maximizes the release of corresponding active chelators upon peroxide activation. Moreover, both prochelators provide profound cytoprotection to ARPE-19 retinal pigment epithelial cells stressed either exogenously with H2O2 addition, or endogenously with paraquat insult. Deferasirox is a triazole-based chelator used clinically for iron overload, but also is cytotoxic to cells in culture. In order to test whether a prodrug version of deferasirox could minimize its cytotoxicity but retain its protective properties against iron-induced oxidative damage, we present here a prochelator version TIP that contains a self-immolative boronic ester masking group that is removed upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide to release the bis-hydroxyphenyltriazole ligand deferasirox. TIP does not coordinate to Fe3+ or Zn2+ and shows only weak affinity for Cu, in stark contrast to deferasirox, which avidly binds all three metal ions. TIP converts efficiently in vitro upon reaction with hydrogen peroxide to deferasirox. In cell culture, TIP protects retinal pigment epithelial cells from death induced by hydrogen peroxide; however, TIP itself is more cytotoxic than deferasirox in unstressed cells. These results imply that the cytotoxicity of deferasirox may not derive exclusively from its iron withholding properties, which encourages further investigation on identifying potential target proteins responsible for the toxicity of deferasirox. Item Open Access Development of a beta-Secretase Activated Prochelator and FRET Probe to Mediate Copper Toxicity in Alzheimer's Disease(2012) Folk, Drew StevenAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects over 5 million people in the United States alone. This number is predicted to triple to by the year 2050 due to both increasing life expectancies and the absence of disease-attenuating drugs. The etiology of AD remains unclear, and although there are multiple theories implicating everything from oxidative stress to protein misfolding, misregulated metal ions appear as a common thread in disease pathology. Chelation therapy has shown some effectiveness in clinical trials, but to date, there are no FDA-approved metal chelators for the treatment of AD. One of the biggest problems with general chelators is their inability to differentiate between the metal ions involved in disease progression verses those involved in normal metabolic function. To address this problem, we have developed a prochelator approach whereby the prochelator (SWH) does not bind metals with significant biological affinity. However, once activated to the chelator (CP) via enzymatic hydrolysis, the molecule is able to bind copper and reduce its toxicity both in vitro and in a cellular model of Alzheimer's Disease. Central to this strategy is the site-specificity provided by enzymatic activation of the prochelator. In our system, SWH to CP conversion is mediated by beta-secretase, an enzyme involved in A-beta generation. However, in order to render SWH capable of hydrolysis in cells, we modified the prochelator to contain a dihydrocholesterol membrane anchor attached via a polyethylene glycol linker. From this construct, we created beta-MAP, which is an SWH-based FRET probe to demonstrate beta-secretase-mediated conversion of SWH to CP. beta-MAP was also used to confirm the efficacy of a known beta-secretase inhibitor without the need to for mutated cells lines or expensive antibodies. beta;-MAP and the associated microscopy method represent a significant advancement to the currently available ELISA assays for beta-secretase activity. While activation of the prochelator by an enzyme in cells is encouraging, non-specific hydrolysis of the peptide prevents significant accumulation of the chelator on the cell membrane. Furthermore, attachment of the polyethylene glycol and sterol units induce cell toxicity not seen with the native CP peptide. These drawbacks prevent the current prochelator from effectively protecting cells from AD conditions. Structural modifications to overcome these problems, including implementation of a new peptide sequence are planned for future experiments. Item Open Access Development of Fluorescent Iron and Copper Sensors Activated by Hydrogen Peroxide or Ultraviolet Light(2011) Hyman, LynneFluorescent sensors provide a powerful analytical tool for the intracellular detection of metal cations. In some cases, these fluorescent metal-chelating sensors have helped elucidate the function of metal cations within complicated cellular systems. However, most measure or sense changes in the bulk concentration of a metal species and do not respond to those involved in a specific cellular event. For instance, misregulated copper and iron are implicated in neurodegenerative disease and cancer because of their ability to catalytically propagate the formation of the hydroxyl radical through reaction with hydrogen peroxide. A fluorescent sensor that is unresponsive to metal binding until activation by intracellular hydrogen peroxide could potentially pinpoint the location of this oxidative reaction and provide an understanding of the relationship between copper/iron and hydrogen peroxide. Described here is the development of two fluorescent prochelators that show a selective fluorescence response to iron or copper only in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. A boronic ester masked spirolactam-based prochelator displays a copper-selective turn-on response after oxidation with hydrogen peroxide in organic solvents as determined by absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. However, a competing mechanism occurs in aqueous solution due to hydrolytic instability of the masked prochelator and results in a separate copper-dependent turn-on response as verified by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. A second fluorescent prochelator design relies on metal-dependent fluorescence quenching after oxidation of a self-immolative boronic ester in both organic and aqueous solvents. Cellular microscopy studies show that the sensor's fluorescence intensity is unchanged until incubation with exogenous hydrogen peroxide, which resulted in a decreased fluorescent signal that is restored upon competitive chelation. Both of these prochelators provide a template for future applications and designs with improved properties. Two additional chapters describe the development of a UV-activated iron prochelator and a new fluorescently tagged metal chelator. The UV-activated prochelator is protected with two nitrophenyl groups that are photolyzed with 350 nm light within 10 minutes to reveal a high affinity iron triazole-base chelator. A chelator of this nature may provide protection from UV-induced iron liberation and oxidative stress. A second triazole-based chelator with an embedded coumarin fluorophore was prepared as a potential metal sensor. However, this design showed off-target fluorescence responses, thus it cannot be utilized in its current form for metal detection. Item Open Access Development of Stimulus-Responsive Ligands for the Modulation of Copper and Iron Coordination(2014) Franks, Andrew ThomasThe ability to manipulate the coordination chemistry of metal ions has significant ramifications for the study and treatment of metal-related health concerns, including iron overload, UV skin damage, and microbial infection among many other conditions. To address this concern, chelating agents that change their metal binding characteristics in response to external stimuli have been synthesized and characterized by several spectroscopic and chromatographic analytical methods. The primary stimuli of interest for this work are light and hydrogen peroxide. Herein we report the previously unrecognized photochemistry of aroylhydrazone metal chelator ((E)-N′-[1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethyliden]isonicotinoylhydrazide) (HAPI) and its relation to HAPI metal binding properties. Based on promising initial results, a series of HAPI analogues was prepared to probe the structure-function relationships of aroylhydrazone photochemistry. These efforts elucidate the tunable nature of several aroylhydrazone photoswitching properties. Ongoing efforts in this laboratory seek to develop compounds called prochelators that exhibit a switch from low to high metal binding affinity upon activation by a stimulus of interest. In this context, we present new strategies to install multiple desired functions into a single structure. The prochelator 2-((E)-1-(2-isonicotinoylhydrazono)ethyl)phenyl (E)-3-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylate (PC-HAPI) is masked with a photolabile trans-cinnamic acid protecting group that releases umbelliferone, a UV-absorbing, antioxidant coumarin along with a chelating agent upon UV irradiation. In addition to the antioxidant effects of the coumarin, the released chelator (HAPI) inhibits metal-catalyzed production of damaging reactive oxygen species. Finally a peroxide-sensitive prochelator quinolin-8-yl (Z)-3-(4-hydroxy-2-((4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzyl)oxy)phenyl)acrylate (BCQ) has been prepared using a novel synthetic route for functionalized cis-cinnamate esters. BCQ uses a novel masking strategy to trigger a 90-fold increase in fluorescence emission, along with the release of a desired chelator, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Item Open Access Evaluation and Development of Metal-Binding Agents that Alter Copper Bioavailability(2014) Helsel, Marian ElizabethTransition metal ions are required nutrients for many organisms but also potent toxins if misappropriated. Iron (Fe) plays a central role in the transport of oxygen, and other transition metals, such as copper (Cu) or zinc (Zn), are found in enzymes. It is critical for the human body to maintain careful control on both the levels of metals and their distribution to maintain healthy function. An imbalance in these metals such as an overload often leads to organ failure, while deficiencies result in other medical conditions like anemia, neutropenia, leukopenia. Metal imbalances have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and infections. This dissertation explores several strategies envisioned to alter the bioavailability of metal ions by using synthetic metal-binding agents targeted specifically for diseases where misappropriated metal ions are suspected of exacerbating cellular damage. In Chapter 1, we discuss chemical properties that influence the pharmacological outcome of a subset of metal-binding agents known as ionophores, and review several examples that have shown multiple pharmacological activities in metal-related diseases, with a particular focus on Cu. Chapter 2 describes results of a growth assay in which we screened small molecule Fe and Cu chelators to determine if altering the bioavailability of these essential metal ions inhibits growth of the fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. Results show that select chelating agents that facilitate the increase of intracellular Cu levels inhibited growth of C. neoformans, while traditional metal sequestering agents had no effect on growth at the concentrations tested. In Chapter 3, various chemical properties of the select ligands that demonstrated Cu-dependent antifungal activity (8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQ), thiomaltol and pyrithione) were analyzed and compared to those of counterpart ligands that did not inhibit C. neoformans growth, namely clioquinol, maltol, pyridinol-n-oxide, deferiprone, and thiodeferiprone. The UV-vis spectroscopy of the Cu(II) and Cu(I) complexes of each ligand, along with calculation of their apparent binding affinities by competitive ligand titrations, are described. In addition, we determined octanol-water partition coefficients for the Cu(II) complexes and compare them with reported partition coefficients for the free ligands. An initial assessment of the reduction potential of Cu complexes of the select agents is also investigated in this chapter, along with an analysis of structural details from available crystallographic data. After identifying chelating agents that inhibit C. neoformans in a Cu-dependent manner, we take a closer look in Chapter 4 at 8HQ as a model Cu ionophore. In spite of its promising biological activity of, the metal-dependent toxicity of 8HQ extends to mammalian cells as well. To overcome this challenge, Chapter 4 describes the application of a prochelator strategy to manipulate host Cu in innate immune cells to fight microbial infection. QBP is a nontoxic protected form of 8HQ in which a pinanediol boronic ester blocks metal ion coordination by 8HQ. The prochelator, QBP, is deprotected via reactive oxygen species produced by activated macrophages, creating 8HQ and eliciting Cu-dependent killing of C. neoformans in vitro. Finally, Chapter 5 outlines the synthesis of multifunctional metal chelators that contain a masking group on a metal binding moiety that has been incorporated onto the structural framework of Aβ aggregate-imaging agents. Masking the metal binding site should prevent non-specific metal binding of the prochelator. Once activated to its unmasked form under conditions that mimic early Alzheimer's disease, the released chelator should complex metal ions. The design and rates of oxidation in response to hydrogen peroxide exposure along with their ability to interact with Cu are described in Chapter 5. Item Open Access Insight into How the Coordination Environment of Cu Influences Chemical and Biological Activity of the Antifungal Peptide Histatin-5(2019) Conklin Lopez, StevenThe histidine-rich salivary peptides of the histatin family are known to bind copper (Cu) and other metal ions in vitro, but the details of these interactions are poorly understood and their implications on in vivo antifungal activity have not been established. Here, we explore how the coordination environment of Cu influences chemical and biological activity of the antifungal peptide Hist-5. Antifungal susceptibility assays and Cu-binding experiments reveal how the efficacy of Hist-5 against the commensal organism Candida albicans depends on the availability of Cu in the growth environment. Further, this biological activity correlates with the presence of adjacent histidine residues (bis-His) within the histatin peptide that support Cu(I) binding in the low nM range. Evaluation of oxygen reactivity of the Histatin Cu(I)-bis-His complexes indicates the PCu(I) complex is reactive towards H2O2. EPR, UV-Vis and HPLC studies demonstrate that exposure to H2O2 results in the formation of a metalloradical complex reminiscent of radical copper oxidases. Additional exploration of the coordination environment conducive to metalloradical formation exposes the importance of the third ligand (His3) of the Cu(I)-bis-His Complex for H2O2. His3 mutant peptides also disclose the tunability of the H2O2 reactivity. Furthermore, substrate evaluation assays offer evidence of the capability of the Cu-Hist-5 to specifically chemically modify a cell wall component. Together, these results provided compelling evidence supporting that Cu-coordination plays a critical role in the biological and chemical activity of Hist-5. Item Open Access Insight into the Role of Metal Homeostasis in Fungal Adaptation to Drug Stress(2019) Hunsaker, ElizabethMaintenance of metal homeostasis is critical to cell survival due to the multitude of cellular processes that depend on one or more metal cofactors. We show that the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans becomes sensitized to both Cu limitation and Cu elevation during exposure in liquid culture to the antifungal drug fluconazole, a widely prescribed antifungal agent. Cu supplementation reduces tolerance of C. albicans to fluconazole in a way that does not require formation of a Cu–fluconazole complex. Rather, our data point to a less obvious relationship between drug stress and Cu availability that gives rise to metal-mediated outcomes of drug treatment. qRT-PCR, EPR, fluorescence, and ICP-MS studies demonstrate that C. albicans extensively remodels its metal homeostasis networks to respond to treatment with fluconazole. These adaptation strategies include increased Cu import and storage, increased retention of Fe, Mn, and Zn, altered utilization of Cu- and Mn-dependent enzymes, mobilization of intracellular Fe stores, and increased production of the heme prosthetic group utilized by the enzyme target of fluconazole. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis reveals that co-treatment with fluconazole and Cu gives rise to unique patterns of gene expression that illustrate the profound impacts of small fluctuations in Cu availability on the transcriptomic response to fluconazole stress. Finally, we show that fluconazole causes substantial changes to the metalloproteome of C. albicans, most notably to the levels of Cu proteins. The findings offer a new perspective for thinking about fungal response to drug stress that pushes cells out of their metal homeostatic zones, leading them to enact metal-associated adaptation mechanisms to restore homeostasis to survive. Item Embargo Insights into the Role of Copper and Zinc on the Uptake and Antifungal Activity of the Salivary Peptide Histatin-5(2023) Campbell, Joanna XianzhenHistatin-5 (Hist-5) is a polycationic, histidine-rich antimicrobial peptide with potent antifungal activity against the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Hist-5 can bind metals in vitro, and metals have been shown to alter the fungicidal activity of the peptide. The goal of this work is to gain insight into the role of metals in the biological activity Hist-5. Toward this goal, we developed and characterized a novel fluorescently labeled Hist-5 peptide (Hist-5) to visualize changes in internalization and localization of the peptide in fungal cells as a function of metal availability in the growth medium. Here, we provide evidence for Zn-modulated antifungal activity of Hist-5 in which the availability of Zn2+ in the surrounding environment inhibits Hist-5 cellular uptake and cidality. Cellular growth assays revealed a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of Zn2+ on Hist-5 antifungal activity. Imaging by confocal microscopy showed that equimolar concentrations of Zn2+ kept the peptide localized along the cell periphery rather than internalizing, thus preventing cytotoxicity and membrane disruption. We found that modulation of extracellular Zn2+ concentration by metal chelating molecules or proteins reversed Zn-induced surface adhesion of Hist-5, leading us to propose a dynamic role for Zn2+ as an inhibitory switch to regulate Hist-5 fungicidal activity. We next present data to support the hypothesis that Hist-5 interacts with intracellular Cu to increase the fungicidal activity Hist-5. Combined fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy experiments showed reversible Cu-dependent quenching of Hist-5 fluorescence, indicating a direct interaction between Hist-5 and intracellular Cu. X-ray fluorescence microscopy images revealed peptide-induced changes to cellular Cu distribution and cell-associated Cu content. Finally, we present progress towards expanding the scope in which we understand and assess Hist-5 biological activity by investigating the activity of the peptide under biologically relevant conditions and testing its fungicidal activity against other fungal species. Item Embargo Investigations of Tetrathiomolybdate for Antifungal Applications(2023) McAuliffe, Katherine JaneIn recent years, the demand for new antifungal drugs has increased, partly due to the rise of antifungal drug resistance. Previous research has shown that Candida albicans is hypersensitive to copper (Cu) dyshomeostasis in the presence of antifungal drug treatment by the popular triazole fluconazole. This work aims to investigate the ability of metal trafficking inhibitors to alter metal homeostasis in C. albicans. Toward this goal, we identified five compounds with demonstrated metal-trafficking protein inhibition from a literature review. One of the metal trafficking inhibitors tested, the Cu chelator ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (TTM), was found by C. albicans growth assays to have antifungal properties, an activity that has not been documented previously . Data from ion-coupled plasma mass spectrometry revealed significantly increased intracellular Mo levels, confirming that TTM internalizes into the cell. Utilizing bulk proteomic methods to measure protein stability changes, we found that TTM treatment results in altered stability of metalated proteins such as cytochrome c, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1), the flavo-hemoglobin nitric oxide dioxygenase (Yhb1), and the multicopper oxidase Fet31. TTM treatment destabilizes Sod1 and increases the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burden while stabilizing and upregulating the compensatory Yhb1. Upon comparison of TTM's antifungal activity to that of the extracellular Cu chelator bathocuproinedisulfonic acid (BCS), we determined that TTM's activity is not due to Cu chelation and subsequent deprivation, as BCS does not inhibit C. albicans growth or impact the metalloproteome stability in the same way. Additionally, inhibiting the upregulated and stabilized Yhb1 during TTM treatment with azole antifungals with known Yhb1 inhibiting capabilities resulted in synergistic antifungal activity as determined by checkerboard growth assays. The combined inhibition of Yhb1 with TTM treatment is a promising antifungal development avenue. Item Open Access Masked Metal Chelators of Variable Denticity to Prevent Oxidative Stress(2010) Dickens, Marina GraceCellular damage due to oxidative stress is implicated in a wide variety of conditions including degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases. One source of oxidative stress is the interaction of redox-active metals such as copper and iron with hydrogen peroxide to produce hydroxyl radicals. Preventing metal-induced oxidative stress by metal chelation is one potential approach to treat some of these diseases, but there remain significant challenges in designing chelators that target damaging metals while not disturbing healthy metal ion distribution. To overcome this challenge, prochelators that are responsive to conditions of oxidative stress have been introduced. By designing ligands that only bind metal ions in the presence of oxidants, damaging metals can be bound and removed while not perturbing the metals necessary for cell function. Masking the phenol of a chelator with a boronic ester creates a prochelator that has little to no affinity for metal ions until exposure to H2O2 converts the prochelator to the chelator, which is then available to bind metal ions. Described here is the development of boronate-based prochelators that react with H2O2 to produce chelating agents of variable denticity, ranging from 2 to 6. Quinoline boronic acid pinanediol ester, or QBP, is a new bidentate prochelator introduced here that reacts with H2O2 with a rate of 0.22 M-1s-1 to produce 8-hydroxyquinoline, a known metal-binding agent. Results in Chapter 2 show that QBP can be activated in vitro under conditions that mimic early Alzheimer's Disease pathology where copper, amyloid beta peptide, and ascorbic acid exacerbate formation of reactive oxygen species. QBP does not bind metal ions, nor does it disaggregate metal-promoted amyloid beta peptide aggregates. However, the released 8-hydroxyquinoline sequesters copper from amyloid beta and both diminishes further formation of reactive oxygen species and inhibits further aggregation of amyloid-beta. The syntheses and crystal structures of hexadentate prochelators are described in Chapter 3, along with their rates of oxidation in response to hydrogen peroxide exposure and their ability to protect against hydroxyl radicals formed in vitro by iron (or copper), ascorbic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. The hexadentate chelators are based on a tripodal architecture in which three phenol moieties are linked via nitrogens on three alkyl arms to a central nitrogen to provide an N3O3 donor set for metal complexation. Of three prochelator/chelator pairs prepared, the pair (trenBsalam/trensalam) with amine linkages was deemed most suitable for potential biological studies. The prochelator trenBsalam oxidizes at a rate of 0.72 M-1s-1 to produce the chelator trensalam in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The transition metal coordination chemistry and metal ion affinities of trensalam were further studied in Chapter 4 by x-ray crystallography, UV/Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The response of a series of bidentate prochelators to various oxidants, including hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, peroxynitrite and hypochlorite, was evaluated by UV/Vis spectroscopy in Chapter 5. Varying the diol that is appended to the boronic ester results in hydrogen peroxide oxidation rates ranging from 0.018 to 1.27 M-1s-1. Lastly, the stability of different boronic acid and diol combinations was probed by spectroscopic techniques and indicate that boronic esters formed with pinanediol form the most stable prochelators under physiological conditions. Item Open Access Metal-Ligand Interactions in Stimuli Responsive Molecules(2018) Hall, KaceyThe ability to control changes in physical and chemical properties has allowed stimuli responsive molecules to be used in a variety of applications. Incorporating metals into stimuli responsive molecules introduces properties unique to organometallics that allow for additional modes of control. Specifically, metals offer increased bonding geometries, lower dissociation energies, reversible chelation, and well-characterized catalytic properties that expand the chemical toolbox for the design of stimuli responsive molecules. Molecules respond to a range of stimuli, including force and light. Force is an interesting stimulus because it is ubiquitous. It is typically considered destructive, but molecules have been designed to respond to mechanical force to produce constructive chemistries. While much progress has been made towards understanding the role of mechanical forces in accelerating and directing covalent chemical reactivity, the behavior of coordinative complexes subjected to the same is far less understood. This work describes the design and synthesis of novel metallomechanophore constructs intimately connected with polymer chains suitable for testing by single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) to probe the effect mechanical forces on the behavior of coordination complexes. Efforts towards characterizing the behavior of these metallopolymers upon application of force by (SMFS) are described. Further, preliminary data on expanding the toolbox of stimuli-responsive molecules by incorporating various metals and higher denticity ligands into these polymer constructs using newly established design principles are discussed. These results create a roadmap for accessing strained metal complexes with the goal of enabling the unique physical and chemical properties of metal ions to be leveraged for creating novel materials. Alternatively, light can be harnessed as a stimulus. Light allows for precise control over a molecule's response since these molecules can be design to respond to an exact wavelength of light. The range of applications for light-responsive is diverse, and the ability to design photoswitches with variable photochemical and physical properties is consequently important for realizing their potential. Addition of metals adds an additional level of control that allows for the creation of increasingly sophisticated responsive molecules. Work in our lab has reported on the photochromism of (E)-N'-(1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (HAPI), a chelating aroylhydrazone. Building upon this, we report the synthesis of structurally related aroylhydrazone chelators, and conducted a structure-activity study to explore the effect the modifications on their photoreactivity, photostationary state composition, photoisomer thermal stability, and relative iron(III) binding ability. Organometallics provide opportunities for greater tunability and reactivity compared to organic molecules. This work demonstrates the utility of incorporating metals into stimuli responsive molecules, and provides a framework for the design of future force- and light- responsive metal complexes. Item Open Access Minding metals: tailoring multifunctional chelating agents for neurodegenerative disease.(Dalton Trans, 2010-03-07) Perez, Lissette R; Franz, Katherine JNeurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are associated with elevated levels of iron, copper, and zinc and consequentially high levels of oxidative stress. Given the multifactorial nature of these diseases, it is becoming evident that the next generation of therapies must have multiple functions to combat multiple mechanisms of disease progression. Metal-chelating agents provide one such function as an intervention for ameliorating metal-associated damage in degenerative diseases. Targeting chelators to adjust localized metal imbalances in the brain, however, presents significant challenges. In this perspective, we focus on some noteworthy advances in the area of multifunctional metal chelators as potential therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to metal chelating ability, these agents also contain features designed to improve their uptake across the blood-brain barrier, increase their selectivity for metals in damage-prone environments, increase antioxidant capabilities, lower Abeta peptide aggregation, or inhibit disease-associated enzymes such as monoamine oxidase and acetylcholinesterase.Item Open Access Platinum(II) Species and their Coordination to Amino Acids and Methioine Motifs(2010) Crider, Sarah ElizabethHuman and yeast analogs of a high affinity copper transport protein (hCtr1 and yCtr1) have been implicated in the transport of platinum-based drugs in cells. Using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, we have compared the binding interactions between cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin with synthetic peptides corresponding to the methionine-rich regions of hCtr1 that encompass amino acid residues 7-14 (MGMSYMDS) and 39-46 (MMMMPMTF). Incubation of cisplatin, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), with a peptide species containing a single methionine results in the loss of 1 or 2 chloride ligands of cisplatin upon coordination of the Pt center to the thioether of methionine and a backbone amide. The interactions of cisplatin and carboplatin with Met-rich motifs containing three or more methionines result in removal of the carrier ligands of both platinum complexes. These results imply that the interaction of cisplatin with methionine-rich regions of hCtr1 alters the drug in such a way that it is no longer in its active form. In contrast, in the presence of a peptide corresponding to residues 39-46 containing 5 methionines, oxaliplatin retains its cyclohexyldiamine ligand upon platinum coordination to the peptide. This result indicates that should oxaliplatin utilize hCtr1 to enter a cell, the drug could remain in its active form. In an effort to exploit the interactions of Pt(II) species with methionine, a second project focused on the development of a fluorescent Pt(II) species that selectively coordinates methionine-rich motifs. The syntheses of multinuclear Pt(II) and Ru(II)-Pt(II) complexes containing 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (dpp) as a bridging ligand were carried out and their coordination to sulfur containing amino acids and bovine serum albumin were explored using UV-Vis and Fluorescence Spectroscopy techniques. The coordination of methionine, cysteine and histidine to [Ru(II)[(Pt(II)Cl2dpp))3] results in the removal of the Pt(II)Cl2 moieties from [Ru(II)(dpp)3]. As a consequence, dpp should not be incorporated into a Pt(II) species for the development of a met-specific fluorescent Pt(II) complex. The discovery of interactions of Pt(II) species with methionine-rich portions of proteins has opened the door for the development of Pt(II) fluorescent species that could potentially coordinate to proteins with specificity for methionine-motifs. The syntheses of multinuclear Pt(II) complexes, using 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (dpp) as a bridging ligand were carried out and their coordination to sulfur containing amino acids and bovine serum albumin were explored using UV-Vis and Fluorescence Spectroscopy techniques.
Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is considered to be one of the most popular novels written in the English language. Since it first appeared in 1818, the novel has gradually become a part of modern folklore and found a place among literary classics. Today, Frankensteins relevance is more than just about being a parable on the hubris and arrogance of a young scientist. The relevance or the appeal of a literary work depends not only on how insightfully it depicts the contemporary, but also on how successfully it transcends the contemporary, the boundaries of time and space. Frankenstein is certainly one such text that continues to captivate readers even 200 years after its publication. It all started with a storytelling competition one gloomy evening in June 1816 at Villa Diodati, on the banks of Lake Geneva. Mary, with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelleyher would-be husbandand his other friends gathered that evening as the poet Lord Byron suggested that everyone write a ghost story. She struggled to imagine anything that would be ghostly enough to curdle the blood or quicken the heartbeat of her readers. One night, with her eyes closed, she saw an acute vision that gradually became a tale of immortality and death. In her vision, she saw a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein (the monster was nameless) infusing life to a dishevelled creature made of corpses. The repulsive and disproportionate design made the ambitious scientist realise that he gave birth to a monster. He immediately abandoned his creation with great disgust. What followed was a relentless battleboth moral and physical between the creation and his creator, a duel between a father and a son without a mother.
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"I believe we are on our way towards a MYC c-mod, says Bede Portz, Dewpoint's ovarian cancer program lead. Our early prototype MYC c-mods have demonstrated significant tumor growth inhibition in animal models of ovarian cancer." Every year over 200,000 women die of ovarian cancer globally, and with current treatment options being limited, this number is predicted to rise. At Dewpoint we believe that condensate science holds the key to developing more effective and better tolerated treatments for ovarian cancer and other solid tumors. For greater insight on our progress, approach and aspirations we spoke with Dr. Bede Portz, Dewpoint's ovarian cancer program lead and condensate science expert. Prior to joining Dewpoint, Bede was a Bright Focus Foundation postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania in Dr. James Shorter's lab, where he worked on developing therapeutic RNAs to combat aberrant phase transitions in neurodegenerative diseases and on non-coding RNA (ncRNA) condensation. Bede did his Ph.D. training in the Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation at Penn State. What is it about condensate science that excites you? I love biology. If you endeavor to understand how cells work and a new and testable concept emerges that potentially undergirds tons of cell biology, that's exciting. Condensates are membrane-less organelles which form and dissipate dynamically inside the cell via a process called phase separation. They are responsible for allowing cells to organize proteins in time and space to regulate chemical reactions and for turning key processes on and off. I'd always wondered how complex processes were regulated within cells, but condensate science has allowed us to understand cellular biology in a whole new way. As an extension of this, we are also able to understand more and more about the pathophysiology of disease through condensates. There is an increased appreciation in the field that condensate malfunctioning is strongly associated with a variety of diseases. We call this association condensatopathy. These can manifest as condensates containing the wrong components or having the wrong dynamics or material properties. Depending on the context, condensatopathies can result in toxic gain or loss of function, or sometimes both, and it is this misregulation that explains the complex functional outcomes of multiple types of errors that are integrated inside the condensate. At Dewpoint we are currently working to develop small molecules that can modify the aberrant condensates. This has opened countless new potential points of intervention and possible therapeutic avenues and it's this potential that makes me so excited about condensate science. Dewpoint is working to develop a treatment for ovarian cancer by targeting the MYC protein. This is a protein that many others have tried and failed to drug. What is it about your approach that you think will make it successful? Through our ovarian cancer program, we are indeed going after one of the targets that scientists consider to be almost a 'holy grail' in oncology. MYC is an oncoprotein responsible for regulating the expression of genes that drive cancer proliferation. It has been found to be dysregulated in up to 70% of cancers. So obviously other researchers have been trying for years to find ways to target MYC. We believe that MYC exerts its function in activating genes and amplifying their expression through a condensate. MYC condensates act as an inflection point between stimulus and response – the cell receives signals and it's deciding via a MYC condensate on the response, for example proliferation. By modulating MYC condensates, we aim to stop cancer cell proliferation. The high incidence of MYC over proliferation in such a wide range of cancers means that it has huge potential. Right now, we are really focused on proving the approach in ovarian cancer, where upwards of 30% of tumors have MYC amplification, more than the normal number of copies of the MYC gene, pointing to MYC dysregulation being a driver of ovarian cancer. In the future though, I believe that we could apply our approach to many other types of cancer, with equally high unmet need, such as pancreatic and esophageal cancers. What progress has Dewpoint made towards the development of a MYC c-mod? I believe we are on our way towards a MYC c-mod. We have developed an assay matrix centered around MYC condensate phenotypes that identifies c-mods that modulate MYC condensates selectively, in cell models of high grade serous ovarian cancer that recapitulate patient-relevant genetics. These compounds in turn selectively modulate MYC-driven gene expression. This assay matrix has been deployed in the improvement of the drug-like properties of our c-mods. The most exciting data have been generated in vivo, with early prototype MYC c-mods demonstrating significant tumor growth inhibition in animal models of ovarian cancer. The degree of tumor growth inhibition elicited by the initial molecules is comparable to the standard of care chemotherapy regimen. Progress like this so early in the medicinal chemistry campaign even defied the expectations of many on the team. There is work to be done, but data so encouraging motivate any amount of effort. What are your overarching ambitions for your ovarian cancer program? The unmet need in ovarian cancer is sky high and the survival rates are not good. This is partly because the cancer is often not detected until the disease is advanced, but also because the existing treatment options are limited. We still rely a lot on chemotherapies. Not only are they really tough on patients from a tolerability point of view, but ovarian cancer regularly develops resistance to them which affects their efficacy. Other treatment options exist, but they're not really used with curative intent. So, our goal is fundamentally to develop a treatment that is more effective and better tolerated than other drugs used to treat ovarian cancer today. Do you think c-mods can overcome the issue of resistance in oncology? The resistance problem is one we think about all the time, and it's critically important. Overcoming resistance has really been built into the program as a key goal since its genesis and at multiple levels. If you think about what condensates do in cells generally – they're involved in responding to signals and stress, they're involved in making decisions to grow or to not grow, to execute biochemistry or to not. And these are processes that are hijacked in cancer and that can contribute to resistance. Specifically, MYC itself is implicated in resistance, so it follows that MYC condensates could be mediators of resistance. It follows that targeting MYC condensates could be effective in ovarian cancers that have become resistant to the standard of care chemotherapies. We are working hard to understand this. How do c-mods compare to other oncology therapies in terms of specificity? If we take the example of ovarian cancer, it is genetically a highly unstable and heterogeneous disease. That is a factor that contributes to its poor treatment response and the emergence of resistance. Broadly, cancer therapy falls into two types, targeted therapies that attempt to exploit specific mutations, and broad acting chemotherapies that attack fundamental mechanism of cell growth and division. From a targeted perspective, one looks for specific mutations associated with specific subtypes of ovarian cancer and exploits them with very targeted therapies. These can be effective, but resistance can emerge, and these treatments may be viable options only for very small patient populations harboring specific mutations. Conversely, if we go broad with a chemotherapy, we can treat large sets of patients, but as we are targeting the basic machinery of cell proliferation which is needed not just for tumor cells but also for healthy cells, we end up with drugs with very poor tolerability. I believe with c-mods may really achieve the best of both worlds, an approach which gives the benefits of a targeted therapy while exploiting a mechanism that's sufficiently general to be applicable to a very broad number of patients, irrespective of specific mutations. Take, for example, the mutations associated with ovarian cancer – there is frequent MYC amplification leading to its dysregulation. But there are also mutations in proteins involved in sending signals for cells to grow, signals that are integrated via MYC condensates. You could envision a targeted therapy against one of those signaling proteins that harbors a particular mutation, but where do those signals converge? They all converge in MYC condensates, located on the genome, which act as integrators of stimulus and response. If the functional unit of MYC is a condensate, this might represent an Achilles heel that is specific to a driver of ovarian cancer, but that also exploits upstream drivers, and regulators of MYC. We call compounds that act on the MYC condensate 'direct c-mods', and compounds that modulate the upstream drivers and regulators 'indirect c-mods'. With condensates being such a new scientific approach, what new technologies and tools have you had to employ to optimize your drug development? At Dewpoint, we've developed an integrated platform that brings together our huge database of condensate knowledge with our experimental science and the latest AI, and imaging. We call it ERSAi. ERSAi is a c-mod discovery toolbox – the digital twin of our experimental platform – that allows us to optimize the process of drug discovery from target selection to optimization of lead compounds in disease-relevant models. Cell biology is amazingly complex, but this platform of tools allows us to embrace this complexity and create approaches that cast a wide enough net to capture mechanisms that can modulate condensates – either directly or indirectly – but in a specific enough way to allow us to develop targeted therapies. For our ovarian cancer program, we have used ERSAi to deconvolve the information from our phenotypic screening data and toolbox of secondary assays to accelerate discovery. From the outset of the program, ERSAi provided the opportunity to look at various genetic models of ovarian cancer in our assays to capture the disease relevant composition of condensates and their regulation. We've been using AI to build image analysis tools that are fit-for-purpose to decipher the information encoded in the condensate phenotypes of disease-relevant cells and to test and refine hypotheses in a sort of loop. It's not a static toolbox, it evolves as we learn more. In service of the program, we're building new tools to decipher the information encoded in these models and that is a powerful approach. You've been at Dewpoint for more than 3 years, what are the achievements that you are most proud of over this time? Pride is a dangerous feeling as it can distract you from what really matters. Our goal here is to make a drug that can treat ovarian cancer– today we are still working on that goal. But, I'm frequently proud of the team. I'm most proud when the team demonstrates a relentless optimism, a willingness to tackle complex problems. To approach a problem in a more unconventional way, to do the harder experiment or build the AI tool that unlocks the next advance for the program. Design: SALIENCE Communication / Publiepress Scientific animation: Visual Science
A mast cell tumor (MCT) is a cancer commonly occurring in dogs. Mast cells are a type of WBC involved in the immune system's response to allergens and inflammation. While they are essential for normal immune function, mast cells can sometimes undergo mutations that cause them to multiply uncontrollably and form tumors. MCTs can vary in size, appearance, and location within the dog's body. They can occur on the skin (cutaneous MCTs) or internal organs (visceral MCTs). Cutaneous MCTs are more common and often found on the dog's trunk, limbs, or head. Visceral MCTs are generally more aggressive and can affect organs such as the spleen, liver, or intestines. Causes of Canine Mast Cell Tumor The exact causes of mast cell tumors (MCTs) in dogs are not fully understood. However, several factors have been identified as potential contributors to the development of MCTs: - Genetic Predisposition: Some dog breeds are more vulnerable to developing MCTs, suggesting a genetic component. Breeds such as Boxers, Boston Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Bulldogs have a higher risk than others. - Mutations in the C-kit Gene: Mutations in the C-kit gene have been found in some dogs with MCTs. The c-kit gene provides instructions for producing a protein involved in the development and growth of mast cells. Mutations in this gene can guide uncontrolled mast cell growth. - Environmental Factors: Exposure to certain environmental factors or carcinogens may increase the risk of MCTs. However, specific triggers have not been definitively identified. - Chronic Inflammation: Chronic inflammation caused by allergies, previous skin infections, or other factors may play a role in the development of MCTs. Inflammation can lead to increased mast cells in affected tissues, potentially increasing the chances of malignant transformation. - Age: MCTs can occur in dogs of any age, but they are more frequently diagnosed in middle-aged to older dogs. Epidemiology of Mast Cell Tumor in Dogs Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are dogs' most common skin tumors. The prevalence and epidemiology of MCTs can vary based on several factors, including breed, age, and geographic location. Here are some key points regarding the epidemiology of MCTs in dogs: - Breed Predisposition: Certain dog breeds have a higher risk of developing MCTs. Breeds such as Boxers, Boston Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Bulldogs are reported to have a higher incidence of MCTs than other breeds. However, MCTs can affect dogs of any breed. - Age: MCTs can occur at any age but are more commonly diagnosed in middle-aged to older dogs. The median age of dogs diagnosed with MCTs is typically between 8 and 10 years. - Gender: MCTs can affect both male and female dogs, but there may be a slightly higher incidence in male dogs. - Geographic Variation: The prevalence of MCTs may vary in different geographic regions. However, reliable data on regional differences is limited. It's important to note that MCTs can occur worldwide and are not limited to specific areas. - Tumor Location: MCTs can develop on a dog's body in various locations. Cutaneous MCTs on the skin are more common than visceral MCTs, which develop in internal organs. The trunk, limbs, and head are common sites for cutaneous MCTs. Clinical Signs of Canine Mast Cell Tumor Clinical signs of mast cell tumors (MCTs) in dogs can vary depending on the location, size, grade, stage of tumor growth, and individual factors. Here are some common clinical signs associated with MCTs in dogs: - Skin Masses or Lumps: The most common presentation of MCTs is a noticeable lump or mass on or under the skin. These masses can vary in size, shape, and texture. They may be firm, raised, ulcerated, or have a reddish appearance. MCTs can occur anywhere on the body but are often found on the trunk, limbs, or head. - Skin Irritation and Inflammation: MCTs can cause local skin irritation, redness, swelling, and itchiness around the tumor. The affected area may appear inflamed, and the dog may scratch or bite at the site. - Gastrointestinal Signs: In some cases, MCTs can release chemicals such as histamine, leading to gastrointestinal symptoms. These can include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and abdominal discomfort. - Systemic Signs: Advanced or aggressive MCTs can cause systemic signs that affect the whole body. These signs may include lethargy, weight loss, weakness, decreased exercise tolerance, and pale mucous membranes. - Bleeding or Bruising: MCTs can be prone to bleeding, and dogs with MCTs may experience bleeding from the tumor site or develop bruising around the mass. Diagnosis of Mast Cell Tumor in Dogs Diagnosing a mast cell tumor (MCT) in dogs typically involves a combination of physical examination, fine-needle aspiration (FNA), histopathology, and additional diagnostic tests. Here's an overview of the diagnostic process for MCTs in dogs: - Physical Examination: The veterinarian will thoroughly examine your dog, carefully assessing any lumps or masses on the skin. They will note the size, location, appearance, and associated clinical signs. - Fine-needle Aspiration (FNA): FNA is a standard diagnostic procedure used to obtain a sample of cells from the tumor. With the guidance of ultrasound or palpation, a fine needle is injected into the mass, and a small sample of cells is collected. The sample is then tested under a microscope to determine if it contains mast cells. - Histopathology: If the FNA reveals mast cells or the presence of a suspected MCT, the next step is usually a histopathological examination. This involves removing the entire mass (excisional biopsy) or a representative portion of the mass (incisional biopsy) under anesthesia. The tissue sample is sent to a veterinary pathologist, who will analyze it microscopically to confirm the diagnosis, evaluate the tumor's characteristics, and determine its grade. - Grading: MCTs are typically graded based on their cellular characteristics and behavior. The grading system, such as the Patnaik or Kiupel system, assess the tumor's level of aggressiveness and potential for metastasis. Grade I tumors are typically less aggressive, while Grade III tumors are more aggressive and have a higher risk of spreading. - Additional Diagnostic Tests: Depending on the tumor's location, size, grade, and stage, your veterinarian may recommend additional tests to determine the severity of the disease and guide treatment decisions. These tests may include hematological tests, imaging studies (such as X-rays, ultrasound, or CT scans), and regional lymph node evaluation. Differential Diagnosis of Canine Mast Cell Tumor Differential diagnosis involves ruling out other possible causes before confirming the presence of an MCT. Some common conditions that may be considered in the differential diagnosis of canine MCTs include: - Lipoma in Dogs: Lipomas are benign tumors composed of fat cells. They typically present as soft, movable masses under the skin. Lipomas are usually not concerning unless they are causing discomfort or increasing. - Benign Skin Tumors: Various benign skin tumors can resemble MCTs, such as sebaceous adenomas, papillomas, or histiocytomas. These tumors generally have a low potential for spreading or causing severe health issues. - Allergic Reactions: Allergic reactions, such as insect bites or stings, can lead to localized swelling, redness, and itching that may mimic MCTs. In these cases, the symptoms are usually temporary and resolved with appropriate treatment. - Abscesses or Infections: Skin abscesses or infections can result in the formation of masses that resemble tumors. These masses are typically associated with pain, swelling, warmth, and signs of inflammation. - Cysts in Dogs: Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can develop beneath the skin. They often present as soft, smooth masses that may be movable. Cysts are usually benign but can sometimes become infected or cause discomfort. - Other Malignant Skin Tumors: While less common than MCTs, other malignant skin tumors, such as cutaneous lymphoma, fibrosarcoma, or hemangiosarcoma, can resemble MCTs in appearance. These tumors may require different treatment approaches. Treatment of Mast Cell Tumor in Dogs Treating mast cell tumors (MCTs) in dogs depends on several factors, including the tumor's grade, stage, location, and overall health. Treatment options for MCTs may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Here's an overview of the different treatment modalities: - Surgery: Surgical removal is the primary treatment for MCTs whenever feasible. The goal is to remove the tumor with wide margins to minimize local recurrence chances. The extent of surgery depends on the tumor's location and size. In some cases, additional reconstructive surgery may be required. - Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy may be recommended as a standalone treatment or in combination with surgery for MCTs that are aggressive, invasive, or not amenable to complete surgical removal. It is often used to target remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of local recurrence. External beam radiation or newer techniques like stereotactic radiation may be employed. - Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is often recommended for MCTs with a higher risk of metastasis or already spread to regional lymph nodes or distant organs. Chemotherapy drugs can be administered orally, intravenously, or topically. The specific drugs and treatment protocol will vary based on the tumor's characteristics and the dog's health. - Targeted Therapy: Certain targeted therapies have shown promise in treating MCTs in dogs. These medications specifically target molecular pathways involved in the growth and survival of mast cells. One example is tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as toceranib or masitinib, which can be used in advanced or aggressive MCTs. - Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy stimulates the dog's immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. It can be used as adjuvant therapy after surgery or with other treatments. Immunotherapy options for MCTs include vaccines or immune checkpoint inhibitors. The selection of the most appropriate treatment approach is determined by the tumor's characteristics, stage of disease, potential side effects, and the individual dog's overall health. Prevention and Control of Canine MCT Prevention of mast cell tumors (MCTs) in dogs is challenging because the exact causes are not fully understood. However, some general recommendations can help minimize the risk and potentially detect MCTs at an early stage. Here are some preventive measures and control strategies for canine MCTs: - Regular Veterinary Check-ups: Schedule routine visits with your veterinarian for thorough physical examinations, especially as your dog ages. Regular check-ups can help detect any unusual lumps or skin masses early on. - Early Detection and Prompt Treatment: Monitor your dog's skin regularly and report any new lumps, bumps, or changes in existing masses to your veterinarian. Early diagnosis allows for more effective treatment and potentially better outcomes. - Breed Selection: If you are considering getting a dog and are concerned about MCTs, research breed-specific predispositions. While MCTs can affect dogs of any breed, certain breeds have a higher risk. Consider choosing a breed with a lower incidence of MCTs if this concerns you. - Skin Health and Hygiene: Maintain good skin health for your dog by practicing regular grooming, keeping the skin clean, and promptly addressing any skin irritations, infections, or allergies. Hygienic management can help reduce the risk of chronic inflammation and potential triggers for MCT development. - Avoidance of Known Triggers: If your dog has a history of allergic reactions or sensitivities, work with your veterinarian to identify and manage potential triggers, such as certain foods, medications, or environmental allergens. Reducing exposure to known triggers can help minimize the risk of MCTs associated with chronic inflammation. - Genetic Screening and Breeding Practices: If you are a breeder or considering breeding, consult a veterinarian or geneticist to understand potential breed-specific genetic predispositions for MCTs. Appropriate genetic screening and responsible breeding practices can help reduce the incidence of MCTs in future generations. Final Words on Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are a relatively common type of skin tumor in dogs. While the exact causes of MCTs are not fully understood, certain breeds, genetic factors, and environmental triggers may play a role in their development. Early detection is vital to the successful management of MCTs in dogs. Regular veterinary check-ups and monitoring for new lumps or skin abnormalities are essential for a timely diagnosis. If you notice any referential signs, such as masses, skin irritation, or systemic symptoms, it is necessary to consult with a veterinarian for proper evaluation and guidance. Overall, MCTs in dogs require prompt veterinary attention and individualized treatment. By staying vigilant, seeking veterinary care, and following recommended treatment plans, the prognosis for dogs with MCTs can be improved, potentially leading to a better quality of life for these beloved pets.
When your biggest dental concern is the look of your smile, you might be wondering why orthodontists bother adding braces beyond the first six teeth. While there are some instances where it is suitable and safe to only treat the six front teeth, there are still plenty of considerations that patients need to keep in mind. Can you straighten just front teeth? Treating the six front teeth is purely for aesthetic improvements of these teeth, and is most popular with adults. Sometimes it is possible to straighten just your front teeth, however, this is best determined by your orthodontist. What are partial braces? Partial braces are an aesthetic treatment that does just what we described above – straighten your six front teeth. Brackets are attached to the most visible front teeth along with a shorter archwire than usual. Partial braces are not able to address an underlying jaw alignment problem or a bad bite, which makes them an incomplete treatment that orthodontists don't often recommend. What is single arch orthodontic treatment? Ever noticed how your top and bottom teeth follow a rough U-shape or arch? That's why they're known as dental arches. With single arch orthodontic treatment, braces are glued to either your upper or lower teeth. As with partial braces, this treatment is chiefly for aesthetic purposes as it won't fix any serious alignment issues with your mouth or jaw. Still curious? Here's everything you need to know about getting braces on your six-front teeth. Why do you need bottom braces? There are many reasons why someone may need lower braces, or a full set of upper braces beyond just the front six teeth. Lower braces are not necessarily prescribed for aesthetic reasons, as these teeth are usually less visible except when you're speaking. If you have crowding or twisting in your lower teeth, or any bite problems which braces can correct, your orthodontist may suggest lower braces or a full set of top and bottom braces. (better to use the term upper and lower braces). Sometimes, people get upper and lower braces at different times although generally orthodontists a single treatment to align your jaws and teeth. Without both upper and lower braces in place, bite correcting elastics cannot generally be worn, which limits the scope of orthodontic treatment than can be provided. Can you get just lower braces? If you don't have any major bite concerns, and your orthodontic issues only call for lower braces, your orthodontist may prescribe these on their own – either on the outside of your teeth with traditional metal or ceramic braces, or perhaps even lingual braces that sit on the inside of your teeth. Ultimately, it depends on the needs of your teeth and jaws. Do lower teeth move faster than the upper teeth with braces? Not necessarily. In general, how fast your teeth move with braces is different for everyone and depends on the treatment type and the severity and individual characteristics of a patient's malocclusion. Why do people get braces on their six front teeth only? For most people the six front teeth are the ones that are most visible when you smile. As such, these front teeth are the ones we feel most self-conscious about and therefore want to straighten. This makes this type of treatment purely cosmetic, and if not considered in the context of the rest of your mouth, it may not be what is best for you. While straightening just the front six teeth may be fine if you have very minor malocclusion, it's important to speak to an orthodontist about how this type of procedure could affect the long-term and health of your teeth, gums and bite. Can braces work in 3-6 months? The main reason patients may choose braces for just their six front teeth rather than pursuing full treatment is the shortened time frame and perceived reduced cost. On average, these quick braces may take anywhere between 3 to 6 months, depending on your unique teeth and jaw configuration. This may be less than half the time of a full treatment, which may take anywhere between 1 year and 3 years. However, a reduction in treatment time is usually coupled with a limitation of treatment. It's important to note that treatments can be quicker, while some treatments take a little longer. It all depends on how crowded or spaced your teeth are, and how well they fit together (i.e., your bite). What are the benefits of braces on your six front teeth? Virtually none! Adults are most likely to get braces for just their front teeth. Many individuals who elect to get this type of braces to choose to do so because they do not want to commit to long-term treatment. They also may not require orthodontic treatment for irregularities of the jaw and simply want to improve the look of their smile. But there are several full treatment clear aligner or other types of braces options for adults that are less obvious visually and more effective in addressing underlying issues such as misaligned jaws. There are several full treatment clear aligner or braces options for adults that are inconspicuous and address underlying issues such as misaligned jaws. Why do some people get upper and lower braces at different times? Your orthodontist might recommend you get upper and lower braces at different times. This will boil down to the condition of your teeth and what type of treatment you may need. Having said that, most orthodontists will recommend you have both upper and lower braces at the same time so you can save time and money further down the track. What braces options are there? Adult braces options range from traditional metal and ceramic braces, to discreet lingual braces and in some cases, even clear aligner treatments. When you consult a specialist orthodontist, they will discuss the available options to find the most appropriate treatment for you. This plan will be based upon presenting concern, your needs and your individual features. Many adults believe braces are just for straightening teeth, but that's just one of many myths of orthodontics. Because braces for your six front teeth are for aesthetic purposes only, they do not address the underlying causes of crowded teeth, or a bad bite. As such, they are considered an incomplete treatment by most orthodontists. The risk of partial braces If you choose to get braces for just your six front teeth, irregularities in your jaw and underlying issues with your bite will not be resolved. There are potential long term risks associated with this incomplete treatment, including jaw pain, unnatural wear of your teeth or increased risk of orthodontic relapse (meaning your teeth will go back to their original position). There are further limitations to only treating your six front teeth. How quickly your teeth move is biologically determined. Therefore, a short or reduced treatment time may not fully straighten your teeth and they may remain slightly crowded. Furthermore, when someone smiles, it usually incorporates the front eight to ten teeth and may even include all top teeth. Therefore, focussing on just the six front teeth will not completely straighten the smile. As with all orthodontic treatments, prices may vary for six front teeth braces. Although they may cost less than comprehensive orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will confirm the fee and if such treatment will be effective in your individual case. Consult a specialist orthodontist The types of treatment that are suitable for your smile and the duration of your treatment will depend on the relationship between your teeth and jaws. You should consult a specialist orthodontist to have a thorough assessment of the health of your smile. They will provide you with a range of options to address your concerns; from improving the aesthetics of your six front teeth to improving your bite as well. Want to find out what options you have to improve the look and health of your smile? You can use our Finder Tool to find the right specialist for you.
In this issue of Blood Advances, Akahoshi et al1 provided evidence that higher serum concentrations of suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) and regenerating family member 3 alpha (REG3α) at the onset of complete or nearly complete response (CR) after initial systemic treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) indicate clinically silent persistence of GVHD activity. Measurement of these biomarkers could help determine whether tapering of immunosuppressive treatment should continue or not. Clinicians use prednisone or methylprednisolone (MP) at doses of 0.5 to 2.0 mg/kg per day for the initial treatment of acute GVHD. The tapering of corticosteroid doses begins gradually at the initial onset of response, and the rate of tapering depends on the rate of improvement, balanced by treatment-related side effects. After CR or a very good partial response (VGPR), the absence of clinical manifestations of GVHD makes it more difficult to balance the risks and benefits when deciding how quickly to taper corticosteroid dosing. Tapering too slowly causes treatment-related toxicity, whereas tapering too rapidly increases the risk of GVHD flares and the associated higher risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM). Akahoshi et al1 measured serum concentrations of ST2 and Reg3α at the onset of CR/VGPR after initial treatment for acute GVHD and used a prespecified 3-tier categorical algorithm to evaluate associations with the subsequent risks of flare and NRM. Flare after response was defined as worsening of GVHD by at least 1 stage in any organ managed by increasing the MP-equivalent corticosteroid dose by at least 0.25 mg/kg per day or by adding another systemic agent. In the analysis, 3 independent risk factors stood out for having strong associations with a higher risk of flares after CR/VGPR: higher ST2/Reg3α concentrations (see figure, left), earlier response in the subset of patients who had low ST2/Reg3α concentrations at CR/VGPR, and a faster corticosteroid taper rate after CR/VGPR. Two GVHD-related risk factors stood out for having strong associations with a higher risk of NRM after CR/VGPR: higher ST2/Reg3α concentrations at CR/VGPR (see figure, right) and subsequent flare. The positive association between faster corticosteroid tapering and the risk of flare was stronger in patients with intermediate and high biomarker values than in those with low biomarker values, suggesting that slower tapering could decrease the risk of flares. However, the association between higher biomarker values and the risk of flares was not attenuated by including the corticosteroid taper rate in the multivariable model, suggesting that to have an optimal effect on the risk of flares, taper rates might have to be slower than those used in current practice. Although the authors have shown that 3-tier and 2-tier ST2/Reg3a categorical algorithms predict GVHD-related outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplantation,2-6 no studies have yet shown that the use of these biomarkers can improve outcomes for patients. Two internally controlled open-label phase 2 studies examined whether low-risk acute GVHD, defined in part by ST2/Reg3α concentrations, could be successfully managed without corticosteroid treatment. The BMT CTN 1501 trial compared sirolimus alone and prednisone at 2 mg/kg per day in patients with Minnesota standard-risk GVHD and low- or intermediate-risk ST2/Reg3α biomarker values.7 Another trial compared itacitinib alone and prednisone at ∼1 mg/kg in patients with Minnesota standard-risk GVHD and low-risk biomarker values.8 Neither study showed any statistically significant difference in the primary end point of the day 28 response or NRM between the arms. The incidence of hyperglycemia was lower in the sirolimus arm of the BMT CTN 1501 study, and the incidence of serious infections was lower in the itacitinib arm of the second study. Similarly, a single-arm phase 2 study with matched external controls showed no statistically significant improvement in outcomes when natalizumab was added to corticosteroids compared with corticosteroids alone for the initial treatment of acute GVHD with intermediate and high-risk ST2/Reg3α biomarker values.9 The results reported by Akahoshi et al1 raise the question of whether ST2/Reg3α concentrations could assist in clinical decision-making not for groups of patients, as in the clinical trials discussed above, but for individual patients. This question could (and in my view, should) be tested in a large randomized pragmatic trial in which biomarker testing would be performed with results disclosed to half of the participants at the onset of CR/VGPR, leaving providers and patients free to use the results at their discretion with guidance from the protocol. The other half of the participants would have samples drawn at the onset of CR/VGPR, with biomarker testing deferred to the end of the study. This study would test the hypothesis that the incidence of subsequent flares and NRM is lower among participants who had corticosteroid tapering informed by biomarker test results than among controls who did not, with the analysis adjusted according to biomarker concentrations at the onset of CR/VGPR. The results in the control arm would also serve as an opportunity to validate the results of the current study, an important goal because the current study excluded patients with GVHD that did not reach CR/VGPR within 28 days after starting treatment and because samples were not available from ∼25% of the patients who were otherwise eligible. Although the biomarker algorithm used by Akahoshi et al1 was originally developed to predict survival from day 7 after transplantation,2 it has good predictive ability to discriminate outcomes after treatment for acute GVHD. Nonetheless, its 3-tier categorical structure limits its utility for application to individual patients. For this purpose, it would be of enormous interest to determine whether biomarker and corticosteroid taper data from the current study could be used together to predict the probability of flare in a calibrated way, as explored, for example, with the use of clinical biomarkers to predict the risk of mortality after second-line treatment of acute GVHD.10 By measuring the severity of clinically silent GVHD activity at the onset of CR/VGPR after initial treatment for acute GVHD, a calibrated and validated predictive algorithm that incorporates biomarker values and corticosteroid taper rates would enable clinicians to adjust the corticosteroid taper rate in a fully informed manner that balances the benefits of continued disease control vs the toxicity of continued corticosteroid treatment. Conflict-of-interest disclosure: P.J.M. declares no competing financial interests.
Water mites in an aquarium are not harmful; in fact they actually aid the nitrogen cycle while providing tasty food source for small fish. If their population starts growing out of control then that could be a telltale sign something's amiss with your tank. Rarely is it even possible to spot these tiny creatures; they usually move about in groups, hiding behind substrate or plants. But if one or more do show up in your tank, don't panic! Just observe and don't disturb. Your fish should be delighted when you discover them; they're part of their natural ecosystem! Most aquarists take great pleasure in seeing healthy populations of copepods and amphipods inhabit their tanks - the closer your tank comes to mimicking its original environment, the happier and healthier its inhabitants will be. These aquatic creatures don't rely on gills to breathe and can survive with very low oxygen concentrations, instead absorbing it throughout their bodies surface area. Furthermore, they can tolerate various degrees of pollution in water sources. Nature provides aquatic invertebrates such as Hygrobates with an effective method for colonizing new bodies of water: by parasitizing other aquatic invertebrates such as chironomid larvae. Certain species of Hygrobates take advantage of bottom-feeding cyprinids' foraging activity to gain access to hidden chironomid larvae hidden inside sand tubes or hidden from view by using foraging as bait for their foraging activity. Some chironomid larvae possess an exoskeleton that water mites find difficult to penetrate, forcing them to dig deeper into the sand in order to reach the larvae; this form of predation is known as active penetration.
An Asteroid Will Occult Betelgeuse on December twelfth I can not for the lifetime of me keep in mind when it was or what it was however a good few years in the past I keep in mind positioning a telescope to look at an asteroid because it silently and maybe barely eerily drifted between us and the Moon. I say eerily as this asteroid had the power to trigger widespread injury had it hit however in fact we knew it posed no menace. I keep in mind on the time pondering it was thoughts blowing that even at this time, we nonetheless use arithmetic with roots (pardon the pun) centuries previous to calculate the place of objects in our Photo voltaic System. We get to see proof of this once more on twelfth December when one thing uncommon occurs! I've relatively hinted to what I'm referring, on twelfth December, asteroid 319 Leona will go immediately in entrance of Betelgeuse, the pink big within the constellation of Orion whose title amusingly interprets to armpit of the enormous – now there's a truth to amuse and astound your pals. To have the ability to calculate {that a} rock roughly 60 km throughout goes to go immediately in entrance of a star that's simply over 650 mild years away is actually fairly staggering. Maybe extra excitingly if you happen to reside alongside a hall from central Asia and southern Europe to Florida and Mexico then at round 01:17 UTC you may have an opportunity – clouds allowing – to see it for your self and also you don't want any telescope or tools, simply your eyes. Betelgeuse is the second brightest star within the constellation Orion and is a well-known favorite with its piercing pink color. It hit the information again in 2020 when it unexpectedly dimmed within the sky because of the star itself ejecting a cloud of mud. Subsequent month it would fade for a number of seconds because of the passage of Leona proper in entrance of it. An occasion like that is fairly uncommon the place the sunshine from a brilliant star is blocked (or occulted) by an asteroid occurring each few many years at most. Will probably be fascinating to observe however can be scientifically helpful giving us an opportunity to be taught extra about Betelgeuse and the way it's giant convection cells behave, and to be taught extra in regards to the orbit and form of the asteroid too. Anybody on the market wishing to look at the occasion must be warned although, the predictions are simply that, there are a number of uncertainties. The scale and form of the asteroid itself continues to be topic to debate. Usually we are inclined to assume asteroids are spherical until we all know in any other case however a earlier occultation of Leona in September 2023 decided that it was extra of ellipsoidal in form measuring 80km by 55km. At its distance from Earth meaning it would cowl an space of sky 46 x 41 milliarcseconds which is a bit more than the approximate 40 milliarcseconds for Betelgeuse. Taking this under consideration suggests Betelgeuse will probably be fully blocked from view and due to this fact blink out for a number of seconds. Betelgeuse's considerably diffuse outer environment might imply its obvious dimension is extra like 50 milliarcseconds so it simply fades as a substitute. Till the occasion occurs we won't know precisely the way it will seem within the sky or precisely when. It's an incredible alternative to be taught extra about these two fascinating objets so head outdoors on twelfth December round 01:00 UTC, wait and watch and hopefully you may witness one in every of natures relatively extra uncommon occasions. Supply : OW Cloud Data
Bankruptcy in Illinois? Here's what you need to know. Bankruptcy is a legal process where you can find relief from your financial woes. This relieves some, if not all, of your debts. In Illinois, there is a "Bankruptcy Code" that is governed by federal law. It is administered through a federal court division – the United States Bankruptcy Court. Another key point you need to know is that there are two main types of bankruptcies that you can file in Illinois: Basically, filing for bankruptcy need not be a complex process. There are steps you can follow to help you go through it and manage the steps on your own. Here are the basic steps: Bankruptcy should be your last recourse even if this can give you relief from harassment from creditors and the different collection actions that can be made against you. Generally, it can also stop repossessions, wage garnishment and foreclosures, utility shut-offs because of non-payment and your driver's license can be reinstated if it was suspended because of your debts. All in all, if you need it, filing for bankruptcy in Illinois isn't that hard if you know how to do it. Need some help with your debts? We're here for you! Get Free Debt AssessmentSome of the articles you can read to help manage your finances Finding trusted debt relief companies in Illinois need not be […] Read moreExploring Debt Relief Solutions in Illinois is the right way […] Read moreNavigating debt relief laws in Illinois need not be a […] Read more
Introduction to Atmo Atmo is an AI global weather forecast tool that allows users to view temperature, rainfall, and wind direction information in the next few days. Atmo is free to use, users just need to visit the link below. Atmo combines numerical weather prediction technology (NWP) and deep neural network (DNN) to improve the prediction range, spatial and temporal resolution. Users can use it to obtain more timely and accurate weather information and prepare in advance. Related Post: Quick Draw a Platform for Recognizing Doodling Based on Neural Network How to Use Atmo We use Atmo to view global weather forecasts. Atmo provides separate pages for temperature, rainfall, and wind direction on the web, and marks them in the global land and ocean. In addition to static information, Atmo also provides a dynamic browsing function. When we click the play button at the bottom of the page, Atmo can continuously update future weather conditions on the map. The weather changes generated by these AI predictions provide users with more information. Atmo research shows that using AI improves prediction speed by 10 times and reduces operating costs by 90%. As an AI global weather prediction tool, Atmo can help users grasp weather changes in advance.
By A Midwestern Doctor For over a century, a large volume of evidence has been compiled showing that vaccination can cause a wide range of disorders (e.g., autism and middle ear infections—both of which will be explored in detail here), many of which are neurological or autoimmune in nature. What's less appreciated is the myriad of subtle personality effects vaccination can create, many of which are observed after cases of infectious encephalitis, and previously were labeled as "minimal brain damage" by America's health authorities. In the previous article I reviewed how those changes can give rise to ADHD, impulsivity, and violent or sociopathic behavior. In this article, I will instead focus on how they create many of the disconnections which make romantic partners so difficult to be with and how they can alter one's sexual identity. One of the few things which is more controversial than linking vaccination to autism is linking vaccination to transgenderism, and for that reason, I've avoided discussing the topic. Recently however Steve Kirsch (a friend whom I owe for a debt of gratitude to for creating this publication) contacted me and asked me to debate his data which strongly supported the connection between vaccination and transgenderism. After doing so, I then agreed to write an article on it, so here I will attempt to provide a balanced perspective on this complex question. From my exploration of this subject, I found that there is a large degree of evidence which makes a compelling argument in support of Steve's contention but very little direct evidence in support of it. As such, this is an area which clearly requires more research, and it is likewise doubtful that will ever be conducted within academia. - Image of the Week: Hypocrisy… - Petition – Stop LGBT Indoctrination in Schools - Journalist Exposes the Satanic Destruction of the Transgender Agenda - This Isn't About Health, It's About Ideology – Stop UN's Trans Agenda - Vaccinated Children Have Far More Medical Conditions Than Unvaccinated Children - The Link Between General Vaccines and Autism – Stop Vaccinating Your Children! Take part in the 2024 Writing Challenge! Find out more: The Green Cheat Subscribe to the Freedom Magazine Insightful articles, entertaining columns and much more! Stuff you don't get in the mainstream media – all printed on paper.
Roses in Zone 9: A Comprehensive Guide If you live in zone 9, you're in luck! Roses thrive in this warm climate, blooming year-round with larger and more vibrant flowers than in cooler regions. This guide will provide you with all the information you need to choose, grow, and care for roses in zone 9. Choosing Rose Bushes for Zone 9 Start by selecting a rose type that fits your lifestyle and preferences. Old garden roses are easy to grow but bloom only once a year. Hybrid tea roses and other formal roses require more maintenance, but they offer a longer blooming period. Some popular low-maintenance zone 9 roses include "Mrs. B.R. Cant" and "Louis Phillippe." Knock Out® roses are another reliable option that can withstand the heat and humidity of zone 9 summers. Growing Roses in Zone 9 Roses need plenty of sunlight, at least six hours per day. They also require well-drained soil with a lot of organic matter. Amend your soil with compost, peat, or well-rotted manure to improve drainage and fertility. Water your roses regularly, especially during hot and dry weather. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage new growth and flowering. Formal roses may require spraying with fungicides to prevent diseases like black spot and powdery mildew. Fertilize your roses once a month during the growing season. Prune them in the spring to remove dead or diseased canes and encourage bushier growth. Soil Conditions for Roses Roses prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. If your soil is too alkaline, add sulfur to lower the pH. If it's too acidic, add lime to raise the pH. Fertilizing Roses Roses are heavy feeders. Fertilize them monthly during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can damage the roots. Watering Roses Roses need regular watering, especially during hot and dry weather. Water them deeply at the base of the plant, avoiding the leaves. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Pruning Roses Prune your roses in the spring to remove dead or diseased canes and encourage bushier growth. Cut back the canes by about one-third to one-half their length. Salt Spray and Roses If you live in a coastal area, your roses may be exposed to salt spray. This can damage the leaves and stunt the growth of the plant. Choose salt-tolerant rose varieties, such as beach rose (Rosa rugosa) and Flower Carpet roses. Plant your roses in a sheltered location where they will be less exposed to salt spray. The Best Rootstock for Roses in Zone 9 The rootstock is the part of the rose plant that is below the graft union. It provides the plant with support and helps it to adapt to different soil conditions. Fortuniana rootstock is an excellent choice for grafted roses in Florida conditions, as it is resistant to nematodes and other soil-borne diseases. Dr. Huey rootstock is also a good option for zone 9.
Main Content Top of the page The most frequent kind of ear infection in babies is called otitis media. This is an infection behind the eardrum, in the middle ear. It may start with a cold. It can hurt a lot. Children with ear infections often fuss and cry, pull at their ears, and sleep poorly. Ear infections are common in babies and young children. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the ear infection. Children under 6 months are usually given an antibiotic. If your child is over 6 months old and the symptoms are mild, antibiotics may not be needed. Your doctor may also recommend medicines to help with fever or pain. Follow-up care is a key part of your child's treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if your child is having problems. It's also a good idea to know your child's test results and keep a list of the medicines your child takes. Call 911 anytime you think your child may need emergency care. For example, call if: Call your doctor or nurse advice line now or seek immediate medical care if: Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse advice line if: Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd Enter V807 in the search box to learn more about "Ear Infection (Otitis Media) in Babies 0 to 2 Years: Care Instructions". Current as of: February 28, 2023 Author: Healthwise Staff Clinical Review BoardAll Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
Vehicles and Performance Military vehicles and equipment Latest Stories Application Briefs Defense Five Missile-Tracking Satellites Launched Five missile-tracking satellites designed and manufactured by L3Harris Technologies launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida in February, as part of the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program and the Space Development Agency's (SDA) Tranche 0 (T0) Tracking Layer program. Articles Software Deterministic and Modular Architecture for Embedded Vehicle Systems The next generation of Army ground vehicle systems aim to provide the warfighter with advanced capabilities while ensuring cyber resiliency. One key technology, Ethernet, has enabled the modernization of military ground vehicles by providing a broad range of beneficial features. Read on to learn more. Application Briefs Defense Autonomous Navigation Kits Defense Innovation Unit Washington D.C. 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Trends in functional disability and cognitive impairment among the older adult in China up to 2060: estimates from a dynamic multi-state population model. Journal Title Journal ISSN Volume Title Repository Usage Stats Citation Stats Available evidence suggests that cognitive impairment (CI), which leads to deficits in episodic memory, executive functions, visual attention, and language, is associated with difficulties in the capacity to perform activities of daily living. Hence any forecast of the future prevalence of functional disability should account for the likely impact of cognitive impairment on the onset of functional disability. Thus, this research aims to address this gap in literature by projecting the number of older adults in China with functional disability and cognitive impairment while accounting for the impact of cognitive impairment on the onset of functional disability.Methods We developed and validated a dynamic multi-state population model which simulates the population of China and tracks the transition of Chinese older adults (65 years and older) from 2010 to 2060, to and from six health states-(i) active older adults without cognitive impairment, (ii) active older adults with cognitive impairment, (iii) older adults with 1 to 2 ADL limitations, (iv) older adults with cognitive impairment and 1 to 2 ADL limitations, (v) older adults with 3 or more ADL limitations, and (vi) older adults with cognitive impairment and 3 or more ADL limitations.Results From 2015 to 2060, the number of older adults 65 years and older in China is projected to increase, of which the number with impairment (herein referred to as individuals with cognitive impairment and/or activity of daily living limitations) is projected to increase more than fourfold from 17·9 million (17·8-18·0) million in 2015 to 96·2 (95·3-97·1) million by 2060. Among the older adults with impairment, those with ADL limitations only is projected to increase from 3·7 million (3·6-3·7 million) in 2015 to 23·9 million (23·4-24·6 million) by 2060, with an estimated annual increase of 12·2% (12·1-12·3); while that for cognitive impairment only is estimated to increase from 11·4 million (11·3-11·5 million) in 2015 to 47·8 million (47·5-48·2 million) by 2060-this representing an annual growth of 7·07% (7·05-7·09).Conclusion Our findings suggest there will be an increase in demand for intermediate and long-term care services among the older adults with functional disability and cognitive impairment.Type Published Version (Please cite this version) Publication Info Ansah, John P, Chi-Tsun Chiu, Aloysius Chia Wei-Yan, Tessa Lui Shi Min and David B Matchar (2021). Trends in functional disability and cognitive impairment among the older adult in China up to 2060: estimates from a dynamic multi-state population model. BMC geriatrics, 21(1). p. 380. 10.1186/s12877-021-02309-4 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/23432. This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal. Unless otherwise indicated, scholarly articles published by Duke faculty members are made available here with a CC-BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial) license, as enabled by the Duke Open Access Policy. If you wish to use the materials in ways not already permitted under CC-BY-NC, please consult the copyright owner. Other materials are made available here through the author's grant of a non-exclusive license to make their work openly accessible.
In order to become a very good business leader, it is important to have a good knowledge of the business world. This includes knowing the current developments and industry conditions. Being aware of these can http://www.patternbusiness.com/the-main-rules-for-choosing-right-software help you to establish a strategic arrange. Another important area of leadership is definitely adaptability. Becoming adaptable means being accessible to change and new recommendations. It also includes having the assurance to accept personal responsibility designed for mistakes. An effective leader understands the perspectives of their team and knows how to encourage them. Very good leaders can also be empathetic. Accord translates to a much better understanding of the other party's viewpoint and the ability to simplify sophisticated situations. There are many classes and seminars readily available that could teach you effective leadership abilities. These include strategic thinking, accountability and the capacity to delegate responsibilities. You can also uncover these skills through experience. In addition , you can find teachers who will guide you through your journey. Becoming a business leader is normally not an convenient feat. If you would like to be successful, you have to continue working hard. A good leader has to be able to converse his or her eye-sight for the future of the firm. Leaders must establish trust with their staff members. This is important since it helps to foster teamwork. Very good leaders discover how to make troublesome decisions. When making important choices, they must be prepared to face tension and pressure. They must be understanding and have a good understanding of their very own strengths and weaknesses.
Cinematic Techniques :- In the realm of filmmaking, cinematic techniques serve as the language through which directors communicate their stories to audiences. From the framing of shots to the manipulation of light and shadow, every aspect of cinematography plays a crucial role in shaping the viewer's experience. In this article, we delve into the world of cinematic techniques, exploring the tools and methods used by filmmakers to captivate, engage, and evoke emotions. Table of Contents 1. Understanding Cinematic Techniques What are Cinematic Techniques? Cinematic techniques encompass a wide range of tools and methods employed by filmmakers to convey narrative, mood, and emotion through visual means. These techniques include but are not limited to camera angles, lighting, mise-en-scène, editing, and sound design. Exploring Key Cinematic Techniques 1. Camera Angles and Movement One of the fundamental elements of cinematography is the use of camera angles and movement to create dynamic and engaging visuals. Directors carefully select the angle from which a scene is shot to convey specific emotions or perspectives. a. High Angle Shots High angle shots are often used to depict vulnerability or powerlessness, as the camera looks down on the subject, emphasizing their diminutive stature. b. Low Angle Shots Conversely, low angle shots are employed to convey dominance or authority, as the camera looks up at the subject, imbuing them with a sense of grandeur. 2. Lighting and Shadow In Cinematic Techniques a. Rembrandt Lighting Rembrandt lighting, characterized by a triangle of light on one side of the subject's face, adds depth and dimensionality to the image, evoking a sense of drama and intensity. b. Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro refers to the dramatic use of light and shadow to create contrast and depth in a scene. This technique is often employed in film noir to evoke a sense of mystery and suspense. 3. Mise-en-Scène Mise-en-scène encompasses all the elements within a shot, including set design, props, costumes, and actors' performances. Directors carefully curate these elements to create visually striking compositions that enhance the narrative. a. Set Design The design of sets plays a crucial role in establishing the visual aesthetic of a film and immersing viewers in the world of the story. b. Costume Design Costumes not only reflect the characters' personalities and motivations but also contribute to the overall visual storytelling. 4. Editing Through the manipulation of pacing, rhythm, and continuity, editors shape the viewer's perception of time and space within the film. a. Montage Montage is a technique wherein a series of short shots are edited together to condense time, convey information, or evoke emotional responses. b. Cross-Cutting Cross-cutting, also known as parallel editing, involves alternating between two or more scenes that are happening simultaneously, creating tension and suspense. History of cinematic techniques The history of cinematic techniques is a rich tapestry that spans over a century of filmmaking. From the silent era to the digital age, filmmakers have continuously innovated and refined techniques to tell stories in captivating and immersive ways. Here's an overview of some key milestones in the evolution of cinematic techniques: Silent Film Era (Late 19th century – 1920s): - Silent films relied heavily on visual storytelling due to the absence of synchronized sound. Filmmakers used techniques such as intertitles, expressive acting, and exaggerated gestures to convey emotions and narrative. German Expressionism emerged during this period, characterized by distorted sets, dramatic lighting, and symbolic imagery to evoke mood and psychological depth. Golden Age of Hollywood (1930s – 1950s): The introduction of synchronized sound revolutionized filmmaking, leading to the decline of silent films. Techniques like dialogue, sound effects, and musical scores became integral parts of the cinematic experience. French New Wave (late 1950s – 1960s): Filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut rebelled against traditional Hollywood conventions, experimenting with unconventional narrative structures, handheld cameras, jump cuts, and improvisational acting. Italian Neorealism (1940s – 1950s): Italian filmmakers like Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica depicted everyday life with a documentary-like authenticity, using non-professional actors, location shooting, and natural lighting to capture the struggles of ordinary people. Soviet Montage Theory (1920s – 1930s): Pioneered by filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein and Dziga Vertov, Soviet Montage emphasized the juxtaposition of images to create meaning and evoke emotional responses. New Hollywood (late 1960s – 1970s): Filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg ushered in a new era of American cinema with their bold storytelling, innovative editing techniques, and gritty realism. Digital Revolution (1990s – present): Advances in digital technology have transformed filmmaking, enabling filmmakers to explore new creative possibilities in visual effects, animation, and post-production. Innovations in cinematography, such as the use of deep focus by directors like Orson Welles and Gregg Toland, brought a new level of visual sophistication to storytelling. The French New Wave emphasized spontaneity and realism, challenging established norms of filmmaking. Techniques such as rapid editing, associative imagery, and metaphorical visual juxtapositions were used to convey ideological messages and stimulate audience engagement. The use of nonlinear narratives, subjective camera angles, and unconventional storytelling methods became hallmarks of New Hollywood cinema. Techniques such as CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery), motion capture, and 3D technology have expanded the scope of storytelling and visual spectacle in cinema. Throughout its history, cinema has continually evolved, driven by technological advancements, artistic experimentation, and cultural influences. From the silent classics of the early 20th century to the immersive digital experiences of the 21st century, cinematic techniques have shaped the way stories are told and audiences are engaged. Future of Cinematic Techniques The future of cinematic techniques is poised to be a fascinating evolution driven by technological advancements and creative innovation. Here are some potential directions in which cinematic techniques may progress: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): VR and AR technologies are likely to become more integrated into filmmaking, offering immersive experiences that blur the lines between the viewer and the narrative. Directors may explore new storytelling methods that fully utilize these immersive environments. Interactive Films: With the rise of interactive media, filmmakers may experiment with branching narratives where viewers can make choices that affect the outcome of the story. This could lead to a more personalized and engaging cinematic experience. Advanced CGI and Visual Effects: As CGI and visual effects continue to improve, filmmakers will have even more tools at their disposal to create stunning and realistic worlds. This may result in films pushing the boundaries of what is visually possible, leading to even more spectacular and immersive storytelling. Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI technologies could play a significant role in various aspects of filmmaking, from scriptwriting and character development to post-production editing and visual effects. AI-driven tools may assist filmmakers in generating ideas, optimizing workflows, and enhancing the overall quality of the final product. Expanded Use of Drones and Robotics: Drones and robotics are already revolutionizing cinematography by enabling filmmakers to capture shots from unique perspectives and angles. In the future, advancements in drone technology may allow for even more dynamic and complex shots, leading to visually stunning sequences. Experimental Filmmaking Techniques: Filmmakers may continue to explore unconventional and avant-garde techniques to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling. This could include experimental use of lighting, sound, editing, and narrative structure to create thought-provoking and visually striking films. Environmental and Sustainable Filmmaking: With growing concerns about environmental sustainability, filmmakers may increasingly adopt eco-friendly practices in their productions. This could involve using renewable energy sources, minimizing waste, and employing sustainable materials in set design and construction. Cross-platform Integration: As audiences consume media across multiple platforms, filmmakers may experiment with creating content that seamlessly transitions between cinema, streaming services, video games, and other mediums. This could lead to innovative storytelling techniques that take advantage of the unique strengths of each platform. Overall, the future of cinematic techniques is likely to be characterized by a blend of technological innovation, artistic experimentation, and a continued focus on engaging and immersive storytelling. As new technologies emerge and creative minds push the boundaries of what is possible, the cinematic landscape is sure to evolve in exciting and unexpected ways. Cinematic Techniques for Film Industry Cinematic techniques are essential tools in the film industry that filmmakers use to enhance storytelling, evoke emotions, and captivate audiences. Here are some key cinematic techniques commonly utilized: - Shot Types and Framing: - Wide Shot (WS): Establishes the setting and context. - Medium Shot (MS): Shows characters from the waist up, often used for dialogue scenes. - Close-Up (CU): Focuses on a specific detail or emotion, often used for intense moments. - Extreme Close-Up (ECU): Emphasizes extreme detail, such as an eye or a hand. - Over-the-Shoulder (OTS): Frames a character from behind another character's shoulder, often used in conversations. - Point-of-View (POV) Shot: Shows the perspective of a character, allowing viewers to see what they see. - Camera Movements: - Pan: Horizontal movement of the camera from left to right or vice versa. - Tilt: Vertical movement of the camera up or down. - Zoom: Adjusting the focal length of the lens to make the subject appear closer or farther away. - Dolly/Tracking Shot: The camera moves along with the action, often on a track or a wheeled platform. - Crane Shot: The camera is mounted on a crane to capture high or overhead shots. - Steadicam Shot: A camera stabilizing system that allows for smooth movement, often used for tracking shots. - Lighting Techniques: - High Key Lighting: Bright and evenly lit, often used in comedies or upbeat scenes. - Low Key Lighting: Dark shadows and high contrast, creates a mysterious or dramatic atmosphere. - Backlighting: Light positioned behind the subject, creating a halo effect or emphasizing silhouettes. - Practical Lighting: Lighting sources visible within the scene, like lamps or candles, adding realism. - Color Temperature: Warm or cool tones to evoke different emotions or moods. - Editing Techniques: - Cut: Transition between two shots, used to change perspective or pace. - Fade In/Fade Out: Gradual appearance or disappearance of an image, often used for transitions between scenes. - Crosscutting/Parallel Editing: Interweaving two or more scenes happening simultaneously to build tension or suspense. - Montage: A sequence of short shots edited together to condense time or convey information quickly. - Jump Cut: Abrupt transition between shots of the same subject, often used for stylistic effect. - Match Cut: Transition between two shots with similar visual elements, creating continuity. - Sound Design: - Diegetic Sound: Sounds that occur within the story's world, like dialogue or ambient noise. - Non-Diegetic Sound: Sounds added in post-production, such as music or voice-over narration. - Sound Effects: Enhance the realism or atmosphere of a scene, like footsteps or explosions. - Score: Musical compositions that underscore the emotions or themes of a film. - Silence: Strategic absence of sound to create tension or emphasize a moment. These cinematic techniques, when employed effectively, contribute to the overall impact and artistry of a film, enriching the viewer's experience and immersing them in the story being told. Cinematic techniques are the building blocks of visual storytelling, allowing filmmakers to communicate narrative, mood, and emotion in powerful and compelling ways. By mastering the art of cinematography, directors can transport audiences to new worlds, evoke deep emotions, and leave a lasting impact on viewers. Visit Website :- guest post buy Also Visit :- Telegram 1. What role does sound design play in cinematic storytelling? Ans. Sound design enhances the immersive experience of a film by providing auditory cues that complement the visuals and evoke emotional responses from the audience. 2. How do filmmakers use color grading to enhance the mood of a scene? Ans. Color grading involves adjusting the color and tone of footage to create a specific look or atmosphere, allowing filmmakers to convey mood and emotion more effectively. 3. What is the significance of continuity editing in filmmaking? Ans. Continuity editing ensures that shots flow seamlessly together, maintaining the illusion of uninterrupted time and space within the film's narrative. 4. How does the choice of aspect ratio impact the viewer's perception of a film? Ans. Aspect ratio influences the composition of shots and the overall visual aesthetic of a film, shaping the viewer's experience and interpretation of the story. 5. Why is it important for filmmakers to understand the principles of cinematography? Ans. Understanding cinematography allows filmmakers to effectively communicate their creative vision, engage audiences on a deeper level, and elevate the overall quality of their films.
Impact of frontline demonstrations on popularization of new wheat variety and improvement in productivity of wheat at farmer's fields in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh Impact of frontline demonstrations on popularization of new wheat variety and improvement in productivity of wheat at farmer's fields in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh B L Prajapati , Akhilesh Shrivastav , V P S Jadon* , Sudeep Singh Tomar , Ravikant chandrawanshi , *RVSKVV, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Aron, Guna, Madhya Pradesh, India Corresponding Author Email: email@example.com DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.53709/CHE.2020.v01i01.040 The front line demonstration was carried out by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Aron, Guna, Madhya Pradesh during the Rabi season of 2019-20 and 2020-21 to study the impact on popularization and productivity enhancement of wheat at farmer's fields of Guna District. The results revealed that the demonstration gave higher yields 51.75 q/ha and 53.13 q/ha as compared to farmers practice yield 43.15 q/ha and 49.90 q/ha during 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. The demonstration plot produced on an average of 13.20% more yield of wheat as compared to local practices. The extension gap ranging between 323-860 kg/ha during the period of study emphasizes the need to educate the farmer through various means for adoption of recommended improved agricultural package of practice for wheat crop to reverse the trend of wide extension gap. The maximum gross monetary return (Rs. 99619 and Rs. 102266/ha) was recorded in recommended practice while minimum gross monetary return (Rs. 83064 and Rs. 96058/ha) was observed in farmer's practice during 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. Moreover, the maximum net monetary returns was recorded in recommended practice (Rs. 67736 and Rs. 70292/ha) and minimum net monetary return registered in farmer's practice (Rs. 51359 and Rs. 64543/ha). Similar trend was found in case of Benefit-Cost ratio as highest B: C ratio was found in recommended practice (3.13 and 3.20) as compared to farmers existing practice (2.62 and 3.05) during both the years of study, respectively. Wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.)] is one of the most important cereal crop because it is the staple food of the people of India. There has been tremendous increase in area, production and productivity of this crop during the phase of green revolution Indian agriculture. It occupies second position both in terms of area and production in the world. It is cultivated over an area of 29.86 million hectares with an annual production of 94.88 million tonnes and productivity of 3.18 Mt / ha, whereas in Madhya Pradesh, it is cultivated in 4.89 thousand hectares of land with an annual production of 12.69 million tonnes and productivity of 2.36 Mt / ha [5]. Wheat provides more protein than any other cereal crops. However, the global challenge for wheat nutrition is to increase grain yield while maintaining its protein. Wheat yield and end use quality depend upon the environment, genotype and their interactions. The many factors like inconsistently and improper use of fertilizers, lack of information on variants, edaphic features, mismanagement of farmers field operations and technologies [1-4] are responsible for low productivity of wheat. Keeping the view in mind the present demonstrations on new high yielding wheat variety were framed out for create awareness among wheat growers about the improved package of practices during cultivation of wheat [18-21]. Materials and Method Farmers participatory front line demonstrations were conducted for two consecutive years of Rabi 2019-20 and 2020-21 at farmers field of village Araskheda, Chirola, Goraiya, Govindpur, Bhodani, Khamkheda, Sarkho and Jakhoda of Guna District to demonstrate the performance of new high yielding variety of wheat. The frontline demonstrations were conducted in farmer's fields of 5 and 3 different villages of Guna district on 8 and 8 farmers during the Rabi season of year 2019-20 and 2020- 21, respectively. The farmers training were organized to creat awareness to follow the package and practices for wheat crop cultivation as recommended by the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (M.P.) and need based inputs were provided to the beneficiaries (Table 2). To conduct the demonstrations a group meeting was organized and specific skill training was imparted to select the farmers. The farmers were advised to follow the full package of practices like soil testing, seed treatment with bio-fertilizer, fertilizer application, weed management, integrated pest management (IPM) practices etc. The traditional practices were followed by the farmers using their own practice of cultivation and existing varieties during both the year of demonstration. The 3.2 and 3.2 hectare area was covered with plot size 0.4 ha under front line demonstration with active participation of selected farmers. Two varieties of wheat namely JW 3382 and HI 8759 were selected for demonstration having high yielding character. In general, the soil of the experimental sites were sandy clay loam in texture, neutral in reaction (pH 7.00-7.50), low to medium in organic carbon (0.45-0.71%) and low in available nitrogen (220.8-246.5 kg N/ha), medium in available phosphorus (12.8-14.8 kg P2O5 kg/ha) and medium to high in available potassium (235.5-425.5 kg K2O/ha). The road side demonstration plots were selected, use quality seeds of selected improved varieties, line sowing in 22.5 cm apart rows, follow timely sowing (15-25th November), herbicide application and irrigation, need based pesticide as well as balanced fertilizer were emphasized and comparison has been made with the existing practices. Visit of farmers and the extension functionaries was organized at demonstration plots to disseminate the message at large scale and finally a field day was organized maturity stage of the crop. The beneficiaries under the programme were facilitated by KVK scientists in performing field operations by direct contact as well as through electronic media. The farmers practices were maintained traditionally in case of local checks. The data were collected from both the year of demonstrations from FLD plots as well as control plots and finally the extension gap, technology gap, technology index along with the benefit cost ratio were worked out (Samui et al., 2000) as given below. Technology gap= Potential yield – Demonstration yield Extension gap= Demonstration yield – Farmer's yield Potential yield – Demonstration Yield Technology index(%) = ————————————————— X 100 Potential yield Results and Discussion The results of front line demonstrations conducted during Rabi season of 2019- 20 and 2020-21 in different villages of Guna district of Madhya Pradesh indicated that the cultivation practices adopted under front line demonstration viz. use of improved high yielding variety, line sowing, balanced application of fertilizers and control of pest through insecticide at economic threshold level (Table 1) obtained maximum number of tillers per plant (5.0 and 5.18) and grains per ear (40.17 and 42.90) as compared to farmer's practice data of tillers per plant ( 4.02 and 4.14) and grains per ear (36.80 and 38.92) during both the years of study, respectively (Table 4). Yield parameters enhanced by the improved package of practices over existing farmers practice are shown in Table 3. The results revealed that the demonstrated plots gave higher yield of wheat crop than the farmer's practice. The demonstration gave higher yields 51.75 q/ha and 53.13 q/ha as compared to farmers practice yield 43.15 q/ha and 49.90 q/ha during 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. On the basis of two year data, the average maximum yield (52.44 q/ha) was recorded in recommended practice while minimum yield (46.53 q/ha) observed in farmer's practice during the course of study. The demonstration plot produced on an average of 13.20% more yield of wheat as compared to local practices. The data revealed that the yield of wheat fluctuated over the years in demonstration plot due to varietal characters and farmers practice due to climatic factors and management practices. Similarly, yield enhancement in different crops in front line demonstrations were documented by Kumar et. al., (2010); Dhaka et al., (2010) and Dhaka et al., (2015). The increase in percent of yield was ranged from 6.46% to 19.93% during both years of study. The results clearly indicated the positive effects of FLDs over the existing practices toward enhancing the productivity of wheat in Guna district with its positive effect on yield attributes (Table 4). The extension gap showed an increasing trend. The extension gap ranging between 323-860 kg/ha during the period of study emphasizes the need to educate the farmer through various means for adoption of recommended improved agricultural package of practice for wheat crop to reverse the trend of wide extension gap. The yield of the front line demonstrations and potential yield of the crop was compared to estimate the yield gaps which were further categorized into technology gap and technology index. The trend of technology gap (ranging between 388-800 kg/ha) reflects the farmer's cooperation in carrying out such demonstrations with encouraging results in subsequent years. Data revealed that the performance of the technology demonstrated was found to be better than the farmers practice under same environmental conditions. The farmers were motivated by seeing the results in terms of productivity and they are now ready to adopt the wheat varieties i.e. GW 3382 and HI 8759 with improved package and practices. The technology index showed the feasibility of evolved technology at the farmer's fields. The lower value of technology index showed that there is more feasibility of technology. As such fluctuation in technology index (ranging between 6.80%-13.39%) during the study period in certain region may be attributed to the dissimilarity in soil fertility status, weather conditions, availability of water and variation of insect pest attack in the crop. The maximum gross monetary return (Rs. 99619 and Rs. 102266/ha) was recorded in recommended practice while minimum gross monetary return (Rs. 83064 and Rs. 96058/ha) was observed in farmer's practice during 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively. Moreover, the maximum net monetary returns wad recorded in recommended practice (Rs. 67736 and Rs. 70292/ha) and minimum net monetary return registered in farmer's practice (Rs. 51359 and Rs. 64543/ha). Similar trend was found in case of Benefit-Cost ratio as highest B: C ratio was found in recommended practice (3.13 and 3.20) as compared to farmers existing practice (2.62 and 3.05) during both the years of study, respectively. Similar results were found by Saikia et al., (2018). Data clearly showed higher benefit cost ratio of recommended practices than control plot in both the years of study. Hence, favorable benefit cost ratios proved the economic viability of the interventions and convinced the farmers on the utility of interventions [6-12]. It is concluded from the above findings of FLDs on Wheat variety GW 3382 and HI 8759, that the technology gap can be reduced to a considerable extent by adopting scientific methods of wheat cultivation to increase productivity of wheat crop in the district. It was observed that potential yield can be achieved by imparting scientific knowledge to the farmers, providing the need based inputs and their proper utilization. Horizontal expansion of improved technologies may be achieved by implementation of various extension activities like training programme, field days, exposure visit etc. organized in FLD programmes at the farmer's fields. Moreover, Krishi Vigyan Kendra in the district need to play the lead role in providing proper technical support to the farmers through different educational and extension activities to reduce the extension gap for quality production and higher productivity in the district [13-18]. Table 1. Comparison of Demonstration Practices and farmers practices for wheat crop Particulars \| Demonstration Practices \| Farmers Practice \| Farming Situation \| Irrigated \| Irrigated \| Variety \| JW 3382 and HI 8759 \| Lok1 \| Time of Sowing \| 15- 25 November \| 15- 25 November \| Seed rate \| 100 kg/ha \| 150 kg/ha \| Fertilizer as per STV \| NPK 120:60:30 \| NPK 120:50:00 \| Seed Treatment \| Carboxin + Thiram @ 2g per kg seed with PSB + Azotobacter @ 5g per kg seed \| No practice adopted \| Weed Management \| Clodinafop + metsulfuron applied as Post emergence at 30-35 DAS \| No practice adopted \| Plant protection \| As per requirement \| As per requirement \| Irrigation \| 4 irrigations at CRI, tillering, flowering and grain filling stage \| 4-5 irrigations, but stage of crop is not fixed \| Table 2. Details of input given to farmer for Demonstration Year \| No of Demonstration \| Technology Demonstrated \| Input provided to farmer \| 2019-20 \| 8 \| Improved high yielding variety JW 3382 \| 40 kg improved seed of demonstrated variety, fungicide and biofertilizer \| 2020-21 \| 8 \| Improved high yielding variety HI 8759 \| 40 kg improved seed of demonstrated variety, fungicide and biofertilizer \| Table 3. Productivity, Technology gap, extension gap and technology index under FLD and Farmers Practice of wheat Year \| Sample Area (ha) \| Yield (kg/ha) \| % increase over FP \| Technology gap (Kg/ha) \| Extension Gap (kg/ha) \| Technology Index (%) \| \|\| Potential \| FLD \| FP \| \|\|\|\|\|\| 2019-20 \| 3.2 \| 59.75 \| 51.75 \| 43.15 \| 19.93 \| 800 \| 860 \| 13.39 \| 2020-21 \| 3.2 \| 57.00 \| 53.13 \| 49.90 \| 6.46 \| 388 \| 323 \| 6.80 \| Average \| – \| – \| 52.44 \| 46.53 \| 13.20 \| 594.00 \| 591.50 \| 10.10 \| Table 4. Yield attributes of wheat crop S. No. \| Year \| Yield attributing characters \| \|\|\|\|\| No. of tillers/ plant \| No. of grains/ ear \| Test weight (1000 grain weight) \| \|\|\|\|\| 1 \| 2019-20 \| 5.00 \| 4.02 \| 40.17 \| 36.80 \| 40.48 \| 40.12 \| 2 \| 2020-21 \| 5.18 \| 4.14 \| 42.90 \| 38.92 \| 41.28 \| 40.18 \| Average \| 5.09 \| 4.08 \| 41.54 \| 37.86 \| 40.88 \| 40.15 \| Table 5. Economics of demonstrations S. No. \| Village covered \| No of farmer \| Area (ha) \| Cost of Cultivation (Rs/ha) \| Gross Monetary Return (Rs/ha) \| Net Return (Rs/ha) \| B:c ratio \| \|\|\|\| Demo \| FP \| Demo \| FP \| Demo \| FP \| Demo \| FP \| \|\|\|\| 1 \| 5 \| 8 \| 3.2 \| 31883 \| 31705 \| 99619 \| 83064 \| 67736 \| 51359 \| 3.13 \| 2.62 \| 2 \| 3 \| 8 \| 3.2 \| 31974 \| 31515 \| 102266 \| 96058 \| 70292 \| 64543 \| 3.20 \| 3.05 \| - Ali, N. Durrani, S., Adeel, Shabaz, M. 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Determining if your homebrew is off can sometimes be a challenging task, but with a few key indicators, you can usually make an informed decision. As an experienced sommelier and brewer, I've encountered my fair share of off-flavored beers, and I can offer some guidance on how to recognize them. 1. Trust Your Senses: One of the best ways to determine if your homebrew is off is to use your senses. Take a moment to observe the appearance, aroma, and taste of the beer. Look for any unusual colors or haziness, as it could be a sign of contamination. Aromas like vinegar, rotten eggs, or a strong medicinal smell are all red flags. When it comes to taste, off-flavors can range from sour or acidic to metallic or overly sweet. 2. Off-putting Aromas: If you detect any unpleasant or off-putting aromas, it's likely that something went wrong during the brewing process. For example, a sulfur-like smell could indicate contamination by wild yeast or bacteria. Another common off-flavor is diacetyl, which produces a buttery or butterscotch aroma. While some beer styles may intentionally have these characteristics, in most cases, they are considered off-flavors. 3. Off-flavors in Taste: Off-flavors can manifest in various ways on the palate. Some common off-flavors include astringency, which causes a puckering or drying sensation, and oxidation, which imparts a stale or cardboard-like taste. Additionally, a vinegar-like acidity or a metallic taste could indicate infection or improper sanitation practices. 4. Inconsistent Carbonation: Carbonation plays a crucial role in beer, and if it's off, it can affect the overall quality. Overcarbonation can result in excessive foaming and a fizzy mouthfeel, while undercarbonation can make the beer feel flat and lifeless. If your homebrew exhibits inconsistent carbonation compared to previous batches or the style guidelines, it could be an indication of an issue. 5. Unusual Texture: Pay attention to the mouthfeel of your beer. If it feels excessively watery, syrupy, or gritty, it could be a sign that something went wrong during the brewing process. Certain off-flavors can also affect the texture, such as a slick or oily mouthfeel caused by excessive diacetyl production. 6. Bottle Conditioned Beers: If you're brewing bottle-conditioned beers, where fermentation continues in the bottle, be cautious of gushing or exploding bottles. This can be a sign of overcarbonation due to excessive fermentation or contamination. It's essential to ensure proper yeast attenuation and priming sugar calculations to avoid this issue. 7. Seek Feedback: If you're unsure about the quality of your homebrew, seeking feedback from other experienced homebrewers or attending local beer competitions can provide valuable insights. Constructive criticism can help you identify specific off-flavors or flaws in your brewing process that you may have overlooked. Remember, brewing beer is both a science and an art, and even experienced brewers encounter off-flavors from time to time. It's a learning process, and not every batch will turn out as expected. However, don't be discouraged by a less-than-perfect beer, as it can still be enjoyable or serve as a valuable lesson for future brewing endeavors.
Explore how Houston's web design service from Infintech Designs can enhance your online presence through understanding analytics. It's important to track and improve how well Houston websites are doing nowadays. Using data to make smart choices can make your website better and help you connect with the right people faster. Keep reading to learn how analytics can boost your website and help you reach your online goals more accurately. Understanding Analytics Key Indicators Traffic Sources - Identify the top sources bringing traffic to your Houston website. - Analyze the effectiveness of different marketing channels in driving visitors. - Optimize strategies based on the performance of each traffic source. - Set up conversion tracking to monitor key actions on your website. - Measure the success of your business goals and objectives. - Improve conversion rates by understanding user behavior and preferences. Google Analytics Setup Guide - Follow a step-by-step guide to implement Google Analytics for your Houston website. - Customize settings to align with your specific business needs. - Ensure accurate data collection and reporting by correctly setting up tracking codes. Data Interpretation - Interpret data to gain valuable insights into user interactions on your site. - Utilize data to make informed decisions for website optimization. - Identify trends and patterns to enhance overall performance. Audience Insights Understanding the demographic composition of your website visitors is crucial. You can customize your content for different groups by looking at their age, gender, where they live, and what they like. This helps you make marketing plans that connect with specific types of people. For example, if many of your visitors are young adults who like technology, you can make content that they will enjoy. Traffic Analysis Source Tracking Tracking web traffic sources is important for evaluating marketing campaigns and allocating resources effectively. Analyzing each source helps optimize website traffic. By evaluating different marketing channels, businesses can determine which ones bring the most traffic and make data-driven decisions to improve their online presence. Allocate resources according to the performance of each source. By identifying the most successful channels, companies can focus their efforts on strategies that yield the highest web traffic. Visitor Trends Watching how many people visit a website helps us see patterns and changes. Knowing these trends helps us adjust marketing plans to connect better with visitors and get more traffic to the site. Identify seasonal variations that impact web traffic patterns. Adjusting strategies during peak seasons can help maximize website visits and conversions. Adapting marketing approaches based on changing visitor trends ensures continued growth in website traffic. By staying informed about visitor behavior, businesses can tailor their strategies for optimal results. Conversion Metrics Sales Tracking To see how well your online store is doing, keep an eye on sales data. Look at the money you make from online sales to decide what products to sell and how much to charge. Goal Completion Define and monitor specific goals to gauge your website's success. Keep an eye on goal completion rates to understand the impact of your strategies. Make necessary adjustments to enhance goal achievement and overall performance. Content Evaluation Performance Metrics It's important to check bounce rate, session duration, and page views to see how well your website is doing. Use these numbers to find out what your site is good at and what needs work. This will help you make your site better for users. Engagement Analysis Measuring user engagement levels through metrics such as time on page and social shares provides valuable insights. Study how users engage with your content to understand their interests. Improve interaction by creating interesting and interactive content that connects with your audience. SEO Optimization Keyword Analysis When analyzing keywords, ensure you comprehend the terms driving traffic to your website. Optimize content using high-performing keywords for enhanced SEO results. Keep an eye on keyword rankings and adapt strategies accordingly to increase visibility. - Conduct analysis to identify top-performing keywords - Optimize content based on keyword research findings - Monitor rankings regularly and make necessary adjustments Backlink Strategy Creating a backlink plan is important for improving your website's ranking. Keep track of backlinks to see where you can do better. Get good backlinks from trusted sources to boost your SEO efforts. - Create a plan to acquire valuable backlinks - Monitor backlink performance metrics consistently - Focus on obtaining backlinks from high-quality websites CRO Strategies A/B Testing Implement A/B tests to compare different versions of web pages or content. Analyze results to determine the most effective design or messaging. Optimize website elements based on testing outcomes. User Experience Improve how users interact with the website by making it easy to use and fast. Make sure the site works well on mobile devices too. This will help users have a better time on the website and increase their interest in what is offered. Leveraging SEO Analytics Rank Tracking It's important to keep an eye on how your website ranks for keywords on search engines. This helps you see how visible your site is in search results. By tracking these rankings, you can find ways to improve and get more organic traffic. To make your website better, you need to find keywords that aren't doing well and figure out how to improve their rankings. By looking at data from ranking tools, you can see how well your SEO is working and make smart choices to boost your online presence. Competitor Analysis Analyzing your competitors helps you see how your website is doing compared to others in your industry. By studying their strategies, you can learn what's successful and find ways to make your site better. Boost Your Online Presence With Analytics In understanding analytics for optimizing Houston websites, analyzing audience insights, traffic data, conversion metrics, content performance, SEO strategies, and CRO techniques is crucial. Using SEO analytics improves website performance and user experience. It helps website owners make smart decisions to increase online visibility and reach business goals. To boost your online presence in Houston, focus on analytics to succeed. By tracking and improving website performance using data, you can stay ahead in the digital world. Analytics not only boosts visibility but also increases user engagement and conversions. Improve your website with Houston's Infintech Designs for lasting growth and success.
Understanding Your Home's Heating and Cooling Needs Assessing the Size and Layout of Your Home When choosing the right HVAC system for your Alabama home, it is important to assess the size and layout of your house. The size of your home will determine the capacity of the HVAC system needed to effectively heat and cool the space. Additionally, the layout of your home will impact the distribution of air throughout the different rooms. It is essential to consider these factors to ensure optimal comfort and energy efficiency. To determine the size of your home, you can measure the square footage of each room and calculate the total area. This will give you an idea of the heating and cooling load required. Additionally, consider the number of windows and doors in your home, as well as the insulation levels. These factors will affect the amount of heat gain or loss in your home. When assessing the layout of your home, take note of any unique features such as vaulted ceilings, open floor plans, or multiple levels. These features can impact the airflow and temperature distribution. It is important to choose an HVAC system that can effectively accommodate these characteristics. In summary, assessing the size and layout of your home is crucial when selecting the right HVAC system. Consider the square footage, insulation levels, and unique features of your home to determine the heating and cooling load. This will ensure optimal comfort and energy efficiency. Considering the Climate in Alabama When choosing the right HVAC system for your Alabama home, it's important to consider the unique climate of the state. Alabama experiences hot and humid summers, with temperatures often reaching the high 90s. Winters can be mild, but occasional cold snaps can bring temperatures below freezing. The high humidity levels throughout the year can also impact indoor comfort and air quality. Therefore, it's crucial to select an HVAC system that can effectively cool and dehumidify your home during the summer months and provide sufficient heating during the winter. Additionally, choosing a system with energy-efficient features can help you save on utility bills while maintaining a comfortable indoor environment. Determining Your Energy Efficiency Goals When determining your energy efficiency goals for your HVAC system, it's important to consider factors such as your budget, environmental impact, and long-term savings. Reducing energy consumption is a key goal for many homeowners, as it not only helps the environment but also lowers utility bills. Another important consideration is improving indoor air quality, which can be achieved through the use of high-efficiency filters and proper ventilation. Additionally, you may want to prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions by choosing an HVAC system that utilizes renewable energy sources or has a high energy efficiency rating. To help you make an informed decision, here are some factors to consider when determining your energy efficiency goals: - Budget: Assess your budget and determine how much you are willing to invest in an energy-efficient HVAC system. - Environmental Impact: Consider the environmental impact of different HVAC systems and choose one that aligns with your sustainability goals. - Long-Term Savings: Evaluate the potential long-term savings of energy-efficient systems, taking into account factors such as energy consumption and maintenance costs. Tip: Consult with a professional HVAC contractor who can provide guidance on choosing an energy-efficient system that meets your specific needs and goals. Choosing the Right HVAC System Type Exploring the Different Types of HVAC Systems When it comes to HVAC systems, there are several different types to choose from. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to understand the differences before making a decision. One common type is the split system, which consists of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. This type of system is popular because it allows for both heating and cooling. Another option is the packaged system, which combines all the components into one unit that is typically installed outside. This type of system is often used in homes with limited indoor space. Finally, there are ductless mini-split systems, which are ideal for homes without ductwork. These systems consist of an outdoor unit and one or more indoor units, and they offer flexibility in terms of zoning and temperature control. Understanding the Pros and Cons of Each Type Ductless HVAC systems offer several advantages, including energy efficiency, zonal comfort, easy installation, improved indoor air quality, and … Matching the System Type to Your Home's Needs When choosing the right HVAC system for your Alabama home, it is important to consider your specific needs and requirements. One key factor to consider is the size of your home. A system that is too small may struggle to adequately heat or cool your home, while a system that is too large may result in wasted energy and higher utility bills. Additionally, you should take into account the layout of your home. Homes with multiple levels or open floor plans may require a different type of system than homes with a more traditional layout. Another important consideration is the climate in Alabama. The state experiences hot and humid summers, as well as mild winters. Therefore, you will need a system that can effectively cool your home during the summer months and provide sufficient heating during the winter. It is also worth considering the energy efficiency goals for your home. Energy-efficient systems can help reduce your carbon footprint and save you money on energy bills. To help you make an informed decision, here is a table summarizing the different types of HVAC systems and their pros and cons: System Type \| Pros \| Cons \| Split System \| – Provides both heating and cooling \| - Energy-efficient - Can be installed in existing homes \| – Requires ductwork - May be more expensive to install \| \| Heat Pump System \| – Provides both heating and cooling - Energy-efficient - Can be used in moderate climates \| – May struggle in extreme temperatures - May require a backup heating source \| Remember, it is important to choose a system that matches your home's needs and requirements. Consulting with a professional HVAC contractor can help ensure you make the right choice for your Alabama home. Sizing Your HVAC System Correctly Calculating the Heating and Cooling Load Calculating the heating and cooling load is an essential step in choosing the right HVAC system for your Alabama home. It involves determining the amount of heating and cooling required to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. This calculation takes into account factors such as the size of your home, the insulation levels, the number of windows, and the climate in Alabama. By accurately calculating the load, you can avoid installing an oversized or undersized system, which can lead to inefficient operation and higher energy costs. Understanding the Importance of Proper Sizing Proper sizing of your HVAC system is crucial to ensure optimal performance and energy efficiency. It involves calculating the heating and cooling load of your home, taking into account factors such as the size of your home, airflow velocity, friction loss, and the HVAC system's static pressure. Proper duct sizing is also essential, as it affects the overall performance and comfort of your system. Oversized systems can lead to short cycling and inefficient operation, while undersized systems may struggle to meet the heating and cooling demands of your home. To avoid these issues, it is important to consult with a professional HVAC contractor who can accurately determine the right size for your system. Avoiding Oversized or Undersized Systems When it comes to HVAC systems, size matters. Poor Energy Efficiency: Oversized systems tend to short cycle, meaning they turn on and off frequently, leading to inefficient operation and increased energy consumption. On the other hand, undersized systems struggle to meet the heating and cooling demands of your home, resulting in discomfort and reduced energy efficiency. It is crucial to properly size your HVAC system to ensure optimal performance and energy savings. To avoid the pitfalls of oversized or undersized systems, it is recommended to consult with a professional HVAC contractor. They can perform a load calculation to determine the heating and cooling load of your home accurately. By considering factors such as the size, layout, insulation, and orientation of your home, they can recommend the appropriate system size that will meet your comfort needs while maximizing energy efficiency. In addition to proper sizing, it is essential to choose an HVAC system with adjustable settings. This allows you to fine-tune the system's operation based on your specific needs and preferences. By avoiding oversized or undersized systems and selecting a properly sized and adjustable HVAC system, you can enjoy optimal comfort, energy efficiency, and cost savings. Considering Energy Efficiency Ratings Understanding SEER, EER, and HSPF Ratings The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is another measure of cooling efficiency, but unlike SEER, it's calculated based on a specific outdoor temperature (usually 95 degrees Fahrenheit). EER is determined by dividing the cooling output of the system (in BTUs) by the electrical power input (in watts) at that specific outdoor temperature. A higher EER rating indicates a more efficient system. However, it's important to note that EER does not take into account the system's performance at different outdoor temperatures. In addition to SEER and EER, it's also important to consider the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) when evaluating the efficiency of a heat pump. HSPF measures the heating efficiency of the system and is calculated by dividing the total heating output (in BTUs) by the total electrical power input (in watt-hours) over the heating season. A higher HSPF rating indicates a more efficient heat pump. When comparing different HVAC systems, it's essential to look at the SEER, EER, and HSPF ratings to determine their energy efficiency. These ratings provide valuable information about the system's performance and can help you make an informed decision when choosing the right HVAC system for your Alabama home. Comparing Energy Efficiency of Different Systems When comparing the energy efficiency of different HVAC systems, it's important to consider both the SEER and EER ratings. While SEER ratings are commonly discussed, it's also crucial to understand the EER rating. EER stands for Energy Efficiency Ratio and measures the cooling efficiency of the system at a specific outdoor temperature. A higher EER rating indicates a more efficient system. It's recommended to choose a system with high SEER and EER ratings to ensure optimal energy efficiency and cost savings. Here is a table comparing the SEER and EER ratings of different HVAC systems: HVAC System Type \| SEER Rating \| EER Rating \| System A \| 16 \| 12 \| System B \| 18 \| 14 \| System C \| 20 \| 16 \| Keep in mind that these ratings may vary depending on the specific model and brand of the system. Tip: When comparing energy efficiency ratings, consider both SEER and EER ratings to make an informed decision. Choosing a System with High Energy Efficiency When selecting an HVAC system for your Alabama home, it is crucial to prioritize energy efficiency. High energy efficiency can lead to significant cost savings on your utility bills and reduce your environmental impact. One important factor to consider is the system's energy efficiency rating, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF ratings. These ratings indicate how efficiently the system can cool or heat your home. Look for a system with a high rating to ensure optimal energy efficiency. In addition to energy efficiency ratings, there are other features and technologies that can further enhance the efficiency of your HVAC system. Smart thermostats, for example, allow you to control and schedule temperature settings, optimizing energy usage. Zoning systems provide better control over different areas of your home, allowing you to heat or cool specific zones as needed. Lastly, air purification and filtration features can improve indoor air quality and contribute to a healthier living environment. To summarize, when choosing an HVAC system, prioritize high energy efficiency by considering the system's energy efficiency rating and exploring additional features and technologies that can enhance efficiency. Evaluating Additional Features and Technologies Exploring Smart Thermostat Options When it comes to smart thermostats, there are several options available in the market. These devices offer advanced features and technologies that can greatly improve the efficiency and convenience of your HVAC system. One popular choice is the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen), which is considered the best overall smart thermostat. It offers a wide range of features and can be controlled remotely using your smartphone. Another option to consider is the budget-friendly smart thermostat, which provides basic functionality at a more affordable price. It's important to choose a smart thermostat that suits your needs and budget. Considering Zoning Systems for Better Control A zone control system, also known as zoning, is a feature that allows you to control the temperature in different areas or zones of your home independently. With a zoning system, you can customize the heating and cooling settings for each zone based on its specific needs. This means that you can have different temperatures in different rooms, providing personalized comfort for everyone in your household. Zoning systems offer several benefits, including: - Energy savings: By only heating or cooling the zones that are in use, you can reduce energy waste and lower your utility bills. - Enhanced comfort: Zoning allows you to create different temperature zones to accommodate individual preferences. For example, you can keep the bedrooms cooler at night while maintaining a comfortable temperature in the living areas. - Improved air quality: With zoning, you can also control the airflow in each zone, which can help improve indoor air quality by reducing the spread of allergens and pollutants. If you're considering a zoning system for your Alabama home, it's important to consult with a professional HVAC contractor who can assess your home's layout and recommend the best zoning options for your specific needs. Assessing Air Purification and Filtration Features When considering air purification and filtration features for your HVAC system, it is important to evaluate the different options available. One important factor to consider is the use of HEPA filters, which are highly effective in removing airborne particles and allergens. Another option to consider is UV sterilization, which can help eliminate bacteria and viruses in the air. Additionally, it is worth exploring the combined effect of natural ventilation with air purifiers, as studies have suggested that this can further improve air quality. When making your decision, take into account your specific needs and the recommendations of HVAC professionals. In the article section titled 'Evaluating Additional Features and Technologies', we explore the latest advancements in heating and air conditioning systems. At All Pro Heating & Air LLC, we are dedicated to keeping you comfortable all year round. With our expertise and top-quality services, we ensure that your air conditioning needs are met with the highest standards of quality and efficiency. Whether you are looking to upgrade your current system or explore new technologies, our team of professionals is here to guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and experience the difference of our quality air conditioning service.
When you suffer from tooth loss, dental damage, jaw pain, or gum disease, you need someone who is going to help you get back on track fast toward your dental health goals. The problem with dental concerns like these is that they only get worse as time goes on. Left untreated, some dental concerns can lead to severe pain or discomfort. Dr. Leah Romay proudly offers restorative dentistry treatments and comprehensive dental services in Glyndon, Maryland, dental office. At Baltimore Dental Co., we are here for you when you need us the most. Dr. Leah Romay is an experienced restorative dentist in the Reisterstown area with advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of complex concerns related to tooth loss and jaw structure. She can help you restore your smile and revitalize your dental health with a treatment plan that is unique to your needs and aesthetic goals. Dr. Romay places dental implants and can provide a full-mouth restoration plan for patients with failing teeth, advanced periodontal disease, or missing teeth. The restoration of a healthy and functional smile will also support your best quality of life in many ways. Restorative Dentistry in Glyndon, MD With our restorative dentistry services, we aim to get you back on track to achieving your dream smile. Whether you are in need of oral appliance therapy to relieve your jaw pain or you would like to learn more about your tooth-replacement option. Dr. Romay is here to provide you with those services accordingly. Our office provides an extensive list of restorative solutions, including: Dental Crowns Dental crowns are a great solution for patients who have experienced severe dental damage. Deep chips or cracks cause more than just cosmetic concerns and will eventually affect the functionality of your smile. To help with this, your affected tooth can be shaved down to its foundational core and replaced with a prosthetic cap, known as a dental crown. Patients love our dental crowns because it allows them to fix damaged teeth without the need for a tooth extraction. To learn more about the dental crown process, see Dental Crowns. Dental Implants Dental implants are the premier option when it comes to tooth replacement. This restorative option allows for patients to replace a missing tooth with a prosthetic tooth that is supported by a surgically implanted titanium post. The post gives your restoration tooth-root functionality which completely restores your missing tooth's look, feel, and functionality. We offer several types of dental implants to meet all our patients needs. To learn more about the dental implant process, see Dental Implants. Dental Bridges Dental bridges are a more conservative approach to tooth replacement. Compared to dental implants, they do not require a surgical procedure. Instead, dental bridges rely on the support of your surrounding teeth to hold a prosthetic tooth in place of the missing tooth. Dental bridges are a great option for tooth replacement if you are looking to avoid a surgical procedure; however, they do come with dietary restrictions and oral hygiene requirements that dental implants do not. To learn more about the dental bridge process, see Dental Bridges. Dentures and Partials If you are missing a whole row of teeth on the top or bottom arch, we can provide you with complete dentures. We also offer partials dentures if you are only missing several teeth on the top or bottom arch. Our dentures and partials are designed to completely restore your smile following tooth loss, and can even be supported using dental implants to prevent slippage. We will design them to blend naturally and compliment your smile. To learn more about the denture process, see Dentures and Partials. TMJ Treatment If you suffer from jaw pain, tension headaches, or earaches, you may be experiencing a TMJ disorder. TMJ disorders are often triggered if you have a history of teeth grinding. Additionally, patients may develop TMJ disorders if they have a misaligned bite pattern or if they are missing one or more teeth. To combat TMJ, Dr. Romay works to find the underlying cause of your symptoms and remedy them accordingly. She will provide you with a comprehensive TMJ treatment plan that will help you find relief from your TMJ pain. To learn more about your treatment options, see TMJ Treatment. Periodontal Disease Treatment Gum disease is a common dental concern that we treat in our office. Our dental providers offer periodontal disease treatment options including scaling and root planing services to clean the deep pockets of your gums and get rid of harmful bacteria that could be eating away at your soft tissues. Treating gum disease in the early stages is crucial to preserving your teeth, gums, and bone health. To learn more about the signs of gum disease, see Periodontal Disease Treatments. Restorative Dentistry FAQs Dr. Romay and her dental team provide restorative dentistry procedures and services to help patients return functionality and aesthetic to their smile. If you suffer from complex dental problem, we can help you regain your oral health. To learn more about restorative dental care, read through our frequently asked questions about restorative dentistry. What is not commonly included under restorative dental care? Restorative dentistry involves restoring teeth that are damaged or missing. It also involves treating patients who suffer from diseases such as gum disease, and patients who have bite issues such as TMD. Common procedures includes fillings, bridges, and implants. Dental veneers and teeth whitening are services that do not fall under the category of restorative dentistry, as these are cosmetic dentistry treatments. What should I do after tooth restoration? 48 hours following surgery, a saltwater rinse will aid in the healing of the surgical site. Brush your teeth softly for a few days, and then resume normal brushing once it begins to feel comfortable. It is also important to be sure to floss once you resume your regular brushing routine. What are my options if I need a tooth extraction? A tooth extraction is a common dental procedure Dr. Romay may use when she is unable to save a tooth that is beyond repair. However, it is important to replace the tooth. A dental implant supported crown is the most natural option that will provide the best results for your oral health. It is also the most expensive, will require surgery, and the process takes awhile to complete. A dental bridge is also an option. It requires the use of adjacent that will be need to be reduced in size. However, this option is more affordable and Dr. Romay can complete treatment in less than a month. What will happen if I fail to seek gum disease treatment? Gum disease is a progressive disease that can lead to serious complications. It can lead severe oral health and systemic health issues, some that are irreversible. If you think you have gum disease, seeking prompt treatment is crucial. The infection can spread, causing tooth loss, bone, and gum recession. It can even spread to other parts of the body and increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. What will happen if I ignore my TMJ symptoms? Ignoring TMJ symptoms can lead to chronic pain, difficulty chewing, and irreversible damage to the jaw joint. It may result in worsening discomfort, headaches, earaches, and difficulty opening or closing the mouth. Over time, untreated TMJ disorders can significantly impact quality of life and may require more invasive treatments to address. Schedule A Consultation for Restorative Dentistry in Glyndon, MD Please schedule an appointment with Dr. Romay to learn more about restorative dentistry options in Glyndon, MD. A consultation with Dr. Romay is the first step towards your new smile.
Russia's far northwestern regions witnessed a surge in warm weather in July, with air temperatures soaring 3-4 degrees Celsius above average, according to Tatyana Pozdnyakova, the chief meteorologist at the Meteonovosti news agency. Naryan-Mar, the administrative center of the Nenets autonomous district in the Arctic, saw temperatures rise to 31.6 C on July 31, breaking the previous record high of 31 C set in 2010. In Vorkuta, another city beyond the Arctic Circle and situated in Russia's republic of Komi, air temperatures exceeded 27 C, the highest level since 1993. The high temperatures continued into August, with Naryan-Mar recording 30.2 C and Vorkuta measuring 24.1 C on Tuesday. Pozdnyakova said July's historic heat in some of Russia's Arctic regions was caused by a warm front pushed in from Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, a different trend was taking shape in parts of Russia's Far East, where temperatures in some towns saw record lows. In Srednekolymsk, located in the republic of Sakha, temperatures fell to a record low of minus 0.3 C on July 31. According to Meteonovosti, even in Russia's far northern regions, negative departures are unusual for the month of July. Climate scientists say that heat waves have become more frequent and intense as a result of human-induced climate change. However, historic low temperatures can still be recorded, but with reduced frequency and duration, according to Roshydromet, Russia's state meteorological service. Russia, the world's fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is experiencing a rise in temperatures twice as fast as the world as a whole, Roshydromet says, with warming taking place in all seasons of the year. In Russia's Siberian and Arctic regions, these warming temperatures have contributed to permafrost melt, which releases potent greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and damages infrastructure. Globally, July 2023 is expected to be the world's hottest month on record. … we have a small favor to ask. As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you. Remind me later.
25 Bible verses about Cleanliness (With Commentary) Keeping clean is key – both outside and inside. The Bible tells us why it's important to stay pure in body, heart, and spirit. Let's dig into what the scriptures say. Purity of Heart The Bible says a pure and clean heart matters a lot. Psalm 51:10 shows we should ask God for a clean heart. Matthew 5:8 tells us that if our hearts are pure, we will see God. This means avoiding bad thoughts and actions brings us closer to Him. We can achieve purity by praying like David in Psalm 51 or following Jesus' teachings. We must focus on what is true and right, as Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:5. Getting close to God with an honest heart is key, as James says in James 4:8—clean your hands, sinners, and make your hearts pure if you're unsure. Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." King David asked God for a clean heart in Psalm 51:10. He wanted to be forgiven and start fresh with clear morals. Psalm 51 tells us that everyone needs spiritual cleansing, including kings and everyday folks. David's request shows humility is key to living right before God. Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8 praises people with clean hearts. It says they will see God. The word "pure" here means without blame or guilt. Jesus focuses on our inner self—our thoughts and feelings. Living with a pure heart is hard but rewarding. It involves staying away from sins and being in control of ourselves. What we allow into our lives shapes us. Those who keep their hearts clean are promised to see God, giving them strong faith. Psalm 24:3-4 "Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god." Psalm 24:3-4 says having clean hands and a pure heart is key to being with God. People must not follow lies or be dishonest to enter His holy place. This teaches us to check our hearts, admit our mistakes, and seek God's grace for cleaning. Jesus showed the perfect way to have a pure heart and clean hands. He never followed lies or acted dishonestly. He set an example of living right, so we can stand before God confidently. 1 Timothy 1:5 "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 points to love as the key outcome of our teachings. This love should flow from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. The verse emphasizes cleanliness not just on the outside but also inside our hearts and minds. Living this way means choosing love, aiming for purity, and faithfully following Christ Jesus. It calls on Christians to lead lives that show inner purity and holiness through acts of love. James 4:8 "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8 urges us to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. This scripture tells us being clean isn't just about the outside. We must be honest and true inside too. Admitting our wrongs is crucial for drawing closer to God. God forgives us when we confess our sins. Staying physically and spiritually clean is essential in our faith journey. To grow closer to God, we must remove lies and doubts from our hearts. Physical Cleanliness The Bible talks a lot about staying clean. Exodus 30:17-21 tells priests to wash before going into the Tent of Meeting. This shows us washing is key before doing holy tasks. Leviticus gives rules on hygiene, like in Leviticus 15:13, explaining how to bathe after being impure to get clean again. Books like Numbers and Deuteronomy give tips on keeping our bodies and places we live clean. Numbers 19:7-8 says people doing ritual purification must wash their clothes and use clean water for bathing. Deuteronomy 23:12-14 tells Israelites to go outside their camp for bathroom needs and cover up waste. This keeps things sanitary and shows respect for Yahweh's presence. In the New Testament, 2 Corinthians 7:1 asks believers to clear all dirt from body and spirit, aiming for holiness out of respect for God. Keeping ourselves clean is a way of showing honor not just to ourselves but also towards God who made us. Exodus 30:17-21 "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it." Exodus 30:17-21 talks about keeping clean, really focusing on priests before they work in the tabernacle. God told Moses to create a bronze basin with a stand for washing. Priests needed to wash their hands and feet with water from it or they could die. God wanted His workers physically and spiritually pure. This basin was more than just a bowl; it symbolized the need for God's word to cleanse our hearts and minds. Cleanliness means being free from dirt and sin's pollution. Leviticus 15:13 "When a man is cleansed from his discharge, he is to count off seven days for his ceremonial cleansing; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean." Leviticus 15:13 teaches about staying clean. People with bodily discharges had to wait seven days to purify themselves. They washed their clothes and bathed in water to get rid of uncleanness. Cleanliness mattered a lot back then, for health and religious reasons. Washing was key for purification. Numbers 19:7-8 "After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening." In Numbers 19:7-8, a priest had to clean his clothes and take a bath. Even after cleaning, he wasn't considered pure until the evening. This shows how seriously the Bible talks about being clean before God. Using special water was key to getting rid of sin's effect. People needed to wash their outfits and themselves well. It was like showing everyone they were moving from being dirty with sin to being ready for community worship. This act stressed how important purity is in spiritual life. Deuteronomy 23:12-14 "Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement." Deuteronomy 23:12-14 talks about keeping our environment clean for God. The Bible says cleanliness isn't just personal. It's also about where we live, especially when we're close to God. We show respect and honor to Him by keeping things tidy. The verses tell everyone to cover their waste outside the camp. This rule highlights God's care for our cleanliness and health. It tells us to keep purity in all areas of life with God around us. Clean surroundings show our respect for His holiness. 2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." 2 Corinthians 7:1 tells us to live pure lives. It links clean habits and a holy spirit with respecting God. We must stay away from bad thoughts and actions. Living right means saying no to wrong desires. We aim for actions that show love for our Father in heaven. The path to being holy is tough but necessary for health and soul growth. Spiritual Cleansing Getting spiritually clean means getting rid of bad deeds and thoughts. The Bible says personal cleanliness is part of this. It's not just about water, but also about cleaning up our actions to be holy. Fearing God and following His rules are big parts of cleaning our spirit. Bible verses like 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 51:2 teach us asking for forgiveness is a step towards spiritual cleanliness. Baptism, as Acts 22:16 explains, acts as a symbol that we are washing away sins. Hebrews 10:22 tells us to cleanse our hearts from guilty feelings. Keeping both body and spirit clean helps us stand pure before God. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 teaches that confessing sins leads to forgiveness from God. This act of admitting wrongs helps cleanse our spirits. It's about honesty leading to a clean heart. Confession is key for spiritual cleanliness. By sharing our faults, we get closer to God's mercy. This process wipes away all signs of wrongdoing. Through confession, we feel God's grace removing every bit of unrighteousness within us. Psalm 51:2 "Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." David felt guilty and asked God to wash away his sins in Psalm 51:2. He wanted to be pure again after making mistakes. David's prayer shows his remorse and desire for forgiveness. It highlights the importance of admitting wrongs and seeking a clean heart and mind. This story from the Bible teaches us that cleanliness goes beyond our actions. It includes our thoughts and emotions too. By following David's example, we learn about humility, repentance, and the path to redemption through sincere apologies. Ezekiel 36:25 "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols." Ezekiel 36:25 talks about God's promise to sprinkle clean water on His people. This act cleans them from all their impurities and false gods. God wants to wash away our wrongs and let us start fresh. The clean water symbolizes getting rid of past mistakes, similar to baptism in Christian churches today. This verse also links personal hygiene with spiritual purity. It uses the image of clean water to show that keeping our hearts free from bad influences is just as important as physical cleanliness. It reminds us that our actions outside should show a pure heart inside. Many believers follow Jesus Christ's teachings closely, living cleaner lives both spiritually and physically because of this concept. Acts 22:16 "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." Acts 22:16 highlights a key moment. It shows us that baptism washes away sins. This act is like shouting to the Lord for a new beginning. The verse points out—baptism goes beyond water. It cleans our inner selves and gives us a fresh start. Other Bible parts also talk about washing for purity, such as I Corinthians 6:11 and Revelation 1:5. In Acts 22:16, the focus is on cleaning ourselves through baptism by dipping in water. This sacred ritual helps with spiritual renewal and redemption. Hebrews 10:22 "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22 tells us to come close to God with true hearts, sure of our faith. This verse talks about cleaning our hearts from guilt and washing our bodies with pure water. It's all about being clean inside and the strong cleansing Jesus' sacrifice gives. This part of the Bible reminds us that being spiritually clean is important for getting close to God. The idea of being cleaned by water ties back to old traditions like foot-washing ceremonies done by Our Lord and his disciples. These acts show humility and service that come from being pure. Clean Living Romans 12:1-2 tells us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. This is how we worship. We must not follow the world's ways but change by thinking in new ways. This helps us know God's will, which is good and perfect. Being clean also means being ready for good work. As 2 Timothy 2:21 says, if we keep ourselves from doing wrong, we are set apart for God. Pure living lets us love others deeply with a pure heart, like in 1 Peter 1:22. Baptism shows purification and leads to salvation as mentioned in 1 Peter 3:21. Ephesians 5:26 explains that Christ made the church pure and holy through washing by water and His word. Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Paul tells Christians to be living sacrifices. They must keep their bodies pure and pleasing to God. This shows true worship and humility. Believers should not follow worldly ways. Instead, they need to change by renewing their minds. By doing this, they can understand what God wants—things that are good, pleasing, and perfect. God's kindness leads believers to dedicate themselves fully to Him. They step away from worldly patterns. They aim for spiritual renewal. This helps them see God's will more clearly. This advice pushes followers toward a life that honors God above all. 2 Timothy 2:21 "Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." 2 Timothy 2:21 teaches us to avoid wrong actions and thoughts that make our spirit and body unclean. It tells us that by becoming pure, we can serve God better, like special cups ready for noble use. Being clean inside and out is key to being useful in God's work. Setting ourselves apart involves acting differently because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We must do right things and aim for purity in life. This lets us serve more effectively and honor God. Every step towards cleaning our lives makes us better prepared for the good works God wants us to do. We become honored tools in His service. 1 Peter 1:22 "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart." 1 Peter 1:22 teaches us a powerful lesson about soul cleansing. This process starts by truly embracing Jesus' teachings. Think of it as a spiritual bath that scrubs off all our wrongs. The goal? To reach a state where we can genuinely love others. This Scripture highlights the importance of inner cleanliness, not just outer. By following Jesus' guidance, we purify ourselves from within. This internal purity allows us to show sincere love to people around us, fulfilling Jesus' desire for human interactions. 1 Peter 3:21 "And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Baptism isn't just about water. It's a promise to stay close to God, asking Him for a pure heart. The Bible, in 1 Peter 3:21, tells us this promise can lead to salvation. It's not only about going under the water. The Bible talks a lot about washing away sins and being pure to find redemption. Baptism is like a symbol that cleans us from our wrongs, tied closely to the rising of Jesus Christ from death. By getting baptized, believers commit to follow God's rules and ask for forgiveness with true hearts. Ephesians 5:26 "To make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word." Ephesians 5:26 tells us about a unique cleaning. This cleaning doesn't use soap and water. Instead, it's about the Church getting clean from wrongdoings through God's Word. God's truth works like a bath. It washes away our mistakes and purifies us inside. Husbands have a key role too. They should love their wives and guide them with God's truth. This helps everyone grow spiritually clean, keeping our spirits free from dirt. This message isn't just for married people. It teaches all of us to help each other live lives that are clean and pure, following God's path for us. Clean Speech The Bible says to stay away from bad words and jokes. It connects clean speech with a pure heart. Like how the blood of Jesus cleans our sins, our words should show we are pure inside. Words can heal or hurt. Proverbs 15:4 tells us kind words give life, but mean ones break the spirit. We need to pick our words wisely, lifting others up. Our speech should match a life washed by faith and righteous deeds. Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29 says to use kind words. It tells us our words should lift others up and give hope. Words are powerful. They can make people feel or think differently. So, Ephesians 4:29 teaches us to choose our words carefully. Our goal is to bring light and love with what we say. This message is part of a bigger idea about improving ourselves through thoughts, speech, and actions. It highlights the importance of grace in how we speak. Grace means being kind with our words even when it's difficult. By picking our words thoughtfully, we spread kindness and light. James 3:5-6 "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body." James 3:5-6 compares our words to a small fire. Just like a spark can start a big fire, our words can cause lots of trouble. This Bible passage warns us to be careful with what we say because once we say something, we can't take it back. Our tongue is described as full of bad things, almost like poison. What we say can spread harm and deeply hurt others. James teaches that speaking carelessly or meanly goes against Jesus Christ's teachings. Our words should bring peace and encourage others, not pain or damage. Proverbs 15:4 "The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4 shows us the power of words. Kind and wise words can heal, like a tree that gives shade and fruit. We must use our words to help, not hurt others. A deceitful tongue can break someone's spirit. Words are important. They should be gentle, bringing joy and health to people around us. Our speech should always be full of grace and truth, making a positive impact in the world. Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6 tells us to speak kindly and wisely. Our words should improve things, showing we are pure in what we say. We must be careful with our speech, ensuring it benefits everyone. This verse also says we must answer everyone politely. Our conversations should be respectful and clean, following God's instructions. Speaking well connects us better with others and demonstrates the value of living as Jesus Christ taught. Psalm 19:14 "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14 shows David wanting his words and thoughts to make God happy. He believes keeping a pure heart is essential in life and faith. This verse encourages us to clean our inner selves. It asks us to pick our words carefully and keep our minds clean. David's wish is common in prayers and sermons. It highlights the importance of speaking nicely and thinking purely for a strong relationship with God. The Bible teaches about staying physically and spiritually clean. Psalm 19:14 points out that being clean helps us get closer to God by fixing our mistakes and choosing our words with care. What Does the Bible Say about Cleanliness? The Bible tells us to stay clean inside and out. Jesus mentioned that once someone is bathed, they only need to wash their feet. This means we should focus on our hearts and minds, not just our bodies. We must work on improving our thoughts and actions. In the Book of Leviticus, chapters 11-15 lay down rules for staying physically clean. These guidelines were crucial for health back then and still apply today. Isaiah calls for people to cleanse themselves of wrongdoing as if washing away dirt. This connects with living a life that sets a good example by how we speak, act, and treat ourselves and others. Bible verses remind us that being clean is very important. This means not just washing our hands, but also keeping our thoughts good and pure. For example, Psalm 51:10 and Exodus 30:17-21 teach us about staying clean in both body and spirit. These teachings help guide our actions to be bright with cleanliness and kindness in everything we do.
Topic: Military history/Military aviation You are looking at all articles with the topic "Military history/Military aviation". We found 42 matches. To view all topics, click here. Too see the most popular topics, click here instead. 🔗 Pugachev's Cobra In aerobatics the Cobra maneuver, also known as just the Cobra, is a dramatic and demanding maneuver in which an airplane flying at a moderate speed suddenly raises the nose momentarily to the vertical position and slightly beyond, before dropping it back to normal, effectively making the plane a full body air brake. The maneuver relies on the ability of the plane to be able to quickly change alpha which momentarily stalls the plane without overloading the airframe and powerful engine thrust to maintain approximately constant altitude through the entire move. It is an impressive maneuver to demonstrate an aircraft's pitch control authority, high alpha stability and engine-versus-inlet compatibility, as well as the pilot's skill. Although the maneuver is mainly performed at air shows it has use in close range air combat as a last ditch maneuver to make a pursuing plane overshoot. There is currently no widely spread or readily available evidence of the Cobra being used in real combat, although, there are records of it being used during mockup-dogfights and during border protection. Discussed on - "Cobra Maneuver" \| 2022-10-02 \| 218 Upvotes 157 Comments - "Pugachev's Cobra" \| 2015-09-21 \| 36 Upvotes 15 Comments 🔗 Goodyear Inflatoplane The Goodyear Inflatoplane was an inflatable experimental aircraft made by the Goodyear Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, well known for the Goodyear blimp. Although it seemed an improbable project, the finished aircraft proved to be capable of meeting its design objectives, although orders were never forthcoming from the military. A total of 12 prototypes were built between 1956 and 1959, and testing continued until 1972, when the project was finally cancelled. Discussed on - "Goodyear Inflatoplane" \| 2024-05-02 \| 148 Upvotes 71 Comments - "Goodyear Inflatoplane" \| 2019-10-14 \| 108 Upvotes 27 Comments 🔗 Finnair Flight 915 Finnair Flight 915 (AY915) was a scheduled flight by Finnair from Tokyo, Japan, over the North Pole to Helsinki, Finland, on 23 December 1987. In 2014, Finnish media reported a claim by two of the flight's pilots that the Soviet Union had fired a missile at the aircraft, which exploded less than 30 seconds before impact. The allegations came out only in September 2014, when Helsingin Sanomat, the leading Finnish daily newspaper, published an extensive article on the matter. The Finnish Broadcasting Corporation YLE reported on the article on the internet the same day. When the matter came out, it caused outrage in Finland among those politicians and civil servants, to whom it should have been reported at the time, and it was widely publicised and commented upon in the Finnish media, amidst allegations of Finlandization. The alleged incident has been compared to other similar incidents involving the Soviet Union, such as the Aero Kaleva in 1940, Aeroflot Flight 902 in 1962, Korean Air Lines Flight 902 in 1978, Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in 1983. Co-captain Kaukiainen said that the Finnair pilots decided to speak out on the matter after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 had been shot down in Ukraine on 17 July 2014. Discussed on - "Finnair Flight 915" \| 2019-08-06 \| 152 Upvotes 41 Comments 🔗 Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin formed the American crew that landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface six hours and 39 minutes later on July 21 at 02:56 UTC; Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later. They spent about two and a quarter hours together outside the spacecraft, and they collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of lunar material to bring back to Earth. Command module pilot Michael Collins flew the Command Module Columbia alone in lunar orbit while they were on the Moon's surface. Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21 hours, 36 minutes on the lunar surface at a site they named Tranquility Base before lifting off to rejoin Columbia in lunar orbit. Apollo 11 was launched by a Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16 at 13:32 UTC, and it was the fifth crewed mission of NASA's Apollo program. The Apollo spacecraft had three parts: a command module (CM) with a cabin for the three astronauts, the only part that returned to Earth; a service module (SM), which supported the command module with propulsion, electrical power, oxygen, and water; and a lunar module (LM) that had two stages—a descent stage for landing on the Moon and an ascent stage to place the astronauts back into lunar orbit. After being sent to the Moon by the Saturn V's third stage, the astronauts separated the spacecraft from it and traveled for three days until they entered lunar orbit. Armstrong and Aldrin then moved into Eagle and landed in the Sea of Tranquility on July 20. The astronauts used Eagle's ascent stage to lift off from the lunar surface and rejoin Collins in the command module. They jettisoned Eagle before they performed the maneuvers that propelled Columbia out of the last of its 30 lunar orbits onto a trajectory back to Earth. They returned to Earth and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24 after more than eight days in space. Armstrong's first step onto the lunar surface was broadcast on live TV to a worldwide audience. He described the event as "one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." Apollo 11 effectively ended the Space Race and fulfilled a national goal proposed in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy: "before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth." Discussed on - "Apollo 11 50th Anniversary" \| 2019-07-16 \| 135 Upvotes 42 Comments 🔗 Holden's Lightning Flight On 22 July 1966 Walter "Taffy" Holden, an engineer in command of No. 33 Maintenance Unit RAF with limited experience flying small single-engine trainer aircraft, inadvertently engaged the afterburner of a Mach 2.0-capable English Electric Lightning during ground testing. Unable to disengage the afterburner, Holden ran down the runway, narrowly missing a crossing fuel bowser and a de Havilland Comet taking off, before taking off himself. Flying without a helmet or canopy, the ejection seat disabled, and the landing gear locked down, Holden aborted his first two landing attempts. He landed on his third approach, striking the runway with the aircraft's tail as he adopted in his flare the attitude of a taildragger aircraft. The aircraft returned to service, and was subsequently acquired by the Imperial War Museum Duxford. Discussed on - "Holden's Lightning Flight" \| 2021-06-14 \| 144 Upvotes 27 Comments 🔗 Bouncing bomb A bouncing bomb is a bomb designed to bounce to a target across water in a calculated manner to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets, and to allow both the bomb's speed on arrival at the target and the timing of its detonation to be pre-determined, in a similar fashion to a regular naval depth charge. The inventor of the first such bomb was the British engineer Barnes Wallis, whose "Upkeep" bouncing bomb was used in the RAF's Operation Chastise of May 1943 to bounce into German dams and explode underwater, with effect similar to the underground detonation of the Grand Slam and Tallboy earthquake bombs, both of which he also invented. Discussed on - "Bouncing bomb" \| 2016-11-15 \| 91 Upvotes 67 Comments 🔗 Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler Incident The Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident occurred on 20 December 1943, when, after a successful bomb run on Bremen, 2nd Lt Charles "Charlie" Brown's B-17 Flying Fortress (named "Ye Olde Pub") was severely damaged by German fighters. Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler had the opportunity to shoot down the crippled bomber but did not do so. After an extensive search by Brown, the two pilots met each other 50 years later and developed a friendship that lasted until Stigler's death in March 2008. Discussed on - "Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler Incident" \| 2016-06-05 \| 103 Upvotes 25 Comments - "Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident" \| 2011-11-26 \| 19 Upvotes 4 Comments 🔗 North American F-82 Twin Mustang The North American F-82 Twin Mustang is the last American piston-engine fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter in World War II. The war ended well before the first production units were operational. In the postwar era, Strategic Air Command used the planes as a long-range escort fighter. Radar-equipped F-82s were used extensively by the Air Defense Command as replacements for the Northrop P-61 Black Widow as all-weather day/night interceptors. During the Korean War, Japan-based F-82s were among the first USAF aircraft to operate over Korea. The first three North Korean aircraft destroyed by U.S. forces were shot down by F-82s, the first being a North-Korean Yak-11 downed over Gimpo Airfield by the USAF 68th Fighter Squadron. Discussed on - "North American F-82 Twin Mustang" \| 2017-08-26 \| 69 Upvotes 54 Comments 🔗 "Some German bombers landed at UK bases, believing they were back in Germany." The Battle of the Beams was a period early in the Second World War when bombers of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) used a number of increasingly accurate systems of radio navigation for night bombing in the United Kingdom. British scientific intelligence at the Air Ministry fought back with a variety of their own increasingly effective means, involving jamming and distortion of the radio waves. The period ended when the Wehrmacht moved their forces to the East in May 1941, in preparation for the attack on the Soviet Union. Discussed on - ""Some German bombers landed at UK bases, believing they were back in Germany."" \| 2010-08-16 \| 99 Upvotes 17 Comments 🔗 Norden bombsight The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, is a bombsight that was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars. It was an early tachometric design that directly measured the aircraft's ground speed and direction, which older bombsights could only estimate with lengthy manual procedures. The Norden improved on older designs by using an analog computer that continuously recalculated the bomb's impact point based on changing flight conditions, and an autopilot that reacted quickly and accurately to changes in the wind or other effects. Together, these features promised unprecedented accuracy for daytime bombing from high altitudes. During prewar testing the Norden demonstrated a circular error probable (CEP) of 75 feet (23 m), an astonishing performance for that period. This accuracy would enable direct attacks on ships, factories, and other point targets. Both the Navy and the USAAF saw it as a means to conduct successful high-altitude bombing. For example, an invasion fleet could be destroyed long before it could reach U.S. shores. To protect these advantages, the Norden was granted the utmost secrecy well into the war, and was part of a production effort on a similar scale as the Manhattan Project. Carl L. Norden, Inc. ranked 46th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts. Under combat conditions the Norden did not achieve its expected accuracy, yielding an average CEP in 1943 of 1,200 feet (370 m), similar to other Allied and German results. Both the Navy and Air Forces had to give up using pinpoint attacks. The Navy turned to dive bombing and skip bombing to attack ships, while the Air Forces developed the lead bomber procedure to improve accuracy, and adopted area bombing techniques for ever larger groups of aircraft. Nevertheless, the Norden's reputation as a pin-point device endured, due in no small part to Norden's own advertising of the device after secrecy was reduced late in the war. The Norden's secrecy had already been compromised by espionage before the United States entered the war. As early as January 1941, the Germans introduced a lightened derivative of the Norden called the Carl Zeiss Lotfernrohr 7 as the primary bombsight for most Luftwaffe level bombers and the first of its bombsights to have gyroscopic stabilization. The Norden saw reduced use in the post-World War II period after radar-based targeting was introduced, but the need for accurate daytime attacks kept it in service, especially during the Korean War. The last combat use of the Norden was in the U.S. Navy's VO-67 squadron, which used them to drop sensors onto the Ho Chi Minh Trail as late as 1967. The Norden remains one of the best-known bombsights ever invented. Discussed on - "Norden bombsight" \| 2017-03-28 \| 77 Upvotes 36 Comments
Weather forecasting has been a part of how we plan and go about our lives for centuries. Forecasting dates to 650 BC and the inventions and technologies used to help with this have advanced greatly. Across industries and regions, different technologies today are being used. How Is Sencrop Enhancing Weather Predictions for UK Farmers? Sencrop, a weather forecasting technology provider, has recently launched three innovative features for UK subscribers, aiming to offer more precise and reliable forecasting. Mark Herriman, UK B2B manager at Sencrop, explains, "Weather forecasts are essential for farm work planning and anticipating weather and disease risks." The updates include a forecast comparator, model ranking, and tailored forecasting using both weather models and local Sencrop weather stations. These features integrate data from over 35,000 weather stations, utilising machine learning for enhanced accuracy. What Are Next-Generation Forecast Workstations Offering? Next-generation forecast workstations represent a major advancement in weather prediction. These workstations assimilate vast observational data and numerical weather prediction (NWP) output, employing new visualisation and processing techniques. They also incorporate sophisticated nowcasting systems, offering prognostic information up to six hours ahead. These technological advances, including XML, CAP, and RSS, enable National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to leverage telecommunication networks for improved public weather services. How Is AI Transforming Weather Forecasting? Google DeepMind's AI-powered weather forecasting model, GraphCast, is setting new standards in the field. GraphCast promises more accurate forecasts up to 10 days in advance, surpassing traditional methods like the High Resolution Forecast (HRES). It offers earlier warnings for extreme weather events, demonstrated by its accurate prediction of Hurricane Lee's landfall in eastern Canada. Trained on four decades of weather data, GraphCast completes a 10-day forecast in less than 60 seconds, a significant advancement over traditional models. More from News - DNA Payments And SUNMI Announce Strategic Partnership To Strengthen - UK Government Launches £8.5 Million AI Safety Grants - OpenAI And News Corp: What AI Means For Journalism - Car Dealer Cazoo Collapses Into Administration: What Next? - Who Are Dragon's Den's Most Successful Companies? - Can AI Understand Sarcasm? - OpenAI And Reddit Sign Deal To Train ChatGPT With Posts - Sunday Times Rich List Announced With Surprising New Additions What Is the "Quiet Revolution" in Meteorology? The meteorological field is undergoing a "quiet revolution," marked by steady improvements in weather forecasting. Today's 6-day forecasts are as accurate as the 3-day forecasts from 30 years ago, largely due to advancements in AI. AI systems on desktop computers can now produce 10-day forecasts quickly and accurately, reducing the reliance on energy-intensive supercomputers. Maria Molina, an AI-focused research meteorologist, highlights the excitement in generating skillful global predictions cheaply. How Are Tech Giants Contributing to This Evolution? Major tech companies like Google DeepMind and Huawei are at the forefront of this revolution, developing AI models like GraphCast and Pangu-Weather. These models leverage deep learning to identify atmospheric patterns, providing accurate forecasts faster than traditional methods. Google's short-term AI weather model, for instance, produces highly accurate 24-hour predictions. The rapid progress in AI-driven weather prediction, once thought infeasible, underscores the technological advancements in the field. What's Still to Come for AI in Weather Forecasting? The future of AI in weather forecasting looks promising, with the techniques moving away from just prediction. AI models could assist high-resolution climate models on ultrafast machines, creating emulators to run these models much faster. Ensemble forecasts, a technique to capture uncertainty, are the next frontier for AI in meteorology. Christopher Bretherton, an atmospheric scientist, notes the potential for AI to contribute to climate change research and mitigation efforts. Are Traditional Weather Models Becoming Obsolete? Despite the advancements in AI, traditional weather models are not expected to become obsolete anytime soon. There is a growing acknowledgment that AI can be a useful complement to traditional methods. Matthew Chantry, who coordinates ECMWF's AI work, points out that while there is unease about the black-box nature of AI, traditional models also possess a degree of complexity. The acceptance of AI in weather forecasting will ultimately depend on its accuracy and the user's preference.
Carbon credits offer an opportunity to unlock climate finance for the African continent. But the region currently accounts for just 2% of trading on the global carbon markets valued at over $2 billion. Demand for carbon credits is expected to increase by a factor of 15 or more and could be worth over $50 billion by 2030. But the current market is fragmented and complex. High-quality carbon credits are scarce because accounting and verification methodologies vary and pricing data remains limited. The Africa Carbon Market Initiative, or ACMI, which was launched during last year's United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to rapidly increase the production of African carbon credits while ensuring that revenues are transparent, equitable, and create jobs. According to Sherif Ayoub, the senior director and focal point person at the initiative, ACMI aims to promote carbon trading and help groups develop the skills they need to navigate the various barriers to trading. The initiative wants to mobilize up to $6 billion by 2030 and more than $100 billion per annum by 2050 as well as create 30 million jobs by 2030 and more than 100 million jobs by 2050. But in order to achieve this, Ayoub said integrity has to be central to the initiatives' mission. There are global concerns about the integrity of Voluntary Carbon Markets, or VCMs, with lingering questions about transparency, equity, and effectiveness. Lindsay Smith, the natural carbon capture project lead at the Global Strategic Communications Network, said rules governing VCMs have been unable to prove that some projects have carbon removal benefits. The AMCI road map also highlights the need for increased transparency on the share of revenue received by communities. The amount of money that trickles down to communities from these climate projects remains shrouded in mystery. Nine out of 10 intermediaries driving the carbon trading system do not disclose their fees or profit margins, according to a study by Carbon Market Watch. "Intermediaries have a role to play in the voluntary carbon market because they connect those with money to those who need it. But today, these speculators are reselling credits at sometimes several times the price they paid for them," the study found. Susan Chomba, the director of vital landscapes for Africa at the World Resources Institute, said currently intermediaries are siphoning benefits from communities on the front lines of climate change. "It is very expensive when speculators run carbon projects without involving local communities. [Communities] should be involved in negotiating benefit sharing to ensure they do not get the short end of the stick," Chomba said. Communities need to be trained on how the verification process works as this would reduce the cost of monitoring, reporting, and verifying carbon markets, she added. Ayoub said ACMI is in the process of establishing activation programs in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Rwanda, which should be launched next month. The programs will support countries to develop guidelines based on contextual realities and projects that benefit communities. The initiative also plans on publicizing its Advanced Market Commitments to ensure that developers reveal their profit margins and percentages that will be paid to communities, he said. Chomba said another way to ensure communities benefit would be having systems that reward them for caring for natural assets before the value of their forests or other carbon-absorbing resources can be traded on the VCMs. For instance, governments that have banned entry into forests could allow communities living along them to grow food crops within the forests while also caring for the trees, she said. Governments could also introduce a carbon tax, where big emitters pay a levy that can be used to support communities living side by side with natural assets, while also eliminating corruption from the market, Chomba said. James Mwangi, the founder of Climate Action Platform for Africa, said communities that protect natural resources need to start receiving financial compensation. "When I worked as a consultant, no one assured me of the intangible value of my work by shaking my hand and thanking me. I received a cheque which allowed me to pay for my family's expenses. The people living on the edges of forests should also receive value for the work they are doing," he said.
Happiness and health, a perfect combination A Day to Remember to Be Happy International Day of Happiness, celebrated every year on March 20th, is a unique opportunity to recognize the importance of happiness in people's lives around the world. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, this observance aims to promote happiness as a fundamental right for every individual. The date of March 20th was chosen to coincide with the spring equinox, symbolizing rebirth and new life, thus reflecting the universal aspiration for happiness and joy. Why Happiness? Happiness is considered a universal goal and a key indicator of sustainable development and social well-being. The day encourages fair and balanced development that promotes the well-being of all people. It is interesting to note how the choice of this date was influenced by the personal history of Jayme Illien, an orphan saved from the streets of Calcutta, who proposed the idea to the United Nations, emphasizing the importance of individual actions in spreading happiness. Benefits for Body and Mind Happiness positively influences health at various levels, including beneficial effects at the chemical-biological level. Research underscores that happy individuals tend to live longer and with fewer disabilities, partly due to their higher likelihood of leading a healthy lifestyle, such as being physically active, eating healthily, and reducing the consumption of harmful substances. Happiness can also reduce cortisol levels, the stress hormone, and promote the release of endorphins, chemicals linked to well-being and pain reduction. The neuroscience of happiness has shown that positive emotions not only improve psychological well-being but also directly influence physical health by promoting trust and compassion, mitigating depressive symptoms, and aiding in stress recovery. Moreover, the prolonged activation of specific brain areas, such as the ventral striatum, is directly correlated with the maintenance of positive emotions and rewards, suggesting that we can consciously influence these processes to improve our well-being. The application of positive psychology techniques, such as expressing gratitude, meditating, building meaningful relationships, using positive affirmations, focusing on one's strengths, and performing acts of kindness, can improve mental and physical health. These practices promote a positive attitude towards life, improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and enhance self-esteem, contributing to an overall sense of happiness and well-being.
To reduce the risk of developing this type of psychological illness, researchers discovered that giving the mother a ketamine derivative after giving birth contributes to reducing the incidence of major depressive episodes. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal on Thursday, researchers found that "taking a single low dose of esketamine by mothers with prenatal depression shortly after giving birth led to a three-quarters reduction in major depressive episodes." The clinical trial, conducted in China, aims to prevent postpartum depression in mothers who previously suffered symptoms of depression during pregnancy, which is a form of so-called prenatal depression that often continues after the birth of the child. Esketamine controversy Esketamine, which usually helps improve the psychological state in this case in the form of an injection, is used as the basis for an anesthetic product, as the US Food and Drug Administration has previously approved its use as an antidepressant. In contrast, this drug causes controversy regarding its lack of effectiveness against more resistant types of depression, as well as neuropsychiatric side effects such as speech difficulties or dissociative disorder (multiple personality disorder). Effectiveness test To test the effectiveness of this medication in reducing postpartum depression, researchers formed a group that included hundreds of mothers who suffered from symptoms of depression during pregnancy. Within 40 minutes after giving birth, half of them received an esketamine injection, while the other half received a placebo, and after 42 days, a major depressive episode was recorded in less than 7 percent of the first group, while the percentage was a quarter in the second group. Many cases of side effects were observed, but they quickly disappeared in less than one day. Although these results confirm the effectiveness of esketamine in this field, there are several elements that limit the possibility of relying on these results, according to the British Medical Journal, because: The researchers included in their study only women who had symptoms of depression during pregnancy, and excluded those who were already suffering from psychological disorders before pregnancy. The women included in the study had mild depressive symptoms before giving birth. So it is difficult to determine whether esketamine is sufficient when antenatal depression is more severe. The study stops a little more than a month after birth, so it cannot be determined how effective this injection is in providing protection against depression over the longer term, or whether side effects may reappear weeks later.
This series of animations begins with a series focusing on the anatomy of the eye (with emphasis on the anatomy related to Retinopathy of Prematurity) followed by the images demonstrating the retinal "Zones" of the eye used to help classify ROP. The animation sequences that demonstrate how early ROP begins, then how the traction on the retina causes the eventual detachments. The animation sequences also demonstrate the various characteristics of progressive steps of Retinopathy of Prematurity (Stages 1-5). The animation sequences also demonstrate "Plus Disease" and compare ROP to "AP-ROP" (Aggressive Posterior Retinopathy of Prematurity).
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Coincidence of Ascariasis with Appendicitis in a Pediatric Patient with abdominal Pain; a Case Report Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine, Vol. 12 No. 1 (2024), 1 January 2024 Page e11 The simultaneous occurrence of intestinal ascariasis and appendicitis presents a challenge in diagnosing pediatric abdominal emergencies due to overlapping symptoms. We present the case of an 8-year-old boy who experienced acute abdominal pain, characterized by a severe cramp in the mid and lower right abdomen, with pain rated 7 out of 10, a mild fever, and continuous nausea. The initial evaluation suggested appendicitis, supported by an Alvarado score of 9. However, ultrasonography did not conclusively confirm appendicitis but revealed an Ascaris worm in the ileum. This finding highlights the importance of careful diagnostic processes that combine clinical assessment with imaging techniques, while being mindful of their limitations. Surgical exploration confirmed retrocecal appendicitis coexisting with an Ascaris lumbricoides infection. The treatment involved surgical removal of the affected appendix and pharmacological expulsion of the parasitic worm using albendazole, which proved effective. This report emphasizes the consideration of ascariasis in diagnosing appendicitis, particularly in areas where intestinal parasites are common. It also demonstrated the improved diagnostic accuracy achieved through clinical scoring and imaging, thus reducing the risk of missing dual pathologies in young patients with acute abdominal pain. - Ascariasis - Ultrasonography - Diagnostic imaging - Ascaris lumbricoides - Pediatric emergency medicine - Appendicitis How to Cite Niang I, Dieng CK, Diouf PMD, Diop CT, Welle IB, Ndong A, et al. "Worm within worm": acute appendicitis containing an adult Ascaris lumbricoïdes. BJR Case Rep. 2022;8(3):20210035. Wani I, Rather M, Naikoo G, Amin A, Mushtaq S, Nazir M. Intestinal ascariasis in children. World J Surg. 2010;34(5):963-8. Elmi AM, Çelik C, Jama SMA, Dirie AM, Ibrahim IG. Intestinal obstruction in a child with massive ascariasis and associated acute appendicitis: A case report. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2022;78:103808. Castañeda C, Valbuena D, Salamanca W, Acevedo D, Pedraza M. Case report: Laparoscopic management of acute appendicitis resulting from Ascaris lumbricoides. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2022;107(1):130-1. Lynser D, Handique A, Daniala C, Phukan P, Marbaniang E. Sonographic images of hepato-pancreatico-biliary and intestinal ascariasis: A pictorial review. Insights Imaging. 2015;6(6):641-6. Kaminstein D, Kuhn WT, Huang D, Burleson SL. Perspectives on Point-of-Care Ultrasound Use in Pediatric Tropical Infectious Disease. Clin Pediatr Emerg Med. 2019;20(2):128-40. Lehmann B, Koeferli U, Sauter TC, Exadaktylos A, Hautz WE. Diagnostic accuracy of a pragmatic, ultrasound-based approach to adult patients with suspected acute appendicitis in the ED. Emerg Med J. 2022;39(12):931-6. Chauhan SS, Paul D, Janardhanan R, Thomas TK. Role of abdominal ultrasound and Alvarado Score in diagnosing and preventing negative laparotomies in acute appendicitis a descriptive study. Int J Surg Med. 2021;7(4):49-53. Bethony J, Brooker S, Albonico M, Geiger SM, Loukas A, Diemert D, et al. Soil-transmitted helminth infections: ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm. Lancet. 2006;367(9521):1521-32. Baba A, Shera A, Bhat M, Hakim S, Sheikh K, Shah O. Management of biliary ascariasis in children living in an endemic area. Eur J Pediatr Surg. 2010;20(3):187-90. - Abstract Viewed: 245 times - pdf Downloaded: 451 times
Autumn 2 2023 Welcome back Year 1! We hope you have had a lovely half term, spent with your family and friends. This half term our topic is "Home and Away". We have lots of exciting learning planned, based around our book "Dear Polar Bear". Take a look at our class newsletter for details of our topic. We still spend time in Rainbow Challenges. This time is ideal for us to build relationships, work in pairs and small groups as well as develop our own ideas through play. As the children become more sophisticated in our play, we are seeing more thought and detail being put into Rainbow Challenge time. Playing in Rainbow Challenges is also ideal for the children's wellbeing, being able to self-regulate and further develop their skills to be excellent learners such as patience, resilience and team work. Here are some of our houses for Polar Bear… Collective Worship Week 1 This week our virtue for Collective Worship has been "Prayer". During collective worship each day we have reflected on why we pray, who we pray to and what we say when we pray. We have joined together in prayer and collective worship to observe the Holy Day of Obligation on November 1st, All Saints Day. We reflected on and spent some time thinking about how we can honour the Saints. Week 2 This week we have focused on remembrance. Throughout the week we have been thinking of those who have fought for our country and continue to do so today. We have given thanks to God for looking after those people and their families. On Friday at 11am we took part in a 2min silence to remember those who have lost their lives. This week we have began advent. We have explored the ways in which we count down and look forward to Jesus's birth. The children talked about their chocolate advent calendars and how many sleeps it was until Christmas day. We then explored another way of counting down through the advent wreath. We learnt what each coloured candle represents and the order in which they are lite on each Sunday of December and then on Christmas day. This half term our topic is "Mary our Mother". We have started our learning journey by reflecting on what we already know about Mary from our work on "God's Family" in FS2. The children recalled that Mary was Jesus's Mother and that God was Jesus's Daddy. They also understood Joseph's role as Jesus's earth daddy. The children also knew that Mary was visited by an angel to tell her that she had been chosen by God. They also remembered that Mary was there when Jesus died on the cross. From this we revisited Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary and consider how she may have felt after his visit. To support us with this we did some hot seating that helped us to understand Mary's perspective. Here are how we thought Mary might have felt! This week we read Luke 1: 39-45 and learnt about Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth. In small groups the children acted out the story and performed to the class. The children listened carefully and we discussed what a promise was. The children then answered questions about the Bible story in order to further their understanding. This learning included making their own promises to God. It was fantastic to hear so many children make promises linked to looking after God's world and those within it. Linking with this we have had Blackout for Creation day and we have all made promises about how we can look after God's World. Today we turned our focus to the Christmas Nativity story from the Bible and Mary's crucial role in it. The children have been working hard on their nativity performance "Baarmy Bethlehem" and have used this to help develop their understanding of the true meaning of Christmas. The children have enjoyed sequencing the story and re-telling it in groups along with writing about each section, identifying the important people and their roles. Reading for Pleasure We are encouraging the children to develop a love of reading and encouraging them to explore a range of different authors and poets. This half term, our key author is Michael Bond, who wrote the Paddington stories. The children are enjoying the quiet space and enjoying reading stories in our Author Corner! We are learning some facts about Michael Bond and the children were impressed with the fact that he wrote every day from 9 o'clock even on Christmas day! Our key poet this half term is A.A. Milne and we are practising reciting the poem Now we are Six. Our English Learning Journey We have started our English learning by really getting to know our book – Dear Polar Bear. We have listened to the story and made predictions about what might happen next. This also linked to our Geography learning about the Artic and Antarctica. Using our Word Aware approach, we explored new vocabulary and decided on our worthy words. We have also explored the characters in the books and the key events, through drawing, role play and hotseating! The children are making us so proud with their attitude towards their learning and applying all the skills that they have been taught. We are aiming for writing in the past tense as well as the present tense, so we have been had some active Burn to Learn sessions understanding how to turn regular verbs into the past tense by adding an -ed suffix and the present by adding ing. The children have shown a lot of resilience to try to understand this tricky SPAG concept! We practised matching verbs to their past tense version. We have also had a lot of fun and active Burn 2 Learn sessions to embed using -ed as a past tense ending on regular verbs including speaking in the present tense and the past tense outside on the playground. In preparation for writing their diary entries the children have also been exploring adjectives to add detail to their writing. We listened to Michael Rosen explain what adjectives are and why they are important! We have played B2L games where the children have had to sort nouns and adjectives and then use them to write silly sentences. The children have then begun to apply this in their own writing. This half term we are focusing on addition and subtraction. We are starting our learning by focusing on number bonds to 10. This week we focused on knowing all number bonds for all numbers between 1 and 10. We did this practically before recording it in part, part whole models. Once we are confident with this fluency aspect of our learning we will move on to varied fluency, exploring how number bonds can be represented in different ways. This week we have been furthering our understanding of number bonds, solving problems with number bonds for numbers 0-20. This has required perseverance and resilience to take on new challenges and succeed. We have also been learning about the relationship between addition and subtraction and extending our learning using fact families. We have been applying our knowledge and practising our fluency of doubling by playing doubling games and singing doubling songs! We also practised working in teams and listening to each others' explanations. We had lots of fun! Carrying on our learning about Everyday Materials and their Properties from last half term, we performed a simple test, to test whether our predictions were correct. We worked scientfically to ensure it was fair and we placed each object into the water to see if each object floated or sunk. Prior to doing this, we linked to our previous learning about what each material was made from. Linking with Reading, we have been using the topic books from Leeds Schools Library to find out about materials. We have been reading books and sharing facts about materials. Significant Scientist: Charles Macintosh Our final test of the half term, linked with our learning about Charles Macintosh. We learned that Charles Macintosh invented waterproof coats, called a Macintosh! Charles painted liquid rubber onto fabric and found out that it was waterproof. We discussed the meaning of "waterproof" and "absorbent" and then performed a test. We predicted whether we thought the object was going to be absorbent or waterproof, performed the test, recorded our results and wrote our conclusions. This half term we are focusing on the work of Henri Matisse, a French artist who is famous for both is paintings and collages. This week we had an introduction to Henri Matisse's life and work. We made connections to our French learning that the children began last half term. I was very impressed with how confidently the children have picked up key French phrases as part of this learning and facts that they already knew about Paris where Matisee was born. The children then looked at Matisee's work, commenting on the colours and shapes. They then gave their opinions on his works, stating what they preferred and why. Today we focused on collage, Henri Mattisse is famous for his collages that he started later in life after initially preferring paintings. The children learnt how to collage using ripped up pieces of paper or cutting them up and arranging them together to create an image before sticking them down. To practice this skill the children created collage poppies linked to remembrance day. We have continued to practice our collaging skills using different materials. Last week we focused on natural materials, thinking carefully about the materials we used and how we can manipulate them by cutting and ripping before arranging and sticking them to make our collage. This week we applied the skills that we have learnt about collage to make our own arctic winter collage. This half term we are continuing to focus on staying safe when using technology. Today we focused on exploring the following two questions: Who does technology belong to? Who owns the internet? We explored different types of technology and found as many examples of technology around school that we could. We then debated who owned each piece of technology and what this meant in terms of sharing technology. We then focused on the internet, what it is and how we can use it. The children thought of lots of examples from playing games to watching videos. We then considered how we would stay safe when accessing the internet for these things and remembered our STOP BLOCK TELL. To begin our Geography learning this half term, we have been exploring photographs of Wetherby, Leeds and the Yorkshire Dales. Our learning is focusing on exploring places and looking at the similarities and differences between the places. Here's some photographs of us finding and describing the different photographs before sorting our pictures and enjoying sharing our own experiences with our friends. We were active in our learning and discussed the photographs with lots of enthusiasm! Once the photos had been sorted the children filled in the gaps in their sticky knowledge sentences based on their learning from the day. Our learning journey has continued and we have been using the geographical enquiry skill of interpreting maps and globes. We were very excited to find the Artic circle and Antarctica on a light up globe and we couldn't believe how small the UK was! We then located the equator and discussed how the countries near the equator have hotter climates than the Artic and Antarctica. We then drew on a map the hot, warm and cold areas of the Earth based on how close they were to the equator and developed a better understanding of why the Arctic and Antarctic are so cold! Today we recapped our learning on "Home and Away" by playing "Shoot the Sherriff" with facts on Wetherby, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, UK, Arctic, Antarctic and the equator. We then explored the main features of home and away by drawing and writing about each place in groups. We then compared them, concluding that there are lots of differences that are largely down to climate and the countries positions in regard to the equator. Where we live the climate is warm so people and animals can live here, that effects our environment. The Arctic and Antarctic is very cold so less people and animals live there. This week we have started our new topic focusing on toys in the past. We made links back to our learning about the 1920's seaside in Autumn 1 by focusing on this period again but when learning about toys and how they have changed. The children watch clips and looked at videos of toys from the past before asking questions that we can investigate throughout the topic. This week we explored toys from the past through first hand experiences. We used all the toys donated by parents and grandparents to make our history toy box. Together we explored each toy listening to family stories and exploring how they worked. We then sorted the toys into four categories, toys we play with now, toys our parents played with, toys our grandparents played with and toys from 1920s. The children were fascinated to see how toys have changed. We finished the lesson by putting the toys onto a timeline. Today we continued our toy topic by comparing toys from the past and their main similarities and differences. As part of this learning the children were given some of the differences on cards and in small groups have to act them out to their friends who guessed what the differences were. In Music this half term, we have truly perfected singing in an ensemble for our Christmas Nativity Plays! We were amazing! In MFL, we have consolidated our learning of greetings and have been practising answering the register in French too! Following on from our greetings song where we heard the numbers 0-5 in French last half term, we have been focusing on learning all numbers 0-10. First we practiced saying them individually before applying them into a song. We then continued to develop our confidence saying numbers 0-10 in order. We counted both forwards and backwards and had a go at naming the numbers in French out of number order. Click on the button to practise singing the song at home! French Numbers SongTo build on our learning of numbers 1-10 in order, today we tried to say them out of sequence and we were amazing! We began by opening pretend advent calendar flaps, and recapping the greeting that was under the flap. After that, we worked in pairs and small groups to cut our number baubles out, which linked with DT and was good practise for our fine motor skills. We had to say each number in French and place them on a Christmas tree. We then brought our trees to the carpet and sang along to our French numbers song, pointing at the numbers on the baubles on our Christmas trees! We all showed knowledge! Anti Bullying Week. Odds Socks Day! We have been celebrating differences this week and thinking about how we are all unique. We started the week by all wearing odd socks to show how we are all the same but all different. We learned about bullying and revisited our message of STOP (several times on purpose/start telling other people) The children were able to talk about what to do if they thought they were being bullied. Protected Characteristics: Disability and British Value: Individual Liberty The children have been learning about the Protected Characteristic of Disability and we have been celebrating that even if someone has a disability, they are entitled to be treated equally. We have also been learning about the British Value of Individual Liberty. We learned that we make lots of choices such as what we have for breakfast and what hobbies we have. We also thought about how Individual liberty is the belief that we should have the right to express ourselves and live our life as we choose. Road Safety and Water Safety This half term, we have enjoyed learning about Road Safety and Water Safety. The children all took part in a workshop provided by Leeds City Council, where we learned how to safely cross a road with lots of fun and practical activities. We also learned about Water Safety with a session provided by Yorkshire Water. These topics are particularly important for us to learn about due to our context; there are lots of busy roads in Wetherby as well as a very busy motorway nearby and there is a River that runs right through Wetherby, including a section where you can walk straight into the river so we feel it is very important for the children to learn about Road and Water Safety. In PE, have been focusing on throwing and catching. We started by ensuring the children know how to position their bodies when playing different sports. The children have worked on improving their balance and hand-eye coordination when using equipment. We also always warm up our bodies by playing warm up games like Infinity Tig. We have then moved on to improving our accuracy and technique when throwing, including chest pushes, two handed throws, one handed underarm and overarm throws. The children have been thinking about how they can position their hands for catching. The children have also taken part in the Playmaker sessions, run by the Year 5s. The children have enjoyed learning games that can be played at playtime with no equipment. Lots of team work required!
The Indian Institute for Science, Bengaluru (IISc) researchers have developed a new technology to produce green hydrogen from biomass, a plant-based renewable source of energy, in just two steps, reported The News Indian Express on Wednesday, 13 July. Firstly, biomass is converted into 'syngas' – or synthesis gas mixture rich in hydrogen – in a novel reactor with oxygen and steam. Secondly, pure hydrogen is generated from the syngas with the use of an indigenously developed low-pressure gas separation unit. S Dasappa, Professor at the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, and Chair of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Research, IISc, said that the entire process generates 100 g of hydrogen from 1 kg of biomass even though only 60 g of hydrogen is present in 1 kg of biomass. A 'Carbon Negative' Fuel Dasappa said, "This is because in this process, steam, which also contains hydrogen, participates in both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. The production is carbon negative." Dasappa added that hydrogen mostly comes from fossil fuels synthesised by steam reforming of methane. The new technology is a joint effort with the National Hydrogen Energy Roadmap, a Centre's initiative to promote the use of hydrogen as fuel, said Dasappa. Such a 'green hydrogen' can even be used to decarbonise steel, he said. (With inputs from The New Indian Express.) (At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Learn more about this. We all know that passports are a crucial part of international travel. They verify our identities, indicate our nationalities, and grant us access to foreign lands. But have you ever looked at your passport and wondered about that string of digits and letters known as the passport number? What's the deal with that? And do countries have a specific format that can be easily understood? Is there a Passport Number Format for all Countries? Firstly, let's take from a perspective of a single format for all countries… So, here's the thing – there isn't a single, universal format for passport numbers across all countries. Each country has its own system of issuing passport numbers, and these systems can be quite diverse. Take, for instance, the United States. A typical American passport number consists of nine numerical characters. On the other hand, if you peek into an Indian passport, you'll find the passport number is typically an eight-character code, starting with two letters followed by six digits. But there must be some international regulation for this, right?" Surprisingly, the answer is no. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which sets standards for travel documents like passports, doesn't dictate a specific format for passport numbers. Instead, they allow each member country to determine its own system, as long as it meets certain security and identification standards. But what's this system? And do specific countries have a particular format they use to assign their passports? Yes, as explained before. Let's take a look at a few countries in the next section. Countries And Their Passports Format Before we talk a little about the passport format of the 5 countries we'll cover in this section, it's worth mentioning that there are not actually any well-calculated rules for determining a particular country's passport number. Passport numbers, from the public knowledge, still remains randomly generated. And all countries have their own unique system for generating them. Some use a combination of letters and numbers, while others stick to numbers only. Some use the first character to indicate specific information, while others opt for a more random approach. You can't actually tell. But despite these differences, all passport numbers serve the same fundamental purpose: to identify you, the passport holder, as a unique individual. So let's go over this list… United States The first stop is the United States. If you're a U.S. passport holder, you might have noticed that your passport number is a nine-character alphanumeric code. This means it's composed of both letters and numbers. Interestingly, U.S. passport numbers don't follow a predictable pattern and are randomly generated, making each one unique. However, it's worth mentioning that the passport number begins with a letter, and ends with eight other numbers, making them nine in total. Next, Indian passport numbers also consist of both letters and numbers, but they only have eight characters. The first character is always a letter, which indicates the passport book type. The remaining seven characters are a unique number sequence. The UK Heading over to the United Kingdom, we find that UK passport numbers are nine characters long. However, unlike the U.S. and India, UK passport numbers are entirely numeric. The first two numbers often indicate the year the passport was issued. Last on the list is Australia. Australian passport numbers are composed of eight characters, comprising both letters and numbers. The first letter represents the passport type, followed by a series of seven numbers. But are there Similarities Between Passports Across Countries? In the previous section, we talked about how each country has its own unique format for passport numbers. But, could there be some commonalities between passports across different countries? When you think about it, passports, at their core, serve the same function globally: they're an internationally recognized form of identity that permit us to travel across borders. This common purpose brings about some inevitable similarities. One of the most significant similarities is the standardized information that every passport must contain. According to the guidelines from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), all passports should include the bearer's name, date of birth, nationality, and gender. They should also contain a photo that meets certain specifications. And, of course, that all-important passport number we talked about earlier. Some countries could choose to make theirs biometric and others nonbiometric. Biometric passports are actually a modern thing as more countries are just shifting to the technology. Then there's the physical format of the passport itself. You've probably noticed that most passports look quite alike. They're a small, booklet-style document – easy to hold, easy to flip through, easy to stamp. That's no coincidence. The ICAO has specified a standard size for passports, which most countries adhere to. However, despite these similarities, there's still room for countries to express their individuality. The design of the passport, the security features it incorporates, the languages used inside – these are all up to the issuing country. So, while your passport may share some similarities with the one held by the person next to you in the immigration line, it's still uniquely yours in many ways. Tips to Protect Your Passport These all bring us to a very important topic: protecting your passport. After all, a passport is more than just a travel document. It's your ticket to traveling around the world, and maybe deserve to be treated with care. The first tip – and this might sound obvious – is to keep your passport in a safe place. Whether you're at home or abroad, ensure your passport is stored securely when you're not using it. A lockable drawer or a hotel safe can be good options. And remember, "out of sight, out of mind" applies here. The less visible your passport is, the less likely it is to attract unwanted attention. Next, consider using a passport cover. These handy accessories not only keep your passport looking neat and tidy, but they can also provide an extra layer of protection against wear and tear. And let's be honest, a well-kept passport leaves a good impression! Another tip is to avoid handling your passport with dirty or greasy hands. The pages of your passport are sensitive, and oils or grime can cause damage over time. Plus, smudged pages could potentially cause issues at immigration. It's also a good idea to have a digital backup of your passport. Take a clear photo or scan of your passport's information page and store it securely. It could be a lifesaver if you lose your passport or it gets stolen. Lastly, always keep an eye on your passport when you're on the move. Whether you're at the airport, a train station, or a hotel, make sure you know where your passport is at all times. Final thoughts So, the next time you're in line at immigration, waiting for your passport to be scanned, remember this little nugget of information. Your passport number is unique – not just to you, but also to the country that issued it.
In the ever-evolving landscape of human sexuality, unconventional forms of gratification continually emerge, pushing the boundaries of understanding and acceptance. One such phenomenon that has gained traction in recent times is Archivebate – a niche practice that intertwines the realms of historical archives and sexual arousal. While seemingly obscure, Archivebate serves as a fascinating case study of human sexuality's multifaceted nature and the diverse ways individuals seek pleasure and fulfillment. Exploring the Origins of Archivebate To comprehend the essence of Archivebate, one must delve into its origins. The term itself is a portmanteau, combining "archive" and "masturbate," signifying the act of deriving sexual pleasure from historical documents, artifacts, or narratives. While the exact genesis of Archivebate remains nebulous, its roots can be traced back to the intersection of two fundamental human instincts – curiosity and sexuality. Historically, individuals have harbored a fascination with the past, seeking to unravel its mysteries and understand the intricacies of bygone eras. Concurrently, human sexuality encompasses a vast spectrum of desires and preferences, transcending conventional norms. It is within this intersection that Archivebate finds its niche, capitalizing on the allure of history to stimulate erotic arousal. The Psychology Behind Archivebate At its core, Archivebate exemplifies the interplay between cognitive processes and sexual stimuli. Psychologically, the arousal experienced during Archivebate is likely attributed to a combination of factors, including nostalgia, intellectual stimulation, and the taboo nature of deriving pleasure from non-conventional sources. Nostalgia, a powerful emotional trigger, often evokes feelings of longing and sentimentality for past experiences or eras. When coupled with sexual arousal, the fusion of nostalgia and eroticism can intensify sensations, creating a unique and deeply personal form of gratification. Moreover, the intellectual aspect of Archivebate cannot be overlooked. For many practitioners, the act of engaging with historical material serves as a mental stimulant, triggering cerebral arousal alongside physical sensations. The synthesis of intellectual curiosity and sexual desire amplifies the overall experience, transforming archival exploration into a profoundly erotic endeavor. Varieties of Archivebate: From Manuscripts to Museums Archivebate manifests in various forms, each tailored to individual preferences and inclinations. One prevalent subtype involves the consumption of written historical materials, such as letters, diaries, or literary works. For some, the intimacy inherent in personal correspondence imbues these documents with an added layer of eroticism, fostering a sense of connection with individuals long departed. Similarly, visual artifacts, including paintings, photographs, and sculptures, serve as potent stimuli for Archivebate enthusiasts. The aesthetic allure of these representations, coupled with their historical significance, can evoke intense sensual responses, blurring the boundaries between art appreciation and sexual gratification. Museum settings also provide fertile ground for Archivebate exploration. The curated assemblage of historical artifacts offers a sensory feast for aficionados, who derive pleasure from admiring ancient relics while indulging their carnal desires. However, practitioners must navigate the fine line between respectful engagement with cultural heritage and objectification of historical objects. Ethical Considerations and Challenges As with any unconventional sexual practice, Archivebate raises ethical considerations and challenges. Foremost among these is the issue of consent, particularly concerning historical figures whose personal writings or likenesses are involved. While these individuals may be long deceased, ethical dilemmas arise regarding the appropriateness of deriving sexual pleasure from their legacy without their explicit consent. Furthermore, the preservation and integrity of historical artifacts must be upheld, safeguarding them from potential damage or misuse. Practices such as handling delicate manuscripts or engaging in sexual acts within museum premises pose risks to cultural heritage and demand responsible conduct from Archivebate practitioners. Additionally, the societal stigma surrounding non-normative sexual behaviors necessitates discretion and respect within the Archivebate community. Open dialogue and education can help foster understanding and acceptance, dispelling misconceptions and promoting informed discourse on the intersection of sexuality and historical engagement. Archivebate stands as a testament to the boundless diversity of human sexual expression, transcending traditional paradigms to forge new frontiers of eroticism. By intertwining the realms of history and sexuality, Archivebate challenges preconceived notions, inviting individuals to explore unconventional avenues of pleasure and self-discovery. As society continues to evolve, so too will our understanding and acceptance of diverse sexual practices. By approaching phenomena like Archivebate with an open mind and a commitment to empathy and respect, we can foster a culture that celebrates sexual diversity while upholding ethical principles and preserving cultural heritage for generations to come.
Learn Python Programming Fast - A Beginner's Guide to Mastering Python from Home Grab the Bonus Chapter Inside with 50 Coding Journal Python is the most in-demand programming language in 2024. As a beginner, learning Python can open up high-paying remote and freelance job opportunities in fields like data science, web development, AI, and more. This hands-on Python Programming is designed specifically for beginners with no prior coding experience. It provides a foundations-first introduction to Python programming concepts using simplified explanations, practical examples, and step-by-step tutorials. Programming is best learned by doing, and thus, this book incorporates numerous practical exercises and real-world projects. This is not Hype; you will learn something new in this Python Programming for Beginners. What You Will Learn in this Python Programming for Beginners Book: Python Installation - How to download Python and set up your coding environment Python Syntax - Key programming constructs like variables, data types, functions, conditionals and loops Core Programming Techniques - Best practices for writing clean, efficient Python code Built-in Data Structures - Hands-on projects using Python lists, tuples, dictionaries and more Object-Oriented Programming - How to work with classes, objects and inheritance in Python Python for Web Development - Build a web app and API with Python frameworks like Django and Flask Python for Data Analysis - Use Python for data science and work with Jupyter Notebooks Python for Machine Learning - Implement machine learning algorithms for prediction and classification Bonus: Python Coding Interview Questions - Practice questions and answers to prepare for the interview This beginner-friendly guide will give you a solid foundation in Python to build real-world apps and land your first Python developer job.
Chest Diseases Pulmonary diseases refer to a series of diseases related to the respiratory system. These diseases include asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, COPD, respiratory failure, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, and lung cancer. Chest diseases can occur as a result of inflammation, narrowing, obstruction, or damage to the airways. Asthma is a disease in which breathing is difficult due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways. This causes difficulty in breathing due to narrowing of the bronchial tubes and reduced airflow. It can be caused by factors such as asthma, allergic reactions or infections. Bronchitis is a respiratory disease caused by inflammation of the bronchi. This condition causes symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and sputum production. It is known that bronchitis can be acute or chronic and factors such as smoking can cause this disease to occur. Pneumonia is a respiratory disease caused by inflammation of the lungs. This condition causes symptoms such as coughing, fever, chills, and shortness of breath. Pneumonia can be caused by infections such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi. COPD is also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This disease causes difficulty in breathing due to narrowing and blockage of the airways. COPD can be caused by factors such as smoking, and its symptoms include coughing, sputum production, and shortness of breath. Respiratory failure Respiratory failure can be acute or chronic. Acute respiratory failure occurs suddenly and usually requires short-term treatment. Chronic respiratory failure, on the other hand, occurs as a result of a long-term illness and usually requires permanent treatment. Ear Aesthetics Ear aesthetic surgery is an operation that is usually performed under local anesthesia and takes about one to two hours. During the procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision to reach the ear cartilage. The cartilage is then reshaped or removed, using stitches as needed. When the procedure is completed, the ears are wrapped with bandages and it is recommended to wear a special cap for several days. Tuberculosis manifests itself with symptoms such as cough, sputum, fever, night sweats, weakness, weakness and chest pain. It can also be easily spread through the air, with tiny droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Privileges in our hospital in all operations As Avicenna Esenler Hospital, we offer special privileges to all our patients. - Post-operative communication - Reasonable price policy - Contracted health insurance companies
tackling inequalities and building capacities di Emilio Di Maria giugno 2019 collana Percorsi di salute - Health pathways serie RICERCA area tematica Biologico-Medica 205 pagine e-ISBN (pdf) 978-88-94943-51-1 \| open access Per acquistare il libro Per accedere all'e-book (pdf) Il libro The Mediterranean has been – and is, to date – a battlefield for hope and despair, solidarity and segregation, knowledge and prejudice. The differences in ancestry, culture and heritage brought by the stream of refugees from Africa and Middle East, far from being sources of growth, are cause of conflict. While the principle of health right is repeatedly stated, the presence of striking inequalities in health status, healthcare and health promotion is dramatically apparent. This co-operative volume is based on a workshop which was focussed on one key question: what are the key actions to tackle health inequalities and improve health for people living on or moving across the Mediterranean? The current situation regarding health and healthcare in the Mediterranean area was explored by applying the lenses of global health and public health. By the mean of a multidisciplinary discussion, the respective responsibilities for national and international agencies emerged, along with the role for lay organisations, decision makers and citizens. Scritto da Emilio Di Maria (MD, PhD) is a medical geneticist at the Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy; visiting professor in Universities in North Africa and Middle East. His work in medical genetics has been regularly integrated with the implications of public health and technology transfer. Since the early 1990s he has been involved in a network of organisations committed to ensure health right and healthcare for migrant persons.
McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk T-45 Goshawk \| \| The T-45A in flight \| \| Role \| Naval trainer aircraft \| National origin \| United Kingdom/United States \| Manufacturer \| McDonnell Douglas/British Aerospace Boeing/BAE Systems \| First flight \| 16 April 1988[1] \| Introduction \| 1991 \| Status \| In service \| Primary user \| United States Navy \| Produced \| 1988-2009 \| Number built \| 221[2] \| Developed from \| BAE Systems Hawk \| The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) T-45 Goshawk is a highly modified version of the British BAE Systems Hawk land-based training jet aircraft. Manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and British Aerospace (now BAE Systems), the T-45 is used by the United States Navy as an aircraft carrier-capable trainer. The T-45 Goshawk has its origins in the mid-1970s, during which time the U.S. Navy formally commenced its search for a new jet trainer aircraft to serve as a single replacement for both its T-2 Buckeye and TA-4 Skyhawk trainers.[3] During 1978, the VTXTS advanced trainer program to meet this need was formally launched by the U.S. Navy. An Anglo-American team, comprising British aviation manufacturer British Aerospace (BAe) and American aircraft company McDonnell Douglas (MDC), decided to submit their proposal for a navalised version of BAe's land-based Hawk trainer. Other manufacturers also submitted bids, such as a rival team of French aircraft company Dassault Aviation, German manufacturer Dornier and American aerospace company Lockheed, who offered their Alpha Jet to fulfil the requirement.[3] The VTX-TS competition was not simply for the procurement of an aircraft in isolation; it comprised five core areas: the aircraft itself, capable flight simulators, matured academic training aids, integrated logistic support, and program management.[3] For their proposal, MDC was the prime contractor and systems integrator, BAe functioned as the principal subcontractor and partner for the aircraft element, Rolls-Royce provided the Adour engine to power the aircraft, and Sperry is the principal subcontractor for the simulator system.[3] During November 1981, the U.S. Navy announced that it had selected the Hawk as the winner of the VTX-TS competition.[3] Reportedly, approximately 60 per cent of the work on the T-45 program was undertaken overseas in Britain. During September 1982, a Full Scale Engineering Development contract was awarded to the MDC team to fully develop and produce the proposed aircraft, which had been designated T-45 Goshawk.[3] On 16 April 1988, the first T-45A Goshawk conducted its maiden flight.[4] Work on the production of the Goshawk was divided between the two primary partner companies. BAE Systems (BAe's successor following its merger with Marconi Electronic Systems during 1999) was responsible for manufacturing the fuselage aft of the cockpit, along with the air inlets, and the vertical stabilizer of the T-45 at their Samlesbury facility, while the wings were produced at the company's plant at Brough, England. Boeing (which had merged with McDonnell Douglas during 1997) performed the manufacture of the remaining elements of the Goshawk, as well as conducting assembly of the type at a production line at St. Louis, Missouri, after having transferred work on the program from the company's facility in Long Beach, California. The Goshawk retained the typical powerplant used by the Hawk, the Rolls-Royce Adour turbofan jet engine.[5] During the mid-1990s, Rolls-Royce worked on establishing a US-based production line for the Adour engine, which was to be operated by the former Allison Engine Company (which had been recently acquired by Rolls-Royce in 1995); however, during September 1997, the U.S. Navy chose to terminate the partially-finished engine effort.[6] Around this time, the U.S. Navy was greatly interested in potentially adopting another powerplant, the International Turbine Engine Company's F124 turbofan engine, for the Goshawk. On 7 October 1996, a T-45A test aircraft flew, powered by the rival F124 engine.[7][8] Early production aircraft were designated T-45A. From December 1997 onwards,[4] later-built production Goshawks were constructed with enhanced avionics systems, which included the adoption of a glass cockpit and head-up display (HUD); as such, they were designated T-45C.[9][10] From 2003 onwards, all of the extant T-45A trainer aircraft were eventually converted to the more modern T-45C configuration under the T-45 Required Avionics Modernization Program. This program brought the U.S. Navy's trainers to an identical Cockpit 21 standard, which incorporated both the HUD and the glass cockpit, which had the benefit of making the trainers more similar to the U.S. Navy's frontline fighter aircraft.[9] On 16 March 2007, it was announced that the 200th Goshawk had been delivered to the U.S. Navy.[11] During November 2009, the 221st aircraft, the final aircraft to be produced, was delivered.[12] Further development[edit] During early 2008, it was announced by the US Navy that several of its T-45C Goshawks would be outfitted with a synthetic radar capability to allow them to support rear crew training requirements, and that it was considering a possible requirement for a follow-on order for such equipped models of the type.[13] An initial batch of 19 T-45Cs equipped with this virtual mission training system (VMTS), which simulates the capabilities of the US Navy's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet's Raytheon APG-73 radar (including ground mapping, air-to-ground and air-to-air targeting modes, along with an electronic warfare training capability) were delivered to the Navy's Undergraduate Military Flight Officer training school at Pensacola, Florida. The type was used to prepare weapon system and electronic warfare operators for the Super Hornet and the Boeing EA-18G Growler.[13] Both McDonnell Douglas and Boeing have made multiple approaches to potential overseas customers, typically offering the Goshawk in the trainer role. During the mid-1990s, McDonnell Douglas teamed up with Rockwell International to jointly bid the T-45 as a replacement for the Royal Australian Air Force's jet trainer fleet in competition against, amongst others, the Hawk that the type had been derived from.[14] Marketing efforts to acquire export customers were intensified following a cut in the procurement rate by the U.S. Navy during 2003; according to Lon Nordeen, T-45 business development manager, Israel had been identified as having a potential requirement for the type.[9] During late 2006, the company promoted the concept of an advanced variant of the T-45C Goshawk to Greece, emphasising its close compatibility with the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II trainer already operated by the country.[15] During early 2007, Boeing VP Mark Kronenberg stated that the company had held discussions with the Indian Navy, which had an anticipated requirement for naval training aircraft.[16] Starting in 2003, the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) of the United States Air Force (USAF) worked on the requirements for replacing the 1960s-era Northrop T-38 Talon jet trainer. By 2010, the US Navy was reportedly involved in the evaluations for the initiative, known as the T-X program and had been considering the merits of adopting the same airframe to meet its long-term requirements to eventually replace the Goshawk as well.[17] Reportedly, BAE Systems, later in partnership with American defense company Northrop Grumman, has repeatedly held discussions with the USAF on the development of a new potential derivative of the Hawk conforming to their specific trainer needs, similar in fashion to the Goshawk for the US Navy.[18][19] The T-45 Goshawk is a carrier-qualified version of the British Aerospace Hawk Mk.60.[1][20] It was redesigned as a trainer for the United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC). Changes were made to the Hawk in two stages. The Hawk was redesigned for carrier operations and submitted to the Navy for flight evaluation. The development flight trials resulted in further modifications. The initial redesign included stronger landing gear and airframe to withstand the loads imposed by catapult launches and high sink-rate (14 ft/sec[21]) landings. A catapult tow bar attachment was added to the oleo strut of the new two-wheel nose gear .[22][23] Other additions were an arresting hook, an increased span tailplane, side-mounted airbrakes, and the addition of stabilator vanes, known as 'Side Mounted Upper Rear Fuselage Strakes' (SMURFS - USN), to stabilize flow over the stabilator with speed brakes extended.[24] Navy test pilots found deficiences which had to be corrected. Some required further external changes: a single ventral fin in front of the arrestor hook, a 6-inch (0.152 m) extension to the tail fin, squared-off wing tips and leading-edge slats.[25] At the time of the Goshawk's selection, the World War II-era USS Lexington was the U.S. Navy's training carrier. Lexington, which featured a 910 ft-long and 192 ft-wide angled flight deck, complete with a pair of relatively short-stroke steam catapults and similarly short, undamped arrester gear, was a major driving factor for the design of the T-45 in order to suit such operations.[23] The aerodynamic changes of the aircraft, which were developed by BAe at their existing facilities in the United Kingdom, included improvements to the low-speed handling characteristics and a reduction in the approach speed. During flight testing of the Goshawk, it was revealed that the aircraft had retained relatively favourable flight characteristics, even when flown within stall conditions at the required low approach speed.[26] Operational history[edit] The T-45 has been used for intermediate and advanced portions of the Navy/Marine Corps Student Naval Aviator strike pilot training program with Training Air Wing One at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi, and Training Air Wing Two at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas. The T-45 replaced the T-2C Buckeye intermediate jet trainer and the TA-4J Skyhawk II advanced jet trainer with an integrated training system that includes the T-45 Goshawk aircraft, operational and instrument flight simulators, academics, and training integration system support. In 2008, the T-45C also began operation in the advanced portion of Navy/Marine Corps Student Naval Flight Officer training track for strike aircraft with Training Air Wing Six at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. A small number of the aircraft is also operated by the Naval Air Systems Command at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The original T-45A, which became operational in 1991, contained an analog cockpit design, while the newer T-45C, which was first delivered in December 1997, features a new digital "glass cockpit" design. All T-45A aircraft currently in operational use are upgraded to T-45C standard. The T-45 is to remain in service until 2035 or later.[11] In 2017, the USN grounded the T-45 fleet for a three-day "safety pause" after more than 100 instructor pilots refused to fly the aircraft. The pilots cited concerns about incidents of hypoxia that they believed to have resulted from faulty Cobham GGU-7 onboard oxygen-generation systems.[27][28] Over the past five years physiological episodes linked to problems with the T-45's oxygen system have nearly quadrupled, according to testimony from senior naval aviators in April 2017.[29] The grounding order was first extended, but then lifted[30] to allow flights up to a ceiling of 10,000 feet where the Onboard Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS) would not be needed, and to allow instructors to conduct flights above 10,000 feet.[31] The grounding order was fully lifted, along with all restrictions on flight ceiling and student pilots, in August 2017.[32] The T-45 fleet was thereafter upgraded with new sensors to monitor the onboard oxygen systems, as well as a new water separation system, in hopes of reducing hypoxia events and determining the root cause of the problems.[33][34] By the first quarter of 2018, hypoxia events had returned to nominal levels after peaking in 2016 and 2017.[35][36] The fleet was later fitted with Cobham's revised GGU-25 onboard oxygen generating systems.[37] In recent years, similar issues have also affected the Navy's F/A-18s and the Air Force's T-6s, F-22s, and F-35s,[38] some within the same or similar time frames, and the Department of Defense has established a joint command to investigate the issue. On 14 October 2022, the Navy's T-45 fleet was grounded following a low-pressure compressor blade fault being identified during a pre-flight check. The grounding was lifted after two weeks.[39][40] - Two-seat basic and advanced jet trainer for the US Navy and US Marine Corps - Proposed land-based version which would have been essentially a conventional Hawk furnished with a US Navy-spec cockpit and no carrier capability. The US Navy had wanted to procure the T-45B so that trainee pilots could benefit from an earlier training capability, but abandoned the idea during 1984 in favor of less-costly updates to the TA-4J and T-2C. - Improved T-45A, outfitted with a glass cockpit, inertial navigation, and other improvements. All existing T-45As have been upgraded to the T-45C standard.[41] - Tentative designation for an envisioned upgrade of the T-45, potentially incorporating various manufacturing improvements and additional equipment, such as helmet-mounted displays.[13][42] - United States - United States Navy: T-45C As of August 2022, about 33 T-45 Goshawks have been destroyed in accidents, or about 15% of the inventory, at a rate of about 1 per year. Specifications (T-45A)[edit] Data from The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002–2003,[20] Navy fact file,[22] T-45A/C Goshawk,[43] Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2005-06 [44] General characteristics - Crew: 2 - Length: 39 ft 4 in (11.99 m) - Wingspan: 30 ft 9.75 in (9.3917 m) - Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) - Wing area: 190.1 sq ft (17.66 m2) - Airfoil: root: Hawker 10.9%; tip: Hawker 9%[45] - Empty weight: 9,394 lb (4,261 kg) - Gross weight: 12,750 lb (5,783 kg) - Max takeoff weight: 13,500 lb (6,123 kg) - Fuel capacity: 432 US gal (360 imp gal; 1,640 L) / 3,159 lb (1,433 kg) internal fuel (2,893 lb (1,312 kg) - early production aircraft), with provision for 2x 156 US gal (130 imp gal; 590 L) drop tanks underwing - Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Turbomeca F405-RR-401 turbofan engine, 5,527 lbf (24.59 kN) thrust de-rated (nominal thrust 5,845 lbf (25,999.86 N)) - Maximum speed: 543 kn (625 mph, 1,006 km/h) at 8,000 ft (2,400 m) - M0.84 at 30,000 ft (9,100 m) - Carrier launch speed: 121 kn (139 mph; 224 km/h) - Approach speed: 125 kn (144 mph; 232 km/h) - Never exceed speed: 575 kn (662 mph, 1,065 km/h) / M1.04 design dive limit at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) - Range: 700 nmi (810 mi, 1,300 km) - Ferry range: 700 nmi (810 mi, 1,300 km) - Service ceiling: 42,500 ft (13,000 m) - g limits: +7.33 -3 - Rate of climb: 8,000 ft/min (41 m/s) at sea level - Time to altitude: 30,000 ft (9,100 m) in 7 minutes 40 seconds - Wing loading: 67.1 lb/sq ft (328 kg/m2) - Thrust/weight: 0.41 - Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 3,610 ft (1,100 m) - Landing distance from 50 ft (15 m): 3,310 ft (1,010 m) - Usually none: One hardpoint under each wing can be used to carry practice bomb racks (can carry up to 12 Mk-76 practice bombs), rocket pods, or fuel tanks. A centerline hardpoint can carry a cargo pod for crew baggage. - Smiths Industries, Ltd. AN/USN-2(V) Standard Attitude Heading and Reference System, later replaced by the BAE/Marconi AN/ASN-180 Navigation Guidance System - Rockwell Collins AN/ARN-144 VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range / Instrument Landing System - Honeywell AN/APN-194 Radar altimeter - Northrop Grumman AN/ASN-166 Inertial Guidance Set [1] Incorporates a Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton) LN-100G ring laser gyroscope, a Rockwell Collins Global Positioning System, and a Kalman filter - Communications suite - Rockwell Collins AN/ARC-182 UHF/VHF radio - Honeywell AN/APX-100 identification friend or foe system See also[edit] External image \| \| Hi-res cutaway of T-45 Goshawk \| \| Hi-res cutaway of T-45 Goshawk by Flight Global. \| Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era - Lockheed T2V/T-1 SeaStar - McDonnell Douglas TA-4F/J Skyhawk - North American T-2 Buckeye - Sukhoi Su-25UTG Related lists - ^ a b Donald 2004, p. 175. - ^ "Boeing, US Navy Celebrate T-45 Jet Trainer's Million-Flight-Hour Milestone". Boeing Defense, Space & Security. 26 August 2010. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2013. - ^ a b c d e f Gaines 1988, p. 21. - ^ a b "Military Aircraft Directory: Boeing/British Aerospace." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 29 July 1998. - ^ "Adour variant developed for BAe Hawk." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 19 June 1997. - ^ "USNavy sinks Adour plan." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 3 September 1998. - ^ Norris, Gug. "F124 has successful T-45 debut." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 17 October 1996. - ^ "ITEC ships first F124 turbofan." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 10 July 1996. - ^ a b c Warwick, Graham. "Boeing lobbies to restore T-45 to economic level." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 8 January 2002. - ^ "US Navy aims for cut-price T-45s." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 8 April 1998. - ^ a b "Boeing Delivers 200th T-45 Trainer to U.S. Navy" Archived 11 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Boeing, 16 March 2007. - ^ "Boeing, US Navy Celebrate T-45 Jet Trainer's Million-Flight-Hour Milestone". Boeing Defense, Space & Security. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2013. - ^ a b c Hoyle, Craig. "US Navy to add synthetic radar to Goshawk, eyes T-45D." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 24 March 2008. - ^ "MDC joins with Rockwell to offer Goshawk to the RAAF." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 6 September 1995. - ^ Hoyle, Craig. "Defendory 2006: Improved Goshawk aimed at Athens." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 10 October 2006. - ^ "Bangalore air show: Boeing to offer T-45s." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 13 February 2007. - ^ Trimble, Stephan (22 June 2010), "US Air Force, industry prepare for T-38 replacement", Flight International, archived from the original on 11 October 2010, retrieved 20 September 2010. - ^ Hoyle, Craig. "Three designs to contest USAF's T-X deal, believes BAE." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 2 December 2009. - ^ Hemmerdinger, Jon. "Rivals line up for USAF trainer battle." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 27 March 2014. - ^ a b Frawley 2002, p. 48. - ^ https://www.aerosociety.com/publications/jah-the-hawk-story/ p. 92. - ^ a b "T-45A fact file." Archived 5 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine US Navy, Retrieved: 15 September 2017. - ^ a b Gaines 1988, p. 24. - ^ Flight Training Instruction Aerodynamics Workbook T-45,CNATRAP-1231 (Rev.08-09) 2009,Naval Air Training Command,United States Navy, Figure3-10 - ^ "Boeing/BAE Systems T-45 Goshawk Aircraft Profile". Aeroflight. aeroflight.co.uk. 23 December 2010. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016. - ^ Goebel, Greg, "T-45 Goshawk" Archived 7 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine. VectorSite.net, 1 March 2006. - ^ Tomlinson, Lucas (4 April 2017). "Navy Instructor Pilots Refusing to Fly Over Safety Concerns". Military.com. Fox News. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017. - ^ Seck, Hope Hodge (5 April 2017). "Navy Announces Three-Day Grounding for T-45s After Pilot Strike". Military.com. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017. - ^ "NAVY says T-45 jets grounded indefinitely, following Fox News exclusive". Fox News. 8 April 2017. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017. - ^ "Grounded training jets could lead to collaboration between Navy and Air Force". Navy Times. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017. - ^ "US Navy lifts Goshawk grounding, though restrictions remain". Association of Naval Aviation : Hampton Roads Squadron. 19 April 2017. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019. - ^ "T-45 Trainer Crashes In Tennessee Just Weeks After Grounding Was Lifted". The Drive : The Warzone. 2 October 2017. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019. - ^ "T-45s to get new oxygen monitoring system by February". Defense News. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2019. - ^ "Navy trainers resume flying with oxygen monitoring upgrades". Flight Global. 30 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019. - ^ "The rate of oxygen loss events in the Navy's training jets has plummeted in the last 6 months". Navy Times. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2019. - ^ "Boeing contracted for T-45 backup oxygen systems". UPI. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019. - ^ Pawlyk, Oriana (9 March 2021). "Navy's Whole T-45 Trainer Fleet to Get New Oxygen Systems After Hypoxia-Like Events". Military.com. Retrieved 23 December 2023. - ^ "Military pilots' hypoxia episodes still a mystery". UPI. 10 March 2018. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019. - ^ Ziezulewicz, Geoff (24 October 2022). "Here's why Navy and Marine Corps training jets are grounded". Defense News. - ^ Ziezulewicz, Geoff (1 November 2022). "Navy ends safety standdown for part of the T-45C Goshawk jet fleet". Navy Times. Retrieved 23 December 2023. - ^ "US Carrier Pilots' T-45 Training System." Archived 26 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Defense Industry Daily, 19 April 2017. - ^ Hoyle, Craig. "BAE Systems promotes major upgrade programme for Hawk." Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 15 July 2008. - ^ Jackson, Paul, ed. (2005). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2005-06 (96th ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Group. pp. 263–264. ISBN 9780710626844. - ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019. - Donald, David. Warplanes of the Fleet. AIRtime Publishing Inc, 2004. ISBN 1-880588-81-1. - Frawley, Gerard. The International Directory of Military Aircraft. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2. - Gaines, Mike. "T-45 – Tailhook Trainer." Flight International, 12 March 1988. pp. 20–25. External links[edit] - T-45 Goshawk US Navy fact file Archived 5 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine and T-45 US Navy history page Archived 23 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine - T-45 Goshawk page and T-45 Goshawk history page on Boeing.com - BAE Hawk at Greg Goebel's AIR VECTORS - T-45 Goshawk page on GlobalSecurity.org - Boeing/BAE SYSTEMS T-45 Goshawk page on Aeroflight.co.uk - T-45A/C Goshawk page on Naval-Technology.com - FAS Page on the T-45 - Boeing Page on the T-45TS – the T-45 Training System - Aeroflight Boeing/BAE Systems T-45 Goshawk Aircraft Profile
Program focuses on domestic and family violence in Bellingen Coffs Coast Coffs Coast - popup ad Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - March 16, 2024 Liz Yazbek and Ellen McNulty, trainers from the Lifeline DV-Alert Program. LIFELINE'S DV-Alert program was in action over two days in Bellingen, focusing on the prevention, early intervention and response to domestic and family violence (DFV). The program is funded through the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. Advertise with News of The Area today. It's worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – firstname.lastname@example.com Lifeline Australia has been delivering DV-Alert training since 2007, enabling frontline workers and community members to understand the complexities of DFV. "One in three women have experienced physical violence since the age of fifteen, one in five has experienced sexual violence, on average a woman is killed by their intimate partner every ten days, and it's mostly males who are the perpetrators," Tegan McVey, Training and Administration Co-ordinator at Lifeline North Coast told NOTA. "It costs us $26 billion dollars a year and it's something that could be prevented." The workshop facilitators, Liz Yazbek and Ellen McNulty, explained the often complex nature of DFV, highlighting that signs of abuse are not always easy to recognise. The workshop also covered coercive control. From July 2024, coercive control will be a criminal offence in NSW, described as when a person uses abusive behaviours towards a current or former intimate partner with the intention to coerce or control them. "Lifeline has financial counsellors who would probably see that, yet the public don't," said Tegan. "It's either power and control in holding the finance over the woman or using it in other harmful tactics as in gambling as well." As a first priority, workshop participants were encouraged to always listen to the person in need. "Then you can see what's safe for them because they are the experts in what is safe," said Tegan. "Sometimes calling the police can escalate matters. "Just believing the person if they disclose validates their experience." Phoning Lifeline or 1800 RESPECT call also be a stepping stone to help. "RESPECT do an intake basis and work with that person on a case and transfer to a counsellor and work out the best way to help them," said Tegan. "The biggest reason for them going back is if there is no support network – no family, friends, no people to go and talk with, who they can stay with and be safe with." In the next financial year, more workshops are coming to the Nambucca and Bellingen Shires. By Mary KEILY The Bellingen DV-Alert workshop.
So even if he couldn't anticipate no war to save him, back in his mind somewhere he was still confident that Providence would furnish something. WILLIAM FAULKNER, The Mansion1 In 1860 the United States submitted itself once more to what Nathaniel Hawthorne in his novel The Scarlet Letter called the 'periodic terrors of a Presidential Election'.2 The intricate process of nominating and electing a presidential candidate was undertaken in the darkening atmosphere of increasingly hysterical threats of southern secession should a Republican candidate win a majority of votes in the electoral college. In previous years presidential elections had served to defer decisions; in 1860 something was actually decided. The electoral process offered up a decision despite itself, and the result was civil war. The campaign witnessed the disintegration of the Democratic Party. No fewer than four candidates energetically sought to gain entrance to the White House. Indeed, it was a measure of the perceived crisis facing the United States that one candidate even dispensed with tradition and energetically campaigned on his own behalf on the campaign trail. The destruction of the second party system, which had been dominated by the Democratic Party, provided the occasion for the process of disunion that followed the Republican victory at the polls in 1860. This is a complex process, and it is not sufficient to say that the disruption of the party mechanism inevitably led to civil war. Nonetheless, in a political structure as rigidly geared to the workings of the calendar as that laid down by the United States Constitution, and whose parts are so intermeshed with one another in a complicated series of continuing elections at various levels, it was very likely that disruption of one part would lead to ructions, violence and even anarchy in all the others. This chapter offers a case-study of a presidential election. It is essential that the inchoate nature of American politics be understood. It was characterized by ceaseless competition, bargaining, manoeuvring and intriguing, and offered ample scope for the pursuit of ambition. It is pointless to condemn the system because it was the embodiment of an open, democratic society – though it was hardly without its weaknesses and disadvantages. The coming of civil war was a reflection of its flaws. The political system was also so variegated that it made the imposition of any compromise solution almost impossible; any attempt could be effectively opposed by those so minded. This should not be surprising because the American political system is designed to breed tension, competition and conflict. If the South had been protected by the conservatism of American political culture before 1850, then after 1860 it was threatened by a new consensus that was less inclined to settle on southern terms. Indications were not auspicious. The Republican Party was a sectional party which self-consciously promoted northern interests; the Democratic Party was the only surviving national party but increasingly dominated by southern interests. Could this national complexion survive further scrutiny, and heated debate? Given the fear of a Republican victory prevailing in the South it seemed doubtful. Victory at the polls in 1860 required above all that parties remained unified. The grouping which maintained unified effort would win, although this should not be interpreted as suggesting that if the Democratic Party had not been split it would have won. (On the tally of electoral votes it could not have done.) Thus the object of the Republican Party was two-fold. It had to retain the vote secured in 1856 (some of which may have been shaky because of the personal appeal of Frémont's dashing and romantic career which would not be transferred to a more mundane candidate). Secondly, the party's appeal had to be extended and broadened in the North. This in part required allaying fears that Republicanism represented a radical, corroding force that endangered the foundations of a fragile Union. There were some leaders, notably Francis Preston Blair, who believed that ultimately the Republican Party would spread its appeal to the Border states; yet this could be only a long-term goal.3 The first candidate to be nominated was that by the Constitutional Union Party, John Bell, who chose the orator, Edward Everett, as his running mate. Bell was an aloof, fastidious and austere man, with an elevated manner and opinion of himself. He was a traditional Whig in his education and superior attitude and in his faith in the power of negotiation to save the Union. He clearly filled a gap, especially for ex-Whigs in the Upper South where the two-party system survived. All the issues under discussion, in his opinion, were not especially important and all that was needed was a dose of common sense and patriotic virtue to achieve a solution that all right-thinking individuals would applaud. He was the spiritual heir of Henry Clay without his charm and guile. It is a testimony of how much events had moved on since 1850 that his views appeared anachronistic and he resembled a dinosaur; nevertheless he did not lack support and would prove an embarrassment to both Republican and Democratic Parties.4 The Democratic Convention The choice of Charleston, South Carolina, as the meeting place for the next Democratic Party convention was cruelly ironic. It was chosen originally in 1856 because it was calculated foolishly that it would be conducive to affable feelings and a sense of party unity. It was certainly indicative of the increasing southern domination of the Democratic Party. In the fevered atmosphere following John Brown's ill-fated expedition to Harper's Ferry, northern delegates received a hostile reception from the arrogant and provincial citizens of Charleston. This was not an atmosphere in which a harmonious compromise could flourish. The soporific and putrid (the temperature was already approaching 100°F) atmosphere of the city was increased by a lack of hotel accommodation which forced many delegates from the North and West to camp in great dormitories, which promoted neither rest nor hygiene among their inmates. In short a less appropriate place for the convention at this date can hardly be imagined. Certainly the disagreeable conditions seemed to breed bad temper and a disinclination to accept a contrary point of view. What concerned northern delegates more than any other matter was their failure to convince their southern colleagues of the need to unite behind one candidate who could win in the North. This was where the election would be won or lost. But the Democratic Party seemed unduly preoccupied with southern not northern interests. Some thought the solution to political strains within the Union was the election of a southern president; others looked in vain for the chalice of reconciliation which could be sipped by both North and South, if only both wings of the party would agree to find a compromise candidate in the hostile if graceful portals of Charleston, South Carolina. This city was also favoured by members of the out-going Buchanan Administration because it was the location least likely to smile on a Douglas nomination. The southern 'ultras' within the Democratic Party seemed to detest Douglas as much as any Republican nominee. They had had serious differences in the past over Kansas and the Freeport Doctrine.5 Ever combative, the canny Douglas indicated that he would confront their attacks without hesitation. T do not intend to make peace with my enemies', he declared, 'nor to make a concession of one iota of principle, believing that I am right in the position I have taken, and that neither can the Union be preserved or [sic] the Democratic Party be maintained upon any other basis'. Throughout the nineteenth century, American politicians were criticized for their readiness to abandon principle and indulge in manoeuvres calculated to advance their own selfish interests and sordid ambitions. It is ironic that when they defended high principle to the uttermost the result was catastrophe, and they were still blamed for their adherence to partisan causes.6 The Democracy could guarantee 120 electoral votes from the southern states plus Oregon and perhaps California; but it needed 303 and the balance could be gained only by fielding a candidate acceptable in the Lower North. If another Democrat could be returned to the White House, then all the southern fears about 'Black Republicans' and their pernicious views and dangerous habits could be laid to rest. Northern Democrats had only one candidate in mind who could meet this requirement, and this was Stephen A. Douglas. To their intense frustration, their man was unacceptable to the southern Democracy. This divergence of opinion would result in heated and emotional charges stimulated by the overcharged atmosphere of Charleston. It was this kind of emotionally charged atmosphere that would set the scene for the secession crisis and the outbreak of war. We cannot ignore the contribution of hysteria and casual violence to the outbreak of civil war. This was symbolized by a rather untoward incident that occurred as senior members of the New York Democracy set sail from New York harbour. The New York delegation led by Dean Richmond, and including Peter Cagger and August Belmont, were loyal to Douglas. But they had recently been challenged by the renegade Fernando Wood, who swapped sides, began to favour Buchanan, and put together a rival delegation. Wood's supporters in boisterous mood threw oranges at the boat carrying Richmond's delegation to Charleston. August Belmont, portly and prominent, was an inviting target and was struck below the line of his capacious stomach; he was forced to retire below to a cabin in no little pain. This would be the first and most physical manifestation of many charges of hitting below the belt that would be made over the following weeks.7 The most important result of this increasing dominance of the Democracy by southern interests was a passionate advocacy of slavery expressed in dogmatic rhetoric. In part this reflected a sincere worry by slaveholders about the future of slavery; Democrats had acquired a sway over the Whigs by appearing more pro-slavery than the other party, and evidently this advantage would influence the kind of language employed. Nonetheless, the emotional, apocalyptic speeches made at this date denote heightened fears and a readiness to seek extreme solutions. The dominance of Tire-eating' secessionist spokesmen, like Rhett and Hammond, is indicative of a marked change in political discourse after the John Brown raid. 'The South must go through a trying ordeal before she will ever achieve her deliverance', Rhett wrote in 1860, 'and men having both nerve and self-sacrificing patriotism must head the movement and shape its course, controlling and compelling their inferior contemporaries'. There was no doubt in Rhett's mind that he should be one such patriotic voice who would be persuaded to wield power in any future, inevitable crisis of relations with the northern states. The Democratic Convention at Charleston would witness a surging climax of millennial denunciations replete with religious imagery that would trigger the sectional schism. As Thomas R. R. Cobb exclaimed with reference to the 46th Psalm over a year later, the South defended the true faith against the 'hellish schemes of… a set of devils … out of Hell'; God would intervene against their diabolic machinations. 'God is our refuge a very present help in trouble,' he assured his wife. 'He has never yet deserted the righteous cause. He never will … I can go to the cannon's mouth with that psalm on my lips'.8 It is striking how in the two years following Brown's raid, increasing numbers of southern moderates became imbued with this kind of imagery and came to accept the secessionist case; but by then it did not appear 'extreme'. The Democratic Convention opened on Monday 23 April 1860. The proceedings were dominated, not by hubbub within the hall, but by the noise of traffic thundering over the cobblestones of adjacent streets. The first two days were monopolized by the setting up of procedural committees on which the views of the anti-Douglas forces predominated. Douglas himself, of course, stayed away from the Convention. He relied heavily in the days ahead on the skills of Congressman John A. Logan, John A. McClernand, Senators George Pugh of Ohio, George Sanders of New York, and William A. Richardson of Illinois, an old ally. Douglas was confident, perhaps too confident, and urged as many of his followers as possible to make the journey to Charleston to give him vocal support. He was the only Democrat who could unite the party and bring it victory. He was also buoyant because the two previous Democratic presidents had come from the North and reconciled the South: he could claim that the Democratic Party was best led, and slavery better protected, by northern leaders. He had, moreover, the added bonus of representing the increasingly influential western voice in its counsels. A Douglas candidacy, in short, had much to commend it; but did it have enough?9 An initial blunder was made, and the Douglas forces played into southern hands, by accepting the suggestion that the platform be established first followed by the nomination of the candidate. August Belmont, Douglas's campaign manager, was impatient with these manoeuvres. He complained that an 'immense deal of time [was] lost by talking' in the enervating heat. Of a gathering of Douglas delegates, he complained: 'It was the most stupid of all stupid gatherings I have ever been at – there were about twelve ugly women with about sixty as ugly men'. This irritable attitude was to cost Douglas dear because it led to a certain carelessness. The Douglas men naturally assumed that they would muster the voting power to ensure that the platform would reflect their views. The South would dominate the platform committee but Belmont relied on Douglas voting power on the floor of the Convention. Douglas supporters troubled themselves no more than the secessionists over the possibility that there might be a split; if the secessionists departed the proportion of votes supporting Douglas would increase. This was to underestimate the secessionist and pro-Buchanan forces aligned to frustrate Douglas.10 He perhaps tried too keenly to browbeat the southern delegates into accepting his candidacy. Douglas did not brush aside the possibility that such tactics might provoke a walk-out, but he persuaded himself that this would be a mere temporary interlude, during which tempers would cool and political antennae would become more acute. The interests of politicians would surely demand a compromise. This was a fatal miscalculation. Douglas could not win the nomination solely with northern backing even if every single northern delegate supported him, which was unlikely. He needed at least nineteen southern votes and these would have to be sedulously wooed.11 The error in permitting the drawing up a platform first lay in the scope it gave the southern, anti-Douglas forces to draw up a statement of policy that would effectively debar Douglas as candidate. The Byzantine manoeuvres that followed prevented the acceptance of a single platform and three alternatives were offered for inspection. All embraced the 1856 Cincinnati platform in some shape or form. This affirmed popular sovereignty, namely the right of people in the territories, when sufficiently numerous, to draw up a constitution and enter the Union whether they preferred slavery or not. The proposal advanced by vocal southerners on the platform committee added a rider which asserted in language that was heavily hedged with legalistic terms but the meaning of which was all too clear. That the Territorial Legislature has no power to abolish slavery in any Territory nor to prohibit the introduction of slaves therein, nor any power to exclude slavery therefrom, nor any power to destroy or impair the right of property in slaves by any legislation whatever… That it is the duty of the Federal Government to protect when necessary, the rights of persons and property on the high seas, in the Territories, or wherever else its Constitutional authority extends. Such a commitment to a slave code would be intolerable to Douglas and alienate voters in the North. The second alternative catered to Douglas's concerns and stressed that all questions pertaining to property in states or territories were a judicial matter. The 'Democratic party is pledged to abide by and faithfully carry out' Supreme Court decisions. Congressman Benjamin F. Butler drew up his own version which endorsed the Cincinnati platform. A New York delegate suggested a third alternative 'that any attempt by Congress or the Territorial Legislature to annul, abridge or discriminate against any equality of rights' among the states 'would be unwise in policy and repugnant to the Constitution' and that it was the 'duty of the Federal Government' to take steps to prevent any violations. Yet the southern 'ultras' refused to accept any platform which did not carry a ringing endorsement of slavery and the constitutional mechanisms required to protect its spread throughout the Union beyond its existing confines.12 The effect of words in politics is often an ephemeral one. Politicians may deliver sparkling, eloquent or exciting orations; they may inspire or even stir a desire to act. But frequently words have little effect once delivered – they are just sentiments drifting on the ether; an arresting memory but nothing more. However, the United States in the nineteenth century was an oral culture – though also a highly literate one. The spoken word enjoyed a commanding sway in political life. Washington Irving went so far as to suggest that America was governed by words; 'the simple truth of the matter', he wrote, 'is that their government is a pure unadulterated logocracy or government of words'. This is the characteristic overstatement of an artist. One may have leave to doubt the capacity of American government to match sentiment to aspiration. Nonetheless in the highly unstable and emotional atmosphere of Charleston, circumstances promoted an orgy of rhetoric and, for once, this led to a chain of action and reaction sparked by men who held no responsibility for their behaviour. Referring to 'a great heaving volcano of passion and crime', Yancey, in the most influential address, implored the southern delegates to stand fast and not surrender their constitutional prerogatives. Significantly, he intoned that a defeat on principle was preferable to victory hedged with ambiguity. A leading Douglasite, George E. Pugh, rejected the call that northern Democrats legitimize slavery and accept that it was right. 'Gendemen of the South you mistake us – you mistake us! We will not do it!' To have acceded to this demand would have been suicidal for northern Democrats – it would have destroyed their political base in the North West. By the following Monday, in a deteriorating atmosphere not aided by the refusal of President Buchanan to intervene (because it might help Douglas's nomination), rumours of schism grew louder.13 The southern delegates were in many ways the best organized and led at Charleston but they turned their talents towards disruption rather than finding a candidate who could carry both sections. They were dedicated to exposing and clarifying all the vagueness that had previously shrouded references to slavery in Democratic circles and in northern political speech-making generally. Their expostulations were increasingly imbued with a moral righteousness previously associated with the abolitionists. This reduced significantly any scope for manoeuvre or compromise with their northern colleagues who preferred to play down the race issue rather than lavish so much extreme rhetoric on it. Secessionist leaders, such as Yancey, were pre-eminently concerned with maintaining southern dominance of the political institutions of the United States; or, should this be lost, with setting up a new party that would protect southern institutions from outside attack. The census of 1860 indicated a change in the balance of population growth that might warrant the loss of some seven southern seats in the House of Representatives. There was something in the loud and swaggering manner of many southerners which was excited by the possibility that a minority could continue to dominate the Union, or if this was impossible, that they could with impunity set up their own government. They presumed that the North would have neither the gumption nor courage to resist them. Their arrogant and turbulent behaviour was purely destructive; perhaps there was something in the abolitionist stereotype of the blustering slavemaster, so used to unconditional dominance, that when defied he would turn to violence to ensure that nothing would oppose his will. Although the 'ultras' by no means represented all southerners at Charleston or elsewhere, the very belligerence of their stance swept all who doubted along with them. 'They had nothing positive to offer at Charleston,' writes Damon Wells. 'They were united in their determination to block Douglas, but had no alternative candidate of their own, unless it was Lincoln or Seward, whose election would provide them with a convenient excuse for secession'.14 The weakening influence of southern moderation was represented by the waning fortunes of John C. Breckinridge at the Convention. In December 1859 Breckinridge had delivered an address at Frankfort, Kentucky, in which he had called for the congressional protection of slave property in the territories (involving a federal slave code); if this request was ignored, he warned of the incinerating effects of the flames of a border war. Only eight years before he had sympathized with those who had called for the eventual abolition of slavery. Although the possibility exists that he might have been tricked into making this speech by the Douglas camp (who tempted him by suggesting that they would support calls for such guarantees, and then once they were made, claimed that only their candidate was the true voice of moderation on the slavery extension issue) there can be little doubt of the change of emphasis on the slavery issue. This was given sharper point by Breckinridge's translation from Buchanan's vice president to the junior senator from Kentucky that month. But Breckinridge's chances for the nomination were reduced by a combination of his own tactics and the atmosphere of the convention itself. Breckinridge was an appealing candidate because he believed that congressional guarantees were the prime buffer against disunion. But he lacked organization and a strong factional base. 'I do not think I will be nominated', he wrote, 'for … I know of no organisation for me anywhere, and many of the friends of other gentlemen are actively whistling me down the wind'. Deprecating fanaticism in the North, he considered the plight of the American polity a 'mess'. But he could not maximize his appeal to reason and (as he saw it) sense, especially in the lower northern states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Breckinridge refused to place his name on the ballot. This reduced his flexibility of manoeuvre and reinforced doubts cast by the refusal of Buchanan to support him (seeming to prefer Howell Cobb).15 On the floor of the Convention, the Douglas forces initially carried all before them: they appeared well organized and drilled. But the numbers of Douglas supporters who provided valuable vocal support began to dwindle, worn down by the discomforts of Charleston and depressed by the endless wrangling. The Cincinnati platform of 1856 was reaffirmed, and so was the resolution that the Democratic Party would abide by the decisions of the Supreme Court pertaining to the territories. At this, southern delegates warned that if a slave code was not included in the platform, they would remove themselves forthwith from the Convention. Some Douglas managers began to worry that they had over-reached themselves (especially as seven southern delegations refused to vote on the platform). Douglas again exaggerated the degree of pro-Union feeling among the delegations representing the slave states at Charleston in 1860. In February he had written, 'There will be no serious difficulty in the South. The last few weeks has [sic] worked a perfect revolution in that section'. Even southerners, like Andrew Johnson (who periodically contemplated joining the Douglas ticket as vice presidential nominee), whose loyalty was not in doubt, were inclined to distrust Douglas's consistency and reliability.16 Instead of a resort to the time-honoured practice of politicians of glossing over their differences by some judiciously worded formula, southerners allowed their emotions to reach such a pitch that conciliation was impossible. Some southerners welcomed this contingency. Here the failure of Breckinridge to confront Douglas may have had some significance. He could never have seized the nomination but it is possible to speculate that he might have acted as a focal point for the anti-Douglas forces and demonstrated that Douglas could never unite the Democratic Party. Thus a repeat performance of 1856 might have been possible in which both Douglas and Breckinridge withdrew in favour of a compromise (possibly Border state) candidate with strong Union credentials. This might not have prevented ultimate disunion, though it might have postponed it; at any rate, the disastrous split in the Democratic Party might have been covered over by the thinnest wafer. The dogmatism of the southern side was countered by increasing northern obduracy. Douglas could not risk alienating any of his northern allies, especially in the North West. Buchanan forces were not inactive here, and an attempt to insert a sympathetic pro-Buchanan delegation from Illinois was rebuffed. These manoeuvres merely served to provoke strong feelings among the loyal Douglas forces in the North West. They insisted on the condition that Douglas would not enter into any deals or agreements with the South that endangered the doctrine laid down in the Dorr Letter of 22 June 1859. During its composition Douglas had disclosed his adamant opposition to any revival of the African slave trade, the imposition of a congressional slave code, or the notion that the Constitution may establish or prohibit slavery regardless of the views of the voters. Should this stipulation be in any way threatened, the delegations of the North West made it clear that they would not remain loyal to Douglas; on this issue the New England delegations and those of the Middle Atlantic seaboard were much less dogmatic. But here was a warning that Douglas could not ignore; here was a cleavage that would spread from within political parties to the body politic as a whole during the final crisis of 1861.17 In the absence of any such compromise, an unwonted determination took charge of the proceedings. L. P. Walker, chairman of the Alabama delegation, announced to the Convention that he was now obeying the instructions of the Alabama convention that if the Democratic Party failed to provide a slave code resolution, he should withdraw its delegation. The Alabamians were followed by all other cotton state delegations, except (temporarily), Georgia. The following day the rump of the Convention met in a depressed mood to nominate a presidential candidate. It was under these circumstances that the slavery moderates were inclined to sell the pass. Although Douglas had always been very popular along the Border states (indeed the only state he would win outright in 1860 was Missouri), during these anxious hours when it was vital for the Democratic Party to nominate a candidate of stature and avoid the fatal wrangling which had split the party, a delegate from Tennessee introduced an amendment which required the winning nominee to gain two-thirds of all the votes at the Convention – a massive task. This proposal was supported by the New York delegation, who hoped that a 'compromise' candidate would emerge around whom all the factions could unite, but this was a chimera. All of these moves, again, were to foreshadow similar designs in the secession crisis itself. Electoral politics were to form a microcosm of the moves which led to that catastrophe. A dozen ballots followed and 45 more on the following day but all to no avail. To secure victory, 202 were needed but Douglas could not increase his tally beyond 152½ votes. He failed to persuade any of his rivals, not least James Guthrie of Kentucky, to follow his own noble example in 1856 of withdrawing once a rival had secured a majority, so that he could secure an outright victory. The Convention then adjourned. It was a rare example of politicians permitting their feelings and sense of principle to overcome their penchant for compromise. The dissolution of the Democratic Party foreshadowed the rupture of the Union. The pattern was all the more alarming in that its members shared an illusion that was widespread after secession, that unity could still be repaired long after the machinery needed to restore it was shattered.18 It was decided that the Convention would be suspended for six weeks. Efforts would be made to appeal to latent Unionism within the South and publicize fears about possibly disunion and secession. There was also justified comment on the 'suicidal' southern behaviour. 'What had happened', writes Allan Nevins, 'was that a minority of the gathering, who spoke for a minority of the party, had undertaken to dictate to the majority what they should put into the platform'. They sought increasingly to force the pace of national life. Would these tendencies cool after an interlude of a month and half? Not on the evidence of some testy exchanges in the Senate. But to the surprise of the Douglas faction, all but two of the bolting southern delegations agreed to assemble at Baltimore for the second stage of the proceedings on 18 June. By that date the Republican Party would already have chosen its nominee.19 The Republican Convention The choice of Chicago as the venue for the Republican Convention in 1860 reflected the increased importance of the state of Illinois. The rise of Abraham Lincoln and the growth of the wealth and influence of Illinois coincided. Its population doubled in the decade 1850–60 from 851,470 to 1,711,951; most of this was concentrated in the northern counties which were less in thrall to pro-slavery arguments and which had backed Lincoln in the 1858 senatorial contest with Douglas. Illinois was a major producer of cereals. Corn growth had doubled and wheat trebled in the ten years before 1860; the Illinois Central Railroad bound the state together with a communications system which generated further economic and agricultural expansion. If the Republican Party was to win the presidential election in 1860 it had to win states like Illinois. Lincoln, who had not held any elected office since 1848, but had made a career out of opposing Senator Douglas at every turn, had secured the support of the Illinois Republican delegation at a state convention at Decatur in early May 1860. He had asked Norman B. Judd for the support of the Chicago Tribune in his ambitions to secure either the presidential or vice presidential nomination at Chicago. 'I am not in a position where it would hurt much for me to not be nominated on the national ticket,' he concluded realistically, 'but I am where it would hurt some for me to not get the Illinois delegates'. Lincoln was successful in steering a course through the various factions of the Illinois Republican Party, a skill that he would be required to exercise on the national stage. As evidence of his own rise and the prominence of Illinois in Republican calculations, he received discreet enquiries from the managers of Senator Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania as to his readiness to run as Cameron's vice presidential running mate. Lincoln's position was therefore strong, but not invulnerable within the state of Illinois, and he had to watch his flank against incursions from the camp of Lyman Trumbull who had denied Lincoln a senatorial seat in 1854. Lincoln obliquely warned Trumbull against issuing missives or statements that might be construed as critical of Lincoln or his nomination. 'The taste is in my mouth a little. There are men on the watch for such things [hints of disaffection] out of which to prejudice my peculiar friends against you'. Unity was the key to successful political action.20 Lincoln benefited not only from the location of the Convention in his home state but also from the very careful preparation that was undertaken by his campaign manager, Judge David Davis. All of Lincoln's close allies were closely organized and controlled from a headquarters. Davis placed himself behind a large table covered with paper, interrogated Lincoln's allies, issued his orders, and importuned delegates, urging them to vote for Lincoln. David Davis was a large, corpulent, prosperous-looking man, determined, forceful and equipped with a strong temper. In his indefatigable efforts, shrewd appraisals and powerful advocacy, he was the ideal complement to the languid, relaxed and somewhat detached Lincoln. Lincoln owed his nomination to Davis's hard work and explosive outbursts. 'Judge Davis is furious,' wrote a mutual friend of a not infrequent state of affairs. 'Never saw him work so hard and so quiet in all my life'. Before the Convention, 'Long John' Wentworth, Mayor of Chicago, former Democrat and engaged in a bitter feud with Norman Judd, advised Lincoln, 'Do like Seward does, get some one to run you'. Lincoln was reluctant to acquire an alter ego like Seward's Thurlow Weed, preferring instead to wait on capricious fate and the hard reckoning of events; but in so far as Lincoln could be organized, he was 'run' by Judge Davis.21 The Convention was due to begin on 16 May. It was held in a new wooden building called the 'Wigwam'. A reporter, Murat Halstead of the Cincinnati Commercial, who was to make his reputation with graphic accounts of the Convention proceedings, described its improvised excellence for the occasion. The city of Chicago is attending to this convention in magnificent style. It is a great place for large hotels, and all have their capacity for accommodation tested. The great feature is the Wigwam erected within the past month expressly, for the use of the Convention, by the Republicans of Chicago, at a cost of seven thousand dollars. It is a small edition of the New York Crystal Palace, built of boards, and will hold ten thousand persons comfortably – and is admirable for its acoustic excellence. An ordinary voice can be heard through the whole structure with ease. The Republicans at least escaped some of the discomforts inflicted on the Democrats at Charleston. The language, style and deportment of nominating conventions was already highly developed and is immediately recognizable to the modern reader. Cries taken up by journalists were ceaselessly discussed, debated, extended; their reiteration often led to as much misunderstanding as understanding. 'The favourite word of the convention is "solemn"', wrote Halstead. 'In Charleston, the favourite was "crisis". Here there is something every ten minutes found to be solemn'. But there is one major difference between the nineteenth-century Convention and its twentieth-century counterpart; it actually chose nominees, it did not merely confirm their right to carry the nomination. Consequently, enormous effort was invested in exhorting the delegates to choose this or that candidate. Their ears were assaulted by a stream of loud, passionate advocacy. Their eyes were charmed by fancy decoration, portraits of revered political heroes and the unusual or just plain bizarre. 'The curiosity of the town', wrote Halstead, ' – next to the Wigwam – is a bowie knife seven feet long, weighing over forty pounds'. On one blade was inscribed 'Will always keep a "Pryor" engagement – a reference to Roger Pryor, a Virginia secessionist. The Convention was just as much theatre as political forum. Groups of men were enjoined to shout chants for their candidate; here Lincoln, a local figure, enjoyed an enormous advantage. Bargains were struck on the convention floor, gossip, the lifeblood of politics and the addiction of professional politicians, was exchanged, and agreement was reached. As Halstead made clear, 'the amount of idle talking that is done is amazing'. Men gather in little groups, and with their arms about each other, and chatter and whisper as if the fate of the country depended upon their immediate delivery of the mighty political secrets with which their imaginations are big. There are a thousand rumours afloat, and things of incalculable moment are communicated to you confidentially, at intervals of five minutes. … The current of the universal twaddle this morning is that 'Old Abe' will be the nominee. Allan Nevins rightly described this gathering as 'bedlamite confusion'. Experts at political gatherings are often proved wrong in their predictions, and the most striking feature of conventions in the nineteenth century was their propensity for throwing aside famous and accomplished candidates in favour of the comparatively untried and inexperienced man. In 1852 the Democrats had chosen Franklin Pierce, a man overwhelmed by his responsibilities and unequal to the demands of his high office; in 1860 the Republican Party was rather more fortunate.22 The confusion and loquacity of the proceedings at Chicago at first sight appeared to be an obstacle to reaching a wise decision as to who should lead the party into the most important race since the unopposed election of George Washington in the first presidential election of 1792. On 16 May David Wilmot, now past his best, was appointed chairman. 'He is a dull, chuckel headed booby looking man', Browning thundered in his diary, 'and makes a very poor presiding officer'.23 At the beginning of the Convention a member of the Rhode Island delegation reminded the hall portentously that 'we are here on important business'. But despite the encomiums praising the 'Wigwam' there was so much bustle, confusion and noise that his voice could not be heard. The first two days were spent hammering out the party's platform, not an easy business at any time, but particularly muddled on this occasion. The platform was drawn up by a committee drawn largely from the West, though its chairman, Wilmot, came from Pennsylvania. One of its first actions was to remove a reference to 'those twin relics of barbarism, polygamy and slavery' which had adorned the 1856 platform. John Brown's raid was condemned as 'among the gravest of crimes', and the Republican Party pledged itself to introducing legislation to abolish slavery in the territories when it was 'necessary'. The 1856 platform had called for 'positive legislation'. The slight change of emphasis was more apparent than it was real. Although it seemed to hint at favouring Douglas's notion of popular sovereignty, actually the platform stated categorically that territorial legislatures had no power to 'give legal existence to slavery'; popular sovereignty itself was dismissed as 'a deception and fraud'. The implication of the document was that territories were offered by the Republicans the choice of either ridding themselves of slavery or having it done for them by congressional action. The illegal slave trade was denounced, calls were made to admit Kansas as a free state, and the Dred Scott decision was condemned though it was not directly referred to. The rising tide of southern secessionist rhetoric was denounced as 'an avowal of contemplated treason'; this could not be tolerated and it was 'the imperative duty of an indignant people sternly to rebuke and forever silence' murmurs of secession. Although there was much talk of moderating the Republican stance during the 1860 campaign by comparison with Frémont's campaign four years previously, the platform remained consistent with the main themes of Republicanism, simply expressing them in more guarded and less inflammatory language. It pledged to maintain 'the right of each state to order and control its own domestic institutions' and concluded with a flourish with a general reference to the Declaration of Independence, excoriating the 'new dogma' that the Constitution allowed the carrying of slavery into the territories, and instead declared it 'our duty' to uphold the constitutional guarantee against the deprivation of life, liberty and property.24 Of course, politicians were not transfixed with sectional issues and the platform concerned itself with measures other than those dealing with congressional action and slavery. In 1856 more than half of the resolutions adopted by the Republican Party had been associated with the slavery problem; the only other matter it had addressed was government assistance to the construction of a Pacific railroad. An exclusive focus on this would have bored and dissatisfied the voters. A firm though not vituperative reference was made criticizing Nativism. Republicanism, as in 1856, would not side with those who demanded changes in the naturalization laws and the reduction in citizen rights and civil liberties 'hitherto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands'. This was an allusion to the Two Year Amendment introduced in Massachusetts which had laid down a two year period of residence before naturalized citizens were allowed to vote or hold office. Other planks concentrated on economic issues. River and harbour improvements, and a Pacific railroad were called for, as were a homestead law and a measure of tariff protection. The increased emphasis on economic issues is an important stage in the evolution of Republican identity, representing both its ideological and pragmatic facets. The homestead proposal may be interpreted as the northern vision for the territories and a counterweight to the extension of slavery. The stress on tariffs was mild and no doubt was focused on anxiety over this issue expressed by the delegations representing New Jersey and Pennsylvania, especially the latter, a key state in the election. The platform's authors did not trouble themselves with the likelihood that the leaders of the Republican Party would be required to cope with organized violence within the next six months; here was politics 'as usual'; peace would continue as it always had; war, for all the chilling rhetoric, was not only out of sight but also out of mind. When submitted for the approval of the Convention, the platform raised the temperature a few degrees because the veteran anti-slavery campaigner, Joshua Giddings, attempted to restore the direct quotation from the Declaration that 'all men are created equal'. At first he was voted down. What ensued was not a profound clash between the radical anti-slavery group and those of a more conservative disposition, but as Fehrenbacher suggests, 'a debate over how much rhetorical padding should be included in a statement of party principles'. Freed momentarily from the need for judicious weighing of words and expediency, members of the Convention indulged themselves in soaring sentiments and elevated aspirations, and the quotation was restored. The platform then received a vote of unanimous approval and a cheer. In the early evening, at about 6 p.m., of this the second day of the Convention, the delegates decided to adjourn and reserve the selection of a presidential candidate to the following day's proceedings. This proved to be a crucial decision because it gave the various rivals of the front runner, William H. Seward, more time in which to prepare and complete their various bargains with one another.25 The candidates vying for the Republican nomination were a distinguished and ambitious group, perhaps as a group among the most able that ever presented itself for a presidential nomination in the history of the United States. Seward was former Governor of New York, Zachary Taylor's eminence grise in his short-lived Administration, the hammer of the Know Nothings, and senior Senator of New York. Seward believed that he had a just claim to the nomination, not only because of his distinguished record but also because he was widely viewed as the leader of the Republican Party and one of its most eloquent spokesmen. He was not frightened of using high-flown (if somewhat stilted) language. Seward began the convention with a formidable lead and a great measure of respect from the assembled delegates. Yet the question that they kept asking was quite simple, could Seward win? Winning the future contest was what counted – not displaying a distinguished past record. The Republicans were after all an opposition party and reassuring the electorate was an important objective. Here Seward's past expostulations concerning 'irrepressible conflict' seemed rather more radical than they actually were. He had also offended too many people. His enemy in the New York Republican Party, Horace Greeley, the editor of the New York Tribune, hypocritically posed as a Seward supporter while actually pointing out his weaknesses. Seward's alter ego, Thurlow Weed, dispensed from his broad coat a faint odour of corruption. The drunken and rowdy behaviour of the Seward supporters, moreover, did not win over any waverers, who were affronted rather than impressed with their beery denunciations of other candidates, braying voices delivering their verdicts in clouds of alcoholic fumes. But the central argument against Seward was that he could not carry the crucial states in the Lower North – Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana. So important was it for the Republicans to carry the major northern states that Governor John A. Andrew decreed that the Massachusetts delegation would be guided in its choice of candidate by whatever consensus these states arrived at. Being a front runner, the 'leader', as many candidates have found, is an unenviable place in American politics; possession of this tide has often extracted a high price from the man widely expected to win. Henry S. Lane, the Republican candidate for Governor in Indiana claimed, so it was said, 'hundreds of times' that Seward could not take Indiana. Repeated a sufficient number of times, such warnings began to take their toll on the confidence of delegates committed to Seward. Yet with all his advantages, he was overconfident. Seward did not fail to gain the nomination, he succeeded in losing it.26 The other candidate with a real claim to the nomination in terms of past contributions and achievement was former Senator and now Governor Salmon P. Chase of Ohio (who was elected for a second term in 1857). Chase was a man of principle, a sincere champion of legal and voting rights for Negroes; his career had shown courage and real intellectual ability. Yet he had a chilling and elusive personality inclined to tiresome pomposity, and Chase did not trouble to hide his own high opinion of his inestimable worth. Because of his advanced views on granting Negroes the franchise, he was deemed unelectable, and in any case, whatever his other merits, here was not a man to charm the voters. Conceited to a fault, Chase lacked the political horse sense to organize his campaign, believing that the delegates would acknowledge the extent of his abilities as readily as he did himself. Chase was very quickly sidelined by those who took pains to organize themselves. On the conservative side, Edward Bates, from the important Border state of Missouri, was a strong candidate. He was deemed 'sound' on slavery, dour and rather dull, certainly not prone to outlandish statements, and had little to explain away. Bates initially enjoyed the support of Lincoln for these reasons. He would reassure the South. But Bates, although he found some favour in states, like Indiana, who had pro-southern counties, was tainted by cooperation with the Know Nothings in 1856. He would antagonize German voters in the old North West and cancel out his advantages. Moreover, Bates lacked a solid base, unlike Chase or Lincoln, and there were even doubts as to whether he could carry his own state. But he enjoyed the support of powerful and vocal friends, like Horace Greeley (who saw him as a powerful weapon with which to hit Seward), and the Blair dynasty. Simon Cameron had a strong base in Pennsylvania but no constituency outside it. His wealth and influence were feared. (It was common knowledge but not proven that he had a corrupting effect.) Cameron was one of the most formidable political figures of his time and had to be treated with caution; he could not be written off. Finally, there was Lincoln. Lincoln's greatest asset was that he was not a front runner and nobody expected him to win. Lincoln was hardly an unknown figure on the American political circuit. The Lincoln-Douglas debates had received much attention, his address to the Cooper Union in New York and a number of speeches in New England had been well received, and had brought him into the front rank of Republican figures. But his record of office-holding was limited (even Franklin Pierce had sat in the Senate). Consequently, he was the kind of politician who was respected by his peers and those who were politically active, but comparatively unknown to the general public. The gathering hordes of commentators had not bothered to include him on a list of twenty-one prominent candidates; when his name was included in their reports it was confused with Abram. Yet coming from behind and out of a shroud of obscurity was Lincoln's greatest strength. A Lincoln candidacy seemed to act as a lowest common denominator of support. Men who were not passionately for Lincoln, like Orville Hickman Browning, found him not sufficiently objectionable as an alternative when other candidates failed to attain the target of 233 votes necessary to gain the nomination.27 The Convention which chose the greatest of American presidents began its deliberations on the third day, 18 May. As this act culminated in the crisis which resulted in Civil War, it was appropriate (as in much American democratic display) that the day should begin with strong military overtones. The convulsions of noise and turbulent confusion continued unabated. The Seward forces then committed a blunder. Halstead reported that The Sewardites marched as usual from their headquarters at the Richmond House after their magnificent band, which was brilliantly uniformed, epaulets shining on their shoulders, and white and scarlet feathers waving from their caps… . They were about a thousand strong, and, protracting their march a little too far, were not all able to get into the Wigwam…. They were not where they could scream with the best effect in responding to the mention of the name of William H. Seward.28 Judge Davis would not have committed this kind of foolish error: it reflected Seward's smug, overconfident approach. Davis and Lincoln's friends had spent the first two days of the Convention working painstakingly (often all through the night) on Lincoln's behalf. Davis was determined not to make unnecessary enemies. His strategy was guided by a shrewd piece of advice given by Wentworth to Lincoln. 'Look out for prominence. When it is ascertained that no one of the prominent candidates can be nominated then ought to be your time'. But Lincoln revealed an unexpected strength on the floor of the Convention, and as it moved forward the Lincoln dark horse revealed a lighter hue; keeping control of his forces was Davis's major problem, so that the horse was not blown before it reached the winning post. Davis had received a note from Lincoln, 'Make no contracts that will bind me'. Davis was reported to have exclaimed 'Lincoln ain't here and don't know what we have to meet!' Lincoln evidently did not wish to lose any freedom of manoeuvre. As the complexion of his cabinet would have a direct influence on the course of the secession crisis, the debate over the kind of commitments entered into by Davis at Chicago is an important question, and requires scrutiny. It has been mixed up by post-war mythology. There was a view that Lincoln 'emerged' at Chicago almost indicated by the hand of God. Alternatively, another view was propounded, the antithesis of this legend, that Lincoln's nomination was the product of a 'dirty' deal put together by corrupt politicians, though the Great Martyr himself rose above the sordid undergrowth. Both these versions reflect the moralizing that politicians themselves felt constrained to make about the practice of politics under the spoils system. As Davis telegraphed Lincoln on 15 May, 'Nothing will beat us but old fogy politicians. The hearts of the delegates are with us'. The importance of this attitude in developing political action and the secession drama cannot be underrated.29 Davis's first step was to secure the allegiance of the Indiana delegation. A controversy has developed over whether this was achieved by the inducement of a cabinet place for Caleb B. Smith, the most prominent member of the delegation. Historians have been engaged by a desire either to extricate the great men of American politics from the sordid undergrowth of the political system, or to denigrate them by involving those of unsullied reputation in its mire. Much of this comment seems superfluous. Davis was not the candidate and therefore could hardly give cast iron commitments of cabinet places to ambitious men; Lincoln was not present at Chicago and, therefore, could justly claim later to Indiana politicians (including Schuyler Colfax, Smith's main Indiana rival for preferment), that he had made no such commitments; as indeed he had not. What Davis did do, and he was hardly alone in this, as Fehrenbacher points out (for the Seward forces not only had cabinet places to trade but also financial backing dispensed by Weed for a number of state elections), was to give understandings, the detail of which could be worked out at a later date. A former Whig, Smith had worked closely with Lincoln during Zachary Taylor's election campaign; he was not a stranger foisted on the unsuspecting Lincoln. Indeed he did render sterling service for the Lincoln campaign. T think him the finest speaker in the Union', Davis remarked. But though much of this debate revolves around a terminological quibble coated with moralizing, what really mattered was choosing a candidate who would win. All professional politicians are dedicated to winning elections; promises of any kind are superfluous unless the votes are piled up in their favour. The debate over promises to Smith is significant only because Lincoln did win. Therefore, what really counted with the Indiana delegation was the view that Seward could not take the western states, as a clean sweep of the North was vital if they were to win the presidency. Their switch to Lincoln began the process that transferred confidence from Seward to Lincoln. It was important for this change first and foremost; an offer of place, however informally proffered, was a bonus.30 David Potter has some wise words on this whole process. Do offers of office change votes? We cannot be sure of the mental gymnastics through which professional politicians exercise their minds, nor the exact order of their thoughts; 'shrewd politicians routinely try to get as much advantage as possible from agreeing to do what they already decided that they are going to do in any case. The fact that promises were demanded and given does not prove that votes were changed'. The Lincoln team's strategy was repeated with the Pennsylvania and New Jersey delegations. Of the former, Davis exclaimed to Joseph Medill, 'Damned if we haven't got them!' Cameron certainly formed the impression that he had been offered a cabinet place whatever the vague circumlocutions employed by Davis. On the afternoon of the first day of the Convention the four delegations moving towards Lincoln – Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – all to some extent Border states, either with large pro-southern minorities among their voters or contiguous to slave states – met in David Wilmot's rooms in sub-convention. Davis chaired this meeting assisted by Caleb Smith. Greeley interrupted the meeting. He asked whether they had agreed on a candidate; when informed in the negative, Greeley at once reported to the New York Tribune that Seward would be nominated the following morning; this was not a contingency that Greeley viewed with much pleasure. But discretion at this stage was vital. If Davis had disclosed that this important group of delegations was coalescing around Lincoln then vital momentum would have been lost by attracting immense pro-Seward pressure on what was only a loose coalition. That it was beginning to form around Lincoln, and not the champion of the Border states, meant that in the forthcoming contest, Bates had no hope.31 But this meeting revealed unexpected Lincoln voting strength. This was reflected in the enormous din of well-orchestrated applause which greeted the announcement of Lincoln's name being set down for nomination; his supporters, well drilled by Davis, had been better organized than those of Seward, many of whom waited impatiently outside the Wigwam. The balloting began at noon. Lincoln himself was sure that he would not win. Seward gained 175½, Lincoln 102, Cameron 50½, Chase 49, Bates 48. Lincoln had unexpectedly gained votes in New England states – New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut and Massachusetts. He also had a majority in two slave states, Virginia and Kentucky. He had acquired this total without the Pennsylvania delegation who had voted for their 'favourite son', Cameron. Seward needed another 60 to win. His managers were not downcast, and felt that the prestige of their candidate would draw additional votes. 'Call the roll! Call the roll!' were the cries in a hot and excited atmosphere. On the second ballot, 48 of the Pennsylvania delegation's votes were switched, not to Seward, but to Lincoln along with the 10 votes of Vermont. More votes were gained by Lincoln in New England, and also in Delaware, Ohio (Chase's home state) and Iowa. A movement towards the dark horse was discernible. Lincoln now had 181 votes, Seward 184½, Chase 42½, Bates 35, with 42 committed to an odd assortment of candidates. It was the third ballot which proved to be the decisive turning point. There was a mathematical possibility that at this point the Seward column would turn to Chase, not to Lincoln. But to have done so would have replaced a candidate who it was felt would just fail to win with one who would definitely lose – hardly an inviting prospect. The excitement and cheering for Lincoln reached a climax. In a moment of high drama as the balloting began, Massachusetts suddenly transferred 4 votes from Seward to Lincoln, and as in 1852, an avalanche of votes fell into Lincoln's column. The Blairs switched Maryland votes from Seward to Lincoln, he received 52 votes from Pennsylvania, and more votes from New Jersey, Ohio gave him 29 votes and only 19 to Chase (Chase was gravely affronted by this splitting of the Ohio delegation). The total indicated a triumphant victory was in the offing, 231½ for Lincoln, 180 for Seward. Lincoln needed only another 1½ votes for nomination. 'A profound stillness fell upon the Wigwam; the men ceased to talk and the ladies to flutter their fans; one could distinctly hear the scratching of pencils and the ticking of telegraph instruments on the reporters' tables'. The newspapers were unclear exactly as to the source of the handful of votes required for victory, but it appears that an Ohio delegate suddenly changed 4 votes from Chase to Lincoln. This was more than enough: cheers erupted from Lincoln's supporters, tears filled the eyes of Seward's men. Later in the afternoon Hannibal Hamlin of Maine (a former Democrat who would balance Lincoln the former Whig) was selected as his vice presidential running mate. This cemented the alliance already hinted at by Governor Andrew between the prairie states and New England. Davis telegraphed Lincoln, 'Don't come here for God's sake. You will be telegraphed by others to come. It is the united advice of your friends not to come. This is important'.32 Davis was wary of precipitating an unpleasant scene, with Seward's supporters perhaps jeering Lincoln if he appeared at the Wigwam. This would hardly help the Republican Party at the beginning of the campaign. At any rate, it was not unusual for nominees to stay away from the Convention, a tradition which even Douglas had not broken at Charleston. Thus was nominated another in the long line of 'available' rather than qualified presidential candidates. Would Lincoln be another Franklin Pierce, who ended up being more despised by members of his own party than he was by his opponents? Lincoln had twice failed to gain entrance to the Senate; he had served only one term in the House; he had never sponsored any important legislation; never ran a state government or a department of the Federal government. Why should this man carry his party's banner in such an important election? The answer is simple. He was the best candidate, and could carry areas that would not have voted for Seward. His allies in Indiana and Pennsylvania were proved right. Time would reveal his staggering potential and elevation of spirit. He was inexperienced but sagacious. Experience does not always confer wise judgement, as the career of Buchanan – who was perhaps too experienced in the wrong things – or indeed Seward's behaviour in the secession crisis demonstrates. Immense strains would be imposed on the candidate, not least an exposure to which he was unaccustomed and not well suited to endure. But he was tougher than Pierce (though both suffered a tragic loss in the death of a son after their election as president), more determined and resilient. He was not only the available man, but the only man. At this date, such potential was not revealed to members of his party; certainly not to Seward, who felt slighted by a nonentity; perhaps it was concealed even from Lincoln himself. In the event, the Convention committee made the short journey to Springfield and visited the nominee in his modest though comfortable house. Carl Schurz wrote that 'Most of the Committee had never seen him before, and gaped at him with surprised curiosity. He … did not present the appearance of a statesman… . Then followed some informal talk … in which the hearty simplicity of his nature shone out, and … the Committee took its leave'. Neither Lincoln's appearance, which was more imposing and comely than many contemporaries would admit, nor his gait, which was unimpressive, nor his style and speech, fitted mid-nineteenth-century stereotypes of 'statesmanship'. Lincoln, a sensitive, brooding man, aware of the insoluble difficulties he would inherit should he be elected, 'looked much moved, and rather sad, … feeling the heavy responsibility thrown upon him'. His confidence could not have been boosted by the knowledge that so many were already concluding that he was unequal to these challenges. Those who met him that afternoon were not unimpressed. Judge W. D. Kelley of Pennsylvania said to Schurz on leaving, 'Well we might have done a more brilliant thing, but we could certainly not have done a better thing'. He was wrong on the first count, but as time would prove, absolutely right on the second.33 The presidential campaign The campaign began with some unfinished Democratic business. In June the Democrats reassembled in the no less sweltering city of Baltimore, Maryland. Once more the choice of venue appeared calculated to increase the temperature of a highly agitated and febrile body politic. Moves were still afoot to replace Douglas with a compromise candidate; these failed utterly because of the determination of the north western bloc of delegates who refused to shift from the standpoint of the Dorr Letter. They were doubtless fortified in their resolve by knowledge of Lincoln's appeal in their section. Douglas himself moved decisively to ensure that he controlled the Convention and that the complacency of Charleston was swept away (he had boosted his chances by inserting his own supporters in the places vacated by 'ultras' who had resigned from the party). At last the majority report on the platform was accepted; the southern response was again to stage a walk-out; the convention adjourned. The following day balloting of the remaining 192½ votes of the original 303 began, and on the second ballot Douglas gained 181½; it was deemed that he had secured a two-thirds majority, and at last, after a struggle lasting more than ten years, Douglas was nominated for the presidency. The essence of his platform was that contentious issues, such as the relative power of the Congress to impose its views on 'domestic relations' in the territories, should be decided by the Supreme Court. It was an irony that at the moment of his triumph, Douglas should turn to the expedient adopted by his greatest enemy, President Buchanan, to solve the intractable problems facing him.34 In a short acceptance speech, Douglas warned of future hazards. He would fight on popular sovereignty and a need to avoid extremes of arguments. 'Secession is disunion. Secession from the Democratic Party means secession from the federal Union'. Several days later in a letter formally accepting the Democratic nomination, Douglas wrote, 'The Federal union must be preserved… [ and] the constitution must be maintained inviolate in all its parts' – a theme which would be reiterated frequently in the early months of 1861. If the United States faced revolutionary ructions, he asked 'where shall we look for another Clay, another Webster, or another Cass to pilot the ship of State over the breakers into the haven of peace and safety'. But the time for pilots had passed; Douglas now embarked on a bout of frantic activity in which he would climb the mast of the ship of state and gaze over storm whipped seas and shout cries of warning. But could dramatic action now replace an earlier generation's skill at reconciliation? Douglas would soon be put to the test.35 It simply remained for the rupture of the Democratic Party into sectional groupings to be confirmed. Southern delegates trooped into the Maryland Institute of Baltimore and adopted the Charleston platform favouring explicit protection of slave property: 'it is the duty of the Federal Government in all its departments to protect, when necessary, the rights of persons and property in the Territories, and wherever else its constitutional authority extends'. The favoured candidate of the pro-slave rump of the Democratic Party, John C. Breckinridge, began to reveal that marked ambivalence towards secession so characteristic of southern moderates. Formerly Buchanan's vice president, Breckinridge was by his lights an honourable and decent, though ambitious man. He had originally indicated his loyalty to the Union and to an indivisible Democratic Party; he had given a pledge that in his view the election of Lincoln could not justify secession. At first he was inclined to reject the nomination proffered by the seceders. Then he was persuaded to accept it on the grounds that his strength (especially in the South) would be such that he would force Douglas to withdraw from the election and the Democratic Party would be reunited around a new candidate, either James Guthrie of Kentucky or Robert Hunter of Virginia. This was a nonsensical plan, which indicated just what miscalculations the southern slave moderates were capable of, and their dreadful judgement of character. Douglas would not be intimidated in this way. He retorted that if he stood down, his supporters would vote for Lincoln. But whatever its practicality, the main significance of Breckinridge's timorous and reluctant candidacy was that it continued to play into the hands of the secessionists. It confirmed the split in the Democratic ranks; it made the election of Lincoln more likely; and, finally, should a Republican occupy the White House, the secessionists would again force the moderates' hands by demanding that they take a position on secession; at every turn they lost the initiative.36 At any rate, Breckinridge accepted (and chose as his vice presidential nominee, Joseph Lane), and his ambivalence was reflected in the anxiety that many delegates felt at Yancey's closing address which wreaked of 'the ultraism of Alabama' and might frighten voters. Yet such men as Rhett and Yancey forced the pace of the controversy whatever the fears of others, who eventually caught up with them, and then made more demands in the secessionist direction. Yancey, Rhett and Hammond truly began to exercise power without responsibility. The southern delegates 'sick of the very sound of the human voice' adjourned with relief and hurried off to the campaign.37 The significance of the campaign of 1860 is self-evident. In the words of one American historian, 'Certainly no election in our history precipitated such a serious national crisis or had such profound consequences'.38 But despite the dangers that many agreed the United States was facing, what is striking about the election is a determination to continue with politics 'as usual'. Even the most rabid secessionists awaited the verdict of the election and took no action until after its verdict was delivered. All agreed that whatever happened afterwards, the election itself was one of the most orderly and least frenetic in recent years. This state of mind had one pernicious consequence. It contributed to a somewhat smug view that no matter how grave the crisis, the system would somehow cope with it and that actual violence could be avoided. Although there was much loose talk of war, men had grave difficulty actually visualizing organized violence on a grand scale. Perhaps this serious state of affairs was somehow the fault of the selfish and wicked manoeuvrings of the 'politicians'. Many politicians themselves accepted this view. The solution to the difficulty in their opinion lay in the replacement of the current group of blundering politicians with themselves, as they were not 'politicians' in a pejorative sense but men of principle. As for the South, this talk of secession had been heard so many times before and it had come to nothing. The secessionist threats were not believed, or if they were taken seriously, it was expected that some concessions would soon persuade southerners to embrace once more the bosom of the Union. The election of 1860 contributed to a dangerous complacency that aggravated the gathering sectional crisis. The usual alarm signals which prompted special care in deterring war were not sounded in politicians' minds with the urgency that was needed. The irony of this development was that the 1860 presidential election cannot be described as a national election. Parties serving sectional interests operated within those sections and secured convincing victories within their boundaries. The Republican Party did not operate effectively within the slave states; the Deep South had for some years been a one party region. In the North, the voters were confined to a choice between Lincoln and Douglas; in the South, Breckinridge vied with Bell. Only in Missouri and on the Pacific coast was there anything remotely resembling a four-cornered race.39 The most significant fact was the splitting of the Democratic Party, the last national party. Douglas calculated that, given his local strength in the free states, if he could hold on to the Democratic gains of 1856, he could still win. But this proved an illusion (probably not shared by the local bosses whose prime concern was preserving intact their local satrapies in order to be prepared to retake lost ground two years later and in the 1864 presidential election). Losing the entire South was a tremendous blow to Douglas from which he could not recover. To increase his appeal in the South, he wanted as his running mate Alexander H. Stephens, a former Whig. Douglas himself was not in the best of health, and as Stephens did not enjoy robust health either, Douglas was persuaded to pick former Governor Herschel V. Johnson, a Georgia Democrat. Douglas was determined to make no concessions to those who favoured secession. In his abrasive way he attacked them head-on. On 6 September 1860, in a speech at Baltimore, Douglas suggested that secessionists wanted Lincoln's election because it would justify secession. T do not believe that every Breckinridge man is a disunionist', he declared, 'but I do believe that every disunionist in America is a Breckinridge man'. He believed, quite rightly, that he was the only Democrat who could carry the free states, and if he could persuade southerners that he posed no threat to slavery, they would turn to him. He made the fatal calculation that once they realized they faced the alternative of voting for him and assuring the safety of the Union, or Lincoln and secession, the voters would turn in overwhelming numbers to him. What Douglas overlooked was the sectional factor. The Republican strength undercut his regional base. Actually the polarization of voters around sectional issues resulted in Douglas falling through the middle. He could pile up popular votes in both sections without decisively winning votes in the electoral college in either. True, the opposition to the Democrats was also split, but it proved to be more powerful within individual sections. A candidate occupying the middle ground sometimes fails to persuade voters to support him in overwhelming numbers.40 At any rate, Douglas decided that such a strategy demanded his personal advocacy, and for the second time in American history a presidential candidate decided to abandon the pose of remaining above the sordid contest for votes. Douglas actively campaigned on his own behalf (General Scott having set the precedent in 1852). As for Stephens, he gloomily contemplated the worst. When asked after the Baltimore Convention what he thought of affairs, he replied. 'Why that men will be cutting one another's throats in a little while. In less than twelve months we shall be in a war, and that the bloodiest in history'. Here was striking evidence that whatever claims would be made later, and not least by Stephens himself in A Constitutional View of the Late War Between the States (1868), the argument that in 1860–61 secession could be viewed with equanimity as merely a constitutional expedient was not convincing. The act of secession by an individual state, or collection of states, could never be regarded as simply an exercise in constitutional rights – a legalistic, clinical execution of a constitutional mechanism divorced from the political and social environment. The decision to secede from the Union was a political decision pregnant with disruption and civil war from the outset.41 The hideous potential consequences of this election were belied by Lincoln's serene behaviour during the election campaign itself. He had a well-filled campaign treasury and could afford to put on a colourful display of marches and displays. Much attention was devoted to Lincoln's humble origins and his career as a 'rail splitter'. In this the campaign of 1860 resembled Harrison's twenty years earlier, except that claims that Lincoln was born in a log cabin were not bogus. There were stalls selling fence nails; Springfield resembled, it was said, 'a Hindoo bazaar'. The Illinois State Journal reported the existence of 'A Political Earthquake! THE PRAIRIES ON FIRE FOR LINCOLN'. In Springfield an elephant was observed with its trunk wrapped around a banner declaring, 'We are Coming!' – the first recorded use of the symbol of the Republican Party. A somewhat monotonous campaign jingle caught the ear: Ain't I glad I joined the Republicans Joined the Republicans, joined the Republicans Ain't I glad I joined the Republicans Down in Illinois The substance of the Republican campaign did not match the colour of its style. Lincoln made no speeches at all. He made no effort to reassure the South. He was determined not to become embroiled in local party feuds. His views, he averred, could easily be located in his many earlier speeches; ' bad men … North and South' would only distort any further utterances for their own nefarious purposes. Thus the unfortunate, mythical figure which was painted in the South, reaching diabolic proportions, was not corrected. Lincoln was allegedly illegitimate, of Negro extraction, a cheap party hack with a traitorous Mexican War record, thrown up by the 'Black Republican, free love, free Nigger Party'. It was put about in the South that if Lincoln was elected, Negroes would be granted the federal patronage. An Atlanta newspaper referred in colourful terms, in language that was becoming increasingly common by the late 1850s, to 'drenching' the Union in blood. Such phrases were all too easy to coin, rather more difficult to imagine in hard reality: 'the South, the loyal South, the constitution South, would never submit to such humiliation and degradation as the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln'. Some historians have suggested that it was a pity that Lincoln made no statement of policy to reduce the impact of such hysteria. It was very doubtful whether Lincoln could have disposed of these falsehoods, for he could provide no reassurances without offending his core political support. He should have done more than make simple, pleasant effusions to parades and well wishers. He relied, too complacently, on the sentiment that 'The good people of the South have too much good sense and good temper to attempt the ruin of the government' – a somewhat exaggerated estimate of southern rationality when racial fears have been invoked. Secession he believed to be a hollow threat. Douglas refused to be intimidated and went South; he refused to be browbeaten and spelt out future prospects with a clarity and common sense which had deserted his Democratic rivals; he refused to indulge himself in hysterical fancies. Douglas ridiculed southern fears of the result of a Republican victory. 'The President', he proclaimed, 'can do nothing except what the law authorises… . Four years will soon pass away, when the ballot box will furnish a peaceful, legal and constitutional remedy for all the evils and grievances with which the country may be afflicted'. Douglas probably neglected his north western heartland by his wanderings. Ridiculed and abused, crafty and facile, in the presidential election of 1860 Douglas dedicated himself to principle and did not profit by it. 'I did not come here to ask your vote, nor your suffrages for office. I am not here on an electioneering tour. I am here to make a plea, an appeal for the invincibility of the Union'. Douglas was the moral victor of this campaign.42 Lincoln was already feeling the strength of pressure to make concessions to the South, notably from business interests from New England. Lincoln replied sternly in private that he would not bargain Republican principle for commercial prosperity. The twin pattern of the secession crisis – an unmollified and hysterical South raging at a somewhat complacent political class, combined with a strong urge to appease this section from the North East, pleas which fell on the deaf ears of a president whose firm resolve was underestimated by all – had fallen into place during the presidential election.43 The main themes of the Republican campaign were laid down by other speakers, often by men whom Lincoln had beaten for the nomination. This may have contributed to the later erroneous assumption that Lincoln's administration would not be his own. For example, Salmon P. Chase, having offered 'hearty and cordial support', spoke on Lincoln's behalf not only in Ohio but also in Kentucky and New York. His attacks on Douglas were stinging, but he made it abundantly clear in Kentucky that the election of a Lincoln Administration would not result in federal interference with slavery in the southern states but only in its restriction to the existing slave states and eviction from the territories. Even if Lincoln can be accused of ambiguity, his position was being defined for him. Chase affirmed that the Republican Party was antagonistic to 'hostile aggression upon the constitutional rights of any State'. This could be read two ways, of course. The Republicans opposed the constitutional infringements of the slave power on the rights of northern states. Southerners viewed this constitutional 'danger' exclusively in terms of the potential danger that Republicanism posed for slavery in the southern states. 'The object of my wishes and labors for nineteen years', Chase wrote, 'is accomplished in the overthrow of the Slave Power' – by which he meant power over the northern states. An important thrust of the Republican campaign was a scathing attack on the corruption which had characterized the Buchanan Administration. Senator James W. Grimes of Iowa went so far as to conclude that 'our triumph was achieved more because of Lincoln's . .. honesty and the known corruption of the Democrats, than because of the negro question'. Lincoln's image as 'Honest Abe' was very persuasive. Speakers tried to associate the Douglas Democrats with the Administration; every session of Congress, they declared, between December 1857 and June 1860 had discovered (mainly through the agencies of the Covode Committee and Congressman John Sherman's investigation of the navy yards and Navy Department contracts) overwhelming evidence of Democratic corruption. The Republicans also suggested that the Constitutional Union Party had prostituted itself by forming an alliance with the anti-Lincoln forces. The Breckinridge Democrats were most sensitive to these allegations, and published a pamphlet detailing Republican abuses, for in truth, their record was hardly unblemished. Breckinridge's declaration of love for the Union also provoked scorn. Yet this evidence of sensitivity to charges of corruption is important in indicating that the presidential election of 1860, contrary to some accounts, lacked an exclusive, obsessive focus on slavery and secession.44 Buoyed up by the state election results in mid-October in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana which saw the election of Republican state tickets, Lincoln was optimistic as to his chances. The anti-Republican opposition mounted a fearsome campaign as a result to try and hold New York, but on the whole attempts at 'fusion' only confused the voters. At 9 p.m. on the evening of 6 November, Lincoln and his friend (and co-manager) Jesse K. Dubois wandered over to the Springfield telegraph office to hear the early returns. They were joined by Senator Lyman Trumbull. It was soon clear that Lincoln had carried New England and the Old North West. Cameron wired to say that a Republican victory in Pennsylvania was a certainty. 'If we get New York that settles it', Trumbull observed. As always, Lincoln remained calm and unagitated, as he had throughout the campaign. When news arrived that New York had indeed fallen into the Republican column, Dubois ran outside to inform the growing crowds, and the news was greeted with rumbustious enthusiasm: supporters went 'perfectly wild; the Republicans were … singing, yelling. shouting!! Old men, young, middle aged, clergymen and all!' The settlers of the Old North West have never been celebrated for understatement. As the telegraph then began to record the southern results, Lincoln said, 'Now we shall get a few licks back', for he did not gain a single southern electoral vote. His victory was indeed a sectional triumph.45 In the South the mood had swung from noisy swagger to grim foreboding. Miss Hopley, walking the streets of Richmond, 'encountered crowds repeatedly'. Long and continued shouts and huzzahs assailed one's ears from time to time till towards midday. Success seemed to gleam around. By-and-by the shouts became less frequent. News from more distant regions must have changed the aspect of affairs and chilled their hopes.… By dusk a funeral cloud seemed to hang over the city … the silence of solitude had been sought by all.46 This gloomy foreboding was the prelude to drastic action in all the slave states, though the pace at which it progressed varied in individual states. Who did Lincoln represent? Lincoln received less than 40 per cent of the total votes cast in the 1860 presidential election. The final tallies were: Lincoln 1,865,593, Douglas 1,382,713, Breckinridge 848,356, Bell 592,906; the scores in the electoral college were: Lincoln 180, Douglas 12, Breckinridge 72, Bell 39. It would appear at first sight that Lincoln was a minority president and that his victory had been distorted by the votes in the electoral college which did not represent opinion in the country. It was a commonplace on the Democratic side that they would have won without the party split at Charleston. 'Our break up there', a New York Democrat observed, 'elected Mr Lincoln'. Certainly individual elections within states accentuated the divisions within Lincoln's rivals; as under the British electoral system, the winner in each state won the total electoral vote however small the majority. Lincoln had few wasted votes – all were made to count in his favour. Presented at its worst, he obtained hardly a vote in ten states; in three others, Kentucky, Virginia and Maryland, his poll was minute; in Missouri his wasted votes numbered 17,028 and in Delaware 3,815; in New Jersey he got a slight majority in the electoral college on a minority of the popular vote. Compare this with Douglas. His wasted vote was enormous: 1,255,000 did not secure a single presidential elector. J. G. Randall refers to a 'structural absurdity' in the American electoral system which granted Lincoln victory even though his opponents secured over 900,000 votes more than him. Passing over the objection that such an absurdity is not unique to the United States, it seems to overlook the reality that the Republicans were a sectional party. One reason why the Republican appeal remained sectional was that the party was denied opportunities to organize in the South – often by force and intimidation. Yet whatever the hard, political realities, the democratic argument is not irrelevant to the outbreak of the Civil War because an important issue was the refusal of the South to acknowledge the verdict of the electorate and to accept a continuance of the normal workings of constitutional machinery, irrespective of the southern opinion of the personality of the victorious candidate. Disputation arising from Lincoln's failure to win a majority of the popular vote seems academic. 'This issue embraces more than the fate of these United States,' Lincoln wrote later. 'It presents to the whole family of man, the question, whether a constitutional republic, or a democracy… can, or cannot, maintain its territorial integrity'. But the issue was not a clear-cut one because Lincoln's endorsement was sectional.47 Therefore what was significant was that Lincoln carried all the northern states except one; his victory in the popular vote here was overwhelming; the Democratic Party had lost its northern constituency. August Belmont reckoned that a switch of 28,000 votes in the New York state election out of a total of 700,000 would have kept it in the Democrat column. Belmont blamed this on Buchanan's corruption, as change was 'ardently desired by thousands of conservative men out of politics'. Haif a million votes had been added to the Republican total gained in 1856. But what is really significant was that Lincoln would have won even if the opposition vote had been combined against him. If examined critically, Lincoln's tally reveals that only in three states did he win because the opposition was split, in New Jersey (where he did not win all the electoral votes), Oregon and California. These provided him with only 18 electoral votes; if these had been lost, Lincoln still had a cushion of 9 electoral votes to guarantee his election. The main sources of his support were not the Germans, as stressed by earlier historians, but disillusioned previous supporters of the American Party, who feared their vote would be wasted. Only in Massachusetts and Maine did Bell secure a larger share of former Fillmore voters than Lincoln; Lincoln himself was an old Whig; his criticisms of Know Nothingism had been made in private correspondence. It is very unlikely that Seward, had he been the Republican nominee, would have scored so heavily among Know Nothing voters, especially in Illinois and Indiana, where Lincoln's margin of victory was not great. Lincoln's strength appeared to be concentrated in the countryside rather than in the towns. The strength of the Democratic Party outside the South was essentially urban. 'The strength of our opponents lies mainly in the populous cities', Carl Schurz explained, 'and consists largely of the Irish and uneducated mass of German immigrants'. The German vote remained divided, and was not noticeably pro-Republican in mid-western states (it tended to divide on religious lines with Roman Catholics remaining loyal to the Democrats, while Protestants turned to the anti-Catholic Republicans). It is also important to recall that sectional issues that concerned the politicians did not always agitate voters. Douglas complained at one point that 'the Republicans in their speeches, say nothing of the nigger question, but all is made to turn on the Tariff. In the South, moreover, as the combined anti-Breckinridge vote amounted to 55 per cent of the votes cast, this contributed to the widespread feeling that southern unionism remained a thriving political force that would subdue secessionist feeling.48 It was reported that Lincoln said to a group of newsmen the day after the results had been declared that their problems were over, his about to begin. One initial problem that would haunt him for the next five months was the attention which he received from shameless office-seekers. Herndon wrote in disgust that 'men and women rushed around [ Lincoln] – kissed his feet – rolled in the dust begging notice … begged for a hair from the tail of his old horse'. He was so importuned that Herndon found him refuge on the second floor of a warehouse where he could concentrate on making some initial drafts of his inaugural address. Herndon was dispatched to find reference works for the president-elect's use. Lincoln would not make concessions to the South, he predicted. Rather than compromise, Lincoln would choose that 'his soul might go back to God from the wings of the Capitol'. Herndon was not inaccurate in marking out Lincoln's course, although the latter would have preferred less high-flown language.49 It was to the problem of naming a cabinet and actually putting together an administration under the extraordinary circumstances of the secession of southern states that now began to receive Lincoln's close attention. The aftermath The results of the presidential election were felt mainly in the South. In the North a tense calm and nervous expectation fell over the section. In the South the white population fell into a hysterical state. The problem with a press which conducts its daily business in vituperative language is that no scope is left for increasing the temperature in times of strife. All sense of proportion was lost. As before, the opinions of 'the South' were really expressed by the Lower or Deep South; in the Upper South Unionism still prevailed because, among other reasons, some semblance of the two-party system survived. In the Deep South politicians, like Joseph E. Brown of Georgia, were well aware that Lincoln would not carry any slave states. T am strongly influenced by the belief… that Lincoln will carry the Democratic free states', he wrote, 'under the plurality rule of voting and will be elected by the popular vote'. Therefore the South was confronted by a cohesive northern bloc and no accumulation of southern votes could possibly force the election into the House of Representatives. In this calculation, of course, Brown was absolutely right. He greatly regretted the splitting of the Democratic Party and, on the whole, had favoured the Breckinridge-Lane ticket: 'as a southern man, I think it best to vote for him, while I condemn the action of the wire workers who produced the split more for the gratification of selfish motives and vindictive feelings than for patriotic emotions'. This judgement was typical of the condemnations of the manoeuvres accompanying the conventions, though it was inaccurate; politicians had become a universal scapegoat. It was significant, however, that though Brown objected both to the disruption of the Democratic Party and to the behaviour of some secessionists, that he was prepared to follow their lead, rather than reject their shrill and discordant cries. Little room for manoeuvre or thought had been granted by the southern defence of slavery. The ultimate logic of its defence demanded secession, no matter how many doubts might be harboured about the wisdom of seceding or departing from beloved institutions and the protection these had afforded slavery in the recent past. That these doubts were expressed by experienced and respected politicians seemed to carry no weight. The doubters seem to have been swept along by the torrent of denunciation, from belligerent even hysterical speeches, to hurried and careless action, to secession, to war. Thomas R. R. Cobb wrote to his wife in October 1860, on hearing of the Republican success in Pennsylvania, T can see no earthly hope of defeating [ the Republicans] in November, and success then, whether we will it or not, is inevitable disunion… . Separation is desirable, peaceable if we can, forcibly if we must'. He continued, expressing a measure of lamentation for the chosen course, the 'Union or the South one or the other is irretrievably gone, if Lincoln is elected. I confess I feel very sad. The forebodings of my mind are of the most depressing character'.50 But men like Brown would not give a positive lead in expressing their doubts and overcome the gloomy forebodings of those who thought like Cobb. They became hedged in by the ultimate logic of the defence of slavery, secession, and the passion with which it was enunciated. To doubt a little seemed to suggest a disloyal or supine thought. The secessionists therefore gained the moral initiative and made a heartfelt appeal; the doubters had little to offer and nothing exciting to say. Often in a crisis a small number of people can be persuaded to support an audacious act, a novel programme, a step into the unknown, and this small number grants the necessary power to act. Such were the conditions in 1860. Douglas had exaggerated: although all secessionists – especially in the Upper South – voted for Breckinridge, by no means all his voters were secessionists. Indeed the Georgia picture highlights the small margin of secessionist support and the local pigment colours the broader, southern background. Breckinridge received 51,893, Bell 42,855 and Douglas 11,580 votes. The anti-Breckinridge vote was therefore greater than his tally. True, Breckinridge had won 72 out of the 120 electoral college votes of the slave states, but the combined popular vote for Douglas and Bell in these states exceeded that of Breckinridge by 100,000. Indeed Douglas had failed to carry the city of Richmond, later the Confederate capital, by a mere 400 votes. Yet the drama and fervour of the secessionist case prevailed despite the small margin of support. That it did so had more to do with fear and anxiety than with popularity.51 What responsibility did Lincoln bear for this mental state in the South? He may be criticized for not giving the impression that he was in charge, but it must be agreed that his task of reassurance – except in his own party – was a most difficult one. Apart from virtually dissolving the Republican Party and declaring slavery a benefit for the Union – an inconceivable eventuality – how else could exaggerated southern fears have been set to rest? This is perhaps reflective of the general southern mood, which sought to win what modern commentators would describe as a 'zero-sum game': they demanded all for no concession, and simultaneously risked all by demanding it. Lincoln stood on much stronger ground when he enquired during the campaign, 'What is it I could say which would quiet alarm? Is it that no interference by the government, with slaves or slavery within the states is intended? I have said this so often already, that a repetition of it is but mockery, bearing an appearance of weakness'. This latter phrase was a clue to Lincoln's future policy, should matters be put to the proof. Any comment would lead only to further hysteria, which would not redound to the credit of the Republican candidate. Further repetition might be possible 'if there were no danger of encouraging bold bad men … who are eager for something new upon which to base new misrepresentations – men who would like to frighten me, or at least, to fix upon me the character of timidity and cowardice. They would seize upon almost any letter I could write, as being an "awful coming down" '. Whatever Lincoln's stance would be, it would be resolute.52 But resolution would confront hysteria – always a combustible mixture. Lincoln was stigmatized, on the evidence of his 'House Divided' speech, as an abolitionist: 'a fanatic of the John Brown type; the slave to one idea, who, in order to carry that out to its legitimate results, would override laws, constitutions, and compromises of every kind', and as such, would weaken the institution of slavery in the states. Though there were conservative northerners who sympathized with slavery, chatter and fanaticism would 'render slave property so precarious as regards its tenure, that it would become valueless to its owners'. That the time factor in this regard was ignored is a measure of how infrequently cool, sober calculations entered southern heads, even if Lincoln was the kind of politician they conjured up, which he was not. Nonetheless, there can be no doubt that the policy of hemming in slavery within its exiting boundaries would have profound implications for its enduring vitality. But whether this warranted the kind of action that the South was now contemplating was quite a different matter.53 Before the election results were known, doubters like Brown were already preparing their ground. He wrote a message to the Georgia legislature recommending that retaliation be invoked against those states whose 'personal liberty laws' had cancelled out the workings of the Fugitive Slave Act. When asked by the Governor of South Carolina what action he would take if Lincoln was elected, Brown replied that a convention of all the slave states would be required so that they could 'take common action for the protection of the rights of all'. Lincoln's defeat, he predicted correctly, was unlikely. Should the question be submitted to the people of Georgia whether they would go out of the Union on Lincoln's election without regard to the action of other states my opinion is they would determine to wait for an overt act. Stressing the limits of action, and the limits of the possible, he pointed out that unless the South made a 'respectable show' of resistance' it might not be possible to mobilize support for it again in the future. 'Already the people of the North taunt us with inability and cowardice'. A concern with such moral imperatives drew politicians to act even though they had not thought out the object and compass of their acts or their consequences very systematically. But even sceptics were anxious to show that they were prepared for action of some kind and agreed that whatever was undertaken should be consonant with the action of other southern states and coordinated jointly with them.54 But the policy of waiting on events surrendered more of the initiative to the 'ultras', offered even less space for manoeuvre, and rendered the final act, when it came, a colossal gamble. The presidential election of 1860 is also significant because of the splintering of the Democratic Party, the sole remaining political grouping which straddled the two sections. The Democratic Party was not only a national institution, but also a political force that was allied with, and drew much of its strength from, the South. The issues of the election did not revolve around the continuance of slavery in the states, only its restriction there. By refusing to accept the protection of northern Democrats, the southern pro-slavery party unwittingly (and in some cases wittingly) shattered that political grouping best able to defend their peculiar institution. They sought to replace it with a purely southern political structure which, if it sought to safeguard slavery outside the Union, would have to rely on force. This was a huge risk, for it staked the survival of slavery in the southern states on the southern ability to defend it. This had not been an issue in the election itself. By their precipitate and rash conduct, the secessionists dramatically increased the stakes of the contest and risked all that they held dear. The election confirmed the political authority and electoral support of the Republican Party in the North. It confirmed in the most hard and fast manner possible that the two sections voted predominantly for different candidates on different issues. One of those sections now refused to accept that the majority vote as represented in the electoral college and the election of a Republican president was binding on the South because its message and candidate had been so thoroughly and wholeheartedly rejected there. Such an attitude not only challenged the continuance of the democratic process in the United States – which was central to the health of American nationalism and was the very essence of an evolving concept of American national identity and uniqueness – but also would represent a flagrant challenge to the authority of the central government. Could such a challenge be ignored? And if it could not, could the crisis be resolved without resort to force? Abraham Lincoln did not exaggerate when, on leaving Springfield, Illinois, to travel to Washington DC to take up his presidential burdens, he admitted that he faced a 'task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington'.55 1. William Faulkner, The Mansion (London: Chatto … Windus, 1961) p. 126. 2. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter and Selected Tales (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1970), p. 44. 3. William E. Gienapp, 'Who Voted for Lincoln?', in Abraham Lincoln and the American Political Tradition (Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1986), p. 53. 4. David Potter, The Impending Crisis, 1848–1861 completed and ed. by Don E. Fehrenbacher (New York: Harper, 1976), pp. 415–17. 5. On the other hand, some of Douglas's more fervent supporters were vociferous in announcing that they would prefer to vote for a Republican candidate than any other Democrat save Douglas. See Robert W. Johannsen, Stephen A. Douglas (New York: Oxford UP, 1973), p. 746. 6. Quoted in Damon Wells, Stephen Douglas: The Last Years, 1857–1861 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1971, 1990), pp. 203, 211–12. President James Buchanan may have hoped that if the nomination became hopelessly deadlocked his name would be advanced as a compromise candidate around whom the party could rally. But Dr Wells exaggerates Buchanan's desire for a second term, and if he was so keen on it, why should he have announced in his inaugural that he would not be a candidate for one? 7. Roy F. Nichols, The Disruption of American Democracy (New York: Macmillan, 1948), pp. 288–92, gives a brilliant, atmospheric account of the background to the convention; also see Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln (New York: Scribner's, 1950), II, pp. 203–4. 8. Michael F. Holt, The Political Crisis of the 1850s (New York: Norton, 1983), pp. 245–6; quotation taken from Avery Craven, The Coming of the Civil War, 2nd edn (Chicago UP, 1966), p. 414; William B. McCash, Thomas R. R. Cobb: The Making of a Southern Nationalist (Macon, GA: Mercer UP, 1983), p. 96. 9. Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, pp. 204–5; Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 746–51. 10. Irving Katz, August Belmont: A Political Biography (New York: Columbia UP, 1968) p. 69; Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 751–3. 11. Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, pp. 204, 206. 12. Nichols, Disruption of American Democracy, pp. 296–9; Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 754–6. 13. Quoted in Anne Norton, Alternative Americas: A Reading of Antebellum Political Culture (Chicago UP, 1986), p. 19; Nevins, The Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 216–19; Johannsen, Douglas, p. 754; William E. Gienapp, 'Politics Seem to Enter Everything: Political Culture in the North, 1840–1860', Stephen E. Maizlish, Essays on American Antebellum Politics, 1840–1860 (College Station: Texas A…M UP, 1982), p. 51. 14. Craven, Coming of the Civil War, p. 425; Nevins, The Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 222–3; Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, pp. 208–10; but note Nichols's view (The Disruption of American Democracy, p. 308) that the bulk of the 'ultras' calculated that belligerent behaviour would make a compromise more likely. See Kenneth Greenberg, Masters and Statesmen: The Political Culture of American Slavery (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins UP, 1988), pp. vii-ix, 3–22. 15. William C. Davis, Breckinridge: Statesman, Soldier, Symbol (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1974), pp. 204–5, 206–9, 211–18; Breckinridge shared the commonplace disgust for 'politicians' and their works, see especially ibid., p. 210; Holt, The Political Crisis of the 1850s, pp. 245–8. 16. Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, p. 207; Hans L. Trefousse, Andrew Johnson: A Biography (New York: Norton, 1989), pp. 123–4. 17. Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 704–5. The rush to put matters of principle 'on the record' alarmed some Douglas supporters. 'Your prospects for the Presidency brighten every day,' wrote one. 'But you must quit writing letters'. See also Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, pp. 176, 213. 18. Davis, Breckinridge, pp. 217–20; Nichols, Disruption of American Democracy, pp. 300–5, 307–8; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 220–4. 19. Nichols, Disruption of American Democracy, pp. 310–14; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 223–4, 262–8. 20. Don E. Fehrenbacher, Prelude to Greatness: Lincoln in the 1850s (Stanford UP, 1962), pp. 5–8; Willard L. King, Lincoln's Manager: David Davis (Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1960), pp. 125–31, 133. 21. King, Davis, pp. 135–6; Don E. Fehrenbacher, 'Lincoln and the Mayor of Chicago', in Lincoln in Text and Context: Collected Essays (Stanford UP, 1987), p. 41. 22. Quoted in The Lincoln Reader, ed. Paul M. Angle (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 1947), pp. 265–6; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 247–9; Fehrenbacher, Prelude to Greatness, pp. 154–6; Potter, Impending Crisis, p. 422. 23. The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, 2 vols, ed. Theodore C. Pease and J. G. Randall (Springfield, IL: Illinois State Historical Library, 1925), I, p. 407 (entry for 16 May 1860). 24. Earlier historians, David Potter, Lincoln and his Party in the Secession Crisis (New Haven, CT: Yale UP, 1942, 2nd edn, 1962; New York: AMS reprint, 1979), pp. 30–2; J. G. Randall, Lincoln the President: From Springfield to Gettysburg, I (London: Eyre … Spottiswoode, 1947), p. 172, rather exaggerate the extent to which the platform of 1860 was watered down by comparison with 1856. 25. Randall, Lincoln the President, I, pp. 155–8, 172–3; on the platform Fehrenbacher, 'The Republican Decision at Chicago', in Lincoln in Text and Context, pp. 56–8, Potter, Impending Crisis, p. 423; Gienapp, 'Who Voted for Lincoln?', pp. 55–7; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 252–3; Fehrenbacher, Prelude to Greatness, p. 157. 26. Potter, Impending Crisis, pp. 424–6; Glyndon G. Van Deusen, William Henry Seward (New York: Oxford UP, 1969), pp. 221–7; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, p. 252. 27. Randall, Lincoln the President, I, pp. 161, 169, 171; Frederick J. Blue, Salmon P. Chase: A Life in Politics (Kent, OH: Kent State UP, 1987), pp. 126–32; Potter, Impending Crisis, pp. 426–8; Browning, Diary, I, pp. 395, 396 (entries for 8, 22 Feb. 1860); Kenneth M. Stampp, Indiana Politics during the Civil War, 2nd edn (Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1949, 1978), pp. 28–9, 36–8; James M. McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom (New York: Oxford UP, 1988), pp. 218–19. 28. Quoted in Lincoln Reader, p. 268. 29. King, Davis, pp. 134–8; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, p. 256; Potter, Impending Crisis, p. 428. 30. On the 'promises', see Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 256–7; on the view that no such promises were made, King, Davis, pp. 136–8. The nature of these 'promises' is all-important in this discussion. King is persuasive that nothing of a binding nature was offered; but none of his commentary seems inconsistent with my interpretation. Fehrenbacher, Prelude to Greatness, p. 159, is cogent and convincing. A short fair summary is McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, p. 219n35. 31. Potter, Impending Crisis, p. 428; Fehrenbacher, 'The Republican Decision at Chicago', p. 59; King, Davis, pp. 139–40; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 257–8. 32. I have based my account on the brilliant evocation in Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 257–60; and the detailed discussion in King, Davis, pp. 140–1. Also see Benjamin P. Thomas, Abraham Lincoln (London: Eyre 8c Spottiswoode, 1953), p. 138; Stephen B. Oates, With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln (New York: Harper & Row, 1977), p. 178. 33. Randall, Lincoln the President, I, p. 174; Fehrenbacher, 'The Republican Decision at Chicago', p. 61; Thomas, Lincoln, p. 139; Potter, Impending Crisis, pp. 429–30, concludes: 'there seems good reason to believe that the Chicago strategies were realistic in thinking that Lincoln was the only genuine Republican who could be elected'. 34. Nichols, Disruption of American Democracy, pp. 314–19; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 268–72; Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 767–72; Davis, Breckinridge, p. 222. 35. Quoted in Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 772–3. 36. Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, pp. 245–6 casts doubt on the plan to force Douglas to withdraw in a 'fusion' scheme; Davis, Breckinridge, pp. 223–5, makes out a persuasive case for it. 37. Nichols, Disruption, pp. 319–20; Johannsen, Douglas, p. 772; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, pp. 268–72. 38. Randall, Lincoln the President, I, p. 174; Gienapp, 'Who Voted for Lincoln?', p. 51. 39. William R. Brock, Conflict and Transformation: The United States, 1844–1877 (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1973), p. 185. 40. But note Fehrenbacher's persuasive argument (Prelude to Greatness, p. 160), that Douglas, leading a Democratic splinter group, was a more formidable opponent for Lincoln, especially in the North West, shorn of his pro-slavery allies. 41. Nichols, The Disruption of American Democracy, pp. 335–40; J. G. Randall and David Donald, The Civil War and Reconstruction, 2nd edn (Lexington, MA: D. C. Heath, 1969), p. 132; Nevins, Emergence of Lincoln, II, p. 262. 42. Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, pp. 253–8: Douglas was 'a different man' in October 1860 from his first foray in August; Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 789–92. 43. Thomas, Lincoln, p. 142; Oates, With Malice Toward None, pp. 185–9. 44. Blue, Chase, pp. 127–8; David E. Meerse, 'Buchanan, Corruption and the Election of 1860', Civil War History 12 (1966), pp. 116–31, esp. pp. 118–19, 121–4, 127, 131. 45. Gienapp, 'Who Voted for Lincoln?', p. 62; Johannsen, Douglas, pp. 792, 803–4. 46. Catherine C. Hopley, Life in the South (New York: Augustus M. Kelley, 1971 reprint), vol. I, pp. 134–5. 47. Fehrenbacher, Prelude to Greatness, pp. 159–60; Gienapp, 'Who Voted for Lincoln?', pp. 63–4; Potter, Impending Crisis, p. 442; James M. McPherson, Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution (New York: Oxford UP, 1990), p. 29. 48. Gienapp, 'Who Voted for Lincoln?', pp. 63, 65–7, 68–9, 71–3; Potter, Impending Crisis, p. 442; Meerse, 'Buchanan, Corruption and the Election of 1860', p. 131. 49. David Donald, Lincoln's Herndon (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1948), pp. 143, 145; Thomas, Lincoln, p. 143; Oates, With Malice Toward None, p. 189. 50. Joseph H. Parks, Joseph E. Brown of Georgia (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1977), pp. 107–8; McCash, Cobb, p. 184. 51. Wells, Douglas: The Last Years, p. 256; Parks, Brown, p. 109. 52. Quoted in McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, p. 231. 53. Arthur C. Cole and J. G. de Roulhac Hamilton, 'Lincoln's Election an Immediate Menace to Slavery in the States?', in Sidney Fine and Gerald S. Brown (eds) The American Past: Conflicting Interpretations of the Great Issues (New York: Macmillan, 1961), I, pp. 531–66. See also Michael Davis, The Image of Lincoln in the South (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1971), Ch. 1. 54. Parks, Brown, p. 108. 55. The Lincoln Reader, p. 309.
Nigeria's Banking Landscape: Financing Your Business Dreams Last Updated on January 28, 2024 Nigeria's banking landscape is a crucial element for businesses in the country, as financing plays a vital role in turning entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Nigeria's banking sector is integral to fostering economic growth and stability, providing financial services and support to individuals and businesses alike. Financing plays a fundamental role in the success and growth of businesses in Nigeria, serving as a catalyst for investment, expansion, and innovation. Access to financing enables entrepreneurs to obtain necessary capital to start businesses, purchase equipment, and develop products. Banks in Nigeria offer various financing options such as business loans, lines of credit, and overdraft facilities to meet the diverse needs of businesses. By providing affordable and accessible financing, banks support entrepreneurial ventures in Nigeria, enabling them to thrive and contribute to economic development. Furthermore, financing allows businesses in Nigeria to navigate challenges, seize growth opportunities, and adapt to changing market dynamics. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) particularly benefit from bank financing, as it empowers them to compete and grow in a competitive market. Nigeria's banking landscape also embraces technological advancements, offering digital banking solutions that facilitate convenient access to financing for businesses. In general, Nigeria's banking sector plays a critical role in financing business dreams, fostering entrepreneurship, and driving economic growth in the country. Accessible and affordable financing empowers businesses to thrive and contribute to the development of Nigeria's economy. Overview of Nigeria's Banking Sector In Nigeria, the banking sector plays a crucial role in supporting the country's economic growth and development. The sector encompasses various types of banks and is regulated by specific bodies to ensure stability and transparency. Overview of the Banking Sector in Nigeria The banking sector in Nigeria is vibrant and diverse, offering a wide range of financial services to individuals and businesses. It serves as a catalyst for economic activities and facilitates the flow of funds in the economy. Types of Banks in Nigeria - Commercial Banks: These are the most common type of banks in Nigeria, providing various services like savings accounts, current accounts, loans, and investments. - Microfinance Banks: Microfinance banks are primarily focused on providing financial services to low-income individuals and microenterprises. They play a crucial role in financial inclusion. - Development Banks: Development banks are specifically established to promote economic development through targeted financing to sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and SMEs. Regulatory Bodies Overseeing the Banking Sector in Nigeria - Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN): The CBN is the apex regulatory body in the Nigerian banking sector. It formulates and implements policies to ensure the stability and soundness of banks. - Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC): The NDIC provides a safety net for depositors by insuring their deposits in case of bank failures and liquidation. - Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): While primarily tasked with regulating the capital market, the SEC also plays a role in overseeing investment banks that operate within the banking sector. The Nigerian banking sector has seen substantial reforms, like BVN and risk-based supervision, promoting financial stability and entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs access financing from commercial, microfinance, and development banks, with varying criteria, like a solid business plan and collateral. Building a strong bank relationship and maintaining financial records increase funding chances. Nigeria's banking sector significantly aids economic growth with its diverse institutions, supporting entrepreneurs in realizing their business dreams. Read: Transitioning: From Generalist to Corporate Finance Analyst Banking Services for Businesses The importance of banking services for businesses cannot be overstated. Nigerian banks offer a wide range of services specifically tailored to meet the needs of businesses. These services include loans, credit facilities, treasury bills, and much more. Range of Services Offered by Nigerian Banks for Businesses - Loans: Nigerian banks provide various loan options to businesses, including working capital loans, project financing, and equipment loans. - Credit Facilities: Banks offer credit facilities such as overdrafts, lines of credit, and trade finance to support business operations. - Treasury Bills: Businesses can invest in treasury bills through Nigerian banks, which are short-term government debt instruments. - Payment and Collection Services: Banks provide efficient payment solutions, such as electronic funds transfer and online payment platforms, to streamline business transactions. - Foreign Exchange Services: Nigerian banks facilitate foreign currency transactions, ensuring businesses can engage in international trade smoothly. - Asset Management: Banks offer professional asset management services to help businesses preserve and grow their wealth. - Electronic Banking: Business owners can access their accounts and conduct transactions conveniently through internet banking and mobile banking platforms. Benefits of Using Nigerian Banks for Business Financing - Access to Capital: Nigerian banks provide businesses with the necessary funds to finance their growth and expansion plans. - Leveraging Credit: Through credit facilities, businesses can manage their cash flow effectively and take advantage of business opportunities. - Expertise and Guidance: Banks have experienced professionals who can assist businesses in making sound financial decisions and managing risks. - Convenience and Efficiency: Nigerian banks offer convenient banking channels that allow businesses to carry out transactions quickly and securely. - Financial Security: Funds deposited in Nigerian banks are protected by regulatory measures, ensuring the safety of business funds. - Networking Opportunities: Banks often organize events and seminars that facilitate networking among business owners and potential investors. - International Trade Support: Nigerian banks assist businesses in navigating the complexities of international trade through their foreign exchange services and trade finance solutions. In summary, Nigerian banks play a crucial role in the financing of business dreams. They provide a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet the unique requirements of businesses. By leveraging these services, businesses can access capital, manage their finances effectively, and take advantage of growth opportunities. Moreover, the expertise and guidance offered by Nigerian banks ensure business owners can make informed financial decisions. With the convenience, security, and networking opportunities provided by banks, businesses can thrive and succeed in Nigeria's competitive business landscape. Read: Sectors in Nigeria with High Demand for Finance Analysts Challenges Faced by Businesses in Obtaining Financing Businesses in Nigeria often face several challenges when it comes to accessing financing for their ventures. These challenges can hinder the growth and development of businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are the backbone of the Nigerian economy. Challenges faced by businesses in Nigeria in accessing financing - High interest rates: There are a major obstacle, making loans expensive and unaffordable for many businesses. - Collateral requirements:These are common, especially for small businesses lacking the necessary assets to secure loans. - Limited credit access: common in rural areas due to urban concentration of banks hinders rural businesses. - Inadequate documentation; hampers securing loans, as many businesses struggle to provide required financial statements. - Lack of financial literacy: are common among business owners affects effective financial management and loan procurement. - Periods of political instability: The periods in Nigeria make banks cautious about lending, limiting access to financing. - Corruption: This is widespread and can hinder loan approval with bribery and unethical practices. - Dominance of the informal sector: This makes it challenging for businesses to access formal financing options. - Infrastructure deficits: including power, road networks, and telecommunications, hinder business growth and financing. - Inconsistent government policies and regulatory: This changes can make banks hesitant to provide loans due to policy uncertainty. These challenges faced by businesses in Nigeria in obtaining financing highlight the need for innovative solutions and interventions to support the growth and development of the business sector. Efforts should be made to address the high interest rates, simplify collateral requirements, improve financial literacy, and create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. Read: Day in the Life: A Peek into a Finance Analyst's Routine Government Initiatives to Support Business Financing When it comes to financing your business dreams in Nigeria, it is essential to understand the government initiatives that exist to support this endeavor. The Nigerian government has implemented various measures to strengthen the economy and facilitate business financing. In this section, we will explore some of these initiatives. Government initiatives to support business financing in Nigeria The Nigerian government recognizes the importance of providing financial support to businesses as they play a crucial role in economic growth and job creation. To foster a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, several initiatives have been established: - Recapitalization strengthens banks by increasing their minimum capital requirements, bolstering investor confidence, and encouraging lending. - Central Bank provides intervention funds for sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and SMEs, offering affordable financing. - Development finance institutions (DFIs) like BOI and NEXIM offer long-term financing for strategic projects. - Collateral Registry facilitates credit access by allowing businesses to register movable assets as loan collateral. - Microfinance banks (MFBs) expand financial services, offering microloans and savings accounts to underserved individuals and small businesses. These government initiatives are part of a broader strategy to create an enabling environment for businesses in Nigeria. However, it is essential for entrepreneurs and business owners to be aware of these initiatives and understand how to access the support they provide. It is worth noting that while these initiatives aim to address the financing challenges faced by businesses, there are still certain hurdles that need to be overcome. Some of these hurdles include bureaucratic processes, lack of awareness about available support, and limited access to financing for certain sectors or regions. In essence, the Nigerian government has taken significant steps to support business financing and promote economic growth. Recapitalization of banks, intervention funds, development finance institutions, collateral registries, and microfinance banks are just a few examples of the initiatives implemented to facilitate access to finance. However, it is crucial for businesses to stay informed and seek professional advice to navigate the complexities of accessing these government support programs. Read: Interview Tips for Aspiring Corporate Finance Analysts in Nigeria Find Out More: Accredited Institutions Offering Corporate Finance in Nigeria Alternative Financing Options 1. Alternative financing options for businesses in Nigeria - Microfinance banks provide small loans and financial services for entrepreneurial ventures. - Trade credit allows businesses to buy goods and services on credit from suppliers. - Peer-to-peer lending platforms connect individuals and businesses looking for loans. - Lease financing helps businesses acquire assets without the need for large upfront payments. 2. Venture capital and private equity funding - Venture capital firms invest in high-potential startups in exchange for equity. - Private equity firms buy stakes in established businesses to help them grow and improve profitability. - These funding options provide not only financial support but also strategic guidance and industry connections. 3. Crowdfunding platforms and angel investors - Crowdfunding platforms allow entrepreneurs to raise funds from a large pool of individuals. - Angel investors are typically high-net-worth individuals who provide capital and mentorship to startups. - These options offer access to a diverse network of potential backers and can help validate business ideas. 4. Government grants and incentives - Various government agencies offer grants and incentives to promote economic growth and entrepreneurship. - These programs can provide capital, tax incentives, or subsidies to support businesses in specific sectors. - Entrepreneurs can take advantage of these opportunities to fund their ventures. 5. Supplier financing - Some suppliers offer financing options to their customers to support their purchasing needs. - This arrangement allows businesses to acquire necessary goods or services while deferring payment. - This can help alleviate cash flow constraints and provide flexibility in managing expenses. 6. Export trade financing - Export-oriented businesses can access financing options specifically tailored for international trade. - Export credit agencies provide insurance and financial products to mitigate the risks associated with exporting. - These options enable businesses to expand globally and tap into new markets. 7. Business partnerships and joint ventures - Collaborating with established businesses can provide access to their financial resources and expertise. - Joint ventures allow companies to pool their resources and share risks and rewards. - This alternative financing option can facilitate growth and access to new markets. 8. Impact investors and social enterprise funds - Impact investors seek to generate positive social or environmental outcomes alongside financial returns. - Social enterprise funds invest in businesses with a mission to create social impact. - These investors and funds support businesses that contribute to sustainable development practices. 9. Supplier financing - Some suppliers offer financing options to their customers to support their purchasing needs. - This arrangement allows businesses to acquire necessary goods or services while deferring payment. - This can help alleviate cash flow constraints and provide flexibility in managing expenses. 10. Bootstrapping and self-funding - Entrepreneurs can fund their businesses using personal savings or revenue generated from operations. - Bootstrapping requires discipline and resourcefulness, but it allows for complete control and avoids debt. - This approach may be suitable for businesses in the early stages or those with limited funding options. Basically, Nigeria's banking landscape offers various alternative financing options for businesses looking to finance their dreams. Whether through microfinance banks, venture capital, crowdfunding, or other means, entrepreneurs have a range of choices to access the capital necessary to fuel their growth and success. It is important to explore these options and assess each based on business needs, risk appetite, and long-term goals. By leveraging alternative financing, Nigerian businesses can overcome financial challenges and achieve their aspirations. Find Out More: Corporate Finance & The Regulatory Landscape in Nigeria Tips for Financing Your Business Dreams Tips for entrepreneurs seeking financing in Nigeria - Start by researching and understanding the different financing options available in Nigeria. - Consider approaching banks, microfinance institutions, angel investors, or venture capitalists depending on your business needs. - Prepare a comprehensive business plan that includes detailed financial projections and a clear growth strategy. - Ensure your business plan highlights the potential profitability and market demand for your product or service. - Build a strong case for your business by showcasing your expertise, experience, and track record in the industry. - Be prepared to provide collateral or personal guarantees to secure financing, especially if you are a new entrepreneur. - Consider alternative financing methods, such as crowdfunding or peer-to-peer lending, to supplement traditional options. - Seek professional guidance from business consultants, financial advisors, or mentors who can help you navigate the financing process. - Develop a compelling pitch or presentation that clearly communicates your business idea and its potential. - Highlight any unique selling points or competitive advantages that set your business apart from competitors. Building a strong business plan - Start with a clear executive summary that outlines your business concept, objectives, and target market. - Include an overview of your business structure, including legal registration, organizational structure, and ownership. - Describe your products or services in detail, emphasizing how they meet customer needs or address market gaps. - Conduct thorough market research to identify your target audience, their preferences, and potential competitors. - Develop a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy that outlines how you will reach and attract customers. - Create a detailed financial plan, including projected revenues, expenses, and profit margins for the next three to five years. - Include a breakdown of your funding requirements, detailing how much financing you need and how it will be utilized. - Outline your management team and their qualifications, highlighting how their skills contribute to your business success. - Include a risk analysis, identifying potential challenges or obstacles and explaining how you plan to overcome them. - Regularly review and update your business plan as your business evolves or when seeking additional financing. Establishing a good credit history - Open a business bank account and maintain a positive account history by making timely payments and managing cash flow. - Pay your suppliers and vendors on time or negotiate favorable payment terms to build strong supplier relationships. - Apply for a federal tax identification number (TIN) and ensure you file your tax returns accurately and punctually. - Keep your personal and business finances separate to demonstrate financial responsibility and credibility. - Regularly monitor your credit report and correct any errors or discrepancies to maintain an accurate credit history. - Build relationships with lenders and financial institutions through open communication and transparency. - Repay any existing loans or debts according to the agreed-upon terms to establish a positive repayment history. - Consider obtaining trade credit or business credit cards and manage them responsibly to build creditworthiness. - Showcase positive customer feedback, testimonials, or reviews to demonstrate your business's reliability and trustworthiness. - Consistently meet your financial obligations and avoid defaulting on loans or bills to maintain a good credit standing. Networking and seeking mentorship - Attend industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events to meet potential investors, collaborators, or mentors. - Join professional associations or business organizations that provide networking opportunities and access to resources. - Utilize online platforms like LinkedIn to connect with industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and potential investors. - Seek out mentorship opportunities from successful entrepreneurs or industry experts who can provide guidance and advice. - Build strong relationships with mentors by showing dedication, being open to feedback, and actively seeking their insights. - Participate in business incubator programs or accelerator initiatives that offer mentorship, networking, and funding opportunities. - Attend workshops, seminars, or webinars that focus on entrepreneurship, financing, or business growth strategies. - Engage in online forums or communities where entrepreneurs share their experiences and advice on financing and business growth. - Collaborate with other entrepreneurs or businesses in complementary industries to leverage each other's resources and expertise. - Always follow up and maintain communication with your network, keeping them updated on your progress and milestones. With these tips in mind, aspiring entrepreneurs in Nigeria can better finance their business dreams and increase their chances of success. Remember, perseverance, creativity, and resourcefulness are essential traits for overcoming challenges and securing financing in Nigeria's complex banking landscape. Nigeria's banking sector plays a vital role in financing business dreams and fostering growth. We have discussed key points such as the various financing options available, including loans, grants, and venture capital. It is crucial for businesses in Nigeria to actively seek these financing options to realize their entrepreneurial dreams. By leveraging the banking sector, businesses can access the necessary funds to expand operations, enhance product development, and drive innovation. The importance of building strong relationships with banks and financial institutions cannot be overstated. In summary, businesses in Nigeria should be proactive in exploring financing alternatives offered by the banking sector. This can be achieved through extensive research, networking, and establishing credibility. Developing a solid business plan and showcasing the potential for growth and profitability will greatly increase the chances of securing financing. Entrepreneurs should be encouraged to approach banks and financial institutions with confidence, demonstrating a clear understanding of their funding needs and repayment capabilities. By utilizing the resources and expertise of the banking sector, businesses can thrive, create job opportunities, and contribute to Nigeria's economic development. To summarize, Nigerian entrepreneurs should embrace the banking sector as a powerful tool for business growth and success. With determination and strategic planning, financing options can be accessed, unlocking the potential to turn business dreams into reality.
A Guide To Understanding CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later. The CAT4 assessment covers four types of Reasoning: - Verbal Reasoning - Non-Verbal Reasoning - Quantitative Reasoning - Spatial Reasoning For each of these, we've created a detailed breakdown of the various types of questions that can appear in your child's exam. This means you can take a systematic approach to exam preparation, ensuring every possibility is covered. Read on to learn a little more about the possible sub-topics for CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning. Non-Verbal Reasoning in the CAT4 Test is covered in the following modules: a) Figure Matrices b) Figure Classification For each of these, we've further categorised each question based on the specific skill being assessed. We've listed these breakdowns below: Figure Matrices Question Type 1: Combining Shapes or Figures Question Type 2: Division of Shapes Question Type 3: Number of Shapes or Elements Question Type 4: Changing Size Question Type 5: Changing Shading Question Type 6: Changing Shapes Question Type 7: Reflection Question Type 8: Position Question Type 9: Rotation Question Type 10: Line Style Changes Question Type 11: Multiple Techniques Question Type 12: Latin Squares Figure Classification Question Type 1: Rotation Question Type 2: Identical or Similar Figures Question Type 3: Number of Sides Question Type 4: Number of Shapes Question Type 5: Position Question Type 6: Reflection Question Type 7: Duplication Question Type 8: Shading Question Type 9: Size Question Type 10: Layers Question Type 11: Division of Shapes or Symmetry Question Type 12: Multiple Techniques If you've worked through any of our CAT4 Practice Tests, you will have noticed that each NVR question includes one of these sub-question tags in the explanation. This allows you to identify the types of questions your child finds most challenging as you work through the practice tests. Our CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Course then offers bitesized video tutorials explaining how to tackle each of these sub-questions, allowing your child to address any specific weaknesses. We hope you find this information beneficial. As you can see, we ensure our resources are designed to make sure your child is fully prepared, so there are no surprises on exam day. For a detailed breakdown of the other Reasoning sections in the CAT4 assessment, click the links below: ⦿ CAT4 Spatial Reasoning Guide ⦿ CAT4 Quantitative Reasoning Guide If you have specific questions about the CAT4, or any other assessment, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.
Inverse Rendering 63 papers with code • 1 benchmarks • 3 datasets Inverse Rendering is the task of recovering the properties of a scene, such as shape, material, and lighting, from an image or a video. The goal of inverse rendering is to determine the properties of a scene given an observation of it, and to generate new images or videos based on these properties. Most implemented papers ADOP: Approximate Differentiable One-Pixel Point Rendering Like other neural renderers, our system takes as input calibrated camera images and a proxy geometry of the scene, in our case a point cloud. Extracting Triangular 3D Models, Materials, and Lighting From Images We present an efficient method for joint optimization of topology, materials and lighting from multi-view image observations. Intrinsic Image Decomposition via Ordinal Shading We encourage the model to learn an accurate decomposition by computing losses on the estimated shading as well as the albedo implied by the intrinsic model. SfSNet: Learning Shape, Reflectance and Illuminance of Faces in the Wild SfSNet learns from a mixture of labeled synthetic and unlabeled real world images. RenderNet: A deep convolutional network for differentiable rendering from 3D shapes We present RenderNet, a differentiable rendering convolutional network with a novel projection unit that can render 2D images from 3D shapes. Differentiable Monte Carlo Ray Tracing through Edge Sampling We introduce a general-purpose differentiable ray tracer, which, to our knowledge, is the first comprehensive solution that is able to compute derivatives of scalar functions over a rendered image with respect to arbitrary scene parameters such as camera pose, scene geometry, materials, and lighting parameters. InverseRenderNet: Learning single image inverse rendering By incorporating a differentiable renderer, our network can learn from self-supervision. Inverse Rendering for Complex Indoor Scenes: Shape, Spatially-Varying Lighting and SVBRDF from a Single Image Our inverse rendering network incorporates physical insights -- including a spatially-varying spherical Gaussian lighting representation, a differentiable rendering layer to model scene appearance, a cascade structure to iteratively refine the predictions and a bilateral solver for refinement -- allowing us to jointly reason about shape, lighting, and reflectance. Differentiable Surface Splatting for Point-based Geometry Processing We propose Differentiable Surface Splatting (DSS), a high-fidelity differentiable renderer for point clouds. Deep Single-Image Portrait Relighting In this work, we apply a physically-based portrait relighting method to generate a large scale, high quality, "in the wild" portrait relighting dataset (DPR).
The Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has stated that the Government of Kosovo this year has financially supported students with 3 million euros in five different scholarship schemes, at all levels, and that this support will increase every year because they have noticed that the effects of this support are returning to successful results. Kurti at the Mathematical Olympiad of Kosovo, in which about 500 students who have been selected as the most successful from all the municipalities of Kosovo are participating, said that mathematics is not only a subject but is a universal language that transcends borders, cultures and identities. He said that from today's competition, he is convinced that there will be winners who will represent our country in competitions with peers from other countries around the world and will bring many medals. According to him, in 2023, the Government has allocated 1,882 scholarships for girls studying in the field of science, technology, and mathematics. Meanwhile, the president of the Association of Mathematicians of Kosovo, Valdete Rexhëbeqaj-Hamiti, said that today the best from all the municipalities of Kosovo will compete. She added that after a continuous commitment, Kosovo has won the right to organize the 14th Mathematical Olympiad for girls "European Girl's Mathematical Olympiad", which will be held in 2025. Rexhëbeqaj-Hamiti emphasized that winning the right to organize this competition for 2025 is an extraordinary achievement for Kosovo and a clear proof that Kosovo has the professional and organizational capacities to be the leader of the most prestigious international events. Meanwhile, the rector at the University of Prishtina, Qerim Qerimi emphasized that the Mathematical Olympiad of Kosovo is a prestigious competition for pre-university students in the country from the field of mathematics. He added that among more than 100 countries, Kosovo has been participating in this Olympics since 2011, for which he added that since then the Kosovo team has won two Olympic medals. Those present were also greeted by the Minister of Education, Arbërie Nagavci, who said that support will continue for students who will represent Kosovo in various international competitions. Otherwise, for the 16th time in a row, the Mathematical Olympiad of Kosovo is being held, where for the first time the students of the 7th and 8th grades are also participating. From the Mathematical Olympiad of Kosovo, which is organized by the Association of Mathematicians of Kosovo, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, a team of 6 students will be selected to represent the state of Kosovo in the 65th International Mathematical Olympiad – IMO 2024, which will be held in Bath, United Kingdom from 11. 07. 2024, until 24. 07. 2024, where Kosovo participates for the fourteenth time as a member with rights to complete. From this Olympiad, the team of four girls is selected to represent the state of Kosovo in the 13th European Mathematics Olympiad for Girls – EGMO 2024, which will be held in the city of Tskaltubo, in Georgia, from 11.04.2024 to 19.04.2024. Also, from the Mathematical Olympiad of Kosovo, students from grades VII, VIII and IX will be selected to represent the state of Kosovo in the 5th Mathematical Olympiad Kosovo – Albania, which will be held in July 2024.
Zip code area 28117 in Mooresville, Iredell County, NC - State:North CarolinaCounties:Iredell CountyCities:MooresvilleCounty FIPS:37097Area total:54.770 sq miArea land:39.103 sq miArea water:15.667 sq miElevation:3.513 feet - Latitude:35,5782Longitude:-80,8802Dman name cbsa:Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SCTimezone:Eastern Standard Time (EST) UTC-5:00; Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) UTC-4:00Coordinates:35.57216, -80.89562GMAP: North Carolina 28117, USA - Population:45,346 individualsPopulation density:17,289.56 people per square milesHouseholds:4,005Unemployment rate:4.0%Household income:$98,662 average annual incomeHousing units:19,722 residential housing unitsHealth insurance:4.8% of residents who report not having health insuranceVeterans:0.8% of residents who are veterans The ZIP 28117 is a South ZIP code and located in the preferred city/town Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina with a population estimated today at about 54.748 peoples. The preferred city may be different from the city where the zip code 28117 is located. Mooresville is usually the name of the main post office. When sending a package or mail, always indicate your preferred or accepted cities. Using any city from the list of invalid cities may result in delays. Living in the postal code area 28117 of Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina 49.8% of population who are male and 50.2% who are female. The median age for all people, for males & for females based on 2020 Census data. Median is the middle value, when all possible values are listed in order. Median is not the same as Average (or Mean). Household income staggered according to certain income ranges. The median commute time of resident workers require for a one-way commute to work in minutes. The distribution of different age groups in the population of the zip code area of Mooresville, Iredell County 28117. The percentage distribution of the population by race. Estimated residential value of individual residential buildings as a percentage. The age of the building does not always say something about the structural condition of the residential buildings. The percentage of education level of the population. Iredell County - State:North CarolinaCounty:Iredell CountyZips:28699,28010,28123,28688,28687,28660,28689,28634,28166,28625,28115,28677,28117Coordinates:35.80704330708991, -80.87344732135347Area total:597.43 sq. mi., 1547.34 sq. km, 382355.84 acresArea land:574.30 sq. mi., 1487.42 sq. km, 367549.44 acresArea water:23.14 sq. mi., 59.92 sq. km, 14806.40 acresEstablished:1788Capital seat: Address: PO BOX 788 County Government Center Statesville, NC 28687-0788 Governing Body: County Commissioners with 5 board size Governing Authority: Dillon's Rule Iredell County, North Carolina, United States - Website: - Population:186,693; Population change: 17.10% (2010 - 2020)Population density:325 persons per square mileHousehold income:$49,618Households:60,823Unemployment rate:7.30% per 88,855 county labor force - Sales taxes:6.75%Income taxes:8.25%GDP:$7.93 B, gross domestic product (GDP) Iredell County's population of North Carolina of 46,693 residents in 1930 has increased 4-fold to 186,693 residents after 90 years, according to the official 2020 census. U.S. Bureau of the Census beginning in 1900. Data for 1870-1890 are on a de facto or unspecified basis; data for 1900 and later years are resident totals. Approximately 50.97% female residents and 49.03% male residents live in as of 2020, 65.19% in Iredell County, North Carolina are married and the remaining 34.81% are single population. As of 2020, 65.19% in Iredell County, North Carolina are married and the remaining 34.81% are single population. - Housing units:79,372 residential units of which 91.60% share occupied residential units. 27.1 minutes is the average time that residents in Iredell County require for a one-way commute to work. A long commute can have different effects on health. A Gallup poll in the US found that in terms of mental health, long haul commuters are up to 12 percent more likely to experience worry, and ten percent less likely to feel well rested. The Gallup poll also found that of people who commute 61–90 minutes each day, a whopping one third complained of neck and back pain, compared to less than a quarter of people who only spend ten minutes getting to work. 82.55% of the working population which commute to work alone in their car, 12.07% of the working population which commutes to work in a carpool, 0.22% of the population that commutes using mass transit, including bus, light rail, subway, and ferry. 3.06% of the population that has their home as their principal place of work. Of the total residential buildings in Iredell County, North Carolina 68.39% are owner-occupied homes, another 20.98% are rented apartments, and the remaining 10.64% are vacant. The 48.79% of the population in Iredell County, North Carolina who identify themselves as belonging to a religion are distributed among the following most diverse religions. Since the 1860s, the two main parties have been the Republican Party (here in 2022 = 61.710%) and the Democratic Party (here in 2022 = 37.340%) of those eligible to vote in Iredell County, North Carolina. Mooresville, North Carolina - State:North CarolinaCounty:Iredell CountyCity:MooresvilleCounty FIPS:37097Coordinates:35°35′05″N 80°49′36″WArea total:26.58 sq mi (68.84 km²)Area land:26.51 sq mi (68.66 km²)Area water:0.07 sq mi (0.17 km²)Elevation:840 ft (260 m)Established:1873 - Latitude:35,5782Longitude:-80,8802Dman name cbsa:Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCTimezone:Eastern Standard Time (EST) UTC-5:00; Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) UTC-4:00ZIP codes:28115,28117GMAP: Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina, United States - Population:11,747Population density:1,893.29 residents per square mile of area (731.00/km²)Household income:$53,752Households:8,727Unemployment rate:12.70% - Sales taxes:6.75%Income taxes:8.25% Mooresville is a large town located in the southwestern section of Iredell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 50,193 at the 2020 United States Census. It is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of Charlotte. The town is best known as the home of many NASCAR racing teams and drivers, along with an IndyCar team and its drivers. It has earned the town the nickname "Race City USA". Also located in Mooresville are the corporate headquarters of Lowe's Corporation and Universal Technical Institute's NASCAR Technical Institute. The area that would develop into the town of Mooresvile was originally settled by English, German, and Scots-Irish families who moved into the area from nearby Rowan County, as well as from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. Many of the early families such as the Wilsons, Davidsons, Cowans, Sherrills, Torrances, and others came to the area as early as the mid-1700s. They formed small communities that eventually grew into the community known as "Deep Well", which took its name from a large natural well that was found in the area. Major Rufus Reid was the most prominent planter in. the area, enslaving 81 African Americans on over 2,000 acres (810 ha) of land. His property was known as Mount Mourne Plantation, named after the Mourne Mountains of County Down in Northern Ireland. The Moorsville minor league baseball team played in the North Carolina State League from 1937 to 1942. Mooresville is located in southern Iredell County at 35°354N 80°4913W (35.584337, 80.820139). Interstate 77 passes through the western side of the town, with access from Exits 31 through 36. I-77 leads south to the South Carolina border and north to the Virginia line. Statesville, just to the north, is the county seat. According to the United States Census Bureau, Mooresville has a total area of 21.0 square miles (54.3 km²), of which 20.9 square miles are land and 0.1 km², or 0.24%, is water. The town is located 27 miles (43 km) north of Charlotte and 16 miles (26 km) south of Statesville. Lake Norman, on the Catawba River, is 3 to 8 miles (5 to 13 km) west of the Town center. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the town has a population of 2,788. The city is located on the North Carolina-South Carolina border, and is on the Virginia-Virginia line. It is located near the intersection of Interstate 77 and I-95, with exits 31 and 36 leading to South Carolina and Virginia, and Exits 36 and 37 leading to Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. It has an elevation of 35.4 feet (12.7 meters) and is located at 35.5 feet (11.5 meters) above sea level. Mooresville was originally settled by English, German, and Scots-Irish families who moved into the area from nearby Rowan County, as well as from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. Many of the early families such as the Wilsons, Davidsons, Cowans, Sherrills, Torrances, and others came to the area as early as the mid-1700s. In 1856, a railroad was placed on a ridge that crossed the land of a local farmer by the name of John Franklin Moore. Moore set up a depot on his land, and encouraged others to help establish a small village on the location in the late 1850s. The little village, known as "Moore's Siding", was born. The Civil War hampered developments, with the railroad tracks being removed to aid the Confederate efforts in Virginia. After the war, the tracks were returned, and the village slowly began to prosper. The town was incorporated as Mooresville in 1873. In 1938, artist Alicia Weincek painted the mural North Carolina Cotton Industry in the town's post office, having won a WPA competition for the commissioned work. Selma Burke, a prominent sculptor during the Harlem Renaissance, created the bust of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the Four Freedoms plaque on the Recorder of Deeds building in Washington, D.C. The bust would later be used for the image on the U.S. dime. On October 3, 2015, Duke reported that a sinkhole had formed at the base of the Marshall Steam Station dam on Lake Norman. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) says Duke placed a liner in the hole and filled it with crushed stone. Duke Energy, to repair a rusted, leaking pipe, received approval from North Carolina to dump coal ash (containing arsenic, lead, thallium and mercury, among other heavy metals) into Lake Norman in December 2014. Race City USA Mooresville is home to more than 60 NASCAR teams and racing-related businesses. Mooresville features two automotive museums: the Memory Lane Motorsports and Historical Automotive Museum, and the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. The town is also home to an IndyCar team. The North Carolina Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official resource for travelers in the state. The city is located on the banks of the N.C. Turnpike, which is a major thoroughfare in the area. It is also the site of the NASCAR Grand National Championship, which took place in 1998. The NASCAR team won the championship for the first time in the history of the town in 2000. It was the first NASCAR team to win the title in North Carolina since the 1950s. The team has since won the title again in 2008. The race team has also won the Coca-Cola 600, the NASCAR Truck Championship and the Winston Cup Championship in the last two years. The track is located in the town's historic downtown area, which has a population of more than 100,000. It also has the NASCAR Museum, which was built in the 1930s and features a collection of racing memorabilia, including cars, cars and other memorabilia from the era. It has also been home to the NASCAR Hall of Famer, Dale Earnhardt, who died in a car crash in 2004. The N. Carolina Motor Racing Museum is a museum dedicated to the history and legacy of the sport. It opened in 1958. As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 50,193 people, 14,233 households, and 9,866 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 81.54% White, 14.23% African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.66% Asian,0.02% Pacific Islander, and 1.06% from two or more races. The median income for a household in the city was $42,943, and $51,011 for a family. About 5.6% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 12.3% ofThose age 65 or over. In the 2000 census, the town had a population of 18,823 people, 7,139 households and 5,082 families. The town has a population density of 1,281.6 people per square mile (494.7/km²), with 7,741 housing units at an average density of 527.1 per squaremile (203.5/ km²) The town's population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18. For every 100 females, there are 93.4 males. For each 100 females age 18 or over, there is 88.8 males. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.09. The per capita income for the town is $20,549. The town of Mooresville is run in a Commission-Manager style of municipal government. The Town Manager is Randy Hemann. The Board of Commissioners is presided by Mayor Miles Atkins and can be presided over by Mayor Pro Tempore and Ward 4 Commissioner Lisa Qualls in the event of Atkins absence. The town has a population of 2,000. The city is located in the eastern part of the state. The population of the town is 2,200. the town's population was 2,100 in the year 2000. the city's population at the time of the 2010 census was 1,788. the population at that time was 1.903. The mayor is Miles Atkins, who is also the mayor pro Tempore. The board of commissioners has a total of seven members, with the mayor and the mayor-pro Tempore serving as co-presidents. the board has a maximum of five members. the mayor has a term of office of five years, with a maximum term of seven years. the current term is five years and the maximum term is six years. It is the first town in the state to have a mayor pro tempore and a commissioner in the same office. The council has a minimum term of three years and a maximum period of six years, both of which can be extended to seven years if necessary. It has been in existence since the town was founded in 1881. It was the first city in the county to be incorporated. The first town to become a city was in 1883. Transportation and highways Interstate 77 - passes through the western side of Mooresville. US 21- runs parallel to I-77. North Carolina Highway 3- passes through downtown. Lake Norman Airpark is located on the edge of Lake Norman and is 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of downtown. A thriving "fly-in community", the airport is home to almost 50 lots. Tie-downs and fuel are available. The airport is owned by the surrounding Lake Norman airpark Owners Association. It offers a 3,100-foot (940 m) runway. It is located near the town of Davidson, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The town is also home to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which has a campus of the College of Arts and Sciences. The city is also the home of the North Carolina Museum of Art, which was founded in 1875. It has a museum of African-American history and culture, which dates back to the 19th century. The museum is located at the center of the town, near the intersection of Interstate 77 and US 21. It also offers a museum on the history of the city, as well as a museum about the town's early history. It was also the site of the first public library in the state, which opened in 1876. The library is now closed, but it is still open for special events and events. The community also has its own museum, the Museum of African American History and Culture, which is open to the public every year. Mooresville is primarily served by the Mooresville Graded School District, but is also partly in the Iredell-Statesville school system. A proposal in the 2007 North Carolina state budget could have possibly consolidated the two systems. It was stalled in committee though and failed passage. By 2010, every student in the fourth through twelfth grades had a MacBook laptop. In 2010, the high school's football stadium was dedicated and renamed after Coach Joe Popp. Coach Popp is also a member of the Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame. Mitchell Community College's main campus is in Statesville, the county seat of I redell County. The town also has a private school, Lake Norman Christian School, and a charter school, Pine Lake Preparatory School. It is also the location of Davidson Day School, which is located 1 mile north of Davidson College in Iredel County. It also has an elementary school, Rocky River Elementary, and an middle school, which are all located in the town of Mooresvile. It has a high school, known as the Magnolia Street Campus, which has a football stadium named in honor of the 1961 Blue Devils, who won the NC State High School Football Championship. The high school is also home to the N.F. Woods Technology & Art Center (Part of MHS), which is also part of the MHS campus. The school district has also built a new intermediate school and elementary school and is using the old middle school as an extended campus of the High School. Historic districts Mooresville is home to a number of historic sites including Mount Mourne Plantation, Johnson-Neel House, Cornelius House, and Espy Watts Brawley House. Mooresville has three historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town is also home to South Broad Street Row, a district of older homes, some now in commercial use, near downtown. In addition to the historic sites, the town has a large number of restaurants and bars. The city is located on the North Carolina Turnpike, which runs through the town's downtown area. It is also on the U.S. Interstate 70, which connects the city to the east and the west. The North Carolina Turnpike and the South Carolina Interstates connect the town to the north and the east, respectively. In the south, the city's main street, South Broad Street, is known as the "Main Street" and is located near the former mill site. The downtown commercial district is called the "Downtown Historic District" The town also has the "Mill Village" Historic District, which includes a residential area near the old mill site, and the "South Broad Street Row" Historic District, which is made up of several older homes in the downtown area, some of which are now in use as commercial use. The "Mill Village Historic District" is also located in the city, and includes the former Mill Village Commercial District and the Mill Village Historic District. Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index The Air Quality index is in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina = 82. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 85. A measure of the quality of an area's water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 20. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Mooresville = 4.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide. The most recent city population of 11,747 individuals with a median age of 34.9 age the population grows by 23.79% in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,893.29 residents per square mile of area (731.00/km²). There are average 2.63 people per household in the 8,727 households with an average household income of $53,752 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 12.70% of the available work force and has dropped -3.32% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 20.66%. The number of physicians in Mooresville per 100,000 population = 188. The annual rainfall in Mooresville = 42.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 5 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 107. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 216. 89 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 26.1 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 36, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people. Median Home Cost The percentage of housing units in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina which are owned by the occupant = 61.38%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 13 years with median home cost = $161,170 and home appreciation of -8.73%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $5.72 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate. The local school district spends $4,533 per student. There are 19.3 students for each teacher in the school, 750 students for each Librarian and 438 students for each Counselor. 9.59% of the area's population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 18.18% with a master's degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.37% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs). Mooresville's population in Iredell County, North Carolina of 1,533 residents in 1900 has increased 7,66-fold to 11,747 residents after 120 years, according to the official 2020 census. Approximately 51.25% female residents and 48.75% male residents live in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina. As of 2020 in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina are married and the remaining 33.62% are single population. 29.2 minutes is the average time that residents in Mooresville require for a one-way commute to work. A long commute can have different effects on health. A Gallup poll in the US found that in terms of mental health, long haul commuters are up to 12 percent more likely to experience worry, and ten percent less likely to feel well rested. The Gallup poll also found that of people who commute 61–90 minutes each day, a whopping one third complained of neck and back pain, compared to less than a quarter of people who only spend ten minutes getting to work. 84.45% of the working population which commute to work alone in their car, 10.34% of the working population which commutes to work in a carpool, 0.21% of the population that commutes using mass transit, including bus, light rail, subway, and ferry. 2.62% of the population that has their home as their principal place of work. Of the total residential buildings in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina, 61.38% are owner-occupied homes, another 29.50% are rented apartments, and the remaining 9.12% are vacant. The 48.79% of the population in Mooresville, Iredell County, North Carolina who identify themselves as belonging to a religion are distributed among the following most diverse religions.
Embarking on a culinary journey through the United Arab Emirates reveals a captivating tapestry of flavors and cultural heritage. The food from the UAE, influenced by Persian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian traditions, offers a delightful fusion of tastes. From beloved traditional dishes to tantalizing street cuisine, Emirati food is a treasure trove of mouthwatering delights that showcase the richness of its food culture. Let's dive into this diverse and vibrant world of the food culture of the United Arab Emirates. Top Ingredients of the food from United Arab Emirates In the food of the United Arab Emirates, a rich tapestry of flavors is crafted through the skillful combination of various ingredients. Here is a list of the most commonly used ingredients that form the foundation of Emirati culinary traditions: Rice: A staple in Emirati cuisine, rice is often served with various dishes and can be prepared in different ways, such as Mandi (spiced rice with meat), Kabsa (rice cooked with spices and meat), or Harees (slow-cooked wheat and meat). Lamb: Lamb is the preferred meat in the United Arab Emirates and plays a central role in traditional dishes like Al Harees, Al Machboos, and Shuwa. Spices: Emirati cuisine incorporates a range of aromatic spices, including saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg, which infuse depth and flavor into their dishes. Yogurt: Yogurt is an essential component of Emirati cuisine, used as a condiment, marinade, or base for various dishes and drinks like Laban and Ayran. Onions and Garlic: These two ingredients are fundamental to many Emirati recipes, providing a savory foundation and depth of flavor. Dates: Dates are a beloved and traditional ingredient in Emirati cuisine, used in both sweet and savory dishes, as well as desserts and beverages. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are frequently used in Emirati cooking to enhance the taste of stews, rice dishes, and salads, adding a hint of acidity. Mint: Fresh mint is a popular herb in Emirati cuisine, utilized to impart a refreshing and aromatic touch to salads, chutneys, and meat-based dishes. Nuts: Almonds, cashews, and pine nuts are commonly employed in Emirati cuisine, adding crunch and richness to various dishes, including desserts like Aseeda. Emirati Bread (Khameer and Raqaq): Bread is a significant part of Emirati meals, and Khameer and Raqaq are the most common types, served alongside various dishes or as a base for toppings. These ingredients, along with a variety of herbs, spices, and other local produce, contribute to the diverse and captivating flavors found in the cuisine of the United Arab Emirates. The variety of food from Emirati cuisine United Arab Emirates cuisine offers a captivating array of flavors and dishes that mirror the nation's rich history and cultural diversity. Influenced by Arabic, Persian, Indian, and Mediterranean culinary traditions, Emirati food provides a unique fusion of ingredients and cooking techniques. One of the most celebrated dishes is Al Harees, a hearty concoction of wheat and meat slow-cooked to perfection, often enjoyed during special occasions. Another beloved Emirati specialty is Al Machboos, a flavorful rice dish typically made with chicken, lamb, or seafood, seasoned with an aromatic blend of spices. The heartiness of Emirati cuisine is evident in its grilled Kebabs, prepared with a variety of meats like lamb, chicken, or beef, marinated in a delightful mix of spices. The nation's passion for stews shines through in dishes like Saloona, a savory blend of meat, vegetables, and spices, often served with rice. For a vegetarian option, try Al Harees Al Khadhra, a green version of Al Harees made with fresh herbs and vegetables. Another popular choice is Al Samboosa, crispy pastry triangles filled with spiced meat or vegetables, providing a delightful crunchy texture and a burst of flavor. Satisfying your sweet cravings, Emirati cuisine presents delightful desserts like Luqaimat, small deep-fried dumplings drizzled with date syrup or honey, and served as a sweet treat. The diversity of Emirati food is further displayed in its regional specialties, with each emirate showcasing distinct recipes and culinary techniques. Whether savoring the succulent flavors of a Kebab or enjoying the comforting taste of Al Machboos, exploring the variety of United Arab Emirates cuisine is an exciting journey through cultural richness and gastronomic pleasure. While visiting the beautiful United Arab Emirates, you can savor all the best recipes from Emirati cuisine. We offer a wide range of tours in the United Arab Emirates for you to choose from and explore the culinary delights of this vibrant nation. Best Foods in United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates offers a diverse range of delectable dishes that tantalize the taste buds with their rich flavors and cultural significance. While it's challenging to single out a definitive list of the "best" foods, some dishes stand out as particularly beloved and iconic in Emirati cuisine. Emirati cuisine is renowned for its creative use of spices, including saffron, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, garlic, black lime, fenugreek, and rosewater for its rich and flavorful dishes. The result is a harmonious blend of aromatic spices and vibrant herbs that make Emirati food truly exceptional. Most Famous Emirati Foods Here are the top most famous foods in the United Arab Emirates that have garnered recognition both locally and internationally: Machboos: A symbol of Emirati hospitality, Machboos is a fragrant rice dish cooked with spiced meat (often chicken or lamb), dried lime, and aromatic spices. This flavorful combination creates a harmonious explosion of tastes and is often served with a side of tomato sauce and yogurt. Shawarma: Emirati Shawarma is renowned for its succulent taste and flavorful aroma. Whether it's chicken, lamb, or beef, the meat is marinated in a blend of spices and roasted on a vertical spit, then thinly sliced and served in flatbread or pita with a variety of toppings and sauces. Shawarma is a popular street food and an integral part of Emirati cuisine. Luqaimat: Luqaimat are sweet dumplings deep-fried until golden brown and drizzled with date syrup or honey, creating a delicious combination of crispy and syrupy goodness. These little treats are often served during festive occasions and celebrations. These renowned Emirati dishes showcase the richness and diversity of the United Arab Emirates' culinary heritage, making them popular not only within the UAE but also among food enthusiasts around the world. Emirati Desserts Desserts in the United Arab Emirates offer a delightful conclusion to a satisfying meal, showcasing a blend of sweet flavors and delicate textures. These desserts are deeply rooted in Emirati culture and are often enjoyed during celebrations, festivals, and special occasions. Some popular Emirati desserts include: Luqaimat: Luqaimat are small, deep-fried dumplings drizzled with date syrup or honey, making them sweet, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. They are a favorite treat during Ramadan and other festive occasions. Umm Ali: Umm Ali is a traditional Emirati bread pudding made with layers of pastry, nuts, and raisins, soaked in sweetened milk or cream. It's baked until golden brown and served warm, making it a comforting and indulgent dessert. Balaleet: Balaleet is a unique Emirati dessert that combines sweet and savory flavors. It consists of vermicelli cooked with sugar, cardamom, saffron, and rosewater, and is often topped with a fried egg. The combination of sweet and savory elements makes it a distinctive treat. These Emirati desserts offer a taste of the rich culinary heritage of the United Arab Emirates, providing a sweet and satisfying end to any meal or celebration. The culture behind Emirati food The culture behind Emirati food is deeply rooted in tradition, hospitality, and community. Emirati cuisine reflects the United Arab Emirates' rich history and diverse cultural influences, blending elements from Arabian, Persian, Indian, and Levantine culinary traditions. Food holds significant cultural importance in the UAE and plays a central role in social gatherings, family events, and religious celebrations. Hospitality is a cornerstone of Emirati culture, and sharing food with guests is a deeply ingrained tradition. When visitors arrive at an Emirati home, they are warmly welcomed with an array of delicious dishes, reflecting the host's generosity and desire to make their guests feel at home. Meals are often communal affairs, with everyone seated around a shared platter, emphasizing the importance of togetherness and solidarity in Emirati culture. Also, read: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah Take a culinary journey through Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, and immerse yourself in the captivating flavors that have been crafted and cherished for generations in the United Arab Emirates. Let the traditional foods of each city paint a flavorful picture of Emirati cuisine, inviting you to savor the unique delights of these remarkable regions. Within the enchanting world of Emirati cuisine, each region brings its own distinct flavors and culinary traditions. Let's embark on a journey to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, and discover the delightful differences in their traditional foods. The variations in dishes from each Emirati city can be attributed to a combination of factors, including geography, historical influences, and the local communities in each region. The United Arab Emirates' diverse landscape, ranging from bustling cities to desert expanses and coastal areas, has influenced the availability of certain ingredients and agricultural practices, leading to variations in the types of dishes that have evolved in each city. Dubai's Al Harees is a slow-cooked dish made with ground wheat and tender meat, symbolizing Emirati hospitality. Abu Dhabi's Al Majboos takes a flavorful twist on rice, combining marinated meat, vegetables, and fragrant spices for a delightful taste experience. Sharjah's Al Machboos offers a spicy version of the popular dish, with well-seasoned rice and meat cooked to perfection, pleasing the palate with bold flavors. For example, in Dubai, as a global hub and a melting pot of cultures, the culinary scene is more diverse and influenced by a mix of traditions from various regions. Abu Dhabi, as the capital of the UAE, showcases a blend of international influences, leading to dishes like Al Majboos. In Sharjah, the local Emirati culture influences the cuisine, resulting in spicier and robust dishes like Al Machboos. Comparing the three cities, Dubai offers a diverse range of dishes influenced by its cosmopolitan nature, Abu Dhabi highlights a fusion of flavors, and Sharjah tantalizes with bold spice combinations. Each city showcases its own culinary identity, adding depth to the multifaceted and rich tapestry of Emirati cuisine. Continuing our journey to Dubai, the dazzling and vibrant city of the United Arab Emirates, we find ourselves immersed in a culinary scene that epitomizes the city's multicultural and cosmopolitan nature. Dubai's food culture is a fusion of global influences, offering a diverse range of flavors and dining experiences that cater to every palate. Famous Food from Dubai - Shawarma: Succulent strips of marinated meat, typically chicken or beef, served in a warm flatbread with tahini sauce. - Al Faham Chicken: Spiced and marinated grilled chicken, a popular street food delight. - Hummus: Creamy chickpea dip served with fresh vegetables and warm pita bread. - Mandi: A fragrant rice and meat dish, often featuring lamb or chicken, cooked with a blend of aromatic spices. - Manousheh: A traditional Lebanese flatbread topped with za'atar, olive oil, and sometimes cheese or vegetables. - Falafel: Deep-fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, often served in sandwiches or as snacks. Abu Dhabi Our culinary journey continues to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, where we discover a city that celebrates a fusion of international flavors while preserving its rich Emirati culinary heritage. Abu Dhabi's food culture showcases a blend of traditional Emirati dishes and global influences, offering a diverse and exciting dining experience. Famous Food from Abu Dhabi - Machboos: A fragrant rice dish made with marinated meat, vegetables, and a blend of aromatic spices, similar to Al Majboos. - Al Madhbi: Grilled meat dishes, often featuring lamb or chicken, marinated in flavorful spices and herbs. - Samboosa: Crispy triangular pastries filled with spiced meat, vegetables, or lentils, a popular snack. - Al Harees al Dar: A sweet version of the traditional Al Harees, prepared with added sugar and served during special occasions. - Biryani: Flavorful rice dish cooked with aromatic spices and meat or vegetables, a favorite in the city's diverse cuisine. Our culinary journey concludes in Sharjah, a city known for its rich cultural heritage and traditional Emirati cuisine. Sharjah's food culture embraces the authentic flavors of the UAE, offering a glimpse into the region's culinary roots. The city's dishes are characterized by their simplicity and use of locally sourced ingredients. Famous Food from Sharjah - Kabsa: A fragrant rice dish prepared with marinated meat, vegetables, and a blend of aromatic spices, akin to Al Machboos. - Al Jisheen: Traditional Emirati stew made with dried fish, rice, and aromatic spices. - Al Areesh: A flavorful fermented dairy dish, often enjoyed with dates or flatbread. - Khameer: A type of traditional Emirati bread, slightly sweet and fluffy, commonly served with local dishes. - Luqaimat: Deep-fried sweet dumplings, a beloved dessert in Sharjah's culinary repertoire.
In a world filled with synthetic alternatives, more and more people are turning to herbal products for their health and wellness needs. The natural goodness of herbs offers a holistic approach to healing and nourishing the body. However, with the abundance of herbal products flooding the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the one that best suits you. In this guide, we'll help you navigate the green jungle and find the herbal product that meets your unique needs and preferences. Identify your needs It is vital to identify your specific health and wellness goals. Are you looking for a natural remedy for stress relief, immune system support, digestion or a sleep aid? Knowing your needs will narrow down your choices and make the selection process more manageable. Research and education Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to herbal products. Take the time to research and educate yourself about different herbs, their properties and potential benefits. Understand how each herb interacts with the body and whether it addresses your specific concerns. Reliable sources, such as scientific studies, herbalists and trusted health websites, can provide valuable information. Consider the form and delivery Herbal products come in various forms, such as capsules, tea, tinctures and local applications. Consider your preferences and lifestyle when choosing the format that best suits you. Capsules can be convenient for people on the go, while teas offer a soothing ritual for those who enjoy a hot beverage. Topical applications are ideal for targeted relief, while tinctures provide a concentrated liquid form for easy absorption. Quality counts Not all herbal products are created equal. Pay attention to the quality and origin of the herbs used in the products you are considering. Look for products that use herbs of organic or sustainable origin, as these are more likely to be free of pesticides and contaminants. Third-party testing and certifications can also attest to the quality and purity of the product. Professional advice If you have specific health concerns or are currently taking medications, it is advisable to consult a health professional or herbalist before incorporating new herbal products into your routine. They can provide personalized advice based on your health history, ensuring that your chosen herbal product is safe and effective for you. Listen to your body Once you have chosen a herbal product, pay attention to how your body responds. Everyone's body is unique and what works for one person may not work for another. Give the product some time to work and adjust the dosage if needed. If you experience any side effects, discontinue use and consult a health care professional. Herbal products and their benefits Chamomile tea Benefits:Chamomile has long been famous for its calming and soothing effects. Chamomile tea is a popular choice for promoting relaxation, relieving stress and helping to promote better sleep. It is also known for its mild digestive benefits, making it an excellent choice after meals. Tincture of echinacea Benefits: Echinacea is often used to support the immune system, especially during cold and flu season. Echinacea tinctures are concentrated liquid extracts that make it easy to incorporate this herb into your wellness routine. Regular use can help reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms. Lavender essential oil Benefits:Lavender essential oil is valued for its calming aroma and potential anxiolytic properties. A few drops in a diffuser or added to a massage carrier oil can create a calm atmosphere, promoting relaxation and a sense of well-being. Benefits:Ginger is known for its digestive properties, helping to relieve nausea and supporting overall gastrointestinal health. Chewable ginger tablets offer a convenient and tasty way to enjoy the benefits of ginger, especially for those who may find the taste of raw ginger too strong. Valerian root extract Benefits: Valerian root is traditionally used as a natural remedy for insomnia and sleep disorders. Valerian root extracts or capsules can help improve sleep quality and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, making it a popular choice for those struggling with sleep disorders. Frequently asked questions How do herbal products differ from medicines? Herbal products are derived from plants and contain natural compounds, while pharmaceutical drugs are often synthesised in laboratories. Herbal products can offer a more holistic approach, with an emphasis on supporting the body's natural processes. However, it is important to note that the efficacy and safety of herbal products can vary and consultation with a healthcare professional is recommended. Are herbal products safe to use? In general, many herbal products are considered safe when used as directed. However, individual reactions may vary and some herbs may interact with medications or have contraindications for certain medical conditions. It is vital to consult a health care professional before incorporating new herbal products into your routine, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking prescription medications. How long does it take for herbal products to show results? The time it takes for herbal products to show results can vary depending on the individual, the specific herb and the intended purpose. Some herbal products, such as teas or tinctures, may provide faster relief, while others, such as capsules for chronic conditions, may take longer. It is important to be patient and consistent with use, following the recommended dosages. Can I use multiple herbal products together? Using multiple herbal products together is possible, but it is important to be careful and aware of possible interactions. Some herbs may enhance or interfere with the effects of others, and combining certain herbs with medications can have unforeseen consequences. Consult a health professional or herbalist for personalized advice on combining herbal products.
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Website information disclaimer. Nicklaus Children's Hospital has several outpatient and urgent care centers throughout South Florida, including on-demand, virtual care. Walk-in urgent care with no appointment needed. Serving as your child's primary doctor's office. Pediatric specialty consultations available closer to home. A full range of comprehensive services all under one roof. Connect with providers from the comfort of your own home. With over 800 pediatric clinicians on staff, we're dedicated to helping you connect with the right specialist for your needs. We have expertise in treating children and educating families on hundreds of different conditions. We use cutting-edge, specialized treatments and procedures to ensure the best care for your child. The Division of Neurosurgery offers state of the art surgical management of disorders of the nervous system including: When a person has an abnormality of the pituitary gland, it produces either too much or too little of a particular hormone, which can lead to a number of other disorders. In many an instance, the pituitary gland may show an abnormal appearance but may be a normal variation amongst people. Astrocytomas are tumors that grow from the glial cells and make up almost 50% of childhood brain tumors, frequently occurring in children between 5-9 years of age. Arachnoid cysts are fluid filled sacs or cavities that appear on the arachnoid membrane and can present in many locations on the brain and/or spinal cord. Dwarfism (also known as achondroplasia) is a type of short stature. There are hundreds of different medical conditions that can affect ultimate size and/or the growth of an infant. Subdural empyema and brain abscess are serious infections of the brain where pus accumulates inside or around the brain. An urgent intervention is often necessary. Please see Syringomyelia for further information. Diabetes insipidus is a rare disorder characterized by extreme thirst and the passing of large amounts of dilute urine. An encephalocele is a rare disorder where the bones of a fetus's skull do not close all the way resulting in a space through which the tissues surrounding the brain and brain tissue itself bulges. Childhood epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes an infant or a child to have repeated seizures over time. Seizures, also known as convulsions, are episodes in which brain activity is disturbed, causing changes in attention or behavior. A Hamartoma is a benign, or noncancerous tumor. It is a mixture of normal tissues/cells that grow abnormally in the place where the tissue/cells normally are found. Head and spine trauma refer to injuries or accidents that affect an individual's brain and/or spinal cord. Hydrocephalus is primarily an excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain. There are many cause of hydrocephalus, which can be congenital or acquired in nature. In some children, the cause remains unknown. Inflammations of the brain and spinal cord are usually caused by infections from bacteria, viruses or other germs. Others may be caused by genetic abnormalities. When a child has a head circumference that is larger than normal the medical term is macrocephaly. Most often these children may have an accelerated growth in the first few months after delivery and often have a family history of macrocephaly. Please see Myelomeningocele for further information. When the sutures in the middle of the forehead of an infant close earlier than they should, it's known as metopic synotosis. A triangular pointed skull is a noticeable sign of this condition. Please see Spasticity and Movement Disorders for further information. Moyamoya disease is a rare disease, frequently seen in children, that causes the blood vessels in the brain to narrow. There are many causes for this disease and treatment is tailored according to the severity of the disease. A myelomeningocele is a bulge or sac of the fluid that surround the spinal cord. Spina bifida refers to the specific gap in the bony spinal column that protects the spinal cord. Any condition that adversely affects the function of any part of the nervous system is called a nervous system disorder. A neural tube defect is a birth defect that occurs very early in the development of a fetus, often during the first month of pregnancy, where the brain, spinal cord and spinal column do not develop normally. Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a medical term that refers to a group of three unique but related disorders of the nervous system: NF1, NF2 and schwannomatosis. Neurofibrosarcoma is a rare type of malignant cancer in children that develops in the cells of the sheath of the arms and legs, spreading along the nerves. Glioma is a specific type of slow growing tumor that starts in one of the cells of the brain or spinal cord. When this tumor grows on or around the visual system it is known as an optic pathway glioma. Please see Brachial Plexus Injuries for further information. The peripheral nerves are the vast network of nerves that transmits messages from the central nervous system to the rest of the body. When these nerves don't function normally it is known as a peripheral neuropathy. Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition characterized by headaches and visual disturbances without an underlying brain tumor. A seizure is a sudden abnormal burst of electrical activity in one or more parts of the brain that interrupt the normal brain signals and result in a wide variety of symptoms such as loss of conciousness and uncontrollable muscle spasms. The spinal cord is a group of nerves that run down the back of a person that carries messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Acute spinal cord injury in children is fairly uncommon, frequently occurs in adolescents/ young adults and are often male. Syringomyelia is a rare chronic condition where fluid accumulates (syrinx) within the spinal cord. The most common cause of syringomyelia is Chiari malformation. Other conditions that may cause syringomyelia include spinal cord tumors, tethered spinal cord or shunt malfunction. A tectal glioma is a slow growing, generally benign, brain tumor in children 3-16 years of age. A birth defect where a spinal cord is held fixed or held taught by a band, this causes the spinal cord to stretch as the child grows An astrocytoma, a common type of glioma, is a form of brain cancer that starts in brain cells, known as astrocytes, that support and nourish other brain cells. TM is a rare inflammatory disease of the spinal cord (frequently the middle or thoracic part of the cord) that damages the protective covering (myelin) of the nerves ( both for movement and sensation) that transmit information between the brain and the rest of the body. A vascular malformation is an abnormality where clusters of blood vessels develop during fetal development. Ventriculomegaly is a congenital condition in which the ventricles of a fetus/baby are abnormally large.
Create and use combo charts in Power BI APPLIES TO: Power BI Desktop Power BI service In Power BI, a combo chart is a single visualization that combines a line chart and a column chart. Combining the two charts into one lets you make a quicker comparison of the data. Combo charts can have one or two Y axes. When to use a combo chart Combo charts are a great choice: - when you have a line chart and a column chart with the same X axis. - to compare multiple measures with different value ranges. - to illustrate the correlation between two measures in one visualization. - to check whether one measure meets the target defined by another measure - to conserve canvas space. How to create a combo chart Watch Will create a combo chart using the Sales and Marketing sample. This video might use earlier versions of Power BI Desktop or the Power BI service. Sharing your report with a Power BI colleague requires that you both have individual Power BI Pro licenses or that the report is saved in Premium capacity. To follow along below, use the Retail Analysis sample PBIX file. From the upper left section of the menubar, select File > Open report. Find your copy of the Retail Analysis Sample PBIX file. Open the Retail Analysis Sample PBIX file in report view . Select to add a new page. Create a basic single-axis combo chart Start on a blank report page and create a column chart that displays this year's sales and gross margin by month. a. From the Fields pane, select Sales > This Year Sales > Value. b. Select Sales > Gross Margin This Year and drag it to the Y-axis well. c. Select Time > FiscalMonth and drag it to the X-axis well. The visualization will be similar to this one. In the upper-right corner of the visual, select the More options ellipsis (...) and select Sort axis > FiscalMonth. Select the ellipsis again and choose Sort axis > Sort ascending. Convert the column chart to a combo chart. There are two combo charts available: Line and stacked column and Line and clustered column. With the column chart selected, from the Visualizations pane select the Line and clustered column chart. From the Fields pane, drag Sales > Last Year Sales to the Line y-axis bucket. Your combo chart should look something like this: Create a combo chart with two axes In this task, we'll compare gross margin and sales. Create a new line chart that tracks Gross Margin Last Year % by FiscalMonth. Select the ellipsis to sort it by FiscalMonth, then select the ellipsis again and choose Sort axis > Sort ascending. In January GM% was 35%, peaked at 45% in April, dropped in July and peaked again in August. Will we see a similar pattern in sales last year and this year? Add This Year Sales > Value and Last Year Sales to the line chart. The scale of Gross Margin Last Year % is much smaller than the scale of Sales which makes it difficult to compare. To make the visual easier to read and interpret, convert the line chart to a Line and stacked column chart. Drag Gross Margin Last Year % from Column y-axis into Line y-axis. Power BI creates two axes, thus allowing the semantic models to be scaled differently; the left measures sales dollars and the right measures percentage. And we see the answer to our question: yes, we do see a similar pattern. Add titles to the axes Select the paintbrush icon to open the Formatting pane. Set Y-axis to On, then select the down arrow to expand the Y-axis options. Set Y-axis > Values > Display units to Millions. Set Y-axis > Title to On, then set Style to Show title only Set Secondary y-axis to On to display options for formatting the line chart portion of the combo chart. Under Secondary y-axis, set Title to On. Your combo chart now displays dual axes, both with titles. Optionally, modify the text font, size, and color and set other formatting options to improve the display and readability of the chart. From here you might want to: - Add the combo chart as a dashboard tile. - Save the report. - Make the report more accessible for people with disabilities. Cross-highlighting and cross-filtering Highlighting a column or line in a combo chart cross-highlights and cross-filters the other visualizations on the report page, and vice versa. Use visual interactions to change this default behavior. Considerations and limitations - The secondary y-axis (line values) will automatically show or hide by default if its data range sufficiently overlaps with the primary y-axis (column values). To force show or hide the secondary y-axis, toggle the top-level toggle switch to "On" or "Off" on the "Secondary y-axis" formatting card to override this automatic behavior. - Depending on the size of your combo chart, the data labels may or may not display. If you don't see data labels, resize the combo chart. Related content Coming soon: Throughout 2024 we will be phasing out GitHub Issues as the feedback mechanism for content and replacing it with a new feedback system. For more information see:Submit and view feedback for
The 3rd, 2nd, and the 1st, millennia BC, a period between the Stone Age and the Iron Age, has traditionally been defined as the Metal Age. This was a period when societies in Europe began to produce metals consciously for making weapons and other implements. The metal age can be further divided into the Copper Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. Table of Contents The Metal Age is a period in human history characterized by the development and widespread use of various metals for tools, weapons, and other practical and decorative purposes. It is usually divided into several sub-periods, as follows: - The Copper Age or Chalcolithic period (4000-3000 BCE): was marked by the first use of copper for tools and weapons. - The Bronze Age (3000-1200 BCE): characterized by the use of bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, for making stronger and more durable tools and weapons. - The Iron Age (1200 BCE – 500 CE): marked by the discovery of iron smelting and the use of iron for various tools, weapons, and other items. Significant changes in human society, technology, and culture usually accompany the transition from one metal to another. The use of metals enabled humans to create more advanced tools and weapons, which in turn led to more efficient agriculture, hunting, and warfare, and the rise of complex societies and civilizations. When did the Copper Age begin? The Copper Age followed the Stone Age at least 7,000 years ago when early man discovered copper. Gradually, copper weapons and tools replaced stone implements. The Copper Age marks the first part of the Bronze Age. After 6,000 BC, smelting ore to produce pure copper was discovered in Turkey. From 5000 BC, copper metallurgy, with cast tools and weapons, was a factor leading to urbanization in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Copper was well known to the people of the ancient Indus Valley civilization. They exported copper to other lands and peacocks, ivory, and cotton textiles in return for silver and other commodities! The Copper Age began in India around 3,100 BC, in Africa around 600 BC, in South America around 12,00 BC, and in China by 3,000 BC. What was the Bronze Age? It is the third phase in the history of the development of mankind, followed by the earlier Paleolithic, and Neolithic periods. In the metal age, the Bronze Age followed the Copper Age. The Bronze Age was a period when metals were first used regularly in the manufacture of tools and weapons. Pure copper and bronze were the first metals used. The new weapons were harder, sharper, and more durable than stone weapons. With the discovery of iron, weapons were more often made of iron, while bronze was used more for decorative purposes. People learned how to smelt copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloy these metals and cast bronze. We must remember, however, that bronze came into use at different times in different parts of the world and was eventually replaced by iron. The earliest known tin bronzes are from present-day Iran and Iraq and go as far back as the late 4th millennium BC. Archaeological finds near Ban Chiang in Thailand reveal that bronze technology was known there as early as 4,500 BC. Bronzes were made in Anatolia by the early 3rd millennium BC. The civilizations of the Americas of the Americas before Christopher Columbus did not know bronze technology until about 100 AD. When and how did the Bronze Age end? The civilizations that flourished during the Bronze Age ended in the 12th century BC. With the coming of the Dorians from the North of Greece. The Dorians were Greek-speaking people who scattered the Mycenaeans, and divided agriculture, trade, and industry amongst the hundreds of villages. The result was that the economy collapsed, culture declined, the trade networks became weak, and a glorious chapter in history, the Bronze Age, came to an end. Interesting Facts about the Metal Age #1. The Bronze Age is named after the alloy bronze, but the term "Bronze Age" also encompasses the use of other metals like copper, gold, and silver. #2. The Iron Age is often associated with the rise of the Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, as well as the development of the first alphabet and written languages. #3. The Bronze Age Collapse was a period of turmoil in the Mediterranean region around 1200 BCE, during which many major civilizations, such as the Mycenaean Greeks, Hittites, and Minoans, collapsed. This period is still shrouded in mystery, with possible causes including natural disasters, climate change, and invasions from external groups. #5. The Iron Age saw the rise of new empires and civilizations, such as the Persian Empire, the Chinese Han Dynasty, and the Roman Empire, which made extensive use of iron in their technologies and trade. #6. The Iron Age was also a period of significant advances in metallurgy, with the development of steel, a stronger and more durable form of iron, which revolutionized the production of tools, weapons, and other items. #7. The first known use of iron was in Mesopotamia, around 3500 BCE, where it was used for tools and decorations. However, it wasn't until the 12th century BCE that the Hittites developed the first true iron smelting technique, which enabled the widespread use of iron. #8. In the Bronze Age, copper was often alloyed with other metals such as arsenic or tin to produce stronger or more workable bronze. This process required specialized knowledge and skill, making bronze a highly valued material in ancient societies. #9. During the Iron Age, the use of iron enabled the development of new tools and weapons, such as the iron plow, which revolutionized agriculture and led to increased food production. #10. The Iron Age also saw the rise of large-scale iron mining and smelting, which required significant labor and organization, leading to the development of specialized iron-working communities and the growth of trade networks. #11. The transition from one metal to another in the Metal Age often coincided with changes in art and culture, with each age producing its distinctive forms of metalwork and decorative arts. Recommended Reads: - Why Do Monkeys Steal Other Monkeys Babies? - Why is the Shakespeare Festival so important in Britain? - Why is Asia known as 'the cradle of civilization'? Featured Image Credit: MetInvestHolsing
Everything that you need to know to start your own business. From business ideas to researching the competition. Practical and real-world advice on how to run your business — from managing employees to keeping the books. Our best expert advice on how to grow your business — from attracting new customers to keeping existing customers happy and having the capital to do it. Entrepreneurs and industry leaders share their best advice on how to take your company to the next level. - Business Ideas - Human Resources - Business Financing - Growth Studio - Ask the Board Looking for your local chamber? Interested in partnering with us? Start » strategy, how to write a family business succession plan. Whether your family owned business is a Main Street mom-and-pop or a Wall Street powerhouse, a well-written succession plan can be crucial to the future success of both the company and the family. If you don't have a succession plan in place, you're not alone. According to PwC , only 18% of America's family-owned businesses have a documented strategy for handing over the reins. Of course, this isn't just any business we're talking about. It's your business, and your family's. 'Those without a plan' is not the group you want to be in. Like so many other important tasks, the hardest thing is getting started. Here are some key steps. Choose the right business structure Many small businesses begin life as sole proprietorships or partnerships. If you launched that way, it may be time to take another look at your structure. As The Balance points out, forming a corporation will legally separate you from your business—a key step toward a smooth transfer, even if that transfer turns out to be a sale to a non-family entity. The right business structure can set your successors up for a reduced tax burden. And, if you desire to remain a sole proprietor, you can still make your wishes for the business known by including them in your estate planning. [Read: Getting Ready to Launch? How to Choose the Right Business Structure ] Have a mission statement and a set of core values You're not just passing along some office chairs and a customer list. The big idea that launched your business is your why, and it's what separates your family-owned business from the competition. Knowing you have clearly communicated your vision will help others understand their place in the organization and give you confidence to make the difficult decisions ahead. According to a report from Deloitte , as time passes, the importance of family values increases, and may be the one thing that binds successive generations together. Stated family values can act as a roadmap for decision making, a magnet for like-minded employees and business partners, and a metric by which to measure success. [Read: Writing a Mission Statement: A Step by Step Guide ] Succession planning is not the time to make assumptions about what the next generation wants and is capable of. Choose your successor Working with family can be complicated and few decisions are as fraught as choosing someone to replace you. Remember the purpose of a succession plan is to do what's best for the future of the business, its customers, vendors and employees—not any particular family member. Now is also the time to seek advice from a diverse group of non-family members. Start with your legal and accounting professionals for help with the basics. Job descriptions and skill assessments, for example, may narrow or broaden your list of potential successors. Board members, key customers and trusted vendor partners, whether or not they have specific personnel input, will be happy to know you are planning for succession. Talk to prospective successors Succession planning is not the time to make assumptions about what the next generation wants and is capable of. Including them in the process may reveal strengths and weaknesses crucial to your decision making. According to Michael Klein , author of " Trapped in the Family Business ," this is the time for potential successors to ask themselves some honest questions. By reviewing their motivations, qualifications and the emotional weight of carrying on what the previous generation started, the children of business owners can assure themselves, and you, that the corner office is the right future for them. Talk to non-family employees You should keep key employees in the loop for several reasons: First, because they have a right to know a succession plan is in the works; and second, because of the valuable insights they may have about people and processes. Long-term employees may already be working alongside family members, giving them insight that you, as the boss, might not have. Asking their opinion is a sign of respect. Finally, your successor is going to need the acceptance and cooperation of non-family employees who may be the ones offering training. This crucial support is gained more easily if the non-family employee is part of the process. If you're concerned about losing rising stars, the truth is, it may happen. Those with ambitions to become CEO might look elsewhere when it becomes clear they are not in contention. The risk is necessary, however, and not everyone wants to be the boss. According to the Conway Center for Family Business , working for a family-owned business can have its perks. From the way they measure success (not just profits and growth), to the strategies they embrace (putting employees first, being socially responsible), family businesses can be a great place to work. Making a plan is the first—and most difficult—step Announcing your successor, getting them the education and training they'll need and having an annual review of progress all remain on your to-do list. Remember, succession planning is a good problem—a best-case scenario. It means your business has a future—one so bright it's going to outlive your desire, or ability, to run it. You've always had a plan for the worst case. You should have one for the best case, too. CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation. Follow us on Instagram for more expert tips & business owners stories. Applications are open for the CO—100! Now is your chance to join an exclusive group of outstanding small businesses. Share your story with us — apply today. CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here . Subscribe to our newsletter, Midnight Oil Expert business advice, news, and trends, delivered weekly By signing up you agree to the CO— Privacy Policy. You can opt out anytime. For more business strategies How startups contribute to innovation in emerging industries, how entrepreneurs can find a business mentor, 5 business metrics you should analyze every year. By continuing on our website, you agree to our use of cookies for statistical and personalisation purposes. Know More Welcome to CO— Designed for business owners, CO— is a site that connects like minds and delivers actionable insights for next-level growth. U.S. Chamber of Commerce 1615 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20062 Social links Looking for local chamber, stay in touch. - Link copied Succession Planning: How to grow and create lasting family businesses EY India People Advisory Services Partner and Private Client Services Co-Leader Partner, People Advisory Services and Co- Leader, Private Client Services. Bibliophile and an avid traveler. Show resources Roadmap for moving up the ai maturity ladder, a robust succession plan with adequate flexibility, effective communication and transparency should be of high priority for family businesses.. F amily businesses are businesses which are run by members of the family and are passed on by one generation to another. The current generation is not just the owner, but also plays the role of a custodian, guarding and nurturing the business to hand it over to the next generation. Family Businesses are thus simply put, a combination of two ecosystems; first is the family and second is the business. The key characteristic of a family business is the inherent contradictory nature of its two constituents, i.e. on one hand the business thrives on leadership and competition whereas on the other hand, the prime concern of the family is their welfare and meeting social objectives. The perspective of the family and the business can be better understood with the following soft factors: Family business owners aspire to achieve a future for their business and a family legacy that will last forever. However, if facts are to be believed, only 3% of family businesses survive beyond the third generation. In the context of Indian Inc., more than two third of all businesses are family run businesses that have expanded to multiple territories in the era of globalization. There are examples galore however of where lack of succession planning had a fatal impact on the business as well as on the family. Succession Planning becomes imperative when it comes to family businesses and is one of the most critical issues faced by them. Succession planning is not only important for preserving and passing on the existing family wealth to the next generation, but also a critical area in the context of GDP contribution, given that these businesses are the backbone of the Indian economy. Historically, succession planning has always taken a backseat in family discussions given the sensitivity of the subject and the consequential hard talks and this has thus typically lead to this issue being put on the backburner. The lack of or poor succession planning has resulted in family conflicts, boardroom feuds and expensive court cases and consequently, spelled doom for the business. Inter-generational issues amongst the patriarch and the successor family can lead to the failure of family businesses. We have often read in the news (and very recently as well) and have observed that struggle lies in the fact that founding generations tend to uphold their visionary qualities, family values for the growth of the business while the later generations struggle with a desire for independence and sometimes internal conflicts. The typical differences in the perspective of two generations are set out below: Frequently overlooked in the entire succession plan, is the importance to train, educate and instil appropriate work ethos in the younger generation. Dimensions in terms of succession of ownership and management play an important role in laying down the roadmap to a robust succession plan. The various dimensions of succession of ownership and management are depicted below: Understanding the role of each family member in the overall scheme of succession planning is equally pertinent. Family members may occupy different roles as per the below Venn diagram: Succession planning is thus not a one-time event but rather a continuous and an evolving process. It is an art and not a science. There is no playbook to be followed by families while making their succession plans. Family values, business objectives, vision and mission play a vital role in determining the succession plan. There are various instruments/tools which are used by the families for developing the overall framework of this plan e.g. Trust, Will, Family Charter, etc. Succession planning through fiduciary structures, i.e. trust structures, has gained importance in the recent times due to the varying degrees of advantages offered by it. The concept of a trust has been prevalent in India since the 20th century. Trust structures were primarily set up as a tool to plan estate duty / inheritance tax, leviable on the estate of the deceased individual (the rate was as high as 85%). The subsequent abolishment of estate duty / inheritance tax in the year 1985 resulted in trust structures falling out of favor. However, there has been a gradual shift in the landscape wherein the wealthy Indian families have again started preferring more formal, sophisticated trust arrangements to achieve their succession goals especially amidst talks of probable re-introduction of the erstwhile estate duty in some form. A Trust as per the Indian Trust Act, 1882 is "an obligation annexed to the ownership of property, and arising out of a confidence reposed in and accepted by the owner, or declared and accepted by him for the benefit of another, or of another and the owner." In layman terms, a Trust is a fiscally transparent entity where property of the Trust is vested /placed by the settlor / author of the trust under the control of a person or persons (Trustee) for the benefit of specified individuals or organizations (Beneficiary). Key benefits offered by the Trust structures include giving the succeeding generation the benefits of family wealth without sacrificing control over key assets, catering to the specific demands of the family such as providing for their recurring lifestyle and maintenance expenses, a better legal framework, charity / philanthropy desires of the families etc. Additionally, in view of the ongoing pandemic situation caused by Covid-19, High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) have realized the importance of making a Will to ensure hassle free succession in these uncertain and unprecedented times. Will writing is the legal intention of an individual (Testator) with respect to their properties which they wish to bequeath or devolve, after their lifetime. The integrities amongst Trust and Wills can be explained with the following comparison: Related article Further, in context of large extended families, a Family Charter also known as Family Constitution becomes important and noteworthy. Family Charter is a formal written document codifying various aspects of the family side as well as the business side. It is a key document used for governing the family in terms of their actions and relations while dealing with situations in their day to day functioning. The key ingredients of a Family Charter include a preamble detailing the family background, values, ethos, decision making mechanism, economic interest, funding of new business ventures, conflict resolution strategies, fixed allowance to non-working members, exit opportunities to dissenting members etc. Given the ever-changing landscape and continuous evolvements, both from perspective of business as well as family, it may become pertinent to re-visit certain aspects at an appropriate time. Succession planning sets out to balance the interest of a business with the family members and subsequently passing the baton to successive generations. A robust succession plan with adequate flexibility and with effective channels of communication and transparency should be high on the priority agenda of any family businesses. In the current disruptive scenario, the effort to sustain a family business is an ongoing continuous process and needs active revalidation from time to time. Puneet Anand, Senior Manager and Karan Arora, Manager, Private Client Services with EY India also contributed to the article. The article was first published on Hubbis.com on 27 July 2020. Succession planning sets out to balance the interest of a business with the family members. It is not a one-time event but rather a continuous and an evolving process. The article shares insights on the nature of family businesses, the importance of thorough succession planning, and the various structures and strategies that business owners can utilize to their advantage to ensure the smooth succession when the time comes. 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Review our cookie policy for more information. Customize cookies I decline optional cookies Family Business Succession Planning: The Definitive Guide & FAQs Family business succession planning can be tiring and exhausting. Our definitive guide provides answers to all the questions about succession planning, including when to start, who to involve, and the dangers of getting it wrong. Succession is an emotional and exhausting time for many family businesses. If handled incorrectly, it can have dire consequences for the reputation and stability of a firm. Statistics bear this out. According to research, roughly 75 percent of all businesses fail to survive past the first generation – and more than 85 percent fail by the third generation. When succession events take place, the result can go one of two ways: the growth of your family's business or its slow terminal decline. An ill-prepared plan, or even worse, a non-existent plan, could lead to the decline in value of your family business – and possibly even its collapse. Our services There is a huge amount at stake. So, it is important to create a robust plan that can see your business sail smoothly into its next chapter, where it can grow in the careful hands of your successors. This guide provides an overview of all the key questions that families may ask as they start to think about the succession process – as well as a backgrounder on all the fundamental concepts that underlie a successful succession process. What is succession planning? Does a succession event happen all at once, does management and ownership have to be transitioned at the same time, how is succession in a family business different to other businesses, are next generation members part of succession discussions, what is leadership succession planning, do i only need to start thinking about succession planning when i'm ready to retire, are other business families taking succession planning seriously, why is succession planning important, what advisors are usually involved in the succession process, is there any excuse for not preparing for succession amongst business families, why don't more families start planning early, how can you engage the next generation in the succession process, what should next-generation family members do to ensure smooth transition during succession events, in practical terms, what activities should the next-generation family members be involved in during succession, when should the current generation start to introduce younger members of the family, how early should you start to think about succession planning, how can you ensure that the succession process is staying on track, how can business families avoid the pitfalls of getting succession wrong, how do i ensure we have a strong internal family candidate to take over leadership of the company, how do i pick the right individual to take the business forwards, how do you resolve tensions between next-generation members, after you have decided on the next-generation leader, what needs to be done, how do you ensure you have made the right choice, who is responsible for developing a succession plan who should be involved, how can succession planning help you better articulate your values, what is a family charter, and how can it help with succession, what is the most common mistake when it comes to succession planning, what should you get to paper as part of succession planning, does succession planning only happen at the ceo level, how do succession events impact reputation, how do you control reputation risks during succession, how can you raise the profile of the next generation, is it best to just not say anything to stakeholders at all, what stakeholders should we think about during succession events, can succession events also improve a business' reputation, can you give me an example of a succession event gone wrong, can you give an example of a smooth succession event, frequently asked questions (faqs). Succession is the process of handing a business – or a large amount of wealth – down to the next generation. This means not only thinking about the future of business operations but considering the future of management and ownership. The process can be a daunting and overwhelming task for founders who may find it difficult to hand over control of the day-to-day management of the family business. No. 'Succession' is not simply the moment when the business changes hands – it is the long-term process of slow transition from one generation to the next. There is not a single moment when it happens. It is a gradual process. No. The handing over of control and management of the business does not necessarily mean the handing over of ownership – both transfers do not have to happen at the same time, and many advisors will recommend separating out those processes. In fact, these two different parts of the succession process could take place years apart. In most cases, one generation will handover management of the business to the next generation first. Transitioning ownership might not take place until the last member of the current generation passes away. Venn diagram showing the overlap between family, business, and management. Source: KMPG Family Business Succession Family businesses are noticeably different to other types of businesses. During succession events, complicated internal family dynamics are often at play – and these can lead to difficult, emotional, and challenging discussions amongst the family. In many cases, the future of the business is not only a commercial decision but, instead, a deeper discussion about the family's future itself: will they continue to lead the business? Will the family hire in new professional management? Will they sell the business? These are difficult, sometimes painful, questions that families need to ask when starting to think about succession. Absolutely. Next-generation engagement is crucial to the success of any business's succession planning programme. The next-generation members of the family – whether the immediate next generation or the generation below that – are the future of the company, and it's important that their views about the direction of the business are properly represented in the process. Younger family members may want to take the business in a different direction, prefer hiring professional management, or simply not feel up to taking the business forward. It's important that the current generation know this because they start making decisions about the future. 'Succession planning' can also mean the process of identifying talent to lead a business in the future – this process applies to all businesses, and not just family businesses. For example, a publicly listed company will often undergo a process of identifying a list of candidates to takeover from an CEO when they step down or retire. When researching succession planning, it is important for families and family businesses to distinguish between these two types of succession planning – it can be easy to confuse the two, which may lead to misunderstandings when talking about succession planning with partners, advisors, and peers. Absolutely not. Succession events can take place completely unexpectedly, and it's important that a family knows what to do in these unfortunate (and last-minute) circumstances. It may be that the current head of the family dies suddenly or, alternatively, that they are otherwise unable to run the business. This will be an exceptionally stressful time for the family, even without the added pressure of having to take difficult decisions around succession immediately. Additionally, the succession process can take up to 20 years to complete successfully, so the earlier families start planning, the better. Yes. Succession planning is a central focus of energy and anxiety amongst business families – because getting the process wrong can have long-term damaging impacts on the wealth of the family and the performance of their businesses. Research shows that nearly three in five families (57%) have started to draft a succession plan. On top of that, 67% say that succession planning and inheritance is their biggest business concern. If the succession process isn't handled well, it can have a hugely damaging impact on the financial affairs of the family and their businesses. A few of the potential implications: - Next-generation family members not having the right skills to run the business effectively - Banks and financial partners losing faith in the future of the business - Employees not respecting the skills and capacity of the next generation to lead the business - Lack of clarity amongst the family members about who will lead the business, resulting in interfamily disputes and conflict - Weaker relationships between next-generation members and important partners, suppliers, and others Ultimately, if the succession process is not handled in a professional and smooth way, it can result in a very poor outcome for the business. According to results, 70% of families report failure in intergenerational wealth transfers. A family business could risk collapse without a strong succession plan. Source: PwC. Business families may want to engage outside experts to help them prepare for the transition of the business to the next generation. These outside experts include: - Lawyers to put in place structures to transition wealth effectively - Financial advisors to help mitigate financial risk - Family business consultants to help the family understand and navigate the risks of succession - Reputation and public relations experts to help with communicating the succession event effectively - Wealth managers - Accountants Not at all. Firstly, there is countless research to demonstrate the negative impact that a succession event can have on a family, their businesses, and its collective finances. Secondly, it is already known well ahead of time that the current generation will one day step aside and pass down the business – and the family's collective wealth – to the next generation. Maybe families are so 'trapped' in the day-to-day business that they forget to find the time to devote to succession. For many families, succession is always a topic that dropped to the bottom of the list – many families do not feel a sense of urgency, so it is always left until tomorrow. On the other hand, many families know that discussions about succession could lead to difficult discussions about the future of the business and, potentially, even conflict. As a result, they would rather avoid these difficult discussions rather than confront – and resolve – them directly. The family can encourage next-generation engagement through the following activities: - Conducting family-wide meetings to discuss and decide the future of the business - Including next-generation members in company Board meetings where succession and the future direction of the business is discussed as an agenda point - Starting informal discussions about the future of the business around the dining room table - Ensuring the presence of next-generational members in discussions with non-family members of staff about their own thoughts about the future of the business The next-generation should build a hands-on, practical, and thorough understanding of all parts of the family business – and meet as many important partners as possible. This will help tackle two potential risks of the succession process: firstly, the next generation not properly understanding all aspects of the business and how it operates, secondly, not having the strong and important relationships with partners and stakeholders that the current generation does. In order to build a thorough understanding of the business as well as build strong relationships with partners, next-generational members might want to get involved in the following activities: - Attend internal business meetings - Work for short stints (3-6 months) in different departments of the business - Participate in the preparation of financial documents and Annual Reports - Attend meetings with important external stakeholders, such as banks, business partners, suppliers, regulators, and others - Take a leadership position within a particular division - Work for a short stint in partner business or supplier - Build experience in another company in the same industry as the family business - Take a course or degree that aligns with the family business' industry The components of successful family business succession planning. Source: KPMG Family Business Succession Planning. As soon as possible. Founders can sometimes hold back on introducing younger generations to the business for fear they are not 'old enough', yet it is truly never too early to introduce them. Familiarity takes a long time to build, so the earlier that this process starts the earlier stakeholders will build confidence and respect for the next generation. Within family business, it is important to start thinking about your succession plan up to 20 years in advance – this allows for the correct structures to be put in place. This might include taking steps to introduce the next generation of leaders to customers, shareholders, suppliers, and so on. Regular meetings and ongoing communication are essential. It is sensible to have a quarterly meeting specifically about succession planning. These meetings might have to become more frequent the closer you get to the actual transition. At each meeting, it is important to put to paper the next steps that need to be taken to further prepare the family for succession, whether that is getting the next-generation more involved, taking on further professional advice, or otherwise. The family can also review the steps that were agreed in the last meeting to see if progress is being made – and the business and the family are moving in the right direction. One of the best ways to avoid mistakes is to talk to other business families who have navigated the succession process effectively. On one hand, this might mean taking the time to talk to people in your existing network who have managed this process successfully. On the other hand, it might mean tapping into pre-existing networks for business families – like the IFB or Family Business United – where people share best practice. Follow a step-by-step process when carrying out your succession plan. Source: Deloitte. Firstly, it is important to understand exactly what makes the current leader of the business successful – this will usually be as a result of the skills, experience, commanding presence, and relationships that the current management bring to the business. Now, sit down and thoughtfully answer the following questions about the current leadership: - In precise terms, what are the current leader's responsibilities? - Who does the current leader depend on within the business? - What previous experiences makes the current leader successful? - What technical skills are essential to the current leader's success, i.e., accountancy, pricing, supply-chain, marketing, etc? - What softer skills are essential to the current leader's success, i.e., management capacity, communications, etc? - What specific relationships are essential to the current leader's success, i.e., banks, partners, advisers, suppliers, etc? Secondly, put to paper a 'plan of action' to ensure that the appropriate next-generation family member who will be taking over the business can develop those same skills, experiences, and networks that made the current leader successful. This plan of action might be a five-year pathway of technical education, experience, and exposure. For a family business with multiple next-generation family members, this is a very difficult question, but it's important to go through a fair and balanced process – and communicate the answer clearly across the family as early as possible. It is not beneficial to any of the next-generation family members or the business itself for there to be an aggressive, hostile battle for the position. This could lead to a toxic work environment, one-upmanship, and other destructive behaviour. Families should go through an objective and balanced decision-making process – and work hard to ensure that the process is not clouded by emotion. Families should answer the following questions: - Which family members are genuinely interested in leading the business in the future? - Which family members have existing technical skills? - Which family members have naturally strong soft skills, and enjoy leadership itself? - Which family member already commands respect, trust, and confidence of staff members and external partners? Ask yourself which family members have the genuine interest and skills required to succeed you. Source: Insperity. When choosing the next-generation leader of the business, there may be a degree of healthy competition between next-generation members. However, it is very easy for this healthy competition to descend into toxic, hostile in-fighting. Resolving these disputes will require emotional sensitivity and effective communication. Usually, the best way to resolve these disputes is to emphasise that all next-generation members of the family that they each bring their own unique, compelling skillsets to the business – and, ultimately, everyone is pulling in the same direction: to create a growing, sustainable, and successful business that benefits everyone financially. It is also important to clearly communicate to the next generation why different choices have been made – and show objective criteria for making these decisions. Communicate the decision sensitively to all next-generation members. At this point, it is also important to stress that there are no guarantees, and the situation may change. Investment in the professional development of those people who you have selected to lead the company into the future should now be stepped up. This is a good opportunity for your next-generation family members to gain additional knowledge and experience – you may consider connecting them with mentors within (and outside) the business who can boost their skills. Use any opportunity you might have to 'trial run' your plan and reconfirm your choices. This might be having a next-generation member assume some responsibilities of a more senior member who is on leave or taking control of a certain division of the business. The opportunity enables the individual to gain fresh knowledge and experience and, importantly, enables you to assess if that person might need some additional training and support. The owners and top management of a family business are responsible for developing and implementing a succession plan. It's essential that the leadership of the business is involved at all stages. The task cannot be outsourced solely to outside advisors or HR – instead, there needs to be buy-in at the very highest levels of the company. Without this commitment, succession will not work effectively. While strategic decisions will be made at Board level, HR will typically be responsible for carrying out, monitoring, and implementing the process. This will be done with the full involvement of the CEO, other senior leaders, and the Board. Succession planning also provides families with an important opportunity to articulate the values of the founder (or current generation of leadership), the family, and help to cultivate agreement on these values. These are the values that have enabled the business' success over recent decades – and the values that the next generation will take forward into the future. A family charter is a single, collectively agreed document that puts to paper a common understanding of key issues between a family. A family charter may codify the purpose of the family, the family's values and aims, as well as articulate a very clear plan for the future of the business, including who is expected to take the business forward. This can be very helpful during succession events because it spells out in crystal clear detail what the future looks like and expectations about the next generation. Getting collective buy-in for the document also mitigates against the risk of dispute, misunderstandings, and strategic drift. Ultimately, the biggest mistake is the complete absence of a succession plan in the first place. A rushed approach to the succession planning process also has very damaging results. It is like going into a storm without a map, plan, or strategy. You run the serious risk of failure. Be aware of the common mistakes when creating your family succession plan. Source: TRG Talent. It's important not to approach the succession planning process informally. It's better to have a proper formal plan to paper, which will enable you to see problems, challenges, and opportunities. Your succession plan should align with the strategic goals of your business and should include: - A plan to 'skill up' the next generation of the family - A plan to introduce the next generation to important stakeholders - Explicit agreement of what specific roles and responsibilities next-generation family members will take on at the point of succession - List of actions that will be undertaken in the case of a sudden transition - A list of professional, non-family members and advisers with the knowledge, capacity and know-how to support the next generation when they take on the business Absolutely not. A successful succession plan will span across all levels of your company. The current generation of the family may hold leadership and technical roles across the whole business, including marketing, HR, and accounting. There must be a clear plan to replace these people, either with next-generation members of the family – or newly recruited professional individuals. A bumpy handover of a senior leader to a next-generation family member can severely impact the reputation of your organisation. The current leader of the business – especially if they are a first-generation entrepreneur who founded the company – are often the most recognised representative of the firm by employees, suppliers, banks, and other important stakeholders. In fact, many important stakeholders might associate the business solely with that individual and believe the success of the company depends on them. If stakeholders believe the business cannot stand on its own two feet once the first-generation member has stepped aside, you might start to see banks pulling in credit, long-standing loyal employees leaving, and suppliers ending their dealings with the company. This could lead to a collective crisis of confidence in the company – and the start of a vicious downwards cycle. There are many ways to mitigate against the risk of a succession event leading to a crisis of confidence in the family business. These include: - Prepare early . It is better to start planning earlier rather than later – sometimes this means beginning the planning process up to 20 years in advance. - Prepare a crisis plan . In the event of an unexpected death or another crisis, the future and stability of the company can be thrown up in the air without a plan for how this event will be handled. Putting a plan together that includes prepared statements for all stakeholders is one way to get on the front foot. - Raising the profile of the next generation. Start raising the profile of the next-generation and start lowering the profile of the current generation. As early as possible, start to build familiarity around the next generation of leaders of the firm. The best way to raise the profile of your next-generation members is to proactively include them in more of your communications, public relations, and stakeholder engagement activity. Some examples that have worked for other families include: - Including next-generation members in internal employee-focussed newsletters - Adding a cover letter from a next-gen member to your Annual Report - Allowing next-gen members to address staff in townhall meetings - Letting next-gen member deliver investor briefings - Including next-gen members as spokespeople in press releases - Ensuring next-gen members are interviewed and seen in relevant trade publication - Giving next-generation members visibility on the company website How many families have codified their values. Source: PwC Family Business Survey 2021 Absolutely not. Instinctively, some businesses might assume it is best not to say anything at all when it comes to a succession event. This is the wrong approach. When companies 'go silent', they hope that important stakeholders will just not notice the transition – but they always do. Employees will start asking questions. So, will banks, suppliers, and others. It is best to answer those questions before they arise. You should take the time to proactively list all the groups of people and individuals who you rely on to make your business a success. These will likely include: - Banking partners - Business partners and co-investors - Local communities - Policymakers Absolutely. Succession isn't all bad news. In fact, succession events are also opportune times to improve the brand and image of the company. Next-generation members of the family will often bring new skills and approaches to a business. For example, they might bring greater understanding of IT, digital, and social media marketing. During the succession event, there is an opportunity to showcase to important stakeholders that the business is onboarding these important new skills that will help the business continue to grow into the future. In 2021, the co-founder of cosmetics company Natura Siberica passed away unexpectedly without a clear plan for who was going to takeover the business. Following his death, a hostile, toxic battle broke out between various potential successors, including children from previous marriages and his widow. This led to several significant, high-profile lawsuits between different members of the family. In August 2021, the media reported that 57 staff members quit and 101 left for a holiday in just 48 hours. This could potentially lead to a wider, broader crisis in confidence in the company – and a downwards vicious cycle that could damage its long-term value. Usually if a succession event has been handled smoothly, we will not know about it. Instead, the business will have been handled over without attracting any untoward and unnecessary negative attention. Many of the oldest family businesses in the UK have been handed over in such a quiet and smooth way, including Hoare's Bank, Folkes Holding, Shepherd Neame, Berry Bros & Rudd, Aspall Cyder, and many others. Further reading - Deloitte: Family business succession planning - KPMG: Family Business Succession - The Family Business Consulting Group: Family Business Succession - Forbes: How To Make Family Business Succession Successful - Davis Wright Tremaine: Succession Planning in a Family Business - HBR: The Key to Successful Succession Planning for Family Businesses Transmission Private publishes a monthly newsletter that tracks the future of reputation management for private clients. Agree with our user data policy - Evidence led - Family focussed - Digital first - 1.773.604.5005 - Succession & Continuity Planning - Organizing & Educating the Family - Ownership Alignment - Board Development and Search - Preparing the Next Generation - Communication & Conflict Resolution - Strategic Planning - Policy Development - Presentations & Workshops - Family Enterprises - Family Wealth - Family Business Programs - Franchises & Dealer Groups - Trade Associations - Trusted Providers & Advisors - Where We Work - Our History - Family Business Articles - Educational Programs - Case Studies & Testimonials - Videos & Podcasts Family Business Articles Family Business Succession: 15 Guidelines Family Business Succession: 15 Guidelines By John L. Ward , Stephen L. McClure Succession is the most painful and critical time for family businesses. Less than one-third of family businesses survive into the second generation, and only about 13 percent make it into the third generation. How do the successful ones make it? After working with hundreds of family businesses, we'd like to offer 15 guidelines that we hope will help you during the succession process. 1. Succession is a process not an event Rather than thinking of succession as an event that happens on a designated day, consider thinking of it as a process that occurs over a long period of time. Parents should begin to lay the groundwork for succession while their children are still small. How? By the way in which they talk about the business at home. As the classic story goes, the business owner comes home from a typical day at the shop and complains that three key people quit, a customer didn't pay his bill, the suppliers sent the wrong order again, and the bank is threatening to jerk the loan. Then, he turns to his son or daughter and says, Someday, this will all be yours. Of course the truth of the matter is that most people who are in business for themselves love it, or they wouldn't be doing it. However, the tendency is to talk more about the bad events than the good ones. But making a conscious effort to present a balanced perspective on the family business can help the next generation gain a better understanding and appreciation for the business. 2. Present the business as an option not an obligation Many, many parents hope that their children will want to follow in their footsteps and join the family business. But some fall into the trap of overselling the need to follow the family tradition. Others never bring up the subject because they don't want to pressure their children. The key is to present it as an opportunity, not as an obligation. How? We encourage parents to tell 15- or 16-year-old children, Whatever you choose to do with your life, we will support and encourage you. It's probably too soon for you to know now what you want to do. If you should become interested in the family business, you will be very welcome. We have found it to be very rewarding and very fulfilling, but it's clearly not the easiest way to live or the only way to live. It's one of your many options and we will support and encourage you no matter what you decide. That's a conversation that rarely, if ever, takes place in a family business. But we think it's very important to extend a non-conditional offer of support during the child's high school years because it is very healthy for the son or daughter to think in terms of options. Speaking of sons and daughters, beware of making assumptions on the basis of your children's gender. In terms of interest and capabilities, both sons and daughters can contribute to your firm's success. 3. Get outside experience Of the hundreds and hundreds of family business successors we've interviewed, all who have had outside experience said that they recommend it highly. Why should your child work for someone else after finishing school? There are many good reasons why outside work experience is an advantage. Your sons or daughters can build their own identity, get outside knowledge, increase their self-confidence, bring back knowledge to the business, grow up a little bit, make mistakes on someone else's time, find out what it is like to look for a job, discover what their market value is and learn how to take criticism. But the best reason is that this is how they will learn that the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence. They will learn that there is no such thing as a perfect boss or a perfect business. If we can make only one recommendation to young people, it is to work for someone else for three to five years. But what if that isn't possible? What if the daughter is 32 years old and is now vice-president of marketing? Or, what if the business is small and they need a family member on sweat equity just to survive? Then we try to find out other ways for that son or daughter to get the same sense of reality and outside perspective. Sometimes that means getting involved with their trade association or with other sons or daughters of another family business or with a community service group. For many parents, however, it's hard to believe that their children will want to come back, after working somewhere else. But the odds are better than two to one that they will come back, because magnetism to the family business generally increases with age. 4. Hire into an existing job It's very important to hire your son or daughter into an existing, meaningful, defined job. Why? You will know how much to pay and what to expect. The rest of your staff will know how your child fits into the office hierarchy and how to treat him or her. Often family businesses hire their children into ill-defined jobs and say, Because you're family, you can do anything that needs to be done around here. We wear a lot of hats and now you do, too. But then you open the door to resentment on the part of the rest of the staff. Sometimes, employees doubt that the second generation is qualified to lead the company. Don't set your son or daughter up for failure by giving him or her an overwhelming but undefined job. Instead, create a situation where progress can be measured. 5. Encourage the development of complementary skills After the next generation has entered the business, encourage the development of skills that are complementary to your own. Why? Your own skills are probably well ingrained into the business by now. If the parents are super salespeople, then the children are going to need to bring some operations or information system skills to the business. If the parent generation adhered to the philosophy of make it and invent it, then the next generation is probably going to have to know what the terms market segmentation and break-even analysis mean. Is it easy to accept the fact that your child can improve or add to your business? No. You have to be a very secure person to be open to this type of action from your own child. But consider the alternative: would your business be better off having a second generation who brings nothing and can only try to duplicate everything you have done? There is a cartoon that shows a son saying, Dad, sales are up 200 percent, production costs are down, and we're on the cover of Business Week. The father says, Yes, and your shoelace is untied. It's hard to recognize and praise our children's professional achievements. 6. Teach the foundations One of the most valuable things the parent generation can give the next generation is an understanding of the historical, cultural and strategic foundations of the business. It's very useful for the children to be aware of the firm's underpinnings of the underlying principles that hold the enterprise together. Even though you, the business founder, have lived the business, you may not be able to take a step back and identify your strategies. You may be too close to it all. If that is the case, let your child learn from a key employee who is able to explain why you do the things you do, as well as how you do the things you do. For example, instead of just showing your son or daughter how to treat your customers, the key employee will explain how the customer service policy evolved and what advantages the current policy has. 7. Start with mentors We always recommend that when the children enter the business, they should work for a mentor rather than with the parent. The mentor should be the most valuable, loyal, secure, and long-lasting employee. That person should be your alter ego, the one who does all of the things that you don't like to do. When you set this arrangement up, you should have a conversation with the mentor that goes something like this: I would like Karen to work with you because she can learn a lot from you. But I know what will happen in three to five years. You two will clash. It won't be anybody's fault it's just inevitable that she will want to do something on her own. The moment that happens, the mentoring relationship will end, and I will move her into the next step of the plan that I have in mind for her. It's very important to clarify all of this and set it up right from the start. We would like to add a word of caution here. Even if you have always made it clear that you intend to keep your business in the family, you may have an employee who believes that he or she is better and more qualified and rightfully deserves the opportunity to lead the company. Could it be that the employee may attempt to undermine your successor's efforts? Be aware that this possibility exists. Be clear, keep your eyes open, and don't let an unpleasant situation build up. You may have to offer the employee two options: recognize the successor's role, or leave the company. 8. Designate an area of responsibility What is the next step of your plan? Give your son or daughter his or her own area of responsibility. It should be well defined. It could be a certain department. It could be handling the advertising. It could be managing personnel. As your child gains in experience and competency, increase the number of areas of responsibility. By giving pieces of the business, you will be working toward a smooth succession. The model that we encourage you to have in mind when you think about succession is the track relay race. One runner has the baton, and the other runner has to catch up, take the baton, and continue the race. Your business will pass to the next generation much more smoothly if that second generation is running at full speed right next to you. It should be an exchange that is almost imperceptible. 9. Develop a rationale I've just described the ideal transfer. But what if somebody breaks stride or stumbles? Lots of things could happen. As a matter of fact, the transfer zone is usually a very painful period. The parent may go through a grieving period as he or she says goodbye to the business. But the son or daughter has pain also. He or she may have the most pain. Maybe there is a disagreement over money. Maybe it is over power. Maybe the founder is not entirely convinced that the successor is ready. How do you make it through this period? You, the founder, and the successor could both benefit from forming a rationale or a statement that says why all this is worth it to you. When things are particularly painful and you are wondering why you are going through this, you can tell yourself, It's difficult now, but it's worth it because For example, after thinking things through, you may conclude, It's worth it because we employ a lot of people, and I'm proud to be part of this business. Sorting out your feelings will help you though this difficult time. 10. Recognize that you are not alone We have found that it often helps families to know that they are not alone. All families face the same difficult issues such as How should we value the business? and Should the founder keep a title like Chairman of the Board? Somehow, it helps to know that these issues are difficult for everyone who tries to settle them. It can also help to know that the way in which family members respond to the issues is fairly predictable. In many cases, mothers are overprotective, and fathers think they are invincible. Rather than blaming your oldest son for being too hard driving and too achievement oriented, consider the fact that almost all first born children are like that. Rather than blaming your youngest child for not taking the business seriously, consider the fact that the baby of the family almost never takes anything too seriously. Rather than thinking that your family members have personality problems, recognize that it is very natural for the people involved to feel the way they do. Because conflicts are universal, you can learn from other people who have gone through them. That's why we generally recommend joining family-business forums or support groups. Not only will you be able to see how other people resolve their problems, you will also see that you may not be as bad off as you had previously thought. There is almost always someone who is in a worse situation. 11. Have family meetings Of course, good communication among your own family members is essential. Sometimes productive communication occurs spontaneously, and sometimes you need to plan for it. At a family meeting, the whole family gets together to discuss an important matter. Sometimes it is best to hold these meetings at an outside neutral location, such as a resort or a restaurant; sometimes it is best to sit around the kitchen table. How do you begin? You may wish to start by selecting a topic and moderator. We usually recommend, however, that you keep things informal and relaxed so that everyone can participate comfortably. The benefits of these meetings typically include a greater feeling of unity (or team building), a clearer understanding of the issues, and a better understanding of the family's range of perspectives. 12. Plan, plan, plan Long before the succession should take place, we encourage the founder to write a business plan, an estate plan and a succession plan all at once. We always know that we're asking for the near-impossible, but we do it anyway because it works. You need to write these plans at the same time because they influence each other. This is not, however, a do-it-yourself project. Help from your accountant, your attorney, and someone who has knowledge of organizational development is critical. Your job is to bring these experts together and develop the plans that can guide you through the succession period. We're not going to tell you that it will be easy. We're not going to tell you that you will be able to do it quickly. But the long-range benefits of this approach cannot be overstated. 13. Create an advisory board We recommend advisory boards to all small businesses. Why? They are an extremely valuable sustaining resource. The board should include the type of people mentioned above (lawyer, accountant, and organizational specialist) and at least one other person from your industry whom you respect. Often, the business owner will offer the board members an honorarium instead of a salary. If liability issues are a concern, you can call the board a council. In any case, you will benefit from group discussions of important issues. 14. Set a date As you go through the planning process you will be able to determine a realistic and financially advisable termination date. When your plans are concluded, you should know exactly when the leadership evolution process will be complete and you should be ready to hand your business over to the next generation. It is essential that you are fully committed to that date, that your staff is aware of the plan, and that your successor can depend on you to follow through with it. We have emphasized many times that succession is a process. Choosing a retirement date, preparing your successor, preparing your business for transition, and preparing yourself for a different sort of life are all important components of that process. 15. Let go Why do so many founders at the end of the transition process say, Well, I was wrong. We are not going to be able to complete the transition this year after all? Or, even worse, why do so many decide that they want to come back to the business two or three years after they left if for good? It is hard to let go of responsibility. It is hard to let go of authority. But it is even harder to let go of control. A psychiatrist can give you a lot of explanations about why this is true. Letting go is a very complex and difficult process that should not be underestimated. We're sure you know many business founders who are in their 60s who do not want to leave the business because they are afraid of giving up their identity, they don't know what they're going to do with their time, and they know three people who died the day after they retired. But we would like to offer an additional explanation for why letting go can be difficult for entrepreneurs. If you are tied financially to the business, it will be almost impossible for you to let go of it. One of the central goals that you should have while writing your business plan, estate plan and succession plan is to create financial security that has no ties to the business. You need to be financially independent. And if you aren't, you won't be able to resist the temptation of interfering with the business. Conclusion Perpetuating a family business is the ultimate management challenge. We're convinced, however, that you can increase your chances for success if you believe that succession is a process that may take fifteen or twenty years to complete. Fortunately, there has recently been a sharp increase in the number of resources (books, journals, support groups, and conferences) that have been developed to help you. We hope that you will take advantage of the support, plan ahead, be candid with your family and staff, and successfully transfer your business to the next generation. Good luck! Articles purchased or downloaded from The Family Business Consulting Group® are designed to provide general information and are not intended to provide specific legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice. Since your individual situation may present special circumstances or complexities not addressed in this article and laws and regulations may change, you should consult your professional advisors for assistance with respect to any matter discussed in this article. The Family Business Consulting Group®, its editors and contributors shall have no responsibility for any actions or inactions made in reliance upon information contained in this article. Articles are based on experience on real family businesses. However, names and other identifying characteristics may be changed to protect privacy. The copyright on this article is held by The Family Business Consulting Group®. All rights reserved. Articles may be available for reprint with permission. To learn more about using articles for your publication, contact [email protected] . Stay Connected With Us Articles, events and resources exclusively for family businesses, sign up for our newsletter. Written and edited by our team of practitioners, our complimentary newsletters feature insights and guidance on the unique challenges that family businesses face. Privacy Overview Family Business Succession Planning: 10 Golden Rules There is no one-size-fits-all approach to family business succession planning. Every situation is different and every family is uniquely complex. However, some principles appear to transcend culture and other succession variables – and apply to most circumstances. In this short article, we've identified 10 golden principles for family business succession that if applied thoughtfully can smooth out the process and maintain family relations as a bonus. See our full library of family business succession articles here. 1 \| Begin regular conversations about succession. Succession in many family businesses tends to be a hot mess of spoken and unspoken expectations. Part of the process inevitably includes objective evaluations of how family members are regarded and valued by other family members. That's a recipe for a swirl of emotions that can trip up the transition, given parents' desire not to make the wrong decision or disappoint a family member. The sooner in the process that a family begins a conversation among its members, the smoother the transition. A conversation means that the topic is raised and discussed over time within the family. Treating succession as a taboo subject rarely advances the succession process. In fact, avoidance tends to keep kicking the proverbial can down the road. Avoiding making a decision becomes a decision – against succession. Making succession a family conversation rather than a secretive decision by fiat relieves everyone of succession's existential weight. Parents no longer have to make the decision on their own, and their children do not have to commit to the business on a given day. For example, one family, whom we will be referencing as a case example throughout this article, started "family business days" for their children at a very young age. The parents met at a fixed date every year together with members of the next generation. The discussion focused on new products and recent developments at the firm. During this day each family member expressed his/her view on the succession situation, their wishes and perceptions of what was needed. In short, the children heard first-hand their parent's perspective on the business and its future. In turn, the parents heard their childrens' views about the business directly from the kids themselves. A regular fixed date enabled the family to keep in touch about the issue of succession at least once a year. 2 \| Separate ownership (shareholder) succession from leadership (management) succession. The two should not be conflated, and both are crucial to an efficient process of succession. When issues of succession arise, families tend to concentrate on the operating business, since it demands management's attention every day. As a result, people think "succession" means handing over operational management. That is only one rail of succession, however. The other is shareholder succession. This should be a separate process, and families need to pay particular attention to it, since shareholders form the company's backbone. Not thinking about shareholder succession can lead to problems -- such as when siblings, family clans, or patriarchs continue to dominate operations long after formally handing over their shares. That's a predictor for succession failure, and history is littered with such stories. Our case example family had survived (indeed, thrived) into the seventh generation. In the past, company shares and the CEO position were handed over to the first-born male, an artifact of patriarchal society. The company's size and value, however, made that impossible for the pattern to continue. Its leadership made the formal decision to separate shareholder succession from succession into top management. For each, a "succession track" was defined. For example, the succeeding generation was given shares at the age of 18 (legal adulthood in Germany) even though the decision of who might enter into management positions was not yet clear. 3 \| Pay attention to the financial, tax, and inheritance law implications. This may seem patently obvious, but the devil, as cliché goes, is in the details. The issues of management succession and transferring controlling shares can create a tsunami of financial, tax, and legal ramifications. The constantly changing regulations and provisions are complex, but here are several questions to start the process: - Should there be anticipated succession? - Do other siblings have to receive a compulsory portion (compensation) or are compulsory portion waivers required? - Should a pension be part of the succession and, if so, how should this be regulated? - Which tax-free allowances may be used? - What effects will the application of tax exemption provisions have on the business? - Do the articles of association have to be adjuste d ? In our case example family, the succession of shares was adjusted according to inheritance law. Each member of the next generation signed at the age of 18 a waiver of inheritance, so no compulsory part of the shares had to be given. Due to regulations of the family strategy and a charter, it was clear that there was no "right to inherit" but an obligation to serve the transgenerational wealth by the best suitable family member. 4 \| Focus on the business (separately from the family). What makes a family firm unique, of course, is the relationship with its shareholders, the family. Succession processes, however, tend to reveal the downsides of this so-called co-evolution. Family concerns can taint business decisions. An example is when decisions relevant to the survival of the firm are avoided because they might affect individual family members or disrupt family harmony. One way to make sure that the business stays in focus is to ask a series of hypothetical questions: - What would the business look like without the family? - Which business decisions would be different in this imagined scenario? - Which strategic and operative challenges would arise in this case? The idea is not to eliminate or ignore the family, of course. The questions serve to scrutinize the current business, probing whether any underlying family-related considerations serve only to maintain family harmony. This assessment may also be useful in planning succession. Family firms that survive for several generations place the business above family interests – when faced with a choice, which is most important. And they make the right decision without offending and discouraging family members in the process. In the first principle, we used the example of how a family created "family business days" to help facilitate a conversation among its children about the business. Later in the succession process, the family divided its set-aside days into two parts: the first half of the day was focused on the demands, decisions, and strategic developments of the business only. The second half of the day we'll describe in the next principle. 5 \| Focus on the family (separately from the business). The previous principle does not eliminate the need to prioritize the family during the succession process. Each owning family faces a two-fold task: it must act for the benefit of the business and, at the same time, not lose sight of the well-being of its members. Family cohesion is a valuable asset and should not be jeopardized by succession. Succession decisions often create conflict among members in owner families. It only makes sense: decisions can offend close relatives and remain unforgotten and unforgiven even after decades. It's critical that the succession process include some thinking on the unique complexity of the family and its members. Here are several questions to help with this reflection: - What would the family look like without the business? - Which needs of family members become apparent? - Which decisions affecting the family would be different without the family firm? - Which issues and topics would the family have to prioritize? A decision on succession requires striking a balance between business necessities and family needs. Every person in leadership should acknowledge and respect the unique internal dynamics of the close ties between business and family. Back to the example of the family business days: In the second part of the day, the time was devoted to family internal topics, such as onboarding new partners and addressing visible family dynamics. 6 \| Prioritize competence over birthright. This principle is another one that seems patently obvious, but in a family business, it's not always self-evident. Many families (roughly half in a recent study) still prefer succession within the family (Schwartz, 2018). Some families cling to the hope of appointing a candidate from the family, even when the children are not qualified or show no interest in working in the business. Here are a series of questions to help families sort through the issue of competency: - Which competencies would you expect of a manager who is not a relative? - Would I consider my (family-internal) successor to be qualified if he or she were not a family member? - Is there any reason not to conduct a special assessment process for interested members of the next generation? - Who can act as an external and neutral authority for the decision about satisfying the necessary competency and experience requirements? Are there any qualified advisory council members? Can the family agree on a neutral assessment procedure? - What especially characterizes the business family's current mental model? How can change be initiated? The rule of thumb for succession is this: competence before birthright. As a corollary principle, the family should never decide on the suitability of family members alone. External experts or a human resource committee can add an objective perspective to the process. For managerial succession, members of the next generation should always exhibit a level of competence comparable to that of a potential external manager. Through this article, we've used the case of a seventh-generation family. Its leadership required the next generation to be evaluated against external benchmarks. When showing interest in a management position, each member of the succeeding generation had to go through an assessment center, which evaluated their skill set according to the business needs defined by the supervisory board. The results defined a clear development plan with continuous coaching by external familial members of the board. At the end of the process, the coaches were asked about the competence level of each family member, the same vetting process that any external top management hire undergoes. 7 \| Allow successors to seek their own path. Most parents aspire to raise children who will forge their own life path -- until that child becomes a successor. It can be excruciating to let go. Business-owning parents, however, should honor their child's unique approach to the business. In previous generations the typical development of a successor was in-house training as well as learning the ropes at a friendly company -- perhaps a supplier or customer -- within the same industry. Newer forms of succession suggest different forms of development for members of the rising generation. Often, next generation members now collect their business experiences far afield from their parents' business. They may participate in start-up businesses or social entrepreneurship. Experience in technology start-ups or other technology-based businesses will be indispensable later on if the family business embraces digitalization. In our case example family, younger members of the next generation were required either to act as co-founders of a start-up or work in entrepreneurial environments before working at the family business. A minimum of 18 months in this environment was part of their educational program to become a top management successor. 8 \| Actively support and encourage successors (as well as incumbents) during the transition process. Many successors fret about the expectations placed on them after the transition is complete. They feel the full weight of responsibility as they start to lead the business. While it's crucial to recognize the individuality and independence of the successor generation, they also need support. One kind of support is an ongoing dialogue with the outgoing leaders, who know first-hand the emotion and burden of proving their business competence to their parents or third parties. An ongoing dialogue can build solidarity and trust between parents and children and help correct the painful experiences of the past and prevent them from happening in the future. Sons and daughters won't have to think of the business as a burden and/or a threat, but as a challenge that enables them to form their own learning and life experiences. Within our case family, the next generation had coaches and advisors from the board as well as succession specialists who served as regular sparring partners and "reflectors." The relinquishing generation also needs some space for reflection. They often feel as if others believe they are the problem, an impediment to change. They may feel cheated out of recognition for their life's work. When participating in discussions about the successor generation, the senior generation often longs to tell their story to the family. It's important that the successor generation honors the outgoing leaders by creating opportunities to reflect on their leadership journey. In our case family, the incumbent leaders found support from a small community of senior generation members of other business families. In short, the group became a kind of peer support group of senior family executives, all of whom were "learning to let go." Members felt comfortable raising questions, asking for advice, and offering wisdom and counseling. 9 \| Consider alternatives to family successors. Whether children assume executive leadership in a family business is secondary to keeping the business viable. While it's understandable that families may prefer to keep the business in the family, they have many alternatives to traditional family succession. Apart from appointing external managers, other options include management-buy-out and management-buy-in, selling to another company, an IPO, or establishing a foundation. Early on in the succession process, our case family installed a family external management team, a hedge in case the next generation lost interest or the younger leaders had not achieved competency. Along with this policy, an HR management practice was installed to identify junior staff members from within the company to fill potential gaps within the top management team in the future. 10 \| Put a high value on external advice. Handing over a family business is incredibly disruptive in the life of a family. Ways of doing things that worked well for decades are questioned. The earlier generation is suddenly no longer in command. Instead, the son, daughter, or another family member hold the reins. The status quo is gone – for employees as well as family members. Given these wrenching changes, most families would benefit by engaging external advisors and coaches to help them through the transition, whether briefly or over a longer period. This makes obvious sense regarding legal and tax matters, but even more so for the relationship and communication issues surrounding succession. For example, an external coach could facilitate a regular date and time to discuss potential hot spots between the incumbent and new generations. This can minimize problematic conduct, insults, and other undesirable developments. The senior and junior generations thereby create a kind of platform to reflect on the succession process undisturbed, i.e., to observe each other's behavior and agree on necessary changes. Seeking outside help is not an admission of weakness. On the contrary, it demonstrates a responsible approach to the most important decisions in the life of businesses and their families. Our case family regularly invited experts to their family business days and had additional coaches and advisors with whom they reflected on upcoming questions. They had an entire team of trusted advisors consisting of specialized consultants, experienced family business owners, and members of their supervisory board. Acknowledgement : The authors would like to thank Dave Goetz and Melissa Parks of Journey Sixty6 ( www.journeysixty6.com ) for their invaluable help with preparing this article. Groth, T., Rüsen, T. A., Schlippe, A. v. (2020): Securing succession in a family business across generations – How succession may be organized in businesses and among shareholders Practical Guide of the Witten Institute for Family Business (WIFU). Witten: WIFU ( free fulltext ). Otten-Pappas, D. (2015 ): Taking over the Family Business – A carreer developmental perspective on male and female succession. Book No. 16 WIFU Publication Series edited by Tom A. Rüsen, Heiko Kleve, Arist von Schlippe. Göttingen: V&R unipress ( free fulltext ). Pieper, T. M. (2021): The Importance of Family Cohesion for Long-term Family Business Survival. In: Rüsen, T. A. (Eds.) Theory and Practice of Business Families and Family Businesses – Commemorative Publication for Arist von Schlippe . Göttingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht (P. 157 – 163) ( free fulltext ). Rüsen, T. A. (2020): Professional ownership in business families – the success factor for long-lasting family businesses . Practical Guide of the Witten Institute for Family Business (WIFU). Witten: WIFU Rüsen, T. A. & Löhde, A.-S. (2021): The Business Family and its Family Strategy – Insights into the lived Practice of Family Governance . Study of the Witten Institute for Family Business (WIFU). Witten: WIFU ( free fulltext ). Rüsen, T. A.; Schlippe, A. v. & Groth, T., Gimeno. A. (2020): Mental Models of Family Businesses – How Business Families see themselves and their connection to the Family Business. Practical Guide of the Witten Institute for Family Business (WIFU). Witten: WIFU ( free fulltext ). Schlippe, A. v., Rüsen, T. A., Groth, T. (2021): The Two Sides of the Business Family. Governance and Strategy Across Generations . Cham: Springer International Publishing. Related Expertise: Leadership Development , Business Strategy , Corporate Strategy Succeeding with Succession Planning in Family Businesses The ten key principles. March 25, 2015 By Vikram Bhalla and Nicolas Kachaner For many family-owned businesses, succession planning is the proverbial "elephant in the room." Despite recognizing the importance of selecting and preparing a successor, the leaders of a family business often do not give succession planning the attention it deserves. In a recent survey by The Boston Consulting Group, family business leaders ranked succession as the second-most-important subject on the their minds, topped only by the closely related issue of achieving alignment among family members on critical topics. Even so, our research found that more than 40 percent of family businesses have not adequately prepared for succession during the past decade. The consequences of not focusing on succession despite its obvious importance can be profound; a leadership void and the resulting discord can significantly undermine the company's performance. Indeed, poorly planned successions are among the biggest value-destroying events for family-owned businesses. BCG's research sheds light on the extent to which poorly planned successions can harm revenues, market capitalization, and margins. Although our study focused on family-owned businesses in India, the findings offer cautionary insights for companies in any country. We found a 14-percentage-point differential in revenue growth over two years when comparing family businesses that had planned transitions with those that had not. (See the exhibit.) We also found a 28-percentage-point differential in market capitalization growth between companies that had planned transitions and those that had not. Moreover, unplanned transitions yielded EBITDA margins that after two years were more than 4 percentage points lower than those achieved by companies that successfully planned succession; margins remained below the trend line for the peer group for more than four years after unplanned transitions. Clearly, an enormous amount of value is destroyed by unplanned transitions, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the business. A Difficult Subject to Discuss and Address Head-On What lies behind the reluctance of many family-business leaders to openly discuss succession planning and tackle the challenges head-on? Succession planning sits at the intersection of family considerations, which typically involve emotions and feelings, and business considerations, which are typically driven by merit and economics. This juxtaposition of sentimental and financial concerns can make succession an especially complex topic. Moreover, many incumbent leaders are unwilling to talk about relinquishing the helm, because their personal identity is often tightly linked to the family business itself. A charismatic founder having a strong personality, formidable capabilities, and a long record of managing all aspects of the business often casts a lengthy shadow over younger generations. In such cases, succession can be a nearly taboo subject that is difficult to broach. Even when succession is high on the leadership agenda, family businesses face significant challenges to getting it right. First, they need to decide whether to select a successor from within or outside the family. Several family members may each aspire to take the reins, and talented nonfamily executives may also be interested in leading the company. Then, if the business designates a young family member as the successor, it must define a plan for how he or she will prepare for the role and gain acceptance as the leader by other family members and executives. Finally, the departing leader must be willing to let the successor emerge from under his or her shadow and take charge as planned. Succeeding with Succession Planning for a smooth succession starts with recognizing that it will be one of the most complicated transitions that a family business will experience. The family must also recognize that it is never too early to start discussing succession and that the costs of getting succession wrong will be nothing short of catastrophic for the business. These challenges mean that family members must focus strongly on succession planning, giving it their undivided attention on many occasions. Based on our experience advising family businesses on succession, we have identified ten principles that improve the chances of succeeding with succession. Start early. Families may hesitate to plan succession because they are uncertain how the interests, choices, and decisions of different family members will play out over years or decades. But succession planning should start as soon as possible despite this uncertainty. Although things may change along the way, leaders can often anticipate the potential scenarios for how the family will evolve. Issues to consider when developing scenarios include the number of children in the next generation and whether those individuals are interested in the family business as a source of full- or part-time employment or purely as an investment. Families should also consider how the scenarios would be affected by marriages or the sudden demise of a family member or potential successor. It is important to plan a succession process and outcome that will work for the different foreseeable scenarios. Set expectations, philosophy, and values upfront. Although setting expectations, philosophy, and values is central to many family-business issues, we have found that doing so is essential when it comes to succession planning and must be done up front, even if the specific mechanics of succession come later. In our experience, the family businesses that thrive and succeed across generations are those that possess a core philosophy and set of values linked not to wealth creation but to a sense of community and purpose. Long before decisions will be made about specific potential successors, the family must agree on overarching issues such as whether family unity will take precedence over wealth creation, whether all branches of the family will have an equal ownership right and voice in decisions, and whether decisions will be based purely on merit and the best interests of the business. These guiding principles will provide the framework for more specific decisions. Understand individual and collective aspirations. Understanding family members' aspirations, individually and collectively, is critical to defining the right succession process. Leaders of the succession process should meet with family members and discuss their individual aspirations for involvement in the business. For example, does an individual want to work for the business or lead the business, or, alternatively, focus on the family's philanthropic work? Or does an individual want to chart his or her own course outside of the business? The family's collective aspirations can emerge from the effort to establish a philosophy and values. Does the family want its business to be the largest company in the industry? Is maintaining the business as a family-owned-and-operated company of paramount importance, or does the family want to relinquish operational responsibility in the coming years? Understanding these aspirations helps in managing expectations and defining priorities in the succession process. Independently assess what's right for the business. Although the best interests of the business and the family may seem indistinguishable to some family members, in reality the optimal decisions from the business's perspective may differ from what family members want for themselves. This distinction makes it essential to consider what is right for the business independent of family preferences when developing a succession plan. It is therefore important to think about succession from a purely business perspective before making any adjustments based on family preferences. This allows leaders to be transparent and deliberate in the trade-offs they may have to make to manage any competing priorities. Develop the successor's capabilities broadly. A family business should invest in developing the successor's capabilities and grooming him or her for leadership. The preparation should occur in phases starting at a young age—even before the successor turns 18. The challenges of leading a family business are even greater than those faced by leaders of other businesses. In addition to leadership and entrepreneurship, a successor needs to develop values aligned with the family's aspirations for the business and its role in society—capabilities that constitute stewardship of the company. Given the rapidly increasing complexity of business in the twenty-first century, we often strongly recommend that potential successors gain experience outside the family business in order to broaden their perspective. Some of the best-managed family businesses have elaborate career-development processes for family members that are the equal of world-class talent-management and capability-building processes. Define a clear and objective selection process. A company needs to define a selection process to implement its succession model—whether selecting a successor exclusively from the family or considering nonfamily executives as well. The selection process should be based on articulated criteria and delineate clear roles among family governance bodies and business leaders, addressing who will lead the process, propose candidates, and make decisions. An early start is especially important if several family members are under consideration or the potential exists to divide the business to accommodate leadership aspirations. To obtain an objective perspective on which members of the younger generation have the greatest leadership potential, some families have benefited from the support of external advisors in evaluating talent and running the selection process. It is important to note that the selection process, while critical, is the sixth point on this list. Points one through five are prerequisites for making the selection process itself more robust and effective. Find creative ways to balance business needs and family aspirations. Striking the right balance between the business's needs and family members' aspirations can be complex. Addressing this complexity often calls for creative approaches—beyond the traditional CEO-and-chairperson model. For example, the leader of one BCG client split his conglomerate into different companies, each to be led by one of his children; the split occurred without acrimony and in a planned, transparent manner. Beyond helping family members fulfill their aspirations, such a planned split can often greatly enhance value for the business. Another client systematically expanded its business portfolios as the family grew and tapped family members to take over the additions, thus ensuring that several members of the family had a role in the leadership of the businesses. Stepping into an executive position is not the only way family members can contribute to the business or help the family live its values. As an alternative, family members can serve on the board of directors or take leading roles in the family office or its philanthropic activities. Build credibility through a phased transition. Successors should build their credibility and authority through well-defined phases of a transition into the leadership role. They can start with a phase of shadowing senior executives to learn about their routines, priorities, and ways of operating. Next, we suggest acting more as a chief operating officer, managing the operations closely but still deferring to the incumbent leaders on strategic decisions. Ultimately, the successor can take over as the CEO and chairperson and drive the family business forward. It is important to emphasize that the family member who assumes leadership of the business does not necessarily also become the head of the family, with responsibility for vision setting, family governance and alignment, and wealth management. The transition of family leadership can be a distinct process. Each phase of the transition often takes between two and six months. The transition should be defined by clear milestones and commensurate decision rights. A sudden transition can be disruptive, which is especially harmful if the intent is to maintain continuity in the family business's direction and strategy. Ask departing leaders to leave but not disappear. Most leaders bring something distinctive to a family business. Holding onto this distinctiveness in a transition is essential but requires a delicate balance. Although departing leaders should relinquish managerial responsibility for the business, they should remain connected to one or two areas where they bring the truly distinctive value that made the family business successful under their guidance. However, the leaders should be involved in these activities through a formal process, rather than at their own personal preference and discretion. Departing leaders should stay available to guide the new leader if he or she seeks their advice. To help leaders strike this balance and overcome their reluctance to let go, companies can create a "glide path" plan that sets out how they will turn over control in phases and transition into other activities while the successor assumes control and builds credibility. Family businesses should also consider the need to adjust aspects of the company's governance model when the departing leader hands over the reins. Although such adjustments can be made outside the context of succession, they often become particularly relevant after transitions to the second or third generation. A strong leader's hands-on governance approach is often no longer sustainable for the next generation, creating the need to divide and formalize roles and institutionalize many business processes. Motivate the best employees and foster their support. Managing the company's most talented nonfamily executives is especially challenging during the succession process. The company needs to ensure that these executives have opportunities to develop professionally and take on new responsibilities and that morale remains high. Involving executives in the succession process can help to foster their support for the new leader. For example, they can be asked to serve as mentors for the successor or lead special projects relating to the succession. Surrounding the new leader with a strong and supportive senior team is a key ingredient for success, and the departing leader should ensure that such a team is in place. Assessing the Status of Succession Planning Today As an initial "health check" to assess the current status of their succession planning, family businesses should consider a number of issues: - Has the family clearly articulated its values and the principles that will guide its decisions and succession process? - Has the current leader committed to a fixed retirement date? - Has the family evaluated the pipeline of leadership talent within its younger generation? Has it looked at potential leaders who come from within the business but not within the family? - Has the company defined a succession model and determined the timing for selecting a successor so that he or she has a sufficient opportunity to prepare for the leadership role and build credibility before the current leader retires? - Does the family understand how it will accommodate the aspirations of family members not selected for leadership roles, in order to maintain harmony and avoid discord during the transition to new leadership? In many cases, family businesses will find that the answers to questions like these indicate the need to devote much more time and attention to succession planning. Most important, the current leader, other family members, and the top management team will need to begin having an open and candid discussion about succession-related issues to enable the business to thrive for generations to come. These discussions are never easy, but they are essential. Getting succession wrong can be an irreversible and often fatal mistake for a family business. Managing Director & Senior Partner Mumbai - Nariman Point Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place. © Boston Consulting Group 2024. All rights reserved. For information or permission to reprint, please contact BCG at [email protected] . To find the latest BCG content and register to receive e-alerts on this topic or others, please visit bcg.com . Follow Boston Consulting Group on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) . I am looking for… I need support for… - Login or other general help - Paycheck Protection Program Insights to help ignite the power of your people Search SPARK A Beginner's Guide to Business Succession Planning for Small- and Mid-Size Business Owners - Share Spark Article on LinkedIn - Share Spark Article on Facebook - Share Spark Article on Twitter - Share Spark Article via Email - Print Spark Article Having a business succession plan in place can minimize fallout if you lose a key employee. While it takes some extra analysis and foresight — and some transparent communication and documentation — it can pay off when a transition to new leadership goes smoothly. As you run your business, you're likely focused on the day-to-day challenges. But time can go by quickly, and it's crucial to plan the next generation of leaders. Proper business succession planning — that is, identifying and developing employees to step into future roles — can set you up for success down the road while also improving your employee retention rates and engagement now. "It's a strategic approach to thinking about scenarios and plans to ensure smooth transitions between current and future incumbents," says Jay Caldwell, chief talent officer at ADP. Let's explore the basics of business succession planning, including the benefits of doing it, key steps to take to set it up and the challenges you may encounter (and their solutions). What is business succession planning? Succession planning primarily focuses on how you'll replace essential leadership roles in your organization, including the owner and CEO. It may also include guidelines for continuity in other positions that are critical for success or difficult to fill. The idea is to start training and nurturing the next round of talent so you aren't left scrambling if a key employee quits, retires, gets sick or passes away. Your succession plan may also include operational exit planning detailing what you'd like to happen when you or other top stakeholders retire. Documentation can settle decisions ahead of time such as whether you'd like to leave the business to family, sell it to another company or set up a buy-out with your employees. "Every business owner wants to minimize distractions to their operations and goals," Caldwell notes. "Changes in leaders can be quite disruptive, particularly if there is not a plan in place." Succession planning keeps your business running smoothly even when key employees leave. This is one just of the reasons to make business succession planning a priority . Succession planning can help you find candidates and retain them However, strategic workforce planning is sometimes not on the radar for small and mid-size business owners. Only 35 percent of these businesses have started the process, and of this group, only 8 percent have a complete written plan, according to 2022 research from MassMutual . "It could be because of the demands of their operations, a lack of development resources or simply overlooking the importance of planning for transitions," Caldwell observes. One common issue for smaller organizations when it comes to this type of planning is that you usually don't have a broad bench of talent to draw on. However, if you're thinking about the future of your business early on, you're more likely to ensure a viable candidate has been trained, whether internally or outside your organization. It can keep you from having to do a sudden — and possibly costly — hiring search. It also saves you and other leadership from working overtime to handle the role while looking for a replacement. Your succession plan can prevent the loss of critical knowledge after someone leaves and conflict between employees suddenly vying for the open position. If your family members are part of the business, your succession plan can even guide the next generation of owners. Finally, a succession plan has the potential to improve your employees' performance today. That's because your top contenders will stay committed to your organization if they know they're lined up for a role and help future-proof your management team . "Seeing a clear future with the company is a top driver of retention," says Caldwell. "Establishing and following through on development action plans make succession candidates feel challenged and engaged, which can help ensure they are emotionally committed to doing their best work." He adds, "These are your best people and would be very valuable to your competitors, so succession plans can help protect your most important asset!" Key aspects to have in a business succession plan Because every business needs a unique plan, there aren't pre-made blueprints. But you can take several common steps to ensure your business succession covers the major points: - Identify priority roles. "In a world of finite time and resources, it's unlikely you can have a plan for all roles," says Caldwell. "Pick the ones that have the most significant impact on your business." - Define what is needed for each role. Consider the required experiences, knowledge, skills and behaviors to succeed in the short and long term. Clarity is a key part of the succession planning process . - Find possible succession candidates for each role. Look for up-and-coming leaders in your organization, external candidates and family members. Consider where they stand right now versus the position's ideal requirements and what training or skills they will need. - Discuss career aspirations with your candidates. Ask about their future career goals and if they see themselves in these higher positions. Also, ask what they might need to grow into these roles. - Set an action plan for developing future candidates. Think of the training, exposure, relationships or experiences that you can offer for these roles in the near term. For example, you could have the successor candidate fill the role temporarily while the current employee is out for a limited time. - Estimate when transitions may occur. Consider when you or other leaders want to start stepping down. Your plan could include a gradual phase-out, where existing leaders adjust their roles to focus more on mentorship/coaching their successors. Overcoming road bumps with business succession planning While succession planning may sound straightforward enough as you line up your wants and wishes for your organization, some common challenges can get in your way. Vague goals and requirements You must be clear about each role's requirements and the steps needed to develop your employees. You also should be transparent with potential candidates about how you view their future and gauge their interests rather than making assumptions about what they want. Missing leadership buy-in "Many leaders don't like thinking about a future where they are no longer with the company," says Caldwell. "It can feel morbid or counterintuitive, and so they'll need to be sold on the value of doing so." Lack of available talent Developing future talent is a must because it cannot happen overnight. You and your HR team should also network with external candidates to build the pipeline of those who could be brought into the company. You can cut down on the time an open position goes unfilled. On top of skills, focus on the diversity of future talent pools and develop a broad spectrum of leaders from different backgrounds and experiences. Conflict between future candidates Improper or unclear plans can create unhealthy competition between your employees, leading to distrust and a lack of collaboration. That's why fostering open, honest dialogue about your plans is essential rather than leaving everyone guessing what's coming next. Emergency loss of employees Unfortunately, life can get in the way of your succession plan with the sudden departure, illness or death of a leader. Your succession plan should consider how your business would react to an emergency departure. You could also cross-train employees across several roles. You develop more people who can step up in a pinch, and you may uncover unknown employee talents and passions for a new position. Tricky family relationships Succession planning can have extra challenges for family business owners to navigate. In some cases, making decisions you think are good for the company can lead to hurt feelings. "This situation can have heightened emotional dynamics given the personal relationships inside and especially outside of the workplace," Caldwell warns. You may want to try to make sure your personal relationships don't hinder your objectivity in considering successor candidates. Also, it's a good idea to recognize communication breakdowns that create a lack of transparency in how you're making decisions. If you want to hand over your business to the next generation one day, a well-designed and clearly communicated succession plan is critical. Where to get help with your business succession plan Building a succession plan is not easy, especially if it's beyond the experience of anyone in your organization. Even if you feel comfortable with your plan, it still could help to reach out to a professional. "Getting a third party's opinion can help mitigate the challenges, increase perceptions of fairness and lead to a smoother transition when the time comes," Caldwell says. You can turn to HR professionals with a long history of experience in helping other small and mid-sized businesses. They can guide you about the essential questions to ask yourself and other stakeholders to shape your plans and the documents necessary to lock it down. Consider the ADP Talent Management and Succession Management programs from an outside perspective. They can guide you through this important process. Recommended for You Tools & resources. Take your organization to the next level with practical tools and resources that can help you work smarter. Recommend a Topic Is there a topic or business challenge you would like to see covered on SPARK? Subscribe to SPARK Stay in the know on the latest workforce trends and insights. Your privacy is assured. Is there a topic or business challenge you would like to see covered on SPARK? Please let us know by completing this form. All submissions will be reviewed and considered for use in future SPARK articles. Important: If you need ADP service or support, visit ADP.com/contact-us/customer-service or call 1-844-227-5237. Succession Planning Ivan Andreev Demand Generation & Capture Strategist, Valamis February 23, 2022 · updated April 3, 2024 16 minute read This article is going to explain what succession planning is and how it can be applied to your business. After reading this guide, you will have a strong idea of creating or improving your succession planning process and the best practices involved. What is succession planning? Business succession planning, benefits of succession planning, succession planning process, succession planning best practices, faq about succession planning, succession planning template. Succession planning is the process whereby you identify new leaders and develop them to take over the role of the incumbent. For businesses to thrive, it needs to avoid moments of crisis and lack of leadership. At some point, succession planning will help with such a situation by preparing a candidate for a planned or emergency replacement. This could be because of retirement, a new opportunity, or in the event of death. Succession planning is your safety net to ensure that business operations can remain smooth. A robust process will help you identify key individuals who could fill leadership positions. In the best-case scenario, you will be given advance notice when someone is going to leave. A succession plan prepares you for the worst-case scenario and no notice. At the same time, an effective succession planning strategy will avoid any questions of succession where leadership positions are concerned. In the monarchy, this is often resolved through the order of succession. A well-understood model that passes the office to the nearest descendant. This model is also common with family-run businesses that intend to leave the business to their children or next of kin. It can help you navigate crises and leadership transitions with ease. In business, succession planning plays a vital role in identifying candidates to take on more challenging roles. When an important postholder departs they leave behind a void that can disrupt the company. No matter the size of your business, a succession plan is a key to having a smooth transition. Large companies such as Pepsi , Microsoft , and General Electric have well-known succession plans for executive talent. For large corporations, it will typically fall to the CEO and the board of directors to oversee the succession plans. They will evaluate employees to identify leadership qualities and provide training for those in consideration. Often the succession plan will look internally for candidates to take over positions. However, some companies may look to external candidates and may even employ the use of headhunters. Smaller-scale companies may not need a comprehensive succession plan compared to large businesses. However, there will still be a need to identify someone to take over in the event of an emergency. Therefore it is wise to train potential successors so they are prepared to step up if the need arises. Types of succession plans There are two types of succession plans that should be considered. This will give your business something to fall back on in the case of an emergency. 1. Long-term succession plan The first type of succession plan you should consider is your long-term succession plan. This is the plan that you will more or less stick to as a standard for key positions. A succession plan of this nature can be reevaluated and changed as the company grows. For large companies, this would be the plan that outlines the details of succession for all key positions. 2. Emergency succession plan A secondary emergency succession plan can also be created, where appropriate, to be deployed in the event of an emergency. This type of plan may involve more temporary measures but is intended to keep operations running smoothly. This could see other senior members of staff take on extra responsibilities while a replacement is sought. Many small and medium businesses do not have a succession plan. Of those that do, some of them have only informal plans. This can be a risk for your business as there could be unforeseen incidents that could occur such as death. It is worth creating a formal, written succession plan that is developed and easily accessible. Here are some of the benefits for businesses of any size to create a succession plan: 1. Candidates ready to start When an upcoming promotion, retirement, or departure is approaching you will have the next generation of leaders ready to go. Thanks to your succession plan the replacement will already have the skills required to take over the role. 2. Encourages managers to develop junior employees Your succession plan can help your managers to start developing lower-level employees. The plan helps to define clear progression routes through the company so managers can share appropriate training and information with junior staff. Managers will also be able to start training their replacement when promotions are approaching. 3. It leads to higher job satisfaction Employees report higher job satisfaction when there is a succession plan at their company. This is because it helps to define routes to progressions and lowers job insecurity. A succession plan can help employees understand what they need to do to achieve a promotion. It can help with goal-setting and giving employees a sense of direction at work. 4. Helps to track progress Succession planning can help your managers to track employee progress through performance reviews. Internal opportunities can also be quickly filled with knowledgeable employees who have been upskilled and crossed trained. 5. Keeps shareholders confident Whenever a high-ranking postholder leaves the organization it can leave shareholders feeling uneasy. In some cases, they may look to sell their shares. A good succession plan can help keep investors on board. For positions like CEO or CFO, the board may have had some input into the choice of successor. This will give the shareholders confidence in the company and the new postholder. 6. Cultivate and maintain company loyalty Having a strong culture of promoting from within can lead to increased company loyalty. You can attract talented employees who will stay with you for a long time. This helps them to have a strong understanding of the businesses, morals, and expectations. Employees are more likely to stick around for the long term if there are defined advancement opportunities. Instead of an informal plan, it's a good idea to make a comprehensive document that outlines how succession should work. Small and family businesses may only need a limited plan that outlines succession for a single person. Larger corporations may need a comprehensive document that starts with the hiring process and works its way through the ranks and details different leadership positions. The fundamentals of your succession plan will remain the same which is what we're going to look at now. It's also worth pointing out that this document can be revised and amended whenever it is necessary. 1. Determine the scope You will need to figure out how comprehensive you want your succession planning to be. A small business might only need to find a replacement for ownership. Medium and large businesses may only want to consider the succession plan for their C-suite of employees. It may also be the case you want a succession plan that covers every eventuality from store manager to distribution to CEO. Ask yourself the following questions to decide what is best for your business: - Do you only need a plan that covers senior management? - Do you want a succession plan that covers the entire organization? - Are there any vulnerabilities in your business? Such as having a division with a higher amount of employees nearing retirement. Are you prepared for that? - Should performance reviews be used to help identify potential candidates? - Should the talent acquisition process be a part of your succession plan? It's important to understand what your specific needs are as well as the needs of the business. The size and type of your business can help to inform some of your decisions but ultimately every business will be different. 2. Identify key positions and skills First, you have to identify the key roles in your organization that will be good to secure. It could be the CEO, CFO, CCO, CHRO, and different heads of departments. Second, you might have some specific specialists that are unique to the industry or your business, e.g. it might be some highly skilled engineer, programmer, scientist, etc. Consider the following questions to identify key positions and the skills needed for that post: - How does this position impact the company? - If this position became vacant, how would that affect the company? - Are there some big risks if this position became vacant? - What skills (both hard and soft) are needed for this specific role? The objective is to figure out how crucial the position is. If the company would be severely affected by a vacated position then this is one that should be considered within your succession plan. You will also need to understand what specific attributes are needed for the role. That way you can build your training and development around nurturing those key skills. 3. Identify potential candidates Perhaps the most crucial stage is finding the employees that might be suited to a tougher challenge . You could ask the current postholder for help determining who could step up in their absence. It's also worth considering that the right person for the job isn't necessarily the next in line. Candidates could be sidestepped in the role or there could be other promising candidates in the business. You may wish to make hiring a part of the plan and therefore can use interviews to vet potential recruits for career prospects. Try to answer the next questions: - Who are the strongest candidates to step into this role? - What skills do they possess that could benefit their new office? - What skills are the candidates lacking? - Does this person have the appetite for more responsibility? - What training will they need to succeed? It's important to identify people who want more responsibility. Your top choice maybe someone who is happy in their current role and not looking to change. This is something that can be gauged during annual reviews or in meetings about their professional goals. 4. Speak to the candidates It would be wise to speak with the people you are considering. This will give you a clear answer if they would be interested in the role. Don't make any promises but explain that they are being considered for leadership. Explain that nothing is guaranteed as there are plenty of moving factors to consider. This includes the current postholder, the company, and the candidates. However, you can gauge their interest and it may help to encourage high-performing individuals to remain loyal to the company. 5. Work on professional development Leadership development is worth investing in particularly for employees you have identified for succession into key roles. There are a variety of ways to develop potential successors and help them to develop leadership skills. You can create a leadership development plan to ensure candidates have the right skills and are a good fit for leading positions. Employees being groomed for leadership roles can be developed in several ways . You need to test your employees to make sure they can meet the demands of the increased responsibilities. Some of the ways this can be achieved are through: Connect the candidates with business leaders in your company. They can help to develop the skills of succession candidates and even share knowledge that might not be immediately obvious. You can send prospects on courses to help develop their skills. These could be in-house courses or ones run through independent third parties. Task forces Task forces and project management is a great way to test your candidates. This will give them the opportunity to lead a team and test how well they cope under pressure. When you think about development consider the following questions: - What is the best way to upskill? - What resources are required and available? - Are there some additional skills needed? The focus should be on improving a candidate's interpersonal abilities and communication skills that are important in a leading position. You will also want to give them the opportunity to learn and develop the necessary skills required to do the specific job. 6. Trial and error There should be ample opportunity to give your succession plan a trial run with the candidates you are considering. For example, if the postholder is away on holiday or off sick for an extended period you can use this as an opportunity to try someone in the role. The benefit here is twofold, the candidate will get a feel for the position and appreciate the opportunity. While you can assess whether they are the right candidate for the position. Note: Such tests can affect the team so pay close attention to this . This is especially true for external candidates and people from different teams. Not everybody will like it, unless the candidate is a strong leader from the inside of the team. This is what you need to consider: - How does the employee interact with others? - Have they kept the department running smoothly? - How do they handle issues that arise? - How do they react to stressful situations and conflicts? - How much help do they need in the role? You want to see them step up and take control of the position. This will help identify if there is any specific training they need to take the role full-time. You can gauge whether someone is wrong for the position. This may come down to their interpersonal skills or ability to deal with new challenges. 7. Refine and redefine Your succession plan is something that can be developed over time. It may be that what was working years ago isn't quite the same now. You may need to adjust the succession plan to adapt to a changing business landscape. As the business grows you may need to redefine what is included in your succession plan. It would be prudent to start with the most important roles in the business. After all, you can't totally predict when a key position will become vacant. Once you have those key positions locked down you can start to expand the scope of your succession plan. 1. Start from key roles You should start with the most important roles first. Which of the positions will have the greatest effect on your business if the postholder doesn't turn up tomorrow? Roles at an executive level are going to be the most disruptive ones. From there work out the specific skills and knowledge required for the role. This will help you to create your plan and identify potential successors. Once the most pressing roles are covered you can look at what other roles are important to include. 2. Talk to your employees Your succession plan will affect people and may make some people feel nervous. It's important to explain the scope of the succession plan and why certain roles are included in it. You may only look to include executive positions or your plan may include managers and supervisory staff as well. By giving a clearly defined scope you can avoid members of staff second-guessing their position. 3. Collaboration between management and HR This is a process that should be driven by the business leaders with support from HR where necessary. It is not strictly an HR process and therefore senior leadership should be communicated with regarding the succession plan. Gain insights, input, and information from across the senior positions to help the succession plan run smoothly. Interviewing the post holders about the wants and needs of their job can provide crucial information. 4. Forecast your business needs You should have an emergency succession plan in place that can deal with the untimely vacancy of a position. Alongside this, you can create a detailed forecast and a longer-term plan. This is necessary to address things like upcoming retirement and promotions. You will also need to consider how quickly the business can mobilize to fill this position. A strong succession plan will understand how it will impact the business in 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years. 5. Create a pipeline of talent Create a pipeline of talent so you have individuals ready to take up new challenges as they arrive. A pipeline of this kind is essential for finding a talented successor but it's also a good idea to help fill newly created positions. New recruits can be included in your pipeline of talent. You can learn about this in our talent acquisition guide. Even if you don't have any open positions currently, you can still start cultivating a pool of talented individuals. 6. Annual talent reviews Your succession plan is something that should be continually developed. This includes reviewing the candidates on an annual basis or more. People may have moved on or into new positions within your company. Promising candidates may no longer be performing at the standard you would like. Take a look at your succession plan every year and adapt and change things where it is necessary. 7. Build the learning culture inside your organization It will help you nurture and grow potential candidates as well as new talents. When you have identified the individuals that are being considered for senior positions you will need to develop their skills. You can work with the candidates and they can lead their own individual development plan. This ensures that their progress is actively monitored and they can take ownership of the process. Managers should be on hand to provide guidance, resources, and provide timely reviews. Why is succession planning important? Succession plans make your business disaster-proof. They provide a concrete plan for filling key roles and help to avoid times of uncertainty. It can be reassuring for investors to know that there is a carefully considered plan in place. How to do succession planning? Succession planning should be conducted by business leaders with support from the HR teams. All affected individuals need to be involved in the process. Start with the end goal to identify what you need to achieve. Each business will have different needs so consider which positions will have the biggest effect on operations. What is business succession planning? Business succession planning is the process whereby you identify candidates to be groomed for senior positions. Specifically, when the incumbent leaves the role, this could be for a promotion, retirement, or an untimely death. Your business succession plan is in place to facilitate a transfer of power and keep your business sailing smoothly. What is the correct order of the succession planning process? - Identify which positions need to be included - What specific skills are required for those roles? - Identify people who could be a good fit - Start grooming them for succession - Review your succession plan and candidates annually You might be interested in Career development plan Learn what a career development plan is and how to create it. Discover examples and download the career development planning template in PDF. Discover the essence of mentoring and how it differs from coaching. Explore the types of mentoring, its definition, and the numerous benefits it can bring to individuals and the workplace. What makes a good team The Godrej family saga: Business succession should be led by a common vision - In multigenerational family business groups, succession planning is more than mere transfers of ownership and control. It encompasses nurturing talent, cultivating leadership, fostering a unified family vision and outlining priorities to ensure seamless power transitions across generations. The recent split in the illustrious Godrej family business group, a behemoth that has been a cornerstone of India's industrial landscape for over a century, has captivated the business and investor community. With roots stretching back to 1897, the Godrej Group has epitomized resilience, innovation and stewardship across five generations. However, the fissures that have emerged within the family in recent years underscore the intricate challenges of sustaining harmony and continuity in multi-generational family enterprises. Discords within the Godrej family came to the forefront in the 2010s, primarily revolving around a combination of succession-related issues and differing strategic visions among some family members on the future portfolio and direction of the family business group's businesses. Despite Adi Godrej's longstanding and remarkable tenure as the group's patriarch and leader, the absence of a designated successor appears to have led to uncertainty and contention among family members over the future leadership of the family and its complex portfolio of diversified businesses. Moreover, the failure of the current and next-gen leadership of the Godrej family to agree on a unified strategic vision and set of priorities for the business group's direction is said to have led to disagreements over key business decisions, fuelling tension within the family. Many observers bemoan the division of businesses built over a century by this iconic business family, a rare exemplar of enduring familial success in India, as it splits its business portfolio into two, each charting its distinct course. In the realm of business, few entities embody tradition, resilience and complexity as profoundly as multi-generation family enterprises. These enterprises often serve as pillars of economic stability, passing down values, expertise and wealth through successive generations, and emerge as an integral part of a nation's history and heritage. However, it is important to recognize that the possibility of a carve-up of businesses is intrinsic to enterprises that are exposed to the vagaries of uncertain, intricate and often inexplicable familial relationships that can either fortify or fracture both families and their businesses. Moreover, the topic merits nuanced consideration, as splits in family businesses per se should not be viewed negatively. They can bring about both positive and negative consequences for all stakeholders. At the heart of multigenerational family rifts often lie fundamental tensions between tradition and innovation, legacy and progress. The continuity of any family-owned business group lies in the owning family's ability to develop a unified family vision that strikes a delicate balance between preserving the values and ethos of the past while embracing imperatives of the future. While family splits can be disruptive and challenging, they are sometimes not only unavoidable, but also welcomed, the reasons for which could range from differing visions and conflicts of interest to the need for a clear transition from one generation to the next. Therefore, every business family should proactively prepare for potential splits in the future, rather than staying oblivious of the possibility or trying to avoid them altogether. By proactively preparing for splits, business families can not only mitigate the adverse impact on their businesses and ensure their continued success, but also avoid splits. One classic example of proactive preparation for family splits is that of the Merck family, owners of the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. In the early 20th century, the family foresaw potential conflicts among descendants and took proactive measures to prevent family disputes from affecting the business. They established a complex ownership structure that separated ownership of the pharmaceutical company from operating control of the business. This allowed all family members to retain ownership stakes in the business, while professional managers were appointed to run it for the most part, with only a select few professionally competent family members part of the management. Multi-tier governance mechanisms both within the family and business were put in place, so that the family could play an effective stewardship role. This proactive approach helped prevent family disputes from disrupting the operations of the company and ensured its continued success over many generations. A multigenerational business family can be seen as a complex social unit that requires meticulous attention to crafting its vision and strategy as much as it needs the same exercise for its enterprises. Succession planning emerges as a pivotal component of this endeavour. In multigenerational family business groups, this process transcends mere transfers of ownership and control; it encompasses nurturing talent, cultivating leadership, fostering a unified family vision and delineating strategic priorities to ensure seamless power transitions across generations within the family and its businesses. Transparency and open communication play a paramount role in addressing succession-related challenges within these families. Regular and clear communication within the family, using both formal and informal channels, helps understand and align the aspirations of individual family members with the family's collective vision for its businesses. Unfortunately, this aspect remains neglected across large parts of India's family business landscape, impeding the revitalization and growth of many enterprises. The division within the Godrej Group of family businesses serves as a poignant reminder of the necessity to periodically revisit and revise the family's vision, values, strategies and policies. Consensus-building through continuous communication is essential for navigating generational transitions. It plays an important role in preserving and growing the wealth, legacy and identity not only of the family, but also of the businesses under its stewardship. Wait for it…. Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. It'll just take a moment. You are just one step away from creating your watchlist! Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image. Your session has expired, please login again. You are now subscribed to our newsletters. In case you can't find any email from our side, please check the spam folder. Subscribe to continue This is a subscriber only feature Subscribe Now to get daily updates on WhatsApp Open Demat Account and Get Best Offers Start Investing in Stocks, Mutual Funds, IPOs, and more - Please enter valid name - Please enter valid mobile number - Please enter valid email - Select Location I'm interested in opening a Trading and Demat Account and am comfortable with the online account opening process. I'm open to receiving promotional messages through various channels, including calls, emails & SMS. The team will get in touch with you shortly The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now. Succession, a sharp india inc ott show. Indian family businesses, exemplified by the Godrej division, navigate succession challenges with professionalism and coordination, setting a benchmark for other legacy firms in evolving global business environments. 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It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with Login using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits. To read full story, subscribe to ET Prime ₹34 per week Billed annually at ₹2499 ₹1749 Super Saver Sale - Flat 30% Off On ET Prime Membership Unlock this story and enjoy all members-only benefits. Offer Exclusively For You Save up to Rs. 700/- Get 1 Year Free With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership Get Flat 40% Off Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month Stay Ahead in the New Financial Year Get flat 20% off on ETPrime 90 Days Prime access worth Rs999 unlocked for you Exclusive Economic Times Stories, Editorials & Expert opinion across 20+ sectors Stock analysis. Market Research. Industry Trends on 4000+ Stocks Get 1 Year Complimentary Subscription of TOI+ worth Rs.799/- Stories you might be interested in - The Magazine - Newsletters - Managing Yourself - Managing Teams - Work-life Balance - The Big Idea - Data & Visuals - Reading Lists - Case Selections - HBR Learning - Topic Feeds - Account Settings - Email Preferences Does Your Family Business Have a Succession Plan? - Nick Di Loreto - Omar Romman You can't expect to just step into mom or dad's shoes. When a family business assumes that the next generation can simply take over where mom or dad left off without pausing to consider the CEO job description, governance, or the evolving business context, they may be setting themselves up to fail. Families have broken up, reputations have been lost, and businesses have collapsed because the generation in control did not consider how to set the next generation up for success. Just as a business must reinvent itself as markets shift, so must a business family reinvent (or at least thoughtfully revisit and refresh) its ownership and leadership model. Seek to understand the changing players and dynamics so that you have better context for what your business, family, and owners need in the future. A day before his 35 th birthday, Hampton Berger*, a fourth-generation member of a successful family-owned manufacturing business, stood outside his father's office, anxiously waiting to discuss his father's succession plan. Hampton had spent his life "checking the boxes" that he hoped would position him to take over the family business someday: he obtained an MBA and received several promotions in his R&D role at a global car manufacturer before joining the family business. - Nick Di Loreto is a partner at BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors. He advises the owners of some of the world's largest private family businesses and offices on how to navigate the challenges of generational transition. - OR Omar Romman is a partner at BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors. He advises the owners of family businesses and family offices from around the world on owner strategy, governance, and generational transition. 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The decision will impact business success and influence the family's welfare; it is a high-stakes situation that requires careful planning to avoid unintended consequences and controversy. One of the primary hurdles in CEO succession within family firms is achieving alignment among the family, the board, and management. Without this alignment, the succession process can quickly devolve into tension and disagreement. CEOs of family businesses need to have the business acumen to succeed while possessing the additional skill of navigating family expectations, whether these family members are on the board, part of the management team, or are large shareholders. Recent data shows 56 per cent of current CEOs in the Middle East have been promoted internally. The likelihood of appointing a CEO from outside the firm with little experience with the family raises the stakes of selecting someone who seamlessly integrates with the family's culture and dynamics. Inter-generational sustainability of family businesses is particularly crucial in countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where international trade and investment thrive. Clear lines of succession To address this challenge effectively, the family, the board, and management must establish clear and agreed-upon roles for each stakeholder group. The board must delineate its responsibilities in overseeing the succession process, whether a full-board process or delegated to a committee for intensive preparation. The family should be actively involved in identifying potential candidates and representing the family's interests. Management must collaborate closely with the board and the family to ensure a seamless leadership transition. It is instructive to develop these rules before a succession process becomes imminent, perhaps by revising the family charter to incorporate clear, agreed-upon guidance. Beyond clarifying roles, long-term succession planning involves preparing the next generation of family members to assume leadership roles when called upon. This necessitates a comprehensive educational strategy tailored to the unique needs of the family business. Future leaders must possess not only the requisite business acumen by serving in various roles within or outside the firm but also a deep understanding of the company's culture and values. By investing in education and development opportunities specifically designed for family businesses, the family, board, and management can equip the next generation with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead effectively. Finding that right 'fit' Cultural fit is another critical consideration in CEO succession within family firms. The incoming CEO must embody the values and ethos that define the family and the company. This alignment of values ensures that the incoming CEO can seamlessly integrate into the organization, fostering trust and credibility among employees, customers, and other stakeholders. Cultural fit goes beyond evaluating qualifications on paper; it requires candid conversations to gauge candidates' compatibility with the organization's culture. Additionally, involving key stakeholders, including family members, senior executives, and long-time employees, in the selection process can provide valuable insights into candidates' compatibility with the company's culture. Remember–the next generation of family members is not assured of possessing the cultural fit required to take the family business forward. Hence, assessing the cultural fit for all candidates is critical. Balancing family and business interests is often a delicate endeavor, particularly during CEO succession. Transparency and trust are essential for managing these competing interests and resolving conflicts. Establishing family councils or advisory boards can provide a platform for open dialogue and decision-making, fostering unity and shared purpose among everyone involved. Regular family meetings that include a range of stakeholders further ensure the alignment of family and business interests for post-succession success. The CEO succession planning in large family firms in the Middle East demands a comprehensive approach that integrates business strategy, family dynamics, and leadership development. By fostering alignment among stakeholders, preserving the organization's culture, and balancing family and business interests, family firms can navigate succession challenges successfully and ensure continuity and prosperity for future generations. The writer is Associate Professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, Dubai EMBA Program. More From Analysis Will investors finally get that interest rate cut? Gulf markets need to speed up on EV charging hubs An influencer 'squad' too can deliver brand messaging All GCC states must realise VAT's value New vs old: UAE sees flood of older iPhone models UAE gold shoppers can now pay by 'advance instalments' Apple nears deal with OpenAI to put ChatGPT on iPhone Gold surges $70/oz on 'Akshaya Trithiya' day Emirates inks deal to promote Mauritius, Uganda tourism UAE gold drops: Perfect timing for Akshaya Trithiya Watch: abu dhabi reveals new brand for transport sector, legendary b-movie producer roger corman dies, look: f1 legend schumacher's watches up for auction, ai film festival gives glimpse of cinema's future, watch: 8 endangered migratory bird species in dubai. Get Breaking News Alerts From Gulf News We'll send you latest news updates through the day. You can manage them any time by clicking on the notification icon.
Nature and the Environment Growing Food in a Garden City Urban edible gardening in Singapore might be all the rage now, but the movement has roots that date back to the early 20th century. Stamford Raffles and the Two French Naturalists Danièle Weiler uncovers the work of two young French naturalists – Alfred Duvaucel and Pierre Médard Diard – who worked with Stamford Raffles between 1818 and 1820. How the Raffles Museum Got a Whale Skeleton, Made It Famous, Then Let It Go 60 Years Later The skeleton of a blue whale took pride of place at the former Raffles Museum for more than 60 years before it was gifted to the National Museum of Malaysia in 1974. Subaraj Rajathurai: A Voice for the Wild A gentle giant with a larger-than-life personality, Subaraj Rajathurai helped to save Singapore's green spaces. Flower Power: Singapore's Orchid Diplomacy Singapore's diplomatic efforts may take several forms, including naming orchid hybrids after foreign dignitaries. Rebecca Tan tells us more. The Blossoming of Tree Planting Day Singapore has planted more than two million trees in the past 50 years. Lim Tin Seng traces the roots of Tree Planting Day. A Slice of Singapore in the Biodiversity Heritage Library Singapore has planted more than two million trees in the past 50 years. Lim Tin Seng traces the roots of Tree Planting Day.
In 1934 a local paper published a 'Cleveland Ramble' featuring a walk around Kirkleatham village. The author looked across the park to the 'elaborate castellated pigeon-cote' which was described as a 'startling example' of the extravagant 'pseudo Gothic craze' of the later 18th century. Only a couple of decades after this account was published the castellations were gone, and the pigeon cote was cracked and crumbling, and soon to disappear. In 1808 Kirkleatham was praised for both its 'various natural beauties' and the 'many decorations art has furnished it with'. The pigeon cote was one of the most striking of these ornaments, with a circular central tower and linking walls radiating out to three smaller turrets. Sadly no images of the folly before it began its decline have been found, but the Ordnance Survey maps illustrate the unusual plan. The building's early history seems to be lost, and although a document in the family archive cross-references an account book for work on the estate, that ledger does not seem to survive. The pigeon cote was most likely commissioned by Charles Turner (1726-1783), who lived at Kirkleatham after his father inherited the estate in 1757. No architect is named, although John Carr of York, who remodelled the house at Kirkleatham in the 1760s, is a possible contender. We do have a terminus post quem for the pigeon cote of around 1775, as it is not shown on an estate map of 1774. The Kirkleatham estate passed through various families until the middle of the 20th century. The contents were then dispersed and, after attempts to find a use failed, the fabric of Kirkleatham Hall was auctioned as building materials in 1954. Although promises were made to protect the historic structures on the estate, the pigeon cote and temple, admired by the 1934 rambler as an 'exquisite little pavilion', survived for less than a decade before they too were pulled down. The arable field surrounding the pigeon cote now covers the site of the building, with not a trace remaining above ground. Happily there are still many reasons to visit Kirkleatham. The Free School of 1709 houses the Kirkleatham Museum, and the almshouses called Turner's Hospital and the church with its adjoining Turner Mausoleum are both fascinating structures (there's limited public access to the interiors, but they can be admired from the footpath). The walled garden has been restored and continues to develop, and a wander around the village reveals the elegant stables and a number of other fascinating structures – look out for information boards and maps around the village. Here's a taster… Thanks to David Winpenny for introducing me to the archive of Peter Burton's photographs. Burton (1927-2014) took many of the images which illustrated the Shell Guides that were produced in the mid-20th century. Burton was commissioned to write the North Yorkshire volume by the editorial team of John Piper and John Betjeman, but the project was cancelled before he could complete his research. He eventually published his material as North Yorkshire: a Guide in 2006. Thanks also to Burton's friend and fellow photographer Harland Walshaw for permission to use images from the collection. For the Kirkleatham Walled Garden https://kirkleathamwalledgarden.co.uk And for more on the Kirkleatham Museum https://redcarcleveland.co.uk/enjoy/kirkleatham-museum/ Comments are most welcome – scroll down to share any thoughts. Thank you for reading.
Collecte solidaire de jouets : je les donne, je les sauve ! For the second year running, the Académie de Versailles and Ecomaison are organizing a major toy drive for schools. The first edition was a resounding success: over 15 tonnes of toys were collected. This represents 60 collection bins over two months, and an average of 25kg of used or unused toys. Of these, 66% were repaired and then redistributed to children. A highly successful experiment that raised awareness among 50,000 schoolchildren and their parents. This year, the collection will take place from November 20 to January 22, 2024, in primary and elementary schools in the Académie de Versailles. This second edition is an opportunity to deepen a global approach to sustainable development in schools, and to enable children to understand more easily how recycling works. Toy drive in elementary school: a pedagogical approach This gives schools the opportunity to get involved in an educational project on the reuse and recycling of toys and games, by developing an educational project on waste prevention and management, the fight against waste and solidarity. Educational resources are provided for this purpose, including an awareness-raising booklet for teachers and a communication kit to help children understand how the collection works. This initiative also provides an opportunity for pupils to develop a wide range of learning skills from an early age: - work on the citizen's path by arousing children's interest in an object they enjoy playing with; - develop skills of commitment and solidarity ; - start or deepen a global approach to sustainable development. Practical information: When? From November 20, 2023 to January 22, 2024 How? Ecomaison provides schools in the Académie de Versailles with collection bins where you can drop off your children's used or unused toys and games. Once the bins are full, they are collected by social economy organizations, whose mission is to restore the object to its original condition, so that it can be enjoyed by another child. If it can't be re-used, the toy is recycled. What toys and games are collected? All toys (figurines, building sets, board games, outdoor games, plush toys, toy cars, dolls, etc.) can be deposited in the collection bins. Two pitfalls to avoid: Don't bring battery-operated toys (remote-controlled cars, electronic robots, etc.), sports equipment or childcare items, as these are not collected. The recycling of these items is handled by other eco-organizations specialized in the management of such equipment.
Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages. APPENDIX B THE CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH Thomas D. Morris Contents Part 1. Introduction: Purpose and Method Part II. Findings in Respect to the Organizational Structure of the NIH and Current Issues Pare III. Possible Near-Term Refinements in Organization PART I INTRODUCTION: PURPOSE AND METHOD The objective of this paper is to provide the general reader with an overview of the internal organizational structure of the NIH as viewed by a management analyst, not from the perspective of either a scientist or a medical professional. It tries to portray observations on the dynamics of the organization--"what makes it tick"--and the motivations that appear to drive the organization, as well as its conventional management structure and processes. In Part III of this paper, suggestions are discussed which are aimed at preserving the great strengths of the current structure, while making it better able to cope with present and future demands on top management. Fact Finding Performed in Preparing This Paper The fact finding that underlies this paper consiatet of four steps which are briefly described below: Step 1. Interviews By far the most significant work performed has been personal discussions with over 70 key officials. In summary, they consisted of the following: Of f ice of the Director Bureaus and Institutes Research and Centra 1 Services Divis ions Agencies Proposed for Transfer to N IN PHS /HHS Of f ic ia Is No . 0 f Interviews 16 17 ~ plus a88Oc fates 28 ~ plus assoc fates 6 - 73 (over 100 individuals) The relatively large number of interviews in support ing organizations represents an effort to look closely at organizations many of whose costs are borne by levies on the Bureaus and Institutes, whose activities they support. It seemed~prudent to understand these activities due both to their costs ant to their importance in the overall operation of the NIH program from an organization structure viewpoint. The responsiveness and clarity of those contacted were generally outstanding. 65 Step 2. Key Document ~ In every interview we invited the submission of selected publications or reading materials to enhance our understanding. We were furnished with over 100 pieces, consisting of: Basic Data: Budget Justification volumes (4), Organization Handbook, NIH Fact Book, NIH Public Advisory Groups ~ Scientific Directory, NIH Data Book, NIH Draft Research Plan FY 1985, NIH Evaluation Plan FY 1983. Current News: The NIH Record published every two weeks for all employees; The Research Resources Reporter distributed to 22,000 readers on exciting developments in NIH supported research projects; The NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, distributed monthly to 30,000 current and prospective grantees and contractors; the Search for Health (a weekly); and the News and Features from NIH (a monthly), distributed to the media. Program Publication. : One or more from every Institute and from most of the research support divisions, describing progress and plans as well as organization and operational matters. In several cases these are prepared by Councils or Boards as required by statute (as in the case of Arthritis, Diabetes, and Digest ive D isease s ~ . - These publications are skillfully written and i' fuse rated to bring complex subjects within the grasp of the non-scientist. The documen- tation of the NIH story is superb and without question the beat this observer has seen in the federal government. It would be a disservice to the nation to require curtailment of such high value educational materials. The list of available titles is in excess of 700 entries. Step 3. Special Analyses of the Volume of Research Grant Applications by Institute One of the most use fut ways to view the interaction among Institutes and Study Sections is to examine the flow of grant applications. The excellent information system maintained by the Division of Research Grants makes thin easy to do. Hence, we obtained computer printouts: by Study Sect ion, showing the number of applications reviewed for each Institute in FY 1983; and by Institute, showing the number of secondary or dual interest referrals made to other Institutes. These data are useful for examining the application review and award processes, as well as the degree of overlapping interests among the Institutes. 66 Public Hearings held by the Committee for the Study of the Organizational Structure of the National Institutes of Health, September 26-27, 1983 These excellent diacusaiona provided a feel for the viewpoints of the various communities with which NIH and the Congress work on a continuous basis. The hearings also presented an opportunity to study their official views in a series of position papers. In addition to the above, the committee Staff has furnished a number of manuscripts dealing with peat and current issues that are of high value. / r PART II FINDINGS IN RESPECT TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE NIH AND CURRENT ISSUES Figure 1 pictures an organizational structure in which 25 separate activities are reporting to the Director. By all rules of organization theory--the analyst would say--this is an unmanageable span of control. Added to this apparently impossible managerial burden are many other complexities. The organizational basis for the scientific research act ivit ies does not follow a consistent logic as indicated below: Some are by disease: cancer; arthritis, diabetes, digestive diseases, kidney diseases; neurological diseases; communicative disorders, stroke; allergies, infectious diseases. Some are by organ: heart, lung, blood; eye; dental. Some are by life stage: aging; child and human development. Some are by field of science: general medical sciences; environmental health sciences. Because all but one of the scientific research activities engage in a substantial in-house research program, requiring sophisticated laboratories and clinical facilities, there appears to the 'layman'to be a proliferation of such organizational entities in-the basic fields of science: biology, chemistry, genetics, pathology, etc. Then, as one begins to inquire into operations, the highly decentralized nature of the National Institutes of Health comes into still sharper focus. There are fourteen entities outside of the Director's immediate office which receive direct congressional appro- priations that are not subject to formal control by the NIH Director in the implementation stage. Most of these entities were, in fact, established by Acts of Congress, and their activities are'followed closely from year to year by both Authorizing and Appropriating Committees, as well as by the huge network of professional societies . It should be noted that the Ins t i tute s re imburse several of the central service and research support activities; and are assessed to maintain the "General Expense Fund" used by the Director to finance selected NIH-wide projects ($12.8 million in FY 1983~. r rev ~ S In _ - ~ ~ :' S t _ I' e .s ~ S S O ~ .° _ ~ ~ Z 68 _ ~ 41 S i' I I : l I - , _ s ~ ~ u" At.. E, E . '' 1 -- ! ~ 1 1 1 _ c ,! I -sit'' . r; , lo. ~ 3~a ; , 1 1 ]! 1 l 1 1 5 ~ ! - ~ o A!] a~ i A! - .! ~ ~ C .11 ~ .' ~ ~ Be: ~ .~] ~ ~ . ~ S r: 1 -.s 1 t 1 z 1 Ys . 1 53 ~' . s c 7 ~ . ~ _ ~ I] - :~! ~ .2 ;- ~ - i~t~ , ,, ~ I] _ . I,s ~ o} ·~ .u c o! _ ~ := z o 1 L ~ ~ C) ~o C~ - o o - _ C~ N L b L. ~ o x ~ 5: E" ~ z ~ - ~ c~ c' ~ o o 69 and associations that presses on many fronts for improvement in the nation's health care. Are the above complexities, in fact, serious problems or hindrances to successful performance? The resounding answer is NO, not today. The directors of each Institute were asked how they assess today's structure. Except for widespread concern with current Congressional initiatives to create an Arthritis Institute, and move other PHS functions into NIH, general satisfaction was expressed: "It is working." "It is working well now." "We have no problems." "Today the Institutes work out their problems by bargaining in good faith." "I am concerned by support costs." "We are constantly working out joint interests with others. We welcome Congressional attention." "No organization matters of concern." "Present organization works because of the people, not the 1-ogle. It is working well today." "Arthritis is inevitable. Support costs need tighter management . " "It is working well. . .planning with the community is the key." "Our Institute makes sense because it meets a need." "More overhead is not needed. NIH loses . " Based on fairly detailed interviews with its leaders, this paper examines how the present organizational structure achieves such satisfying results. The Major Organizational Components of NIH The three major components of NIH include: the Office of the Director; the Bureaus, Institutes and Divisions; and the NIH Research and Central Services Divisions. Figure 2 summarizes the size data for each of these components. The Office of the Director is a tiny structure--largely staff in nature--whose role is leadership. The Bureaus and Institutes are the "producing/mission" entities and control most of the funds applied to research programs. The Research and Central Services Divisions exist primarily to support the programs generated or sponsored by the Bureaus and Institutes, but have some self-initiated projects, as discussed later. As illustrated, the formal structure today employs over 16,000 people, full and part-time, intermittent, permanent and temporary, including experts and consultants. Its budget for FY 1983 was $4.0 billion. Congress increased this amount to $4.5 billion In 1984. 70 Office of the Director Personnel (Appointment). . . .683 FY 1983 budget. . . .S25.7 milt (plus General Expense Fund from Institutes) i . 1 .. _ The Bureaus and Institutes Personnel (Appointment) FY 1983 Budget 10,173 $3,758.1 Research and Central Service. Division. Personnel (Appointments)] FY 1983 Budget , Central Services Units2 4, 777 ! Research Divisions3 618 S,395 · . Total Appointments: 16,251 F [OURE 2 Overview of ~ i7.e data. Central Services Unite2 (6302. 1)4 Research Divisions3 224.1 Total FY 1983 Budget: ¢4,025.45 milt Personnel Appointments data is total full and part-time including YiSit ing program, staff fellows, experts and consultants. These figures represent both ceiling and non-ceiling employment. 2Include.s Clinical Center, Division of Computer Research and Technology, Division of Research Services, and Off ice of Research Services. Concludes Division of Research Grant., Division of Research Resources, and Fogarty International Center. he funds for the Central Services Units are included in the Bureaus/Institutes and Research Divisions budgets. SIncludes $17.S million for the N[H Buildings and Facilities Account. SOURCE; Based on data from the NIH Office of Administration; and TAPS Monthly Employment Report Summary, July 23, 1983. 71 Not displayed on the formal chart is the network of chartered advisory committees--some 149 in number and containing about 2,500 appointees, mostly non-government experts--which are a vital part of the NIH program: The National Advisory Councils. An advisory council is located in each institute and the Division of Research Resources and is a source of advice on policy and planning issues. Their major purview is the extramural research program, and, by statute, they must approve each grant or cooperative agreement before it qualifies for funding. Some institutes also have chartered advisory committees or boards that deal with particular program areas within the institute. The Director's Advisory Committee provides advice to the Director on NlH-wide issues but has no statutory basis or authority. The Boards of Scientific Counselors. Each institute with a major intramural research effort has a board of scientific counselors. The boards oversee the intramural program and periodically assess the work of each tenured scientist. .-The Scientific (Peer) Review Groups. There are three major types of scientific review groups. The most common type, known as the Study Sec t ions, works under the central coordination of the Division of Research Grants. Their function is the first Level review and rating of individual applications for research grants. A second type, known as the Review Committees, is attached to the Institutes. They conduct the first level review of applications for Center grants, program grants, and training grants. Finally, Institutes often have Program Advisory Committees, which suggest types of contractual projects that should be undertaken, and review conceptual plans for contracts. Other types of scientific review groups are used for more specialized purposes. In addition to the National Advisory Councils, some of the other committees are statutory, including the President's Cancer Panel, the the National Arthritis Advisory Board, the National Diabetes Advisory Board ~ the National Digestive Diseases Advisory Board, and the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medic ine . One final feature of the overall organizational profile is the budget and staffing profile, as outlined in Tables 1 and 2. The direct operations of NIH take place in the Bethesda enclave and at several leased locations in Bethesda (12,700 personnel including 2,600 in leased space); in Research Triangle Park, N.C. (the headquarters of NIEHS with 600 employees); and five other special sites: Poolesville, Md. (animal resources); Gerontology Laboratory, 72 TABLE 1. Budget profile for fiscal year 1983. Item amount Percent (Millions) Research Grants S2, 687.6 Research Training Awards 164.7 R&D Contracts 320. 3 Subtotal $3,172.6 79 Covers some 23, 000 "ran' and contract. of all tYE 10, 600 research trainee. 1, 200 institutions. Intramural 500.9 12 2,700 research projects. Other Institute Cos ts Research Mgt . ~ Support 199. 8 NCI Disease Control & Const rue t ion 5 6. 6 Total Institutes 3, 929.9 98 & Research National Library Medicine Of f ice of Director 25. 7 Buildings & Facilities 17.5 TOTAL $4. 025 .4 1 00 SOURCE: Data from the NIH Of f ice of Administrat ion. TABLE 2. Staff profile as of July 23, 1983. Ful 1 Time . . _ Civil Service Commis s toned Corp s Vis it ing Sc lent is t s Staf f Fel lows Part-Time & Int ermi t t ent GS & Wage Experts, consultants Total Total of 16 appropriatio inc luding Inst itutes, NL FIC, DRR, OD and Facilit A ~ ignif leant feature 0 f budget from year to year that over 80: of annual funds are "c ommit ted" in advance . Total Appo intment 12, 110 837 282 851 4. 080 1,573 598 2.171 16.251 SOURCE: Data from TAPS Monthly Employment Report Summary, July 13, 1983. 73 Baltimore, Md. (NIA); Frederick, Md. (primarily NCI); Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Montana (NIAID); Phoenix, Arizona Pima Indian Project (NIADUK). -- The Office of the Director The Office of the Director is the "glue" that holds together the highly decentralized structure of the Institutes and Support Organizations (See Figure 3). Its major roles are, first, to provide such NIH-wide planning and administration as required in matters of program planning and evaluation, budget, personnel, contracting, public information--the normal functions of the front office of a major federal agency ; and, second, to facilitate attention to the numerous cross- cutting issues and initiatives that arise from emergencies, the interests of the Secretary, the concerns of Congress, and the proposals of innumerable outside groups. NIH has been blessed with the leadership of scientists with high sensitivity to the right degree of top management attention to these issues, and has avoided the micromanagement which tends to develop in most federal agencies. The Director himself has a team of three Deputies to help him as partners in overall leadership: one is a generalist; one is in charge of intramural programs; and one is in charge of extramural research and training programs. Their key technique of management is through staff meetings. The most important is the weekly meeting of the Directors of the Bureaus, Institutes and Divisions (BIDS) with the NIH Director. Similar sessions are held at regular intervals among the Scientific Directors, the Extramural Program Officials, the Executive Officers, the Planning and Evaluation Officers, International Representatives, etc. The impression one gets is that these devices are highly respected and effectively used at NIH. The immediate office of the Director and his Deputies contains a number of special assistants and small staff units, as well as Trans-NIH Committees which are set up, as needed, to attack high priority problems. Examples of the special staffs and special committees are as follows: Special Staffs. These include the Office of Intramural Affairs, the Office of Extramural Research and Training, and the Division of Equal Opportunity. Other special staffs include the Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) and the Office for Protection from Research Risks (OPRR). OMAR is seeking to improve the translation of biomedical research results into knowledge that can be appl fed in the practice of medicine and public health. OMAR holds eight to ten consensus conferences each year. OPRR develops and supervises HHS-wide policies governing the care and treatment of both human and animal subjects used in medical research. Special Committees. These are communication and working groups covering a wide spectrum of cross-cutting subjects. Some 74 Director's Adviso~y1- Counc i I \| Irnmed iate t)f f ice o t)f f ice of Medical Appl icat ion~ ~ f Research · ()~Eice for Protect ion from Research Risks · Division of Equal Opport~`nity · Special Assistant to the Director Sen for Sc ient i f ic Advisor Cormn i t t e e Mana gemen t t) f f i c e r Other Special Assistants Office of Extramural Research and ~ ra in ing · t)ffice of Intramural Affairs . Pe rsonne 1 ( Appo intment 5 ) Inonediate ()ffice -- 140 Staf f Act ivit ies -- S4 TOTAL -- 68 3 FIGURE ~ The ()ftice of the Director. S()URCE: Data from .`J[H t)ffice ~f Administration. Direc tor Deputy Director . Deputy for In t ramura l Research , ~ ISureaus and Institutes ( 12) Support ing Organ izat ions ( 7 )* l :;IH Sta f f _ Meeeings ( 14) Deputy for Ext ramura 1 Reseac h ·ralnlng Sta f f Act ivit tes Off ice of Program Planning and Evaluac ion 0 Off ice of Administration 0 Of f ice of Communicat ions - · Off ice of ttesearch Services* . _ _ _, Spec ta I ! Coneni t tees Research Re latet to Disease Prevent io AIDs Coord inat ing Group National Arthrit is Advi~ory Board National Diabetes Adivisory 80a rd Nat iona l Dige~ t ive Disease~ Adv isory Board Nutr i t ion Coord inat ing Comrai t tee 0 A. se ~ smen t ~ Tec hno 1 ogy Trans f e r Othe rs l 9 ~ 3 App ro Pr ia t ions ()f f ice of Director -- S25 . 7 mi ~ I ion B'lilding ~ Facilities -- S17.5 million . ()RS is classified in our an.alYsis as ~ "supporting <~rganization" and is discussed as such in a later section. Its ~;tatf c`'nta~ns 1,636 total appointments. 75 special committees are required by statute such as the three groups for Arthritis, Diabetes, and Digestive Diseases. Special committees which are part icularly active at present include: the special committee for Research Related to Disease Prevention; the AIDS Coordinating Group; and the Nutrition Coordinating Committee. More than a dozen others were mentioned in the various interviews including Alzbeimer's Disease, Private Sector Coordination, Radiation, National Toxicology Program, Genetics Coordination, Recombinant DNA, and so on. Three of the major staff activities in the Director's Office are the Office of Communications, the Office of Program Planning and Evaluation, and the Office of Administration. All three of these offices practice high decentralization to Institute counterparts, subject to NIH-wide policies and procedures. All three have professional staffs of the highest skill. The functions of these offices are outlined as follows: The Office of Program Planning and Evaluation. This office advises the Director, NIH, and senior agency staff on health research and science policy issues, agency planning, evalua- tion, legislative, and program analysis responsibilities, and directs activities associated with the Director's -Advisory Committee. These responsibilities encompass major policy analysis and development, management of the agency's central planning process, the development of legislative proposals and provision of legislative liaison, management of the agency's evaluation program and the development of cross-cutting evaluation studies, and the monitoring of the flow of funds supporting health research and development and production of research personnel in bioscience and relevant health-related fields. Key publications include the annual NlK Research Plan, NIH Evaluation Plan, Legislative Highlights and Issues, NIH Data Book, summaries of the Director's Advisory Committee meetings, and a wide variety of policy analysis papers.. The Office of Communications. This office is responsible for ~ . the overall coordination, planning and direction of NIH information activities. As mentioned earlier, the documentation of the NIH story is superb and much of the credit is due to the leadership of this office. Among its publications are the NIH Record for internal current news,. and the Search for Health and News and Features which keep the media currently in tune with progress in medical research. The Office of Adminis trot ion ~ This of f ice performs the tasks involved in overall coordination of the budget, personnel, contracting for R & D, and surveys of misconduct allegations. A vital role is the continuous budget planning cycle which begins two years in advance of the fiscal year. This cycle 76 involves: planning sessions by the NIH Director and each ma jor organizational unit' s Director (a responsibility of OPPE and a major linkage between ache planning and budgeting functions); presentations to the Assistant Secretary and the Secretary and OMB; the final mark for the President 'a budget which the Director must allocate; the Congressional phase; and the implementation of the budget. lithe Director-of Finance points out that there are over 400 "cells" in the NIH budget as it is displayed to Congress and through which it must be managed. A continuing challenge appears to be achieving linkage between program planning and budget planning. Summing~'s Office One in impresses most of all with the highly informal atmosphere and the obvious stress on excellence as the only standard acceptable to the Director. Second, one is impressed with the absence of the normal trappings of bureaucratic authority; hence the NIN Director manages largely on the basis of persuasion, consensus and knowledge. Third, one is impressed with the number, quality, and effectiveness of the special staffs, committees, and staff meeting mechanisms; without them the task of internal communications would be impose ib le . The Key Quest ions Asked: Can this Office, as now constituted, effectively support further growth, such as Congress might mandate? Particularly, is closer management of the support actitivies needed, as suggested by some? Is the Office able to respond with sufficient speed and effectiveness to emergency and cross-cutting issues? These and related questions will be examined further in Part III. The Bureaus, Institutes, and Divisions The scientific research program is carried out largely through the Bureaus and Institutes which were established in all cases save one by Congress since 1937. A recapitulation follows. 77 Bureau or Date of Personnel Institute Establishment (Appointments) FY 1983 Budget (as of 7/23/83) (millio-~--~~ Bureaus NCI 1937 2, 860 $987. 6 NHLBI 1948 1, 075 624. 2 NIADDK 1950 836 413.5 NLM 1956 659 S2.3 Institutes NIA 1974 505 94.0 NIDR 1948 449 79. 3 NICKS 1963 190 369. 8 NIEHS 1969 (Non-statutory) 939 164. 9 NINCDS 1950 914 - 297.1 NIAID 1948 878 279.1 NICHD 1963 5 77 254.3 NEI 1968 - 291 141.9 Total 10. 1?3 $3. 758. 0 SOURCE: Data from the NIH Office of Administration; TAPS monthly Employment Report Sublunary, July 23, 1983; and 1983 NIH Almanac. It should be noted that the only distinction between "Bureau" and "Institute" is one of hierarchical rank. Bureaus in the classical structure have Divisions as their components. Institutes, however, are themselves Divisional entities. In practice, the term "Institute" is the significant title. (See Figure 4.) How Is An Institute Organized? A typical structure is shown in Figure 5. The Of f ice of the Institute Director in small and a microcosm of the Office of the NIH Director, i.e., one finds here the Office of Administration, the Office of Program Planning ~ Evaluation, the Communications function and special assistants. At the Director's level are the National Advisory Councils covering the extramural program, and the Boards of Scientific Counselors covering the intramural. The Intramural Program. With a FY 1983 budget of $500.9 million, the intramural program represents about 12% of the total NIH budget. The majority of the intramural program is located on campus in Bethesda and consists of a staff of over 5, 000 laboratory and clinical workers, plus a substantial portion of the supporting staffs discussed later, as well as a substantial share of the overhead management staffs of the NIH and Institute Directors. Many were established under other names, some as divisions. 78 THE NIH BUREAUS _ NATIONA L CANCE R I NSTI TUTE ~. NATI ONA L HEART LUNG & BLOOO INSTITUTE ~ ~;~ NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS DIABETES& DIGESTIVE, & KIDNEY DISEASES AG I NG ~ ~_ ~=Z DENTAL RESEARCH GENERAL MEDICAL SCI ENCES THE NIH INSTITUTES "a ~ l ~ ~, ~ ~.t ENVI RONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES NEUROLOGICAL & COMMUNICATI VE DISORDERS & StROKE FIGURE 4 The NIH bureaus and institutes. SOURCE: NIH Peer Review o f Research Grant NATIONAL LIBRARY Of MEDICINE . ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES : ~ "-'' ~ ~- CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVE LOPMENT 1 icat ions ~ January ~ 1983 . 79 The overseer of the Intramural Program within the institutes is designated the Scientific Director. This official enjoys wide latitude in the organizat ion and work program of the Institute, with oversight from the Board of Scientific Counselors. The Scientific Directors meet regularly with their counterparts from other institutes under the chairman- 3hip of the Deputy Director for Intramural Research. A second key official in entitled "Clinical Director" and these officials meet periodically with the Director of the Clinical Center and a designee of the Deputy Director for Intramural Research to set policies for the Clinical Center and patient care practices. A key factor in the NIH intramural program is the stress on excellence. Selection and promotion of tenured appointees is controlled by the Scientific Directors. Only 5% of Staff Fellows can expect to reach tenure and that must occur within ~ TYPICAL INSTITUTE NATIONAL OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORY __ _ INSTITUTE _ _ SCIENTIFIC COUNCI L DI RECTOR COUNSELORS _~ En EXTRA:= ~;~ / \| PROGRAMS 1 \ / \ ~}{~} 4~{~i ~ INTRAMURA L ~ FIGURE 5 A typical institute. This figure, taken from an NIH publication, mixes mechanisms (bottom line) with structure. It should not be interpreted to mean that extramural programs are organized by mechanism (such as grants and contracts). Although the latter was typical 15 years ago, today program branches in the extramural programs have subject matter rather than mechanism titles. Also, a typical institute today has an epidemiology and biometry component, which is neither extramural nor intramural. SOURCE: NIH Peer Review of Research Grant Applications, January 1983. 80 seven years. The NIH intramural program c laims four Nobe 1 Prize recipients within the last 15 years. A constant informal review of research in process is conducted and a formal review is made by the outside Board of Scientific Counselors. However, a virtue of the intramural program is the ability of Its scientists to undertake initiatives which offer no immediate short-range payof f . Today there are approximate ly 2, 700 separate pro jects in process, a catalog of which is published periodically. With limitations of both space and funds, the intramural program is projected to remain at its current level of effort. The Extramural Program. The extramural program involves the "research management and support" personnel in the Institutes plus the Division of Research Grants (DRG), the Division of Research Resources (DRR) and the Fogarty International Center (FIC). (Certain components of FIC also support the NIH intramural program.) The Institutes, DRR and FIC are the final award authorities and monitoring agencies for over 23,000 research and research training grants and contracts. The FY 1983 award projections (in millions of dollars) were: Research Projects Research Centers Other Research Training Awards R&D Contracts $2,096.0 373.4 218.2 164.7 320.3 $3. 1 72. 6 How Are Grants Processed? In the opinion of a majority of the people that were interviewed, the NIN peer review process for grant awards is among its most "brilliant achievements." It is a two-level review as illustrated in Figure 6. Applications are received and recorded by the Division of Research Grants (DRG), a central operating organization which decides on the referral of the application for review and maintains the Study Sections which conduct the initial review of research project applications. DRG itself is manned by a group of- 100 Ph.D.s and H.D.s who are experts in their particular subject matter. The Study Sections, of which there are currently 64, are structured to provide the highest level of scientific competence in their area of coverage. The Study Sections are primarily establishes along lines of scientific disciplines ant with very few exceptions are not captives of the individual Institutes. Applicat ions are re ferred concurrent ly to the Ins t instep or Research Divisions, which have the final authority for awarding grants. The second level of review is performed by that unit's National Advisory Council, which must approve applications before they can be funded. For the most part ~ the institute or division selects applications for funding based on priority scores assigned to each application by the Study Sections. Project periods of competing 81 research project grants averaged 3.2 years in FY 1982 (67 percent of research grant awards were for three years, and 20 percent were for five years), and competing research training awards 5.0 years. The one deviation from the above process occurs in connection with center grants, program project grants, and research training awards where the Institute establishes its own "Review Committee" of experts to conduct the first level of review. The rationale here is that multidiscipline committees are required and are better selected and maintained by the Institutes themselves. There are approximately 36 such committees active at the present time. In view of the differing bases of organization among the Institutes, there are frequent interfaces among them on individual applications. Similarly, the Study Sections typically review grant applications for In' - don and Review of ~ Grant Applicadon Type of Submitted Scientific Second Lead Inithdon Appl - don To MerIt Review Revlon l 1 Investigator(s) · Research Grant · Individual National Research Service (Fellowship) Award. · Research Career j Development Award · Program Project 1. Institutional National Research Service (Training) Award I · Center 1~ ~ · tines not require council review. ~ . _ \| DRG study Section \| Council I nstitute S RG _ 1 FIGURE 6 Initiation and review of a grant application. SOURCE: Orientation Handbook for Members of Scientific Review Groups, August 1982. 82 several Instituter. In order to obtain insights into the extent of such interfaces, several preliminary studies were conducted, using data provided by the Division of Research Grants, which revealed: 1. Study Sections Typically Review Grant Applications for Several Institutes. In FY 1983 there were 33 Study Sections which reviewed 200 or more applications for ROTS (investigator- initiated grants). The number of Institutes was: No. of Institutes Primarily Served by Top 33 Study Sec t ions Number Study Sections Referring of Study 5 or more Applications Sec t ions t o an Ins t i Lute One Only 3 -Experimental Therapeutics -Radial ion -Visua 1 Sc fence s Two On ly 5 -Chemic a 1 Patho logy -Experimental Immunology -Neurolog ical Sc fences -Pa tho logy B -Re produc t ive B io logy Three On ly 1 Four On ly 4 Five Only 4 Six or More 16 TOTAL 3 3 =~ -Pathology A -A 11 e ray and I=nuno 1 ogy -Neuro logy A -Vi ro logy -Respiratory & Appl fed Phy s io logy -Biomedical Endocrinology - I=nunob io logy -Phys iology -Surgery ) Anesthesiology Trauma Supported is defined as meaning that an institute received 5 or more applications from a study section in FY 1983. 83 2. Most Institutes Must Look to Several Study Sections to Review and Rate Their Applications a' The 8 t = Institute' ~ relations with all Study Sections during FY 1983 ant identified each case in which an Institute received 5 0 or more applications from a single Study Section: Number of Study See t ions Reviewing 5 0 Ins t i Cute or More App 1 icat ions Comment . . . NIA 1 NLKID 9 NLADDK 15 NCI NIEHS 17 NIGHS 18 NET 3 NHLBI 10 N INCDS NIDR 2 NICHD 6 Human Development and Aging Study Section. Also supports NICHD. Widely spread Widely spread Widely spread Toxicology Study Section. Serves six. Widely spread Visual Sciences Study Sections Widely spread Widely spread Oral Biology and Medicine Study Sections Widely spread The above-would suggest that there are only four institutes with close attachments to a few study sections: Aging, Eye, Dental, and Environmental Health. But even here, many other Study Sections may review small numbers of applications. 84 3. About 19% of all Research Project Applications Interest Two Institutes. Another way of looking at the crosscutting interactions of NIH Institutes is the number of research applications that are given ~^~ ^ ~~:~^~~~ ~-~ referral by the Division of Research Grants. In FY 1982-1983, there were 40, 656 applications referred to NIH Instituter, 18.9: of which were of "dual interest. " Thi indicates the degree to which Institutes have potent ia 1 overlapp ing interes t s: ~ ~ . _, . both a primary and a secondary Research Grant ~ TO FY Tota 1 Primary Institute Total Primary Applicat ions Also Applications Referred to Another Percent 1982-83 Institute 1982-83 Referred NIA 1, 975 616 31. 2% NIAID 3, 465 1, 213 35. 0 NIADDK 4, 940 939 19.0 NCI 7,410 1, 060 14.3 NIEHS 715 283 39.6 NIGHS 4, 722 652 13 8 NET 1,710 122 7 1 NHLBI 5, 614 972 17. 3 NINCDS 4,117 756 18.4 NIDR 1, 091 114 10.4 NICHD 3,599 789 21.9 DRR 1,136 . 127 11.2 NLM 162 35 21.6 Total 40,656 7,678 18.97: In addition to NIH Institutes, DRG processed applications for several PHS organizations, including the National Institute of Mental Health which had 2,897 applications, 313 of which were referred to other institutes including NIA, NICHD, and NINCDS. 4. high I~rrals, There is Relatively Little Joint Funding of Grants by the Institutes. For f iscal years 1982-1983 ~ through August 15, 1983) there were approximately 300 jointly funded projects totaling 344.4 million. All Institutes were represented. Examples of such projects inc luded: Hypertension in the Elderly, six projects funded jointly by NIA and NHLBI. Numerous workshops and c onference s . Numerous minority student training and biomedical research programs. 85 How is Program Planning Being Approached by the Institutes? Program planning and evaluation techniques have become act ively used tools in the past decade , part ly in response to congressional requirements (as in the case of NCT, NIADDK, NIA). Today an NIH-wide Research Plan and Evaluation Plan in prepared by the Office of Program Planning and Evaluation (OPPE) based on inputs from the In8titute8, with whom OPPE is cons tantly working. Some Institutes use special advisory groups to develop plans and make annual or periodic updates with budget forecasts. Institutes doing the most intensive planning involve the scientific community extensively. Most published plans are presented with high skill to attract wide readership. The National Eye Institute has one of the most vigorously applied planning programs, which covers five component five-year plans and sets out areas in the intramural and extramural programs to be held level and those to be expanded during the planning period. On the other hand, there are those who are skeptical as to the value of such comprehensive efforts other than to report on "where science in going." These officials stress that the course of research is driven by the individual investigator and that the keys to real progress are: (l) keeping only superior people in the intramural program; (2) attracting the best applications for grants and selecting only the best of these for award; (3) monitoring the research results carefully, and (4) acting promptly on findings. In a phrase: "Excellence is the watchword." The challenging question is the extent to which such planning tools can assist in setting priorities and guiding budget decisions. The opportunity for Trans-NIH program planning, evaluation and coordination is illustrated by the large number of areas of cross- cutting activity among the Institutes. Examples of some of the major cross-cutting areas are listed below: Number o f Ins t itutes and Cros s -Cut t ins Areas - Res earch Divis ions AIDS Arthrit is 11 Cy ~ t ic F ibro~ i s 6 Diabetes Immunology Research Nutrition Prevent ion Smoking and Health 12 12 12 13 5 SOURCE: Data from NIH Office of Administration. FY 1983 Actual (in millions) . S 21 e 7 75.5 11~3 165~3 406~9 164~3 957~2 19~7 Summing up the Bureaus and Institutes The highly effective research programs of NIH are carried out by a system of autonomous Institutes whose structure has grown over the years in response to public and 86 congressional interests in specific diseases, organs, and other criteria including life stage and fields of science. To cope with the lack of perfect logic from a scientific and medical point of view, the Directors have developed success ful techniques of communication to resolve cross-cutting interests. Furthermore, the 64 Study Sections, which are independent of the Institutes, constitute a powerful "organizational overlay" that brings the logic of science and medicine to the vital peer review process. :r Issues Regarding Organization: Can this effective, decentralized mode of organization be preserved? What would be the impact of statutory mandates to establish a separate Arthritis Institute or a Nursing Research Institute; and to transfer into NIH the National Center for Health Services Research (NCHSR), the National Center for Health Stat is ~ ice ~ NCHS ), and the Nat iona 1 Ins t ituee for Occupat ions 1 Safety and Health (NIOSH) ? Should relationships between the Intramural and Extramural Research Programs be reviewed? Some observations on these questions will be offered in Part III of this paper. The NIH Research and Central Services Divisions The seven remaining components of NIH comprise shone activities that not only engage in research programs themselves, in varying degrees, but also provide the professional facilities, tools, and resources needed by the Extramural community and the Intramural organizations to conduct scientific research. They are thus both unique and indispensable. Most are supported by reimbursements from the Institute budgets, but two have separate appropriations. These organizations include the divisions shown in Figure 7 plus the Office of Research Services (located in the NIH Director's Office). They have the following responsibilities: The Clinical Center. The Center is staffed by 2,300 personnel and had a budget of t92.4 million in FY 1983. It is a 54 - bed hospital and contains 40% of all the hospital beds in the U. S. devoted exclusively to clinical research. It also houses the new Ambulatory Care Research Facility and some Institute laboratories. 87 lithe D ivis ion 0 f Computer Research and Technology . Thi 8 Division is a unique scientific research support and computer service organization. With its staff of 345 personnel and a budget of 343.6 million in FY 1983, it serves 2, 000 terminals and 200,000 databases. Its research staff engages in collaborative pro jects with the Intramural scientists, bringing expertise in the mathematical and physical sciences. The Computer Center serves al 1 NIH act ivities, not just the Intramural, and the NIH Administrative management information system is cons idered to be in the forefront of management technology . The Division of Research Services. With a staff of 496 and a FY 1983 budget of S28.0 million, this division provides scientific and technical support for Intramural research with animals, equipment, engineering and instrument fabrication, graphics, visual aids, and library services. High profession- alism pervades all- of these staffs. Biomedical engineers participate as collaborators with peer scientists in the laboratories and its members do some self-initiated projects. They also participate in training personnel from other countries. The Veterinary Resources Branch maintains a major facility for large animals and handles primates, livestock, and fox hounds. This branch also furnishes 700, 000 rodents annually for research uses. There is international interest in the 25 0 s trains o f rodents produced . THE NIH R ESEARCH & SUPPORT DIVISIOhIS CLINICAL ~ // FOGARTy CENTE R _ _ , r ~ CENTE R _ R ESEA RC~ GRANTS COMPUTE R RESEARCH & _ TECHNO LOG Y R ESEA R CH SER~iCES FIGURE 7 The NIH research and support divis ion. R ESEA R CH R ESOU RCES : ~- SOURCE:: NIH Peer Review of Research Grant Applications ~ January ~ 1983. 88 The Office of Research Services. Thin office, officially part of the Office of the Director, NIH, and headed by a scientist administrator, supports the entire campus complex with safety programs, engineering and facilities services, and administrative services including purchases of supplies and equipment, transportation, and communications. like Divis ion of Safety, headed by a Phi. engineer, is pushing the state of the art in areas such as environmental protection, chemical waste disposal, radiation safety and occupational safety in the research environment. The total staff number 1,636 with a FY 1983 budget of 6114.0 million, which in reimbursed by the users. The above four organizations provide campus and Intramural support as their primary mission, and are self-supporting through reimburse- ments. The remaining three organizations are predominantly Extramural: Divis ion of Research Grant s. As previous ly described, the DRG handles the receipt and referral of all grant applications and operates the 64 Study Sections. Its FY 1983 budget 617.3 million. Its staff of 427 includes about 100 Ph.D.s and M.D.s to undertake the rigorous effort involved in substantive examination of 26,000 applications annually, and the prepara- tion of the findings of the Study Sections. The peer review process is not just a "service" function, but an important part of the "quality control" management of the Extramural program, assuring objectivity and high competence in the examination and rating of applications. Division of Research Resources (DRR). This division is a major grant~aking organization, larger in fact than several of the Institutes. Its 1983 budget was $214 million, which Congress increased to $243 million in FY 1984. The stat f is small at 127, but this is because the division has no Intramural program. The DRR' 8 role to support recipient institutions of NIH grants and contracts with essential clinical facilities (74 now financed), animals (such as the 7 National Primate Centers currently being funded), development of advanced information processing and instrumentation technology (such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance , Art if ic ial Intelligence, and High Voltage Electron Microscopy). In addition, the grants program provides seed money to research institutions to finance pilot projects and provide financial f legibility. These supports are in the forefront of research support and indispensable to the scientific community. A special program for the support of minority biomedical research support is conducted in collaboration with the Institutes . 89 The Fo~arty _Internationa1 Center (FIC). With a staff of 64 and a FY 1983 budget of $10 million, the FIC awards research fellowships and conference grants; has authority to award other grants and contracts; coordinates scientist exchanges foreign visitors, and bilateral activities (with PHS-wide responsibility for some of these); manages the NIH International Visiting Scientists Program; and organizes and manages international scientific meetings. The FIC is also the funding channel for the Gorgas Memorial Laboratory in Panama. ~ These last two organizations, DRR and FIC, have autonomous research programs and direct congressional appropriations, and are known as research divisions. The majority of their budgets are devoted to extramural grants and contracts, for which DRR and FIC have final authority, and for most purposes they are treated as research institutes. Unlike the institutes, however, their missions primarily involve the support of research, through the development and support of research resources (DRR) and international research collaboration (FIC). In total, the supporting organizations have a staff of 5,395 full and part-time personnel and annual expenditures of approximately $526 million, of which about $302 million is reimbursed by the Institutes. Interviews were conducted with Branch level supervisors in most of these organizations and one is impressed both'with their technical competence and with their superior motivation to support the biomedical revolution" of which they are an integral part. One is also impressed with the comprehensiveness and excellence of a major study which has recently been conducted for the Director of NIH, on the basis for charging the Institutes for these services, case by case, in the interest of cost control and equity. Some of the people that were interviewed raises the question as to whether tighter management of these supporting activities would be beneficial in the interest of cost management--but not to sacrifice in any way their excellent morale and high quality of performance. This question will also be considered in Part III. In Part III of this paper, some of the questions posed in this section will be assessed and possible courses of action considered. PART III AN EXAMPLE OF POSSIBLE NEAR-TERM REFINEMENTS IN ORGANIZATION After considering the findings and observations resulting from this-opportunity to view NIH through direct observation and discussion with its leaders, one is impressed with those features of its organization and culture which make it highly.manageable today: The stress on performance, at every level , sweeps aside the bureaucratic struggles which usurp the time of supervisors in many organ~zat ions . The practice, almost subconsciously, of the best tenets of participative management is closely allied to the first attribute. It makes collaborators out of the entire workforce and encourages new leve Is of achievement in virtually every field. Tolerance for overlapping interests is perhaps the most --remarkable attitudinal factor. The fact that the Institutes experience a high degree of dual interest in areas and applications, but yet are able to resolve such overlaps with a neutral party in the Division of Reseach Grants, is a brilliant achievement. Excellence of communications and documentation goes hand-in-hand with the above characteristics, and in many ways is both cause and e f feet . It is the purpose of this chapter to examine the proposition that without impairing these virtues, benefits might accrue from assuring greater attention to the day-to-day management and cost-effectiveness of the seven research and central services activities discussed in the preceding chapter. The chapter discusses one example of how this could be done. To Accomplish This, Certain Responsibilities Could be More Sharply De f ined Among the Deputy Directors of NIH The concept suggests that the "front office" partnership employ two functional deputies with line authority over central service functions outside of individual institutes and staff responsibility for extramural and intramural research programs: one for Intramural Programs and Campus Services; one for Extramural Programs and Training. 91 Assign the Deputy for Intramura 1 Programs ant Campus Services Line Responsibility for the Major Supporting Activities As envies toned, this would be the biggest operas ing management " responsibility in NIH, and it would require a leader devoted first to the scientific research mission of NIH on campus and second to assuring that the supporting stat fig, facilities, tools, and services are provided in a high-quality, cost-effective manner. The motto should be: "The dollar we save on support services can be inves ted in direct research. " The methodology should be one of periodic cost- benefit analysis in collaboration with the Scientific and Clinical Directors. A possible organization is shown below: Total Positions: 4, 777 Total Budget: S278 million plus including GSA, Facilities and F inane ial Management pos: 1,6 Of ~ ice of Research Serv ices L ine . _ Pos: 496 1 S28 Div is ion of Research Serv ices · Safety ~ Animals · Facilities ~ Instruments · Administrative ~ Library Services ~ Graphics _ Deputy for Intramur al Programs and Campus ierv ices. Rcapons ib i 1 i TV . Pos: 2~300 1 S92 Pos: 345 1 S44 Clinical Division of Computer Center Research ~ Technology · Clinical Services · Ambulatory Care NIH-Wide Coordination of Intramural Programs Computer Center Research supper t: computers ~ matte r physical sciences It is believed that the most useful approach to managing this huge c luster would be to form task teams, over time, around a series of pre-planned projects. Examples of near-term issues which might be examined are: Operation and utilization of the Clinical Center. Today beds are specifically assigned to and controlled by individual Institutes. Utilization ranges from 32: to 80: with an average of 62%. Should higher utilization rates be sought? Similarly, should cons iteration be given to utilization of surgical and related facilities on more than one shift? This expanded title seems appropriate. Budget data are FY 1983 actuals, as reimbursed by the Bureaus and Ins titute ~ . 92 The~NIH-wide responsibility for library services is another area which might be assessed for cost-effectiveness. Should NLM be given this miss ion? Should individual DRS and Institute libraries (and/or journal subscription services ) be coordinated to obtain des irable economies? Organization for oversight of the Office of Research Services and the Divis ion of Research Services: Should one management be established at an appropriate time? Is there any value in closer coordination between the in-house support services and the Extramural programs? For example, does the DCRT computer capability and state of the art expertise offer value to the extramural community, and vice versa? It is recognized that issues of competition with private sector organizations must be carefully considered. Some may challenge the wisdom of assigning such detailed management responsibilities to an executive whose main purview today is one of intramural research policy. This is a good question to consider, and a separate executive to specialize in support services management is certainly a proper alternative. The question may be whether a policy or a management orientation is most desired. On balance, the policy orientation has been chosen but with a strong and · . pressing mission to pay more attention to the managerial, - cost-effectiveness aspects of these activities. Assign to the Deputy for Extramural Programs and Training Line Re s pans ib i 1 i ty for the Maj or Suppor t ~~ Organizat ions A pos s ib le c lus ter is shown on the fo l lowing page: r . l Positions: 618 plus ' Budget: S241 Allison ~ Deputy for Extramural Programs and Bra I n i ^^ 1 , .... , 1 Line ~ Respor IS:bi1~t~ 1 1 Pos: 427 1 S17 Pos: 127 1 S214 Pos: 64 S10 Division ~ I Division ~ l Fogart Office for ' of \| of l Ineernatronal ~ Protection from I Research Grants ~ Research Resources\| Center Research Risks I _ · Applications · Primate Centers international · Guidelines for Receipt, · Clinical Centers · Fellowships Human and Animal Referral · Computers and · Conferences Subjects · Peer Review - instrumentation · Seminars · M:noc~ty Research \| · Exchange. · Seed Money j l NIH-WIde Coordination of Extramural Programs 93 This arrangement is less of a change in the present organization than the one proposed for Intramural Programs and Campus Services. But the principle is the same--namely, to assure a clear line responsibility for those support organizations which are clearly relevant to the Extramural Program; and to see that they relate in the most cost-effective manner to the Bureaus ant Institutes. Among the questions encountered which would affect this cluster are: Should the Grant Application Review process give more weight to program priorities ~ as in the case of the Eye Institute? Should the Director of DRG have a coordinating role over all f irst level peer review groups ~ inc. luding the Review Cormittees, on behalf of the Deputy Director for Extramural Programs ?* Should Intramural projects be subjected to the same peer review mechanisms? Should closer relations exist between the programs of the Institute for General Medical Sciences and the Division of Research Resources, particularly in the field of minority programs, and possibly computer/equipment development projects . Should the DRR, whose programs are excellent and strongly supported by Congress ~ be retitled the L Institute for Research Resources?" Should a more formalized program of research into research support be instituted to assure that these grants are meeting the most significant needs of investigators and institutions in the most cost-effeceive manner? Such an effort might be entit led Research Program on Research Support . flight it be 1 inked a lso to the proposed evaluat ions to be carried out by the Deputy for Intramural Programs and Campus Services? *It is noted that the Deputy Director has established an Extramural Programs Policy Staff which may accomplish this objective in part.
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Self esteem is how we perceive ourselves and how we believe others feel about us. For children, a large part of that comes from what their parent or caregiver tells them about themselves and the feedback they receive. Children begin building self-esteem at a very early age. As infants, children learn that when their needs are met by a caregiver they are loved, accepted and safe. As a child continues to develop, they begin to try new thing. As they age, they begin to compare themselves with others and sometimes question if they are competent and capable. So how can parents help a child develop self-esteem? Here are some practical tips to help parents encourage self esteem in their child. Allow Children an Opportunity to Try New Things Children are naturally curious about their interests and abilities. Sometimes as parents, we may have preconceived ideas about certain activities but allowing your child to lead shows that you respect their interests and what they want to do. Children need a chance to try new things and discover what they enjoy. Likewise, the process of trying new things is not about what they master but rather what they try and enjoy. You can reflect their feelings about what they try "you really enjoy golfing" versus placing a value on how well they play. It's about the discovery, not the skill. Give Age-Appropriate Responsibility Children need the opportunity to practice age-appropriate tasks. This might look like assisting with emptying the dishwasher, helping with pets, or putting away their clothes. Encourage your child's effort rather than whether they completed the task perfectly. Give them a task that they can experience some success with. Do not criticize or critique their efforts. Children develop self-esteem through a sense of accomplishment. They learn that they are competent and capable. Use Encouragement Instead of Praise Generally, we use praise quite liberally. However, praise includes a judgement and teaches kids that they have to "earn" their acceptance. Encouragement, on the other hand, acknowledges a child's effort and is not concerned about the completed product. Encouragement also teaches a child that they can feel good about themselves independent of someone else's acceptance and approval. Model Your Own Self-Esteem Children are always watching and listening. Be sure to show your child what it sounds like to model positive self-talk. Don't be afraid to share when you've tried something, and it didn't turn out as you expected. This normalizes to children that its ok to try something and learn along the way. Parents and caregivers play an important role in the development of their child's self-esteem. Helping children develop self-esteem at a young age allows them to develop resilience, work through challenges, and develop a positive self-concept.
Inundation risk of sewerage system according to the concepts of hazard and vulnerability-case of Algiers city Sana Gaya, Marzouk Cherrared- Geology - Geography, Planning and Development - Earth-Surface Processes - Demography - Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management Algiers city frequently experiences significant flooding during rainy weather due to the overflow of its storm sewer network (SSN). Through modeling, simulation, and field studies, vulnerable points of the network have been identified. These points are classified based on a combined assessment of hazard and vulnerability. Hazard is estimated using the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) method, which considers the return period, overflowing height, slope, elevation, and waterproofing. On the other hand, vulnerability is determined by population density. Risk is determined by multiplying hazard and vulnerability. Additionally, a classification based on the FMECA method's criticality index has been performed to complement the approach. The concordance between the two methods is evaluated using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), showing strong agreement. The sensitivity analysis conducted on the models highlights their reliability and robustness, making the obtained results trustworthy and useful for network managers. This analysis aids in effective flood management by allocating resources and interventions to the most vulnerable areas of Algiers city.
In recent news, there have been outbreaks of a deadly disease that has lurked in our world for centuries. It's called Monkeypox and it is making a big comeback. Well, not if blockchain technology has anything to say about it. Blockchain is a decentralized ledger that can be used to keep track of almost anything. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are one example of how blockchain technology can be used. But its uses extend beyond digital money and digital contracts; anytime you need to store information about something and make sure nobody else can access or change it, blockchain will come in handy. I will explain what you need to know about the blockchain and why it could save us from monkeypox virus as well as other pandemic viruses! What is Monkeypox? Monkeypox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and some other animals. Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over. The duration of symptoms is typically two to four weeks. There may be mild symptoms, and it may occur without any symptoms being known. Children, pregnant women, and people with suppressed immune systems are at greater risk of severe cases. There is no specific treatment for monkeypox other than vaccines and people are advised to rest and drink plenty of fluids. How Blockchain Can Save Us From Monkeypox and Other Viruses Blockchain technology can help to prevent and fight the spread of diseases such as Monkeypox and other pandemic viruses by tracking movement. In the case of Monkeypox, if someone with the virus travels to another country, blockchain technology can be used to help authorities track that person's movements so that the disease can be contained before it spreads. For example, if a person visits a country where Monkeypox is present and is later discovered to have the virus, blockchain technology can be used to track exactly where that person was and what planes, trains, or buses they traveled on. This can help health officials to stop the spread of the disease. How Blockchain Could Stop the Spread of Disease In addition to tracking movements, blockchain technology can also be used to store and display information about vaccinations. If a person has had their vaccinations against certain diseases and is traveling to a region where they don't exist, blockchain can be used to provide proof of vaccinations. For example, if someone has the vaccinations they need to travel to a country where Monkeypox is present and they go through customs, blockchain technology can be used to track their vaccinations. This can help to prevent the spread of disease. Imagine the World Health Organization or Johns Hopkins have implemented a universal blockchain that can be used by every government and health institute in the world. The blockchain could be the most important invention since the Internet. In the future, blockchain technology could be used to track the spread of viruses and store information about vaccinations and other health data, even preventing deadly pandemics like monkeypox. The Blockchain and How It Could Save Us From Monkeypox was originally published in Coinmonks on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Fletcher: how popular and famous is this name? Curious to know how many people were given the name Fletcher in 2022 in the USA and how popular was Fletcher in the past? In this page you will discover the popularity rank of the name Fletcher over the years and how many boys were named Fletcher in the past 124 years. Also you will find a list of famous people and celebrities named Fletcher across different areas such as Entertainment (Actors, Directors, Singers), Sports, Business, Literature, Politics, Science, Arts, Technology and Journalism. How popular is the name Fletcher? According to the 2022 US Census Data, the name Fletcher holds the 677th position in popularity among boy names. This means that out of 45946 names, Fletcher is ranked as the 677th most popular. In 2022, a total of 402 baby boys in the USA were named Fletcher. 📋 When was the name Fletcher most popular and famous in the USA? According to the US Census records and data, the name Fletcher reached its peak popularity in the United States in 1900. During that year, Fletcher ranked #746 out of 45946 names. It is noteworthy that Fletcher has never reached the top 100 most popular names. 📋 When was the name Fletcher least popular in the USA? According to the US Census records and data, the name Fletcher was at its least popular and relatively rare in the United States in 1981. During that year, Fletcher ranked #3601 in popularity, indicating that out of 45946 names, only 44 boys were given the name Fletcher. 📋 When were there more babies named Fletcher in the USA? Since 1900, the year with the highest number of babies named Fletcher was 2018. 📋 When were there fewer babies named Fletcher in the USA? Since 1900, the year with the fewest babies named Fletcher was 1906. 📋 Is Fletcher predominantly a boy or girl name ? Fletcher is predominantly a boy name, with 98.8% of Fletchers being boys and 1.2% of Fletchers being girls. 📋 How many Fletchers have there been in the USA? From 1900 to 2022, there have been 15473 people named Fletcher in the USA, comprising 15289 boys and 184 girls. 📋 When was Fletcher first recorded as a name in the USA? Fletcher was first recorded as a boy's name in 1900 and as a girl's name in 1913. 📋 When did the usage of the name Fletcher's experience the most significant increase over the past 124 years? Fletcher's saw its most substantial increase in 1912 when 89 babies were named Fletcher, marking an 75% increase compared to the previous year. 📋 When did the usage of the name Fletcher experience the most significant decrease over the past 124 years? Fletcher's usage decreased the most in 1972 when 42 babies were named Fletcher, reflecting a --39% decrease compared to the previous year. Famous Fletchers Here's the list of individuals named Fletcher who have gained notable recognition or achieved prominence in various fields. These individuals might have made significant contributions in areas like Entertainment, Sports, Business, History, Literature, Politics, Science, Arts and Technology. 🎉 Famous Fletchers in Entertainment People named Fletcher who became popular in the entertainment industry as they have excelled in various facets of entertainment, including acting, directing, music, and other creative pursuits. 🎭 What famous actors are named Fletcher? Here's a list of famous actors named Fletcher and the movies they have starred in: - No. of movies: 1 Movie actor. Famous for: Razor Eaters 🎬 What famous directors are named Fletcher ? Here's a list of famous directors named Fletcher and the movies they have directed: - No. of movies: 9 Movie director. Famous for: The Incredible Journey (1963), The Incredible Journey, The Man With A Cloak, Jigsaw (1949)(Gun Moll) 🏆 Famous Fletchers in Sports Here's a list of individuals named Fletcher who have achieved notable recognition and made significant contributions within the realm of Sports. These celebrities have excelled in various sports, whether as athletes, coaches, or influential figures in sports administration: Fletcher Magee is a talented basketball player who has made a name for himself with his sharpshooting abilities. Fletcher Cox is a professional football player known for his exceptional skills as a defensive tackle. 💼 Famous Fletchers in Business Here's a list of individuals named Fletcher who have gained significant recognition and made substantial contributions within the realm of business and entrepreneurship. These business celebrities have played pivotal roles in shaping industries, founding successful companies, and demonstrating exceptional leadership or innovation in their respective fields: Co-founder of Halogen Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in female-founded startups. Founder of the Australian department store chain, Fletcher Jones & Staff. American businessman, computer pioneer, and thoroughbred racehorse halter. 📜 Famous Fletchers in History Here's a list of celebrities named Fletcher who have left a lasting impact on various aspects of human history: Influential jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. American producer and guitarist (pennywise). Led the mutiny on HMS Bounty against Captain Bligh. 📚 Famous Fletchers in Literature Here' a list of famous people named Fletcher who made notable contributions within the field of literature, including authors, poets, playwrights, or scholars known for their literary works, critical writings, or influence in the literary world: American novelist. Famous for: Night Of Camp David, Night of Camp David, Dark Horse, American journalist and author, known for his political novels. American author known for his mystery and crime novels. American author known for his science fiction and fantasy works. 🏛️ Famous Fletchers in Politics Here's a list famous people named Fletcher who have held significant political positions, played influential roles in government, advocated for specific causes or reforms, or had a lasting impact on political discourse or policy-making: Known for his contributions to education reform. Famous for his honesty and dedication to serving the people. 🔬 Famous Fletchers in Science Here's a list of individuals named Fletcher who have made significant contributions and gained recognition in the field of science. Icluding scientists, researchers, inventors, or scholars known for their groundbreaking discoveries, advancements in scientific knowledge, or influential contributions to various scientific disciplines: Fletcher G. Watson was an American physicist known for his research in nuclear physics. Fletcher Sibthorp was a British botanist known for his work in plant taxonomy. Fletcher Watson was a British astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of galaxies. Fletcher Henderson was an American chemist known for his contributions to polymer science. 🎨 Famous Fletchers in Arts Here's a list of of individuals named Fletcher who have gained recognition within the realm of arts and creative expression, including artists, musicians, actors, directors, or influential figures known for their artistic talents, contributions to cultural movements, or their impact on the arts: Fletcher Moss is a contemporary artist known for his abstract paintings. 💻 Famous Fletchers in Technology Here'a list of individuals named Fletcher who made substantial contributions within the field of technology, These Fletchers might be entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, or industry leaders known for their advancements, creations, or influence in technological development: Known for his work in game development. Former VP of Workplace by Facebook. 📰 Famous Fletchers in Journalism Here's a list of celebrities named Fletcher who have gained recognition within the field of journalism. These Fletchers might be journalists, editors, reporters, or media personalities known for their impactful reporting, investigative work, commentary, or influence in the world of media and news dissemination: Fletcher Powell is a respected journalist who covers political news. Fletcher Cox is a renowned journalist known for his investigative reporting. Interesting facts about the name Fletcher 📕 What is the meaning and origin of the name Fletcher? Fletcher means arrow-maker 📕 What are name variants for the name Fletcher? Fletcher's variants and other similar names include: Flecher, Fletch 📕 How to pronounce Fletcher? Fletcher' pronunciation is \f-let-cher, fl(e)-tcher\
We are excited to be at the forefront of bridging this ancient wisdom and Ayurvedic botanicals for modern hair health. The value in Ayurveda is in its holistic, nature-based, prevention and health promotion approach. Ayurveda spoke of longevity also known as Rasayana over 5,000 years ago, a topic the west has only started to talk about now. Unique to Ayurveda, Rasayana means "that which supports life essence." As we age, our hair follicles go through a process called miniaturization, in which their size decreases over time and hair can become dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. And there's also graying due to pigment loss. Hair loss and thinning are completely normal. In fact, it's a natural part of life. But, there are many other factors that can contribute whether it's caused by hereditary, a diet deficiency, stress, menopause, postpartum breakage, a current health issue, medication, exposure to environmental toxins or pollution the list is many. Ayurveda aims to address the root cause of the problem—which often originates well beneath the surface. Rasayana helps to prevent the effect of ageing and provides longevity, improves mental and intellectual competence, preservation of youthfulness, increased luster, body complexion and glow of the skin, healthy condition of voice, excellent potentiality of the body and the sense-organs. Through specialized use of herbs, herbomineral formulations, personalized diet and lifestyle protocols designed to nourish, support and bring balance to your elemental (Dosha) mind/body. Equally as critical as caring for the scalp in the long-term is caring for the strands. Over time, exposure to heat and environmental factors can exacerbate dryness, thinning, and breakage. You'll want to avoid or minimize the five types of damage including damage from chemical services, heat styling, mechanical friction, environment, and pollution. Rasayana herbs are adaptogenic and rejuvenative, only a few belonging to this specialized category. Hair longevity herbs like Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Brahmi, Tulsi, Amla and Turmeric can be found in all of our hair wellness shampoo and conditioner formulas. If we start using products that can actually make a difference in our hair and scalp health, we maintain the beauty of our hair longer. While you can't stop your hair from aging, you can take certain measures to help keep it as healthy as possible.
The normal cables we use are wrapped with a layer of insulation. Single high voltage cables are streaked all the way and have no insulation. Why? The transmission voltage of high-voltage transmission lines is mostly above 1000 volts, and the transmission voltage of some lines is as high as 1000 volts and 50000 volts. If you want to use such wires to wrap the insulation layer, the thickness of the insulation layer of ordinary lines is far from enough. The voltage of the wires in our homes is usually only 220V. As long as they are wrapped with a thin insulating layer to prevent people from contacting the live wire, electric shock can be prevented. But high-voltage equipment is different. People standing a certain distance next to high-voltage equipment will cause electric shock even if they do not touch it. Electric shock caused by high voltage can be divided into step voltage electric shock and high voltage arc electric shock. Stepping voltage electric shock means that if the high-voltage transmission line falls on the ground, the current flows into the ground, and the potential near the grounding point will gradually decrease to a distance, then the person's feet stand on the voltage difference, and the current passes through the human body to cause an electric shock, that is, stepping Electric shock. When people get close to the high-voltage equipment to a certain distance, the high-voltage arc shock will produce arc discharge, that is, you will see a momentary flash, and then the contactor will be knocked down by the high voltage, resulting in injury or even death. Therefore, it is not enough to wrap a layer of household wire insulation for high-voltage transmission lines. According to the safe distance of high-voltage lines touching people is 1mm per 3000 volts, the insulation layer thickness of 500,000 volt lines should be at least 17cm. Such a thick insulating layer will inevitably greatly increase the weight of the transmission line, so for a transmission line of thousands of kilometers, the cost investment will inevitably double. In fact, the easiest way to keep high-voltage lines from harming people is to separate the lines from people by a certain distance. If people can't get close to the line, there will be no electric shock accident. For example, using high-voltage towers to erect transmission lines, people will not get an electric shock when walking under high-voltage lines, so there is no need to wrap insulation on the lines. This method is known in the industry as"air insulation". Of course, there are also high-voltage lines wrapped in insulation, which we call high-voltage cables. High voltage cables are generally used in areas not suitable for overhead lines, such as underground laying. In addition to thick insulation, high-voltage cables also use copper cores, so the cost of high-voltage cables is more than 10 times that of ordinary overhead lines, and they will not be used unless necessary. .
Sustainable Tourism Sustainable tourism, also known as eco-tourism or responsible tourism, refers to a way of traveling and experiencing destinations while minimizing the negative impacts on the environment, economy, and local communities. It involves making conscious choices as a tourist to protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources of a destination, as well as contributing to the well-being of the local people. The ultimate goal of sustainable tourism is to create a positive and lasting impact on destinations, supporting their long-term viability and ensuring that future generations can also enjoy the natural and cultural treasures they offer. By practicing sustainable tourism, we can contribute to the preservation of the environment, the well-being of local communities, and the overall sustainability of the tourism industry. Here are some key principles and practices associated with sustainable tourism: Environmental conservation Responsible tourism aims to protect natural resources, including ecosystems, wildlife, and landscapes. It promotes practices such as waste reduction, energy and water conservation, sustainable transportation, and the preservation of biodiversity. Cultural preservation Sustainable tourism respects and supports the cultural heritage and traditions of local communities. It encourages tourists to learn about and engage with the local culture, while ensuring that their presence does not compromise the cultural integrity or authenticity of the destination. Community involvement Responsible tourism involves the local community in decision-making processes and ensures they benefit from tourism activities. It promotes fair employment, local entrepreneurship, and the creation of economic opportunities that enhance the well-being of the residents. Responsible consumption Sustainable tourists make conscious choices to minimize their environmental footprint. This can include selecting eco-friendly accommodations, supporting local businesses and products, practicing responsible waste management, and being mindful of their energy and water usage. Education and awareness Responsible tourism encourages tourists to learn about the environmental, social, and cultural issues of the destination they are visiting. It promotes educational opportunities, cultural exchange, and awareness campaigns to foster a greater understanding of sustainability among both tourists and local communities. Collaboration and partnerships Sustainable tourism requires collaboration between tourists, businesses, governments, and local communities. It involves the development of partnerships and networks that work together to implement sustainable practices and address the challenges and opportunities of tourism.
Adaptive Grazing Our grazing patterns are strategically planned through an adaptive lens. Biomimicry is a term that we reference to identify our management as it identifies how bison and elk would have grazed through grasslands and savanna's in our region hundreds of years ago. They move in large groups and continue to move. Eating a portion of the plant and allowing the plant and root system to fully recover before they would return to re-graze it. This allows wildlife populations to thrive, grass, forb, and root systems to proliferate, and the cattle to consistently graze the highest quality forage. We utilize our cattle as a tool to positively shape the ecological context of our farm. For our daily cattle and grassland management, we implement a strategy and observe the results. We adapt our management based off of those results in real time. Adaptation is crucial to the successful outcome of our grazing program. The driving force in our land management is to focus on keeping the duration that our animals occupy any area of our pasture to the lowest amount possible and keep our density as high as possible. This results in keeping all of our animals in two main groups and moving them frequently, oftentimes 1-2 times per day. We do not adhere to a strict grazing strategy as there are many names for them: mob grazing, total grazing, rotational grazing, managed intensive grazing, etc. Different pastures require different impacts. Different classes of livestock require different management, so, again, we adapt to what is required within our context, while keeping the biomimicry concept front and center. Regenerative Agriculture Regenerative is a term that is becoming more commonplace in the market today, but what does it mean? To us, regenerative means that we are continuously improving the entirety of not just our landbase, but ecological cycles and employee well-being. We are using cattle to complete ecological cycles, while growing a highly nutritious product to sell into our community. Regeneration encompasses our entire moral compass. We farm to promote biodiversity in all facets of our farm. We regenerate our landscape not because it's trendy, but it's just flat out the right way to do it. When our forage and forb species are diverse and ever changing and our soil's organic matter and water retention increases, we are able to keep green cover on our acreage year round so that plants are continuously allowed to go through the photosynthetic process. This photosynthetic process is also what allows carbon to be pulled from the atmosphere and stored underground. It's a cyclical process often referred to as the biogenic carbon cycle where carbon and methane work together. There's so much more to grassfed beef than just grass and cows if we can all slow down to recognize it! Nature is amazing and we just need to be patient and understand that we are all a part of a complex ecological process. We look deeper into our production and farm in a way that promotes soil function, ecological resilience, and continuing education and development for our crew. 6-3-4 Philosophy A regenerative farm design focuses on the health of our landbase generations from now, not just over the next ten years. We cycle energy, nutrients, and water throughout our entire ecosystem. In 2023 we were Verified through Savory's Ecological Outcome Verification program. The Robinia Institue, a Savory Institute hub, located in Wingina, VA will continue to monitor our land health annually as it relates to the ecological indicators of the outcomes of our management. These metrics include forage species diversity, biological soil health, carbon respiration, ground cover, water infiltration, and overall ecological function. "Do not be conformed by what we think things should be or look like. Instead, simply manage regeneratively and allow nature to provide. Always remember that constant succession is a part of what will happen. Provide for nature and she will provide for you." Dr. Allen Williams A product of our native plantings is wildflower honey. The honeybees feast on trees and shrubs in spring followed by clover in the pastures and a progression of native forbs blooming throughout the growing season. Conditions are not always right for a honey harvest at the same time every year. We need to ensure that we are also leaving enough honey for the bees to consume overwinter, a delicate balance. We only take an excess so as not to deplete their stores. Knowing that bees can travel 2 miles, we have each of our colonies spread to different sections of our farm to isolate and monitor hive performance. We currently have 20 hives spread across three different sites on the farm. The color and consistency of our honey will vary depending on when it was harvested and the specific colony it was harvested from. We stand by our claim of "Perfectly Raw Honey", and we do not heat treat our honey, so crystallization becomes a possibility on the shelf. Our honey is currently available at our farm store for preorder for pickup.
The serpae tetra is a visually striking tropical freshwater fish that has gained popularity among beginner fish keepers due to its ease of care and vibrant appearance. This resilient fish boasts a beautiful red color and a trapezoidal shape, making it the perfect addition to your home aquarium. As a schooling fish, serpae tetras thrive in groups of six or more, creating a stunning visual display that will captivate both novice and experienced aquarists. Originating from the slow-moving, dark, and murky backwaters of South America, the serpae tetra is ideally suited for blackwater environments that provide ample hiding spots from predators. To keep your fish happy and healthy, it's essential to replicate this type of environment in your aquarium. With proper care, serpae tetras can live for up to 5-7 years, making them a long-lasting and rewarding addition to your aquatic community. Key Takeaways - Serpae tetras are popular tropical freshwater fish with vibrant colors, perfect for beginner aquarists - These fish should be kept in groups of six or more and in environments that mimic their natural habitat - With proper care, serpae tetras can live for up to 5-7 years, making them a long-lasting addition to your home aquarium Species Overview Serpae tetras are beautiful, small, and active fish native to South America. They belong to the Characidae family, known for their vibrant red color and ease of care, making them perfect for beginner aquarists. These fish have a deep red color with a tall, flat body and a distinctive comma-shaped black marking located behind their gills. Their fins are red, except for the dorsal and anal fins, which are predominantly black with white edging. In their natural habitat, serpae tetras are found in slow-moving waters with dense vegetation, so it's important to recreate a similar environment in your home aquarium. Providing them with adequate hiding spots, such as plants and decorations, will help them feel secure and display their natural behavior. When it comes to feeding, serpae tetras are omnivorous and will accept a range of foods, including flakes, pellets, and frozen or live foods. It's essential to give them a varied diet for optimal health and coloration. Breeding serpae tetras can be a little challenging, but with the right water parameters and environment, it's possible to achieve success. A separate breeding tank with a sponge filter and spawning mop or Java moss is recommended. Now let's take a look at a summary table of the key information about serpae tetras. Property \| Information \| Scientific Name \| Hyphessobrycon eques \| Common Names \| Blood characin, callistus tetra, jewel tetra, red minor tetra, red serpae, serpa tetra, serpae tetra \| Distribution \| South America \| Size \| 1.75 inches (4.5 cm) \| Lifespan \| 5-7 years \| Diet \| Omnivorous \| Temperament \| Peaceful, schooling \| Minimum Tank Size \| 20 gallons \| Temperature \| 72-79°F (22-26°C) \| pH \| 6.0-7.5 \| Water Hardness \| 3-20 dKH \| Care Level \| Easy \| Filtration/Water Flow \| Moderate \| Water Type \| Freshwater \| Breeding \| Egg layer \| Breeding Difficulty \| Moderate to difficult \| Compatibility \| Peaceful community tank \| Remember to always test and maintain appropriate water parameters and monitor the compatibility of your serpae tetras with other tank mates. With proper care and attention, you can enjoy the beauty and charm of these fish for years to come. Origins and Natural Habitat Serpae Tetra are fascinating fish that originally hail from the Amazon River basin in South America. As you dive deeper into their natural habitat, you'll discover that they inhabit various regions spanning from Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. In the wild, Serpae Tetras tend to dwell in slow-moving backwaters. They often hide from potential predators in these calmer areas, providing them a secure space in their environment. In contrast, when you keep Serpae Tetras in captivity, they're content to spend most of their time out in the open and display more of their colorful and playful behavior. It's important to remember that the majority of Serpae Tetras available for your aquarium are captive bred, not wild-caught, and the species is not endangered. This is good news for both your aquarium and the conservation of their natural habitat in South America. When you create a thriving environment for your Serpae Tetras in an aquarium, be sure to emulate their natural habitat by providing them with areas for hiding and exploring. This will help them feel safe and comfortable, allowing them to exhibit their vibrant colors and energetic swimming patterns. As a result, your aquarium will be filled with dynamic and eye-catching fish that remind you of their origins in the lush Amazon River basin. Physical Characteristics In this section, we'll explore the physical characteristics of the Serpae Tetra, including their size and shape, along with their color and markings. Size and Shape Serpae Tetras have a typical tetra body shape – oval with compressed sides. They are considered a small species of fish, with adults growing up to 1.5-2 inches in length. Their compact size makes them suitable for a variety of tank sizes, but always ensure there's enough space for them to swim around and explore. Color and Markings The Serpae Tetra is primarily known for its vibrant red color, which can range from reddish-brown to olive-brown to a fiery scarlet hue. Their scales have a shiny finish that shimmers in the light, creating a jewel-like luster. This captivating coloration is seen in both males and females of the species. In addition to their striking red color, Serpae Tetras have some distinctive markings. They feature a black, comma-shaped marking located behind their gills. Their fins are mainly red, with the exception of the dorsal and anal fins. The dorsal fin has a predominantly black coloration with white edging, adding to their unique appearance. As you observe your Serpae Tetras swimming around, you'll likely notice that their colors might fluctuate based on their mood, health, and the environment they're in. Ensuring proper care and a suitable habitat for your fish will help maintain their bright, beautiful colors. Lifespan and Growth Rate When it comes to your Serpae Tetra, you can expect them to have a lifespan of about 5-7 years in captivity. Of course, their longevity greatly depends on the quality of care you provide them. Factors such as water quality, a stable environment, diet, and tank mates all play essential roles in ensuring their health and wellbeing. To maximize your Serpae Tetra's lifespan, you should start with creating a stable environment. Maintaining proper water parameters is key, as these fish thrive in water temperatures between 72°F and 79°F, and benefit from a pH level between 6.0 and 7.5. The water hardness should also be taken into consideration, ideally aiming for 5-20 dH. In terms of diet, it is essential to provide your Serpae Tetra with a balanced and nutritious feeding plan. These fish are omnivorous and enjoy a mixture of both plant-based and protein-rich foods. You can offer them high-quality flake food, freeze-dried or frozen food like brine shrimp and bloodworms, as well as vegetable supplements. Remember to feed them in small portions, ideally 2-3 times daily, adjusting according to their needs and growth rate. One more aspect to consider is the selection of tank mates for your Serpae Tetra. They are a social species and do well in a community tank with other peaceful, similarly-sized fish. However, avoid pairing them with fish that have large fins, as they tend to nip at them. Instead, opt for suitable tank mates such as Corydoras catfish, rasboras, or other tetra species. By carefully considering all these factors, you'll be able to provide a comfortable and stress-free environment. This will greatly contribute to the overall health of your Serpae Tetra, ultimately allowing them to grow at their optimal rate and reach their expected lifespan. Diet and Feeding As a Serpae Tetra owner, it's important to provide your fish with a well-balanced and varied diet to ensure they remain healthy and active. Serpae Tetras are omnivores, which means they can consume both plant- and animal-based foods. You should plan on feeding your Serpae Tetra a base diet of quality flakes or pellets designed for small tropical fish. These will provide them with the necessary nutrients they need, but also be sure to mix in fresh, live, or frozen foods to add variety and make their diet more exciting. When looking for live and frozen foods to provide as a supplementary snack, brine shrimp and bloodworms are excellent choices. These protein-rich treats will help your fish thrive and maintain their vibrant colors. Along with these, you can also incorporate other types of live foods such as daphnia and mosquito larvae, as well as frozen options like mysis shrimp. Keep in mind that while it's important to diversify the diet, moderation is key. Feed your Serpae Tetra a combination of these food sources, but avoid overloading their diet with too much live or frozen food, as it can lead to health issues. To ensure your fish are getting enough to eat, but not overeating, generally feed them once or twice a day with an amount of food that they can consume within a few minutes. Be mindful not to leave an excess of food in the tank, as it can deteriorate water quality if left uneaten. By following these guidelines and paying close attention to your Serpae Tetra's dietary needs, you'll help them live a healthy, vibrant life in your aquarium. Behavior and Temperament Serpae Tetras are known for their active and playful behavior, making them an enjoyable addition to your community tank. As schooling fish, they thrive in groups of at least 5-7 individuals, which helps in reducing their natural nipping tendencies. When it comes to their temperament, Serpae Tetras can display a mix of sociable and somewhat aggressive traits. In general, they get along well with other fish in a community tank, but their fin nipping behavior might be bothersome to some of their tank mates – especially those with long, flowing fins. To minimize fin nipping, make sure to provide sufficient hiding spots and plant cover in your aquarium, allowing the Serpae Tetras to feel more secure in their environment. Additionally, keeping a larger group of Serpae Tetras can help diffuse their nipping behaviors and encourage them to focus more on each other rather than their tank mates. Remember that the aggression levels of Serpae Tetras can vary and might even be milder in a well-maintained and spacious tank. When choosing their companions, opt for similarly-sized, active, and fast-swimming species that can easily evade the occasional fin nip. In conclusion, while Serpae Tetras can be a bit feisty at times, they are still a lively and attractive addition to your community tank. By providing them with proper care and considering their behavioral tendencies, you can maintain a harmonious aquarium environment for your Serpae Tetras and their tank mates. Care and Tank Requirements Tank Size To properly care for your Serpae Tetras, the first thing to consider is the size of their aquarium. Ideally, you should have a tank with a minimum capacity of 15 gallons for a small group, but a 20-gallon tank is even better. This provides enough space for them to swim around and will allow you to keep a healthy group of 5-7 fish. Water Parameters (Temperature and pH) Serpae Tetras thrive best in specific water conditions. Maintain the water temperature within the range of 72-79°F, as these fish prefer warmer waters. Next, pay attention to the pH levels in your aquarium; maintain a range between 6.0 and 7.0 for these fish. As for water hardness, aim for a level in the range of 4-15 dH. Tank Setup and Decorations In order to recreate their natural environment, it's essential to use appropriate tank decorations and setup: - Substrate: A dark and fine-grained substrate is ideal, as it mimics the bottom of their natural habitat. - Plants: Incorporate plenty of live plants, such as Java moss, to provide hiding spots and mimic their natural surroundings. - Driftwood: Add pieces of driftwood to create a more authentic environment. - Rocks: Use rocks to create hiding places and additional structure in the tank. - Lighting: Keep the light levels relatively low to make your Serpae Tetras feel more comfortable. Filtration and Aeration To ensure a healthy aquarium for your fish, proper filtration and aeration are key. Invest in a quality filter that will help maintain proper water flow, filtration, and oxygenation. This will keep the water clean and safe for your Serpae Tetras. Moreover, you can use an air pump to assist in maintaining sufficient oxygen levels in the tank. Suitable Tank Mates When choosing tank mates for your Serpae Tetra, it's important to find compatible species to maintain a peaceful and happy aquarium. Serpae Tetras, also known as Callistus Tetra, Red Minor Tetra, or Jewel Tetra, are friendly and playful fish that are best kept in a community tank with other similar-sized and peaceful fish. Cardinal Tetras make excellent tank mates for Serpae Tetras as they are both colorful, small, and peaceful fish that like to swim in schools. They complement each other well and create a vibrant display in your aquarium. Another great option is the Bristlenose Pleco. This peaceful bottom-dweller helps keep your tank clean by consuming algae and leftover food particles. They don't compete for the same swimming space, so your Serpae Tetras can happily swim in the middle and upper portions of the tank while the Bristlenose Pleco takes care of the bottom section. Angelfish can also be good tank mates for Serpae Tetras, provided that your aquarium is large enough to accommodate them. However, be cautious, as larger Angelfish might prey on smaller fish. It's best to introduce the Serpae Tetras and Angelfish when they are young and of similar size to avoid any issues. While Serpae Tetras can coexist with other peaceful fish, it's best to avoid housing them with Bettas. Serpae Tetras have a tendency to nip at fins, which can lead to stress and injuries in Bettas. Instead, look for other compatible fish that won't be bothered by the occasional nipping behavior displayed by Serpae Tetras. Remember, the key to a harmonious aquarium is to choose tank mates that have similar needs and can coexist peacefully. By selecting the right mix of compatible species, you'll ensure your Serpae Tetras and their friends will thrive in their aquatic environment. Breeding Process Breeding Serpae Tetras can be a rewarding experience, and with a little preparation, you can increase your chances of success. To start, set up a separate breeding tank for your Serpae Tetras. A 10-20 gallon tank with dim lighting, soft water, and plenty of plants will provide the ideal breeding environment. When selecting Serpae Tetra pairs for breeding, choose healthy and vibrant fish that display the best coloration and markings. Introducing several potential mates will increase the chances of compatible pairings. Pay close attention to their behavior, as these fish will often form temporary pair bonds before spawning. To encourage spawning, gradually raise the water temperature in the breeding tank to around 78-82°F (25-28°C). At the same time, increase the amount of live or frozen foods in your fish's diet. High-quality, protein-rich foods like brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia can help induce breeding behaviors in your Serpae Tetras. Once your fish start exhibiting courting behaviors, such as chasing and nipping, you'll know that they're ready to spawn. Typically, this will happen in the morning hours as the light levels begin to increase. During spawning, the female will deposit her eggs among the plants, and the male will fertilize them. It's essential to remove the adult Serpae Tetras from the breeding tank shortly after spawning, as they may consume the eggs or newly-hatched fry. Make sure to keep the breeding tank dimly lit, as the eggs and fry are sensitive to light. The eggs will usually hatch within 24-48 hours. After hatching, the fry will feed on their yolk sacs for the first few days. Once they're free-swimming, provide them with a high-quality, age-appropriate diet such as infusoria or newly hatched brine shrimp. Keep a close eye on the water quality, performing regular water changes, and maintaining proper parameters to ensure the health of your growing Serpae Tetra fry. By following these steps and providing the right environment and care, your Serpae Tetras should successfully breed and produce healthy fry for you to enjoy watching grow and develop. Common Diseases and Treatments Serpae Tetras, like any other fish, may be prone to certain diseases. By recognizing the signs and taking prompt action, you can ensure the health and happiness of your finned friends. In this section, we'll focus on common diseases and their respective treatments for Serpae Tetras. Ich (White Spot Disease) Ich is a common parasite that can infest your Serpae Tetras. You may notice tiny white spots on their bodies, looking like grains of salt. This can cause breathing difficulty and lethargy in the fish. To treat this condition, gradually raise the water temperature to 86°F (30°C) for about a week. Additionally, you can use over-the-counter treatments specifically designed for Ich. Gill Infections Serpae Tetras may suffer from various gill infections, often caused by bacteria or parasites. Infected fish may exhibit labored breathing or gasping at the water surface. Visibly red or inflamed gills are another indication of an issue. A broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment can help combat these infections. However, it's essential to follow the prescribed dosage and duration to avoid harming your fish. Fungal Infections Fungal infections commonly manifest as cotton-like growths on the fish's body. These infections can indicate underlying issues, such as immune system compromises or poor water quality. To treat fungal infections, a commercial antifungal medication is recommended. Ammonia Poisoning High levels of ammonia in the tank can cause burns on the fish's gills, inducing rapid breathing, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Regular water changes and proper filtration help maintain a safe ammonia level. If you detect elevated ammonia levels, a water conditioner or commercial ammonia-removing product can be helpful. Remember to maintain proper water quality, monitor your fish for any signs of illness, and act quickly in case of any health concerns. Taking good care of your Serpae Tetras will result in a thriving and healthy community within your aquarium. Frequently Asked Questions What is the ideal tank size for Serpae Tetras? The ideal tank size for Serpae Tetras is at least 20 gallons, as they are schooling fish and thrive in groups of 6 or more. A larger tank allows for smoother swimming and less stress on the fish, promoting better health and vibrant colors. What temperature should the water be for Serpae Tetras? Serpae Tetras thrive in water with a temperature of 72-79°F (22.2-26.1°C). It's important to maintain stable water conditions to keep your Serpae Tetras healthy and reduce stress on the fish. How long is the typical lifespan of a Serpae Tetra? The typical lifespan of a Serpae Tetra is around 5-7 years when cared for properly. To ensure a long, healthy life for your fish, maintain optimal water conditions and provide a balanced diet. Are Serpae Tetras known to be aggressive? Although Serpae Tetras are generally peaceful, they can display some aggressive behaviors when kept in smaller groups or confined spaces. To minimize aggression, it's best to keep them in groups of 6 or more in a spacious tank with plenty of hiding spots. What type of food should I be feeding my Serpae Tetras? Serpae Tetras are omnivorous and will feed on a variety of food options. Provide a mix of high-quality flake or pellet foods, as well as frozen or live food such as daphnia, brine shrimp, or bloodworms. This will ensure proper nutrition and keep your fish healthy. How to differentiate between male and female Serpae Tetras? Males and females can be distinguished mainly by their body shape and color. Males tend to be slightly smaller and slimmer, with more vibrant colors, while females are larger and have a rounder body shape. The anal fin of the males is also more pointed compared to the females' rounded one. Are Serpae Tetras compatible with Guppies? Serpae Tetras can coexist with Guppies in a community tank as long as they are housed in a large enough tank and kept in proper school sizes. Make sure to provide enough hiding spots and maintain good water conditions to minimize the risk of aggression. However, it's essential to closely monitor their interaction, as individual Serpae Tetras may display aggressive behavior towards Guppies. Serpae Tetras are a beautiful and popular choice for beginner and experienced fishkeepers alike. They possess a striking red color and a trapezoidal shape, adding visual interest to your aquarium. With a lifespan of 5-7 years and an adaptable nature, these fish are well-suited to a variety of tank environments. To ensure the health and happiness of your Serpae Tetras, it's important to provide them with a stable environment that meets their specific needs. This includes a minimum tank size of 20 gallons for a group of 6 or more, maintaining proper water parameters, and setting up their tank with appropriate plants and decorations that mimic their natural habitat. Remember to feed them a balanced diet of high-quality fish food, as this will contribute to their overall health and longevity. In conclusion, your diligent attention to the care of your Serpae Tetras will yield rewarding results. Not only will you enjoy a stunning display in your aquarium, but you'll also contribute to the well-being of these delightful little fish, discovering why they are a beloved choice among fishkeeping enthusiasts.
A casino is a building or room where people can gamble on games of chance or skill. The games played therein have mathematically determined odds that always give the house an advantage over players, and the casino takes a percentage of the money bet, called a rake or "vig." In some countries, casinos are also places where various forms of entertainment such as shows, concerts, and sporting events are hosted. While gambling probably existed long before recorded history (with primitive proto-dice and carved six-sided dice found in archaeological digs), the casino as a place where people could find all types of gambling under one roof did not appear until the 16th century during a gambling craze that swept Europe. Rich Italian aristocrats held private parties in rooms known as ridotti that were technically illegal but rarely bothered by authorities. Today's casinos have numerous security measures in place. Cameras watch the gaming floor, and dealers keep an eye on patrons to prevent blatant cheating such as palming or marking cards. Table managers and pit bosses have a wider view of the games and can spot betting patterns that indicate collusion or other cheating. Casinos make most of their money from high rollers, or those who bet large amounts of money. To encourage such players to spend hours at the tables and slot machines, they offer them free goods or services, known as comps, that can include hotel rooms, meals, tickets to shows, and even limo service and airline flights.
If you want to gather climate-change data from the deep ocean, why not just hitch a ride with an organism that's going down there anyways? That's the thinking which led to the creation of "biohybrid jellyfish" which pack not one but two speed-boosting technologies. The cyborg jellies are being developed by a team at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) led by Prof. John Dabiri. He's been messing around with the creatures for some time now, having previously brought us a jellyfish-inspired flexible pump, an artificial jellyfish composed of heart tissue and silicone, and a pacemaker-like device that enables jellyfish to swim three times faster than normal. That last gizmo was developed as part of a project in which scientists from Caltech and Stanford University were looking at ways of using jellyfish to gather climate-change-related data such as water temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels from the ocean depths. Since jellyfish naturally move up and down in the water column throughout the day, it made sense to equip them with data-recording sensors which could be retrieved at the surface. Doing so would be considerably cheaper and easier than building a fully robotic jellyfish. One problem, however, lay in the fact that the jellies swam too slowly to be of practical use. The "pacemaker" helped in that regard. Hooked onto the underside of the animals, the small device delivered electric pulses which increased the rate of the pulsating movements which jellyfish use to propel themselves forward. As a result, their swimming speed increased from about 2 to 6 centimeters (0.8 to 2.4 in) per second. That said, even faster would be better. With that fact in mind, Dabiri and grad student Simon Anuszczyk have created 3D-printed "forebodies" which are attached to the top of a jellyfish's body. These streamlined devices reduce hydrodynamic drag, they're neutrally buoyant (so they don't cause the jelly to sink or rise), and they could serve as a housing for the sensors and other electronics. In tests performed in a one-of-a-kind vertical water tank with a vertically flowing current, jellyfish equipped with both a pacemaker and a forebody were found to swim up to 4.5 times faster than natural jellyfish carrying a load of the same weight. The scientists are now developing the pressure-resistant electronics, plus they hope to make the biohybrid jellyfish remotely steerable – so they can do more than just go straight up and down. And yes, the whole thing does sound a little ghoulish, but Dabiri believes he has that end of things covered. "Jellyfish are the original ocean explorers, reaching its deepest corners and thriving just as well in tropical or polar waters," he says. "Since they don't have a brain or the ability to sense pain, we've been able to collaborate with bioethicists to develop this biohybrid robotic application in a way that's ethically principled." A paper on the research was recently published in the journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics. You can see the bionic jellies in action, in the following video. Robotic Jellyfish Explorers Source: Caltech
NOTE: The BMA is temporarily closed in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19. We encourage you to check the museum's website[1] for its reopen date before planning your next visit. BMA's commitment to gender equality aligns with PNC's own inclusive values. The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is commemorating the centennial of women's suffrage by presenting a yearlong tribute to female artists that includes exhibitions, programs and acquisitions. The initiative, called 2020 Vision, encourages dialogue and a deeper understanding of women's contributions to the world of art today and in the past. In addition to presenting 16 solo exhibits, seven thematic shows and a variety of educational programs, 2020 Vision includes a $2.5 million commitment by the museum to balance the scales of gender equality by purchasing only works created by female-identifying artists in 2020. "As we looked toward honoring the gravity of this moment in time, we took the opportunity to critically examine our own history," says BMA Director Christopher Bedford. "We are an institution built almost exclusively by powerful, visionary female leaders, yet women artists are starkly underrepresented in our collections. Our assessment that only 4 percent of our 95,000 objects were created by women incited us to begin the process of making this right." Among the women pivotal to the art museum's history were Baltimore sisters Claribel and Etta Cone, early patrons of Henri Matisse who left their collection of approximately 3,000 objects to the museum in 1950. The internationally renowned Cone Collection, with masterpieces by Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, Gauguin, van Gogh and other modern artists, is on view in the BMA's Cone Wing. Florence Levy was the museum's first director, serving from 1923 to 1926, and many women board chairs, including current chair, Clair Zamoiski Segal, have been instrumental in the museum's success. Bedford explains that the goal for 2020 Vision is to shift the museum's institutional policies to inform acquisition and exhibition practices in perpetuity. "We won't achieve equality of representation in this calendar year, but as we commit year after year, decade after decade, we will see that we made a good start in 2020," he says. "This is only the beginning, a commencement of activities without end in our lifetime." Laura Gamble, PNC Greater Maryland regional president, welcomed the opportunity to support 2020 Vision. "BMA's commitment to gender equality aligns with PNC's own inclusive values," she says. "We are delighted the museum is honoring the centennial of women's suffrage with such a bold commitment to women in the arts."
Unlocking Effective Communication – Part 2 In my previous blog, we explored two essential concepts for successful conversations: avoiding the fool's choice and adding to the pool of meaning. These principles, introduced in the book "Crucial Conversations," are particularly valuable when emotions run high, stakes are significant, and opinions diverge. If you missed that blog, you can find it here: Discovery Your Dialogue Reflexes Becoming a better communicator starts with introspection. Take a close look at yourself and identify areas where you can improve to avoid the fool's choice and contribute to meaningful dialogue. When you find yourself in an important conversation, pay attention to how you react. Do you withdraw and become silent? Do you manipulate the situation to achieve your desired outcome? Or perhaps you firmly stake your ground, ready for a debate? Successful conversations require self-awareness. Recognize your communication patterns and their impact on information flow. Become aware of what you do to promote or inhibit the free flow of information. Avoid falling into the trap of believing that everything will improve if the other person changes. If your crucial conversations often end in silence, resentment, or quiet resistance, challenge yourself to break the cycle. Identify Your Motive Before engaging in any conversation, clarify your motives. What do you truly want from this interaction? For instance: - "I want to collaborate with my spouse to decide where our children will attend school. Our decision should make everyone happy." Skilled conversationalists keep their motives at the forefront throughout the discussion. However, emotions can escalate, and pressure may mount due to differing opinions. At such moments, we often abandon our original motive without even realizing it. Adrenaline kicks in, and our goals shift: - "I need to win." - "I must correct the facts." - "I'll teach them a lesson." Alternatively, we might take flight from the conversation—becoming quiet or avoiding conflict altogether. Unfortunately, these shifts hinder successful dialogue by preventing relevant information from entering the pool of meaning. Stay Focused on your Goal As mentioned earlier, preparation is key when entering a critical conversation. Take time to identify your objectives and what you hope to achieve during the interaction. Additionally, recognize what you want to avoid. Here are four essential questions to ask yourself before engaging in a crucial conversation: - What do I really want for myself? - Consider your personal goals and desired outcomes. - What do I really want for others? - Think about the well-being and needs of the other person. - What do I really want for this relationship? - Reflect on how the conversation impacts your relationship. - What is something I really don't want? - Identify potential pitfalls or negative outcomes. Once you've clarified your wants and don't-wants, explore ways to achieve both. For instance: - "How can I discuss vacation plans with my spouse without dominating the conversation or letting anger take over?" - "Is it possible to address my neighbor's loud music without offending them?" This becomes your goal: balancing your desires while maintaining a constructive dialogue. Stay on Course During the conversation, stay attuned to your emotions. If you feel yourself becoming overly emotional, debating, or withdrawing into silence, pause and ask, "What do I really want?" This question serves as your compass. Not only does it reorient your mind, but it can also deescalate strong emotions. Challenge your brain with cognitive questions, take a deep breath, and relax your muscles. These actions will physiologically shift you out of fight-or-flight mode, resulting in the ability to think more clearly. Remember, effective communication is a skill that can be learned. Sometimes, having a coach or supportive individual can enhance the learning process. Counseling provides valuable support as you develop new dialogue skills. If you're working toward improving your communication abilities, feel free to reach out—I'd be happy to assist! Amie Bilson Related Articles Common Myths About Mental Health and Therapy As a therapist, I am always eager to support new clients as they adjust to the... Read More - Turning to Mental Health Services As a Faith Community According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 4 individuals will struggle with a... Read More - Dating Apps and their Impact on Mental Health Romantic love has always been championed by society, and in this day and age, the rise... Read More
Much has happened since our last newsletter… Daniela is now a survivor of breast cancer (still undergoing treatment). The Yoga Room has made many adjustments including moving the Bali Retreat from June to October. We thank everyone for their enormous support over the last few months. We look forward to the next stage of the journey Asanas of the Month Yoga, Meditation and Breast Cancer Embarrassing Question of the Month Patanjali Yoga Sutra of the month Quote of the Month Upcoming Events Previous newsletters Asana of the month- Twists 'Twists penetrate deep into the body's core, offering potent benefits to the muscles and organs of the torso while encouraging the breath to grow deep and full. Practicing these postures regularly can create a suppleness and freedom in your spine that in turn brings a spring to your step' Claudia Cummins Like all yoga postures, twists should be done with care and precision. To get a really good understanding of twists, check out the following article by Julie Gudmestad, It appeared in the Yoga Journal way back in 2003. Twisting Poses will help restore your spine's natural range of motion, cleanse your organs, and stimulate circulation. Try asking some non-yogis what they think happens in a yoga class, and at least one will answer that people get "all twisted up like a pretzel." In fact, we yogis do twist a lot in a well-rounded yoga practice: We twist while sitting, standing, and standing on our heads. Because there is such an intriguing variety of twists, you might guess that twists provide an abundance of benefits. And they do. There are physiological benefits to the circulatory system and internal organs, structural benefits to the musculoskeletal system, and focusing benefits to your consciousness. Indian yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar describes twists as a "squeeze-and-soak" action: The organs are compressed during a twist, pushing out blood filled with metabolic by-products and toxins. When we release the twist, fresh blood flows in, carrying oxygen and the building blocks for tissue healing. So from the physiological standpoint, twists stimulate circulation and have a cleansing and refreshing effect on the torso organs and associated glands. While these physiological benefits are undeniably valuable, this column will focus primarily on the functions of and benefits to muscles and joints used in twists. Yoga twists involve the spine, as well as several major joints, including the hips and shoulders. In fact, full range of motion in spinal rotation is essential to many yoga poses. Unfortunately, many people lose full spinal rotation in the course of living a sedentary lifestyle. Some losses can occur if joints fuse due to trauma, surgery, or arthritis, but most range of motion loss comes from the shortening of soft tissues. If you don't lengthen the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia (connective tissues) to their full length at least a few times a week, they will gradually shorten and limit the nearby joint's mobility. In the case of twisting, the limitation is usually in soft tissues around the spine, abdomen, rib cage, and hips. If you regularly practice yoga twists, there are some clear benefits to these same joints and soft tissues. Not only do you maintain the normal length and resilience of the soft tissues, but you also help to maintain the health of the discs and facet joints (the small pair of joints on the back of the spine where each two vertebrae overlap). A Twist a Day To maintain or restore the normal spinal rotation, I recommend that you practice a simple spinal twist once or twice a day. (Note: If you have a spinal disc injury, consult your health-care provider before practicing twists of any kind.) A variation of the twist Bharadvajasana (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Bharadvaja) done sitting on a chair is an excellent option because it is so easy to integrate into everyday life. Even in such a basic twist, however, there are a few anatomical points to keep in mind. Most important is to elongate the spine; a slumped-over posture significantly limits spinal rotation. So begin by sitting sideways on a stable, armless chair, and take a moment to ground your sitting bones and draw your spine straight up toward the crown of your head. Also, make sure that your spine is perpendicular to the chair seat, neither listing to the side nor to the front or back. The second important point to remember is that each section of the spine has a different rotational mobility. The cervical (neck) vertebrae, for example, are the most mobile in twisting. Because the 12 thoracic (midback) vertebrae have ribs attached, they can't twist as freely as the neck vertebrae. And because of the orientation of the lumbar (lower spine) facet joints, the rotation of these five vertebrae is the most limited. So to ensure that you don't overtwist in the more mobile parts of your spine, begin your seated twist by bringing your awareness into your lower back and beginning the twist from there. Let the twist gradually unfold up your spine, as though you were walking up a spiral staircase, so that each vertebra participates in the twist. If instead you twist quickly and without awareness, your neck will likely do most of the twisting, and whole sections of your spine can remain "stuck" and unmoving. Once you've begun to rotate toward the back of the chair, you can use your hands on the corners of the chairback to deepen the twist in your spine and rib cage. Pull gently with the hand on the near corner and push with the hand on the far corner. Continue to sit tall, and don't work so hard with the pulling hand that you draw that shoulder forward. As the twist unfolds all the way up into your neck, your head will turn, but be sure to keep your eyes and gaze soft. Hold the twist on each side for a minute or so, and use your breathing to help deepen the twist: On one exhalation, draw yourself taller; on the next exhalation, twist a bit more. With regular practice of this and other simple twists, your spine will regain its full potential for twisting. Criss-Cross Action Now that you know the basics about restoring your spine's rotational range of motion, let's take a look at muscle activity in twists. Many, many muscle groups are involved in twists, contracting and shortening or stretching and lengthening. There are several groups of back muscles of varying length—the rotatores, semispinalis, and multifidus—that contribute to spinal rotation. Some of the muscles that actively rotate the torso are quite small, like the intercostals, the layers of muscle between each two ribs. And several sets of muscles contribute to your ability to turn your head; the easiest to see is the sternocleidomastoid. The two SCMs sit on the front of your neck, forming a "V" starting at the top of the breastbone and running to the base of the skull just behind each ear. Look in a mirror: If you turn your head to the right, you'll see your left SCM contract, and vice versa. Probably the most important muscle group in active twisting is the abdominal obliques. The obliques form two layers of muscle on either side of the better-known rectus abdominus, the "six-pack" muscle that runs vertically up the center of the abdomen from the pubic bone to the rib cage. The two internal obliques, left and right, originate primarily from the pelvis and travel diagonally up across the abdomen, while the two external obliques originate primarily from the lower rib cage and travel diagonally down across the abdomen. All of the obliques have strong attachments to the substantial fascia of the lower back and to the abdomen. Taken together, the four obliques form a diagonal cross that girdles the abdomen, and they have important functions in supporting the lower back, pelvis, and internal organs. The diagonal lines of the muscles also give them strong leverage in rotating the torso. When you turn to the right in Bharadvajasana, for example, the left external oblique will team with the right internal oblique to rotate your torso. At the same time, the opposite pair of obliques will have to lengthen. And so your twisting range of motion can be reduced by the inability of one pair (one external oblique and the other opposite internal oblique) to lengthen, while weakness in the opposite pair could limit your ability to actively draw yourself into the twist. The obliques have a big part to play in yoga poses, and sometimes that role can be extremely demanding. Twisting arm balances such as Astavakrasana(Eight-Angle Pose), and Parsva Bakasana (Side Crane Pose) require big work from the obliques. If you're not quite ready for the difficulties of arm balances, you can still challenge your obliques in standing poses like Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose), Parsvakonasana (Side Angle Pose), and Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose). Each of these poses requires a strong rotation of the torso against the pull of gravity. For example, when you perform Trikonasana to the right, your muscles actively twist your trunk and neck to the left so that your heart looks straight ahead, not at the floor, and your eyes look up at your left hand. But when you do Parivrtta Trikonasana to the right, your torso and neck twist strongly to the right, requiring strong contractions of the obliques, the spinal rotators, the intercostals, and the left sternocleidomastoid. In addition to the regular practice of standing poses, you can help keep your obliques strong by practicing the full or modified versions of Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen Pose). For the modified, milder version, lie on your back, with arms stretched out to the sides at shoulder height and knees pulled up toward your chest. Exhaling, smoothly drop both knees to one side, keeping your knees pulled up toward your arm. On your next exhalation, lift your legs back up toward your chest, flattening your back waist into the floor. For the full pose, lie on your back, arms outstretched again, and stretch your legs straight up toward the ceiling. Lower your straight legs toward the floor on one side (for the maximum challenge, don't quite touch the floor). Keep stretching out through the soles of the feet; also, when you lift the legs back up to vertical, be sure to press the lower back flat. Since this can be quite a challenging pose, you may want to consult with your health-care provider before trying this if you have lower back or sacroiliac problems. Now that you know how to reap the physiological and structural benefits of twists, you might also notice the centering benefits to your consciousness. As the layers of muscle and bone revolve deeply, your attention is drawn into the stable, unmoving center of the pose. And this ability to stay centered as the hubbub of the world swirls around you will pay obvious dividends in the yoga of daily living. You can find more articles by Julie Gudmesdat on yoga postures at her website Yoga, meditation and Breast Cancer Daniela Casotti Most of you know that at the beginning of the year I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After the initial shock, I spent weeks agonizing over what I could have done to manifest this disease. At the same time, strong memories of my mother's cancer battle – which resulted in her slow painful death – kept me awake at night. Depressed about the past and terrified about the future, I had very little time to focus on the present! Decisions had to be made, and actions had to be taken. Wasting time on 'if only's' and 'what if's', suddenly seemed careless and irresponsible. Yoga became more important than ever. It kept, and continues to keep me constructively present and actively contributing to the healing process. Whilst conventional medicine removes the cancer from the physical body, yoga then works on balancing all the other aspects of our being- body, mind and spirit. It contributes to mental equilibrium, offers prolific techniques to facilitate relaxation, and it helps to counterbalance body aches, weakness and fatigue. How yoga helps the Body: Asana (body postures) Yoga sees the physical body as a posture that facilitates the movement of energy. Aligning our physical body in ways that makes it possible for our energy to move efficiently is the purpose of asana. One set of Asana does not fit all cancer patients. Sometimes restorative postures are required to nurture aches, pain and fatigue, and sometimes stronger postures are required to keep the mind focused on the task at hand. Restorative postures are intended to be soothing and calming. They are fully supported by bolsters, blocks, straps and blankets. They are designed to nourish you while you recuperate. Because the postures require no effort, you are able to stay in the pose for a longer time. Combined with simple breath awareness, it allows the mind to become introverted, facilitating meditation. I always use restorative postures after chemo, until my body feels stronger. Not all cancer patients experience debilitating body aches all the time. Sometimes, strong emotions like fear and anger are predominant. At this point it can be beneficial to use more challenging postures that require stamina. This draws the mind away from the swirling effects of uncontrollable emotions, and gives the mind a focus. Soon these negative thoughts, like muscle tensions in the body, start to dissolve and a sense of balance is restored. How yoga helps your Body and mind: Pranayama (breath/ energy) Pranayama is the force that animates and connects body and mind. On a physical level, Prana regulates the supply of oxygen, improves digestion and elimination etc. On a mental level, it can be used to develop focus, strengthen willpower and bring about a sense of harmony. Focusing on the breath is not only healing, it can assist you to relax. When your mind wavers, and gets caught up in thoughts of the past or the future, by watching the breath, you can bring it back to the present. A simple technique is to say to yourself 'I am breathing in' as you inhale, and 'I am breathing out' as you exhale, When I'm sitting in a waiting room – waiting for my doctors appointment, or in the middle of having chemotherapy, I can induce a calm state of mind by simply watching my breath. How Yoga helps your Mind: Relaxation The stress that accompanies knowing that you have cancer is overwhelming. Relaxation is essential. ' Through regular practice of relaxation we allow the body to find its own chemical equilibrium. The hormones and chemicals created through stress subside, and the body comes back to it's 'resting point' where it experiences an internal stability- often referred to as homeostasis. Petrea King (Quest for Life) People often say 'just relax', but when your mind is overcome by anxiety it's hard to 'just relax'. A guided relaxation, like yoga nidra can help your mind to 'unwind'. It progressively and systematically settles the mind, and brings about a deep sense of tranquility. Meditation can then be used to strengthen your 'mental muscle'. It helps you to retain your focus. People are constantly telling me to think positive thoughts. This is good advice. Being positive is definitely better and more productive than being negative. But it's really hard to stay positive when you're staring down the barrel of a life threatening disease. Every time I make myself think positive it's a reminder that I have something negative that I'm trying to conceal. Meditation teaches you to rise above you're thoughts: both positive and negative ones. We come to understand that we don't have to use up all our thinking power to create positive thoughts. Nor do we have to deplete our thinking power by getting weighed down by negative thoughts. We can remain mindful of both, but not get caught up in either. Being able to simply witness your passing thoughts gives them the freedom to express themselves, and you the freedom to not get trapped by them. Eventually, because you have removed yourself from this constant tussle between you and your thoughts, the thoughts start to become less predominant, and a sense of simplicity prevails. The result is a state of harmony, peace and mental clarity that is full of possibilities, and free from the hindrance of fear. If we can accept that primarily we're spiritual beings who are embodied rather that bodies who happen to have spirits, then it can give us some meaning or framework in which to create our healing. Kerry (cancer survivor). Sincere and dedicated yoga practice merges body and mind with spirit. Keen and committed practice of asana, pranayama and meditation plus an unwavering responsibility towards your actions, opens up a 'bigger picture'; one which is not limited by the state of the body or by our thoughts. It opens up the very heart of our being, a force that is so profoundly pure and uncontaminated, that the concept of disease doesn't even enter into the equation. If all our efforts are going into staying in a body at all costs, then we may be destined for disappointment. If our efforts go into healing ourselves of all that prevents us from truly living in the moment, then the rewards are certain to be abundant. Petrea King (Quest for Life) Embarrassing question of the month Lots of us have questions that we are too embarrassed to ask in front of other students. Please email us and let us know what your embarrassing questions are, and we'll do our best to answer them for you. Should I tell the teacher when I'm menstruating? Yes! Some postures nurture us while we're menstruating, while others may be harmful. The teacher needs to know, so that they can recommend the best postures to assist the process of menstruation. The start of the menstrual cycle is most sensitive. Both progesterone and estrogen are at their lowest. This means we may experience a lack of focus, and feel more tired and emotional. Because the body is expelling unneeded blood, the action may cause lower back pain and cramps. We may also be more susceptible to infections and viruses. By telling the teacher, they will be able to give you alternative postures that will focus on nurturing and purifying the body and improving your immune system. 'In no way is there less to do. Woman can do plenty of sadhana (yoga practice) during menstruation and you have to practice in such a manner that you stay quietly for a while in each asana' Geeta. Sitting forward bends These postures quieten the mind, reduce backaches, headaches and fatigue. Using certain props to support you can bring additional benefits. Supported Reclining postures These postures can reduce pelvic discomfort, and abdominal cramps. They relax the nerves and counteract fatigue. Gentle, supported backbends (e.g. on a chair) Can be beneficial to maintain hormonal balance, and energize you if you feel fatigued. However, they shouldn't be done if the bleeding is heavy. Alternative Standing Postures Certain standing postures can be used to relieve lower back pain, cramping, excessive bleeding and bloating. If the teacher knows that you are menstruating they can show you these alternatives. 'The inversions arrest the flow. When you are standing on your head or on your shoulders you retain that which is only fit to be thrown out' Geeta Iyengar. Reversal of gravity on the uterus can strain ligaments and cause the vessels supplying blood to the uterus to become partially blocked. They put too much pressure on the lower abdominal organs, and may cause flooding and clotting of menstrual blood. You can practice 'open twists such as baradvajrasana but even this should be avoided if you are bleeding heavily. Strong Backbends When menstruating, it is important to keep the reproductive organs soft and in their correct alignment. Strong backbend over stimulate, and can effect the natural rhythms of the body. Dynamic Standing poses These are not suitable because during menstruation heat is being discharged from the body. Dynamic standing poses create heat, disturbing rather than enhancing the process of elimination. Core Strengthening Poses Anything that compresses and places stress on the abdominal organs, also places stress on our uterus. Relaxing this area is important during menstruation. Patanjali Yoga Sutra of the month yog??g?nu??h?n?da?uddhik?aye jñ?nad?ptir?vivekakhy?te?\|\|28\|\| Chapter 2 verse 28 By dedicated practice of the various aspects of yoga impurities are destroyed: the crown of wisdom radiates in glory. BKS Iyengar. Light on the yoga sutras of Patanjali pg 132 Quote of the month "Health is not just the absence of clinical disease. Health is a dynamic state of being" Petrea King Upcoming events Bali Retreat dates in October Good news! Our Bali retreat has been rescheduled to the 14th – 27th October, plus we have added one extra night for the same price! Even more good news! In August, Maurice will going to RIMYI, the heart and soul of Iyengar yoga- in Puna, India. For one month, he will be studying under the expert guidance of Geeta and Prashant Iyengar, daughter and son of the master B.K.S. Iyengar! So, our Bali retreat will be more than an amazing opportunity to get away from the pressures of life. You'll be able to immerse yourself in yoga in a chilled out environment, and have the rare opportunity to explore the latest developments in Iyengar yoga with Maurice! Added to this, they'll be plenty of time to marvel over the phenomenal sunsets, be awe struck by the magnificent beaches, be mesmerized by wide open rice fields… and plenty of time to celebrate life! For further information…Bali 2013 Yoga Retreat
By managing your time use, you reduce stress and achieve more results. Read tips from our blog and use your time to work more efficiently. Are you in a hurry? Do you feel that many important things are left undone when the working day is full of meetings, phone calls, and other ad hoc activities? What can be done about these things? Here, I will discuss many familiar things that I find useful. 1 What do I need to accomplish? Many people are familiar with Pareto's law, which states that 20 percent of the work makes up 80 percent of the results when it comes to time use. These jobs or tasks could be called A-tasks, and they are the ones based on which I and my results are evaluated. A-tasks typically take 60–120 minutes at a time, and there cannot be many of them during the same day. What are your A tasks? Then there are the most essential B tasks, which typically take 30–60 minutes. Third-level jobs, or C-tasks, are routine, such as checking invoices, answering emails, and so on. These take 10 to 30 minutes at a time. Often, they are tasks that do not add any added value but have to be done at some point. Next in the alphabet is D, which stands for delegated tasks. And finally, there are E-tasks, i.e. tasks to be eliminated. Whenever a new task comes to mind, or you are offered new jobs, bring up your to-do list. Think about what the task represents and prioritize it according to importance and workload. But life is not that easy. There are also always so-called mandatory tasks that must be handled so your colleague can continue working. Often, these jobs should be taken care of right away, but you must set aside time in the working day to take care of them as well. 2 Interrupters of work Time thieves interrupt the thought process, and efficiency suffers when you must reorient yourself to the work at hand. Fight time thieves and consider how you can prevent interruptions in advance. Here are some tips. Knowing the "criminals'" ways of working is essential. If calls constantly interrupt your work, look at what the calls are and who is making them. It may be that your colleague is used to calling and asking you instead of searching or thinking about the answer themself. Learn not to answer a question on the phone but promise to come back later, and you can also deliver your answer through a slower channel, such as email. (However, I'm not much for internal emails.) A time thief may notice that the operating method no longer works, and they stop the calls. On the other hand, we uselessly set notifications and alarms that interrupt work. Email notifications or other notifications that appear on the side of the screen interrupt or disturb the thought process. Teams has a Do Not Disturb mode, where calls or messages do not come through and the phone can be silent. Unnecessary meetings are also time thieves. If you spend your time in meetings, think about their necessity and how they support the effectiveness of your work. It may be that you can't be absent from the meetings, in which case you can try to improve the efficiency of the meetings, for example, in terms of the agenda and the use of time. 3 Calendar to support work planning We often underestimate the time required for tasks and overestimate our ability to handle them. Calendar your work, at least the A and B tasks mentioned above. With the calendar, you increase control of your work. If you also use color codes for calendar markings, for example, a different color for customer work and a different color for internal meetings, you can see where your time is spent and make your time use more productive. Using and sharing the calendar within the work community increases transparency and enables a more functional everyday life. Listing tasks in expert work can be practical, but it is often also stressful because the list may seem impossible to implement here and now. By scheduling the tasks and taking into account the deadlines set for them, you are involved in developing your organization to operate resource-wise and fulfill promises according to the schedule. 4 Plan your working day Are you a morning person or most efficient in the afternoon? When are you best able to focus on demanding work tasks? If possible, plan your workday according to your energy levels. Don't cram the calendar too full because different mandatory tasks and changes will otherwise easily mess up your day. The 60/40 rule is effective in specialist tasks: a 60 percent scheduled day leaves room for changes. For a manager, the same rule works the other way around because there are even more changes and various surprises in management work. 5 Increase work efficiency by developing the competence of the personnel Time management is a skill that every worker benefits from while the organization's operations become more efficient. Offering personnel training that develops working life skills in the form of micro-courses lasting less than 10 minutes brings numerous advantages: employees' well-being improves, cooperation becomes smoother, and work productivity increases. Boost employee learning with Academy of Brain's micro-courses, which last less than 10 minutes on the intranet or the Viva Learning app. The ready-made package of 50 courses offers training to develop the most essential human skills, such as leadership, growth mindset, trust and safety, mental well-being, self-management, and cooperation and interaction. Read more: Develop your working life skills with microlearning Marko Koskela Chief Commercial Officer
Views: 273 Author: Goldsun Publish Time: 2024-04-25 Origin: Site In the culinary world, the choice of kitchen knives plays a pivotal role in shaping the cooking experience. Among the myriad of options available, hollow handle knives have emerged as a popular choice for professional chefs and home cooks alike. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the advantages of using hollow handle knives in the kitchen, exploring their unique design features, ergonomic benefits, and practical applications. From precision slicing to effortless chopping, let's uncover why hollow handle knives are a must-have tool for any kitchen enthusiast. Hollow handle knives, also known as hollow ground knives, are characterized by their distinctive blade design, which features a concave bevel along the cutting edge. This hollow grind creates a thin, sharp edge that excels at precision cutting and slicing. We'll delve into the anatomy of hollow handle knives, highlighting their hollow-ground blade, lightweight construction, and ergonomic handle design that sets them apart from traditional kitchen knives. One of the primary advantages of hollow handle knives is their exceptional cutting performance. The thin, sharp edge created by the hollow grind allows for precise slicing and dicing of ingredients, resulting in clean cuts and uniform slices. We'll explore how the razor-sharp edge of hollow handle knives enhances the efficiency of kitchen tasks, from chopping vegetables to filleting fish, enabling cooks to achieve professional-level results with ease. Hollow handle knives are prized for their ergonomic design, which reduces fatigue and improves control during prolonged use. The lightweight construction of hollow handle knives minimizes hand and wrist strain, allowing cooks to work comfortably for extended periods without discomfort. We'll discuss how the balanced weight distribution and comfortable grip of hollow handle knives enhance user comfort and confidence in the kitchen, empowering cooks to tackle even the most demanding culinary tasks with precision and ease. Despite their slender profile, hollow handle knives are surprisingly versatile and adaptable to a wide range of kitchen tasks. From delicate slicing to heavy-duty chopping, these knives excel in various culinary applications, making them a versatile tool for any kitchen enthusiast. We'll explore how hollow handle knives can be used for slicing fruits and vegetables, deboning meats, and even crafting intricate garnishes, showcasing their versatility and utility in everyday cooking. Contrary to popular belief, hollow handle knives are not inherently fragile or delicate. In fact, when properly cared for, these knives can be just as durable and long-lasting as traditional kitchen knives. We'll discuss how the hollow grind of the blade actually enhances the knife's strength and resilience, making it less prone to chipping or dulling over time. Additionally, we'll provide practical tips for maintaining and sharpening hollow handle knives to ensure optimal performance and longevity. In addition to their functional benefits, hollow handle knives are also prized for their sleek and stylish design. The hollow grind of the blade creates a distinctive visual appeal that sets these knives apart from traditional kitchen tools. We'll explore how the sleek lines and modern aesthetic of hollow handle knives add a touch of sophistication to any kitchen, making them a coveted addition to culinary enthusiasts' knife collections. Hollow handle knives are not just tools; they're instruments of culinary creativity and expression. We'll delve into the practical applications of hollow handle knives, from precision cutting techniques to innovative culinary presentations. Whether you're a professional chef experimenting with molecular gastronomy or a home cook exploring new recipes, hollow handle knives provide endless opportunities for culinary creativity and experimentation. With a wide range of hollow handle knives available on the market, finding the right one for your needs can seem daunting. We'll provide practical guidance for selecting the perfect hollow handle knife, from considering blade material and length to evaluating handle design and ergonomics. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice home cook, choosing the right hollow handle knife can elevate your kitchen experience and enhance your culinary skills. In conclusion, hollow handle knives offer a multitude of advantages that make them a valuable tool for any kitchen enthusiast. From precision cutting and reduced fatigue to versatility and durability, these knives excel in various culinary applications, enabling cooks to achieve professional-level results with ease. By incorporating hollow handle knives into your kitchen repertoire, you'll not only enhance your cooking efficiency and precision but also elevate the aesthetic appeal of your culinary creations. Are There Any Safety Tips to Keep in Mind When Using a Paring Knife? How Does the Length of a Bread Knife Blade Affect Its Performance? What Makes a Slicing Knife Different From Other Types of Knives? What Are Some Safety Tips to Keep in Mind When Using a Slicing Knife? How Do You Choose the Right Chopper Knife for Your Kitchen Needs? What Are the Pros and Cons of Using a Chopper Knife Compared to Traditional Chef's Knives? Can You Spot a High-Quality High Carbon Kitchen Knife and What Features Indicate Superior Quality?
How does cell phone allowance work? An employee receiving a allowance must maintain active cell phone service. The employee agrees to carry the cell phone with them and keep it charged and in operational condition based on departmental requirements. employee, it may be used for personal use as well. What do employers need to know about cell phone allowances? Cell Phone Allowances – a Few Things Employers and Employees Need to Know. "Cell phone allowances or the use of employer-provided cell phones may constitute taxable fringe benefits which are included in the employee's taxable income and form part of the remuneration for purposes of employees' withholding tax. When does an employer have to reimburse an employee for cell phone use? In sum, employers must reimburse California employees (without distinction) for cell phone use when employees are required to use their personal cell phones for business purposes. Reimbursement is required even if the employee does not actually incur extra expenses as a result of his or her use. Can a company provide an employee with a cell phone? Providing employees with a company cell phone means the expenses are already calculated. If the employee chooses to use their personal mobile device, that's on them! You've provided a cell phone specifically for that purpose. On the other hand, employers are now tasked with making sure employees aren't using the company phone for personal use. Where does cell phone allowance go on tax return? "A predetermined cell phone allowance that is not linked to actual business expenditure should be included in the employee's taxable income and be subject to the withholding of employees' tax," says van Schalkwyk. "Such allowances generally form part of the employee's taxable income without any deductions or reductions.". Are cell phone allowances taxable? "Cell phone allowances or the use of employer-provided cell phones may constitute taxable fringe benefits which are included in the employee's taxable income and form part of the remuneration for purposes of employees' withholding tax. What is a cell phone policy? Cell Phone Policy. A company cell phone policy cuts down on distraction and frustration at work by making it clear when it's ok and not ok to use a cell phone during work hours. They are also called employee cell phone policies. What is cell phone reimbursement? The Cell Phone Reimbursement Program (CPRP) reimburses eligible employees for cell phone usage related to Company business while complying with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules regarding the taxability of employee cell phones and devices.
Lannang Orthography Spelling Lánnang-uè the Lannang Way. A writing system derived from Lannangs, by Lannangs, for Lannangs. Wilkinson Daniel Wong GONZALES, Ph.D. Second Edition. Updated as of May 13, 2024 The Lannang Orthography is a broad phonetic writing system based on nearly a decade of research within the Lannang community, originally developed in June 2020 by Lannang-identifying Dr. Wilkinson Daniel Wong Gonzales (Assistant Professor, CUHK). It draws significant inspiration from the ways Lannangs commonly spell Lánnang-uè during texting and on social media platforms, a method informed by interviews with over 150 Lannangs in metropolitan Manila. Lánnang-uè is primarily an oral language in the Philippines and has historically lacked a standardized writing system. The language includes not only Hokkien-derived words but also incorporates elements from Tagalog, English, and other Philippine languages. The absence of a consistent writing system complicates efforts in language and cultural preservation, which are facilitated by stable orthographies—as seen with Latin and Korean. In the Philippines, attempts to adapt existing systems like Peh-oe-ji and Tailo to Lánnang-uè have not been entirely successful, particularly with non-Hokkien words. A pilot survey indicated that these systems are perceived as opaque and challenging for beginners. These findings led to the creation of a tailored Lannang Orthography. This orthography is detailed in a booklet or manual and is accompanied by a pronunciation guide If you are interested in seeing how Lannang Orthography or Lannang spelling works in long paragraphs, you can visit Prof. Gonzales' dissertation abstract or the following website: http://lannangarchives.org/translations To cite: Gonzales, Wilkinson Daniel Wong. 2024. Lannang Orthography (LO) Second Edition. The Lannang Archives. www.lannangarchives.org.
Altea, a charming small town located on Spain's Costa Blanca, is renowned for its stunning beaches, whitewashed houses, and vibrant cultural scene. As summer winds down, September brings a pleasant transition in Altea's weather, making it an ideal time for visitors who prefer a milder climate and fewer crowds. In this article, we'll explore what the weather is like in Altea during September, how it impacts local activities and events, and provide tips for travelers planning to visit during this month. Overview of September Weather in Altea September in Altea is characterized by the gradual shift from the hot Mediterranean summer to a more temperate early autumn. The average temperature typically ranges from 20°C to 28°C (68°F to 82°F), which is warm enough for beach activities yet cool enough for exploring the town comfortably. Temperature Details During the day, temperatures are quite warm but not as intensely hot as in July and August, averaging around 26°C (79°F). The evenings are cooler, with temperatures often dipping to around 20°C (68°F), which is perfect for enjoying outdoor dining or a leisurely stroll along the beachfront. The highest recorded temperature in September can reach up to 31°C (88°F), while the lowest might fall to 18°C (64°F). Rainfall and Humidity September marks the beginning of the wet season in Altea, although the rain is generally not very frequent. The average monthly rainfall is about 40 mm, spread over five to seven days throughout the month. These rain showers are typically short-lived and are more likely to occur in the latter part of the month. Humidity levels in September are comfortable, ranging from 60% to 70%, which enhances the overall pleasant climate. Sea Temperature The sea temperature in September is particularly inviting. Averaging around 25°C (77°F), the water is ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and other water-based activities. This is because the sea has had all summer to warm up, making it very pleasant for visitors who want to spend time on the water. What to Expect Day-to-Day In early September, you can expect long, sunny days with over 8 hours of sunshine. As the month progresses, the days gradually become shorter and the likelihood of encountering a rainy day increases. However, the overall weather pattern remains predominantly sunny and warm, providing ample opportunity for enjoying outdoor activities. Impact on Local Activities and Events The agreeable September weather supports a range of activities. Visitors can take advantage of the less crowded beaches, venture into the nearby mountains for hiking, or explore the town's historical sites without the intense heat of mid-summer. Cultural and Local Events September is an exciting time in Altea culturally, with several festivals and events taking place. One of the highlights is the "Fiestas de San Miguel," which typically occur at the end of the month. This festival features parades, music, dancing, and traditional Spanish festivities, offering visitors a taste of local culture and heritage. Outdoor Activities For those interested in outdoor pursuits, the cooler temperatures make hiking in the surrounding Sierra de Bernia and other nearby natural parks particularly enjoyable. Cycling along the coast or through the countryside is another popular activity that benefits from the September climate. Travel Tips for September Visits When planning a trip to Altea in September, consider the following tips to make the most of your visit: - Clothing: Pack light, breathable clothing but also bring along a few warmer items for the cooler evenings. A lightweight jacket or a sweater would be prudent. - Accommodation: While September is less busy than the peak summer months, it is still a good idea to book your accommodation in advance to secure the best locations and rates. - Weather Preparedness: Keep an eye on the weather forecast, especially if you're planning outdoor activities. An umbrella or a raincoat might come in handy for the occasional showers. - Water Activities: Take advantage of the warm sea temperatures by trying water sports available in Altea, such as stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, or diving. Altea in September offers an enticing blend of warm weather, cultural richness, and outdoor activities, all set in a less crowded and more relaxed environment. Whether you're drawn to its beaches, interested in its cultural events, or looking to explore its natural surroundings, Altea in September is an excellent choice for a holiday destination. With its favorable weather conditions, September provides a perfect backdrop for experiencing everything this beautiful Spanish town has to offer. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What is the average temperature in Altea in September? In September, the average temperature in Altea ranges from 20°C to 28°C (68°F to 82°F), with daytime highs around 26°C (79°F) Does it rain a lot in Altea in September? September in Altea sees some rain, with an average monthly rainfall of about 40 mm over five to seven days, mostly in short showers Is it a good time to swim in the sea in Altea during September? Yes, the sea temperature in September averages about 25°C (77°F), which is ideal for swimming and other water activities What kind of clothes should I pack for a September visit to Altea? Pack light, breathable clothing for the daytime and warmer items like a light jacket or sweater for cooler evenings Are there any special events in Altea in September? Yes, Altea hosts several cultural events in September, including the "Fiestas de San Miguel" at the end of the month, featuring parades, music, and traditional festivities
Editor's note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal's Summer 2021 Issue. Photography by Richard Giordano The electric vehicle revolution is here. From Long Way Up to the Extreme E Challenge, electric vehicles are gaining popularity and exhibiting great potential. With countless automotive manufacturers announcing plans to build all-electric pickup trucks, such as Tesla's Cybertruck, the GMC Hummer EV SUT, and Ford's F-150 Electric, it's an exciting time, ripe with innovation and possibilities. But one potential hang-up for the long-term overlander—and it is an important one—is the issue of range. As overlanders, we pride ourselves on getting off the beaten track. We install long-range fuel tanks, strap extra gas cans to our vehicles, and calculate how far we can stretch those last liters of water or tins of food, all to explore hard-to-reach places along dirt roads or through difficult terrain. So how far away are we from using electric vehicles for long-term overlanding? What is the range really like in off-road conditions? Fortunately, a real-life proving ground for EVs exists in our own backyard—the Rebelle Rally. Primarily taking place in the dusty, rock-strewn OHV areas of Nevada and California, the Rebelle Rally is an eight-day off-road navigation rally solely for women. Emphasizing precise navigation over speed, competitors use maps, compasses, and roadbooks to locate checkpoints strewn throughout 2,000 miles of the American West. From washboard gravel to Sierra Nevada mountain passes, cacti-spiked landscapes, and the golden curves of Southern California's Imperial Sand Dunes, the terrain over which the rally takes place varies significantly. The 2020 Rebelle marked the debut of the event's Electrified Designation, which provided an opportunity for long-distance beta-testing of electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hybrid vehicles navigating through remote locations. Two-time Rebelle winners Emme Hall and Rebecca Donaghe landed the pre-production Rivian R1T truck and were eager to put it to the test. They weren't the only ones, as a team of Rivian engineers monitored the team's progress remotely, analyzing velocity, efficiency, battery status, thermal data, suspension, and charge performance throughout the rally. The 5,886-pound R1T is equipped with a 135-kilowatt-hour battery—one of two battery options that will be available to the public when the post-production truck is released in June 2021. According to Rivian, this mid-sized, 135-kilowatt-hour battery will crank out 300 miles of range, while the 105-kilowatt-hour battery should achieve approximately 250 miles of range per charge. The largest battery pack, boasting 180 kilowatt-hours and a range of 400 miles, will be available in January 2022. So how close was the pre-production R1T's actual range to that claimed by Rivian? Well, taking into account an additional 600 pounds of off-road gear (two spare wheels and tires, a floor jack, toolbox, spare parts, recovery gear, camping paraphernalia, etc.), and an enforced speed limit of 80 kph (50 mph), no climate control (Hall and Donaghe switched it off to optimize battery function), and punishing dirt roads through desert heat and soft sand, the R1T averaged roughly 167 miles per charge. In her review for CNET, Hall, an automotive journalist, referred to the experience as a giant experiment. "First, this truck isn't just pre-production, it's extremely pre-production, and Rivian says the battery isn't running at its complete capacity like it will be in customer vehicles. Also, keep in mind that off-roading is inherently awful for range." There are ways to maximize the R1T's range, including tow charging and initiating the regenerative braking function. In one instance, Hall was able to feed up to 19 miles back into the battery by coasting downhill and tapping the brakes. Tow-charging could be an additional option for four-wheelers, Hall says. "You'll never be out in the desert wheeling alone, right? If the truck runs out of juice, you can pull it behind another vehicle and pump some energy back into the battery." As there aren't charging stations sprinkled across the Rebelle Rally course (yet), Hall and Donaghe charged the R1T via Power Innovations' Mobile Energy Command (MEC): an 80,000-pound semi-truck filled with six lead-acid batteries with 250 kilowatt-hours of power. "I was able to charge at speeds up to 130 kilowatts, which is almost three times as fast as most public charging stations," Hall explains. Power Innovations intended to use a hydrogen fuel cell to keep the batteries charged during the rally, but a multitude of permits and a short timeline necessitated the use of a Tier 4 generator. "I'm the first to admit that using a generator to charge batteries that then charge an electric truck is far from ideal," Hall says. "However, a Tier 4 generator complies with the strictest EPA standards, emitting less particulate matter and lower levels of nitrogen oxides." To replenish the R1T's charge during the Rebelle Rally, Hall and Donaghe rendezvoused with the Mobile Energy Command each afternoon. "I simply drove up the semi's ramp, plugged in, and 30 minutes or so later, the R1T was charged to about 80 percent," Hall says. "At the end of each day at our camping location, I left the R1T connected to the MEC longer to get a mostly full charge—remember, batteries charge slower the fuller they are." The final 20 percent took some time to charge, usually over an hour. The team couldn't afford to lose this much time during the competition, so as a result, the R1T battery was at or below 80 percent charge for the entire rally. Although the Rebelle Rally is a proving ground for original equipment manufacturers, it also requires fierce competitiveness and a calculating strategy on the part of each team. For Hall and navigator Donaghe, that extra half hour it took to charge the R1T was a factor they had to consider when making time management decisions and strategizing for the rally. So as not to provide the team with an unfair advantage, event rules dictated that the pair would recoup the time spent charging at the end of the day unless Donaghe chose to plot checkpoints during that time. The extra time spent charging did use up precious daylight, however, putting the team at risk for arriving back at base camp after dark. Navigator Donaghe says that one of the biggest challenges was plotting several extra points in order to track down the Mobile Energy Command each day. "Sometimes there were several points to plot, and then we had to decide which one we would take to exit or re-enter the course to get to the Power Innovations truck." Donaghe had to make the choice early in the day and couldn't alter her plans. "This was based on expected terrain ahead, the range we predicted to have left at exit, the time it would take to drive off and back onto the course (while racing sunlight), and where it intersected our planned course strategy—a matrix of deciding factors, so you had to plot them all to decide," she says. In addition to plotting points, Donaghe was constantly calculating and estimating the R1T's range. "I would underestimate how far we could go so that Emme was always able to make decisions as a driver," says Donaghe. Hall weighed the pros and cons of making up time and how that would affect the battery. "My goal was to go as fast as legally possible between checkpoints to give Rebecca enough time to plot. But there were times where I had to slow down due to topography or to conserve energy," she explains. Despite the added challenges, Donaghe says she wouldn't have traded the experience for the world. "I loved it. I loved every minute of being in that vehicle." With 826 pound-feet of torque, 754 horsepower, air suspension, and no flats after eight days on stock Pirelli Scorpion tires, Hall says the R1T was a "total champ" in tough terrain. Indeed, this R1T might even be the first electric truck to tackle the famed Oldsmobile Hill, an exhilarating 275-foot climb in the Imperial Sand Dunes. Looking to the future, both Hall and Donaghe agree that the success of electric trucks and long-term travel relies on additional infrastructure—and it's on its way. To coincide with the launch of its plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe, Jeep will install solar charging stations on 4WD tracks in California and Utah, including the renowned Rubicon Trail. Meanwhile, Rivian has announced plans to build its Rivian Adventure Network, a web of electric vehicle charging stations at adventurous destinations throughout the United States, outfitted with fast-chargers capable of adding 140 miles of range in 20 minutes. The first drive-in fuel stations of the early 20th century transformed driving culture. Will improved electric vehicle infrastructure do the same? We'll have to wait to find out. Read more about the 2021 Rebelle Rally's Electrified Designation: Rebelle Rally Continues to Up the Ante as Proving Ground for EVs Our No Compromise Clause: We carefully screen all contributors to make sure they are independent and impartial. We never have and never will accept advertorial, and we do not allow advertising to influence our product or destination reviews.
"Que Significa Recitals to Agreement": Understanding Legal Language in Contracts When reviewing legal contracts, it`s important to have a clear understanding of the terminology used throughout the document. One phrase that may come up is "recitals to agreement." In this article, we`ll explore what this phrase means and why it`s important to know when dealing with legal contracts. Defining Recitals to Agreement: The term "recitals to agreement" refers to an introductory section of a contract that sets out the purpose, background, and intent of the parties involved. These introductory statements, or recitals, provide context for the rest of the document. Typically, the recitals will describe the parties involved in the agreement, the reasons for entering into the contract, and any relevant background information. They may also outline any specific terms or conditions that the parties have agreed to before moving on to the specific obligations and duties of each party. Why Recitals are Important: Recitals are an essential part of any legal agreement, as they provide context and help to clarify the intentions of the parties involved. They can also be used to establish certain facts or conditions that will guide the interpretation of the rest of the contract. For example, if the recitals state that the parties are entering into a partnership to launch a new product, this will help to frame the rest of the agreement and ensure that both parties understand the overall goal of the partnership. This can prevent confusion or misunderstandings later on. Additionally, the recitals can serve as a reference point for any disputes or issues that may arise during the course of the agreement. If there is a disagreement over the interpretation of certain provisions in the contract, the recitals can be used to determine the original intent of the parties and help resolve the dispute. SEO Considerations: As a professional, it`s important to keep in mind that legal language can be challenging for readers who are not familiar with legal terminology. When editing a contract that includes recitals, it`s important to ensure that the language used is clear and concise. One strategy to help with this is to use subheadings or bullet points to break up the text and make it easier to scan. Additionally, using plain language and avoiding complex legal jargon can help to make the contract more accessible to a wider audience. In summary, "recitals to agreement" refer to an introductory section of a contract that outlines the intent and purpose of the parties involved. These recitals are important to establish context, clarify intentions, and guide the interpretation of the rest of the agreement. As a professional, it`s important to ensure that legal language is clear and understandable for all readers.
The Importance of Corporate Minute Book in Canada Welcome to TaxAccountantIDM, your trusted source for financial services, accountants, and tax services in Canada. In this article, we will explore the significance of maintaining a Corporate Minute Book for businesses in Canada. Understanding the importance of keeping accurate corporate records is crucial for the success and growth of any organization. What is a Corporate Minute Book? A Corporate Minute Book, also known as a Corporate Record Book, is a comprehensive collection of important company documents and records. It serves as a detailed history of a corporation, containing a wealth of information about its activities, resolutions, and decision-making processes. This vital resource helps businesses stay organized and compliant with Canadian laws and regulations. Why is it important? The Corporate Minute Book is a legal requirement for all Canadian businesses and holds significant importance for several reasons: 1. Compliance and Legal Requirements Maintaining a Corporate Minute Book is mandatory under the Canadian Business Corporations Act. It ensures that your business stays compliant with legal requirements and provides an official record of company operations. By regularly updating and accurately documenting company decisions and resolutions, you establish a strong foundation for legal compliance. 2. Enhanced Corporate Governance A well-maintained Corporate Minute Book demonstrates a commitment to proper corporate governance. It allows shareholders, directors, and officers to make informed decisions by providing historical context and documentation. This transparency helps businesses build trust among stakeholders and prospective investors. 3. Liability Protection By keeping thorough records in the Corporate Minute Book, you protect yourself and your business from potential liability issues. In the event of disputes or legal proceedings, having accurate documentation of decisions and actions can support your case and strengthen your position. 4. Improved Financing Opportunities Many financial institutions and potential investors rely on the Corporate Minute Book as part of their due diligence process. A complete and well-organized record demonstrates professional management and can enhance your chances of securing financing or attracting investors. 5. Succession Planning A Corporate Minute Book simplifies the succession planning process by providing a clear roadmap of the company's history, structure, and shareholder agreements. It ensures that the transfer of ownership and decision-making authority is seamless and in accordance with the company's established guidelines. 6. Tax Planning and Reporting Accurate financial records are essential for tax planning and reporting purposes. The Corporate Minute Book helps you keep track of financial statements, tax filings, and compliance requirements, ensuring that you meet your tax obligations and minimize the risk of audits or penalties. How to Maintain a Corporate Minute Book? Now that we understand the importance of a Corporate Minute Book, let's explore the steps involved in its maintenance: 1. Organize Your Corporate Documents Begin by gathering and organizing all relevant corporate documents and records, including articles of incorporation, bylaws, shareholder agreements, meeting minutes, and resolutions. Categorize them systematically to ensure easy access and retrieval when needed. 2. Record Keeping Regularly update your Corporate Minute Book with accurate and detailed information. Each meeting, decision, resolution, and transaction should be properly recorded, including dates, attendees, and voting results. This maintains the historical integrity of the book and supports its legal standing. 3. Schedule Annual Meetings Hold annual general meetings and record the minutes. These meetings are essential for addressing important corporate matters, electing directors, approving financial statements, and making major business decisions. Ensure that the minutes are comprehensive and capture the key points discussed. 4. Seek Professional Assistance Consider engaging the services of a qualified tax accountant or corporate lawyer to assist you in maintaining your Corporate Minute Book. They can provide expert guidance and ensure that your records comply with applicable laws and regulations, minimizing any potential issues or oversights. 5. Regularly Review and Update Periodically review and update your Corporate Minute Book to reflect any changes or developments within your business. Make it a habit to record all significant decisions and resolutions promptly so that you have an up-to-date and accurate record of your company's activities. In summary, maintaining a Corporate Minute Book is not just a legal obligation but also a valuable tool for effective corporate governance, compliance, and decision-making. It provides a comprehensive record of your business's history, enhances transparency, and safeguards your interests. By prioritizing the maintenance of your Corporate Minute Book, you strengthen your position in the eyes of stakeholders, minimize legal risks, and create a solid foundation for future growth and success. At TaxAccountantIDM, we understand the importance of accurate financial records and compliance. Our team of experienced accountants and tax professionals can help you effectively maintain your Corporate Minute Book and optimize your business's financial health. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive financial services tailored to your specific needs. corporate minute book canada
Understanding patient engagement with the health system is vital to ensuring equitable access to high-value care, promoting healthy behaviors and preventive care, and ensuring that high-value innovative practices reach patients who need them most. But understanding the complicated interactions between patients, physicians, and health systems requires careful consideration of individual incentives and responses to information. Professor Alex Hoagland is a health economist with an expertise in applying quasi-experimental methods and economic theory to study these decision-making processes at the patient, physician, and payer level, as well as their interaction. He uses structural, applied micro-econometric techniques and microeconomic theory—including behavioural economics—to assess the effects of medical innovation and new health information on patient access and outcomes. By focusing on how information and potential bias shapes decision-making, his research has explored the take-up of high-value care by consumers, the adoption of innovative health technologies by providers, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare in a variety of applied settings, in both Canada and the United States. His published and ongoing work has studied a variety of settings, including preventive care, mental healthcare, and cardiovascular disease. Utilizing administrative data and quasi-experimental designs, Dr. Hoagland and his team carefully identify how policies and practices shape patient-physician interactions and outcomes. In this way, his research promotes equitable access to care and improved patient outcomes for all. PhD, Economics, Boston University - Best Paper Award, American Society of Health Economics (2023) - Health economics - Patient and physician decision-making - Medical innovation - Healthcare for chronic diseases - Health equity
But with most companies have adopted at least a partial virtual work environment for the short term, and even for the long term, there comes with it the question: what are the best ways to communicate and collaborate? Since COVID-19 made its way around the world, work-from-home has become the new normal. For virtual companies like ours, it was an easy transition. There are only two differences: But with most companies have adopted at least a partial virtual work environment for the short term, and even for the long term, there comes with it the question: what are the best ways to communicate and collaborate? To find out, I tapped the incredibly smart Phil Simon, collaboration guru and author of the new book, Reimagining Collaboration: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and the Post-COVID World of Work. Yes. COVID-19 accelerated trends that were already in place. Tens of millions of people used contemporary collaboration tools and worked remotely well before anyone ever heard the term coronavirus. One size certainly doesn't fit all. Mary Donohue details these differences in her new book Message Received: 7 Steps to Break Down Communication Barriers at Work. I address that topic in Chapter 2 of my book. TL;DR: some people are more comfortable with synchronous, in-person communication than others. Some folks are more used to its asynchronous counterpart. In truth, both have always existed—and always will. The trick is to recognize when each is appropriate. You don't want to conduct a performance review via Slack DMs or a Zoom meeting. A few things. Ideally, we'll stop relying upon email for internal communication and "collaboration." People often think that all text-based communication is equal. They're wrong. The medium truly matters. Second, we'll disabuse ourselves of the notion that all work needs to take place in an office. For instance, some companies are reimagining traditional offices. In their stead, they envision collaboration centers. Much like healthcare and higher education, the future of work is decidedly hybrid. Both. It's a symbiotic relationship. It's folly to think that you can separate them. I can envision the most sophisticated business process ever. If the technology doesn't exist and/or employees won't use the tool(s), then you might as well be following an antediluvian business process. As I write in the book, new collaborative technologies allow for far more efficient and simple business processes—but only if we embrace new tools. It depends. Mio found that 91 percent of businesses use at least two messaging apps. Slack and Microsoft Teams were present in two-thirds of the organizations surveyed. I'm a fan of picking a lane and sticking in it. Using more than one internal collaboration hub bifurcates knowledge. 91 percent of businesses use at least two messaging apps. On the other hand, some companies have refused to embrace Slack, Zoom, Teams, or another internal collaboration hub. As a result, they are rudderless. They mistakenly believe that email suffices for internal communication when it just doesn't. In the book and to my clients, I start with the following: Yes. I researched this in 2014 when writing Message Not Received: Why Business Communication Is Broken and How to Fix It. Some companies have even banned internal email. Let me get to your second question. Sure, some people are scared of leaving email behind. People generally hate change—especially at work. The success of Teams, Slack, Zoom, and other collaborative technologies indicates that organizations can survive and even thrive without everyone hitting "Reply All." There's a reason that Microsoft allows IT departments to remove that dreaded button from Outlook. Ah, now we're talking. In the book, I define it as an internal collaboration hub as follows: A general-use software application designed to promote effective communication and collaboration. Ideally, all organizational conversations, decisions, documents, and institutional knowledge exist in a hub. Critically, hubs connect to different spokes. They enable automation with little-to-no technical skill required. Examples of today's popular hubs include Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. Put differently, many people think of Slack and Microsoft Teams as Email 2.0 and Zoom as a video-conferencing tool. That's tantamount to saying that I can only use my iPhone to make phone calls. Yes, internal collaboration hubs replace email—but they can do so much more. When you connect them to third-party apps and systems, you can fundamentally change how you work—for the better. That's the big idea at the center of Reimagining Collaboration. I did some research on this subject for my previous book Zoom For Dummies. Long story short: we weren't meant to stare at our screens to this extent. Zoom fatigue is a real thing. I'm no neurologist, but I do know this: It's folly to equate in-person communication with videoconferences. Being able to speak to someone sans video can be beneficial, but you also have to remember what's lost. No, 93 percent of communication is not non-verbal. Still, when I talk to possible clients and podcast guests, I want to see their expressions and I want them to see min. Brass tacks: It depends. There are pros and cons to all types of communications and collaborations. In the book, I argue that it's a shared responsibility because collaboration transcends any one business function. We all need to collaborate at work. The security guard, the HR rep, the salesperson, and the CXO all need to play nice with others. I can't think of a single job that requires zero collaboration. I'd hate to grant a single individual or department that responsibility. Collaboration is not akin to performing research for a CPG company or creating clever ads in a marketing agency. It affects everyone. Interestingly, some companies are creating roles for a Head of Remote Work. While the jury is still out, it's a hybrid position that requires knowledge of traditional HR, technology, real estate, and other functions. Phil Simon is a recognized technology and collaboration authority. He is the award-winning author of eleven books, most recently Reimagining Collaboration: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and the Post-COVID World of Work. He consults organizations on analytics, communications, strategy, data, and technology. His contributions have appeared in The Harvard Business Review, CNN, The New York Times, and many other prominent media outlets. He also hosts the podcast Conversations About Collaboration. The post Reimagining Collaboration: Interview with Phil Simon appeared first on Content Marketing Consulting and Social Media Strategy. Source: convinceandconvert.com I'm a Digital Marketing Strategist passionate about SEO and Digital Analytics. I also teach Digital Marketing and offer customized private coaching to entrepreneurs and in-house marketers to help them take their revenue or skills to the next level. Follow me on Twitter where I offer advice and share high quality content on marketing, tech and productivity.

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