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warc | 201704 | Hurricane Matthew made a blunt case for microgrids last week as it toppled thousands of electric poles and wires across four states in a cascade that left millions without electricity, some even a week later.
Arriving about a month shy of the four-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, Matthew again reminded the U.S. why interconnected grids and storms can be a toxic pair.
Of the larger utilities, Florida Power & Light reported 1.2 million outages at the height of the storm. In the Carolinas, 1.36 million Duke Energy customers lost power as 60 transmission lines and 150 substations failed under the hurricane’s onslaught of wind and water. The company struggled through flood waters to repair damage. Georgia Power reported 341,000 outages.
“Hurricane Matthew, and similar storms in the past like Hurricane Sandy, show us that our grid is still vulnerable. And while smart grid technology can reduce and eliminate power outages, when superstorms hit, entire regions are still affected,” said David Chiesa, S&C Electric’s senior director of global business development.
During such storms, microgrids offer refuge as they electronically island from cascading destruction, basically shutting down their connection to the larger grid to protect themselves. The microgrid then activates its own distributed generators to serve customers within its footprint.
Princeton University became a poster child for microgrids during Superstorm Sandy as it kept the lights on for the campus, even as those all around it went dark. Since then, the Northeast has embarked on a campaign to build microgrids to serve shelters, hospitals, police and fire stations, water treatment plants, grocery stores and gas stations.
In fact, as the Southeast was struggling to restore power October 12 – with 360,000 customers still out six days after the hurricane – New York was accepting applications for the second stage of its $40 million NY Prize.
New York set up the program after Sandy to spur development of microgrids for communities and critical facilities. Other Northeast states, as well, began programs to encourage development of microgrids and other forms of distributed generation that use advanced controls and automation. In 2012, Sandy had knocked out power to 8.1 million customers, some for two weeks.
Wake up call?
Chris Clippinger, east region business development manager for SEL Engineering Services, foresees a similar ramp up in microgrid activity now ahead for the Southeast.
“With storms such as Hurricane Matthew there is little utilities can do to prepare. What the microgrid technology does afford is faster return to service, which can be quite critical to local emergency response and health care,” Clippinger said. “Hurricane Sandy was a good example of a ‘wake-up’ call, and the significant investment the northern utilities are making to make the grid more resilient. I would expect to see similar initiatives happen in the Southeast now based on the devastation wrought by Hurricane Matthew.”
Clark Wiedetz, microgrid director for Siemens Energy Management, noted that Sandy – and the Northeast’s subsequent actions – offer a framework for the Southeast states to consider.
“We have a model to look at. We’re not starting from scratch,” he said.
At the same time, he pointed out that the energy economics are different in the Southeast than they are in the Northeast. Electricity prices are generally higher in the Northeast, so it may be easier to make an economic case for microgrids in states like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, than in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
Wiedetz sees need for “a huddle up of utilities, cities and states to jointly evaluate where microgrids make sense for the Southeast.”
Likely beneficiaries include coastal hospitals, research labs and city and state critical infrastructure. The evaluation will need to consider not just the cost of a microgrid, but also the cost of power outages to business and government – particularly since severe storms seem to be happening more and more frequently, he said.
Several sources we spoke to praised southeast utilities for their massive restoration effort with thousands of workers brought in from out of state to help. In some cases they were better prepared for this storm than others because of new automation equipment installed that makes restoration quicker.
What if?
“You must ask the question, what would the impact of a superstorm be without distributed automation technology incorporated into the grid?” S&C’s Chiesa said.
S&C has installed distributed automation technology in Florida, which makes for quicker recovery, and speeds restoration to many customers. This allowed the local utility’s linemen to concentrate and focus on the areas that needed the most attention, he said.
“At S&C, we believe new, modern grid technology is essential to improve response to extreme weather,” he said. “With self-healing systems or energy storage applied in microgrid-type applications, utilities can harden their electrical infrastructure, create back-up power sources and improve reliability for their customers.”
Bob Stojanovic, ABB’s director of microgrids for North America, noted that “microgrids are one of many tools for dealing” with wide spread power outages from natural disasters.
“The ‘superstorms’ of the last decade have highlighted, in painful and expensive ways, the need to protect consumers from the devastation caused by natural disasters. In addition, the technology needed to make microgrids feasible for everyday use has reached a point where it is commercially viable and available,” he said. “We look forward to a future where local regulators and utilities can find a way to implement utility owned microgrids for the greater public good as part of a larger plan to deal with these types of events.”
With U.S. headquarters in North Carolina, ABB had a closeup of the destruction from the hurricane.
“We have first-hand knowledge of the suffering and hardship that this disaster has brought to the people in Florida and the Carolinas. We are extremely grateful for the first responders and other essential personnel that have been working hard to get the power back on in the affected areas,” Stojanovic added.
For the short-term, utilities were continuing to restore power to customers as of Thursday with about 164,000 still in the dark. Long term, it remains to be seen how the southeastern power industry responds. Even before the hurricane, Duke Energy was already developing demonstration microgrids, working with several private partners.
“It’s important to accelerate the replacement of ‘old grid’ technology for smart grid technology,” S&C’s Chiesa said. “We need to foster a regulatory environment that allows investor-owned utilities to make needed investments in grid modernization that can improve power reliability. That is essential to increasing adoption of modern grid technologies and ensuring our power systems can better withstand severe weather.”
Source: Microgrid Knowledge. Reproduced with permission. | 7,320 | 3,321 | 0.000313 |
warc | 201704 | Does Coevolution Promote Species Richness in Parasitic Cuckoos? View Download Date2009-8-19 Related DOI10.1098/rspb.2009.1142 Author
Krüger, Oliver
Sorenson, Michael D.
Davies, Nicholas B.
MetadataShow full item record Permanent Linkhttp://hdl.handle.net/2144/3142 CitationKrüger, Oliver, Michael D. Sorenson, Nicholas B. Davies. "Does coevolution promote species richness in parasitic cuckoos?" Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276(1674): 3871-3879. (2009) Abstract
Why some lineages have diversified into larger numbers of species than others is a fundamental but still relatively poorly understood aspect of the evolutionary process. Coevolution has been recognized as a potentially important engine of speciation, but has rarely been tested in a comparative framework. We use a comparative approach based on a complete phylogeny of all living cuckoos to test whether parasite-host coevolution is associated with patterns of cuckoo species richness. There are no clear differences between parental and parasitic cuckoos in the number of species per genus. However, a cladogenesis test shows that brood parasitism is associated with both significantly higher speciation and extinction rates. Furthermore, subspecies diversification rate estimates were over twice as high in parasitic cuckoos as in parental cuckoos. Among parasitic cuckoos, there is marked variation in the severity of the detrimental effects on host fitness; chicks of some cuckoo species are raised alongside the young of the host and others are more virulent, with the cuckoo chick ejecting or killing the eggs/young of the host. We show that cuckoos with a more virulent parasitic strategy have more recognized subspecies. In addition, cuckoo species with more recognized subspecies have more hosts. These results hold after controlling for confounding geographical effects such as range size and isolation in archipelagos. Although the power of our analyses is limited by the fact that brood parasitism evolved independently only three times in cuckoos, our results suggest that coevolutionary arms races with hosts have contributed to higher speciation and extinction rates in parasitic cuckoos. | 2,191 | 1,093 | 0.000923 |
warc | 201704 | Lawlessness at the DOJ: Voting Section Told Not To Enforce Purging the Dead or Ineligible from Voting Rolls
I was at the Voting Section of the Justice Department for over five years. This office is responsible for enforcing most federal election laws which do not involve criminal matters. My previous articles at Pajamas Media have spoken of the DOJ's lawless abandonment of race-neutral enforcement of voting laws, and other outrageous conduct. I will continue to publish here at Pajamas Media more instances of failure to enforce the law equally by the Department.
One such instance relates to the Motor Voter law, and will shock Americans who care about integrity in the electoral process.
The “Motor Voter” law was passed in 1993 to promote greater voter registration in the United States. It did this -- most Americans now know from visits to the DMV -- by requiring states to offer voter registration materials whenever someone had contact with a variety of state offices. These included welfare offices, social service agencies, and motor vehicle departments.
A lesser-known provision also obliged the states to ensure that no ineligible voters were on the rolls -- including dead people, felons, and people who had moved. Our current Department of Justice is anxious to encourage the obligations to get everyone registered, but explicitly unwilling to enforce federal law requiring states to remove the dead or ineligible from the rolls.
In November 2009, the entire Voting Section was invited to a meeting with Deputy Assistant Attorney General Julie Fernandes, a political employee serving at the pleasure of the attorney general. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss Motor Voter enforcement decisions.
The room was packed with dozens of Voting Section employees when she made her announcement regarding the provisions related to voter list integrity:
We have no interest in enforcing this provision of the law. It has nothing to do with increasing turnout, and we are just not going to do it.
Jaws dropped around the room.
It is one thing to silently adopt a lawless policy of refusing to enforce a provision of federal law designed to bring integrity to elections. It is quite another to announce the lawlessness to a room full of people who have sworn an oath to fairly enforce the law.
Worse yet, it is a broken campaign promise by Barack Obama, and I’m sure he would not be happy to have heard the announcement. After all, his Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez has been traveling around the country bashing the Bush-era Department of Justice. Perez says as often as he can:
Those who had been entrusted with the keys to the division treated it like a buffet line at the cafeteria, cherry-picking which laws to enforce.
Yet at this meeting, Ms. Fernandes openly relished her time at the buffet line in the Voting Section cafeteria.
The problem with this sort of lawlessness, apart from the fact that it is becoming a trend in this administration, is that it nullifies the important compromise that Congress reached in 1993. Greater access to registration came by turning welfare agencies into voter registration offices, but the law also included provisions to ensure greater integrity. It is a dangerous development for our electoral system when one part of that compromise is tossed overboard by a bureaucrat.
It will be impossible for this purportedly transparent administration to deny this direction was given. There were dozens of good people in the room that I know care more about the truth than about saving Ms. Fernandes’ career.
Plus, the cases the Justice Department has brought -- or not brought -- corroborate the account: the Department
has not filed a single case under the Motor Voter provision where there are problems.
Are there problems with list integrity? Yes, but that’s a story for another article. Even worse than not bringing cases, the Holder Justice Department has dismissed a case against Missouri that the previous administration had started. In many places in Missouri, there are more voters than humans with a heartbeat old enough to vote. Instead of fully litigating the case to a favorable outcome, the DOJ made it go away, nicely, quietly, completely. Sound familiar?
The blame-Bush instincts of this administration will no doubt lead to talk about all the cases the Bush DOJ didn’t bring to open up public welfare agencies to voter registration. Good luck. I’d suggest citizens go online and see the Section 7 NVRA, or "Motor Voter," cases that were commenced under the Bush administration. Bush brought voter registration cases under Motor Voter against Arizona and Illinois.
This Justice Department, in contrast, has “cherry picked” which parts of Motor Voter law they will enforce. You wouldn’t think it has anything to do with politics or the upcoming elections, would you?
https://pjmedia.com/blog/lawlessness-at-the-doj-voting-section-told-not-to-enforce-purging-the-dead-or-ineligible-from-voting-rolls/ | 5,043 | 2,341 | 0.000434 |
warc | 201704 | TRIGGER WARNING: rape, sexual assault
Pluto author Laurie Penny (
Penny Red: Notes from the New Age of Dissent; Pluto, 2011) has written an article in the New Statesman last week, in a response to the SWP’s internal investigation into allegations of rape made against one of its members. In her article, reproduced here, Penny assesses a wider tendency among the left, in which concerns about race, gender and sexuality are often ignored or marginalised as distractions from the class struggle. It’s an issue which has caused much controversy, and comes with a trigger warning for its discussion of rape and sexual assault. To see the article in its original context, click here.
* * *
Laurie Penny
How do we deal with sexual violence on the left? Here’s a case study.
The Socialist Workers’ Party, for those who aren’t familiar with it already, is a political organisation of several thousand members which has been a prominent force on the British left for more than 30 years. They are at the forefront of the fight against street fascism in Britain, were a large organising presence in the student and trade union movement over the past several years, and are affiliated with large, active parties in other countries, like Germany’s Die Linke. Many of the UK’s most important thinkers and writers are members, or former members.
Like many others on the left in Britain, I’ve had my disagreements with the SWP, but I’ve also spoken at their conferences, drunk their tea, and have a lot of respect for the work they do. They are not a fringe group: they matter. And it matters that right now, the party is exploding in messy shards because of a debate about sexism, sexual violence and wider issues of accountability.
This week, it came to light that when allegations of rape and sexual assault were made against a senior party member, the matter was not reported to the police, but dealt with ‘internally’ before being dismissed. According to a transcript from the party’s annual conference earlier this month, not only were friends of the alleged rapist allowed to investigate the complaint, the alleged victims were subject to further harassment. Their drinking habits and former relationships were called into question, and those who stood by them were subject to expulsion and exclusion.
Tom Walker – a party member who walked out this week in disgust – explained that feminism “is used effectively as a swear word by the leadership’s supporters…. it is deployed against anyone who seems ‘too concerned’ about issues of gender.”
In a brave and principled resignation statement published yesterday, Walker said that:
“. . . there is clearly a question mark over the sexual politics of many men in powerful positions on the left. I believe the root of this is that, whether through reputation, lack of internal democracy or both, these are often positions that are effectively unchallengeable. Not for nothing have recent sex abuse allegations in the wider world focused on the idea of a ‘culture of impunity’.
Socialist Workerhas pointed to the way that institutions close up to protect powerful people within them. What is not acknowledged is that the SWP is itself an institution in this sense, with its instinct for self-protection to survive. As previously mentioned, its belief in its own world-historic importance gives a motive for an attempted cover-up, making abusers feel protected.”
Members are now leaving the organisation, or being expelled, in large numbers after the case came to light at the party’s conference and transcripts of the discussions were leaked online.
The writer China Mieville, a longstanding member of the SWP, told me that, like many members, he is “aghast”:
“The way such allegations were dealt with – complete with questions about accusers’ past relationships and drinking habits that we would instantly, rightly denounce as sexist in any other context – was appalling. It’s a terrible problem of democracy, accountability and internal culture that such a situation can occur, as is the fact that those arguing against the official line in a fashion deemed unacceptable to those in charge could be expelled for ‘secret factionalism.”
Mieville explained that in his party, as in so many other organisations, the power hierarchies which have facilitated problems such as this have been controversial for a long time.
“Many of us have for years been openly fighting for a change in the culture and structures of the organisation to address exactly this kind of democratic deficit, the disproportionate power of the Central Committee and their loyalists, their heavy-handed policing of so-called ‘dissent’, and their refusal to admit mistakes ,” he told me. “Like the current situation, a disaster catastrophically mishandled by the leadership. All of us in the party should have the humility to admit such issues. It’s up to members of the SWP to fight for the best of our tradition, not put up with the worst, and to make our organisation what it could be, and unfortunately is not yet.”
The British Socialist Worker’s Party is hardly atypical among political parties, among left-wing groups, among organisations of committed people or, indeed, among groups of friends and colleagues in having structures in place that might allow sexual abuse and misogyny by men in positions of power to continue unchecked. One could point, in the past 12 months alone, to the BBC’s handling of the Jimmy Savile case, or to those Wikileaks supporters who believe that Julian Assange should not be compelled to answer allegations of rape and sexual assault in Sweden.
I could point, personally, to at least two instances involving respected men that have sundered painfully and forever friendship groups which lacked the courage to acknowledge the incidents. The only difference is that the SWP actually talk openly about the unspoken rules by which this sort of intimidation usually goes on. Other groups are not so brazen as to say that their moral struggles are simply more important than piffling issues of feminism, even if that’s what they really mean, nor to claim that as right-thinking people they and their leaders are above the law. The SWP’s leadership seem to have written it into their rules.
To say that the left has a problem with handling sexual violence is not to imply that everyone else doesn’t. There is, however, a stubborn refusal to accept and deal with rape culture that is unique to the left and to progressives more broadly. It is precisely to do with the idea that, by virtue of being progressive, by virtue of fighting for equality and social justice, by virtue of, well, virtue, we are somehow above being held personally accountable when it comes to issues of race, gender and sexual violence.
That unwillingness to analyse our own behaviour can quickly become dogma. The image is one of petty, nitpicking women attempting to derail the good work of decent men on the left by insisting in their whiny little women’s way that progressive spaces should also be spaces where we don’t expect to get raped and assaulted and slut-shamed and victimised for speaking out, and the emotions are rage and resentment: why should our pure and perfect struggle for class war, for transparency, for freedom from censorship be polluted by – it’s pronounced with a curl of the upper lip over the teeth, as if the very word is distasteful – ‘
identity politics‘? Why should webe held more accountable than common-or-garden bigots? Why should webe held to higher standards?
Because if we’re not, then we have no business calling ourselves progressive. Because if we don’t acknowledge issues of assault, abuse and gender hierarchy within our own institutions we have no business speaking of justice, much less fighting for it.
“The issues of democracy and sexism are not separate, but inextricably linked,” writes Walker. “Lack of the first creates space for the second to grow, and makes it all the more difficult to root it out when it does.” He’s talking about the SWP, but he could be talking about any part of the left right now, in its struggle to divest itself of generations of misogynist baggage.
Equality isn’t an optional add-on, a side-issue to be dealt with after the revolution’s over. There can be no true democracy, no worthwhile class struggle, without women’s rights. The sooner the left accepts that and starts working the enormous stick of priggishness and prejudice out of its collective backside, the sooner we can get on with the job at hand.
Notes from the New Age of Dissent
Selected writings from a prominent voice of the new activist left. Reflections on being young, broke and angry in the 21st century. | 9,008 | 4,127 | 0.000252 |
warc | 201704 | We should always come forward and tell the truth, right? The truth will set you free, it is said. And I have definitely published here my fair share of analyses about the truth, and about the benefits of finding and telling the truth.
One of the things that I’ve noticed is this: a lot of people who tell lies tend to live a good part of their lives in a
state of untruth. Many people mix it up; they are truthful in one kind of situation, and lie a good deal in a different kind of situation. Often, bad things happen when such situations cross each other; someone who has been told the truth speaks to someone that has been lied to, and the lie dominates until both people know the truth. And even after the truth is found out, questions remain as to why the lie needed to exist in the first place. I don’t know too many people who feel pleased when they are lied to.
In my own life, as much as possible, I go a step further than simply telling the truth. I want to
live in a state of truth – a place where being authentic and honest and open comes as easy as breathing. Doesn’t this sound like a good idea? Why does it seem like such a tall order?
When things get overwhelming, we develop many, many reasons not to tell the truth. We even develop reasons to not be truthful with ourselves. If you feel that you can’t deal with something, that it is too overwhelming, then what else are you supposed to do but tell yourself that it either doesn’t exist, or you don’t have to deal with it, or it’s not what it seems, that it must be something else … It becomes easy, at times like these, to twist and shape things so that they fit into our world harmoniously. Especially if we desperately need harmony in our lives and aren’t able to find it in the truth about how things truly currently are. Thus, we often suspend living in truth in order to cope.
Another thing about the truth that we often don’t see is how much truth takes away our perceived sense of control. If we live by the truth all the time, then there is so much reality out there whose content we have no license to manipulate anymore. We lose the ability to hide, embellish, distort, avoid, ignore, deny, and even rationalize, to a large degree. When somebody is uncertain or scared of things around them, the last thing that they want is to feel that they are less in control of their reality. Even the clearest, most truthful people have moments when, subconsciously, they are not able to think straight because something is unsettling to deal with, and even such most honorable people
for a moment are unable to live in the truth. We’re all human beings.
The crucial distinction happens when it comes time to react to an unsettling truth. When there is uncertainty in the air, when you don’t have it together, when you are unable to determine the next step forward. Everybody gets these moments – but when this happens, do you choose to shut yourself off from such a moment, or do you choose to accept it, even if you must also accept, as part of the truth, that you don’t know what the heck it means just yet? The more a person is able to do this, the more they are likely to gain experience recovering from and accepting the unthinkable, when such unthinkable things happen – in order to more quickly get their groove back.
It’s a tough threshold to cross, if you aren’t already working on crossing it. However, considering that tough things are going to happen to all of us, and all of us are going to die eventually and lose loved ones along the way, I say it’s better to have some perspective about how to approach such things and deal with them. And in order to even be able to approach them, you must cultivate a strong sense of living in the truth – something that modern society, with all its diversions and virtuality, is unfortunately very good at stunting our growth in.
It’s not all doom and gloom; when you live in the truth, you open yourself up to seeing positive, wonderful things also. You become able to see acts of love, kindness, and devotion in places where other people will only see trouble. Living in the truth means that you ask critical questions about how life unfolds. Few people, for example, like it when somebody is angry, but anger can often be a beautiful representation of caring even when it is unwelcome. Silence, aloneness, and lack of contact, often looked at in very negative ways, can be very loving actions also. I have taken myself out of another person’s life when I’ve felt that my presence in it is not helping in any way. Acknowledging this truth, which can be hard to do if you deeply care about the person for whom it is true, allows you to become more comfortable with it, less afraid of the feelings on the other side of it.
Human beings fear the unknown. So much of what we fear, we fear it because
we don’t know. We are afraid of being powerless if we cross the threshold and explore things we don’t have a good grip on. Why else would a phenomenon like racism continue existing so persistently, in so many forms? Truly, it boils down to not knowing the complex reality of a situation, and substituting a convenient and easy lie for the tough work of finding out the truth. Racism breaks down completely once those who hold such views can actually explore reality instead of living off of stereotype. But fear is powerful.
You should live in the truth no matter what – because despite the fear that so many people around you are prisoner to, there are actually many more people than you might think that are, in their own way, approaching and dealing with truth, even if they are doing so slowly. Your example – of not surrendering to the fear of thinking and talking about things that are so often deemed off-limits, and thus so desperately need to be talked about and examined – can lead to a lot of friendships and bonds that transcend what is
thought to be possible. Positive people know this, and by living in the truth, they not only have richer, more fulfilled lives, but they also enrich the lives of those around them – and that’s a big part of why we treasure the existence of such people in our own lives. | 6,303 | 2,845 | 0.000361 |
warc | 201704 | Transovarial antibody transfer in owls has not been demonstrated for West Nile virus (WNV). We sampled chicks from captive adult WNV-antibody-positive Eastern Screech-Owls (Megascops asio) to evaluate the prevalence of transovarial maternal antibody transfer, as well as titers and duration of maternal antibodies. Twenty-four owlets aged 1 to 27 days old circulated detectable antibodies with neutralizing antibody titers ranging from 20 to 1600 (median 1:40). Demonstrating that WNV antibodies are passively transferred transovarially is important for accurate interpretation of serologic data from young birds.
Additional publication details
Publication type:
Article
Publication Subtype:
Journal Article
Title:
Passive West Nile virus antibody transfer from maternal Eastern Screech-Owls (Megascops asio) to progeny | 828 | 452 | 0.002237 |
warc | 201704 | Bose Einstein condensates
Bose-Einstein condensation is a phenomenon which occurs when bosonic, or pseudo-bosonic (e.g. Cooper pairs), particles forms a quantum liquid (including both liquid and gas phases) and are cooled below some critical temperature. Roughly speaking, Bose Einstein condensates (BEC) are those component of the quantum liquids that can be described by a macroscopically occupied quantum state (or often known as order parameter in the language of phase transition).
To give a rough-and-ready argument, we note that the quantum mechanical properties of a particles may be estimated by the de Broglie wave-length
$$\lambda =\frac{h}{p}$$,
where
p is the (characteristic) momentum of the particle and h is the Planck's constant.
In thermal equilibrium, the momentum is related to temperature by
k B T ≈ p2/ m. On the other hand, to allow any quantum mechanical effect to occur (e.g. interference), the wavefunctions between the particle have to have a substantial overlap (so that they can exchange positions in space easily). We should expect λ ≥ n − 1/3. Combining these relations, we conclude that to have BEC, it is necessary that temperature is sufficiently low:
$$k_{B}T<\frac{n^{2/3}\hbar ^{2}}{m}$$,
which roughly gives the correct critical temperature for a three-dimensional non-interacting Bose gas.
BEC for interacting systems
Often, in undergraduate text books, the phenomena of BEC is demonstrated using Einstein's original argument for non-interacting Bose gases. It is not at all trivial to ask (even theoretically) if a BEC could still exist when interaction is introduced: This necessarily becomes a many-body problem and the exact solutions are not available. There are some qualitative arguments suggesting that BEC is energetically more favourable if when the interaction is "weakly" repulsive.
To illustrate one of the arguments, let us consider a very dilute gas of Bosons with no internal degrees of freedom. Suppose the interaction between the particles is dominated by the two-body contact-type interaction:
U( r1 − r2) = U0 δ( r1 − r2), where U0 > 0 characterizes the interaction strength. This interaction is correct provided that the effective range of the interaction is short, compared with the average particle spacing.
We shall compare two different cases (note that both cases are properly symmetrized):(a) Two particles in the same state: for Ψ(
r1, r2) = χ( r1) χ( r2), the interaction energy is ⟨ Eint⟩ s a m e= U0∫ d r∣ χ( r)∣4. (b) Two particles in different states: for $\Psi \left( r_{1},r_{2} \right)=\tfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left\{ \chi _{a}\left( r_{1} \right)\chi _{b}\left( r_{2} \right)+\chi _{a}\left( r_{2} \right)\chi _{b}\left( r_{1} \right) \right\}$, the interaction energy is ⟨ Eint⟩ d i f f= 2 U0∫ d r∣ χ a( r)∣2∣ χ b( r)∣2,
which is twice of that for distinguishing particles. We may conclude that for homogeneous systems, or specifically ∣
χ( r)∣4 = ∣ χ a( r)∣2∣ χ b( r)∣2, the energy for the interacting particles in different states is higher⟨ Eint⟩ d i f f > ⟨ Eint⟩ s a m e and therefore not, relatively, energetically stable. | 3,336 | 1,599 | 0.000673 |
warc | 201704 | More and more households abandon their landline phones and rely solely on cellphones. This implies a challenge for survey researchers: since the cell phone onlyhouseholds are not included in the frames for landline telephone surveys, samplesbased on these frames are in danger to be seriously biased due to undercoverage, ifrespondents who do not have a landline are systematically different fromrespondents who have a landline. Thus, strategies for combining samples fromdifferent frames need to be developed. In this paper we give theoreticalfoundations for a dual frame approach to sampling, explain how samples can beoptimally allocated from these two frames, and describe an empirical application ofa survey conducted in Germany that used a dual frame approach. | 768 | 415 | 0.002416 |
warc | 201704 | For generations in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Common Entrance Examination was the sole determinant of which primary school children would get a secondary education. In its hay day, only the successful candidates who passed the Common Entrance Examination (CEE) were chosen to attend a secondary school. As there were very few secondary schools, competition was stiff and many primary school children were left without a place in the secondary school system when the new school year began.
The top students in the CEE were automatically selected for the top schools on the island. The top school for boys was the St Vincent and the Grenadines Boys Grammar School. It’s female equivalent was the St Vincent and the Grenadines Girls High School. Both of these schools were—and still are—located in the capital city and adjacent to each other.
The CEE was therefore a life changing event for many children, especially for those who lived in the country side. Once they passed well and were selected for a “town school”, it was a whole new life about to begin. For example, in my own case, my first trip into town on my own was only as a result of passing the CEE well enough to be placed at a secondary school in the town.
I can still vividly recall upon leaving the school premises after school one day during the first week of classes, feeling horrified because I wasn’t seeing the landmarks I had memorized. Luckily, panic gave way to calm as something inside told me to just follow the other students for a while. It turned out the landmarks which I had mentally encoded were on another street farther away from the school.
Forgive my enthusiastic running ahead of myself there. Let me resume the reflection on the topic at hand. Age played a significant role in deciding who would write the Common Entrance Examination. Most of my classmates in Junior 5 (Common Entrance Class, as we called it back then) had two and even three chances to write this exam. Me? I had only one.
So I told myself that I was going to either Form 1 or Senior 1. It was some kind of 1 for me. Now Senior 1 was the next primary school class after Junior 5, occupied by those who either failed the Common Entrance Exam or who were ineligible to write the Common Entrance Exam in the first place.
Besides one’s age, academic ability played a huge role in determining who would end up in the “Common Entrance Class”. As I was usually placing first in my primary school class (and I still have a report from my Junior 4 class to prove it) I was automatically selected to go to the Junior 5A which was the group who would be prepared to write the exam.
And even in this large Common Entrance Class (there were over twenty of us), the teacher split the class into a smaller group 1 and a comparatively larger group 2. Group one was seen as the group with the higher likelihood of passing the CEE. Although students from both groups would eventually write the exam, only six of us in all passed: two boys and four girls.
My best friend and I were the two lucky boys that year. I can still remember that some days before the exam, he must have seen my worried looks, he said to me,”Ashford, don’t worry, If I pass you are going to pass, too.”
That really cheered me up because I knew he was just as bright as I was. (I was always fortunate in school to experience peer power rather than peer pressure).
In my time in primary school the Common Entrance Exam was sat on the first Friday in May. In my year the date was Friday May 1, 1987. As I lived in the rural Marriaqua valley and attended the Evesham Methodist School, I had to journey to the nearby village of Cane End to write the Common Entrance Exam.
And that was another life changer that the CEE facilitated. It was the first time in my life I would be sitting in a classroom with other students from other schools. You can imagine how utterly foreign I felt, never accustomed to being around strangers and suddenly having to write the most important exam of my life in a room with strange classmates and equally strange teachers and invigilators.
I wonder if that made some students over the years freeze with fear and failed the exam?
Anyway, I left home bright and early that morning and walked with my older brother through the London short cut over to Carriere, a neighbouring village, through another shortcut called “Bottom Road” and then on to Cane End.
As early as I was, some of my classmates were already there, and that helped a great deal in calming my fears. That day proved to be a very fun day where socializing was concerned. Not that I made any new friends, but that day I discovered those long hot dog sausages that tasted like heaven to me. I remember buying at least three different ones.
That made me fall in love with that school (it was the Marriaqua Secondary School, now called The St Joseph Convent Marriaqua). I told myself I did want to come to this school and eat hot dogs—if I passed the CEE.
My CEE number was 276. We had four exam papers that day. The first exam began at 9:00 AM and the final exam ended at 2:30 PM.
I think the exam papers were English, Maths, General Paper and Science.
One other thing I must mention about the actual exam day. I had developed the habit of bowing my head and praying before writing an exam (a practice I still follow today). At first, several of my foreign classmates joked and made fun of my silent prayer.
But after a moment I realized the room was very quiet. Thinking that maybe a teacher had entered the room, I opened my eyes, and found much to my surprise that many of the other children had their heads bowed in silent prayer as well.
For some reason that day, the girls from my primary school class ran on ahead of us when we were ready to go home. So I had only the company of my male classmates. It made me sad at first but then I forgot about it as we started to raid and pick mangoes like joke from the many mango trees that we met on our way home. We had taken a longer route home, going through Mesopotamia (also called Mespo), La Croix and then back to Evesham, passing our primary school on the way).
The 1987 Common Entrance Examination results were released on Friday June 19th. I know because up to this day I have a copy of the results which were printed in the sole local newspaper at the time.
I remember on that Friday morning while walking to school a female school mate of mine ran out of her home in a place we called “Tanchin” and said breathlessly to me: “Ashford, you pass! You pass Common Entrance!”
Well that took away all my nerves and fears. She also told me of two other persons from my school who had passed. I never found out how that girl knew I passed but I can only assume that there was an adult in her home who worked with the newspaper or with the ministry of education.
So by the time the teacher got to school with the results, I was no longer afraid about whether or not I had passed. However, that day proved the last day of my primary education because my mother decided it was not productive for me to go back to school after that.
But I can still see in my mind’s eye some of my classmates literally crying because they had failed the exam. I wept inside for them too, because to fail Common Entrance in those days was to fail at getting a secondary school education.
It has been many years since I wrote the Common Entrance Examination. Now this year, 2013, has been the last year the Common Entrance Examination was used. Since the year 2005 every primary school child who wrote the exam was being placed in a secondary school.
It made those of us who had to toil so strenuously feel a bit cheated; however, it is life and it seems many of the present day children do not appreciate this “free ride” to a secondary education. So many of them are unable to read well and still don’t care about how they perform, even though they know they come from poor families.
In our time, we tried hard to make something of ourselves in secondary school because it was clear to us that we had been given an opportunity which many others of our own age never got. But today’s crop of primary school leavers seems content with just cursing F-words, playing with their electronically expensive gadgets and trying to find somebody to have sex with. My, how times and values have changed!
Finally, in June this year, I was saddened when Iheard the obituary of the man who was my head teacher at the Evesham Methodist School. His name was Bernard Williams. I still have his signature on my report card I mentioned earlier.
Last year he actually visited the church I attend (he was a Gideon and had come to promote the distribution of Bibles), and we had a very memorable talk—going back down memory lane. One of the last things he taught us was a simple poem. He just came into the class, wrote it on the blackboard and then left as suddenly and as quietly as he had entered.
The poem read:
“There are four things that come not back—a sped arrow, a spoken word, a past life and a neglected opportunity—H.E. Longfellow”.
I have never forgotten that poem.
But when I heard his obituary I was also pleasantly surprised that it also said “…better known as ‘Master Willie’ ”.
That was his nickname that we were all terrified to call him. But somehow I believed he smiled from heaven because he realized he was more than that nickname.
Interestingly, one of my primary school classmates who now lives in New York, came across my blog a few days after his death. I told my lost-and-found primary school buddy about our head teacher’s death and we quietly reflected on those good old days.
Oh yes, from next year the Common Entrance Examination is to be replaced by an examination called Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment, the CPEA. | 9,975 | 4,470 | 0.000229 |
warc | 201704 | Supposedly ‘obsessed’ Chinese youth desperately ‘dreaming of the next deal’ while filing in line for discounts sometime before dawn have have become the newest initiates of the rather sarcastically termed ‘cult of the coupon.’
The quickly developing country’s thrift spending phenomenon, is said to be rising chiefly in the 18-35 age bracket in tempo with skyrocketing incomes and typical American fears of just what the Chinese economy is (at least potentially) capable of.
Somewhere between abject absurdity and the impending unseating of America as the world’s number one consumer economy lie claims that these Chinese youngsters are relishing in their love of spending because, according to professor
Fu Guoqun of Beijing University, they think ‘ they’ll always have money.’
Despite reports that some Chinese women have been eating roundworm eggs to lose weight for job interviews because, as the Huffington Post reported,
this starry eyed optimism has created an atmosphere of endless discretionary spending, an insatiable desire purchase something unneeded simply to get a discount on it. This because, according to ’employment is so hard to come by,’ Chi-Chi Zhang’sMSNBC, article the Chinese value frugality, as So much so, it would seem, that even the corporations and their innovations have trouble keeping pace with this thriving market of bargain hunters. Savvy consumers are applauded by friends and family.
As
Zhang also reported, A planned three-week campaign by Mercedes-Benz for its two-seat Smart car ended in a day when the more than 200 cars were snapped up in less than four hours at about 135,000 yuan ($20,000) each, a 20 percent discount, on China’s most popular online retailer.
This is only one example of many possible. For instance:
Nuomi.com, previously little-known, became an overnight sensation in June by offering a $25 package of two movie tickets, two sodas, ice cream and popcorn for only $6. It sold about 150,000 packages, generating nearly $900,000 in sales over a 24-hour period.
Perhaps no one has summed up the situation better, or more succinctly, than
Leeon Zhu at the Shanghai office the international advertising agency Young and Rubicam, who offered the insight that “This isn’t your grandma or a housewife cutting out Sunday coupons in her kitchen, because they [the Chinese youth] are the future.”
All this points to a radically new kind of business and advertising strategy, at least in the Chinese market, to account for a consumership for whom coupons and discounts are as important as brand names and branding.
As
Xie Dehui, the vice general manager of a coupon company called Eyeball, explained: And with the rise of billion dollar coupon services, such as “The market is so saturated with brand names that a small discount makes a huge difference helping the brand stand out with their target consumers.” Groupon, one has to wonder whether coupon services will someday overtake advertising. | 3,061 | 1,636 | 0.000635 |
warc | 201704 | Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) conjugation and interaction are increasingly associated with various cellular processes. However, little is known about the cellular signaling mechanisms that regulate proteins for distinct SUMO paralog conjugation and interactions. Using the transcriptional coregulator Daxx as a model, we show that SUMO paralog-selective binding and conjugation are regulated by phosphorylation of the Daxx SUMO-interacting motif (SIM). NMR structural studies show that Daxx (732)E-I-I-V-L-S-D-S-D(740) is a bona fide SIM that binds to SUMO-1 in a parallel orientation. Daxx-SIM is phosphorylated by CK2 kinase at residues S737 and S739. Phosphorylation promotes Daxx-SIM binding affinity toward SUMO-1 over SUMO-2/3, causing Daxx preference for SUMO-1 conjugation and interaction with SUMO-1-modified factors. Furthermore, Daxx-SIM phosphorylation enhances Daxx to sensitize stress-induced cell apoptosis via antiapoptotic gene repression. Our findings provide structural insights into the Daxx-SIM:SUMO-1 complex, a model of SIM phosphorylation-enhanced SUMO paralog-selective modification and interaction, and phosphorylation-regulated Daxx function in apoptosis.
SciCrunch is a data sharing and display platform. Anyone can create a custom portal where they can select searchable subsets of hundreds of data sources, brand their web pages and create their community. SciCrunch will push data updates automatically to all portals on a weekly basis. User communities can also add their own data to SciCrunch, however this is not currently a free service. | 1,582 | 828 | 0.00121 |
warc | 201704 | I became a vegetarian a few years ago. Since I am surrounded by carnivores, I had to learn to cook my own meals if I wanted to try new things to eat. I began by asking for vegetarian cookbooks for Christmas. One of the books I received was The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook. It was written by Jay Weinstein. He is a National Public Radio commentator and a professional chef.
I noticed right away there were not any colorful pictures of food in this cookbook which was sort of a let down. There really are not any illustrations either. I guess the lack of pictures is the reason this cookbook is such a good price. This cookbook is a paperback. It is also a nice big size so when I open it up and put it on the counter it stays put.
When I first looked through the recipe titles I found many recipes which looked very good. I could not wait to try them. This cookbook has about 200 pages. It has 300 healthy recipes. There is a two page introduction and then it gets right to the recipes. I liked that this cookbook is broken down into types of foods starting with salads, like most cookbooks.
I especially like how at the bottom of each recipe page the author has included a helpful hint or interesting piece of information pertaining to the recipe above. For example on one of my favorite recipes Tomato and Black Olive Bruschetta, the helpful hint is titled Which Olives To Buy. The author tells us to try not to buy canned supermarket olives. He tells you to buy imported olives in a glass jar.
This cookbook is not all tofu and veggies. I was glad to see there is a section with desserts too because I love to bake. I have made the scones and the pumpkin bread. They were pretty good.
I have tried about thirteen recipes in this cookbook. Many of them were delicious and I will make some of them again. With others, once was enough. My new favorite breakfast food is spinach pancakes. I would not have eaten those five years ago. A lot of the dishes I make from this book smell so good, the carcass eaters in my family love to sample what I make.
With vegetarian cookbooks, I am trying lots of new foods that I did not know about before. I feel better when I eat healthier. | 2,186 | 1,106 | 0.000907 |
warc | 201704 | These questions are not always easy to answer, but thebenefits can be substantial. Reliableestimates can save you the trouble of making (or testing) a compound which isunlikely to meet your needs, or allow you to anticipate how different compoundsmay behave in a complex system. Althoughmuch of the software in this field is proprietary and expensive, especially forpredicting drug interactions with proteins, free software is available to predict anumber of simpler properties.
Recommended One useful program is EPI-Suite 4.10 from the USEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is the same group of programs recommended for database look-up ofphysical properties. EPI-Suite 4.10(January 2011) can predict boiling point, melting point, vapor pressure, aqueoussolubility, octanol-water partitioning, water-air partitioning andenvironmental degradation rates using the name, CAS number or SMILESstructure of a molecule (a video showing how to use SMILES is available for download- see the bottom of this page). Originalreferences are available for the estimation routines, many of which weredeveloped and/or tested by the Syracuse Research Corporation. This is a particularly useful program forenvironmental chemists. EPI-Suite runs only on Windows.
SPARC(Sparc Performs Automated Reasoning in Chemistry) permits the estimation of theproperties above (MP, BP, VP, aqueous solubility, Kow, Henry’s K, etc.) as wellas pKa values (including gas phase and non-aqueous phase), density, refractiveindex, electron affinity and other values. Note: this site contains JAVA applets which do not run well (or at all)on FireFox 3.5.7 but which perform as expected using Internet Explorer. Also, some of the prediction routines arestill in development and may not always work correctly (the calculations of theproperties listed above have worked reliably for me).
Last updated July 18, 2011
Chemistry Freeware > | 1,911 | 1,055 | 0.000953 |
warc | 201704 | Non-ionic highly permeable polymer shells for the encapsulation of living cells Date2011-04-05 Author
Carter, Jessica L.
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
In this study, we introduce novel, truly non-ionic hydrogen-bonded layer-by-layer (LbL) coatings for cell surface engineering capable of long-term support of cell function. Utilizing the LbL technique imparts the ability to tailor membrane permeability, which is of particular importance for encapsulation of living cells as cell viability critically depends on the diffusion of nutrients through the artificial polymer membrane. Ultrathin, permeable polymer membranes are constructed on living cells without a cationic pre-layer, which is usually employed to increase the stability of LbL coatings. In the absence of the cytotoxic PEI pre-layer, viability of encapsulated cells drastically increases to 94%, as compared to 20-50% in electrostatically-bonded shells. Engineering surfaces of living cells with natural or synthetic compounds can mediate intercellular communication, render the cells less sensitive to environmental changes, and provide a protective barrier from hostile agents. Surface engineered cells show great potential for biomedical applications, including biomimetics, biosensing, enhancing biocompatibility of implantable materials, and may represent an important step toward construction of an artificial cell. | 1,399 | 743 | 0.001351 |
warc | 201704 | Georgia adopt-a-stream: field demonstrations Date2005-04 Author
Harbert, Harold L.
Morris-Zarneke, Kimberly
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
Georgia is blessed with a diversity of natural resources. From the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the north, to the black water creeks in the south, to the estuarine habitats on the coast, Georgia’s aquatic ecological diversity rivals that of any state. Georgia is also one of the fastest growing states in America and this growth comes at an environmental price. Now more than ever, citizens in the state of Georgia must accept responsibility to help protect and preserve our existing greenspaces while helping to remediate already impacted systems. Georgia Adopt-A-Stream can help. Concerned citizens interested in learning about, protecting and preserving their streams, lakes, and wetlands can make a difference by participating in Adopt-A-Stream activities. Specific field demonstrations include watershed wide monitoring events, amphibian, lake and coastal wetland monitoring, citizen-based activities targeting urban watersheds, conservation practices that home owners can implement, and resources for connecting with students (K-12). | 1,209 | 680 | 0.001484 |
warc | 201704 | The dastardly terrorist
attack on July 27th in the border district of Gurdaspur (Punjab, India) – which took the lives of 4 policemen, 3 civilians, and 3 militants – has evoked predictable responses. Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh condemned Pakistan for the attack and warned of strong retaliation if necessary. The opposition Congress has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for lacking a cohesive Pakistan policy and has called for tough measures, including postponing talks with Pakistan. Hardline religious groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have also criticized the PM’s approach towards Pakistan, urging him to adopt a harder line. VHP chief Praveen Togadia urged the PM to put an end to “sarees, shawls and mangos” diplomacy.
So far, the Modi government has not given signs of totally snapping ties with Pakistan. Sources
predict that the National Security Advisor-level dialogue is likely to still take place and be followed by meetings between chiefs of border forces and then heads of military operations, in accordance with the recent joint statement at Ufa.
The question that arises is what policy should India adopt towards Pakistan following the attack? Should it totally end engagement? Should political engagement carry on as usual? Or is there a need for a more nuanced approach?
The first and most important thing India should do is
maintain diplomatic channels with Pakistan and have a more calculated reaction to the terrorist attacks. So far the most common outcome has been calls to suspend engagement for a few months or a year, which includes not just political engagement but even sporting exchanges like cricketing events – there have been calls for cancelling the cricket series. The decision of the Modi government to not snap ties with Pakistan is appropriate. Suspending ties only benefits hardliners. In fact, many are of the view that the recent attack was a reaction to India and Pakistan’s joint statement at Ufa and had the blessings of sections of the army and ISI.
Ultimately, both countries have to engage – even if just for the sake of optics. It is better that they do not suspend engagement, but avoid setting ambitious goals or having unrealistic expectations. Apart from the government, other Indian stakeholders in the bilateral relationship such as members of civil society, academics, and sections of the business community should engage with their Pakistani counterparts. It is also time for the saner elements in Pakistan begin to assert themselves. Rather than promoting absurd conspiracy theories, there should be an acknowledgement of terrorism aimed at India, and realization of the fact that a repeat of such incidents will only make it tougher for saner minds on both sides.
India, for its part, needs to understand the political dynamics within Pakistan better. India consistently provides hackneyed explanations for every terrorist attack on its soil. Either it is argued that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is in total control, or he is a puppet of the army who has no say. Then off course, there are those who hark back to Sharif’s entry into politics, and the role of the military, and his proximity to hardliners. While it is true, that Sharif a complicated background, today he is a mature politician who is no longer a puppet of the army as he was in his initial days, nor will he take on the army like he did in his earlier tenure.
Before engaging with Pakistan, foreign policy experts in New Delhi need to have a genuine understanding of the ground situation, and also realize that there is always an element of risk in engaging with Pakistan, and therefore they should also not expect quick fix results. As is the case in any other country, there are individuals in India with pre-conceived notions and skewed views, largely influenced by their own biases, who manage to influence the government’s Pakistan policy either directly or through their views presented on television debates or articulated in newspapers.
It is time that India realizes that engagement with Pakistan is not a favor to the latter, but a necessary course of action to achieve stability in the region. India must also realize that engagement is not just for looking good, or a way to burnish a government’s diplomatic credentials. Even bilateral meetings on sidelines need to be better thought out, and not carried out in a haphazard way without any planning.
Finally, extreme reactions –either unwarranted bonhomie or unnecessary hostility – will not resolve any issues. Vacillating between extremes has been a major problem in India’s dealings with Pakistan.
In conclusion, India needs to have a clear strategy for dealing with Pakistan. A bilateral relationship cannot simply move from one event to another, and cannot depend upon photo-ops and exchanges of gifts, how so ever sweet the mangoes may be! It needs to be based on a clear vision and meaningful diplomatic engagement.
***
Image:
Shammi Mehra-AFP, Getty | 5,065 | 2,383 | 0.000427 |
warc | 201704 | Early last week, on 16 &17 November, incunabula expert Falk Eisermann visited St Andrews to give a two-day workshop on early printed books in Europe. Dr Eisermann is head of the incunabula division at the Berlin State Library since 2007 and enjoys an outstanding reputation amongst scholars of early printed books.
The workshop, entitled
Illuminating Incunabula – What we can learn from early printed books, addressed various issues such as describing incunabula, finding information in catalogues and online tools and – most importantly – working with rare books in hand. The workshop brought together 15 participants who learned about terminology and digital tools for the work with incunabula. St Andrews holds around 160 of these early books printed before 1501 and the library has finished cataloguing all items held across various named collections in 2012 . For the workshop Eisermann picked a selection of 20 outstanding copies that he discussed with the participants over the course of two days.
To prepare themselves for the workshop participants adopted one copy as their ‘godbook’ and gave an extended introduction to ‘their’ incunabula during the event. Eisermann added information on incunabula description as well as copy and edition differences when needed. Through co-tutoring, students introduced each other to aspects of illumination, typesetting and ways of indexing texts.
Working closely with Special Collections participants were able to discover a number of the finest incunabula kept at St Andrews. The participants could chose from a wide selection, ranging from the works of the first printer in England, William Caxton, to books such as Werner Rolevinck’s
Fasciculus temporum, an early printed historical work and bestseller of the fifteenth and century. On the second day the participants made a fantastic discovery when browsing through a copy of Hartmann Schedel’s Liber chronicarum; the owner had left plenty of marginal notes in the book, among them a doodle of a devil (below).
Eisermann gave great insights into the study of incunabula that experienced bibliographers generally only acquire through long research. After years of studying early printed books, it can easily become a no-brainer to experts to know that no catalogue is neither complete nor without flaws. But for young scholars this is not a given. Examining a St Andrews’ copy of Caxton made this very clear. Whilst the ISTC stated that the work contained woodcut initials, the St Andrews’ copy does not have any illustrations. Such differences are important to notice and can potentially cause confusion for any junior researcher when working in a special collections reading room.
Using incunabula catalogues is often tricky and requires special knowledge. In many cases catalogues are accessible only in foreign languages. The leading bibliographical authority, the
Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke (which we’ve been informed is celebrating its 111th birthday tomorrow!) can only partly be accessed in English. Throughout the workshop the students developed a sound understanding of terminology and how they can describe incunabula. Bibliographic information on the first printed books is abundant, but finding a specific copy can be difficult. Eisermann explained in detail how catalogues such as the GW, BMC and Hain can help to find information on early printed books. He also introduced students to more specific catalogues; sources of particular use when trying to identify fragments. Together, the group worked through how a tiny fragment found in the binder’s waste of a sixteenth century French book was identified.
The participants appreciated the hands-on nature of the workshop, stating that it gave them the chance to work with rare material in hand. Many students were happy to find sources that are relevant to their own individual projects:
“Discovering material in the university collections was a delight! […] Hands on practice in understanding the text through line-counting, ornament identification, etc. was brilliant – I learned so much.” – student comment
Eisermann encouraged discussions and created an atmosphere that allowed for collaboration when it came to identifying type, watermarks and other particularities of the books assigned to each participant.
“It [the workshop] increased significantly my general knowledge on early modern culture” – student comment
The workshop brought together participants with various backgrounds, especially postgraduate students of History, Modern Languages and Divinity. Some participants also had a background in librarianship and the art of bookbinding which added invaluable insights to the workshop. In their feedback, the participants were overall very satisfied with the organisation and the set-up of the workshop and they hope that similar events will take place in the future.
Saskia Limbach and Jan Hillgaertner, both doctoral students and members of the Universal Short Title Catalogue, organised the workshop. The generous support of rare books librarian Daryl Green and his team at St Andrews University Library contributed greatly to the success of the workshop, and the workshop would not have been possible without the support of CAPOD and the USTC. It is the second event in a series that started in the previous year with a workshop on paper, led by Prof Neil Harris from the University of Udine.
-Jan Hillgaertner, PhD candidate, School of History | 5,552 | 2,585 | 0.000396 |
warc | 201704 | Please boost your Plan to download papers
The invitro effect of sildenafil citrate on the outcome of pregnancy in mice and offsprings
Literature review
Biology
Pages 5 (1255 words)
The Invitro Effect of Sildenafil Citrate on the Outcome of Pregnancy in Mice and Offspring Student’s Name: Student ID Number: Course Title Code: PhD Embryology. Date: Infertility is the inability of a woman to conceive a baby after a year of progress unprotected sex (Zegers-Hochschild et al, 2009)…
Introduction
Other medications that can be put to use to make infertile women conceive a baby includes the controlled ovarian stimulation, intrauterine insemination (IUI), and ovulation induction. Although the use of ART can result to a successful pregnancy, not all women who undergo ART can become pregnant. Infertility may occur in all types of species; whether human or animals. This chapter tries to investigate the expression of PDE5 in the pre-implantation embryos and the effect of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) on pre-implantation murine embryo development in vitro. Sildenafil is a special drug with a nitric oxide effects on vascular smooth muscles. Randomly selected mice were divided into two groups. One group was hyper stimulated group whereas the other was hyper stimulated plus sildenafil citrate group. The mice were injected with human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG), and later they received human chorionic gonadotropic (HCG) hormones. Afterwards, two female mice were put in one cage with one male mouse for mating process (Rashidi, Rad, Roshangar, & Mira, 2012). ... Download paper
Not exactly what you need? | 1,628 | 884 | 0.001145 |
warc | 201704 | Please boost your Plan to download papers
Trade patterns in China and Hong Kong
Research Paper
Marketing
Pages 4 (1004 words)
Trade Patterns in China and Hong Kong 05-17-2012 Trade Patterns in China and Hong Kong Countries all around the globe traded with each other since the pre-historic period. Why do they do so? All the countries have varying capital, human, and natural resources and also they have diverse ways of combining these resources…
Introduction
(National Council on Economic Education) But some countries like Hong Kong plays an intermediation role for the trade of land lock countries such as China. Hong Kong acts as an entrepot for China. Hong Kong supplies semi-manufacturing goods as well as raw materials to Mainland China by importing from rest of the world. In exchange, it re-exports the manufactured goods from China to rest of the countries of the world. (Schoen, 2010) The two basic theories of trade flows are the absolute advantage and comparative advantage. Absolute advantage believes that a country should only produce those things which it can by using least possible resources. The absolute advantage China has in comparison to Hong Kong is China’s low-paid workers who are very beneficial in production of labor-intensive goods. Hong Kong comparatively have high cost of living due to which people of Hong Kong are hardworking. However, sometimes the effects of comparative advantage theory outweigh Absolute advantage as countries focus on goods with least opportunity goods as mentioned above. In this situation, a country with a comparative advantage can export same goods to a country in which the later country have an absolute advantage. ... Download paper
Not exactly what you need? | 1,745 | 870 | 0.001163 |
warc | 201704 | Accidents in children are common phenomena, they accounts to quite a portion of mortality amongst the children. This is so because children are vulnerable since they are eager to explore their surroundings and as they learn and discover new features around them; they do so with disregard to the dangers around them exposing themselves to possible risks. It may not be possible to eliminate all the risks surrounding our children since in the process of learning and experimenting with new things, minor injuries will occur frequently but it is possible to avail a safe environment and that will drastically lower the risks involved. This paper will analyze how to prevent accident from preschoolers and keep our children safe.
On mentioning the word accident, what comes in many people’s mind is traffic, fall and other potential outdoor accident causes. However on taking a closer look, most accidents happen in the place we all consider safest, that is home. We focus some much on the outdoor safety neglecting the possible risks at home; this exposes the youngest, preschoolers to many risks and as a result many accidents occur there. An astonishing fact is that most of the accidents can be prevented from occurring if only some measures are observed (Hatfield, 2007).
Quite often we hear parents murmuring regrets, if only I had done this, that accident would not have happened. People often wonder; what can I do to prevent accidents from occurring especially at home? The answer to this is quite a simple one; make your home a safe place for the children to grow. This does not involve massive investment as it might sound but requires just the basic caution in the way one handles stuff around them. Like for instance: keep sharp objects out of reach of children, always use a seat booster while driving with the kids, don’t allow children to play with plastics especially large to cover the head, monitor them when they are eating to avoid choking, do not allow them to climb on high point where they are likely to fall, keep medication away from them. The list is long but it entails ensuring that no potentially harmful products that are within the rich of children since their eagerness/curiosity makes them want to experiment with everything around them.
The responsibility of ensuring the safety of the child does not entirely lie in the hands of the parents/caretakers alone, the society and everyone has a role to play. Any child within your vicinity; it’s your responsibility to ensure their safety. Whether you are driving, swimming or whatever activity you are in, you should always be able to pause and give that child exposed to danger some attention. Some of our personal habits expose them to dangers like: drinking while driving, leaving plastics within their vicinity thus it is clear that we are directly responsible for their safety. The government as well as the city planners should include children’s crossing points, slow signs along play grounds, signs of deep edges in the swimming pools amongst many other infrastructural measures to improve on the children’ safety.
Another major step towards ensuring the safety of the preschoolers is through teaching them. The children should be given specific instructions as to how they should react in case of certain occurrences. These include among others: giving them instructions as to how they should react in case of fire, if a ball roll towards the road, in case they see an approaching pet or other animals. They should as well be taught their address and the name as early as possible thus they can be traced back to their home in case they lose contacts with the parents. This is important as it will cover the gap that is left by the fact that the caretaker may not be always around the children, and that will enable them to start learning how to be responsible as early as possible Hatfield, 2007).
It is important therefore to recognize that most of the pediatric accidents occur at home and this should be an eye-opener for caretakers to prevent injuries, which is the best management strategy. Places like the kitchen where most accidents occur should be kept out of bounds for children or they should be supervised while they in there. Some of the methods employed to impact on injury are active and passive methods. Active methods involve the use of education and awareness campaigns by the caregiver. Passive interventions include safety legislations included by manufacturers of products that may be deemed dangerous to the children. Examples include lowering temperatures for cooking ware or water temperature ratings. Water temperature is important especially in preventing scald injuries. Passive prevention can also include better building codes including smoke detectors, safe electrical wiring, and sprinkler systems (Toon, et al, 2011.
From the above, it is clear that the responsibility of ensuring the safety of our children lie largely with the adults. It is upon us to take care of the preschoolers; it is our responsibility to create a safe atmosphere for them to grow in, to teach them how to take care of themselves. It is also upon as to learn all the necessary steps that we need to take in case an accident occurs. For instance one can enroll for a first aid class so that he/she can respond without panic in case of anything. | 5,372 | 2,389 | 0.000421 |
warc | 201704 | It begins:
TLM | July 13, 2012 at 9:54 am | Reply
Inevitably, because the internet is a largely US based phenomenon (particularly the Blogosphere), there is huge concentration on one unusual event in a relatively small part of one continent. Climate records are broken all the time and everywhere simply because we only have about 60 years of reliable data. At the moment in the UK we are suffering record levels of rainfall and low temperatures this summer. As far as I know nobody is seriously arguing that this is due to “global cooling” despite the predictable jokes in the pub.
The big argument is not about “New England” warming or “Old England” cooling it is about “Global” warming. Currently it looks like June and July are going to be pretty unremarkable in context looking at the whole globe.
Yes, records are broken all the time, and if this were just a war of “hottest ever” vs “coldest ever” it would be ridiculous. But there are two aspects which you have not addressed: the
number and severity of record-breaking events.
I’m really not surprised that England shows low temperatures this summer — it’s a small region (much smaller than the USA) and they show greater variation, and indeed records are broken all the time. But I ask you: has England just had its coldest 12-month time span on record? Its coldest 6-month time span on record? One of Anthony Watts’ favorite comments is along the lines of “coldest March in 40 years!!!” He rarely (if ever) says “coldest March ever.” Is one of the cold months there in England the coldest on record? Did it break the old record by nearly 2F (1.1C) such as happened in March in Wisconsin? Is it
anywhere near as record-shattering as the Moscow heat wave of 2010? Have the U.K. meteorological agencies referred to it as a “once in a thousand years” cold wave? That’s what you need to compare, since the Russian meteorological agency called their heat wave a “once in a thousand years” event.
You can always dig up cold events and even cold records, but sorry — your cold records just don’t stack up to the hot records being set, this last March in much of the USA, last summer in Texas and Oklahoma, 2010 in Russia, 2009 in south Australia. There’s a qualitative difference.
And if you look at the
number of broken records — not just during the heat wave, but all this year in the USA, all last year, the years before that. This isn’t a “hot day” vs “cold day” argument, it’s a statistical property of the data record and there’s peer-reviewed research to back it up. Since the 2000s hot records have outnumbered cold 2 to 1. This year in the USA, that ratio is 10 to 1. There’s a quantitative difference. A big one.
So no, your “records are broken all the time” argument doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
If you follow this blog regularly, you’ll also know that I have been one of the foremost advocates of emphasizing the
trend over the fluctuations. But there comes a time when the extremes become so extreme, and happen so often, that they don’t just deserve mention, they have a noticeable — and too often, destructive — impact on human society. Welcome to the rest of our lives.
I have been reading the scientific literature since the last IPCC report as well as following many blogs both pro and anti and I just hold my hands up in despair.
I particularly dislike the tone of the comments on certain blogs where slagging of the other commentators seems to be more important than finding the truth, and I am afraid WUWT and this one are two of the worst. Both sides suffer from very bad cases of cognitive bias, always dismissing out of hand any argument that goes against their “belief system”.
I’m certainly willing to “slag” other commentators (I assume that’s British slang). What I don’t do is what Anthony Watts does — publish misinformation that can easily be disproven in order to do so. Like his SPPI paper with Joe D’Aleo which used faulty analysis to accuse scientists of outright fraud — but which I (and half a dozen other bloggers) easily showed wrong. When he does that, that’s when I “slag” him.
I don’t just “give ’em hell.” I give ’em the truth — they think it’s hell.
So what do we actually know? 1. The globe has warmed by about 0.5c since the first decade of the 20th Century, slightly more going back to 1850 if you extrapolate the very sparse data we had then over the whole globe.
No. The globe has warmed by about 0.8C (1.4F) since the first decade of the 20th century — 60% higher than your claim. Perhaps one of the reasons you understate global warming is that you have been misiniformed.
2. The ice cap is melting and summer snow in the NH is disappearing. 3. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that helps keep the atmosphere warm and the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is rising due to man burning fossil fuels.
Some scientists have very reasonably linked points 1 and 2 to point 3 and are making great efforts to prove the linkage. Others have postulated very high sensitivty in this linkage which would lead to a global catastrophe. Actually, what few people understand is that the high sensitivity is not to CO2, it is to warming. Warming causes more warming, and cooling causes more cooling, whatever the forcing (CO2, the sun, volcanoes).
However, as far as I am aware, very few real scientists in the field are making the same great effort to disprove the linkage or the high sensitivity, and that is very, very bad for the science.
At the moment the very vital sceptical process is being left to amateurs and deluded deniers on blogs.
You should learn more about the history of global warming (I recommend Spencer Weart’s work). That happened in the early 20th century, and in the 1960s and 1970s and 1980s and even the 1990s. And yes, it’s still happening today although at a much reduced level.
Why the reduced effort, you wonder? Because the evidence is so strong. That’s how science works. Perhaps you’d like to complain about how few scientists are working their asses off to disprove the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
When quantum mechanics was first proposed everybody went out of their way to try and prove it was wrong. And many scientists were slightly disappointed when the Higgs Boson was found, as disproving the Standard Theory would have been much more fun than proving it. So much so that they are demanding a 5 sigma proof! Climate scientist can only dream of such certainty.
The “5-sigma” issue has been discussed here before, more than once. In terms of the actual confidence level that can be ascribed to results
it is not 5-sigma, because “sigma” refers to individual events rather testing the hypothesis. If you observe a hundred thousand events, which are deliberately selected to find what you’re looking for, then you’re gonna get some 4-sigma results just by accident, Higgs boson or no. In such a case, 4-sigma doesn’t mean anything like a p-value of 3 * 10^(-5). It means you need to adjust your statistics. Which is what the physicists do.
From where I sit there seems to be a gradully building body of evidence that the global troposphere temperature might not be quite as sensitive to warming as we first thought – the main item of evidence being that since 2000 the global temperature has not been following the track predicted by the early models despite a much faster rise in CO2 levels than predicted.
And yes, I have read your paper that it is all down to La Nina and volcanoes, and it is a good addition to the argument, but it is by no means proof – certainly not to 5 sigma!
It’s “only” 3-sigma. As I said earlier, the “5-sigma” requirement isn’t right. And let me ask you in all seriousness: if I told you that a train was speeding toward your own children but I could only prove it to 3-sigma, would you say, “I’ll wait until you get 5-sigma before telling them to get off the railroad tracks”?
That’s what’s at stake. Really.
And by the way — which “early models” are you talking about? What were their uncertainty levels? Were the forcing scenarios of those models realistic? What statistical analysis can you point to demonstrating significant departure between prediction and observation? Do any of those results attain the 5-sigma level?
But where are the peer reviewed papers arguing the contrary position? Why are all the scientists so afraid to test these theories really hard?
I’m afraid you’ve indulged in a bit of “slagging” yourself. Climate scientists are not “afraid” to test their theories really hard. That’s what they spend most of their time doing.
If global warming reverses, stops or even slows down then I am very worried this will discredit the scientific process irrevocably. Do you really want Watts, Spencer and Lindzen to be the only ones to have been on the correct side of the argument?
I’ll bet I can surprise you with this answer.
Yes. If it turns out that I have been wrong all along, and they are totally right that global warming is “no problem,” no one will be better pleased than I. Roy Spencer and Lindzen are minnows in the field and tainted by political and religious bias. Watts is an irrelevence whose argument is ruined by the crackpots and amateurs he allows to post articles on his site. We need real scientists doing real, challenging and absolutely vital, sceptical science. Scientists need to stop being afraid of being wrong!
You need to revise your beliefs about what climate scientists have been doing. You especially need to realize what it is that they’re really afraid of. It’s not fear of being wrong. It’s dreadful fear of being right. | 10,102 | 4,555 | 0.000233 |
warc | 201704 | (c4ss.org) I’m frequently asked how an anarchist society would deal with things like pollution and other kinds of corporate malfeasance in the absence of a regulatory state.
One remedy commonly put forward by market anarchists is tort liability, enforced by local juries or arbitration services. For example, a corporation that spilled large quantities of gasoline and polluted the groundwater would be sued by the farmers whose wells were affected.
Libertarian writer Don Boudreaux (“Demsetz on the Costs of Markets,” Cafe Hayek, Jan. 21) cites economist Harold Demsetz to the effect that property rights (like the right to clean air) may go unprotected in a free market because protection costs too much. The transaction costs of defining the property rights, assigning a market value to them, and identifying and punishing violations, are simply more than it’s worth to those who are protected.
If this is the case, Boudreaux’s argument essentially mirrors that of progressives:
That the prevention of pollution is a public good. They simply disagree on whether the market’s forbearance is a “market failure” or a rational allocation of resources away from an activity that’s just not worth it.
I don’t think either is correct.
If we look at the actual historical record of how tort liability law has dealt with negative externalities like pollution, it’s clear that the state has had a huge effect on shifting the comparative transaction costs of enforcing different kinds of property rights in a particular direction — namely, reducing the costs for large property owners (in particular firms in extractive industries) to enforce their rights against squatters and trespassers, while increasing the costs of small interests enforcing (for example) rights against polluters.
The bare act of large-scale engrossment of vacant land by the early American state, followed by large-scale land grants or grants of preferential access to favored railroad, mining, drilling, timber and ranching interests, is one example.
Another is the changes which American courts made in common law liability rules, as described by Morton Horwitz in “The Transformation of American Law.” The common law of liability was substantially changed in the early decades of the nineteenth century to protect businesses against liability for things that were regarded as a normal part of doing business, even if it resulted in real harms to third parties.
Yet a third example is the twentieth century regulatory state, which preempted common law liability altogether and created safe harbors for those who met its dumbed-down standards. In functional terms, this was a direct continuation of the process Horwitz described. A polluter who meets EPA standards can point to that as a legal defense, even if a plaintiff can marshal good scientific evidence that the pollution caused her significant harm.
According to Gabriel Kolko, in “The Triumph of Conservatism,” a good deal of the Progressive Era regulatory agenda was actually promoted by the regulated industries, as a way of creating de facto regulatory cartels that would apply the same standards to an entire industry across the board — thereby removing the subject matter of the regulations as an issue of cost competition between firms in the industry.
In fact, in some industries we actually see federal regulatory standards being used as a pretext by some businesses for preventing their competitors from voluntarily adhering to standards more stringent than those set by the regulatory authorities.
So we have not had a free marketplace, where civil protections against pollution and other tortious activity never arose because the transaction costs were too high. What we have actually had is a state capitalist marketplace, where the state artificially raised the transaction costs of enforcing civil protections against pollution — and thereby reduced the transaction costs of pollution.
As always, it’s not a question of what we’ll do when the state stops solving the problem. It’s a question of how to stop the state from creating the problem.
by Kevin Carson
Source: http://c4ss.org/content/5915 | 4,258 | 2,014 | 0.000511 |
warc | 201704 | To me, there are 8 things you need for effective food storage on a boat:
1. Plastic bags. Heavy-duty resealable plastic bags are indispensible for food storage. I tried to always have a substantial stock of 1-quart, 1-gallon and 2-gallon Ziploc freezer bags on hand. While the zipper style bags are convenient, I’ve had more problems with them leaking than with the traditional “press together” style.
The heavy-duty freezer bags can be hard to find once you’re out of the US (particularly in the larger sizes), so I try to re-use as many as possible although I never re-use ones that had meat in them for fear of contamination. I also took bags back from the US several times. You can often buy them in quantity at Costco, Sam’s Club or on Amazon at much cheaper prices than at your local grocery store.
2. Permanent felt markers. I like the Sharpie fine point felt pens for marking on Ziploc bags and on the top of canned goods. Don’t use markers that aren’t permanent — the ink will run if it comes in contact with any little bit of water! 3. Plastic bins. Use plastic bins to organize lockers and the refrigerator. The sizes you need will vary depending on your lockers, but you need solid ones for things that would be messy if they broke, and ventilated ones for items that need airflow. I really like the Sterilite ventilated baskets like the one shown here — they come in a variety of sizes, are very tough, are easy to clean and they have solid bottoms so that if anything spills, it’s contained. Sterilite also makes a set of nice solid bins — in lockers, I don’t use the lids and so don’t bother to pay extra for latching lids. I do have a few boxes where lids are important, and for those I pay for ones with latching lids. Both kinds of Sterilite bins are available at Wal-mart as well as at Amazon.
I also use a few milk crates but really don’t like them as well as they don’t have solid bottoms. And for some odd-sized places, I used things like small plastic waste baskets (good in a deep refrigerator for storing drink cans — cut some holes in the sides for air flow) and plastic juice bottles with the tops cut off (good for organizing a top loading locker with lots of small packets).
4. Gear hammocks. Gear hammocks are wonderful for storing “fragile” items like chips, eggs and produce, and they also make use of space that is otherwise empty. I had four of them aboard Que Tal, along the ceiling in the saloon. Just don’t store anything really heavy in them . . . and don’t hang them next to a wall if you have anything fragile in them — the hammock will hit the wall with the motion of the boat and suddenly your bag of potato chips will be a bag of crumbs. 5. Plastic food storage containers. You’ll use plastic lidded containers not just for leftovers and putting things in the refrigerator, but for storing lots of dried goods to protect them from moisture and bugs. When we left to go cruising, I bought a big box of cheap storage containers and soon found that they were no bargain — the lids popped off and the containers themselves cracked with the motion of the boat. I had pasta salad all over the bottom of the refrigerator and sugar all over the bottom of a locker. I spent a lot of time cleaning up and wasted a lot of food.
I like locking lid containers and ones that are VERY hard to pull open, and I try to buy ones that are square with vertical sides — round ones waste a lot of space when you try to put several in one locker. I don’t like to get ones that have an “air vent” to let air out — I’ve had problems with these leaking.
There are several good brands, and you can buy sets that have a variety of sizes which cost a lot less than buying individual pieces. I found that I used a bunch of “canister size” containers for sugar, flour, pasta, rice and other dried goods — far more than I had in a home kitchen. My favorites:
Rubbermaid Lock-Its Lock & Lock (these are the “squarest” and make the best use of space) Rubbermaid Produce Saver (for produce in the refrigerator)
Wal-mart also carries inexpensive half-gallon and gallon clear plastic square cannisters with screw-on tops. I used 6 of these — they’re not totally airtight like some of the others, but they fit the space I had.
6. Non-slip shelf paper. I lined all my lockers (both shelved and top loading) and drawers with non-slip shelf paper to keep cans, utensils and other items from sliding around as the boat moved. Not only does it keep the noise down, it also prevents wearing holes in cans and plastic containers as well as dents. 7. Cushioning materials. I used paper towels, bubble wrap and pieces of fleece to pad fragile foods and also to take up space and keep things from sliding. Take along a package of cheap tube socks to pad bottles. 8. Critter deterrents. You’ll need a number of different things to deter weevils, cockroaches, ants and other critters: Bay leaves to put in flour and mixes containing flour to prevent weevils Cloves (whole, ground or oil) to prevent ants — in every locker Ant traps in every locker Cockroach traps in every locker
When we first moved aboard
Que Tal, I was surprised by how much I needed of all these supplies. I had bought what I thought were reasonable amounts, and quickly ran out. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself needing more than you originally thought — but having a good food storage system will really pay off in the long run. | 5,617 | 2,568 | 0.000405 |
warc | 201704 | Recently, two women and one man allegedly kidnapped and raped a 25-year-old soldier. They reportedly held him for four days, sexually assaulting him multiple times:
Assistant police spokesman Assistant Inspector Muzondiwa Clean told the NewsDay news organisation that at around midnight on April 1, the soldier willingly accepted a lift into Mutare in a Mercedes Benz vehicle from the Birchenough Bridge business centre. […] The soldier was allegedly threatened with a knife by the driver when he asked to be dropped off instead of travelling for food, and one of the female passengers blindfolded him shortly afterwards. Assistant Inspector Clean said the soldier was then taken to a house in an unknown location, where he was stripped naked and robbed of his mobile phone and $35. he solider claims he was sexually abused by the women on numerous occasions at the house, before the group drove him into the remote Dangamvura Mountains.
Afterward, the group stoned him, resulting in an injury to his foot. The soldier eventually made his way to the police and reported the incident. According to another article, there have been five other incidents like this in that region. The police suspect that this is a group of serial female rapists, and warned men to stay alert.
However, Zimbabwe does not recognize sexual violence against males as rape, so it is unclear what the women would be charged with if found and arrested. Most likely, the women would face some lower indecency charge rather than an actual sexual violence charge.
The police also suspect that there are more victims who have not come forward. Given the culture, it is unlikely that they will come forward. Besides the sordid law, the culture itself is hostile towards male victims, and they would face many stigmas and public scorn should they seek assistance.
That allows these women to come to abuse without any fear of arrest. Even if they are arrested, they face little risk of serious jail time, if any at all. | 1,997 | 1,044 | 0.000964 |
warc | 201704 | The Great Coup of Ideas
Just before the end of the Nineteenth Century through their mouthpieces, neoclassical economists, the élite classes came up with the greatest coup of ideas to justify their existence since the Devine Right of Kings.
Prior to that the classical economists beginning with Adam Smith and his contemporaries, observed that all production required three things. Land, Capital, and Labor. For example take a brick factory. The building and oven needed to create the bricks are the “capital” – the owners are the capitalists. The people making the bricks is the “labor” – the people doing the actual work. The Land the factory occupies and the clay used to make the bricks is the “land” – the owners of the land are the “Rentiers”. Any money made by selling the bricks is then divided up between these three groups: the rentiers, the capitalists, and the workers.
According to Adam Smith only two of the three groups made any real contribution to the production process. The workers contributed their time. The capitalists contributed their capital, but is now used and worth less than before. The Rentiers contributed their land, but have lost nothing. Once done with the manufacturing of the bricks, they get their land back and it is still worth the same as it was before. Any income they made by renting out their land they made without work, and without risk to their assets. There is a word for someone who only takes, but doesn’t give back: a parasite. Smith and those who carried on his work used the nicer term, Rentier. This is where the phrase “economic rent” originates. It originally described a no value added landlord.
Adam Smith and his contemporary classical economists existed in a time where the noble families of medieval Europe were still the large landowners. The nobles had just turned into Rentiers. Because they owned the land, they were able to rent it out to capitalist and workers and claim some of it as their profits and wages by charging “rent”. They were able to do this without ever working. It was unearned income.
Much of the work done by economists from Adam Smith until the late Nineteenth Century was all about finding and identifying “rent-seeking.” These classical economists didn’t want to overthrow capitalism, they wanted to free it from the “rent-seeking” parasites.
Then along came the so-called “neoclassical” economists. The neoclassical economists and their élite supporters, perhaps terrorized by the growing popularity of Henry George and his theories, decided to begin treating land and capital as the same. If one treats land as capital, then the concept of rent can effectively go away and those who reap what Smith referred to as “unearned income” suddenly became “Capitalists” and their unearned income became “profit.”
“Rent-seeking” is not just “ownership of the land”. It can take several shapes. Rent-seeking is any unearned income. An alternative definition is “profit without a corresponding cost of production”. “Economic Rent” can come from ownership of land and just “renting” it out for money. It can also come from collecting so much capital that a firm now has a monopoly and can set the price independent of supply and demand considerations. It can originate in a government monopoly granting, control of other “land” like our rivers, broadband spectrum, or “mineral rights” of land. It can come from control of financial assets like capital gains, dividends, and interest on loans (especially usury). It can also come from political favors from the government.
Once the neoclassicists removed the entire concept of “rentier” from economic analysis, and eventually political, conversation, it was all capitalism and capitalists in their world.
Now when some people object to the obscene profits made for example on Wall Street (e.g., derivatives) specifically that portion that is the unearned income of the rentiers, they lack the vocabulary to properly express what is happening. Instead, the mouthpieces (Lawyers, lobbyists, economists, etc.) of those making the unconscionable amount of unearned income try to make it look like those complaining are railing against capitalism itself or against businesses in general. Often, however, the criticism of the “excesses of capitalism,” are actually an objection to the parasitic rentiers that are hurting the true capitalists as much as the workers.
“Wealth creation” by debt leveraging – that is, asset-price inflation – was celebrated as a post-industrial economy, as if this were a positive and natural evolution. But in reality it is a lapse back into a rentier economy, and even into a kind of neofeudalism.
When a company has a monopoly and can charge whatever they want, that’s not being a capitalist or an entrepreneur, that’s being a “Rentier.”
When oil company’s make “windfall profits” as the price of oil goes up, that’s not profit, that’s “economic rent.”
When a drug company can keep the government from negotiating lower prices, that isn’t capitalism, that’s classic “rent-seeking” behavior.
Much of the money made on Wall Street is nothing but pure rent-seeking. Companies lobbying for tax loop holes is just more unproductive rent-seeking.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of influential economists are still neoclassical and don’t believe land and rentiers exist. They can try to deny their existence, but when the top 1% of the country make more money in one night while they are sleeping then most will make working at their job for 6 months, it’s hard to deny their existence. It’s unfortunately that our intellectual class “lost” these words and concepts from the mainstream discussion.
One could argue history is repeating itself. 200 years ago, the conservative vs. liberal mantra was that conservatives were fighting to keep the power of the nobles and large landlords intact. The liberals were the ones trying to free themselves politically and economically from their control. Today it’s the same. Conservatives are fighting to maintain the privilege of the Rentiers by pretending to defend capitalism itself. And once again, liberals are fighting to free the market from the parasitical Rentiers.
Recently the economic commentator Michael Hudson wrote:
“The classical free market economists endorsed taxes on unearned income: land rent and natural resources, monopoly rent and financial privilege. These categories of income have no counterpart in a cost of production undertaken by the rent recipient. The more that governments can shift the tax burden on to land and property, the lower housing prices will be – and the less governments will need to tax labor by income and sales taxes.
Bankers back anti-government ideology because they want to obtain all of the untaxed rental revenue as interest. So taxes that otherwise would be paid to the government will be paid to the bankers. The result – what you’re seeing today in Europe and North America – is an economic grab that is in many ways like that which gave birth to European feudalism. But this time around it is financial, not military.”
(Note: Most of this is an adaptation of a blog written by someone else with which I agree. I decided to revise it for “This and that….”)
Related articles Modernizing Henry George (energybulletin.net) | 7,698 | 3,358 | 0.000316 |
warc | 201704 | There is no question that the cost of a planning a wedding can be overwhelming. Therefore, more and more brides are going DIY on many of their accessories to save some extra cash for their special day. When it comes to selecting a bridal veil, not a few brides have found the price of a veil to be somewhat shocking. One might say, “it’s only tulle on a comb” how much can that cost? So, are brides being robbed or are some wedding veils really more expensive than others? What is the difference?
Photo Courtesy of Cinderella’s Closet
There are many fabrics from which a bridal veil can be made. The most traditional veil is made of “bridal illusion”, which is a fine nylon tulle used by the majority of the bridal veil industry to create most wedding veils and is fairly inexpensive. A crafty talented bride, friend, or family member might try their hand at making their own simple wedding veil to cut costs. However, for a bride who may not be crafty or interested in making their own, there are many affordable options for bridal illusion-based wedding veils. However, other brides may want a more couture or unique veil or are desirous of special trims or fabrics. Why, does the costs go up so much when a bride wants this kind of bridal veil style?
OTHER VEIL FABRICS
The more luxuriant silk tulle veil as worn by Kate Middleton for her special day was made of silk tulle. Silk tulle is a natural fabric made of 100% silk and is extremely delicate and fluid compared to the illusion tulle. It is also an imported fabric for U.S. brides often imported from the UK, France, or Italy. Therefore, this is where the cost can become substantially higher than standard bridal illusion veiling. Why select silk tulle fabric? Some brides want the delicate nature of silk tulle, love the soft and elegant feel of the fabric, and love that it is less voluminous than an illusion tulle wedding veil.
Besides, bridal illusion and silk tulle, bridal veils can be made from made from English net, chiffon, silk chiffon, organza, and specialty tulles such as Swiss Dot, or Point D’Esprit. The difference in pricing with a wedding veil fabric is also based on the same components. If it is synthetic and domestically made fabric, it will be a lower cost but grades of fabric (meaning the quality in weave or texture) will mean a higher price. You can usually tell by the feel of the fabric and texture if it is of a higher quality. It will usually feel finer, softer, and sometimes heavier depending on the fabric. If the fabric is an imported fabric, this will also factor in the cost of the veiling being higher than others.
SPECIAL TRIMS – BEADED VEILS
Wedding veils designed with an embroidered pencil edge, silk or satin ribbon , soutache, and similarly applied edges are often applied by machine or by hand usually by a skilled person specifically designing the veil based on the length and width. Some trims are rather costly and when you factor in a skilled person applying this elegant trim to a create a specially adorned wedding veil, here is where the cost factors in again for the resulting beautifully trimmed bridal beaded veil.
You might have a talented family member or friend who is experienced enough to assist you in creating a specialty trim veil but if you don’t, this might help to explain what’s involved in the costs of a trimmed bridal veil. Some trims such as rhinestones, crystals, or beaded trims are costly by themselves and require specific machinery as well along with experience in knowing how to apply such a trim.
Embroidered Veils
Embroidered veils are often intricately designed with ornate thread work and made with hand-beaded details. Therefore, that attention to detail simply cost quite a bit. Often times, the resulting beautiful design and workmanship is well worth the cost for such a great heirloom to treasure well after the wedding day.
Embroidered Veil Example – Veil by Erica Koesler
LACE VEILS
Imported laces such as Alencon or Chantilly are fine needlepoint laces on fine tulle. Many of these are imported from France or England. As such the cost of the yardage for the lace is highly expensive. Lower cost laces are made of polyester or re-embroidered to create a similar design but not as high quality to the imported laces. If you are asking about why lace veils are so expensive, it is mostly the actual fine lace that is being used to create the veil. It is also labor-intensive to apply a lace edge to soft tulle.
Veil – Allover Embroidered Lace Veil by Distinctive Veils & Accessories
Lace Veil Examples by Distinctive Veils & Accessories
SHOULD I GO DIY OR PURCHASE A WEDDING VEIL?
Today, with the present surge in more and more DIY brides, it is not unusual to find creative and talent individuals endeavoring to create their own looks. For the bride, who would rather leave that to the professionals but is seeking the find the best veil for the best price, it is good to ask for fabric swatches or provide the company with examples of the type of veil for which you are searching. Sometimes, companies can offer alternatives that fit your budget without losing quality, design, and style. Happy searching, all! | 5,240 | 2,399 | 0.000423 |
warc | 201704 | You see advertisements like the one to the right all day long. They all talk about these secrets that the insiders don’t want you to know.
They talk about how they hold the key to easy money, and the only way to have the easy life is by buying their program.
The Lure
They will try to lure you in with free “no risk” trials and money back guarantees, but there is one thing that you must remember: if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
We are going to delve a little bit deeper into the claims being made by these advertisements like the $653 claim to the right and a few of the other ones.
Don’t Take The Bait
These advertisements play off of your desire to be free, and to be independent. They make you believe that you can effortlessly attain the dream life that you only see on TV. You have a computer, you have the drive, and you can do anything, so what they say must be true. Don’t take the bait!
They butter you up with compliments and confidence, then they offer you the solution that will take your skills and turn them into money. What they don’t tell you is that you’re purchasing regurgitated information freely found online, packaged into a motivational DVD that will cost you money, offer little to no extra insight, and leave you right where you started.
You Aren’t Buying Success
This is something that many people don’t realize. When you buy into these programs, you are buying nothing more than the seminar, CD, DVD, or materials. Many people think they are buying a business plan, or a proven system, but what you’re really buying is the “educational” material. You can really pinpoint this information on infomercials when people are giving their “testimonials” and it says “results not typical” at the bottom of the screen. These programs don’t guarantee success, they simply want to sell you information.
The Math Doesn’t Work
Many of these get rich quick schemes mention these extremely high incomes that seem amazing, but when you apply basic mathematics, it simply doesn’t work. People don’t give away money for nothing. The closest you can come to money for nothing is money sitting in a bank account. Let’s apply some mathematics to the above claimed amount and see how realistic this looks. How much money would we need in the bank right now to earn
$653 per week?
To make the mathematics easier, we’ll figure out what we need in the bank to earn $33,956 per year ($653 * 52 weeks in a year). We will even be generous and over-estimate the interest that you can get at the bank to be 3%!
Do you know who much money you would need at 3% to generate that kind of revenue?
Answer:
$1,116,388.01
That’s right, you would need over $1 million dollars at 3% to generate the claimed amount of money in the above advertisement. Now, does it seem to good to be true? Another thing you could ask yourself: why would these guys be giving out this amazingly valuable information if they didn’t intend on making more than the claimed amount of money? If you take the bait, then you’re going to be suckered.
Money Isn’t Easy
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-eFGnRythw]
With the above example, can you guess how much money you’d earn in just 6 short years?
Yes, in just 6 years, you’re guaranteed to earn:
$1,180,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.00, which means you would be overlord of the Earth because you’ve successfully acquired all of the money floating around on the planet, and indebted every many, woman, child and all future generations until the end of time.
This is more of a common sense section, but money isn’t easy. Money can only be earned two ways: with hard work, or with intelligence. Buying into these get rich quick schemes is the equivalent of trying to purchase a money tree. If they tell you that it’s easy, guaranteed, or a secret, then it’s probably a lie.
Some get rich quick schemes know that people know this so throughout their presentation they sprinkle statements like “with a little hard work” to help legitimize it. But they always toss glowing people on the TV giving testimonies about how this proven plan changed their lives.
Secrets Are Dead
We live in a day and age where even the US Government is having trouble keeping their secrets because of websites like Wikileaks. The day and age of get rich secrets is over. There were secrets to making real money in the stock market, and they were secrets you could only learn by getting a formal education about the stock market.
They were these mysterious things called short sales, options, calls, puts and so forth. It was this whole underground lingo and if you didn’t have the education in it, you were out of the loop. The Internet has officially snuffed that problem out. Look at websites like Investopedia. Short selling, calls, and puts; they have all of that information there. Secrecy is so rare nowadays that the Google CEO thinks that teens in the future will be required to change their names once they come of age just to shed their past. Secrets are dead, especially money-making secrets, because people have a financial incentive to divulge those secrets online in exchange for advertising revenue.
The Real Truth About Wealth
Do you want to really get wealthy? Be intelligent, save your money, avoid scams, track & cut costs, invest wisely, and never look back. Stop trying to impress your neighbors, don’t watch late night infomercials, and keep working hard. | 5,607 | 2,605 | 0.000399 |
warc | 201704 | Pulmicort is an inhaled medication for the prevention of asthma symptoms. It works by reducing inflammation of the airways, thereby minimising airway sensitivity. Although Pulmicort doesn't provide immediate relief from asthma symptoms like Ventolin does, it can help improve breathing within a few weeks of starting use. Pulmicort should be used on a daily basis and may be prescribed alongside a reliever inhaler to effectively keep a patient's asthma under control.
Pulmicort Turbohaler contains corticosteroids that can naturally reduce inflammation. They are able to do this because they reduce the release of chemical compounds that cause inflammation of airways.
This action is helpful to patients with asthma, because inflammation within airways tends to be naturally higher resulting in an increased sensitivity to irritants. A reduction in swelling within airways can also improve a patient's overall comfort the longer they use this treatment for.
Pulmicort is generally safe to use with a very low risk of side effects, but there are certain health conditions that may restrict you from using this treatment. For example, you should not use this inhaler if you are allergic to the active ingredient, you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you have liver problems or you currently have or have ever had tuberculosis. It may also interact with medications such as mifepristone, some anti-fungal treatments, barbituates or steroidal contraceptives.
If you are considering ordering this treatment online, you should ensure that you fill out the online consultation as thoroughly as possible, so that our doctor can have a clear understanding of your medical history and current health.
It is an easy to use inhaler available in three different doses: 100mcg, 200mcg and 400mcg. For extreme cases of asthma, a daily dose of up to 1,600mcg can be recommended. Doses are generally spread over the course of a day: one in the morning and one in the evening. You should never increase or decrease how often you use your inhaler without discussing it with your doctor first.
To use the inhaler, simply twist the base and inhale the powdered version of the active ingredient. Bear in mind that this treatment contains lactose, which might not make it suitable for everyone to take.
Side effects are fairly uncommon, but some people may be more sensitive to this treatment than others. Luckily many of the most common side effects are mild and include effects such as oral thrush, which can be avoided by rinsing your mouth thoroughly after every use. You may also initially experience side effects such as depression, a feeling of restlessness, nervousness or changes in behaviour, but these tend to go away.
If any of the above-mentioned side effects persist, you start to develop an allergic reaction or you experience anything that is worrying you, you should seek medical help.
This is available to order safely from 121doc. We ask all our patients to fill out our online consultation. This will allow our doctors to evaluate whether you can use this treatment safely. If a prescription is issued, it will be sent directly to our pharmacy where your medication will be sent via overnight delivery courier. Please note that we only provide Pulmicort to patients who have already been recommended it by their own doctor. We offer a variety of other medications to help reduce the symptoms of asthma see the full range of asthma treatments for more information.
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warc | 201704 | It’s always struck me as surprising that adaptability should be one of the key competitive advantages of a small firm. After all, in a rational world you’d expect a large firm with more resources to be able to experiment more and thus refine its performance more quickly than a firm which is, as one small-firm director put it to me, “only five phone calls away from bankruptcy”.
However, the reverse is true. And why that’s so is fairly clear. It’s to do with shorter communication links between staff and leaders, and clearer glass between people’s daily activity and its commercial consequences.
When a business is sufficiently small that everyone in it can see a direct link between what they do to get X done right or quickly, and the business earning enough money to pay them, people typically respond well – without being harried or threatened with the sack. Motivation and morale rise and stay high. And managers need only encourage people along a path they’re already set on pursuing anyway.
Big firms tend to find change a lot harder, particularly in the parts that are most sheltered from external reality.
It follows that one of the fastest ways to improve performance (and thus, eventually, job satisfaction) is to remove the shelter. The most radical approach is to strip it away completely, and send the target group out to fend for itself as a stand-alone business unit or an outsourced support function. From the parent firm’s point of view, there’s likely to be a certain loss of control and less consistency. But a naked function will be small and unprotected enough to be forced to adapt to its markets or die. And, though tough, adapting is the only route to job security.
Less radical approaches can work, too, especially if they’re used in combination. Secondments to front-line departments … plus experience of cross-functional project teams … introducing sharper appraisal mechanisms which explicitly reward customer-focused change initiatives … drafting in a departmental boss from a different function … promoting staff who show themselves to be effective champions of change … and parting company with die-hards.
There remain three other keys to turning around a lacklustre department: a willingness by the leader to tell staff the truth in full; her or his confidence in their ability to handle change; and her or his personal courage.
But the greatest of these is courage.
Tony Scott, an independent consultant, specialises in business communication issues.
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Making Tax Digital responses to the consultations expected in January 2017 | 3,135 | 1,634 | 0.000632 |
warc | 201704 | Learn About Us
The Adoption Exchange believes every child deserves a family... therefore, we are the connection between children who wait in foster care and families who adopt.
We provide expertise and support before, during and after the adoption process. Who We Are
The Adoption Exchange is a non-profit 501(c)(3) child welfare organization that was founded in 1983 to help establish safety and permanence in the lives of foster children. Although the Exchange was initially an exchange point for caseworkers to discuss placement of children with families seeking to adopt in the Rocky Mountain region, the organization has grown considerably over the years and engenders a powerful impact on national trends in child welfare, employs over 50 paid staff, and counts on scores of volunteers to carry out its mission.
Today, The Adoption Exchange continues to innovate the adoption process by working towards creating a world where every waiting child will find a permanent family. Through rigorous collaboration with state, federal, and other relevant agencies, we focus on innovative child-specific strategies that provide vibrant pre- and post-adoption services that speed waiting children to caring and loving relationships that last.
What We Do
The Adoption Exchange takes a holistic approach to adoption and provides expertise and support before, during, and after the adoption process.
Recruiting Finding families for children who have survived abuse and neglect. Providing web, email, social media, television, and other media-based recruitment efforts. Producing intensive, personalized recruitment for individual children who have been waiting for long periods of time. Holding adoption events where kids and families can get to know each other. Creating hands-on, personal connections between The Adoption Exchange staff and case managers. Supporting Guiding adoptive families through every phase of the adoption process. Educating families on the critical steps necessary to start the adoption process. Reviewing the steps to take while the family waits and answering any and all questions that may arise. Supporting families after adoption through support groups and training sessions. Training Training child welfare professionals, and foster and adoptive families. Providing technical assistance to promote capacity building and systemic changes in state and tribal child welfare programs. Where We Work
Headquartered in Colorado, The Adoption Exchange now operates in Missouri, Nevada, and Utah. Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming are also participating member states. In addition, we provide educational and informational services to families across the nation.
Why We Do What We Do
The children served by The Adoption Exchange are survivors of traumatic abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Many children face barriers because they are of school age, members of sibling groups who don’t want to be separated, are coping with physical disabilities, and/or struggling with emotional challenges as a result of their painful pasts. They are our nation's waiting children and what they all want, more than anything, is for a family to love them.
Without a permanent family, these children do not have optimistic futures. National statistics reveal that 50% of youth who are emancipated from foster care at age 18 will drop out of high school--compared to only 13% of the general population. Additionally, 20% of foster children will be homeless within two years (The Pew Commission 2009).
Through adoption, we are able to dramatically improve these childrens’ lives.
Outcomes of Children Who are Adopted vs. Those in Long-Term Foster Care (based on study by Hanson 2006) Education:Higher IQs, 50% more likely to perform at grade level, 55% fewer special education placements, 23% more likely to complete high school or equivalent, 110% more likely to attend college. Health:25% fewer childhood hospital/ER visits, 19% fewer teen pregnancies, 200% more likely to seek treatment when needed (emotional/psychological). Behavior:21% less likely to get suspended/expelled from school, 54% less likely to get arrested, 34% less likely to have poor relationship skills. Economic:15% more likely to be employed, 75% higher income, 47% less likely to experience homelessness.
Waiting for a permanent home is not only hard on children - it is also expensive for the community. Experts estimate the annual cost of foster care in the U.S. is approximately $40,000 per year/child, and - even when adoption assistance is factored in - the state saves approximately $28,000 per year/child when a child in foster care is adopted.
Furthermore, the lifetime societal costs (e.g., incarceration, public assistance, and lost wages) for every youth who leaves the foster care system without a permanent family is more than $300,000. Since its inception, the organization has helped place nearly 9,000 children - saving society more than $2.7 billion!
Not only does adoption produce a better outcome for the children, but it also reduces child welfare costs to the state. This notion is what drives us to do the work that we do every single day. | 5,160 | 2,411 | 0.000417 |
warc | 201704 | This bacteria is getting harder for kids to fight
When 6-year-old Logan Peon got an ear infection last year, his pediatrician in Chicago gave him antibiotics. That should've been the end to a typical childhood illness.But Peon had acquired a drug-resistant bacteria called
Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Round after round of antibiotics failed to clear up the boy's painful infection and left him sick from side effects. "It didn't matter what we did, we couldn't get rid of it," his mother Katie Fearon recalled.
Her son eventually went to the hospital this fall to receive antibiotics intravenously. Fearon said she hopes this will finally do the trick. "It's just relentless," she told
Mashable. More on the bacteria
See Gallery
Drug-resistant infections like Peon's are rising among U.S. children, according to a new study in the
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Researchers found increasing rates of antibiotic resistance among samples of
P. aeruginosa collected from pediatric patients nationwide. Left on their own, these infections can lead to severe illnesses, longer hospital stays and raise the risk of death.
"It's becoming more complex and difficult to treat," said Latania Logan, a co-author of the study and a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
See Gallery
Globally, infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis are becoming harder to treat across the board as antibiotics grow less effective. The World Health Organization now lists antibiotic resistance as one of the biggest threats to global health.
Too many prescriptions
The main reason for this scary trend is that we're taking too many antibiotics. Doctors might prescribe the pills as a catch-all cure when no treatment, or a different medication, is more appropriate. Patients similarly expect their doctors to prescribe antibiotics for whatever ails them. Or they might self-medicate or share leftover pills.
In addition, there has been a shift toward using large amounts of antibiotics in the livestock industry, which is also increasing the incidence of drug-resistant bacteria.
By reducing the collective use of antibiotics, we could help reduce the spreading of highly resistant bacteria, doctors say. Until then, children like Peon may be increasingly at risk of hard-to-treat infections.
For the study, Dr. Logan and her co-authors analyzed clinical data from about 300 hospitals nationwide for the years 1999 to 2012.
P. aeruginosa infections are fairly common among people with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening disorder, so the researchers did not include those patients. The team studied samples from patients ages 1 to 17 who were in various health care settings at the time, such as an intensive care unit or in outpatient treatment.
While healthy people can acquire the bacteria,
P. aeruginosa is more prone to attack patients who already have a compromised immune system. Six-year-old Peon, for instance, has always been prone to infections and is often at the hospital, where he may have picked up the ear infection, his mother said.
The researchers found the proportion of bacterial stains that are resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics rose from 15.4 percent in 1999 to 26 percent in 2012. The proportion of strains resistant to carbapenems — a class of antibiotics considered a treatment of last resort for highly resistant infections — rose from 9.4 percent to 20 percent.
Drug resistance was most common in teenage patients, ages 13 to 17, and more prevalent in the Midwest, according to the Nov. 17 study.
The research is the first to examine national trends in
P. aeruginosa infections.
Roberto Posada, a pediatrics specialist who was not involved in the research, said the findings provide important insight for medical professionals and families trying to understand the rising threat of drug-resistant infections.
Growing resistance to carbapenems in particular "has serious consequences" for infections in children, said Posada, who is a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
Logan said she hoped the findings would help get the word out to not only researchers but also nurses, home health care providers and other caregivers of sick children who may be at a higher risk of acquiring these serious infections.
"I don't know that people are as aware of how threatening this problem really is," she told
Mashable. | 4,484 | 2,107 | 0.00048 |
warc | 201704 | Published: Jan 2010
Format Pages Price PDF (96K) 11 $25 ADD TO CART Complete Source PDF (109M) 277 $79 ADD TO CART
Collaborative efforts over several years resulted in the development of ASTM E2112, “Standard Practice for the Installation of Exterior Windows, Doors and Skylights”. Individuals from the window, sealant, and air barrier industries were involved in the development of the standard. Development of the standard was driven by a desire to reduce water leakage attributed to window installation practices, particularly in residential and light commercial construction. A consensus document addressing the installation of fenestration units in residential and light commercial construction was believed to be needed. While many believe that the development of ASTM E2112 has helped to reduce the prevalence of leaking installations, the Standard, even in its most updated form (ASTM E2112-07), still has significant limitations. This paper addresses some of the limitations of the Standard and is intended to provoke the further development and documentation of installation techniques for a wide array of wall-window combinations that are not yet addressed in ASTM E2112.
Keywords:
windows, walls, performance, risk, energy efficiency, durability, water performance, design loads, glass, structural performance, code compliance, builder training, durability, sustainability
Author Information:
Mathis, R. Christopher
MC2 Mathis Consulting Co., Asheville, NC
Johnson, Steve
Andersen Corporation, Bayport, MN Committee/Subcommittee: E06.51 DOI: 10.1520/STP48940S | 1,613 | 875 | 0.001169 |
warc | 201704 | Posted by: Jim Cicconi on November 29, 2011 at 3:17 pm
I read with interest Harold Feld’s blog and a related filing by Public Knowledge and the Media Access Project (MAP) on AT&T’s withdrawal of its merger application from the FCC. While Harold and his colleagues sometimes have interesting arguments to make, this isn’t one of those times.
Here are the facts:
On Wednesday, November 23, 2011, after learning that the FCC staff had prepared a hearing designation order which was to be circulated for a vote, AT&T and Deutsche Telecom, in accordance with the Commission’s rules and precedent, filed the appropriate forms at the FCC via its Universal Licensing and other systems to withdraw all applications pending before it. At the same time, the parties filed a letter to the Secretary stating that all pending applications were withdrawn effective immediately and were to be dismissed without prejudice per the Commission’s rules.
The parties’ ability to withdraw the applications by right could not be clearer. Section 1.934(a) of the Commission’s rules states that if “the applicant requests dismissal of its application without prejudice, the Commission will dismiss that application without prejudice” unless one of two conditions exists, neither of which is present here. The statement that the Commission “will” dismiss the application without prejudice leaves the Commission with no discretion.
If the rules were not clear enough, the D.C. Circuit Court recently confirmed this interpretation. In
Environmentel LLC v. Federal Communications Commission, an applicant withdrew a license transfer application after the Commission had granted the application but before filing of a notice of consummation. The FCC dismissed the notice of consummation on the ground that the application had already been withdrawn.
In denying a Motion for Reconsideration, the Commission noted that “the processing of [the] withdrawal request was a routine matter” and that “[w]hat the Division did in this case was to act according to its standard procedures in processing the withdrawal request.”
On appeal, the FCC noted that “FCC staff processed [the] withdrawal request as a routine matter and granted the withdrawal.” And it further stated:
Under the Commission’s licensing rules, an assignor may file an application to assign its license, or a portion thereof, to another. Once filed, “the proposed assignor” – the licensee of record – “may request withdrawal of [the] assignment application” and may do so at any time until the prospective assignee formally notifies the Commission that the assignment has been consummated. Upon receipt of such a request, the Commission “will dismiss that application.”
The DC Circuit Court agreed, making clear that the FCC must abide by its rules and that, under Section 1.934(a)(1), an applicant has a right to the dismissal of an application if the applicant withdraws it:
[T]he FCC did not have any responsibility to investigate circumstances surrounding the assignment application beyond reviewing the documents formally filed with the FCC. Moreover, FCC regulations provide that once an assignment application has been filed, the proposed assignor may request withdrawal of that application. Upon the applicant’s request, the regulations mandate that “the Commission will dismiss that application.” 47 C.F.R. § 1.934(a) (emphasis added). The Mobility Division properly complied with this regulation by dismissing [the] assignment application upon his request.
In short, the FCC took the view and the Court agreed that applicants have a right to withdraw without prejudice a pending application for transfer of wireless licenses at any time prior to consummation of the transaction and that processing of such a request is merely a ministerial act.
The mandatory language of Section 1.934, bolstered by the Commission’s position and the D.C. Circuit’s decision in
Environmentel, make clear that the Applicants have an absolute right to withdraw their applications in this matter without prejudice to their ability to refile in the future should they elect to do so. Thus, there shouldn’t be much controversy around the withdrawal of our applications last Wednesday. Yet Public Knowledge and MAP, relying on their usual tortured reading of Commission rules, contend that the FCC should somehow proceed with its review. Unnamed sources at the Commission have also been suggesting that the FCC has discretion to deny or otherwise side-step our withdrawal to keep its review alive, at least long enough to issue its draft Hearing Designation Order (HDO).
It defies logic that an agency with limited resources would continue to press forward on a transaction review even though the parties have withdrawn the applications that initiated that review. There are essentially two reasons why an applicant would withdraw a merger application – either it intends to abandon the transaction altogether, or it plans to submit a new application reflecting changes to the transaction or materially changed circumstances. Either way, a draft recommendation from staff on the withdrawn transaction is irrelevant and potentially prejudicial.
But according to Public Knowledge and MAP, they believe that the HDO itself will prove “invaluable to the determination” of the Department of Justice (DoJ) suit. In other words, the FCC needs to move forward to help a second independent agency that has its own
independent statutory review process and completely separate legal standards at trial. And this help is apparently needed despite the fact the DoJ conducted its own investigation, has access to every scrap of paper and digital byte that has been filed at the FCC and is continuing to conduct extensive discovery against the parties in preparation for litigation.
I have long been a critic of the dual agency transaction review process to which telecommunications deals are subject. The kind of tag-team process recommended here by Public Knowledge and MAP is just another reason why we should re-examine that process. Once an Application has been withdrawn, there is simply no transaction pending before the FCC to designate for a hearing or take any other action.
Despite PK and MAP’s desperate desire to wave around a draft HDO, this draft HDO is simply not a final order. For one thing, it was not even voted by the Commission. But more importantly, the hearing designation process is intended to isolate factual disputes and allow the applicants an evidentiary hearing to demonstrate their case before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). The ALJ serves as the arbiter of fact that the Commission would have to consider as part of its order determining whether to approve or reject this transaction. There aren’t any FINAL facts yet – even for the Commission to consider – until a hearing is concluded.
So, while it would certainly serve Public Knowledge’s and MAP’s advocacy interests to have the HDO released, it would be a miscarriage of the careful statutory procedural requirements imposed by Congress upon the FCC. And, again, one would have to ask the question of why an agency with limited resources would spend taxpayer dollars in that manner.
We understand that ultimately we will need FCC approval before we can consummate a transaction. But we won’t come to that bridge unless the transaction itself or key circumstances have changed. In the meantime, FCC authority over the matter ceased when we withdrew our applications. | 7,695 | 3,291 | 0.000314 |
warc | 201704 | Asset Freezes Among Steps Obama Urged to Take on Cyber Thieves
President Barack Obama must take tougher actions than those specified so far to deter cyber attacks on vital computer networks, including freezing offenders’ assets or denying them entry into the U.S., cybersecurity experts said.
Obama’s administration yesterday pledged to share more intelligence with companies about nations involved in economic espionage and methods used to steal corporate information, and to study the need for stronger U.S. laws against trade-secret theft. That came after Obama issued an executive order Feb. 12 to develop voluntary cybersecurity standards for companies operating power grids, telecommunication networks and banks.
Neither move would impose fines or penalties, and the executive order doesn’t require standards to be developed for a year. Obama’s administration announced its trade-secret strategy a day after computer-security firm Mandiant Corp. said the Chinese army is probably the source of hacking attacks against at least 141 companies since 2006.
“We’ve reached a point where we need to have some teeth to our response,” Adam Segal, senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said in a phone interview yesterday. “We can’t go around saying that this is the largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history and then just continue on the same course of action.”
U.S. counterintelligence officials in 2011 called China the world’s biggest perpetrator of economic espionage, saying cyber theft is jeopardizing an estimated $398 billion in U.S. research spending.
Targeted Penalties
The U.S. government punishes companies, other governments and individuals for smuggling drugs or trafficking in conflict diamonds, Stewart Baker, a former assistant secretary for policy at the Department of Homeland Security, said in a phone interview yesterday. The government could deter cyber attacks or trade-secret theft by some of the same means, he said.
Those would include denying individuals or companies that perpetrate hacking or benefit from cyber attacks the right to operate in the U.S., said Baker, a partner at the Washington law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP.
The House Intelligence Committee last year urged U.S. telecommunications companies not to do business with Chinese network-equipment makers Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. (000063), saying they could be conduits for the Chinese government to install malicious hardware or software in U.S. networks.
“There are a lot of ways to raise the price of this kind of activity now that we know that the security of the attackers is no better than the security of the people they are attacking,” Baker said, referring to the ability of Alexandria, Virginia-based Mandiant to trace hacking to a neighborhood that includes the headquarters of a Chinese military unit.
Asset Freezes
The administration could freeze cyber thieves’ funds in U.S. banks or seize their property, Baker said.
In announcing the trade-secret strategy yesterday, administration officials said it was aimed at more than computer-based theft. They said the pace of economic espionage is accelerating through recruitment of current and former employees of companies, as well as cyber intrusions against U.S. businesses, law firms, universities and financial institutions.
“A hacker in China can acquire source code from a software company in Virginia without leaving his or her desk,” Attorney General Eric Holder said. “With a few keystrokes, a terminated or simply unhappy employee from a defense contractor can misappropriate designs, processes and formulas worth billions of dollars.”
Failed Legislation
Obama issued his cybersecurity order after Congress failed last year to pass a bill to better defend critical computer networks. U.S. Senate Republicans including Arizona Senator John McCain have joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in opposing legislation they say could lead to new cybersecurity regulations on companies.
U.S. Representatives Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican, and C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, a Maryland Democrat, reintroduced a proposal Feb. 13 to give legal protection for companies that share cyber threat information with each other and the government.
The bill passed the House last April and failed to advance in the Senate after Obama threatened a veto, saying the measure didn’t go far enough to boost defenses and failed to protect privacy of consumer data.
Improving Defenses
Obama’s executive order directs regulatory agencies to require the companies they oversee to meet mandatory cybersecurity standards, which will help improve security for those businesses, said James Lewis, a senior fellow and director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Companies might feel pressure to improve their digital defenses once the standards are developed next year, he said.
Still, the standards are voluntary, and nothing in the executive order will help deter cyber attacks on U.S. critical networks in the near future, Lewis said in a telephone interview yesterday.
The Obama administration could deny U.S. visas to the commanders of the Chinese military unit named in the Mandiant report, Lewis said.
A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, Hong Lei, denied any military involvement in cyber attacks and said his department has been a victim of them.
Lewis called for a progression of steps to engage China, with fines and penalties when other options fail.
‘Hard Options’
“Don’t go to the hard options until you’ve exhausted some of the other options,” he said. “Let them know it’s coming, though.”
The Obama administration should also work with international organizations like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on preventing cyber espionage, David Fidler, a law professor and cybersecurity scholar at Indiana University, said in a phone interview yesterday.
“What China is going to worry about is the United States pushing a diplomatic initiative on a global scale,” he said. “We need to begin changing attitudes and pressure. The smart way to do it is a strategic initiative across multiple forums.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Strohm in Washington at cstrohm1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bernard Kohn at bkohn2@bloomberg.net | 6,544 | 3,011 | 0.000343 |
warc | 201704 | DEAR 952.204-73
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of Energy facility clearance, generally need not resubmit the
following FOCI information unless specifically requested to do so,
instead, provide your DOE facility clearance code or your DOD
assigned commercial and government entity (CAGE) code. If uncertain,
consult the office which issued this solicitation.
(a) Use of Certificate Pertaining to Foreign Interests,
Standard Form 328
The contract
work anticipated by this solicitation will require access to
classified information or special nuclear material. Such access
will require a facility clearance for the contractor
organization and access authorizations (security clearances) for
contractor personnel working with the classified information or
special nuclear material. To obtain a facility clearance the
offeror must submit a Certificate Pertaining to Foreign
Interests, Standard Form 328.
Information
submitted by the offeror in response to the Standard Form 328
shall be used solely for the purposes of evaluating FOCI and
shall be treated by the DOE, to the extent permitted by law, as
business or financial information submitted in confidence.
Following
submission of a Standard Form 328, the contractor shall
immediately submit to the contracting officer written
notification of any changes in the extent and nature of FOCI
which could affect the offeror’s answers to the questions in
Standard Form 328. Notice of changes in ownership or control
which are required to be reported to the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, or the Department of
Justice shall also be furnished concurrently to the contracting
officer.
(b) Definitions
(1) A
foreign interest is defined as any of the following:
A foreign
government, foreign government agency, or representative of a
foreign government.
Any form of
business enterprise or legal entity organized, chartered or
incorporated under the laws of any country other than the United
States or its possessions and trust territories; and
Any person
who is not a citizen or national of the United States.
(2) Foreign
ownership, control, or influence (FOCI) means the situation where
the degree of ownership, control, or influence over a contractor by
a foreign interest is such that a reasonable basis exists for
concluding that compromise of classified information or special
nuclear material may result.
(c) A facility
clearance is an administrative determination that a facility is
eligible for access to classified information or special nuclear
materials. A Facility Clearance shall be based upon a determination
that satisfactory safeguards and security measures are afforded the
activities being performed at the facility. It is DOE policy that
all contractors or subcontractors requiring access to classified
information or special nuclear material be processed for a Facility
Clearance at the level appropriate to the activities being performed
at the facility. Approval for a Facility Clearance shall be based
upon;
A favorable
foreign ownership, control, or influence (FOCI) determination.
This determination will be based upon the contractor’s response
to the ten questions in Standard Form 328 and any supporting
data provided by the contractor. Prior to award of a contract,
the DOE must determine that award of the contract to the offeror
will not pose an undue risk to the common defense and security
as a result of its access to classified information or special
nuclear material in the performance of the contract. The
contracting officer may require the offeror to submit such
additional information as deemed pertinent to this
determination.
A contract
containing the appropriate security clauses.
Approved
safeguards and security plans which describe protective measures
appropriate to the classified activities being performed at the
facility.
If access to
nuclear materials is involved, an established Reporting
Identification Symbol code for the Nuclear Materials Management
and Safeguards Reporting System.
For a facility
to possess classified matter or special nuclear material at its
location, a survey conducted no more than 6 months before the
facility clearance date, with a composite facility rating of
satisfactory.
Appointment of
a Facility Security Officer, and, if applicable, a Materials
Control and Accountability Representative. The Facility Security
Officer must possess an access authorization equivalent to the
Facility Clearance.
Access
authorization for key management personnel. Key management
personnel, who will be determined on a case-by-case basis, must
possess access authorizations equivalent to the level of the
Facility Clearance.
(d) A Facility
Clearance is required even for contracts which do not require
contractor’s offices to receive, process, reproduce, store,
transmit, or handle classified information or special nuclear
material, but which require DOE access authorizations for the
contractor’s employees to perform work at DOE location. This type
facility is identified as a non-possessing facility.
(e) Facility
Clearances are required prior to the granting of an access
authorization under a contract.
(f) Except
as otherwise authorized in writing by the contracting officer, the
provisions of any resulting contract shall require that the
contractor insert provisions similar to the foregoing in all
subcontracts and purchase orders. Any subcontractors requiring
access authorizations for access to classified information or
special nuclear material shall be directed to provide responses to
the questions in Standard Form 328 of this provision directly to the
local Office of Safeguards and Security cognizant of the prime
contract,
NOTICE TO
OFFERORS – CONTENTS REVIEW – Please Review Before Submitting
Prior to
submitting the Standard Form 328, required by paragraph (a)(1)
above, the offeror should review the FOCI submission to ensure
that:
The SF328 has
been signed and dated by an authorized official of the company;
If publicly
owned, the contractor’s most recent annual report, and its most
recent proxy statement for its annual meeting of stockholders
have been attached;
A copy of the
company’s articles of incorporation and an attested copy of the
company’s by-laws, or similar documents filed for the company’s
existence and management, and all amendments to those documents.
A list
identifying the organization’s owners, officers, directors, and
executive personnel, including their names; social security
numbers-, citizenship; titles of all positions they hold within
the organization; and what clearances, if any, they possess or
are in the process of obtaining and identification of the
government agency(ies) that granted or will be granting those
clearances;
A
consolidated financial information report has been attached;
A FOCI
submission has been attached for each tier parent organization
(i.e. ultimate parent and any intervening levels of ownership;
and,
A summary
FOCI data sheet.
NOTE. If any of
these documents are missing, the contracting officer cannot
complete award of the contract.
Last Modified: September 25, 2006
Please forward all questions about this site to:
John Collins | 7,647 | 3,134 | 0.000328 |
warc | 201704 | The U.S. job market continued to eke out slow but steady gains in 2013. In the 12 months ending in November, the unemployment rate fell 0.8%, the number of payroll jobs increased 2.3 million, real weekly earnings climbed 1½%, and the number of unemployed workers sank more than 700,000, or a little more than one-seventh. The labor market remains a long way from perfect health, but it is in better shape than it was a year ago.
Since private-sector employment began growing again in March 2010, private payrolls have increased 8.1 million, erasing more than 90% of the job losses experienced in the Great Recession. This still leaves us with 760,000 fewer private-sector jobs than we had when the recession began. Government payrolls shrank in 2013, though at a considerably slower pace than in the previous three years. Since the recession began in December 2007, public employment has fallen 520,000, or about 2.3%. In the 12 months through November 2013 government payrolls slipped just 22,000, however. There are signs that an improving budget outlook may mean that state and local public employment will begin to recover in the next year.
Many indicators suggest that the job market has improved for Americans who are lucky enough to hold jobs. Average hourly pay has edged up, as already noted, and the chances a worker will be laid off have dipped. According to a survey of employers, the layoff rate has fallen about one-third compared with the worst year of the Great Recession. In fact, over the past year the layoff rate has been a bit lower than it was during the expansion phase of the last business cycle. First-time claims for unemployment benefits continued to fall in 2013. Except for a temporary spike in claims connected to the federal government shutdown in October, new claims have sunk to levels last seen in the expansions of the late 1990s and the middle of the last decade.
Workers’ improving confidence is reflected in the quit rate. Employees who are fearful about their job prospects are ordinarily reluctant to leave their jobs voluntarily. In the worst part of the Great Recession the quit rate fell to a historically low level, and it has remained low throughout the recovery. Even though the quit rate remains below where it was in 2006 and 2007, it has increased significantly in the past two years. One reason that real wage gains have been meager and business profits high in this expansion is that workers have a weak bargaining position. If more of them were willing to quit their jobs and seek better paid positions elsewhere, the bargaining power and wage gains of workers might improve.
Though the job statistics continue to improve, the situation facing the nation’s long-term unemployed remains grim. From peak to trough the Great Recession eliminated about 8.7 million public and private payroll jobs. As of November, we still had 1.3 million fewer jobs than we did at the end of the last economic expansion. Because the working-age population is growing, we need employment to grow between 75,000 and 90,000 every month in order to keep the unemployment rate from rising. Although payroll gains since the start of the expansion have comfortably exceeded that monthly threshold, we are only slowly reducing the ranks of the unemployed. The nation needs roughly 7 million more jobs to bring the labor market back to full employment. Given the current rate of economic expansion it will take several more years to whittle down the number of unemployed to reach that goal.
Related
People in long unemployment spells face two hard problems. The first is paying for food, shelter, and other necessities in the absence of a regular paycheck. Unemployment compensation helps with that problem by replacing part of the weekly income provided by a paycheck. The President and Congress strengthened unemployment compensation early in the Great Recession by extending the duration of unemployment benefits from 26 weeks (the usual benefit duration in good times) up to 99 weeks in states with the highest unemployment rates. These benefit extensions gradually shrank as state unemployment rates fell. Unless Congress changes its mind, the benefit extensions will cease altogether at the end of this year, pushing 1.3 million UI recipients off the rolls. People who got a layoff notice after July 2013 will qualify for just 6 months of benefits, even though their job prospects are poor. Many of them will be jobless for far longer than 6 months. When extended unemployment benefits expire in January, the spending power of the nation’s unemployed will be slashed about $20 billion a year.
The long-term unemployed face a second problem. Employers tend to discount job applicants who have been unemployed longer than six or eight months. The longer workers have been on layoff the harder it is for their job applications to receive serious consideration from an employer. When the unemployment rate is high employers do not face much of a penalty for bias against the long-term unemployed. The queue of job seekers is so long that many people in the queue have been jobless for only a few weeks or months. In October 2013, BLS surveys showed there were about three job seekers for every job opening reported by an employer. When the odds are stacked this heavily in favor of employers, they don’t have to worry about overlooking the qualifications of job seekers who have been unemployed a long time. Employers’ bias against the long-term becomes more costly in a tight labor market. When unemployment is low, the applicant queue is short and it is more expensive to overlook resumes of qualified applicants who have been jobless more than six months.
Most Americans with jobs fared tolerably well over the past year. Their wages improved modestly and their chances of getting a layoff notice declined. The unemployed, especially those in long-duration spells, have fared worse. In November 2013 the share of the workforce in an unemployment spell that has lasted at least 6 months was 2.6%. Fortunately, the long-term unemployment rate is lower than it was at its peak in 2010. Nonetheless, it is higher than it was in 42 out of the plast 46 years. The nation’s holiday gift to this long-suffering population is to lop off several months of benefit eligibility for unemployment compensation. It is hard to see the economic benefits that will flow from their sacrifice. | 6,446 | 2,826 | 0.000356 |
warc | 201704 | Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds (PAC) are a broad class of compounds whose wide distribution in the environment results from incomplete combustion processes of fossil fuels in power generator, industrial plant and domestic heating, from car exhaust gas and from tobacco smoke. Many PACs are biologically active and in particular many of the PACs with three or more fused rings are carcinogenic. Currently there is concern of the occurrence of these pollutants at ppb (ug.kg-1) le vel. However the predicted 2 to 3% annual increase in the rate of their release into 1 the environment could lead to ppm (ug.g-) levels in the next century. The move to wards stricter control of these pollutants brings with it the need for accurate monito ring of their environmental occurrence. Reliable identification and quantification of these compounds in complex environ mental samples depends greatly on the availability of reference values for their phy sicochemical and biochemical properties. This second volume results from a close collaboration within the General Directorate for Science, Research and Development of the Commission of the European Communities between the Joint Research Centre, Ispra Establishment, the Community Bureau of Reference and expert laboratories of the Member States. | 1,287 | 700 | 0.001431 |
warc | 201704 | Product Description
Currently various collection strategies are implemented in different parts of the world to collect End-of-Life (EOL) products. Since different collectors in the reverse logistics network will influence the performance of a collection strategy, a suitable collection program is required. The objective of this research is to find an optimum collection strategy to suit various environments by considering the costs and the environmental aspects of collection. To design optimum collection strategies, information on the rate of EOL product returns is essential. Therefore, a methodology is proposed to forecast the return of EOL products by considering product life, consumer behaviour and historical sales. This forecast model is then integrated into the collection strategy model. The integrated model is dynamically formulated to present the behaviour of different sets of strategies. Coloured Petri Net (CPN) approach is utilised in the forecasting and modelling of collection strategies. The results indicate that the integrated model will help practitioners in making decisions on implementing a suitable collection strategy for Reverse Logistics.
SKU : COC57201 Author Jessica Hanafi Language English Binding Paperback Number of Pages 244 Publishing Year 2012-01-03T00:00:00.000 ISBN 978-3846536568 Edition 1 st Book Type Production engineering Country of Manufacture India Product Brand LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing Product Packaging Info Box In The Box 1 Piece Product First Available On ClickOnCare.com 2015-06-08 00:00:00 | 1,558 | 838 | 0.001196 |
warc | 201704 | Product Description
The EU as a Strategic Actor presents an exploration of the shifting power structures of the EU as it becomes oriented toward a unique role of global governance utilizing a “soft- hard power” duality in a post-hegemonic era. In the last ten years, an exceptional and diverse series of impacting events have unfolded, all of which pose seemingly discontinuous challenges and threats to the EU and a score of international actors. As higher expectations of international bodies in responding to emerging challenges within the global system continue to surface, the shifting structures of actors dealing with those challenges can be readily observed. With the global conflict map undergoing strident change, the focus of analysts is shifting to the strategic and global role of the European Union. The EU is seen, more than ever, as a viable and legitimate player with the capacity to respond effectively to existing and anticipated crises in a coherent and coordinated manner, particularly through the use of force.
SKU : COC96508 Author Scott Nicholas Romaniuk Language English Binding Paperback Number of Pages 296 Publishing Year 2011-09-14T00:00:00.000 ISBN 978-3639380446 Edition 1 st Book Type Comparative politics Country of Manufacture India Product Brand VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Product Packaging Info Box In The Box 1 Piece Product First Available On ClickOnCare.com 2015-08-14 00:00:00 | 1,430 | 846 | 0.001198 |
warc | 201704 | Product Description
Immigrants affect the United States in various ways. There are a wide variety of demographic, social, economic, and fiscal effects. Immigrants are geographically concentrated, but their effects are distributed through migration and the economy, even to areas where there are few immigrants. One of the best ways to explore the immigrant effect is through the study of migration. Migration reflects immigrants’ effect, both directly and indirectly, through the labor and housing markets. The main findings in this dissertation are the following. First, the concentrations of recent immigrants have a negative effect on in-migration of those with the same educational attainment, especially the in-migration of foreign-born, while there is no clear effect of recent immigrants on out-migration. Second, concentrations of recent immigrants have a stronger effect on the in-migration and out-migration of the foreign-born than they do for the native-born. Finally, there are stronger effects of recent immigrants on domestic migration of those with the same educational attainment in 2008 than was true in 2006.
SKU : COC63917 Author SeongHee Min Language English Binding Paperback Number of Pages 228 Publishing Year 2013-08-08T00:00:00.000 ISBN 9783639516180 Edition 1 st Book Type Economics Country of Manufacture India Product Brand Scholars' Press Product Packaging Info Box In The Box 1 Piece Product First Available On ClickOnCare.com 2015-07-08 00:00:00 | 1,486 | 773 | 0.001302 |
warc | 201704 | At the Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA’s) Mobile Marketing Forum (MMF) last week in New York, almost every publisher, brand, and agency that spoke about its mobile marketing campaigns and successes, mentioned common short codes (CSCs). Unknown to many, CSCs are the five- or six-digit text messaging (or SMS) numbers marketers provide to consumers so they can interactively engage in a campaign.
One of the most popular examples is “American Idol.” Viewers are requested to text in the five- or six-digit number of their favorite Idol. Each translates as a vote. Rather than have consumers enter a long telephone number (xxx-xxx-xxxx), marketers offer CSCs to simplify participation in text-based mobile messaging campaigns. Launched in the United States in 2003, roughly 1,700 CSCs exist today.
Short Code Primer
In the United States, the CSC process is managed by the Common Short Code Administration (CSCA) and is supported by participating wireless carriers, mobile application service providers (MASPs), and aggregators. Any company or brand may acquire a short code, but it must work within the steps and application process outlined by the CSCA to obtain their codes. Brands should also be aware there are monthly leasing rates that apply to each and every short code, very similar to the URL process.
Currently, there are two types of short codes available: random and vanity. Random CSCs are numbers the CSCA randomly assigns; vanity CSCs are selected based on the a brand’s requirements. For example, 12345 would be a random number, whereas NIKE1 could be a vanity code for Nike.
Short code campaigns may be launched as standard SMS programs, in which consumers aren’t charged for the content; or as premium SMS (PSMS) programs, for which consumers are charged. In both instances, the basic messaging charges under the carrier’s rate plan apply. With PSMS, the consumer is also charged an additional fee for the content.
Due to their ease of use for consumers, CSCs help increase consumer response to advertising and marketing promotions. For some, text messaging is new. Thus, it simplifies the data entry process and the ability to participate in campaigns.
To aid in the launch of campaigns, the MMA has released a short code primer (PDF file) that outlines the steps a brand or agency should follow when pursuing a CSC-based mobile marketing campaign.
Brand Uses of Short Codes
At the MMF event last week, I heard several case studies outlining mobile marketing successes using short codes. “GQ” magazine, for example, realized the power of mobile and short codes for its audience. Of the GQ consumer base, 100 percent own cell phones and 93 percent use their phones for text messaging. One campaign GQ launched was a text-to-win promotion using its short code 47624 (GQMAG — a vanity CSC), which consumers could use for a chance to win a Kid Rock CD.
According to Scott Carlis, GQ’s executive marketing director, 64 percent of contestants entered within the first day of the campaign launch. What an incredible response rate — on day one, no less! The campaign’s ease of use and the targeted marketing with a marketing channel consumers already knew and understood helped drive GQ brand awareness and encourage program participation.
Cyriac Roeding, CBS Corp.’s VP of mobile, shared some of CBS’s recent short code-based mobile marketing successes as well: allowing consumers to vote for the returning housemate on “Big Brother”; downloading a ring tone from a new Coldplay song, which launched on “CSI”; and downloading a wallpaper of the housemates from “Big Brother.” All programs were based on a consumer requesting and interacting with the brand through CBS CSCs.
Perhaps one of the best-known short code campaigns, particularly in New York’s Times Square area, was “Wrinkled or Wonderful.” It was connected with Dove’s 2005 “Campaign for Real Beauty” campaign. Dove displayed pictures of women on Web sites and out-of-home advertisements and asked consumers to vote via short code 43683 (4DOVE) whether the woman was wrinkled or wonderful. The campaign encouraged lots of buzz and helped drive non-texter adoption of text messaging and short codes.
Conclusion
As I’ve written numerous times, mobile allows brands to connect with their consumers like never before. It gives them the chance to develop a one-to-one dialogue and relationship with consumers anytime, anywhere. CSCs are one way to do exactly this. They allow brands to offer easy-to-use, relevant, entertaining information that ultimately drives consumer action.
CSCs are easier than many other campaigns out there. I’m able to get information delivered to my fingertips at the point I’m ready to receive it. On that note, I leave you with one of my current favorite short codes with a real-world utilization.
After landing in New York last week, I grabbed a taxi to my hotel. The driver didn’t know the location of my hotel, so I simply entered the text “Paramount Hotel New York City” to 46645 (GOOGL). Within seconds, the hotel’s address and phone number were returned to me, via text message, compliments of Google. Rather than use mobile Web or standard 411 directory assistance, I had the information I needed, when I needed it — while racing through the streets of New York. If you haven’t already participated in a short-code-based campaign, try GOOGL. It’s easy and addictive!
CSCs provide a great alternative for brands to quickly and easily add mobile-messaging-based marketing to their initiatives, including information, text-to-win, interactive voting, and other innovative mobile messaging applications.
Related reading
2017 will be a watershed moment for video, as consumption moves from the TV to other devices.
As it prepares for a 2017 IPO that could be the largest in the social media space since Facebook went public in 2012, all eyes are on Snapchat.
In 2015, Verizon purchased AOL for $4.4 billion. Now, the mega wireless carrier is leveraging its wireless network as part of a new ad offering called BrandBuilder by AOL.
As the ball drops on December 31st, make sure your media strategies are stacked with timely resolutions to make the most of 2017. | 6,370 | 3,037 | 0.00034 |
warc | 201704 | Healthy eating is a top concern for many people and understanding the importance of a balanced diet is crucial to feel and look well. Nutritious food can have a very positive impact in your life and will help you to stay fit and full of energy. Technology has come to serve many aspects of our lives and nutrition is not the exception. Thanks to a great selection of food apps that focus on healthy recipes, you can conveniently work towards implementing more nourishing ingredients in your daily diet. We have chosen the apps that can help you to achieve a good nutrition, thanks to the useful information and delicious recipes that they offer to benefit your health.
Calorie Counter Pro This comprehensive and easy to use diet app, will allow you to plan your meals, keep track of your food intake and exercise and keep you motivated to improve your eating habits and lose weight. It has an extensive database, which can be accessed offline and a built-on barcode scanner that allows you to keep track of what is in your food and control what you eat. It also helps you to track your water intake to make sure that you are drinking enough to stay hydrated. With Calorie Counter Pro, you will get daily and weekly analysis to find out how you can improve your diet. You can get this useful app for $3.99. Harvest It is not a secret that one of the essential aspects of eating well is to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. They contain important nutrients that are beneficial to our health and that wellbeing. With Harvest, you will be able to find the best quality of produce in the market, so you can enjoy fresh an delicious fruits and vegetables every season. The app is a useful a guide to understand how to select and store the best produce items thanks to useful advice and tips. It will show you the pesticide levels so that you can opt for organic alternatives. Harvest is available for $1.99 and you can use it offline. Seasons This is another good app to select the best fruits and vegetables available and enjoy them when they are at their peak. It provides detailed information to help you choose the freshest food according to the season and your location. It offers data for Australia, United Kingdom, Western/Central Europe, Canada and United States. Season lists over 200 items with description and seasonal information so that you can find the best local produce when is naturally fresh. You can download this app for $1.99. Fooducate Fooducate is recognized as one of the best nutrition apps available and many health professionals recommend it due to the detailed level of information that it provides. If you goal is to lose weight, stay fit or learn how to choose the right food, you can rely on Foodcate to help you eat healthier. You can scan a product barcode and the app will give you information about it. It will also offer you healthier options. You can track you food intake and exercise. It is also possible to interact with the Foodcate community. This app is available for free in the App Store. PicHealthy This free app developed by health social network MedHelp, combines healthy eating with social features, allowing you to stay fit by sharing with others pictures of what you eat. You have probably seen countless pictures of food on your friends profiles but this app puts this food photo obsession to good use. With PicHealthy, you can take pictures of your meals, rate them as healthy or unhealthy and let your friends mark them as well. You can get points for eating well and by sharing your eating habits with others, you may be able to stay motivated to maintain a good diet or get back on track if you over-indulged in junk food. | 3,690 | 1,662 | 0.000602 |
warc | 201704 | Disability sailing is for people with physical disabilities and vision impairments. Classification is based on vision, mobility, stability and hand function. Disability sailing classification is the method of allowing sailors with different disabilities to compete, with classification being based on vision, mobility, stability and hand function. Classification is handled by the International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS).
Disabled water sports, also known as Adaptive Water Sports, programs provide accessible water sports and recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Specially designed equipment makes water skiing, wake boarding, scuba diving, sailing, windsurfing, rowing, surfing, and kayaking possible for people with various levels of mobility and ability.
Participation in water sports like kayaking and sailing builds confidence and self esteem, while it challenges the whole person.
The Disabled World water sports category provides listings and articles on water sport opportunities regardless of disability.
Some of the water sports for persons with disabilities include: Scuba diving - Courses in learning to scuba dive take place in most areas so check locally for details. There are some basic requirements which you must meet before you learn. Surfing - Surfing has become very popular in recent years for persons with disabilities. Canoeing - People with or without a disability can participate in canoeing although it is important as a beginner to choose water conditions which are not too rough. Rowing and sailing - Rowing is relatively cheap. You will need to pay something for the cost of joining a club which will give you access to a boat. Clothing is simple shorts and vest. Skulling is a form of rowing where the rower uses two oars. In rowing the rower only uses one. Disability Sailing:
Sailing for athletes with a disability began in the 1980's and was introduced as a Paralympic sport in at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games as a demonstration sport before being given full medal status at the Sydney Paralympics in 2000.
In 1988, the International Handicap Sailing Committee (IHSC), which organized regattas and promoted sailing for people with a disability, was created and in 1990 sailing was accepted as a demonstration sport into the World Games for people with a disability.
Today the sport offers persons with disabilities the opportunity to experience the freedom of sailing.
Many standard boats are suitable for people with disabilities which can be made more accessible by adaptations. Also you will find more and more boats and yachts are being designed with disabled people in mind and used regularly around the world by people with disabilities.
Sailability
Sailability is a world wide organization,which supports and facilitates sailing activities for everybody regardless of ability.
In 1991 Sailability was introduced to Australia, where there are currently over fifty groups covering every State and Territory,
Sailability World Inc. also operates in numerous countries throughout the world, through activities at local Sailability clubs including France, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Greece, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Japan, Malaysia, Timor Leste and USA with new national Sailability organizations currently being established in all parts of the world. Sailability is a "not for profit", volunteer-based organization which, through the activity of sailing, enriches the lives of people with any type of disability, the elderly, the financially and socially disadvantaged.
Safety is a concern with disabled sailors as it is with all other seafarers.
For instance a lack of balance, mobility or agility may require extra support, boat seats, harnesses and life-jackets. Impaired vision can lead to stumbling over unseen obstructions and obstacles. Impaired hearing can mean failure to hear a shouted warning. There are many things you should be aware of if you intend to take up sailing and have a disability. Luckily your local disability sailing group can supply you with answers to your concerns as highly qualified instructors have experience within all aspects of the watersports industry.
There are many adaptations made to the boats to make them safe, for example special boat seats allow the sailors to position themselves so they can control the tiller and sheet without fear of falling. These seats can be as simple as a lawn chair modified to fit a cockpit or as complex as a translating seat, which allows a sailor to switch sides.
Contact your nearest boat club for details of boating opportunities provided for people with disabilities.
Full List of Water Sports Documents (9 Items) | 4,735 | 2,164 | 0.000464 |
warc | 201704 | Rhinaris gel Generic Name: polyethylene glycol/propylene glycol (pol-ee-ETH-i-leen/PROE-pi-leen) Brand Name: Rhinaris Rhinaris gel is used for:
Relieving minor nosebleeds or dry, crusty, stuffy, or irritated nasal passages (nostrils) caused by dry room air, allergies, colds, or other conditions. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Rhinaris gel is nasal lubricant. It works by moisturizing the nose and washing away thick secretions.
Do NOT use Rhinaris gel if: you are allergic to any ingredient in Rhinaris gel
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Before using Rhinaris gel:
Some medical conditions may interact with Rhinaris gel. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Rhinaris gel. However, no specific interactions are known at this time.
Ask your health care provider if Rhinaris gel may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
How to use Rhinaris gel:
Use Rhinaris gel as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
Apply a small amount of Rhinaris gel into each nostril as needed for dry or irritated nasal passages, or as directed by your doctor. If the patient is an infant, apply a small amount of Rhinaris gel to the inside of each nostril with the tip of your little finger. Avoid using cotton swabs or other means of application as these could irritate or damage nasal skin. Use Rhinaris gel on a regular schedule to get the most benefit from it. If you miss a dose of Rhinaris gel and you are taking it regularly, take it as soon as possible. If several hours have passed or if it is nearing time for the next dose, do not double the dose to catch up, unless advised by your health care provider. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Rhinaris gel.
Important safety information: PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Rhinaris gel while you are pregnant. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you use Rhinaris gel, check with your doctor. Discuss any possible risks to your baby. Possible side effects of Rhinaris gel:
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Mild, temporary stinging sensation.
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue).
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.
If OVERDOSE is suspected:
Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center, or emergency room immediately.
Proper storage of Rhinaris gel:
Store Rhinaris gel at room temperature, between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Rhinaris gel out of the reach of children and away from pets.
General information: If you have any questions about Rhinaris gel, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider. Rhinaris gel is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people. If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor. Check with your pharmacist about how to dispose of unused medicine.
This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Rhinaris gel. If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
Disclaimer: This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for you. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this medicine. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. You must talk with your healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this medicine. | 5,355 | 2,241 | 0.000449 |
warc | 201704 | FDA-Led Research Team Discovers An Autoimmune Mechanism for Serious Drug-Induced Adverse Reactions
A team of researchers led by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has discovered a new mechanism for identifying and understanding drug-related autoimmune reactions.
In an article available online today in the journal AIDS1 2, the team found that in certain at-risk patients, the anti-HIV drug Ziagen (abacavir) causes the immune system to “see” a patient’s own healthy tissues and proteins as a foreign invader. The effect is similar to what happens when the immune system recognizes a viral or bacterial protein during an infection.
Abacavir is known to cause allergic reactions in certain, at-risk patients. These reactions can range from mild skin reactions to severe allergic shock and even death.
Abacavir interacts with molecules in the immune system called Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLAs), specifically HLA-B*5701, which help the body to distinguish “self” versus “foreign” proteins. The drug can cause HLA-B*5701 to present for the first time certain “self” proteins that the body has not seen before. Because the body has not previously recognized these “self” proteins, it mistakenly treats them as foreign, resulting in the body trying to destroy its own tissues. HLA-B*5701 is known to be a risk factor for serious reactions to abacavir.
“This discovery is a new step towards understanding how and why certain drugs cause severe allergic reactions in some patients,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “We hope that, in the future, health care professionals will be able to identify people who are at high risk of developing serious reactions to various drugs, and offer them alternative treatments.”
The research team’s work will provide the FDA with new tools to analyze the safety of drugs that have the potential to cause severe allergic reactions. This latest discovery will advance the FDA’s ability to approve therapies that are personalized for safety.
The results also may give biopharmaceutical companies and other research organizations new methods to identify early in the development process drugs with the potential to cause severe adverse drug reactions. This may also serve as a model for future research to predict drug reactions in different populations of at-risk patients.
The research team was led by Michael Norcross, M.D., of the Office of Pharmaceutical Sciences in CDER.
For more information:
Abacavir induces loading of novel self-peptides into HLA-B*57:01: an autoimmune model for HLA-associated drug hypersensitivity3 4
CDER Science and Research5
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
Media Inquiries: Stephanie Yao, 301-796-0394,
stephanie.yao@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 800-INFO-FDA
Posted: May 2012 | 3,343 | 1,622 | 0.000638 |
warc | 201704 | Smartphones, Tablets, and Notebook PCsto Grow at 25.7% CAGR Through 2015
While the consumer electronic (CE) market was once driven by the ability of devices to provide specific functions, like music playback, video, or voice communications, CE devices are increasingly providing multiple functions and Internet connectivity for information, communications, and entertainment. This is resulting in the overlap of features and functions between product categories not only in the mobile segment, but also in other CE devices like digital TVs and set top boxes. As a result, this entire category is morphing into a larger category often referred to as smart devices. These devices are increasingly sharing the same silicon components, operating systems, and application software.There are three leading platforms in the mobile segment—smartphones, tablets, and notebooks PCs—and new In-Stat (www.in-stat.com) research forecasts that this category of mobile “magnet platforms” will grow at a CAGR of 25.7% through 2015 as compared to 8.7% for the overall mobile market.
“The technology driver of all these smart devices is the mobile technology, because it represents the largest and fastest growing segment of the entire electronics market,” says Jim McGregor, Chief Technology Strategist. “Even in PCs, where increasing performance was once the mantra, CPU vendors are now focused on the performance efficiency of mobile computing and using the resulting products to drive advancements in other forms of computing including desktop PCs, servers, and embedded applications. The innovation of the mobile market is being driven by four key factors: richer content, network access for communications and content, increased bandwidth to enable this access, and new technologies. These four factors form a self-sustaining circle of innovation that feeds from and enables each factor.”
Key research findings include:
Only 40% of the mobile SoC TAM will use at least one dedicatedGPU in 2011. It is important to note that both the number of SoCsusing GPUs and the number of GPU cores per SoC is increasingthroughout the forecast period. The mobile SoC TAM will exceed 3.1 billion devices in2015. Intel and Imagination lead the GPU market because of theirdominance in PCs and smartphones, respectively. Combined, thetwo are projected to comprise 61.3% of the GPU technology mobileserviceable available market in 2011. Smartphones will increase from just under 20% of total handsets in 2010 to 43% in 2015. (#IN1105075SI), provides a comprehensivelook at the graphics, or GPUs, with a strong emphasis on theintegrated or intellectual property (IP) solutions that areavailable for mobile consumer electronic (CE) devices. Mobile Graphics: Smartphones Beat the Drum to Which All MarketsMarch [1]
The forecasts in this report include:
Five-year mobile graphics TAM by mobile device platform CE device forecasts for cellphones, smartphones, notebook PCs, tablets, digital cameras, MP3 players, personal navigation devices, e-readers, handheld game consoles, digital camcorders, portable media players, and mini-note PCs (netbooks). Market shares for 2010 and estimated for 2011 for vendor and GPU technology: smartphones, notebook PCs, tablets, e-readers, handheld game consoles, portable media players, and mini-note PCs (netbooks). Vendor profiles including AMD, ARM, Digital Media Professionals (DMP), Imagination Technologies, Intel, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Vivante.
This research is part of In-Stat's Mobile Technology service, which provides analysis of the market for technologies, IP, and semiconductors that enable next-generation mobile devices, including processors, graphics, modems, GPS, displays, memory, storage, operating systems, software, and human interfaces.
Related In-Stat research:
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SOURCE [12] | 3,910 | 1,856 | 0.000546 |
warc | 201704 | This paper analyzes the effects of distance as a common determinant of exports and FDI in a three factors New Trade Theory model assuming that distance affects both pure trade costs and plant set-up costs. Exports and FDI are not necessarily substitutes with respect to distance since the predicted sign depends on its importance for fixed plant set-up costs relative to transportation costs. For the empirical specification, we suggest that the impact of of time-invariant variables such as distance is most appropriately analyzed in a Hausman-Taylor SUR model. In our application, outward FDI is negatively affected by distance while its effect on exports is insignificant. Exports and outward FDI are complementary with respect to the time-invariant unobserved factors and also with respect to the majority of the exogenous observed determinants.
Subjects:
Multinationals New trade theory Panel econometrics | 914 | 484 | 0.002075 |
warc | 201704 | Onumah, Edward E. Hoerstgen-Schwark, Gabriele Brümmer, Bernhard
Year of Publication:
2009
Series/Report no.:
Diskussionspapiere // Department für Agrarökonomie und Rurale Entwicklung 0907
Abstract:
This paper examines the productivity of hired and family labour and determinants of technical inefficiency of fish farms in Ghana. A modified Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function which accounts for zero usage of family and hired labour is employed on cross-sectional data of 150 farmers collected in 2007. The results reveal that family labour, hired labour, feed, seed, land, other cost and extension visit have reasserting influence on fish farm production. Findings also show that family and hired labour used for fish farming production in Ghana may be equally productive. The combined effects of operational and farm specific factors (age, experience, land, gender, pond type and education) influence technical inefficiency although individual effects of some variables may not be significant. Mean technical efficiency is estimated to be 79 percent. Given the present state of technology and input level, the possibility of enhancing production can be achieved by reducing technical inefficiency by 21 percent through adoption of practices of the best fish farm.
Subjects:
Ghana fish farms technical inefficiency hired and family labour stochastic frontier. | 1,402 | 759 | 0.001341 |
warc | 201704 | Monetary policy frameworks in the Asia and Pacific region have performed well in the past decade as judged by inflation outcomes. We argue that this is due to three principal factors: (i) central banks have focused on price stability as the primary objective of monetary policy, (ii) institutional setups have been put in place that are supportive of the central banks' abilities to carry out their objectives, and (iii) economic policies in general have been supportive of the pursuit of price stability, in particular the adoption of prudent fiscal policies that have reduced concerns of fiscal dominance. The financial systems in the region have also held up well in the face of the current crisis, notwithstanding more adverse liquidity conditions in several markets and pressures on certain exchange rates that spilled over from the West. It may nevertheless be useful to ask whether changes in monetary policy frameworks should be contemplated. This paper concludes that: (i) for economies with well developed financial markets, there may be little value in using unconventional monetary policies in the absence of financial crises, because in normal times such policies are not likely to be effective and may further reduce the efficiency of the financial market; (ii) a good case can be made for elevating the role of the misalignment of asset prices (including exchange rates) and financial imbalances in the conduct of monetary policy; and (iii) financial stability should take on greater importance as an objective for public policy. Whether and how much of the financial stability objective should be assigned to the central bank is still an open question. | 1,670 | 815 | 0.001228 |
warc | 201704 | Elgar original reference Edited by Philip Cooke, Bjørn Asheim, Ron Boschma, Ron Martin, Dafna Schwartz and Franz Tödtling Chapter 34: Intermediaries in Regional Innovation Systems: Role and Challenges for Policy Extract
34 Intermediaries in regional innovation systems: role and challenges for policy Claire Nauwelaers INTRODUCTION Even before the advent of the 2008 economic crisis, which highlighted the value of real assets based on economic activity, innovation has been continuously rising higher on policy agendas. Being innovative is nowadays clearly acknowledged as a necessity for companies and territories alike, not as a luxury. The slogan ‘innovate or die’ has found its way into policy circles and, in the period 1990–2010, innovation has been established as a new and legitimate policy domain. That trend is present at all levels of governance; the regional level has certainly not escaped this wave, as many contributions in this Handbook witness. The history of innovation policies in European regions, although still young, already involves a large number of experiences, and new initiatives continue to accumulate on top of traditional ones, to form a rich body of evolving policy practices. Amongst these practices, the establishment of so-called innovation intermediaries is particularly popular at the regional level. This rather fuzzy concept of regional innovation intermediaries covers in reality a wide diversity of specific organizations, established or supported by regional authorities, with the purpose to care for companies’ needs for innovation. After a period characterized by an attitude of ‘letting a thousand of flowers blossom’, public authorities are faced today with an urgent need to optimize a system that has in most cases grown in a somewhat anarchic way, lacking strategic governance. In many regions, both individual and collective...
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warc | 201704 | 1 Answer | Add Yours
This is a real interesting question. The short answer would be, depends on whom you are asking. I think that the one overriding connection between both Sinclair's depiction as well as the ongoing challenges in the modern setting with regards to the housing crisis is that regular people, middle class or individuals on the lower economic end, are left holding the bag. These are the people who are left challenged by the larger configurations of capitalism. Certainly, one could argue that there consumers should have exercised more prudent judgment in obtaining loans or mortgages for homes that could never have been paid. These arguments were applied to people in Sinclair's time, suggesting that they should have left jobs that were abusing their workers. Yet, I think that while these arguments have validity, they do not fully represent the reality that a configuration where individuals are let loose to make unprecedented profit without any sort of guidance from the government is bound to feature abuses of power. I think that a strong connection between both settings would be this need for oversight or some type of assistance for those who wind up on the lower end of reality. The predicaments of Jurgis and Ona as well as the family of four that is being crushed under a mountain of debt are very similar in that both are victims to capitalism. While individuals could argue that one has to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps," it is a fairly cold and detached social or governmental order that would cut these individuals loose and force them to fend for themselves after actively encouraging them to partake in the capitalist order.
We’ve answered 319,200 questions. We can answer yours, too.Ask a question | 1,758 | 911 | 0.001105 |
warc | 201704 | Wall Street had a red day to end January, but it was a productive month for the bulls on the whole. For the day, the Dow closed down 49.84 points, the S&P 500 was off by 3.85 points and the Nasdaq edged 0.18 points lower as the extended rally is looking a little winded and lacking a catalyst to push the Dow and S&P to record highs.
On a weekly basis, the Dow gave back 0.25 percent (-35.40 points), the S&P 500 surrendered 0.32 percent (-4.85 points) and the Nasdaq carved off 0.24 percent (-7.58 points).
From a monthly perspective, the Dow notched gains of 5.77 percent (+756.44 points), the S&P 500 rose 5.04 percent (+71.92 points) and the Nasdaq advanced 4.06 percent (+122.62 points). It was the best percentage-gain January for the S&P 500 since 1989.
A flurry of earnings were delivered during the month that blew past analyst predictions which helped spur the markets higher along with a smattering of upbeat economic data. Friday will kick-off February on a quieter note for earnings. To date, about half of the S&P 500-listed companies have reported with more than 70 percent beating estimates.
On Friday, reporting from Dow and S&P 500 components will be scant, but analysts and investors will be looking for last-quarter performance from Big Lots Inc. (BIG) and Pepco Holdings Inc. (POM). Estimates are calling for earnings per share of $1.99 from Big Lots and 20 cents per share from Pepco.
A couple other household names reporting, will be
Foot Locker, Inc. (FL) with estimates of 72 cents per share in earnings and Martha Stewart Living (MSO) with analysts expecting a mere 3 cents per share in earnings.
So what will be market drivers on February 1? More than likely, the market is going to react to news on the economy, considering the heavily watched latest unemployment rate is coming. Friday will bring:
The Employment Situation for January from the Labor Department with economists expecting the unemployment rate to drop from 7.8 percent in December to 7.7 percent in January. Nonfarm employment slipped in December to the country adding 155,000 new jobs, following 161,000 in November and 137,000 in October.
The Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing Index for January with economists predicting a flat month compared to December’s 50.7 reading. Readings over 50 signal expansion in the manufacturing sector.
Also on tap to a lesser degree is Reuters/University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index for January (estimates of a mild increase from 71.3 in December to 71.5).
DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer | 2,918 | 1,483 | 0.000681 |
warc | 201704 | - It's a perfect record for the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, where all six of its applicants have been granted prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards for 2012.
CAREER Awards are given to outstanding junior-level faculty members to help them build successful research programs. Recipients "exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations," according to the NSF.
The grants are among the most prestigious grants in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and are one of the few awards factored into the official Top American Research University rankings. They are given to tenure-track faculty members and each must integrate research with teaching.
Jeffrey Rimer, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is the sixth winner and latest recipient of a CAREER award at Cullen. Rimer won a five-year, $400,000 grant to further his research into zeolites.
With this win, Rimer joins five other engineering junior faculty members who have received CAREER awards this year. The other engineering recipients are Jiming Bao, Jacinta Conrad, Debora Rodrigues, Wei-Chuan Shih and Gila Stein.
Joseph W. Tedesco, dean of the Cullen College of Engineering, said the college's strong showing in the CAREER competition is proof of the advances the college has made in recent years.
"The Cullen College's faculty ranks have grown by more than 20 percent since 2007," Tedesco said. "These CAREER Awards prove that we've brought in some truly outstanding young researchers who will help take our research program to new heights. We are proud of them all!"
Additionally, UH's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics had two CAREER winners this year: Ognjen Miljanic and Angela Moeller, both assistant professors of chemistry.
Rimer, the latest CAREER recipient, will use the grant money to expand his efforts to improve zeolites, a class of catalysts used in the petroleum and chemical industries to create a range of different products, from ion-exchange additives in detergents to gasoline and alternative fuels.
Rimer has developed - and recently won a full patent for - a method to produce ultra-thin zeolites.
"An ideal catalyst is a thin crystal with high porous surface area, allowing molecules to enter, react, and then diffuse rapidly," Rimer said.
During the synthesis of commercial-grade zeolites, the individual crystals grow through the attachment of growth units to the zeolite surface. Rimer has discovered certain molecules that attach to specific zeolite surfaces and block growth units from attaching, thereby tailoring the size and shape of zeolite crystals.
While the modified zeolites retain the same basic shape, through this process they can measure as thick as 100 nanometers, about 10-times thinner than unmodified zeolites.
With his earlier research to validate the approach of using zeolite modifiers, Rimer worked primarily with commercially available molecules. The CAREER award will allow him to create entirely new molecules to tailor the growth of specific zeolites. In doing so, he aims to develop a rational system for creating such molecules for any targeted zeolite.
"When we understand how a small library of molecules can tailor the shape of any single zeolite, we can think about other modifier-zeolite combinations," Rimer said. "If you were to take a zeolite that hasn't been studied by this approach, could you, based on its structure, predict a set of four or five molecules that may be effective in controlling its growth? The goal is to expand our understanding of how this works and establish some guidelines for creating these molecules." | 3,869 | 1,882 | 0.000535 |
warc | 201704 | Better, faster methods for determining concrete bridge deck conditions.
Standardized plans, designs, and concepts to use prefabricated elements to build and replace bridges faster.
Comprehensive guidance to select and design durable bridge systems and components that are both easier to inspect and better-suited to their environments.
Using nondestructive testing technologies to rapidly and comprehensively pinpoint defects in or behind tunnel linings.
Geotechnology selection guidance and engineering tools for embankment, ground improvement, and pavement support applications.
Performance specifications to speed construction, reduce oversight, and encourage innovative approaches. | 692 | 405 | 0.002494 |
warc | 201704 | Publication Details Impact of Design Features on Pavement Response and Performance in Rehabilitated Flexible and Rigid Pavements Primary Topic: Pavement Design Description: The primary focus of this research was to determine the effects of design and construction features, such as overlay thickness and mix type, presence of milling, and type of restoration, on pavement response and performance and to establish their importance in the prediction of future performance of rehabilitated pavements. Long-Term Pavement Performance program Specific Pavement Study (SPS)-5 and SPS-6 experiments provided information to obtain a better understanding of the effects of design and construction features on pavement response and performance of rehabilitated flexible and rigid pavements. The research findings provide guidance to identify appropriate features and rehabilitation alternatives for different pavement types and recommendations for improving data collection activities. The analyses results obtained in this study help determine the causes of distress and formulate models for predicting performance of rehabilitated pavements. Additionally, data from SPS-3 and SPS-4 experiments were used to determine the effectiveness and timing of preventive maintenance treatments. The findings suggest that it is possible to determine significant differences between treatment alternatives with respect to pavement performance and treatment timing. Performance of rehabilitated pavement sections from SPS-5 and SPS-6 were also examined using the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide and compared with the field performance.(1). FHWA Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-10-066 Publication Year: 2011 | 1,695 | 783 | 0.001279 |
warc | 201704 | Home Equity Line of Credit
Home improvements and debt consolidation are two of the most popular uses of a home equity line of credit financing. Other uses may include paying for major expenses like a wedding, your child's education, or car repairs.
The amount you can borrow is largely determined by taking your home's appraised or fair market value, and subtracting the balances of any outstanding mortgages and liens on the property.
For home equity lines of credit, you will receive a bill each month that you carry a balance. You are only obligated to pay the monthly interest payment. The line of credit feature allows you to pay more than the interest payment when you are able and then borrow from the line again. Interest payments on a home equity loan or line of credit may be tax deductible. Consult your tax advisor regarding deductibility of interest.
The following brochure contains important information regarding your Home Equity Line of Credit. Please read "What You Should Know About Home Equity Lines of Credit" prior to applying. | 1,056 | 571 | 0.001765 |
warc | 201704 | Response to an article in the Observer about Academy performance.
Last weekend’s Observer made a number of claims about academy performance. Much of their analysis was based on a simplistic comparison between all schools and academies - nearly all of which were previously failing local authority maintained schools. As academies are having to recover from such a low base such a comparison is nonsensical.
The Observer also claim that academies with poor results in 2008 have improved no faster than maintained schools with poor results over the same period. But this analysis excludes the most successful academies that opened between 2001 to 2007 and which had already seen huge improvements. Research by the LSE found results were strongest for schools that have been academies for longer.
Furthermore:
The analysis of progress measures is limited because the league tables consider progress of pupils over the full five years in secondary school. All pupils in academies will have spent the majority of their time in the underperforming predecessor school not the academy. They do not take into account spill-over effects, e.g. local authority schools improving because an academy has opened nearby (as the London School of Economics has suggested is happening). They have used a narrow way of comparing schools, looking purely at the free school meal intake.
The government and the NAO actually use a wider range of data to create comparator statistics. We look at FSM rates, previous results and prior attainment levels of pupils. This means we are genuinely comparing like for like.
Facts on academy results This year, yet again, academies’ GCSE results improved by nearly twice the level seen across all maintained schools Attendance figures at academies are rising faster than in other schools, and the number of NEETs are falling faster in academies than other schools. (NAO report) The London Schools of Economics (LSE) found that academies improve faster than comparator schools even when controlling for pupil intake and the use of GCSE “equivalent” qualifications. They also found that academies effect helped raise standards in other local schools The attainment rate for FSM pupils in academies improved by 8.0 percentage points between 2009 and 2010. This more than double the improvement rate recorded in comparable schools (3.1 percentage points) and also much higher than the national improvement rate for FSM pupils (4.3 percentage points). Results in sponsored academies are generally higher for those that have been open the longest. In 2011, the proportion of pupils achieving 5+ A*to C including English and maths was 42.7 % in sponsored academies open for one year and 52.0 % in those open for 5 or more years. (Department for Education research)
Individual sponsor groups show big rises across their academies. For example:
Harris Federation academies averaged a 13 percentage point increase.
ARK Schools academies averaged a 11 percentage point increase.
Oasis showed an average 9.5 percentage point improvement across their academies which had been open for 2 years.
ULT results show a 7.5 percentage point improvement across their 17 academies - with 6 academies showing improvements of more than 10 percentage points.
Below is the full quote given to the Observer:
A Department spokesman said:
This is a weak and poor snapshot analysis - it’s ridiculous to lump in the lowest performing schools which may have only become academies 5 months ago, with ones which have been established for years.
The fact is that the longer the vast majority of sponsored academies are open, the better the results - far outstripping the underperforming schools they replaced, far faster than the national average and with higher proportion rated outstanding by Ofsted. We know that the poorest pupils make faster progress in academies than in other state schools. The critics can’t ignore overwhelming international evidence which shows that giving schools independence drives up standards and LSE’s research that academies have a knock on effect on results in neighbouring schools.
We do not hesitate in taking robust action in any state-school which does not improve at the pace we expect. Ministers have tough powers to intervene where needed - including removing sponsor, or taking control of the governing body.
DfE enquiries
Central newsdesk 020 7783 8300
General enquiries 0370 000 2288 | 4,464 | 2,013 | 0.000503 |
warc | 201704 | Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 27% from 2014 to 2024, significantly faster than the forecasted 7% average growth for all occupations.
Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities, such as Alzheimer's disease, cerebral palsy, autism, or the loss of a limb
The demand for occupational therapists will increase as the large baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life. Specifically, occupational therapists help senior citizens maintain their independence by recommending home
modifications and strategies that make daily activities easier.
Occupational therapists also play a large role in the treatment of numerous conditions commonly associated with aging, such as osteoarthritis and
Parkinson's disease. Patients will continue to seek noninvasive outpatient treatment for long-term disabilities and illnesses, either in their homes or in residential care environments which, in turn, will increase opportunities for occupational therapists. In addition, medical advances now enable
more patients with critical problems to survive — patients who ultimately may need extensive occupational therapy
Job opportunities should be good for licensed occupational therapists in all settings, particularly in acute hospital, rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings where the elderly receive most of their treatment.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor | 1,481 | 770 | 0.001312 |
warc | 201704 | Top10Doctor insights on:Complement Activation Panel
The complement system is an important effector mechanism of both humoral and innate immunity. Its functions are to promote phagocytosis of microbes, to stimulate inflammation, and to induce lysis of these organisms. The system is highly complex and comprised of over 50 effector and regulatory molecules. It is activated via one of three pathways: antibody, lectin, or by ...Read more
1doctor agreed: 3Doc said over phone that my alternative(alternate) complement pathway is activated. What things could cause this? What does it mean? 1doctor agreed: Immune process:Complement proteins in the blood coat bacteria, viruses, etc., to make them easier for the immune system to grab onto and destroy. They can be activated by your own antibodies (classical pathway) or may spontaneously activate themselves (alternative pathway). Activation can mean anything from you are fighting an infection to you have an autoimmune process. Talk with your doctor for more info....Read more Sorry:But there are no HCG activator pills that activate anything, except the transfer of money out of your wallet. Besides, who knows what's in the pills or what harm they could do to you. Why do you think you need your HCG "activated" in the first place. Even if they worked, they wouldn't help you. Don't get your medical information from friends, tv or the internet....Read more 1doctor agreed: 1doctor agreed: Voltage-gated:Sodium channels are normally found on the peripheral terminals of nocicpetors (sensory neuron). With tissue injury, the number of these sodium channels increases. When a noxious stimulus acts at the peripheral end of an axon, some sodium channels open to allow an influx of sodium into the cell leading to action potential and pain....Read more 1doctor agreed: 1doctor agreed: "hi-tech" hands-on..:Activator procedures are used to "chiropractically" adjust your spine with the assistance of an "activator"(which is a device that through spring tension delivers a "push" to the area). This is a form of 'manual medicine'. As with all chiropractors; only utilize those whom have a good rep; or you know is highly spoken of; let the buyer beware applies here....Read more 3doctors agreed: 3doctors agreed: Likely good sized.:This helps to immortalize cell lines, and telomerase activity has been observed in roughly 90% of tumors, so it is likely to increase the risk of cancer considerably, also since this makes mutation of chromosomes much more possible. This also upregulates the role of 70 genes responsible for tumor growth and spread throughout the body, and the activation of glycolysis, so the cells can use sugar....Read more | 2,701 | 1,368 | 0.000735 |
warc | 201704 | As e-mail increasingly substitutes the use of letters and faxes (also to governmental bodies) and as commercial transactions on the web get more and more important to organisations, the need for secure communications equally grows, especially with spoof attacks, interception of transmissions and other hacking methods becoming more widespread and getting more “intelligent” every day. So, if the web is to achieve its true (commercial) potential, it is important that the right technological infrastructure is in place. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) enabled by cryptography provides a secure basis. Digital signatures use public key infrastructure.
The European Commission has welcomed the adoption of a new legal framework guaranteeing EU-wide recognition of electronic signatures (European Directive 99/93/EC). The Electronic Signature Directive is a first example of the Commission’s flexible and integrated approach towards developing a European framework for the development of electronic commerce. In the past only hand-written signatures have been legally valid but this legislation extends that recognition to electronic signatures and applies the Internal Market principles of free movement of services and home country control to e-commerce. It constitutes an important element in the Commission’s on-going efforts to drive forward the rapid development of electronic commerce so as to capitalise on its potential to generate business and create jobs. This framework provides the security that the market for online transactions demands and strengthens the EU’s position in the face of international competition in this new global market.
Electronic signatures allow someone receiving data over electronic networks, via the Internet for example, to determine the origin of the data and to check that that data has not been altered. The Directive is not designed to regulate everything in detail but defines the requirements for electronic signature certificates and certification services so as to ensure minimum levels of security.
Its main elements are:
Legal recognition: the Directive stipulates that an electronic signature cannot be legally discriminated against solely on the grounds that it is in electronic form. If a certificate and the service provider as well as the signature product used meet a set of specific requirements, there will be an automatic assumption that any resulting electronic signatures are as legally valid as a hand-written signature. Moreover, they can be used as evidence in legal proceedings. Free circulation: all products and services related to electronic signatures can circulate freely and are only subject to the legislation and control by the country of origin. Member States cannot make the provision of services related to electronic signatures subject to mandatory licensing. Liability: the legislation establishes minimum liability rules for service providers who would, in particular, be liable for the validity of a certificate’s content. This approach ensures the free movement of certificates and certification services within the Internal Market, builds consumer trust and stimulates operators to develop secure systems and signatures without restrictive and inflexible regulation. A technology-neutral framework: given the pace of technological innovation the legislation provides for legal recognition of electronic signatures irrespective of the technology used (e.g. digital signatures using asymmetric cryptography or biometrics.) Scope: the legislation covers the supply of certificates to the public aimed at identifying the sender of an electronic message. In accordance with the principles of party autonomy and contractual freedom it does, however, permit the operation of schemes governed by private law agreements such as corporate Intranets or banking systems, where a relation of trust already exists and there is no obvious need for regulation. International dimension: so as to promote a global market in electronic commerce the legislation includes mechanisms for co-operation with third countries on the basis of mutual recognition of certificates and on bilateral and multilateral agreements.
A key concept relating to digital certificates is “non-repudiation”, i.e. the person who places his or her digital signature cannot later deny that the matter being signed originated from under his own hand. Without this concept, digital signatures would carry little weight in the commercial world and their usefulness would be severely restricted.
Another important requirement for public key cryptography to be practically useful is the secure distribution of public keys. If you are dealing with a small group of people, you could exchange public keys directly, say using a disk. This is rarely possible in real life where you may need to deal with a large number of complete strangers and need to be sure of their true identities. This is where digital certificates come in. A digital certificate is an assurance provided by a third party (called a Certification Authority), e.g. GlobalSign, Verisign, etc., that a public key indeed belongs to the purported owner. A digital certificate contains a public key, the name of the person (or organisation) that the key belongs to, and the whole thing is authenticated with a digital signature.
Implementing the use of public keys on a large scale requires a lot of manpower as, technically, PKI is the combination of the technologies, infrastructure and practices needed to enable use of public key encryption and digital signatures in distributed applications on a significant scale. The main purpose of PKI is to distribute public keys accurately and reliably to those needing to encrypt messages or verify digital signatures. This employs digital certificates issues by certification authorities. PKI also covers certificate renewal, revocation, status checking and private key backup and recovery.
Organisations typically have two options:
go for an in-house PKI, whether or not assisted by a third party with experience in PKI implementations; go for an outsourced PKI solution.
The latter option seems to be a new trend.
Even large governmental bodies such as the Belgian government have recently chosen for an outsourced solution. As part of an overall strategy to deliver e-government services to its citizens, the Belgian government defined the Belpic project, providing an electronic identity card to each Belgian citizen over a period of five years. The electronic identity card contains a photo, some basic identity information and a signature of the cardholder in visual and electronic format. Digital certificates stored on the card will allow secure identification and electronic signing.
The PKI market has not delivered on its promise because the implementation and maintenance of an in-house Public Key Infrastructure requires highly specialized internal staff. What customers such as the Belgian government want are digital certificates to secure their applications. They don’t want the hassle of implementing and maintaining a complex PKI environment. Some Managed Security Service Providers, e.g. Ubizen, offer such outsourced PKI solutions.
Infosecurity Europe is Europe’s largest and most important information security event. Now in its 8th year, the show features Europe’s most comprehensive FREE education programme, and over 200 exhibitors at the Grand Hall at Olympia from 29th April – 1st May 2003.
www.infosec.co.uk | 7,548 | 3,242 | 0.000312 |
warc | 201704 | Mitral Valve Prolapse
The heart has four rooms or chambers in it that hold blood. The upper chambers are called atria and the lower chambers are called ventricles. Between the chambers are valves. These valves act as one-way doors to direct the flow of blood through the heart. The mitral (MI-tral) valve is made up of two leaflets (flaps) that open and close to control blood flow to the left ventricle. Mitral valve prolapse happens when the leaflets of the mitral valve in your heart do not close properly.
MVP may also be called click-murmur syndrome or floppy-valve syndrome. With MVP, the leaflets may not work right because they are too big or floppy. MVP can also happen if the chords that hold the leaflets in place become stretched or swollen. When listening to your heart, your caregiver may hear a clicking sound because of the floppy leaflets. Some of the blood from the ventricle may come backward into the atrium because the leaflets do not work right. This causes a leaking or "whooshing" sound, which is called a murmur. What causes MVP? MVP is common, even in healthy people. You can be born with MVP or may develop it later in life. MVP may be genetic (runs in the family). Your MVP may have been caused by a childhood illness, such as rheumatic fever. Having certain other health conditions may increase your chance of having MVP. Many times the cause of MVP is not known. | 1,398 | 720 | 0.001395 |
warc | 201704 | Partner
Johannesburg Like diamonds, a mining company's liability for water pollution may be forever
October 2014
Acid mine drainage has been at the forefront of extensive debate, both in the media, and in various governmental and industry forums. Pollution, generally, of South Africa's water resources, seen as the life-blood of the country, has received extensive media coverage, and the public outcry, has been significant. The judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa in
Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited v Regional Director: Freestate Department of Water Affairs (971/12)(2013) ZASCA206 (4 December 2013)( the Harmony Judgment), which seems to indicate that a mining company, even after disposal of mining operations by way of sale of business, and a sale of the surface of the land on under or which mining operations were historically conducted, cannot escape liability for past activities, has been heralded, by many commentators, as a step in the right direction.
At the same time, the judgment will no doubt be of concern to many mining companies that have disposed of their mining operations and, in some cases, vast surface holdings, historically. Typically, historical disposal transactions made provision for retention or transfer of liabilities to the purchaser or acquirer, and the seller/disposer was, subject to regulatory approvals, and the terms and conditions of the relevant agreements, entitled to accept that no further liabilities would flow from the transaction, with regard to historical environmental liabilities.
The Harmony Judgment seems to have changed this position. The Harmony Judgment must, however, be viewed in the context of the specific facts, leading to the appeal, to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Various directives were issued by the Acting Regional Director of the Department of Water Affairs (the Regional Director) during 2005, in terms of section 19(3) of the National Water Act 36 of 1998 (the Water Act). The Harmony Judgment had to address a directive issued to Harmony and to other gold mining companies that undertook gold mining operations in the Klerksdorp-Orkney-Stillfontein-Hartebeesfontein (KOSH) area in the Northwest Province, namely AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Simmer & Jack Mines Limited, Simmer & Jack Investments (Pty) Limited, and Stillfontein Gold Mining Company Limited.
The directive issued in terms of section 19(3) of the Water Act (the Directive) required the gold companies to take anti-pollution measures in respect of ground and surface water contamination caused by their gold mining activities. Harmony had ceased to be engaged in mining operations in the KOSH area on 27 February 2008, and argued that because it no longer had any connection to the land in question, the Directive became invalid or unenforceable against it.
Historically, gold mining operations by a number of different gold mining companies had been undertaken in the KOSH area since approximately 1952. The extensive underground mining operations resulted in the mines in the KOSH area being linked underground. The interconnecting tunnels, shafts, mined out areas and natural fissures create a pathway through which the underground water flows from the aquifers into shallower mines, and shafts and from there into the deeper mines. The rock from which the gold bearing ore is removed contains pyrite (iron sulphide), which oxidises when exposed to oxygen. Sulphuric acid (also referred to as "acid rock" or "acid mine drainage") is formed when the iron oxide comes into contact with water and it creates acidic conditions that cause salt, iron and other heavy metals present in the mineral rock to dissolve in the water. The view is that the uncontrolled release of untreated acid mine drainage into the environment results in pollution of underground and surface water resources.
The Directive issued on 1 November 2005, to, among others, Harmony, recorded that the five mining companies "…are owners of land, persons in control of land, occupiers of land or users of land, on which mining activities or processes are or were performed or undertaken, or in respect of which on which a situation exists, which causes, has caused or is likely to cause pollution of a water resource…". The mining companies were directed to "…submit an agreement and a joint proposal towards the long-term sustainable management of water arising from mining activities in the KOSH area". Harmony was specifically instructed, in the interim, to take various steps, to extract and treat underground water, with the costs being shared, by the five mining companies. Essentially, the Directive required the gold mining companies to manage, collect, treat and use or dispose of subterranean water that might affect the current and future operations of mines in the KOSH area and to share the costs of taking the measures equally.
Historically, African Rainbow Minerals Gold Limited (ARMGold) used to own land on which it operated shafts at its Vaal River operations at Orkney in the KOSH area. Harmony acquired the issued share capital of ARMGold during September 2003. It thereafter managed the gold mining operations of ARMGold at Orkney. ARMGold however retained ownership of the land. On 29 August 2007, ARMGold entered into a sale of business agreement with Pamodzi Gold Orkney (Pty) Limited (Pamodzi) in terms of which Pamodzi acquired the entire gold mining business and land of ARMGold in the KOSH area, and it assumed all of Harmony's obligations, including those arising from the Directive, in respect of the mining operations at Orkney. The sale became unconditional and was implemented on 27 February 2008 when Harmony ceased to manage those mining operations. Pamodzi was provisionally liquidated on 20 March 2009 and subsequently placed under final liquidation.
The key elements of Harmony's argument before the court, was that the Directive, remained valid only for so long as the person to whom it was issued, owns, control, occupies or uses the land in question. Harmony argued that this was clear from the provisions of section 19(1) of the Water Act, and that, on disposal, it was no longer a person contemplated in section 19(1) of the Water Act. The argument was based on the disposal of the land in question to Pamodzi, as from 6 January 2009, when the land was transferred to Pamodzi, and it ceased to be a land owner as contemplated in section 19(1) of the Water Act, on this date.
The court rejected Harmony's argument in this regard, and found that the powers vested in the Minister by section 19(3) of the Water Act, were wide-ranging powers, and that the Minister could direct any person who failed to take the measures required under section 19(1) of the Water Act, to take specific measures, including remedying the effects of the pollution, and that the powers vested in the Minister in terms of section 19(3) included the issuing of a Directive, to a person, who historically fell within the parameters of section 19(1) of the Water Act, and that the Minister's powers could not be restricted to the circumstances where the person was an existing land owner or person in existing control of the activities. The court held that a failure to comply with the provisions of section 19(1) of the Water Act, historically, vested the Minister with the power to issue directives in terms of section 19(3) of the Water Act to the person, even though the person may no longer be the land owner or in control of the mining operations on the land.
In coming to the conclusions that it did, the court relied significantly on the constitutional imperatives in section 24 of the Constitution, the purpose of the Water Act, and the general principles contained in the National Environmental Management Act, 1998.
The court, in rejecting Harmony's appeal, in essence determined that, despite the disposal of the business as a going concern, and the sale of the land, to Pamodzi, Harmony remained liable for compliance with the Directive.
Unfortunately, the judgment does leave a number of questions unanswered. Firstly, it does not specifically address the circumstances where the disposal is by way of an acquisition of the shares, in the company, which conducted the mining operations and/or which was the owner of the surface. Secondly, the court did not specifically address Harmony's argument on appeal that the Directive, by implication, came to an end when it became clear that the agreement between the gold mining companies, required in terms of the Directive, could not be reached. Thirdly, Harmony contended, on appeal, that on its own terms, the Directive was not envisaged to operate against a "non-land holder", and that the Directive ceased to have effect in relation to Harmony, when Harmony severed its ties with the land.
In response to this argument, while the court held that, in its view, the argument had no merit, it stated "in any event, Harmony has thus far complied with its obligations arising from the Directive even though it had not been the land owner since 27 February 2008." This seems to be a situation of "damned if you do and damned if you don’t". Had Harmony simply ceased to manage and treat the water, it would no doubt have been criticised.
The judgment also raises the interesting question of why the court focused on Harmony, when there was a predecessor in title to Harmony, when it acquired the shareholding in ARMGold, and why Pamodzi, did not feature. With regard to Pamodzi, one can only assume that the court was well aware of the status of Pamodzi (in liquidation), and realised that any attempt to place liability, on Pamodzi would be fruitless.
For now, it seems that, like a diamond, liability for historical water pollution may be forever, and that the Minister has the discretion to pick and chose where continued liabilty will lay, going forward.
Contacts
Partner | 9,930 | 4,070 | 0.000247 |
warc | 201704 | We all have bad driving habits, but some of us have more than others. Here’s our list of the Top 10 Worst Driving Habits. How many of these are YOU guilty of?
10. Parking in Illegal Areas
Despite the fact that most parking areas are monitored fairly closely, drivers continue to park where they shouldn’t This includes handicap parking spaces, red zones, along curbs outside of clearly-marked legal parking hours, and so on. Having your car towed can be expensive, so even if you’ve gotten away with illegal parking in the past, you should resist the urge to park “just for five minutes” in restricted areas.
9. Accelerating Through Yellow Lights
Sure, it might be exhilarating to speed up in order to make it through a light, but often you don’t quite make it, and you end up holding up other drivers who actually have the green light. This is a bad habit to have, as it could lead to major collisions. Some lights are longer than others, so you may think that you have time to make it when you really don’t. Do the responsible thing and slow down when the light turns yellow if you’ve got room to stop.
8. Ignoring Traffic Signs
Do you blow through stop signs or fail to yield when it’s required of you? Tsk tsk! Those signs are there for a reason, and even if no one’s around, you should obey them. You never know when a car or pedestrian might come out of nowhere, or even a cop!
7. Not Checking Blind Spots
Blind spots are implicitly dangerous, but not even trying to check them is more dangerous. Drivers who don’t look have a tendency to start moving over into other lanes and nearly colliding with other cars; this can cause, at the very least, anxiety and distraction, and at the most, a serious car accident. Always be sure to not only check the appropriate mirror when switching lanes, but to glance over your shoulder too to make sure the coast is clear.
6. Merging Improperly
How many times have you been on a freeway onramp and found yourself behind someone who doesn’t understand how to merge? They let car after car zoom past them, thinking they’re being polite, when really, they’re holding up the flow of traffic.
By the same token, there are motorists who don’t know how to be patient. They seem to think that racing to the front of a line of cars getting on the freeway, when they know that the lane merges, is acceptable behavior. This is wrong too, and shouldn’t be put into practice!
5. Not Using Turn Signals
If you don’t tell other people where you’re going, how can you expect them to know? Changing lanes or turning without signaling throws others off, and it could put you in harm’s way. The worst is when drivers slow down to turn without putting their blinker on: this can catch the cars behind them off guard, and the offending individual could get rear-ended.
4. Cutting Other Cars Off
When you’re in a hurry, you often wish that the roads were completely clear so that you could zoom right through. But this is seldom the case, and weaving between lanes without regard for others is downright hazardous. You run the risk of being hit from behind if the driver you’re cutting off isn’t paying attention, and if you’re going too fast and squeezing between two cars, you could end up slamming into the car ahead of you. Don’t put yourself in this situation!
3. Tailgating
Tailgating is maddening for both parties involved. The driver in front is annoyed that the person behind them won’t stay off their bumper, and the driver in back of him is annoyed that he can’t go any faster. Why create this tension? After all, tailgating can lead to car accidents AND it can lead to intentional vindictive actions, like brake checking. If you want to go faster, pass the car ahead of you in another lane if it is safe to do so, but keep a safe distance if it is not. Remember the two-second rule!
2. Speeding
Okay, we all do this once in a while. But that doesn’t make it okay! Driving above the speed limit is one of the biggest reasons car accidents happen, and it leads to many of the other behaviors on this list. Just think: how many bad incidents would be prevented if we all adhered to posted speed limits?
1. Using Your Cell Phone While Driving
This is the big one, and unfortunately it’s become common among most drivers out there nowadays. While talking on your cell phone may be legal in some places under certain circumstances, it’s still a bad habit to have. It can be tempting when that ringtone goes off while you’re behind the wheel, but it’s better to resist the urge to answer. Talking while on your cell phone is distracting, and distracted driving is dangerous driving; it puts you and others at risk. And don’t even get us started on texting while driving! That’s got to be the biggest no-no of all.
That’s because reports, like this one from Kansas, have been coming out recently that have added to the anti-cell phone message for drivers. If cell phone use while driving has become a nasty habit for you, or you just want to learn more about how it affects your driving, consider taking a defensive driving course. | 5,251 | 2,500 | 0.000415 |
warc | 201704 | Data breaches seem to be everywhere at the moment, but whatever their cause, their results are the same: regulatory penalties, media embarrassment and a loss of public reputation.
A recent study by the Ponemon Institute and Symantec found that 71% of UK business had suffered some form of data breach in the last 12 months. This is despite most organisations using a variety of IT security technologies to defend their digital data assets.
But things are about to change, as we are starting to see the integration of silicon with security software to better protect mobile workers. An example of this is the new integration of PGP Whole Disk Encryption, from Symantec and Intel’s Anti-Theft technology.
Want to know more?
Join us for an informative webinar that will look at the backdrop to the new technology, some of the latest products to harness its power, and detail some of the strategies that modern businesses can employ to fully safeguard the sensitive data that leaves their organisations’ every day.
This webinar will:
Explain how new technology changes the IT security ballgame Detail how security strategies need to change Help you understand the steps required to re-engineer your IT security to cope with the latest threats and solutions Assist you in making the right IT strategy decisions
This webinar is for:
IT security managers wanting to improve their security IT managers working on defending their digital assets in a rapidly changing technology environment Any professional wanting to bring himself or herself up to speed on the latest generation of security solutions CISSPs, SSCPs and ISACA members can receive 1 CPE credit for attending each webinar. You can earn the credit by simply specifying your number on the registration form and correctly answering 3 multiple choice polling questions about the program at the end of the event. | 1,882 | 985 | 0.001026 |
warc | 201704 | The second most common language spoken worldwide is Spanish.
With many Spanish speakers encompassing a diverse range of cultures and countries, it is no surprise there are vast differences in pronunciation and grammar. Particularly, there are notable differences between the Spanish spoke in Spain as opposed to Latin America. There are even subtle, unique terms and meanings among neighboring Latin American countries.
For example, the term
“vosotros”, which in English terms means “you people” or “you guys”, tends to be used throughout the majority of Spain. Vosotros is a relatively informal use of addressing a group of people. In Latin America, on the other hand, the formal “ustedes” is used. In Spain, “Pensaba en vosotros,” or “I was thinking about you guys” would probably be said in conversation in most regions. Meanwhile, a Latin American speaker might use the same sentence as “Yo estaba pensando en ustedes,” substituting “vosotros” for “ustedes” in its place. However, if you use “ustedes” in Spain you will be understood and probably considered formal or polite. It is advised to use “ustedes” in Latin America, however. Another significant difference between Spanish spoken in Spain and Latin America is the forms of address “tu, vos and usted”.
“Usted” is the most frequently utilized form of address in Latin America due to emphasis on politeness. Using informal forms such as “vos” and “tu” could be construed as overly familiar or impolite in Latin America. Keep in mind that in some parts of Latin America such as Argentina or Uruguay you may be asked to switch to the less formal “vos” though it’s only used within some countries. The informal “Tu” is reserved only for familiar people such as friends and family. In Spain, using “tu” casually is considered okay. For example, “qué te parece” (“What do you think?”) could be heard in Spain while “usted” or “vos” would be spoken in the place of “tu” elsewhere. It is best advised to use “usted” as the default form of address unless you’re invited to otherwise.
Anyone looking to learn Spanish would do well to know the difference between Spanish in Spain and America. The difference between Spanish in Spain and America can have a huge effect on your personal and professional dealings when traveling. In order to learn Spanish properly, it is advised to study the differences side by side in order to understand both perspectives. | 2,668 | 1,197 | 0.000926 |
warc | 201704 | Critics are contesting what they describe as the conversion of a Minnesota community college meditation room into a de facto mosque -- with the help of Normandale Community College staff who erected a barrier separating the sexes to accommodate Muslim prayer. Muslim students are the room’s primary users.
A December blog item [1] by the Minneapolis
Star Tribune columnist Katherine Kersten [2] -- a former senior fellow at a Minnesota think tank “focusing on conservative and free-market ideas” who this spring skewered another Minnesota community college for its plans to install a foot-washing basin to accommodate Islamic pre-prayer rituals [3] -- is highly critical of Normandale’s administration for “facilitating the room’s Islamization.”
Kersten's blog stated: “The college’s building crew erected the barrier separating men’s and women’s sections, according to Ralph Anderson, dean of student affairs. College officials also posted signs at the room’s entrance asking students to remove shoes -- a Muslim custom before prayers. This was ‘basically a courtesy to Muslim students,’ Anderson said.”
Kersten also noted that, in her visit to the room, she saw an arrow indicating the direction of Mecca, a posted schedule for the five daily prayers, and Islamic literature and shawls. "One thing was missing from the meditation room: evidence of any faith but Islam," she wrote.
In e-mail messages, Anderson confirmed that college staff installed the gender barrier, and that a sign in the meditation room -- housed in a 27-year- old racquetball court -- asked users to remove their shoes. Since Kersten's column, Normandale has posted a new policy relative to the room’s use stipulating, among other things, that “[s]igns, postings and displays by users and others are not permitted inside or outside the Meditation Space” and that “[a]ll personal items taken into the Meditation Space or left on the shelves outside must be removed and taken with you as you leave.” The gender barrier has been taken down.
“Normandale created a meditation space approximately two years ago to allow faculty, staff or students, regardless of faith or belief, a quiet space for reflection, tranquility and, if they so chose, prayer,” Anderson said in writing. He noted that he had monitored the meditation room’s previous location in a fine arts building several times weekly “to assure that it was appropriate for anyone.” Remodeling and expansion forced the relocation of the meditation room to the more remote former racquetball court over the summer.
“Though the space has primarily been used by many of the Islamic students who attend Normandale, the space was always intended for use by any interested Normandale faculty, staff or students. As the space is in both a temporary and somewhat remote location on campus, it has not been monitored as well as it should have been. As a result, through casual practice, and not official campus policy, it is perceived as solely for Muslim prayer and not available for use for other purposes,” Anderson wrote. Approximately 400 Muslim students attend Normandale, which has about 9,200 credit students [4].
"[It] is important that if we are to have a meditation space it must be available for its intended use by all. Normandale has immediately moved to assure that this occurs," Anderson wrote.
The faculty adviser and student leader for Normandale’s Muslim Student Association did not return requests for comment. Nor did several college faculty contacted. Richard Katskee, assistant legal director at Americans United for Separation of Church and State [5], said that the college “has gone well beyond anything that’s constitutionally permissible.”
“Allowing students of one faith to effectively take over any university space as essentially a permanent religious facility involves the college endorsing religion and endorsing that faith and that’s clearly unconstitutional,” Katskee said. The college has “then compounded the problem” by taking “steps to enforce religious requirements on behalf of one group,” he said.
More and more colleges are adding meditation spaces [6]. And Normandale is not the first college to come under scrutiny for what its "neutral" space has evolved into. Articles printed in the George Mason University student newspaper last year described [7] “the seeming takeover of the meditation space by Muslims,” not only because of physical alterations to the room (including the placement of screens separating men from women) but also because some non-Muslim students reported that while they were interested in using the room, they felt intimidated.
"Our experience was that there seemed to be a certain group of students who were using it more than others, and I think people generally tend to think of it informally as a room where Muslim students would go," said Daniel Walsch, a George Mason spokesman. There too, the dividers have since been taken down. Officials at the Virginia university are working to spread the message that the room is open to everyone, Walsch said.
On that note, a St. Paul
Pioneer Press editorial from December 27 [8] praises Normandale Community College for taking steps to stress that same message. ("We can work these things out. Normandale seems to be doing so," the editorial states).
Though at Normandale, the issue may be moot after this spring when the old racquetball court will be unavailable due to remodeling.
"[I]t may be very difficult,” Anderson wrote, “to find a meditation room due to the fact that the campus has grown by over 25 percent in student enrollment over the past five years and space utilization on the campus is already by far the highest of any college or university in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.” | 5,994 | 2,727 | 0.000382 |
warc | 201704 | Alice Bernardo is the author of Saber Fazer, a documental project started in 2010, with the goal of preserving the artisanal and semi-industrial production tradition in Portugal. “I understood that a lot of the knowledge these makers held wasn’t being passed on to anyone,” Alice said, “and it was going to be lost very soon.”
Alice has been featured on her own TEDx talk for this evolving project. She took a break from her travels in Brazil to talk with me about why the stories of these makers in particular seemed so necessary to preserve. The photos here are all by Alice, with more published on her blog.
1. Why did you decide to focus on Portuguese craftsmen (and women)?
During my architecture internship in architecture school, I got to accompany and document the work of a few craftsmen that collaborated on the renovation of a historical building. Although that moment sparked my interest in artisanal production and also on the possibility of documenting it, it wasn’t until after I developed my own online projects that I started Saber Fazer.
These makers became my focus because I believe that what they make is much more than just a product. It’s the sum of their experiences, their dedication, of the place and conditions they live in…I understood that a lot of the knowledge they held wasn’t being passed on to anyone, and it was going to be lost very soon. Understanding and documenting their craft through photography and my own experience seemed like a way of helping to prevent this loss of information.
2. What would be lost?
I believe that production chains have become so long and complex that it has created a sort of detachment between all the elements involved in the process, and this brought about a lot of manufacture related issues, involving quality standards, raw matter sourcing, working conditions, cheap labour, worker’s rights, etc.
Being so focused on manufacturing processes and on connecting the final product to its creation process, I would like to see companies and designers take more responsibility on how their products are made and on making sure that whatever they put out there embodies their principles.
3. How do you discover new makers you want to photograph?
I’m always paying attention to everything that is related to the topic.
If I find something I like, I’ll track down the person who made it or if I’m interested in a specific topic, I’ll start investigating until I find someone who works on that. I also get a lot of tips from the makers themselves and from people that read my blog.
My investigation is always made “on the field,” talking to people and traveling to find out something interesting.
4. If you had one message for consumers, what would it be?
Buy less, buy better.
I believe that for someone born in my generation and younger this is an important thing to learn, because we grew up in a time of consumerism where the focus was on buying more for less, and not investing on quality. In the process we lost the ability to tell apart good production from bad production and we became helpless faces to big stores full of products that look the same, and powerful advertising.
Be more demanding: look at the composition, learn where it is made, pay attention to the details and try to understand if it is well built and worth your money. | 3,406 | 1,635 | 0.00063 |
warc | 201704 | scroll to top
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Word Count:3,233 Pages:5 1/5 Sentencing is seen as an important aspect of the criminal justice system and has been used as a way of dealing with offenders since the founding of the law system as we know it It is not a simple process however as many considerations must be taken into account before an appropriate sentence can be imposed For example should the main aim of sentencing to be to protect the public from the offender or purely to punish or rehabilitate the individual committing the offence Furthermore does punishment of this sort actually help to reduce crime and can the CJS realistically achieve all that it sets out to The aim is to look at the specific factors that influence the sentencing process in England and Wales Considered will be social factors such as level of responsibility and school record and personal characteristics for example age sex and race Each factor will then be critically assessed to ascertain whether or not the delinquent and the general public are being treated fairly There are a great number of factors that influence sentencing in England and Wales First and foremost the magistrate examines the seriousness of the offence in relation to other crimes Therefore a crime such as murder would require a much harsher punishment than for shoplifting due to the fact that it has obvious victims and acting in a lenient manner would cause uproar It must also be determined whether or not the misdemeanour had any mitigating or aggravating factors An aggravating factor is where the crime committed took place against a vulnerable individual or group such as the elderly In addition any offence that was planned or involved any sort of weapon could be seen as aggravation along with any previous convictions that the defendant may hold Flood-Page Mackie 1998 cited in Maguire Morgan Reiner 2002 A mitigating factor on the other hand could lead to a shorter or more lenient sentence due to
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warc | 201704 | Gadapuram T.K.,Guru nanak Institute of Pharmacy | Murthy J.S.N.,Vignana Bharathi Institute of Technology | Rajannagari R.R.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College | Kandati V.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College | Shukla R.,Amity University
Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology | Year: 2013
Background: Cocculus hirsutus, commonly known as broom creeper, belongs to the family Menispermaceae. It is widely used in folk medicine to treat leprosy, skin diseases, dyspepsia, etc. Hence, an effort has been made to investigate the nephroprotective potential of C. hirsutus. Methods: The nephroprotective activity of ethanolic C. hirsutus leaf extract (ECHE) in the 5/6 nephrectomized rat model was investigated. Different parameters like postoperative survival rate, change in body weight and levels of red blood corpuscles (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), triglyceride, cholesterol, creatinine, urea and uric acid were estimated in experimental rats. Results: The findings revealed the postoperative survival rate of rats in the investigated novel method to be 100%. Change in the body weight of ECHE-treated groups I and II was found to be 32 and 30 g, respectively. These values suggested that ECHE treatment normalized the elevated body weight levels in experimental rats. Furthermore, ECHE treatment normalized the decreased RBC levels and the elevated Hb, triglyceride, cholesterol, creatinine, urea and uric acid levels in experimental rats. Conclusions: The results indicate that C. hirsutus has strong nephroprotective activity. However, further scrutiny is essential for isolation and characterization of the active components that can be employed to allay various human maladies. Source
Das A.K.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College | Srilakshmi N.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College | Pandit P.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College
International Journal of Research in Ayurveda and Pharmacy | Year: 2013
Although the drug delivery system has been changing with time, the conventional tablet preparation is still dominating in dosage form preparation. Conventional tablet has more advantages than the other formulations such as low cost of manufacture, package, easier shipment, tamper proof and stablility for longer duration. Schizophrenia is a severe illness with substantial effects on individual and social functioning. First-line treatment in these patients is the use of atypical antipsychotics. The atypical antipsychotic Quetiapine was approved in 1997 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and has been available since 2007. The treatment of schizophrenia has changed considerably with the introduction of atypical antipsychotics. Quetiapine is among the most widely used atypical antipsychotics, and along with clozapine has the least propensity to induce extrapyramidal motor symptoms. It is thought that the drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia is mediated through a combination of dopamine type 2 (D2) and serotonin type 2 (5HT2) receptorantagonisms.The main objective of this work is to develop a pharmaceutical equivalent, stable, robust immediate release tablet. The tablets were prepared by using wet granulation method with sodium starch glycolate and micro crystalline cellulose used intra and extra granularly. The dosage form was prepared and evaluated based on various parameters such as bulk, tapped density, sieve analysis, drug uniformity, disintegration and dissolution etc. Source
Das A.K.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College | Bhanja S.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College | Srilakshmi N.,Malla Reddy Pharmacy College
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research | Year: 2013
The scenario of pharmaceutical drug delivery is rapidly challenging, but conventional pharmaceutical dosage forms are still dominating. Tablets formulations are mostly preferred because of low cost of manufacture, package, shipment, increased stability and virtual tamper resistance. The main goal of this study was to develop a stable formulation of antipsychotics Quetiapine as an immediate-release tablet. Quetiapine has beneficial calming properties and successfully treats the symptoms of aggression, anxiety and hostility that can accompany acute exacerbations of schizophrenia. The atypical antipsychotic Quetiapine was approved in 1997 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for formulation. Furthermore, while current prescribing information recommends that Quetiapine can be administered at doses up to 750mg/day (800mg/day in the USA and Canada), there is growing evidence that dosing up to 1600mg/day of Quetiapine has been well tolerated in some patients. The task of developing immediate release tablet is accomplished by using a suitable diluent and super-disintegrants. Faster disintegration of the tablet administrated orally minimizes absorption time and improves its bioavailability in less time. The formulation development work was initiated with wet granulation. The granules were evaluated for angle of repose, bulk density, compressibility index, tapped density and Hausner ratio. The tablets for the formulations i.e.F1to F8 were subject to hardness, thickness, friability, weight variation test, drug content uniformity and in vitro disintegration time, in vitro drug release studies and stability studies. The granules showed satisfactory flow properties and good compressibility. all the tablet formulations i.e.F1 to F8 showed acceptable pharmacotechnical properties and complied with in-house specifications for tested parameters. From the all formulations, F8 was optimised and in vitro disintegration time and in vitro drug release studies were found to be 4.0 (min) and 98.5 % respectively. The optimized formulation is further selected and compared with the release profile of the innovator product and similarity factor was conducted. The result was found to be more than 50%.The optimized,formulation, F8 was conducted for stability studies according to ICH guideline. The results indicate that there were insignificant changes during studies. Hence, the results suggest the feasibility of developing immediate release tablets consisting of Quetiapine, which has an excellent tolerability profile offering high patient acceptability that may promote patient adherence to medication and an improved quality of life. Source | 6,271 | 2,688 | 0.000373 |
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Leptin is a protein that is secreted by white adipocytes, and which plays a major role in the regulation of body weight. This protein, which acts through the leptin receptor, functions as part of a signaling pathway that can inhibit food intake and/or regulate energy expenditure to maintain constancy of the adipose mass. This protein also has several endocrine functions, and is involved in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses, hematopoiesis, angiogenesis and wound healing. | 1,874 | 1,010 | 0.001001 |
warc | 201704 | From
New International, Vol.12 No.1, January 1946, pp.25-29. Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Marxists’ Internet Archive.
The retrogressionists post their thesis in Hegelian terms. We have therefore first to grapple with the dialectic.
In the
Dialectic of Nature, Engels lists the three basic laws: (1) The law of the transformation of quantity into quality. (2) The law of the interpenetration of the opposites. (3) The law of the negation of the negation. The third “figures as the fundamental law for the contruction of the whole system.” The interconnection can be demonstrated as follows:
Capitalist society is a negation of a previous organism, feudal society, it consists of two opposites, capital and labor, interpenetrated – one cannot be conceived without the other. The contradiction between capital and labor develops by degrees in a constant series of minor negations. Thus, commercial capitalism, through quantitative changes in the mode of production, develops a new quality and is transformed into industrial capitalism with, of course, corresponding changes in its opposite, labor. This industrial capitalism is further negated by monopoly capitalism which is further negated by state-monopoly capitalism. But this increasing negativity, i.e., this constant transformation into a higher stage in a certain direction, only sharpens the fundamental antagonism which constitutes the organism. The maturity of the organism is demonstrated by the fact that the contradictions become so developed that the organism can no longer contain them. There arises the necessity of a complete negation, not of successive stages of development but of the organism itself. The organism will be negated, abolished, transcended by the antagonisms developed
within its own self, without the intervention of any third party. That is negation of the negation. That is abolition or self-abolition.
The key word for us here is the word abolition (German:
Aufhebung). The retrogressionists use the word Selbst-Aufhebung. The implication is that this means self-abolition, while Aufhebung means plain abolition. But in the dialectic of Hegel and Marx, all abolition of an organism means self-abolition. Two years ago I had to deal with this very question and wrote as follows:
“For the word abolition,
Aufhebung, Marx went again to Hegel, to show quite clearly what he had in mind. Aufhebung does not mean mere non-existence, or abolition, as you abolish a hot dog or wipe some chalk off a board. As Hegel explains at length ( Logic, tr. Johnston and Struthers, vol.1, p.120), it means for him transcendence, raising of one moment or active factor from its subordinate position in the dialectical contradiction to its rightful and predestined place, superseding the opposite moment with which it is interpenetrated, i.e., inseparably united, in this case, raising labor, the basis of all value, to a dominant position over the other moment, the mass of accumulated labor. Thereby self-developing humanity takes the place formerly held by self-developing value. The real history of humanity will begin.” ( Internal Bulletin, April, 1943.)
In
The Holy Family, Marx has a long passage, of which this is a fair sample:
“... The proletariat is as proletariat forced to abolish itself and with this, the opposite which determines it, private property. It is the negative side of the opposition, its principle of unrest.”
“If the proletariat is victorious it does not mean that it has become the absolute side of society, for it is victorious only by abolishing itself and its opposite. Then both the proletariat and its conditioning opposite, private property, have vanished.”
In
Capital itself, the word he almost invariably uses for the abolition of capitalist production is Aufhebung, i.e., its substitution by socialist production, its own interpenetrated opposite.
In 1915, Lenin wrote that “dialectic is the theory of knowledge of (Hegel and) Marxism.” (
Collected Works, vol.13, pp.321-327.) And Lenin not only calls this “the essence of the matter but condemns Plekhanov and other Marxists for paying “no attention” to it. This, for Marx and Lenin, is a scientific method, not faith.
It is this grave weakness in Plekhanov which has led to so much confusion in Marxism and the dialectic. As Lenin saw, Hegel, idealist though he might be, understood this perfectly. In the
Larger Logic (tr. Johnston and Struther, p.65, vol.1) he says:
“The one and only thing
for securing scientific progress (and for quite simple insight into which, it is essential to strive) ii knowledge of the logical precept that Negation is just as much Affirmation as Negation.”
All the great Marxists understood that for the scientific analysis of capitalist society, you must postulate the positive in the negative, the affirmation in the negation, i.e., the inevitability of socialism. Give it up, play with it and you lose, for example, the Marxist theory of the socialist revolution as the culmination of the daily class struggle. If the revolution is not understood as rooted inevitably in the objective necessity of socialism, then it is attributed to the subjective consciousness of the leaders. It is because the Mensheviks and the Eastmans deny the inevitability of socialism that they repudiate the Marxist conception of the party and accuse the Bolsheviks of imposing their dialectical religion upon the Russian workers in October, 1917. For the Mensheviks and the Eastmans, Russia could have had
either a democratic revolution or the dictatorship of the proletariat. Lenin and Trotsky always maintained the opposite, that they were acting in accordance with inner historic necessity as it expressed itself concretely in 1917.
Hegel could not maintain the dialectical method consistently because he based himself on the inevitability of bourgeois society. Marx could retain and extend it only by basing himself on the inevitability of socialism. As he wrote to Weydemeyer on March 6, 1852, he had discovered neither the class struggle nor the economic anatomy of the classes.
“What I did that was new was to prove ... that the class struggle necessarily leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat.”
Perhaps the most useful statement of dialectic as a scientific theory for Marxists is made by Rosa Luxembourg (
Reform and Revolution):
“What precisely was the key which enabled Marx to open the door to the secrets of capitalist phenomena? The secret of Marx’s theory of value, of his analysis of the problem of money, of his theory of capital, of the theory of the rate of profit, and consequently of the entire economic system, is found in the transitory character of capitalist economy, the inevitability of its collapse, leading – and this is only
another aspect of the same phenomena (emphasis mine – J.R.J.) – to socialism.... And it is precisely because he took the socialist viewpoint for his analysis of bourgeois society that he was in the position to give a scientific basis to the socialist movement.”
Bernstein believed that
Capital was not scientific because Marx had had the conclusions in his head long before he wrote it. He did not understand that Marx could only write it because he took as a premise the transitory nature of capitalist society and the inevitability of socialism. This is the guide to Marxist theory. The test is in practice. If the inevitability of socialism is the key by which Marx opened the door to his world-shaking discoveries, the “if the world revolution fails to come” is the key by which the retrogressionists open the door to theirs.
As far back as
Anti-Dühring (1878), Marx and Engels saw socialism invading and dialectically altering capitalism.
“In the trusts, freedom of competition changes into its
opposite (emphasis mine – J.R.J.). into monopoly. The planless production of capitalist sorietv capitulates before the planned production of the invading socialist society.”
This is the philosophical concept which permeates
The Historical Tendency of Capitalist Accumulation, the most famous chapter in Capital and all Marxist writing. This for the retrogression-ists is their “center of gravity.” Let us see what Marx says:
The very laws of capitalist production bring forth the “material agencies” for its dissolution – concentration of production and socialization of labor. But on these material agencies as basis spring up “new forces and new passions.” This is the proletariat “Centralization of the means of production and socialization of labor at last reach a point where they become incompatible with their capitalist integument. This integument is burst asunder.” This is the proletarian revolution.
Only then does Marx sum up the process in terms of property which is a legal, historical manifestation of the productive process. He says:
“The capitalist ... mode of appropriation, the result of the capitalist mode of production, produces capitalist private property.”
Production, appropriation, property.
“This is the first negation of individual private property, as founded on the labor of the proprietor.”
Labor, you note, is the foundation. A certain kind of property is the result of a certain mode of production, a certain type of labor.
“But capitalist production begets with the inexorability of a law of nature its own negation. It is the negation of negation. This does not reestablish private property for the producer but gives him individual property based on the acquisitions of the capitalist era, i.e., on cooperation and the possession in common of the land and of the means of production.”
Hitherto among Marxists and anti-Marxists, this was understood to mean socialism. The retrogressionists challenge this. They say:
“The capitalist mode of production begets its own negation with the inexorability of a law of nature
even if the socialist revolution fails to come.”
This they tell us is the “deepest essence of the historical tendency of capitalist accumulation.” So that when Marx wrote “negation of the negation” he did not mean socialism only. He meant that capitalist private property and capitalist production were going to be negated, destroyed, proletariat or no proletariat This, Marx’s most emphatic statement of the proletarian socialist revolution as the inevitable alternative to capitalism, is historically, i.e., in life, interpreted to mean that capitalist property can be abolished and a new kind of state (bureaucratic-collectivist, managerial) will take its place. This certainly is the most remarkable interpretation of Marxism ever made and is likely to remain so.
I have to confine myself here to its immediate political consequences. The material self-abolition of capital is for the retrogressionists a process by which the capitalists expropriate one another and the many capitalist nations are expropriated by one. In their preoccupation with the expropriation of the property, they lose sight of the antagonistic roles of bourgeoisie and proletariat in the process of production.
It appears immediately in their analysis of Europe. This is based not upon the class struggle in production between the German centralization of European capital and the European working class. For them, the basic analysis is of one imperialist nation oppressing and expropriating other nations. The native bourgeoisie of the occupied countries is not defined basically in its economic association with the centralized capital of Europe but as part of the expropriated and exploited nations. The class struggle of the European proletariat against the existing capitalist society is thus replaced by the national struggle of individual nations, including bourgeoisie and workers. Hence the national struggle for them is not primarily a class struggle to overthrow a certain mode of production but a struggle to “reconstruct the whole screwed-back development, to regain all the achievements of the bourgeoisie (including the labor movement), to reach the highest accomplishments and to excel them.” But if the proletariat is to “reconstruct the whole screwed-back development,” etc., etc., then the task of the proletariat can only be to rebuild the whole bourgeois-democratic, i.e., the national, structure. Turn and twist as they may, the retrogressionists are in a vise from which they cannot escape.
Without a firm grasp of the laws of production, you are blown all ways by every wind. Let us see what the retrogressionists do with the general law of capitalist accumulation which is Marx’s theoretical basis for the historical, i.e., the actual, living tendency. The retrogressionists say:
“The theory of the retrogressive movement is therefore no more than the theoretical grasp of the laws of motion of the capitalist mode of production
at the point of transformation into their opposite in the reversal determined by its contents, in which they become concretely demonstrable laws of its collapse independent of the proletarian revolution.” (p.334.)
Marx has summed up the general law as the law of the organic composition of capital, the relation of the constant capital (the mass of machinery, concrete labor, use-values) to the variable capital (labor-power, the only source of value). The relation is la, then 2:1, then 3:1, then 4:1, etc. This developing ratio is the
organic law of capitalist society, i.e., it is of the very nature of the organism.
You would expect that anyone who had discovered economic laws of retrogression would show how
this law was in retrogression. But you search the retrogressionist document in vain. Not a word. Why? Because no such economic movement exists. Where in the world is there any retrogression in this organic law? In fascist Germany the relation oi constant to variable capital increased enormously. In Britain, in the USA, in Japan, in China, in India, in Latin America, the war has seen a vast increase; the post-war will see a still greater. What post-war Germany loses will go to increase the ratio of its neighbors. Whatever production does take place in Germany will take place according to the organic composition of 1946 and not according to that of 1845.
If the victorious powers dare to deindustrialize Germany, all that they will do is to transform millions of proletarians into an industrial reserve army on a vast scale which is precisely the “absolute general law of capitalist accumulation.” Colonization of France or Germany can only be an agitational phrase. In the sense of a historical retrogression it means creating a countryside like that in India or China with feudal and semi-feudal peasants comprising the large majority of the population. The relations of production, the social relations and the whole political structure of those countries would be altered.
A bourgeois-democratic revolution would be on the order of the day. The victorious imperialisms, as Lenin foresaw, cannot do it. Capitalist competition, which is in its present form imperialist war, compels them to obey the general law of capitalist accumulation and tomorrow will force them to rearm, i.e., reindustrialize Germany. Into these Marxist fundamentals they have introduced an unexampled confusion.
The retrogressionists say:
“Under imperialism production is carried on in a capitalist manner from A to Z, but all relations from A to Z are
qualitatively altered. The ‘camp system,’ labor and forced labor service, prisons, etc., become by the massive extent and the manner of their utilization, first, special forms of slave labor, and beyond that, imperialist forms of utilizing the capitalist overpopulation.” (p.342.)
Wasn’t it Marx who told us that the antagonism of capitalist production “vents its rage in the creation of that monstrosity, the industrial reserve army,
kept in misery in order to be always at the disposal of capital.” If today they are kept in labor camps, it is because the proletarian movement toward the socialist future is such that capital must assume complete control over the workers not only inside but outside of the process of production. But do these workers “qualitatively” produce more surplus ‘value or less? Do they alter the organic law? Do they modify or accentuate the contradiction between use-value and value? Do they become isolated groups of slaves, serfs on widely separated latifundia, on manorial farms, or on medieval peasant allotments? Do they acquire the social and political characteristics of slaves and serfs in the Middle Ages? To this last question the retrogressionists answer “Yes.” They say that society
“... harks back in reverse order to the end of the Middle Ages, the epoch of primitive accumulation, the Thirty Years War, the bourgeois revolutions, etc. In those days it was a question of smashing an outlived economic form and of winning the independence of nations – now it is a question of abolishing independence and shoving society back to the barbarism of the Middle Ages.” (pp.333-334.)
It is not a question of smashing economic forms, not a question of winning a new society. That is merely the program of the Fourth International. That, they tell us, is not the question. Independence has been abolished, society has been shoved back to the barbarism of the Middle Ages and the proletariat, to save the situation, must
restore democracy. They must write this. Socialized labor, the socialist proletariat, has vanished into the labor camp. The historical initiative is placed entirely in the hands of the bourgeoisie.
According to their mode of scientific analysis, the world revolution cannot but fail to come. The throwback of labor to the Middle Ages is their general law of capitalist accumulation. To think that this can be arrested by democratic slogans is, to put it moderately, a retrogression to the Utopias not even of the nineteenth century but of the Middle Ages.
The retrogressionist thesis claims to be based upon the collapse of capitalism “independently of the question of the extension of the market.” (p.333.) Very good. To this, as is characteristic of them, they give not a word of analysis. I have to try to
illustrate the difference between this theory and that of the underconsumptionists.
If you observe the growth of capital empirically, i.e., with bourgeois eyes, then it must
appear that as the market declines, the productive power also declines and therefore brings the whole process to a standstill. In reality the struggle for the declining market makes each competitor increase its productive power in order to drive its competitor off the field. Naturally this leads to a fine crash. But in the crash the technologically backward units go under and the system as a whole emerges on a higher technological level – of course to start the whole process again. But the growth of the productive power of capital can come only by the higher organic composition. This leads to the falling rate of profit and it is the falling rate which compels a crisis. In Vol.III of Capital (p.301) Marx says that it is “the fall in the rate of profit [which] calls forth the competitive struggle among the capitalists, not vice versa.” Most Marxist commentators recognize that the Marxian crisis is not a crisis of incapacity to sell goods or, in bourgeois terms, of “effective demand.” It is when the crisis is imminent that capitalists rush to sell goods and naturally the bottom falls out of the market. Blake expresses it very well, in An American Looks at Karl Marx:
“Thus the limiting factor of consumption is a
precipitant, the discharge of workers in the means of production is a manifestation, the transferred crack in consumers’ purchases the ‘ cause’ of a panic, while all along the crisis is implicit, overcome by accumulation by the stronger ...”
Now every serious dispute by serious people about the future of capitalist society will in the long run find the protagonists lined up, in the camp either of the Leninists or the underconsumptionists. The retrogressionists say that they follow the Leninist interpretation. Yet their thesis is that the productive forces have ceased to grow and they quote Lenin and Trotsky. I do not propose to take up Trotsky here. He undoubtedly wrote this many times. He also wrote other passages in apparent contradiction. At any rate he left no developed economic thesis. But Lenin did. He wrote
Imperialism to prove the decline of capitalism. Nevertheless he states (and more than once):
“It would be a mistake to believe that this tendency to decay precludes the possibility of the rapid growth of capitalism. It does not. In the epoch of imperialism, certain branches of industry, certain strata of the bourgeoisie and certain countries betray, to a more or less degree, one or another of these tendencies. On the whole, capitalism is growing far more rapidly than before.”
But argument about this does not need quotations from Lenin. In 1929 the productive power was higher than it had ever been; in 1939 it was still higher than it was in 1929; by 1942 it had reached fantastic heights compared with 1939. Do the retrogressionists dare to deny this? War is only capitalist competition carried out by national units, and the laws hold firm. In times of peace the fundamental movement is development of the productive power precisely because “the market” is declining. In war, where the world market is exhausted and can only be redivided, each national state fanatically develops the productive power. If capitalism lasts until 1968, then the preparation for World War III would result in a productive power far beyond that of 1942.
What then is responsible for the retrogressionists’ thesis of lack of growth of the productive forces? Having abandoned the inevitability of the socialist revolution, and having adopted a theory of the tendency of capitalist accumulation, which increasingly disorganizes and colonizes the proletariat and hence makes it unfit for the socialist revolution, they cannot see the growth of the productive forces which organizes and disciplines the proletariat in the process of production and prepares it for the socialist revolution. Having given up the process of production as the means of developing the productive forces and organizing the proletariat, they must look outside the process of production, i.e., to democracy.
Underconsumptionists are distinguished by the fact that value plays no part in their analysis. Thus they lose sight of the fundamental contradiction of capitalist production, that between the means of production in its value form (the main concern of the bourgeoisie) and means of production in its material form (the main concern of the proletariat). They thus ruin the possibility of future analysis. A recent article in the
Saturday Evening Post shows how clearly the bourgeoisie sees its own side of this question. Admiral Ramsey says that all the existing planes must be systematically destroyed because in five years’ time they would be obsolete. And not only planes, but means of production. General Arnold demands “research laboratories for ever-increasing aeronautical development, a progressive aviation industry capable of great expansion quickly.” Thus essentially as in competition for the market, the material form of the products may be still valuable and able to give great service to the proletariat and the people. But their value, in terms of socially necessary labor time on the world market, is equal only to that of the latest discovery, actual or potential. Hence reorganization of production for more and better production, socialist of labor, increase of the industrial army. The general and the admiral were forward-looking but still did not see far enough. The discovery of atomic energy poses the question of the reorganization of the whole technological system. The second bomb, two days later, made the first obsolete. The retrogressionist thesis makes it impossible to interpret the general capitalist development as socialist society invading capitalism. For then atomic energy is a sign of greater labor camps and therefore of a quicker return to the Middle Ages. Instead of calling upon workers in view of the economic development to prepare for power they are compelled to demand more frantically than ever, a defense of democracy.
What then is the fundamental error of the retrogressionists? They have as always lost sight of the invading socialist society, the socialist future in the capitalist present. Capitalism fetters, i.e., hampers, impedes the development of the productive forces. But it does not bring them to a halt. They move forward by advance, retardation, standstill, but they move forward, bringing the proletariat with them. The theoretical analysis is that the more capitalism increases the productive forces, the more it brings them into conflict with the existing social relations. The more it increases and develops the productive forces the more it socializes labor and the more it degrades it and the more it drives it to revolt. Where Marxism deals in contradictions, growths and deepening of antagonisms, and therefore of class struggle, the retrogressionists deal in absolutes. The productive forces have ceased to grow. Having decided to operate on the basis of “if the world revolution fails to come,” the retrogressionists, rudderless, deny historical fact – the growth of the productive forces since 1917 – make a complete jumble of Marxian economics, all in order to show society on its way back to the Middle Ages. You do not make these blunders without dragging others, and more serious ones, in their train.
The vital question is to get hold of the intimate connection between retrogressionist theory and their practical conclusions. In his Critique of the Hegelian Dialectic, Marx pays noble tribute to Hegel for his discovery of the dialectic but foretells that his incapacity to take it further, i.e., to socialism, opens the way to uncritical idealism and equally uncritical positivism. The retrogressionists fall inescapably into both.
In Vol.II Marx divided capital into Department I, means of production and Department II, means of consumption, and bases his further analysis upon this division. The retrogressionists divide the productive forces into means of destruction and means of construction. What is this but idealism – classification according to moral criteria? One stands almost in despair before this muddle. Oil, coal, steel, Willow Run, Curtiss-Wright, were they means of destruction in January 1945? And what are they now in August 1945? Are they once more means of construction? If so, they move from being means of destruction to being means of construction under the same class rule. This is the economics of Philip Murray. The retrogressionists do not know with what sharp weapons they are playing. All Marx’s economic categories are social categories. In the analysis of capital as value, constant capital symbolizes the bourgeoisie, variable capital the proletariat. But men use not value but steel, oil, textiles. Thus, in his analysis of capital as material form, Department I (means of production) is in essence representative of the bourgeoisie and Department II (means of consumption) is representative of the proletariat. The struggle between constant and variable capital, between Department I and Department II is expressive of the struggle of classes. What struggle goes on between means of destruction and means of consumption? The retrogressionists are defining things as things and not according to a social method – the most elementary positivism. But idealism and positivism are not terms of abuse. Politically they mean one thing – analysis of productive forces as things in general, analysis of the proletariat as people in general.
Marxism is distinguished from idealism and positivism of all types by the fact that (a) it distinguishes the proletariat from all other classes by its types of labor and (b) by the revolutionary effect upon the proletariat and society of this type of labor.
The concept of labor is the very basis of the dialectic, and not merely of the Marxian dialectic but of the dialectic of Hegel himself. In the
Phenomenology of Mind [1], in the section on Lordship and Bondage, Hegel shows that the lord has a desire for the object and enjoys it. But because he does not actually work on it, his desire lacks objectivity. The labor of the bondsman, in working, in changing, i.e., in negating the raw material, has the contrary effect. This, his labor, gives him his rudimentary sense of personality. Marx hailed this and continued the basic idea in his analysis of handicraft and the early stages of capitalist production (simple cooperation). The laborer’s physical and mental faculties are developed by the fact that he makes a whole chair, a whole table, a piece of armor or a whole shoe.
With the development of the stage of manufacture, however, there begins the division of labor, and here instead of making one object, man begins to produce fragments of an object.
In the process of production, there begins a stultification, distortion and ossification of his physical and intellectual faculties.
With the productive process of heavy industry, this stultification is pushed to its ultimate limit. Man becomes merely an appendage to a machine. He now no longer uses the instruments of production. As Marx repeats on page after page, the instruments of production use him. Hegel, who had caught hold of this, was completely baffled by it and seeing no way out, took refuge in idealism. Marx, using the Hegelian method and remaining in the productive process itself, discovered and elaborated one of the most profound truths of social and political psychology. In the very degradation of the workers he saw the basis of their emancipation. Attacking Proudhon for misunderstanding dialectic, he wrote of the laborer in the automatic factory:
“But from the moment that all special development ceases, the need of universality, the tendency towards an integral development of the individual begins to make itself felt.” (
Poverty of Philosophy, 1847)
This need of the individual for universality, for a sense of integration so powerful among all modern oppressed classes, is the key to vast areas of social and political jungles of today. The fascists, for example, understood it thoroughly.
Twenty years later in
Capital Marx developed the political results of the argument to the full.
“It is as a result of the division of labor in manufactures, that the laborer is brought face to face with the intellectual potencies of the material process of production as the property of another and as a ruling power.” (Kerr ed., p.397)
He does not need revolutionary parties to teach him this. This process is his revolutionary education. It begins in manufacture. “It is completed in modern industry ...” This is the misery that is accumulated as capital is accumulated. It may not be formulated. But the moment bourgeois society breaks down and the worker breaks out in insurrection, for whatever incidental purpose, resentment against the whole system explodes with terrible power. [2]
The educational process is not individual but social. As Marx insisted and Lenin never wearied in pointing out, in addition to this personal, individual education, capital educates the worker socially and politically. In
Capital (pp. 632-3) Marx quoted a passage he had written twenty years before in the Manifesto. Former industrial systems, all of them, aimed at conservation of the existing mode of production. Far different is capital:
“Constant revolutions in production, uninterrupted disturbance of all social conditions, everlasting uncertainty and agitation distinguish the bourgeois epoch from all earlier ones. All fixed, fast-frozen relations with their train of ancient and venerable prejudices and superstitions are swept away. All new formed ones become antiquated before they can ossify. All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind.”
This is the history of Europe during the last thirty years and
particularly the last five.
The very climax of Marx’s chapter on
The General Law is to warn that “This antagonistic character of capitalist accumulation is enunciated in various forms by political economists, although by them it is confounded with phenomena, certainly to some extent analogous but nevertheless essentially distinct and belonging to pre-capitalistic modes of production,” i.e., the Middle Ages. And why essentially distinct? Because in capital alone the degradation and its historical conditions also create in the workers the determination to overthrow the system and acquire for themselves the intellectual potencies of the material process of production. Who doesn’t understand this in his bones can be a sincere revolutionary but cannot lead the proletariat. The retrogressionists ruin this conception. They say that “the minute the proletarian loses his right to strike, his freedom of movement, and all political rights,” he ceases to be the “classic ‘free’ proletarian ...” (p.331) For the analysis of production and the stages of production, they have substituted the legislative or repressive action of the bourgeois state. They say that “The modern slave differs much less politically from the slave of antiquity than appears at first glance.” (p.331) The retrogressionists carry their democratic conceptions into the process of production itself. They say: “Politically, and to a large extent economically, it (the proletariat) lives under the conditions and forms of slavery.” (p.339) They seem incapable of understanding that increase of misery, subordination, slavery is part of capitalist production and not retrogression.
At this stage we can afford to be empirical. In 1944 the Italian proletariat in North Italy lived under fascism. Mussolini, to placate this proletariat, called his state the Socialist Republic. Every worker who punched the clock and found no work got three-quarters of his day’s pay. Mussolini passed decrees which aimed at making the workers believe that industry was socialized. When the Germans were about to leave, these workers negotiated with them and with Mussolini and drove them out. They seized the factories. They hold them to this day. Such is modern industry that a mere general strike poses the socialist revolution and the question of the state-power with workers organized in factory committees and Soviets. Yet the retrogressionists say in 1944 that because of the absence of bourgeois-democracy the more you looked at these workers the more you saw how much they resembled the slaves who lived in the Italian latifundia 3000 years ago.
Except seen in the light of their analysis of the proletariat in production, the revolutionary perspectives of the great Marxists have always seemed like stratospheric ravings.
In 1848 Marx said that “the bourgeois revolution in Germany would be but the prelude to an immediately following proletarian revolution.” In 1858 he wrote to Engels: “On the continent the revolution is imminent and will immediately assume a socialist character.” Twenty years later, introducing Marx’s
Civil War in France, Engels wrote:
“Thanks to the economic and political development of France since 1789, Paris has for fifty years been placed in such a position that ... no revolution could there break out without the proletariat ... (after victory) immediately putting forward its own demands ... demands ... more or less indefinite ... but the upshot of them all ... the abolition of the class contrast between capitalist and laborer.”
The word “immediately” appears every time.
Their enormous confidence is based not upon speculation on the psychology of workers but upon the antagonism of objective relations between labor and capital. From this came their proposals. In 1848 in the
Manifesto Marx says that Communists support every movement against the existing order, but “In all these movements they bring to the front, as the leading question in each, the property question, no matter what its degree of development at the time.” For whatever its degree of development at the time, at the moment of insurrection, it flies to the fore.
individual production of 1871, which had nevertheless produced the Commune, had developed into genuine large-scale industry. Trotsky, watching the revolution in feudal Russia, declared that the victorious bourgeois-democratic revolution would “immediately” assume a socialist character. Lenin, as we know, opposed him. We now know who (despite many important qualifications) was essentially right. 1905 is a very important year.
The development of industry brought the political general strike and the soviets. They represent the industrially and socially motivated rejection by the workers of bourgeois democracy. Marx’s 1850 subjective demand for revolutionary workers’ organizations are now objective realities, henceforth inseparable from revolution, as 1917 and post-war Europe and Asia were to show.
In 1938 in the Founding Conference Theses, Trotsky wrote that “The Spanish proletariat has made a series of heroic attempts since April 1931 to take power in its own hands and guide the fate of society.” Are these workers in the “true-bourgeois” tradition of forty years?
He says of the French proletariat that “the great wave of sit-down strikes, particularly during June 1936, revealed the wholehearted readiness of the proletariat to overthrow the capitalist system.” He left it to the Philistines of all shades to point out that the Spanish workers in 1931 were thinking only of overthrowing the monarch (as presumably the Belgians today), and the French workers only of the 40-hour week.
In 1940 Trotsky’s
Manifesto had not the faintest breath of retrogression or belief that the workers for forty years have been dominated by “the true bourgeois tradition of revisionism” (p.340) He says the exact opposite. For him in 1939 the workers wanted to “tear themselves free from the bloody chaos” of capitalist society. In 1940 they had “lost practically all democratic and pacifist illusions.” Note that we are here a stage beyond 1848. The crimes and failures of the modern bourgeoisie have created the subjective consciousness of the modern proletariat which re-enforces the objective antagonism of developed modern industry. Trotsky calmly posed three possibilities. The victory of Anglo-American imperialism, an indecisive struggle, and the victory of Hitler in Europe. The last concerns us most. Fascism would over-run Europe. But that would only be a prelude to a ferocious war with the US. The perspective of Soviets, armed insurrection and the social revolution would remain. As industry had developed since 1848, so the crisis of 1940 presented us with antagonisms a thousand times more developed including a socialist proletariat. Yet there is never a word from the retrogressionists as to the relation of their theory to the perspectives of the leader of the Fourth International.
What would be a retrogression? In the Junius pamphlet (1914) Rosa Luxemburg, although opposed to the imperialist war, put forward a program which did
not call for social revolution. Lenin attacked this as a national program. The “ objective historical” situation demanded the socialist revolution. He said that a throwback in Europe, i.e., retrogression, was not impossible, if the war ENDED in the domination of Europe by one state ... This was exactly Trotsky’s point when he emphasized that even if Hitler won in 1940, he would have to fight the United States. The war, i.e., the bourgeois crisis would not be ended. If, continued Lenin, the proletariat remained impotent for twenty years. Who, who (now) dares to say that the European proletariat is impotent? But the impotence of the whole European proletariat for twenty years would not be retrogression. In addition, for the same twenty years, the American and the Japanese proletariat must fail to achieve a socialist revolution. Then, and only then, after several decades, or in the time of our sons’ sons (Trotsky in 1938) would the revolutionary socialist movement recognize retrogression and once more raise the national program of the restoration of the bourgeois national state. [3]
But the retrogressionists, the vanguard of the vanguard, no sooner saw Hitler dominating Europe, then in the very midst of the war, when the whole situation was in flux, they proclaimed their labor camp theory and a “democratic-political revolution” for national independence and democracy. Not only that Their economic analysis (such as it is) leads them to foresee that the victorious imperialist nations, Anglo-American and Russian imperialism, will continue the same process. Hence their “democratic political revolution” still holds the stage.
It should be obvious that what Lenin said about “democratic demands” has nothing at all to do with this dispute. It would be a crying and intolerable imposition to attempt to confuse the two. For Lenin all democratic demands in advanced countries were a means of mobilizing workers to overthrow the bourgeoisie.
He said that we could have socialist revolution without one democratic demand being realized. The retrogressionists say we must have a “democratic-political revolution” so as to give the workers a chance to “reconstruct” the whole “screwed-back development,” and to learn to link scientific socialism to the labor movement. The two perspectives are at opposite poles. Never before has any revolutionary made such a proposal. Trotsky proposed that the democratic slogans of right to organize and free press be raised in fascist countries, but warned that they should not be a “noose fastened to the neck of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie’s agents.” (Founding Conference.) Writing of “transitional demands in fascist countries,” he warned:
“Fascism plunged these countries into political barbarism. But it did not change their social structure. Fascism is a tool in the hands of finance-capital and not of feudal landowners. A revolutionary program should base itself on the dialectics of the class struggle, obligatory also to fascist countries, and not on the psychology of terrified bankrupts.”
For him the Soviets “will cover Germanv before a new Constitutional Assembly will gather in Weimar.” [4] But the retrogressionists do not propose democratic demands which are to be thrown aside as soon as the masses move. They do the exact opposite. They propose a
revolution for democratic demands. What is this but a rejection of the social revolution until later when the whole “screwed-back development” will have been “reconstructed.” This is the theory. Let us see how it measures up to events.
(The concluding part will appear in the next issue.)
1. One of the three basic books used by Lenin in his studies for
Imperialism.
2. The babblers who think that all the American workers want is “full employment” are in for a rude awakening. That capitalism increases the use-values (radio, education, books, etc.) that he uses outside of production only increases his antagonism.
3. That, said Lenin, was not impossible. But a few months later he said emphatically that the victorious bourgeoisie might think they could do this, but they could not. The economic retrogression of Europe by political means would he a colossal, in fact, an impossible task. (
Collected Works, XIX. p.22.)
4. Those who want to use the fact that this did not happen are free to try. They should, however, think many times before they begin this type of argument.
Last updated on 23.9.2005 | 44,702 | 16,907 | 0.000061 |
warc | 201704 | By now we all know what climate change is, and most of us even agree on what's causing it. It's undeniably one of the most important issues of our time, and here at Media Two, we're individually and collectively committed to being part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
Here's some of what we've been doing to help:
We've developed online invoicing software now used by hundreds of businesses all over Australia. We recycle as much as possible, including electronic waste. Since May 2010, our office has been powered entirely by solar energy direct from the office roof! We also support efforts made towards the care and rescue of animals whenever we as a business can do so.
Using our products and services means you won't be paying a company to damage the environment! We love to support any business that is conscious of the need to care for the environment, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and respect the only planet we have.
In the meantime, here are 50 tips to reduce your own office's waste.
We've added our name to the growing list of signatories on the Businesses for a Clean Economy website at www.b4ce.com.au - please join us there! | 1,172 | 678 | 0.001484 |
warc | 201704 | The Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station is located on the Susquehanna River 50 miles southeast of Harrisburg. The facility was originally financed by the Philadelphia Electric Company in 1958. Unit 1, and experimental helium-cooled, graphite-moderated reactor, came online in 1966. It was replaced by two General Electric boiling water reactors in 1974. Licensed to operate until 2034, the two GE units have a total generative capacity of over 3.5 gigawatts. It is operated by the Exelon Corporation, which has a 50% ownership interest in the plant. The other 50% is owned by Public Service Enterprise Group Power LLC.
As was the case for virtually every industry constructed and operating before 1980, the use of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) was common throughout the construction of power generation facilities. They were employed in numerous locations that included the buildings themselves as well as the machinery. Asbestos is resistant not only to heat and flame, but caustic chemicals and electrical current as well. Over the years, the use of ACMs has saved lives and prevented billions of dollars in property loss.
A 2003 study by doctors in Puerto Rico showed signs of asbestos disease in 13% of subjects studied; all of these had been employed at power plants in that country.
Asbestos disease is relatively rare, but also painful and invariably fatal. The industrial health hazards were well known to ACM manufacturers by the 1930s, but the knowledge was kept a secret for over forty years before a court case in 1977 exposed the corporate conspiracy.
Today, strong regulations issued by the EPA and OSHA require companies operating any kind of industry to provide a safe work environment where asbestos is concerned. Violations can result in large monetary fines and other penalties; individuals responsible may also face prison time.
Asbestos diseases typically have very long latency periods. Symptoms may not appear for as much as sixty years after a person is first exposed to asbestos. Former employees of the McClellan facility as well as their families should discuss the possibility of asbestos exposure with their primary care doctors; early diagnosis is the key to long-term survival.
Given its high resistance to transferring heat and electricity, asbestos (which occurs in forms such as chrysotile, crocidolite and amosite) was frequently used within numerous industrial sites all over the US. It is ironic that reducing the risk of injury was generally one of the driving reasons behind utilizing asbestos in companies for the outcome was actually to place workers at risk of serious illness due to exposure to asbestos. The reason so many workers have fallen ill from diseases including "miner's lung" and cancer of the lungs is that when humans inhale or ingest asbestos strands, the mineral remains in respiratory passages; once there, the sharp, microscopic spikes damage organs. In addition, mesothelioma, the fast-growing and mostly untreatable cancer affecting the cells that line the chest cavity, is associated with mild to moderate exposure to asbestos.
Now, we understand the risks of being exposed to asbestos, and health and safety statutes ensure the well-being of people whose jobs put them in contact with this potentially lethal mineral. People who worked around job sites constructed with asbestos before such laws were passed, on the other hand, commonly spent their work days in sites where asbestos fibers were prevalent, and they typically were provided with very little training concerning how to minimize risks when dealing with the substance. Moreover, employees took asbestos strands home on their work clothes when showers were not provided at the workplace; the consequence of this was that the carcinogen also endangered anyone living with those who worked around asbestos.
Men and women who worked at this site at any time in their job history, as well as their spouses and children, are encouraged to learn more about these health conditions and tell their family doctors about their history of exposure to asbestos, because the signs of pleural mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses can be mistaken for those of other, less serious conditions. Those who may have been negligently exposed should seek legal guidance from a mesothelioma attorney.Sources
Sources
Bowker, Michael. Fatal Deception: The Terrifying True Story of How Asbestos is Killing America. New York: Touchstone, 2003.
Cabrera-Santiago, Manuel et al. "Prevalence of Asbestos-Related Disease Among Electrical Power Generation Workers in Puerto Rico." Presentation at American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, 2007.
Exelon Corporate Website. “Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station.”
http://www.exeloncorp.com/ourcompanies/powergen/nuclear/peach_bottom_atomic_power_station.htm | 4,849 | 2,413 | 0.000417 |
warc | 201704 | Transfer To A Better Cash ISA
It is now a lot easier to transfer your cash from one ISA to another which means that it is now an even more viable option if you think you could be getting a better deal on a different account.
In this guide we will tell you everything that you need to know about what steps you need to take in order to be able to switch your ISA.
Benefits to transferring your ISA
The base rate of interest, that is set by the Bank of England, is currently at an all time low. This means that many people will have seen the interest that they gain on their ISA has fallen since they first set up their account.
As a result of this fact, it is even more crucial than normal that people take a close look at how good a deal they are getting on their ISA at the moment. This means examining the level of interest that you are currently receiving on the money that you have deposited. You should compare this to the best levels of interest that are being paid at the moment and if they don't reach that, you should start to consider switching to a more competitive account.
How to make your transfer
People are often put off transferring their ISA because they believe that it will be a long, drawn out process that ultimately will not be worth the hassle. However, this could not be further from the truth. The on important thing that you need to remember is that you are making an ISA transfer and not an account closure. Keeping this in mind will allow you to have your cash tracked as remaining within the ISA system and will therefore not allow it to be counted against your yearly allowance.
To get started with your ISA transfer you need to open a new ISA. To do this you should have a good look around on the market before you make a decision about who to switch to. BY doing this you will be able to make an informed decision about which provider can offer you the most competitive deal. The way to do this is by using a price comparison tool, like the one that we have on offer here at Money Expert. Our free and impartial price comparison tool will allow you to see a wide range of the ISAs that are currently on the market - making it easier for you to see who is offering the best deal.
Once you have opened your new ISA you need to ask your current ISA provider for an ISA transfer form. This form needs to be filled out with various pieces of information including the details of your new Individual Savings Account. This form will prevent your transfer being treated as an ISA closure and will therefore mean that your money is continued to be protected from tax. Some ISA providers may be able to arrange your transfer for you if you've just set up an account with them but you should enquire about this in order to be certain.
How long will the transfer take?
Transfer times were shortened considerably in 2010 when the Office of Fair Trading introduced a new rule that said that ISA transfers are now not allowed to take longer than 15 days. This was seen as a major improvement on the previously existing system that often led to your cash dropping off the grid for up to two months before finally appearing in your new account.
The new system is thought to have increased competition in the savings account market as it means that people are more willing to switch between providers if they feel like they could be getting a better deal. The same results have been seen in the current accounts market since the new switching system was brought in. | 3,494 | 1,601 | 0.000627 |
warc | 201704 | Ever since the pension freedoms were announced I have been asking the following question: what does drawdown for the mass-market look like? The answer to this question lies in tackling two important issues: who is drawdown most suitable for and which products are most suitable?
Traditionally, drawdown has been regarded as an option only suitable for higher-net-worth clients but people like me have long argued it should not be elitist. In the right circumstances it may be appropriate for those with more modest pension pots to invest. The issue is not so much wealth but suitability, but this is an advice-heavy exercise.
The question “annuity or drawdown?” can be one of the most difficult for advisers and clients. I can recall situations where people who purchased annuities would have been better off in drawdown and some who invested in drawdown probably should have purchased an annuity. The right answer is only evident after the passage of time.
One of the reasons why the decision is so complex is that it is often presented as a black and white choice. In my experience, some of the best outcomes have been achieved by a combination of both. Arguably, however, this can take twice as much advice time as a single option solution. See what I mean about advice-heavy?
When it comes to which products are most suitable there are generally only two things that matter: investment choice and charges.
The fund choice and the amount of risk the drawdown plan is exposed to are critical. If returns are too low the drawdown will not provide the same income that could have been purchased from an annuity. If too much risk is taken there is an increased danger of running out of income in the future.
I have always thought one of the difficulties with drawdown is that a higher rate of return is required at older ages in order to maintain the annuity purchasing power. The reason for this is the effect of mortality drag, which can be explained as an invisible force that acts to boost annuity payments.
There is probably no disagreement among advisers that drawdown is better with a bespoke investment strategy rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The problem is the mass market does not have big enough funds to justify bespoke solutions.
Part of the answer to the mass-market drawdown question could be the new hybrid or combination solutions being launched. These offer both annuity and drawdown-style income in one single plan with one monthly payment. Not only do they allow people to move from drawdown to annuities very easily, they also make the administration extremely easy because there is one combined payment net of tax.
There will be an opposing school of thought that if a combination of annuity and drawdown is needed it can be done better by arranging two separate policies. It is probably a question of scale. The bigger pots will benefit from bespoke advice and best of breed plans but the mass market needs a solution that is suitable for purpose and cost efficient.
Billy Burrows is director of Retirement Intelligence | 3,074 | 1,460 | 0.00069 |
warc | 201704 | Mount Sinai Queens Implements Electronic Medical Records in Ambulatory Locations EMR Rollout to be completed in Queens by April 2013. New York – November 27, 2012 /Press Release/ ––
Mount Sinai Queens has brought full electronic medical records (EMR) to areas where ambulatory patients are treated, the first step in a $20 million project to implement a full electronic medical record system for all of Mount Sinai Queens by April 2013. Ambulatory locations where the EMR is rolled out includes Family Health Associates, Physician Associates and the Mount Sinai Queens Cancer program. The main campus, The Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan, has fully implemented an electronic medical record in both inpatient and outpatient settings with an investment of $120 million.
"Mount Sinai Queens is bringing the future of medical care to Queens with a top-flight electronic medical record system that will result in significant improvements and enhanced coordination of care for our patients," said Caryn A. Schwab, Executive Director of Mount Sinai Queens. "The system will bring new efficiencies that will allow us to channel even more resources toward treating the sick."
EMR brings numerous advantages and added safeguards to patients, including the ability to seamlessly transfer medical records between treatment areas and to other medical facilities, including Mount Sinai's main campus in Manhattan. With electronic records, patients will also be able to access their medical records and test results online, communicate with their doctor, request prescription renewals, and check upcoming appointments at https://mychart.mountsinai.org/mychart/.
Electronic records also help physicians maintain a more complete and accurate history of a patient's prior conditions and prescriptions. It can caution doctors about medications that should not be prescribed to certain patients, provide information to emergency medical staff even if a patient is unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and expose many potential safety problems before they occur. EMRs also help all of the numerous caregivers who may treat a patient stay current with the patient's condition and with any treatment or medications the patient may have received from other hospital staff, physicians, or specialists.
"Electronic medical records bring all sorts of advantages to a clinical setting," said Kumar Chatani, Chief Technology Officer of The Mount Sinai Medical Center, "and Mount Sinai Queens is acquiring the industry-leading system. The system builds on the success we've had at Mount Sinai in Manhattan and will allow full integration of medical records from one facility to another."
Mount Sinai Queens is implementing the same EMR system that has already been successfully installed at The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. Created by Epic Systems Corporation in Wisconsin, the system is widely recognized as the best in its class and the industry standard for academic medical centers and their various facilities spanning inpatient and outpatient care.
The Mount Sinai Hospital's state-of-the-art clinical information system provides an integrated medical record that incorporates the records of a patient's visit, ranging from Ambulatory Services to the Emergency Department to Inpatient Services. In 2011, The Mount Sinai Hospital was recognized by HIMSS Analytics for reaching "Stage 6" status on the HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model℠ (EMRAM). As of October 2012, only 388 of the more than 5,300 U.S. hospitals tracked by HIMSS Analytics had reached Stage 6 on EMRAM. Stage 7 is the highest level attainable.
One important element of the $20 million project to bring EMR to Mount Sinai Queens is new backup generating power for the facility, which will help provide access to electronic records even in the case of power failure.
About Mount Sinai Queens
Mount Sinai Queens is a 235-bed licensed acute care facility, providing adult medical and surgical services, with a team of nearly 500 physicians representing close to 40 medical and surgical specialties and sub-specialties. Between the physicians and staff, 35 languages are spoken; just one of the many ways that Mount Sinai Queens serves the needs of the culturally diverse population of our community.
The Hospital serves the communities of Western Queens and beyond by providing primary and specialty care; occupational, speech and physical therapy; outpatient surgery; cancer care and a range of radiological testing.
Mount Sinai Queens is the first and only community hospital to bear the prestigious Mount Sinai name and is unique because it is not just affiliated with Mount Sinai Manhattan— it is a fully integrated part of The Mount Sinai Hospital, combining medical excellence with the compassionate, caring environment you expect from a community hospital.
For more information, visit http://www.mshq.org/
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warc | 201704 | About Me
I am a surgical oncologist who specializes in treating people with both benign and cancerous diseases of the pancreas, bile duct, gallbladder, and liver.
Our team philosophy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is that every patient is unique in all aspects and has individual needs — from the time of diagnosis, to treatment, and at recovery. This is particularly important when treating cancers of the pancreas, bile duct, gallbladder, and liver, which are among the most complex to treat, and require an experienced surgical team. My partners and I at MSK have extensive experience treating these tumors; we perform close to 1000 operations a year and have pioneered many of the surgical techniques to safely remove them. To allow people to recover faster after surgery, we have also developed laparoscopic and robotic surgical approaches and we use these techniques whenever possible. Individualized treatment can often have multiple components, such as chemotherapy and other treatments in addition to surgery. To ensure the best possible treatment for every person, we work as a team comprised of international leaders in medical oncology, gastroenterology, radiology, pathology, and nursing, and discuss all details of patient care in a weekly multidisciplinary conference. Our primary goal is to provide people with exceptional care in the most careful, efficient, and expeditious way possible.
In addition to performing surgeries and caring for patients, I am a member of the David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, where I perform laboratory research to identify new ways to use the immune system to fight pancreatic cancer. T cells are highly specialized cells of the immune system designed to protect the human body from infections and cancer. In the past decade, we have discovered that T cells recognize and kill cancers. By understanding how T cells recognize cancer, we have now developed treatments called immunotherapies to supercharge T cells and overcome cancer defenses.
By studying T cells in a common soft tissue tumor (sarcoma) at MSK, I discovered that imatinib (Gleevec®) — a highly effective drug that we use to treat these tumors — also activates T cells to attack cancers. I combined imatinib with an immunotherapy to increase T cell tumor killing. These findings changed our understanding of how imatinib and other drugs called kinase inhibitors destroy tumors. The National Cancer Institute recognized our work and sponsored a clinical trial to test this new treatment combination in patients. My research experiences have taught me the power of laboratory work to make new discoveries that change the way we think about and treat cancer. My goal is to apply this expertise to develop new immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer.
Clinical Expertise:Pancreatic Cancer; Benign, Premalignant, and Malignant Diseases of the Pancreas, Bile Duct, Gallbladder, and Liver Languages Spoken:English; Chinese; Hindi; Tamil Education:MD, Stony Brook School of Medicine Residencies:NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center Fellowships:Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Board Certifications:Surgery Publications Pubmedis an online index of biomedical articles maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Clinical Trials
As home to one of the world’s top cancer research centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering is typically involved in more than 900 clinical trials at a given time. Currently, clinical trials focused on the conditions I treat are enrolling new patients. If you’re interested in joining a clinical trial, click to learn about the trial’s purpose, eligibility criteria, and how to get more information.Learn more
Insurance
Most major health insurers offer plans that include MSK as one of their in-network providers. If MSK is in-network, it means all our doctors are too. Medicaid and New York State Medicare also provide benefits for care at MSK.Learn more | 4,030 | 1,917 | 0.000528 |
warc | 201704 | Abstract
The paper explains the theory of bureaucracy developed by William A. Niskanen. While sociologist Max Weber's analysis treats the bureaucrats as "eunuchs" or automatic machines creating the public well-being, Niskanen tries to apply standard neo-classical economic models to explain the behaviour bureaucracy as a whole. On this background he concludes that the bureaucracy will concentrate on bargaining process with the sponsor and not on improving the quality of its services. This is a simple explanation why the bureau provides systematically worse products and services to its customers than the standard firm operating on the market. | 653 | 394 | 0.002558 |
warc | 201704 | Cytochemical analysis of Streptomyces coelicolor (A3(2) indicated that the aerial growth rodlet mosaic is a polysaccharide. Statistical analysis of frequency distributions of individual rodlet lengths from control and ether-reoriented spore mosaics indicated that the rodlet fibrillar image is the result of individual particulates, rather than evaginations in a continuous sheet of material. A model of the mature sport envelope was developed from freeze-etch-replicated, thin-sectioned, and critical point dried S. coelicolor A3(2) mature spores. The rodlet mosaic was situated between the outer spore wall and an external granuloma matrix. Mixture spore envelope layers from the inner surface to the external surface are plasma membrane, inner spore wall, outer spore wall, rodlet mosaic, an undefined granular matrix, and the sheath. The granular matrix had an uneven thickness and much of the matrix was frequently absent from the interspore spaces of mature spore chains. Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) mosaic rodlets were isolated by acetic acid refluxing, then ethanol precipitation. Complete acid hydrolysis of rodlets released on sugar which cochromatographed with D-glucosamine-HCl and released acetic acid at 139% of the expected level. Cell associated rodlet mosaics and isolated mosaic rodlets were hydrolyzed with chitinase. Infrared spectra of isolated rodlets were similar to crab chitin spectra. | 1,414 | 698 | 0.001435 |
warc | 201704 | Identifying climate refuges for freshwater biodiversity across Australia
Title Identifying climate refuges for freshwater biodiversity across Australia Publication Type Report Notes Year of Publication 2013 Authors James, CS, VanDerWal, J, Capon, SJ, Hodgson, L, Waltham, N, Ward, DP, Anderson, BJ, Pearson, RG Pagination 424 Date Published 06/2013 Institution National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility City Gold Coast ISBN Number 978-1-925039-56-6 Keywords Barron, Black river, Cardwell Coast, Daintree, Freshwater, Freshwater Biodiversity, Herbert, Johnstone, Mossman, Mulgrave- Russell, Qld, Queensland, Ramsar, refuges, refugia, review, Tully-Murray Abstract
Severe climatic changes are predicted for Australia before the close of this century. Climate change threatens biodiversity in all ecosystems; a management and conservation priority is to identify areas and habitats — refuges — that could shelter species from the worst impacts. Freshwater ecosystems contain high biodiversity, but are especially vulnerable to climatic changes due to their limited extent and connectivity. In much of Australia, they are highly susceptible to drying resulting from high variability in temperatures and rainfall. Identifying, protecting and managing refuges in freshwater systems must therefore be a key component of future conservation planning and policy.
Using a variety of approaches, we explore the history and definitions of refuges in freshwater systems, assess the relatively stability and general refugial value of large-scale regions across the Australian continent and provide three case studies demonstrating applications of the continental analysis to inform more local adaptation strategies. A review of existing concepts of refuges for biodiversity highlights a number of issues that contribute to confusion and imprecision surrounding their definition, and we offer a new, simplified concept of refuges with respect to climate change in freshwater systems.
Projected climate changes are highly spatially and seasonally variable, and this project has identified freshwater regions which will remain stable in the future, and those which will likely not. Many regions will likely experience climates and events well outside their current range of variability, and we predict significant changes in community structure and ecosystem assemblages. In these areas of instability, we propose that refuges will be of high priority, for example areas where temperature changes are buffered by vegetation or topographic shading. We show that some current protected areas will fail to offer refuge and protection under projected climatic changes. We further highlight significant changes in perenniality of streams and waterholes, particularily in the south-western region of Australia. Finally, our research identified a number of knowledge gaps which currently hinder climate change adaptation research in freshwater systems. We provide a discussion of these gaps and outline the future research directions required to ultimately benefit species and habitat conservation.
Refereed Designation Refereed | 3,132 | 1,501 | 0.00067 |
warc | 201704 | Former Guatemalan dictator Efraín Ríos Montt will stand trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in a Guatemalan court after his indictment Jan. 26, news outlets reported, and experts are saying this is “huge news” for Guatemala and the world.
Guatemala’s attorney general, Claudia Paz y Paz, is charging Ríos Montt as the intellectual author of the crime of genocide and crimes against humanity that occurred when he was head of the military during the 1980s civil war. Judge Carol Patricia Flores Blanco ruled that Ríos Montt should stand trial for his part in the genocide, saying there was enough evidence to link him to it, The Associated Press reported.
Former general Ríos Montt, 85, was president of Guatemala for 17 months during the years 1982 and 1983, years that saw some of the worst violence of Guatemala’s civil war. His defense said that he could not be charged because he did not control battlefield operations, according to news reports.
About 200,000 people, mostly Mayan Indians, were killed in the war, which lasted from 1960 to 1996, and many are still missing. The government used a “scorched earth” policy to rid the country of left-wing guerrillas, but families of the dead and the Commission for Historical Clarification, Guatemala’s truth commission, say it was a massacre of people caught in the crossfire, according to Reuters.
The truth commission, which sprang from the 1996 peace agreement that ended the war, also condemned in its 1999 report U.S. involvement in reinforcing Guatemala’s national intelligence apparatus and training officers in counterinsurgency techniques.
Genocide is rarely prosecuted, said Amy Ross, a geography professor at the University of Georgia with a special research area in genocide.
Ross said this is the first instance she knows of that a national court is prosecuting its own citizen for genocide. Genocide trials typically have been prosecuted in international court.
Charges were not brought against Ríos Montt before because as a member of Guatemala’s Congress he had immunity. He left Congress Jan. 14.
Impunity has “reigned” in Guatemala, said Mary Jo McConahay, a journalist and author of a new book on Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico,
Maya Roads: One Woman’s Journey Among the People of the Rainforest. She has 30 years experience covering Central America, including articles for NCR.
A lot of persistence from the indigenous community brought the case to where it is today, she said, as well as work from previous prosecutors, the current prosecutor, a “very brave” judge and the attorney general.
The unprecedented case is definitely a victory, Ross said, but people should take a note of caution: An out-of-power 85-year-old is being prosecuted, not anyone currently in power in Guatemala with “blood on their hands” from the civil war.
Ross said her colleagues in Guatemala say that there is elation in the attorney general’s courage.
Paz y Paz, attorney general since late 2010, last year prosecuted four soldiers in connection with civil war killings in 1982 in the town of Dos Erres. Each soldier received 30 years for each of the 201 people killed, according to Reuters.
Pamela Yates is a filmmaker for Skylight Pictures who directed the documentaries “Granito” (2011) and “When the Mountains Tremble” (1983), both based in Guatemala. At the latter film’s first public showing in Guatemala, an international lawyer investigating the genocide case approached Yates.
The best place for this case is Guatemala, said Yates, who is currently in the country.
“That way the survivors can see justice being carried out and their suffering acknowledged,” she said. Inside and outside the courtroom, hundreds of indigenous people came “to be part of this historic moment,” she said.
The prosecution used Yates’ June 1982 interview with Ríos Montt, she said, a part included in the film “Granito” where he asserts that he was at the top of the chain of command.
“It’s good news” for the people that Ríos Montt is being indicted, said Paul Jeffrey, an ordained elder in the Methodist church and a journalist who lived in Central America for 20 years and covered it for
NCR and other publications. But there are still a lot of bodies to be found, he said. More than 80 exhumations have taken place in Guatemala, according to McConahay’s book, Maya Roads.
In 1998, a group of Catholic bishops in Guatemala released as part of the Recovery of Historic Memory Project (REMHI) “Guatemala: Never Again,” a four-volume collection of stories from Guatemalan people who lived through the violence. The project’s head, Bishop Juan Gerardi, was killed two days after the report’s release. Military personnel were charged with his death. Ríos Montt’s brother, Mario Enrique Ríos Mont (name spelled differently), currently an auxiliary emeritus bishop in the Guatemala archdiocese, helped with REMHI. The brothers are very different, Jeffrey said.
A photo of Ríos Montt in handcuffs appearing in newspapers after January’s trial “takes your breath away,” history professor Virginia Garrard-Burnett said. Some people never thought they would live long enough to see this day, she said. Ríos Montt is now under house arrest.
Although some people -- partly thinking of Ríos Montt’s born-again Pentecostalism -- called the killings “a holy war,” Garrard-Burnett said that label is too simplistic. Ríos Montt “was after everyone, not just Catholics,” said Garrard-Burnett, who teaches at the University of Texas-Austin and recently wrote a book,
Terror in the Land of the Holy Spirit: Guatemala Under General Efraín Ríos Montt 1982-1983.
About 12 clergy were assassinated, and Garrard-Burnett considers them martyrs who “haven’t really gotten their due.” People recognize clergy martyrs from other countries that went through similar violence, she said, but the mainstream has not recognized these ones from Guatemala’s war.
In other attempts to prosecute high-ranking military officials in Latin America, a common defense has been to claim to be mentally unfit for trial. Garrard-Burnett’s guess is that Ríos Montt, having so much military stature and pride, will not say he is mentally unfit.
His daughter, Zury Ríos, “completely backs him” as he goes through this, Garrard-Burnett said. Zury Ríos is major political figure, heading the Guatemalan Republican Front political party. She is married to former Illinois Congressman Jerry Weller.
Guatemalans on all sides of the debate will follow this closely, Garrard-Burnett said. Along with being president and general, Ríos Montt was a born-again Pentecostal preacher. When he preached on television on Sunday nights, he would describe his vision for Guatemala -- a “shining city on the hill” vision, Garrard-Burnett said. Because of this, some really liked him then, and some still really like him now, she said.
The recently elected Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina has been criticized over his dealings in the war as a top military official. He has said he will not stand in the way of the trial, according to news reports.
He may be thinking that the eyes of the international community are on him now, Jeffrey said. Or he may be allowing this prosecution, Ross said, to avoid charges against himself. News reports hinted at his cooperation being in hope of restoring aid from the U.S., which eliminated aid to Guatemala in 1978.
The other complex part of this victory, Ross said, is the current condition of the poor in Guatemala, who are still living in abject conditions.
[Zoe Ryan is an
NCR staff writer. Her email address is zryan@ncronline.org.] More: Editorial: "The truth will out, even for dictators" [4] Advertisement | 8,069 | 3,655 | 0.000288 |
warc | 201704 | Rowan Hooper, online news editor
A big cloud of cyber-fuss has blown up over an article in the
New Yorker which argues that prosperity can only be achieved by rampant greenhouse gas production.
By pitting the economy against the environment that article, by David Owen, makes a mistake that the former chief economist of the world bank, Nicholas Stern, has been warning us of for several years now: It's not
either the environment or the economy. It's both.
He makes a good case that both problems can be solved in one fell swoop. Spending on retooling the world to be greener will also help the economy, he says.
This article helpfully explains that by examining - and dispelling - each of Owen's arguments in turn (but if you're still puzzled by any of the issues, check out our helpful guide to the myths of climate change). Meanwhile let's hope the UN climate negotiators currently meeting in Germany agree on a serious plan to wean us off fossil fuels. | 965 | 580 | 0.001739 |
warc | 201704 | Congenital hip dislocation
Although most dislocations are caused by a blow, fall, or other trauma, a dislocation can also occur from birth. The cause is unknown but genetic factors may play a role. Problems resulting from very mild developmental dysplasia of the hip may not become apparent until the person is in his 30s or 40s. | 332 | 230 | 0.004387 |
warc | 201704 | Thermal Equilibrium
Check us out at http://www.tutorvista.com In thermodynamics, a thermodynamic system is said to be in thermodynamic equilibrium when it is in thermal equilibrium, mechanical equilibrium, radiative equilibrium, and chemical equilibrium. Classical thermodynamics deals with dynamic equilibrium states. The local state of a system at thermodynamic equilibrium is determined by the values of its intensive parameters, as pressure, temperature, etc. Specifically, thermodynamic equilibrium is characterized by the minimum of a thermodynamic potential, such as the Helmholtz free energy, i.e. systems at constant temperature and volume: A = U TS; Or as the Gibbs free energy, i.e. systems at constant pressure and temperature: G = H TS. The process that leads to a thermodynamic equilibrium is called thermalization. An example of this is a system of interacting particles that is left undisturbed by outside influences. By interacting, they will share energy/momentum among themselves and reach a state where the global statistics are unchanging in time. Thermal equilibrium is achieved when two systems in thermal contact with each other cease to exchange energy by heat. If two systems are in thermal equilibrium their temperatures are the same. The word equilibrium means a state of balance. In an equilibrium state, there are no unbalanced potentials (or driving forces) with the system. A system that is in equilibrium experiences no changes when it is isolated from its surroundings. The opposite of equilibrium systems are nonequilibrium systems that are instantaneously off balance.
Length: 01:30 | 1,622 | 750 | 0.001337 |
warc | 201704 | Home > NRC Library > Document Collections > Generic Communications > Information Notices > 1990 > IN 90-08
Information Notice No. 90-08: KR-85 Hazards From Decayed Fuel UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 February 1, 1990 Information Notice No. 90-08: KR-85 HAZARDS FROM DECAYED FUEL Addressees: All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power reactors and holders of licenses for permanently shutdown facilities with fuel on site. Purpose: This information notice alerts addressees to potential problems resulting from the accidental release of Kr-85 from decayed fuel. It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required. Description of Circumstances: During the licensing reviews for the Oconee independent spent fuel storage installation, and in the decommissioning of the La Crosse and Dresden Unit 1 power reactors, the NRC staff analyzed the radiological hazards associated with the gases in decayed spent fuel. The age of the nuclear power industry and the lack of a permanent repository for spent fuel have resulted in the accumulation of decayed spent fuel. Decayed spent fuel is manipulated after long shutdowns of operating reactors, during spent fuel pool re-racking, during movement to alternate reactor sites or independent spent fuel storage installations, and during decommissioning. Analysis of hypothetical accidents involving decayed spent fuel has focused attention on potential difficulties that could be associated with the exposure of onsite personnel to an accidental release of Kr-85. Kr-85 is a noble gas fission product that is present in the gaps between the fuel pellets and the cladding. It has a 10.76-year half-life, and, as a result of the considerably shorter half-lives of virtually all other gaseous fission products (I-129 being the exception, but in low abundance), Kr-85 becomes increasingly the dominant nuclide in the accident source term for gap releases as decay times increase. After 2 weeks of decay, Kr-85 is a significant nuclide in the source term, and after 190 days of decay, it is the predominant gaseous nuclide for a gap release. The unusual decay characteristics of Kr-85 give cause for focusing attention on the onsite consequences of a gap release from decayed fuel. 9001260198 . IN 90-08 February 1, 1990 Page 2 of 2 Discussion: Kr-85 emits beta radiation with a maximum energy of 0.67 MeV for 99.6 percent of the decays and 0.51 MeV gamma radiation for 0.4 percent of the decays. Consequently, direct exposure to this gas would result in a dose to the skin approximately 100 times the whole-body dose. Analysis of the relative consequences (in terms of radiological doses) of a cask-drop accident as a function of decay time of the fuel is illustrated in Figure 1. In the event of a serious accident involving decayed spent fuel, protective actions would be needed for personnel on site, while offsite doses (assuming an exclusion area radius of 1 mile from the plant site) would be well below the Environmental Protection Agency's Protective Action Guides. Accordingly, it is important to be able to properly survey and monitor for Kr-85, and to assess the skin dose to workers who could be exposed to Kr-85 in the event of an accident with decayed spent fuel. Licensees may wish to reevaluate whether Emergency Action Levels specified in the emergency plan and procedures governing decayed fuel-handling activities appropriately focus on concern for onsite workers and Kr-85 releases in areas where decayed spent fuel accidents could occur, for example, the spent fuel pool working floor. Furthermore, licensees may wish to determine if emergency plans and corresponding implementing procedures address the means for limiting radiological exposures of onsite personnel who are in other areas of the plant. Among other things, moving onsite personnel away from the plume and shutting off building air intakes downwind from the source may be appropriate. This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager. Charles E. Rossi, Director Division of Operational Events Assessment Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Technical Contacts: Charles S. Hinson, NRR (301) 492-3142 Robert A. Meck, RES (301) 492-3737 Attachments: 1. Figure 1, Dose Consequences of a Spent Fuel Drop Accident 2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices .ENDEND Page Last Reviewed/Updated Friday, May 22, 2015 | 4,893 | 2,305 | 0.000434 |
warc | 201704 | Small-Scale Experiments: Effects of Chemical Reactions on Debris-Bed Head Loss — A Subtask of GSI-191 (NUREG/CR-6868, LA-UR-03-6415)
On this page:
Download complete document
Publication Information Manuscript Completed: November 2003 Date Published: March 2005 Prepared by: R.C. Johns, B.C. Letellier (Principal Investigator) Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
K.J. Howe, A.K. Ghosh
Department of Civil Engineering University of New Mexico (Subcontractor) Albuquerque, NM 87110
T.Y. Chang, NRC Project Manager
Prepared for: Division of Engineering Technology Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001
NRC Job Code Y6041
Small-scale head-loss flow tests and quiescent-immersion corrosion tests were performed to determine whether post-loss-of-coolant-accident debris generation and sump-screen head loss in a pressurized-water-reactor containment system can be affected by chemical interactions between the emergency-core-cooling-system water, which contains boric acid and sodium hydroxide at elevated temperatures, and (1) exposed metal surfaces, (2) inorganic zinc-based paint chips, and (3) fiberglass insulation debris. The principal findings of this study are that: (1) temperature-dependent corrosion of zinc metal can occur at typical temperatures and pH; (2) precipitation of dissolved iron, aluminum, and zinc in excess of their low solubility limits produces transportable gelatinous material that can cause additional pressure drops across a fibrous debris bed; (3) dissolved zinc can be leached from zinc-based coatings debris; and (4) silica can be leached from typical fiberglass insulation debris and may be an important constituent of the chemical system. However, the implied progression from metal corrosion to the ultimate precipitation of a flocculent material was not demonstrated conclusively. One alternative corrosion product observed in the zinc immersion tests was a crystalline surface growth, suggesting redeposition of zinc compounds initiated in a saturated solution. Electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, and x-ray diffraction methods were employed to determine the composition of the surface corrosion product.
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, May 10, 2016 | 2,305 | 1,292 | 0.00078 |
warc | 201704 | All the major retailers and manufacturers are gearing up to offer you rock bottom prices. What they won’t be telling you, though, is how much energy their products use or what they cost to operate.
Someday, maybe, we’ll see the industry leaders declare a “Green Friday” and compete based on energy use and other environmental impact. In the interim, I’ve put together a list of the most energy efficient TVs on the market as well as some additional shopping tips and advice on how to minimize the energy use of TVs and some of the products connected to them.
Consumer Electronics and Energy Use 101
Consumer electronics are the fastest growing source of energy use in our homes and represent 10 percent to 20 of our overall electric bills. The biggest chunk of this energy use is tied to your TVs and the equipment connected to them – the DVD player, video game console, cable or satellite set top box(es), surround sound system, etc.
. As everyone cares about at least one of the following -- lower electric bills and saving money, cleaner air, and less global warming pollution -- products that offer the same performance while using less energy are the way to go. When you add it all up, it is like adding a new kitchen’s worth of electricity use to your home Shopping for a TV
While the 2010 models are significantly more efficient than the offerings just a few years ago, there are still some real dogs out there. For example, some models use twice as much power to operate as another similar-sized product. Unfortunately consumers have no way of knowing this when shopping and as a result may be paying a few hundred dollars extra in their electric bill over the ten-year lifetime of their new TV.
So here is what you can do:
1. Only buy a model that has the ENERGY STAR label on it. Today this means a TV is one of the better models on the market (but not necessarily the best) in terms of energy efficiency.
2. Take the enclosed list of the 200 most efficient models on the market with you. These TVs use roughly 25 percent less power than today’s ENERGY STAR Version 4.1 requirements. This list includes a wide cross section of manufacturers, screen sizes and features. When deciding which TV to buy, be sure to factor in the lifetime electricity cost data I provide in the last column.
3. When setting up your new TV be sure to pick the home setting. TVs at the home setting will operate at the correct brightness level for your home and use 15 to 25 percent less power than those in the other unnecessarily bright settings.
As a result of NRDC’s advocacy, all new TVs will contain a yellow Energy Guide label by the middle of 2011 like the one shown below. This will make it a lot easier for consumers to make informed decisions when picking which TV to buy and we anticipate that disclosure of this information will further drive manufacturer competition to improve the energy efficiency of their products.
Video Game Consoles
An increasing number of homes also have a video game console – Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s PlayStation3 or Nintendo Wii -- connected to their big screen TV. The older versions of the Xbox 360 and PS 3 consumed in excess of 150 watts when in use. To make matters worse, these devices as shipped do not automatically turn themselves off when not in use. The design flaw in these products is they continue to consume near full power levels if the user forgets to turn them off when they are done playing the game or watching a movie. Depending on the version purchased, the consumer is throwing away roughly $ 75 - 125 per year to power their device when it is NOT in use.
For an older model left on all the time, . this is the same amount of energy used by two new refrigerators each year
Now for some really good news. Today’s Xbox 360 and PS3 use roughly 50 percent less power (around 85 watts) than earlier models, and the Wii continues to use much lower levels (under 25 watts) of power then the other devices. In addition, the Xbox 360 and PS3 now both contain an auto power down feature that puts the machine into a low power mode after extended periods of inactivity. In other words, your video game console will use only 1 Watt in the middle of the night instead of the 80 to 150+ Watts levels your new or older model, respectively, would use if left on.
You will have to dig deep into the operating menus to find out how to enable the auto power down feature. To help guide you through this process we provide you with step-by-step instructions below. We are continuing to encourage manufacturers to ship all their new models with this feature enabled by default and are optimistic they will make this change relatively soon.
From the Navigation menu, select:
From the Dashboard, select:
Cable and Satellite Set Top Boxes
Unfortunately there is not much good news to report here. Today’s cable and satellite set top boxes and DVRs essentially stay at near full power levels 24/7, even when you “turn them off.” The major part of the problem here is that we the consumer instead of the service provider pay the electric bill. This really adds up as there are around 188 million of these set top boxes in the US. As such, our nation is wasting the equivalent output of six large (500 megawatt) power plants each year to power these devices when they are NOT in use. Many of today’s DVRs use more energy each year than the TV they are connected to. Later this year we will announce the results of a recent field study we did on these devices.
In the meantime, let’s try an interesting little experiment: Head over to the Facebook pages of Comcast, Time Warner, Direct TV, Dish Networks and tell them you are not happy with this situation and you want a box that uses very little power when you are not watching or recording a show.
Ask the companies if they’d be willing to pay you for the portion of your electric bill, approximately $25 a year, caused by them to power your box when you are not using it. If they hear from enough of us, perhaps they’ll move more quickly to solve this flaw in their system.
And then maybe we can celebrate a green Friday before too long.
[1]
Enabling the special conditions function will allow the auto-shutdown feature to work even if you have a game or movie inserted in the console and on its main menu page. Without it, the console will not turn off after video or game play, including idle menu page screens - making it rarely effective. | 6,547 | 3,096 | 0.000329 |
warc | 201704 | Sallinen, Marko
Sales Manager
Phone: +358 40 826 0310
Mail: marko.sallinen@nynas.com
The addition of Nygen 910 opens up the possibility of using higher proportions of recycled material in asphalt mixtures.Lue lisää Orust, north of Gothenburg in Western Sweden
The aim of the contract was to protect with a thin layer the structure of the road and to improve the existing surface, both in terms of grip and of repairing minor damage to the surface. The project was also used to demonstrate the capability of thin surfacing layer to reduce noise by 4dB(A) or more.Lue lisää Dahl - Bruchhausen, Germany
Wierzbowa Street in Wysogotowa is a local road with a high volume of traffic: there are numerous manufacturing companies located alongside the road, and it provides a short cut between National Road 92 and Provincial Road 307.Lue lisää Wierzbowa Street, Wysogotowo near Poznan, Poland
Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) in remote west Wales runs an extensive programme of surface dressing to keep its roads in good condition in a cost effective and sustainable way. Such preventative maintenance means that, in general, the council’s roads have few potholes and feedback from road users is usually positive.Lue lisää Improved performance with Nynas Fleximuls | 1,312 | 765 | 0.001363 |
warc | 201704 | Influenza Fact Sheets and ResourcesInfluenza, also called "the flu", is caused by a virus that affects the nose, throat, airways, and lungs. Influenza A and/or B typically circulates in the United States during late fall and winter. One of the best ways to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year. The 2015-2016 influenza vaccines will be available in two formulations: trivalent or quadrivalent. Trivalent vaccines protect against the influenza A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like, influenza A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 (H3N2)-like, and influenza B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (Yamagata lineage) virus. In addition to the three components in the trivalent vaccine, the quadrivalent vaccine also contains influenza B/Brisbane/60/2008-like (Victoria lineage) virus. There are seven different types of vaccines available this year. For more information on flu vaccinations click here. For more information on where you can get your influenza vaccine, please visit the Vaccine Finder or you may contact your local county health department.
How do I prevent the spread of influenza?Above all, the most important message is to
prevent the spread of all types of flu and respiratory illnesses.
This includes:
Staying home from work, school, and other public places if you are ill;
Making “respiratory hygiene” a habit, including use of tissues to cover coughs and sneezes, then disposing of them and performing hand
hygiene immediately. When tissues are not readily available, use your sleeve, never your hands; Frequent hand hygiene using soap and water, or alcohol-based products such as hand gels when hands are not visibly soiled; and
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone six months of age and older receive an influenza vaccine each year to protect against influenza. For more information about influenza vaccine click here.
Fact Sheets and Guidelines:
2015-2016 Seasonal Flu Facts
Cold vs. Flu: Know the Difference
What Protects Me From the Flu
What You Need When You are Home Sick - Cold and Flu Supplies
Suministros Para el Resfrío y la Gripe - Lo Que Necesita Cuando Está Enfermo En Casa
Hand Hygiene
Lave Sus Manos Para Evitar Propagación De Gérmenes
Antiviral Medicine Fact Sheet
The Flu: A Guide for Parents
8 Infection Control Guidelines to Prevent Influenza
Reye Syndrome Fact Sheet (14k.pdf)
Flu Prevention Posters:
Flu Season is Here (699k.pdf)
La Temporada de la Gripe Está Aquí (405k.pdf)
Cover Your Cough the Right Way (OSDH)
Cubra Su Tos de la Manera Correcta Hoja Informativa (OSDH)
Cover Your Cough (CDC)
Cubra Su Tos - Español (CDC)
Don't Let the Flu Get You (OSDH)
No Deje Que le dé la Gripe (OSDH)
Too Sick for School (2M.pdf)
¿Demasiado Enfermo Para la Escuela? (1M.pdf)
Stay Well this Flu Season - Easy as 1,2,3 (1.3M.pdf)
Hand Hygiene Posters:Hand Washing Steps
Como Lavar Sus Manos
Hand Washing - Adults
Adulto Lavado de Manos
Hand Washing - Kids
Ñino Cuándo debo lavar mis manos
If You’re Awesome and You Know It! – Version 1
If You’re Awesome and You Know It! – Version 2
Help Stop Respiratory Illness
Protect Those You Love
External Influenza Resources:
Seasonal Influenza (CDC)
"Take 3" Actions to Fight the Flu (CDC)
Flu.gov
Families Fighting Flu | 3,349 | 1,686 | 0.000618 |
warc | 201704 | The first and most important casualty of the militarization of the Syrian uprising is the non-violent movement.
With two superpowers emphatically vetoing three UNSC resolutions on three different occasions, the world could not be more divided about the Syrian crisis. World leaders are nonetheless united in their rhetoric supporting peaceful protest. The Syrian crisis, however, has revealed troubling contradictions in the position taken by key countries. For example, Saudi Arabia committed itself to arming the Syrian opposition at the same time when its security forces are killing and imprisoning peaceful protesters within its own borders. Turkey, too, is involved in providing support to armed Syrian groups while continuing its ruthless campaign against what it calls “Kurdish terrorists.” The US administration is providing “non-lethal” support to armed Syrian opposition that includes the same groups that the US troops fought in Iraq. Iran, after praising the Arab Spring for bringing down long serving authoritarians, failed to tell its Syrian friend that 42 years of Assad rule is not acceptable. These contradictions either suggest that the virtue of armed rebellion is in the eyes of the beholder or that non-violent resistance could co-exist with armed rebellion. Both propositions are problematic.
Trigger-happy groups have always argued that they can change corrupt regimes quickly and efficiently. The evidence is in Afghanistan and Somalia. Non-violent uprisings have changed regimes without firing a single bullet and destroying the fabric of society. The evidence is in Tunisia and Egypt. The first and most important casualty of the militarization of the Syrian uprising is the non-violent movement. A report published by the Coordinating Committees for Democratic Change testifies to this.
Arguably, the most significant achievement of the Tunisian revolution was not succeeding to bring about regime change. Rather, it was in changing the regime without resorting to violence. During a visit to Tunisia, when I was shown what used to be the headquarters of neighbourhood committees, I asked if it would have helped if citizens had guns. My interlocutor, without hesitation, replied: “thousands of people would have died if people had access to guns.” That was before the start of the uprising in Syria. Now, we can assess the truth of that statement.
Graphics’ source: BBC
On August 9, 2012, the FSA announced another “tactical retreat” from Salahuddin neighbourhood in Aleppo, leaving behind rubble-filled streets and destroyed buildings. This last retreat is just the most recent in a series of many. The FSA failed to free and hold territory that can be considered safe zones making their main argument a moot point. The FSA has without doubt, however, militarized the conflict, giving the regime reason to unleash its unmatched military might.
The FSA claimed that its presence would encourage military and security personnel to defect. However, according to some FSA leaders, while many have defected, only a small percentage of them took up arms, with the rest opting instead to join their families or go into seclusion. In other words, the defection has only exacerbated sectarian and ethnic divides. Since the majority of the defectors are from the Sunni sect, Alawites and Christians will be more inclined to retain their affiliation with the regime to protect their communities.
The political discourse adopted by the opposition does not give assurances to minorities either. Political and military leaders of the opposition continue to emphasize that the new Syria will be democratic and inclusive. The experiences of minorities in Lebanon, a country whose sectarian composition is similar to that of Syria, show that political accommodation—not popular democracy—can assure them protection. Minorities in Syria are fearful that the Sunnis would rely on numerical majority to create governing institutions that will further marginalize them.
Sectarian and ethnic divisions are threatening the entire region, not just Syria. Sectarianism is taking over the political and diplomatic discourses in neighbouring countries. Islamist rulers in Turkey are siding with the Saudis and the Qataris to defend Sunnis while executing their own version of war on terror against their Kurdish minorities. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are increasingly abusive of the Shiite communities within their own borders. In Iraq, sectarian and ethnic reconciliation is imperiled. Lebanese stability is in a precarious state despite the neutral stance the government took with regards to the Syrian crisis.
In the end, as Kofi Annan concluded, the Syrian problem cannot be solved with regional and world actors holding their current positions. World leaders, especially those directly involved in arming the opposition and the regime, must be prepared to compromise if they expect the Syrian foes to coexist. Sectarian and ethnic groups in Syria, including the Alawites, do not like to be told who their leaders ought to be. Therefore, a solution that is built on exclusion will not advance the cause of peace and stability in a fragile region; nor could the militarization of the conflict. The armed rebellion ended any and all talk about a peaceful uprising in Syria. Those calling for arming the opposition are legitimizing violence and destroying the non-violent movement.
Opinions expressed herein are the author’s own, not those of the university or any other organization with which he is affiliated. | 5,586 | 2,603 | 0.000389 |
warc | 201704 | You know that feeling you get when you start a new workout plan, or you start building a side business?
The excitement, drive, and
motivation!
It makes waking up early easier, working late tolerable and excuses hard to justify.
Then a few weeks go by…
And the harsh reality sets in.
All of a sudden, you don’t “feel like it” as much as you did before. You still want the results, but you’ve lost the desire to get started with the work.
This is normal, and it happens to everyone.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to make it better.
1. Handle the Worst Things First
According to the research, willpower is a limited resource.
Imagine you have a daily budget of willpower. Each challenging task, whether mental or physical, requires you to use a bit of willpower.
You slowly spend your daily budget of willpower as you go about your day.
As a result, our willpower is strongest in the morning and weakest at night. (Ask yourself: do I make better decisions in the morning or at night?)
This is why you want to handle the worst tasks first while your willpower is strong. Putting off that email you’re ignoring or firing that client you don’t like is only going to get more difficult as the day goes on.
Instead, you can handle it while you’ve got willpower on your side. Plus, you’ll also build momentum that carries forward throughout the rest of your day.
2. Leverage Your Energy at the Right Time(s)
We have a tendency to romanticize the idea of being a morning person as if
that is the secret to success.
In reality, you have to figure out what times work best for you.
I can get the most work done in the early morning and late evening. My energy levels (towards work, that is) are sluggish in the afternoon.
Maybe you don’t get much done in the morning, but you blast through work from 1-5 pm. Instead of trying to change what naturally works for you, why not use this knowledge to your advantage?
Schedule your high-value tasks for the time of day you are most productive. Then handle low-value tasks in the hours when you are coasting.
In other words, try to get the most work done in the times where you
do feel like it, and schedule lower-priority objectives for the times when you don’t. 3. Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity method created by Francesco Cirilio that’s intended to help you get more done in less time.
Here’s how it works:
Choose one task to work on Set a timer and work with zero distractions for 25 minutes After the timer goes off, take a break for 5 minutes and then start again After four pomodoros (25 minutes of focused work) take a longer break of 15-20 minutes
The Pomodoro Technique is perfect for the times you aren’t in the mood to work because you know you only have to commit to 25 minutes of focused work at a time. Knowing that you’ll get a break quickly makes it easier to get started.
The best part is how much momentum this technique builds and how quickly it ramps up your motivation!
4. Cut Off Social Media
Humans have always found ways to waste time. Social media is our preference in the modern age.
However, social media is more than a distraction — it’s an addiction. In fact, research shows that Facebook addiction activates the same areas of the brain as drugs. (Source)
Unless you record yourself throughout the day, you probably don’t realize how much time you waste with social media. Think about how many times you open Instagram or Snapchat throughout the day.
Each time you check your social media you are throwing your mind out of flow with what you need to accomplish. (Unless your job requires you to use social media.)
The best solution I’ve found is to turn off ALL notifications from social media apps and only check social media at certain times of the day.
As fun as social media is, it doesn’t bring the same satisfaction as getting things done!
5. Incentivize Yourself
It’s funny how motivated you get when there’s money on the line.
Sometimes all we need is a little incentive.
There’s a company, stickK, that’s 100% free and allows you to bet money against yourself and be held accountable. You set a goal to bet on, pick an amount of money to bet, and then select a referee to approve or decline your bet based on whether you stuck to your goal or not.
What makes it interesting is how you can set the stakes. For example, many people choose to have their money donated to a charity they despise or to a person they don’t like. In other words, they give themselves a convincing reason not to fail.
Another tactic for this strategy of incentivizing yourself is creating a competition with a friend or family member – a method I have personally used many times successfully.
I don’t know about you, but for me, I would rather win bragging rights from a friend than take their money. That said, when they’re willing to put both on the line, I’m more than happy to take both.
6. Force Yourself to Get Started
Motivation comes and goes.
Sometimes motivation finds you and other times you have to seek it out.
The mistake too many make is thinking you are supposed to be motivated
before you start working.
Unfortunately, this won’t always be the case — but it’s ok because you don’t need it.
All you need to do is get started, and the motivation will come to you.
If you can just hang in for 10 to 20 minutes, you’ll reach a flow state and find your motivation.
The only time this doesn’t work is when there’s something bigger going on…
7. Check Your Health
Burnout is real, and you want to avoid it.
If you’re experiencing prolonged lack of motivation, there might be some underlying health issues.
Are you getting enough sleep?
Are you eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly?
Are you staying hydrated?
Sure, these are common sense, but I have a tendency to get caught up in the hustle and forget to eat. Perhaps you’re skipping something that’s important for your health.
Remember, health is number one. There’s nothing more important than your health.
You’ll do your best work when you’re performing at your best.
When your body and mind are prepared to perform, you’ll be surprised how often you “feel like” getting things done!
———
KW Stout is the author of Health Mind Power — a website dedicated to improving your life through habits and your daily routine. You can download the FREE eBook, 99 Habits For Those Who Want it All, at his website! | 6,681 | 3,099 | 0.000339 |
warc | 201704 | In order to perform a fitting we need to define an objective function of sort: this will then be minimised.
Now, the two most important pieces are put together. What we still need is some data to fit, and a starting point for the fitting. We get those in the next few lines, followed by the actual command to fit the guess to our actual target (note: target is explicitly called within the Objective function itself, in the modCost() line). Now we’re in business! After running the code above, the system suggests a value of coefficients fairly close to the target’s owns. -3.6, -5.2, 27.7, compared to -3, -5, 30. let’s have a look at the solutions: in blue, our target – in red, our initial guess, in green, our final fit (bullet).
Ok, the fit isn’t that good if you look at it. But it’s better than nothing… If you want to try and get closer just increase the number of iterations allowed to the minimiser. But it isn’t really necessary – we’re going to move onto something more interesting. How do we know that the parameters we’re fitting are sensible? Yes, they certainly look so in this case, but in real life we have no clue of what the real numbers may be, or we wouldn’t be fitting to them in first place. Perhaps the trajectory we’re fitting against is just too short, and doesn’t have enough information to distinguish between an infinite number of radically different solutions, which fit well locally but diverge wildly later on… Pretty much assured to be the case with Lorentz’s system, I’d say… So, we run a sensitivity analysis on the system – the authors of the FME package have made this very easy for us:
the result of this is then fed to a collinearity analysys function, which – at least that’s how I understand it, in ‘non-statitiscian’ speaks – checks that simultaneous changes in (a subset of) your parameters do not affect the model in a too similar (collinear) way. So, here’s your result. If you print the ‘Coll’ variable, you’ll see a table-like frame where a collinearity value is attached to each combination of parameters… Like this: Now, according to the authors of the package, values below 20 say that it’s OK to trust a fitting of that particular combination. value above 20, are a no-no… This table is easy to look at but I thought that transforming it into a graph may come in handy, particularly for cases several parameters and combinations have to be explored. First off we ‘melt’ our Collinearity table using the reshape package: As you may see, we also create some categorical (i.e. factor() variables which make or easy coloring of the table. Then, we can finally plot: And here’s the final result:
This graph suggests, like the table from which is derived, that all parameters can be fit together (with these specific data), and a reliable fit can be found… If only my real-life example were so easy… Homeworks: Try adding some random noise to the XYZ values of the target, and see if the collinearity analysis changes. I’ll try to update this post with a tentative walkthrough in the next few days. For now, enjoy! | 3,251 | 1,639 | 0.000648 |
warc | 201704 | Tummy tuck, BBL and breast lift surgery in January 2017. Should I stop exercising? Doctor Answers 12 Mommy Makeover /Breast Augmentation/Breast Implants/Anatomic Gummy Bear Implants/Tummy Tuck/Liposuction/BBL
I appreciate your question.
I would recommend that you discuss this question with your surgeon as every surgeon has their own respective pre op and post op protocol for his/her patients. Your surgeon is your best resource as he/she is most familiar with your medical history and how you will be healing following surgery.
The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.
Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery.
Best of luck!
Dr. Schwartz
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
#RealSelf100Surgeon
Dr. Derby Sang
Thank you for your question.
I recommend you to contact your doctor and go over all your concerns, because we all have the same goal to achieve but different perspective.
Best of luck on your soon surgery.
Tummy tuck, BBL and breast lift surgery in January 2017. Should I stop exercising?
You should really ask your surgeon about this as this will depend upon certain individual perspectives of plastic surgeons.
Kenneth Hughes, MD
Los Angeles, CA
You might also like... Exercise
You can continue your regular exercise routine right up to your surgery date. It is a great idea to keep your body as fit and healthy as possible as you prepare it for healing after surgery. Good luck on your upcoming surgery!
Find the right surgeon to help you
Far more important than deciding if TT is for you is the skill and experience of your plastic surgeon. Choose your surgeon rather than the technique and let him explain why one technique may be better than another and if you need a tummy tuck. Many board certified plastic surgeons provide a free first time consult and you should take advantage of that! See the below link on some suggestions on finding the most qualified Plastic Surgeon for you!
Continue Exercising Up Until Your Surgery Date
No, definitely do not stop exercising. You should be closest to your ideal weight as possible before your procedure and it should be stable for at least 6 months. The Mommy Makeover is a combination of procedures to bring a woman’s body back to the way she looked prior to pregnancy. Most commonly some variation of a #TummyTuck and #BreastSurgery are performed. Additional procedures can include liposuction, umbilical hernia repair. The most common #breastprocedures include #mastopexy or #breastlift, #breastaugmentation, or #breastreduction.
In addition to one-on-one consultations with a board certified Plastic Surgeon, patients always need to be seen by their primary care doctor prior to such procedures. We screen every patient and their medical records for risks of blood clots (DVT) and then take appropriate measures. MWL (massive weight loss patients of 75 lbs or more) tend to have poor skin elasticity and will frequently need additional tightening even after 6 -12 months regardless of who or how their surgery is performed. This is simply the nature of such body tissues and the ability to heal with the lack or limited elasticity. It is also suggested to wait at least 6 months after pregnancy to undergo a Mommy Makeover.
Multiple procedures, some advices:
Thank you very much for sharing your concerns with us.
For safety reasons, to be a good candidate for the procedures you want at the same time, your labs and cardiovascular preoperative evaluation must be optimal. Therefore, you must be a healthy person, within an appropriate BMI and no history of diseases that increase the surgical / anesthetic risk degree. Finally, I recommend you a skilled certified plastic surgeon in body contouring surgery and experienced in cases like yours where the planned operating time is less than five hours.
Respectfully, Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-
Exercising before surgery
I would encourage you to continue your exercise program. You may continue to exercise right up to our surgery, although I would recommend cutting back on the intensity of your workouts for the week before surgery to allow our body to recover and prepare for the stress and demands of surgery and healing. Remember that calories and protein are very important during exercise and post-surgery to allow for appropriate fuel for recovery!
Mommy make-over - when to stop exercising?
Thank you for asking about your mommy make-over.
Unless your surgeon tells you otherwise, you should continue your normal exercise until a day or two before surgery. Exercise is good for the body and will help your healing. To be sure, check with your surgeon.
Always see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Best wishes - Elizabeth Morgan MD PHD FACS
Exercising before surgery
There is no reason to stop exercising before your upcoming procedures. Generally, the better shape you are in before your surgery, the easier recovery you will have. Please consult with your PS for more detailed pre-operative instructions. Good luck!
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship. | 5,348 | 2,462 | 0.000409 |
warc | 201704 | Continue Reading
When writing letters to patients, both the layout and the language should be clear to ensure that any instructions or directions given are not contradicting. The letters should also include contact details so patients can call back in case they have queries, as National Health Service states.
Doctors should avoid using long words in their letters to patients, especially when short ones are adequate. Jargon or abbreviations should be avoided when writing patient letters, since it is likely the recipients may not understand them. The letters should also have a clear format to ensure that patients with physical impairments can read them without straining, as National Health Service advises.Learn more about Business Communications | 757 | 409 | 0.002458 |
warc | 201704 | Continue Reading
Some items that nursing documentation charts typically include are the results of a head-to-toe physical assessment, plan of care and progress notes, according to The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. The purpose of nursing charts and documentation is to facilitate communication of their patients' health status between providers and create an accurate record of all encounters and interventions that were completed with the patient, explains GroupHealth.
For their nursing assessments, nurses must document their patients' overall appearance, vital signs, physical assessment data and well being, reports The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. Physical assessment is objective information about the patients' respiratory status, circulation and skin condition and a focused assessment on systems related to patient diagnoses. Nurses also chart their patients' intake of food, nutritional status, intake of fluids and urine output.
Progress notes are a way for nurses to document their patients' clinical status and the results of reassessment after interventions are performed, explains The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. Nurses use progress notes when there are abnormal lab or assessment results, changes in condition and changes in the plan of care and to document how patients responded to various interventions. Nurses should complete progress notes in real-time and not wait till the end of a shift. Nurses often use ISBAR for documenting progress notes, which stands for identification, situation, assessment, action, response and recommendation.Learn more about Diagnostics & Imaging | 1,626 | 752 | 0.001334 |
warc | 201704 | 9 Things Feminist Moms Refuse To Say To Their Kids About Love
I can't imagine how difficult it is to explain the concept of love to your children. I'm not there yet, as my kid is just a toddler, but I'm actually looking forward to the challenge. While I'm not above admitting that I'm still navigating the complex and multifaceted avenues of love myself, the idea of love, and the very real struggles of loving someone else (or even myself), I look forward to teaching my son about love, especially because I'm a proud feminist mom who believes that feminism is going to help me with that conversation when the time to have it eventually rolls around.
There's no denying that feminist mothers do parenthood differently; whether it's teaching your children to be sex-positive, highlighting the importance of gender equality, denouncing gender stereotypes, or simply adhering to gentle parenting practices, feminist mothers are changing the social expectations of motherhood. We're no longer adhering to age-old, often patriarchal-in-nature parenting tropes that promote an unrealistic picture of what it means to be in love. Instead of building up the importance of marriage, of one gender's power over the other in the name of a relationship, or denouncing the importance of self-love, feminist parents are being realistic about relationships, especially the romantic ones.
Which is why there are these nine things that feminist moms refuse to say to their kids about love. Relationships are evolving, as is the way we talk about them to our children, and feminist parents are at the forefront of that change.
Anything That Supports The Idea That "The One" Exists
While the idea of The One™ or a "soulmate" is romantic and pleasant, it's also downright fictitious. There isn't one completely and totally perfect person out there for all of us. There isn't someone who is going to embody everything we want and need, so we'll never be hurt or disappointed. There are just people whom we're more compatible with than others, and people whom we're willing to "pay the price of admission" for.
If you let go of the idea of the "perfect person," you not only rid someone else of the burden of attempting to hide their faults and flaws, but you rid yourself of the pressure of trying to be perfect for someone else as well. It's liberating, I can assure you.
That Love Is Only For Marriage
Marriage isn't an inevitable byproduct of love, and love won't always end in marriage. In fact, the number of single people has surpassed the number of married people, an indication that society is no longer considering love and marriage as synonyms (as I assume all of these unmarried people aren't also experiencing a perpetual dearth of love in their lives). Being in love really means that you're able to make your own relationship rules with someone, whether that means being in an open relationship, being in a long-term relationship, getting married or simply staying committed to one another without a wedding. It can mean having a baby, or never having a baby. It can literally mean anything the people in the relationship want it to mean, and that's the beauty of love.
That Love Is Gender Specific
Love is not defined by a specific gender, or race, or belief, or anything superficial like the social identifiers our culture has created. Love crosses any and all man-made constructs, so a feminist mother will never tell her children that they can only love someone of a specific gender.
That Being In Love Means Being Subservient
Contrary to popular belief, being in love does not mean being completely subservient to your partner, or being a doormat for them. While our culture continuously teaches subservience to women, seeing your partner as equal is a vital component of a healthy, romantic relationship. Equal partnerships foster honesty, communication, humility, respect and understanding; all things that every human being deserves and should have with their partner. A feminist mother isn't going to tell her children that in order to love someone fully, you must cater to their every need, put yourself last, and abide by their rules and wishes. That's an aging, dangerous concept that was used (and still is today, sadly) to oppress women and further gender inequality. Not today, patriarchy. Not today.
That You Have To Change Who You Are For Love
You should never change who you are for someone else. You shouldn't alter your personality so you can appear more appealing, deny yourself the ability to express yourself for fear you won't be understood, or feel like you're not worthy of love when you're being your authentic, genuine self. Everyone deserves to be respected and loved for who they are, and if that cannot happen with a particular person, then that particular person is dead wrong for you. I'd venture to guess there isn't a mother out there who would want her children to feel like they're not enough, and a feminist mother is no different.
That You Need Someone To Love You To Be Happy
A feminist mother isn't going to equate self worth to the existence of a romantic relationship. Being in love, or having someone to love, isn't the key to happiness, and you shouldn't wait to love yourself until someone else does. In fact, the most important relationship you'll ever have is the relationship you'll have with yourself.
That Loving Someone Else Is More Important Than Loving Yourself
Which is why focusing on yourself is vital. In fact, there are scientific reasons why loving yourself is important. For example, self-compassion can help any mental health issues you may or may not have, can encourage you to be healthier physically, and can lead you through any adversity you may encounter during your lifetime.
You Should Only Have Sex If You're In Love
A feminist mother isn't going to equate love to sex, and visa versa. In fact, most feminist mothers strive to be as sex-positive as possible, and see sex as a form of healthy self-expression, and not a binding pact that should only be made with someone you're in love with and/or someone you're married to. The idea that you should only have sex with someone you love can come dangerously close to slut-shaming, and a feminist mother isn't going to slut-shame her children, or anyone else for that matter.
That Love Is Enough
It's a cute concept, but love simply isn't enough. It's just...not. And the idea that "love is all you need" is a dangerous one that can keep someone in an otherwise unhealthy (and even abusive) relationship. For example, the lack of financial freedom can keep a woman in an abusive relationship, as she doesn't have the means or funds to break free from her abuser. Because being in a romantic relationship cannot (and should not) be a person's only source of self-worth, a feminist mother is going to be realistic with her children about love, relationships, and everything in between. She's going to encourage her children to find other healthy avenues that provide them with a sense of appreciation and accomplishment, that do not rely on the affections of another human being. | 7,128 | 3,141 | 0.00032 |
warc | 201704 | Does Taking Antidepressants During Pregnancy Cause Autism? New Research Suggests Link, But "Suggests" Is The Key Word
New researched published Monday in
JAMA Pediatrics has uncovered an unsettling correlation between antidepressant usage during pregnancy and the likelihood of autism. The Canadian study found that in the 145,456 pregnancies that were tracked, babies born to mothers who took serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) while pregnant were 87 percent more likely to develop an autism spectrum disorder. Another way of looking at the numbers is that the overall rate of autism was .7 percent for the kids of moms who didn't take SSRIs, and 1.2 percent for the kids of moms who did.
On the surface, this looks frightening for women who take SSRIs and want to become or are currently pregnant. But maternal health experts point to reasons to not be
too alarmed about these results. For one, this study can only establish correlation, not causation, between antidepressants and autism because it's an observational study rather than a randomized controlled trial. "I always have to look with a certain degree of skepticism at cohort studies — which I think are invaluable and I have published them myself — but they also have issues,” Dr. Yonkers, the director of the Center for Wellbeing of Women and Mothers at Yale, told The New York Times. Yonkers explained there might be reasons for a link between antidepressant usage and autism that aren't a matter of direct causation.
Still, this finding is significant because it's a high-quality study that adds to previous research finding negative associations between SSRI usage and baby's health outcomes, including a 2015 Finnish study that linked SSRI use to the risk of preterm birth, and a troubling 2013 meta-analysis that found statistically significant links between antidepressant usage and preterm delivery, lower birth weight, and lower Apgar scores. Still, while these associations were statistically significant, they were all small.
Anick Bérard, lead author of the Canadian study, told
The New York Times that while moms should take these new numbers into consideration, it certainly doesn't mean they shouldn't treat their depression. "Of course treat depression, but maybe treat it differently, at least during pregnancy," Bérard said. Dr. Yonkers had a similar message, saying that "... People should take a medication during pregnancy if they absolutely need it. If they don’t need it, they should not take it." Image: Carsten Schertzer /Flickr | 2,564 | 1,285 | 0.000792 |
warc | 201704 | In an earlier SeniorHomes.com blog post on vision loss, we discussed how this normal condition of aging can affect the health and well-being of older adults. Vision loss can increase the likelihood of seniors requiring assistance with activities of daily living and the risk of falls. Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released Preventing Falls: A Guide to Implementing Effective Community-Based Fall Prevention Programs and the CDC Compendium of Effective Fall Interventions: What Works for Community-Dwelling Older Adults, 3
rd Edition. The reason why these reports were solely dedicated to preventing falls is because “falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among adults 65 and older and 10,000 people in the United States turn 65 every day”(Preventing Falls page 1) and the economic impact that result from medical costs is reported at being $34 billion annually(Compendium 1).
The
Preventing Falls report provides guidance for community programs when developing and implementing a fall prevention program, while the compendium highlights research studies on fall-prevention measures among community-dwelling seniors. Though the intended audience of the compendium is clinicians, public health practitioners senior service providers, there is one study included in the report that is of value to caregivers and seniors. How Glasses can Affect the Likelihood of Falls
The use of eyeglasses as one ages is often due to presbyopia, a common form of vision loss. Wearing either single lens or multifocal glasses is the usual prescription to compensate for the loss of vision. A recent study conducted by researchers in Sydney, Australia, Effect on falls on providing single lens distance vision glasses to multifocal glasses wearers: VISIBLE randomised controlled trial, sought to determine whether the use of single lens distance glasses reduced the number of falls in seniors who wore multifocal glasses. Each lens type has its advantages: a single lens is useful for distant and near vision, while multifocal lens (bifocal, trifocal or progressive lens) are useful in activities, such as driving or cooking, that require the eye to switch between focusing at different distances. However, studies have found that bifocals or progressive lens affect a senior’s distant depth perception and the ability to see contrasts; “in particular, wearers of multifocal glasses have high risk of falls when outside their homes and when walking up or down stairs.”
Study Design and Results
In this randomised study, 606 participants were separated into the intervention or control group. At the first visit, subjects in the intervention group were examined by an optometrist who prescribed single lens distance glasses that matched the prescription of their multifocal lenses. On the second visit, these subjects received their new single lens glasses and were shown how multifocal glasses can affect depth perception and noticing obstacles. The optometrist recommended use of the single lens glasses for most walking and standing activities, such as walking in the street, walking up and down stairs, or walking in unfamiliar surroundings. Control group subjects also received the same exam by the optometrist and received updated multifocal lenses if needed; however, they did not receive any advice on using their glasses.
Determining the effectiveness of single lens glasses upon falls, researchers measured the number of falls in the 13-month follow-up period; falls were defined as “unintentionally coming to the ground or some lower level and other than as a consequence of sustaining a violent blow, loss of consciousness, sudden onset of paralysis as in stroke or an epileptic seizure.” They also measured other outcomes such as physical activity levels and fear of falling.
The intervention group reported 461 total falls compared to 496 in the control group. Of the falls occurring outside, the control group reported 197 while intervention only had 192. Of the injurious falls, the intervention group reported only 11 less than the control group’s 235.
Of the participants who were less likely to leave their house, their number of outside falls increased significantly, though researchers “found no indication that falls occurred at the time of switching between multifocal and single lens distance glasses. The intervention did not influence the secondary outcome measures, indicating that the intervention did not increase physical activity or improve quality of life through fewer falls.”
However, for older adults who participated in regular outdoor activities, using single lens glasses was an effective method to prevent falls.
Study Recommendations
From these results the authors had several recommendations which caregivers or seniors can make note of:
older people who have minimal correctable distance refractive error should avoid multifocal glasses older people with considerable correctable distance refractive error who take part in frequent outdoor activities should use single lens distance glasses when outdoors and in other unfamiliar settings older regular wearers of multifocal glasses with considerable correctable distance refractive error who take part in little outdoor activity should use multifocal glasses for most activities (rather than using multiple pairs of glasses) insufficient evidence exists to recommend one type of multifocal glasses over another
For seniors who are accustomed to using only one set of glasses for their outdoor activities, it might take a while to remember to switch to another pair when walking outside. But falls can have devastating consequences for older adults, often leading to hip fractures, hospitalizations, and a loss of mobility. So if it means seniors are less likely to suffer falls, switching to a different pair of eyeglasses before heading outdoors is a habit worth developing. | 5,966 | 2,551 | 0.000396 |
warc | 201704 | Lower Your Costs
Keep your workers' compensation costs under control by following these best practices.
1.
Offer a temporary or lighter-duty job to an injured employee who cannot return right away to his or her regular job because of medical restrictions.
In some cases, you may be able to return the employee to work within the state-prescribed waiting period and take advantage of the medical-only discount.
If time off exceeds the waiting period, work with the treating doctor to minimize the payment of wage-loss benefits. Offer the employee a temporary position at a reduced wage if necessary.
The waiting period—a period of days before wage-loss benefits kick in—is different in each state...
2.
If you don't have all the information right away, report what you have and call back later with the rest. If a claimed injury seems suspicious, call your SFM claims representative.
3.
How you treat one employee's claim influences how other employees expect they'll be treated if they are injured. It may also influence whether they think they'd need outside legal help.
4.
Use loss history reports in CompOnline® to spot your problems and opportunities and see where to invest your loss control resources.
5.
Your safety committee is the spark plug. Educate your employees, influence their behavior and evaluate their workspaces.
6.
When an injury happens, look for causes. Take steps to prevent injuries from recurring.
7.
Make sure your employees are properly trained on safety procedures and spotting workplace hazards. Think of it as part of your injury prevention program.
8.
Encouraging healthy lifestyles can also raise productivity. Healthy employees are less likely to get injured.
View SFM's wellness resources
9.
Stay aware of employee concerns. Deal with performance problems promptly and separately from workers' compensation issues.
10.
Resources on preventing injures and working with injured employees are available at no charge to you as an SFM policyholder in SFM's online Resource Catalog. | 2,052 | 1,083 | 0.000943 |
warc | 201704 | Investors are anticipating this week’s expected earning releases from
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ:SCTY) , Nokia Corp (ADR) (NYSE:NOK), and Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS). See how analysts are weighing in on these big-name stocks. NVIDIA Corporation
NVIDIA is set to release earnings on Thursday, May 12 after market close. For this quarter, analysts are expecting the company to post revenues of $1.27 billion and earnings of $0.32 per share, compared to revenues of $1.15 billion and earnings of $0.24 for the same quarter of last year. Although the company posted record revenues of $1.4 billion last year, this quarter could mark another earnings surprise given the launch of Facebook’s VR Oculus Rift Headset, released in late March, as well as other VR games. Although the company does not manufacture chips for the headset, it does make chips for computers which support VR, such as its NVIDIA GTX GPU, which gamers prefer over competitor’s.
For this quarter, investors are anticipating slowing growth in the company’s gaming segment, as the first 2 quarters of the year are typically slow for gaming. However, the company has over 50% market share in gaming chips. This expected slowing should be offset by the company’s data center and automotive segments, which investors expect to display impressive growth for the quarter.
Although investors are slightly concerned regarding the impact of the expiration of a licensing deal with fellow chip maker Intel in March 2017, the company’s market position and state of the art technologies are expected to attract similar deals. Related, a court decision for its patent lawsuit with Samsung could generate a new licensing deal which would offset revenue losses from Intel, although a decision has not yet been made. Investors are also expecting the company to report a reduction in free cash flow this quarter due to the $562 million worth of dividends and share buybacks between January and April.
According to TipRanks, out of all the analysts who have rated the company in the past 3 months, 41% are bullish while 59% remain on the sidelines. The average 12-month price target for the stock is $36.32, marking a 3% upside from where shares last closed.
Walt Disney Co
Walt Disney Company is expected to report Q2:16 earnings on Tuesday, May 10 after market close. The average analyst consensus for the upcoming quarter EPS is $1.39, and consensus for the current year at $5.86. For the same quarter last year, EPS was $1.27, and total earnings for the previous fiscal year was $5.08 per share. Analysts forecast the upcoming quarter revenue to be $14.8 billion, higher than the reported revenue for the same quarter last year of $13.4 billion.
Things look good for the media and entertainment enterprise giant, whose shares rose 11.5% over the course of last year. Disney released top films such as
Zootopia and Jungle Book. Its latest release, Captain America: Civil War opened with $241 million before its U.S. premiere. Further, the much anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released earlier this year earned $899 million at the box office and over $1 billion internationally.
However, looking ahead, investors may be concerned regarding Disney’s cable behemoth ESPN, which has experienced decreasing subscriber counts. The company commented that higher programming costs along with the falling number of subscribers are contributing factors the 5% decline in the cable unit earnings. The user decline is not a new phenomenon for Disney, as ESPN has lost approximately 7 million out of its 99 million subscribers since 2013.
According to TipRanks, Walt Disney has a Moderate Buy consensus with 60% of analysts bullish on the stock, and 40% of analysts neutral. The average price target for DIS is $112.61 with an upside of 6.70%.
Nokia Corp (ADR)
Nokia Corporation is expected to report its Q1:2016 earnings on Tuesday, May 10 before market open. Analysts are expecting the newly combined company to post revenues of $6.24 billion compared to $3.60 billion for the same quarter of last year. The analyst forecast consensus for the company is an EPS of $0.04 for the upcoming quarter compared to earnings of $0.06 for the same quarter of last year.
The multinational communications and information technology company seems to be improving in its quarterly earnings. However, sales are expected to be rather modest in key markets such as China during the anticipated quarter due to currency fluctuations, which may impact the top line. Further, investors are speculating the Nokia Networks Segment will be subject to headwinds, likely leading to additional below-par sales.Investors are also pivoting their focus towards the company’s acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent in January, emphasizing the companies’ integration process and will be watching for other acquisition updates. Last month, the company indicated they would acquire Withing S.A for 170 million Euros in an attempt to enter the digital health market. The deal is expected to close later this year.
Investors are anticipating updates on the company’s key financial metrics such as its relatively favorable debt positioning, cash flow, and operating margins.
According to TipRanks, the average analyst consensus for NOK was Moderate Buy, with 58% of analysts offering a Buy recommendation and 42% offering a Hold recommendation on the stock. The average price target is $7.86 with a 38.62% upside.
SolarCity Corp
Solar City Corporation is expected to report Q1:16 earnings on Monday, May 9 after market close. Analysts are expecting the company to post revenues of $108 million for the quarter and a net loss per share of $(2.31), compared to revenues of $67.48 million and a loss per share of $(0.22) for the same quarter of last year
The company is a well known provider of energy services dealing with solar power systems. SolarCity expects to grow its installations 18% year over year, but decrease 34% y/y to 180 megawatt. The decline is expected due to seasonal slowdown that was higher than usual, and the company’s decision to end its Nevada operations in December.
J.P. Morgan analyst Paul Coster forecasted the upcoming quarterly results noting, “The stock has rebounded from its mid-February lows, as the company demonstrated its ability to raise capital to fund growth, though not yet by enough to provide visibility in support of the 2016 MW guidance. We believe the earnings call will likely focus on the cost and availability of financing, including yesterday’s announced asset- monetization, but also on policy initiatives, including the company’s collaboration with utilities in NY regarding net metering. With the stock trading near our $29 price target, we believe risk-reward is balanced.” The analyst further mentioned he expects “volatility in the stock to remain elevated.” Coster reiterated a Hold rating on SCTY on May 5, 2016 with a $29.00 price target estimate.
Paul Coster has a 40% success rate with an average return of –7.9%.
According to TipRanks, SolarCity is ranked a Moderate Buy, with 57% of analysts bullish, 36% of analysts neutral, and only 7% of analysts bearish on the stock. The average price target for SCTY is $48.82 with a 123.53% upside. | 7,343 | 3,231 | 0.000314 |
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