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Tag: yoga How do you keep the holiday pounds off with all the yummy food, drinks and endless Christmas parties but still keep focused? Here is what I do to keep in shape and feel great even with a little cheat meal during the festivities! It’s important to change up your workouts every once in a while and I am very in-tuned with my body and am very aware of what I need to feel healthy and have mental clarity during the busiest time for me. Lately I have been practicing more meditation. Meditation helps quieten and control the mind especially during this time of the year as we start to reflect and put pressure on ourselves if we did not meet some of our goals and just overall tiredness as the year ends. It does help with a better night’s sleep, mental clarity and helps you keep focused especially if you visualise your goals during meditation. Depending on what and why you are meditating, some of us just need to set the tone of the day and accept how you are feeling at that given time and move on with the day. With that said, I still want to feel great in my skin so here are my moves that help me keep the holiday pounds off. Commando – 10 reps and it is important to hug your belly button into your spine for a strong core Push-ups – 3 sets of 30 and make sure if you are on your knees your legs do not touch the floor Burpees – 3 sets of 20 as this is the perfect total body workout especially if you are trying to lose weight and make sure your chest touches the floor for the correct form. Crunches – 3 sets of 20 and raise your legs of the floor for added challenge Jumping jacks – 3 sets of 50 Slow mountain climbers for a minute – make sure knee touches the elbow each time Reverse plank for a minute – this is great for abs Raised leg and arm plank for a minute Cool down Typically I do this in the morning and that just helps me kickstart the day. Because it is fast paced like a HIIT workout I take Astaxanthin supplements to recover fast. It helps with muscle recovery and has definitely help me keep my energy levels and immunity up during the busiest time of the year! Happy New Year! Namaste About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife /yogamonadollsup I seldom get panic attacks or an anxiety attack nowadays but once in a while they do sneak up on me. It can happen at the most random of times but mostly when and if I am overworked or have too many decisions to make and just basically overwhelmed. Over the years I have managed to deal with anxiety my way which is through yoga. Remember that anxiety is not something that controls you. It is just a part of our human nature and some of us experience it more than others. Yoga is a self-soothing technique that helps with anxiety. It really is about learning to manage your anxiety through self-care such as meditation, exercising and doing what calms you down. Practising yoga does generally reduce heart rate by lowering blood pressure and helps calm your breath or at least be more aware of your breath. With that said, the type of yoga you practice for the purpose to calm yourself does play a part. Strenuous ones are definitely not appropriate and you definitely should check in with your doctor before choosing yoga as part of your lifestyle or treatment plan to manage your anxiety. To get started you do not need anything except a space where you can trust to fully be present. You do not even need to attend or join a class. Here are some poses that will help you feel more at ease, grounded, aware and present when you feeling anxious and experiencing anxiety. Child’s pose – this helps calm the nervous system as it promotes relaxation and conscious breathing Headstand – I practice this one the most. It reverses the blood flow and because of that you focus your attention to your breath instead of the anxiety. Warrior III – This challenging pose focuses on balance and strength. While in this pose, it helps redirects your focus back to you hence calming you. Legs up against the wall – One of the most popular ones especially if you have taken a restorative class. All you have to do is lie on your back comfortably with your legs up against a wall and close your eyes for 10 minutes breathing normally and relaxing. This alone is enough to calm you down. There are so many ways to manage anxiety through different forms of physical exercise, nutrition and sometimes even sleep. These factors all play a part in managing anxiety, so it is important to try various treatment plans and see what works for you. It is a struggle but it does not have to take over your life. It is all about trial and error. It is important for overall wellness and health to feel free from anxiety and not let it take over your life. Namaste About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife /yogamonadollsup What does yoga mean to you? Yoga is amazing for both our minds and bodies and helps keep us healthy physically and emotionally. To many of us yoga means the physical practice on the mat itself and even meditation. However without realizing, a lot of us do practice yoga off the mat in our daily lives. Even if you do not practice the asanas, we can still become yogis and practice this in our daily lives. Here’s how: Have a flexible mind – I like to say vibe with it and roll with the punches and obstacles thrown to you. Have an open mind and try and look at the glass as half full instead of half empty. No expectations, no disappointments – This is important. Do not be manipulative or offer any form of help with expectations from other. If you truly want to help someone do it because you want to and not because you expect them to do the same or want something in return. Helping with no expectations is also good karma. Listen to your body and be kind to it – Listen to what your body needs at that point in time. Nourish it with wholesome nutritious foods and eat clean. If you need more sleep or a warm bath or more exercise or more yoga, pay attention. Our bodies will always let us know what we need so be aware. Be content – Be content with who you are and how you live your life. In today’s society we are notorious for comparing and trying to keep up with the joneses. But living like this is so toxic and stressful. Try to not compare with others and a good way would be to not surround yourself with negative people. Who you surround yourself with is so important for good energy in life and to be happy with what you have and count your blessings and be grateful. Attitude of gratitude and have an abundance of love in your life. It will take us far. Stand up for what you believe in – Be true to who you are and do not be afraid to stand up to your beliefs. Yoga is more than just the practice of asanas. It goes beyond that and it is how we live. It is truly about being able to maintain harmony and balance in your everyday life no matter what obstacles you may face. Most of us already do it without it knowing. Namaste About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife /yogamonadollsup Does it help or does it make it worse for individuals dealing with this issue? I think like any exercises, it can be yoga, Pilates, or basically any forms of exercise that is practised by an individual that is dealing with eating disorders can be a bit of a paradox. The practice of yoga when practiced without expectation brings feelings of acceptance, body confidence and even celebrate our bodies but at the same time, this can also bring about feelings of depression and also fuel hatred for their bodies which can be dangerous in extreme cases. Firstly, let us address what are the two familiar types of eating disorders. Anorexia – A serious mental disorder, where people (usually females) have a strong need to lose weight, a feeling that they’re never good enough, often self-inducing starvation, excessive exercise, and many times engaging in other self-destructive behaviors. Bulimia Nervosa – also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging. Binge eating refers to eating a large amount of food in a short amount of time. Purging refers to the attempts to get rid of the food consumed. This may be done by vomiting or taking laxatives. Those with eating disorders are already critical of themselves and tend to have unattainable ideals. They already have body dysmorphia and may even practice several times a day. They may even take classes like hot yoga or get so consumed in finding peace in a mediation class that it can lead to frustration which pushes them mentally and physically causing fainting in classes while on low calorie diets and liquid cleanses. They are so consumed with looking a certain way based on the disconnection between body and mind. This can lead to more complicated health issues and even death at times. They struggle so much with a negative body image and feel the pressure of having to become thin and strong. With that said, how can yoga help? Research has shown that practicing yoga and meditation can improve physical, mental and spiritual health as part of the treatment programme. It’s not the cure but it can definitely help regain some control of your mind, body and spirit. Yoga does reduce the stress, anxiety, depression and any form of mental or mood related disorders. So, it is important to practice yoga in conjunction with pharmacological and psychological interventions for those with eating disorders so that it is beneficial for them during their treatment. Bear in mind though that recovery from eating disorders is a long and slow process. Any sort of trauma or stress can trigger relapses so it is always important to get to the root of the issue to address the possible causes of Anorexia or Bulimia. Practicing yoga is definitely great for the recovery process and it is important to figure out some goals during this time. It could be accepting one’s self, building on self confidence, respecting yourself and personal boundaries and also be able to get uncomfortable and accept that this is part of your journey and it is nothing to be embarrassed about. As part of any treatment, yoga should be done only if your doctor has given consent and under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor. Namaste About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife. Indulging a bit much lately? Well no one likes a hangover. It sets you back on being productive and just makes us feel miserable actually. As a yoga practitioner, I find the best way to cure a hangover besides sleeping it off it is to do some easy yoga poses to help accelerate the recovery process. Here are my tips to cure a hangover right at home. Corpse pose: Who does not like this pose? All we want to do when we are hungover is to lie down as it makes us feel better. Lying on your back helps with this because it also reduces headaches and tension. Do use a pillow or folded blankets to support your head in this position, close your eyes, breathe and melt into your mat. Child’s pose: This is one position I get into when I have a headache or feel tensed in general. Relaxing into this position helps calm the nervous system and regulates blood pressure especially after a night out. Seated half spinal twist: If you feel alright to sit up in a comfortable crossed-legged position, place one hand behind you on the mat close to you right spine. Place the other hand on your knee for support and twist in the opposite direction. Close your eyes and breathe. If you are lying down, draw one knee into your chest and pull across your body. Use your opposite hand as a support and extend your other arm to the side. Turn toward the direction on the extended arm. Breathe deeply and close your eyes and melt into your mat. Both these twists in general are great for detoxing, gets rid of toxins and aids in digestion and helps reduce bloating. It also stretches and energizes your spine and cleanses internal organs. Legs up against the wall: One of my favourites. This particular asana one helps in lowering blood pressure, relieves headaches and tension. Do use a firm pillow or blankets as a support below back and relax from head to toe. Standing forward bend: This one seems like effort, but it helps regulate blood pressure especially after a night of drinking. It also helps with stress and a stuffy head, and all the symptoms we experience during a hangover. Do all these poses / asanas for about 3 – 5 minutes each. Focus on your breath and really relax. At the end of it, hydrate hydrate hydrate and maybe have a turmeric infused latte if you can. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that helps reduce inflammation. I also like to take some extra antioxidants from Astavita.sg that contain astaxanthin, which also have anti-inflammatory properties to help speed up the process. You will be saying goodbye to your hangover in no time if you follow these tips. Hope these tips and tricks help you as much as they help me. Good luck. Namaste, Mona Gill About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife. Do you feel stiff upon waking up sometimes? Most of us usually spring out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off! How about taking a few minutes upon waking up to stretch your body, especially your upper body, to really get into those tight areas. I guarantee you’ll feel more refreshed, less tired and less stiff. The most important point to remember is your breath. Your breath is vital as you stretch, as the fuller your breath, the deeper you stretch and wake up these tight areas. So here are 5 basic yoga poses you can do in bed for upper body mobility. 1) Side body stretch – Sit up, both hips on your bed. Try to not let one hip left as you stretch. Raise your hands up and then gently stretch from one side to another creating space between your ribs as you breathe deeper into your pose. 2) Seated Twist – Seated in comfortable crossed-legged position, place one hand on the opposite knee and the other hand behind your spine. Inhale and feel yourself grow tall and as you exhale, twist. It is important to remember to initiate this twist from your belly. Repeat on the other side. 3) Chest Stretch – One of my favourites! Seated in a comfortable crossed legged position, interlace your fingers behind you, palms together as this keeps the stretch in an active state. Arc you back and puff out your chest. Inhale and exhale in this position. I like to move my arms side to side or up and down if am feeling more flexible that day. 4) Triceps Stretch – With your arms overhead, draw your elbows up towards the ceiling as you inhale and feel the stretch all the way from the sides of your body and your shoulders. Remember to consciously try to draw your shoulders away from your ears during this stretch. 5) Seated Cat-cow / Back stretch – Interlace your fingers together in front of you pressing your palms together. Round your back as much as you can and lower your chin into your chest as you breathe in. As you breathe out, face your palms away from you and arch your back. Do this several times. Move your arms up and down if you are move flexible. This helps create space through your back. These basic yoga stretches will kick start your day and also awaken your body. All you need is 10-15 minutes and the best part is that you can do it right in the comfort of your bed. Go ahead and give it a go and hope you enjoy! Namaste Mona G About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife. Intermittent fasting is something that I had practiced before I got pregnant and it is also something that I am currently doing with my lifestyle. What are the benefits and how does it aid in your yoga practice or fitness programme? Here are my two-cents on it since I am living this lifestyle. I am currently eating in a 6 – 8 hours window and normally fast for about 14 – 18 hours. It is said that it works better for women if they fast for about 14 hours instead of 18 hours but I think it depends on your lifestyle and what your body needs with this programme. Why does it work? Fasting is actually a century old tradition and it was practiced and still is practiced in some cultures. In today’s society however, many of us fast for cleansing purposes, detoxing and also for weight loss purposes. It actually does boost your metabolism and get to your fat stores a lot faster. The reason I connect it to yoga is because I practice it on a daily basis first thing in the morning and I noticed some changes. Firstly, it does test your willpower especially on days where my last meal is at 4pm or 5pm. When coupled with yoga, meditation, the whole mind body connection becomes a life-changing and lifestyle experience. I find that the emptier your system is, the deeper you get into your practice. It can start from your breath to your stretch to your twist. You’ll be able to push the extra mile and not feel so sluggish and actually feel stronger. I practice about 5 – 6 days a week and I find my practice a lot stronger and I am clearer and able to focus during meditation a lot better. With all that said of course you have to find a fast that work well for you. I do it based on my lifestyle as I also like to wake up early and workout early. A few people I know who practice intermittent fasting work the 18 – 24 hours fast period where they fast from e.g. Dinner to dinner the next day so they only eat one meal a day. Others adopt the 5:2 fast where they eat normally 5 days a week and the other 2 non-consecutive days they eat minimal amount of calories. One trick that works well before embarking on any long term fast is to replace all the unhealthy foods in your pantry / refrigerator to wholesome healthy foods especially since the first few days you tend to get a bit hungrier. It is also important to know that this fast will only work if you are eating healthy and normally as well and not stuffing your face with whatever comes your way. I also personally practice affirmations to really clear my mind off negativity. Final tip, please ensure you are taking in enough water. We need to purify our digestive systems and also we do not want to feel ill and weak. And with all fasting programme, please do ensure you get the clearance from your doctor to make sure it is safe for you! P.s: If curious start with a couple of days , you do not have to dive right in. Start slow and see how you feel and do some yoga along with it. Till next time, Namaste Mona G About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife. We all agree that yoga is something that is beneficial at whatever age we are. But it is especially beneficial for the elderly and seniors. Why? As we age and get older, our bodies naturally become weaker. We get more prone to diseases and our overall health does get compromised. Doing some asanas daily does have its benefits such as reducing stress, combat fatigue and help manage pain especially in our joints. It does not have to be difficult neither does one have to be flexible. The main goal here would be able to do these poses / asanas correctly with proper form for maximum benefits. Here are some of my top 5 asanas that I would recommend for someone who is a senior. Downward facing dog: This tops my list as it helps combat irritability especially if stressed and if you have trouble sleeping this one will help with that. Warrior 1: This is a great strength building pose especially since as we age we get weaker and are more prone to fractures. So, warrior 1 is one that helps strengthen our legs and also core and hips. I would advise to do this pose in stages against wall or assisted if one feels unstable and gradually work towards building strength and balance. Chair pose: This is another strength building pose and also one that that challenges the heart and other area of the body all at once. The benefit of doing this asana is that it helps lower blood pressure so its definitely a good one to incorporate into your practice on a regular basis regardless of age. Legs against the wall: This pose is great especially when one has trouble falling asleep. Use a support such as a pillow or a thick blanket if you need to under your lower back. Stay in this position for 15 minutes for maximum benefits. Savasana : Also known as corpse pose. Savasana focuses mainly on relaxation and also your breath. Use a support under your head /back/knees if needed and gently relax into this pose inhaling and exhaling deeply. Ending in Savasana is great at the end of a yoga practice as it actually gives you more energy and you will feel more relaxed as well as centered. These poses/asanas mentioned above are suitable for any age in a yoga practice but it is especially beneficial for the elderly. Always just make sure that they are assisted and encouraged when doing these poses. A little goes along way as we age so its better to move the body safely than to do nothing at all and what better way than to do it with some doable yoga poses. Namaste, Mona Gill About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife. Do you have trouble deciding on your meals before or after your yoga practice or workout? Well I still struggle with this especially now that I have a plant-based diet. But here are my 2 cents on some meal ideas and why you should fuel yourself before and after a practice with nutritious food. When I first started out I used to hear that if you practiced yoga first thing in the morning it was best to do it on an empty stomach . Well, I tend to disagree as when we wake up we are already tired and we need some energy. So an hour before a practice, definitely hydrate yourself with h2o especially if you drink coffee first like myself. I would also suggest a piece of fruit. I like to have a banana or a handful of nuts/ dried fruit . It’s easy too digest as well and gives you the energy and stamina you’ll need for your practice. Practicing on an empty stomach actually decreases your metabolism. So it is important to eat the right type of nutrition if you want to see some changes in your overall physical self and also have a stronger practice. It is just as important to fuel yourself after your practice. One of my favourite post workout meals is a smoothie made of avocados, banana and some nut butter, oatmeal or quinoa salad. If my practice is later on in the day or evening, eating a couple of hours before is ideal as you will not feel sluggish during your practice. If you do need a snack have it an hour before and have a price of fruit or one of my go to snack is coconut yogurt with some dried fruit / fruit or even a slice of toast with some peanut or nut butter / avocado. At the end of the day, it is important to eat a well balanced nutritious meal especially after a really dynamic practice later on in the day. Some healthy suggestions would be fish, lean chicken breast, vegetables, quinoa, brown rice, lentils, tofu, eggs. Basically anything that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. It will help accelerate your muscle recovery and you will have a stronger practice and not feel tired or sluggish. Hope this has helped and if you have more meal ideas please feel free to suggest especially vegetarian ones! Namaste About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife. We all deal with this one! Especially after having kids, reducing belly fat for a slimmer waist line gets a little harder. But keeping active and eating a clean diet full of good nutritional value is key. I find doing some form of exercise first thing in the morning helps get those digestive juices boost metabolism, get the blood pumping and tummy trimming. So here are 5 yoga moves / asanas you can add to your daily routine. Morning works the best for me but you can do it anytime you find it convenient. Make sure you do not rush through it and most importantly breathe through these postures. 1) Cobra pose – this one helps strengthen muscles by creating a strong core. Lay on your belly, inhale and lift your knees off the mat with your toes still grounded. Lift your head up and even your hands off the mat for an added challenge. Breathe and do this for about 5 times. 2) Plank – we all are familiar with this one. Suck your belly button into your spine when holding this pose for about 30 to 45 seconds. Repeating this 5 times strengthens your core as well as back which is needed for a strong core. 3) Half boat pose – this pose targets the waist while using your major muscle groups like your back and legs. Lift your legs and arms creating a 45-degree angle. Keep your legs and back straight while holding this posture for about 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat this posture 3 to 5 times, with a 15-second break in between each set. 4) Wind relieving pose – this pose is so subtle but it increases metabolism and helps if you have digestive issues and constipation. It tones your abs at the same time. Lie on your back and draw both your knees in towards your chest. Hug your knees with some gentle pressure and just breathe through this. Repeat 5 times. 5) Bow pose – this asana strengthens your mid section for sure! Lie on your stomach, bend at the knees land hold onto your ankles and lift up while balancing on your stomach. Hold this pose while breathing in and out for about 30 seconds. Return to center and repeat about 3 to 5 times for maximum benefits. I hope you try this out and notice the changes that happen. Do this routine for at least 3 to 5 times a week on it’s own or add it to your regular workout routine for maximum benefits. Till next time, Namaste About the author: Mona Gill is a busy mum and an entrepreneur. On top of that, she’s a yoga instructor and skincare expert. Mona is Astavita’s beauty and wellness ambassador. She attributes her stamina to cope with her busy lifestyle and still maintain clear complexion thanks to Astavita Healthy Living Antioxidants and Astarism. Mona extols holistic wellness, keeping a healthy lifestyle and beauty from inside out. You may follow her on Instagram: mkglife.

The risks of amplified music for disc-jockeys working in nightclubs. Here, we evaluate the risks of amplified music for disc-jockeys (DJs) working in nightclubs. Sound level measurements were performed within the DJ mixing booths. A questionnaire was used to obtain exposure to noise and length of time in the profession. Audiograms and tinnitus pitch matching was also performed. The DJs' audiograms showed the expected noise-induced hearing loss at 6 KHz, but also low frequency losses at 125-500 Hz. Three quarters of them have tinnitus with a frequency corresponding to hearing loss. This study highlights the risk of amplified music on hearing and tinnitus.

JAVAC VECTOR RD320 Vacuum Pump Vector RD For refrigeration applications, Vector RD offers high performance in a reliable package. Available with an ammonia resistant option. See special feature on the New Vector Vacuum Pump left column.

The biochemical modification of human neutrophil (PMN) tubuling microtubules was studied by monitoring the post-translational incorporation of tyrosine into tubulin Alpha-chains. The data indicate that a variety of stimuli, such as the peptide chemoattractant fmet-leu-phe, the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), cause a 2-3 fold stimulation of PMN tubulin tyrosinolation that is closely associated with the PMN redox state. The above stimuli fail to induce stimulation in normal PMN under reduced and anaerobic conditions and also in PMN from patients with chronic granulomatous disease, which are deficient in oxidative metabolism. Extracellular Ca2+ and the cellular Ca2+ regulatory protein, calmodulin, are necessary for the modulation of PMN tubulin tyrosinolation, although there are significant differences in the CA2+ sensitivity of various stimuli. In studies to localize the reaction at a subcellular level, tightly associated tubulin has been detected in isolated PMN fractions enriched in plasma membranes, azurophil granules and specific granules, that could be tyrosinolated in vitro in the presence of exogenous ligase, the enzyme that catalyzes the reaction. Endogenous ligase was detected in PMN azurphil granules. This is the first demonstration of an intracellular organelle-associated ligase in its functional form. Further studies utilizing a monoclonal antibody, YL 1/2 which recognizes only the tyrosinolated form of Alpha-tubulin, reveal a preferential stimulation of tyrosinolation in plasma membrane-associated tubulin of fmet-leu-phe-stimulated PMN. A significant stimulation was also observed in the cytoplasmic tubulin fraction. Unlike in intact PMN, organelle-depleted PMN cytoplasts do not respond to fmet-leu-phe, although they have a significant basal level of tyrosinolation. These results provide further insights into the mechanism of modulation of tubulin tyrosinolation in PMN and demonstrate the sub-cellular localization of the reaction in resting and stimulated PMN.

FONTLOG for the Antic Slab font This file provides detailed information on the Antic Slab font Software. This information should be distributed along with the Antic Slab fonts and any derivative works. Basic Font Information Antic Slab was designed for use in the headlines of newspapers and magazines. The Antic Type System is a super family that is still evolving, and this first release of the Slab family. It complements the Sans and Didone versions, giving the designer freedom to create rhythmic and dynamic typography using all three families in the type system. Each family in the type system has a large x-height that makes it very readable, especially on the web. Each also has slight stress derived from handwriting. Antic Slab's discreet slab serifs give it a strong presence in layouts. With modern proportions and condensed letterforms, it is great for economical typesetting, on paper and on screen. The Antic Type System is in progress and is being regularly improved. If you have a request, wish to contribute improvements or even fund specific features, simply contact Santiago Orozco - [email protected] You can follow Santiago on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Typemade ChangeLog 11 March 2012 (Santiago Orozco) Antic Slab v1.001 - Initial release If you make modifications be sure to add your name (N), email (E), web-address (if you have one) (W) and description (D). This list is in alphabetical order. N: Santiago Orozco E: [email protected] W: www.typemade.mx D: Typographer & Type Engineer

Fracture toughness and load relaxation of dentin bonding resin systems. The fracture toughness (KIC) and load relaxation of four dentin bonding resins were determined to characterize some of the mechanical properties of these materials after polymerization. A total of 40 single-edge notch bar specimens were fabricated, 10 each of four commercially available brands, and subjected to three-point bending until fracture, as described in ASTM Standard E399-83 (1991a). The critical stress intensification factor, KIC, was derived for each specimen and compared by analysis of variance and Scheffé's multiple comparisons test (p < 0.01). To study the load relaxation characteristics, five rectangular specimens (without notches) of each brand were subjected to three-point loading until a predetermined limiting load value was reached. The test load was allowed to relax for 4 min, after which the specimen was unloaded to the zero load condition, and the load was allowed to build up on its own accord for 3 min. Load relaxation values were measured from the chart, and the mean percent load drop was calculated. The load relaxation data were compared using analysis of variance and Scheffé's multiple comparisons test (p < 0.05). The fracture toughness (KIC) values of the four adhesive resins studied in this investigation ranged from 0.37-0.94 MPa.m0.5 and were statistically different from each other (p < 0.001). The load relaxation values were found to be greatest within the first 0.5 min, with the total load relaxation of the four bonding agents ranging from 16%-30%. Two of the materials studied showed significantly different short-term load relaxation behavior than the other two resins (p < 0.05). Bonding agents can be implicated as one of the factors that weaken the interface between the dentin and the composite restorative material. These materials are capable of a rapid short-term response, demonstrating significant load relaxation in the first 0.5 min after loading.

Q: AutoResetEvent Reset Method super simple question, but I just wanted some clarification. I want to be able to restart a thread using AutoResetEvent, so I call the following sequence of methods to my AutoResetEvent. setupEvent.Reset(); setupEvent.Set(); I know it's really obvious, but MSDN doesn't state in their documentation that the Reset method restarts the thread, just that it sets the state of the event to non-signaled. UPDATE: Yes the other thread is waiting at WaitOne(), I'm assuming when it gets called it will resume at the exact point it left off, which is what I don't want, I want it to restart from the beginning. The following example from this valuable resource illustrates this: static void Main() { new Thread (Work).Start(); _ready.WaitOne(); // First wait until worker is ready lock (_locker) _message = "ooo"; _go.Set(); // Tell worker to go _ready.WaitOne(); lock (_locker) _message = "ahhh"; // Give the worker another message _go.Set(); _ready.WaitOne(); lock (_locker) _message = null; // Signal the worker to exit _go.Set(); } static void Work() { while (true) { _ready.Set(); // Indicate that we're ready _go.WaitOne(); // Wait to be kicked off... lock (_locker) { if (_message == null) return; // Gracefully exit Console.WriteLine (_message); } } } If I understand this example correctly, notice how the Main thread will resume where it left off when the Work thread signals it, but in my case, I would want the Main thread to restart from the beginning. UPDATE 2: @Jaroslav Jandek - It's quite involved, but basically I have a CopyDetection thread that runs a FileSystemWatcher to monitor a folder for any new files that are moved or copied into it. My second thread is responsible for replicating the structure of that particular folder into another folder. So my CopyDetection thread has to block that thread from working while a copy/move operation is in progress. When the operation completes, the CopyDetection thread restarts the second thread so it can re-duplicate the folder structure with the newly added files. UPDATE 3: @SwDevMan81 - I actually didn't think about that and that would work save for one caveat. In my program, the source folder that is being duplicated is emptied once the duplication process is complete. That's why I have to block and restart the second thread when new items are added to the source folder, so it can have a chance to re-parse the folder's new structure properly. To address this, I'm thinking of maybe adding a flag that signals that it is safe to delete the source folder's contents. Guess I could put the delete operation on it's own Cleanup thread. @Jaroslav Jandek - My apologies, I thought it would be a simple matter to restart a thread on a whim. To answer your questions, I'm not deleting the source folder, only it's content, it's a requirement by my employer that unfortunately I cannot change. Files in the source folder are getting moved, but not all of them, only files that are properly validated by another process, the rest must be purged, i.e. the source folder is emptied. Also, the reason for replicating the source folder structure is that some of the files are contained within a very strict sub-folder hierarchy that must be preserved in the destination directory. Again sorry for making it complicated. All of these mechanisms are in place, have been tested and are working, which is why I didn't feel the need to elaborate on them. I only need to detect when new files are added so I may properly halt the other processes while the copy/move operation is in progress, then I can safely replicate the source folder structure and resume processing. A: So thread 1 monitors and thread 2 replicates while other processes modify the monitored files. Concurrent file access aside, you can't continue replicating after a change. So a successful replication only occurs when there is long enough delay between modifications. Replication cannot be stopped immediately since you replicate in chunks. So the result of monitoring should be a command (file copy, file delete, file move, etc.). The result of a successful replication should be an execution of a command. Considering multiple operations can occur, you need a queue (or queued dictionary - to only perform 1 command on a file) of commands. // T1: somethingChanged(string path, CT commandType) { commandQueue.AddCommand(path, commandType); } // T2: while (whatever) { var command = commandQueue.Peek(); if (command.Execute()) commandQueue.Remove(); else // operation failed, do what you like. } Now you may ask how to create a thread-safe query, but that probably belongs to another question (there are many implementations on the web). EDIT (queue-less version with whole dir replication - can be used with query): If you do not need multiple operations (eg. always replication the whole directory) and expect the replication to always finish or fail and cancel, you can do: private volatile bool shouldStop = true; // T1: directoryChanged() { // StopReplicating shouldStop = true; workerReady.WaitOne(); // Wait for the worker to stop replicating. // StartReplicating shouldStop = false; replicationStarter.Set(); } // T2: while (whatever) { replicationStarter.WaitOne(); ... // prepare, throw some shouldStops so worker does not have to work too much. if (!shouldStop) { foreach (var file in files) { if (shouldStop) break; // Copy the file or whatever. } } workerReady.Set(); }

If my statements above sound liberally political, they are. Malware - short for malicious software - is an umbrella term that refers to any software program deliberately created to perform an unauthorized and often harmful action. At this time, we should stop the download quickly. Linda Sue Linker Like Jon Snow," I know nothing", I turn it on and hope it all works right. this content Hogdude24 Another sign: Sen. Learn about malware removal Top Removal Guides You Have A ZEUS Virus Scam YOUR COMPUTER HAS BEEN BLOCKED Scam Cerber Ransomware [Updated] ByteFence Redirect Spora Ransomware Search.queryrouter.com Redirect Stay in touch First, your email address could have been hacked and is now being used to spam the crap out of your contacts list. Communist country. find more Browser Redirect Virus I don't consider it sarcastic or funny, I'm just who I am. haydaze I don't know how the comments got twisted around to politics, the article is about malware and ransomeware. Google certainly is not. In these cases, you will be unable to visit any websites, and thus not able to download the required software to eliminate the security infections. Still unacceptable to moi. Ask for help now Adware Browser Hijackers Unwanted Programs Rogue Software Ransomware Trojans Guides Helpful Links Contact Us Terms and Rules We Use Cookies Privacy Policy Community Meet the Staff Team We should understand what it really wants is cheating us to pay. How To Stop Redirects In Chrome The one thing I can tell you is a fact is that the writers of our constitution were, by definition, liberal thinkers. STEP 1: Scan with Kaspersky TDSSKiller to remove rootkits In this first step, we will run a system scan with Kaspersky TDSSKIller to remove any malicious software that might be installed Browser Redirect Virus Android BTW, ransomware is not considered a virus or malware as the code is legal app by the OS. Please start a New Thread if you're having a similar issue.View our Welcome Guide to learn how to use this site. Remember: "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Indeed, post WW2 America owed much of its prosperity to the socialistic G.I. Joseph Terrell Unfortunately, the thirst for power is a bipartisan problem. How To Stop Redirects On Android The below instructions are for Windows users, however we also have an Android guide and a Mac OS guide which should help clean up your device. Be aware, the net tends to be unkind, and will devour the unwary. So is the extension of NoMoreRansom a challenge to the people fighting it? Browser Redirect Virus Android Man those people are mean and nasty! :- ( scorpiodude You say- ".I have been to university, my first degree was AI and Software Engineering." I Say-I should be so dense! The 2 words don't belong together. Browser Redirect Virus And wait some more. Google Chrome Redirect Virus If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the Advanced Boot Options screen.If you are using Windows 8, press the If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter's malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. news However, the situation is not as bad as it states. This is the compulsory measure, so unfortunately, we may not help you. It's a lot like High School, with a higher concentration of Sophomores. How To Block Redirects On Chrome Today, he noticed that it is delivering URLs leading to Troldesh ransomware. To remove any browser redirect, follow these steps: STEP 1: Scan with Kaspersky TDSSkiller to remove rootkits STEP 2: Use Rkill to stop the malicious process STEP 3: Scan and clean There comes a moment during the infection when it is more possible for us, even experienced users to believe in its pop up - not to mention inexperienced computer users. http://uberbandwidth.com/redirect-virus/please-help-redirect-virus-ate-my-pc.php If something doesn't fit you and you decide to stop the job with us, we will pay you monthly salary and be waiting for you again in our team in the Read More ), keyloggers, and worse. Google Redirect Virus Removal Tool Viruses often take advantages of bugs or exploits in the code of these programs to propagate to new machines, and while the companies that make the programs are usually quick to One capitalist who literally did not lift a single finger to make a bootstrap in his entire life, hoards the majority of the profits from the bootstraps. We prefer 1990 (old plastic swiping)." Donna Coy my laptop started freezing up, then my PC started doing the same thing, all of a sudden my laptop went to a blue I have full premium Malwarebyte & free anti exploit plus my microsoft antivirus program running. You need a good AV with firewall protection. You may be presented with an User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. Virus Blocking Internet Connection How to Remove Motious.com Browser Hijacker How to Remove Excellentsearch.org From Chrome/Firefox/IE How to Remove Spora ransomware and Restore Your Files Categories Adware Browser Hijacker Browser Settings Infographic Potentially Unwanted Programs Other workers gather the materials used to make bootstraps. This is especially true for things like your operating system, security software and Web browser, but also holds true for just about any program that you frequently use. Thus, we must restart our computer in windows safe mode with command prompt in order to continue the next step. check my blog Soooo… while I can't point you too helpfully toward a "solution" it seems that at least sometimes that's all that's needed. In the 'Connections' tab, click the 'LAN settings' button. 4. Tom Hunt Malwarebytes is a utility to remove existing malware and viruses. Because they hate America, unless they can steal money from as many people that they can. Each# entry should be kept on an individual line. Chinetsu Im on windows 8.1, i did all the steps above, i installed bunch of antivirus and antimalware programs but my browser keeps betraying me. Your Internet is sluggish, your programs are taking forever to load, and your cursor is dragging 20 seconds behind your mouse. Don't use it for anything critical. I agree its a pain to have to opt-out. (not cool in my book) But it shouldn't be a deal breaker.

1. position on fuel cell technologies (and other micropower solutions to consumer energy bills such as microturbines). 2. renewed funding for public purpose programs. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 9:55 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: FW: current events position on what?

Various forms of network-based storage systems are known today. These forms include network attached storage (NAS), storage area networks (SANs), and others. Network storage systems are commonly used for a variety of purposes, such as providing multiple users with access to shared data, backing up critical data (e.g., by data mirroring), etc. A network-based storage system typically includes at least one storage server, which is a processing system configured to store and retrieve data on behalf of one or more client processing systems (“clients”). In the context of NAS, a storage server may be a file server, which is sometimes called a “filer”. A filer operates on behalf of one or more clients to store and manage shared files. The files may be stored in a storage subsystem that includes one or more arrays of mass storage devices, such as magnetic or optical disks or tapes, by using RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). Hence, the mass storage devices in each array may be organized into one or more separate RAID groups. In a SAN context, a storage server provides clients with block-level access to stored data, rather than file-level access. Some storage servers are capable of providing clients with both file-level access and block-level access, such as certain Filers made by Network Appliance, Inc. (NetApp®) of Sunnyvale, Calif. Multiple instances of virtual storage servers may be created on a physical storage server. A virtual storage server is a functional and logical partitioning of network and storage resources of the physical storage server. Each virtual storage server is maintained and executed independent of other virtual storage servers on the same physical storage server. Storage server resources, such as units of storage and network addresses of network interfaces, may be grouped, partitioned and/or assigned to virtual storage server or servers in the physical storage server. Yet common storage server resources, such as a storage operating system, may be shared among the virtual storage servers. From a client's perspective, a virtual storage server includes all essential aspects of a physical storage server such as a network front-end to communicate with the client, a back-end to access and manage stored data, etc. A physical storage server on which one or more virtual storage servers are created may also be called a hosting storage server or host storage server. For the purposes of illustration, a physical storage server may also simply be referred as a storage server. In storage servers, data is stored in logical containers called volumes, which may be identical with, or subsets of, aggregates. An “aggregate” is a logical container for a pool of storage, combining one or more physical mass storage devices (e.g., disks) or parts thereof into a single logical storage object, which contains or provides storage for one or more other logical data sets at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., volumes). A “volume” is a set of stored data associated with a collection of mass storage devices, such as disks, which obtains its storage from (i.e., is contained within, and may be coextensive with) an aggregate, and which is managed as an independent administrative unit, such as a complete file system. A sub-volume is a subset of a volume, such as a directory and all files under the directory, a file, etc. A “file system” is an independently managed, self-contained, hierarchal set of data units (e.g., files, blocks or Logical Unit Numbers). Although a volume or file system (as those terms are used herein) may store data in the form of files, that is not necessarily the case. That is, a volume or file system may store data in the form of other units, such as blocks or Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs). Each virtual storage server is allocated dedicated and distinct units of storage resources, such as volumes or sub-volumes, and network addresses, such as Internet protocol addresses. Each virtual storage server is also allowed shared access to the common file system on behalf of its client system. A storage server may be managed by one or more network storage administrators (also called “administrative users” or simply “administrators”), who are responsible for configuring, provisioning and monitoring the storage server, scheduling backups, troubleshooting problems with the storage server, performing software upgrades, etc. These management tasks can be accomplished by the administrator using a separate management console on the network, which is a computer system that runs storage management software application specifically designed to manage a distributed storage infrastructure. An example of such storage management software is DataFabric® Manager (DFM), made by NetApp. Prior art network storage management software manages/monitors only the physical level of a storage server. This limits the usefulness of the management software for architectures that employ virtual storage servers.

-- -- Copyright (c) 2015, Facebook, Inc. -- All rights reserved. -- -- This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the -- LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree. An additional grant -- of patent rights can be found in the PATENTS file in the same directory. -- -- Author: Alexander M Rush <[email protected]> -- Sumit Chopra <[email protected]> -- Jason Weston <[email protected]> require('torch') require('nn') require('sys') local nnlm = require('summary.nnlm') local encoder = require('summary.encoder') local beam = require('summary.beam_search') local utils = require('summary.util') cmd = torch.CmdLine() beam.addOpts(cmd) cutorch.setDevice(2) cmd:option('-modelFilename', '', 'Model to test.') cmd:option('-inputf', '', 'Input article files. ') cmd:option('-nbest', false, 'Write out the nbest list in ZMert format.') cmd:option('-length', 15, 'Maximum length of summary.') opt = cmd:parse(arg) -- Map the words from one dictionary to another. local function sync_dicts(dict1, dict2) local dict_map = torch.ones(#dict1.index_to_symbol):long() for i = 1, #dict1.index_to_symbol do local res = dict2.symbol_to_index[dict1.index_to_symbol[i]] dict_map[i] = res or 1 end return dict_map end -- Apply digit preprocessing. local function process_word(input_word) local word = string.lower(input_word) for i = 1, word:len() do if word:sub(i, i) >= '0' and word:sub(i, i) <= '9' then word = word:sub(1, i-1) .. '#' .. word:sub(i+1) end end return word end local function main() -- Load in the dictionaries and the input files. local mlp = nnlm.create_lm(opt) mlp:load(opt.modelFilename) local adict = mlp.encoder_dict local tdict = mlp.dict local dict_map = sync_dicts(adict, tdict) local sent_file = assert(io.open(opt.inputf)) local len = opt.length local W = mlp.window opt.window = W local sent_num = 0 for line in sent_file:lines() do sent_num = sent_num + 1 -- Add padding. local true_line = "<s> <s> <s> " .. line .. " </s> </s> </s>" local words = utils.string_split(true_line) local article = torch.zeros(#words) for j = 1, #words do local word = process_word(words[j]) article[j] = adict.symbol_to_index[word] or adict.symbol_to_index["<unk>"] end -- Run beam search. local sbeam = beam.init(opt, mlp.mlp, mlp.encoder_model, dict_map, tdict) local results = sbeam:generate(article, len) if not opt.nbest then if #results == 0 then io.write("*FAIL*") else -- Print out in standard format. local len, _, output, _ = unpack(results[1]) local total = 0 for j = W+2, W+len - 1 do local word = tdict.index_to_symbol[output[j]] total = total + #word + 1 io.write(word, " " ) end end print("") else -- Print out an nbest list in Moses/ZMert format. for k = 1, #results do io.write(sent_num-1, " ||| ") local len, score, output, features = unpack(results[k]) for j = W+2, W+len - 1 do io.write(tdict.index_to_symbol[output[j]], " " ) end io.write(" ||| ") for f = 1, features:size(1) do io.write(features[f], " ") end io.write(" ||| ", score) print("") end end end end main()

This site uses cookies to provide you with more responsive and personalized service and to collect certain information about your use of the site. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. If you continue without changing your settings, you agree to our use of cookies. See our Privacy Policy for more information. May 08, 2019 Hour 1: Open-Line | Dr. Michael Rydelnik On Wednesdays, we open our phones to you! Dr. Michael Rydelnik tackles the questions you have about the OId Testament, New Testament, your spiritual life, and Biblical/Jewish culture. It's all fair game! Call or text to 800-969-9467. Hour 2: Mother's Day | Revival | Lina AbuJamra Lina AbuJamra, from Moody's Today's Single Christian podcast, is coming to Indianapolis this Saturday, May 11th, for a Mothers and Daughters event! For more information, visit http://www.heatherhills.org Lina challenges us today with a question: What stands in the way of revival, and how can we position ourselves tor recieve revival from the Lord? IN THIS EPISODE Dr. Michael Rydelnik Dr. Michael Rydelnik Rydelnik is professor of Jewish Studies at Moody Bible Institute and the Bible teacher on Moody Radio’s Open Line, answering listener Bible questions on over 200 stations nationwide. The son of Holocaust survivors, Michael was raised in an observant Jewish home in Brooklyn, N.Y. As a high school student, Michael became a follower of Jesus the Messiah and began teaching the Bible almost immediately. Dr. Lina AbuJamra Lina AbuJamra, a pediatric emergency room doctor by profession, is passionate about empowering people with biblical truth. A popular Bible teacher, blogger, and conference speaker, she speaks four languages and is the author of three books. She also reaches English and Arabic listeners through weekly podcasts. Born in Lebanon, Lina is single and calls Chicago home. Stay Connected Mornings with Kelli and Steve Mornings with Kelli and Steve helps start your day with spiritual encouragement, fresh conversation on current topics, and Christ-centered music. Join Kelli Thompson and Steve Hocker for updates, weather, community events, interviews, and features, as well as opportunities to join the Christ-centered conversation. Looking for More? Stay Connected Moody Radio's Promise Moody Radio is a Christian radio network that helps you take the next step in your journey with Jesus Christ by creating and delivering practical and life-changing content. We proclaim the Word to all cultures and generations by addressing today's issues from a biblical worldview.

Normal brain in human newborns: apparent diffusion coefficient and diffusion anisotropy measured by using diffusion tensor MR imaging. To establish quantitative standards for the directionally averaged water apparent diffusion coefficient (D) and quantitative diffusion anisotropy (A sigma) of normal brains in newborns by using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Diffusion tensor MR imaging was performed during the first 36 hours of life in 22 newborns (gestational age range, 31-41 weeks). Values of D and A sigma were measured in regions of interest chosen in the cortical gray matter, centrum semiovale, caudate nuclei, lentiform nuclei, thalami, internal capsules, and cerebellar hemispheres. The D values in the gray and white matter in newborns are considerably higher than those in adults. There is a striking correlation between gestational age and D, with D decreasing as gestational age increases. The A sigma values in the white matter in newborns are lower than those in adults. Values of A sigma show statistically significant correlations with gestational age only in the white matter of the centrum semiovale, in which A sigma values increase sharply near term. The D values primarily reflect overall brain water content. The A sigma values are more sensitive to tissue microstructure (e.g., white matter packing and myelination). The D and A sigma images reveal information and not apparent on T1- and T2-weighted images.

namespace Auth0.ManagementApi.Models { /// <summary> /// Request structure for creating a new Client Grant /// </summary> public class ClientGrantCreateRequest : ClientGrantBase { } }

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday vowed to hold a vote this week on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. “Let me make it very clear: the time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close. Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination is out of committee, we’re considering it here on the floor. And Mr. President, we’ll be voting this week,” McConnell said in a speech to the Senate. The FBI is currently investigating sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh following Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, but the probe — which began Friday — has been limited to a week. Kavanaugh denies the allegations.

Changing patient behavior. To discuss barriers and strategies relevant to initiating lifestyle modifications for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Findings from previously published studies are reviewed. In light of reported successful changes in patient behavior and resultant improved outcomes pertinent to reduction or control of diabetes, methods to achieve optimal results are outlined. Both the Diabetes Prevention Program and the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study demonstrated that intensive lifestyle interventions, such as weight loss as a result of physical activity, can delay and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Key barriers to initiating behavioral modifications in patients include the following: (1) health-care provider experience, (2) patient experience and beliefs, (3) lack of health-care system support, and (4) minimal availability of community support. These barriers can be overcome through use of proven strategies--promoting patient awareness of health risks, selecting patients who are willing to participate in a behavioral modification program, defining realistic goals, establishing patient accountability, and maintaining regular follow-up for review of progress, providing assistance with problem solving, and reinforcement of efforts and successes. The feasibility of initiating successful lifestyle interventions has been shown in numerous studies. The effective implementation of these interventions in clinical practice will necessitate fundamental changes in the health-care system and society in general.

@import 'vars/light'; @import 'vars/dark'; .dark(@rule) { body[data-weui-theme='dark'] & { @rule(); } @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { body:not([data-weui-theme='light']) & { @rule(); } } } .setColor(@var, @color) { .setColor(@var, @color, @color); } .setColor(@var, @light, @dark) { ._setColor({ @{var}: @light; }, { @{var}: @dark; }); } ._setColor(@lightRule, @darkRule) { body { @lightRule(); } body[data-weui-theme='dark'] { @darkRule(); } @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { body:not([data-weui-theme='light']) { @darkRule(); } } }

Q: Find all combinations of palindromic substrings How to find all possible combinations of palindromic substrings for some randomly entered string in Python? For example, if entered xxyx what should be returned is : [['xx', 'y', 'x'], ['x', 'xyx'], ['x', 'x', 'y', 'x']] . I know how to get all substrings and check if it is palindrome,but can`t find a way to combine into correct solution as shown. I am sorry if question isnt asked correctly, it's my first. Here is the code: def find_all_subsets(seq, n): if n == 0: return [[]] else: result = [] subsets = find_all_subsets(seq, n-1) for subset in subsets: result += [subset] result += [[seq[n-1]] + subset] return result def check_palindrome(subsetsList): finalList = [] for set in subsetsList: if set[::-1] == set: finalList.append(set) else: continue return finalList if __name__ == "__main__": word = "xxyx" palindromicSubsets = check_palindrome(find_all_subsets(word, len(word))) print(palindromicSubsets) A: It looks like you need to be looking not for all palindromic substrings, but rather for all the ways you can divide the input string up into palindromic substrings. (There's always at least one way, since one-character substrings are always palindromes.) Here's the way I've done it: def palindromic_substrings(s): if not s: return [[]] results = [] for i in range(len(s), 0, -1): sub = s[:i] if sub == sub[::-1]: for rest in palindromic_substrings(s[i:]): results.append([sub] + rest) return results There's two loops. The outer loop checks each length of initial substring (in descending length order) to see if it is a palindrome. If so, it recurses on the rest of the string and loops over the returned values, adding the initial substring to each item before adding it to the results. A slightly more Pythonic approach would be to make a recursive generator: def palindromic_substrings(s): if not s: yield [] return for i in range(len(s), 0, -1): sub = s[:i] if sub == sub[::-1]: for rest in palindromic_substrings(s[i:]): yield [sub] + rest

[Editorial] North Korea’s “Nuclear Possession and Rejection of Dialogue” Worst Decision Ever. February. 10, 2005 22:44. . North Korea has held out an ominous card. The announcement by Pyongyang’s Foreign Ministry to refuse to return to the negotiating table and declare to go nuclear is a risky idea that puts a damper on the possibility of resolving the North’s nuclear issue through dialogue. This is nothing but a claim to be treated as “nuclear power” by the international community, which may spell disaster on the Korean peninsula. With the communist nation’s announcement on February 10, 2005, the North Korean nuclear standoff has become a totally different issue. Some opposition has been made against the North’s nuclear possession so far, and even a few officials within the South Korean government had expressed suspicions. The dispute over the North’s nuclear issue has now become futile. There should be no further confusion such as calling for confirmation of the presence of nuclear weapons in North Korea on the grounds that the possession is a unilateral claim by the North. Pyongyang has shocked the world with twin provocations by declaring its possession of nuclear weapons and refusing to resume the six-party talks. This is not an attitude to address the problems through dialogue at all. In this regard, the North Korean government cannot avoid suspicions that the reason for its refusal to participate in the six-way talks since June of last year has not been to demand U.S. policy change against the North, but to finalize its possession of nuclear power. Pyongyang’s argument that the second term Bush administration has “made it a policy not to coexist with the North” is also hardly convincing. Since U.S. President George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union address last week, the world has reached a consensus that “Bush made efforts not to provoke the North.” President Bush had attacked Iran and Syria, but only briefly mentioned a resolution to the nuclear standoff through the six-way talks concerning the Stalinist nation. The North’s rejection of resuming the dialogue has enormous implications as it indicates its distrust against all of the participants of the six-party talks, including the U.S. and South Korea. Pyongyang may think the current developments of the nuclear standoff are what it had intended, but if so, it would be an outrageous misjudgment. Once the North has officially declared itself as a nuclear power, a failure to resume talks will only lead to sanctions such as being referred to the U.N. Security Council. It must not forget that there is no single neighboring country, including China that will tolerate its nuclear armament. North Korea has held out an ominous card. The announcement by Pyongyang’s Foreign Ministry to refuse to return to the negotiating table and declare to go nuclear is a risky idea that puts a damper on the possibility of resolving the North’s nuclear issue through dialogue. This is nothing but a claim to be treated as “nuclear power” by the international community, which may spell disaster on the Korean peninsula. With the communist nation’s announcement on February 10, 2005, the North Korean nuclear standoff has become a totally different issue. Some opposition has been made against the North’s nuclear possession so far, and even a few officials within the South Korean government had expressed suspicions. The dispute over the North’s nuclear issue has now become futile. There should be no further confusion such as calling for confirmation of the presence of nuclear weapons in North Korea on the grounds that the possession is a unilateral claim by the North. Pyongyang has shocked the world with twin provocations by declaring its possession of nuclear weapons and refusing to resume the six-party talks. This is not an attitude to address the problems through dialogue at all. In this regard, the North Korean government cannot avoid suspicions that the reason for its refusal to participate in the six-way talks since June of last year has not been to demand U.S. policy change against the North, but to finalize its possession of nuclear power. Pyongyang’s argument that the second term Bush administration has “made it a policy not to coexist with the North” is also hardly convincing. Since U.S. President George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union address last week, the world has reached a consensus that “Bush made efforts not to provoke the North.” President Bush had attacked Iran and Syria, but only briefly mentioned a resolution to the nuclear standoff through the six-way talks concerning the Stalinist nation. The North’s rejection of resuming the dialogue has enormous implications as it indicates its distrust against all of the participants of the six-party talks, including the U.S. and South Korea. Pyongyang may think the current developments of the nuclear standoff are what it had intended, but if so, it would be an outrageous misjudgment. Once the North has officially declared itself as a nuclear power, a failure to resume talks will only lead to sanctions such as being referred to the U.N. Security Council. It must not forget that there is no single neighboring country, including China that will tolerate its nuclear armament.

package app import ( "net/http" "github.com/NYTimes/gziphandler" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/envvar" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/internal/auth/userpasswd" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/registry" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/globals" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/internal/app/errorutil" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/internal/app/router" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/internal/app/ui" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/cmd/frontend/internal/session" "github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/internal/trace" ) // NewHandler returns a new app handler that uses the app router. // // 🚨 SECURITY: The caller MUST wrap the returned handler in middleware that checks authentication // and sets the actor in the request context. func NewHandler() http.Handler { session.SetSessionStore(session.NewRedisStore(func() bool { return globals.ExternalURL().Scheme == "https" })) r := router.Router() m := http.NewServeMux() m.Handle("/", r) r.Get(router.RobotsTxt).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(robotsTxt))) r.Get(router.Favicon).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(favicon))) r.Get(router.OpenSearch).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(openSearch))) r.Get(router.RepoBadge).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(errorutil.Handler(serveRepoBadge))) // Redirects r.Get(router.OldToolsRedirect).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) { http.Redirect(w, r, "/beta", http.StatusMovedPermanently) }))) r.Get(router.GopherconLiveBlog).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) { http.Redirect(w, r, "https://about.sourcegraph.com/go", http.StatusFound) }))) if envvar.SourcegraphDotComMode() { r.Get(router.GoSymbolURL).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(errorutil.Handler(serveGoSymbolURL))) } r.Get(router.UI).Handler(ui.Router()) r.Get(router.SignUp).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(userpasswd.HandleSignUp))) r.Get(router.SiteInit).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(userpasswd.HandleSiteInit))) r.Get(router.SignIn).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(userpasswd.HandleSignIn))) r.Get(router.SignOut).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(serveSignOut))) r.Get(router.VerifyEmail).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(serveVerifyEmail))) r.Get(router.ResetPasswordInit).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(userpasswd.HandleResetPasswordInit))) r.Get(router.ResetPasswordCode).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(userpasswd.HandleResetPasswordCode))) r.Get(router.RegistryExtensionBundle).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(gziphandler.GzipHandler(http.HandlerFunc(registry.HandleRegistryExtensionBundle)))) // Usage statistics ZIP download r.Get(router.UsageStatsDownload).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(usageStatsArchiveHandler))) r.Get(router.GDDORefs).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(errorutil.Handler(serveGDDORefs))) r.Get(router.Editor).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(errorutil.Handler(serveEditor))) r.Get(router.DebugHeaders).Handler(trace.TraceRoute(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) { r.Header.Del("Cookie") _ = r.Header.Write(w) }))) addDebugHandlers(r.Get(router.Debug).Subrouter()) rickRoll := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) { http.Redirect(w, r, "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ", http.StatusFound) }) for _, p := range []string{"/.env", "/admin.php", "/wp-login.php", "/wp-admin"} { m.Handle(p, rickRoll) } return m }

Klaus Graf (Germany) and Greg Pickett (USA), driving the Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder, outlasted the favored David Brabham/Simon Pagenuad Honda Performance Development prototype to score Porsche’s first customer team overall win for the RS Spyder in North America. The car, which debuted a year ago at Mid-Ohio after Pickett purchased it from Dyson Racing, has now finished on the podium all ten times it has entered a race, with a class win at Sebring (LMP2) and now an overall victory at Lime Rock. Graf now trails Brabham/Pagenaud by only seven points in the championship chase with four races remaining (Pickett did not participate in one race, putting him behind in the points). In GT, Patrick Long (USA) and Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) bounced back from a disappointing fifth place two weeks ago in Salt Lake City to score their third win of the season in the Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. The victory also vaulted the pair back into the top spot in the driver standings by 14 points, and puts Porsche ahead of BMW in the manufacturers championship by one point. Greg Pickett started in the Porsche RS Spyder, and drove for the first 45 minutes, avoiding the three accidents which brought out three early yellow flags, and ran fast enough to stay in contact with the leaders. Both the Dyson Mazda and the Intersport Lola were sidelined with mechanical problems, so Graf found himself in second place with fresh tires with two hours to go, and a Honda in front of him that seemed content to not change tires. When David Brabham got into the Honda with fresh tires and an hour to go, he pushed Graf to the limited, cutting a 13-second lead down to a half-a-second with four minutes to go, when Graf was forced to the inside of the track at the same time Brabham was trying to pass on the inside, and the cars touched. Graf received a stop-and-go penalty for blocking, while Brabham suffered a flat tire. They both came into the pits, but Graf got back on the track before Brabham, clinching the victory. “Greg Pickett did a great job keeping in touch with the leaders for the first 45 minutes, and I knew I would have to push for my entire two-hour stint to beat Pagenaud and Brabham. It was hot and traffic was bad, but the Muscle Milk crew came through with great green-flag pit stops. The team engineers from Porsche and Michelin were key to our win, and we are proud to be the first U.S. customer team to score an overall win for the Porsche RS Spyder – a great race car. We didn’t take tires near the end at Salt Lake City, and we decided to give ourselves better grip here late,” said Graf. On the stop-and-go penalty at the end, Graf said he had nowhere to go. “I was forced to the edge of the track– I did not even know Brabham was there. I didn’t mean to block him, but I understand the officials have to call what they see. I did not know he had a flat tire until afterwards, and my stop-and-go beat his flat tire change out of the pits,” said Graf. ALMS GT Class Patrick Long put the Lizard Porsche on the pole during a driving rain storm at the track on Friday, but pointed out that all the teams only had one dry warm-up session this morning to prepare the car for a dry race track for the two-hour, 45-minute event. Long, who finished the race at Laguna Seca in a similar fashion, edging out the BMW, thought this race topped that excitement. “I thought nothing could top our dramatic win at Laguna Seca in May, but I am the first to admit I am wrong. We had to push 100 percent to the last lap to beat the BMWs, and Pierre Kaffer was not far behind in the Ferrari. While the Melo/Bruni Ferrari is our closest rival, relaxing when they dropped out early would have been a mistake, as we could have ended up fourth or fifth. Our pit stop strategy put us in the lead, and it was up to Joerg and me to bring the car home. Our Michelin tires worked well in both the wet for qualifying yesterday and in the dry for today’s race." Joerg Bergmeister, who has won the GT class five years in a row at Lime Rock – a series record, admitted that this was not his favorite track, but pointed out he has learned what it takes to win here. “When someone asked me what it has taken for me to win five races in a row here at Lime Rock, I thought a bit, and realized it comes down to one work: patience. The track is so short and there are four classes of cars running together, so you have to pick your spots both to pass and to has move over for faster cars. The BMWs were more powerful in a straight line, but the straights here are very short, and we seemed to have better traction. With our extra pit stop on the early yellow, we had a bit more fuel at the end, and the stop did not cost us track position. Patrick did a great job holding off Auberlen at the end,” said Bergmeister. ALMS GTC Class In the GTC class for matched Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, the departure from the series of the points-leading Gonzales/Leitzinger car has left the championship wide open. It was the TRG entry piloted by Andy Lally and Henri Richard that took the victory, edging the Jeroen Bleekemolen/Tim Pappas Black Swan Porsche, which Bleekemolen had put on the pole. Lally and Richard now lead the GTC points.

This course teaches you seven great strategies to: ·reduce the NUMBER of wasteful meetings ·make every meeting you DO hold give great returns ·run meetings that ENGAGE and energise people ·figure out what your meetings COST YOU right now. ·a chance to stand out as a manager who can run HIGH PAYBACK meetings There don’t seem to be managers that can run good meetings – let alone great ones. ‘Pointless Meetings’ is the joint number one time-waster for business people, according to the Microsoft Office Productivity global survey. As for interest and engagement - nearly three quarters of us try doing our own personal work during meetings. The true cost of meetings is often hidden. But not anymore. As well as showing you how to facilitate meetings, it gives great protocols for the whole team and for all types of meetings. The principles have been tried and tested in classroom training courses in UK, Scandinavia, Iceland and North Africa, in a mix of global businesses. The short summaries give you the basics, literally, in minutes. The 12 videos and accompanying book are structured in short, 5 minute sections - and you can keep improving from the greater detail whenever you want. If you’re a first time manager, team leader, or business operator and you’re fed up with the time and cost wasted in meetings – click on the link and make meetings work FOR you.

Q: Included blade template repeating in each foreach loop iteration I'm using Blade templating with Laravel and I'm trying to use a @foreach loop to display notifications. The problem is that if I have say 10 notifications, the first notification is repeated 10 times. The code to output each notification: @foreach ( Auth::user()->unreadNotifications as $notification ) {{ $notification->type->web_template }} {{ $notification->id }} @include($notification->type->web_template) @endforeach web_template will output a path to the template: notifications.web.user_alert For each iteration of the loop the {{ $notification->type->web_template }} and {{ $notification->id }} will output what they're supposed to but @include($notification->type->web_template) will only output the first notification each time. So the output will look like: 156 notification.web.new_message You have a new message from Joe. 154 notification.web.user_alert You have a new message from Joe. 145 notification.web.new_like You have a new message from Joe. I think it's some sort of cache issue maybe, but I couldn't find anyone with the same problem. Any ideas? UPDATE: Adding some code Example notification view: @extends('layouts.notification-wrapper') @section('url', url('jobs/'.$notification->job_id.'#highlight'.$notification->bid_id)) @section('image', '/assets/img/no-photo.jpg') @section('header', $notification->collector->firstname . ' ' . $notification->collector->secondname) @section('description') has placed a bid of €{{ number_format($notification->bid()->withTrashed()->first()->amount,0) }} on your job. @stop Notification wrapper: <li @if(!$notification->read) class="unread" @endif> <a href="@yield('url')" data-id="{{ $notification->id }}"> <div class="pull-left"> <img src="@yield('image')" class="img-circle" alt="user image"> </div> <h4> @yield('header') <small><i class="fa fa-clock-o"></i> {{ $notification->created_at->diffForHumans()}}</small> </h4> <p> @yield('description')</p> </a> </li> A: Answering my own question! Found this: Laravel Blade Templates Section Repeated / cache error Basically whatever way it works I need to overwrite my sections when looping and using @yield... I think. So I need to replace @stop with @overwrite in my views.

Amidst news of troubles with a major financial backer, Faraday Future has published another teaser video for its first vehicle, the FF 91 all-electric SUV. Seemingly addressing its current challenges, the electric car startup pledged that it would always be moving forward, one step at a time, as the company pushes to bring its first vehicle to the market. With ongoing issues with a key investor, Faraday Future is reportedly fighting to stay afloat once more. According to recent reports, Faraday Future is implementing pay cuts across the company, with some employees receiving a 20% reduction to their hourly wages. Several members of Faraday Future’s management team have committed to take pay cuts that are larger than 20% as well, and CEO Jia Yueting has reportedly pledged to decrease his salary to just $1. The pay cuts come as Faraday Future’s CEO battles with the company’s main investor, Evergrande Health, a subsidiary of property developer China Evergrande Group. Evergrande swooped in late last year with a $2 billion pledge to save the electric car startup and help bring the FF 91 luxury SUV to market. An email from Faraday Future’s management, which was retrieved by The Verge, notes that the pay cuts are temporary, and that salaries will be restored once funding is secured. That said, the company had already begun laying off some of its employees to help keep Faraday Future afloat nonetheless. “The company is committed to monitoring its finances and will reevaluate this decision with the goal of restoring salaries once funding is available,” the email reportedly read. When Evergrande stepped in to save the company last year with its $2 billion commitment, the investor got a 45% stake in the company. Evergrande gave the first installment of $800 million at the beginning of 2018, but by the middle of the year, the entirety of the funds had already been spent. The Faraday Future CEO later attempted to get the board of directors to approve an advance of $700 million more, and when Evergrande refused, Jia took the case to HK Arbitration Center. In a blog post earlier this month, Faraday Future claimed that Evergrande failed to make any payments beyond the original $800 million. “Contrary to what Evergrande has told the press and its shareholders, neither FF’s CEO YT Jia nor anyone else “manipulated” the board of Evergrande in reaching these agreements. In agreeing to bring a portion of its payments forward to 2018, Evergrande had a full understanding of why the funds were needed, and when they were needed, in order to achieve production and delivery of FF 91 in 2019. “But contrary to what has been reported, Evergrande failed to make any of the promised additional payments beyond the original $800m investment, despite FF and its CEO complying with their obligations and meeting all required conditions for funding under the July 2018 agreement. Instead, Evergrande held the payments back to try to gain control and ownership over FF China and all of FF’s IP. At the same time, Evergrande is preventing FF from accepting any immediate financing from other sources.” Faraday Future has made some progress over the years. This past August, the electric car startup was able to build a pre-production version of the FF 91, its first luxury SUV. The FF 91 is a luxury SUV with a 0-60 mph time of 2.4 seconds, a 130 kWh battery pack, and an estimated range of 289 miles per charge. The vehicle also includes LiDAR for self-driving capabilities and four-wheel steering for impressive maneuverability. Watch Faraday Future’s latest FF 91 teaser in the video below.

Q: NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID error at data.stackexchange.com I'm currently getting a "connection not private error" over at the Stack Exchange Data Explorer (using Chrome). I have verified that my date and time settings are correct, and another user has confirmed receiving the same error. A: This should be resolved. Unfortunately, the system that we set up to push the certs automatically failed in this case. We poked it very hard to get it working again.

Is Tettnang virus a possible arbovirus? The paper describes the isolation of 21 identical virus strains during virus isolation experiments in SPF suckling mice strain ICR. The isolated strains were first identified as closely related or identical to Tettnang virus and later as closely related to mouse hepatitis virus. Tettnang virus seems not to be an arbovirus.

I ducked my head and stepped into the cramped, dank room. Pausing to let my eyes adjust to the inky darkness, a hundred beady eyes glared my way. Distrust and fear seemed to be a prerequisite for entry and I felt a still, small voice checking my motive. I took a deep breath and stepped onto the dingy floor. I had come for one purpose and intended to exit as quickly as I had come. Boldly, I brushed past grotesque figures as the smells of smoke and stench filled my lungs. Some held liquor, some held knives, some simply clinched their fists in hatred. I spotted my friends in the corner and moved briskly toward them. They were coming with me out of this hellish place. We locked eyes and they both smiled in relief. Dressed to the nines, I was pleased that they looked so fresh in spite of their musty surroundings. I motioned to the door and they quickly stood to follow. The crowd seemed restless and I avoided eye contact as the three of us wove our way to the door. The incense in the air was oppressive and I held my breath the last several steps. I welcomed the crisp fall air as I escaped into the starry openness of the night. I was so relieved to make our get-away, I hadn’t noticed that the door had not yet closed. Slithering out with their friends, the whole lot of evil had followed us to my car. I had only come for Jealousy and Selfish Ambition. Now, it seemed I was taking home much, much more. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” (James 3:16). “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Isn’t it strange how we think that we can pick and choose our sins? We feel that we can stroke the cat of jealously and yet leave the other “more dangerous” animals sleeping in the corner. James tells us that this just isn’t so. Selfishness, in any form, is ugly, wicked, and evil. When we crack the door for selfishness, we’ve unwittingly invited a multitude of other devilish qualities. Our stubborn friendship with jealousy and ambition secretly invites their family members of hatred, strife, and impurity into our lives. Have you allowed envy to infiltrate your life? With your siblings – Do you feel that another member of your family gets more attention than you? In your workplace – Do you feel that someone else is receiving the business or praise that you rightly deserve? In your love life – Do you unreasonably restrict your spouse’s involvement with others? With your friends – Are you jealous when they make other friendships? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you have at least cracked the door to jealousy. And if this selfishness exists, your religion is just a covering for fleshliness. “..those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8). Spend some time allowing the Father to convict in regard to envy today. Ask Him to create a new spirit of freshness in your relationships.

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The Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) returned to the Lal Chowk area after nine months as last such exercise was witnessed in the area on September 15, 2016, when Police and Army had conducted a joint search operation. Nazir Ahmed, a street vendor at clock tower (Ghanta Ghar), said, “All of a sudden teams of SoG and CRPF appeared in Lal Chowk at 12 noon and started searching buildings. Some pedestrians started running for safety as a word spread that encounter may start.” Another witness said, “A Casper vehicle also reached the spot and rumours started making rounds that Army too has joined Police and CRPF and encounter was about to start.” “The joint teams of forces searched shopping complex at Court Road and also conducted a thorough search operation in Bund area. Later it came to fore that Army wasn’t part of the operation,” the witness added. Traffic in the area came to a halt for some time. “We even started packing our goods and were about to down our shutters. Normalcy returned after forces called off the operation at around 12: 45 pm,” he said. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range, Muneer Ahmed Khan, said, “It was just a patrolling exercise. I had directed my men to do some leg work as I felt they were feeling lazy. They carried out a sort of area domination and that’s it. There is nothing more to it.” However, CRPF spokesman in Srinagar, Rajesh Yadav, said, “Anti-fidayeen squad of the force joined SoG to conduct the operation. We had inputs about presence of militants in the area. The search operation was later called off.” Police sources said the concerned police station Kothibagh was also kept aware about the development. “Many CID sleuths mistook the Casper vehicle as army vehicle. It was later conveyed to the police higher ups that the vehicle belonged to CRPF and not the army,” a source in the police said. The CASO, also called crackdown by locals, has been a regular feature of forces in Pulwama and Shopian districts in south Kashmir. The CASO was re-introduced in Kashmir on May 5 after a gap of almost 27 years in Shopian district after army launched a day-long operation to trace militants. Such operations were a routine affair in early ’90s.

J.S13042/16 NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA Appellee : : v. : : JOSHUA YINGLING, : : Appellant : No. 1484 WDA 2015 Appeal from the PCRA Order September 14, 2015 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-02-CR-0002047-2013 BEFORE: LAZARUS, STABILE, and FITZGERALD,* JJ. MEMORANDUM BY FITZGERALD, J.: FILED FEBRUARY 11, 2016 Appellant, Joshua Yingling, appeals from the order entered in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas denying his first Post Conviction Relief Act1 (“PCRA”) Petition, following an evidentiary hearing. We affirm. The facts are unnecessary for our disposition. The trial court summarized the procedural posture of this case as follows: After a jury trial, [Appellant] was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, four counts of recklessly endangering another person, and fleeing and eluding. He was also convicted of six summary offenses. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 36 months nor more than 72 months relative to the conspiracy conviction. He was also sentenced to a consecutive term of imprisonment of not less than six months nor more than 12 months relative to the fleeing and eluding conviction. Relative to * Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court. 1 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546. J.S13042/16 the four recklessly endangering counts, he was sentenced to four consecutive terms of imprisonment of not less than one month nor more than six months. No appeal was filed. [Appellant] filed a pro se petition for relief under the [PCRA]. Counsel was appointed and on February 25, 2015, . . . filed an amended petition pursuant to the [PCRA] claiming that [Appellant’s] prior counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel for failing to file a post- sentencing motion or a direct appeal challenging the sentence imposed in this case. PCRA Ct. Op., 11/5/15, at 1. The PCRA court found that counsel did not render ineffective assistance and denied the petition. This timely appeal followed. Appellant filed a Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement of errors complained of on appeal and the PCRA court filed a responsive opinion. Appellant raises the following issue for our review: Did the trial court err in denying Appellant’s PCRA petition and in failing to reinstate Appellant’s post sentence rights since trial/sentencing counsel [Anne Marie] Mancuso was ineffective for failing to discuss or file post sentencing motions (“PSM”)/an appeal, and for misinforming Appellant regarding the length of the instant aggregate sentence, when Appellant desired that PSM and an appeal be filed regarding the sentence imposed, and attempted to have counsel file PSM? Appellant’s Brief at 3. Appellant avers that counsel’s failure to file a direct appeal is the functional equivalent of not having counsel and therefore his appellate rights should be reinstated nunc pro tunc. Id. at 11. Appellant claims that “he believed that he was only sentenced to 3-6 years’ imprisonment, and didn’t -2- J.S13042/16 understand that he had received consecutive sentences.”2 Id. at 12. Appellant contends that he “wanted post sentencing motions filed so that he could challenge the instant sentence, and he even had his mother call Trial Counsel 3-5 times in the coming week (within the 10 day period within which to file post sentencing motions after imposition of sentence) so that post sentencing motions could be timely filed for [him].” Id. at 13. Appellant states that trial counsel’s contention that she spoke with him in the hallway following sentencing is impossible because he was not taken out into the hallway after sentencing. Id. He avers that he was taken directly through a rear door in the courtroom to the bullpen. 3 Id. Appellant argues 2 We note that at sentencing, the court explained the sentences were consecutive “because I think it needs to be acknowledged the extent of your harmful and dangerous conduct while on probation, violent conduct.” N.T. Sentencing Hr’g, 5/13/14, at 16. The court informed Appellant that his sentence was 46 months minimum, with all credit for time served, to 108 months. Id. at 17. The court advised Appellant that he had the right to file a post sentence motion within ten days. Id. at 18. The court further stated: If you wish to assert your post-sentencing rights, you speak to Ms. Mancuso. She knows what to do. If Ms. Mancuso’s unavailable─10 days to file the motion or a direct appeal in 30 days. If Ms. Mancuso is unavailable and you wish to assert your rights but cannot afford another lawyer, you let the [c]ourt know and I’ll see to it that a lawyer’s appointed for you on your behalf. Id. 3 We note at the PCRA hearing, the court stated: -3- J.S13042/16 that he “lost his post sentencing rights because of Trial Counsel’s ineffectiveness and, therefore, the Trial Court erred in not reinstating [his] post sentencing rights.” Id. at 13-14. Our review is governed by the following principles: Our scope of review when examining a PCRA court’s denial of relief is limited to whether the court’s findings are supported by the record and the order is otherwise free of legal error. We will not disturb findings that are supported by the record. Furthermore, as Appellant’s issue is stated in terms of ineffectiveness of counsel, Appellant must show that: (1) his claim has arguable merit; (2) counsel’s performance had no reasonable basis; and (3) counsel’s action or inaction worked to Appellant’s prejudice. The PCRA standard regarding a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is the same as the standard on direct appeal. * * * However, the case of a petitioner who was denied a requested direct appeal by the ineffectiveness of his trial or plea counsel presents a special problem of constitutional dimension. In Commonwealth v. Lantzy, [ ] 736 A.2d 564 ([Pa.] 1999), our Supreme Court resolved this problem as follows: [W]here there is an unjustified failure to file a requested direct appeal, the conduct of counsel falls beneath the range of competence demanded of This courtroom is right next to the area which is the entrance to what we call the bull pen. In this courtroom, unlike any other I think, the Defendant can be taken from this room through that back door through the entrance to the bull pen without going out into the hallway . . . . N.T. PCRA Hr’g, 9/14/15, at 12. Ms. Mancuso testified that she talked to Appellant in the hallway outside of the courtroom. Id. at 13. -4- J.S13042/16 attorneys in criminal cases, [denying] the accused the assistance of counsel guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 9 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, and constitutes prejudice. . . . Therefore, in such circumstances, and where the remaining requirements of the PCRA are satisfied, the petitioner is not required to establish his innocence or demonstrate the merits of the issue or issues which would have been raised on appeal. Id. . . . 736 A.2d at 572 (footnotes and citations omitted). Counsel’s unjustified failure to file a direct appeal will constitute prejudice per se under Lantzy, if the petitioner can establish that he did ask counsel to file an appeal. Commonwealth v. Qualls, 785 A.2d 1007, 1009-10 (Pa. Super. 2001) (some citations omitted and emphases added). However, “counsel's failure to file post-sentence motions does not fall within the narrow ambit of ineffectiveness claims requiring no finding of prejudice.” Commonwealth v. Fransen, 986 A.2d 154, 158 (Pa. Super. 2009). “The PCRA court’s credibility determinations, when supported by the record, are binding on this Court.” Commonwealth v. Spotz, 18 A.3d 244, 259 (Pa. 2011). Instantly, the PCRA court opined: Counsel did not render ineffective assistance of counsel in this case. The [c]ourt finds the testimony of trial counsel to be credible. This [c]ourt believes that [Appellant] believed his sentence was reasonable and he conveyed that fact to trial counsel. [Appellant] was advised of his right to challenge his sentence by this [c]ourt immediately after sentence was imposed and he discussed his specific sentence and his ability to challenge it with trial counsel after sentencing was concluded. -5- J.S13042/16 PCRA Ct. Op. at 3-4. Appellant testified at the PCRA hearing that he wanted to challenge his sentence. N.T. at 5. He testified, inter alia, as follows: [Appellant’s counsel]: Did you talk to Ms. Mancuso, did you talk to anybody at that point immediately after you were sentenced or afterwards? A: No. On the way leaving the courtroom I asked her what my sentence was because I really didn’t understand. She was grabbing her jacket and she had told me that it was three to six years and I thought that that was what I was getting. Then I asked her what was going on and she was kind of rushing and I got rushed out of the courtroom and I never spoke with her after that. Q: Did she─before she left or any time thereafter did she explain your post-sentencing rights or your appellate rights? A: No. Q: So you didn’t know that you had ten days to file post- sentencing motions? A: No. Q: Thirty days to file an appeal? A: No. Q: Did you want post-sentencing motions filed? A: Yes, I did. Q: If she had spoken to you, would you have expressed to her that you wanted post-sentencing motions? A: For sentencing reasons, yes. -6- J.S13042/16 Q: Did you attempt to get in touch with her in the ten-day period after you were sentenced? A: My mother did, yes. Q: And what happened as far as you know? A: She called her I think─she said between three to five times within the first week after I got sentenced because when I got back to the county that night my sentence was entered into the computer, and I do believe that it said 46 to 108 months, and I was under the impression that it was going to be 36 to 108 months so─ Q: Do you know─did your mom leave messages, did your mom─ A: She contacted twice and she got through once and I guess that there was someone that said that she wasn’t in the office. The other two times she could not get ahold of her and I wrote two letters but─ Q: Did you know what your mom said in those messages? A: I don’t know exactly what my mother said in those messages, but I do know that she had told them that it was─the only one time message that she had told them that I need to speak with her immediately about my sentence. Q: But you definitely wanted post-sentencing motions or an appeal filed? A: Yes. Id. at 5-7. Ms. Mancuso testified at the PCRA hearing, inter alia, as follows: [Appellant’s counsel]: Did you get a chance to talk to [Appellant] after sentencing about post-sentencing motions or an appeal? -7- J.S13042/16 A: I spoke with him immediately following his sentence. We spoke about the fact that we both thought that it was fair and he said that to me in the hallway. We talked about what his options were, exactly what he said, in the hallway and immediately following sentencing. Q: So you walked out─he was in handcuffs? A: He was taken into custody at that time. Q: You walked to the bull pen, towards the bull pen with him. Q: Yes. Q: That’s where this conversation took place? A: Yes, right in the hallway. Q: And did you explain to him that he had ten days to file post-sentencing motions? A: I can’t recall what exactly was said in that conversation, but I remember us discussing what his sentence was and whether or not he wanted to challenge the sentence and us agreeing that it was fair and I never heard from him again after that. Q: Did you tell him he had a right to challenge that sentence? A: Yes, absolutely. Q: And did you tell him the length of the sentence? A: Yes. We talked about that as well. * * * Q: Did you receive any telephone messages from his mother or anyone else? A: I believe that I spoke to his mother actually and I believe that she just had questions about what the next -8- J.S13042/16 step was as far as where he was going to be transferred and the length of his sentence and I believe we went over that, but at no time did anyone ask me to file any sort of post-sentence motion. Otherwise I would have. Id. at 9-10 (emphasis added). On cross-examination by the Commonwealth, she testified as follows: [The Commonwealth]: . . . Do you have a specific recollection in talking to [Appellant] about his appellate rights? A: Yes, because it was immediately following the sentence. Q: And if [Appellant] had asked you to file an appeal for motion to modify sentence what would you have done? A: I would have absolutely a hundred percent pursued his desire to do that. Id. at 11. At the conclusion of the hearing, the PCRA court opined: I hear [Appellant’s] testimony, my mother did this, my mother did that, but his mother never came to testify as to what she did or didn’t do. The only person that was a party to the conversation was Ms. Mancuso who did testify that she spoke about what happened next and so forth and nobody said to her what about post-sentencing, let’s appeal, let’s file a motion .... So the only person that was participating in that conversation in this courtroom was Ms. Mancuso. Mom has not come here. There is a reason why hearsay is inadmissible. . . . Mom did not come in to say that she had that conversation with Ms. Mancuso and put her on notice on behalf of her -9- J.S13042/16 son. Ms. Mancuso, who was in the conversation, said that that is not what happened. * * * Under these circumstances of course [Appellant] would have expected his mom did everything that he wanted her to do, but there is no evidence that she did and there is evidence that she did not from Ms. Mancuso. * * * Ms. Mancuso was here and said, here is what happened, and I find her testimony to be credible . . .. Id. at 18-20 (emphasis added). In the case sub judice, Appellant avers that he “wanted post sentencing motions filed and [he] lost his post sentencing rights because of Trial Counsel’s ineffectiveness and, therefore, the Trial Court erred in not reinstating [his] post sentencing rights.” Appellant’s Brief at 13-14. This claim is unavailing. See Fransen, 986 A.2d at 158; Qualls, 785 A.2d at 1010. The PCRA court found trial counsel’s testimony to be credible and concluded she did not render ineffective assistance of counsel. We find the record supports the PCRA court’s credibility determination. See Spotz, 18 A.3d at 259. Appellant has also not established that he asked counsel to file a direct appeal. See Qualls, 785 A.2d at 1010. We find the PCRA court’s order was supported by the record and free of legal error. See id. at 1009. Therefore, we affirm. - 10 - J.S13042/16 Order affirmed. Judgment Entered. Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary Date: 2/11/2016 - 11 - 

Recent perspectives on the role of nutraceuticals as cholesterol-lowering agents. Reduction in circulating cholesterol is an important step in lowering cardiovascular risk. Although statins are the most frequently prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication, there remains a significant portion of patients who require alternative treatment options. Nutraceuticals are increasingly popular as cholesterol-lowering agents. Despite the lack of long-term trials evaluating their use on cardiovascular endpoints and mortality, several studies have demonstrated their potential cholesterol-lowering effects. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the role of nutraceuticals as cholesterol-lowering agents. The present review will focus on individual nutraceutical compounds, which have shown modest cholesterol-lowering abilities, as well as combination nutraceuticals, which may offer potential additive and/or synergistic effects. Berberine, red yeast rice, and plant sterols have moderate potential as cholesterol-lowering agents. Combination nutraceuticals, including the proprietary formulation, Armolipid Plus, appear to confer additional benefit on plasma lipid profiles, even when taken with statins and other agents. Although robust, long-term clinical trials to examine the effects of nutraceuticals on clinical outcomes are still required, their cholesterol-lowering ability, together with their reported tolerance and safety, offer a pragmatic option for lowering plasma cholesterol levels.

With this release a total of 107 applications have been ported to KDE Frameworks 5. The team is striving to bring the best quality to your desktop and these applications. So we're counting on you to send your feedback. Kontact Suite technical preview Over the past several months the KDE PIM team did put a lot of effort into porting Kontact to Qt 5 and KDE Frameworks 5. Additionally the data access performance got improved considerably by an optimized communication layer. The KDE PIM team is working hard on further polishing the Kontact Suite and is looking forward to your feedback. For more and detailed information about what changed in KDE PIM see Laurent Montels blog. Kdenlive and Okular This release of Kdenlive includes lots of fixes in the DVD wizard, along with a large number of bug-fixes and other features which includes the integration of some bigger refactorings. More information about Kdenlive's changes can be seen in its extensive changelog. And Okular now supports Fade transition in the presentation mode. KSudoku with a character puzzle Dolphin, Edu and Games Dolphin was as well ported to KDE Frameworks 5. Marble got improved UTM support as well as better support for annotations, editing and KML overlays. Ark has had an astonishing number of commits including many small fixes. Kstars received a large number of commits, including improving the flat ADU algorithm and checking for out of bound values, saving Meridian Flip, Guide Deviation, and Autofocus HFR limit in the sequence file, and adding telescope rate and unpark support. KSudoku just got better. Commits include: add GUI and engine for entering in Mathdoku and Killer Sudoku puzzles, and add a new solver based on Donald Knuth's Dancing Links (DLX) algorithm. Other Releases Along with this release Plasma 4 will be published in its LTS version for the last time as version 4.11.22. Spread the Word Non-technical contributors are an important part of KDE’s success. While proprietary software companies have huge advertising budgets for new software releases, KDE depends on people talking with other people. Even for those who are not software developers, there are many ways to support the KDE Applications 15.08 release. Report bugs. Encourage others to join the KDE Community. Or support the nonprofit organization behind the KDE community. Please spread the word on the Social Web. Submit stories to news sites, use channels like delicious, digg, reddit, and twitter. Upload screenshots of your new set-up to services like Facebook, Flickr, ipernity and Picasa, and post them to appropriate groups. Create screencasts and upload them to YouTube, Blip.tv, and Vimeo. Please tag posts and uploaded materials with 'KDE'. This makes them easy to find, and gives the KDE Promo Team a way to analyze coverage for the KDE Applications 15.08 release. Installing KDE Applications 15.08 Binary Packages Packages. Some Linux/UNIX OS vendors have kindly provided binary packages of KDE Applications 15.08 for some versions of their distribution, and in other cases community volunteers have done so. Additional binary packages, as well as updates to the packages now available, may become available over the coming weeks. Package Locations. For a current list of available binary packages of which the KDE Project has been informed, please visit the Community Wiki. Compiling KDE Applications 15.08 Supporting KDE KDE is a Free Software community that exists and grows only because of the help of many volunteers that donate their time and effort. KDE is always looking for new volunteers and contributions, whether it is help with coding, bug fixing or reporting, writing documentation, translations, promotion, money, etc. All contributions are gratefully appreciated and eagerly accepted. Please read through the Supporting KDE page for further information or become a KDE e.V. supporting member through our new Join the Game initiative. About KDE KDE is an international technology team that creates free and open source software for desktop and portable computing. Among KDE's products are a modern desktop system for Linux and UNIX platforms, comprehensive office productivity and groupware suites and hundreds of software titles in many categories including Internet and web applications, multimedia, entertainment, educational, graphics and software development. KDE software is translated into more than 60 languages and is built with ease of use and modern accessibility principles in mind. KDE's full-featured applications run natively on Linux, BSD, Solaris, Windows and Mac OS X. Trademark Notices. KDE® and the K Desktop Environment® logo are registered trademarks of KDE e.V. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks and copyrights referred to in this announcement are the property of their respective owners.

Last updated on .From the section Scottish Championship Lawrence Shankland fired Ayr ahead from the penalty spot Ayr's home struggles continued in the Scottish Championship as Greg Kiltie's tap-in earned a point for Morton. Lawrence Shankland gave the hosts a first-half lead from the penalty spot with his 22nd league goal this season. But Kiltie equalised 20 minutes from time, meaning Ayr have won just one of their last eight home league games. Ayr stay third, eight points behind Dundee United with two games in hand. Morton, winless in four, sit sixth, 11 points adrift of the top four.

Figuring Cost Per Mile Truckers must not be flying by the seat of their pants When airplanes were a new idea, pilots were the cowboys of the air. Barnstormers would fly in and out the open doors of barns: they truly flew by the seat of their pants. They had a wicker seat, a control stick and a really great view… Life was grand! Over time, however, there were less and less of them. They were flying into the barns but not always coming out the other end.As the second generation of pilots emerged, they started developing tactics to stay aloft and remain alive so they could fly again tomorrow. These tactics often took the form of cockpit instruments that told them how well the equipment was running; fuel gauges, air speed indicators, oil pressure gauges, and engine temperature gauges. With the advent of each new gauge, the pilot’s life expectancy was extended. Today, instrument rated pilots make entire trips without seeing anything but their instrument panel. Everything they need to know to fly that plane safely to their destination is right there on their gauges and navigational equipment. The trucking industry has it’s own history of cowboys, and flying by the seat of their pants. However, as competition has increased it has become vital that independent drivers have a feel for how their operation is fairing at any given point in time. Where before just running might get you by and even make you a little money, today if you don’t run smart, you can run yourself right out of business before you even know it. One of the easiest ways of taking the pulse of your company is to track and control the costs of doing business. This will require some bookkeeping but they are figures you are already tracking for the IRS. Why not make them work for you at the same time? Once you know what your costs are, you can start taking steps to control those costs and that has a direct effect on your bottom line. Cost for operating a truck fall under two general categories; fixed, and variable costs. Download spreadsheet FIXED COSTS Fixed costs expenses are costs you entail just having your truck parked out in your driveway. You have a daily exposure to them, rolling or not. There are some days of the year you may decide to make up later, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and your birthday. What about days you sit idle waiting for a better paying load? You might be better off with a less productive load and not have to eat 2 or 3 days of fixed costs that just keep on adding up. In our example the annual fixed costs of $27,616 represent a $76 a day of fixed expenses. A load would have to pay out at $529 more to justify waiting a week for it. Once you know your fixed costs, then this is no longer a guessing game. You can decide how long you can afford to wait for a specific load based on the known cost of the wait. The biggest two items in this category are your mortgage on the truck and the variety of insurance coverages you need. Other items include your licenses, permits and accounting services. VARIABLE COSTS Variable costs are expenses that are directly related to operating the truck. Generally, the more you run the truck the higher these will go. There are some economies of scale, however, and some of these expenses will become less per mile as you increase your number of miles. Fuel, tires, maintenance, and meals and lodging are examples of variable costs. COST OF OPERATIONS SHEET Our example (Figure 1) includes many expenses that truckers encounter in their businesses. It may not accurately reflect your operation, however, and you should adapt it to match your expenses before attempting to use it. Fixed costs and variable costs are separated out in the form and then combined in the item at the bottom labeled, “Total Vehicle Costs.” The first column of figures contains the annual costs for each category. The second column divides the first column by 12 and gives you the monthly breakdowns. The third column is the result of dividing the annual costs by the number of miles run in the year. For our example we are assuming the truck was driven for 100,000 miles. So, since the annual mortgage payments on the truck were 16,000, we divide 16,000 by the 100,000 miles and we find the cost of the truck mortgage in $0.16 cents per mile. The Cost of Operation report is both a reporting and a planning form. It will report your operation’s expenses, but it allows you to play “If/Then” games with “Driver’s Income” and “Total Cost of Operation.” If you have determined a set driver’s income, you can tell what gross income level you must hit to support that income given your annual expenses. The “Driver’s Income” entry is the primary reason we’re going through all this in the first place. Some drivers will enter a set figure of what they want to earn. Others will pay themselves a percentage of the business they do, so the more gross income they generate the more personal income they make. As a general rule of thumb, the driver should earn about 30% of the total gross revenue of the truck. Since the expenses should be the other 70%, you can take the “Total Vehicle Costs”, divide by 70 and multiply the result by 30 to get the “Driver’s Income.” By adding the “Total Vehicle Expenses” and “Driver’s Wage”, you should have the “Total Cost of Operation” which should also be the total gross income for the year. If your actual gross income was more than what is on the sheet, congratulations, you made more for yourself than you planned on. If your actual gross income was less than what is on the sheet, your “Driver’s Income is the difference between actual gross income and “Total Vehicle Costs.” If it is less than 30 percent of the gross, you need to take steps to control your expenses or raise the gross, probably both. PER MILE COSTS DECREASES WHEN MILES INCREASE As the miles a truck operates increases, the Cost Per Mile figure will decrease. (Figure 2) Of course your driver income should also increase as you drive those miles too. Let’s just look at the first and last points on this chart. The $1.06 per mile cost, at 50,000 miles, represents a vehicle cost of $53,000 and a “Driver Income” of $22,174. The final $0.69 per mile cost for 130,000 miles, represents a vehicle cost of $89,000 and a “Driver Income ” of $38,422. This decrease of cost per mile with each additional mile is a characteristic small business truckers share with the big fleets; greater equipment utilization translates into lower per mile costs and the potential for increased net revenues and profits. OTHER BAROMETERS OF FINANCIAL HEALTH The Cost Per Mile report is just one of many that can give a trucker an idea of what is going on in his operation. The beauty of these reports is they too use the same numbers you have already gathered, just assembled in a different way to give you perhaps a different financial view. ROUND-TRIP PROFIT REPORT The trip profit report summarizes the income and expenses of each round-trip made. This will average out the rate differences between legs of a trip and provides you with yet another view of how you make money. Also, when you begin to see that some trips are winners and some are losers, you can make a point of seeking out the winners, and avoiding the losers. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE LEDGER In today’s business climate you are more likely to get paid when you threaten to sue than on the date the money is due. Shippers and brokers that owe you money are using you as an interest-free bank when they go over their due date. If they really don’t have the cash on hand to pay you, they could borrow the money from the bank to pay you, but that costs them interest on the loan. Simply not paying you costs them nothing, and they save the interest on the loan. At the same time having a large accounts receivable can strangle your operation to death. Keep your terms in writing, but if a customer is historically late in paying, you have a couple of options. One is to charge him a higher rate to make up the difference, the other is to quote a higher rate for their “normal” payment and then offer a discount for payment within 15 days. If a good paying customer changes the way they are paying, ask around and find out what the real cause of the change is. There’s some wisdom in keeping your customer list diversified. Don’t let the failures of another company drag yours down with them. A good customer is one that has loads, and pays you on time. FUEL LEDGER Since fuel is your largest variable cost, small changes can have significant results. Making a change in your driving or equipment that adds as little as two-tenths of a mile more travel per gallon of fuel (i.e. 5.7 instead of 5.5 mpg) can translate into more than $2000 in annual savings. Fine tuning every cost in an operation can make a significant difference in its profitability. DAILY OR WEEKLY COST OF OPERATION REPORTS If monthly reports cover too many trips to be meaningful, then figure your cost reports weekly or even daily. The trick is to put the numbers into units that you can relate to, and from which you can recognize problems and identify solutions. Keeping your business aloft Though we’ll probably never see the day you can drive a truck from California to New York without taking your eyes off the dash, the more financial data you have to analyze, the more likely you will be to make money on that trip. Find the business questions you need answers to, and formulate a report that supplies those answers. Then adopt policies and modes of doing business that make you a better businessperson and watch the effects of those changes in your reports as you fine tune your operation. Use the reports to make sure you are controlling every single factor of your operation that you have any control over, and understanding all the ones that are beyond your control. Then you can relax and enjoy the ride, cause the great view hasn’t changed a bit. Use the spreadsheet below to enter your personal data based on your operational expenses and income, and the calculator will formulate your annual operation summary for you. (Put a zero in the boxes that are blank) Operation Specifics How many loaded miles did you run last year? How many empty miles did you run last year? Total Loaded and Unloaded run in the last year 0.00 Gallons of Tractor fuel purchased in the last year? Gallons of Reefer fuel purchased in the last year? MPG 0 Average price per gallon 0 Next Income Gross Earnings From Truck(s) Interest Earnings on Escrow Funds, Investments, Cash Other Sources of Business Income Total Gross Income Last Year $0.00 Back Next Fixed Expenses Yearly Truck Payment Yearly Trailer Payment Public Liability and Property Damage Insurance Premiums Bobtail/Deadhead Insurance Premiums Cargo Insurance Premiums Primary Medical Insurance Premiums Primary Disability Insurance Premiums Workers Compensation Insurance Premiums License Plates Permits Garage or Parking Expense Total Fixed Expenses Last Year $0.00 Back Next Variable Expenses Tractor Fuel Reefer Fuel Meals or Per Diem Meal Expense Telephone Satellite Tolls Loading and Unloading Fees (include gate fees, lumpers, etc) Tires Preventative Maintenance Repairs (replacing a truck part) Factoring Fees (selling accounts receivable) Legal Services Broker Fees Professional Services (accounting, etc.) Driver Wages (total paid to drivers working for you) Payroll Taxes for Employee Drivers Taxes: Road, Fuel, Property, Federal Highway Use Advance Fees Uncollectable Receivables Collection Fees Misc Expenses and Losses Total Variable Expenses Last Year $0.00 Back Next

(Baton Rouge, LA) The Ketchums make a great team when it comes to disaster response. The father, son duo are one of the most experienced crews working in Baton Rouge this week following historic flooding throughout many parts of Southern Louisiana. “I know how he wants things…I can anticipate what he wants,” said Ike Ketchum. Dan drives and Ike navigates. They have worked as a team since Hurricane Gustav. The pair moved to New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit looking for work in construction. What they found was a way to help those in desperate need. “We’ve had people try to pay us for the meals we give them off the canteen,” said Dan Ketchum. “I tell them I will only accept a handshake. You can see their surprise first, then the gratitude.” Despite how “fluid” things seem to go on their canteen, their relationship hasn’t always been so smooth. Not too long ago, Dan was asked to read the bible scripture during church services at the New Orleans Salvation Army. He read from Luke 15…the story of the prodigal son. “It took me a long time to read that cause my son was lost. I got choked up,” said Ketchum. Ike saw what that scripture did to his father. Dan says he can’t explain what happened after that but Ike did a one eighty. At one time, caught up in drugs and alcohol, Ike says The Salvation Army changed his life. “The Salvation Army gave me the opportunity to change my life,” said Ike Ketchum. “I feel like I’m the luckiest person ever.” Now, the Ketchums run their “ministry” out of a canteen each time they are called upon. “I see how people are grateful, and the community is changed. It blows my mind every time we go out,” said Ike. “The Salvation Army is a family, they welcomed me with open arms, and that’s what I do from the canteen,” says Dan. About The Salvation Army The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

BOSTON, April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SoundBridge is a team of musicians and audio engineers who have partnered to develop state of the art music production technology that emphasizes mobility, connectivity and ease of use. After 3 years of testing and gathering user data, we spent the last year working hard to develop the first version of our Music Production Suite - including the DAW, drum machine, effects, virtual collaboration and an entire curriculum for effectively teaching music theory, music production, and SoundBridge in tandem. Our music production software is completely free and we intend to keep it that way. We are very close to releasing SoundBridge 1.0 and all we need is your help for the last big push. We are aiming for a June 2017 launch date. Whether you are a professional, just getting started, or if you simply love music and want to empower artists and producers, back us today! SoundBridge is a full featured Digital Audio Workstation that emphasizes mobility, connectivity and ease of use. We've optimized the user experience and made the application high resolution with 5 color schemes, added channel strip & plugin presets, a swing tool, advanced mixer routing, complex automation, randomizers, and much more! SoundBridge is an omni-recording experience, transcending desktop, mobile, and in-browser recording environments. Our online collaboration engine allows you to seamlessly connect, communicate and transfer data, among an unlimited number of collaborators per project. In our effort to democratize access to musical production, we know the tools are not enough, and knowledge is the key. We have developed and tested an entire curriculum for effectively teaching music theory, music production, and SoundBridge in tandem. Our course is comparable in quality to those offered by the top online music production schools - such as DubSpot, Pyramid and Sonic Academy. Instead of paying over $4000 for a course + hundreds of dollars on required software, by backing SoundBridge, you are not only helping us achieve our goals, but you are also purchasing the most affordable high quality music production course in the world. Having a well-rounded brand strategy helps you identify the marketing channels you must focus on, and defines every aspect of how your business is viewed by your customers. Marketing and advertising is an integral component of every business. The US Small Business Administration reco... When you work with React app, it normally needs some data from the server to store it for immediate use (e.g., show it on the page). If the app works with some complex relational database the work than may be a bit challenging. In this article I am going to describe the issues with org... Technology integration is complex and an evergreen business challenge for IT teams. Enterprises setup manual & point to point connections to exchange data from business partners. However, data disruptions emerge when the business IT systems expand and prevents organizations from sharin... There's an impulse to roll one's eyes and think of legacy applications as problematic, almost by definition. They're old, and they may run on hardware that's slower or more difficult to maintain. But in many instances, that's too simplistic an assessment. Would you respond the same way... Commerce has become both digital and global: Online sales are expected to exceed $1.6 trillion dollars by 2020. As a customer preferred way of doing business, ecommerce offers increased selection, value, and convenience. Online shopping also offers merchants increased access to custome...

Niantic wird kommende Woche angeblich ein weiteres schillerndes Pokémon in Pokémon GO einführen, das extrem selten zu finden sein wird. Im März tauchte in Pokémon GO das erste schillernde Pokémon auf: Karpador. Das war vermutlich ein Test, um die Spieler ein bisschen anzuheizen. Kommende Woche wird Niantic angeblich ein schillerndes Pikachu einführen, so SlashGear. --> Es wäre nicht das erste Mal, dass Niantic das Pokémon für ein besonderes Event nutzt. Immerhin ist es eines der bekanntesten und beliebtesten Pokémon. Niantic hat mit Sicherheit die ein oder andere Aktion für den 6. Juli geplant, denn an diesem Tag erschien das Spiel in den USA. Ein schillerndes Pikachu dürfte da nicht alles sein, was die Entwickler geplant haben. Ich rechne mit mehreren Überraschungen. -->

Although the imperative to translate basic science discoveries into the clinical arena is widely acknowledged, the clinical research workforce is inadequate. The overall goal of the Mentored Clinical/ Translational Research Training Program is to facilitate the research career development of early-stage clinical/translational investigators. The CTSI is a partnership of several academic institutions and healthcare providers in the Milwaukee area. Together with its academic, laboratory, and patient care resources, this partnership provides an enriched, multidisciplinary environment for recruiting and training clinical investigators. The proposed program builds on our successful experience with the existing and integrated Clinical Research Scholars Program (formerly K30) and the Mentored Clinical Research Training Program. We have recruited highly qualified individuals into both of these programs, representing a spectrum of academic and clinical disciplines. Overall, participants in the programs have been successful in terms of numbers of publications, subsequent research grant funding, and career advancement. Our proposed Mentored Clinical Research Training Program is sufficiently flexible to accommodate trainees with different backgrounds, different levels of experience, and different research career trajectories. The next phase in the proposed evolution of the Program is influenced by recent IOM recommendations to focus on career development and team science. The objectives are as follows: Objective 1. Assist each trainee in creating an individualized, comprehensive, and goal focused research career development plan. Objective 2. Integrate team science into research career development. In addition to providing a mentored clinical/translational research experience, related programmatic activities include the following: a comprehensive mentoring plan; opportunities for relevant coursework that may lead to an academic degree, e.g. MS in Clinical/Translational Science; linking each trainee with a career navigator; developing career goals and core competency requirements; creating a Multidisciplinry Project Development Panel for each trainee to assist in the identification of team members; providing pilot grant support for competitive team-based research; orienting trainees to a variety of career options; identifying and creating appropriate peer support groups Several metrics will be used to evaluate trainees and the training program.

In carrying out the rearing of water grasses and the synthetic culturing of algae in a water tank, the carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis has to be supplied and dissolved in water. In general, carbon dioxide is supplied to a water tank via a carbon dioxide bomb installed outside the tank, and it is difficult in this method to supply carbon dioxide evenly at a slow flow rate of 10 ml/minute or less. In order to rear ornamental water grasses, a method is employed in which carbon dioxide is filled in a diffusion cylinder with the one end thereof open in the water, and gas-liquid contact at the open end causes carbon dioxide to be dissolved in the water. However, the above method has the defect that the initial feeding supplying and stopping speed can not be controlled. In order to solve such problems, one of the present inventors developed an apparatus for supplying dissolved carbon dioxide in which water is electrolyzed with carbon used as an anode in a liquid to which dissolved carbon dioxide is supplied as a mechanism for automatically supplying carbon dioxide without relying on the supply of carbon dioxide by an external supply source, such as a bomb, and has already filed a patent application thereon (JP-A-6-154760). In this invention, a specific embodiment comprises a cathode member formed by a perforated pipe made of cylindrical stainless steel, a carbon rod anode inserted in the cathode member in a non-contacting relationship, and a terminal fixed on the cathode member at the upper part thereof. According to the above structure, since not only the carbon anode can be compactly integrated with the cathode but also dissolved carbon dioxide and gaseous hydrogen formed on the cathode is emitted to a liquid from holes formed in the cathode member, it becomes possible to dissolve carbon dioxide into a liquid safely and efficiently. However, continuing an electrolytic operation at a fixed current using the carbon dioxide-generating electrode apparatus with the structure described above has gradually increased the voltage between both electrodes while a considerable amount of the carbon anode remains and has sometimes resulted in causing a situation such that the current eventually does not flow between the electrodes and electrolysis is stopped. Investigations repeatedly made by the present inventors in order to solve the cause of this problem have resulted in clarifying that the problem originates in the phenomenon that since in the existing structure described above, a cylindrical carbon anode having the same diameter throughout the length of the rod is inserted in a cylindrical cathode pipe having the same inner diameter in a longitudinal direction in a parallel non-contacting relationship such that the distance between the electrodes becomes fixed, the consumption of the carbon anode particularly in the vicinity of the upper part thereof connected directly to the terminal, proceeds dominantly to locally increase the insulation degree, and the carbon anode at the lower part thereof remains unreacted.

Q: Sous vide chicken without an internal temperature of 165 °F (75 °C) I am new to sous vide food. I am cooking a chicken breast. I have read that chicken requires an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celcius). However the recipe only requires a temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). https://recipes.anovaculinary.com/recipe/chicken-breast How does this not cause food poisoning? We checked the internal temperature after an hour and it was only 130 °F (54 °C). Is this safe to eat? A: The reduction of bacterial growth, and thus food safety, follow a logarithmic pattern that factors in temperature plus time. During sous vide cooking, lower temperature are frequently used for longer times. Employed correctly, this renders food safe. For an excellent explanation see the work of Douglas Baldwin. A: The other answers are correct regarding why that temperature is okay for sous vide, but I just want to clarify why it's not good enough when using other cooking methods. As moscafj suggested, you need the meat to spend a certain amount of time at any particular temperature to actually kill off enough pathogens, and this is where sous vide acts quite differently from most other cooking methods. The key difference is that sous vide never exposes any part of the meat to higher temperatures than the target temperature, so you get a lot of time right near that temperature; whereas more traditional methods typically involve exposing the meat to far higher temperatures, so the meat will be shooting right past that minimum safe temperature in a short amount of time. For example, when cooking on the grill, it might be exposed to air that's 450°F or more, so if you measure the meat at 165°F, it might have only been at a safe temperature for a minute or two — which is just enough time to kill those pathogens. (Also note the carryover effect.) If you had pulled it off the grill at 150°F, it would only have just entered the safe region, so few of the pathogens would be killed before you start cooling it again. On the other hand, you can't leave it on the grill for much longer, because it will quickly attain the texture of cardboard. Sous vide will never pass the target temperature, though the texture will degrade if you wait a really long time. All that being said, sous vide does take a bit longer to get the meat up to the target temperature in the first place — and the colder or thicker your piece of meat when you put it in, the longer it takes. Even if your water temperature reached 150°F a minute after you put the chicken in, the meat itself will be far below that temperature for quite a while. So no, chicken that's at 130°F is still coming to temperature, and you have to cook it for longer because it needs to actually spend time at your target temperature. It may only need around 6 minutes at 150°F, but it needs to get there first. A: The link says for "soft" chicken you should let it go to 140 °F (60 °C) for 1.5 to 4 hours. You checked at 1 hour and it was below that (130 °F (54 °C)) ... so you need to cook it some more. This link gives the same temperature for chicken and explain why the lower temperature is acceptable when cooking for longer time Good link for the temperature safety thing.

Q: Looking for an example of how a software project can be managed/deployed My company is evaluating adopting off-the-shelf ALM products to aid in our development lifecycle; we currently use our own homegrown solutions to manage requirements gathering, specification documentation, testing, etc. One of the issues I am having is understanding how to move code between stages of development. We have what we call a pipeline, which consists of particular stops: [Source] -> [QC] -> [Production] At the first stop, the developer works out a solution to some requested change and performs individual testing. When that process is complete (and peer review has been performed), our ALM system physically moves the affected programs from the [Source] runtime environment to the [QC] runtime environment. This movement of code is triggered by advancing the status of the change request to match the stage of the pipeline. I have been searching the internet for a few days trying to find how the process is accomplished elsewhere -- I have read a bit about builds, automated testing, various ALM products, etc. but nowhere does any of this state how builds interact with initial change requests, what the triggers are, how dependencies are managed, how the various forms of testing are accommodated (e.g. unit testing, integration testing, regression testing), etc. Can anyone point me to any resources detailing specific workflows or attempt to explain (generically) how a change could/should be tracked and moved though the development lifecycle? I'd be very appreciative. Note: I've cleaned up the question to hopefully make it easier to understand. Also, I found another question (which I can't find now) that referenced this book, which sounds like it might be exactly what I am looking for -- not sure if I want to shell out the cash for it, though. Additional details per @GlenH7's suggestion: Our products are built with a proprietary language and set of translation tools -- the ultimately runtime environment is similar to a web site architecture, in that we have a bunch of 'code' files sitting out on a server, which our client app accesses on-demand (not unlike a GET request) and then interprets to provide the user experience. We sell an integrated product which is made up of a set of modules (most of which are optional), each module has a team of ~4 programmers and 2 QC testers devoted to the development/bug maintenance. There are around 30 modules per product line (and 3 product lines) -- some teams maintain multiple products lines for their given module. In total, we have 700 employees devoted to development and ~200 programmers. Certainly adopting any new processes or systems is going to involve buy-in, etc. but I'm tasked with simply understanding how the code will be managed so that we can speak intelligently about things. My first task was to learn how to adopt version control into our process (we do not yet use formal version control for most of our product lines, we rely instead of keeping around multiple copies of the entire codebase). We follow the waterfall method pretty closely (which sucks, but the company has been producing software since 1969, so it was probably the natural fit back then and until now, there has been no need to change anything). Some folks are intrigued by the various offerings of the agile methodologies, but as has been noted by @Chad below, we're likely going to need to take incremental steps towards any such end goals (though if we adopt an ALM system, it might be the time to just force a whole new way to do things on everyone). Now for a specific example of our current process, let's say we have a product called HIS, which has an MIS and ITS module (what these are/could be is not important -- think of them as just a collection of files) -- in our current process, if someone requests a change to ITS, a coder will modify some files (effectively) on the development server. When that change needs to be tested, transitioning the status of the change request from 'development needed' to 'qc needed' will trigger our tools to copy the affected files from the development server to the QC server. Now when QC testers signon to the QC testing environment, they will be able to see the effect of the changes. Once they signoff on the change, advancing the status of the request to 'production ready', our tools again copy the code files to the next stage. Once signed off there, a final copy is done to the holding location used for deliveries to customers. We manage delivery of our releases by a major release number (e.g. 6.0) followed by a service release designation (e.g. 5) and a 'priority pack' number (e.g. 1) -- customers take delivery of priority packs, e.g. 6.0.5.1. As stated above, we simply push code from place to place on multiple servers, so we end up with a project folder for each major release and service release throughout the pipeline and end up with a final resting place for each of the ppacks, e.g.: dev6.0 qc6.0 production6.0 dev6.0.5 qc6.0.5 production6.0.5 ship6.0.5.1 I was thinking that under version control, we could simulate this kind of scheme as: trunk branches --6.0.5 tags --6.0.5.1 but that seems to cover only half of the locations, i.e. where do the qc and production sources live? Would I create a separate trunk for each major and minor release of the product? Or would I rely on something outside of version control (e.g. the ALM system) to track the revision(s) interesting for testing done at the QC and production stops? We'd need a runtime environment for each, still, but that could be 'built' on-demand as bug fixes and features are made available -- which reinforces the idea that I need not keep any special 'copy' of these stages under version control (they are simply references to revision history of the trunk or branch). Another thing that has thrown me for a loop as that a colleague is pretty adamant that you should not persist anything in branches, i.e. the branch folders should be ephemeral and used only during large changes that can't be committed directly to the trunk (with the expectation that the branch will eventually be merged into the trunk). In his scheme, the minor releases would necessitate a separate top-level with it's own set of trunk, branches and tags, e.g.: product6.0 trunk branches --silly_new_feature tags --6.0.5 product6.0.5 trunk branches --crazy_bug_fix tags --6.0.5.1 (sorry for the delay on adding these details -- got pulled away to meetings all day) A: The approach I have found works well is two build environments: development and testing. Development build occur frequently and allow integration issues to be worked out and changes (including features) to be tested under the standard build. Testing builds are triggered on demand, and if accepted the build will be promoted to production. Testing builds may take place on a separate branch, especially near a planned release. Changes on the branch will need to be integrated back into development. There are some assumptions taken with this approach: Mainline development is done on trunk. (Feature development is either for the next release, or can be released in an inactive state.) Any environment specific information is retrieved from the environment. When changing environments no builds should be required. Various mechanisms can be used. Releases consist of a coordinated set of feature and bug changes. (If there are dependencies between features or bug fixes, pulling one can cause a cascade of changes.) A separate branch is created for managing fixes to a released (or releasing) version. This may include an additional development build environment. Build tagging is done on testing builds. This simplifies loading that code if changes are required, or code needs to be investigated. I haven't used any ALM software, as it tends to be low on the budget wishlist. The above approach is fairly easy to implement using standard build and configuration management tools. One thing I have noticed with ALM is that retirement is often not well managed. It is rare to see temporary features or bug fixed actually removed from the code. This may result in part from change tracking closing the feature on implementation. It may be a good idea to add a retirement change ticket when appropriate. EDIT: I have seen a number of failures of tested code that requires a build to move into a new environment. It is difficult to ensure only the environment configuration is included in the build and not other data. Things that change between environments include and how I have provided them: Database connections: The solution I usually use is to have the container provide a named connection pool. Different environments have different configurations, but this is transparent to the deployed application. Directories: When appropriate, using relative directory paths works well. Using environment provided variables as part of the path, covers most other cases. Properties: These can be used to help configure database connections, directories, and a whole variety of other settings. There are a number of alternatives which can be used (possibly in concert): Configure the container with the appropriate properties and read the properties from there. Provide a properties file in a directory relative to the environments directory. Read properties from a database connection. In some implementations, one of the properties specifies the location. This can be displayed in the the interface, to enable quick determination of which environment is being used. Build version may also be shown, but that should be part of the build artifacts, and not the environment specification.

Some aspects of the mechanism of complexation of red kidney bean alpha-amylase inhibitor and alpha-amylase. Bovine pancreatic alpha-amylase binds 1 mol of acarbose (a carbohydrate alpha-amylase inhibitor) per mol at the active site and also binds acarbose nonspecifically. The red kidney bean alpha-amylase inhibitor-bovine pancreatic alpha-amylase complex retained nonspecific binding for acarbose only. Binding of p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-maltoside to the final complex of red kidney bean alpha-amylase inhibitor and bovine pancreatic alpha-amylase has a beta Ks (Ks') value that is 3.4-fold greater than the Ks (16 mM) of alpha-amylase for p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-maltoside alone. The initial complex of alpha-amylase and inhibitor apparently hydrolyzes this substrate as rapidly as alpha-amylase alone. The complex retains affinity for substrates and competitive inhibitors, which, when present in high concentrations, cause dissociation of the complex. Maltose (0.5 M), a competitive inhibitor of alpha-amylase, caused dissociation of the red kidney bean alpha-amylase inhibitor--alpha-amylase complex. Interaction between red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) alpha-amylase inhibitor and porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase proceeds through two steps. The first step has a Keq of 3.1 X 10(-5) M. The second step (unimolecular; first order) has a forward rate constant of 3.05 min-1 at pH 6.9 and 30 degrees C. alpha-Amylase inhibitor combines with alpha-amylase, in the presence of p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-maltoside, noncompetitively. On the basis of the data presented, it is likely that alpha-amylase is inactivated by the alpha-amylase inhibitor through a conformational change. A kinetic model, in the presence and absence of substrate, is described for noncompetitive, slow, tight-binding inhibitors that proceed through two steps.

Riddles of masculinity: gender, bisexuality, and thirdness. Clinical examples are used to illuminate several riddles of masculinity-ambiguities, enigmas, and paradoxes in relation to gender, bisexuality, and thirdness-frequently seen in male patients. Basic psychoanalytic assumptions about male psychology are examined in the light of advances in female psychology, using ideas from feminist and gender studies as well as important and now widely accepted trends in contemporary psychoanalytic theory. By reexamining basic assumptions about heterosexual men, as has been done with ideas concerning women and homosexual men, complexity and nuance come to the fore to aid the clinician in treating the complex characterological pictures seen in men today. In a context of rapid historical and theoretical change, the use of persistent gender stereotypes and unnecessarily limiting theoretical formulations, though often unintended, may mask subtle countertransference and theoretical blind spots, and limit optimal clinical effectiveness.

using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Diagnostics; using VRageMath; namespace VRage.Utils { /// <summary> /// A data structure for a set of Vector3I coordinates optimized for sets with high spatial coherence (hence the name) /// </summary> public class MyVector3ISet : IEnumerable<Vector3I> { public struct Enumerator : IEnumerator<Vector3I> { private Dictionary<Vector3I, ulong>.Enumerator m_dictEnum; private int m_shift; private ulong m_currentData; private MyVector3ISet m_parent; private int m_timestamp; public Enumerator(MyVector3ISet set) { m_parent = set; m_dictEnum = new Dictionary<Vector3I,ulong>.Enumerator(); m_shift = 0; m_currentData = 0; m_timestamp = 0; Init(); } private void Init() { m_dictEnum = m_parent.m_chunks.GetEnumerator(); m_shift = 63; m_currentData = 0; m_timestamp = m_parent.Timestamp; } public Vector3I Current { get { CheckTimestamp(); int x = m_shift & 0x3; int y = (m_shift >> 2) & 0x3; int z = (m_shift >> 4); return m_dictEnum.Current.Key * 4 + new Vector3I(x, y, z); } } public bool MoveNext() { CheckTimestamp(); while (MoveNextInternal()) { if ((m_currentData & ((ulong)1 << m_shift)) != 0) return true; } return false; } private bool MoveNextInternal() { if (m_shift == 63) { m_shift = 0; if (!m_dictEnum.MoveNext()) return false; m_currentData = m_dictEnum.Current.Value; return true; } else { m_shift++; return true; } } public void Dispose() { } object System.Collections.IEnumerator.Current { get { return Current; } } public void Reset() { Init(); } [Conditional("DEBUG")] private void CheckTimestamp() { if (m_timestamp != m_parent.Timestamp) throw new System.InvalidOperationException("A Vector3I set collection was modified during iteration using an enumerator!"); } } private Dictionary<Vector3I, ulong> m_chunks; /// <summary> /// For detection of modification of the set during iteration. Every modifying operation on the set should increase the timestamp /// </summary> private int Timestamp { get; set; } public bool Empty { get { return m_chunks.Count == 0; } } public MyVector3ISet() { m_chunks = new Dictionary<Vector3I, ulong>(); Timestamp = 0; } public bool Contains(ref Vector3I position) { ulong data = 0; Vector3I index = new Vector3I(position.X >> 2, position.Y >> 2, position.Z >> 2); if (m_chunks.TryGetValue(index, out data)) { return (data & GetMask(ref position)) != 0; } return false; } public bool Contains(Vector3I position) { return Contains(ref position); } public void Add(ref Vector3I position) { Vector3I index = new Vector3I(position.X >> 2, position.Y >> 2, position.Z >> 2); ulong data = 0; m_chunks.TryGetValue(index, out data); data |= GetMask(ref position); m_chunks[index] = data; Timestamp++; } public void Add(Vector3I position) { Add(ref position); } public void Remove(ref Vector3I position) { Vector3I index = new Vector3I(position.X >> 2, position.Y >> 2, position.Z >> 2); ulong data = 0; m_chunks.TryGetValue(index, out data); data &= ~GetMask(ref position); if (data == 0) m_chunks.Remove(index); else m_chunks[index] = data; Timestamp++; } public void Remove(Vector3I position) { Remove(ref position); } /// <summary> /// Makes a union of this set and the other set and saves it in this set /// </summary> public void Union(MyVector3ISet otherSet) { foreach (var chunk in otherSet.m_chunks) { ulong data = 0; m_chunks.TryGetValue(chunk.Key, out data); data |= chunk.Value; m_chunks[chunk.Key] = data; } Timestamp++; } public void Clear() { m_chunks.Clear(); Timestamp++; } public Enumerator GetEnumerator() { return new Enumerator(this); } private static ulong GetMask(ref Vector3I position) { return (ulong)1 << (((position.Z & 0x3) << 4) + ((position.Y & 0x3) << 2) + (position.X & 0x3)); } IEnumerator<Vector3I> IEnumerable<Vector3I>.GetEnumerator() { return GetEnumerator(); } System.Collections.IEnumerator System.Collections.IEnumerable.GetEnumerator() { return GetEnumerator(); } } }

Seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV infections among college going first time voluntary blood donors. College going first time voluntary blood donors were tested for HBV, HCV and HIV infections, to know the seroprevalence of these diseases among them. Blood donation camps were organized at 18 colleges and universities of the city and a total of 612 samples from first time donors were tested for HbsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV 1, 2 antibodies on Abbott Diagnostic systems. Thirteen voluntary blood donors (2.21% with 95% confidence limit 1.2-3.52%) were HbsAg and 3 (0.5% with 95% confidence limit 0.12-1.33%) were anti HCV positive. None of the donors was positive for HIV infection. Seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV infections among college going students is significantly low (<3.0%) than 30% seroprevalence among paid donors and 7% among family/replacement blood donors. There is a need to educate, motivate and recruit college going students to regularly donate blood to ensure relatively safe supply of blood for transfusion services (JPMA 50:269, 2000).

Bio-identical Hormones Dr. Red Alinsod has provided individualized and personalized bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for over 26 years. Thousands of patients have successfully received life-changing relief of their menopausal symptoms while dramatically reducing their risks of disease from a multitude of medical conditions. Dr. Alinsod has one of the most successful practices that has a specific concentration on perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal issues. He worked hand-in-hand with Dr. James Carter, a pioneer and visionary in the bio-identical world, before it gained acceptance by mainstream medicine. There is a great deal of press and misinformation about hormone use. You may be hesitant to consider using hormones in menopause because of the Woman’s Health Initiative, a decade old study focusing on synthetic hormone replacement therapy. You may have been told by many to “Stop The Hormones!” They are blamed for causing cancer, heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and even memory loss. Modern research disputes these claims. In reality, women who ignore hormonal deficiencies may actually be at far greater risk for all of these medical conditions and more. 30+ years of research in the most prominent medical journals overwhelmingly confirm the benefits of natural hormone replacement, specifically estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and thyroid hormone. Our practice has the aim of not only helping with your present symptoms but to improve your health and quality of life. Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, also known as “Natural Hormone Therapy,” is the specific use of natural and molecularly identical hormones that the human body makes as an augmentation or replacement for its reduced production. The term “Bio-identical” was coined by Jonathan Wright, M.D., to describe unpatentable, plant-derived molecules he believed were identical to human hormones. The term “Natural” denotes the source of the hormone as from a plant or an animal. Most lay people only recognize plant sources though the medical community accepts animal sources also as “bio-identical.” Bio-identical hormones are most often used for the menopausal symptoms of temperature instability leading to hot flashes, night sweats, chills, and flushing sensations. About 75-80% of women will experience these symptoms as they enter menopause. It is also used for the dryness and discomfort of the aging vulva and vagina by replacing lost collagen and improving the blood flow to the area and increasing the natural moistness of vaginal tissues. Unfortunately, 100% of menopausal women will suffer from this dryness and potential shrinkage of vaginal size if left untreated. Also significant in menopause are the loss of good quality sleep and the sense of well-being. Tempers are shorter, there is reduced sexual desire, and diminished sexual response. The wicked cycle of hot flashes and night sweats lead to sleep disturbance and frequent awakening and then fatigue resulting in short tempers and irritability. This can then impact interpersonal relationships and damage personal intimacy. Adrenal fatigue and thyroid dysfunction can also occur at this time complicating the picture. A careful workup is needed to define and address these issues. Bio-identical hormones used for modern treatment include estradiol, estriol, estrone, progesterone, testosterone, and dehydroepiansdrosterone (DHEA). Pregnenolone is another agent sometimes used. Most commonly they are made by a compounding pharmacy in the form of creams, pellets, pills, capsules, drops. Each route has its advantages and disadvantages. The ideal route is usually one that bypasses the mouth and stomach to spare activation of the liver that may produce substances that increase the risk of clot formation. Dr. Alinsod uses specific combinations of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormones to fit each patient’s individualized needs. His expertise in finding the right combination of hormones for each patient is the key to successful treatment. Dr. Alinsod diagnoses and treats a variety of gynecologic conditions many of which need hormone replacement therapy to correct. The therapy ranges from a single hormone to multiple combinations of hormones tailored for the individual to help treat different symptoms. The various forms of hormone replacement therapy allow delivery of hormones in the most optimal method for the patient. Every woman is unique and will respond to therapy differently so close monitoring is essential. What sets Dr. Alinsod’s Bio-identical practice from others? First and foremost, he is a gynecologist/urogynecologist specializing only in women’s issues. He is able to follow a continuum of gynecologic problems that begin in the teen years, to the young adulthood, to perimenopause, to menopause and beyond. His workups, diagnosis, and treatments are supported by solid science, research, and “evidence based medicine.” No hoaky or quack medicine allowed but there is openness to complimentary and alternative medical care that is science based. Herbal and nutriceutical supplements are used as Dr. Alinsod stays in the forefront of knowledge in this field. Second, Dr. Alinsod has assembled an outstanding team of clinicians and support staff that has customer service as its top priority. Same-day appointments, same-day returns of phone calls and emails are provided. You will have direct access to Dr. Alinsod and his staff. Third, Lab services are in the office. Lab results are personally called in or emailed to you as soon as they arrive. Serum blood testing is generally used, as it is the most accurate for most situations. Saliva testing is also available when needed. Fourth, complex issues such as pelvic prolapse, fallen bladder or rectum, fallen uterus or vagina, and incontinence are his forte and can be cared for. Lastly, the costs are quite fair and reasonable as compared to other bio-identical practices in the community. Please look at all our practice has to offer. Read our web pages on numerous topics, read our Frequently Asked Questions, look at our graphics, and do call us or email us for more details. We are always happy to hear from you.

Comparison of virulence of three strains of Cronobacter sakazakii in neonatal CD-1 mice. Cronobacter sakazakii (Enterobacter sakazakii) is an emerging pathogen that has been isolated from powdered infant formula and associated with outbreaks of infection in infants in neonatal intensive care units. In a previous study, we observed that neonatal CD-1 mice are susceptible to C. sakazakii infection and that the pathogen invades brain, liver, and cecum tissues. The study objective was to compare the virulence of three strains of C. sakazakii in neonatal CD-1 mice. The strains tested were MNW2 (a food isolate), SK81 (a clinical isolate), and 3290 (a clinical isolate). Timed-pregnant CD-1 mice were allowed to give birth on gestation day 19 or 20. Neonatal mice were sexed and culled to 10 per litter, each having five males and five females. Neonates were orally gavaged with C. sakazakii strains MNW2, SK81, or 3290 at doses ranging from 10(2.8) to 10(10.5) CFU on postnatal day 3.5. Pups surviving to postnatal day 10.5 were euthanized, and brain, liver, and cecum tissues were excised. C. sakazakii was isolated from all three tissues in mice treated with C. sakazakii, regardless of strain. C. sakazakii strain 3290 was significantly more invasive in brains (42.1% of mice) than were strains MNW2 (6.7%) and SK81 (15.9%). Mortality was observed for all strains of C. sakazakii tested, with SK81 being significantly more lethal (5.6%) than MNW2 (1.2%) or 3290 (0.6%). Our findings suggest that invasiveness does not necessarily correlate with mortality among different strains of C. sakazakii, and the clinical isolates are more virulent than the food isolate.

by Andrew Sacher Santa Rosa, CA's State Faults (formerly Brother Bear) might live a bit north from their Cali neighbors Touche Amore and Calculator, but like those bands, they're helping to carry the torch for a modern screamo scene indebted to the sounds of bands like Pg.99 and Envy. They match revved up punk with raw screams and post-rock atmosphere on "Wildfires," the second track to be released from, Resonate/Desperate, the band's sophomore record under their current name. That track makes its premiere in this post, and you can check it out below. The album's first single is the equally excellent "Meteor," which you can hear over at AltPress. Resonate/Desperate is due out on November 12 via No Sleep (La Dispute, Balance & Composure). The album artwork and tracklist, along with the new song stream, are below. No tour dates to report of at the moment. --- State Faults - "Wildfires" Resonate/Desperate Tracklist: 01. Meteor 02. Wildfires 03. Ultima 04. Stalagmites 05. Diamond Dust 06. Disintegration 07. Spectral 08. Incantations 09. Luminaria 10. Amalgamation 11. Old Wounds --

Loft, Inc. Loft, Inc. was the world's largest maker and seller of candy in the 1920s. It manufactured its own products and distributed them throughout greater New York City and Newark, New Jersey. Happiness Candy Stores, Inc., was controlled by Loft, Inc. Loft, Inc., merged with PepsiCo following an agreement of merger filed in Wilmington, Delaware in June 1941. Loft Candy Corporation was shortly spun off, acquired by Philadelphia retail magnate Albert M. Greenfield's City Stores Company chain. Rapid expansion followed, with Loft's 2,100 employees making 350 products that were distributed over fifteen states along the Eastern Seaboard and Midwest. A decade of multiple ownership and management changes led to the company declining, accelerated by an acquisition in 1971 by the Southland Corporation. An attempt to stem the issues with the acquisition of and merger with prominent Northeastern confectioner Barricini Candies, Inc., the following year failed, and mass store closures and layoffs began. A 1976 sell-off of the combined operation to Long Island City-based B.L. Candy Company proved disastrous. By 1985 only 40 stores remained in the New York area, with all company retail outlets closing in 1988, followed by cessation of production, and corporate dissolution in 1994. Business history In 1860, English immigrant William Loft opened a candy store in Lower Manhattan. Loft's two sons followed in his footsteps, with his eldest son George W. Loft taking charge of the company in the 1890s. George Loft soon opened two more stores, then added more in New York City as he moved production out of the family kitchen into a series of increasingly large factories, the latter of which culminated in a location in Long Island City. On March 31, 1921, Loft, Inc., declared its initial dividend of .25 per share. In 1934 and 1935, the company conducted an advertising and sales campaign against its competitors which was judged to be disparaging by the Federal Trade Commission. The regulatory agency ordered it to cease and desist from representing glucose used in candy, as being impure, harmful to the health, or unwholesome, or unsafe. In 1939, a notable case, Guth v. Loft Inc., was decided in favor of Loft and against Charles Guth, president and general manager. Loft, Inc., owned ten factory and office buildings at the northeast corner of Fortieth Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, extending to Ninth Street in Long Island City. They were sold to the Loft Realty Corporation in April 1941. The structures stood on an irregular plot which measured 400 by 450 feet. They also had a store on 55th Street and 5th Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Loft's candy operations were spun off from the new Pepsi-Cola Corporation in 1941, an immediate result of the Loft-Pepsi merger. The newly independent Loft Candy Corporation attracted the attention of Philadelphia magnate Albert M. Greenfield, whose City Stores Company (CSCo) rapidly acquired control of the new company. Under CSCo management (appointed by Greenfield), Loft Candy expanded into New York, New Jersey, and New England. The company also opened stores in some of the larger New York City Subway stations. By 1958, approaching the centennial of Loft's, the company owned or controlled stores in the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest, in 11 states and the District of Columbia, with over $17 million in sales and 2,100 employees. Loft's 350 different candy products were also sold in CSCo and independent department (and smaller variety and drug) stores in an area covering 15 states and the nation's capitol. In 1971, after having had several different managements and owners over the previous decade, the Loft Candy Corporation was acquired by Southland Corporation. A year later, Southland purchased Barricini Candies, Inc., combining it into a single operational unit with Loft Candy. In 1973, Southland closed 31 Barricini and Loft's stores in 11 states. In 1976, Southland sold the Loft-Barricini operations, along with the Long Island City manufacturing plant and approximately 200 New York area stores, to the B.L. Candy Company, Inc., of Long Island City. By 1985, there were only 40 Loft's Candies stores in the New York area. After renaming itself the Barricini-Loft Co., Inc., in 1988, the company closed all remaining shops and ceased business in 1994. References Category:Companies based in New York City Category:Confectionery companies of the United States Category:Defunct companies based in New York (state) Category:PepsiCo brands

”The Ladydrawers of Chicago and FEMSKT collective in Finland, as well as a handful of independent media and comics creators and activists from several pockets around the globe, are proud to present the first-ever global survey on money, race, gender, and economics in comics. Whoever you are, wherever you are, and whatever your involvement in comics, we would most sincerely appreciate your input on this intensive process. We’ve aimed to make the survey as painless as possible, although we must acknowledge that gaining a thorough perspective on this unregulated, unmonitored, and largely unstudied industry cannot be done haphazardly. We hope this survey will take most folks no more than 15 minutes of their time, but appreciate your thorough and complete efforts to describe your experiences. We’ve so far translated the survey into Finnish, Latvian, Spanish, and English. We currently plan to allow the survey to stay live until June 1; at that point we will determine the best course of action for each translation. (We hope for a minimum of 100 respondents per language.) We are seeking translators to complete our survey translations into French, German, Estonian, Swedish, Italian, Lithuanian, and Russian; we would be particularly happy to hear from folks that could provide Arabic, Mandarin, Indonesian, Japanese, Turkish, and Ukrainian translations as well. That said, if you see a need and can provide translations into any other languages, and are willing to help us translate responses later, please get in touch. We couldn’t be more excited about this new project, and look forward to your insights.”

There's something so special about cooking food from the wild. We are lucky enough to be given wild venison, pork and goat sometimes. It's a real privilege to cook it and deserves the utmost respect, I believe.Here I decided to slow roast a beautiful shoulder of goat, with autumn fruits - figs, rhubarb and quinces, straight from the tree and this season's garlic in whole bulbs. Result...Fragrant, sweet, tender, succulence! Served with steamed greens from the garden and smashed potatoes laced with butter, salt and pepper.

Addressing a public meeting in Madurai, another minister from Tamil Nadu had on September 23 apologised to the people, saying they had lied about Jayalalithaa's health. Tamil Nadu minister Sellur K Raju said every minister met Jayalalithaa when she was at hospital. Chennai: Tamil Nadu minister Sellur K Raju today contradicted the claim of two of his cabinet colleagues that no one was allowed to see late chief minister J Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation last year. "All the ministers met her," he told reporters when asked if he had met Jayalalithaa during her 75 days of hospitalisation from September 22 last year. Mr Raju, however, refused to elaborate, and said the death of 'Amma (Jayalalithaa)' was a huge loss. The cooperation minister said he was not prepared to say anything more on the issue. "You must only ask the minister who had expressed that opinion," he said when pressed further on the claim by Forest Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan that AIADMK leaders had "lied" on the health condition of Jayalalithaa and none of them had seen her in hospital. Mr Srinivasan's comments have triggered a renewed demand by the DMK and other opposition parties for a thorough probe into the death of Jayalalithaa. Addressing a public meeting in Madurai, Mr Srinivasan had on September 23 apologised to the people, saying they had lied about Jayalalithaa's health. He said no one was allowed to meet Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation and all those came were told by her close aide V K Sasikala's relatives that she was "all right". Mr Srinivasan had said that, afraid of Sasikala, party leaders lied so that people believed that Jayalalithaa was improving. He had said that their claim of 'Amma' eating idli and tea was based on information given to them by Sasikala. Endorsing his views, Commercial Taxes Minister K C Veeramani yesterday said the ministers were not able to see the late chief minister even one day. At a public meeting in Vellore District, Veeramani, without naming Sasikala or her family, said, "Out of fear of this family... we would tell what we were told (by Sasikala's kin)..that Amma had two idlis, she spoke and that she is fine." On the differing views of his colleagues, Revenue Minister R B Udhaya Kumar today said it was their individual opinion based on their experience. Jayalalithaa, who was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on September 22, 2016, died on December 5. The state government yesterday named retired judge of Madras High Court A Arumughaswamy as head of the inquiry commission to probe the death of Jayalalithaa. A judicial probe was one of the pre-conditions of O Panneerselvam, the present deputy chief minister, for the merger of factions led by him and Chief Minister E Palaniswami.

America's Agricultural Angst In this high-tech information age few look to the most basic industries as sources of national economic power. Yet no sector in America is better positioned for the future than agriculture--if we allow it to reach its potential. Like manufacturers and homebuilders before them, farmers have found themselves in the crosshairs of urban aesthetes and green activists who hope to impose their own Utopian vision of agriculture. This vision includes shutting down large-scale scientifically run farms and replacing them with small organic homesteads and urban gardens. Troublingly, the assault on mainstream farmers is moving into the policy arena. It extends to cut-offs on water, stricter rules on the use of pesticides, prohibitions on the caging of chickens and a growing movement to ban the use of genetic engineering in crops. And it could undermine a sector that has performed well over the past decade and has excellent long-term prospects. Over the next 40 years the world will be adding some 3 billion people. These people will not only want to eat, they will want to improve their intake of proteins, grains, fresh vegetables and fruits. The U.S., with the most arable land and developed agricultural production, stands to gain from these growing markets. Last year the U.S.' export surplus in agriculture grew to nearly $35 billion, compared with roughly $5 billion in 2005. The overall impact of agriculture on the economy is much greater than generally assumed, notes my colleague Delore Zimmerman, of Praxis Strategy Group. Roughly 4.1 million people are directly employed in production agriculture as farmers, ranchers and laborers, but the industry directly or indirectly employs approximately one out of six American workers, including those working in food processing, marketing, shipping and supermarkets. Yet none of this seems to be slowing the mounting criticisms of "corporate agriculture." A typical article in Time, called "Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food," assailed the "U.S. agricultural industry" for precipitating an ecological disaster. "With the exhaustion of the soil, the impact of global warming and the inevitably rising price of oil--which will affect everything from fertilizer to supermarket electricity bills--our industrial style of food production," the article predicts, "will end sooner or later." The romantic model being promoted by Time and agri-intellectuals like Michael Pollan hearkens back to European and Tolstoyan notions of small family farms run by generations of happy peasants. But this really has little to do with the essential ethos of American agriculture. Back in the early 19th century Alexis de Tocqueville noted that American farmers viewed their holdings more like capitalists than peasants. They would sell their farms and move on to other businesses or other lands--a practice unheard of in Europe. "Almost all the farmers of the United States," he wrote, "combine some trade with agriculture; most of them make agriculture itself a trade." Despite the perceptions of a corporatized farm sector, this entrepreneurial spirit remains. Families own almost 96% of the nation's 2.2 million farms, including the vast majority of the largest spreads. And small-scale agriculture, after decreasing for years, is on the upswing; between 2002 and 2009 the number of farms increased by 4%. This trend toward smaller-scale specialized production represents a positive trend, but large-scale, scientifically advanced farming still produces the majority of the average family's foodstuffs, as well as the bulk of our exports. Overall, organic foods and beverages account for less than 3% of all food sales in the U.S.--hardly enough to feed a nation, much less a growing, hungry planet. Then there's the even more fanciful notion--promoted by Columbia University's Dickson D. Despommier--of moving food production into massive urban hothouses. In a recent op-ed in the New York Times he argues we are running out of land and need to take agriculture off the farm. According to Despommier, "The traditional soil-based farming model developed over the last 12,000 years will no longer be a sustainable option." Yet Praxis Strategy's Matthew Lephion, who grew up on a family farm, points out that such projects hardly represent a credible alternative in terms of food production. Urban land is far more expensive--often at least 10 times as much as rural. Energy and other costs of maintaining farms in big cities also are likely to be higher. Furthermore the notion that America is running out of land--one justification for subsidizing urban farming--seems fanciful at best. The past 30 years have seen some loss of farmland, but the amount of land that actually grows harvested crops has remained stable. Though some prime farmland close to metropolitan centers should be protected, agriculture has over the past decades returned to nature--forests, wetlands, prairie--millions of acres, far more than the land that has been devoted to housing and other urban needs. However ludicrous the arguments, the Obama administration remains influenced by green groups and is the cultural prisoner of the lifestyle left, with its powerful organic foodie contingent. That leaves farmers and the small towns dependent on them with little voice. The ability of greens and others to wreak havoc on agriculture can be seen in the disaster now unfolding in California's fertile Central Valley. Large swaths of this area are being de-developed back to desert--due less to a mild drought than to regulations designed to save obscure fish species in the state's delta. Over 450,000 acres have already been allowed to go fallow. Nearly 30,000 agriculture jobs--held mostly by Latinos--have been lost, and many farm towns suffer conditions that recall The Grapes of Wrath. Not satisfied with these results, the green lobby has prompted the National Marine Fisheries Service to further cut water supplies, in part to improve the conditions for whales and other species out in the ocean. Given these attitudes, farmers, including those I have worked with in Salinas, are fretting about what steps federal and state regulators may take next. One particular concern revolves around the movement against genetically modified food. Already there are calls for banning GMOs in Monterey County. Local officials worry this would cripple the area's nascent agricultural biotech industry as well as the long-term ability of existing farmers to compete with less regulated competitors elsewhere. The fact that a less advanced form of genetic engineering also sparked the "green revolution" that greatly reduced world hunger after 1965 seems, to them at least, irrelevant. When viewed globally, the anti-big farm movement seems even more misguided. As Chapman University's professor of food science Anuradha Prakash observes, India's own organic farms serve a small portion of the market and cannot possibly meet the nutritional needs of the country's expanding population. "You just don't get the yields you need for Africa and Asia from organic methods," she explains. A formula that works for high-end foodies of the Bay Area or Manhattan can't produce enough affordable food to feed the masses--whether in Minnesota or Mumbai. The emerging war on agriculture threatens not only the livelihoods of millions of American workers; it could undermine our ability to help feed the world. Agriculture plays a vital role these days, the demand of food is increasing day by day due to increase in population. What ever may be the location that doesn't matter, the farmer should posses sufficient knowledge about plantation and take care of these. Other wise they can't fulfill the market demand. Value of organic foods, green vegetables and orchid foods is much more than others.orchids food I have a feeling that I know, as well as the other readers of this site. The reality is, food is not supposed to be this inexpensive. Real nourishment, costs more. We are already seeing the affects of industrial agriculture on our society. Inexpensive empty calories, with fillers, and sprayed on vitamins have us bloated and diabetic. The reality, is that agribusiness has demolished a majority of family farms, and much of the agricultural knowledge base that they contained. Organic, is a rediscovery of methods that could have been lost to time. With these methods, yield is decreased somewhat, but quality, and nourishment is maintained. There has been countless pieces written about why organic foods are coming back, and it's not because of a fad. It's because of how unfulfilled so many people are with manufactured food. You've also forgotten something important in your article. The most common fertilizer that is applied as of late is derived from petroleum. Likewise, a majority of the factory farming regions in the United States are not located near population centers. The combination of higher petroleum costs will cause factory farming to become less, and less viable. The loss of variety, nutrition, and quality of foods will cause more people to look locally, for food that is better. This is evidenced by the recent popularity of farmers markets, Community Supported Agri-co-op services and home gardening. Frankly, this article reads like a talking-points memo, from agribusiness. Your credibility is in question.

Texas State welcomes ‘New Evangelization’ October23,2010 Catholic Spirit, In Our Parish By Donna Poston Williams Correspondent College is an amazing time of change for many young people as they discover new freedoms, explore new ideas and seek the guidance of their peers. Unfortunately, the results are not always positive. “Close to 70 percent of students abandon their faith during their college years,” said Kayla DiNardo, development director at the H.L. Grant Catholic Student Center at Texas State University in San Marcos. “Campus life offers plenty of distractions and … destructive behaviors. It’s important that the Catholic Church step in and point them in the right direction.” That’s exactly the mission of the St. Paul’s School of the New Evangelization. Located in St. Paul, Minn., the school attracts college students from all over the country and teaches them how to win back fellow Catholics who have strayed from the fold. The curriculum involves 10 days of training, prayer and fellowship designed to bring about a life-changing experience. More than 100 college students attended last summer and headed for their campuses this fall, ready to spread the good news of the Gospel. Several students from the H.L. Grant Center attended the course last summer and “we’re already seeing a difference,” DiNardo said. Texas State University has nearly 30,000 students making it the fifth largest university in the state and the 25th largest in the nation. Approximately 8,000 students are Catholic, according to DiNardo. “It’s vital that we reach more of these young people than we currently are.” At the beginning of the fall semester, about 300 students were attending Sunday Masses, DiNardo said. “We felt these numbers were just too low. To fulfill our mission, we knew we had to attract more young Catholics into our ministry.” “The goal of our campus ministry is simple,” she said. “It is to encourage as many young people as possible to live authentic Catholic lives, so that they will grow into strong moral adults, husbands and wives, priests and religious sisters.” Responding to a challenge by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, Catholic ministries are striving to “influence the world through a ‘New Evangelization’ of the Catholic faith.” DiNardo sees this edict as particularly pertinent to college campus ministries, “where young people are making choices about how to live the rest of their lives,” she said. Catholics are not typically evangelical and are often times unfamiliar and even uncomfortable with the idea. But DiNardo describes this program as different from the traditional evangelists that go out and proclaim the Gospel to non-Christians in an effort to convert them. “This ‘New Evangelization’ movement is aimed at current Catholics, who may be taking a break from religion,” she said. Colleen DeAndre, one of the Texas State students who attended the St. Paul’s School of New Evangelization last summer, said the goal is to encourage Catholic students to come back to the church, to get involved and to be a part of our community again. “We’ve been trained to win over our peers through genuine friendships, to build up their knowledge of the Catholic faith and send them out to connect with other students on campus,” she said. DeAndre said college students are often persuaded by the example of their peers. “When you witness a friend living an authentic Catholic life, the impact is so real,” she said. “It is much more effective than just talking about God’s vision for their life. It’s crucial that we live out our faith, if we want to influence others to do the same.” The results have been encouraging. DiNardo said weekly Mass attendance is up to around 500 students each week. “We’ve actually had to add another Mass on Sunday and now we have more students helping with the liturgy. We’re seeing better attendance for our other activities also,” she said. “We’ve been able to revive our ‘Respect Life’ organization and added Pope John Paul II’s ‘Theology of the Body’ weekly workshops, with as many as 30 students showing up each week.” The cost of sending one student to St. Paul’s is $1,000, so the center is looking for the funding to send more students each year. “It’s not cheap, but it’s worth every cent. We are serious about spreading the culture. We have thousands of Catholic students on our campus who have never set foot in our center. It is our job to bring them back to their faith, and help form them into future Catholic leaders, for our parishes and our society, in teaching and in business and in every other walk of life.” For more information about the Catholic Student Center at Texas State University, visit www.txstatecatholic.org or call (512) 392-5925.

Senators vow to fight confidential agreements they had to sign before viewing vote complaints AUSTIN — Two Texas senators are promising to fight confidential agreements they signed before being allowed to view voter fraud complaints reported to the secretary of state’s office. Their plan to make the information public follows newly nominated Secretary of State Rolando Pablos’ declaration in a Senate committee hearing last week that “there is voter fraud in Texas, and we’re doing everything we can to prevent it.” In response to Pablos’ statement, Democratic Sens. José Menéndez of San Antonio and Kirk Watson of Austin asked him to provide them with the number of complaints filed with his office after the November election. They also asked for the number of voter fraud allegations referred to the attorney general’s office and the nature of the complaints. Pablos agreed to give lawmakers the documentation, but his office required them to sign nondisclosure agreements before releasing the information to them. “In my view, that is absurd,” Watson said. “I just think the public needs to know this.” Watson and Menéndez agreed to sign the forms, but both said they would fight the agreement. Watson said he intends to file legislation so “we can open this up.” Menéndez said his attorneys are looking into the nondisclosure agreement to figure out “what it’s going to take to get out of that deal.” He could not share information about the number or type of complaints referred to the secretary of state’ office but said he did not see any information that alarmed him about the integrity of the state’s election system. “I don’t see a problem of any magnitude,” he said. Pablos spokesman Sam Taylor said that by law, a complaint of an election violation is confidential until it is submitted to the attorney general for review. Taylor pointed to a section of the state election code that says complaints alleging criminal conduct in an election are not public information unless the secretary of state or attorney general “makes a determination that the complaint does not warrant an investigation” or the attorney general’s office has completed its investigation. The Senate Nominations Committee unanimously backed Pablos for his post Thursday but not before Watson voiced his concern with the records regarding allegations of voter fraud not being made available to the public. “I was disappointed the secretary didn’t have that information at the time, even though he was making statements about it,” Watson told the committee. “I, frankly, don’t see anything in the nature of the complaints that ought to be confidential.” The full Senate now must approve Pablos’ nomination. Pablos, an Austin lawyer who heads a renewable energy company and is a former San Antonio resident, would succeed Carlos Cascos of Brownsville. Just hours after the hearing, Attorney General Ken Paxton touted the conviction of Rosa Maria Ortega for illegally voting in the November 2012 election and in the May 2014 GOP primary runoff in Dallas County. Ortega, a legal U.S. resident but not a citizen, was sentenced to eight years in prison for illegal voting by a noncitizen. According to records obtained under the Texas Public Information Act, the attorney general’s office received two allegations of election fraud from the secretary of state regarding the November 2016 election. Three additional allegations of voter fraud during that election were reported to the attorney general by voters or what the attorney general’s office lists as “other.” The two allegations from the secretary of state’s office involved “mail-in ballot violations” in Bee County and “unlawful entry into a ballot box” in McCulloch County, according to the records. Nearly 9 million Texans voted in the 2016 general election. Records show that the attorney general’s office received more than 360 allegations of voter fraud between the 2012 primaries and July 2016 and that it prosecuted 15 cases. State Conference Sept. 14 Join us for our state conference “Transparency = Real News” on Thursday, Sept. 14, in Austin. FOI Hotline Our FOI Hotline (800) 580-6651 is available to anyone with a question concerning the Texas Public Information and Texas Open Meetings acts. Watch Videos from Our Events Future of the Texas Public Information Act panel discussion at the FOIFT Conference in 2016 on YouTube. Lisa Falkenberg keynote speech at the FOIFT Conference in 2016 on YouTube. Don Adams and Mark Updegrove at the FOIFT Conference in 2015 on YouTube.

Should false rape accusers be sued? By Roxanne Jones | 12/17/2013, 10:48 a.m. The Long Beach Unified School District sued his accuser, and she has been ordered to repay the $750,000 she was awarded in a lawsuit against the district. It seems more men who insist they have been falsely accused of rape are trying a new tactic: suing their accusers in civil court, mostly for defamation. They are seeking to repair their ruined lives, save their careers and clear their names. Make no mistake, I could never defend men who rape and believe even harsher penalties are needed for rapists. But I can understand why some men are opting to fight back. And I even agree with this strategy in some cases. TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington is fighting back. Arrington is suing his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Allen, after she accused him in 2012 on Facebook and Twitter posts of physically abusing her and raping one of her friends (who later denied this). The case is pending. Recently, it sounded as if Heisman Trophy winner and Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who was accused of raping a fellow student, and his legal team were also considering this strategy. His attorney, Tim Jansen, said that they have not ruled out a civil suit of their own. "His reputation is important to him," Jansen said after his client was cleared when the state attorney said no charges would be filed. "His career is important to him." The accuser's attorney has requested a review of the case by the Florida attorney general's office and argues that the Tallahassee Police Department tried to stymie the rape investigation of the star athlete. Throughout the investigation, Winston insisted that the sex was consensual. And his unidentified accuser equally insisted she was raped but was heavily intoxicated and had a "broken memory" of events. However, toxicology reports found no drugs in her system and very low alcohol levels. Complicating the case further, Winston's DNA was found on the woman's underwear and a second DNA sample, reportedly from her boyfriend, was found on her shorts. No simple solution to clearing your name Admittedly, my initial reaction to hearing no charges would be filed was relief. For me, the case was troubling on both sides. And though I'm no lawyer, I thought: "Winston should sue his accuser. If he's really innocent, he should prove it and clear his name." But it may not be that simple. Xavier Donaldson, a defense attorney and former assistant district attorney in New York, warns that while initiating these lawsuits against accusers may seem like a good way for men who are wrongly accused to get justice, he'd be hard-pressed to advise any of his clients to pursue this strategy. "It's a very sensitive issue, and these suits should be extremely case specific, extremely rare. ... You can't win these cases, too much backlash," Donaldson said. His advice to Winston: "Move on with your life, remain above the scandal, and focus on school and following your dream to play in the NFL." I asked Donaldson what about the thousands of men who are wrongly accused -- just ignore them? "Look, I tell my clients innocent before proven guilty is not reality. It's more of a marketing slogan to promote faith in our justice system; without that premise, the system would fall apart," he said. He also said it could "discourage too many from reporting real rapes." It sounds to me like ancient history repeating itself. It sounds to me like we have a very long way to go before there's justice for all.

Referring to Older People’s Services We provide nursing care for people with complex dementia, who have needs which cannot be met in less ‘intensive’ services. To do so, we employ specialist mental health nurses with expertise in dementia care to lead these services. We take pride in our staff, who deliver person-centred care to the highest standards. People using our services have complex dementia and require ongoing, skilled nursing care that care is provided in small, domestically-equipped environments. We have a focus on ordinary needs as well as mental health and medical needs. The provision of social and fulfilment opportunities, such as: promoting effective communication with others maintaining links with the local community preserving family and other relationships meaningful activities The provision of psychological care: interpreting and meeting needs that can be expressed through challenging behaviours validation of life experience The provision of physical care: therapeutic risk taking to promote and maintain living skills help with all aspects of personal care including dietary, continence, hygiene, and mobility needs Where to refer To refer to Mental Health Concern’s dementia care services, please send a standard referral letter to the address below, outlining the reasons for your referral and a summary of the person’s needs and aspirations. We’ll take it from there.

Choline on the Brain? A Guide to Choline in Chronic Fatigue Syndromehttp://phoenixrising.me/research-2/the-brain-in-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-mecfs/choline-on-the-brain-a-guide-to-choline-in-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-by-cort-johnson-aug-2005 Discuss the article on the Forums. ME scientists write open letter to US senators: "We want to research ME but can't get the funding" We the undersigned scientists are writing to express our interest and enthusiasm for researching myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a common and disabling illness long ignored by our nation’s health agencies. Many of us have had a very difficult time securing adequate funding. Others have been unable to determine even how to apply for funding, as no institute within the NIH has responsibility for researching ME/CFS. The NIH has responded to requests for increased funding by stating that few researchers are interested in studying the illness. On the contrary there are Nobel Laureates, several members of the National Academy of Sciences, biochemists, biophysicists, geneticists, immunologists, neuroscientists, experts in public health and infectious disease, epidemiologists, and physicians eager and ready to study this disease, were adequate funding made available. The undersigned are just some of those researchers... This is really something. And the timing is great. I can't help feeling that things are beginning to shift. But we must try to bring our community's attention to these advocacy projects. In my opinion, this funding issue is the single most important issue for us right now. We must get behind it. This is really something. And the timing is great. I can't help feeling that things are beginning to shift. But we must try to bring our community's attention to these advocacy projects. In my opinion, this funding issue is the single most important issue for us right now. We must get behind it. Would someone be able to explain who Senator Mikulski is and why the scientists have chosen to address the letter to her? Is there a reason to target one single senator over the government as a whole? Does this senator have special powers/influence? Would someone be able to explain who Senator Mikulski is and why the scientists have chosen to address the letter to her? Is there a reason to target one single senator over the government as a whole? Does this senator have special powers/influence? Would someone be able to explain who Senator Mikulski is and why the scientists have chosen to address the letter to her? Is there a reason to target one single senator over the government as a whole? Does this senator have special powers/influence? Cheers Click to expand... Senator Barbara Mikulski is a very senior senator (from Maryland) on the Senate HELP Committee. She used to be the ranking member but I believe since she is retiring in 2018 her Democrat colleague Patty Murray has taken on the role. Would someone be able to explain who Senator Mikulski is and why the scientists have chosen to address the letter to her? Is there a reason to target one single senator over the government as a whole? Does this senator have special powers/influence? We are giving a copy of the letter to every senator we meet with, but thought it would be useful to have a specific senator mentioned in the letter linked to in the Science article. Mikulski is a key senator for the reasons jimells mentioned, but we want every senator on the HELP committee to get a copy. Dr Bateman signed on right after the article was published and we think we will get more signatures this week. Most of the scientists we reached out to were enthusiastic signatories, but I think some wanted to be careful (understandably so) because they get a lot of NIH grants in other areas. I didn't see the link to the letter the first time through the article, and had to very carefully re-read (embarassingly, twice ) to find it. I realize this is probably a personal brain-fog issue, but IMO it might be worth promoting the letter on its own in addition to the Science article. Ie - link separately on Twitter, Facebook etc

/// <reference path='fourslash.ts' /> //// const zoo = /*x*/(/*w*/) => { //// class Animal { //// weight = 42 //// askWeight() { return this.weight } //// } //// const Insect = class { //// weight = 42 //// askWeight() { return this.weight } //// } //// function callTaxi() { this.no = "054 xxx xx xx" } //// const callPizzaDelivery = function() { this.phone = "064 yyy yy yy"} //// }; goTo.select("x", "w"); verify.refactorAvailable("Convert arrow function or function expression", "Convert to named function"); verify.refactorAvailable("Convert arrow function or function expression", "Convert to anonymous function"); verify.not.refactorAvailable("Convert arrow function or function expression", "Convert to arrow function");

KOCHI: The construction of 800 pillars from 810 planned along the Aluva-MG Road stretch has already been completed, according to Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL). Work on the remaining 10 pillars has not begun, with five planned in the land to be acquired from Seematti textiles . But, authorities have failed to acquire land even after two years of marathon talks with the textile owner. On March 12, the revenue department had issued a notice to Seematti to surrender their land by March 18. Revenue officials served the notice after KMRL sent letters to the district collector, demanding the immediate acquisition of land. KMRL had prolonged the discussions with Seematti to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU), giving certain privileges to the textile group in lieu of surrendering 32 cents required for constructing the viaduct. In November last year, KMRL had requested the district collector to take over land forcibly after discussions failed. Later, the state government asked the revenue department and KMRL officials to hold another round of discussions to sign a MoU with the textile owner. As the second round of talks also failed, KMRL sent a letter to the collector asking him to take immediate measures to acquire the land. "Though, the deadline for surrendering land ended on Wednesday, the textile owner has not handed over the land. So, we will issue a notice to them to surrender it in 48 hours," said district collector M G Rajamanickam. There are allegations that authorities are adopting double standards when it comes to acquiring the land of the rich and powerful. "It is only eight months since the land acquisition process for Pachalam ROB began. In the case of Metro rail, it is now over two years after the acquisition process started. But authorities evicted Pachalam residents quickly. But they have given more time to big shots," said Abiju Suresh, a BJP leader, who led the agitation against taking over land for Pachalam ROB. "They served a 48-hour notice to landowners in Pachalam while they gave six days to Seematti textiles. This exposes the double standards adopted by authorities," he said.

On Monday, Tom Wilson donned the A and suited up against the Chicago Blackhawks with a roster made up mostly of Capitals rookies. Here’s one of the reasons why: he refuses to play against the St. Louis Blues in the preseason. The Capitals will face the Blues twice in the preseason this year, leaving Wilson eligible to play in just four games. With the Capitals taking on the Blues on Wednesday, Andy Strickland, the Blues Rinkside Reporter for Fox Sports Midwest, reiterated Wilson’s comments to him from the 2018-19 season. Tom Wilson told me early last season he will no longer play in any pre-season games moving forward against the #stlblues. #Caps https://t.co/Z54nYwKTIn — Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) September 17, 2019 Wilson has received three suspensions in Blues preseason games. The first came during the 2017-18 season, when Wilson was suspended two games for a September 22 hit on Robert Thomas. The second occurred just eight days later, when a bad hit on Samuel Blais resulted in a major penalty, game misconduct, and a four game suspension, which saw Wilson miss the start of the 2017-18 regular season. Wilson’s third suspension came a year later, courtesy of a high head hit on Oskar Sundqvist. This was Wilson’s longest suspension yet, originally for 20 games, but later reduced to 14. With the roster already released for Wednesday’s matchup against the Blues, it would appear that Wilson’s words are holding true. He will not be suiting up for that preseason game, with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Jakub Vrana, Lars Eller, Carl Hagelin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, TJ Oshie, Dmitry Orlov, and John Carlson instead being the Capitals from the 2018-19 roster making their preseason appearance. Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong

At 21.39 on December 28, 2011, disaster struck and in an instant the village lost its youth when they became victim to the Turkish government’s ‘war on terror’. ‘Başınız sağolsun’ we say to everyone we meet in the Kurdish village of Roboski/Uludere. We are offering our condolences to the families of victims of one of Turkey’s most appalling recent crimes – the Roboski Massacre. One after one we offer our sympathy – no-one here is exempt from grief.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of a mutant of ribosome recycling factor from Escherichia coli, Arg132Gly. Ribosome recycling factor (RRF) plays a central role during the recycling of ribosomes in the final step of protein biosynthesis in prokaryotes and is therefore a favourable target for the development of new antibiotics. The crystal structure of Escherichia coli RRF has been reported to have an open L-shaped conformation, while other RRFs from thermophilic bacteria have a strict L-shaped conformation [Yun et al. (2000), Acta Cryst. D56, 84-85]. Wild-type E. coli RRF has so far not been crystallized free from bound detergent. Here, a mutant of RRF, Arg132Gly, has been crystallized without any detergent. A complete data set from a crystal of this mutant obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method has been collected at 2.2 A resolution using synchrotron radiation at 100 K. The crystal belongs to the monoclinic space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 46.02, b = 49.27, c = 49.37 A, beta = 110.1 degrees. The currently refined structure indicates that RRF has a tRNA-like L-shaped conformation.

Evidence for the complex formation between reverse transcriptase and multicopy single-stranded DNA in retron EC83. Multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA) is produced by reverse transcriptase (RT) and is mutagenic in E. coli. In order to study the interaction between msDNA and RT, an RT open reading frame of retron EC83 was fused with maltose binding protein. The fusion protein, MBP-RT, was active in msDNA synthesis. The msDNA was copurified with MBP-RT by amylose affinity column. When purified msDNA was mixed with MBP-RT, the msDNA formed a complex with the fusion protein. These results show that msDNA is present as a complex with RT in vivo and it is able to form such a complex in vitro. We suggest that RT may compete with MutS protein for binding to msDNA and thereby controls mutagenesis by msDNA.

"Torchwood." "Outside the government, beyond the police." "Tracking down alien life on Earth and arming the human race against the future." "The 21st century is when everything changes." "And you've gotta be ready." "Suzie Costello." "Why did you kill those people?" "The more I use the glove, the more I control it." "If I could get it to work all the time on anything, it could resurrect." "I loved this job." "I really loved it." "At last." "You must be Torchwood." "My team bitch about you all the time." " And you are?" " Detective Swanson." " I'm Captain Jack Harkness." " So I've heard." "Tell me something." "Are you always this dressy for a murder investigation?" "What, d'you rather me naked?" " God help me, the stories are true." " So who's the victim?" "That's victims, plural." "Yesterday a man was murdered at 96 Oakham Street." "Alex Arwyn, 28, single, estate agent." "Here we go." "That's from the scene of crime." "Today, in here, we get two more." "Mark and Sara Briscoe, both 33, married." "He's a surveyor." "She works in education." "What about the smears of blood?" "Is that writing?" "Work in progress." "Come inside and see the finished thing." "Oh, my God." "Looks like somebody wants your attention." "They've got it." "We found a few of the killer's hairs from the first murder." " Lab results should be in soon." " Good, we'll need that." "Now, if you could just clear the room." "Some of this equipment is strictly need-to-know." " Well... it was only a matter of time." " What was?" "Torchwood walks all over this city like you own it." "Now these people are paying the price, ordinary people ripped apart with your name written in their own blood." "From where I'm standing, you did this, Captain Jack Harkness." "You did it." "Still, at least we've got a head start." "If it's someone we pissed off, that narrows it down to, oh, four or five million?" "And that's just the humans." "Tosh, how we doing?" "There's no record of Mr and Mrs Briscoe on our database, nor yesterday's victim, and no link between him and the Briscoes." "No connection between any of them." "Here's the report you asked for, ma'am." "Jack?" "They've got the results on the killer's hair." "Initial findings say Caucasian male, early forties, smoker, drinks tequila." "Doesn't match any DNA profiles." "Only thing of interest is a compound we've never seen before." "Recognise it?" " Uh-oh, we're in trouble." " What is it?" " Compound B67." " You're kidding." "Retcon." "He's got Retcon in his blood." "B67, a.k.a. Retcon, a.k.a. the magic ingredient of the amnesia pill." "And this belongs to us." "Whoever this killer is, it's somebody we gave the amnesia pill to." "Is he remembering that he's a serial killer, or is he becoming a serial killer because of the Retcon?" "Wait a minute." "I've taken Retcon." "Then better stay away from sharp objects." "Ianto, how many people have we given amnesia pills to?" " Two thousand and eight." " Hey, what if they all become psychotic?" " Do you have to sound so happy?" " Yeah, I'm just saying, Mean Streets." "Tosh, narrow the list down to fit Swanson's profile." "Start checking them out fast as you can." "You two, there's gotta be a link between the victims." "Find the link, find the killer." "Get to it." "Jack, if there is a link, why don't we just ask the victims ourselves?" "Not the right time for a seance, thank you very much." "The first time I met Torchwood, you had that glove." "No way." "Not after what it did to Suzie." "It brings people back to life." "Just for two minutes, we could question the murder victims." "That's exactly what she said." "She was one of us, we trusted her, and now she's dead 'cause of that thing." "The glove stays in the safe, where it belongs." "These murders are happening because of Torchwood, so Torchwood has got to do something." "It fell through the Rift about 40 years ago, lay at the bottom of the bay till we dredged it up." "I always figured this wasn't just lost." "Whoever made it, wanted rid of it." "You know, we never gave it a cool name." "I thought we called it the Resurrection Gauntlet." "Cool name." "What about the Risen Mitten?" "I think it's catchy." "Jack, you okay?" "Don't forget, the maximum resurrection time was two minutes." "That's only 'cause Suzie had practice." "The most we're likely to get is 30 seconds, okay?" " Tosh, you ready?" " Ready." "And recording." "This man was victim number one, name" " Alex Arwyn." "Come on, Alex." " Come back." " How does it work?" "You just sort of feel like reaching into the dark, finding the dead." "I can't..." "I..." "I don't..." "Damn!" "Nothing." "Sorry." "Never was very good with this thing." " Owen?" " No, I tried last time." " We all had a go." "It only responded to Suzie." " Well, I never had a go." " It's cold." " It warms up." "The glove relies on some sort of empathy, maybe compassion and..." "Just be yourself." "Somebody help me!" "Oh, my God, help me!" "Help me, help me!" " Alex, I need you to listen to me." " Somebody help!" "Help me!" "That's what we're doing." "Alex, you were attacked." "Do you know who it was?" "Who attacked you?" " Who are you?" " How long?" " Where am I?" " Fifteen seconds." " Who are you?" " I'm just trying to help, sweetheart." " I'm just trying to help." " I want my mum." "Please, let me see my mum." " He's gone." " Let me keep trying." " Gwen, he's dead." " But I can bring him back." " The glove only works once." " But I can do it." "Just let me try!" "Gwen, look at me." "He's gone." "Amazing." "She's a natural." "Twenty four seconds." " Give Ianto a stopwatch and he's happy." " It's the button on the top." "What do you think, Gwen?" "You want to stop?" "Recording." "Victim number two, Mark Briscoe." "Oh, God, I can feel him." "It's like a rope from my heart to the glove." "It's so warm." "Hey, there." "Just look at me." "Look me in the eye." " That's it." " Where am I?" "You've been hurt." "We don't have long." "We need to know who attacked you." " Is my wife all right?" " We're looking after her." "Now, Mark, who was it?" "It was that man." " He belonged to Pilgrim." "He went to Pilgrim." " What's Pilgrim?" "Oh, my God, he had a knife." "No, Mark, he's gone, but we don't have long." "Quickly, what was his name?" "Thirty five seconds." "Max." "Never knew his surname." "Trying Pilgrim and Max." "Get a description." "You gotta give us something more so we can catch him." " He's going." " There was..." "There was someone who knew him better." "That woman." " She was always talking to him." " What was her name?" " Where's my wife?" " Her name!" "Suzie." " One minute, five seconds." " Jack, did I hear that right?" "Could be anyone." "Must be lots of women called Suzie." "Not connected to this case." "We've been talking to the wrong corpse." "Pilgrim." "A religious support group, more like a debating society." "Meaning of life, does God exist, all that stuff." "The point is, it was tiny, more like a hobby, run by Mark Briscoe's wife, Sara." "She had all that stashed in a wardrobe." "Handwritten and photocopied." "That's why we couldn't find any records." " She isn't even online." " No mention of Suzie or Max?" "Not a word." "She didn't even keep a register." "It wouldn't be our Suzie, though." "She wouldn't go to that support-group bollocks." "How would you know?" "I mean, were you friends?" "Any of you?" " Who was her best friend in this place?" " She sort of kept herself to herself." "Well, then, if she needed to talk, maybe that's exactly where she'd go." " A group of complete strangers." " Could be." "You've got a point, Gwen." "Time we got to know our deceased colleague a little better." "Have I got this right?" "When I die, you get to keep all my possessions?" " My whole life's gonna get stashed in a locker?" " Rules and regulations." " What if I leave all my stuff to Rhys?" " We'll stash him away, too." "Tread carefully, people, with respect." "This is the life of Suzie Costello." "That's all we are in the end, a pile of boxes." " Is her father still alive?" " Don't know." "But you must've looked him up to tell him his daughter was dead." "When Suzie left Torchwood, she was on the run." "She wiped all her records." "I couldn't retrieve her files." "She was good at computers." "Well, she was good at everything." "She was good at murder, too." "Laugh a minute, that was Suzie." " What's that?" " A book." "Emily Dickinson." "Poet." "Jack?" "Pilgrim." "She's part of it." "That proves it, then." "No choice." "It's time Suzie came back." "Do we all get frozen?" "Torchwood staff, when we die, do we all get kept?" "Rules and regulations." " How long for?" " Forever." "Recording." " Have you got your stopwatch?" " Always." "I'll record from my station." "I'm sorry, but I don't want to look her in the eye." "Sorry." "Anyone else?" "Any advice?" "Yeah, I know." "Empathy." "Even though she did try to kill me." "You and me both." "I'm getting a reading." "No, it's gone." "Just memories." "Nothing living." "She's too far gone." " What do we do now?" " Nothing we can do." "That's it." "We're out of options." "There's always the knife." "When she killed all those people, she always used the knife." "It's made out of the same metal as the glove." "We've seen it before." "Metallic resonance." "Like, the glove works better if the knife's part of the process, like closing a circuit." " Then let's use it." " Small detail." "The knife was used to kill people." "She's already dead." "All right, so we kill her again." "Ianto?" "Life Knife." "Anything?" "No, there was just a sort of spark and then it was gone." "I'm sorry, Jack." "You're gonna have to do it properly." "What the hell." " Suzie, listen, it's me." " I've gotta go." "I've gotta go." " Look around you." "Look at where you are." " Can't stay." "They know." "I've gotta go!" "Think." "Try to remember." "Suzie!" "Suzie!" "Look at me!" "Jack?" "Oh, my God." " There's a knife in my chest." "Did you kill me?" " You killed yourself, remember?" "But..." "Oh, my God, I shot myself." " We gotta ask you about Pilgrim." " No." " Wait a minute, didn't I kill you?" " Never mind that." "We need names and details." " Who's using the glove?" " I'm sorry." "Wouldn't you know it?" "Gwen bloody Cooper." "Thirty seconds." "When you were in Pilgrim, you gave the amnesia pill to a man" " Max." "Do you remember?" "What?" "You brought me all the way back just for Max?" "We need to find him." "Who is he?" "What's his surname?" "He was just some loser..." " We're losing her." " Stay here, damn you!" " Don't force it, Gwen." " She's not getting away this time." "Stay here." " No!" " I told you to stop!" "It's all right, it's all right, I've got her." "I've got her." "Right." "Here we go." "Hold on." "Okay, pulse." "Yeah, she's all right." "We need to get her out of here." " Can you come and give me a hand?" " It's the glove." "I told you, they get hooked." "All right, don't make a fuss." "It's over now." " Excuse me." "I'm still counting." " There's not much point." "Suzie's dead." "No, according to the equipment, she's just unconscious." "What the hell's going on?" "Oh, my God." "He's right." "She's alive." "Suzie's still alive." "Look at her." "She's bloody breathing!" "She can't be." "No." "Still breathing." "No stopping her." "She won't die." "One minute, thirty and counting." "How long has it been?" "Three months." "When can I die?" "I just want to go." "Can't you leave me alone?" "You seem to be stuck." "But..." "Am I gonna stay like this?" " For how long?" " Don't know." " Can I see my father?" " No." "You wiped your records." "We had no trace of him." " So he doesn't even know that I'm dead?" " Well, you're not any more." "This is sick." "You started it." "Right now, we've got an investigation underway." "Pilgrim." "You visited these Pilgrim meetings, gave an amnesia pill to someone called Max." "How do we find him?" "What for?" "What did he do?" "He was just an ordinary bloke." "We think the Retcon triggered a psychosis." "He's started killing." " How many victims?" " Three." "Same as you." "We need to know, how much Retcon did you give him?" "Owen, hello." "You scared to face me?" " You frighten the shit out of me, yeah." " What about Toshiko?" "Is she still here?" "Yeah, she's here." "All the gang." "Happy days." "But the amnesia pills, how many did you give him?" "One a week, every week, for two years." "Christ!" "No wonder." "What the hell did you do that for?" "I just..." "I wanted someone to talk to." "About this place." "It was driving me mad." "And he was just..." "He listened, that's all." "He just listened." "Every week, as soon as I'd finished talking, I'd give him the pill." " You overdosed him." " I didn't know that." "Keep getting it wrong, don't I?" "Is that why you brought me back?" "Did you think I wasn't guilty enough?" " What was his surname?" " I don't know." "All I ever did was talk about me." "It's all my fault, isn't it?" "Never bloody stops being my fault." "Can't you just let me die?" "You don't get off that easy." "Yeah, you did warn me right at the beginning." "He said, "This is the one job you can never quit."" "Then let's get to work." "Come on, Suzie." "Just like the old days." "There's gotta be something." "Hold on, there's someone missing." "This girl came every week." "A student, blonde." "She's not in these photos." " Who was she?" " Lucy." "Lucy Mackenzie." " She said she worked at a club." " Which one?" "I'm tired." "Come on, Suzie." "Which club?" "For God's sake, this Max is killing every single member of Pilgrim." "Now tell me." "Lucy Mackenzie, where did she work?" " Which club?" " Wolf." "The Wolf Bar." "Cover the exits." "Bloody hell." "Like I didn't have a banging headache already." "That's the glove, Gwen." "Gets inside your mind." "Yeah, all right, Suzie, stop creeping me out." "Just tell us, any sign of Max or this Lucy Mackenzie?" "Nothing yet." "Keep moving round." "Keep alert, people." "To repeat, Max is described as 40, 6' 3 ", 6'4", stocky, short dark hair, tattoo down his left arm." "Narrows it down." "Can't even look at me, can you?" "It's not like you to be so judgmental." "Not like you to go on a murder spree." "All right, so it drives us mad, this job." "God knows I've done some stupid stuff." "But now I've got to keep on working every day in a job that's got a bit less honor because of you." "Wait, I've got a match on that guy." " Where is he?" " Northwest bar." "Show me." "Owen, get in closer." "Which one do you mean?" "Wait, he's going over to the..." "Hang on, wait." "I've got a match on our girl, Lucy Mackenzie, the student." "That's her." "That's definitely her." "It's too late." "He's going over." "Got the bastard." "What the..." "That isn't him." "Gwen, behind you!" "That one's for Ianto." "Risen Mitten, Life Knife and that old classic, stun gun." "Come on, let's get him out of here." " You saved my life." " Well, maybe I came back for a reason." "Okay, so your name is Max Tresillian." "Can you confirm that?" "You live at 106 Endeavor Terrace, is that right?" "Parents Sandra and Dave, yeah?" "You're inside the Torchwood Facility." "And five, six..." "Keep watching." "Soon as we reach 10, just stops dead." "If this is a drug-induced psychosis, it's a very specific one." "Like he reacts to the word Torchwood." "Thanks, Jack." "Sorry." "But if that's caused by Retcon, then we've got a million more problems on the way." "Let me know what the scan says." " What about Suzie?" "What you gonna do with her?" " No idea." " What do you think?" " You're the boss." "Torchwood." "Can't you ask Jack?" "Just one favour." "I want to see my father." " Tell us where he is." "We could bring him in." " I'm not letting him anywhere near Torchwood." "If he's still alive." "What's wrong with him?" "Cancer." "All that waiting, and then I go and die first." "I could contact him on your behalf." "And say what?" "So tell me." "Since I've been gone, you enjoying it?" "Yeah, it's..." "Well, you know this place." "It's sort of..." "It's mad, isn't it?" " Insane." " Bloody nuts." " Best job I ever had." " Me, too." " And the worst." " Yeah, tell me about it." "Funny thing is you always imagine, when you're dead," ""Oh, they're gonna miss me at work."" "Indispensable." "But look what happened." "I got replaced." "By someone better." " You got that glove working better than I did." " I just got lucky." "No, it's more than that." "The others, they prefer you." " Don't say that." " You got my job." "Almost like you planned it." "Except I didn't." "And I'm sorry, but I've got my own function at Torchwood." "And I'm a lot more than just a replacement." "Have you slept with Owen?" "There you go." "Replaced me completely." "I had a boyfriend who used to walk into rooms like that." "The grand entrance." "Got kind of boring." "Though he was one of twins, so I put up with it." "Twin acrobats." "Man, I gotta write that book." "Maybe even illustrate it." "You know, I can talk for a long time." "A very long time." "Takes me a while to piece things together." " Meaning?" " Suzie had the glove." "You put her in charge of it." "But tell me, Jack, did you ever ask about her father?" " How do you mean?" " He's got cancer." "He's been dying, slowly now, for years." "And what do you do?" "You give his daughter the one device that brings people back to life." " Is it any wonder she got obsessed?" " Oh, so this is all my fault?" "Well, isn't it?" "Did you ever stop and think?" "Did you..." "Did you ever look at Suzie?" "Did you ever think what that glove would do to her?" "Did you?" "Right from the start, you thought Suzie's death was because of you 'cause it happened when you arrived." "Then you brought her back to life, all the way, because you wanted it so much." "Okay?" "We're both responsible." " Now what the hell are we going to do with her?" " I don't know." "What if she never dies?" "Have you thought of that?" "Like undying forever, just you and her." " No way." " Could be." "I wouldn't wish that on her." "I'd sooner kill her right now." " Could you, though?" "Kill her?" " Yeah." " Really?" " Oh, yeah." "Jack, can you come to the conference room for a sec?" "Something I need you to see." "Kind of urgent." "I was going over Suzie and Gwen's medical records." "I ran them through the Philemon Filter." "Watch the footage." "This is the moment when Gwen brought back Mark Briscoe, the husband." "See?" "Now look at his death." "You see?" "The energy flow stops just as he's about to die." "But have a look at Gwen with Suzie." "Whoa." " What is that?" " Energy." "Life." "But with Suzie, it's a permanent connection, and she is getting stronger." "It's still going right now." "She is draining the life out of Gwen." "There's always a price." "More coffee?" "Is that all you do?" "Just leave me alone." "Have a biscuit, at least." "Go on." "Just for me." "The wearer of the glove can bring somebody back, but loses their own life in return." " How do we stop it?" " We gotta kill her." " Suzie's gotta die." " Again?" " Who's gonna do it?" " Like you said," "I'm the boss." "Toshiko, where the hell's Suzie?" "And where's Gwen?" " Interrogation Room." " No, they're not." "Find them, fast!" "I can't see them." "Hold on, scanning." "Nope." "Nothing on internal scans." " What's going on?" "Where've they gone?" " Just keep looking." "Bring up the SUV." "Still there." "I'll try exteriors." "What about Gwen's car?" "What's she doing?" " Getting herself fired." " Unbelievable!" "How stupid is that?" "Thinking she could just drive off." "Come on, let's go get them." "What the hell?" "Ianto?" "Ianto!" "Captain." " What happened?" " But I thought you must've done it." " We've gone into lock down." " Then reverse it." "I can't." "It's 100%." "The doors are sealed." "We're locked in." "I'm taking you to see your dad and that's it, okay?" "Sorry." "I must be mad." "Jack's not stupid." "He's gonna catch us." "You never know." "We might get lucky." "Everything's gone." "The computers, mobile coverage, lifts, everything." "We're sealed in." " How long does Gwen have before she dies?" " Two hours, maybe less." "Come on, think!" "If Suzie set up the lock down, how did she do it?" "Entered an override?" "No, she's officially dead." "The computer wouldn't give her access." "Then how did she do it?" "What the hell did she do?" "There's got to be an answer." "Suzie couldn't physically start the lock down." "Gwen wouldn't have let her." " But there's no one else." " Wait a minute." "We've got a guest." ""...stopped for me" ""The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality" "" Because I could not stop for Death He kindly stopped for me"" "What is that, a poem?" " I wonder." "Emily Dickinson." " But what does it mean?" "It's a verbal trigger." "Say it out loud, maybe repeat it 100 times over and the Hub locks down." "But if that's part of the system, Suzie must've installed a vocal command program way back." "Back when she was alive, yeah." "Max is just a Trojan horse." "Suzie planned this right from the start." "Do you see?" "Max, the Retcon, everything, it's all been a hoax to get us to resurrect Suzie." "She gave Max a whole complex of subconscious triggers." "Like, she dies, Max becomes a time bomb." "He doesn't see her for three months and, wham, the orders kick in." "He follows Suzie's program and starts killing." "And the whole chain of events forces us to bring Suzie back." "And then she escapes." "You gotta admit, that is not bad." "I'm picking her for my team." "If she could lock down the Hub, she must've installed a way of reversing it, just in case." "Yeah." "Bit more color in your cheeks." "It's all thanks to you." "That night, my last night on Earth, so I thought," "before I shot myself, I shot Jack right through the head." "I killed him, stone dead, and then he just stood up and lived." "Am I right?" "Did that happen?" " Gwen?" " Yes, it did." " So he can survive a bullet through the head?" " Yeah." " How?" " I don't know." "He won't explain it properly." "He said something happened to him a while back." "He said..." "He said he can't die." "Not ever." "And he makes judgments about whether I'm allowed to live." "It's all very easy for Captain Jack, isn't it?" " Do you ever wonder?" " What?" "Who is he?" "All the time." "I've got reception, sir." "How did you do that?" "We're sealed off." "Just used the water tower as a relay." "Nice work, Ianto." "But who the hell do we phone?" "Detective Swanson." " Who is it?" " Torchwood." "Better not be wasting my time." "As a matter of fact, I was wondering if you could do us a favour." "What, the humble police helping the mighty Torchwood?" "Why don't you just help yourselves like you normally do?" "Because we can't." "Why's that?" "We're sort of busy." "Well, I'm busy, too." "Try someone else." "No, no, no, it's just because we can't, at the moment, because we're sort of stuck." " In what way?" " We're locked in." " You're locked in?" " Just a bit." " Locked in where?" " In our own base." " You're locked inside your own base?" " And it's not funny." "And how am I supposed to help you, exactly?" "We need a book of poetry." "It's not funny." "Oh, God, driving at night." "Oh, my God." "I don't know this one." "Oh, it's ancient." "My mum used to sing this." "When I was a kid." "All those years ago." "Before I died." "All right, Captain Jack, just say that one more time." "Nice and clear." "We're locked in our base and we can't get out." "Okay, you've had your fun." "Now, listen, Detective Swanson, one of our team is in danger." "All right, you lot, back to work." "Okay, I've got it." "The Complete Poems." "It's gonna cost you 20 quid." " What does the book say?" " I don't know." "What am I supposed to do?" "Find "I could not stop for Death"." " Read out the next verse." " What if it doesn't work?" " Read out the whole book." " It's gonna be a long night." "Thanks." "Tired?" "I'm fine." "I don't want you falling asleep at the wheel." " One corpse is enough for this car, thanks." " Don't say that." " What?" " Corpse." " 'Cause you're not." " But what am I, then?" "I don't know." "You're just not, though." "When you're dead..." "I mean, when you die, what happens?" " What do you want me to say?" " The truth." " Really?" " Tell me." " You religious, or..." " Just sort of in passing, you know." " Do you believe in heaven?" " I don't know." "Yes, you do." "What do you believe?" "It's stupid, but I always sort of think, like, you know, white light and all that." "And I think of my gran." "Like she'll be there, waiting for me." "The smell of carbolic." "Your faith never left primary school." " So what's out there?" " Nothing." "Just nothing." "But..." "But if there's nothing, what's the point of it all?" "This is." "Driving through the dark." "All this stupid, tiny stuff." "We're just animals howling in the night 'cause it's better than silence." "I used to think about Torchwood, all those aliens coming to Earth." "What the hell for?" "But it's just instinct." "They come here 'cause there's life, that's all." "Moths around a flame." "Creatures clinging together in the cold." " So when you die, it's just..." " Darkness." "And you're all alone?" "There's no one else?" " I didn't say that." " What do you mean?" "Why do you think I'm so desperate to come back?" "There's something out there..." "in the dark" "and it's moving." "" Parting is all we know of heaven And all we need of hell"" "No, try another." ""Success is counted sweetest By those who ne'er succeed"" "Christ, she was a bundle of laughs." ""Success is counted sweetest By those who ne'er succeed"" " No." " Wait a minute, just had a thought." "If words cause the lock down, maybe numbers reverse it." "Try the ISBN." "Every book's got a different number." " You getting this?" " Yeah." "Hang on, I'm looking." " Read it out." " The keyboards aren't working." "But the membrane underneath might just recognise the code." "Okay, got it." " ISBN..." " 019..." " 8600..." " 585." "That's it!" "Everybody move, move, move!" " Kathy, thank you." " Pleasure." "I've got the tracker on Gwen's car." "It's a hospital." "Giving you the coordinates now." "On the way." "How long has she got?" "It's only a guess, but I'd give Gwen about 40 minutes." "Kathy, I want the road ahead clear." "I'm gonna break the speed limit big time." "All units, give Torchwood priority." "Repeat, give Torchwood priority." "Suzie, I don't..." "I'm not..." "Oh, my God, this headache!" "It's..." "What's happening to me?" "Sorry, Gwen." "You're getting shot in the head." "Slowly." "And believe me, it hurts." "Almost better." "Completely gone soon." "No, no, no." "Dad?" "It's me, Dad." "Wake up." "Dad, it's Suzie." "Hello, Dad." "Goodbye." "What are you doing?" "That's worth coming back for." "Sending him into the dark." "Just what the bastard deserves." "They're moving again." "Can't predict a specific destination, not yet." "Keep feeding it through." "We're catching up." " Hello?" " Did you like the poem, Jack?" "Suzie, don't let her die." " The glove is killing Gwen and keeping you alive." " I know." "Then stop." "But I get to live." "Why would I stop?" " For Gwen's sake." " But she replaced me, and now I'm doing the same to her." "Isn't that fair?" "Suzie, we've got a tracker on that car." "We're gonna catch up." "I promise." "And what happens then?" "If she's dead, then I'm gonna kill you, Suzie Costello." "I promise." "I'm gonna kill you for the last and final time." "But would you, when there's a part of her that's now me?" "Could you really do that if I'm the only thing left of her?" "Why are you doing this?" "Because life is all, Jack." "You should know." "I'd do anything to stay." "Anything." "Suzie, please, just stop." "She's a real find, this one." "Gwen Cooper." "She's better than me." "She's so much better." "I was never any good." "Jack, I'm sorry." "Suzie!" "Jack, she's heading for the coastline on the B587." "It's a place called Hedley Point." "There's some sort of ferry goes out to the islands." "Get a move on." " Owen, how long we got?" " Minutes." "It's beautiful, Gwen." "Can you see?" "We'll take the ferry, go out as far as we can." "Keep on running, 'cause he won't hurt us." "We'll keep on going, you and me." "I'm sorry." "Have you gone?" "Gwen?" "Can you hear me?" "Gwen?" "Poor Gwen Cooper." "Safe journey." " Let her go." " I can't." " Let Gwen go." " I can't!" "Owen, how is she?" " Owen!" "Report!" " I think we're too late." " If I kill you, does she live?" " But you can't, Jack. 'Cause look at me." "I'm the last thing left of Gwen Cooper." "Can't you see it?" " Just the smallest bit of her?" " Not one bit." " Owen, anything?" " Nothing." " But I broke the connection." " Nothing." " I killed you." " I can't die." "Never gonna die." "How much more of this do you want?" "It's all your fault, Jack." "You recruited me." "The glove." "Tosh, destroy the glove." "It's keeping them connected." "Ianto, Armaments, Code 5." ""Captain!" "My captain!"" "Do you want to know a secret?" "There's something moving in the dark and it's coming, Jack Harkness." "It's coming for you." "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" "It's okay." "It's okay." "It's okay." "Relax." " Thanks for doing this." " Part of my job, sir." "No, I should be doing it, but..." "One day we're gonna run out of space." "If you're interested, I've still got that stopwatch." "So?" "Well, think about it." "Lots of things you can do with a stopwatch." "Oh, yeah." "I can think of a few." " There's quite a list." " I'll send the others home early." "See you in my office in 10." "That's 10 minutes and counting." "Oh, Jack?" "What do you want me to say on the death certificate?" " Good question." " She had quite a few deaths, in the end." "I don't know." "Death by Torchwood." "I'll put a lock on the door, just in case she goes walking again." "Nah, no chance of that." "The resurrection days are over, thank God." "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure." "That's the thing about gloves, sir." "They come in pairs." "Excuse me." "Am I dead?" "Something's happened." "We need to talk to you." "Did he walk into "oncoming traffic"?" "I am in heaven." "Are you sure it's my Eugene?" "Listen to this." "Eugene had an alien eye in his collection." " He sold it online." " A Dogon Sixth Eye?" "Maybe." "I just feel that there's something going on." "I don't want this to end." "I love you."

Effect of conditioned medium of mouse embryonic fibroblasts produced from EC-SOD transgenic mice in nuclear maturation of canine oocytes in vitro. The rate of in vitro maturation (IVM) of canine oocytes has not improved in comparison to that of other mammalian species. This study aims to improve the efficiency of canine oocytes IVM using the antioxidant, extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD). Thus, the effect of conditioned medium of EC-SOD transgenic mouse embryonic fibroblasts cultured with MEF culture medium (DMEM + 5% FBS) for in vitro nuclear maturation in canine oocytes was investigated. In experiment I, oocytes were collected from the ovaries of domestic bitches, which were allotted to one of two groups: (1) TCM199 + 1% FBS (n = 108) or (2) DMEM + 5% FBS (n = 112), cultured for 48 h and investigated for in vitro nuclear maturation of canine oocytes using Hoechst staining. Meiotic progression to metaphase II in group 1 was 1.8% compared to 1.8% in group 2. In experiment II, EC-SOD levels were examined in NTg-CMEF and Tg-CMEF at 0, 2 and 4 days obtained from EC-SOD transgenic mice generated in our laboratory. The concentration of EC-SOD in Tg-CMEF at day 2 (371.7 +/- 3.1 ng/ml) was the highest for all groups (P < 0.05). EC-SOD levels in Tg-CMEF were higher than in NTg-CMEF; therefore, the efficiency of Tg-CMEF for IVM was investigated. In experiment III, oocytes were allotted to one of three groups: (1) Tg-CMEF at day 0 (n = 84), (2) Tg-CMEF at day 2 (n = 92) or (3) Tg-CMEF at day 4 (n = 98), cultured for 48 h and the IVM of canine oocytes investigated. The mean percentage of MII oocytes in IVM was 2.4, 4.4 and 2.0% for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In experiment IV, the effects of conditioned medium of EC-SOD transgenic mouse embryonic fibroblasts (Tg-CMEF) cultured in MEF culture medium were compared with conditioned medium acquired from non-transgenic mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NTg-CMEF) on IVM of canine oocytes. In this experiment, meiotic progression to metaphase II was 7.1% in Tg-CMEF versus 0% in NTg-CMEF (P < 0.05). Tg-CMEF was more effective than NTg-CMEF. In conclusion, it was verified that canine oocytes were able to effectively progress to metaphase II in IVM when cultured in Tg-CMEF.

UFO unbelievable Israeli footage Description:F-16's in the company of something enormous. From BBC news 20th September 2007. Apologies about the sound. It's a report on the build up of Israeli forces on exercise off the Syrian border and the talk of war.

In an electric motor including a plurality of permanent magnets disposed along an inner circumferential surface of a cylindrical yoke for supplying field flux to a motor armature, normally, the motor casing is formed by closing the axial ends of the cylindrical yoke with a pair of end plates, and joining the end plates to the cylindrical yoke by passing a pair of set bolts axially through the two end plates. Each of such set bolts is required to be fitted into a hole provided in one of the end plates, and after being passed through the interior of the yoke, is required to be properly fitted and threaded in an associated threaded hole provided in the other end plate. Because the set bolts are relatively long, and the threaded hole is not visible to the assembling personnel, there has been some difficulty in aligning the free threaded end of the set bolt with the associated threaded hole. In particular, this difficulty has prevented full automatization of the assembly work. In such an electric motor, the permanent magnets are made of material having magnetically desirable properties, but are often highly brittle. Therefore, it has been proposed, for instance in Japanese patent publication No. 5-59661, to fit a cylindrical magnet cover inside an inner circumferential surface defined by the permanent magnets to reinforce the permanent magnets against chipping and prevent any fragments of the permanent magnets from dislodging from the permanent magnets. Noting the above-mentioned difficulty in assembling the motor, and the need for the provision of a magnet cover, the inventors have discovered that by providing a flange to the magnet cover and forming bolt guide holes in the flange, it is possible to aid the aligning of the bolts passed through one of the end plates with the associated threaded holes formed in the other end plate.

using GameModes; using SubPhases; using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; using System.Text; using UnityEngine; namespace GameCommands { public class SelectShipToAssignManeuverCommand : GameCommand { public SelectShipToAssignManeuverCommand(GameCommandTypes type, Type subPhase, string rawParameters) : base(type, subPhase, rawParameters) { } public override void Execute() { Selection.ChangeActiveShip("ShipId:" + int.Parse(GetString("id"))); DirectionsMenu.Show(ShipMovementScript.SendAssignManeuverCommand, PlanningSubPhase.CheckForFinish, isRegularPlanning: true); } } }

About Me I was a reporter and columnist for 40 years for a chain of newspapers in the suburbs of Chicago. I'm a military veteran having served in the United States Army Combat Engineers (Cpl. E-4) and a Korean War veteran with an Honorable Discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States of America Friday, February 29, 2008 Since April 2003, and until February 2008, "At least 5000 cases of widowed women have been registered at Falluja Employment Center," Abdul-Fatah revealed to VOI. "Those widowed women earn no salaries, and the majority of them are experiencing extremely hard circumstances, and they are in a massive need of any kind of help." He demanded that the Iraqi government and parliament "consider treating this issue thoroughly as an outcome of wars, and to legislate laws that sponsor widowed women in Falluja and elsewhere in Iraq." LIFE FOR WOMEN OF FALLUJA, IRAQ IS FILLED WITH PAIN AND MISERYAnbar - Voices of IraqThursday , 28 /02 /2008 Time 3:04:43http://tinyurl.com/ytf85d Falluja, Feb. 28, (VOI) – Abu Waleed had a bad rendezvous with destiny; he lost his two legs in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack in Falluja, and his wife – Um Waleed, suddenly found herself responsible for providing her family’s daily requirements. She worked hard toward her education degree during afternoon classes at Falluja Education Institute, and graduated as quickly as possible to start a career as a school teacher in Falluja, that nowadays offers her a monthly salary essential for her family's life to continue. There are other women like Um Waleed; victims of the difficult circumstances that Falluja city has experienced. The number of women in Falluja that were widowed after 2003 is at least 5000. These figures imply that since April 2003 until February 2008, 86 women a month (almost 3 women a day) were widowed, according to a recent survey conducted by the Employment Center in the city in coordination with Falluja’s City Council. "My husband was a taxi driver, and due to an IED explosion, he lost his two legs, and his car was totally devastated; thus we lost all our sources of living in that incident," Um Waleed told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI), adding "It was my turn to be responsible for my family's living; the situation was rigid, but I did not step aside watching. In addition to having four kids going to school, I joined afternoon classes at the Falluja Education Institute where I earned the degree that enabled me to work as a school teacher."In a religious – tribally structured society like Falluja, the nightmare for any women is when she does not find an adult man capable of providing her with the required simple daily life necessities. "I lost two of my sons during Falluja Battle II, while unknown gunmen killed my third son," Um Ibrahim (55 years) told VOI. "After losing my three sons, I feel that I am alone in this country under very hard living circumstances, with my daughters in law, and grandsons…I knocked on the doors of social affairs governmental managements, asking for any help, even for one dinar, but I have gotten nothing."Um Ahmed, 41 years, is another Falluja woman. "During Falluja Battle II, my husband was killed by U.S. army fire on November 2004, and since then, I have not been able to find anyone to help me and my kids," Um Ahmed said to VOI. "Three years after my husband's death, neither the local authorities in Falluja, nor central government in Baghdad, offered any kind of help to my family. I received simple aid that did not cover a tangible part of my five kids' living requirements from some humanitarian organizations." She continued, "I am getting older, and my health is no longer helping me to work as before; that's why I became unable to pay my house’s rent, and currently, I am spending my life with my kids moving between our relatives' houses."From his side, Ali Ghazal, head of follow-up and coordination department at Al-Kher Charity Association in Falluja, told VOI "After the occupation, battles and violence created a vast amount of widowed women that live in the city under very bad conditions," adding "for this reason, we formed Al-Kher Charity Association to provide any possible assistance to widowed women in Falluja. Our role does not exceed delivering and distributing aids, such as foodstuff, clothes, and others, supplied by other humanitarian organizations to widowed women in Falluja." Ghazal supplicated international organizations and associations, interested in women issues, to assist widowed women in Falluja that have no one to help them. Attorney Sabah al-Alwani, a member of Falluja’s City Council, said to VOI "The number of widowed women that we have in Falluja these days is unprecedented, and may have negative future effects on the moral attitudes of Falluja society," explaining "in case the Iraqi government ignores this social component, some families might collapse entirely, and engendered losses will be overburdened. Falluja City Council received no aid from the Iraqi government for these widowed women, and taking care of them has become a very heavy burden on the council, but the only thing that we can do is to urge humanitarian organizations to help them, especially when considering that the majority of widowed women in Falluja are unable to work for different reasons…We demand that the Iraqi government to prepare a program to assist women in Falluja."Kawakib al-Dulaimi, a member of Falluja’s City Council, describes the role of the Iraqi authorities in assisting Falluja women and widows as absent and disabled. "Battles in Falluja city, that took place between the U.S. army and different armed groups, engendered many widowed women, but the Iraqi government did not aid them with even one dinar," al-Dulaimi said to VOI. "Battles continue to generate widowed and orphaned women that have no other option but to face the hard line of life alone."Falluja Employment Center embraces the noble aim of attempting to sponsor women in general in the city, and particularly widowed and orphaned women. "We, at Falluja City Council, have established an employment center that is devoted to women that lost their husbands, fathers, and brothers in battles that took place in Falluja exclusively. Depending on City Councils' individual initiatives, this center succeeded in enrolling 200 of Falluja’s widowed women in dressmaking training programs," asserting "better skills will help these women to earn their living." Adnan Abdul-Fatah, manager of the Employment Center in Falluja, said to VOI, "The number of widowed women is continuously increasing in Falluja, and we are unable to provide them with the proper assistance due to different reasons." He added, "The real problem is that social – care management is absent in Falluja city. The main role of that management is to obtain statistics and to build a detailed database regarding widowed women, or any other category of women that require assistance; a matter that negatively affects our aid efforts. We formed committees, in coordination with Falluja’s City Council, to prepare accurate statistics concerning widowed women in the city as a first step toward ensuring them their rights from the Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The US troops in Iraq have shot dead a civilian who approached their patrol near the town of Miqdadiya, north of Baghdad, the military said.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7268645.stmOne report quoting the military said it the man had a cast on his broken arm under his jacket, which troops had mistaken for an explosives vest.He had ignored instructions to stop and a warning shot, the military said. There have been a series of bomb attacks in the Muqdadiyah area, which the US has blamed on al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iraqi police said the man was elderly, hard of hearing and suffering from mental disabilities, although the US military could not confirm this. "There was nothing suspicious found on him but the incident is under investigation," said military spokesman Maj Brad Leighton. In another major blow to the peace efforts of the United States in Iraq, thousands of members of neighborhood police units in Dyala Province, one of the most dangerous provinces in Iraq, have disbanded. The story is developling so stay tuned to this blog because you will never read about it or hear about the serious ramifications of the walkout in the mainstream media of the United States.Diyala Prv:#1: Thousands of members of neighborhood police units have stopped work in one of Iraq's most dangerous provinces, Iraqi and U.S. military officials said on Friday. The mainly Sunni Arab units, widely known as concerned local citizens, or "CLCs", said they had disbanded altogether which would represent a major blow to U.S. and Iraqi efforts to pacify Diyala province.Elsewhere in Iraq and Afghanistan, there have been more U.S. military casualties:Lance Corporal Robert Reid was on patrol in an armoured vehicle with three colleagues near their base in Basra when it came under attack and has been left blind in one eye following a roadside bomb attack in southern Iraq. The 24-year-old, of Galashiels, Selkirkshire, suffered multiple injuries in the ensuing gun battle.A recreational dodgeball game turned serious at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, when an airman suffered a heart attack. Airman 1st Class James Garrett, 19, collapsed Monday during the game. Doctors at Manas found that Garrett showed signs of sudden cardiac arrest, but he was stabilized. Garrett was flown to Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center, Germany, on Tuesday for further care.Capt Nick Binnington, 30, suffered a horrific leg wounds from a Taliban ambush attack after it was revealed a rocket propelled grenade attack in occupied Afghanistan had left him on the emergency operating table with a shard of metal lodged in his right thigh. He was deployed in Afghanistan for six months last year as a forward air controller guiding in all allied airpower. He was injured in a Taliban ambush north east of Garesh and had to be flown back to the UK to be operated on.Victoria Scuola-Brandt, 56, was injured during mortar attacks in Balad, Iraq. But the disabled veteran said she is constantly reliving the shelling in her mind and thinks often about her military brothers and sisters still serving in Iraq. For Scuola-Brandt the mortar attack in January 2006 remains a vivid nightmare. At the time, she was a first sergeant with the Army Reserve and was working in an area that was attacked about five times a day. "I was running for cover, and I injured my feet," she recalled. She said what affected her more was seeing a fellow first sergeant go blind. Scuola-Brandt was flown to Landstuhl, Germany, and then to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She eventually was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where she received a medical discharge on Oct. 25, 2006.Spc. Chuck Naylor, 22, was in an Afghanistan hospital, his ears still ringing from an explosion that hit his convoy of South Glens Falls, were injured when a suicide bomber destroyed a truck. It was unclear Thursday if the men were in the truck at the time. The force of the blast knocked the men to the ground, giving Naylor a concussion.Sgt. Jeff Dorvee, 25, both of South Glens Falls, were injured when a suicide bomber destroyed a truck. It was unclear Thursday if the men were in the truck at the time. The force of the blast knocked the men to the ground. Dorvee lost hearing in his right ear. It was not known Thursday if the damage is permanent.Violence, mayhem and chaos continues all across Iraq as the media in the United States acts as if nothing is happening in Iraq worth reporting.War News for Friday, February 29, 2008Baghdad:#1: Around 7:40 a.m., a roadside bomb targeted a police commando’s patrol at the Meshtal intersection near New Baghdad neighborhood (east Baghdad).Two policemen were injured in that incident.2: Around 10 a.m., a bomb house exploded when the Iraqi army raided it at Abu Khamees village (10 km south of Baquba) .One Iraqi soldier was killed in that explosion.Baquba:#1: The commander of the popular committees in Diala province survived an attempt on his life in central Baaquba district on Friday morning, an official source said. "An armed group attacked on Friday a headquarters of the popular committees in al-Tahrir neighborhood, central Baaquba, targeting commander Sabah Bashir, who survived unscathed," the source, who did not want to be named, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq#2: An Iraqi army soldier was injured on Friday during a security operation in south of Baaquba, an official security source said. "A force from the 5th division of the Iraqi army waged a crackdown operation in Abu Khamis village in Bahraz district, south of Baaquba," the source, requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq (VOI). "The forces came under armed group fire attack, during which one soldier was wounded," he added.Hawija:#1: In the morning, police found Ahmed Khalaf’s body, the Hawija council member, who was kidnapped few days ago by gunmen .Police arrested four suspected to be involved in that kidnap and murder.Kirkuk:#1: In the morning, police found a female dead body whose name is Sameea Sofi near the Zab Bridge (west of Kirkukk).Mosul:#1: Gunmen kidnapped the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul on Friday from the northern Iraqi city and killed his driver and two companions, police said. "He was kidnapped in the al-Nour district in eastern Mosul when he left a church. Gunmen opened fire on the car, killed the other three and kidnapped the archbishop," a Mosul police official said.#2: A man and his son were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Mosul on Friday, the official spokesman for the Ninewa operations said. "An improvised explosive device went off targeting a U.S. vehicle patrol near al-Dhubat district, eastern Mosul, killing a passing man and his 11-year-old son," Brig. Khalid Abdul Sattar told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq#3: Police patrols found two bodies of a prosecutor and a lawyer handcuffed and riddled with bullets in Al-Qahira district, northern Mosul." Brig. Khalid Abdul Sattar told Aswat al-Iraq-Voices of Iraq (VOI).The security official identified "the prosecutor as Abd Jassim Hanash al-Janabi and the lawyer as Hamad Sultan al-Louizi". "They were abducted by unknown gunmen near al-Maaridh area, eastern Mosul, on Friday morning", he added.Even with all of this happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Bush and his mouthpiece, FOX NEWS, continue to mislead the American public with lies about how well things are going in Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in Iraq will continue you indefinitely because the Senate pulled a bill that would have cut off funding for most combat operations in Iraq. The Democrats knew they didn't have the votes to pass the measure so they pulled the bill. Even had the bill passed in the Senate, President Bush had vowed to veto it.Brief Iraq Withdrawal Hopes FizzleBy Maya Schenwar t r u t h o u t Report A bill to cut off funding for most combat operations in Iraq collapsed in the Senate Wednesday night when leadership pulled it from the floor, seeing it could not garner enough votes for passage. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid acknowledged to reporters on Thursday afternoon the bill would not be brought to a vote. However, it did pass a cloture vote on Tuesday after a decision by Republican leadership to address the war controversy head-on, making this week's debate the longest Iraq-based discussion the Senate floor has seen since July. Sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin), the bill marked a shift away from antiwar Democrats' previous focus on setting a deadline for troop withdrawal, according to Feingold's spokesman. Instead, it would have restricted war spending substantially, confining it to targeted missions against al-Qaeda and affiliated groups, in addition to training Iraqi forces and protecting American personnel and facilities in Iraq. Funding cuts would have begun within 120 days - a monumental change in course for Iraq policy. Yet, most analysts agree the purpose of the latest bill was not to end the war since sponsors knew, based on precedent, it would fail overwhelmingly in the Senate - and, if it didn't, would be vetoed automatically by President Bush. The last time Feingold proposed similar legislation, about half of Senate Democrats voted against it. "Leadership knew it wouldn't pass, as almost all of the Republicans could be counted on to oppose it," said Jack Swetland, manager of Congressional affairs at the Center for American Progress. He added that Feingold's three similar troop withdrawal proposals introduced over the past few months have failed. The Feingold plan's proponents hoped to "create a vote which could be used against Republicans in the fall election," according to Voices for Creative Nonviolence co-coordinator Jeff Leys. Click on link to read full story... The top commander of the United States Marine Corps, General James Conway, has ordered a halt for the remaining orders of a new vest for combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan because it was found to be too heavy.Known as the Modular Tactical Vest (MTV), Conway said Marines in the filed were complaining the vest was too heavy and cumbersome.The Corps placed orders for 84,000 MTVs in late 2006, to replace the standard-issue Outer Tactical Vest. Of that initial order, the service has received 76,000, Johnson said.The future of those already-issued vests remains unclear.The foul up with the vest is similar to the problems the military had when the new heavily armor-platedHumvees were found to be unsafe and could easily rollover. A source close to the Pentagon said more field tests of the vest should have been conducted before the Marine Corps ordered 84,000 or the vests including the 70,000 that have already been delivered to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Conway puts orders of new vest on holdBy Kimberly Johnson - Staff writer Posted : Friday Feb 29, 2008 6:38:01 ESThttp://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/02/marine_vest_022708/ The Corps’ top officer has halted remaining orders of the service’s new Modular Tactical Vest amid complaints the gear is too heavy and cumbersome. Commandant Gen. James Conway “has stopped the execution for the next buy of the MTV after his personal evaluation,” said Lt. Col. T.V. Johnson, Conway’s spokesman. During a recent visit with Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, Conway openly questioned the suitability of the vest, distinctive with its over-the-head, slip-on design and quick-release pull cord, Johnson said in a phone interview Wednesday. “It has some advantages. It also has some disadvantages, especially if you’re putting it on and taking it off a lot.” Conway told Marine Corps Times in December, during an interview at his Pentagon office. “It doesn’t go on or come off easy.” Marines who have not worn it before tend to like it the first time they put it on, Conway said.“It rides well,” he said. “The hips do absorb some of the weight. It doesn’t seem that heavy once you get it on. But it will rip your nose or your ears off if you’re not careful when you put it on or take it off.” The MTV design was initially selected in early 2006 based on the recommendations made by a group of 100 Marines with Iraq combat experience, who tested three different vests, Johnson said. The group overwhelmingly selected the MTV at 89 percent, he said. The Corps placed orders for 84,000 MTVs in late 2006, to replace the standard-issue Outer Tactical Vest. Of that initial order, the service has received 76,000, Johnson said.The future of those already-issued vests remains unclear. “I don’t foresee a recall,” Johnson said. “They are working some actions to mitigate the complaints about the vest.” The comments coming out of the field from Marines are related more to comfort than effectiveness and levels of protection, Johnson said. “There will be some assessments made at the very senior-officer level, and those discussions will determine the best way ahead,” he said. “Even without these criticisms, they’re already looking at what the next-generation personal protective equipment might be.” Angelina Jolie recently went to Baghdad on a humanitarian mission for the UN. During her visit, she dined with U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq and she met with General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. Thursday, February 28, 2008 Angelina Jolie brought her incredible star power to Iraq a few weeks ago as part of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the result was she became an instant hit with bloggers all over the world when she sat down to eat with the U.S. troops inside Camp Victory in Baghdad. According to the Washington Post's Thusday edition, Jolie has decided the United States military should stay in Iraq for the time being.Jolie plans to to continue her efforts to help the thousands of displaced Iraqi citizens. Jolie has penned her own account of what her thoughts are about Iraq and the refugee crisis that grips the nation.You can read her story here...Angelina Jolie staying to Help in Iraq"We have finally reached a point where humanitarian assistance, from us and others, can have an impact."By Angelina JolieThursday, February 28, 2008; 1:15 PMhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/27/AR2008022702217_pf.html The request is familiar to American ears: "Bring them home." But in Iraq, where I've just met with American and Iraqi leaders, the phrase carries a different meaning. It does not refer to the departure of U.S. troops, but to the return of the millions of innocent Iraqis who have been driven out of their homes and, in many cases, out of the country. In the six months since my previous visit to Iraq with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, this humanitarian crisis has not improved. However, during the last week, the United States, UNHCR and the Iraqi government have begun to work together in new and important ways. We still don't know exactly how many Iraqis have fled their homes, where they've all gone, or how they're managing to survive. Here is what we do know: More than 2 million people are refugees inside their own country -- without homes, jobs and, to a terrible degree, without medicine, food or clean water. Ethnic cleansing and other acts of unspeakable violence have driven them into a vast and very dangerous no-man's land. Many of the survivors huddle in mosques, in abandoned buildings with no electricity, in tents or in one-room huts made of straw and mud. Fifty-eight percent of these internally displaced people are younger than 12 years old. An additional 2.5 million Iraqis have sought refuge outside Iraq, mainly in Syria and Jordan. But those host countries have reached their limits. Overwhelmed by the refugees they already have, these countries have essentially closed their borders until the international community provides support.Click on link above to read the full story by Angelina Jolie from Iraq. Citizens for a Legitimate Government (CLG)http://www.legitgov.org/ announced late Thursday on their web site that the United States is sending three warships into the waters in the Eastern Mediterranean as a show of strength against Syria.Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the move should not be construed as "saber rattling" by the United States, but simply a way of showing the United States interest in the region. WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Navy is sending three warships to the eastern Mediterranean Sea in a show of strength during a period of tensions with Syria and political uncertainty in Lebanon. Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters the deployment should not be viewed as threatening or in response to events in any single country in that volatile region. ``This is an area that is important to us, the eastern Med,'' he said when asked about news reports of the ship movements. ``It's a group of ships that will operate in the vicinity there for a while,'' adding that ``it isn't meant to send any stronger signals than that. But it does signal that we're engaged, we're going to be in the vicinity and that's a very, very important part of the world.'' Another military officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because full details about the ship movements are not yet public, said a Navy destroyer, the USS Cole, was headed for patrol in the eastern Mediterranean and that the USS Nassau, an amphibious warship, would be joining it shortly. The officer said a third ship would go later, but he did not identify it. Only recently President Bush and his public relations mouthpiece, FOX NEWS, were claiming Falluja should be considered a model of how well "the surge" has been working in Iraq.However, now the Voices of Iraq is reporting the Falluja Awakening Council has been infiltrated by Al Qaeda in still another display of just how tenuous conditions are in Iraq. As usual, the mainstream media in the United States has fallen silent on the latest developments out of Falluja. Falluja Awakening Council infiltrated by al-Qaeda Falluja, Feb 28, (VOI)- The Falluja Awakening Council fighters are being infiltrated by al-Qaeda elements, the chief of local police said on Wednesday. “The Awakening Council fighters in the city of Falluja are being infiltrated by al-Qaeda elements, mainly in the city’s districts,” Brigadier Faisal al-Zawbaie told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq (VOI).“Police forces and the Awakening Council fighters came under several armed attacks during the past two months because of the security infiltrations inside the council’s fighters,” he explained.He called on the Awakening Councils to coordinate with Iraqi security forces, mainly in providing them with accurate information on their new fighters.The Awakening Councils are anti-Qaeda fighters working in coordination with the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) and the Iraqi government.Falluja, Anbar province, is 45 km west of Baghdad. The media doesn't want to report on what is really happening in Iraq, but DahrJamail has been the solid voice of what is taking place in Iraq since the United States invaded and occupied Iraq in 2003.This is just another behind-the-scenes look at an Iraqi city, Baquba, devastated by war and with no hope of anything ever returning to normal. Why is it the mainstream media in the United States refuses to report on events like this? The answer is the mainstream media in the United States doesn't care about Iraq anymore even though there are 160,000 brave young American men and women deployed to Iraq.Baquba Losing Life – And Hope Inter Press ServiceBy Ahmed Ali and Dahr Jamail*BAQUBA, Feb 27 (IPS) - Life has been bad enough in Diyala province north of Baghdad after prolonged violence, unemployment and loss of all forms of normal living. What could be worse now is the loss of hope that anything will ever be better. In Baquba, capital city of Diyala province 40km northeast of Baghdad, it's all about staying alive. Most people have abandoned all projects and activities to sit at home in safety. "The Iraqi government achieved nothing, just death for this poor province," Hadi Obeid, a now idle trader in Baquba told IPS. "If you look for rights, you will find death." "People of this province are dead," says resident Luay Amir, who returned to Iraq in 2004 after living 16 years in Austria. "There is no sign of life to be seen. Faces are pale and lifeless, the city is desolate." People in the city, he said, "have no ambitions, no dreams. When they see each other, they greet one another saying, 'good to see you safe'." The lack of electricity, clean water, security and jobs is clearly taking its toll. "People are deprived of everything in this province, and it's a miracle that life still goes on amidst this deprivation," Abdul-Ridha Noman, an employee in the directorate-general of statistics told IPS. "People here have no goal except to move from today to tomorrow." Noman added, "But they are afraid of tomorrow because it might only bring death or loss."Many people have fled the violence, but also the hopelessness. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at least 1.5 million Iraqis have fled to Syria by now. Many have gone from Diyala. "They sold their properties to live away from terror," Abdullah Mahjob, a 51-year-old schoolteacher in Baquba told IPS. "And they spent their savings to make their children safe." Ahead of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, people in this city had dreamed of a better future for them and their children. Now, that's a broken dream. "Life is destroyed by the occupation and its corrupt government, and people have reached a point where nothing means anything to them any more," local dentist Mudhafer al-Janaby told IPS. "People are concerned about electricity because they see that the children need light because of the examinations. They search for fuel for kerosene heaters in the cold winter, and for their cars," local farmer Iman Mansour told IPS. "They are concerned how they will find medicines for the sick. They need to find work and then get to it, but there is a curfew, and the militants are everywhere. How can an individual plan for a future while surrounded by all these troubles?" Sixty percent of the officer's surveyed by Foreign Policy Magazine said the military is weaker today than it was five years ago.In addition to the human strain, there are now widespread reports much of the equipment that has been in use in Iraq and Afghanistan for over five years is worn out and desperately in need of repair or replacement. Senior Officers Worried About Dangerously Overstretched U.S Military WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (IPS) - The U.S. military is "severely strained" by two large-scale occupations in the Middle East, other troop deployments, and problems recruiting, according to a new survey of military officers published by Foreign Policy magazine and the centrist think-tank Center for a New American Security. "They see a force stretched dangerously thin and a country ill-prepared for the next fight," said the report, 'The U.S. Military Index,' which polled 3,400 current and former high-level military officers. Sixty percent of the officers surveyed said that the military is weaker now than it was five years ago, often citing the number of troops deployed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We ought to pay more attention to quality," said retired Lt. General Gregory Newbold, who retired from the Joint Chiefs of Staff in part over objections to the invasion of Iraq, at a panel during a conference to release the data. From Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain to President George W. Bush, politicians regularly speak on the military from a position of authority. They know, they contend, that despite the two ongoing wars, the U.S is ready to deal with new threats militarily if need be.Click on link above to read full story. There is a myth floating around the United States that started with the Bush White House and has been promoted by the Bush White House propaganda mouthpiece, FOX NEWS, that the U.S. military brought down violence in Baghdad and Falluja with the much touted "surge," but in reality it was the warlords in both cities who got together and ran Al Qaeda out of each city. The news looks good on the surface, but in truth Iraq is now run by militias, gangs, thugs, radical Islamists and warlords and the United States is caught in the middle of supporting all of them with money and guns. The media in the United States is obsessed with the race for the White House, but there is a growing concern by many insiders who feel Iraq is about to explode again in sectarian violence. The story below is a perfect example of what has been taking place in Iraq and what looms on the horizon.Commentary by Bill Corcoran, editor of CORKSPHERE.Iraq: The Calm Before the Conflagration The United States is funding and in many cases arming the three ethnic factions in Iraq -- the Kurds, the Shiites and the Sunni Arabs. These factions rule over partitioned patches of Iraqi territory and brutally purge rival ethnic groups from their midst. Iraq no longer exists as a unified state. It is a series of heavily armed fiefdoms run by thugs, gangs, militias, radical Islamists and warlords who are often paid wages of $300 a month by the U.S. military. Iraq is Yugoslavia before the storm. It is a caldron of weapons, lawlessness, hate and criminality that is destined to implode. And the current U.S. policy, born of desperation and defeat, means that when Iraq goes up, the U.S. military will have to scurry like rats for cover. The supporters of the war, from the Bush White House to Sen. John McCain, tout the surge as the magic solution. But the surge, which primarily deployed 30,000 troops in and around Baghdad, did little to thwart the sectarian violence. The decline in attacks began only when we bought off the Sunni Arabs. U.S. commanders in the bleak fall of 2006 had little choice. It was that or defeat. The steady rise in U.S. casualties, the massive car bombs that tore apart city squares in Baghdad and left hundreds dead, the brutal ethnic cleansing that was creating independent ethnic enclaves beyond our control throughout Iraq, the death squads that carried out mass executions and a central government that was as corrupt as it was impotent signaled catastrophic failure. The United States cut a deal with its Sunni Arab enemies. It would pay the former insurgents. It would allow them to arm and form military units and give them control of their ethnic enclaves. The Sunni Arabs, in exchange, would halt attacks on U.S. troops. The Sunni Arabs agreed. The U.S. is currently spending hundreds of millions of dollars to pay the monthly salaries of some 600,000 armed fighters in the three rival ethnic camps in Iraq. These fighters -- Shiite, Kurd and Sunni Arab -- are not only antagonistic but deeply unreliable allies. The Sunni Arab militias have replaced central government officials, including police, and taken over local administration and security in the pockets of Iraq under their control. They have no loyalty outside of their own ethnic community. Once the money runs out, or once they feel strong enough to make a thrust for power, the civil war in Iraq will accelerate with deadly speed. The tactic of money-for-peace failed in Afghanistan. The U.S. doled out funds and weapons to tribal groups in Afghanistan to buy their loyalty, but when the payments and weapons shipments ceased, the tribal groups headed back into the embrace of the Taliban. The Sunni Arab militias are known by a variety of names: the Iraqi Security Volunteers (ISVs), neighborhood watch groups, Concerned Local Citizens, Critical Infrastructure Security. The militias call themselves "sahwas" ("sahwa" being the Arabic word for awakening). There are now 80,000 militia fighters, nearly all Sunni Arabs, paid by the United States to control their squalid patches of Iraq. They are expected to reach 100,000. The Sunni Arab militias have more fighters under arms than the Shiite Mahdi Army and are about half the size of the feeble Iraqi army. The Sunni Awakening groups, which fly a yellow satin flag, are forming a political party.Click on link above to read the full story. The Bush administration and their "parrot," FOX NEWS, continue to LIE to the American public about what is REALLY happening in Iraq. Conditions in Iraq are not what the Bush administration and their mouthpiece, FOX NEWS, claim them to be. It is much worse and there are growing signs Iraq is headed back into a full-scale civil war with 160,000 young Americans caught right in the middle of the sectarian chaos.U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD:3972Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation:1Total3973DoD Confirmation Listhttp://icasualties.org/oif/ BAGHDAD, Feb. 28 -- U.S.-backed Sunni volunteer forces, which have played a vital role in reducing violence in Iraq, are increasingly frustrated with the American military and the Iraqi government over what they see as a lack of recognition of their growing political clout and insufficient U.S. support. Since Feb. 8, thousands of fighters in restive Diyala province have left their posts in order to pressure the government and its American backers to replace the province's Shiite police chief.On Wednesday, their leaders warned that they would disband completely if their demands were not met. In Babil province, south of Baghdad, fighters have refused to man their checkpoints after U.S. soldiers killed several comrades in mid-February in circumstances that remain in dispute. Some force leaders and ground commanders also reject a U.S.-initiated plan that they say offers too few Sunni fighters the opportunity to join Iraq's army and police, and warn that low salaries and late payments are pushing experienced members to quit. The predominantly Sunni Awakening forces, referred to by the U.S. military as the Sons of Iraq or Concerned Local Citizens, are made up mostly of former insurgents who have turned against extremists because of their harsh tactics and interpretation of Islam. The U.S. military pays many fighters roughly $10 a day to guard and patrol their areas.Thousands more unpaid volunteers have joined out of tribal and regional fealties. U.S. efforts to manage this fast-growing movement of about 80,000 armed men are still largely effective, but in some key areas the control is fraying. The tensions are the most serious since the Awakening was launched in Anbar province in late 2006, according to Iraqi officials, U.S. commanders and 20 Awakening leaders across Iraq. Some U.S. military officials say they are growing concerned that the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq has infiltrated Awakening forces in some areas. Wednesday, February 27, 2008 The hopes and dreams of this blogger is that someday the mainstream media will again start covering what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, but until that time comes, if ever, we will continue to bring to readers of this blog the latest information about death, mayhem, chaos and violence in Iraq and Afghanistan.Commentary by Bill Corcoran, editor of CORKSPHEREU.S.Casualty Reports From Iraq: More Violence in Baghdad and Across Iraq Pfc. Jake Williams was spending his 20th birthday – Aug. 13, 2007 – on combat patrol in the Iraqi desert when a bomb blast tore through his Humvee. “I remember looking down at my (right) hand, just hanging there,” said Williams, of Sun City in Riverside County. Half a year later, minus his amputated hand, he's out of combat but still among his military buddies.Army Spc. Saul Martinez, 23, of Bloomington, who lost both of his legs following a roadside bomb blast in Iraq last May. Shrapnel riddled Williams' body and mangled his hand. Worse, a jagged piece of metal pierced his neck. His friends had to cut a hole in his throat to let him breathe. Baghdad:#1: A roadside bomb struck a minibus carrying travelers to a Shiite religious commemoration Wednesday morning, killing one traveler and wounding two others, police said. Wednesday's attack occurred in eastern Baghdad when the bomb went off next to the minibus, according to a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.#2: A civilian was injured on Wednesday in a roadside bomb explosion in southeastern Baghdad, the commander of the Baghdad's operations said. "An improvised explosive device, planted by unknown gunmen near Sahet Misloun in southeastern Baghdad, went off, wounding one civilian," General Qassem Atta told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq.#3: A civilian was killed and two others were wounded when an IED exploded targeting a Caprice carrying fuel cans in al Ghadeer neighborhood in east Baghdad. The car exploded and was completely charred.#4 IRAQ journalists' union chief Shihab al-Timimi died of a heart attack on Wednesday just days after being wounded in a drive-by shooting, a union official said. The 75-year-old had been rushed to a Baghdad hospital with a bullet wound to his chest after Saturday's attack on his car. Yesterday he suffered a heart attack which he could not survive, union secretary general Moaed al-Lami said.#5: Police found two unidentified bodies in Baghdad today. One body was found in Doura neighborhood while the other body was found in Mashtal neighborhood.Hilla:#1: Babil Police found an unidentified body in al Tihmaziyah village southwest of Hilla city on Wednesday morning, police of Hilla city said. Police said that the deceased body carried signs of torture and bullet woundsBasra:#1: Gunmen using machine guns opened fire, killing one police officer, first lieutenant Raid Khudair, in the al Mutaiha area south of Basra city on Wednesday morning, police said.Tikrit:#1: An off-duty Iraqi soldier was killed and two wounded when gunmen opened fire on their car near Tikrit, 175 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.Baiji:#1: Gunmen wounded four off-duty policemen in a drive-by shooting in Baiji, 180 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.Lake Thar Thar:#1: Gunmen attacked a checkpoint manned by Iraqi police and members of a U.S.-backed neighbourhood police unit, killing two and wounding three, near Lake Thar Thar, 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Baghdad, police said.Kirkuk:#1: "Domiz police chief, Colonel Anwar Hussein, survived an attempt on his life when a booby-trapped car targeted his convoy in al-Askari neighborhood in northern Kirkuk," the source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI)."The explosion did not cause any damage or casualties," the source explained.#2: Unknown gunmen kidnapped two workers and a trucker in the main road leading to Rashad district, near Sami al-Assi village, 30 km south-west of Kirkuk, an eyewitness told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI) over the phone. He added, "The gunmen abducted the three individuals when their vehicle carrying construction materials passed by the road, taking them to an unknown place."Mosul:#1: Two gunmen were killed during clashes with Iraqi soldiers in Mosul, Nineveh security spokesman Brigadier-General Khalid Abdul-Sattar said. He said one of the gunmen was an Iraqi and the other was a Saudi national.#2: Two people were killed and one wounded when a car bomb exploded near a police patrol in Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, said Brigadier-General Khalid Abdul-Sattar, the military spokesman for Nineveh province.#3: Gunmen using machineguns opened fire killed a student in Mosul University. The incident took place in Hamdaniyah town east of Mosul city on Tuesday night.Afghanistan:#1: A roadside bomb killed two Polish soldiers patrolling in eastern Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday, while NATO announced the seizure of $400 million in opium in the south. The explosion hit the troops in the Sharan district of Paktika province on Tuesday, said NATO's International Security Assistance Force. The Polish troops were returning from a humanitarian aid meeting in a village when their Humvee drove over a roadside mine, Maj. Dariusz Kacperczyk, spokesman for the Polish army operational command, said in Warsaw. The two soldiers killed were identified as Cpl. Szymon Slowik and Pvt. Hubert Kowalewski. One soldier was also wounded#2: Afghanistan's interior minister survived a rocket and small arms ambush by suspected Taliban insurgents to the east of the capital Kabul on Wednesday, a ministry official said. Interior Minister Zarar Ahmad Moqbel was traveling through the Tangi Abrishim area of Laghman province when the attackers opened fire on his convoy with a single rocket, then followed up with a volley of small arms fire, the official said. The minister's guards returned fire, but there was no news of any casualties in the exchange and it was not clear if the attackers knew he was in the convoy, said the official, who declined to be named.#3: Australia says its soldiers have fought off a number of Taliban attacks over the past few days in southern Afghanistan. The defence department says extremists used rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire to attack the troops while they were working on a construction site, building a patrol base for the Afghan National Army. The department says the immediate and aggressive response to the attacks forced the militants to retreat and abandon their weapons. No Australian troops have been injured.#4: Norway's defence ministry said on Wednesday it would allow some of its soldiers stationed in Afghanistan to go to the south of the country where battles against the Taliban and al-Qaeda have been the toughest and Canada has been pleading for more allied help. But a group of 50 soldiers, to be sent to the war-torn state in October to help train the Afghan army, will be able to accompany Afghan troops into southern Afghanistan.Iraqi council rejects elections lawIraq's presidential council rejected a measure Wednesday setting up provincial elections, sending it back to parliament in the latest setback to U.S.-backed national reconciliation efforts. The three-member panel, however, approved the 2008 budget and another law that provides limited amnesty to detainees in Iraqi custody. Those laws will take effect once they are published in the Justice Ministry gazette. The three laws were approved as a package by the Iraqi parliament on Feb. 13. The step drew praise from the Bush administration, which had sought passage of a provincial powers law as one of 18 benchmarks to promote reconciliation among Iraq's Sunni and Shiite Arab communities and the large Kurdish minority. Just when the Bush Administration and Jennifer Griffin of FOX NEWS and BRIT HUME'S"FOX NEWS SPECIAL REPORT" were boasting about how well things were going politically in Iraq, the Iraqi government rejected a measure to hold provincial elections.The rejection is a major blow to the United States and the Bush Administration who were hoping the elections would solidfy Iraq. Iraqi council rejects elections law24 minutes ago Iraq's presidential council rejected Wednesday a measure setting up provincial elections — seen as a key step to develop Iraq's nascent democracy — in the latest setback to U.S.-backed national reconciliation efforts. The three-member panel approved the 2008 budget and another law that provides limited amnesty to detainees in Iraqi custody. The three laws were approved as a package by the Iraqi parliament on Feb. 13. The move drew praise from the Bush administration, which had sought passage of a provincial powers law as one of 18 benchmarks to promote reconciliation among Iraq's Sunni and Shiite Arab communities and the Kurdish minority. "No agreement has been reached in the Presidency Council to approve the provincial elections draft law and that it has been sent back to the parliament to reconsider the rejected articles," the presidential council said in a statement. The panel is composed of President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, Shiite Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi and Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi. As the Iraq war now is about to enter its sixth year, it should come as no surprise to anyone that many of the soldiers serving in Iraq are suffering from severe mental health problems. It also should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed how the Bush Administration and the military have dealt with problems in the military that many of the soldiers in dire need need of mental health treatment are not getting it because military doctors are withholding treatment.The result has been an increase in suicides and suicide attempts with active duty GIs and those released by the military. The mistreatment of soldiers and Marines with mental health issues is just one more black mark on the military and the Bush administration who are quick to send troops to Iraq but not so quick to provide them with adequate mental health care when they return to the United States. Military Doctors Withholding Treatment from Soldiers with Mental Health Problems Since 9/11, one Army division has spent more time in Iraq than any other group of soldiers: the 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, New York. Over the past 6 years and and six months, their 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) has been the most deployed brigade in the army. As of this month, the brigade had completed its fourth tour of Iraq. All in all, the soldiers of BCT have spent 40 months in Iraq.At what cost? According to a February 13 report issued by the Veterans for America's (VFA) Wounded Warrior Outreach Program, which is dedicated to strengthening the military mental health system, it is not just their bodies that have been maimed and, in some cases, destroyed.Many of these soldiers are suffering from severe mental health problems that have led to suicide attempts as well as spousal abuse and alcoholism. Meanwhile, the soldiers of the 2nd BCT have been given too little time off in between deployments: In one case they had only six months to mentally "re-set"; following an eight-month tour in Afghanistan -- before beginning a 12-month tour in Iraq. Then, in April 2007, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates decided to extend Army tours in Iraq from 12 to 15 months -- shortly after the BCT had passed what it assumed was its halfway mark in Iraq. As the VFA report points out, "Mental health experts have explained that 'shifting the goalposts' on a soldier's deployment period greatly contributes to an increase in mental health problems." Perhaps it should not come as a surprise that, during its most recent deployment, the 2nd BCT suffered heavy casualties. "Fifty-two members of the 2nd BCT were killed in action (KIA)," the VFA reports and "270 others were listed as non-fatality casualties, while two members of the unit remain missing in action (MIA)."Go back to link to read the full story.

Silk'n - SensEpil Pro 65k Product Details Eliminate unwanted hair in the privacy of your own home! Say goodbye to ingrown hairs, sticky wax strips, and razor burns! The Silk’n SensEpil Pro uses proven HPL Technology to disable hair regrowth permanently. Physician-recommended, clinically-proven, and safe for use in the privacy and comfort of your home, the SensEpil Pro is an FDA-cleared device that removes unwanted hair by delivering light-based energy that destroy hair at the roots. What makes the SensEpil Pro 65K Different? The Silk’n SensEpil Pro packs all the professional results and efficacy of in-office treatments in this portable hair removal system. Treat multiple body parts multiple times at a fraction of the cost. What is the difference between the SensEpilXL 65K and the SensEpil Pro 65K? The SensEpilXL 65Kand SensEpil Pro 65K use the same technology, have the same treatment spot size, come with the same amount of pulses, and will provide the same amazing results. The only difference is the color of the device! Is the SensEpil Pro 65K right for you? Use the chart below to see if SensEpil Pro 65K is right for your skin color combination. Your SensEpil Pro 65k system comes complete with: One handheld SensEpil Pro HAIR REMOVAL device with 65,000 flashes Cartridge has 6 cm ² spot size Instructional DVD Technology How it works Home Pulsed Light (HPL) Technology delivers light-based energy down the shaft of each hair strand and destroys hair at the root, disabling it permanently. Only hairs in the active growth phase (anagen phase) are affected by HPL technology, so multiple treatments are required to cover previously dormant hairs. A built-in skin tone sensor detects the skin complexion suitability before and during the treatment session to prevent the pulses from flashing on unsuitable skin tones. The skin contact sensor ensures that the device emits pulses only when in contact with skin to limit the risk of eye accidents. No special eye protective equipment is required. Hair before treatment Hair during treatment Hair after treatment Silk'n Pro is ideal for individuals who want: Permanently say goodbye to unwanted body hair. Treatment for sensitive areas (bikini line) or larger zones (legs). Speed in treatment, since the Pro plugs into the wall, the pulse speed ensures a quick treatment without worrying that your battery will die before you finish your session. Updated protocol for quicker results and increased efficacy. Silky smooth skin without ingrown hairs and razor burn. When will I see results? With just two-to-four self-treatment sessions, most users experience visually diminished hair that is comparable to results produced by professionally administered laser procedures. User satisfaction and clinical results speak for themselves: 80% of users experienced a noticeable reduction in hair after 3 months. 90% preferred using HPL to visiting a spa or salon. 90% said they would recommend HPL to a friend. 90% described HPL as convenient, easy, useful, and innovative. Who is not a candidate for treatment? Dark or tanned skin - the light will not detect the difference between skin and hair pigment, therefore it will not flash and treatment will not be effective. Blonde, grey or white hair – these individuals lack pigment in their hair and are not candidates for treatment. Typical Treatment Use the Silk’n Pro on your entire body, wherever you have unwanted hair you want to treat. Treatment Schedule: For the first two months, use Pro every two weeks. Maintenance Regime: Use Pro once a month until desired results are obtained. Before and After After 4 treatments After 3 treatments After 4 treatments After 4 treatments After 7 treatments FAQ Does Silk'n SensEpil Pro 65K work? Yes. In clinical trials held by physicians, Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K was proven to safely achieve excellent hair removal results. Silk'n SensEpil Pro 65K has the FDA clearance for the removal of unwanted hair. In addition, SensEpil Pro 65K is not required by FDA clearance to be used with other products. I have fair skin, why is the skin sensor warning light go off? Sometimes the skin sensor can be affected by the room in which you are treating. If you are treating in a dark room or in a room with bright light (such as lamps and vanities), this can create a shadow on your skin which will cause the skin sensor warning light to go off. To prevent this from happening - treat in moderate lighting. If you continue to have a problem, make sure the sensor (located beside the yellow applicator light) is flush against the skin. If neither of these solutions resolves the issue please call our customer service department at 1-877-367-4556. What is the Skin Color Sensor and other safety features? SensEpil Pro 65K comes with a built-in Skin Color Sensor that is designed to measure the skin tone of the applied surface and enable application only on suitable skin tones. This unique safety feature will not enable treatment if your skin is too dark or too tanned taking the guesswork out of treatment. Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K has been designed with your safety in mind, and tested and approved by top dermatologists and plastic surgeons to meet their safety standards for a home-use device. But like any skin product or electronic device, one must use according to the operating instructions and user precautions. The applicator tip of Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K has been designed so that a light pulse can only be emitted when the applicator is in contact with the skin. This eliminates the possibility of an accidental flash of light directly towards the user’s eyes. How can I maximize my treatment results? 1. Start with clean, shaven skin - NO WAXING. 2. Progress quickly to higher energy levels - once you have tested all treatment areas on the low energy setting we recommend you move up to higher levels. 3. Schedule your treatments in two week intervals. Typically you will see results after the 3rd or 4th treatment - after this you can start treating monthly. How long does a treatment session take? The time can vary depending on the area of the body treated. A two full legs can take up to 30 minutes, or two underarms could take less than 10 minutes. Since the device runs on regular electric power it can be used for as long as needed to complete a full treatment of the desired area(s) for hair removal. How often should I use the device? Treatment sessions with Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K should be spaced every two weeks for the first three to four sessions. After that treatments should be done if hairs have grown back, until the desired results are achieved. The total number of sessions varies from person to person, but, in general, most individuals notice a reduction after four treatments, with very good results after six treatments. Most females require eight full sessions. Males tend to have more stubborn and deeper hair and may require ten-twelve treatments. For more information please click here. Is it effective on white, grey or blonde hairs? Treatments work best on darker hair types, or hair that contains more melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives hair and skin its color, and will absorb light energy. Black and dark brown respond the best, although brown and light brown hairs will also respond but typically require more treatments. Red may show some response. White, grey or blonde hairs usually don’t respond as well to treatments though some users have noted results after multiple treatments. For more information on why certain hair types respond better than other please refer to the Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K instruction manual. Can I use Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K on brown or black skin? Do not use SensEpil Pro 65K on naturally dark skin complexion. SensEpil Pro 65K removes unwanted hair by selectively addressing hair pigment. Varied quantities of pigment also exist in the surrounding tissue of skin. The quantity of pigment in a particular person’s skin, which is manifested by their skin complexion, determines the degree of risk they are exposed to using SensEpil Pro 65K . Treating dark skin can result in adverse effects such as burns, blisters, and skin color changes (hyper- or hypo-pigmentation). Many other laser and light devices, professionally and at home, also have the same restrictions on naturally dark skin complexion. SensEpil Pro 65K comes with a built-in Skin Color Sensor that is designed to measure the skin tone of the applied surface and enable application only on suitable skin tones. This unique safety feature will not enable treatment if your skin is too dark or too tanned. When will I see results from Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K? As with any light-based or laser hair removal device, results are not immediate, and in fact you may not think anything happened all. Most users see noticeable reduction after 4 treatments. Each time you treat, you should increase the energy level. It is important to be patient and consistent during your hair removal process as hair may sometimes appear to be growing back after a treatment, but typically after two weeks many of these hairs will simply fall out. It is important to understand the hair growth cycle. Hair grows in three different stages and only hairs in an active growth stage will be affected by a Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K treatment. This is one of the main reasons that multiple treatments are required to achieve the desired result. For more information on the hair growth cycle Are there side effects from using Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K ? When used properly most users of Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K report feeling a slight sensation of heat when the pulse of light is emitted. Side effects and complications, while possible, are not common if SensEpil Pro 65K is used according to the instructions and precautions included with the device. Please read these instructions before beginning treatment. In clinical studies a small fraction of users reported some sensation of heat, redness around the hair shaft, and slight swelling. These conditions usually subsided within an hour after treatment. For more information on side-effects and how to avoid them please read the SensEpil Pro 65K instruction manual. Can I use the SensEpil Pro 65k if I’ve been waxing, tweezing or using depilatory cream? The SensEpil Pro 65k is best used when users have not been waxing, tweezing, or using depilatory cream within two weeks of treatment. The Flash&Go targets hair follicles and when a person has been waxing, tweezing, or using depilatory cream there is no hair in the hair follicle for the device to target. Please allow 2 weeks for hair to grow back if you have been waxing tweezing or using depilatory cream. Can a man use Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K ? Yes, SensEpil Pro 65K may be used by men, although hairs on men, especially those on the chest, will require more treatments than those of women to get the desired results. Why is my hair growing, even though I treated it a week ago? It is quite common for hair to appear as if it is still growing up to two weeks after a treatment with SensEpil Pro 65K . This process is known as “ejection” and at around two-weeks you’ll see that these hairs simply fall out or slide out with a slight tug. (We don’t however recommend pulling on the hairs – just let them come out naturally.) It is also possible that some hairs, due to missed treatment or different stages of growth, were not affected by the SensEpil Pro 65K treatment. These hairs will be treated in follow-up sessions, hence the need for multiple treatments in order to get the best results. I’ve heard that some hairs grow back lighter and finer after light treatment? This phenomenon is well documented amongst aestheticians and doctors using light and laser devices for hair removal. It is possible that some hairs will grow back lighter and finer after treatment. Usually these hairs are a fraction of what was originally there, and continued treatment may have a desirable effect on them. Why can’t I treat myself if I have an “active” suntan? Do not use Silk’n™ on tanned skin or after sun exposure! Tanned skin particularly following sun exposure, contains large quantities of the pigment Melanin. This applies to all skin types and complexions, including those which don’t seem to tan quickly. The presence of large quantities of Melanin exposes the skin to higher risk of adverse effects when using SensEpil Pro 65K, or any other energy based treatment, including burns, blisters, and skin color changes (hyper- or hypo-pigmentation). Are there any warnings or contraindications for SensEpil Pro 65K ? Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K has been purposely designed with your safety in mind, but certain conditions may limit your ability to treat yourself with the device. To fully understand these limitations we recommend that you read the Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K warnings and contraindications in the Safety Guide or click here to read the list of contra indications. Is long-term use of Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K dangerous for my skin? The use of light and laser energy in aesthetic medicine has been well documented for over 15 years in professional peer-reviewed journals, and by well respected institutions like the Mayo Clinic. These journals and institutions have not reported any side-effects or damage from long-term use of light and laser device. How often do I need to replace the lamp cartridge? The lamp cartridge life is limited to approximately 1,500 pulses, which are enough to treat an entire body once, or achieve multiple treatments on the legs only, underarms only, and so on. The warning lights on the SensEpil Pro 65K control panel will let you know when you are close to, or have reached, the 1,500 pulse limit. How long should I wait to treat with Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K after unprotected exposure to the sun? As noted in the manual one should wait 4 weeks before treating with Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K after unprotected exposure to the sun. However, if there is ever any uncertainty about sun exposure please contact our customer care department. Should I do anything before treating with Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K? Before any Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K treatment it is important to avoid sun exposure on the treated area for at least four weeks. A high level UV Sun Screen (SPF 50+) will help, as will clothing covering the treated area. The area to be treated should also be cleaned with mild soap and water, and the hairs shaved down to skin level. Do I need special eye protection when using Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K? Silk’n SensEpil Pro 65K has been designed with eye safety in mind, and special eye protection is not required. The unique safety mechanism of the SensEpil Pro 65K applicator assures safe and proper treatment on the target hairs only when the applicator tip is placed firmly on the treatment area. Some flashing light will be seen around the side of the treatment area, but is not harmful and similar to what one sees from a camera flash. How should I treat around the lips? For your safety, it is important to avoid pulsing the SensEpil Pro 65K lamp on your lips as your lip color is darker than the surrounding skin. Your lips may attract more light and this can cause unwanted side effects. To treat around the lip area we suggest using white surgical tape on your lips to protect your lips. Should I pull the hairs out after treatment? No, let the hairs gradually fall out on their own. This may take up to 2 weeks. Will I be charged a cross border tariff? No, all orders placed in Canada are shipped from Canada and all orders placed in the USA are shipped from the USA. Reviews Excellent! Be patient and don't expect for it to remove all of your hair within a few treatments. In fact, it took a year to remove most of the hair on my legs, underarms, chin and upper lip. Now it is just a few stray hairs. Essentially, if you expect miracles you will be disappointed, however, the product really does work. I would definitely recommend it! Product works well If you are tired of shaving or enduring bikini waxes get this product. It takes a little time and patience but it works. I received this in April and started using it regularly on my legs, bikini and underarms and by the end of June i did not need to shave again for the remainder of the summer. Now I only need to spot treat areas every 4 -6 weeks at most. worked like a PRO Let me tell you something.... This product got all the hair off my troublesome areas. I didn't notice a huge difference in the first couple uses but by the 4th or 5th use my hair was virtually gone. Thank. you. Silk'n! It worked I thought the pro was very easy to use and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it worked as I am always skeptical of these types of machines. I can not complain. Great product. No hair! This really worked after 3 uses! The hair grows back less and less after every use. Totally worth the money. No hair! This product worked great for me. I have recommended it to all my friends! WOW! I was so tired of buying razors that I decided to take the plunge and give the pro a shot. After about 4 uses my hair was not growing back! Customer Service Connect With Us We Accept Sign up for the official Silk'n newsletter. Newsletter Return and Cancellation Policy If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it and we will refund your money (less shipping and handling). In order to receive the full refund, you must return your product within the product's specified return period (listed below, starting from the date of purchase). You must also provide proof of the purchase by providing an invoice or receipt that specifically lists the date of purchase. To qualify for the money back guarantee the product must be purchased on-line at www.Silkn.com or by any other method from HomeSkinovations Inc. If you purchased your device from anywhere other than Home Skinovations Inc. you must contact them for details regarding their return policy. Please find your product below to see the money back guarantee time period: FaceFX- 30-day money back guarantee ReVit- 30-day money back guarantee SonicCleanPlus- 30-day money back guarantee Blue- 30-day money back guarantee Swirl- 30-day money back guarantee Pedi- 30-day money back guarantee DermBeaute- 30-day money back guarantee Flash&Go- 60-day money back guarantee Flash&Go Luxx- 60-day money back guarantee SensEpil- 60-day money back guarantee SensEpilXL 65K- 60-day money back guarantee SensEpil Pro 65k- 60-day money back guarantee Skin Care Products and Cartridges Other Silk'n skin care and cartridge products are consumable and are therefore considered non-refundable. Refused Orders Should you refuse to accept delivery of your Silk’n device at the time of its arrival, you will receive your credit minus any shipping costs incurred by Home Skinovations plus a 20% handling charge. Once we receive the unit and it is examined and approved by our returns department, we will credit your account. Cancellations Purchase orders are processed same day, making it possible to get customers their Silk’n as soon as possible. Should you decide to cancel your order, you must do so immediately. We will do our best to cancel the order before it ships, but we cannot guarantee that we can cancel an order once it is placed. To do this you must call our Customer Service Department at 1-877-DO-SILKN (367-4556). Please do NOT email cancellation requests. You are responsible for any shipping charges incurred if your order ships, as well as an additional 20% cancellation fee. Return Procedure If you purchased your Silk’n from Home Skinovations Inc. and you would like to return it, contact our Customer Service Department at 1-877-DO-SILKN (367-4556) for your Return Authorization Number. If you purchased your Silk’n from anywhere other than Home Skinovations Inc. you must contact them for their return policy. Home Skinovations Inc. cannot accept returns for products purchased elsewhere. Your returned product must have a Home Skinovations Inc. Return Authorization Number. A return will not be accepted without prior authorization. Returns must be received within 30 days of the date the return authorization was issued, or a 20% handling charge will be charged. To ensure that the device arrives safely and undamaged, please pack it in the original packaging and remember to include all accessories or parts and pieces in order to receive the full refund. It is suggested that you insure your shipment because damage during shipment to the retailer or to Home Skinovations is not covered by this guarantee. You may also want to ship the product using a tracking method so that you can ensure that we receive the device. Please allow up to 10 business days for your return to be inspected and for accounting to issue your credit. Third-Party Purchases If you have purchased your Silk’n through a source other than Home Skinovations Inc., you must coordinate the return with that source and according to their product return policy. Some distributors have their own return policy. Please make sure to review the source's return policy before making your purchase decision. FDA Clearance BREAKING NEWS Now Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared for PERMANENT HAIR REDUCTION. Silk’n, the leader for personal light-based hair removal, is proud to assure you that our family of products is cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as of March 19, 2008. This accumulates to over 3 years of continued consumer satisfaction in product performance and clinical efficacy. All consumers should double check that any hair removal device they are using has received FDA clearance. Silk'n highly cautions against purchasing a device without appropriate approvals. The efficacy and safety was tested in a multi-center clinical study involving four internationally acclaimed medical centers in North America and Israel. The Silk'n family includes the Silk'n Blue, SensEpil and Flash&Go Luxx. The Silk'n products are approved for use in many other areas of the world including Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe.

Category Archives: Installation & Configuration You can distribute the user load in Microsoft Dynamics AX across multiple instances of Application Object Server (AOS) by creating a load balancing cluster. Clustering overview Microsoft Dynamics AX offers two types of load balancing clusters: A cluster that includes a load balancer A cluster that does not include a load balancer A cluster that includes a load balancer If you set up a cluster that includes a load balancer, the load balancing AOS instance is dedicated to distributing the user load. The load balancing AOS instance does not process Microsoft Dynamics AX business logic or data. In this configuration, you must set up client configurations to connect to the load balancing AOS instance. You can then add and remove other AOS instances from the cluster without updating client configurations. When a client starts, it connects to the load balancing AOS instance. The load balancing AOS instance returns a list of active AOS instances in the cluster, sorted by workload. The client attempts to connect to the first AOS instance in the list. If that connection fails, the client attempts to connect to the second AOS instance in the list, and so on. A cluster that does not include a load balancer If you set up a cluster that does not include a load balancer, each AOS instance functions as both a load balancer and an active AOS instance that accepts client connections. When a client starts, it sends a request to the first server that is listed in the client configuration. That server returns the list of active AOS instances in the cluster, sorted by workload. The client attempts to connect to the first AOS instance in the list. If that connection fails, the client attempts to connect to the second AOS instance in the list, and so on. You cannot configure the Non Load Balanced AOS Instances as a load balancing cluster. The Non Load Balanced AOS Instances is a default entity that enables AOS communications for non-load balanced AOSs. To create an AOS cluster, you must create a new cluster. Enter a name and description for the cluster. Press CTRL+S to save your changes. Add an AOS instance to a cluster Click System administration > Setup > System > Cluster configuration. In the Map AOS instances to clusters section, select an AOS instance. If you want the AOS instance that you selected to function as a load balancer, select the Load balancer option. Note If an AOS instance is used as a load balancer, it cannot be used as a batch server. Click the Cluster name field to display a list of available clusters. Select the cluster that you want to add the AOS instance to. Press CTRL+S to save your changes. Change client configurations If the cluster uses one or more load-balancing AOS instances, set client configurations to connect to these load balancing AOS instances. Use the Microsoft Dynamics AX Configuration utility to change client configurations. For more information, see my post Manage a client configuration .

Police arrest Rachel Ramone Donlan (C) after she handed out free marijuana joints to DC residents who worked on Capitol Hill as part of the 1st Annual Joint Session to mark "4/20" day and promote legalising marijuana. Photo: AFP

Parents of the Parkland shooting victims are among those who are demanding that the game not be released. The impending release of a video game that lets players kill students and police officers in a simulated school shooting has prompted outrage from survivors and parents of school shooting victims. store.steampowered.com Active Shooter is set to be released on June 6 on Steam — a gaming platform owned by a Washington-based entertainment technology and software company called Valve. The game's announcement comes in the wake of two recent school shootings in Florida and Texas. Seventeen people were killed in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. On May 18, 10 people died after a gunman opened fire at Santa Fe High School in Texas. Valve did not respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment. Active Shooter allows players to pick the role of either a SWAT team member or the active shooter whose objective is to "hunt and destroy." store.steampowered.com A demo of the game on Steam shows a simulated school shooting, during which a player kills multiple civilians and police officers at a school, and also detonates an explosive device inside one of the rooms. store.steampowered.com Ryan Petty, the father of a 14-year-old victim of the Parkland school shooting, Alaina Petty, called the game "despicable" and "unacceptable." Despicable. Let @steam_games know games depicting “active shooter” scenarios in schools, where players shoot civilians, students & law enforcement are unacceptable. https://t.co/7utMvVqYzT "It’s disgusting that Valve Corp. is trying to profit from the glamorization of tragedies affecting our schools across the country," Petty wrote on Facebook. "Keeping our kids safe is a real issue affecting our communities and is in no way a 'game.'" Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jaime Guttenberg in the Parkland school shooting, also slammed the game, saying that Valve "should face the wrath of everyone who cares about school and public safety." This company should face the wrath of everyone who cares about school and public safety and it should start immediately. Do not buy this game for your kids or any other game made by this company. https://t.co/LbkXy0upwc Florida Sen. Bill Nelson said that those responsible for such a game in the wake of recent school shootings "should be ashamed." This is inexcusable. Any company that develops a game like this in wake of such a horrific tragedy should be ashamed of itself. https://t.co/jjp6LxNWhC Samuel Zeif, a Parkland shooting survivor, asked people to sign a petition urging Valve not to launch the game on Steam. Please sign this petition against the launch of a SCHOOL SHOOTING VIDEO GAME... it makes me sick I even have to tweet this #ChangeTheRef https://t.co/vAiPxIKEzC More than 60,000 people have signed the petition as of Tuesday. change.org "How can anyone sleep at night knowing that they are profiting from turning deadly school shootings into entertainment?" Stephanie Robinett, a Seattle mother who started the petition, wrote on the page. "The company is taking the stand that this game is legal because of free speech and everything else that tech billionaires hide behind when they are doing something the public knows is absolutely, morally corrupt but legally fine — but we cannot stand for this," she wrote. Others on Twitter also urged Steam not to launch the game on its platform, saying it would be a "slap in the face to the hundreds/thousands of students who have had to live through real school shootings." .@steam_games I think it would be incredibly insensitive of you, and a slap in the face to the hundreds/thousands of students who have had to live through real school shootings - if you release your new 'Active Shooter' game. "This is far, far, far beyond the vilest thing ever," one Twitter user said. Please, everyone: @steam_games is the maker of an unreleased Active Shooter game depiction of killing "civilians" (read: your children) and cops in a school setting. This is far, far, far beyond the vilest thing ever. Please RT to let Steam know this is unacceptable, inhumane. https://t.co/cnMvgXjW0Z A parent said she was banning her sons from using Steam unless the platform got rid of Active Shooter. Hey @steam_games you need to get rid of the Active Shooter game or I'm banning my sons from spending money on your platform. A video game designer urged people to boycott Active Shooter on Steam, saying it would reflect badly on other designers. BOYCOTT Active Shooter game on @steam_games Revived Games has gone too far and it will reflect even worse for all of us designers who want to make great games.... Help me take out the trash, tell Steam we are not having this.... Acid — a Russia-based game publishing house behind Active Shooter — defended the game, saying that it did not promote mass shooting or violence. Acid A statement posted on Acid's Steam profile page said "I have been stormed with accusations and heavy critics from people across the globe." The statement suggested that Acid would be "more likely to remove the shooter's role in the game" before its release. Acid Publishing Group is a three-person company that was started in Russia in 2017, according to its profile on Steam. In the statement, Acid defended the game, saying that it "does not promote any sort of violence, especially any soft of a mass shooting," adding that other games such as Hatred and Carmageddon were "even worst compared to Active Shooter and literally focuses on mass shootings/killings of people." "While I can see people's anger and why this might be a bad idea for the game, I still feel like this topic should be left alone," Acid's statement said. The publisher said that he had written to Valve about the game and was awaiting their response. "After receiving such high amount of critics and hate, I will more likely remove the shooters role in this game by the release, unless if it can be kept as it is right now," the statement said. Acid did not not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment. Other games published by Acid on Steam include White Power and Tyde Pod Challenge. Acid In a disclaimer on Active Shooter's demo video, the developer of the game said: "Revived Games believes violence and inappropriate actions belong in video games and not real world." store.steampowered.com

Inhibition of respiratory complex I by copper(ii)-bis(thiosemicarbazonato) complexes. Several copper(ii) complexes of bis(thiosemicarbazones) [Cu(btsc)s] show promise as therapeutics for the treatment of neurological diseases, cancers and bacterial infections. These complexes are thought to act primarily as copper ionophores or "copper boosting" agents, whereby the Cu(II) centre is reduced by cytosolic reductants and Cu(I) is released as "free" or "bioavailable" ion. It is then assumed that the dissociated Cu(I) ion is the species responsible for many of the observed biological effects of Cu(btsc)s. We recently showed that Cu(btsc) complexes inhibited NADH dehydrogenases in the bacterial respiratory chain. In this work, we demonstrate that Cu(btsc) complexes also inhibit mitochondrial respiration and that Complex I in the mitochondrial electron transport chain is a specific target of inhibition. However, bioavailable Cu ions do not appear to contribute to the action of Cu(btsc) as a respiratory inhibitor. Instead, an intact Cu(btsc) molecule may bind reversibly and competitively to the site of ubiquinone binding in Complex I. Our results add to the growing body of evidence that the intact complex may be important in the overall cellular activity of Cu(btsc) complexes and further the understanding of their biological effects as a potential therapeutic.

Background {#Sec1} ========== Person Centred coordinated care {#Sec2} ------------------------------- Person Centred Care (PCC) has been shown to improve processes within, and outcomes of, health care services and is a promising strategy for alleviating the current burdens imposed on health care services \[[@CR1]\]. A specific model of Person Centred (Coordinated) Care (P3C) \[[@CR2]--[@CR5]\] has been developed and informed by service user "I" statements: narrative accounts of what they perceive to be good PCC \[[@CR6]\], the House of Care Model \[[@CR7]\] and research literature \[[@CR5]\]. It is built upon five domains that are core to P3C: Communication and Information, (service user) Goals/Outcomes, Decision making, Care Planning and Transitions \[[@CR2]--[@CR5]\]. Health and social care professionals can apply these domains to practice by "working collaboratively with people who use services **(communication**); \[by supporting\] people to develop the knowledge **(information),** skills and the confidence they need to more effectively manage and make informed decisions **(decision making)** about their own health and health care; \[by making care\] coordinated **(transitions)** and tailored to their needs **(goals/outcomes**) and by ensuring that people are treated with dignity, compassion and respect **(communication)** through improved **care planning** and care delivery" (\[[@CR8]\], p. 3 - domains added by authors). Within the aforementioned P3C model, each domain is broken down into its component parts and translated into four actions that can be performed in practice (see Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"} below; the first three actions were developed by Ekman, Swedberg and Taft et al \[[@CR9]\] from the Gothenburg centre for PCC. The fourth action, \'care coordination\', was later added by Lloyd et al \[[@CR3], [@CR4]\]). One component of the domain 'Information/Communication', for example, is 'knowledge of person and familiarity'. This component can be translated into action by a practitioner encouraging and actively listening to a patient's own narrative account of their holistic health issues and care needs.Fig. 1A model of P3C: translating P3C principles into action \[[@CR4]\] Measuring person Centred coordinated care {#Sec3} ----------------------------------------- Patient experience, most frequently measured using patient reported measures (PRMS), is arguably one of the most important ways for assessing whether P3C is being delivered \[[@CR10]\]. Such measures probe P3C as either a general construct (e.g. the Person-Centred Coordinated Care Experience Questionnaire -- P3CEQ) \[[@CR11]\] or a sub-component of it, e.g. shared decision-making (e.g. through the OPTION observation tool \[[@CR12]\]. PRMs can be used to elicit patient scores (and free text in some cases) of their experiences and outcomes (e.g. symptom states and behaviour) using numerical scales. Several variants fall under the umbrella term PRM: Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) and Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), including also Individualised Patient Reported measures (iPROs), which are a particular type of PROMs. All of these are defined in existing literature \[[@CR4], [@CR13]\] and in an online compendium of PRMs that relate to P3C \[[@CR5]\]. How PRMs are used to inform healthcare {#Sec4} -------------------------------------- Although PRMs have been used predominantly in research to assess whether interventions have achieved intended outcomes \[[@CR4], [@CR14], [@CR15]\] for patients and service delivery (including P3C), there is some evidence that they can serve as a mechanism for enhancing P3C directly. Specifically, PRM use has been shown in various health settings (including neurosurgery, oncology routine and palliative care to: enhance communication and the identification of patient problems; inform diagnoses; facilitate clinical decision-making and the monitoring of progress and to help empower patients to self-manage their care (e.g. \[[@CR16]--[@CR31]\]). In addition, the potential benefits of using PRMs for other domains of care have been explored and identified through the development of a conceptual framework describing the potential effects of using PROMs in chronic care management \[[@CR32]\]. Within the framework, it is argued that 'patient activation,' for example, could be enhanced through PRM use by enabling practitioners to gauge current levels of activation and to understand *how* to improve upon those levels. For example, if the individual has low levels of confidence about self-managing their health care issues, the practitioner could work with the patient on improving this specific aspect of activation \[[@CR32]\]. Rationale for this study {#Sec5} ------------------------ There is increasing clarity over what P3C is and how it can be translated into practice \[[@CR4]\]. This is important as P3C has been shown to improve health outcomes as well as processes and experiences of care \[[@CR1]\]. There is also growing evidence that PRMs can provide a means of directly enhancing the delivery of P3C in healthcare settings, as well as measure it. However, there are many challenges limiting PRM application in clinical practice \[[@CR21], [@CR26]\]. Consequently, there are potentially huge benefits from better understanding how PRMs are being utilised in different contexts; whether this is part of a research project, driven by service improvement activities or part of routine clinical practice, so that services can learn from one another and levels of P3C can be improved upon. However, practitioners are increasingly using PRMs to improve their delivery of healthcare in isolation and without clear guidance \[[@CR15], [@CR27], [@CR30], [@CR31]\], whereas clinical commissioning initiatives and NHS programmes of care for the routine use of PRMs are often not shared nor widely disseminated \[[@CR4]\]. This study sought to elicit professionals' experience-based perspectives on whether PRMs can enhance P3C in practice and what factors impede or facilitate this process, so that services can benefit from each other's experiences and the potential (and limitations) of PRMs to improve P3C can be further understood, addressed and realised in the future. This study builds upon, but differs from existing research on this topic area as: (1) while existing studies have focused on PRM use in a particular health setting, we sought perspectives from a range of practitioners and non-practitioners, from a number of different institutional settings, to elicit a broader understanding of how PRMs can be used to improve P3C in practice, (2) the study aimed to look at the use of different types of PRMs (PROM, PREM and iPROs), rather than one type of PRM and (3) we intended to capture real life instances of how PRMs could improve the delivery of **each** P3C domain, rather than focusing on the actualisation of individual components or building a theoretical model of what PRMs could offer. This would enable areas of strength or potential gaps in PRMs ability to enhance P3C in practice to be identified. Methods {#Sec6} ======= Study design {#Sec7} ------------ A mix of primary and secondary qualitative data, including a total of 26 semi-structured interviews were collected to identify 1) how practitioners are using PRMs to enhance their practice and 2) barriers and facilitators that impacted on these applications. Data collection {#Sec8} --------------- ### Primary data collection {#Sec9} Fourteen participants were purposively selected for this study to ensure a range of experiences was captured. Participants had either a single role, or a combination of roles as a researcher, commissioner or practitioner, programme or network manager or lead, or local government director. The interviewee was still viewed as a practitioner even if they were not currently employed in that role. The type of health issues they were primarily concerned with varied, with some participants focusing on the general health of people within a population, their locality or institution and others trying to improve care for specific conditions/stages of life, such as cancer and care for people reaching the end of life. Potential participants were identified by reviewing media coverage of PRM use, grey literature and through suggestions made by interviewees and fellow researchers. Consequently, the type of professional roles and institutional settings sampled in the study was not limited by an over reliance on one researcher's initial points of interest or knowledge of the subject area or a particular heath setting. The only inclusion criteria were that the potential participant had been involved in the design, implementation, or study of at least one PRM in the last year with the aim of improving healthcare delivery. Potential participants were initially contacted by email by author 1 and sent an information sheet and consent form to review. Participants, who had given informed consent, were interviewed by Authors 1 and 2 between February and July 2016. ### Secondary data collection {#Sec10} During initial reviews of the primary data, an emerging analytic interest became practitioners' accounts of how PRMs had been implemented in practice (by themselves or another practitioner) to improve P3C. While the primary dataset provided rich accounts of such experiences from practitioners (*n* = 6) and non-practitioners (*n* = 8), the authors, after an initial analysis of the data, felt the study would benefit from the dataset being extended through more first-hand practitioner accounts. Consequently, we conducted a secondary analysis of an existing dataset, which included interviews with 14 healthcare practitioners who were currently practicing, conducted between February 2016 and April 2017. These practitioners were implementing new models of care in the South West at the time of their interview. We used the same methodological approach for this dataset that we had used for the primary dataset. The participants were GPs, community workers, nurses and care-planning professionals with medical and non-medical backgrounds. The practitioners were working within the primary care sector and consequently, dealt with a range of physical and mental health issues and often had to coordinate care with secondary and third sector services. The new model of care they were implementing targeted long-term conditions. Consequently, a large number of the patients that they saw were elderly with complex needs; requiring a complete P3C approach. These participants' interviews were screened for reference to PRM use. 12 out of the 14 interviews contained at least one reference to the use of PRMs. ### Cumulative data set {#Sec11} Twenty-six interviews with various professionals working in, or with, healthcare services. 18 of the 26 professionals were clinicians (and may or may not have had additional roles). Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"} provides an overview of the sample's characteristics. The cumulative dataset included data from 10 males and 16 females; 18 professionals who were practitioners and 8 who were not and 24 British and 2 non-British participants. The diversity of institutional settings, roles and health interests within our sample provided a strong opportunity for all aspects of P3C to be mapped.Table 1Sample characteristicsPractitioner/Non-practitionerFemale/MaleLocationPrimary data setPractitioner = 6Males *n* = 6UK *n* = 12Non- practitioner *n* = 8Female *n* = 8Other *n* = 2Total participants*n* = 14Secondary data setPractitioner *n* = 12Males *n* = 3UK *n* = 12Non-practitioner *n* = 0Female *n* = 9Other *n* = 0Total participants*n* = 12Cumulative data setPractitioner *n* = 18Males *n* = 10UK *n* = 24Non-practitioner *n* = 8Female *n* = 16Other *n* = 2Total participants*n* = 26 ### Interview methods {#Sec12} All interviews lasted 30--60 min, were conducted using semi-structured topic guides and were audio recorded and transcribed. All primary data interviews were conducted over the telephone, whereas secondary data interviews were conducted as either face-to face or telephone interviews. ### Analysis {#Sec13} To build a collective understanding of how PRMs were being used to enhance individual domains of P3C from our interview data, which derived from a diverse range of settings and professional roles, we used thematic analysis \[[@CR33]\]. A method that enables patterns (themes) within interview data, which are relevant to a particular phenomenon or research question, to be identified and examined. All interviews were transcribed, anonymised and assigned a unique identifier before being entered into NVivo for analysis. Author 1 began the analysis by first familiarising herself with the data. The primary data was then coded inductively and modified in NVivo until a set of codes, which exhaustively and accurately captured various forms of PRM use was created. This codebook informed the analysis of the secondary data. New inductive codes from the secondary dataset were added to the codebook and checked for in the primary dataset. Coded extracts across the entire data set were reviewed and compared so that codes that fitted together and provided a unique insight into PRM use to enhance P3C could be collated to form a theme. These themes were then reviewed in terms of whether the data supported the theme, whether the themes could be split into further sub-themes or whether themes could be collapsed. This process resulting in a robust pattern of themes and saturation point being reached (we could find no additional data to further develop our existing themes). Using the aforementioned model of P3C as a guide \[[@CR2]--[@CR5]\], themes were then mapped to P3C domains components \[[@CR2]--[@CR5]\] that relate to each of the five main domain headings, if they related to the fulfilment of that P3C activity. As every instance of a PRM being used to enhance a P3C domain was used in the thematic analysis and 'counted' to create a prevalence figure for each domain (see Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"}), irregular themes (in terms of how frequently they were reported) were also examined and are reported on later in the results section e.g. shared decision making (*n* = 1). A framework analysis approach was not adopted at the start, so that the themes were data driven, rather than influenced by a priori P3C themes. However, through the mapping process the P3C domains provided an objective 'framework' by which to organise themes and re-assess whether they best represented the data. Inter-rater reliability was checked by Author 2 performing a blind coding of 10% of the transcripts, coding differences were discussed during a meeting before the mapped P3C themes were finalised. Finally, barriers and facilitators for the uptake of PRMs in clinical practice were summarized.Table 2Coverage of P3C domains and components within the datasetP3C Domains\ X is used to highlight P3C components that themes were not mapped onto (were not reported as being enhanced through PRM use).Information and communication\ (Dataset: primary and secondary)\ *n* = 12My goals/outcomes\ (Dataset: primary and secondary)\ *n* = 10Decision-making\ (Dataset: primary)\ *n* = 1Care planning\ (Dataset: primary)\ *n* = 10Transitions\ *n* = 0Components of P3CConsistency of contact, P3C behaviours and skillsGoal setting/outcomesSupport for Shared decision makingCo-created plan of careXContinuity of care (regular appointment and follow up)Information gathering and sharingEmpowerment/ActivationKey worker, coordinatorKnowledge of person and familiaritySelf-managementResponsive and appropriate contactXInvolvement of carersCoordination of care/support within and across teamsMedication (in this case treatment) review/plan Results {#Sec14} ======= The primary data generated themes for 4 out of the 5 P3C domains, with 'Transitions' not receiving any coverage. The secondary data yielded themes for 2 of the domains already mapped onto through the primary data (Information and Communication and Goals/outcomes). 3 of the 4 mapped P3C domains (Information and Communication, My Goals/Outcomes and Care Planning) were mapped frequently onto themes generated by the participants' interviews about PRM use. However, the domain 'Decision Making' was only mapped onto one theme. Both datasets provided information on what factors served as a facilitator or barrier to practitioners' applications of the PRMs. In Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"}, a **X** has been assigned to P3C components \[[@CR2]--[@CR5]\] that themes were not mapped onto (were not reported as being enhanced through PRM use). If no **X** is assigned, the component was mapped onto (was enhanced through PRM use). A numerical figure for how many participants contributed to themes mapped to each domain is provided in the horizontal column headings. This figure indicates how prevalent the P3C domain was in the particpants accounts or, in other words, how many of the particpants reported a similar experience of PRM use. Detailed accounts of themes are provided in indivudalised sections below. In each section, the sequential ordering of the themes is based on their prevalence within the data set, with the most frequently presented themes provided first. Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"} provides quotes to accompany the themes for the three domains that received most coverage.Table 3Quotes to accompany themes regarding PRM useP3C DomainsInformation and communicationMy goals/outcomesCare planning1a) *Facilitating the presentation of symptom change and current status* "Some people find it really helpful to do the \[PAM\] and the \[WEMWBS\] because it gives them a tool for focusing their questions and how they're feeling".2a) *Self-management: PRMs can help practitioners identify issues and areas for improvement*\ "\[The PAM\] highlights areas they may think they are confident about, but in reality they're not. If completed with conversation \[you can\] set goals to improve".*4a) Supporting health practitioners to provide tailored care*\ "They have identified through this huge \[PROM\] database what is a really good treatment for this type of patient".\ "There was discussion about whether or not long-term conditions should include Dementia... We \[said\] you need to add that as a separate consideration \[as it will involve\] a completely different kind of tailored support and we want to be able to know what that looks like".1b) *Enriched practitioner - patient conversations*\ "It helps the patient to identify things about their disease and about their health that may not surface otherwise if you don't ask these questions".\ "We ask patients to do the Warwick and then right in front of us we can see a bit about how the patients feeling and lift a conversation out of that and say how does it make you feel to see what you've written down".\ "It's very good for building up relationships actually, I know we moan about the paperwork, but sometimes you can get to know different sides to the person. It does make them more open to talking I think sometimes".*2b) Empowerment*\ *encouraging patient engagement in their care through PRMs*\ "As a diary -- print them off put them into a folder... linking to it through their phone".\ "\[PRM data\] can improve their understanding of their disease and what we're trying to measure ... because this is an area that we think is important and should be important to you".\ "When they're reporting and they seem to be getting better, but \[their results show\] they're not, you can begin to work with the difference between the two".*4b) PRMs enabling ongoing monitoring of patients' condition and progress with treatment*\ "So we could have a threshold for a change, for example. So if you, you know, move by two points or one point or whatever, actually that then flags that on to another dashboard that says, this patient...and we can then run a telephone clinic potentially".1c) *Creating communication pathways between healthcare services and patients; creating a more person-focused service*\ "We were able to say, look this is what patients actually want. This is where we're not scoring so well, that we don't provide access in that practice. So, they then turned around and said, okay we will fund".2c) "*Headway made with personal goals*\ Let's focus on a goal instead, let's focus on you running the marathon each year and let's see what we can do about that. So, let's use the PROM and the PREM about this to see how things \[get on\]".4c) *Using PRMs to keep care plans current and relevant*\ "It was more useful for the clinical changes to drive the frequency of outcome measures. So, we use a measure called Phase of Illness, which captures the context of the current illness; whether somebody is stable, unstable, deteriorating, or dying".1d) *Generating pre-consultation communication*\ "Physicians can see \[before the visit\] okay, there are some things here that we need to take care of and can identify things about their disease".*4d) PRMs enabling remote management of stable patients*\ "We've got cohorts of patients that we know are quite stable; they're highly educated. They understand what's required of them. Why do we need to see these patients in clinic or as frequently as we have been? Patients that aren't terribly engaged, struggle with education and understanding around conditions - surely they're the ones that we should be concentrating the resources and education on". P3C domain: Information and communication theme 1a) facilitating the presentation of symptom change and current status (practitioner and non-practitioner participant data) {#Sec15} --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Participants spoke of how it can sometimes be difficult for patients to give specific details on how their symptoms have changed, for example: "I'm not feeling so well right now, but last week I was okay*",* making it difficult for a practitioner to interpret what change has occurred. This communication barrier can be addressed through PROMs by enabling patients' subjective feelings about symptom change to be represented by a score. Current scores could be compared to previous scores to give a more accurate depiction of what degree of change had occurred. By posing questions about specific states, PROMs can also help patients to focus on how and what they want to communicate about their current symptoms. Participants spoke of how different versions of PRMs had been especially designed to help people with difficulties with verbalisation. Participants described their experiences using Talking Mats (a tool designed to help improve the lives of people with communication difficulties by helping them to communicate effectively about things that are important to them) \[[@CR34]\] and their own measures (and adjusted scoring schemes) with people who can respond on behalf of patients who are reaching the end of life (proxy measures). The design of alternative versions of standard PRMs may support people who may not have previously been able to voice their own perspective on their health, wellbeing and their experiences of care in becoming more involved in their care. Theme 1b) enriched practitioner - patient conversations (practitioner data) {#Sec16} --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRMs prompted coverage of issues that may not have otherwise been addressed during the consultation, but which are essential for a holistic outlook on how the patient's condition is affecting them. Enquiring holistically about a problem i.e. asking about possible psychosocial issues, rather than just biomedical symptoms, may help practitioners to detect emotional aspects to problems that patients may not usually disclose. It may also encourage patient narratives to build during the consultation, by conveying a willingness to deviate from a generic line of practitioner questioning (where the practitioner controls of the direction of the interaction), by instead focusing on what the patient has identified as being as important (through the PRMs); resulting in co-constructed diagnoses and treatment plans \[[@CR35]\]. Furthermore, PRMs prompting of holistic dialogue may explain why participants. reported that PRMs encouraged patient reflection during consultations, as narratives can enhance reflective thinking during medical consultations \[[@CR36]\]. Another explanation, provided by one participant, was that reflection was facilitated by patients having to confront their own perspective of their current state of health and/or wellbeing. Though these enriched conversations the practitioner can build a more comprehensive understanding of who the patient is and improve their relationship with the patient. Theme1c) creating communication pathways between healthcare services and patients; creating a more person-focused service (practitioner and non-practitioner participant data) {#Sec17} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Participants spoke of how professionals' perspectives on what patients regard as being important, may not match what patients consider most important in relation to their care. PRM data can help make this distinction and justify practitioners' continued efforts on, and financial support for, areas of care that patients value; enabling practitioners to extend their role as patient advocate. Outcomes based commissioning is another example of how PRMs can be used to enable patients to have a say in what services they receive. This approach to commissioning was being extensively explored by one participant. Lastly, PRMs were creating a communication pathway between patient and services by providing a means for individual practitioner and services to self-appraise; validating cases of good care and affording them the opportunity to improve and become more P3C focused. Theme 1d) generating pre-consultation communication (practitioner and non-practitioner participant data) {#Sec18} -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three participants stressed the benefits of feedback processes commonly found in feed-forward systems \[[@CR37]\]. Participants spoke of how pre-consultation data collection afforded patients and practitioners the time to reflect on aspects of the patient's condition that the patient had already identified as having a significant impact on their health. This process contrasts sharply with what typically happens in general practice/primary care where the doctor has to take a detailed history of the patient's general health during what is often a time-constrained consultation. With PRMs reducing the need for practitioners to take detailed histories, practitioners are better placed to work with patients on their priorities, place significance on their perspective, and empower patients to co-construct diagnoses and treatment plans. It is important to note that 2/3 participants that contributed to this sub-theme were not from England, which is indicative of literature which suggests that feedforward processes are far more common in the US and Sweden than in the UK \[[@CR37]\]. P3C domain: My goals/outcomes theme 2a) self-management: PRMs can help practitioners identify issues and areas for improvement (practitioner and-non-practitioner participant data) {#Sec19} ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Participants, especially healthcare professionals who were involved in care planning work *(secondary dataset),* spoke of how the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) \[[@CR38]\], a tool designed to measure the knowledge, skills and confidence a person has in managing their own health and care (their 'activation' level) \[[@CR39]\], had helped them to identify areas of care that patients either had misunderstandings about, or no knowledge of at all. A common area that patients lacked knowledge on was their medication. Initial responses to questions within the PAM were explored during extended discussions, to gauge whether a patient's initial response to questions were an accurate representation of their level of understanding. When there were discrepancies, practitioners could work to improve understanding and this resulted in patients feeling happier and more confident about self-management. Extended conversations sometimes provided further details on why, in situations where there was no knowledge, this was the case. For example, because they trusted their doctor they felt no need to understand the reasons behind prescription decisions. They also created opportunities for health practitioners to make sure patients understood what to do in situations where they may need to act on their own (e.g. what to do when conditions become exacerbated). This in turn encouraged patient reflection on why it is important for them to understand their own health needs and care. Without a suitable level of understanding about why they were receiving specific types of care, patients are arguably unable to act, even if there is desire to self-manage. Theme 2b) empowerment: Encouraging patient engagement in their care through PRMs (practitioner participant data) {#Sec20} ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Participants spoke of how PRM feedback processes can encourage patient engagement in their care. This engagement made patients more receptive to information about their conditions, why certain issues relating to their conditions are of importance to practitioners and why they should be considered important by them too. One participant had first-hand experience of using PROMs in clinical (mental health) practice. He had worked with men at risk of suicide who were difficult to engage with and would not normally access mental health services. He had found that the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) \[[@CR38]\] notably improved their ability to engage with the service. The purpose of this PRM made sense to them; they could link it to their social functioning and review their progress. As a practitioner, he also found the measure to be helpful, as by just watching how a patient fills it in *"*can give a glimpse into \[their\] psychological functioning*,"* a point which relates back to the theme discussed in the earlier section; 'PROMs can help improve practitioner understanding of the patient's current state'. There was no mention within the data set of how PRMs had been used to improve or encourage the involvement of carers in the patients' care planning process, or of how they had been used to identify carers' own needs and preferences. Theme 2c) tracking progress made with personal goals (non-practitioner participant data) {#Sec21} ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One participant discussed how PRMs are being increasingly promoted as tools to track patients' progress with personal goals that are meaningful to them, for example, running a race or to dress themselves, as well as the 'biological' impact of treatment. In their experience, if PRMs are used in this way the scheduling of their completion needs to be dictated by patient need i.e. when they feel it is necessary to reflect on their advancement with a goal, rather than by pre-imposed time scales. P3C domain: Shared decision making (practitioner/researcher participant data) {#Sec22} ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Only one participant (*primary dataset*) contributed to themes in this domain. In brief, this participant stated that pre-collected PRM data had enabled practitioners to capture information essential to shared decision making during consultations. The measures helped practitioners to get a sense of how ready the patient was, and what their preferences were for further treatment. A colleague of this participant had embedded a PRM that gaged whether shared decision-making occurred in clinical encounters, into the electronic medical record in two different types of practices. Patients completed the measure post-consultation. Practitioners were then, after a specified period, given cumulative feedback on patients' scores; encouraging reflection on their shared decision-making practices. Practitioners had found this to be a useful process and wanted to continue using the measure. P3C domain: Care planning {#Sec23} ------------------------- ### Theme 4a) supporting health practitioners to provide tailored care (practitioner and non-practitioner participant data) {#Sec24} The PAM had enabled practices to identify the most relevant practitioner for individuals, based on patients' needs and preferences. It could be suggested that matching practitioners to patients in this way can help build a maintainable effective and therapeutic relationship, given adequate resourcing. There were plans to upscale this approach at a wider locality level, so that assignment of professionals from multi-disciplinary teams for chronic conditions to individual patients could be based on activation scores; enabling integration within services to be further developed. Several initiatives that were in the early stages of being implemented were raised. While the impact of these initiatives on P3C could not be commented on, the intended course of action did describe clear opportunities for P3C enhancement. One was a plan to embed PRM data ("health scores") into a GP system that a patient's entire health care team could access. This would enable health professionals, who were based in the community and who had more one-on-one contact with patients, to decide the most appropriate treatment and healthcare goals for individual patients. Continued monitoring of these patients' PRM scores would then enable the outcome of these decisions to be reviewed and treatment plans to be modified if necessary. Other participants spoke of the benefits of being able to access PRM databases covering treatment outcomes for population groups when tailoring treatment decisions for individual cases. While the argument that using risk stratification processes to tailor care decisions as an example of P3C practice may be considered tenuous, a more customised example of how PROM based risk stratification can help tailor treatment decisions, which perhaps carries stronger weight was also reported. In this instance, the health service wanted to consider patients' own unique collection of long-term conditions when creating a tailored plan of care, rather than just offering a set treatment package for people with long-term conditions. ### Theme 4b) enabling ongoing monitoring of patients' condition and progress with treatment (practitioner participant data) {#Sec25} Some of the participants had experience of using PRM data to monitor patients' conditions and progress with treatment. This was done by practitioners independently and by teams of professionals during team meetings. Both resulted in changes to care plans if the PRM data suggested that symptoms were not improving. Being able to see the beneficial impact of treatment plans, through PROM data, was reported as highly rewarding. It was hoped that in the future, efforts to monitor patients though PRMs could be extended through an alert system that would enable salient changes in symptoms (reported through PROMs) to trigger a call from their clinic. In addition, they hoped the alert system could signal negative feedback about experience of care (PREM data), so that practitioners could be made aware of how their service may be failing patients as early as possible. ### Theme 4c) keeping care plans current and relevant (practitioner/researcher paticipant data) {#Sec26} One participant discussed how it was important to capture the fluid "context of the current illness" in clinical practice, especially for patients nearing the end of life, as phases of illness will change quickly. This participant had captured this information through the 'Phase of Illness', measure \[[@CR40]\]. By capturing the phase of the illness, practitioners can: determine what the current, best outcome would be for a patient; assess the suitability of current care plans and whether carer's (changing) needs are continuing to be met; inform the allocation of resources within a team and during the triage process and make referrals to palliative care services (if used outside a palliative care context) timelier \[[@CR40]\]. It was stressed that to be able to capture such data, the completion time of the PRM needs to be based on clinical changes, rather than fixed time intervals. ### Theme 4d) enabling remote management of stable patients (practitioner participant data) {#Sec27} Another participant spoke of how they were increasingly recognising that their patient group had varying needs, requiring different levels of ongoing support. However, they were presently seeing everyone regularly at their clinic, irrespective of need. They proposed that PRMs could be used to identify when, where and how frequently their patients were contacted, and their cases reviewed. This makes contact with patients more appropriate and responsive and resource deployment more cost-effective. ### P3C domain: Transitions {#Sec28} This domain refers to the care that is required to assist patients whose care is transitioning *across* service boundaries. Continuity of care is required during this period to help maintain regular contact and ensure follow up appointments are made and attended. Participants did not mention any application of PRMs to directly enhance continuity of care *across* healthcare services. However, many of the themes mapped to the domain 'care planning' could be viewed as having the potential to improve continuity of care *within* a service. Therefore, if the themes has been mapped to this type of continuity of care the themes may have been mapped slightly differently. ### Barriers and facilitators to practitioners using PRMs to enhance P3C {#Sec29} A vast array of barriers affecting the successful implementation of PRMs were mentioned by respondents, suggesting that while PRMs can enhance P3C in practice, the realisation of these benefits is contingent on a number of factors, such as whether the practice environment supports their implementation. All practice level barriers are provided in Table [4](#Tab4){ref-type="table"}. Where possible, facilitative actions, mentioned by participants, that can prevent, or limit the impact of the barriers presented, are matched to barriers. The barriers stated can be broadly grouped into 3 categories: people based, questionnaire based and barriers relating to access and interpretation of PRM data. Examples of category 1 ('people based') include a lack of training on how to deliver PRMs, practitioners fearing negative feedback and patients mistrusting their purpose. Examples of poor questionnaire design (category 2) include e.g. lengthy questionnaires, inappropriate wording and their inability to measure what it intended to capture. Numbers of barriers and facilitators presented were evenly matched apart for the last category (3): access and interpretation of PRM data. This suggests that while practitioners find implementing PRM problematic, experience and increasing support from the academic community is providing knowledge on how to improve implementation. However, perhaps due to the infancy and lack of standardised feedback processes for PRM use in UK primary care, more guidance and resources are required to make PRM feedback simultaneously accessible and useful to patients, clinical commissioning groups as well as practitioners.Table 4Barriers and Facilitators affecting practitioners' ability to use PRMs to improve P3CBarrierExamplesFacilitatorsPeople basedClinicians' lack skills for using PRMsLack of clarity about the purpose and value of PRMs will fail to motivate patients to complete it and professionals to champion it.\ Lack of understanding and/or training on how to apply the measure in clinical settings.\ Requiring the skill to use the measures, whist maintaining rapport with the patient.Provision of training to practitioners on why PRMs are important e.g., how it fits into P3C theory, how it can be delivered and used in practice to improve service delivery.\ Showing the patient the findings on the computer screen, while discussing them during consultations.Imposed work burden on staffStaff can view measurement systems as extra and unnecessary work.\ Health professionals are too overwhelmed by existing workloads, so it would be better if they were not responsible for patients completing measures.Offering a financial incentive.\ Using a champion from the same healthcare service to encourage use of the measure.\ Reducing the burden of the new workflow by training specific staff members to handle the measurement system.\ Facilitating a smooth integration of the PRM data into a health organisation's electronic record system, so that accessing it is less burdensome and so that the information integrates with what data is already being collected.Emotional burden on staffStaff resistance to delivering the measures and hearing results, due to a fear of the unknown e.g. what feedback they may receive about their work.Focusing on the change and improvement that can be made because of the information retrieved from the measure, rather than on what has gone wrong.Burden on patients"Culture shock for patients" -- patients are not used to being asked to do 'homework' outside of the consultation; being involved in the consultation or being asked new, difficult questions.\ Patients not motivated to complete the measure as view it as only being useful for the health professional.\ Completing measures can be time consuming and burdensome. If many measures are given to the patient, they may develop questionnaire fatigue, especially if not thanked or told why the results are important.\ Technology - if the delivery of the measure becomes electronic then it can introduce a new workflow for the patients (as well as staff). Interface of the electronic version of the measure may not be user friendly.Making patients aware of improvements to patient care that were made in response PRM data.\ Ensuring that someone asks the patient to complete the measure, rather than just having it lying around.\ Monitoring how many questionnaires individual patients are receiving.\ Picking measures that are relevant to the patient and adding to the collection slowly.\ Using one measure that can give patients the opportunity to talk about everything, not just certain conditions or issues.\ Providing different delivery formats, so that the completion of the PRMs is as easy as possible and the offer of support if patients are making a switch to electronic methods. Improving technology, so that patient access is improved. Using external software agencies for IT support and for sharing patient feedback on the website.PRM basedPRM designLengthy questionnaires can interfere with patient-practitioner conversation. It will also make completion even less likely for people who already find it difficult to fill them in.\ Questions can be hard to understand and/or to respond to for some patient groups due to question design or because of their condition.\ Translations needed for different languages and for linguistic variations between different English speaking countries.\ Insensitive question design can have a detrimental impact on the respondent.\ Family involvement and perspectives not often sought with PRMs.Working with the developers to make the items are relevant and fitting with your population group.\ Making decisions on whether people are able to respond to PRMs despite the impact of their condition(s) (e.g. cognitive impairments) on a case-by-case basis.\ Using proxy measures rather than excluding people who are unable to self-report\ Triangulating results from patients, health care practitioners, carers and with standard responses from people with the same condition.\ Using PRMs that use lay language. Using measures that have translated versions available. Making sure that the questions asked are in their local language and are asked by someone that they trust.\ Using measures that use positively framed items such as the WEMWBS.PRMs not providing an accurate measurement of outcome/behaviour/experiencePractitioners find that PAM results often jar with what they have learnt from interacting with patients. Consequently, they doubt whether the measure provides a true representation of how activated someone is.\ Patients giving answers that they think the practitioner wants or feel nervous about complaining.Using peer advocates who can advise on how to complete the measures and encourage honest responses.\ Keeping participants responses anonymous so that respondent bias can be minimised. However, this makes collating data with other sources difficult.\ Training staff to interpret patient behaviours to combat discrepancies between proxy and self-report measures.\ Examining variables influencing agreement/disagreement between a proxy and a patient score. Once discrepancies are identified, scores can be adjusted and controlled for.Access and interpretationMaintaining patient contactCan be difficult to feedback to patients who just disappear.Maintaining access to data.Data given to Clinical Commissioning Groups for aggregate measurements, but data not returned for practice level use.PRMs data difficult to interpretFindings presented in overly statistical form to people without the skills to interpret them.Giving a simple overview of the data, showing trends that indicate what might and might not be a good direction to go in. Giving different options for how to make changes in care. Including graphical representations of data and a decision support system.\ Keeping it simple -- limiting the number of questions you use, so you know what good will look like. If the answer options are related to outcomes that are important to patients, the results will be easier to evaluate and will be valued.Lack of feedback systemsIf a patient accesses their results without an explanation, it can cause confusion and worry. Discussion {#Sec30} ========== Summary of findings and comparisons with existing literature {#Sec31} ------------------------------------------------------------ The interviewees in this study presented a number of ways in which PRMs directly enhance some aspects of P3C, most typically the interpersonal domains. In the sections below, key findings related to each of the P3C domains are summarised. Communication {#Sec32} ------------- Themes relating to this domain were prevalent within both data sets, giving weight to previous suggestions that PRMs can enhance communication (e.g. \[[@CR32]\]). In addition to collaborating previous assertions, our findings gave a unique insight into *how* communication was enhanced during consultations, something few other studies have attended to \[[@CR41]\]. For example, our findings aligned with Greenhalgh et al's \[[@CR14]\] conclusion that PROMs did not significantly change how doctors communicated with patients, instead they enhanced communication by supporting patients to disclose by, as Santana and Feeny \[[@CR32]\] hypothesised, helping patients to express their symptoms more succinctly. We also found that PRMs helped practitioners and patients to focus in on what was important to the patient; supported reflective thinking for both practitioners and patients and created an opportunity for holistic questioning. These communication processes support the elicitation of the patient narrative, a style of communication that has been to shown to facilitate a shift away from standardised, passive interactions, associated with the biomedical model, towards person centred dialogue \[[@CR42]\]. They are also crucial to relationship building within a consultation. Goals/outcomes and care planning {#Sec33} -------------------------------- Themes relating to these domains were also recurrent within both datasets and again, collaborated many of Santana and Feeny's \[[@CR32]\] theoretical proposals for how PRMs could enhance P3C. We found that PRMs provided insight into the patient's perspective and condition. This enabled tailored and reactive care and co-constructed objectives. PRMs identified and addressed errors or gaps in the patient's knowledge about their condition and care plan. This created opportunities for patients to become more informed on why they needed to engage in their care and to become so. The potential value of such insight has been discussed elsewhere. For example, studies have suggested that collection and consideration of the patient's point of view could increase treatment adherence and improve patient satisfaction \[[@CR43]\] and reduce the number of 'no-shows' to medical appointments \[[@CR44]\]. Notably, one important and possible use of PRMs not reported by participants, was gaining the carer's/family's perspective and engaging them in care planning. During the development of an online compendium of PRMs for P3C, and public participation involvement (PPI) sessions, we established that while existing PRMs do capture carers' perspectives of how their role as a carer impact them, PRMs rarely, or only briefly try and seek carers' perspective on the care being received by the person they are caring for. This needs to be addressed for PRMs to utilise carers' knowledge, perspectives and experiences within patient care planning processes. Shared decision making and transitions {#Sec34} -------------------------------------- These domains were noticeably underrepresented (Shared Decision Making) or not addressed at all (Transitions) in any of the analytic themes, which suggests that, based on the participants' experiences, PRMs had less impact on these aspects of P3C in practice. This finding could be due to a number of reasons, for example, participants may have had limited knowledge of PRMs that relate to P3C or been instructed to use a selected few; participants may have been more focused on different aspects of P3C or PRMs are less useful to the enhancement of these areas of P3C. Future work would need to unpack these possibilities, bearing in mind the current dearth of PRMs for transitions and how this might be responsible for the absence of evidence surrounding their useful application. The importance of a 'whole service' approach to PRM application {#Sec35} --------------------------------------------------------------- While individual practitioners can use PRMs for P3C related activities, the success and standardisation of these applications depends on whole service approach to PRM implementation, as PRM use needs to fit into or help re-design how care is currently organised and delivered. Olsen, Aisner and McGinnis \[[@CR45]\] advocate a 'learning health care systems:' "A system in which data on outcomes are routinely collected, that data are used to identify areas for improvement, new initiatives to address those areas are undertaken, and data on results of change are policy are examined perhaps leading to change in delivery" (\[[@CR32]\], pg. 1511). Within our dataset, there were several accounts of how PRMs were being used to create a service that learnt from PRMs at both individual and service-level. Practitioners were using PRMs during multi-disciplinary meetings to discuss progress (or regression) in individual cases and to reflect on the service's overall management of patient caseload and inform individual practitioner appraisals. PRMs were also being used to bridge the gap between individual patients and service professionals, by giving them an aggregated opinion on what was working well, not so well and where money should be spent; creating an opportunity for both the service and individual consultations to become more person centred. The barriers raised by participants lend further support to the argument that a whole. service approach to PRM use is necessary if PRMs are to generate P3C improvements, as many were caused by a lack of a coordinated approach to PRM implementation \[[@CR3]\]. For example, patients had perhaps not been involved in decision-making regarding which questionnaires to use and therefore, the wording and design of questionnaires selected sometimes jarred. Staff members were not adequately trained or briefed about the purpose of the measures and were therefore un-motivated and resistant about implementing them and patients were fatigued or confused about the purpose of the measures, as they were not being provided with any feed-back from results or told of how they had informed change. Future research and possible application of findings {#Sec36} ---------------------------------------------------- Whilst thematic studies, such as this one can identify PRM related activities occurring within patient-practitioner consultations that enhance certain components of P3C, further research is needed to unpack how the patient and the practitioner reference and use PRMs during consultations through their talk. Greenhalgh et al. \[[@CR46]\] used Conversation Analysis (CA) to explore how PROM data was referred to during oncology consultations. Their main findings were: (1) PROM data was used by practitioners as an independent form of support and justification for their treatment decisions. (2) Explicit reference to PROMs data can create opportunities for patients to disclose other problems (e.g. side effects of chemotherapy). However, practitioners used many communication strategies to curtail discussion of non-cancer related issues. (3) Within their dataset, practitioners typically did not explicitly refer to PROMs data. These findings led the authors to conclude that while PRM can help patients to disclose more, practitioners might not feel equipped to deal with these types of conversations or to know when and how to introduce PRM data during consultations. In other words, while PRMs can enhance practitioner-patient communication, the way in which PRM data is fed back will affect the extent to which this benefit can be realised. Based on the findings presented here and Greenhalgh et al's \[[@CR46]\] study, it is clear that both CA and thematic analysis would be useful approaches for future studies exploring how PRMs can be used to enhance P3C in other settings and population groups, especially long-term conditions within primary care (a context recognised as being potentially supported by PRM use \[[@CR46]\]. Collectively, these methodologies could provide empirical evidence of: 1) how PRMs can be used by practitioners (and patients) to enhance P3C in these specific settings/population groups (thematic analysis), and 2) how specific communication practices by both parties can influence the extent to which these potential P3C applications of PRMs are realised during types of consultations (CA). Such evidence would enable researchers to respond to calls for communication training for practitioners on how to use and discuss PRMs during consultations \[[@CR47]\]. Limitations {#Sec37} ----------- The design of the study was decided to an extent by what resources were available to the research team. One consequence of this was that patient perspectives were not collected or commented on. However, patient perspectives have begun to be collected and reported on by the authors \[[@CR4]\] and further research will extend this work further, so that practitioner -- patient perspectives can be compared in a future study and these findings can be further substantiated. Future studies could also consider using additional qualitative methods to enable data triangulation. Conclusion {#Sec38} ========== Practitioners use a vast array of approaches to how to use ***both*** PROMs and PREMs for improving patient care. This resource should be optimised so that professionals can benefit from each other's learning, overcome barriers to PRM use and work together to extend the potential value that PRMs can offer to P3C delivery. The findings have also help to build a more informed understanding of how P3C components can be translated and enhanced in practice. The study also suggested what P3C domains may currently be best enhanced in healthcare settings through PRM use and which domains are not. This finding provides a rationale for future research to explore whether our findings are replicated in other studies and, if so, what may be causing this lack of domain coverage. For example, whether it's due to a lack of awareness of what PRMs are currently available, whether the PRMs for these domains do not lend themselves to this type of use or because there needs to be more thought given to how these types of PRMs could be used to improve P3C in practice. There is also the possibility that attending to these P3C domains is more salient in certain types of health care settings. Consequently, data collected from: (1) other types of health care settings/professionals to the settings/practitioners sampled from here or (2) just one type of setting/practitioner that was sampled from in this study, but more extensively, would provide examples of PRM use enhancing these types of domains. GPCC : The Gothenburg University Centre for Person-centred Care iPRO : Individualised Patient Reported measures NHS : National Health Service P3C : Person centred coordinated care PAM : Patient Activation Measure PCC : Person Centred Care PREM : Patient Reported Experience Measure PRMs : Patient Reported Measures PROM : Patient Reported Outcome Measure WEMWBS : Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale This research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula (NIHR CLAHRC South West Peninsula). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The authors would also like to thank Ms. Kelly Blockley for her useful review of an earlier draft of this article. Availability of data and material {#FPar1} ================================= The data that support the findings of this study (audio recordings and verbatim transcripts) is managed by Dr. Helen Lloyd. Restrictions apply to the availability of these data, as consent was only granted to the research team to access the data and so are not publicly available. Funding {#FPar2} ======= This study was part of a project (Person Centred Care Metrics) that was funded by the National Health Service - England (NHSE). HW created the interview schedule, interviewed the participants, analyzed the data and wrote the majority of the manuscript. JH interviewed one of the participants, performed a blind coding of 10% of the transcripts for the inter-rater reliability check, met to discuss differences and contributed to the writing of the manuscript. JV was a major advisor and contributor in writing the manuscript. JC and BF contributed to the writing of the manuscript. HL created the project, was successfully awarded funding to deliver it and oversaw its completion. HL was also a major contributor in writing the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Ethics approval and consent to participate {#FPar3} ========================================== Institutional Review Board approval from the University of Plymouth, UK was given for both the primary study and the evaluation work (secondary dataset). Approval was obtained from the Health Research Association to collect data from professionals working within the NHS and to integrate and publish work from our collective programme of work on P3C (Ref: 18/NE/0143, Tyne and Wear). Consent for publication {#FPar4} ======================= Individual participants gave written informed consent for their data to be collected and to be used in scientific publications. Competing interests {#FPar5} =================== There are no competing interests to report. Publisher's Note {#FPar6} ================ Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

List of historic properties in Safford, Arizona This is a list, which includes a photographic gallery, of some of the remaining historic buildings, houses, structures and monuments in Safford, Arizona, a City in Graham County. Some are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Safford also has two archeological districts, whose access are restricted, a Campsite and Trail, plus the Columbine Work Station State in the Coronado National Forest, which are not in the city but within its boundaries and which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Brief history According to archaeologist the area where Safford is located was once inhabited by Mimbre people, an ancient Native-American tribe of New Mexico, during the eleventh or twelfth centuries. They came to this conclusion after dating to that time the ceramic sherds which were discovered and which were decorated in the same manner as the ceramics made in the Mimbres heartland. Native-American burial grounds, village sites, and sacred sites have been found in this area. The area came under Spanish rule ib what Spain claimed was New Spain. In the 1500s, the Spanish Conquistadores passed through the area while searching for the Seven Cities of Cibola, whose streets were supposed to be paved with gold. Many of them stayed in Pueblo Viejo on the slopes of "Dził Nchaa Sí'an" (Big Seated Mountain), as Mt. Graham was then known. In 1846, the United States declared war against Mexico in what became known as the Mexican–American War. During the conflict General Stephen Watts Kearney led the Army of the West into the area. With him was Lieutenant William Emory, a topographer and scientist for the group. The Lieutenant referred to Mountain "Dził Nchaa Sí'an" as Mount Graham in his journal and on the map . Lieutenant Colonel Graham, a senior officer in the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, who was his friend. This was the first Arizona county to break the tradition of naming counties for Native Americans. The conflict with Mexico ended in 1848. In 1854, the United States purchased the region from Mexico in what is known as the Gadsden Purchase. Americans of European descent from the East Coast of the United States began to arrive in the area. Among the early pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormon settlers brought with them brick making skills and the tradition of building brick dwellings. In the winter of 1873, a group of settlers arrived in Pueblo Viejo with the intention of building dams and canals which would provide water to the area. They were joined by a few others they laid out the present town-site where they had established their camp under the town-site laws of the United States. After building a few buildings they named their town Safford after Anson Pacely Killen Safford, the third Governor of Arizona Territory, who always took an interest in the development of the area. By the early 1880s settlers came to the area in large numbers. They found that the trees in the nearby mountains provided lumbering materials for building as well as employment for the growing communities in the area. Safford became the county seat of Graham County. In 1883, part of the adobe courthouse in Safford collapsed. I. E. Solomon, who was a merchant and an Arizona Territorial legislator, and Peter Bolan proposed the building of a new and better courthouse in Solomonville. Solomonville, therefore became the county seat of Graham County. The railroad arrived in Safford in 1895 and brought dimensioned lumber and manufactured building materials to the community. Safford grew while Solomonville didn't. On June 28, 1915, the voters returned the county seat to Safford. The Town of Safford was incorporated October 10, 1901, and changed to City of Safford in 1955. Historical Graham County Association According to the Historical Graham County Association their mission is to obtain and secure oral and written history of Graham County and its citizens and occupants as well as artifacts reflecting that history, to securely maintain and preserve and present said material, in order that present and future citizens and visitors may have an understanding and appreciation of the County, the people who live and have lived here, and the County's place in history. A property may be listed in the National Register of Historic Places or it may be eligible to be listed as such, however that does not mean that the property is safe from being demolished by its owner. According to Jim McPherson, Arizona Preservation Foundation Board President: An example is the Old Safford High School which was built in 1915 and located at 520 11th Street. This property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002577. Yet, the building was demolished in 2007. Another historical building which was demolished was the Buena Vista Hotel. The hotel was built in 1928 and located at 322 Main Street. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002560. However, unlike the Safford High School a fire damaged part of the interior of the building in 1979, and as such the remainder of the building was demolished. Historic buildings The following is a brief description of some of the historic buildings in Safford Arizona Bank and Trust - built in 1920 and located at 429 Main Street. According to its NRHP marker: "on May 28, 1921, the general public was invited to view the fine interior. It featured gray marble, oak cabinets and facilities that included storage vaults, safety deposit boxes and rooms for patrons to conduct business. The depression caused the Arizona Bank & Trust to close it's offices in Safford, Pima and Thatcher late in 1923. The upper northwest corner still boasts its rod and light. Before radios were invented, this was used to notify the local police officer that he was needed at the station." Listed in the National Register of Historic Place on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002557. Oddfellows Home - built in 1921 and located at 808 8th Ave. The building underwent a restoration and parts of the ornamental statuary were recast and restored. Today it is part of the city of Safford office complex. Listed in the National Register of Historic Place on May 12, 1988, reference: #87002571. Southern Pacific Railroad Depot - built in 1928 and located at 808 Central Avenue. Architectural styles: Late 19th and 20th Century Revival: Mission/Spanish Revival; Other architectural type; Spanish Colonial Revival. Listed in the National Register of Historic Place on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002578. Woman's Club - built in 1930 and located at 215 Main Street. The club was first established as “The Improvement Club,” whose main focus was on the cleanup of local streets and yards. The club is now officially known as the "GFWC Woman's Club of Safford". The GFWC stands for General Federation of Women's Club. Listed in the National Register of Historic Place on May 12, 1988, reference: #87002586. Graham County Courthouse - built in 1916 and located at 800 Main Street. J. A. McAllister, a justice in the Arizona Supreme Court, and Jesse A. Udall, a Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, began their careers here. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Place on May 25, 1982, reference: #82002077. North Ward School - built in 1898 and located at 717 West Main Street. Originally the North Ward School, the bids to build the building was opened in February 1898 and the contract was awarded to contract was awarded to R. A. Smith Jr. and John Morris. The building, whose total cost was $5,400, was ready for the fall term in September of that year. This structure, though historical, is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of the significant renovations which were made. The building now serves as the Safford City Hall Historic buildings pictured The following are the images of the historic buildings in Safford. Historic Houses The historic houses listed here are included in the Safford Multiple Resource Area Nomination (MRA). The following is a brief description of these historic houses: The Joe Horowitz House built in 1928 and located at 118 Main Street. Joe Horowitz was a city council member and store owner. The house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002566. The House at 611 Third Avenue - built in 1900 located at 611 3rd Ave. It is the earliest intact adobe residence in Safford and displays a decorative vent and shingled pediment above a boxed cornice. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002568. The Mathew O'Brien House - built in 1920 located at 615 1st Ave. Mathew O'Brien was the owner of a furniture store. The O'Brien house is a Western Colonial Revival Style residence constructed of wood frame and stucco with a hipped roof. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002570. The Richard Bingham House - built in 1910 located at 1208 9th Ave. Richard Bingham arrived in Safford as a child in 1890. He married at eighteen and built his own home of redwood imported from California. He and his wife, Euphrasia, established the Bingham Transfer Company. The Bingham house is the only extant, intact residence utilizing redwood clapboard building material. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002556. The Paul Brooks House - built in 1926 located at 1033 5th Ave. Paul Brooks was the owner of Brooks Lumber. The house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002559. The T. D Cross House - built in 1910 located at 908 1st Ave. The Cross house is a T-Plan in the Queen Anne style. The gable roofed residence displays diamond patterned shingles at the pediments and is constructed of brick with a belt course and key stone arched lintels. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002563. The William Charles Davis House - built in 1915 located at 301 11th Street. William Charles Davis was a carpenter in Safford. He helped build the LDS Academy in Thatcher (three miles west of Safford), Davis also built his own home which was similar to the one he had built in Clifton. The Davis house is a wood frame L-Plan Queen Anne style residence with gabled hip and gable roofs. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002565. The George A. Olney House built in 1890 located at 1104 Central Ave. George Olney was a stockman and banker. He was elected Graham County Sheriff for two terms, served in the Twentieth Territorial Legislature in 1898, was a member of the Graham County Board of Supervisors, served on the school board and ran for Governor in 1917. The Olney house is a mansion constructed in the Western Colonial Revival Style. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002574. The Alonzo Hamilton Packer House - built in 1892 located at 1203 Central Ave. Alonso Packer was a skilled brick mason and built his own home. Packer owned and operated a general merchandise store. The Packer house is the earliest extant Queen Anne style residence in the Safford Multiple Resource Area. The rectangular brick residence displays a gabled hip wood shingle roof with two interior corbeled chimneys and cast stone quoins. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002575. The Dan Williams House - built in 1895 located at 603 Relation Street. The William house is a Queen Anne style brick residence, with L-Plan gable roof. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002584. The David Ridgeway House - built in 1905 located at 928 Central Ave. David Ridgeway was the owner of the Young and Ridgeway Mercantile. The Ridgeway house was originally an L-Plan, which was converted to a T-Plan as the Ridgeway family grew. The home was built of cut stone with no distinctive detailing. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002576. The Hugh Talley House - built in 1929 located at 1114 3rd Ave. Hugh Talley was in the building and contracting business for many years and built his own home. He served as Graham County Sheriff until his death in 1936. The Hugh Talley home was built of frame and stucco and constructed in a U-Plan with gable roof. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002580. The William Talley House - built in 1928 located at 219 11th Street. William Talley became Safford's first licensed contractor and built his own home. This house represents the best example of a Spanish Colonial Revival style residence in Safford. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002581. The James R. Welker House - built in 1913 located at 1127 Central Ave. Welker farmed and helped enlarge the Montezuma Canal and build the Sunflower Canal. He later served as water master. In 1888, he freighted supplies from Bowie to Globe, Arizona and began a general merchandise store, the J.R. Welker and Company, on the Bowie Road. The Welker house is the only remaining brick Queen Anne Transitional residence in the Safford MRA. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002582. The David Wickersham House - built in 1930 located at 1101 5th Ave. David Wickersham was part owner of the Soloman Wickersham Wholesale Grocery. The house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002583. The J. Mark Wilson House - built in 1929 located at 712 Relation Street. Mark Wilson was an influential community leader and cattleman. In the 1920s he began the Clifford and Wilson Company which engaged in cattle feeding. This business later became the Safford Packing Company. The house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1988, reference: #87002585. Historic Houses pictured The following are the images of the historic houses in Safford. Historic Districts etc. Marijilda Canyon Prehistoric Archeological District - Address Restricted - Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 2, 1988, reference: #88001572. Oak Draw Archeological District - Address Restricted - Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 25, 1992, reference: #92001564. Kearny Campsite and Trail - Northeast of Safford off U.S. Route 666 - Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1974, reference: #74000454. Columbine Work Station - State Route 366 southwest of Safford in the Coronado National Forest - Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on June 10, 1993, reference: #93000516. Further reading "Reflections: Safford Az Photos"; by: Janice Evon Rackauskas; Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; See also Safford, Arizona National Register of Historic Places listings in Graham County, Arizona References Category:Safford, Arizona Category:History of Graham County, Arizona Historic properties Category:Buildings and structures in Graham County, Arizona

Liability And Damages In Slip And Fall Cases July 23, 2017 | Personal Injury As outlined below, the property owner’s legal duty, and the property owner’s knowledge of the hazardous situation, are the two basic elements in a New York slip-and-fall negligence case. Nationally, about eight million people a year are treated in hospital emergency rooms after a serious fall, which is normally either a slip-and-fall or a fall from a height. Aside from serious injury, many of these victims must deal with other consequences as well. For example, about half of victims over 65 cannot live independently after a serious fall. Legal Responsibility To classify victims, and therefore establish the applicable duty of care, New York courts essentially use a common law categorization system that divides people according to their purpose for being on the land. The more their presence serves the landowner’s interests, the higher the duty of care. Many slip-and-fall accidents in New York occur in public places, like office buildings, restaurants, retail stores, and so on. These victims are invitees, because they received an express or implied invitation and their presence conveys a tangible benefit on the owner. Shoppers, hotel guests, and other people who are an economic benefit to the owner are invitees; the business invitee category also includes window shoppers, job applicants, and other relationships that do not necessarily involve money changing hands. A landowner’s social guests are also invitees, because the landowner benefits from the social interaction these guests provide. Landowners owe invitees a duty of care to ensure that the property is safe. Furthermore, landowners must inspect their property and ensure that there are no hazardous conditions thereon, such as a wet spot on the floor or a loose floorboard. There are two other categories, which are licensee (permission but no benefit) and trespassers (no permission and no benefit). A guest of a hotel guest is an example of a licensee, while a burglar is a trespasser. At most, owners owe only limited duties in these situations. Knowledge of Defect To obtain damages, victim/plaintiffs must prove that the owners breached the duty of care, and that means there must be evidence of actual or constructive knowledge. Direct evidence, like a building inspector’s report concerning a faulty elevator, is available in many cases. But in many other cases, victim/plaintiffs must rely on circumstantial evidence of constructive knowledge (should have known). Anjou v. Boston Elevated Railway Company, a 1911 decision sometimes known as the banana peel case, establishes the rule in constructive knowledge inquiries. Ms. Anjou slipped and fell on a banana peel in a bustling transit terminal, and she filed a claim for damages against the train station owner. Although the landowner denied any knowledge of the peel, the court took note of the fact that witnesses said the peel was black, gritty, and dirty, as if it had been trampled over. The court concluded that since the peel had been on the floor for a long time, constructive knowledge attached because the property owner should have inspected the floor and found the offending peel. If, on the other hand, the peel was fresh and yellow, constructive knowledge would not attach. So, if a security light had been burned out for several days and the victim slips in the parking lot, the owner probably had constructive knowledge and is therefore liable for damages. These damages include compensation for monetary losses, such as medical bills, and nonmonetary losses, such as emotional distress. How Can We Help? Related Articles New York Dog Bite Laws June 15, 2018 New York is a “mixed” state, meaning that it has a dog bite statute that mixes the one-bite rule with a limited degree of strict liability. The statute makes the owner or keeper of a previously adjudicated “dangerous dog” strictly liable only for the victim’s medical and veterinary costs. For other damages, New York requires…Read the article Automobile Insurance: Importance of Having a Good Policy April 18, 2017 Automobile insurance, or proof of financial responsibility, is required in nearly all states in the nation. And whether you live in an at-fault car insurance state or a no-fault insurance state, automobile insurance is important, and protects your financial interests in the event that you are in a crash. Here are some things to keep…Read the article Be Wary of Dogs That Show These Signs of Aggression January 27, 2016 Even experienced dog owners and people who are comfortable around dogs sometimes miss vital cues that signify that a dog does not want to be touched, that it is afraid, or that it has an intent to bite or attack. Dogbites.org reports that there were 42 fatal dog attacks in 2014. Tens of thousands more…Read the article The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Past outcomes mentioned on this site do not guarantee future results.

Thursday, January 9, 2014 Patapsco Vallis Entering Elysium Fossae This VIS image shows where Patapsco Vallis enters the largest depression of Elysium Fossae. Patapsco Vallis, as other valley systems on the Elysium Mons volcanic complex, was likely formed by the flow of lava rather than water.

It does not happen all that often blockchain projects ditch one infrastructure in favor of another. When that does happen, none of them ever turn back on that decision. Esprezzo is a very intriguing exception in this regard. Its team decided to launch on Ethereum’s network after all, rather than pursuing the VeChainThor option. The Esprezzo Rollercoaster Continues For those unaware of the Esprezzo platform, this team is building a mobile and web development platform. The service itself empowers anyone in the world to build faster and smarter blockchain apps to grow their business. None of this requires extensive knowledge as to how blockchains work or how they need to be built from the ground up. Nor is there a required knowledge in cryptography to take advantage of this platform. What makes projects like these so difficult to build is how they want to offer the best user experience. Allowing developers to choose the programming language they want comes with a few roadblocks and difficult decisions to keep in mind. It is a blockchain-agnostic platform first and foremost. For its native EZPZ token, remaining blockchain agnostic is a different matter altogether. More specifically, it appeared the project would not pursue Etheruem for the native token. Instead, the team switched to VeChainThor, for reasons well known. It is a more scalable solution and has improved performance. While Ethereum will see big upgrades in this regard, current projects cannot sit by idly in this regard. After a long round of deliberation and going back-and-forth, the final verdict has been rendered. The Esprezzo team will issue EZPZ on Ethereum after all, simply because it is the most popular solution. Despite a lack of scaling it is – for this team – a more favorable option compared to VeChainThor. A brave, albeit somewhat unexpected decision first and foremost. The Esprezzo team explains their decision as follows: “We intend to integrate with and support as many quality blockchain projects as we can, starting with Ethereum and our current blockchain partners. The developers building decentralized applications using Esprezzo will decide for themselves which blockchains they want to deploy on.” Whether or not this decision will hinder the project’s future appeal, is very difficult to predict. It seems unlikely there will be any negative consequences for choosing Ethereum over VeChanThor, albeit not everyone will agree with this sentiment. Even so, projects need to decide what is best for them at all times, rather than just trying something which might end up backfiring. Image(s): Shutterstock.com

Q: SQL Server 2005 transaction This may be very basic question. If we open a sql transaction with "Begin Transaction", is commit transaction or rollback is mandatory...? I have a scenario where i need to exit the SP when a row exists in if statement fails. This if statement is currently inside the transaction scope.. Thanks in advance! Regards Bala A: If we open a sql transaction with "Begin Transaction", is commit transaction or rollback is mandatory...? It's not mandatory, the transaction will stay open until an error or the connection is closed. But you don't want to do this, you may be blocking other users for a very long time. You should COMMIT TRANSACTION or ROLLBACK TRANSACTION at the earliest opportunity.

Monday, April 10 Fashion Roadkill of the Day: Vol 49 Lately I've been wonderful to be around. Everybody's been trying to guess what's come over me. Is it because I've stopped taking medication? Started new medication? Or just a new haircut? Why no silly, it's because I've finally made peace with leggings. Like anyone else I thought they were harbingers of death and destruction to street fashion. Slowly they would work their way into everyone's attire until we would all be transformed into the lycra-bound walking undead. But the more I saw the more I began to understand them. Yes they are ugly and they serve no real purpose and 99.99% of people don't have the ankles for them, but they're part of our history. It's not up to us to selectively decide what to ignore and what to celebrate. If we turn our backs on leggings, we might as well erase from our collective memories the entire catalogue of 80s fashion. Let's just pretend shoulderpads, side ponytails and double t-shirts in pastel colours never existed! Absurd! I tell you I was making such good progress, I'd even stopped gagging at the sight of lace leggings (see above right)! Then BAM! Out of nowhere, it all came undone by a woman who didn't know the meaning of middle-aged. Flesh-coloured leggings. A formidable adversary indeed. They lull you into thinking that you're going to be treated to an impromptu show of a stranger's ladybits and then you take a closer look against your better judgment and it turns out to be much much worse. So now I'm back to hating leggings, and not to mention flesh-coloured sleeves too. Another blog to visit: Chic Alert - If you're sophisticated and chic and have a passion for fashion, health and beauty then the Chic Alert is for you. 7 Comments: It may be that leggings defer the need to bathe from the waist down for a few days, hence their rise in popularity among stars such as the Olsen twins and Britney Spears. However, they don't look like they bathe from the waist up either. Anonymous has eagle eyes. Indeed, frightful as it is, that there is a flesh(?)-colored bodysuit that the podgy lady's got on. Obviously it had insufficient % of lycra to hold her in. As for the concept of leggings, it only proves that the fashion magazines are able to brain wash women into the most unflattering & pointless of body covering at will & what's worse, repeatedly. Leggins were ugly in the 80s & they are ugly now. The worst part of it is that they will be recycled in another 20 odd years.

Running And Your Heart: Is There A 'Too Much?' Enlarge this image iStockphoto iStockphoto A little less than a year ago, I wrote on these pages about the long-standing controversy of whether running is good or bad for your heart. On the one hand, in a 2012 article for the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, cardiologist James O'Keefe and collaborators claimed that "long-term excessive endurance exercise may induce pathologic structural remodeling of the heart and large arteries." The idea, here, is that excessive running may thicken the heart tissue, causing fibrosis or scarring, and this may lead to atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat. Prolonged exercise may also lead to "oxidative stress," a buildup of free radicals that may bind with cholesterol to create plaque in your arteries. The point, according to O'Keefe, is to get the right dosage of exercise — as in too much of a good thing ends up being bad for you. A critique of the early studies is that they were small and needed a larger cohort of runners. For example, Paul T. Williams, a biostatistician from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, has been following 156,000 men and women since the early 1990s. He insists that more is better. In his huge study, Williams found that men running at least 40 miles a week (a pretty serious mileage) were 26 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those running just 13 miles per week. Of course, serious runners, people that log at least 30 miles a week (myself included), want to know. As I mentioned in last year's article, more detailed studies are needed. As Gretchen Reynolds of the The New York Times reported, two new studies are out, and the verdict is that long-term endurance athletes, especially men, do show a high incidence of plaque build-up in their arteries. However, there are good plaques and bad plaques, and the plaque composition makes all the difference. One study, published in the journal Circulation, was conducted in the Netherlands with 284 long-term male athletes, aged between 48 and 62. The study used non-contrast and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan to assess coronary artery calcification (CAC) and plaque characteristics. The most active group had a higher incidence of CAC and hardened arteries, but the plaque composition was: "more benign...with fewer mixed plaques and more often only calcified plaques. These observations may explain the increased longevity typical of endurance athletes despite the presence of more coronary atherosclerotic plaque in the most active participants." The other study, also published at Circulation, conducted by cardiologists from St. George's University in London and other institutions, compared 152 masters athletes (70 percent male, ages between 46 and 62) and 92 inactive people with low risk of coronary artery disease. As in the Dutch study, male athletes showed signs of predominantly calcified plaques, while sedentary males had a mixed plaque composition, with fatty soft tissues. The study concluded that: "Whereas coronary plaques are more abundant in athletes, their stable nature could mitigate the risk of plaque rupture and acute myocardial infarction." In other words, harder plaques don't break as easily and hence present a lower risk of causing heart attacks. Dr. Benjamin Levine, a professor of cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian in Dallas, who co-authored the editorial in Circulation accompanying the studies, is now working with colleagues on a long-term investigation of endurance athletes to track changes in their arteries and medical outcomes. While we wait, the current studies suggest that long-term endurance exercise alters your arteries but not necessarily in a bad way. While there is no question that exercise is good for you, lowering the risk of heart attack, obesity and diabetes, the question here is whether there is an upper line we should not cross. Judging from the current results, there is no such line. Clearly, long-term running changes your vascular system; your heart size grows, the heartbeat rate decreases and your arteries widen. They may get harder with the build-up of plaque as the studies indicate, but it's not clear that that's a bad thing. Clearly, it's better than the fatty plaques that break off easily and clog arteries causing heart attacks. A long-term study will be a welcome addition to this perennial discussion. But as we wait for results, it's good to remember that most endurance athletes don't do what they do to live longer. They do it to live better. As the debate continues, I'll work to increase my mileage and take on harder races and challenges. Once you get the running bug, few activities make you feel more alive. Marcelo Gleiser is a theoretical physicist and writer — and a professor of natural philosophy, physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College. He is the director of the Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Engagement at Dartmouth, co-founder of 13.7 and an active promoter of science to the general public. His latest book is The Simple Beauty of the Unexpected: A Natural Philosopher's Quest for Trout and the Meaning of Everything. You can keep up with Marcelo on Facebook and Twitter: @mgleiser

Are you comfortable? Lately, Stephen and I have been training to run a 5K. I have never been a runner or really ever had the desire to run that far. I always thought that I could do it, but I wouldn't ever enjoy it, just because I am not a runner. Well, when Forum Christian Church decided to sponsor a 5K that goes along with the sermon series "Your Personal Best", I decided that it might be fun to do with our church family. So, I started training. At first, it was not fun. It started out easy enough, running for 10 minutes, but I couldn't even do that. I took two small walk breaks. The next time that I was supposed to run was for 15 minutes, and Stephen yelled at me because I took my two short walk breaks again. I just couldn't get it through my brain that I could actually do this. Well, we went on our 70 mile bike ride in two days. On the first day the going was much more difficult just because I kept on thinking that we were going to have to go back the next day. But what surprised me, though, was that I actually did it, and that I actually enjoyed it. The second day was much easier than the first. After the bike trip we had to run for 15 minutes again. I made up my mind that I would not take a walk break, and you know what? I didn't need one. I actually had extra energy at the end of my run that I raced Stephen a little at the end. It felt great! A couple of days later I had to run for 20 minutes. It was harder, but I did it! With all of this running for time, I was wondering of how long I could actually go. The weekend where we took the 70 mile bike trip I was supposed to run for 2 miles. Well, the bike trip kind of got in the way. Little Liam ready for his bike trip. The Morris Family Stephen and I by the largest Oak in Missouri This last Saturday, we took 14 mile bike trip with Katelyn, Tyler, and Liam (Tyler pulled a small kiddie trailer behind his bike with Liam strapped into his carseat. Liam did really well. He slept most of the way). It was really fun. I kept on wondering if I could actually run 2.5 miles and had made up my mind that even though we took this bike trip, I wanted to run afterwards. We ran around Katelyn and Tyler's "block" which is exactly 1/2 mile. It was pretty bad. As soon as I started out I had a side ache that lasted almost the whole time. The first 1.5 miles I was about ready to give up. Stephen actually thought that was reasonable since we had gone on a 14 mile bike ride, but when we got around to where we were going to stop, I just kept on going. I told myself that I couldn't think about my body right now, that I just wanted to finish and not fail. I had been training for this, so I should be fine. I kept going through the pain, and you know what? I finished! I was so happy that I did it. (I was also really happy that I set Sundays aside as "rest days". haha). This experience has just gotten me to think about a few things. How do we know if we are doing our best if we don't try something new? I always thought that walking was the best I could do. That I just couldn't run because I am not athletic. Well, I do know that I am not the most athletic person out there, but with this training plan, I am learning that I actually can run, and that I actually look forward to it. I know that I will have to think twice before chalking things up in the "I can't do it" pile. I don't want to pass up a gift that God has given me just because I haven't wanted to try it out. Now I have something to talk about with other runners, that might lead to more conversations about Christ. What is it that you need to dust off of your "can't do it" shelf? How far do you push yourself? With running, I have learned that you only get better the more you push yourself. I have noticed this in other areas of my life as well. I am a pretty shy person, and don't really have the gift of gab. But I know that I cannot let opportunities to tell others about Jesus just pass me by. I can't just wait for someone to come and talk to me, I am going to have to push myself and get to know them. I still need to work on this, but I am glad that I recognize it more now. What is that something that you need to push yourself for? I sometimes think that we get used to being pretty comfortable.We are resistant to change because it can make things uncomfortable. Trying new things, and pushing yourself are sometimes very unpleasant. I just want to encourage you to try something new, whether it is walking, running, talking to someone new, giving of yourself to someone who has need. Even though you may get "growing pains" I hope that you will find it worthwhile.

Forsyth County Observes “Let’s Talk Month” The Forsyth County Department of Public Health and the Forsyth Adolescent Health Coalition (FAHC) Pregnancy Prevention Team have planned several activities for the month of October to celebrate “Let’s Talk Month (LTM).” The theme of Let’s Talk Month is “Bridging the Gap, Helping Parents Become Stronger Sexuality Educators.” Let’s Talk Month is a national campaign that promotes parents as their children’s primary sexual health educators. Let’s Talk Month is an opportunity for the community to demonstrate their belief that young people need to receive accurate and reliable sexual health information. It is also a chance to spread the awareness that kids want to learn about sex from their parents and that parents actually do have the most influence over their children’s decisions about sex. The “Let’s Talk Month” Kick-Off event will be a Community Panel Discussion held on Tuesday, October 6th at 6:30 PM at the Central Library Auditorium. Panelists will represent the church, school, parent, and teen populations respectively. Addie Hymes with the WS/FCS system will be the guest speaker and Mayor Allen Joines will be in attendance to present the official “Let’s Talk Month” Proclamation. Throughout the month, we will have various educational workshops focusing on teenage pregnancy prevention and sexuality. October workshop titles include: “Men, Let’s Talk Sex (also in Español),” “How to Be an Askable Parent,” “Teen Pregnancy 101,” “Keep It Safe Sisters: Family Planning Education,” “Youth Sexual Responsibility,” “Pretty in Purple,” “Why Teens Should Wait & How To Say No!,” and “Las Opciones Basadas en Abstinencia (Abstinence Based Choices).” Workshops will be held at local libraries, the Salvation Army, Family Services, and the Health Department. We hope that these sessions will bring young people together with their parents to talk about sexual health topics during this month and in the future. The community is encouraged to participate. For more information, contact the Forsyth County Health Department at 336.703.3269.

Rundale Palace III, Small Intriguing graphics are evident in this group of aerial photographs of the gardens of Rundale Palace in Latvia. Look a little closer to appreciate the delicate shadows and textures, even tiny footprints in the snow. Complimented in a delicate mottled silver frame.

Zinc and copper: pharmacological probes and endogenous modulators of neuronal excitability. As well as being key structural components of many proteins, increasing evidence suggests that zinc and copper ions function as signaling molecules in the nervous system and are released from the synaptic terminals of certain neurons. In this review, we consider the actions of these two ions on proteins that regulate neuronal excitability. In addition to the established actions of zinc, and to a lesser degree copper, on excitatory and inhibitory ligand-gated ion channels, we show that both ions have a number of actions on selected members of the voltage-gated-like ion channel superfamily. For example, zinc is a much more effective blocker of one subtype of tetrodotoxin (TTX)-insensitive sodium (Na+) channel (NaV1.5) than other Na+ channels, whereas a certain T-type calcium (Ca2+) channel subunit (CaV3.2) is particularly sensitive to zinc. For potassium (K+) channels, zinc can have profound effects on the gating of certain KV channels whereas zinc and copper have distinct actions on closely related members of the 2 pore domain potassium channel (K2P) channel family. In addition to direct actions on these proteins, zinc is able to permeate a number of membrane proteins such as (S)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA)/kainate receptors, Ca2+ channels and some transient receptor potential (trp) channels. There are a number of important physiological and pathophysiological consequences of these many actions of zinc and copper on membrane proteins, in terms of regulation of neuronal excitability and neurotoxicity. Furthermore, the concentration of free zinc and copper either in the synaptic cleft or neuronal cytoplasm may contribute to the etiology of certain disease states such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and epilepsy.

flackohowubeen said you still working on this @gamba66 ? fam you have no idea how often I play this remix of yours. you done with it, or you working on improving overall mix and the ending? Click to expand... Nah although I have been thinking about it, I know the mix is really bad atm I am educating myself on mixing and mastering.Its very hard to mix this because the singing and rapping is both in the mids and they kinda interfere and its hard to get it to sound good without clashing.To be honest all the stuff on my soundcloud is throwaway stuff, Ive been doing my own sampled beats quite a while and got really good at it. Im preparing for my first mixtape release and practising alot of rapping latelyMaybe I will revisit it to mix it better ty for letting me know

Ex-home affairs minister: Military coup can't be ruled out in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe’s former home affairs minister, now the leader of the opposition Zapu party, Dumiso Dabengwa, has reportedly said that a military coup “cannot be ruled out” in the country following the sacking of former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa. According to Voice of America, Dabengwa said that it was likely that most Zimbabweans could back this move “as they are tired of President Robert Mugabe’s rule”. Dabengwa said this at the launch of the Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation in Bulawayo. Mugabe on Monday fired his deputy as tensions between Mnangagwa and the veteran leader’s wife Grace to succeed him intensified. Grace declared over the weekend that Mnangagwa should be gone from both the government and Zanu-PF before the party’s extraordinary congress in December. ‘Democratic elections’ Addressing thousands of indigenous church followers during what was termed a “Super Sunday Rally” at a stadium in Harare, Grace described Mnangagwa as a “liquidator”, and “ravisher” whose coup plots could be traced to 1980. According to the state-owned Herald newspaper, that was the time when he reportedly “unsuccessfully attempted to wrestle power from President Mugabe soon after the country’s democratic elections”. Mnangagwa was the leading contender to succeed Mugabe, 93, but his abrupt removal appeared to clear the way for Grace to take over. The government-owned Chronicle newspaper published an excoriating editorial on Tuesday, accusing Mnangagwa and his supporters of being “prepared to stampede President Mugabe from power”. “The President had warned his deputy time and again to desist from having grand designs to seize power unconstitutionally,” the Bulawayo-based paper said. It accused Mnangagwa of “running parallel structures within the ruling Zanu-PF party and fomenting divisions”. Mnangagwa, 75, a veteran party loyalist who had strong ties to the military, had not yet commented on his dismissal. — News 24

Tag Archives: Ofra Brooklyn And, we’re back with PART II of the Ofra Cosmetics New York Skyline. To see PART I, go HERE. Ofra Cosmetics Long Lasting Liquid Lipsticks are easily one of my favorite formulas. They are rich, creamy, go on smoothly, and … Continue reading → Hi, I'm Shipra Taneja! I'm a 30-something blogger and author of the book, "Half-Full". I'm also a Mommy and a Wife, hence the name Taneja's Bride. Here at Taneja's Bride, we focus on lifestyle, trends, beauty, and more! I hope you join me on a colorful journey of photos and more!

[Evaluation of low back pain]. Patients with low back pain should be evaluated on their various clinical aspects. The evaluation instruments can be classified into four types: pain measures, function measures, psychosocial measures, and composite measures. The evaluation should be done by patient self-reporting style. Since it is difficult to evaluate patients with a single measure, the evaluation should be done with combination of several instruments.

Seedstock’s Top Ten Stories of 2014 Food Field is a for profit 4-acre urban farm based in Detroit that was founded in 2010 by Noah Link and Alex Bryan. Photo Credit: Food Field. It’s been a great year here at Seedstock, with two fantastic California-based conferences, an increased focus on urban policy and continued coverage of indoor agriculture technology and sustainable farming practices. We’ve delighted in telling the stories of the people who are making a difference in the new food economy. Here are the ten of those stories which resonated most strongly with you, our readers. Small growers and urban farms are springing up across the nation, but many cities lack the infrastructure, zoning laws and foresight to truly leverage this transition. Over the past several years, however, city governments, often working with local stakeholder groups and food policy councils, are changing that. Urban agriculture ordinances help light the way for would-be urban farmers, providing guidance and a sense of legitimacy. Here is Seedstock’s list of ten cities leading the way with innovative urban agriculture ordinances that provide a blueprint for a new economic future grounded in sustainable food production in urban centers. What we as a nation define as “agriculture” is morphing and expanding to reflect the changing landscape of American industry. In 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics referred to organic food production as a “growth industry,” denoting a turning point between the farming of the past and the forward-looking, sustainable farming and food economy of the future. Here are 10 new agriculture and food-sector jobs that didn’t exist 25 years ago. Jack Waite, founder of Agua Dulce Farm in Austin, Texas, is truly is a jack-of-all-trades. By combining his varied background in accounting, engineering, botany and nonprofit management, he has realized his dream of running an aquaponics farm. In recent weeks, this interesting startup reached full operational capacity. Along the way, the farm’s journey has been tested with challenges and sprinkled with luck. Across the country, sustainable agriculture is growing on college campuses. Carefully nourished soil on old athletic fields and other underutilized areas is becoming darker and richer, and nascent orchards are surviving the trial-and-error pruning of novices to mature and bear fruit. These student-led farms are providing local food, community, and practical agricultural experience to their young caretakers. On the verge of opening their new Quebec store, Canadian startup Urban Barns looks set to be a leader in the sustainable grocery store industry, both in Canada and the United States. After careful planning and four years of intense research and development, Urban Barns launched in 2012 with a goal of growing produce as close to customers as possible. Initially, Urban Barns wants to sell sustainable leafy greens to the wholesale market. They believe their patented growing cubes are the perfect way to do that. Mushrooms have become one of the county’s fastest growing agricultural industries, according to the company’s Sustainability Coordinator Kevin Foley. By utilizing the latest technology from Holland and holding fast to the company vision of minimizing its environmental footprint, Premier Mushrooms, located in Colusa County, California, has grown from 16 growing beds to 64 with a production output growth from 70 to 300 thousand pounds a week. This has all happened in just over seven years. Shortly after immigrating to Ontario, Canada from Italy in 1961, brothers Tony and Gino Mucci planted their first vegetable crop on rented land. In 1969, they built a wood frame greenhouse, and in 1975, they put four acres of crops under glass—a risky venture during a time of high-mortgage rates, as well as high fuel and labor costs. The investment paid off. Today, Mucci Farms continues to make investments in its profitable business, especially in the area of sustainability.

We are interested in determining high resolution structures of peptide-DNA hybrids and using these structures to search for new therapeutic agents that bind to DNA or RNA targets. In particular, peptide sequences that bind tightly to single-stranded oligonucleotides, and thus protect them against nuclease degradation are being sought. Based on the results of the in vitro selection experiments, two peptide-DNA sequences were selected. Two-dimensional spectra (NOESY, TOCSY) of the first sequence (KWKGSGCTTTGAC) were recorded and despite optimization of salt concentration, pH, and temperature, the spectra did not provide sufficient constraints to solve the three-dimensional structure of the highly flexible intramolecular complex. The second sequence (WTG-CGCAC) had been selected from partially self-complementary sequences, where interactions between amino acid residues and the single-stranded region are favored by the template effect of the duplex. NOESY spectra of the chosen hybrid molecule at 40, 80, 160, 320, and 500 ms mixing time were recorded, together with a TOCSY and a ROESY experiment. These spectra were found to contain a rich collection of well resolved cross peaks, allowing us to assign many of the protons in the hybrid. The preliminary molecular dynamics work performed so far with the "simulated annealing" routine of X-PLOR led to a very first set of unrefined structures. Based on these, we are confident that we will be able to solve the structure of this complex.

Introduction ============ Screening for certain cancers may increase the identification of early-stage disease and likelihood of successful treatment and survival ([@R1]). Screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer is recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) ([@R2]). Recent analysis of the 2013 National Health Interview Survey indicates that the percentages of the population screened for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer were 72.6%, 80.7%, and 58.2%, respectively ([@R3]), below the Healthy People 2020 recommended targets of 81.1%, 93.0%, and 70.5%, respectively ([@R4]). Research that leads to an understanding of how patients value the attributes of health care interventions is critical to the design, development, and implementation of effective programs. Incorporating patient values in the decision-making process may result in operational policies and programs that enhance the effectiveness of health care interventions by improving the uptake of and adherence to recommended preventive health care services ([@R5]). Stated-preference (SP) methods systematically assess the relative preferences for screening tests or the features of screening tests using questions that present hypothetical trade-offs. Furthermore, SP studies can incorporate questions to assess the factors that affect reported likelihood of uptake for cancer screening ([@R5]). Previous reviews of SP studies indicate that people have identifiable preferences for the features of cancer screening tests ([@R6]--[@R8]). This article reviews SP studies of preferences for cancer screening tests for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer recommended by the USPSTF that were collected using conjoint analysis (CA) and discrete-choice experiments (DCEs). CA and DCEs describe tests (or other goods) using a set of attributes (features) with varying levels and allow estimation of relative preferences for different attributes. The goal of the review was to assess the types of cancer screening test attributes researchers have considered, differentiating between attributes of the screening tests themselves and attributes that capture other elements of the patient experience. We also reviewed the use of questions to determine reported likelihood of uptake. Understanding how test attributes affect reported likelihood of uptake may help improve public health programs to increase cancer screening. Methods ======= Stated-preference techniques ---------------------------- Researchers have developed several approaches consistent with economic theory to measure preferences for market and nonmarket goods, interventions, and policies ([@R5]). Revealed-preference methods use information from actual behavior or purchases to infer individuals' preferences; SP methods use surveys or experimental methods with hypothetical scenarios to elicit preferences. There are varied SP methods, including contingent value, time-trade-off, standard gamble, and other variations. The Medical Device Innovation Consortium has more information on SP methods in health care research ([@R9]). This review focuses on CA and DCE studies, a type of SP study where the good or policy is defined by a set of attributes with varying levels (for a general discussion, see Hensher et al \[[@R10]\]). These surveys allow researchers to identify and quantify the relative effect of the changes in different attributes on choices. Good practice suggests that the number of attributes should be limited depending on the nature of the attributes and that researchers should make decisions about the attributes to include and exclude ([@R5]). Researchers use their research question and findings from previous studies and pretesting to select attributes that respondents find relevant. To examine reported likelihood of uptake and attributes that influence reported uptake, researchers can include a fixed alternative in the choice question, usually a reference test representing the standard of care or the option of not getting a test, or a follow-up question asking if the respondent would get the hypothetical test they selected in the choice question. CA and DCE approaches have been used for decades in the fields of marketing, transportation, environmental policy, and health care. Data sources and literature review strategies --------------------------------------------- Studies eligible for this systematic review met the following criteria: was a CA or DCE study; examined patient preferences for breast, colorectal, or cervical cancer screening recommended by the USPSTF; had the full-text article available in English; and was published from January 1990 through July 2013. We excluded studies that examined cancer treatment, cancer therapy, pharmaceuticals, healthy behaviors, or cancer prevention strategies not recommended by the USPSTF. We also excluded studies that included only physicians in their sample ([Table 1](#T1){ref-type="table"}). ###### Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Studies of Conjoint Analysis Methods and Discrete-Choice Experiments, Stated Preference for Cancer Screening, Systematic Review, 1990--2013 Criterion Inclusion Exclusion -------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ Population Patients All other populations (eg, physicians only) Intervention Breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force Other screening, prevention, treatment, or systems interventions Comparator None specified None specified Outcomes (primary) Attributes included in conjoint analysis or discrete-choice experiment design; use of opt-out questions All other Timing January 1990 through July 2013 Before January 1990 or after July 2013 Setting All settings None Study design Conjoint analysis or discrete-choice experiment studies All other studies Language English Non-English We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines ([@R11]) to design and perform the literature review. Database searches were conducted in PubMed and EconLit. Search terms for PubMed were ("neoplasms"\[mesh\] or "cancer") and ("conjoint analysis" or "conjoint analyses" or "conjoint-analysis" or "conjoint-analyses" or "discrete choice" or "discrete-choice" or "discrete ranking" or "discrete rank"). Search terms for EconLit were ("cancer") and ("conjoint analysis" or "conjoint analyses" or "conjoint-analysis" or "conjoint-analyses" or "discrete choice" or "discrete-choice" or "discrete ranking" or "discrete rank"). Study selection and data extraction ----------------------------------- We identified 157 articles, 7 of which were duplicates. We screened 150 articles for inclusion, 114 of which were eliminated. We then screened the full text of 36 articles for eligibility; 22 articles remained for inclusion in the qualitative synthesis ([Figure](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). {#F1} We abstracted the following data items from the selected studies: author(s), year, sample size and population, cancer type, purpose of the study, attributes studied, significant attributes (defined as categorical attributes in which at least 2 levels were significantly different from each other or a continuous attribute with a significant coefficient \[*P* ≤ .10\]), whether the design included a no-test option, and predicted uptake as reported in the articles. The review focused on the types of attributes included in the studies. To provide more focus for the review, the studies were categorized as studies that focused on screening test attributes only, health care delivery attributes only, or a combination of both. The categories were defined as follows: • **Screening test attributes:** attributes of the tests independent of the patient's characteristics. These included efficacy (sensitivity, expected reduction in cancer rates or mortality, specificity), test features (type of test, preparation before the test, length of test, pain during test, complication risk), recommended frequency, where the test was administered, how soon results were available, whether a follow-up test was needed to address abnormal findings, and cost. • **Health care delivery attributes:** attributes related to the patient experience in the health care setting in which the screening was offered that are unrelated to the attributes of the test. These included attributes such as information provided to patients, how information was delivered, characteristics of the doctor and health care staff, waiting time for appointments, and distance to facility. Studies were qualitatively assessed to identify common results. Results ======= Of the 22 studies, 15 included only screening test attributes, 2 included only health care delivery attributes, and 5 were a mixture of the 2. [Tables 2](#T2){ref-type="table"} and [3](#T3){ref-type="table"} summarize the study characteristics and results. ###### Characteristics of Included Studies, Stated Preference for Cancer Screening, Systematic Review, 1990--2013 Citation Population and Sample Size Cancer type Purpose of Study -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Studies with only screening test attributes** Araña et al, 2006 ([@R12]) 60 Students in Gran Canaria, Spain (compared preferences to those of 60 oncologists) Cervical Compare the preferences of general population with preferences of subjects with medical expertise. Basen-Engquist et al, 2007 ([@R13]) Women with (n = 457) and without (n = 449) a history of abnormal Papanicolaou smear who live in Groot-Rijnmond, Netherlands Cervical Compare the preferences of women with and without a history of abnormal Papanicolaou smear tests, including a new technology. de Bekker-Grob et al, 2010 ([@R14]) Adults aged 50--74 years with (n = 649) and without (n = 626) a colorectal cancer screening history in the Netherlands Colorectal Compare preference results for a labeled and an unlabeled discrete choice experiment. Gyrd-Hansen, 2000 ([@R15]) 207 Women aged 50 years living in Denmark Breast Assess women's preferences for the attributes of breast cancer screening programs. Gyrd-Hansen and Søgaard, 2001 ([@R16]) 483 Adults aged 50 years living in Denmark Colorectal Assess women's preferences for the attributes of colorectal cancer screening programs. Hawley et al, 2008 ([@R17]) 205 White, Hispanic, and African- American primary care patients aged 50--80 years with no personal or family history of colorectal cancer living in the United States Colorectal Describe preferences for a range of existing and new colorectal cancer screening tests among African American, Hispanic, and white primary care patients. Hol et al, 2010 ([@R18]) 489 Screening-naive adults aged 50--74 years and 545 subjects of a colorectal cancer screening trial also aged 50--74 years living in the Netherlands Colorectal Assess preferences and predict the uptake of colorectal cancer screening programs and identify differences in preference structures among subgroups in the sample. Howard and Salkeld, 2009 ([@R19]) 1,150 People who had purchased a fecal occult blood test in the past year who were living in Australia Colorectal Explore the effect of attribute framing on colorectal cancer screening preferences. Howard et al, 2011 ([@R20]) 130 Patients with clinical indications suspicious of colorectal cancer who experienced both CTC and colonoscopy who are living in South Australia Colorectal Assess preferences of patients with suspicious clinical indications of colorectal cancer who have experienced both CTC and colonoscopy. Marshall et al, 2007 ([@R21]) 547 Primary care patients aged 40--60 years living in Canada Colorectal Measure and quantify preferences for various colorectal cancer screening tests and predictors of uptake. Marshall et al, 2009 ([@R22]) 501 General population respondents living in Canada and 1,087 living in the United States (compared with physicians) Colorectal Compare preferences of the general population and physicians for attributes of colorectal cancer screening tests and predictors of uptake. Pignone et al, 2012 ([@R23]) 104 Adults aged 48--75 years with no personal or immediate family history of colon cancer, polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease living in the United States Colorectal Compare preferences elicited using choice-based conjoint analysis and a rating and ranking task for colorectal cancer screening tests. Ryan and Skåtun, 2004 ([@R24]) 491 Women aged 18--65 years eligible for screening for cervical cancer and living in Scotland, United Kingdom Cervical Explore the importance of including an opt-out or no-test option in discrete-choice studies. van Dam et al, 2010 ([@R25]) 152 Screening-naive individuals aged 50--74 years and 120 screening trial participants of average colorectal cancer risk living in the Netherlands Colorectal Compare preferences for attributes of 3 common colorectal cancer screening tests. Wordsworth et al, 2006 ([@R26]) 577 Women aged 18--65 years eligible for screening for cervical cancer and living in Scotland, United Kingdom Cervical Elicit preferences for the attributes of cervical cancer screening tests. **Studies with only health care delivery attributes** Griffith et al, 2009 ([@R27]) 120 Patients at high, moderate, and low risk of developing genetic cancer who received a genetic risk assessment and live in Wales, United Kingdom Breast Compare the preferences for attributes of genetic screening tests among women at low, moderate, and high risk of carrying a genetic mutation. Peacock et al, 2006 ([@R28]) 339 Ashkenazi Jewish women living in Australia who enrolled in a study to test for mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 Breast Assess preferences for attributes of breast cancer genetic counseling services among Ashkenazi Jewish women. **Studies with both screening test and health care delivery attributes** Fiebig et al, 2009 ([@R29]) 167 Women in Australia aged 18--69 years previously screened for cervical cancer (compared with general practitioners) Cervical Compare the preferences of consumers and providers for attributes of alternative cervical screening tests. Gerard et al, 2003 ([@R30]) 87 Women in Australia attending breast cancer screening Breast Assess preferences for alternative breast cancer screening options and illustrate how breast cancer screening service providers can use empirical findings to develop preferred participation strategies. Nayaradou et al, 2010 ([@R31]) 656 Members of the general population living in France aged 50--74 years Colorectal Assess preferences for different types of the fecal occult blood test, a colorectal cancer screening test. Salkeld et al, 2000 ([@R32]) 336 People living in Australia who had used the bowel scan test kit on at least 2 occasions in the previous 3 years Colorectal Compare consumer preferences for an existing colorectal cancer test with a new test. Salkeld et al, 2003 ([@R33]) 301 Adults living in Australia aged 50--70 years at "average" risk of colorectal cancer Colorectal Elicit preferences for attributes of colorectal cancer screening using the fecal occult blood test. Abbreviations: BRCA1 and BRCA2, breast cancer 1 and 2, early onset genes; CTC, computed tomography colonography. ###### Results of Included Studies, Stated Preference for Cancer Screening, Systematic Review, 1990--2013 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Citation Attributes Evaluated Included "No Test" or Opt-Out Option? Predicted Uptake for a Specific Test -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Studies with only screening test attributes** Araña et al, 2006 ([@R12]) For practitioners, students, and pooled sample:\ Yes Not reported •      Interval between tests[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Probability of a false-positive[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Probability of dying from cervical cancer[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Waiting time for the results of the test\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Basen-Engquist et al, 2007 ([@R13]) •      Pain[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No Not reported •      Time of results and treatment[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Specificity[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Sensitivity[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} de Bekker-Grob et al, 2010 ([@R14]) •      Reduction in mortality\ Yes Not reported •      Frequency of screening per 10 years\ •      Complication risk\ •      Location of screening\ •      Screening duration\ •      Preparation for patient\ •      Side effects of screening Gyrd-Hansen, 2000 ([@R15]) •      Number of tests performed over the next 25 years\ Yes For a program screening the 50--69-year-olds every second year, the estimated participation rates are 80.1% and 88.3%. •      Risk of false-positive diagnosis over 30 years[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Risk reduction over lifetime[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Gyrd-Hansen and Søgaard, 2001 ([@R16]) •      Number of tests performed over the next 25 years\ Yes Not reported •      Risk of false-positive diagnosis over 30 years\ •      Risk reduction over lifetime[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Hawley et al, 2008 ([@R17]) •      What the test involves (eg, stool sample, X-ray)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No Not reported •      Accuracy for finding cancer[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Test frequency: how often you need to do the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Discomfort during the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Preparation needed for the test\ •      Sedation[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Follow-up Hol et al, 2010 ([@R18]) •      Screening test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes For screening-naive subjects with realistic screening intervals and mortality reduction from the literature, predicted uptake was 68% for FOBT, 79% for FS, and 77% for TC. •      Screening interval (years)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Risk reduction of mortality[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Howard and Salkeld, 2009 ([@R19]) •      Accuracy of test for cancers[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No Not reported •      Accuracy of test for polyps[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      How accurate the test is at saying you do not have cancer[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Preparation: dietary and medication restrictions[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Process: how sample is collected[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Howard et al, 2011 ([@R20]) •      Probability of needing a second procedure after CTC to treat polyps or cancer[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No Not reported •      Bowel preparation[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Test accuracy (likelihood of missing small cancers/polyps)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Marshall et al, 2007 ([@R21]) •      Process[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes The study predicted that if all colorectal cancer tests were available rather than FOBT alone then screening uptake would increase 42%. •      Pain[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Preparation[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Sensitivity (accurate if you do have cancer)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Specificity (accurate it you do not have cancer)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Marshall et al, 2009 ([@R22]) •      What do I do to prepare?[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes Not reported •      Is there pain/discomfort?[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      How often will the screening test be done?[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      How is it done?[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      If this screening test result is abnormal, will an additional test be needed to confirm whether you have cancer?\ •      If 10 people without cancer get this screening test, how many of them will the test say do have cancer?[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      If 10 people with cancer get this screening test, how many of them will the test say do not have cancer?[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      How many people who get this screening test have a complication?[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Pignone et al, 2012 ([@R23]) •      Ability to reduce colorectal incidence and mortality[b](#T3FN2){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No[c](#T3FN3){ref-type="table-fn"} Not reported •      Discomfort[b](#T3FN2){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Nature of the test[b](#T3FN2){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Frequency[b](#T3FN2){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Complications[b](#T3FN2){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[b](#T3FN2){ref-type="table-fn"} Ryan and Skåtun, 2004 ([@R24]) •      Time between Papanicolaou smears[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes Not reported •      Waiting time for results[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of being recalled[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of abnormality[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of dying from cervical cancer[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} van Dam et al, 2010 ([@R25]) •      Preparation[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes Average estimated uptake of colorectal cancer screening was 56% for screening-naive individuals. If all screening tests reduced the risk of colorectal cancer--related death by 10%, uptake was estimated to be 72% for biennial FOBT screening, 46% for 5-yearly FS screening, and 22% for 10-yearly colonoscopy screening. If patients were aware of the possible risk reduction demonstrated in the literature, uptake would increase to 75% for biennial FOBT screening, 80% for 5-yearly FS screening, and 71% for 10-yearly colonoscopy screening (risk reduction of colorectal cancer--related death, respectively: 16%, 59%, and 74.5%). Results were available on how changing program characteristics affected uptake. •      Location\ •      Pain[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Risk of complications[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Risk of death from colorectal cancer[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Interval (in the following 10 years you will undergo the test x times)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Duration[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Wordsworth et al, 2006 ([@R26]) •      Time between Papanicolaou smears[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes Not reported •      Waiting time for results[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of being recalled[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of abnormality[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of dying from cervical cancer[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} **Studies with only health care delivery attributes** Griffith et al, 2009 ([@R27]) •      Staff seen for counseling[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes Not reported •      Waiting time from referral to receipt of a letter confirming risk status[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Distance to counseling[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Duration of counseling appointments[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} (not significant for low-risk women)\ •      Availability of genetics testing only to high-risk women[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} (not significant for high-risk women)\ •      Cost of service[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Peacock et al, 2006 ([@R28]) •      Risk information (information)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No Not reported •      Giving advice about cancer surveillance (surveillance)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Preparing for genetic testing (preparation)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Assistance with decision making (direction)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} **Studies with both screening test and health care delivery attributes** Fiebig et al, 2009 ([@R29]) •      Recommended screening interval[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ Yes Not reported •      This GP is your regular GP/have never seen this GP[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      This GP is male/female[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Time since last cervical screening test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Doctor's recommendation[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Doctor's incentive payment\ •      Cost of test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of false-negative[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Chance of false-positive[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Gerard et al, 2003 ([@R30]) •      Method of inviting women for screening\ Yes Not reported •      Information included with invitation[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Time to wait for an appointment\ •      Choices of appointment times\ •      Time spent traveling[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      How staff at the screening service relate to you\ •      Attention paid to privacy[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Time spent attending for mammogram[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Time to notification of results\ •      Level of accuracy of the screening test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Nayaradou et al, 2010 ([@R31]) •      Who proposes screening\ No Not reported •      Process[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Sensitivity[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Rate of unnecessary colonoscopy\ •      Expected mortality reduction[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Method of screening test result transmission\ •      Cost of the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Salkeld et al, 2000 ([@R32]) •      Dietary and medication restrictions[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No Not reported •      Whether your GP supervises the test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Notification of negative test result\ •      Cost of the test kit[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      The chance of a false-positive test[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} Salkeld et al, 2003 ([@R33]) •      Benefit: sensitivity, colorectal cancer deaths prevented[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ No Not reported •      Potential harm: specificity, number of false-positive--induced colonoscopies[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"}\ •      Notification policy (of test result)[a](#T3FN1){ref-type="table-fn"} -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abbreviations: CTC, computed tomography colonography; FOBT, fecal occult blood test; FS, flexible sigmoidoscopy; GP, general practitioner; TC, tomography colonography. Attribute is significant. Significance of attribute levels not reported. Included a single question after the discrete-choice experiment on screening test preference, in which respondents selected from a set of four unlabeled screening tests (designed to simulate fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or a radiological test such as computed tomography colonography) or the option of no screening. Studies with only screening test attributes ------------------------------------------- Fifteen studies included only screening test attributes for breast cancer screening ([@R15]), cervical cancer screening ([@R12],[@R13],[@R24],[@R26]), or colorectal cancer screening ([@R14],[@R16]--[@R23],[@R25]). Among the studies that examined preferences for colorectal cancer screening, 2 looked only at the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) ([@R16],[@R19]) and 1 compared preferences for computed tomography colonography and colonoscopy ([@R20]). The rest included attributes defining a range of screening tests. Most studies surveyed the general population; however, many studies included respondents with screening experience or at higher risk of developing cancer ([@R13],[@R14],[@R18]--[@R20],[@R25]). DCE and CA studies can be set up as a forced choice, where respondents pick between tests, or they can include a no-test option where the respondent can select "no test" instead of the hypothetical options posed in the choice question. Two-thirds of the studies included a no-test option. In addition, 1 study included a separate question asking about preferences for specific unlabeled tests assigned with the characteristics of existing tests and included the option of no test ([@R23]). Four studies provided predictions of uptake for tests with specific characteristics. Gyrd-Hansen ([@R15]) found that predicted uptake for a hypothetical test screening people aged 50 to 69 years every second year with features drawn from the literature and a program in Denmark (80%--88%) was similar to estimates of actual uptake (88%). Hol et al ([@R18]) predicted a 77% uptake for colonoscopy for screening-naive respondents in his sample in the Netherlands based on what the authors defined as realistic assumptions for the attribute levels after reviewing the clinical literature. Marshall et al ([@R21]) estimated that total uptake for all types of colorectal cancer screening would be 42% at the highest if all currently available tests were offered to their sample in Canada. Van Dam et al ([@R25]) estimated uptake using risk reductions taken from the clinical literature to be 75% for biennial FOBT screening, 80% for 5-yearly flexible sigmoidoscopy screening, and 71% for 10-yearly colonoscopy screening for this sample from the Netherlands. Another feature that distinguished the studies was whether the screening test was identified by the process or name of the procedure. This feature was most relevant for colorectal cancer screening, in which available tests range from stool samples to colonoscopies. De Bekker-Grob et al ([@R14]) compared an unlabeled design with a labeled design. Howard et al ([@R20]) used a labeled design. Four studies included an attribute that identified the type of colorectal cancer screening test by name or through the process ([@R17],[@R18],[@R21],[@R22]). The rest of the studies described the tests through attributes related to efficacy and process without mentioning the type of test. All studies included some kind of efficacy attribute. Forty percent defined efficacy as the accuracy of the test (the probability that the test found cancer or precancerous growths); the rest presented the reduction in risk of cancer mortality. The efficacy attributes were significant in every study. Forty-seven percent of the studies also included specificity (the risk of false negatives) as an attribute, which was significant in every study except one ([@R16]). Test experience attributes included preparation before the test, discomfort during the test, waiting time for results, whether a follow-up visit was needed if results were abnormal, complication risk, duration of screening procedure, recommended test frequency, out-of-pocket cost, and type of facility where the test was conducted. The attributes that were always significant were preparation before the test (included in 47% of the studies), discomfort or pain during the test (included in 40% of the studies), waiting time for the results (included in 27% of the studies), complication risk (included in 27% of the studies), cost (included in 67% of the studies), and the type of facility where the test was preformed (included in 13% of the studies). Waiting time to get test results was not significant in 1 of the 4 times it was included ([@R12]), location of test in 1 of 2 times ([@R14]), test frequency in 2 of 11 times ([@R15],[@R16]), and whether a follow-up test was needed to confirm abnormal results in 1 of 4 times ([@R22]). The primary purpose of most studies was to examine preferences for screening test features; however, 3 of the studies investigated questions about DCE or CA methods. De Bekker-Grob et al ([@R14]) looked at the effect of a labeled versus unlabeled design. Pignone et al ([@R23]) compared choice-based CAs with rating and ranking. Howard and Salkeld ([@R19]) examined the effect of attribute framing (whether sensitivity and specificity were presented as cancers found or cancers missed). Studies with only health care delivery attributes ------------------------------------------------- Only 2 studies, which looked at preferences for genetic counseling, included exclusively what we termed health care delivery attributes ([@R27],[@R28]). Griffith et al ([@R27]) looked at preferences for genetic testing among women with a low, moderate, or high risk of breast cancer. Peacock et al ([@R28]) examined preferences for the type of information received during counseling for women at high risk of carrying the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations, which are associated with a higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer. The attributes in Griffith et al ([@R27]) were related to the appointment and were all significant, except whether the screening test was available only for high-risk women (versus the entire population), which was not significant to high-risk women, and the length of the appointment, which was not significant to low-risk women. The attributes in Peacock et al ([@R28]) included 4 topics that could be discussed during counseling; all were significant. Studies with attributes of both a screening test and health care delivery ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Five studies combined screening test attributes and health care delivery attributes, and examined screening for colorectal cancer ([@R31]--[@R33]), cervical cancer ([@R29]), or breast cancer ([@R30]). Nayaradou et al ([@R31]) and Salkeld et al ([@R32]) did not include a no-test option, whereas the other studies did. Gerard et al ([@R30]) designed questions with a single scenario for screening, and women were asked if they would attend. Nayaradou et al ([@R31]) and Salkeld et al ([@R33]) surveyed average risk or general population samples. Fiebig et al ([@R29]) compared women with and without screening histories, Gerard et al ([@R30]) sampled from women with a history of screening, and Salkeld et al ([@R32]) surveyed individuals who had used an at-home FOBT (bowel screening) kit. Four studies included sensitivity of the screening test, reduction in cancer mortality, or both, and 4 included the chance of a false-negative (specificity). These attributes were significant in all the studies, except specificity, defined as rate of unnecessary colonoscopy in Nayaradou et al ([@R31]). Cost was included in 3 of the studies and was consistently significant ([@R29],[@R31],[@R32]). The health care delivery attributes were more diverse and context specific, and many were nonsignificant. Whether a person would be notified of negative test results was significant in Salkeld et al ([@R33]) and nonsignificant in Salkeld et al ([@R32]). Whether the doctor was paid an incentive was nonsignificant in Fiebig et al ([@R29]), but other attributes related to the doctor or general practitioner were significant. Who proposed the screening or where the respondent was told they learned about the screening was nonsignificant in Gerard et al ([@R30]) and Nayaradou et al ([@R31]). Gerard et al ([@R30]) examined many features related to the appointment: some were significant (travel time to the appointment, a private changing area, and the length of the screening), and some were nonsignificant (waiting time for an appointment and the results, a choice of hours for appointments in the evening or Saturday, and whether the staff at the clinic was welcoming or reserved). Discussion ========== Overall, the studies suggest that respondents valued improvements in attributes related to the characteristics of cancer screening tests, including sensitivity, process, and cost. The significance of the health care delivery attributes was uneven across studies, especially in studies combining test and health care delivery attributes. More than half of the studies included only screening test attributes. Thirteen included some type of opt-out option, but only 4 calculated predicted uptake for specific tests. Three similar reviews of cancer screening tests have been published. Phillips et al ([@R6]), which reviewed SP contingent valuation, CA, and DCE studies published through May 2005 for any type of cancer screening test, identified 8 studies of patient preferences. Marshall et al ([@R7]) reviewed 6 SP studies for colorectal cancer screening published between 1990 and May 2009. Ghanouni et al ([@R8]) reviewed 7 CA studies of colorectal cancer screening tests to assess the quality of the research and results. With a larger sample of 22 studies, we confirmed the findings in the earlier reviews --- that patients had preferences over multiple attributes and that sensitivity was an important feature. This review included articles published through July 2013. Since this review was completed, several additional CA studies, not included in this review, have been published, including 8 more on colorectal cancer screening and 1 on breast cancer screening ([@R34]--[@R42]). Three of these more recent studies included health care delivery attributes such as travel time to breast screening appointment and the sex of staff members conducting breast screening ([@R35],[@R39],[@R41]). As with the 2 previous reviews ([@R6],[@R7]), we found that most of the studies were administered to the general population at average risk of cancer; however, there are now more studies of populations at high risk of cancer or with screening histories. Several of the new studies focused on specific populations including older adults and Hispanics ([@R34],[@R35],[@R39]), and 1 study was conducted in Japan ([@R41]). There are many ways in which these results from SP studies can aid in the design of future research and be applied to public health programs designed to increase screening. For example, in the United States, physicians may be more likely to recommend colonoscopy than other tests ([@R43],[@R44]); however, the DCE and CA studies suggest that preparation, discomfort, and cost are important to patients and that some patients may prefer a stool test. In countries where stool tests are the standard of care, offering colonoscopies could improve uptake among people who have strong preferences for high sensitivity. Health care delivery variables were sometimes nonsignificant. In SP surveys, process variables such as waiting time for an appointment may be nonsignificant relative to variables such as sensitivity, but these process factors may be important in determining whether people get screened. If an acceptable test exists, then process factors related to making appointments, getting the test, and getting the results may have a big influence on uptake for that test. Our understanding of preferences and uptake could be improved by additional research on the best way to include attributes associated with health care delivery. Health behavior theory, which has been used to develop and evaluate public health interventions ([@R45]), could provide a useful structure to develop attributes or other supporting questions related to attitude, environmental, or social factors influencing uptake (see Tsunematsu et al \[[@R41]\] for an example). The hypothetical nature of SP surveys makes it challenging to accurately predict uptake. Nonetheless, adding a no-test option and providing estimates of uptake for specific tests when appropriate will provide more information on preferences and predicted uptake. The issue of labeled versus unlabeled designs can affect predictions of uptake. De Bekker-Grob et al ([@R14]) found that choices differed based on whether labels were included. They concluded that respondents were less attentive to the attributes when labels were provided and that labeled designs may be more appropriate for respondents who were familiar with the labels and for studies interested in predicting uptake. It is unknown whether including test names as attributes is similar to using a labeled design. We focused on patient preferences; however, studies have been done with physicians or comparing patients and physicians ([@R12],[@R22],[@R29],[@R46]). Studies on physician preferences are important, because patients often rely on their physicians for advice ([@R7]). If patients and physicians value attributes differently, patient-preference surveys provide an opportunity for physicians and patients to identify differences in perspective, which could improve communication and shared decision making. CA and DCE surveys could also be used more extensively to test the effect of messages on preferences and willingness of different populations, including underserved populations, to be screened. The results could help shape strategies for public health communication, especially because studies have found that the type of information provided can affect preferences for screening tests ([@R7],[@R38]). Our review has limitations. We reported attribute significance; however, the significance or lack of significance of attributes should be viewed as conditional on the set of attributes included and the range of levels. An attribute may be more or less important depending on the other attributes included in the survey. In general, best practice suggests that researchers include attributes that are important to respondents, implying that most attributes should be significant. However, even with careful pretesting, changes in attributes that are important in isolation may not be important when included in a wider set of attributes. The surveys differed in objectives and format, limiting our ability to compare findings across studies. Furthermore, few studies were conducted in the same country, which limits the generalizability of findings, because differences in national health policies vary widely among countries. For example, although many studies focused on colorectal cancer screening, only 3 were conducted in the United States. A growing number of studies examine preferences for cancer screening tests. These studies consistently find that screening test attributes such as efficacy, process, and cost are significant determinants of choice. Fewer studies have examined the effect of health care delivery attributes on choice, and the results from these studies are mixed. Going forward, there is a need for studies on the barriers to cancer screening uptake, the impact of education materials on preferences, and the role of preference studies in patient and physician communication. Patient-preference studies may become more important as patient-centered care gains more prominence. Funding was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Contract No. 200-2008-27958, Task order 0025); we have no financial disclosures. We thank Linda Chamiec-Case for her help in assembling the data for this study. The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors\' affiliated institutions. *Suggested citation for this article:* Mansfield C, Tangka FK, Ekwueme DU, Smith JL, Guy GP Jr, Li C, et al. Stated Preference for Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review of the Literature, 1990--2013. Prev Chronic Dis 2016;13:150433. DOI: <http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd13.150433>.

The present invention relates to a printer having a paper transporting device and a printing head which is equipped with a plurality of closely spaced, electrically energizable printing elements arranged in a row, wherein the printing elements having odd and even ordinal numbers, or vice versa, are alternatingly energizable with variable energy corresponding to the gray values of the image information so as to represent the gray values by different size image dots. Such a printer, in the form of a thermal printer, is disclosed in DE-A No. 3,309,328. For printing of a matrix line, the heating elements of the thermal printing head are energized in two consecutive time periods, with adjacent heating elements never being traversed simultaneously by heating current. In this way it is prevented that adjacent image dots run into one another due to thermal crosstalk. By varying the heating currents, the size of the image dots can be varied. The range over which the image dot size can be varied is limited by the distance between the heating elements. In presently customary thermal printing heads including an arrangement of 12 to 16 heating elements per millimeter, the possible variation in image dot size is relatively small with respect to high contrast gray and color tone gradations. The principle of dot-matrix printing is sufficiently known from the printing art. There, too, different areal expanses of the matrix dots which are gradated as to their tone value, simulate a half-tone effect. This is based on the fact that the human eye is unable to discern the individual matrix dots in their small size and density. This limited resolution capability of the human eye also forms the basis for the matrix sizes employed in the printing art, for example, sixty lines per centimeter, i. e. six lines per millimeter, for a higher standard quality, with the matrix dots being equidistantly arranged in the direction of the line (Erhard D. Stiebner et al, "Drucktechnik heute" [Printing Technology Today], 1985, published by Verlag F. Bruckmann KG, Munich, ISBN 3-7654-1951-6, page 84).

@import '~@react-md/theme/dist/color-palette'; @import '~@react-md/utils/dist/mixins'; .on { @include rmd-utils-mouse-only(true) { &:hover { color: inherit; } } color: $rmd-yellow-500; // only needed for the menu-item implementation fill: currentColor; } .off { @include rmd-utils-mouse-only(true) { &:hover { color: $rmd-yellow-500; } } }

The invention relates to a device and a method for the generation of respirational air. There have been several efforts to date to generate dry respirational air. It is known that, if gas or air is compressed in a space, its moisture absorptivity is high and, on cooling the air, for example in a storage container, a part of the absorbed moisture can condense, which is undesired. Furthermore, only a certain atmospheric humidity is desired for respiration. Respirational air from a compressor must therefore be dehumidified both for technical reasons and for health reasons. The prior art includes devices which would partly solve the above-mentioned dehumidification problem via mechanical separators having microfilters, by heat treatment of the air or with the aid of chemical drying systems (e.g. with salt). The inventor recognized that the known systems are disadvantageous with respect to the following: The devices to date achieved complicated or insufficient dehumidification of respirational air. In many of them, the separation of water from the gas or the air can be realized only partly. This means that optimum atmospheric humidity has been achieved to date only with great effort or not at all by the known methods.

Call a professional in for a free estimate, then do what he suggests and buy an appropriate insecticide and apply it as the directions state. Sanitation and no damp spots are also important. If you are in an attached dwelling, the job becomes infinitely more difficult if your neighbors do not cooperate.

Q: Porting exiting engine to PBR (opengl/glsl) I'm currently trying to port an existing engine to PBR. The engine was designed with some PBR features like IBL, energy conservation however it still uses the gloss map + specular map. My goal is to port it to metalness + roughness to make artist's job easier, however I'm facing some issues. 1) The original engine dev left the project 2) While I have glsl/programming knowledge I'm more on the artistic side Before the engine compute the diffuse and specular coefficient with those function: While the input var is named roughness, it's in fact the gloss map from the 3D model // Blinn Phong with emulated fresnel factor vec3 SpecularBRDF(vec3 normal, vec3 eyedir, vec3 lightdir, vec3 color, float roughness) { float exponentroughness = exp2(10. * roughness + 1.); // Half Light View direction vec3 H = normalize(eyedir + lightdir); float NdotH = clamp(dot(normal, H), 0., 1.); float normalisationFactor = (exponentroughness + 2.) / 8.; vec3 FresnelSchlick = color + (1.0f - color) * pow(1.0f - clamp(dot(eyedir, H), 0., 1.), 5.); return max(pow(NdotH, exponentroughness) * FresnelSchlick * normalisationFactor, vec3(0.)); } // Lambert model vec3 DiffuseBRDF(vec3 normal, vec3 eyedir, vec3 lightdir, vec3 color, float roughness) { return color; } And the main function void main() { vec2 uv = gl_FragCoord.xy / u_screen; float z = texture(dtex, uv).x; vec4 xpos = getPosFromUVDepth(vec3(uv, z), u_inverse_projection_matrix); vec3 norm = normalize(DecodeNormal(2. * texture(ntex, uv).xy - 1.)); float roughness =texture(ntex, uv).z; vec3 eyedir = -normalize(xpos.xyz); vec3 Lightdir = SunMRP(norm, eyedir); float NdotL = clamp(dot(norm, Lightdir), 0., 1.); vec3 Specular = SpecularBRDF(norm, eyedir, Lightdir, vec3(1.), roughness); vec3 Diffuse = DiffuseBRDF(norm, eyedir, Lightdir, vec3(1.), roughness); // Shadows float factor; if (xpos.z < split0) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 0); else if (xpos.z < split1) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 1); else if (xpos.z < split2) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 2); else if (xpos.z < splitmax) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 3); else factor = 1.; Diff = vec4(factor * NdotL * Diffuse * sun_color, 1.); Spec = vec4(factor * NdotL * Specular * sun_color, 1.); } I'm attempting to implement the function described here http://github.khronos.org/glTF-WebGL-PBR/ Currently I'm focused on implementing roughness. Metalness will come later #define saturate(value) clamp(value, 0.0f, 1.0f); #define PI 3.1415926f #define EPSILON 10e-5f // Attempt at better implementation ======================== // Surface Reflection Ratio (F) float specularReflection_F(float metalness, float VdotH) { return metalness + (1.0 - metalness) * pow(1.0 - VdotH, 5.0); } vec3 diffuse(vec3 diffuseColor) { return diffuseColor / PI; } // Geometric Occlusion (G) float geometricOcclusion_G(float NdotV, float NdotL, float alphaRoughness) { float NdotL2 = NdotL * NdotL; float NdotV2 = NdotV * NdotV; float v = ( -1.0 + sqrt ( alphaRoughness * (1.0 - NdotL2 ) / NdotL2 + 1.)) * 0.5; float l = ( -1.0 + sqrt ( alphaRoughness * (1.0 - NdotV2 ) / NdotV2 + 1.)) * 0.5; return (1.0 / max((1.0 + v + l ), 0.000001)); } // Microfaced Distribution (D) float microfacetDistribution_D(float NdotH, float alphaRoughness) { float roughnessSq = alphaRoughness * alphaRoughness; float f = (NdotH * roughnessSq - NdotH) * NdotH + 1.0; return roughnessSq / (PI * f * f); } float getShadowFactor(vec3 pos, int index) { vec4 shadowcoord = (u_shadow_projection_view_matrices[index] * u_inverse_view_matrix * vec4(pos, 1.0)); shadowcoord.xy /= shadowcoord.w; vec2 shadowtexcoord = shadowcoord.xy * 0.5 + 0.5; //float d = .5 * shadowcoord.z + .5; float d = .5 * shadowcoord.z + .5 - 1. / (shadow_res * 5.); float result = 0.; for (float i = -1.; i <= 1.; i += 1.) { for (float j = -1.; j <= 1.; j += 1.) { result += texture(shadowtex, vec4(shadowtexcoord + vec2(i,j) / shadow_res, float(index), d)); } } return result / 9.; } void main() { vec2 uv = gl_FragCoord.xy / u_screen; float z = texture(dtex, uv).x; vec4 xpos = getPosFromUVDepth(vec3(uv, z), u_inverse_projection_matrix); vec3 norm = normalize(DecodeNormal(2. * texture(ntex, uv).xy - 1.)); float roughness =texture(ntex, uv).z; vec3 eyedir = -normalize(xpos.xyz); vec3 Lightdir = SunMRP(norm, eyedir); float NdotL = clamp(dot(norm, Lightdir), 0., 1.); vec3 Specular = SpecularBRDF(norm, eyedir, Lightdir, vec3(1.), roughness); vec3 Diffuse = DiffuseBRDF(norm, eyedir, Lightdir, vec3(1.), roughness); // Custom computation for PBR engine ====================================== vec4 BaseColor = vec4(sun_color.rgb, 1.0f); vec4 SpecularColor = vec4(sun_color.rgb, 1.0f); vec3 normal = norm; vec3 LightDirection = Lightdir; vec3 ViewDirection = eyedir; vec3 HalfVector = normalize(ViewDirection + LightDirection); float Roughness = 0.0; float RefractiveIndex = 0.24f; // RI for Gold materials. I got this from http://refractiveindex.info/ float F0 = pow(((1.0f - RefractiveIndex) / (1.0f + RefractiveIndex)), 2); NdotL = saturate(dot(LightDirection, normal)); float NdotV = abs(dot(ViewDirection, normal)) + EPSILON; // Avoid artifact - Ref: SIGGRAPH14 - Moving Frosbite to PBR float LdotH = saturate(dot(LightDirection, HalfVector)); float NdotH = saturate(dot(normal, HalfVector)); // Additional for testing the new implementation bellow float VdotH = saturate(dot(ViewDirection, HalfVector)); // New implementation: ################################## float alphaRoughness = roughness; float F = specularReflection_F(0.0, VdotH); vec3 diffuseContrib = (1.0 - F) * diffuse(sun_color); float G = geometricOcclusion_G(NdotV, NdotL, alphaRoughness); float D = microfacetDistribution_D(alphaRoughness, NdotH); //float D = 1.0; G = clamp(G, 0.0, 2.0); D = clamp(D, 0.0, 2.0); vec3 specContrib = (vec3(F) * G * D) / (4.0 * NdotL * NdotV); // Shadows ================================================================ float factor; if (xpos.z < split0) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 0); else if (xpos.z < split1) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 1); else if (xpos.z < split2) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 2); else if (xpos.z < splitmax) factor = getShadowFactor(xpos.xyz, 3); else factor = 1.; Diff = vec4(diffuseContrib, 1.0); //Diff = DiffuseFactor; //Diff = vec4(factor * NdotL * DiffuseFactor * sun_color, 1.); Spec = vec4(specContrib, 1.0); //Spec = SpecularColor * SpecularFactor; //Spec = vec4(factor * NdotL * SpecularFactor * sun_color, 1.); //Diff = FinalColor; } However when launching the game, I have weird dark artifacts everywhere. I removed the shadows to ouput only the specular and diffuse factor 1) Are my input corrects (the VdotH, NdotV and LdotH) 2) Did I made any obvious mistake? I didn't included other files to keep it short. However the full source code of the engine is open source and you can check it here https://github.com/Benau/stk-code/tree/combine/data/shaders A: Ok after a some research I finally found what was wrong. Now I compute the final color as following: float metallic = specMapValue; vec3 specularMatColor = mix(vec3(0.04), diffuseMatColor.xyz * 4, metallic); vec3 result = DiffuseComponent * mix(diffuseMatColor.xyz, vec3(0.0), metallic) + (specularMatColor * SpecularComponent); I still have to fix the reflection of the metal part that is a bit too dark (currently I multiply the spec color by 4 but it feels like a hack Anyway here is a comparison between Substance Painter and the shader result

Ask HN: Feelings on salary vs. hourly? - j2bax I work for a small agency (about 16 or so guys). The grand majority of our employees are paid hourly. They get time and a half for overtime. Wondering what other people on HN would prefer. Salary with more flexible time off as long as you stay late when needed, or hourly with time and a half and less flexibility with time off? ====== all_these_years IMHO all depends on the employee's work ethics, the company's work environment, possibilities to learn, autonomy in your work, feeling you do something interesting, etc, etc. I can offer my situation as an example: I work as a senior lead dev in Rails in a hourly basis (US East Coast). Interesting job with a lot of autonomy, possibilities to learn (there is a complex mix of technologies here). I know it is not easy to find someone with my skills set and I know they are more than happy with my performance. The job is hourly just because that was the initial deal, a 'contract to hire'. They've just offered me a fixed salary and benefits, but with a lower pay from what I am doing hourly (even if my hours are cap to 8h/day). You know, business side tries to push down. So I am seriously considering to start sending resumes and just leave if I can't continue hourly, just because of the pay cut. So I think all depends. Flexibility in the hours, if it's possible, is a good thing, but fixed salary has also some advantages (if the salary is attractive): health insurance, benefits, paid vacations,... and you may get a higher degree of identification with the company. So again, it all depends. ~~~ chrisbennet Is it really "lower pay" after you total up the benefits? Do you get paid vacation, etc? I agree that the new arrangement probably costs them less, but check the math to be sure. ~~~ all_these_years I am a math major, so yes, math checked :), it is still lower. My wife has health insurance, so that is not ann issue (for now). It also happens that they said they have a max salary they decided for engineers, which doesn't apply to the business side. This could be just a negotiation tactic to make me to agree to take the lower salary (I am over that max right now), so I think I'll look what is out there... Anyway, I think that an hourly rate, strangely, has some good things from the employee's point of view, if you have some value to offer and the job market is healthy. You feel that your commitment is to your work, and that to leave is not such a big deal, less attachment to 'the position', more responsibility to your craft. ------ roguecoder I appreciated hourly when I was expected to work over 40 hours a week relatively frequently (if I have a major equity stake it wouldn't matter). That company also billed my time hourly, though, so if I hadn't gotten paid when they were getting paid extra for my effort above-and-beyond I'd definitely have felt exploited. I prefer to take a salary when I trust the management not to abuse my time. Hourly pay aligns my interests and my boss', but adds friction and effort. Salary is a sign of trust that makes my life easier, but if it means the company expects me to burn myself out it'll end up hurting us both as my productivity suffers and I become resentful. ------ lifeisstillgood 0\. What does the agency do? Which country? Which part of the industry? Remote or onsite? 1 why only some of the employees are salaried - is this a management divide, skills gap? Usually hourly vs salaried indicates the divide between skills the company thinks are either not core or more easily measured and tracked. If you are salarying people doing the same job as hourly workers then yes expect tension if you are hiring people in to work on well defined clearly measurable projects whilst salaried empoyees perform other tasks then the divide is understandable to everyone involved your reasons as a company for this approach are your own, (I am guessing you _run_ a small agency and are using a throwaway) - but your reasons need to be understood and accepted by your employyees - if you can explain the reasons here you will have a better chance of winning everyone over ~~~ j2bax 0\. Mostly, we do web game development in the US for larger corps. 98% of employees are onsite. 1\. You are correct, currently we pay management salary and everyone else hourly. It was actually only recently that we even moved management to salary per my recommendation and preference to be moved to salary. I'm pretty new to HN, this isn't a throwaway, should it be? I'm considering making the suggestion to the owner to move everyone to salary so that our costs are a little more predictable. I understand that taking away time and a half could be a sticking point for some of the guys... We would obviously take this into consideration when figuring salaries. Personally I feel it might make the work place a little more laid back. ~~~ lifeisstillgood Sorry I saw a new account on a sensitive subject - as the man says assumption makes an ass of you and umption... Are you paying hourly because originally things were uncertain and salaries were a big risk on the founders? If this has changed (good rep, plenty of orders trhough next six months) then maybe salary is the way to go. My feeling though is salary is only part of a question about sharing and managing risk. Games development is risky and there will be better qualified people here to advise but I would look at how the whole risk/reward is structured - salaried employees take on the bread and butter corporate games, freelancers take the riskier retail with some shared upside? There are many ways to do it but at the moment it sounds that it's in peoples interet to work longer hours rather than ship early. ------ brudgers Flexible work schedules and hourly pay are not mutually exclusive. Salary doesn't suddenly make an employee more productive. An hourly wage does not make an employee unethical. I've seen well run firms where everyone including the CEO was hourly. Having a meaningful correlation between wages and workflow was an advantage. It provided data for better staffing. Helped employee moral as well. Disincentivizing inadequate staffing was seen as a good thing.