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Originally Posted by moto-camaro we don't even know if this is synergy or not people... personally i'm gonna wait until i see official pics from chevy and it's confirmed that Synergy is the shade being added to the camaro colors. What happened to Opel Green? i averaged out pretty well all the shaded of green from the pic from the video, and got the first pic below: then i color matched and tweaked it a bit to the other 3 pics below. should go without saying... but these are photoshops, not real. Here's info from a message sent to dealers on 10-27 Camaro Synergy Green The new Camaro exterior color - Synergy Green - will be offered exclusively on a special edition Camaro model that will be available for ordering starting in January 2010, and will start production the following month. Specific ordering and pricing details regarding this special edition model will be provided to you in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you would like an idea of what Synergy Green will look like, a special Camaro Synergy SEMA Concept model featuring the production exterior color will debut during this year's SEMA show (November 3 - 6, 2009). The Camaro Synergy SEMA Concept model serves as a basis for the production model; however, the concept model will include a number of current and future accessory items that will not necessarily find its way to the special edition model.

Also, more land would probably be good for this deck. June 29, 2010 11:54 p.m. Silvergill Douser DENIES. I have a casual merfolk deck right now, and the card is insanely effective against fatties. I'm not sure if that will be just as good against competitive decks, but I guess I'll just have to see. And with the land, I haven't been having problems with it, but that's still probably a good idea. June 30, 2010 12:07 a.m. Yeah. Thats true. I don't think fatties will be a huge part of the metagame as of right now. Maybe move it to the sideboard? June 30, 2010 12:24 p.m. I'd say actually Silvergill might not be as effective, only because competitive decks will not let you stick 3+ merfolk without a fight, and even if you do you've probably gained control of the board by that point anyway. I'd consider running the card:Aquitect's Wills mainboard, 3-4 of, because if Standard is any indication of the power of Spreading Seas running 8 copies of it is insane. My standard Esper deck runs 4 Seas and 4 Contaminated Ground and with that much psuedo-land destruction you can wreck their early game completely. June 30, 2010 12:51 p.m. Also has damn good synergy with the Islandwalk lord. Spreading Seas is good enough with all the draw and filter mechanics in here but honestly 8x is much better. Plus, think of the curve: turn 1 Cursecatcher Turn 2 Spreading Seas Turn 3 card:Aquitect's Will with mana left over for a mana leak, assuming they can cast anything with two islands By then you've drawn 2 extra cards and should have some fuel to start your aggro plan. I'm actually really liking this. Maybe one of the new level up lords is a good idea? June 30, 2010 12:55 p.m. I actually don't like the level up lords all that much. Lord of Atlantis (islandwalk ftw) and Merrow Reejerey (untap LANDS?) are just better. Silvergill Douser in the sideboard is a good idea. But then again, I need help with the sideboard in general. Lastly, is running 7-8 island-makers really going to be effective? I mean, I understand the control aspect of it, but I only need one for the Lord of Atlantis trick, and I still need enough creatures to have a good board force. June 30, 2010 1:10 p.m. The thing you have to consider with card:Aquitect's Will is that it doesn't actually change their manabase. It says IN ADDITION, so all it really does for you is make youre critters unblockable. June 30, 2010 8:56 p.m. Oh, wow. completely misread that. Disregard me then :P June 30, 2010 10:29 p.m. Oh. Wow i didn't notice that either. I doubt I'll put that in then. June 30, 2010 11:09 p.m. Aw, dammit Caley, here I thought I had a shot and then you had to come along and ruin it. Shucks! July 27, 2010 8:29 a.m. July 27, 2010 8:43 a.m. I vow to side board Raging Goblin against this for turn 1. July 27, 2010 4:11 p.m. July 29, 2010 6:09 a.m. Cryptic Command could counter and bounce that pesky ragin cajun July 29, 2010 6:41 a.m. Good man, Ashkaan. Good man. Epic play the other night with it, Ash had. He has two islands open in a multiplayer EDH game using my Chronic Cyanosis EDH deck. Some jerk who mainboards Boil casts it. Someone else who needs Islands counters it. A fourth party counters THAT counter. Ashkaan taps out to cast Counterspell on THAT counter. Then the guy who originally cast Boil counters THAT counter. Then a long period of silence, as we all contemplate the idea that the islands are going to be destroyed. But then Ashkaan, who's never played with the card before, realizes how Pact of Negation works and slams it down. It was truly awesome. July 30, 2010 6:01 a.m. Although in this case, "Some jerk" is actually a really cool guy in our playgroup. But still. Boil ! It's up there on my "most-hated" cards list. July 30, 2010 6:02 a.m. I can't believe Boil exists! I honestly thought the guys were just messing around when he cast that.. July 30, 2010 4:17 p.m. Agreed on the FoW. Must have. That plus pact of negation= 0 cost counter spells all the time! December 28, 2010 9:54 p.m. i have a question, why does pact of negation colorless in the table but it states on the card that it is blue? July 19, 2011 12:27 a.m. Because Isochron Scepter is not a counterspell. I am slinging the counterspell zen koans all up in here. January 3, 2012 8:14 a.m. Please login to comment |Date added||6 years| |Last updated||5 years| This deck is Legacy legal.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t thoroughly interested in Diablo’s story, and whilst I’m sure it was a worthy ending to the saga, I was far more interested in the dynamic loot system and hack n’ slash combat. Surprisingly (at least it was to me), the loot system in Diablo is radically different than those found in traditional MMOs (Diablo is not an MMO). For example, when I killed the Lich King (in World of Warcraft, for those less informed), I had X chance of getting the drop that I wanted (let’s just say some one handed sword). That sword would have set stats on it, so I’d know exactly what I was getting if the weapon dropped. In Diablo, things are quite a bit more chaotic–you never really know what you’re going to get. First of all, there’s a way smaller chance of you actually getting a 1 handed sword from any given encounter–instead of each boss having a pool of 7 or 8 potential drops, they can drop any piece of loot in the game. Now, let’s say that a rare one handed sword does drop. You’ll now have to “identify” (right click) the weapon, which is essentially analogous to unwrapping a present. After opening the item, you can finally see what phat (or fat) loot you received. What’s crazy is how useless (or amazing) the stats / damage on the weapon can be–the disparity between two of the same item after identifying is staggering. I could get two of the same weapons (same name, etc.), and after identifying the loot, one does double the damage of the other! While this sounds irritating and unpredictable, it makes the search for loot thrilling. It’s like opening up a pack of Pokemon cards when you’re 12–getting that holographic Charizard was simply amazing. How far games have come! Sadly, fire still looks like crap The loot isn’t the only thing that drives this game forward though. The combat is blissfully brutal, making the process of mowing down your foes all that much more satisfying. The way in which you do this can also vary greatly depending on your chosen character build. Each class has 22 abilities, with each ability having 5 runes. These runes can drastically change each move, adding a slow effect, fire damage, etc. You can only have 6 abilities active at any given time (using one rune per ability), so you must consider the synergy between moves when you make your choices. It’s also really nice that you can switch these abilities easily, encouraging players to find out what works. Experimentation is crucial on harder difficulties, namely Hell and Inferno, where the wrong build will get you killed almost immediately. This replaces the traditional “talent system,” where the player makes mundane decisions that gradually affect the stats of your player, certain abilities, etc. Sure, that means there’s less customization, but who honestly cares? Instead of making menial decisions throughout leveling, you’re provided with abilities / runes that actually change the way you play–I like this a helluva lot more than simply choosing to add 3 percent to your damage with swords. There are countless aspects of this game that I have yet to mention, like the randomized dungeons, incredibly varied enemy types, fantastic art direction, and much more. I have only scratched the surface, but I definitely feel that Diablo has been carefully crafted to perfection–it’s no surprise that the game took over a decade to surface.

Widening the Playing Field Monday, January 10 was a big day for Caldera Systems. First came the announcement that six large investors had together pumped $30 million into the company. Then came another announcement that Caldera had filed for an initial public offering (IPO). Then there was an announcement that Caldera Inc. had settled its antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft. All three open the path toward an IPO. Given the impressive recent IPOs by Linux-related companies, this is promising news. Four of those companies--Red Hat, Cobalt, VA Linux and Andover--are today worth more than $28 billion, all in new wealth created in less than half a year. As it happened, Monday was also when AOL announced its purchase of Time-Warner. This was the biggest merger in history, and news that blasted away nearly every other story. But at Linux Journal, we are less concerned with the mating of industrial whales than about significant developments in our own community. So we got Caldera's President and CEO, Ransom Love, on the phone to talk with Doc Searls about what's going on with his company. Doc This has been a rock & roll day. Ransom: Pretty exciting. Doc This is historical in a lot of ways. I don't know if you took time out to look at other news, but AOL bought all of entertainment with this Time-Warner deal. Doc And then you settled that Microsoft thing. Ransom: That's not us, it's Caldera, Inc. Doc Yeah, but it's a question you'll stop getting, I imagine. Ransom: Isn't that great? Doc A cloud that goes away. Ransom: Yeah, it's a big deal. Doc Is there anything more you want to say about it? Ransom: (laughing) Actually, no. Doc Always a good answer. If I don't have much room, I can use it. Ransom: Well, this is totally unrelated to us, but I would love to see Microsoft take an open stance toward Linux in general. I mean, we need an office suite. It would be nice to see them provide an office suite on Linux. That would be wonderful. So hopefully, this will be the first of some more exciting news to come. Doc Not just rapprochement, but something that's good for the customers. Doc Okay, let's get to my first question. You list a whole raft of new partners here: Sun, Citrix, SCO, Novell, Chicago Venture Partners and Egan Management Capital. What does that list tell us, and how does it differ from the list of partners lined up by your competitors? Ransom: Obviously, Caldera is focused on e-business. We believe Linux is the ideal platform for extending that, through specialized servers, specialized devices. You look at these companies, and a couple of things come to mind: there are major channel players; and they know how to play with resellers and systems integrators--and the electronics solutions providers, as we like to call them. So, they are major players in the channel, and thus it makes sense for us to try to work out relationships with each of them. I will say that we were not interested in getting money. We were looking for long term relationships that make sense and help us deliver on our desire to be the number one Linux provider for e-business. So if you look at the companies on that list, you begin to see how they could each work with us. Granted, there is a lot more that we are not at liberty to announce, behind the relationships of the investment. Obviously, having Sun on our board, having Carl Ledbetter from Novell on our board, having Ed Jacobucci--just a tremendous addition to our board--he's the CEO of Citrix... will help us as we try to drive Linux into this expanding e-business space. Doc Do you see these companies in turn becoming much more friendly to open source and adopting open-source strategies? Ransom: Yeah, no question. Doc And you're going to help them with that. Ransom: That would be our intent and our desire. Again, we have always felt that open source is not the answer to everything, but it definitely makes sense in the area of core technologies and everything related to them. So, you bet: there would be a strong desire to work with them to provide as much technology as they need. Doc Something seems to have happened in the last several months, beyond some very significant IPOs. It's sort of like: Linux got hot, and then got a whole lot hotter. Ransom: No question. Doc And I'm wondering where you think this thing is going. What's your sense of what people are thinking about Linux that's different than what they thought just a few months ago? Ransom: You have a validation from additional significant players coming to bear. Which means you have significant resources you have not previously had in the space. So consequently it bodes very well. There are the doomsayers who say Linux is going to take a major correction. But where there's smoke, there's fire. Doc They said the same thing about the Net a few years ago, and look what happened. Ransom: That's right. Tell me: where's the correction? I think any time the industry embraces a technology to the extent that it is embracing Linux, with the validation coming to bear from the major players, that's significant. You have companies that have the kind of capital available to them that we see here, closing our second round with $30 million of capital. That's a lot of money. Now we can invest that in the kinds of technologies needed, much of which will be contributed back to the open source effort. Y'know, Linux is a reality that will be here, and we believe it will play a significant role in the new paradigm of servers and Internet devices. Doc Over the last several months, I have been talking to a number of large companies that are suddenly making these radical pro-Linux moves, based on internal Linux developments. They are coping with the fact that their companies are full of Linux. IBM, HP, Intel... these kinds of companies are telling me they have to cope with the fact that they are full of developers who like this stuff, and are putting it to use. Suddenly, they are comfortable with Linux as a building material and open source as a building method, and this is having a big effect on the way these companies work. Intel is even developing new policies that allow their developers to work on open source and give it back to the community. Are you seeing the same kinds of developments? Ransom: There is another aspect of open source you've hinted at there, which I think has not been explored. One of the things that all of this does is create a level playing field. The next question then becomes: how do you piece this all together? How do you make total solutions out of what all these wonderful companies--that say they are coming on board, that they are going to invest, that they are going open source--are bringing to this playing field? How does this all now become a cohesive whole? The beauty of open source is that it breaks down many of the traditional barriers. We can actually solve problems together, because of this level playing field. Some of the exciting areas we can work on are management, administration, deployment, all in a distributed environment. We have a much greater chance of success when we deal with an open-source base. Doc Last night, I was talking to Doug Engelbart, who is a big fan of open source, which he considers a natural state for software development. We talked about how the software industry is turning into the construction industry: how the builders and architects are taking over the market from the suppliers. In the long run, the people actually doing the work--the designers, builders, developers, architects--will be running the industry. This will be a much more mature state than one where suppliers alone set all the terms. It means that if one builder or supplier comes up with a better way to build things, they share it with everybody else and everybody benefits, just like it works in building construction. Is this what you are seeing as well? Ransom: Yes. And the beauty of that is, the traditional barriers that say "If I buy into that, I sacrifice my opportunity," are all down. So if we come up with a really nice way to solve a major problem, why not let everybody embrace it? Today, we have a much better chance to solve the major problems we have been facing for many years, which will now be aggravated even more because of the proliferation of devices. Doc So you're saying the playing field isn't just level now, but also spreading out. Ransom: Right, exactly. Doc I want to ask you about the Citrix relationship. Your press release talks about enabling access to any application on any platform and any device. That sounds to me like what Corel and GraphOn have been talking about together. So it seems like you're saying to Corel, "I'll see your GraphOn and raise you one Citrix." Doc There's mention in the Citrix part of your release that application services are part of this synergy between the two companies. We don't hear a lot about application service in the Linux world, compared to the Windows world. What are your plans there? Ransom: We are firmly committed to the fact that Linux is not the end-all, cure-all to the industry's problems, in and of itself. We believe it will be a major catalyst to solve many industry problems, because it is able to interoperate with existing systems, to create this non-threatening environment upon which to build infrastructure components that have been needed. And to truly become the network OS of the industry. And I don't mean that as an insult to Novell or anyone else. But the Internet is the network, and Linux is the Internet. We're ready to work with companies like Sun, Novell, SCO, and other major platform providers today, and to ensure integration interoperability opportunities. We would love to enhance integration with Microsoft, too. Because in businesses, all those companies are reality. Cross platform is the reality, and to the degree you simplify that for businesses, and you abstract the complexities of management and other things, having Linux as an open-source platform to do that is a great advantage. We'll be talking a lot more in this area soon, because this is kind of our sweet spot, if you will. Because we believe all these new devices will proliferate, and there is a need to figure out how they plug and play and interoperate with all the existing architectures. We're going to be focusing on this a lot. Doc What does the Citrix relationship in particular mean? Ransom: Citrix has played a lot in providing both applications and interoperability. All I can say is it's a natural fit to have Citrix come in to Linux and provide their technology. We feel strongly because, like us, they believe in the channel, they understand the channel, and now providing Citrix through the channel with Linux and other things I think will be very exciting for all of those trying to do just that. You know, VARs and system integrators have exactly the same problem. They sell existing systems, they have existing customers using those systems. They need the interoperability. Doc You guys, alone among all the Linux companies I know, like to talk about directory services as an issue. I am curious to know about the directory play here and what you can tell me about it. Are we going to see NDS (Novell Directory Services) being open sourced? Will metadirectory come up as a solution? Ransom: We see directory as a key enabling technology. We believe it has the protocols, the infrastructure, to do some really good things for management, systems deployment, application deployment and other things that need to be done without creating yet another API. Doc Or yet another name space. Ransom: Yeah. We may have to create some sort of abstraction layer in order to achieve the kind of interoperability we all need. But we can leverage some existing technology and existing standards, one of which is the directory, to accomplish much of what we want to accomplish. Some of that we are not in a position to announce yet; but it is thoroughly in line with our focus as a company--to literally make all of the Linux technology and e-business solutions we provide plug and play into existing environments. I haven't talked about E-builder yet, but what about existing legacy systems? The whole reason we went to the E-Builder framework was so we could literally wrap whatever the customer has, or the VAR has sold to this customer, or the ISP has sold to this customer, in a way we can bring that and plug it back into the Internet paradigm itself. So we are keen on using open source and Linux to promote the infrastructure necessary to solve the challenges faced in a truly distributed, truly cross-platform business environment. That's what we're after. Sorry for the ambiguity there. Doc That's a good enough answer, and whets our appetite for more information. Do you like Open Directory? Ransom: We are familiar with it. We are talking to people and obviously would be very supportive of moving that effort forward. Doc Now I have to ask the Red Hat question. As you know, Red Hat has just gotten huge. And they are sort of borging up all these other companies. And the bigger they get, the more money they get to absorb more and more companies. Plus they are talking about how they really compete with Microsoft now, and not just the other distributions. I am wondering how you contrast what you're doing with Red Hat's strategy. Ransom: I honestly don't know what their current position and strategy is. Our focus is not to be all things to all people. We are focusing in on what we think is the hottest opportunity in Linux, which is specialized servers and Internet client-type devices, and providing solutions that will extend e-business infrastructure. This involves the framework of E-Builder, based on Java, that allows you to wrap and utilize your existing accounting systems and databases, and make that a viable system in a true e-business environment. So we think this is the hottest use of Linux technology. We think the most promising application space is e-commerce and e-business, and we are focused there. We think that is where Linux is going to succeed in the foreseeable future. It's just a huge opportunity. But we're not trying to do more than that. And I really don't know about Red Hat. We believe, in all honesty, that you can't be just a service organization. You have to have a road map of where you want to go. You have to understand what kinds of technologies and solutions are needed and how to provide those solutions. It's not just about "being \t\tLinux". Frankly, everybody and anybody can "be \t\tLinux". Especially if LSB (Linux Standard Base) is successful. Doc Tell me about that. Ransom: That's the initiative gaining momentum and support by pretty much all the other Linux providers, where we create a port-once-run-anywhere Linux environment for ISPs. We collaborate on that standard and become compliant with it. And that's critical, frankly. We would like to see that become extremely successful. We are providing business solutions to the market. Not Linux distributions. That's yesterday's news. Doc So you think the term "distribution" may be obsolete at this point? Ransom: I certainly hope so, because a business doesn't want to buy a "distribution". It wants to buy a solution that solves its problems. That would include interoperability, management administration, deployment... Doc Such as? Ransom: Such as our E-server for web-based administration and deployment. Doc I think you need a more specific noun than "solutions", though. "Distribution" may be the wrong word, but it's more specific than "solution". Ransom: The problem with "distribution" is, what does it mean? Is it the collection of packages I can get off the Net, and it just saves me from downloading it? Is that the service? That service worked really well for the developers on the Net who really needed it. But a business has to deploy a product, and not just a collection of really neat technologies. So that's what I mean by a solution. We're moving past the days of the distribution to the days of the business products that have to be deployed, that have to be specifically targeted at business problems. That's where we're going with our E-desktop, E-server and E-builder. Doc Searls is Senior Editor of Linux Journal |When BirdCam Goes Mainstream||Oct 27, 2016| |Nightfall on Linux||Oct 26, 2016| |Daily Giveaway - Fun Prizes from Red Hat!||Oct 25, 2016| |Installing and Running a Headless Virtualization Server||Oct 25, 2016| |Ubuntu MATE, Not Just a Whim||Oct 21, 2016| |Non-Linux FOSS: Screenshotting for Fun and Profit!||Oct 20, 2016| - Nightfall on Linux - Installing and Running a Headless Virtualization Server - Secure Desktops with Qubes: Compartmentalization - Daily Giveaway - Fun Prizes from Red Hat! - Ubuntu MATE, Not Just a Whim - When BirdCam Goes Mainstream - Nasdaq Selects Drupal 8 - Build Your Own Raspberry Pi Camera - Non-Linux FOSS: Screenshotting for Fun and Profit! - Canonical Ltd.'s Ubuntu Core

The year 2014 has shown a boom in the construction industry. With projects worth 40,000 crore being cleared and the goverment’s major focus being infrastructure development through PPP approach, it is now inevitable that the construction companies will be exposed to greater opportunities in the coming years.But at the same time it is essential for the construction companies to assure quality and timely delivery of projects. Thus it is necessary for the construction industry to demonstrate its managerial, financial and technical prowess to establish new benchmarks in construction management, construction quality and imparting value addition to its products and services Keeping these industry changes in mind, UBM India is proud to launch its inaugural workshop FIDIC Construction Workshop 2014 taking place in Mumbai. This workshop will be addressed by international FIDIC expert along with Indian expert giving practical case studies from the Indian market. This two day conference will focus on the importance of FIDIC in Indian infrastructure, EPC agreement, FIDIC Design built, NSC, claims and dispute resolution and strategies to create synergy between employer and contractor Who should attend? Price: INR 30,000 + tax = INR 33,708. +91 (022) 61727001

|Very tonic posterior chain| I had the great opportunity of networking with a personal trainer who is FMS certified and follows a lot of the same philosophies I do. I was psyched to find him last year, but unfortunately he moved out of state shortly afterward. However, being entrepreneurial, he kept most of his clients in Buffalo NY and does their training sessions via facetime or skype. I still get referrals from him every once in a while and they are always great and very motivated to return to training. The recent client I saw for re-evaluation last week had to be convinced to see me again (he saw me last year for UQ pain which resolved but has a long standing history of LBP). His current complaints are only moderate stiffness and discomfort, but no pain in his lumbar spine, felt lower and bilaterally. These Sx are felt upon rising after prolonged sitting, with deadlifts, and squats. They are relieved with prolonged flexion against a table or walking in a flexed position until he can walk upright. |initial pre-test for functional squat, hands supposed to be touching the floor, maintaining posterior pelvic tilt| A hunch told me he would not be an extension or loading rapid responder as all the postural education from last year carried over, he was still very compliant with sitting upright, avoiding prolonged sitting, and use of a lumbar roll. I decided to use some tests from PRI's Pelvic Course as he seemed liked the typical PEC classification. |initial pre-test for standing reach, about 6-7" from the floor, no rounding of lumbar spine| Treatment - 20 minutes of - pain science education on threat and movement - his main question was, "How can I hike, play tennis, and strength train, yet still have this pain?" - the education was that he can do all those things because he can, and his years of LBP have made his CNS a bit overprotective of that area - breathing education - he had no idea how to exhale, even though he could breathe diaphragmatically, he only exhaled about 30% of maximum prior to inhalation - this was worked on in hooklying as I gave him cues for posterior tilt by placing my hand under his lumbar spine |my hand under his lumbar spine - "roll your pelvis toward 12 o'clock during exhale and feel my hand"| - after about 7 minutes of practice, and rolling back and forth from 6 to 12 with some PNF agonist reversals, he was able to posterior tilt - we then progressed to posterior tilt while blowing up a balloon for some diaphragm activation via resistance - this was very difficult, and I told him it may take 1-2 weeks to be able to blow it up after 4-5 breaths |you can't see the EDGE Rehab and Sport Science logo if you can't blow up the balloon, advertising fail!| - after 7-8 more minutes of practice of pelvic tilt, diaphragmatic activation, we did some re-test of standing toe touch and functional squat |He had to externally rotate his feet, but he could maintain posterior tilt until almost hand touching the ground| |his lumbar spine now reverses, and upon practicing diaphragmatic breathing at end range, he was able to touch his toes for the first time in years| - just think of all the healthy input of non-threatening movement the lumbar spine received during this short treatment - all perceptions of stiffness during bending, after rising from sitting, and during deadlift and squats were gone after this session - as a regression, I told his trainer to have him deadlift and squat heels elevated 2" or so and progress as he is able to easily touch his toes and pass the functional squat test - patient = glad he came, and psyched his training will be more comfortable - trainer = glad he referred, and psyched about having a happy client - clinicians: The takeaway is find a good trainer for some great back and forth synergy! Keeping it Eclectic...

Creative Engineering in the Performing Arts Students on the Technical Theatre Arts (Creative Engineering) course develop into a well-rounded member of the creative team responsible for making productions. Productions in the broadest sense of the word, from theatre productions to events and possibly exhibitions, trade fairs or exhibitions. You are the hub of the team, uniting creativity with technical realisation. You provide input into the creative process and translate the creative and dramaturgical concept into a technical stage design. Light, sound and décor are the technical instruments you learn to master. The disciplines involved include lighting designer, multi-media specialist, sound designer, technical producer and technical head. Graduates of the Technical Theatre Arts (Creative Engineering) programme collaborate on an artistic process. This requires you to be energetic and imaginative. You thrive in a dynamic environment and are critical and creative. As the technical producer, light, video or sound designer you have an active interest in art and culture teamed with curiosity and ambition. You are an artist and technician The course trains you to actualise the artistic idea by becoming a master craftsman, and developing knowledge and vision. The Creative Engineering programme provides students with the skills to unite artistry with craft. Students with a flair for combining their creative vision with analysis can become part of an artistic team. The course equips students with skills across numerous disciplines and each student uses his or her specialism to help realise the artistic concept. But the first step of the process is always dreams and mutual inspiration. Creative Engineering offers a small-scale, ambitious learning environment; tuition is provided in small groups and, in higher years, you may receive individual training depending on the number of students in each specialism. The programme aims to be a pioneer in education development, and to be a trendsetter. The technical and artistic aspects of the profession are developing at lightning speed; but with teachers who are also active in the profession, and students’ own research, the programme doesn’t only keep up with innovations, it anticipates them. Most subjects and projects are taught by guest teachers who are also industry professionals. This has the advantage of rapidly integrating the latest advances into the college curriculum. Creative Engineering is the only programme in the country with a firm footing in an Academy of Theatre and Dance, in which all disciplines of dance and theatre work in synergy; it is also the only HBO further education course of its kind in the Netherlands. The language of the Theatre Department is Dutch. In order to function up to the mark in the lessons, foreign students are required to learn, speak, write and read Dutch during their first year of study. Accreditation and degree The bachelor's programme in Technical Theatre Arts is a track within the Bachelor Theatre. The quality of this programme has been positively assessed by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). This means that upon successful completion of the programme students will receive an accredited bachelor's degree in Theatre and the title Bachelor Theatre. Only accreditated degree programmes are listed in the Dutch central register of higher education programmes (CROHO). 4 years, full-time Language of instruction 34860 (B Theatre) Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The seeds of successful turfgrass management are sown with off-season planning. Although sports fields in many regions of the country are resting up for another busy season, that doesn't mean turf managers can afford to be equally idle. If anything, now is the time to ensure that fields are prepared for whatever might befall them in the coming months. But planning ahead isn't always as easy as it sounds. Most sports turf managers are problem solvers - individuals more comfortable actually doing something in the field than just thinking about it behind a desk. "Too many people believe that when they're sitting in their office, they're not working," says Mike Andresen, athletic grounds manager at Iowa State University and president-elect of the Sports Turf Managers Association. "I think they just don't take the 'manager' part of their title as seriously as they should. There is a good quote that I wish I had understood a long time ago that I heard from Ross Kurcab, turf manager for the Denver Broncos: 'Failure to plan is a plan to fail.' It's true." Failure to plan can be defined as anything from not having enough top-dressing on hand the week before a major tournament to being unprepared for extended periods of heavy rain or blistering heat. Weather wreaked havoc on natural grass in Stockton, Calif., last year, when 18 consecutive days of spring showers kept mowing crews at two city-owned golf courses (Swenson Park and Van Buskirk Park) from working the greens in March and April. Thus, fairways and roughs became overgrown. Then a 12-day July heat wave turned the courses crusty and brown, with several dead or bare spots. Because of the extreme weather conditions, the greens weren't aerated, making for poor golfing conditions (and angry golfers) in the fall. "It would have been a challenge for anyone," Pamela Sloan, director of the Stockton Parks and Recreation Department, told The Record of Stockton in October. "Some courses actually shut down, while we remained open. We all learned some valuable lessons about planning for what might lie ahead." Indeed, Danny Fielder of ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance, which contracts with the city to maintain both courses, told the paper that new communication tools will be developed to more effectively keep staff members apprised of course conditions and needs. When severe weather strikes, it's crucial to return to a regular maintenance schedule as quickly as possible, says Chris Calcaterra, sports facilities manager for the 145-acre, 13-field Peoria (Ariz.) Sports Complex, a city-owned facility that hosts spring training for Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, as well as several community leagues. "We know that if we're going to tarp a field for a day, diseases can get under there in a matter of hours. So we just stock some broad-based fungicides that we can spray when the tarps come off. We keep those on the shelves, because I don't want it to be 6 p.m. on a Friday when we find out we have a problem and have to wait until after the weekend to get the fungicide." Keeping records of how much fungicide (or any consumable good) is applied to a given field not only provides a solid indication of how much product should be ordered from year to year, but also helps turf managers make future application assessments based on previous weather patterns. Andresen requires his staff of two full-time turf-maintenance personnel and up to five student assistants to provide written daily updates tracking such details as weather conditions, pest sightings, and mowing, aeration, fertilization and other treatments. Iowa State's log is nothing fancy. In fact, it's more like an informal journal than an official log. "Just tell me what went on weather-wise and what went on work-wise," Andresen says. "That way we can see how everything fits together at the end of the year and make adjustments for the following year. Years ago, I thought I could remember all this stuff. But I couldn't." The behind-the-desk work doesn't stop with logs. Preseason preparations also should include making sure a facility's programming schedule meshes with its maintenance needs. "A lot of turf managers are struggling to get schedules from the operations department, and that will dictate the kind of fertilizing, top-dressing and field shutdown schedules they'll have," says Calcaterra, who was assistant field manager for the Atlanta Braves before relocating to Arizona. "A lot of our inventory is dictated by schedules." Of course, maintenance tasks can't be completed if equipment isn't in working order. Because many turf managers also are chief mechanics, now is the time to perform preventive maintenance on mowers, spreaders, sprayers, aerators, tractors, top-dressers, turf sweepers and even hand tools. If a turf manager and chief mechanic are not one and the same, Calcaterra suggests creating "synergy" between the two individuals that he likens to that of "the airplane pilot and the mechanic." Finally, if one is not already available, Andresen recommends developing a written program for each facility, field or site under a turf manager's purview. That way, all employees (and, yes, even a turf manager's eventual replacement) will be privy to both standard operating procedures and any unusual protocol. "A big reason I do that is so I don't feel like I need to be here every day," Andresen says. "If I need a day off for mental health or for whatever reason - or even if I just disappeared - the program is in place. The people who are here can continue without missing a beat. It also empowers my staff and gives them a feeling of ownership in the facility." Andresen spent five years with the Class AAA Iowa Cubs in Des Moines before coming to Iowa State in 1996. Since then, the way he prepares for each season has evolved. "I don't have a formal plan, but experience has dictated what I do," he says. "When you're on your site for awhile, you're able to better predict things." That said, Andresen won't go so far as to say that his program is on autopilot. "I don't think I'm at that point yet."

General Electric's (NYSE:GE) $16.9 billion bid for the energy assets of French conglomerate Alstom continues to be at the forefront of the company's news. This would be the biggest acquisition in GE's history and would continue driving the company's business emphasis away from GE Capital and its previous financial debacle. While some investors (and seemingly the French government) are opposed to such a big acquisition, here are three reasons it's a good move for GE. What's in this deal? First, let's clarify what exactly General Electric wants to buy. GE's bid, if accepted, would cover Alstom's thermal, renewables (power), and grid businesses. Alstom's power business provides equipment and services for a variety of energy markets, including steam, coal, gas, hydro, nuclear steam, and wind. During Alstom's fiscal 2013, its power business generated $15 billion in sales and $1.4 billion in income from operations. Alstom's grid business offers transmission and distribution solutions to build out power grids in emerging markets. In fiscal 2013, the grid business produced $5.2 billion in sales and $0.3 billion in income from operations. What's in this for GE? One of the biggest drawbacks to large acquisitions is that many companies overpay for the assets. That doesn't appear to be the case here, even with a nearly $17 billion price tag. The transaction is valued at 7.9 times pro forma EBITDA for the 12 months ending September 2013. Also, the actual cost to GE is roughly $13.5 billion because of the cash that stands to be acquired with Alstom's books. GE would pay roughly a 25% premium, which is considerably less than it would shell out if Alstom was in a better position with more leverage. While this would be the most expensive acquisition in GE's history, investors should keep in mind that the company had $87 billion in consolidated cash at the end of the first quarter, with a majority of that cash held abroad. Along with being a good value, the potential deal would also boost earnings immediately. Immediate earnings boost Some companies must wait years for an acquisition to incrementally add to earnings. That delay is one reason why some companies trend lower when large buyouts are announced. But Alstom's assets would immediately generate incremental profit for GE. General Electric expects the acquisition to be accretive to earnings in the first year and to add roughly $0.08-$0.10 of earnings per share in 2016. Also, General Electric expects that it would quickly be able to create synergy with the new assets and improve their operating margins from 7% to 10%. Furthermore, GE expects it can generate more than $1.2 billion in cost synergies by year five. The deal is also is a perfect fit for GE. "Acquiring Alstom would put an exclamation point on GE's return to deals," said Bernstein analyst Steven Winoker, according to Barron's. "It is among the best fits we have seen with the GE portfolio for some time." General Electric is continuing to refocus on its industrial business roots, a move that investors have cheered. Power and water contributed 27% of GE's industrial profit in the first quarter and will be one of the company's higher growth and margin segments going forward. Adding Alstom's power and grid assets will fit perfectly within the company's strengths, which is partially why the cost synergies are so appealing. General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt noted that the company has proven it can create significant shareholder value from its Europe investments. He cited the joint venture with Snecma for aircraft engines, its acquisition of Thomson-CGR for its health-care business, and a previous acquisition from Alstom's gas turbine business, as proof. GE remains confident that this deal will eventually close despite the French government oppositions to the deal in its current form. Paris appears to favor having Germany's Siemens strike a deal with Alstom that would resemble more of an alliance than an acquisition. This is likely an effort to give Alstom more leverage in an attempt to hike the price that GE will ultimately pay. General Electric said it is willing to work with France's government to help protect jobs and address other concerns. If the deal closes with the current $16.9 billion bid, it should be a good move for GE and its investors. Daniel Miller has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of General Electric Company. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Before Jimmer Fredette even stepped on an NBA floor, he entered his rookie season with the media buzz of a No. 1 overall pick. With his impeccable shooting touch and unlimited range, "the Jimmer" was supposed to be the savior for a Sacramento Kings franchise in peril and utter disarray. Fredette -- who was selected 10th in June's draft -- has instead endured a poor rookie year. His minutes have evaporated because of fellow rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas, the last pick in the draft, who has outplayed his counterpart across the board, winning consecutive Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors. As Fredette's rookie year comes to a conclusion, the increasingly relevant question is whether his incredible collegiate success -- he led the nation in scoring and was the Wooden National Player of the Year -- will ultimately translate into professional success. Or is the 23-year-old merely another Adam Morrison -- a terrific college scorer whose skills fail to transfer to the pro game? Like Jimmer, Morrison made 37.6 percent of his field goals and hit 33.7 percent of his 3-point attempts during his rookie season in Charlotte. With a fairly limited sample size to judge from -- Fredette has played just 18.5 minutes per game -- the answer thus far has been a resounding "no." In shooting just 38.5 percent from the floor, he is remarkably inefficient as a lead guard. This is only compounded by his meager count of 1.8 assists per game. At 6 feet 2 inches tall, Fredette lacks the prototypical size of an NBA shooting guard, whose average height hovers around 6 foot 5. He is listed as a point guard, but in some ways, this is more by default than playing style. During his four seasons at Brigham Young, Fredette never averaged more than 4.7 assists per game. In fairness, the main reason for that was because he simply had to score on a team that lacked other scoring personnel. But while he doesn't have to be a pass-first point guard to have a productive career, not having the threat instantly morphs him into a reserve role. Ask at any NBA front office and you will hear that Fredette's one definable NBA skill lies in his shooting. In both transition and coming off screens -- two areas where shooters typically excel -- he has struggled, however. According to Synergy Sports Technology, he ranks in the 42nd percentile of the league in transition efficiency, shooting just 46.5 percent from the floor. In non-ball screen scenarios, Fredette's ranking drops to the 16th percentile; he is shooting a putrid 30 percent. Much of the time, he appears off-balance, either fading left or right or sometimes just fading away. In college, Jimmer was able to use his dynamic 3-point shooting ability to set up his entire offensive arsenal, most of which came from his high usage rate on the ball. As a senior, he came off screens away from the basketball just 6.2 percent of the time, per Synergy. Defenders feared his long-range pull-up bombing and were thus forced to guard him out to 30 feet. Using a mixture of up-fakes, herky-jerky misdirection and his basketball acumen, Fredette could then utilize his mid-range pull-up game along with the floater. He was also given the green light to fire whenever he wanted. Now playing against much longer and far more physical NBA defenders on a team that features the ball-stopping Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton, he has not been able to do that. As things currently stand, Fredette is the third-string point guard on a 19-38 Sacramento team; interim coach Keith Smart recently benched him for 48 minutes five times in a six-week span. Jimmer is shooting 36.7 percent on 3-point attempts, undoubtedly a good number, but for him, not nearly good enough. His true shooting percentage -- the shooting percentage when free throws and 3-pointers are considered -- is under 50 percent, ranking him 43rd out of all NBA point guards. And because he doesn't have the blazing speed or sudden burst of most point guards, shooting the ball consistently well is not an option, but rather an absolute necessity. At this stage, it remains much too early to deem Fredette a bust. But with his wavering shooting stroke and inability to attack gaps -- he attempts just one shot in the paint per game -- his future seems to be eerily similar to that of the Kings, which is now rife with uncertainty and full of speculation. Email me at email@example.com or ask me questions about anything sports-related @206Child. Plus, check out my new HuffPost sports blog, The Schultz Report, for a fresh and daily outlook on all things sports and listen to my radio spot on 1280 The Zone Friday nights at 6:10. Also, tune in at 6:30 ET right afterward, on Memphis 56 Sports Radio, right here.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: |Title:||Satellite Image Classification Using Granular Neural Networks| |Authors:||STATHAKIS DIMITRIOS; VASILAKOS A.| |Citation:||INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING vol. 27 no. 18 p. 3991-4003| |Publisher:||TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD| |Type:||Articles in periodicals and books| |Abstract:||The increased synergy between neural networks (NN) and fuzzy sets has led to the introduction of granular neural networks (GNNs) that operate on granules of information, rather than information itself. The fact that processing is done on a conceptual rather than on a numerical level, combined with the representation of granules using linguistic terms, results in increased interpretability. This is the actual benefit, and not increased accuracy, gained by GNNs. The constraints used to implement the GNN are such that accuracy degradation should not be surprising. Having said that, it is well known that simple structured NNs tend to be less prone to over-fitting the training data set, maintaining the ability to generalize and more accurately classify previously unseen data. Standard NNs are frequently found to be accurate but difficult to explain, hence they are often associated with the black box syndrome. Because in GNNs the operation is carried out at a conceptual level, the components have unambiguous meaning, revealing how classification decisions are formed. In this paper, the interpretability of GNNs is exploited using a satellite image classification problem. We examine how land use classification using both spectral and non-spectral information is expressed in GNN terms. One further contribution of this paper is the use of specific symbolization of the network components to easily establish causality relationships.| |JRC Institute:||Space, Security and Migration| Files in This Item: There are no files associated with this item. Items in repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

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The Digital transformation, like the computer technology revolution itself, is a long journey. The outlines of the fully digitalized world have long been sketched, now the phenomenon of digital is reaching the inflection point, yet we are now entering an even more rapid and extensive period of change. As this notion of “digitization” is now affecting all aspects of business operations from innovation within and around business ecosystem to customer engagement, to business models and processes – and no industry is exempt. Hence, most companies naturally aim to move into a more advanced stage of digital deployment by tailoring their own unique strength and business maturity. They hope to outstrip competitors and eventually become the digital masters. The purpose of "Digital Master" Book series intend to help forward-looking digital professionals and organizations to navigate the digital journey via planning, innovating, taking structured approaches and leveraging the right technologies. 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There is a natural synergy between real estate agents and moving companies. After all, real estate agents are directly connected to nearly the entire base of upcoming moves. From a referral or affiliate marketing basis, it sounds perfect. Moving companies get easy access to upcoming moves and real estate agents get an extra income from simply connecting their client base to the next step of the moving process by referring moving companies. Simple, right? Wrong. How Do Moving Companies Harm Real Estate Agents? For decades, real estate agents have felt the pain of referring moving companies that end up providing a bad moving experience. From “small issues” like late arrivals and less-than-professional movers to major problems like theft and broken belongings, the acts of a moving company can forever scar the relationship a real estate agent has with a client. Is 10% of the cost of a move really worth the price of losing a potential real estate referral? (We know, you’re shaking your head furiously “NO IT IS NOT! ABORT! ABORT!”) Is this Pain Avoidable? Even the best moving companies slip up and have a bad move. That is just a fact of the business. For those with limited issues, it may seem feasible to risk your reputation on the likelihood that most moves will turn out great. But consider the math here: 10% of the cost of a big move is still only in the hundreds of dollars. Would you willingly give up a real estate commision for a few hundred dollars? Probably not. But yet you also realize that the ability to make referrals to your clients is not just about making money on additional services. It is about the opportunity to provide a lasting full-service client experience. And that means having resources at your disposal to help address their needs. What Kind of Moving Resources are Safer? Creating a buffer between your referral and the moving company is the first step in reducing risk to your reputation and increasing the likelihood of a good experience by your client. There are a few options out there but they are not all equal in their risks and rewards. You could go to a one-stop shopping experience where a single service provides all kinds of “options”, from filing change of address forms to ordering cable services to connecting with movers. These are an easy (albeit generic) way to make an entire suite of secondary services accessible to your client. However, keep in mind that these services are unlikely to vet moving companies. They can’t help your clients if something goes wrong and the platform itself may “lose its identity” during the shopping process, keeping your name on the experience–good or bad. And then there are dedicated, focused resources. These take a little more effort to deploy because you have to sign up for them individually. You will need to keep them handy and make referrals and connections more actively. For example, Unpakt has a comprehensive real estate agent referral program whereby dedicated, unique URLs allow agents to connect their clients to the Unpakt platform. But Unpakt vets the moving companies, manages the moves and stays on the forefront of the experience the entire time. Should something go wrong, their customer support team is the first line of defense–and they have the chops to get issues sorted out. This is a big difference from the simpler “moving company lead generation” options offered by other services. After all, you don’t just need another directory of moving companies. You need a partner to serve your clients on your behalf. Want to be able to offer your clients access to Unpakt while making referral fees or offering them a discounts (or both?). Check out our Real Estate Agent Referral Program!

We've all got our own ideas about what makes for an ideal diaper bag. But when you add a laptop into the mix (as many of us Parenthackers have) the requirements change. Tricky to store electronics and juice boxes in the same place. Sarah (author of In Need of Chocolate) likes her water-resistant Timbuk2 tote: We discovered the Timbuk2 zip-top cargo tote several months ago and realized that it would make a perfect diaper bag. I have the small one (they come in small, medium and large) and I use it to carry a change of clothes, small first aid kit, crayons, playdoh, books and whatever I would keep in a purse for myself whenever we go out to eat or somewhere that my 3 year-old might need extra clothes or entertainment. Then when I go to work at a coffee shop, it's the perfect size to hold a laptop sleeve with my 12-inch laptop as well as my cell phone, wallet, etc. We have a blue and tan one that works great for my husband to carry as well. I'm a fan of hands-free, so a backpack works for me. I used an Eagle Creek diaper bag backpack for years, but I see it's no longer available (at least not on the Eagle Creek web site). Fine — it didn't have enough structure for good laptop storage anyway. I find that converting a laptop-friendly backpack into a diaper bag works much better than using a diaper bag backpack with a laptop sleeve. Padding, interior structure, and a rugged, waterproof, stand-up base are all features I look for, plus an exterior pocket for bottles or sippy cups. The Wenger Synergy is a popular choice. Of course, not everyone wants to trudge through life looking like a tourist or a hiker. What if you want a bag that can handle the kid gear and the electronics and looks fab? I recently had the pleasure of reviewing the Melania laptop bag by J'Tote. Wow. Soft leather, stylish details (including the surprisingly practical bamboo clutch handles)…it was the best-looking part of my outfit. The soft cotton interior would do best with non-leakables (in other words, better suited for those with older kids), but overall the bag is comfortable when fully-loaded and used with the included padded shoulder strap. The price is high compared to the other bags I've mentioned here, but if you're a bag-o-phile, that may not matter to you. Do you have a favorite laptop bag/diaper bag? What features do you consider essential?

CNOOC Ltd.'s withdrawal Tuesday from the bidding for Unocal Corp. lifts the pall of uncertainty that had hung over the California oil company's worldwide workforce for months, leaving workers distracted, anxious and ripe for poaching by headhunters and rivals. El Segundo-based Unocal noted in a recent regulatory filing that it had been operating under a cloud of takeover speculation since January and that the additional delay and uncertainty of a possible buyout by CNOOC would "impose difficulties in retaining and motivating" the company's 6,500 employees. Now, however, CNOOC is out of the running, and Unocal shareholders are expected to approve Chevron Corp.'s pending $17.5-billion cash-and-stock deal at a shareholder meeting next week. That could be welcome news for employees, according to employment recruiters and others who have contact with Unocal's workforce. "I would expect that there's a big sigh of relief ... because Chevron is a known and CNOOC is an unknown," said Tim Taylor, a professor and recruitment coordinator in the petroleum and geosystems engineering department at the University of Texas in Austin. "I think now things will calm down a bit." Even so, Unocal employees -- who have have been reluctant to discuss their concerns because their employer has prohibited them from talking to the media -- are likely to face significant upheaval in the coming months, whether through job cuts, relocation, reassignment or the installation of new bosses. Chevron, the nation's second-largest oil company, has said it will lay off an unspecified number of Unocal's workers. Although the layoffs are likely to be spread across Unocal's global operations, the hardest hit area is expected to be the company's headquarters staff in El Segundo, where 128 corporate employees work. Chevron, based in San Ramon, Calif., has said it will not keep that facility. "A final decision on the number of jobs that will be cut has not been made, but we have made it clear that the vast majority of Unocal employees will be needed in the combined company," Chevron spokesman Donald Campbell said. "This is not an exercise in cutting people to attain savings." Chevron, with 47,000 employees, has offered 71 Unocal employees supervisory and management-level jobs over the last few months, and 66 of them have accepted the positions, Campbell said. An additional 500 offers have gone out over the last few days. "We're adding more people to that list as quickly as possible," Campbell said. Unocal spokesman Barry Lane said Tuesday that Chevron was continuing a transition and integration process it started months ago. "Many, many people are getting offers from Chevron," he said. "There's every indication that Chevron is going to absorb a good proportion of the Unocal employees." If that's true, it marks a huge departure for Chevron and the oil industry -- and it represents the strongest sign yet that oil companies such as Chevron are already feeling the pinch of an industry-wide talent shortage that has been looming for years. It was Chevron that shed more than 4,500 jobs in the aftermath of its 2001 merger with Texaco Corp. Similarly large payroll cuts followed BP's acquisition of Amoco and Arco, as well as the deals that created ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil Corp. Given that history, it has been more than a little unusual to hear Chevron Chairman and Chief Executive David O'Reilly pledge that job cuts would be minimal after the Unocal deal. Instead of currying favor with Wall Street by promising big post-buyout savings through layoffs, O'Reilly told analysts in April that he expected yearly pretax savings of more than $325 million from the "synergy" of the two oil companies -- to be wrung mostly from overlapping operations in the Gulf of Mexico, Thailand and "within corporate and support functions." Taylor, the University of Texas professor, said the statements by O'Reilly reflected a tightening market for petroleum engineers and other workers -- a shortfall that has grown more pronounced as record-high oil prices have spurred new exploration projects. Indeed, as the fight over Unocal dragged on, rival companies stepped up efforts to steal away Unocal's employees, according to a former Unocal manager who has kept in touch with his former colleagues. Unocal's change-of-control plan has limited their success thus far, according to the former executive, who asked not to be identified because he still works in the industry. Under the plan, which is available in some form to all Unocal workers, a laid-off Unocal employee with five or more years of service can receive four months' salary, plus enhanced retirement benefits and credit for additional years of service. Those with fewer than five years of service get a less valuable payout. "There are several head hunters going around Unocal actively pursuing people," the former Unocal executive said. "I've got my eyes on a couple [of] guys. The only thing keeping them there right now is that severance package."

Backed by a dexterous workforce and state of-the-art infrastructure, we Aadarsh Machinery are the reputed Manufacturer, Exporter, and Supplier of wide array of Industrial Blower, Armouring Machine, Stranding Machine, Rewinding Line, Bag Filter, Steel Cable Drums, Air Handling Unit, Industries and Take Up and Cable Pay Off Stand. These highly efficient machines are known for their excellent performance, sturdy construction, user friendliness, capability to meet bulk orders, etc. These machines can withstand extreme working conditions and have long service life with minimum maintenance. These machines are extensively used in numerous industries such as electrical and cable industry, etc. Since inception, we have shown fast and steady growth to establish a strong foothold in the market. Our motive is to achieve utmost client satisfaction by offering precisely engineered products at competitive prices. Our range depicts quality excellence as we have a complete synergy of technology and highly skilled work force. We procure raw materials from authentic suppliers only and carry out stringent quality checks. In this way, we guarantee high productivity of our advance machines in minimum time frame.

1. de GRISOGONO Limited Edition Skis by Rossignol There may not be any snow in Florida, but you can buy these $10,000 skis at de GRISOGONO’s Bal Harbour Boutique. The skis feature 2 ct of black diamonds and feature top ski performance and technology made by Rossignol’s Racing Department. Of course, the synergy is not lost on us—de Grisogono is the company that made black diamonds coveted, and of course, black diamond runs are the hardest runs in ski terms, so it’s truly a match made… on the slopes! 2. Smith Optics Goggles $700 This slim profile down jacket is designed to keep you warm, even if you are skiing through a storm. It’s highly breathable, very waterproof, and totally chic. It’s worth every penny of the $1,400 sticker price. Buy it here. 4. Chloé Fur Moon Boots $695 Aprés-ski is just as important as ski in our book—and nothing is more classic than a chic pair of fur aprés ski boots. These Chloé boots are our favorite of the season, they’ll feel comfortable and oh-so-amazing to walk in after you remove your clunky ski boots. Available at Barney’s. 5. Seirus Heat Touoch Ignite Heated Ski Gloves $400 This is 2014, and your hands don’t have to freeze while you’re up on the mountain slicing through powder. Aside from heating and 100g of Primaloft Insulation and 150g of HeatLock, these gloves look better than most ski gloves could ever dream. Available here.

Filorga Iso-Structure is a repairing treatment with powerful re-densifying Active Ingredients: treats the tissues slackening and fills in the deep wrinkles. The hyaluronic acid acts in synergy with a peptid, Laminine 5 precursor, to reinforce the Dermo-Epidermal Junction. This action makes the skin firmer and provides a strong enveloping feeling. The core formula, stimulates in a spectacular way the production of collagen. The dermis regains optimum density, facial contours are lifted.

If you get a chance to visit the Southern Naval Command (SNC) situated in the picturesque Venduruthy island of Kochi, grab it with both hands. While the entry to this top-notch Training Command of Indian Navy is restricted and needs necessary clearances, it is definitely worth a try, especially if you are dreaming of joining the sailing clan. "The SNC is in a sense an alma mater to all people in the white uniform. No one actually becomes a true bred naval person, unless finishing a stint of training here," says Cdr Sridhar Warrier, PRO (Defence), Kochi. Cdr Warrier has helped OneIndia to put together this report, capturing key facts of SNC. The Southern Naval Command is the Training Command of Indian Navy with its headquarters at Kochi. The Command is responsible for the training of all its personnel, both officers as well as sailors, from basic to advance stages. In short, all the personnel in white manning the different ships, submarines and aircraft would have been trained at SNC at some point or the other. SNC has its subsidiary units across the country from Jamnagar in Gujarat to Lonavala in Maharashtra, Goa and in Orissa. But the majority of training units are in Kochi. This name has become synonymous with the SNC for Kochiites; but Vendiuruthy is in fact the base depot providing the administrative backup for all the naval activities and units inside the naval base. The naval base was commissioned, even before Independence, in 1943, as HMIS Venduruthy. The Indian Naval Workup Team is a little known but very important organisation under the SNC. This organisation carries out the professional audit of the training standards onboard ships and ensures that all the ships of the Navy have their cutting edge intact in terms of professional competence and synergy between all the departments. The organisation is headed by Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST). The oldest naval air station, INS Garuda, is located inside the naval base and has fixed wing aeroplanes as well as helicopters, big and small flying from there. It has a very historic past with a many firsts to its credit besides being the oldest air station. The first naval aircraft to land and take off from sea, the Sealand was from INS Garuda. The airfield of INS Garuda was the old Cochin Airport (as known to the old timers of Ernakulam), before the construction of the current Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) situated in Nedumbasssery. INS Dronacharya is the gunnery school of the Indian Navy. It is located at Fort Kochi and is responsible for training officers and sailors of the Indian Navy in small-arms, naval missiles, radar and defensive countermeasures. Dronacharya also served as the naval coastal battery for coastal defence during the olden days when guns were placed along coastline to defend harbours from attack. The War Memorial The first major monument that greets you on the main road inside the naval base, is the War Memorial. It is a classical structure which is a tribute to all the brave sons of the soil who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. The memorial is unique as there is no other war memorial at Kochi. Wreath-laying ceremony is carried out here during the Independence Day, Republic Day and Navy Day celebrations by the Commander in Chief of the SNC and by all military and civilian dignitaries of the city. This memorial is unique to the SNC. While war memorials are a common sight inside most military cantonments, this is a memorial for the silent warriors of the Navy -- the divers. They are perhaps the only breed in the Navy which works in isolation unlike the traditional naval ships and submarines, where all departments are in combat together. The Naval Ship Repair Yard is the place where maintenance and repairs to all naval ships and boats are undertaken. This place boasts of a highly-skilled workforce, most of which surprisingly is civilian. The Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology is the largest aeronautical training establishment of the country. The institute trains officers and men in maintenance and upkeep of 11 different types of naval aircraft. It is presently in its Diamond Jubilee Year. The Navigation and Direction School is the institution which trains the sea farers the art and science of finding way at sea with or without modern gadgetry. This place is the holy grail for all the men in white because no war can be fought without the basic skill of navigating the ship considering all the elements of the sea. The Anti-submarine Warfare School is the place where typical naval war-fighting instincts and tactical awareness is gathered. The naval wars are all about finding submarines hiding somewhere to attack and this institution delivers the punch in that department by training personnel in underwater weapons such as mines, rockets and torpedoes. The Signal School, as the name suggests, imparts training in communication equipment and procedures at sea. Its importance has only increased over the years, particularly in the era of information security where there is always a danger of secrets being stolen through different methods of eves-dropping. This School is quite different from others. All other institutions in the Navy are typically sophisticated and technology driven, but this school trains raw talent at physical level. The diving training imparted here pushes the envelope of the trainees' physical endurance, and prepares them for any kind of daredevilry underwater missions that may be required in war and warlike situations. The hospital inside the naval base would be the most familiar place for the citizens of Kochi, as the anchor and the medical insignia placed alongside each other on top of the hospital structure is discernible from distance. The well staffed hospital with the array of specialist not only provides the medical care to the naval personnel and families but also indulges in a multitude of community outreach programmes through blood donation camps and medical camps for the general public. (Photos by: Dr Anantha Krishnan M)

Dubai – MENA Herald: Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) has announced a new initiative with Dubai Autodrome, the city’s multi-purpose motor sport facility, to provide premium fuels and lubricants for the entire roster of race and track vehicles. This collaboration aims to strengthen motorsports in Dubai and further underline the Emirate’s status as a hub for world-class sporting events. Offering a world class range of premium fuels and lubricants that support the requirements of Original Equipment Manufacturers, ENOC products will power the motorsports vehicles and meet the requirements of track day events that are hosted at the facility. As part of the agreement, ENOC will provide high grade “Super” 98 RON Petrol which is produced to the highest quality standards at ENOC’s Jebel Ali refinery at 120,000 barrels per day. The “Super” 98 RON is formulated to withstand higher levels of compression ratio before ignition, making it ideally suited for high performance vehicles at the Autodrome which typically require higher compression ratios. In addition, EPPCO Lubricants will offer the Protec Flex Energy SN 5W-30 which is designed to meet the long drain recommended for all American, Japanese, Korean and European petrol cars. Zaid Alqufaidi, Managing Director of ENOC Marketing, said: “Our partnership with Dubai Autodrome is a significant milestone that marks our expansion efforts in the local market. This collaboration will not only enable us to engage with the large community of motorsports enthusiasts, but will also allow us to contribute to the efficiency of Dubai Autodrome’s operations. By providing world-class fuels and lubricants, we hope to support the diverse events being held at the premium venue, and contribute to strengthening Dubai’s positioning as a regional motorsports destination.” The partnership will also offer branding opportunities for ENOC, which will increase engagement and visibility among a niche segment, thus strengthening awareness to local and international audiences. “Dubai Autodrome is the regional Arena for the Hankook 24 Hour Dubai race and also acts as an important testing ground for state of-the-art motoring technologies, where car majors from all over the world converge to test and prove their new concepts under the challenging and environmental conditions in the UAE. This synergy will serve as an important platform to prove the value with which we serve all our customers in the UAE,” said Nader Al Fardan, Director of ENOC Industrial Products Marketing. The largest producer of finished lubricants in the region, ENOC Lubricants is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 to quality, environment and occupational health & safety. Today, with a strong presence in 60 countries in the Middle East, Africa, South East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and CIS countries, ENOC Lubricants has developed its own quality range of branded automotive and industrial lubricants, greases, and specialties. “This opportunity demonstrates the diversity of ENOC’s product offering in the fuels and lubricants segment. Products such as the Protec Flex Energy SN 5W-30 are formulated according to the latest API SN specifications and ILSAC GF-5 category. The timely availability of fuels and lubricants that suit all vehicles will support Dubai Autodrome in its diverse motorsports activities that are held year-round,” added Rashid Al Ameeri, General Manager, EPPCO Lubricants. Conforming to international specifications, the products have wide-spread applications across the automotive, industrial, marine and other specialized industries. The ENOC Lubricants & Grease Manufacturing Plant facility is certified to ISO 9000:2008 and ISO 14001:2004. An ISO 17025:2005 certified laboratory drives quality control and after-sales programmes that require analytical studies. The 5.39km Dubai Autodrome circuit is one of the most modern in the world; with a combination of high-speed straights and technical corners. The circuit, which contains six different configurations, is designed to allow three racing circuits to operate simultaneously, safely and independently from each other providing users with unparalleled options.

|ICD-10||A60, B00, G051, P352| |ICD-9||054.0, 054.1, 054.2, 054.3, 771.2| - This is a background article. See Psychological aspects of herpes simplex, Herpes simplex' is a viral disease caused by herpes simplex viruses that primarily infect mucosal tissues and skin. Infection of the genitals is commonly known as herpes and is predominantly caused by the type 2 strain of herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), which is usually sexually transmitted. Oral herpes, colloquially called cold sores, and sometimes mistaken for canker sores, is usually caused by the type 1 strain of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). These viruses infect the skin to cause conditions called herpes whitlow and herpes gladiatorum, and can infect the eye to cause ocular herpes. More serious disorders are caused by these viruses when they infect the central nervous system - these include herpes encephalitis, Mollaret's meningitis, and possibly Bell's palsy. In newborn babies, infection by herpes viruses (neonatal herpes) can be very serious, resulting in brain damage or even death of the infant. Neonatal HSV is more likely in a mother that acquired a primary HSV infection shortly before giving birth, such that she lacks protective antibodies that would otherwise reduce viable virus shedding. Although HSV-1 is classically associated with oral herpes, an increasing number of genital herpes infections are caused by this virus. HSV-1 genital herpes is more infectious during primary episodes than HSV-2, but reoccurs less frequently. Both viruses cause periods of active disease lasting 2-21 days, followed by remission when the sores disappear. Most cases of genital herpes are asymptomatic, although shedding may still occur. Over time, periods of remission generally increase in length, and the duration of lesions and viral shedding decrease, leading to reduced episodes of active disease. The frequency of recurrences is regulated by specific immunity developed against the virus. Previous HSV-1 infection tends to ameliorate the symptoms of a subsequent HSV-2 infection. HSV-1 and HSV-2 are transmitted by direct contact with a sore or body fluid of an infected individual, and can cause painful fluid-filled blisters, containing millions of infectious virus particles. After initial infection, these viruses travel from cells in the skin to sensory nerves, where they reside as life-long, latent viruses. HSV-1 lies dormant in trigeminal ganglia that provide sensation to the lips, lower mouth and neck; HSV-2 resides in sacral ganglia that supply sensation to the genitals, perineum and upper legs. Occasionally, these viruses reactivate. When this occurs, HSV travels down the same nerves to reinfect the same area of skin infected during the primary infection. Recurrences can be triggered in some individuals by specific events, such as sunburn, ultraviolet light, wind, trauma, surgery, stress or other infections. Since viral reactivation is controlled by the immune system, in immunocompetent persons, oral and genital herpes are not typically life-threatening. Individuals with HIV and transplant patients have compromised immune systems, and can develop serious HSV infections such as keratitis or encephalitis. Similarly, immuno-incompetent newborns, infected by genital herpes at birth or shortly thereafter, are at highest risk if they acquire central nervous system HSV infection that can cause brain damage or disseminated HSV which often results in liver failure and death. Prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections varies throughout the world. Socioeconomic status appears to be an important factor associated with HSV-1 infection levels with developing countries, such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa, showing higher levels of HSV-1 and younger acquisition rates than industrialized countries like the United States and countries in Northern Europe. The risk of infection for HSV-1 is associated with lower income and a more crowded living environment. HSV-2 seroprevalence is also highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, affecting as more than 80% of the population in some countries. Levels of HSV-2 infections are much lower in the U.S., affecting approximately 20-30% of the adult population, but this is still high compared to other industrialized countries such as Australia (12%), the United Kingdom (4%) and Germany (14%). Females appear to be more at risk than males, for acquiring HSV-2, and the chance of being infected increases with age, and with commencing sexual activity at a younger age. Various treatments are available to reduce the symptoms and speed up the healing process of herpes outbreaks but there is currently no cure for herpes. Antiviral mediations, such as aciclovir and valaciclovir, taken orally, reduce viral reproduction and shedding, and some topical creams, such as Docosanol and Tromantadine prevent the virus from entering the skin. Some other drugs reduce herpetic symptoms by synergising with oral antiviral medication; Cimetidine and probenecid can reduce aciclovir clearance and aspirin can reduce inflammation associated with viral infection. Some natural remedies may have potential benefits in reducing herpes outbreaks and/or their symptoms. No vaccine is currently available to prevent or treat herpes. However, trials are currently underway to identify a suitable vaccine against HSV-2. Several distinct disorders are caused by HSV infection of the skin or mucosa including those that affect the face and mouth (orofacial herpes), genitalia (genital herpes), or hands (herpes whitlow). More serious problems arise when the virus infects and damages the eye (herpes keratitis) or invades the central nervous system to damage the brain (herpes encephalitis). Newborn infants, with reduced capacity to fight viral infections, are also prone to serious complications following HSV infection (neonatal herpes). Infection by HSV-1 is the most common cause of herpes that affects the face and mouth (orofacial herpes) although recent years are seeing an increase in oral HSV-2 infections. A majority of primary HSV-1 infections occur during childhood and, if the virus has come into contact with the mucosa or abraded skin, can cause acute herpetic gingivostomatitis (inflammation of the mucosa of the cheek and gums) within 5–10 days. Some other symptoms may also develop, including fever and sore throat, and painful ulcers may appear. Primary HSV infection in adolescents frequently manifests a severe pharyngitis with lesions developing on the cheek and gums. Some individuals develop difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) and swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy). Primary HSV infections in adults often presents as pharyngitis similar to that observed in glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis), but gingivostomatitis is less likely. The symptoms of primary HSV infection generally resolve within two weeks. Once a primary infection has resolved, the HSV enters the nerves surrounding the primary lesion, migrates to the cell body of the neuron, and becomes latent. In some people, the virus reactivates to cause recurrent infection - this is more common with HSV-1 than HSV-2. Prodromal symptoms often precede a recurrence, which typically begins with reddening of the skin around the infected site, with eventual ulceration to form fluid-filled blisters that affect the lip (labial) tissue and the area between the lip and skin (vermilion border). The recurrent infection is thus often called herpes simplex labialis. Rare occasions of reinfections occur inside the mouth (intraoral HSV stomatitis) affecting the gums, alveolar ridge, hard palate, and the back of the tongue - this may be accompanied with herpes labialis. Oral herpes is spread by direct contact with an active sore in an infected person, for instance, during kissing. However virus can be transmitted through the skin in the absence of a lesion. Oral herpes and cold sores can sometimes be confused with canker sores. Clusters of inflammed papules and vesicles on the outer surface of the genitals represent the typical symptoms of a primary HSV-1 or HSV-2 genital infection. These usually appear 4–7 days after sexual exposure to HSV for the first time, and may resemble cold sores. In males, the lesions occur on the shaft of the penis or other parts of the genital region, on the inner thigh, buttocks, or anus. In females, lesions appear on or near the pubis, labia, clitoris, vulva, buttocks or anus. Other common symptoms include pain, itching, and burning. Less frequent, yet still common, symptoms include discharge from the penis or vagina, fever, headache, muscle pain (myalgia), swollen and enlarged lymph nodes and malaise. Women often experience additional symptoms that include painful urination (dysuria) and cervicitis, while herpetic proctitis (inflammation of the anus and rectum) is common for individuals participating in anal intercourse. After 2–3 weeks, existing lesions progress into ulcers and then crust and heal, although lesions on mucosal surfaces may never form crusts. The virus is not removed from the body by immune system, but enters nerve ganglia that serve the infected dermatome where it becomes dormant. Many HSV infected people experience a recurrence within the first year of infection, when the virus reactivates from its latent state. Development of lesions follows prodrome - which warns of a recurrence and includes tingling (paresthesia), itching, and pain where lumbosacral nerves innervate the skin - by hours to days. In some individuals, starting to take antiviral treatment when prodrome is experienced can reduce the appearance and duration of lesions. Fewer lesions are likely to develop that cause less pain and heal faster (5–10 days without antiviral treatment) than during the primary infection. Subsequent outbreaks tend to be periodic or episodic, occur on average four to five times a year when not using antiviral therapy, and may be triggered by stress, illness, fatigue, menstruation. HSV-2 is widespread, affecting an estimated 1 in 4 females and 1 in 5 males in the United States. Although certain therapies can prevent outbreaks or reduce the risk of transmission to partners, no cure is yet available. Herpes whitlow (herpetic whitlow) is a painful infection that typically manifest itself on fingers or thumbs and occasionally on the toes, or on the nail cuticle, and is caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2. It is typically contracted by healthcare workers that come in contact with the virus; it is most commonly contracted by dental workers and medical workers exposed to oral secretions. Again, the HSV seronegative person is at highest risk of acquiring this condition. Herpes whitlow is also caused by autoinoculation of HSV into broken skin prior to an infected person having antibodies against the virus (e.g. during primary infection). It is often observed in thumb-sucking children with primary HSV-1 infection, and in adults aged 20 to 30 following contact with by HSV-2-infected genitals. Symptoms of herpetic whitlow include swelling, reddening and tenderness of the the skin of infected finger. This may be accompanied by fever and swollen lymph nodes. Small, clear vesicles initially form that merge and becomes cloudy. Associated pain often seems large relative to the physical symptoms. The herpes whitlow lesion usually heals in two to three weeks. Individuals that participate in contact sports such as wrestling, rugby, and soccer sometimes acquire a condition caused by HSV-1 known as herpes gladiatorum, scrumpox, wrestler’s herpes or mat herpes. Abraded skin caused by contacts sports provides an area of entry for HSV-1. Symptoms present within 2 weeks of direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, and include skin ulceration on the face, ears, and neck. This disorder may cause fever, headache, sore throat and swollen glands, and occasionally affects the eyes. Physical symptoms sometimes recur in the skin. Ocular herpes is generally caused by HSV-1 and is a special case of facial herpes infection known as herpes keratitis. It begins with infection of epithelial cells on the surface of the eye and retrograde infection of nerves serving the cornea. Primary infection typically presents as swelling of the conjunctiva and eye-lids (blepharoconjunctivitis), accompanied by small white itchy lesions on the surface of the cornea, which vary from minor damage to the epithelium (superficial punctate keratitis) to formation of dendritic ulcers. Infection is unilateral, affecting one eye at a time. Additional symptoms include dull pain deep inside the eye, mild to acute dryness and sinusitis. Most primary infections resolve spontaneously in a few weeks or with the use of oral and topical antivirals. However, the virus continues to inhabit the neurons of the eye and to multiply. Subsequent recurrences may be more severe, with infected epithelial cells showing larger dendritic ulceration and lesions forming white plaques. The epithelial layer is sloughed off as the dendritic ulcer grows and mild inflammation (iritis) may occur in the underlying stroma of iris. Sensation loss occurs in lesional areas producing generalised corneal anaesthesia with repeated recurrences. This may be accompanied by chronic dry eye, low grade intermittent conjunctivitis or chronic unexplained sinusitis. When the concentration of viral DNA reaches a critical limit, the presence of the virus can trigger a massive autoimmune response in the eye, resulting in an individual's immune system destroying the corneal stroma. This usually results in loss of vision due to opacification of the cornea and is a result of an antibody responses against the viral antigen expression in the stroma following persistent infection. This is known as immune-mediated stromal keratitis. Treatment with corneal transplants was once ineffective (with only 14%-61% rate of survival without antiviral therapy), as reinfection of the transplant is common when the virus reactivates. However, with concurrent use of antivirals the chance of graft acceptance has improved. Herpes simplex encephalitisEdit - Main article: Herpesviral encephalitis Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a very serious disorder and one of the most severe viral infections of the human central nervous system. It is estimated to affect at least 1 in 500,000 individuals per year. HSE is thought to be caused by the retrograde transmission of HSV from a peripheral site on the face to the brain along a nerve axon. Approximately 50% of individuals that develop HSE are over 50 years of age. About 1 in 3 cases of HSE result from primary HSV-1 infection predominantly occuring in individuals under the age of 18. Although 2 in 3 cases occur in seropositive persons, few of these individuals have history of recurrent orofacial herpes. It is believed these seropositive individuals develop HSE as a consequence of HSV-1 reactivation. The virus lies dormant in the ganglion of the trigeminal or fifth cranial nerve but the reason for reactivation, and its pathway to gain access to the brain, remains unclear. The olfactory nerve may also be involved in HSE. Without treatment, HSE results in rapid death in around 70% of cases. Even with the best modern treatment, it is fatal in around 20% of cases treated, and causes serious long-term neurological damage in over half the survivors. For unknown reasons the virus seems to target the temporal lobes of the brain. Only a small population of survivors (2.5%) regain completely normal brain function. Most individuals with HSE show a decrease in their level of consciousness and an altered mental state presenting as confusion and changes in personality. Increased numbers of white blood cells can be found in their cerebrospinal fluid without the presence of pathogenic bacteria and fungi, and they typically have a fever. Approximately 2 in patients with HSE will have seizures. The electrical activity of the brain (detected using EEG, CT, or MRI scans) changes as the disease progresses, first showing abnormalities in one temporal lobe of the brain, which spread to the other temporal lobe 7–10 days later. Neonatal herpes simplexEdit Neonatal HSV disease is a rare but serious condition, usually the consequence of vertical transmission of the virus from mother to newborn child, although an estimated 10% of cases may be acquired postnatally from a parent, caretaker, or sibling. Approximately 22% of pregnant women have had a previous exposure HSV-2, and a further 2% or more women acquire the virus during pregnancy. Particularly among young adults, genital herpes infections are increasing caused by HSV-1. The virus is transmitted in 30-57% cases of primary infection acquisition in the mother during the third trimester of pregnancy. Infection in a mother with existing antibodies for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 has a much lower (1-3%) transmission rate. This in part is due to the presence of signifigant titer of protective maternal antibodies in the fetus from about the seventh month of pregnancy. However, shedding of HSV-1 from both primary genital infection and reactivation is associated with high transmission from mother to infant. Herpes simplex virus infection in the newborn can be "devastating," and carries "high mortality and morbidity rates from central nervous system involvement," according to Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, which recommends that pregnant women with active genital herpes lesions at the time of presentation in labor be delivered by cesarean section. Women whose herpes is not active can be managed with acyclovir.From 1/3,000 to 1/20,000 of live births are infected with neonatal herpes. Mortality with untreated disease is 50-85%, and 95% of survivors have "severe neurologic sequelae." Treatment with acyclovir decreases the mortality by 50% and increases the percentage who develop normally from 10% to 50%. HSV-1 neonatal herpes is extremely rare in developing countries because primary exposure to HSV-1 (and therefore development of HSV-1 specific antibodies) usually occurs in childhood or adolescence, precluding a genital HSV-1 infection; HSV-2 infections are much more common in these countries. In industrialized nations the adolescent HSV-1 seroprevalance has been steadily dropping for the last 5 decades as a result of better hygiene, less over-crowding, and smaller family size. The resulting increase in the number of young women entering the sexually active/child bearing years as HSV-1 seronegative, has been a harbinger of increased HSV-1 genital herpes, and as a result, HSV-1 neonatal herpes in developed nations. A recent three year study in Canada revealed neonatal HSV infecions in 5.9 per 100,000 live births. HSV-1 was the cause of 62.5% of cases and 98.7% of transmission was asymptomatic. Neonatal herpes manifests itself in three forms: skin, eyes and mouth (SEM) herpes, disseminated (DIS) herpes, and central nervous system (CNS) herpes. SEM herpes is characterized by external lesions but no internal organ involvement, and has the best prognosis. Lesions are likely to appear on trauma sites such as the attachment site of fetal scalp electrodes, forceps or vacuum extractors that are used during delivery, in the margin of the eyes, the nasopharynx, and in areas associated with trauma or surgery (including circumcision). DIS herpes affects internal organs, especially the liver. CNS herpes is an infection of the nervous system and the brain that can lead to encephalitis. Infants with CNS herpes present with seizures, tremors, lethargy, and irritability, they feed poorly, have unstable temperatures, and their fontanelle (soft spot of the skull) may bulge. CNS herpes is associated with highest morbidity, and DIS herpes has a higher mortality rate. Untreated, SEM herpes may spread to the internal organs and cause DIS or CNS herpes resulting in higher mortality or morbidity. Death from neonatal HSV disease in the US is currently decreasing; as high as 85% of HSV infected neonates died a few decades ago whereas the current death rate is about 25%. Reduction in mortality is due to the use of antiviral treatments such as vidarabine and acyclovir. However, morbidity and mortality still remain high due to diagnosis of DIS and CNS herpes coming too late for effective antiviral adminstration; early diagnosis is difficult in 20-40% of infected neonates that have no visible lesions. HSV-2 is the most common cause of recurrent viral meningitis called Mollaret's meningitis. This condition was first described in 1944 by French neurologist Pierre Mollaret. Recurrences usually last a few days or a few weeks, and resolve without treatment. They may recur weekly or monthly for approximately 5 years following primary infection. A type of facial paralysis called Bell's palsy has been linked to the presence and reactivation of latent HSV-1 inside the sensory nerves of the face known as geniculate ganglia, particularly in a mouse model. This is supported by findings that show the presence of HSV-1 DNA in saliva at a higher frequency in patients with Bell's palsy relative to those without the condition. However, since HSV can also be detected in these ganglia in large numbers of individuals that have never experienced facial paralysis, and high titers of antibodies for HSV are not found in HSV-infected individuals with Bell's palsy relative to those without, this theory has been contested. Other studies, which fail to detect HSV-1 DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid of Bell's palsy sufferers, also question whether HSV-1 is the causative agent in this type of facial paralysis. The potential effect of HSV-1 in the etiology of Bell's palsy has prompted the use of antiviral medication to treat the condition. The benefits of acyclovir and valacyclovir have been studied. Recurrences and triggersEdit Following active infection, herpes viruses become quiescent to establish a latent infection in sensory and autonomic ganglia of the nervous system. The double-stranded DNA of the virus is incorporated into the cell physiology by infection of the cell nucleus of a nerve's cell body. HSV latency is static - no virus is produced - and is controlled by a number of viral genes including Latency Associated Transcript (LAT). The causes of reactivation from latency are uncertain but several potential triggers have been documented. Physical or psychological stress can trigger an outbreak of herpes. Local injury to the face, lips, eyes or mouth, trauma, surgery, wind, radiotherapy, ultraviolet light or sunlight are well established triggers. Some studies suggest changes in the immune system during menstruation may play a role in HSV-1 reactivation. In addition, concurrent infections, such as viral upper respiratory tract infection or other febrile diseases, can cause outbreaks, hence the historic terms "cold sore" and "fever blister". The frequency and severity of recurrent outbreaks may vary greatly depending upon the individual. Outbreaks may occur at the original site of the infection or in close proximity to nerve endings that reach out from the infected ganglia. In the case of a genital infection, sores can appear near the base of the spine, the buttocks, back of the thighs, or they may appear at the original site of infection. Immunocompromised indiduals may experience episodes that are longer, more frequent and more severe. The human body is able to build up an immunity to the virus over time and antiviral medication has been proven to shorten the duration and/or frequency of the outbreaks. Transmission and preventionEdit Herpes can be contracted through direct contact with an active lesion or body fluid of an infected person. Infected people that show no visible symptoms may still shed and transmit virus through their skin, and this asymptomatic shedding may represent the most common form of HSV-2 transmission. There are no documented cases of infection via an inanimate object (e.g. a towel, toilet seat, drinking vessels). To infect a new individual, HSV travels through tiny breaks in the skin or mucous membranes in the mouth or genital areas. Even microscopic abrasions on mucous membranes are sufficient to allow viral entry. Herpes transmission occurs between discordant partners; a person with a history of infection (HSV seropositive) can pass the virus to an HSV seronegative person. Antibodies that develop following an initial infection with that type of HSV prevents reinfection with the same herpes type - a person with a history of a cold sore caused by HSV-1 cannot contract a herpes whitlow or genital infection caused by HSV-1. In a monogamous couple, a seronegative person runs a 30% per year risk of contracting an HSV-1 infection from a seropositive partner. If an oral HSV-1 infection is contracted first, seroconversion will have occurred after 6 weeks to provide protective antibodies against a futue genital HSV-1 infection. For genital herpes, condoms are a highly effective in limiting transmission of herpes simplex infection. However, condoms are by no means completely effective. The virus cannot get through latex, but their effectiveness is somewhat limited on a public health scale by the limited use of condoms in the community, and on an individual scale because the condom may not completely cover blisters on the penis of an infected male, or base of the penis or testicles not covered by the condom may come into contact with free virus in vaginal fluid of an infected female. In such cases, abstinence from sexual activity, or washing of the genitals after sex, is recommended. The use of condoms or dental dams also limits the transmission of herpes from the genitals of one partner to the mouth of the other (or vice versa) during oral sex. When one partner has herpes simplex infection and the other does not, the use of antiviral medication, such as valaciclovir, in conjunction with a condom, further decreases the chances of transmission to the uninfected partner. Topical microbicides contain chemicals that directly inactivate the virus and block viral entry are currently being investigated. Vaccines for HSV are currently undergoing trials. Once developed, they may be used to help with prevention or minimize initial infections as well as treatment for existing infections. Women are more susceptible to acquiring genital HSV-2 than men; in the US, 11% of men and 23% of women carry HSV-2. On an annual basis, without the use of antivirals or condoms, the transmission risk of HSV-2 from infected male to female is approximately 8-10%. This is believed to be due to the increased exposure of mucosal tissue to potential infection sites. Transmission risk from infected female to male is approximately 4-5% annually. Suppressive antiviral therapy reduces these risks by 50%. Antivirals also help prevent the development of symptomatic HSV in infection scenarios by about 50%, meaning the infected partner will be seropositive but symptom free. Condom use also reduces the transmission risk by 50%. Condom use is much more effective at preventing male to female transmission than vice-versa. The effects of combining antiviral and condom use is roughly additive, thus resulting in approximately a 75% combined reduction in annual transmission risk. These figures reflect experiences with subjects having frequently-recurring genital herpes (>6 recurrences per year). Subjects with low recurrence rates and those with no clinical manifestations were excluded from these studies. To prevent neonatal infections, seronegative women are recommended to avoid unprotected oral-genital contact during the last trimester of pregnancy. Mothers infected with HSV, are advised to avoid procedures that would cause trauma to the infant during birth (e.g. fetal scalp electrodes, forceps and vacuum extractors) and, should lesions be present, to elect caesarean section to reduce exposure of the child to infected secretions in the birth canal. The use of antiviral treatments, such as aciclovir, given from the 36th week of pregnancy prevents HSV recurrence and shedding during childbirth, thereby reducing the need for caesarean section. HSV asymptomatic shedding occurs at some time in most individuals infected with herpes. It is believed to occur on 2.9% of days while on antiviral therapy, versus 10.8% of days without and is estimated to account for one third of the total days of viral shedding. Asymptomatic shedding is more frequent within the first 12 months of acquiring HSV-2, and concurrent infection with HIV also increases the frequency and duration of asymptomatic shedding. It can occur more than a week before or after a symptomatic recurrence in 50% of cases. There are some indications that some individuals may have much lower patterns of shedding, but evidence supporting this is not fully verified - no significant differences are seen in the frequency of asymptomatic shedding when comparing persons with 1 to 12 annual recurrences to those that have no recurrences. Primary orofacial herpes is readily identified by clinical examination in persons without a previous history of lesions, and with reported contact with an individual with known HSV-1 infection. The appearance and distribution of sores, in these individuals, typically presents as multiple, round, and superficial oral ulcers, accompanied by acute gingivitis. Adults with non-typical presentation are more difficult to diagnose. However, prodromal symptoms that occur before the appearance of herpetic lesions helps to differentiate HSV symptoms from the similar symptoms of, for example, allergic stomatitis. Occasionally, when lesions do not appear inside the mouth, primary orofacial herpes is mistaken for a bacterial infection known as impetigo. Common mouth ulcers (aphthous ulcer), also resemble intraoral herpes, but do not present a vesicular stage. Genital herpes is more difficult to diagnose than oral herpes since most HSV-2-infected persons have no classical signs and symptoms. To confuse diagnosis, several other conditions resemble genital herpes, including lichen planus, atopic dermatitis, or urethritis. Laboratory testing is, therefore, often used to confirm genital herpes. Laboratory tests include culture of the virus, direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) studies to detect virus, skin biopsy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test for presence of viral DNA and serology assays to detect the presence of antibodies the blood that react against the virus. A Tzanck test (or smear), can also be performed although this cannot differentiate between herpes simplex or herpes zoster (the causative virus of chicken pox and shingles). Although these procedures produce highly sensitive and specific diagnoses, their high costs and time constraints limit their regular use in clinical practice. |Seroprevalence estimates for HSV-1 and HSV-2 | * Central African Republic * The Gambia * Mali * Morrocco * South Africa * South Korea * Thailand * New Zealand |Central/South America | * Columbia * Costa Rica * Peru * Bulgaria |North America | |# in children| Large differences in HSV-1 seroprevalence are seen in different European countries. HSV-1 seroprevalence is high in Bulgaria (83.9%) and The Czech Republic (80.6%) and lower in Belgium (67.4%), The Netherlands (56.7%) and Finland (52.4%). The typical age at which HSV-1 infection is acquired ranges from 5–9 years in Eastern European countries like Bulgaria and the Czech Republic to over 25 years of age in Northern European countries such as Finland, The Netherlands, Germany, and England and Wales. Young adults in Northern European countries are less likely to be infected with HSV-1. However, European women are more likely to be HSV-1 seropositive than men. HSV-2 seropositivity is widely distributed in Europeans older than 12, although there are large differences percentage of the population that had been exposed to HSV-2. Bulgaria has a high (23.9%) HSV-2 seroprevalence relative to other European countries: Germany (13.9%), Finland (13.4%), Belgium (11.1%), The Netherlands (8.8%), the Czech Republic (6.0%) and England and Wales (4.2%). Women are more likely to be seropositive than men, and likely acquire the virus at an earlier age. In each country of Europe, HSV-2 seropositivity becomes more common from adolescence onwards and increases in the population with age, with a decline in the older age groups in some countries. In healthy adults, HSV-2 infection occurs more frequently in the USA than in Europe, and appears to be increasing; in individuals over 12 years old, HSV-2 seroprevalence has increased from 16.4% in 1976 to 21.8% from in 1994 and is still rising. Thus, the current incidence of genital herpes caused by HSV-2 in the U.S. is roughly one in four or five adults, with approximately 50 million people infected with genital herpes and an estimated 0.5 million new genital herpes infections occurring each year. African Americans appear more susceptible to HSV-2, although the presence of active genital symptoms are more likely in Caucasian Americans. The largest increase in HSV-2 acquistion during the past few years is in white adolescents. People with many lifetime sexual partners and those who are sexually active from a young age are also at higher-risk for the transmission of HSV-2 in the U.S. Women are at higher risk than men for acquiring HSV-2 infection, and the chance of being infected increases with age. African Americans and immigrants from developing countries typically have an HSV-1 seroprevalance in their adolescent population that is two or three times higher than that of Caucasian Americans, possibly reflecting differences in their socioeconomic backgrounds. Many white Americans enter sexual activity, marriage and child bearing years seronegative for HSV-1. The absence of antibodies from a prior oral HSV-1 infection leaves these individuals susceptible to primary HSV-1 genital infections. This brings with it a risk of vertical transmission to the neonate if the mother contracts a primary infection during the third trimester of pregnancy. A seronegative mother has up to a 57% chance of conveying an HSV infection to her baby during childbirth whereas a woman seropositive for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 has around a 1-3% chance of passing reactivated virus to her infant. Women that are`seropositive for only one type of HSV fall somewhere in between but are still only half as likely to transmit HSV as a seronegative mother. Genital infection caused by HSV-1, in the U.S, is now thought to be about 50% and contributes to a rate of 6 to 20 per 100,000 live births in the U.S. depending on region and demographics. Following a study in Ontario, up to 55% of Canadians age of 15 to 16, and 89% of individuals in their early forties are estimated have antibodies to HSV-1. Teenagers are less likely to be seropositive for HSV-2 - antibodies against this virus is only found in 0-3.8% of 15-16 year olds. However, 21% of individuals in their early forties have antibodies against HSV-2 reflecting the sexually transmitted nature of this virus. When standardising for age, HSV-2 seroprevalence in Ontario, for individuals between the ages of 15 to 44, was 9.1%. This is much lower than estimated levels of HSV-2 seroprevalence in people of a similar age range in the United States. HSV-2 seroprevalence in pregnant women, between the ages of 15-44, in British Columbia is similar, with 57% having antibodies for HSV-1 and 13% having antibodies for HSV-2. HSV-2 in more common in some countries, such as those of Sub-Saharan Africa, than in Europe or the North America. Between 30%-80% of women, and from 10-50% of men in Sub-Saharan Africa are seropositive for HSV-2, representing the highest levels of HSV-2 infection in the world. In most African countries, HSV-2 prevalence increases with age. However, age-associated decreases in HSV-2 seroprevalence has been observed for women in Uganda and Zambia, an in men in Ethiopia, Benin and Uganda. Genital herpes appears less common in Northern Africa compared to Sub-Saharan Africa, with only 26% of middle-aged women having antibodies for HSV-2 in Morocco. Woman are more likely to be infected with HSV-2 once they are over the age of 40. Children in Egypt are often infected with HSV from a young age - HSV-1 or HSV-2 antibodies are estimated in 54% in children under the age of 5 years and 77% in children over 10 years of age. Algerian children are also likely to acquire HSV-1 infection at a young age (under 6) and 81.25% of the population has antibodies to HSV-1 by the age of 15. Central and South AmericaEdit HSV-2 seroprevalency is high in Central and South America, relative to rates in Europe and North America with levels estimated between 20-60%. During the mid 1980s, HSV-2 prevalence was 33% in 25–29 years old women and 45% in those aged 40 and over in Costa Rica, and, in the early 1990s, was approximately 45% among women over 60 in Mexico. The highest HSV-2 prevalence (60%) in Central or South America has been found Colombian middle-aged women although similar HSV-2 prevalence (54%) has been observed in younger women in Haiti. HSV-2 infects about 30% in women more than 30 years old from Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama and steadily increases to 52% in an age-associated manner in those aged 50–59. HSV-2 antibodies were found in more than 41% of women of childbearing age in Brazil. However, no increase in seroprevalence was associated with age in women over 40 years old in this country - HSV-2 prevalence was estimated at 50% among women aged 40–49 years, 33% among women 50–59, and 42% among women over 60. Women in Brazil are more likely to acquire an HSV-2 infection if their male partners had history of anal sex and had many sexual partners in his lifetime. In Peru, HSV-2 prevalence is also high among women in their 30s but is lower in men. Eastern and South East Asia HSV-2 seroprevalence in developing Asian countries is comparable (10-30%) to that observed in North America and Northern Europe. HSV-1 seroprevalence in some Asian countries is low, relative to other countries worldwide, with only 51% women in Thailand and between 50-60 persons in Japan possessing antibodies against this virus. However, estimates of HSV-2 infectivity, in Thailand, is higher than observed in other Eastern Asian countries - total HSV-2 seroprevalence is approximately 37% in this country. HSV-2 seroprevalence is low in women in the Philippines (9%), although commencing activity while young is associated with an increase risk of acquiring HSV-2 infection; woman starting sexual activity by the time they reach 17 are seven times more likely to be HSV-2 seropositive that those starting sexual activity when over 21. In South Korea, incidence of HSV-2 infection in those under the age of 20 is low at only 2.7% in men and 3.0% in women. Seroprevalence levels increase in older South Koreans, however, such that the population over 20 that has antibodies against HSV-2 is 21.7% of men and 28% of women, with increasing HSV-2 prevelence becoming significant once individuals reached their 30's. In India, 33.3% of individual are seropositive for just HSV-1 and 16.6% are seropositive for only HSV-2. Those with both HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies are estimated at 13.3% of the population. Indian men are more likely to be infected with HSV-2 than women, and increasing seroprevalence of this virus is associated with an increasing age. High levels of HSV-2 (42%) and HSV-1 (97%) were found amongst pregnant women in the city of Erzurum in Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey. In Istanbul, a city in the Marmara Region in North West Turkey, however, lower HSV-2 seroprevalence was observed; HSV-2 antibodies were found in 4.8% of sexually active adults, and HSV-1 antibodies were found in 85.3%. Only 5% of pregnant women were infected with HSV-2, and 98% were infected with HSV-1. Prevalence of these viruses was higher in sex workers of Istanbul, reaching levels of 99% and 60% for HSV-1 and HSV-2 prevalence respectively. The prevalence of HSV-2 in Jordan is 52.8% for men and 41.5% for women. HSV-1 seroprevalence is 59.8% in the population of Israel and increases with age in both genders. An estimated 9.2% of Israelian adults are infected with HSV-2. Infection of either HSV-1 or HSV-2 is higher in females; HSV-2 seroprevalence reaches 20.5% in females in their 40s. These values are similar to levels in HSV infection in Europe. Antibodies for HSV-1 or HSV-2 are also more likely to be found individuals born outside of Israel, and individuals residing in Jerusalem and Southern Israel. People from Jewish origin, living in Israel, are less likely to possess antibodies against herpes. HSV-1 causes 66.3% of genital herpes in individuals living in Tel Aviv, Israel. Genital herpes infection from HSV-2 is predicted to be low in Syria although HSV-1 levels are high. HSV-1 infections is common (95%) among healthy Syrians over the age of 30, whilst HSV-2 prevalence is low in healthy individuals (0.15%), and persons infected with other sexually transmitted diseases (9.5%). High risk groups for acquiring HSV-2, in Syria, include prostitutes and bar girls that have 34% and 20% seroprevalence respectively. In Australia, the seroprevalence of HSV-1 is 76%, with differences associated with age, gender and Indigenous status. An estimated 12% of Australian adults are seropositive for HSV-2, with higher prevalence in women (16%) than in men (8%). Larger cities have higher HSV-2 seroprevalence (13%) than rural populations (9%) in this country. Higher prevalence is found in Indigenous Australians (18%) than non-Indigenous Australians (12%) but is lower than HSV-2 prevalence observed in the United States. As in the U.S., HSV-1 is increasingly identified as the cause of genital herpes in Australians; HSV-1 was identified in the anogenital area of only 3% of the population in 1980, but had risen to 41% in 2001. This was most common in females and persons under 25. The number of genital herpes infections appears to be rising in New Zealand with three times more cases in 1993 compared to 1977. In this country, HSV-2 affects 60% more women than men of similar age. Currently, there is no treatment that can eradicate any of the herpes viruses from the body. Non-prescription analgesics can reduce pain and fever during initial outbreaks. Topical anesthetic treatment (such as prilocaine, lidocaine or tetracaine) can relieve itching and pain. Antiviral medications work by interfering with viral replication, effectively slowing the replication rate of the virus and providing a greater opportunity for the immune response to intervene. All drugs in this class depend on the activity of the viral thymidine kinase to convert the drug to a monophosphate form and subsequently interfere with viral DNA replication. There are several prescription antiviral medications for controlling herpes simplex outbreaks, including aciclovir (Zovirax), valaciclovir (Valtrex), famciclovir (Famvir), and penciclovir. Aciclovir was the original and prototypical member of this drug class and is now available in generic brands at a greatly reduced cost. Valaciclovir and famciclovir are prodrugs of aciclovir and penciclovir respectively, with improved oral bioavailability (55% vs 20% and 75% vs 5% respectively). Some herpes antiviral treatments may cause diarrhea requiring additional the use of diarrhea medication. Aciclovir is the recommended antiviral for suppressive therapy in the last months of pregnancy to prevent transmission of herpes simplex to the neonate. The use of valaciclovir and famciclovir, while potentially improving treatment compliance and efficacy, are still undergoing safety evaluation in this context. There is evidence in mice that treatment with famciclovir, rather than aciclovir, during an initial outbreak can help lower the incidence of future outbreaks by reducing the amount of latent virus in the neural ganglia. This potential effect on latency over aciclovir drops to zero a few months post-infection. Topical antiviral creams are available for treating recurrent labial outbreaks but their effectiveness is disputed. Penciclovir's primary advantage over aciclovir cream is that it has a far longer cellular half-life – 10 hours (HSV-1)/20 hours (HSV-2) for penciclovir versus 3 hours (HSV-1/2) for aciclovir. Docosanol (Abreva) is available as a cream for direct application to the affected area of skin. Docosanol prevents the virus from fusing to cell membranes, thus barring the entry of the virus into the skin. Docosanol was approved for use after clinical trials by the FDA in July 2000. Marketed by Avanir Pharmaceuticals under the brand name Abreva, it was the first over-the-counter antiviral drug approved for sale in the United States and Canada. In March, 2007 it was the subject of a US nationwide class-action suit against Avanir and GlaxoSmithKline as the claim that it cut recovery times in half was found to have been misleading in a California court. Tromantadine is available as a gel that inhibits entry and spreading of the virus by altering the surface composition of skin cells and inhibiting release of viral genetic material. Zilactin is a topical analgesic barrier treatment. It forms a "shield" at the area of application that prevents a sore from increasing in size and stops spreading of the virus by breakage or oozing during the healing process. Aloe Vera is available as cream or gel which makes affected area heal faster, and may even prevent recurrences. Cimetidine, a common component of heartburn medication, has been shown to lessen the severity of herpes zoster outbreaks in several different instances, and offered some relief from herpes simplex. This is an off-label use of the drug. It and probenecid have been shown to reduce the renal clearance of aciclovir. The study showed these compounds reduce the rate, but not the extent, at which valaciclovir is converted into aciclovir. Renal clearance of aciclovir was reduced by approximately 24% and 33% respectively. In addition, respective increases in the peak plasma concentration of acyclovir of 8% and 22% were observed. The authors concluded that these effects were "not expected to have clinical consequences regarding the safety of valaciclovir". Due to the tendency of aciclovir to precipitate in renal tubules, combining these drugs should only occur under the supervision of a physician. Limited evidence suggests that low dose aspirin (125 mg daily) might be beneficial in patients with recurrent HSV infections. It reduces the level of prostaglandins which are essential in creating an inflammation. A small study of 21 volunteers with recurrent HSV indicated a significant reduction in duration of active HSV infections, milder symptoms, and longer symptom-free periods as compared to a control group. A recent animal study found that aspirin inhibited thermal stress-induced ocular viral shedding of HSV-1, and a possible benefit in reducing recurrences. Aspirin is not recommended in persons under 18 years of age with herpes simplex due to the increased risk of Reye's syndrome. Long term daily doses of aspirin have a side effect of reduced blood coagulation, facilitating bruising. A single 81 mg "daily dose" aspirin is a safer regimen given that there are no studies of the correlation between dosage and antiviral effects of aspirin. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States is currently in the midst of phase III trials of a vaccine against HSV-2, called Herpevac. The vaccine has only been shown to be effective for women who have never been exposed to HSV-1. Overall, the vaccine is approximately 48% effective in preventing HSV-2 seropositivity and about 78% effective in preventing symptomatic HSV-2. Assuming FDA approval, a commercial version of the vaccine is estimated to become available around 2008. During initial trials, the vaccine did not exhibit any evidence in preventing HSV-2 in males. Additionally, the vaccine only reduced the acquisition of HSV-2 and symptoms due to newly acquired HSV-2 among women who did not have HSV-2 infection at the time they got the vaccine. Because about 20% of persons in the United States have HSV-2 infection, this further reduces the population for whom this vaccine might be appropriate. |Some individuals seek benefits in natural products and dietary supplements for treatment of herpes| Certain dietary supplements and alternative remedies are believed beneficial in the treatment of herpes when used in conjunction with conventional antiviral therapy. However, there is currently insuffient scientific and clinical evidence to support the safe or effective use of these compounds to treat herpes in humans. Lactoferrin, a component of whey protein, has been shown to have a synergistic effect with aciclovir against HSV in vitro. Lysine supplementation has been proposed for the prophylaxis and treatment of herpes simplex when used at doses exceeding 1000 mg per day. A small randomised controlled trial, of daily 1248 mg of lysine monohydrochloride use, showed a decrease in recurrence rates in immunocompetant patients, although no effect was observed wtih 624 mg, and no evidence of decreasing the healing time was observed. Another small randomised controlled trial suggested benefit of taking 3000 mg lysine daily to reduce HSV reccurrence, severity and healing time. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), has antiviral activity against HSV-2 in cell culture. A cream made with lemon balm extract is a popular treatment for cold sores and genital herpes in Germany and the UK where it is known as Lomaherpan and Lomabrit respectively. In a small randomized trial, this treatment was observed to reduce HSV symptoms based on self-reporting from patients. However, this trial was supported by the drug company that makes Lomaherpan and therefore, may be subject to bias in data reporting. Carrageenans - linear sulphated polysaccharides extracted from red seaweeds - have been shown to have antiviral effects in HSV-infected cells. A carrageenan based gel prevents HSV-2 infection (at a rate of 85%) in a mouse model, potentially by binding to viral receptors that HSV uses when infecting cells. Natural carrageenans (called 1T1, 1C1, 1C3) isolated from the red alga Gigartina skottsbergii inhibit the replication activity of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in mouse models and cell culture experiments, however, there is no evidence for efficacy of this compound in humans. There are conflicting reports about the effectiveness of extracts from the plant echinacea in treating herpes infections, suggesting a possible benefit for treating oral, but not genital, herpes. Resveratrol, a compound in red wine, prevents HSV replication in vitro by inhibiting a protein needed by the virus to replicate. Resveratrol alone is not considered potent enough to be an effective treatment. A more recent study in mice showed the efficacy of topical resveratrol cream in preventing cutaneous HSV lesion formation. Some dietary supplements have been suggested to positively treat herpes. These include vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and zinc. Extracts from garlic have shown antiviral activity against HSV in cell culture experiments, although the extremely high concentrations of the extracts required to produce an antiviral effect was also toxic to the cells. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), commonly available as a food preservative, has been shown in in-vitro laboratory studies to inactivate the herpes virus. In-vivo studies in animals confirmed the antiviral activity of BHT against genital herpes. However BHT has not been clinically tested and approved to treat herpes infections in humans. Whether the law can help a person who catches herpes depends on the jurisdiction where it was contracted as legal jurisdictions define their own rules regarding the transmission of STIs such as herpes. There can be both criminal and civil possibilities. For example, in the criminal case of R. v. Sullivan heard in England and Wales, an attempt was made to prosecute Sullivan for sexual assault after his partner experienced a primary outbreak of genital herpes, on the basis that he had failed to reveal the fact that he had herpes. The presiding judge dismissed the prosecution case during preliminary hearings, citing inability to prove prior knowledge and the trial did not take place. Civil claims for transmission of herpes are, for their part, usually based on negligence if transmission was accidental and battery if deliberate. The first successful case to allow such a claim in the United States was Kathleen K. v. Robert B., decided by the California Court of Appeals. - ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Gupta R, Warren T, Wald A (2007). Genital herpes. Lancet 370 (9605): 2127–37. - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Bruce AJ, Rogers RS (2004). Oral manifestations of sexually transmitted diseases. Clin. Dermatol. 22 (6): 520–7. - ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Fatahzadeh M, Schwartz RA (2007). Human herpes simplex virus infections: epidemiology, pathogenesis, symptomatology, diagnosis, and management. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 57 (5): 737–63; quiz 764–6. - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Kimberlin DW, Whitley RJ (2005). Neonatal herpes: what have we learned. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis 16 (1): 7–16. - ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Koelle DM, Corey L (2008). Herpes Simplex: Insights on Pathogenesis and Possible Vaccines. Annu Rev Med 59: 381–395. - ↑ Xu F, Sternberg MR, Kottiri BJ, et al (2006). Trends in herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 seroprevalence in the United States. JAMA 296 (8): 964–73. - ↑ [attribution needed] - ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 STD Facts - Genital Herpes. URL accessed on 2008-02-22. - ↑ 9.0 9.1 Clark DC (2003). Common acute hand infections. Am Fam Physician 68 (11): 2167–76. - ↑ Lewis MA (2004). Herpes simplex virus: an occupational hazard in dentistry. Int Dent J 54 (2): 103–11. - ↑ Avitzur Y, Amir J (2002). Herpetic whitlow infection in a general pediatrician--an occupational hazard. Infection 30 (4): 234–6. - ↑ Wu IB, Schwartz RA (2007). Herpetic whitlow. Cutis 79 (3): 193–6. - ↑ Anonymous (1971). Herpetic whitlow: a medical risk. Br Med J 4 (5785): 444. - ↑ Carr DJ, Härle P, Gebhardt BM (2001). The immune response to ocular herpes simplex virus type 1 infection. Exp. Biol. Med. (Maywood) 226 (5): 353–66. - ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Suresh PS, Tullo AB (1999). Herpes simplex keratitis. Indian J Ophthalmol 47 (3): 155–65. - ↑ Halberstadt M, Machens M, Gahlenbek KA, Böhnke M, Garweg JG (2002). The outcome of corneal grafting in patients with stromal keratitis of herpetic and non-herpetic origin. Br J Ophthalmol 86 (6): 646–52. - ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Whitley RJ (2006). Herpes simplex encephalitis: adolescents and adults. Antiviral Res. 71 (2-3): 141–8. - ↑ 18.0 18.1 Whitley RJ, Gnann JW (2002). Viral encephalitis: familiar infections and emerging pathogens. Lancet 359 (9305): 507–13. - ↑ Dinn J (1980). Transolfactory spread of virus in herpes simplex encephalitis.. Br Med J 281 (6252): 1392. PMID 7437807. - ↑ Brown ZA, Gardella C, Wald A, Morrow RA, Corey L (2005). Genital herpes complicating pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 106 (4): 845–56. - ↑ Baker DA (2007). Consequences of herpes simplex virus in pregnancy and their prevention. Curr. Opin. Infect. Dis. 20 (1): 73–6. - ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Brown ZA, Wald A, Morrow RA, Selke S, Zeh J, Corey L (2003). Effect of serologic status and cesarean delivery on transmission rates of herpes simplex virus from mother to infant. JAMA 289 (2): 203–9. - ↑ Ch. 6, "Medical Disorders during Pregnancy," in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 16th ed., 2005 - ↑ The Merck Manual, Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infection - ↑ Brocklehurst P, Kinghorn GA et al.. randomised placebo controlled trial of suppressive acyclovir in late pregnancy in women with recurrent genital herpes infection 105 (3): 275-80. - ↑ Kropp RY., Wong T, et al (2006). Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus Infections in Canada: Results of a 3-Year National Prospective Study. Pediatrics 117 (61): 1955-1962. PMID 16740836. - ↑ Kesson AM (2001). Management of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection. Paediatr Drugs 3 (2): 81–90. - ↑ Jacobs RF (1998). Neonatal herpes simplex virus infections. Semin. Perinatol. 22 (1): 64–71. - ↑ Tyler KL (2004). Herpes simplex virus infections of the central nervous system: encephalitis and meningitis, including Mollaret's. Herpes 11 Suppl 2: 57A–64A. - ↑ Sendi P, Graber P (2006). Mollaret's meningitis. CMAJ 174 (12): 1710. - ↑ Takasu T, Furuta Y, Sato KC, Fukuda S, Inuyama Y, Nagashima K (1992). Detection of latent herpes simplex virus DNA and RNA in human geniculate ganglia by the polymerase chain reaction. Acta Otolaryngol. 112 (6): 1004–11. - ↑ Sugita T, Murakami S, Yanagihara N, Fujiwara Y, Hirata Y, Kurata T (1995). Facial nerve paralysis induced by herpes simplex virus in mice: an animal model of acute and transient facial paralysis. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 104 (7): 574–81. - ↑ Lazarini PR, Vianna MF, Alcantara MP, Scalia RA, Caiaffa Filho HH (2006). [Herpes simplex virus in the saliva of peripheral Bell's palsy patients]. Rev Bras Otorrinolaringol (Engl Ed) 72 (1): 7–11. - ↑ Linder T, Bossart W, Bodmer D (2005). Bell's palsy and Herpes simplex virus: fact or mystery?. Otol. Neurotol. 26 (1): 109–13. - ↑ Kanerva M, Mannonen L, Piiparinen H, Peltomaa M, Vaheri A, Pitkäranta A (2007). Search for Herpesviruses in cerebrospinal fluid of facial palsy patients by PCR. Acta Otolaryngol. 127 (7): 775–9. - ↑ Stjernquist-Desatnik A, Skoog E, Aurelius E (2006). Detection of herpes simplex and varicella-zoster viruses in patients with Bell's palsy by the polymerase chain reaction technique. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 115 (4): 306–11. - ↑ Tiemstra JD, Khatkhate N (2007). Bell's palsy: diagnosis and management. Am Fam Physician 76 (7): 997–1002. - ↑ Stumpf MP, Laidlaw Z, Jansen VA (2002). Herpes viruses hedge their bets. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99 (23): 15234–7. - ↑ Sainz B, Loutsch JM, Marquart ME, Hill JM (2001). Stress-associated immunomodulation and herpes simplex virus infections. Med. Hypotheses 56 (3): 348–56. - ↑ Chambers A, Perry M (2008). Salivary mediated autoinoculation of herpes simplex virus on the face in the absence of "cold sores," after trauma. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 66 (1): 136–8. - ↑ Perna JJ, Mannix ML, Rooney JF, Notkins AL, Straus SE (1987). Reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus infection by ultraviolet light: a human model. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 17 (3): 473–8. - ↑ Rooney JF, Straus SE, Mannix ML, et al (1992). UV light-induced reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 2 and prevention by acyclovir. J. Infect. Dis. 166 (3): 500–6. - ↑ Oakley C, Epstein JB, Sherlock CH (1997). Reactivation of oral herpes simplex virus: implications for clinical management of herpes simplex virus recurrence during radiotherapy. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 84 (3): 272–8. - ↑ Ichihashi M, Nagai H, Matsunaga K (2004). Sunlight is an important causative factor of recurrent herpes simplex. Cutis 74 (5 Suppl): 14–8. - ↑ Myśliwska J, Trzonkowski P, Bryl E, Lukaszuk K, Myśliwski A (2000). Lower interleukin-2 and higher serum tumor necrosis factor-a levels are associated with perimenstrual, recurrent, facial Herpes simplex infection in young women. Eur. Cytokine Netw. 11 (3): 397–406. - ↑ Segal AL, Katcher AH, Brightman VJ, Miller MF (1974). Recurrent herpes labialis, recurrent aphthous ulcers, and the menstrual cycle. J. Dent. Res. 53 (4): 797–803. - ↑ Martinez V, Caumes E, Chosidow O (2008). Treatment to prevent recurrent genital herpes. Curr Opin Infect Dis 21 (1): 42–48. - ↑ AHMF: Preventing Sexual Transmission of Genital Herpes. URL accessed on 2008-02-24. - ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 Leone P (2005). Reducing the risk of transmitting genital herpes: advances in understanding and therapy. Curr Med Res Opin 21 (10): 1577–82. - ↑ 51.0 51.1 Wald A, Langenberg AG, Link K, Izu AE, Ashley R, Warren T, Tyring S, Douglas JM Jr, Corey L. (2001). Effect of condoms on reducing the transmission of herpes simplex virus type 2 from men to women. JAMA 285 (24): 3100-3106. PMID 11427138. - ↑ Casper C, Wald A. (2002). Condom use and the prevention of genital herpes acquisition.. Herpes 9 (1): 10-14. PMID 11916494. - ↑ de Visser RO, Smith AM, Rissel CE, Richters J, Grulich AE. (2003). Sex in Australia: safer sex and condom use among a representative sample of adults. Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health. 27 (2): 223-229. PMID 14696715. - ↑ includeonly>Seppa, Nathan. "One-Two Punch: Vaccine fights herpes with antibodies, T cells", Science News, 2005-01-05, pp. 5. Retrieved on 2007-03-29. (in English) - ↑ includeonly>Carla K. Johnson. "Percentage of people with herpes drops", Associated Press, August 23, 2006. - ↑ Kim H, Meier A, Huang M, Kuntz S, Selke S, Celum C, Corey L, Wald A (2006). Oral herpes simplex virus type 2 reactivation in HIV-positive and -negative men.. J Infect Dis 194 (4): 420-7. PMID 16845624. - ↑ 57.00 57.01 57.02 57.03 57.04 57.05 57.06 57.07 57.08 57.09 57.10 57.11 Smith JS, Robinson NJ (2002). Age-specific prevalence of infection with herpes simplex virus types 2 and 1: a global review. J. Infect. Dis. 186 Suppl 1: S3–28. - ↑ 58.0 58.1 58.2 58.3 58.4 58.5 58.6 58.7 58.8 58.9 Patnaik P, Herrero R, Morrow RA, et al (2007). Type-specific seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 and associated risk factors in middle-aged women from 6 countries: the IARC multicentric study. Sex Transm Dis 34 (12): 1019–24. - ↑ 59.0 59.1 59.2 Shin HS, Park JJ, Chu C, et al (2007). Herpes simplex virus type 2 seroprevalence in Korea: rapid increase of HSV-2 seroprevalence in the 30s in the southern part. J. Korean Med. Sci. 22 (6): 957–62. - ↑ 60.0 60.1 60.2 60.3 60.4 Pebody RG, Andrews N, Brown D, et al (2004). The seroepidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 in Europe. Sex Transm Infect 80 (3): 185–91. - ↑ Malkin JE (2004). Epidemiology of genital herpes simplex virus infection in developed countries. Herpes 11 Suppl 1: 2A–23A. - ↑ Herpes simplex. (HTML) University of Maryland Medical Center. URL accessed on 2007-09-03. - ↑ LEARN ABOUT HERPES > Fast Facts. (HTML) ASHA Herpes Resource Center. URL accessed on 2007-09-03. - ↑ STD Facts - Genital Herpes. (HTML) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. URL accessed on 2007-09-03. - ↑ Herpes. (HTML) Stanford University Sexual Health Peer Resource Center. URL accessed on 2007-09-03. - ↑ Elliott E, Rose D. (2003). Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit. Reporting of communicable disease conditions under surveillance by the APSU, 1 January to 30 September 2003. Commun. Dis. Intell. 28 (1): 90-91. PMID 15072162. - ↑ Jones CA (2004). Vaccines to prevent neonatal herpes simplex virus infection. Expert Rev. Vaccines 3 (4): 363-364. PMID 15270635. - ↑ Howard M, Sellors JW, Jang D, et al (2003). Regional distribution of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 in men and women in Ontario, Canada. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41 (1): 84–9. - ↑ 69.0 69.1 69.2 Weiss H (2004). Epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in the developing world. Herpes 11 Suppl 1: 24A–35A. - ↑ Loutfy SA, Alam El-Din HM, Ibrahim MF, Hafez MM (2006). Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Egypt. Saudi Med J 27 (8): 1139–45. - ↑ Meguenni S, Djenaoui T, Bendib A, et al (1989). [Herpes simplex virus infections in Algiers]. Arch Inst Pasteur Alger 57: 61–72. - ↑ Smith JS, Herrero R, Muñoz N, et al (2001). Prevalence and risk factors for herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among middle-age women in Brazil and the Philippines. Sex Transm Dis 28 (4): 187–94. - ↑ Kaur R, Gupta N, Baveja UK (2005). Seroprevalence of HSV1 and HSV2 infections in family planning clinic attenders. J Commun Dis 37 (4): 307–9. - ↑ 74.0 74.1 Dolar N, Serdaroglu S, Yilmaz G, Ergin S (2006). Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in Turkey. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 20 (10): 1232–6. - ↑ Abuharfeil N, Meqdam MM (2000). Seroepidemiologic study of herpes simplex virus type 2 and cytomegalovirus among young adults in northern Jordan. New Microbiol. 23 (3): 235–9. - ↑ 76.0 76.1 Davidovici BB, Green M, Marouni MJ, Bassal R, Pimenta JM, Cohen D (2006). Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 and correlates of infection in Israel. J. Infect. 52 (5): 367–73. - ↑ Samra Z, Scherf E, Dan M (2003). Herpes simplex virus type 1 is the prevailing cause of genital herpes in the Tel Aviv area, Israel. Sex Transm Dis 30 (10): 794–6. - ↑ Ibrahim AI, Kouwatli KM, Obeid MT (2000). Frequency of herpes simplex virus in Syria based on type-specific serological assay. Saudi Med J 21 (4): 355–60. - ↑ 79.0 79.1 79.2 Cunningham AL, Taylor R, Taylor J, Marks C, Shaw J, Mindel A (2006). Prevalence of infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in Australia: a nationwide population based survey. Sex Transm Infect 82 (2): 164–8. - ↑ 80.0 80.1 Haddow LJ, Dave B, Mindel A, et al (2006). Increase in rates of herpes simplex virus type 1 as a cause of anogenital herpes in western Sydney, Australia, between 1979 and 2003. Sex Transm Infect 82 (3): 255–9. - ↑ Lyttle PH (1994). Surveillance report: disease trends at New Zealand sexually transmitted disease clinics 1977-1993. Genitourin Med 70 (5): 329–35. - ↑ (1988) Local anesthetic creams. BMJ 297 (6661): 1468. - ↑ Kaminester LH, Pariser RJ, Pariser DM, et al (1999). A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of topical tetracaine in the treatment of herpes labialis. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 41 (6): 996–1001. - ↑ Leung DT, Sacks SL. (2003). Current treatment options to prevent perinatal transmission of herpes simplex virus. Expert Opin. Pharmacother. 4 (10): 1809-1819. PMID 14521490. - ↑ Thackray AM, Field HJ. (1996). Differential effects of famciclovir and valaciclovir on the pathogenesis of herpes simplex virus in a murine infection model including reactivation from latency. J. Infect. Dis. 173 (2): 291-299. PMID 8568288. - ↑ Worrall G (1996). Evidence for efficacy of topical acyclovir in recurrent herpes labialis is weak. BMJ 313 (7048): 46. - ↑ Spruance SL, Rea TL, Thoming C, Tucker R, Saltzman R, Boon R (1997). Penciclovir cream for the treatment of herpes simplex labialis. A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Topical Penciclovir Collaborative Study Group. JAMA 277 (17): 1374–9. - ↑ Drug Name: ABREVA (docosanol) - approval. centerwatch.com. URL accessed on 2007-10-17. - ↑ California Court Upholds Settlement Of Class Action Over Cold Sore Medicationl. BNA Inc.. URL accessed on 2007-10-17. - ↑ Vogler BK and Ernst E.. Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness.. British Journal of General Practice 49: 823-828. - ↑ Another treatment, if not very medical, is the use of vaseline, or any other type of fat. This will ban water, or saliva, from reaching the cold sore. as the cold sore "feeds" itself from water, this will end its existence in a day or two. Kapinska-Mrowiecka M, Toruwski G (1996.). Efficacy of cimetidine in treatment of herpes zoster in the first 5 days from the moment of disease manifestation.. Pol Tyg Lek. 51 (23-26): 338-339. PMID 9273526. - ↑ Hayne ST, Mercer JB (1983). Herpes zoster:treatment with cemetidine.. Can Med Assoc J 129 (12): 1284-1285. PMID 6652595. - ↑ Komlos L, Notmann J, Arieli J, et.al. (1994). In vitro cell-mediated immune reactions in herpes zoster patients treated with cimetidine.. Asian Pac J Allelrgy Immunol 12 (1): 51-58. PMID 7872992. - ↑ De Bony F, Tod M, Bidault R, On NT, Posner J, Rolan P. (2002). Multiple interactions of cimetidine and probenecid with valaciclovir and its metabolite acyclovir. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46 (2): 458-463. PMID 11796358. - ↑ Karadi I, Karpati S, Romics L. (1998). Aspirin in the management of recurrent herpes simplex virus infection. Ann. Intern. Med. 128 (8): 696-697. PMID 9537952. - ↑ Gebhardt BM, Varnell ED, Kaufman HE. (2004). Acetylsalicylic acid reduces viral shedding induced by thermal stress. Curr. Eye Res. 29 (2-3): 119-125. PMID 15512958. - ↑ 97.0 97.1 97.2 97.3 97.4 Herpevac Trial for Women. URL accessed on 2008-02-25. - ↑ Perfect MM, Bourne N, Ebel C, Rosenthal SL (2005). Use of complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of genital herpes. Herpes 12 (2): 38–41. - ↑ Andersen JH, Jenssen H, Gutteberg TJ. (2003). Lactoferrin and lactoferricin inhibit Herpes simplex 1 and 2 infection and exhibit synergy when combined with acyclovir. Antiviral Res. 58 (3): 209-215. PMID 12767468. - ↑ McCune MA, Perry HO, Muller SA, O'Fallon WM. (2005). Treatment of recurrent herpes simplex infections with L-lysine monohydrochloride. Cutis. 34 (4): 366-373. PMID 6435961. - ↑ Griffith RS, Walsh DE, Myrmel KH, Thompson RW, Behforooz A. (1987). Success of L-lysine therapy in frequently recurrent herpes simplex infection. Treatment and prophylaxis. Dermatologica. 175 (4): 183-190. PMID 3115841. - ↑ Griffith RS, Norins AL, Kagan C. (1978). A multicentered study of lysine therapy in Herpes simplex infection. Dermatologica. 156 (5): 257-267. PMID 640102. - ↑ Allahverdiyev A, Duran N, Ozguven M, Koltas S. (2004). Antiviral activity of the volatile oils of Melissa officinalis L. against Herpes simplex virus type-2.. Phytomedicine. 11 (7-8): 657-661. PMID 15636181. - ↑ 104.0 104.1 Koytchev R, Alken RG, Dundarov S (1999). Balm mint extract (Lo-701) for topical treatment of recurring herpes labialis. Phytomedicine 6 (4): 225–30. - ↑ Zacharopoulos VR, Phillips DM. (1997). Vaginal formulations of carrageenan protect mice from herpes simplex virus infection. Clin. Diagn. Lab. Immunol. 4 (4): 465-468. PMID 9220165. - ↑ Carlucci MJ, Scolaro LA, Damonte EB. (1999). Inhibitory action of natural carrageenans on Herpes simplex virus infection of mouse astrocytes. Chemotherapy 45 (6): 429-436. PMID 10567773. - ↑ Binns SE, Hudson J, Merali S, Arnason JT (2002). Antiviral activity of characterized extracts from echinacea spp. (Heliantheae: Asteraceae) against herpes simplex virus (HSV-I). Planta Med. 68 (9): 780–3. - ↑ Vonau B, Chard S, Mandalia S, Wilkinson D, Barton SE (2001). Does the extract of the plant Echinacea purpurea influence the clinical course of recurrent genital herpes?. Int J STD AIDS 12 (3): 154–8. - ↑ Docherty JJ, Fu MM, Stiffler BS, Limperos RJ, Pokabla CM, DeLucia AL. (1999). Resveratrol inhibition of herpes simplex virus replication. Antiviral Res. 43 (3): 145-155. PMID 10551373. - ↑ Docherty JJ, Smith JS, Fu MM, Stoner T, Booth T. (2004). Effect of topically applied resveratrol on cutaneous herpes simplex virus infections in hairless mice. Antiviral Res. 61 (1): 19-26. PMID 14670590. - ↑ Gaby AR (2006). Natural remedies for Herpes simplex. Altern Med Rev 11 (2): 93–101. - ↑ Yazici AC, Baz K, Ikizoglu G (2006). Recurrent herpes labialis during isotretinoin therapy: is there a role for photosensitivity?. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 20 (1): 93–5. - ↑ Weber ND, Andersen DO, North JA, Murray BK, Lawson LD, Hughes BG (1992). In vitro virucidal effects of Allium sativum (garlic) extract and compounds. Planta Med. 58 (5): 417–23. - ↑ Snipes W, Person S, Keith A, Cupp J. "Butylated hydroxytoluene inactivates lipid-containing viruses" Science. 1975;188(4183):64-6 - ↑ Richards JT, Katz ME, Kern ER. "Topical butylated hydroxytoluene treatment of genital herpes simplex virus infections of guinea pigs" Antiviral Res 1985;5(5):281-90 - ↑ Webpage on social aspects of genital herpes - ↑ Error on call to template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified URL accessed on 2008-03-05. - ↑ Gold-bikin, L.Z.. [?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=info:5smAUslPm8sJ:scholar.google.com/&output=viewport Herpes Breeds New Legal Epidemic: Fraud and Negligence Suits]. Family Advocate 7: 26. - Genital Herpes Fact Sheet at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Paper - Genital Herpes: A Hidden Epidemic at FDA - Links to genital herpes pictures (Hardin MD/University of Iowa - Herpes photo library at Dermnet - Pictures of Orofacial Herpes (Coldsores) (VisualDxHealth) - Genital Herpes Pictures - STI - Herpes (HSV) from Young and Healthy - Herpes Blood Tests Quick Reference Guide - Updated Herpes Handbook from Westover Heights Clinic - "The Importance and Practicalities of Patient Counseling in the Prevention and Management of Genital Herpes" (2004) at Medscape - International Herpes Management Forum - Provides Ratios of Lysine to Arginine in Common Foods |This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).|

Special Points of Interest: To provide linkages across performance-based planning activities, integration throughout the decisionmaking process is essential. The development of a performance-based long range transportation plan and transportation improvement program builds upon existing planning process element that are data driven and performance-based. A range of plans use performance-based approaches, including the following: State [Highway] Asset Management Plan: "A State asset management plan shall include strategies leading to a program of projects that would make progress toward achievement of the State targets for asset condition and performance of the National Highway System." Section 1106, amending 23 CFR Section 119(e). State Strategic Highway Safety Plan: "[A] State shall have in effect a State highway safety improvement program under which the state (A) develops, implements, and updates a State strategic highway safety plan that identifies and analyzes highway safety programs and opportunities…, (B) produces a program or projects or strategies to reduce identified safety problems; and (C) evaluates the strategic highway safety plan on a regularly recurring basis in accordance with subsection (d)(1) to ensure the accuracy of the data and priority of proposed strategies." 2USC Section 148 (c). MPO Congestion Management Process: "The transportation planning process in a TMA shall address congestion management through a process that provides for safe and effective integrated management and operation of the multimodal transportation system, based on a cooperatively developed and implemented metropolitan-wide strategy, of new and existing transportation facilities… through the use of travel demand reduction and operational management strategies. The development of a congestion management process should result in multimodal system performance measures and strategies that can be reflected in the metropolitan transportation plan and TIP." 23 CFR Section 450.320(a),(b). Transit Asset Management Plan: "...each recipient of Federal financial assistance under this chapter shall establish performance targets in relation to the performance measures established b[USDOT]....Each designated recipient of Federal financial assistance under this chapter shall submit to the Secretary an annual c describes- " (A) the progress of the recipient during the fiscal year to which the report relates toward meeting the performance targets…for that fiscal year; an(B) the performance targets established by the recipient for the subsequent fiscal year." 49 USC Section 5326(c). Transit Agency Safety Plan: "…each recipient or State… shall certify that the recipient or State has established a comprehensive agency safety plan that includes… methods for identifying and evaluating safety risks throughout all c the public transportation system of the recipient… strategies to minimize the exposure of the public, personnel, and property to hazards and unsafe conditions…performance targets based on the safety performance criteria and state of good repair standards…" 49 USC Section 5329(d). State Freight Plan: USDOT encourages each State to "develop a comprehensive plan for its immediate and long-range freight-related planning and investment," including at a minimum significant freight system trends, needs and issues; policies, strategies and performance measures; innovative technologies and operation strategies; improvements to impede heavy vehicle impacts; and inventory of mobility issues such as truck bottlenecks. MAP-21 Section 1118. For more information, contact Egan Smith at 202-366-6072 or firstname.lastname@example.org. The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has continued to evolve its performance-based planning to better integrate land use and transportation planning. As the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the San Diego region, SANDAG prepares a Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) every four years. In 2004, SANDAG also adopted a Regional Comprehensive Plan (RPC) that contains an c approach to encourage and channel growth into urban areas and smart growth communities. To measure progress in the implementation of the RCP, SANDAG has prepared three monitoring reports that compare current performance data against a baseline. The indicators relate to urban form and transportation; housing; and healthy environments such as natural quality, shoreline preservation, and air quality. Economic prosperity and public facilities indicators including water supply, energy, and waste management also are tracked, in addition to transportation indicators that reflect a unique characteristic of the San Diego region as one of the two California regions sharing an international border with Mexico. SANDAG also produces an annual State of the Commute report that analyzes freeway, transit and local roadways data to understand and share information on how the region's transportation system is operating. This report also includes the My Corridor Commute section that provides a snapshot of the performance of major commute routes from the traveler's perspective, including travel time and delay. Periodically, SANDAG also prepares the Indicators of Sustainable Competitiveness report, which compares San Diego to 19 other metropolitan regions and the U.S. as a whole in the three E's: Economy, Environment, and Equity. It measures performance in 16 indicator components, then ranks the regions and the U.S. on a scale from 1st to 21st, with a lower score being better. The goal of this study is to answer how the San Diego region is performing, how it compares relative to its peer regions, and whether the San Diego region has improved against its own performance in the earlier studies. The indicators that are tracked include income distribution, venture capital/business climate, air quality, goods movement investment, habitat preservation, and early childhood education, among others. In 2012, the SANDAG Board of Directors approved merging the updates of the RCP and the 2050 RTP and Sustainable Communities Strategy into San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan, which is slated for adoption in 2015. Future monitoring for the Regional Plan will provide an opportunity to streamline tracking of performance monitoring indicators. At the State of California Level California MPOs and state agencies are developing a common standardized set of transportation performance monitoring indicators. The California Strategic Growth Council provided grant funding to SANDAG to lead a collaborative effort with California MPOs and state agencies to develop a common standardized set of up to ten transportation performance monitoring indicators that would support sustainable communities planning legislation (Senate Bill 375, Steinberg, 2008). While performance measures rely mostly on modeled or forecasted data, performance monitoring indicators rely directly on observed data. MPOs use travel demand models or Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses to forecast performance measures. Ideally, monitoring indicators would be considered together and be consistent with modeled performance measures. However, currently, not all MPOs prepare monitoring reports using observed data on a regular basis. More than 200 performance measures and indicators used by MPOs and state agencies were reviewed and nine performance monitoring indicators that could be monitored using statewide and regional data sources were proposed. These indicators account for the diversity of California in terms of smaller and larger regions, and more rural and more urban regions; utilize available statewide data sources; and are consistent with SB 375 and the performance goals established in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The list incorporates transportation indicators that relate to public health, including vehicle miles traveled, mode share, fatalities/injuries, transit access, change in agricultural land, and CO2 emissions. For more information For more information about performance-based planning in the San Diego region, contact Elisa Arias at 619-699-1936 or email@example.com. This publication is a handbook designed to provide information on how to analyze on-road greenhouse gas emissions at the state and regional level, and how to incorporate those analyses into transportation planning efforts. The handbook is intended to help State DOTs and MPOs understand the possible approaches, data sources, and step-by-step procedures for analyzing GHG emissions. It provides an overview of estimating GHG emissions in the planning process, and identifies and describes several key methodologies used to estimate emissions. It also provides a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of each methodology, and includes a section designed to help users identify which methodology is best for their situation. For more information go to www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ climate_change/mitigation/publications_and_tools/ghg_handbook/ The Congestion Management Process: Guidebook/Case Studies/Visualization Tools/Workshops A congestion management process (CMP) is a systematic and regionally-accepted approach for managing congestion that provides accurate, up-to-date information on transportation system performance, and assesses alternative strategies for congestion management that meet state and local needs. A CMP is required in metropolitan areas with population exceeding 200,000, known as Transportation Management Areas (TMAs). The CMP is intended to move congestion management strategies into the funding and implementation stages. The CMP uses a number of analytic tools to define and identify congestion within a region, corridor, and activity center or project area, and to develop and select appropriate strategies to reduce congestion or mitigate the impacts of congestion. The FHWA conducts several workshops and technical outreach events that address the CMP. In addition, FHWA has funded projects that developed guidebooks on the subject of the CMP. The CMP web site presents guidance efforts undertaken by FHWA to foster the integration of the CMP into the overall metropolitan planning process. Key documents presented on the web site include: State Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations are in the business of making smart investments in capital improvements. Transportation infrastructure typically has a life span of many decades and associated benefits that also flow over many years. As such, a long range transportation plan has extraordinary value if it includes objectives and outcomes that are managed and measured. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is moving in that direction-performance based planning with measures supporting the plan's strategic direction. FDOT's performance-based planning and programming process connects performance measures to our key decision-making activities as shown below. Clearly, performance measurement must be central and integrated to a range of activities rather than being a peripheral activity or stovepiped in one part of the DOT. This article highlights our experience to date. What are performance measures? Performance measures are indicators that quantify progress toward attaining a goal or objective. Performance measures can and should be varied ranging from outcome measures of system performance to basic project or process related measures that simply track and indicate if advancement is being made with various plan objectives or strategies. Why do we use them? FDOT uses performance measures to: How does FDOT use performance measures? The improvement needs of Florida's transportation system are much greater than available funding. Resources must be used in the most strategic, effective and efficient ways possible. Performance measures play an important role in this effort. They are integrated into the Department's business practices on three distinct levels: At the strategic level - Performance measures are used to help establish goals and objectives, and to monitor progress towards achieving the State's long-range transportation goals. These long-term goals are part of the 2060 Florida Transportation Plan. At the decision-making level - Performance measures are used to inform the financial policies that determine how funds are allocated across numerous programs such as highway preservation, system expansion, and public transportation in an effort to measure their effectiveness. These programs are defined in the Program and Resource Plan. At the project delivery level - Once projects have been selected, performance measures are used to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of projects and services in the Five Year Work Program. The measures are also used in supporting organizational and operational improvements. What does FDOT measure? FDOT's mission is to provide a safe transportation system that ensures the mobility of people and goods, enhances economic prosperity, and preserves the quality of our environment and communities. Performance report are published to align with this mission and the Florida Transportation Plan. Each is listed below with a few examples of measures and objectives: Safety and Security - Fatality and serious injuries related to aggressive driving, intersection crashes, vulnerable road users, lane departure crashes, impaired driving, at-risk driving, and distracted driving Maintenance and Operations - Percent of pavement and bridges meeting condition standards, percent of maintenance activities (such as roadway striping, guardrail repair and mowing that meet department standards Economic Competitiveness and Mobility - Strategic Intermodal System implementation, freight and port access, transit ridership, hours of delay, facilitation of economic development opportunities, benefit-cost ratio of FDOT programs. Quality of Life & Environmental Stewardship - Community values and visions; travel experience; impacts to the physical, natural and cultural environment. How are we performing? A few highlights from our 2012 Annual Performance Report include: Highway fatalities and serious injuries are decreasing. The condition of our pavement and bridge assets is better than our established targets. The availability of freight and passenger options and increasing public transit ridership are areas requiring continued focus. Maintenance activities are being performed well above target levels. Growth in travel delay in urban areas is expected to continue to outpace transportation system expansion efforts. 6,500 customer survey responses show improved satisfaction FDOT's work program is supporting the economy, with an excellent benefit-cost ratio of 4.92, which means nearly $5 in benefits are generated for every $1 spent. 6,500 customer survey responses show improved satisfaction. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) defines national goals for the Federal-aid highway program. Performance measures are to be established through the federal rulemaking process and subsequent target setting and performance reporting by the states. FDOT issued a MAP-21 Performance Report three years ahead of the statutory schedule and we plan to update the report annually. Summaries of our performance for safety, system performance, roadways, bridges, freight, transit and air quality are included. The Department is committed to achieving further improvement in all areas. The close collaboration of federal and state government will be essential for achieving the potential envisioned (and needed) for performance management and measurement. FDOT is committed to being leaders and innovators in this vitally important area of transportation management. What are some Lessons Learned and Potential Future Directions? Performance measures vary greatly across an enterprise as large and complex as FDOT. We recently held performance measurement workshops that brought District and Central Office staff together. This provided a good starting point for greater awareness of our respective efforts, the importance of performance measurement for the long range plan, and opportunities for future collaboration and synergy of effort. Performance reports must serve multiple audiences including short At-A-Glance reports for senior policy makers and the general public to more detailed reports for program managers. Performance measurement, particularly for a large and complex transportation system, is multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional. While performance management and measurement are often viewed from a narrow perspective of measuring only what you can control, it has become increasingly clear to us that a major future opportunity will be more dialogue with our partner and stakeholder organizations regarding performance measures. This can include but certainly not be limited to: MPOs, operators of freight and passenger modes, law enforcement agencies, resource agencies, and others. For FDOT and all DOTs, performance management requires an organization committed to a performance culture and building capacity in various ways among staff to operate effectively within that culture. More workshops and training to that end will be a likely trend for us and nationally. For more information For more details on FDOT's extensive performance reporting, including our first MAP-21 Performance Report, visit www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/performance/ or contact David Lee at firstname.lastname@example.org Collaboration with Transportation Stakeholders Information is being developed in close collaboration with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organization (AMPO), the National Association of Regional Jody McCullough, Co-Editor FHWA Office of Planning Victor Austin, Co-Editor FTA Office of Systems Planning (202) 366-2996 FHWA Resource Center FHWA Resource Center Kenneth Petty, Acting Director, FHWA Office of Planning share some considerations with practitioners: "While the development of an LRTP should always involve active public and stakeholder involvement, our research revealed a number of innovative example of public engagement activities. A focus on identifying and agreeing on performance measure and desired performance outcomes can engage the public in different ways than traditional plans that are just focused on specific strategies. It is important to tell a story and combine data with an explanation of performance results, rather than just releasing data. Using performance measures appears to bring more stakeholders to the table possibly due to perceptions of transparency and accountability." For more information, go to the Performance Based Planning and Programming Web site at www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/performance_based_planning/

And in the final analysis, the "heart team" of the surgeons and interventional cardiologists conducting the SYNTAX (Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery) trial concluded that "CABG remains the only treatment option for at least one-third of patients screened." So reported Friedrich W. Mohr, M.D., of the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany, who was co-chairman of the international SYNTAX study, at the European Society of Cardiology meeting here. Moreover, Dr. Mohr said, for patients who are not candidates for percutaneous intervention, "surgical results are excellent," while for patients who were not candidates for surgery, percutaneous intervention was "a viable option." Patrick W. Serruys, M.D., Ph.D., of Erasmus University in Rotterdam, who co-chaired SYNTAX, said the numbers tell the tale, and the patients treated were sicker than in previous studies. Previous head-to-head comparisons have also favored CABG, but in the past surgery bested intervention by double-digit margins, said Dr. Serruys. At 12 months in SYNTAX, 17.8% of percutaneous intervention patients reached the combined endpoint -- myocardial infarction, stroke, death, or revascularizaton -- versus 12.1% of the CABG patients, a 5.7% difference that was statistically significant (P=0.0015). And while the trial had a prespecified non-inferiority margin of 6.6%, "when the 95% confidence interval was calculated, the difference was 8.3% which did not meet the non-inferiority endpoint," Dr. Serruys said. The rates for death, MI, and stroke were indistinguishable between the two arms, but the revascularization rate was 13.7% in the stent arm versus 5.9%, and that tipped the scale to favor surgery, Dr. Serruys said. Although the trial recruited 3,075 "all-comer patients," only 1,800 met the criterion of being healthy enough to have either stenting or surgery. The other 1,275 patients were assigned to the registry arms -- 1,077 to CABG and 198 to stenting. All patients had de novo disease and left-main disease could be "isolated, +1, +2, or + 3 vessels," Dr. Serruys said. The trial was conducted at 62 European centers and 23 U.S. sites. In the registry trial, the differences were more dramatic -- at 12 months 20.4% of the stent patients had died, had an MI, or repeat revascularization. The stroke rate was zero and it was this hard endpoint that stents trumped surgery. The stroke rate for CABG patients in the randomized trial was 2.2% versus 0.6% for stents and in the registry trial the stroke rate was 2.2%, Dr. Mohr said. Keith D. Dawkins, M.D., associate chief medical officer at Boston Scientific, the maker of Taxus stents and sponsor of the trial, said the difference in the stroke rate might tip the balance in favor of stenting. In an interview, he predicted that patients would opt for a repeat procedure over the risk of stroke. Not surprisingly, Dr. Dawkins also emphasized what he said was a shrinking gap between stents and surgery, noting that just a few years ago the difference in outcomes was 15% favoring surgery. But others viewed the results in a less favorable light. "Percutaneous coronary intervention failed to meet the primary endpoint," said Ray Gibbons, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "If the endpoint is not met -- the message is very clear. These patients should go to surgery." Dr. Gibbons, a former president of the AHA, is an electrophysiologist. Timothy Gardner, M.D., of the Center for Heart and Vascular Health in Wilmington, Del., the American Heart Association president, agreed. For most patients with left-main disease or three-vessel disease, CABG should remain the standard, Dr. Gardner said. He added that this was especially true because the data represent only 12 months experience. "Durability is a real advantage for CABG since we know that grafts are durable for more than 10 years," he said in an interview. Dr. Gardner, a surgeon, said he would like to see at least five years of percutaneous coronoary intervention data before making any claims about durability. Spencer B. King, III, M.D., of Saint Joseph's Heart and Vascular Institute in Atlanta, said he doubted that the findings will have any effect on treatment practices in the U.S. "Eighty percent of these patients are referred to surgeons, and I think it will stay that way," Dr. King said. The main reasons, according to Dr. King, were time and money. In SYNTAX, the stent patients received an average of 4.6 stents to treat an average of 3.6 lesions and the average length was 86.1 mm. Treating lesions that long is time consuming, Dr. King said. "Few physicians want to spend that much time and hospitals may be reluctant to spend that much on stents." The patients with left-main or three-vessel disease that do require stenting "will be sent to the few institutions that are willing to do that," Dr. King concluded. Petr Widimský, M.D., D.Sc., of University Hospital Královské Vinohrady in Prague, who chaired the ESC press conference where the results were discussed, said the SYNTAX results had something for everyone. "Surgeons are happy because they are still better, and the interventionalists are happy because they are not so bad," he said in an interview. |SYNTAX was funded by Boston Scientific, maker of the Taxus stent. Drs. Serruys and Mohr declared no conflicts. Dr. King disclosed income from Network for Continuing Medical Education, Best Industries, NorthPoint Domain, BG Medicine, Medtronic, and Cordis. Drs. Gardner and Widimský declared no conflicts. Dr. Gibbons said he had relationships with KAI Pharmaceuticals, TargeGen, Hawaii Biotech, Radianat Medical, and King Pharmaceutical.| - Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco European Society of CardiologySource Reference: Serruys PW, Mohr FW "The Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery: the SYNTAX Study" Hot Line II Sept. 1, 2008

Before signing up for your local startup accelerator or incubator, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Is your pitch perfected? Does it matter which group you join? Is there a right or wrong time to sign up? We asked these fifteen entrepreneurs for their nuggets of advice on navigating the world of startup accelerators. Do your research to find the right fit You should do your homework on any accelerator you’re considering. What do they offer? What are some of their success stories? What happens to companies that don’t succeed? How often do their teams get funded? Depending on the accelerator you join, you’ll get very different answers to those questions. Make sure to not only talk to the accelerator but also past companies, both successful and not. Don’t be a perfectionist and accept the guidance I think these groups are really important to early-stage startup attempts — the mentorship, community, and exposure they offer far outweigh any equity you might share with them in return. Don’t get caught up in trying to build something perfect; focus your efforts on customer development and proving your assumptions, so they can help you move that learning into a solid first product. Accomplish something on your own first After having a detailed discussion with TechStars graduate and Contently.com co-founder Shane Snow, my takeaway was to have built an impressive resume of personal accomplishments to show you’re capable of actually building a real business. Incubators and accelerators want to train entrepreneurs, but they need to make sure you’re coachable and have actual potential to become a real star. Be prepared to immerse yourself and go all in You need to dedicate your time into this — it’s an endeavor that requires focus 24/7. Also, look at the opportunity as a time to find the right co-founder, strategic partners, and to be honest and upfront with the organizers about what you need. The more you give, the more you get! Prove that you are committed Demonstrate commitment and focus on results; incubators and accelerators invest in people and teams more than markets. It’s important to have a disruptive idea, but the drive and capabilities of the team are much more correlated to success than the size of the market or details of the business plan. They want to see a smart, dedicated team that is passionate about executing. Don’t settle for any incubator, find the best If you are thinking of applying to an incubator or accelerator, be sure to find the best. Even if you have to give up a larger portion of your company, it will be worth it for the amount of growth it will help you with in comparison to a lesser organization. Also, look for synergy and people whom you work well with — you want to feel welcomed into your new home. Make sure your goals match up All incubators and accelerators are not created equal. Some incubators focus on landing funding, others focus more on helping you build a revenue-generating firm. Make sure your goals align with that of your program. Reach out to alums Before applying to an accelerator program, I would talk to alums of the program to make sure they had a good experience. It also might help if you could get some time to validate your idea for a business before jumping into one of these programs. Make sure the “proof of concept” even makes sense. Perfect your pitch Many incubators are looking for the entrepreneur to make some type of pitch, so it’s important to practice, practice, practice. The more excited that you can make them about your concept, the higher likelihood that you will get accepted to the accelerator. Paint a picture of success When creating your pitch, keep in mind that you want to convince the judges that your startup is truly going places. It’s going to be so successful that they will want to attach their name to get behind it. Show them that you’re going to be successful no matter what, so it’s in their best interest to have you affiliated with their program. Tell a great story Remember, people are investing in you more than your idea. Businesses are fluid in the startup stage. Which means your personality and background is what really counts. While pedigree or experience matter, your curiosity, obsession and commitment matter more. Character trumps credentials. What’s the riddle you’re trying to solve? How have you overcome failure? Make them believe in you. Master the art of explaining your idea clearly Good entrepreneurs know a lot about their business and their market. But can you communicate this expertise in a way that resonates with decision-makers in the incubator and accelerator programs? Start by reading “The Art of the Start” by Guy Kawasaki and learn the “business of business communication” in the startup phase. Timing is everything Think about what you aim to get out of the incubator or accelerator program in mind. People tend to assume that these are great kickstarters, and they can be, but it all depends on timing. Joining one at the wrong stage of your cycle can be feedback overload, or slow your growth in other ways. Sometimes you need to collect input and test your idea, and sometimes you just need to build. Don’t join on your first venture Entrepreneurs are going to make mistakes and get things wrong more often than not. I suggest getting as much accomplished in the real world before applying for incubation. The more you can do before you need the help, the better your terms will be and the more serious they will take your application. There’s life after an accelerator These are great opportunities, but your business must happen with or without them. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and the aspiration of being accepted to a “prestigious program” — after all, it’s validation that you’re on to something! But if things don’t work out, the show must go on. Your goal is to create a company, so don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization composed of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. The YEC promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to unemployment and underemployment and provides entrepreneurs with access to tools, mentorship, and resources that support each stage of their business’s development and growth. Image via tobimcfly/Flickr

OrgSync Partners with NASPA SLPKC Dallas, Dec. 6, 2012- The NASPA Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community (SLPKC) has announced a partnership with OrgSync, with a formal launch in January 2013. The national organization of the SLPKC will be partnering with OrgSync to provide a “virtual office” to its 4,800 members. “From what we have seen with our KC in particular, we have a lot going on and there’s a lot we need to do electronically with people working in different states,” said Michael Baumhardt, KC co-chair. “We need this kind of access and resources to support the work of our KC.” Evan Witt, the KC’s fundraising chair, agrees. “The partnership between OrgSync and the SLPKC will allow us to better serve the members of the Knowledge Community, but more importantly the students that we work with,” he said. “Through using the software, we will better be able to share ideas, good practices, and continue to work towards developing better student leaders. “ All award nomination and publication submissions will be managed through the OrgSync SLPKC portal, which will also have a calendar, shared resource files, and webinars. Members will also be able to use the communication tools to opt-in to receiving tweets or emails about conference events. Sherry Lynn Early, KC co-chair, also feels this is a great time for this partnership. “I’ve been involved with SLPKC for about 6 years now, but due to turnover and different priorities, we haven’t really had the opportunity to advance the web opportunity to be where we need to be. One of our thoughts was ‘we’ve been pretty patient and things have been held up and it’s time for us to move forward,’” she said. The Leadership Team will be the first to gain access to the new site, with the full roll of members being added later in the process. “The leadership team is 25 people, so we’re getting them used to that software in the beginning, to show them how it is best able to serve their committees and their region,” Baumhardt said. Each region will have a separate area within the NASPA SLPKC OrgSync community, to help with targeted communications and to streamline resources. “People can opt in to getting text reminders of where and when our social is or our open meeting; we can sync the Google calendar with the KC calendar. We have a history of newsletters on Issuu.com that we could link to. We have a lot already in place that we can centralize,” Early said. “We’re just really looking forward to this.” Witt said that this partnership will be the first of several joint efforts. “This partnership with OrgSync will serve as a cornerstone of the Knowledge Community’s growth,” he said. “As an organization, the SLPKC values collaboration and seeking to create synergy from our various parts. It is an honor to be associated with such a great organization and we look forward to continuing our partnership as we realize its full potential!” The new site should be established in time for the March NASPA conference. OrgSync provides a Campus Engagement Network that connects students with organizations, programs, and departments on campus. The Company's cloud-hosted, software-as-a-service platform is built using the latest technologies that create an online community for colleges and universities to improve communication, information sharing, and collaboration. The platform streamlines day-to-day operations, reduces paper usage, increases student engagement, and tracks all co-curricular involvement data. Campuses can leverage the data collected in OrgSync to assess the impact of student involvement and co-curricular programming on overall student success and retention. For more information, contact Alex Morales, VP of Marketing, at email@example.com or 972-907-0900 x205.

MPI 3.0 represents the successful integration of the MPI and C-MOLD 2000 product families into one advanced injection molding software suite for predicting and eliminating potential plastics manufacturing problems before they occur. MPI 3.0 Highlights Include: -- New MPI/Synergy User Interface Module: The MPI/Synergy module is used for model preparation, meshing, mesh editing, model validation, job setup, job control, results post-processing and report generation. The new interface supports all thermoplastic and thermoset analysis modules of the MPI and C-MOLD(R) product lines as well as midplane, Fusion, and 3D tetrahedral mesh models. -- Improved CAD Interfaces and Geometry Representation: The integration of a new NURBS based geometry system to the Moldflow Design Link (MDL) module provides the ability to more accurately import and represent CAD geometry from standard sources such as IGES, STEP, and Parasolid. -- New Meshing and Mesh Editing Tools: MPI 3.0 provides a complete set of tools to create, edit, and validate meshes form midplane, Fusion or 3D analyses. New mesh diagnostics provide the ability to easily visualize the mesh quality in areas such as aspect ratio, overlapping elements, connectivity, thickness, free edges, and occurrence number. A new tetrahedral mesh generator is also provided. Unique to this feature is the ability to control the number of elements created through the thickness of a part. -- MPI/Fusion Enhancements: MPI 3.0 offers the ability to display and change the thickness of a Fusion mesh directly within the user interface on either a global or local basis. In addition,fusion technology has been extended to support the MPI/Reactive Molding, MPI/Microchip Encapsulation and MPI/Underfill Encapsulation analysis modules. -- MPI/3D Enhancements: Flow simulation for MPI/3D has been enhanced to include inertia effects to predict the flow imbalance of symmetrical cavities and to include additional results for clamp force and shear rate for beams. In addition, MPI/3D now works with MPI/Reactive Molding to simulate the injection molding of thermoset materials. -- New Design of Experiments (DOE) Manager: The Design of Experiments Manager automatically sets up and performs a sequence of DOE analyses, varying user-specified parameters,and also allows quick access to the results data. -- Expanded Materials Database: MPI 3.0 provides the combined Moldflow and C-MOLD materials database that includes properties for over 7,500 unique grades of plastic resins. "The new 3D tetrahedral mesh generator works extremely well and helps save a significant amount of time. MPI/Synergy is the best user interface that Moldflow has ever provided." Andy Calder, Molding Analysis Engineer, Panduit Corporation "We have been aggressively testing MPI 3.0 and using most of the modules that the product offers. We created a sample part, meshed it, and were very impressed with the performance. MPI 3.0 represents a great combination of C-MOLD and Moldflow functionality in one complete product." Sanjay Patel, CAE Program Manager, GE Plastics Moldflow Plastics Insight 3.0 is expected to ship during the fourth quarter of this calendar year. MPI 3.0 Beta 2 is available now for all qualified beta test site customers.

Last night I unlocked the achievement "A Life of Adventure" which means all DoW and DoM to 50 and I woke up this morning regretting it... (link to my Lodestone profile, it should update from last night shortly). I'm not a legacy player and started at ARR launch. From my perspective the armory system is a trap, a poorly thought out quicksand that locks you into an inefficient gear progression path (assuming you have the time to get more than 300 myth per week). Let me explain. I realized that after leveling up a couple of synergistic jobs on one class that I should have rolled an alt that does a different role and leveled it instead of keeping on with the same character. I got my tanks to 50, farmed some WP, AK and got Ifrit weapon (only only two pieces of DL to acquire for tanks) but then - wanting to be the best I can be - I decided to get my cross class skills before continuing, which turned into getting ALL the cross skills which turned into getting the title and crown before 2.1, which I did last night and now here I am. Yay... So, needless to say I have a lot grind/farming ahead of me. And thinking about it, even though I did 204 dungeons and 2,451 fates to get to this point, it seems like a paltry, quick grind compared to when I think about gearing them all post-50. As it stands, post 2.1 it will take two weeks two get 900 tomes required to complete each relic quest. That's 16 weeks - about four months - for all eight classes assuming cap every week and all tomes go to relics. If I had ignored the armory and played FFXIV like every other MMO, basically one class per character (or even one role per character), I would be in a much better position then I am currently. If I had stopped after, say, four classes on my main and instead started an alt, it would cut the time needed to gear them in half. Player A - One Character with all eight classes at level 50 Player B - Two Character each with four unique classes at level 50 (8 total) Player B will be able to finish its relics in half the amount of time, two relics every two weeks compared to Player A's one relic every two weeks. Besides being able to acquire myth tomes at twice the rate, Player B will also get a second coil lockout, a second piece of gear from CT, and another 300k gil through leveling/questing. Player B will have this advantage until Player A (who already has all 8 classes maxed) either rolls an alt or the level cap is raised. So, in other words, barring Player A grinding yet another character/class to 50, Player B will have this advantage for the foreseeable future. All this in exchange for a few 26/34 cross class skills that Player B can grind out with fates in Quarrymill over a few hours during the time savings and the loss of the xp bonus on the alt's first 50. In fact, Player B only needs two characters each with a class at 50 and a level 15 subs to accrue 2x as many tomes as Player A who has all eight classes at 50. Player A with eight classes at 50 on one character can only progress its characters at half the rate of Player B who only has two level 50 classes with level 15 subs, a main and an alt. Seriously, it all just seems broken and shortsighted to me. Lots and lots of time saved between Player A and Player B and the only difference between them was that one ignored the armory gimmick and rolled an alt (like it would in any other MMO). And what does Player B get for ignoring the armory gimmick and taking a couple of extra weeks playing the game "like wow"? Rewards. Twice as many tomes per week, a second raid lockout, a second piece of gear per week from CT and 300k gil. And what does player A get for maxing all classes on one character? Pigeonholed into focusing on one of the classes and playing the game "like wow" if it expects to get anywhere at a decent clip. I was thinking this could be countered by capping the myth per week based on the number of classes you have at 50, say if you have one class at 50 you get 450, two classes gets you 550, three gets you 600, etc. Not even a 100% increase (which is what an alt gets you), add diminishing returns like I did in the example, SOMETHING reminiscent of the xp bonus you get for lower level classes because right now the game encourages you to roll multiple classes to 50 then when you take the time to get them there you are c*ckblocked with the same myth cap as the players with one 50 and a single 15 sub. After you level classes with synergy that share gear together, e.g. pld/war, mnk/lnc, sch/whm there is little incentive to continue on that character after getting the level 26 or 34 cross skills. So please, don't make the same mistake I did and get caught up in the armory gimmick. If you find yourself leveling another class that lacks synergy with your current role, then STOP IT AND ROLL AN ALT. Unless something changes then you'll thank me later. The armory system is supposed to be an alternative to alts but since you can double your myth cap by rolling an alt the old fashioned way it becomes counterproductive to level more than a few classes per character. You'll end up where I am, spending like the next year or so capping tomes when I could have rolled an alt and be done in half the time. The thought of doing the grind again makes me want scream as I claw the flesh off my face. Edited, Dec 6th 2013 5:22pm by KingoGoodbomber

As jarring as Brooklynites sporting period-perfect ’60s vintage clothing and iPhone earbuds, promising young tech startup founders seem oddly drawn to crumbling old media. The latest whippersnappers pulled in this direction are YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen. The pair recently announced their next startup will be centered on … magazines? Yes, indeed: Hurley, 34, and Chen, 33, may have ported old-fashioned television onto the web with YouTube, but their new venture Zeen reportedly seeks to reverse that process, taking web content in the direction of ink-on-paper glossies, according to comments summarized by The Next Web. Zeen’s tagline: “Discover and create beautiful magazines.” Granted, the magazines will be digital, but from what Hurley and Chen revealed, the format owes far more to Life than to Tumblr. While Google bet on blogs as the dominant online writing format, and Twitter is betting on microblogs, Zeen is a wager on publishing’s past. What ever happened to the idea that the web was going to leave old media in the dust? It turns out that the idea of obliterating traditional formats has always been a tough sell. Witness Steve Case, who as the founder of America Online seemed, for a moment in the mid-1990s, to have discovered the communication channels of the future. He traded all that to gamble on an acquisition of Time Warner, known for its print magazines, cable TV stations, and movie studios. It was a disaster, an epic implosion later dubbed “the worst deal of the century” by one of its principals. Case made out well financially, but his vision of a converged media landscape – all that “synergy” stuff – failed horribly. But even that FUBAR of a merger hasn’t deterred the latest crop of would-be publishing kingpins, and maybe the same vision that Case had is what attracts today’s tech moguls. In addition to Hurley and Chen, old media recently seduced Chris Hughes, the Facebook co-founder who recently bought and appointed himself editor of The New Republic, a political journal know as much for its perennial losses as for its outsized influence. The 28-year-old may have made his name, and a reported $600 million+ in equity, promoting the transformative power of the dominant online social network, but now he’s extolling the world-changing virtues of more traditional types of networking. ” I believe in the type of vigorous contextual journalism that we — we in general as a society — need,” he told The New York Times of his interest in TNR. It’s not just the young pulled back into old media. After developing FrontPage, a visual tool for creating web pages, and then selling it to Microsoft, Charles Ferguson detoured into filmmaking, citing a childhood enthusiasm for movies. His first documentary, No End In Sight, won a special jury prize at Sundance; his second, Inside Job, won an Academy Award. He is now at work on a dramatic film for HBO about WikiLeaks — WikiLeaks, of course, being the secret-document distributor that famously reformed its practice of anarchically dumping files onto the Internet and adopted a new approach in which it asked prominent newspapers to release the information first. Clearly, there’s something about operating on the cutting edge that sends tech leaders yearning for tried-and-true practices originating in the distant past. With so many investors and entrepreneurs clawing over each other to invent media’s future, maybe looking to the past is the savviest move of all.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.

DPM Casts a Wider Net with Enterprise Support Hooks The new Data Protection Manager component in Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 now supports virtual environments, Linux servers and SQL Server clustering. It can work with third-party backup and recovery suites and appliances, but it's no substitute. Microsoft has filled numerous holes in the backup and recovery component of its System Center 2012 R2 Data Protection Manager (DPM), notably support for virtual environments and Linux server targets. The company rolled out the latest version in October with its release of Windows Server upgrades. Because it's available with the System Center management suite for enterprises with Microsoft volume licensing agreements, it offers a compelling economic backup and recovery option. However, while it's used in pockets of organizations for basic server-to-server backup and replication, it doesn't appear most organizations are using DPM as an alternative to third-party data protection suites. In some instances, DPM is used as a compliment to more sophisticated backup and recovery software, experts say. Nevertheless, DPM has come a long way since its release in the fall of 2005. When Microsoft launched DPM back then, most providers of backup and recovery and replication software were privately nervous Redmond would obviate the need for their wares but publicly shrugged their shoulders. Although adding server-based backup to Windows Server implicitly threatened to eradicate third-party backup software, it was easy to point out DPM only supported Windows environments and was not as robust. The first release of DPM was substantially less expensive than the Symantec Corp. market-leading Backup Exec. DPM debuted just as Symantec had shelled out nearly $14 billion to acquire Veritas Software Corp., the maker of Backup Exec, NetBackup, Volume Manager, Volume Replicator and other high-end enterprise data protection tools. Contending it was adding DPM to the mix to bring disk-based server backup to the mainstream, Microsoft denied it was trying to cut into Symantec's new business or other partners such as CA Technologies Inc., CommVault Systems Inc. and EMC Corp. To back that claim, Microsoft released an SDK enabling DPM to connect to other backup and recovery platforms. Critics of the original Microsoft DPM argued it was limited to protecting systems with small file paths. A year later in 2006, Microsoft upped the ante with an upgrade that added support for Exchange Server and SQL Server and later offered an API to link to other replication and backup and recovery tools that linked to Windows, Linux, and Unix backup and recovery and replication suites. Today there are more suppliers of backup and recovery software and appliances than there were eight years ago. Now, the latest DPM release in System Center 2012 R2 can backup and restore Linux virtual machines, enable deployment in virtual environments by configuring storage as .VHD pool disks shared in a System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) library and supports SQL Server clusters, as well as Windows Azure backup (Brien Posey discusses how to implement some of these new features). As such, DPM has come a long way since its release 8-plus years ago. Yet, despite the improvements, most third-party suppliers of data protection software aren't shrugging their shoulders -- nor do they see it as a competitive threat. DPM Usage and Competition Officials at a number of backup and recovery suppliers argue they aren't seeing DPM used at all and others see DPM running alongside their solutions, which typically offer capabilities that others don't provide. Robert Amatruda, research director of data protection and recovery at IDC, says when he's in the field he doesn't often see DPM widely used. "I don't see aggressive use of it," Amatruda says. "At the end of the day, you have to believe anything that's bundled and inclusive may not have all the features, extensibility and scalability of specialized software." Take Simpana from CommVault. Randy DeMeno, chief technologist for the company's Microsoft partnership, says some of his customers use DPM and Simpana runs alongside it. "When you get into long-term storage, e-discovery, heterogeneous virtual environments, heavy e-discovery, search, Exchange, SharePoint, [IBM Lotus] Domino, various heterogeneous files, that's where CommVault comes into play," DeMeno says. "We really do high-speed recovery," adds Mike Resseler, the Microsoft evangelist at Veeam Software. "We still don't look at DPM as competition [because] both can work better together. The reason is Veeam Backup and Replication is on the virtualization layer, DPM on Hyper-V. We support VMware as well. We connect the two and can give an effective and cheap solution to do disaster recovery." Other tools offer better performance with enhanced data deduplication, notes Subo Guha, VP of product management at Unitrends, who acknowledges the improvements to DPM. "It's still kind of weak compared to what we see from a scalability perspective," Guha argues. Most suppliers of data protection software and appliances acknowledge DPM can complement their own solutions. "They've got the backup piece covered and we've got the piece covered where if there's a disaster we can help get the applications up so they can use the data that they've backed up," says Tim Laplante, director of product strategy at Vision Solutions. His company makes the Double Take solution for high-availability environments with a focus on business continuity and disaster recovery. One reader responding to a question on Redmondmag.com regarding the use of DPM says he uses it for SharePoint, file servers and remaining physical servers. "Everything else is Veeam," he says. "I've been using DPM since 2007, and it has been painful, scary and a lousy product until 2010." Sergui Beloussov, co-founder and CEO of Acronis International Gmbh, offered perhaps the harshest view of DPM, saying it lacks the "sophisticated features of third-party offerings and is more complex to implement and manage." "When people pay for our software, they pay for the fact that it's extremely easy. Data Protection Manager is really more complicated than what a small or midsize organization would want. There's more steps, there's more things to worry about. There's more things to configure if you have a larger workload," Beloussov says. Acronis is among a number of data protection software vendors now offering modules designed for specific components of the infrastructure including Exchange, VMware, Hyper-V and SharePoint. Beloussov maintains it's easier to protect systems such as SharePoint if they're designed specifically for the nuances of that app. Sharing that view is Steve Goldberg, a product manager at Metalogix. The company also released its first backup product for SharePoint, which it acquired last year from Idera Inc. "There's a big difference in the job that's basically running between DPM versus our product for SharePoint," Goldberg says, noting unlike Microsoft's offering the new Metalogix SharePoint Backup 4.0 uses Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). "The backup itself in DPM is very long because it's not using VSS, so we're probably seeing most people not wanting to continue to take the backups with DPM," Goldberg continues "But if it's part of the plan to keep DPM in, the synergy simply is just going to be to allow reading into that backup and actually grabbing content down to the item level -- sites, site collections, tests, folders, items, and letting either end users or SharePoint administrators access those resources from the backups they've already taken." Microsoft explains on its System Center site how to back up DPM using third-party software. Acronis CEO Beloussov still questions the need for DPM, saying letting Microsoft protect its own environment is the equivalent of letting the fox in the chicken coop. "What most people want to protect themselves against is errors and failures from Microsoft itself," Beloussov says. "Trying to protect yourself against Microsoft with the tool Microsoft supplies doesn't sound very competitive Jeffrey Schwartz is editor of Redmond magazine and also covers cloud computing for Virtualization Review's Cloud Report. In addition, he writes the Channeling the Cloud column for Redmond Channel Partner. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreySchwartz.

Thousand Pounds And Capcom I just saw the video with the announcement and I am very excited for Thousand Pounds. For those that are not familiar with the team’s work, they have delivered high quality fan-made films in the past and continue to do so in the present. Thousand Pounds Action Company take their projects very seriously. Their last short film was based on Naruto Shippuden. As a fan, I can’t wait to see this new short film. Anyone at Capcom, what do you say about a web-series (like the one released for Mortal Kombat) featuring small stories from Street Fighter’s characters? If the answer is yes, Thousand Pounds is the team for the job! By the way, the announcement video is pretty cool on its own. It really shows some great synergy between the members of the team. Too bad Brandon and Mickey were not able to make it. Here’s a short fight inspired by Batman Arkham City. This time the heroine is the kick-ass Mickey Facchinello. Music Available On iTunes: “Arkham City Main Theme” – Nick Arundel While the 2nd part of Naruto is still being edited, we felt like doing something for fun. We’ve all been playing the new Batman Arkham City and were inspired enough to go out and create a quick test video in the vein of the video games action style. Featuring Mickey Facchinello David ‘Dax’ Bauer Shot & Edited by Christopher C. Cowan

Skepticism about open source research is often based on assumptions: that people will be too busy or insufficiently motivated to participate, or that there will be a cacophony of garbage contributions if a project is open to anyone. I’m not sure where such assumptions come from – perhaps people look first for ways that things might fail. We can draw upon many experiences of the open source software movement that would suggest such assumptions are poor. We can draw on successful examples of open collaboration in other areas of science, such as the Human Genome Project and the projects it has spawned, as well as examples in mathematics and astrophysics. This OSM paper addresses open source as applied to drug discovery, i.e. experimental, wet lab science in an area where we normally expect to need secrecy, for patents. It is based on the experience of 4-5 years of work and describes the first series examined by OSM. The paper argues strongly against these assumptions, since: - Many people contributed enthusiastically - The contributions came from a wide range of institutions, from Pharma through to Universities, from undergrads through to professors. - Those contributions, many of which were unsolicited, were of a high quality. So who did what? Time for a bit of a credit reel. This is to express sincere thanks to the contributors, but that conveys the wrong idea of ownership. The philosophy behind the project is shared ownership, with a CC-BY license. We all share the project’s outputs, and we all worked together to get there – that’s the whole point. But still, I am keenly grateful that people got on board a highly speculative project at such an early stage. Pharma as Open Source Partners Without GSK Tres Cantos (Francisco-Javier Gamo, Félix Calderón, Benigno Crespo, Maria Lafuente-Monasterio) I’m not sure where we’d be. Their still-astonishing paper in 2010, containing thousands of beautiful hits against malaria, kick-started so much. They continued their inputs to the project, from experiments through to invaluable smaller contributions that take time to make, such as revealing that analogs being suggested by the community had/had not been evaluated by GSK. This is a powerful reminder that just because the business model of Big Pharma means it cannot officially countenance open source, the companies are filled with immensely talented people who may be free to contribute, and are interested in doing so. Sanctioned freedom to operate is an enlightened policy and could be a real driver of open source projects through pro bono pharma contributions in the future – something I’ve mentioned before. In fact a referee of the OSM paper asked about this, and the wealth of information that arose from one of Derek Lowe’s posts on this subject was then incorporated into the paper – an interesting example of the new synergy between research papers and community discussions. Pharma’s involvement is a crucial pillar of open source. I have no desire to obliterate pharma, and I’m not sure any other participant in OSM does – there is extraordinary scientific expertise there that can accomplish astonishing things. The experimental inputs to OSM Series 1 from pharma, such as the Rate of Killing Assay, to pick just one example, have been essential for the project. Frederik Deroose from the company Asclepia designed and costed syntheses and agreed to the sharing of these publicly as part of brainstorming processes. The pharma model has weaknesses, meaning they cannot officially pursue certain projects. I think that open source can provide a powerful competing model. But I hope nobody is surprised to see pharma, or indeed the private sector more generally, as co-authors on the paper. The Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) has tirelessly supported the project. Back in 2010 I gave a talk at the University of Cape Town hosted by Kelly Chibale. Tim Wells happened to be there, and we got to talking about whether the open source idea I’d previously applied to organic synthesis could work in drug discovery. What was interesting about that conversation was how much Tim had thought about this already. We batted around the arguments for and against open source, and soon reached that point familiar to all scientists where you have to acknowledge that discussion can only get you so far – at some point you have to go into the lab and actually do an experiment. We wanted to establish whether open source drug discovery would “work”, i.e. whether a distributed, self-assembled team could work effectively and leverage inputs from the community. Rather than argue the point any more it was going to be simplest just to try it. I presented the idea to Jeremy Burrows in Geneva, and MMV became more involved. They provided seed funding which got Paul Ylioja to Australia and into the lab to start the very first reaction (10% yield for a Paal-Knorr, mate?). Paul Willis became the day to day champion at MMV. His pharma experience was clear from the outset – a combination of scientific expertise but also a vigorous pursuit of project milestones that was a striking counterbalance to the rather more relaxed set of objectives we find in many academic research projects. MMV have been pioneers in open data for malaria – the best and most recent example being the Malaria Box initiative driven by Paul himself, and the current work around the Pathogen Box. Early Days in Sydney MMV’s backing of the project led to us securing a grant from the Australian Research Council, setting up the core of the project in my lab at The University of Sydney. Murray Robertson came on board, and, later on, Alice Williamson. I could not have asked for a more effective and committed set of postdocs to drive the project core, combining synthesis with a huge amount of technical work in setting up how to run an open source project. We benefited greatly from the use of the Labtrove Electronic Laboratory Notebook created by Jeremy Frey at The University of Southampton. This allowed the other contributors at Sydney Uni (students Matin Dean, Matt Tarnowski, Zoe Hungerford and Laura White and crystallographer Peter Turner) to share their raw data with the world, and Sanjay Batra and his team at the CDRI in Lucknow (Harikrishna Batchu, Soumya Bhattacharyya) to add their own syntheses. We really scrambled for solutions in the early days. How best to solicit inputs? How best to encourage inputs from strangers? How best to disseminate results, on what was becoming an aging platform (The Synaptic Leap, created by Ginger Taylor)? How to ensure people did not use email, but instead communicated publicly? How to guarantee permanence of online data and effective linking between posts? (We were ably shepherded through a ridiculous amount of yak shaving by the talented Mike Robins, a neuroscience major at USyd). How to reassure people that raw data in the ELN could indeed be “wrong” but that science can correct itself iteratively and without shame? I remember an event early on that made me think this could all really work: Paul Ylioja received public advice on a troublesome synthesis from someone who clearly had experience of this reaction far beyond the norm – the idea to “age” a reaction overnight after quenching. It worked a treat. We would not have thought of this, and the anecdotal advice came from someone with high levels of technical expertise reading what we were doing as we were failing. The Community Builds Itself It’s exactly this feature of openness (experts coming *to* the project spontaneously) that is so powerful. Everyone has to be on board with the idea of immediate release of all data – one of the contributors swiftest to understand that mission was Corey Nislow, who together with his team (Guri Giaever, Marinella Gebbia, Anna Lee) contributed a great deal of experimental and computational data arising from a yeast-based mechanism of action assay. Guiding this community and platform development was a growing set of online contributors specialising in informatics. ChEMBL (John Overington, Iain Wallace, George Papadatos) advised the project on how to manage the growing volume of linked data, published the first interim dataset and carried out numerous analyses such as mechanism of action predictions and isosteric replacement strategies described in the paper. Chris Southan kept a watchful eye on patents, and pushed the importance of the discoverability of the molecules in the lab notebooks and other places (here‘s his list of the molecules from Series 1). An advantage of the openness of the lab notebook is that it can be indexed by search engines. Chris schooled everyone in the ways of the SMILEs, the InChi and the InChiKey, allowing people to find the molecules we were working on (ever tried drawing a molecule in the Google search box? Doesn’t work). Chris Swain provided continual advice on how to create, manage and exploit the dataset of all OSM molecules, and Luc Patiny created a way to visualize the structures and their data – for so long in the early days of OSM our poor capability in compound visualisation was a barrier to community participation. Some events stand out. 1) Patrick Thomson’s synthesis of the sulfonamide analogue. Patrick, working in Colin Campbell’s lab in Edinburgh, took it upon himself to respond to Alice’s challenge to make the “most wanted” compounds in this series. He communicated with us by Twitter, but all the raw data were on the ELN. He made the molecule faster than we did in Sydney and I won’t forget the day when I woke to find a picture of him on Twitter holding the sample, ready to go. He had it evaluated locally at Dundee (thanks to Irene Hallyburton at the DDU). It was inactive, but an important data point needed for the paper. Patrick continued to make other molecules and contribute to other series. 2) Stefan Debbert’s undergrad lab class. Stefan demonstrated the power of crowdsourcing. Open projects work well as a source of undergrad science – all the students can talk about what they are doing and work together on real problems. Stefan managed this with his class, and showed how students can make meaningful contributions to “live” projects. Alice Williamson is now really driving this. That federated lab projects can be run globally, where each lab PI is in total control of the activity but shares data to a core, is a potent idea. 3) Receiving biological data from collaborators and immediately posting the data for community consideration never got old, and remains one of the most exciting aspects of open source. Several leading parasitology labs around the world contributed potency evaluations (e.g. Vicky Avery at Eskitis and her team (Sandra Duffy, Sabine Fletcher), Stuart Ralph at Melbourne Uni and his student James Pham, Kumkum Srivastava in Lucknow, Kip Guy and Julie Clark at St Judes) and evaluations against other parasite stages (Elizabeth Winzeler at UCSD and her team (Stephan Meister, Yevgeniya Antonova-Koch), Michael Delves and Andrea Ruecker at Imperial College). In vivo work, and substantial follow-up analysis was carried out by Sergio Wittlin at Swiss TPHI. In Australia the project benefitted from data and expert guidance from Sue Charman at Monash on solubility and metabolic stability (and her team of Karen White and Eileen Ryan) and Kiaran Kirk’s lab at the ANU (working with his extreme frisbee student Adelaide Dennis) – Kiaran is strongly involved in OSM’s current Series 4, since his favorite antimalarial target, PfATP4, is the target of those compounds. Maybe. 4) The witnessing of productive conversations between professors (Jonathan Baell, who argued strongly for the avoidance of “PAINS”) and undergrads (Zoe Hungerford) to resolve issues quickly within blog posts. 5) The disbelief of witnessing activity cliffs arising from small changes in structure (see the paper itself, Figure 7) – this is something medicinal chemists are all familiar with, but it’s still a shocker when it actually happens to you. Decision to Park We communally decided to park the series. It was a tough call – the molecules have striking promise in various ways. If the arylpyrroles had been the last series on the earth, we’d have continued, but there were other series to explore, such as the current in vivo active compounds in Series 4. But anyone can continue Series 1. There are specific molecules that need to be made, described in the paper, and clear ways forward towards understanding the mechanism of action. The 6th Law of the consortium is about project ownership (see the paper, Figure 1), or rather the lack of it. I started this project with MMV – got it funded, set it up, suggested how it might work best. A core team drove it forwards when it was quiet – open source projects always require leadership. But at heart the OSM consortium is not about ownership, but rather about a way of working. If you cleave to the idea that open data is a good idea, and if you like the idea that when people look over your shoulder they might suggest an improvement to what you’re doing (and that you rise, prospectively, to that challenge) then you’re in. There are no badges, no member dues (there are some T-shirts, actually). Just do an experiment, record the data and expose yourself up to the potential brutality of public improvement. Other people know this too. The Structural Genomics Consortium is pioneering open data as a stimulus to drug discovery on a large scale. CO-ADD is screening community-contributed compounds for infectious diseases, with a default to public domain data. Sage Bionetworks have pioneered genomics competitions in biomedical research. You can consume your computer’s spare CPU cycles on searching for hits vs. Zika targets using the IBM Grid, or use public data generated by the NIH. I see Open Source Malaria as the necessary extension of open data into the larger, messier place where we all have to roll up our sleeves and make and evaluate real molecules in labs over an extended period. If you like the idea of Open Source Malaria, then the current series needs work: compound synthesis, biological evaluation and there’s a competition to determine the mechanism of action. There’s also interest in creating an open educational course in medicinal chemistry. And Alice Williamson is keen to work with undergrad lab classes in new analogue synthesis by cloning the course she’s successfully run at The University of Sydney. The current to-do list, a portion of which is shown below, is here. If you have your own series of compounds that you want the community to work on, and you’re happy to share all your data, the platform is for you. In poker one can sit around for hours winning or losing little pots of money, but the adrenaline flows in cases where you make significant calls, where you place a lot in the middle on a gut reading of the terrain and then watch it play out. I find long bets interesting, when we’re scoping out where we’re all headed long-term, without enough data. I’m a little unpopular with some for saying that the open access debate is over – open access is in my view the future norm, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it (this is a great thing, incidentally). There is now forming a very significant consensus around open data that will impact us all in the next 2 years (Nature’s new policy, for example). I predict open source to be the norm in scientific research in certain areas in 10 years, and if anyone is working secretively in, for example, neglected disease drug discovery by then they will seem perverse. By the time my kids are adults the idea of secrets in scientific research will probably seem perverse – why hold your team back with secrecy when there are so many advantages in collaborating with the world? I say this because the nature of collaboration is only going one way: to be more seamless, to be faster, to be more machine-enabled. To accommodate this change the legal and economic structures that surround research and research funding are going to need to change, beyond all recognition. The impact of that on the development of new medicines is what I find so exciting. I don’t see a solution that doesn’t have holes, but I’d place a bet that there’s a solution set that will in retrospect seem obvious. And I predict that’ll arise from a proper competition between traditional methods of drug discovery and those that are completely transparent. So many good things in this world come from properly formulated competitions. 1. What do you mean by “Open Source”? All data and ideas freely shared. Anyone can take part. No patents. See the paper, Figure 1. 2. Where is Open Source Malaria? Landing page (constructed by the talented, responsive people at CloudCity Development), Lab Notebooks, Wiki, Github To Do List, Twitter. Physically located in many places, and contributors come and go. 3. Isn’t this the same thing as Open Source Drug Discovery, in India? No. OSDD unfortunately shared only a small amount of its activity publicly, so cannot be considered an open source project. OSDD was described more as a crowdsourcing approach to bioinformatics among groups located in India. A malaria project was mooted but did not ultimately receive funding. 4. Is open source the same as “open access”? No. “Open access” means you can read the results after publication. In open source you can take part in the research before publication. 5. Is open source the same as “open innovation”? No. “Open innovation” is about securing solutions in new ways, but there is no requirement to collaborate, or to share what you’re doing and there are controls on the release of data. 6. Aren’t you just getting other people to do a bunch of work for free? No. People contribute voluntarily for any number of reasons. There is no requirement placed on anyone. The consortium is supported by a mix of core funding (government/NGO), funding to contributing labs (e.g. big pharma inputs, or block-funded academic labs doing other things as well), educational projects (student crowdsourcing as part of official courses) and genuine volunteers (who may or may not be working on employer time). 7. You abandoned the series – I guess open source doesn’t work? Attrition in drug discovery is high. Open source drug discovery is no different on that score. Given all the data are available it’s clear what to do (and what not to do) next for these molecules. In open source there is no unnecessary duplication and no hiding of bad data, meaning if a series fails, it only needs to fail once. 8. Who’s going to pay for the clinical trials for a patentless drug? There are known ways of doing this, and many more that are more speculative. As yet, there’s no precedent of a open source drug going all the way through to market. 9. Are you all Communists?

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The grand thing about Web 2.0 and social networking is the opportunities for both serendipity and synergy in the process of networking and collaboration. Today I read with interest Beth Kanter’s (from Cambodia) notes about building your network strategically. Beth is writing an article and threw some thinking up on her Facebook notes. She starts by saying that Doing “outreach” or adding new friends to your network is a critical part of the work flow. To reap the benefits a using a social networking, you need to build your network, although as some experts say it is a matter of quality, not quantity. You want to avoid random outreach, but remember since outreach can be open-ended and there are opportunities for distractions. Remember to know when to stop. While Beth is looking at marketing in the non-profit sector her comments were of interest to educators – Vicki Davis (Southern Georgia, our coolcatteacher!) added a note saying In school we tell everyone,”Never add a friend of a friend, only add people you know,” and many of us are building our network in this way. Aren’t kids who add friends of a friend learning valuable networking skills? It is important to remember this, but also that we are creating a vast disconnect between what we tell students and what is going to make them successful in the future! So here we had just one of our many dilemmas in education being effectively highlighted and discussed, right in a social networking space, accessible only amongst ‘friends’. It didn’t stop there. I also had a message from Ken Carroll (Shanghai & Dublin) about the launch of his new blog Ken Carroll on Learning. Here we have Ken, and astute businessman, doing exactly as Beth advises – using friends networks to reflect and share, manage and promote. I am pleased that Ken shared his new blog link with me, because he has some highly relevant issues for consideration by educators. (Consider adding Ken Carroll on Learning to your RSS reader.) His post Here Comes Everybody touches on so many issues related to learning – information sharing, communication, gathering, discussion, utilisation etc etc. Yes, Ken, we have all been learning more, faster than we could 5 years ago….that is, if we are immersed in Web 2.0 tools and communication opportunities. As he puts it every individual now has a voice in the Big Conversation…. the participative web goes way beyond just high-speed access to information. It also enables us to form learning networks that include people, conversations, and information. This is a crucial development that we need to understand. Like Ken, I also connect with people on my network through blogs, social networks, email, instant messaging and more. This is what I want to share with my teachers. This is what I want to empower in the learning opportunities for my students. This is what future learning is all about.

N+N Workshop in High Performance Computing for Biomolecules and Materials April 15-16, 2004 Holiday Inn Capitol, Washington, DC The workshop built on the outcomes of the previous workshop and consolidated existing links. It also reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the research programs in which the participants are involved. Future research aims were identified and the possibilities of cross-over collaborations, both between the UK and US and between the Biomolecules and Materials research communities, were explored. More specifically, the workshop provided the opportunity to discuss current and future needs within these areas, especially with respect to existing HPC machines and data archives, Grid-based applications, and next-generation HPC hardware and software. The objectives can thus be summarised as: - To review and compare on-going programs of research, defining strengths, weaknesses and barriers. - To identify priority areas for future collaborations between members of the UK and US Biomolecules and Materials simulation communities. - To identify future requirements for HPC hardware and software. - To identify potential projects for international grid computing. Summary of Final Session & Conclusions The final session was essentially a round-table airing of views relating to issues affecting the HPC materials & bio communities. Broadly speaking, the issues raised fell into three areas: - Opportunities (Research & Education) - Needs (CPU architecture, Grids & Software management, etc) - Funding Mechanisms (US-UK collaborative ventures) The following is a collection (without attribution) of the various suggestions, comments, & observations from the final session. Two clear action items emerged from the discussion. The first was that the NSF and EPSRC - BBSRC should perhaps re-examine their respective procedures for enabling genuine US-UK international collaborations. Based on the experiences of the present N+N participants, it seems that current practises are not as effective as they might be. The second and likely equally important action item was the recommendation that the next N+N meeting should be a workshop for post-doctoral researchers (& graduate students?) plus younger faculty. Indeed, it would seem appropriate for the NSF & EPSRC - BBSRC to fund one workshop in the UK and another the following year in the US. One theme to emerge from the present meeting was HPC and the Nano-bio Interface. The emphasis on younger researchers is important to ensure that the critically important area of HPC applications remains attractive to the next generation of researchers. In this regard, there was also considerable discussion and enthusiasm for seeking joint US-UK educational opportunities for students. Ideas that were discussed included the NSF IGERT scheme, and domain specific graduate degrees (Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, etc) with HPC being a Masters or Diploma option. For example, the latter could involve some courses that might be offered in the UK plus other complementary courses in the US, with the combined courses being required. Sometimes critical mass is a problem for these programs. Exchange of students may be one way to overcome this problem. Agencies from the UK and US could perhaps provide bursaries to facilitate the “overseas” parts of such international programs. Dual degree programs, e.g., PhDs who also get a MSc in computer science, already exist at some US universities. If NSF is not the appropriate agency, others (e.g. DARPA, NASA) might be able to provide trans-national funding? How to bring new blood into the HPC community interested in materials & bio fields? (This is another reason the next N+N meeting should be for younger people). DoE has a presence in both materials and biology. The National labs are important for big software projects. HPC in materials science has already been very important. The needs for ‘big iron’ will increase. Systems biology is a sleeping giant. Future will involve moving from materials and biomolecular systems to cells and beyond - towards a global cell modelling initiative and then beyond the cell, to the virtual heart, etc. What aspects of the machine architecture are going to be most important - Faster processors. Put more into relatively faster interconnects rather than processors to facilitate scaling for more modest size problems. Efficient way of computing is to have a ~200 cpu dedicated machine for a group of ~15 people; likes UK consortia model. Sometimes there is too much emphasis on simulating really big systems — need for better sampling on moderately-sized problems. Algorithms are critically important. They are responsible for at least as much advance as machine improvements. People need lots of computing time to develop and test algorithms. Also they need to be assured of the availability of future computing resources to justify the effort. Grids & Software management GRID computing — activation energy barrier too high. GRID computing, recall it is in its infancy; ask the agencies for ways in which collaborations might be facilitated. BioSimGRID — establish collaboration tools for distribution to the community to help remove barriers. The intention is to store sufficient metadata to help extend the shelf-life of the simulation per se. The question was raised whether the data would have a useful shelf life, and whether enough metadata would be stored to make it useful. Grid computing does have high potential. There was a strong suggestion that source codes should be freely available — the ‘linux model’ … But some debate about this. Focus on more seamless software for different codes to communicate - Problems with unstable middleware… Collaboration on standards for data exchange is a possible tangible area of US-UK collaboration. Charmm is a model for reaching out and developing a community for software development. But note the considerable effort in maintaining such codes. Multi-scale modelling is difficult to enter with a small group — need collaborative efforts (e.g., CHARMM, CPMD, etc) Issues of managing software How to bring application science back to NSF supercomputers programme Funding Mechanisms for collaborative ventures How do we build upon the potential synergy (Beyond an MoU) ? How do we fund US/UK collaborations & not just talk about it? Added value from this meeting beyond discussions… how do we fund integrated joint research projects? Should be provision for US nodes in UK consortia, and vice versa… NIH does seem to have a model for this…? Another possible model would be to enmesh graduate training programs, e.g. US/German model. Need mechanisms for genuine collaboration; need for applications to drive developments; difficult to create overlap between distant scales but essential to attempt it. Main problem with collaborations is the current funding model — especially taking money from UK to US. Recognition of problems with funding models & need for work to be done in this area, although it will not be easy. Importance of developing interfaces — between people and between codes; even funding for short visits could be useful. NIH is a mission-oriented agency, and could embrace the science of this meeting. There seems to be a case to be made for HPC contributing to NIH mission at the materials/nano/biology interface covered in this meeting, and so it would be useful to have a document making this case.

Boston, MA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/26/2014 -- As of early 2014, political developments continue to dominate the newsflow from Egypt. If past experience is any guide, they will have little impact on an insurance sector that could reasonably be described as being resilient - but far from dynamic. Stability, at a low level, has been the key feature of nonlife penetration for years. Life density has continued to rise over the last two years - in spite of the Arab Spring - but also remains at levels that are miniscule by most standards. The government-directed reform and restructuring of state-owned giant Misr Insurance Holdings and, indeed, the entire sector, has delivered some benefits. However, the limitations of, and challenges facing, that company continue to constrain the development of insurance in Egypt. BMI's new insurance report format provides forecasts of the life and non-life markets, including gross and net premiums, reinsurance premiums and assets. Moreover, it provides forecasts for key growth drivers such as vehicle fleet size, demographic factors and private health expenditure. The report also contains a comprehensive breakdown of the non-life insurance market, providing forecasts for motor and transport insurance, property, personal accident, health, general liability and credit insurance. Finally, the new report offers a detailed breakdown of the life and non-life competitive landscapes, covering the top companies present in each segment by premiums and market share. View Full Report Details and Table of Contents Thanks, in part, to the political unrest that has swept Egypt more or less continuously since early 2011, the insurance sector has moved from an era of growth to one of stagnation. Prior to late 2010, the outlook had looked promising. Life density was growing quite steadily. The substantial private insurance funds, which provide basic protection-type products - had underpinned the growth of the sector in years where demand for more sophisticated products had consolidated. Although non-life penetration had been contracting, the overall growth of the economy meant that non-life premiums rose steadily in absolute terms. By combining three state-owned insurance companies and one state-owned reinsurer under the aegis of Misr Insurance Holding Company, the government could reasonably hope to achieve meaningful synergy benefits for one of the Middle East's largest composite insurance groups. As is not the case in most other countries in the region, there were no restrictions on foreign participation in the industry. Nor was the non-life segment characterised by cut-throat competition which had crimped profitability for most players. About Fast Market Research Fast Market Research is a leading distributor of market research and business information. Representing the world's top research publishers and analysts, we provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available. Our unbiased, expert staff is always available to help you find the right research to fit your requirements and your budget. For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at http://www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156. Browse all Financial Services research reports at Fast Market Research You may also be interested in these related reports: - China Insurance Report Q2 2014 - India Insurance Report Q2 2014 - Taiwan Insurance Report Q2 2014 - Saudi Arabia Insurance Report Q2 2014 - United States Insurance Report Q2 2014 - Iran Insurance Report Q2 2014 - Singapore Insurance Report Q2 2014 - Brazil Insurance Report Q3 2014 - Kuwait Insurance Report Q2 2014 - New Zealand Insurance Report Q2 2014

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- Search Jobs - Employer Directory - Career Center - My Tools - Other GN Sites Many organisations recognise the need for employees to work as part of a team. We often see “team” sent to groups on emails or a group meeting being opened with the word “team.” Yet, the actions among and within the team often lack the appropriate skills to effectively work as one. Managers often promote competition within the team, or avoid tackling issues that risk team cohesiveness. When left unchecked, these can have detrimental effects on the team members and the organisation. Supporting collaboration is a more effective strategy and beneficial to all including the organisation. However, anyone can show cooperation but not necessarily accept or want to collaborate. Collaboration requires transparency, time and planning. There are several benefits to promoting a collaborative environment. Information power – When individuals share information openly and willingly, there is transparency of effort. This avoids redundancy, builds trust and allows effective problem solving and higher productivity. Talent development – Developing talent within the team is an effective approach to developing team cohesiveness while bearing in mind that people are the best asset. Sharing ideas, best practices and knowledge helps individuals grow and develop professionally, stay engaged and increase retention. This creates a win-win situation for all. Synergy – As the adage goes, “Two heads are better than one.” Collaboration leads to higher quality of output and team cohesiveness, creating synergy. When two or more individuals are encouraged to share ideas and effort, the results can be extremely effective and powerful. Three key factors must be present to support collaboration: effective communication, thrust and supportive leadership/team styles. If any of these factors is missing, a collaborative environment cannot survive and grow. These must be nurtured for greater success. * A collaborative environment encourages sharing of ideas * It produces informed staff, developed talents and synergy * It needs open communication, trust and leadership support Source: Roisin Wadding, Special to Jobs & Careers The writer is Managing Director, Quantum Human Resource Consultancy

Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Cream Description: - Helps Soothe and Heal Skin - Natural Skincare for Hands, Body and Face - Heals Damaged Skin RESCUE Cream is an intensive moisturizer designed to soothe dry, irritated, or damaged skin caused by the stresses and strains of everyday life. As a well-known indicator of how the body feels inside, our skin is often the first place where you see the effects of a demanding, busy life. This can lead to dry, rough, uneven, dull looking skin. With regular use, RESCUE cream effectively repairs and helps protect the skin against environmental influences and other stress factors. RESCUE cream is a combination of the famous flower essence Rescue Remedy developed by Dr. Bach, and the Bach Original Flower Remedy Crab Apple, which offers both cleansing and emotional support of appearance. Gentle, safe, and suitable for the whole family. Free Of Fragrance, parabens, lanolin and animal testing. Disclaimer : These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Ingredients : Bach's Rescue Remedy Cream is an intensive moisturizer designed to sooth dry, irritated or damaged skin caused by the stresses and strains of everyday life. Pure and Clear Nourishing Moisturizer works in synergy to create and maintain clear skin naturally and homeopathically. This moisturizer soothes acne-prone skin leaving it feeling soft and supple. Please visit www. bachflower. com for more information.

(Brief update on parsing what Cablevision meant, here) Numbers can be terrible reality checks. Want to know how likely it is that Cablevision's new charge-for-Newsday-online will work? A few rational arguments to follow, but consider this number: The average unique visitor on Newsday.com spends four minutes, 25 seconds per month on the site. Ouch. That number can sub for lots of focus groups, price elasticity testing and the like. Newsday's would-be digital audience has voted with its fingertips. That number is up almost one minute from a year earlier, here courtesy of E and P's monthly Nielsen rankings, but still ranks Newsday as having the lowest online engagement of the top 30 newspaper sites. Confronted with having to pay for a site you may use less than five minutes a month, you think you are going to pay for it? Wrong site. Wrong year. Wrong metro area. It will be fun to watch though, since we all needed another case to chew on. Our best case has been Little Rock. Yes, the Democrat-Gazette has done better than average in circ retention, but it is still laying off dozens of people this week. It has applied a tourniquet and that only helps for awhile when you have an internal hemorrhage. They've been able to keep circ better because it is Little Rock, with far less competitive media, and it is the big dog in the state. Long Island is no Little Rock. In New York, Newsday faces strong competition from the three other dailies plus dozens of local websites. Much of its coverage, in print and online, can be readily found for free elsewhere on the web. So assuming, it gives free, or next-to-free access to its print subscribers, it is unlikely to pick up much new revenue from non-subscribers who can go elsewhere. Similarly, I don't think it's a strong retention device for holding to print readers, though it may work there to some degree for the short-term. To be more successful, Newsday would need to shift its model to being more hyper-local about Long Island, rather than bringing the world to Long Island, and it doesn't show much signs of doing that. Cablevision swung for the fences with the $650 million (now written-down) purchase. It tried to parlay the industry triple play (cable, Internet, telephone) into a Home Run. This new move seems to be another attempt to swing for the fences, after apparently whiffing on the dreams of internal synergy that have upended so many media companies. Right now, it looks like you'd have to score the Cablevision auction "victory" over Rupert Murdoch and Mort Zuckerman as a strike out at the end of the ninth inning, but we'll get ready for the second game of the doubleheader.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Hadji Williams’ Knock The Hustle is one of the best books about advertising ever written. But for a free sample of how insightful a writer Hadji is, check out his guest column on Talent Zoo, in which he explains just how multicultural advertising goes so wrong sometimes. Here, Hadji talks about what often happens when multicultural agencies take on projects on behalf of “general market” agencies: The agency (oftentimes begrudgingly) takes the gig, knowing full well the surest way to do hack work is to bite someone else’s idea, which is exactly what they’ve been asked to do. What often follows are a couple of frustrating meetings with the client/AOR where the targeted agency explains that the general market’s insights really don’t apply to their particular community and that they’d be better off doing fresh creative/fresh strategies all together, to which the AOR/client often responds, “Yes, but for the sake of synergy, let’s stay on message, okay guys? Thanks.” Eventually, the ethnic agency spits out something and into the review process it goes. The AOR/Client sees it. They’re uncomfortable with some of the language and the imagery. It’s unfamiliar to them. Why? Because as with as least 80% of white Americans, The Client/AOR Folks live in virtually all white neighborhoods (according to the US Census Bureau as of 2003). These concepts are concepts are pretty foreign to them.

1State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry (LAPC), Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China 2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China Received: 23 May 2013 – Published in Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss.: 16 Jul 2013 Abstract. In January 2013, Beijing experienced several serious haze events. To achieve a better understanding of the characteristics, sources and processes of aerosols during this month, an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) was deployed at an urban site between 1 January and 1 February 2013 to obtain the size-resolved chemical composition of non-refractory submicron particles (NR-PM1). During this period, the mean measured NR-PM1 mass concentration was 89.3 ± 85.6 μg m−3, and it peaked at 423 μg m−3. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) differentiated the organic aerosol into five components, including a highly oxidized, low-volatility oxygenated organic aerosol (LV-OOA), a less oxidized, semi-volatile oxygenated OA (SV-OOA), a coal combustion OA (CCOA), a cooking-related OA (COA), and a hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), which on average accounted for 28%, 26%, 15%, 20% and 11% of the total organic mass, respectively. Revised: 24 Jan 2014 – Accepted: 07 Feb 2014 – Published: 20 Mar 2014 A detailed comparison between the polluted days and unpolluted days found many interesting results. First, the organic fraction was the most important NR-PM1 species during the unpolluted days (58%), while inorganic species were dominant on polluted days (59%). The OA composition also experienced a significant change; it was dominated by primary OA (POA), including COA, HOA and CCOA, on unpolluted days. The contribution of secondary OA (SOA) increased from 35% to 63% between unpolluted and polluted days. Second, meteorological effects played an important role in the heavy pollution in this month and differed significantly between the two types of days. The temperature and relative humidity (RH) were all increased on polluted days and the wind speed and air pressure were decreased. Third, the diurnal variation trend in NR-PM1 species and OA components showed some differences between the two types of days, and the OA was more highly oxidized on polluted days. Fourth, the effects of air masses were significantly different between the two types of days; air was mainly transported from contaminated areas on the polluted days. The comparison also found that the aerosol was more acidic on polluted days. Additionally, the variation trends of the mass concentration and mass fractions of NR-PM1 species and OA components were more dramatic when the NR-PM1 mass loading was at a higher level. The serious pollution observed in this month can be attributed to the synergy of unfavorable meteorological factors, the transport of air masses from high-pollution areas, emission by local sources, and other factors. Zhang, J. K., Sun, Y., Liu, Z. R., Ji, D. S., Hu, B., Liu, Q., and Wang, Y. S.: Characterization of submicron aerosols during a month of serious pollution in Beijing, 2013, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2887-2903, doi:10.5194/acp-14-2887-2014, 2014.

if any body wants answres plz kieep message here chose the best single answer part-1 1. Central (primary) lymphoid organs a. are efficient in exposing T cells to foreign antigen. b. are the primary site of antibody synthesis and release. c. filter blood and trap blood-borne antigens. d. provide the microenvironment for maturation of T and B cells. e. line the mucosal surfaces of the body for efficient antigen contact. 2. Hematopoietic stem cells are pluripotent, which means that they are a. antigen-specific cells. b. capable of developing into any blood cells. c. committed to produce cells of a single lineage. d. not self-renewing. e. T and B lymphocytes of many different antigen specificities. 3. Lymphocytes continually recirculate through peripheral lymphoid tissue in order to a. be killed before they cause autoimmunity. b. efficiently encounter antigen. c. mature from stem cells into lymphocytes. d. phagocytose antigen and kill it. e. go where no cell has gone before. 4. Peripheral lymphoid organs a. are centrally located in the abdomen to protect their vital functions. b. are designed to maximize contact between antigen and lymphocytes. c. produce antigen-specific lymphocytes from stem cells in response to antigen. d. sequester antigen to minimize its damage to the body. e. store large numbers of activated effector cells for a rapid response to antigen. 5. The PRIMARY purpose of the adaptive immune system is to a. block all pathogens from entering the body. b. cure allergic reactions. c. kill tumor cells. d. protect from disease upon re-infection with a specific pathogen. e. reject foreign transplants. 6. Rapid but non-antigen specific immune responses are produced by the a. adaptive immune system. b. innate immune system. c. leukocytes. d. lymphatic system. e. memory response. 7. Vaccination protects us from infectious disease by generating memory a. antigen. b. lymphocytes. c. macrophages. d. PMNs. e. stem cells. 8. Which situation below describes an example of innate immunity? a. antibody production by plasma cells. b. antigen removal by cilia in the respiratory tract. c. complement activation by antibody bound to the surface of a bacterium. d. memory response to influenza virus e. recognition and killing of virus-infected cells by cytotoxic T cells. 9. The antigen specificity of an adaptive immune response is due to a. activation of antigen-specific lymphocytes. b. folding of antibody to fit the pathogen. c. lysis of only certain pathogens by neutrophils. d. phagocytosis of only certain pathogens by macrophages. e. production of cytokines by antigen-specific macrophages 10. Clonal selection a. begins with inflammation. b. occurs for all leukocytes. c. occurs in response to self antigens. d. results in innate immunity. e. results in proliferation of antigen-specific lymphocytes. 11. Cytokines are NOT a. able to induce increased blood vessel permeability. b. antigen-specific. c. made in response to bacterial antigens. d. signals from one cell that affects the behavior of another cell. e. secreted by macrophages. 12. A fundamental difference between the antigen receptors on B cells (BCR) and on T cells (TCR) is their a. different requirements for antigen presentation. b. function following antigen binding. c. heterogeneity from one lymphocyte to the next. d. heterogeneity on each lymphocyte. e. membrane location. 13. Genes for immunoglobulins (antibodies) are unlike other human genes in that a. antibody genes are composed of introns and exons. b. DNA for antibody molecules is inherited from only one parent. c. gene segments must be spliced together to make each unique antibody molecule. d. several exons encode each antibody molecule. e. none of the above is true. 14. Humoral immunity can be acquired passively by a. catching a virus from a friend by shaking hands. b. receiving a vaccine of influenza virus grown in eggs. c. receiving serum from someone who has recovered from an infection. d. receiving leukocytes from an immune family member. e. sharing a soda with someone who has a cold. 15. Inflammation does NOT involve a. cytokine production by macrophages. b. migration of leukocytes out of the circulation. c. pain. d. secretion of antibodies. e. swelling at the site of infection. 16. Innate immune responses are most effective against a. antigens resembling self antigens. b. common antigens on bacteria. c. genetically engineered antigens. d. viruses. e. viruses that have previously caused infection. 17. Lymphocytes acquire their antigen specificity a. as they enter the tissues from the circulation. b. before they encounter antigen. c. depending on which antigens are present. d. from contact with self antigen. e. in the secondary lymphoid organs. 18. A secondary immune response is NOT a. faster than a primary response. b. larger than a primary response. c. longer lasting than a primary response. d. more likely to result in increased adaptive immunity than a primary response. e. preceded by a longer lag period than a primary response. 19. Antibody effector functions include all of the following EXCEPT a. activating complement on bacterial surfaces to promote phagocytosis by neutrophils. b. binding extracellular viruses to block their entry into host cells. c. binding intracellular viruses to initiate cytotoxicity. d. blocking uptake of bacterial toxins by host cells. e. coating bacteria to promote their phagocytosis by neutrophils. 20. Effector functions of complement include all of the following EXCEPT a. attracting phagocytes to the site of infection. b. facilitating phagocytosis of complement-coated bacteria. c. increasing blood vessel permeability to plasma proteins. d. lysing bacterial cells. e. presenting antigen to B cells. 21. Jenner observed that milkmaids who were infected with cowpox were later immune to smallpox infections. This is an example of a(n) a. acquired immunity of barrier skin cells. b. active immunization with a non-related organism that causes similar symptoms. c. innate immunity of milkmaids to smallpox. d. memory response to a cross-reactive antigen. e. passive immunization from contact with cow's milk antibodies. 22. Macrophages generally kill the bacteria they phagocytose by fusing lysosomes containing digestive enzymes with the phagocytic vesicle. In the case of pathogens which block this fusion, pathogen killing can still be achieved through the effector function of a. B cells. b. complement. c. cytotoxic T cells. d. opsonizing antibody. e. Th1 cells. 23. Phagocytosis a. can be stimulated by antigen binding to complement or antibody. b. is an antigen-specific process. c. must be preceded by antigen processing. d. rids the body of virus-infected cells. e. only occurs after plasma cells begin secreting antibody. 24. Several friends who went on a picnic together developed vomiting and diarrhea from eating potato salad contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin. Effects of the toxin could best be counteracted by a. antibody binding and neutralization of the toxin. b. antibody opsonization and phagocytosis of S. aureus. c. antibody opsonization and phagocytosis of the toxin. d. B cell binding to S. aureus. e. cytotoxic T cell binding and lysis of S. aureus. 25. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. An example of passive humoral immunity is treatment with horse anti-snake venin. b. Antigen recognized by helper T cells must be associated with Class II MHC molecules on the surface of professional APC . c. Each lymphocyte has many antigen binding receptors, each receptor capable of binding the same antigen. d. Recognition and killing of virus-infected cells by cytotoxic T cells is an example of adaptive immunity. e. The innate immune system does not deal with endogenous antigen. part-2 1. The ability of an antigen to induce an immune response does NOT depend on the antigen's a. ability to enter the thyroid. b. degree of aggregation. c. dose. d. size. e. usual presence in the body. 2. Alum is an effective adjuvant because it a. disaggregates the antigen. b. is immunogenic for stem cells c. is immunogenic for T cells. d. slows the release of antigen. e. transports antigen into the cytoplasm of antigen-presenting cells. 3. Antibody cross-reactivity is demonstrated by antibody binding to a. a cell surface marker. b. a hapten. c. a hapten-carrier complex. d. an antigen that is structurally similar to the immunogen e. the immunogen. 4. The antibiotic penicillin is a small molecule that does not induce antibody formation. However, penicillin binds to serum proteins and forms a complex that in some people induces antibody formation resulting in an allergic reaction. Penicillin is therefore a. an antigen. b. a hapten. c. an immunogen. d. both an antigen and a hapten. e. both an antigen and an immunogen. 5. Antigen entering the body in a subcutaneous injection activates its specific lymphocytes in the a. blood circulation. b. draining lymph nodes. c. MALT. d. skin. e. spleen. 6. To detect a humoral immune response to influenza virus, you would measure a. cytotoxicity of virus-infected cells in the lung. b. cytotoxicity of virus-infected cells in tissue culture. c. dividing T cells in the draining lymph nodes. d. plasma cytokine levels. e. serum antibody titer. 7. During the lag period between antigen contact and detection of adaptive immunity, a. antigen is hidden from the immune system in macrophages. b. cellular immunity can be detected but antibodies cannot. c. innate immune effectors are eliminating antigen. d. innate immunity blocks the activation of adaptive immune effector cells. e. new B and T cells with the appropriate antigen specificity must be produced in the bone marrow. 8. To elicit the best antibodies to mouse MHC I, you should inject it into a. a goat. b. a mouse of the same genetic background (strain). c. a mouse of a different strain. d. a rat. e. the mouse you isolated it from. 9. For specific antigen recognition by T cells, a. antigen is bound by a T cell membrane antibody. b. denaturation of antigen does not reduce epitope recognition. c. MHC molecules are not required. d. soluble antigen is bound directly without processing. e. antigen exposure during T cell maturation is required. 10. The immune response to a booster vaccine is called a(n) a. cellular response. b. humoral response. c. innate response. d. primary response. e. secondary response. 11. Immunogenicity a. depends on the ability of the native antigen to be presented by MHC. b. is usually a property of "self" antigens such as eye tissue. c. is not a property of antibodies. d. is not a property of haptens. e. only applies to antigens that are composed of proteins. 12. Lymphocytes are activated by antigen in the a. blood stream. b. bone marrow. c. liver. d. lymph nodes. e. skin. 13. A molecule that can be covalently linked to a non-immunogenic antigen to make it an immunogen is called a(n) a. adjuvant. b. carrier. c. hapten. d. mitogen. e. superantigen. 14. A polyclonal antibody response a. is not antigen-specific. b. is produced only in response to polymeric antigens. c. is produced by several B cells recognizing different epitopes on the same antigen. d. occurs during the lag phase of the immune response. e. violates clonal selection. 15. Very low doses of antigen may induce a. a secondary response. b. hypersensitivity. c. immunological ignorance. d. low zone tolerance. e. low zone immunity. 16. A virus vaccine that can activate cytotoxic T cells MUST contain a. a high dose of virus particles. b. an adjuvant to stimulate T cell division. c. foreign MHC. d. live virus. e. virus peptides. 17. Which statement about antigen epitopes is FALSE? a. An epitope may be shared by two different antigens. b. A protein molecule usually contains multiple epitopes. c. B cells bind only processed antigen epitopes. d. Epitopes may be linear or assembled. e. Some epitopes are more immunogenic than others 18. CD antigens a. allow leukocytes to recognize antigen. b. are each expressed on only one cell type. c. are expressed on immune cells by immunologists to "mark" them for separation. d. are found only on leukocytes. e. function as receptors for cytokine and CAMs. 19. A patient desperately needs a bone marrow transplant, and a perfect match cannot be found. The rejection response in unmatched marrow is primarily due to the presence of mature T cells that recognize the recipient's cells as foreign. To minimize this rejection response, the marrow can be treated before transfusion into the recipient with complement plus antibody to human a. CD3. b. CD4. c. CD8. d. CD28. e. CD154. 20. Antibody to membrane receptors sometimes inhibits receptor function and sometimes mimics the action of the normal receptor ligand. (For example, some antibodies to insulin receptor block the action of insulin and some mimic the action of insulin.) An antibody which should NOT either block or stimulate B cell function would be anti- a. CD21. b. CD56. c. CD80. d. Iga. e. m chain. part-3 1. Cytokines may exhibit __________ action, signaling the cells that produce them. a. antagonistic b. autocrine c. endocrine d. paracrine. e. synergistic 2. Cytokines are NOT a. antigen specific. b. capable of activating more than one cell type. c. made by lymphocytes. d. small protein molecules. e. synthesized de novo in response to antigen or other cytokines. 3. Several cytokines may have the same effect on the cells they bind. This is an example of a. a cascade. b. antagonism. c. pleiotropism. d. redundancy. e. synergy. 4. Characterization of cytokine activities is NOT made more difficult by their a. gene structure. b. pleiotropism. c. redundancy. d. secretion close to target cell membranes. e. short half-lives. 5. Interferons a. activate B cells to make virus-specific antibodies. b. are Th2 cytokines. c. are virus proteins that interfere with activation of cytotoxic T cells. d. block virus infection of host cells. e. inhibit virus replication by infected cells. 6. A cytokine can do all of the following EXCEPT a. bind to receptors which do not share cytokine-binding subunits. b. bind to its specific receptor on the same cell that produced it. c. bind to receptor antagonists produced by pathogenic viruses. d. compete with other cytokines whose receptors share signal-transducing subunits e. upregulate (increase) synthesis of high affinity subunits for its receptor. 7. Members of a cytokine receptor family a. all bind the same cytokines. b. are grouped together because they share antigen specificity c. are often found on the same cells d. are similar in protein structure and sometimes in regions of amino acid sequence. e. are specific for cytokines produced by a single cell type 8. The ability of a cytokine to change gene expression in the target cell is influenced by all of the following EXCEPT a. presence of high-affinity receptors on the target cell. b. presence of soluble cytokine receptors. c. proximity of the producing and target cells. d. rate of transport of cytokine-receptor complexes into the cytoplasm. e. simultaneous production of another cytokine whose receptor uses the same signal transducing subunit. 9. Cytokines are NOT a. able to inhibit the function of other cytokines. b. able to stimulate the synthesis of other cytokines. c. produced by more than one cell type. d. small protein molecules. e. stored in the cell for quick release. 10. The IL-2R subfamily consists of receptors for IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-15. This group of cytokine receptors a. bind all five cytokines to promote synergistic action on target cells. b. bind cytokines which are produced by the same cell. c. each has a unique high affinity cytokine-specific a chain. d. shift the immune response towards cellular immunity. e. each has a unique signal-transducing g chain. 11. An antagonist for cytokine X may NOT be a. cytokine A competing for a shared receptor subunit. b. cytokine B which acts synergistically with cytokine X. c. cytokine C which inhibits the activation of the cell that produces cytokine X. d. made by microorganisms. e. soluble cytokine X receptors. 12. A knock-out mouse for a particular cytokine allows immunologists to characterize cytokine function a. by doing a dose-response study with competing cytokines. b. in the absence of all other cytokines. c. on all cell types simultaneously. d. under controlled conditions of local cytokine concentrations. e. with defined cell populations. 13. Activated Tc can regulate immune responses by signaling activated lymphocytes to undergo a. apoptosis. b. clonal deletion. c. clonal proliferation. d. cytotoxicity. e. somatic hypermutation. part-4 1. Complement a. is a group of active proteolytic enzymes found in serum. b. is secreted by macrophages and hepatocytes in response to antigen binding. c. participates in both innate and adaptive immune responses. d. prevents lysis of virus-infected cells. e. All of the above statements about complement are true. 2. Complement is involved in all of the following except a. attraction of neutrophils to an infection site. b. increased presence of serum proteins in the infected tissues. c. lysis of bacteria in the absence of specific antibodies. d. opsonization of microorganisms for phagocytosis. e. sensitization of T cells to antigen 3. Complement is a. activated by binding to specific complement receptors. b. antigen-specific. c. a potent promoter of virus entry into host cells. d. a series of intracellular proteins which work with antibody to eliminate endogenous antigen. e. present in the circulation in an inactive form. 4. The alternative pathway of complement activation a. causes tissue damage in the absence of C1INH. b. occurs after the classic pathway is activated. c. occurs only if the classical pathway is ineffective in pathogen clearance. d. requires C3. e. requires C4. 5. If a person is born without C2 and C4, a. C5 can still be cleaved by the classical pathway. b. C3b will not be able to bind to bacteria. c. C9 will polymerize inappropriately and lyse host cells. d. the classical pathway will be changed into the alternative pathway. e. the amount of C3b produced during bacterial infections will be reduced. 6. Which of the following are least sensitive to complement-mediated lysis? a. Enveloped viruses b. Erythrocytes c. Gram negative bacteria d. Gram positive bacteria e. Leukocytes 7. In the membrane attack phase of the classical complement pathway, the role of C5b is to a. activate the C5 convertase activity. b. attract neutrophils to lyse the pathogen. c. initiate formation of the MAC. d. polymerize into a membrane-spanning channel. e. All of these are activities of C5b. 8. Complement receptors (CR) a. activate complement on the surface of pathogens. b. bind only activated complement proteins. c. inhibit complement activation on the surface of host cells. d. on erythrocytes remove immune complexes from the circulation. e. on macrophages signal host cells to make opsonins. 9. As complement is activated by complexes of antibody-coated bacteria, bystander lysis of nearby host cells is prevented by a. a long-lived thioester bond on active complement proteins. b. covalent attachment of all active complement proteins to the pathogen surface. c. plasma proteins that inactivate the anaphylatoxins. d. proteins on host cell membranes that inhibit MAC formation. e. the slow catalytic rates of complement proteases. 10. Complement activity is restricted by all of the following EXCEPT a. dissociation of C3 and C5 convertases. b. Gram positive cell walls that are resistant to MAC polymerization. c. host cell plasma proteins that inactivate C3a, C4a, and C5a activity. d. LPS in the outer membrane of Gram negative bacteria that inactivates C3b. e. proteolytic cleavage of complement proteins into smaller fragments. 11. A deficiency in complement proteins or in their regulators can result in a. blood in the urine from erythrocyte lysis. b. decreased levels of certain complement proteins in the circulation. c. immune complex disease. d. increased numbers of infections. e. All of the above can result from complement deficiencies. part-5 1. Phagocytosis must be preceded by a. antigen binding to the phagocyte. b. chemotaxis. c. extravasation. d. integrin binding to Ig superfamily CAMs. e. oxidative burst. 2. Phagocytes bind antigen using receptors for a. C5a. b. chemokines. c. glucose. d. LPS. e. selectins. 3. Pathogens engulfed by macrophages a. are completely degraded by hydrolytic enzymes into their component amino acids and sugars. b. are degraded to small peptides and carbohydrates which are presented on Class I MHC to Tc. c. may survive and replicate in the macrophage phagocytic vesicles. d. stimulate macrophages to adhere to B cells. e. stimulate vascular endothelium to upregulate selectin expression.. 4. An inflammatory response a. is characterized by a decrease in vascular permeability. b. is stimulated by cytokines produced by neutrophils. c. occurs only during a secondary response. d. recruits phagocytes to the infection site. e. usually lasts for many weeks to ensure antigen is completely removed 5. Natural Killer cells a. are stimulated to kill infected host cells via carbohydrate-binding receptors. b. kill normal host cells with high levels of membrane MHC Class I. c. kill virus-infected cells when the virus is acquired naturally but not by immunization. d . recognize virus-infected cells by the presence of viral peptide on MHC Class II. e. secrete the complement MAC to lyse virus-infected cells. 6. Interferons a and b do NOT a. activate NK cells to kill virus-infected cells. b. get synthesized by virus-infected cells in response to infection. c. induce macrophages to increase expression of Class II MHC. d. inhibit virus replication in infected cells. e. stimulate expression of molecules required for Class I MHC presentation of viral proteins. 7. Immune system cell adhesion molecules do NOT a. allow macrophages to leave the circulation. b. allow T cells to home specifically to peripheral or mucosal lymphoid tissue. c. attract leukocytes to an infection site. d. help cytotoxic T cells to bind to their targets. e. signal neutrophils that they have arrived at an infection site. 8. Early induced immune responses are like adaptive immunity in that they a. are antigen-specific b. demonstrate immune memory. c. involve macrophages and complement. d. involve T and B lymphocytes e. use pre-synthesized proteins which can be released quickly upon cell activation. 9. Selectins a. are present on both leukocytes and vascular endothelial cells. b. bind Ig-like vascular addressins. c. include ICAM, VCAM, and MAdCAM. d. select antigen-specific lymphocytes to extravasate into the infection site. e. select antigen-specific macrophages to extravasate into the infection site. 10. Lymphocyte recirculation a. activates inflammatory cytokines to promote antigen presentation to T cells. b. allows B cells to go to the site of infection to produce antibody. c. circulates lymphokines efficiently throughout the body. d. occurs for both naïve and effector lymphocytes e. only occurs during an infection. 11. Phagocytes kill bacteria using all of the following EXCEPT a. H2O2. b. hydrolytic enzymes. c. low pH d. lysozyme. e. strong reducing agents. 12. For a circulating neutrophil to reach the site of inflammation, it must bind to blood vessel endothelial cell and then pass between the endothelial cells in a process called a. addressinazition. b. chemotaxis. c. extravasation. d. marginalization. e. opsonization. 13. Macrophages are attracted to the site of infection by all of the following EXCEPT a. bacterial peptides. b. chemokines. c. C5a. d. IL-8. e. MAdCAM. 14. Inflammatory cytokines produced by macrophages activate all of the following EXCEPT a. B cells to secrete acute phase proteins. b. integrin on leukocytes to bind more strongly to vascular CAMs. c. neutrophils to be more cytotoxic. d. NK cells to kill virus-infected cells. e. vascular endothelium to increase expression of CAMs. part-6 1. An antibody Fab contains a. complementarity determining regions. b. H and L chain variable regions. c. one antigen binding region. d. one H-L interchain disulfide bond. e. all of the above. 2. Myeloma proteins are a. abnormally formed antibodies secreted from cancerous plasma cells. b. cancerous plasma cells that divide without requiring antigen activation. c. cell lines that secrete specific antibodies for a short time, then die. d. homogeneous antibody molecules secreted by plasma cell tumors. e. protein signaling molecules that make a plasma cell become a multiple myeloma. 3. The regions of the antibody molecule which contribute MOST to the affinity of the antibody for antigen are the a. CDR. b. Fab regions. c. Fc regions. d. framework regions. e. hinge regions. 4. Antibody Fc fragments contain a. antigen-binding sites. b. CDR. c. complement-binding sites. d. framework residues. e. light chain variable domains. 5. The immunoglobulin isotype is determined by the a. antigen specificity. b. H chain constant region. c. L chain variable region. d. number of antigen-binding sites. e. number of VH domains. 6. Which statement about antigen epitopes is FALSE? a. An epitope may be shared by two different antigens. b. A protein molecule usually contains multiple epitopes. c. B cells bind only processed antigen epitopes. d. Epitopes may be linear (composed of sequential amino acids) or assembled by protein folding from amino acids far apart in the protein primary amino acid sequence. e. Some epitopes are more immunogenic than others. 7. An example of an antigen epitope from an infectious organism would be a. a bacterial endotoxin (LPS) molecule. b. a fungal cell wall protein. c. a peptide on the surface of a virus capsid protein. d. a whole virus. e. All of the above are antigen epitopes. 8. Antibody affinity for antigen depends on a. the antibody isotype. b. the complementary shape and charge of each antibody V region for its antigen epitope. c. the number of Fab regions in each antibody molecule. d. whether the antibody is in the serum or on the cell surface. e. whether the light chains are kappa or lambda. 9. Avidity a. is a pathogenic agent, causing a very serious disease. b. occurs when the ratio of antibody to antigen is optimal. c. refers to the strength of interactions between a multivalent antibody and a multivalent antigen. d. results in a loss of antibody reactivity. e. results in cross-reactivity when antibody binds two different antigens. 10. A colleague sends you an antibody to polio virus capsid protein. You perform equilibrium dialysis on the antibody to measure its affinity. Plotting r/c versus r gives you a curved line with K= 2.5 X 108 L/mole and an r intercept of 4. From these results, you conclude that the antibody is probably a. a cross-reactive antibody. b. a monoclonal anti-polio virus antibody. c. a polyclonal IgG antibody. d. IgA anti-polio virus. e. not specific for polio virus. 11. Allotypic determinants are a. constant region determinants that distinguish each Ig class and subclass within a species. b. expressed only from the paternal chromosome. c. generated by the conformation of antigen-specific VH and VL sequences. d. Not immunogenic in individuals who do not have that allotype. e. amino acid differences encoded by different alleles for the same H or L chain locus. 12. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of IgG? a. It contains 2 g and 2 L chains b. It crosses the placenta. c. It is the predominant immunoglobulin in blood, lymph, and peritoneal fluid. d. It is the largest of all the Igs. e. Its L chains are either k or l. 13. Human serum IgA is isolated and injected into a rabbit. The rabbit anti-IgA antibodies will react against all of the following EXCEPT human a. a chain. b. IgG. c. k chain. d. l chain. e. secretory component. 14. You have purified some Fab from an IgG myeloma protein. Under appropriate conditions, you could use this Fab to generate antibodies to a. both k and l chain. b. g chain hinge region. c. J chain. d. g chain allotypic determinants. e. the idiotype of this myeloma. 15. The Ig isotype which would be most important for neutralizing polio virus before it could infect intestinal cells would be a. secretory IgA. b. serum IgA. c. serum IgD. d. serum IgG. e. membrane IgM. 16. Which of the following changes to a serum IgM antibody molecule would definitely DECREASE its avidity? a. Increase noncovalent antigen-antibody interactions in the CDR. b. Remove the secretory component. c. Replace the Fc portion of the mu chains with the Fc portion of alpha chains. d. Replace VH and VL framework regions with those from a different antibody. e. Use limited enzyme digestion to make Fab fragments. 17. IgA can be secreted from the body because it a. binds poly-Ig receptor on mucosal epithelial cells. b. has a specialized H chain called secretory chain. c. has a special secretory idiotype. d. is small enough to pass between mucosal epithelial cells and leave the body. e. is synthesized by mucosal epithelial cells and secreted directly into the intestinal lumen. 18. The ability to make antibody with the same antigen specificity but different Fc regions a. causes allelic exclusion of Ig molecules. b. does not occur against bacterial antigens. c. improves the antigen binding specificity of an Ig molecule. d. increases the effector functions of Ig molecules. e. requires clonal elimination. 19. Allergy symptoms are produced when antigen binds to IgE on FcR on a. A cells. b. macrophages. c. mast cells. d. neutrophils. e. Th1 cells. 20. One amino acid difference in the Fc region of different human g chains is the epitope recognized by anti- a. allotype. b. idiotype. c. isotype. d. IgG. e. g chain. part-7 1. Genes for immunoglobulins are unlike other human genes in that a. each polypeptide chain is encoded by several exons. b. Ig genes are composed of introns and exons c. somatic recombination occurs before mRNA is transcribed d. there is less Ig genetic material in mature B cells than in other somatic cells e. both c and d are true. 2. The gene segments needed to encode the variable region of a k chain are a. one Jk plus one Dk. b. one Jk plus one Ck. c. one Vk plus one Dk. d. one Vk plus one Jk. e. one Vk plus one Jk plus one Dk. 3. Pseudogenes are DNA sequences which look very similar to functional genes except for the presence of a(n) a. intron. b. leader sequence. c. promoter codon. d. signal sequence. e. stop codon. 4. Combinatorial diversity says that by random combination of 40 functional Vk segments with five Jk segments, the number of possible different k chains that could be made are a. 40. b. 45. c. 70. d. 200. e. 1200. 5. Which does NOT contribute to Ig antigen-binding diversity a. Any L chain can combine with any H chain to form a functional antibody. b. Any Vk can be joined to any Jk to encode the light chain V region. c. Many CH genes are present in the germline DNA. d. Random numbers of N nucleotides can be added during somatic recombination. e. VJL and VDJH joining is imprecise. 6. The proper joining of one VL to one JL is regulated by a. heptamer and nonamer sequences. b. leader sequences. c. P-nucleotide addition sites. d. 12 and 23 nucleotide spacers between heptamer and nonamer sequences. e. TdT binding site for DNA. 7. Since each B cell productively rearranges a single H and L chain allele, it exhibits a. affinity. b. allelic exclusion c. antibody restriction. d. antigen-binding diversity. e. cross-reactivity 8. Primary mRNA for H chain encodes a. one VH, one DH, and one JH segment. b. one VH, one DH, and multiple JH segments. c. multiple VH, one DH, and one JH segments. d. multiple VH, one DH, and multiple JH segments. e. multiple VH, DH, and JH segments. 9. Somatic recombination occurs a. in the bone marrow stem cell. b. in the progenitor cell as it is becoming a B cell. c. in the mature B cell following antigen contact. d. in the plasma cell after antigen contact. e. in the plasma cell after antibody secretion. 10. Junctional diversity affects primarily the amino acid sequence in a. all CDR equally. b. CDR1. c. CDR2. d. CDR3. e. FR3. 11. Isotype switching a. changes the leader sequence exon so the antibody is secreted. b. improves the antigen binding specificity of an Ig molecule. c. increases the affinity of antibodies in a process called affinity maturation. d. increases the functional diversity of Ig molecules. e. occurs randomly between switch regions. 12. Isotype switching resembles somatic recombination because both processes a. are catalyzed by the products of RAG1 and RAG2 b. are regulated by helper T cell cytokines. c. can result in stop codons in coding sequences. d. occur in developing B cells in the bone marrow. e. result in the irreversible loss of DNA from the B cell. 13. Alternative mRNA splicing a. allows the B cell to improve its antigen-binding fit after antigen contact. b. allows the B cell to make membrane IgM from the mature mRNA for secreted IgD. c. can be used for the simultaneous production of any two Ig isotypes. d. is a process by which a B cell can simultaneously synthesize m and d chains. e. occurs in response to T cell cytokines. 14. Because of the order of the CH gene segments (Cm, Cd, Cg3, Cg1, pseudogene Ce, Ca1, Cg2, Cg4, Ce, and Ca2), a human B cell which undergoes isotype switching from IgM to IgG1 can never in the future secrete a. IgA. b. IgE. c. IgG2. d. IgG3. e. IgG4. 15. Isotype switching is always productive because a. B cells produce all isotypes simultaneously. b. isotype switching does not involve recombination of DNA gene segments. c. no DNA is deleted from the chromosome in isotype switching. d. no effector diversity results from isotype switching. e. recombination between switch sites occurs in introns so it cannot introduce stop codons into coding regions. 16. Somatic hypermutation does NOT a. occur by somatic recombination. b. occur during B cell proliferation. c. occur in the B cell following antigen stimulation. d. result in increased affinity of antibodies secreted later in immune responses. e. result in the death of some B cells which no longer bind antigen. part-8 1. Which of the following is NOT True about TCR? a. All TCRs on a particular T cell have identical idiotypes. b. CDR3 of TCR has the most sequence variability from molecule to molecule. c. TCR has binding sites for both antigen and self MHC. d. TCR is a disulfide-bonded heterodimer. e. The ab or gd isotype of TCR determines the biological function of its secreted form. 2. The antigen-binding region of TCR is formed by the folding of a. Va and Vb chains. b. Va, Vb, and CD3 chains. c. Va and Vb2-microglobulin chains. d. Vg and Va chains. e. VL and VH chains. 3. Which of the following properties are NOT shared by TCR and BCR? a. Antigen-binding avidity is increased by the presence of two antigen binding regions on each receptor. b. Antigen-binding diversity is generated through gene rearrangement. c. Folding of protein domains is maintained by intrachain disulfide bonds. d. Membrane expression and lymphocyte activation by antigen require receptors to be associated with signal transduction molecules. e. Receptor antigen-binding sites are formed from two polypeptide chains. 4. TCR most closely resembles a. Class I MHC. b. Class II MHC. c. Fab region of immunoglobulin. d. Fc region of immunoglobulin. e. light chain of immunoglobulin. 5. Rearrangement of both TCR and BCR gene segments does NOT a. generate diversity of antigen binding by recombination of a large pool of germline V, D, and J segments. b. lead to CDR3 being the most hypervariable region in the receptor chains. c. require RAG-1, RAG-2, and TdT expression. d. result in allelic exclusion of membrane receptors. e. result in isotype switching after antigen stimulation of the mature lymphocytes. 6. The amount of diversity in TCR generated within one individual by somatic recombination a. is higher than BCR diversity. b. is about the same as for BCR diversity. c. is lower than BCR diversity. d. is lower than Class I MHC diversity. e. is lower than Class II MHC diversity. 7. T cells use all of the following for generating antigen-recognition diversity on the TCR, except a. combinatorial association of chains. b. combinatorial association of segments. c. large germline pool of gene sequences. d. N region addition of nucleotides. e. somatic hypermutation. 8. CD8 is a co-receptor on T cells that binds a. CD3. b. endogenous antigen peptide. c. the constant region of Class I MHC. d. the constant region of TCR. e. the variable region of Class I MHC. 9. All of the following are true for antigen receptors on both B cells and T cells EXCEPT a. associated with signal transduction molecules in the membrane. b. generated by somatic recombination during lymphocyte development. c. members of the Ig gene superfamily. d. MHC-restricted in their ability to bind antigen. e. specific for a single antigen epitope. 10. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. TCR is allelically excluded on individual T cells. b. CD4 and CD8 co-receptors are also signal transducing molecules for T cell activation. c. The arrangement of a chain gene segments most closely resembles that of k chain. d. The gene segments for the d chain are interspersed with those for the g chain. e. The T cells that are most likely to react against allogeneic kidney cells are CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. part-9 1. Exogenous antigen includes all of the following EXCEPT a. bacterial toxins. b. extracellular protozoan parasites. c. most bacteria. d. ragweed pollen. e. viruses. 2. Human Class I MHC a chain molecules are a. b2-microglobulin. b. H-2 D, K, and L. c. H-2 IA and IE d. HLA-A. -B, and -C. e. HLA-DR, -DP, and -DQ. 3. Cells which have MHC Class II are _________________, which present _____________ antigen to Th cells. a. antigen presenting cells, endogenous b. antigen presenting cells, exogenous c. infected cells, inflammatory d. target cells, endogenous e. target cells, exogenous 4. Signaling to a cytotoxic T cell that a liver cell is infected with hepatitis virus depends on a. binding of Ii to Class I MHC until the peptide is loaded. b. binding of TCR on the cytotoxic T cell to Class II MHC on the infected cell. c. binding of processed antigen to liver cell Class I MHC. d. processing the hepatitis virus peptides to the correct size and anchor residues in the endosomal pathway. e. both c and d are correct. 5. Endogenous antigen presentation requires delivery of antigen peptides to the endoplasmic reticulum by a. Class I MHC and invariant chain. b. calnexin and tapasin. c. HLA-DM. d. leader sequence. e. TAP-1 and TAP-2. 6. Following virus infection, peptides produced from the proteasome are more likely to be presented on the surface of the target cell because a. MHC Class I is synthesized in response to virus infection. b. proteasomal enzymes which produce shorter peptides are synthesized in response to virus infection. c. TAP-1 and TAP-2 specifically bind virus peptides. d. virus amino and carboxyl terminal amino acids bind better to Class I MHC than peptides from self proteins. e. virus infection induces expression of proteases which cut proteins at sites which bind best to TAP-1 and TAP-2. 7. Exogenous antigen is processed a. after presentation by antigen presenting cells. b. by nearly every nucleated cell. c. by the cytosolic processing pathway. d. in the presence of b2-microglobulin. e. in acidified endosomes. 8. Class II MHC does not efficiently present endogenous antigen because a. antigen synthesized inside the cell never makes it to the endosomal compartment. b. endogenous antigen cannot be processed into peptides small enough. c. HLA DM transports Class II to the surface before it can bind endogenous peptide. d. invariant chain blocks binding of endogenous peptide in the ER. e. phagocytosed antigen binds Class II as rapidly as Class II is synthesized. 9. MIIC is a specialized intracellular compartment where a. HLA DM promotes the release of CLIP and peptide binding to Class II MHC. b. invariant chain binds to Class II MHC a and b chains. c. peptides are transported into the ER for binding to Class II. d. proteins are broken down into peptides by proteasomes. e. some pathogens live protected from lysosomal enzymes. 10. In order to have pathogen peptide plus Class II MHC molecules expressed on the membrane of host cells, all of the following are required EXCEPT a. b2-microglobulin. b. CLIP. c. HLA-DM. d. HLA-DR, -DP, and -DQ alpha chains. e. Ii . 11. Invariant chain (Ii) a. inhibits binding of endogenous peptide to Class I MHC. b. is degraded in the MIIC compartment to CLIP. c. is released from Class II upon binding of b2-microglobulin. d. is the constant region of Class I peptide binding site. e. prevents exogenous peptide binding to Class II MHC in the ER. 12. Antigen binding by Class I MHC molecules a. accommodates many different peptides. b. preferentially occurs for peptides 13-18 amino acids in length. c. occurs at a site on Class I MHC formed by folding of a1 and b2-microglobulin domains. d. occurs only on antigen presenting cells. e. takes place at the plasma membrane of the infected cell. 13. Both Class I and Class II MHC molecules are a. composed of a and b chains with variable and constant regions. b. expressed constitutively on all nucleated cells. c. expressed on the B cell membrane. d. part of the T cell receptor for antigen. e. synthesized in response to antigen processing. 14. The major histocompatibility complex has a. dozens of loci for Class I and Class II proteins. b. genes that encode proteins associated with antigen processing. c. only genes encoding Class I and Class II molecules. d. single loci for Class I and Class II proteins. e. three regions encoding Class I, Class II, and Class III receptors. 15. MHC polymorphism a. is generated by recombination of HLA A, B, and C gene segments. b. is present primarily in the peptide-binding regions of MHC proteins. c. is the result of random association of many alpha and beta genes. d. restricts the ability of B cells to bind antigen. e. results in expression of dozens of MHC alleles on each APC. 16. T cells are MHC-restricted in their ability to respond to antigen because a. all antigen must be processed and presented to activate lymphocytes. b. during an infection, all cells in the body present antigen on MHC Class I. c. MHC binds antigen more specifically than TCR does. d. TCR must recognize both antigen and MHC molecules. e. the T cells should not respond to antigen on allogeneic cells. 17. Linkage of a disease to an HLA allele means that a. everyone with that allele will eventually get the disease. b. people with that allele have a higher risk for the disease. c. the MHC protein encoded by that allele is defective. d. the allele will eventually disappear from the population. e. None of the above is true. 18. All of the following are associated with the expression of Class I MHC molecules EXCEPT a. antigen peptide presentation on membrane Class I MHC to Tc. b. graft rejection. c. increased risk of certain autoimmune diseases. d. lysis of virus-infected cells. e. stimulation of antibody production. 19. Human Class II MHC molecules a. are encoded by the genes HLA-A, B, and C. b. are found on all nucleated cells. c. have an antigen binding site formed from regions of two polypeptide chains. d. must be associated with b2-microglobulin molecules to bind peptide. e. present antigen to CD8 cytotoxic T cells. 20. Humans inherit from each of their parents a. a random set of MHC Class I, Class II, and Class III genes. b. enough diversity in MHC to present epitopes from most pathogens. c. enough diversity in MHC to present every possible antigen epitope. d. genes for a and b chains that can be recombined to increase their diversity. e. the same Class I and Class II MHC genes as their siblings. 21. The a chain of HLA-DR a. can be expressed with the b chain of any MHC molecule. b. can be expressed with the b chain of any Class II MHC molecule. c. can be expressed with the b chain of any Class II DR molecule. d. must be expressed with b2-microglobulin. e. must be expressed with the b chain of Class II DR from the same chromosome. 22. Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. Each individual expresses all the diversity of MHC protein structure. b. If a family has four children, no two of them will have the same MHC genotype. c. Someone with bare lymphocyte syndrome who expressed no MHC proteins would die in infancy. d. TCR on Tc cells binds a1 and b2 domains of Class I MHC protein. e. The chances of finding a tissue match are much higher between children and their parents than between siblings. 23. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. All MHC alleles in the population have been counted. b. CD4 T cells see antigen on self Class II MHC but not on self Class I MHC. c. Human Class II MHC proteins are called HLA DP, HLA DQ, and HLA DR. d. Class I and Class II MHC are less antigen-specific than Ig. e. Peptides presented by Class I MHC must be 8-10 amino acids long. 24. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. A peptide binding to Class I must have certain amino- and carboxyl-terminal amino acids to bind tightly to the ends of the Class I binding cleft. b. A transplant is most likely to be successful between people who share the same alleles at all Class I and Class II MHC loci. c. Identical twins share all their Class I and Class II MHC alleles. d. Peptide binding to TCR is influenced by both its own conformation and the conformation of the MHC protein to which it is bound. e. The gene for b2-microglobulin is in the Class I region of the MHC. part-10 1. An antigen binding signal at the membrane results in the mature B lymphocyte changing its a. antigen-binding specificity. b. color. c. Ig V-D-J gene rearrangement. d. gene expression. e. signal transduction molecules. 2. Signal transduction is the process of converting a. a B cell to a T cell. b. a binding signal to a chemical signal. c. a hapten to an antigen. d. IgA to secretory IgA. e. a kinase to a phosphatase. 3. A ligand is a. a cytokine. b. a molecule that specifically binds a receptor. c. an antigen. d. an enzyme. e. all of the above are ligands. 4. A tyrosine kinase which is activated by antigen binding is found in the __________ of the BCr or TCR complex. a. cytoplasmic domain b. extracellular domain. c. Ig superfamily domain. d. transmembrane domain. e. variable domain. 5. The ligand for TCR is a. BCR. b. MHC c. MHC + peptide. d. peptide. e. TCR ligand. 6. An oncogene is a gene that is associated with a. apoptosis. b. cancer. c. ITIMs. d. TCR and BCR signal transduction. e. viruses. 7. Antigen binding to B cells is most effective at sending an activation signal to the B cell if it causes a. antigen processing and presentation on Class II MHC. b. BCR clustering. c. BCR internalization. d. inflammation. e. opsonization. 8. An enzyme which puts a phosphate group on a protein molecule is called a a. co-receptor. b. ITAM. c. kinase. d. phosphatase. e. receptor. 9. Gene expression does NOT necessarily involve a. changes in a cell's activities (phenotype). b. mRNA synthesis. c. protein synthesis. d. DNA synthesis. e. transcription factors. 10. The signal transduction molecules associated with TCR are a. CD1. b. CD3. c. CD4. d. CD8. e. CD22. 11. The signal transduction molecules associated with BCR are a. CD21 and CD81. b. Iga and Igb c. IgD and IgM. d. ITAMs and ITIMs. e. RAG-1 and RAG-2. 12. The second messenger IP3 increases the cytoplasmic concentration of a. antigen. b. calcium. c. Class I MHC. d. phosphate. e. sodium. 13. DAG and IP3 are released from PIP2 by the action of a. adaptor protein. b. phospholipase C (PLC). c. protein kinase C (PKC). d. small G protein. e. TdT. 14. Small G proteins (like Ras) convert GTP to GDP by their ___________ activity. a. GEF. b. kinase. c. phosphatase. d. polymerase. e. protease. 15. Transcription factors a. increase synthesis of mRNA. b. increase synthesis of DNA. c. inhibit synthesis of mRNA. d. promote DNA phosphorylation. e. synthesize mRNA. 16. An enzyme cascade is a a. case where the enzyme catalyzes its own inactivation, like small G proteins. b. pair of enzymatic reactions that have opposite effects, like kinases and phosphatases. c. series of enzymatic reactions that result in cancer. d. series of enzymatic reactions where the product of one reaction catalyzes the next reaction. e. small waterfall. 17. Signal transduction complex associates with TCR in the membrane through a. agonist peptides. b. covalent bonds. c. enzyme cascades. d. reverse phosphorylation. e. salt bridges. 18. If IgaIgb cannot be made, B cells a. cannot express BCR. b. cannot express Class II MHC. c. express 1,000-fold less BCR than usual d. synthesize CD3 and become T cells. e. require 1,000-fold more antigen to be activated. 19. The immune system of a person who had a mutation in CD3 could NOT fight a viral hepatitis A infection by a. blocking Hepatitis A virus from infecting liver cells with neutralizing IgG antibodies. b. generating cytotoxic T cells to lyse infected liver cells c. lysing virus-infected cells with NK cells. d. phagocytosing complement-opsonized Hepatitis A virus. e. Both 1 and 2 are correct. 20. Amino acid sequences in lymphocyte signal transduction complexes which are phosphorylated following antigen binding are called a. ITAMs. b. ITIMs. c. MAPs. d. PTKs. e. syks. 21. An immune deficiency resulting from a defective PTK in the activation cascade in B cells would probably be characterized by a. high numbers of circulating B cells. b. high numbers of circulating lymphocytes. c. high concentrations of plasma immunoglobulins. d. low concentrations of plasma immunoglobulins. e. low numbers of circulating T cells. 22. B cell co-receptor complex CD19, CD22, and CD81 a. allows B cells to be activated with 1,000-fold less complement-coated antigen. b. allows B cells to be activated with 1,000-fold more complement-coated antigen. c. decreases B cell expression of BCR. d. increases B cell expression of BCR. e. prevents B cell activation by self antigen. 23. The anti-rejection drugs cyclosporin A and FK506 block rejection of transplanted organs by interfering with a. activation of a T cell transcription factor required for T cell activation. b. antibody synthesis required for ADCC of transplanted cells. c. CD3 expression. d. MHC Class I expression. e. processing of graft peptides and presentation on Class I MHC. 24. Antagonist peptides a. fail to bind to T cells. b. fully activate T cells. c. interfere with T cell activation by agonist peptides. d. partially activate T cells. e. require partial agonist peptides to fully activate T cells. 25. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) is a process in which antibody-coated cells are killed by a. the antibodies. b. complement. c. cytotoxic T cells. d. cells with Fc receptors for IgG3. e. cells with Fc receptors for IgE. 26. When IgE on mast cell FceR is cross-linked by, antigen, the mast cell responds by a. apoptosis. b. presenting the antigen to Th cells. c. secreting IgE. d. secreting histamine and other allergic mediators. e. stimulating macrophage and neutrophil phagocytosis of the coated antigen. 27. Homeostasis is a. macrophage activation by bacterial antigens. b. programmed cell death. c. the normal process of signal transduction. d. the synthesis from all leukocytes from bone marrow stem cells. e. the regulation of biological systems within normal limits. 28. STAT proteins are NOT a. cytosolic proteins. b. involved in cytokine signaling. c. JAK kinases. d. signal transducers. e. transcription activators. 29. Cells receive a death signal through a. bcl-2 receptor. b. death receptor. c. Fas. d. Fas ligand. e. STAT ligand. 30. The most important receptor through which lymphocytes receive life and death signals is a. antigen receptor. b. bcl-2 receptor. c. Fas receptor. d. FcR. e. growth factor receptor.

Another Journal Entry - reviewed by Russ Breimeier Copyright Christianity Today International - 2005 1 Sep - Let Go - I Need You to Love Me - Porcelain Heart - Take Me Away - Psalm 73 (My God's Enough) - 5 Minutes of Fame - Thoughts of You - No One Like You - Never Alone (acoustic version) It's only been 18 months since suburban Chicago's BarlowGirl released their best-selling debut, so no one should really expect the sisterly trio to change their formula for success so soon. They don't on Relying on familiar teen themes of anti-conformity and obeying God's will, there's nothing innovative about their blend of teen-oriented pop/rock a la Evanescence, Avril Lavigne, and Ashlee Simpson, especially with Christian artists like Superchic[k], ZOEgirl, Krystal Meyers, and Inhabited on the scene. But producer Otto Price and the Barlow sisters have good synergy, sounding more assured than their peers. Said differently, BarlowGirl really does rock-writing most of their songs, playing most of their own instruments, and blending their vocals beautifully. "Psalm 73," with vocal support from Todd Agnew, resembles Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life," though perhaps too much so with the intensely quiet verses and bombastic chorus. It's still done well, as is the dramatically rendered ballad "Porcelain Heart," similar to Evanescence's "My Immortal" and sure to become a relatable anthem for the brokenhearted. More impressive are "Never Alone," which successfully applies the darker rock style of the previous hit to acoustic instrumentation, and the powerfully performed "Take Me Away," while "Thoughts of You" makes a beautiful love song for the Lord, and "5 Minutes of Fame" reveals a more playful side. Unfortunately, the album also includes BarlowGirl's overproduced and unnecessary cover of Chris Tomlin's "Enough" from Absolute Modern Worship. They fare much better with their spirited rendition of the pop-punk rocker "No One Like You," which befits their style even more than David Crowder Band. BarlowGirl will need to mature and break from convention eventually, but for now they can enjoy their youth, meeting expectations and indeed proving they are better than the average "girl band."

Toyota will unveil a new Auris at the Paris motor show this September. Toyota describes the new Auris as “a car that will deliver improved dynamics, more distinctive styling and higher equipment levels, while also being cheaper to run.” The new Auris will benefit from improvements to driving dynamics and efficiency enhancements to its powertrain line-up, including the full hybrid system that powers the Auris Hybrid model. In Europe, more than 60,000 first-generation Auris Hybrids have been sold since it joined the range in 2010, making it the second most successful hybrid model in Europe after the Prius. The car’s exterior and interior are all new, and it has the distinction of sitting lower than any other mainstream C-segment model. The overall height is 55mm less than the current model and a lower front end design helps deliver excellent aerodynamic performance with a cd of 0.28 drag coefficient, supporting better handling stability and lower fuel consumption. The new interior is more spacious and comfortable, and introduces Skyview, one of the largest panoramic roofs in the segment. Smart packaging has improved the driving position and added 20mm to rear seat knee room and 90 mm to the load space length. All hatchback versions provide more luggage space, at 360 liters. The repositioning of the battery pack beneath the rear seat has ensured the Auris Hybrid has the same load capacity as other models in the range. Attention has also been paid to weight management, with greater use of high tensile steel, particularly in the upper part of the body structure. This contributes to a 10 percent increase in body stiffness and an overall vehicle weight saving of up to 40 kg, while also helping to lower the car’s center of gravity. Efficiency and dynamic improvements have been made to the Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which will be offered in the Auris Hybrid. Europe-wide Toyota expects an even one-third share of sales for each powertrain type – full hybrid, diesel and gas –reflecting how hybrid has matured to become a mainstream rather than a niche choice. The new Auris has been designed for Europe and will be built exclusively at Toyota’s Burnaston factory in the UK, alongside the Avensis. The new model will be given its European premiere on Sept. 27 at the Paris motor show, with gas, diesel and full hybrid versions on display. Details of European sales introduction, specifications and prices will be announced at a later date.

The quest for modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine © Xu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013 Received: 17 February 2013 Accepted: 28 May 2013 Published: 13 June 2013 Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an integral part of mainstream medicine in China. Due to its worldwide use, potential impact on healthcare and opportunities for new drug development, TCM is also of great international interest. Recently, a new era for modernisation of TCM was launched with the successful completion of the Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in the Post-genomic Era (GP-TCM) project, the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) coordination action on TCM research. This 3.5-year project that involved inputs from over 200 scientists resulted in the production of 20 editorials and in-depth reviews on different aspects of TCM that were published in a special issue of Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2012; volume 140, issue 3). In this narrative review, we aim to summarise the findings of the FP7 GP-TCM project and highlight the relevance of TCM to modern medicine within a historical and international context. Advances in TCM research since the 1950s can be characterised into three phases: Phase I (1950s-1970s) was fundamental for developing TCM higher education, research and hospital networks in China; Phase II (1980s-2000s) was critical for developing legal, economic and scientific foundations and international networks for TCM; and Phase III (2011 onwards) is concentrating on consolidating the scientific basis and clinical practice of TCM through interdisciplinary, interregional and intersectoral collaborations. Taking into account the quality and safety requirements newly imposed by a globalised market, we especially highlight the scientific evidence behind TCM, update the most important milestones and pitfalls, and propose integrity, integration and innovation as key principles for further modernisation of TCM. These principles will serve as foundations for further research and development of TCM, and for its future integration into tomorrow’s medicine. KeywordsEvidence-based medicine Chinese herbal medicine Acupuncture History Science Efficacy Safety Integrity Integration Innovation Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a holistic medical system for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and has been an integral part of Asian cultures for thousands of years. TCM uses experience-based therapies such as acupuncture and herbal medicine and is characterised by its underpinning theoretical guide, i.e. the philosophy of Yin-Yang balance [1–5]. In a historical and international perspective, this report discusses modernisation of TCM, an effort to bring the ancient practice of TCM in line with modern scientific standards . Focusing on the past 60 years since the 1950s, we aim to highlight the scientific evidence behind TCM, update the most important milestones and pitfalls, and propose key principles to guide future developments. Due to the wide range of information needed for this narrative review, inclusion and exclusion of literature were judged by co-authors who are experts in the related research area, based on the quality of work but also on the necessity for illustrating specific research areas. Consensus was sought among all authors if quality and credibility of any sources of information were questioned by any co-author. These past 60 years can be divided into two 30-year phases, which are followed by a prospective phase III that will be crucial for the scientific prospects of TCM. Phase I (1950s-1970s): developing TCM higher education, research and hospital networks in China; Phase II (1980s-2000s): developing legal, economic & scientific foundations and international networks for TCM; and Phase III (2011 onwards): further consolidating the scientific basis and clinical practice of TCM. Phase I (1950s-1970s) In response to the open invitation from Premier Zhou Enlai to “come and see” the New China in the early 1950s, a British Labour Party delegation visited China in 1954 . Upon its return, Professor Derrick B. James, the then Lecturer in Anatomy at University College London, contributed a report to the Lancet under the theme of The Wider World to introduce the ambition of the New China to modernise TCM . Historically, this seminal article served as an international harbinger of the TCM modernisation campaign, saying, “[the] hypothesis is not that Chinese medicine is anachronistic, but that its claims are worth investigation, so that anything useful it contains may be incorporated into the body of modern Chinese medical practice” . The 1950s were the beginning of China’s efforts to modernise TCM. It was not until then that China started to build its national networks of TCM universities, hospitals and research institutes, which laid the structural foundation for modernisation of TCM. Importantly, China’s ten most prestigious TCM universities and its national TCM academy were all founded between 1954 and 1960. By the early 1980s, 25 TCM colleges had been established and the number of beds in TCM hospitals increased by 28.5-fold from 84,625 in 1949 to 2,412,362 in 1984 . With the exception of a few Western scientists like Manfred Porkert, who studied TCM in China and brought it to the West , this phase was largely closed to the West due to the Great Leap Forward, the Great Cultural Revolution and the Cold War. Nevertheless, these thirty years had fundamental and lasting effects on the modernisation of TCM. Collation of case reports and sharing of experience within the TCM community, provision of TCM knowledge in the curriculum of conventional medical colleges in China and teaching of modern medicine in TCM colleges paved the way for further development of TCM, as well as mutual understanding and integration of the two medical traditions ; The effect of acupuncture on pain was studied, although its dependence on specific acupuncture points was not proven . In addition, the analgesic effect of acupuncture was shown to be antagonised by the opioid antagonist naloxone in both mice and humans [12, 13], suggesting that endogenous narcotic(s) might mediate the effect of acupuncture, as confirmed later by Han ; and Many ground-breaking TCM-inspired discoveries date back to this period of time, including the award-winning discoveries of the anti-malaria drug artemisinin from the Chinese plant Artemisia annua L. by Youyou Tu and co-workers [15–17], the isolation of the anti-cancer compound camptothecin from Camptotheca acuminata Decne, by Monroe Wall, Mansukh Wani and co-workers [18, 19]. Also arsenic trioxide was discovered during this time as a new adjuvant treatment for leukaemia . Phase II (1980s-2000s) This phase was especially characterised by the following main hallmarks: In 1985, China’s State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM) was established and it has since coordinated actions nationally and played an active role internationally on TCM-related matters; In 1998, the American Chemical Society granted Monroe Wall the Alfred Burger Award, the most prestigious prize in medicinal chemistry and, in 2000, he and Mansukh Wani won the Charles F. Kettering Prize, an international award, from the General Motors Foundation for the discovery of camptothecin and taxol, two ground-breaking natural products with anti-cancer activity ; and In 2003, China's National Science & Technology Progress Award honoured Keji Chen, Lianda Li and colleagues in the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences with a top category award for their successes in TCM treatment of cardiovascular diseases. During this thirty-year phase, China’s national TCM network continued to grow, along with international outreach, and to integrate with Western medicine. The latter has been coordinated by the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine since late 1981. By the 1990s, China had almost 3,000 dedicated TCM hospitals and over 95% of Western medicine hospitals in China had fully-fledged TCM wards and outpatient departments; outside China, TCM was practised by more than 300,000 practitioners in over 140 countries . In 1991, the first university related TCM hospital was opened in Koetzting, Germany, as a joint venture with Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing . Since then, numerous TCM hospitals, clinics and teaching programmes have been established in Europe and other parts of the world . As China’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased from No. 7–10 in the world at the beginning of the 1980s to No. 2 in 2010, it continued to strengthen its national TCM teaching and training capacity. By the end of the 2000s, China had 32 higher education institutions (HEIs) specialising in TCM and additional 52 HEIs with TCM majors; some 270,000 students were in training at all levels . Spearheaded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health and SATCM, and with support from 16 ministries, China has continuously increased its investment in the R&D of TCM and promoted international dialogues and collaborations, especially since the late 2000s . Meanwhile, funding bodies outside China also started to increase their support for research on non-conventional medicines, such as TCM. In 1998, the US National Institutes of Health established the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), dedicated to funding research on complementary and alternative medicines, including TCM . With a starting annual budget of 50 million dollars for 1999, the Center’s annual funding has been in the region of 100–125 million dollars in the past ten years. In 2007, the Australian National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) was established following the 2003 recommendations by the Expert Committee on Complementary Medicines in the Australian Health System. This was to provide leadership and support for strategically directed research into complementary medicine and translation of evidence into clinical practice and health policy. Initial seed funding for the establishment of NICM in 2007 included 4 million Australian dollars from the Department of Health and Ageing and 0.6 million Australian dollars from the New South Wales Office for Science and Medical Research . In 2005, Austria-based Eurasia-Pacific Uninet and the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences signed the first Memorandum of Agreement on Sino-Austrian collaboration in TCM research. Following this in 2007, the Sino-Austrian Collaborating Centre for Chinese Medical Sciences was established in Beijing, with a joint project on TCM and age-related diseases funded with one million Euro from both the Austrian Federal Ministries of Health and of Science and Research, together with the China Ministry of Science and Technology . In 2009, the European Union (EU) funded ~1 million Euro to the Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine (GP-TCM) Research in the Post-genomic Era Consortium under its 7th Framework Programme (FP7), in order to coordinate EU-China dialogues and collaborations in TCM research . International collaborations in TCM practice, teaching, research and development were also promoted by new international organisations established in the five years since 2000, e.g. the International Society for Chinese Medicine, the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association, the Consortium for Globalization of Chinese Medicine and the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, each with distinct strengths . Existing international organisations also took actions. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognised the importance of TCM, and published Medicinal Plants in China: A Selection of 150 Commonly Used Species in 1989 . In 2010 it set up a programme to standardise terms used in TCM and its derivatives such as kampo (Japanese herbal medicines derived from TCM), as the beginning of its efforts to create an evidence base for traditional medicine and to provide an international platform to harmonise information exchange on traditional medicines . The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) set up specialised committees dedicated to TCM in 2009 . The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed acupuncture and moxibustion on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010 and inscribed Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica) and Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) in the Memory of the World Register one year later [32, 33]. Over the years, international journals and public media sensed the historic opportunities and challenges in TCM. In the Lancet, for example, a number of aspects of TCM, such as acupuncture [34–36], TCM diagnostic methods [2, 37], herb-drug and herb-immunoassay interactions [38, 39], as well as therapeutic and sometimes severe adverse effects of TCM drugs and adulterants [40–44] were reported. In recognition of the political, historic and cultural impacts on the development of TCM [4, 5, 45, 46], the Lancet highlighted the development of TCM in different countries and regions, characterised by global perspectives [2, 37, 42, 47–49]. Governmental and non-governmental efforts within and outside China have coincided with new breakthroughs in modern science. Especially during the past two decades, globalisation, digitisation, the use of the internet, “omics” technologies and the concept of systems biology have provided unprecedented opportunities for international collaborations and provision of new strategies and powerful tools for revisiting TCM scientifically. Representative examples to illustrate the main achievements of these thirty years with international and scientific perspectives are given below. Efficacy and effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine In the 1990s, randomised, controlled clinical trials began to successfully investigate claims for a series of TCM drugs. Atherton and colleagues conducted a series of such trials in the UK, investigating the efficacy of a TCM formula in the treatment of atopic eczema [41, 57]. In Japan, double-blind placebo-controlled trials showed two kampo drugs to be both safe and efficacious in the treatment of constipation and perennial nasal allergy . In Australia, two TCM products were shown to be efficacious in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and hepatitis C [58, 59]. These clinical trials, among others, set important milestones for the overseas use of Chinese herbal medicine. In 2003, Kanglaite, a botanical drug derived from Coix lacryma-jobi L. seeds became the first drug derived from a TCM herbal remedy to go into clinical trials in the USA . Subsequently, many TCM-derived products developed in China (such as Dantonic® for chronic stable angina pectoris and Fuzhenghuayu® for liver fibrosis) or the USA (PHY906® as an adjuvant cancer remedy) have been approved for clinical trials by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2010 it was estimated that approximately 25% of botanical investigational new drug (IND) applications submitted to the FDA were derived from TCM herbs . On the other hand, according to Cochrane and other independent reviews, many clinical trials on TCM were inconclusive, at least partially because of the low quality of many trials conducted in China . Similarly, the quality of systematic reviews and data meta-analysis has also been criticised . This situation is about to change. Since the mid-2000s, China has accelerated its steps in joining the international community of evidence-based medicine and clinical trials conducted in China have begun to be published in leading clinical journals [49, 64, 65]. Nevertheless, many challenges remain . Some challenges are specific to TCM including the practice of personalised medicine and the difficulties in designing quality controls for TCM practices and drugs, about which international collaborations such as GP-TCM have led to the development of practical guidelines [66, 67]. Adverse effects of Chinese herbal medicine By contrast with the highly regulated field of Western drugs, for which safety is a paramount preoccupation, the many centuries of traditional use of so-called “natural products” is, for the general public, often erroneously believed to be innocuous because they are “natural”. Traditional use, however, is only an indication but certainly not a proof of safety as dreadful mid-term and long-term toxicities have a low chance of being detected . This is being increasingly recognised since 1993 when Vanherweghem and colleagues reported rapidly progressive interstitial renal fibrosis in women who had followed a slimming regimen inadvertently containing Aristolochia sp roots. Aristolochic acids were identified as mediators of not only the Aristolochia-induced renal fibrosis, the endemic Balkan nephropathy, but also Aristolochia-induced urothelial cancer [69, 70]. In 1995, the Victorian Department of Human Services and the Health Departments of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia commenced a review in order to assess the risks and benefits associated with the practice of TCM . These studies, together with some other reports, such as those on herb-drug interactions , aconite poisoning and the hepato- and genotoxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids , gave an impetus to research the adverse effects of herbal medicines. Given the number of herbal products on the market and relatively low budgets available for research so far, safety assessment has been carried out on relatively few herbs according to modern guidelines . This emphasises the importance of pharmacovigilance in detecting any unfortunate adverse events [73, 74]. Legislation and regulation of Chinese herbal medicine Given the importance of ensuring quality of TCM drugs and safety of patients, legislation and regulation of TCM practitioners and products are equally important. In particular, the approval of a green tea extract (Veregen®) as a drug in the USA and some European countries indicates that, although “new” botanical drugs pose many challenges for both industry and regulatory agencies, standardisation and stringent regulation of these complex drugs are achievable . In the EU, the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) regulates the use of herbals and publishes herbal monographs and lists, which present a documented scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy data of herbal substances and their preparations intended for medicinal use . Specifically, the HMPC evaluates scientifically all available information including non-clinical and clinical data but also documents long-standing use and experience in the EU. Due to the different approaches from those used by the FDA, the European HMPC adopted practical and relevant guidelines, which have brought back hundreds of herbals to the pharmaceutical standards of quality as approved drugs, under the “well-established” and “traditional” registration schemes, while the FDA approved so far only a few. Dobos and co-workers gave an overview of the status of regulations in the USA, the UK, Germany, Australia and China in 2005 . The different approaches of regulating herbal products have been also recognised as an important issue by the FP7 GP-TCM Consortium, which compiled a more comprehensive global comparison of herbal regulation practices in order to promote harmonisation in the future . Quality control and standardisation of Chinese herbal medicine For the future development of TCM, raw materials must be produced in a sustainable way. Cultivation under good agricultural practice (GAP) should be the goal [78, 79]. The scientific principles of daodi should be also considered – Daodi medicinal materials are those produced and assembled in specific geographic regions with designated natural conditions and ecological environment, with particular attention to cultivation technique, harvesting and processing, and thus regarded as superior in quality and effects as compared to materials of the same species obtained from other regions . The identity and pharmaceutical quality of herbal medicinal products must be controlled in Europe and China according to the pharmacopoeia standards . Due to the complex chemical composition of TCM drugs and many sources of variations that could lead to batch-to-batch inconsistency, classical quality control measures such as those applied to purified chemical drugs are often not suited to ensure quality of TCM materials and products. Sometimes DNA based methods may be needed for unambiguous authentication , but do not yield any information on the qualitative and quantitative chemical profiles. In order to focus not only on single quality marker compounds, more holistic concepts need to be developed such as metabolic fingerprinting [83, 84]. Incorporating state-of-the-art analytical methodologies, including liquid chromatography / mass spectrometry (LC/MS), for chemical characterisation and chemical fingerprinting, differential cellular gene expression for bioresponse fingerprinting and animal pharmacology for in-vivo validation, PhytomicsQC, a proprietary comprehensive platform for quality control of botanical drugs was developed to ensure batch-to-batch consistency of a standardised TCM formula PHY906® . The FP7 GP-TCM Consortium have recognised authentication and quality control of research materials used in clinical, animal and in-vitro studies as an area that needs urgent improvement and have developed a checklist and good practice guidelines [67, 86]. Funding bodies, journals, academia and commercial suppliers must collaborate closely to address this fundamental issue. Post-harvest treatment and processing (paozhi) are common features in Chinese herbal medicine. In order to provide plant material of consistent quality, these processes need to be scientifically investigated and standard operating procedures and specific endpoints need to be defined and implemented . Mechanisms and herbalome Beyond the success in isolating new chemical entities amenable to drugs, such as artemisinin, emerging evidence suggested that multiple compounds from herbals might demonstrate synergism. In vitro, the antimicrobial action of berberine was potentiated by multidrug pump inhibitors biosynthesised by the same plants that produce berberine or by different plants [88, 89]. In acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) animal models and in APL cell lines, synergism among three active compounds isolated from the three components of a TCM formula was also demonstrated . In addition, Yung-Chi Cheng’s team at Yale University successfully combined animal studies, clinical studies and genomics technology to elucidate the mechanisms of PHY906® as a cancer adjuvant therapy and demonstrated that all four herbs in the PHY906® formulation were necessary for its biological effects [91–93]. In 2008, the “Herbalome Project”, an ambitious 15-year effort was launched in China to clarify the chemical composition, structure and function of commonly used Chinese herbs and TCM formulae, to establish a standard resource library, and to interpret the synergistic and complementary mechanisms of multiple components in TCM drugs on multiple targets [94, 95]. Until recently, the project focused on development of systematic separation methodology for resolving and analysing the complex components in Chinese herbal medicine and establishment of a comprehensive resource library . This project might eventually help to understand the chemical basis of the active constituents of TCM drugs, be they single or multiple compounds. Clinical trials on treatment of pain and other diseases, adverse effects, mechanisms of action and discussions on the roles for the placebo effect in acupuncture continued to be active. Earlier reports of adverse effects were usually related to insufficient basic medical knowledge, low hygienic standard and inadequate acupuncture education . With disposable sterile needles and improved training and regulation of acupuncturists, more recent data from large surveys in the UK [97, 98] and Germany [99, 100] have shown that adverse events after acupuncture are uncommon and acupuncture is a safe therapy in the hands of well trained professionals. A placebo needle that does not penetrate the skin was introduced for sham acupuncture , a plausible tool to differentiate placebo effects caused by non-penetrating sham acupuncture [101, 102]. A number of large-scale trials on the efficacy [103–105] and effectiveness [106, 107] of acupuncture, as well as randomised controlled trials on the efficacy of combined therapy of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine , have been published; a recent meta-analysis, that pooled the data of 29 clinical trials on chronic pain, concluded that acupuncture is statistically superior to sham acupuncture . However, debates about acupuncture point specificity, acupuncture techniques and placebo effects will likely continue. Nevertheless, a growing body of evidence had clinical implications. For example, in 2006, the German health authorities decided to include acupuncture in routine reimbursement by social health insurance funds for chronic low back pain and chronic osteoarthritis of the knee ; in 2009, the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued a guidance on the treatment of low back pain, suggesting that doctors should ‘consider offering a course of acupuncture needling comprising a maximum of 10 sessions over a period of up to 12 weeks’ for their patients ; and in 2012, NICE published a new guideline on the diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults, which suggested that healthcare professionals should consider offering patients a course of up to 10 sessions of acupuncture, administered over a period of from five to eight weeks, for the prophylactic treatment of chronic tension-type headaches . A number of physiological changes were documented as consequences of acupuncture needling, which might direct to possible mechanisms of action of acupuncture. In particular, a novel hypothesis for the physiological basis of acupuncture involving purinergic signalling was proposed, where adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP), released in the skin during acupuncture, acts on purinoceptors on sensory nerve terminals and, through interneurons, interrupts pain pathways and modulates motor nerve activity in the brain stem, regulating autonomic functions . This was followed by a paper suggesting that adenosine, after breakdown of ATP in the skin, acted as a prejunctional modulator of nociceptive sensory pathways . The start of phase III (2011–2012) and the future The 7 th Annual Szent-Györgyi Prize (2012) was awarded to Zhen-Yi Wang and Zhu Chen for their ground-breaking research of arsenic trioxide treatment of leukaemia back in the 1990s ; and The 1 st Cheung On Tak International Award for Outstanding Contribution to Chinese Medicine (2012) was shared by Keji Chen for his pioneering research in TCM treatment of cardiovascular diseases [118, 119] and to Yung-Chi Cheng for developing a classical TCM formula into a standardised modern cancer adjuvant therapy . In October 2012, another highlight of the beginning of phase III was the final outputs from the FP7 GP-TCM project, which brought together a large collaborative network of over 200 scientists and clinicians, more than 100 institutions and 24 countries to work on the future directions of TCM. The main conclusions of this FP7 project were published in a special open-access issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, in which good practice was defined, guidelines collated, information updated and priorities, challenges and opportunities agreed . To sustainably develop, refine and disseminate good practices in TCM research beyond the FP7 GP-TCM project, the GP-TCM Research Association was founded in April 2012 . The advice from the FP7 GP-TCM project to the TCM scientific community can be summarised by the need for more: Integrity: In the scientific context of TCM, integrity is defined as good practice and rigour, a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and outcomes; Integration: The word refers to an approach towards wholeness by either bringing parts together or by removing barriers; and Innovation: The word refers to renewal or change, as well as introducing better or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas, etc. Holism. As a holistic medicine, TCM considers the human body as a whole, emphasises the importance of functions and emotions and considers patients as part of a system interacting with its environmental factors, such as diet, climate and life style. This is embodied in TCM diagnosis, prescriptions and life style interventions. Ethics. Since the era of Sun Simiao (581–682 A.D.) ethics has become an integral part of TCM . In ancient China, practitioners’ ethics were at the centre of the TCM profession. Now, TCM ethics should apply to not only TCM practitioners, but also the agricultural, industrial and scientific communities, and all stakeholders. Conflict of interests should be avoided, stated and properly regulated. Good practice. As promulgated by the FP7 GP-TCM project and the GP-TCM Research Association, TCM requires continuous development, refinement and dissemination of good practice guidelines in all its multiple aspects. In such epic efforts, collaboration and sharing must be encouraged and we must strive for consensus while respecting differences. Good practice is especially required in authentication, quality control, safety assessments and sustainable use of TCM drugs and materials; agricultural and manufacturing practices; commercial and clinical practices; basic and clinical research of TCM; application of routine and emerging technologies; as well as differentiation between valuable knowledge and superstitious, erroneous and misleading anecdotes [120, 121]. Education, clinical practice and research. Integration of these three important aspects was one of the most important achievements in modernisation of TCM and this must continue. Cultural, philosophical and scientific perspectives. TCM is an important part of Chinese culture and is guided by Chinese philosophy. Thus, researchers of the scientific, cultural and philosophical values of TCM should collaborate with and learn from each other. TCM, Western medicine and modern science. In China and some other countries, TCM and Western medicine are both in mainstream healthcare and intend to complement each other. In the international context, dialogue between TCM and Western medicine needs to be promoted; China’s experiences and lessons should be studied in light of modern science so that both medical traditions may contribute to forging tomorrow’s medicine. Bringing evidence-based medicine to recognise the value of TCM will have to integrate a thorough rethinking of both Western and TCM practices to generate scientifically and statistically convincing evidence of the TCM-based approaches. Interregional, intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaborations. Due to the complexity and the vast range of TCM, collaborations between different regions, different business sectors, as well as different areas of knowledge must be encouraged in order to share resources and expertise and join forces to meet the challenges together. For example, the various distribution channels encountered in different countries must be connected in order to develop harmonised pharmacovigilance procedures suitable to rapidly and globally detect and assess warning signals for adverse events. Holistic, relationist and analytical, reductionist approaches. TCM emphasises holistic and relationist approaches of thinking, while Western medicine is largely based on analytical and reductionist approaches. To see both the trees and the wood, these approaches must be integrated. Quality, toxicology and pharmacology. These three most important aspects of TCM are so much interrelated that future training and research must further integrate these crucial elements to better ensure safety and efficacy. Modernisation of TCM is more than Westernisation. Although some achievements have already arisen through studying TCM using a Western approach, e.g. isolating pure compounds, real innovations should include both TCM-inspired changes in mode of thinking and practice in Western medicine and TCM refinements inspired by modern science. TCM diagnosis. Among all aspects of TCM, holistic TCM diagnosis has probably the most complementary elements to modern medical practice, including its function-oriented description of organ systems and diagnostic approach (leading to syndrome differentiation), its emphasis on modulation of functional balance, its comprehensive categorisation and interpretation of tongue and pulse patterns, its characteristic categorisation of the nature of diseases and drugs, etc. These could be important sources for developing and validating innovative mindset, methods, tools and strategies that could complement biology-based diagnosis [122, 123]. Preventive and comprehensive interventions. TCM is characterised by both pre-emptive approaches and interventions with multiple components. It emphasises intervention before disease arises and often combines dietary advice, physical exercises such as Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) [124, 125], meditation, herbal medicines, massage, acupuncture and moxibustion, etc. The values of these individualised and integrated approaches are important directions for future public health. Innovative, more robust theories and methodology. The complexity of TCM demands novel and more robust ways of thinking, approaches, tools and methods. For example, the individualised and holistic nature of TCM requires tools for complexity research, research of the science of individuality and personalised medicine, as well as novel statistics . It also awaits the maturation of omics, systems biology and other systems-based technologies . Prioritisation and focus. In view of the vast areas of TCM yet to be explored and the limited resources available for such an emerging area of research in the global context, prioritisation and focus become the key to achieving real innovation. In this regard, a Steve Jobs approach for innovation is to “say no to 1,000 things” and to focus only on those that could make real differences becomes all the more compelling. After 60 years of development, modernisation of TCM has arrived at a new era. Accumulating evidence supports the notion that this new era represents a golden opportunity for TCM to further consolidate its scientific base so as to play a bigger part in forging tomorrow’s medicines. To achieve this, especially to reach the goals of better quality, safety and efficacy, the proposed rules of integrity, integration and innovation must be followed. QX is Senior Lecturer in Renal Medicine and Co-Director of the King’s Centre for Integrative Chinese Medicine at King’s College London. He was the Coordinator of the FP7 GP-TCM Project and is Vice President of the GP-TCM Research Association. RB is Professor of Pharmacognosy, Head of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of Graz, Head of TCM Research Center Graz, member of the European Pharmacopoeia TCM Working Party, and President of the GP-TCM Research Association. BMH is Professor of Renal Medicine at King’s College London and President-elect of the Renal Association, UK. T-PF is Senior Lecturer and Head of Angiogenesis and Chinese Medicine Laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge. He was Deputy Coordinator of the FP7 GP-TCM Project and Coordinator of its R&D and Regulatory Work Package, and is Secretary-General of the GP-TCM Research Association. AL and ZZ, Professors of TCM, are respectively Dean and Associate Dean of School of Chinese Medicine, the Hong Kong Baptist University. PD is Professor of Pharmacognosy at Université Libre de Bruxelles and Université de Mons, member of the European Pharmacopoeia TCM Working Party, and was Co-Coordinator of the Toxicology Work Package of the FP7 GP-TCM Project. CMW is Professor of Medicine and Acting Director of Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin. NR is Professor of TCM and Integrated Health at the London South Bank University and was Co-Coordinator of the Clinical Studies of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture Work Packages of the FP7 GP-TCM Project. MSJS is Director of the Kew Innovation Unit, Deputy Keeper & Head of Sustainable Uses of Plants Group at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and was Coordinator of the Quality Control Work Package of the FP7 GP-TCM Project. DG is Chair Professor of Pharmacognosy and Director of Center for TCM Modernization, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He was Deputy Coordinator of the FP7 GP-TCM Project and is President-elect of the GP-TCM Research Association, and chairs the Natural Medicine Expert Committee of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and sits on the Expert Committee of the United States Pharmacopeia. PJH is Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Director of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Co-Director of the King’s Centre for Integrative Chinese Medicine at King’s College London. He was Coordinator of the In-Vitro Pharmacology Work Package and chaired the Technological Advisory Board of the FP7 GP-TCM Project and is a member of the Expert Advisory Group on Herbal Medicinal Products, British Pharmacopoeia Commission. QX, RB, T-PF, PD, MSJS, AL, NR, DG and PJH are members of the Board of Directors of the GP-TCM Research Association. Acute promyelocytic leukaemia The European Medicines Agency The Food and Drug Administration of the United States The 7th Framework Programme Good Agricultural Practice Gross domestic product Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Higher education institutions The Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products Investigational new drug International Organization of Standardization The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the United States The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Australian Natural Institute of Complementary Medicine Research and development State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China Traditional Chinese medicine The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation United States of America The World Health Organization All authors are beneficiary or non-beneficiary members of the FP7 GP-TCM project, which was funded by the EU under the grant agreement No. 223154. 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BOZEMAN – Whitebark pine is declining rapidly in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, resulting in less food for grizzly bears and other animals, according to organizers of a Sept. 20-21 workshop at Montana State University. To continue addressing the challenges that caused the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation to form in 2001, the group will devote its annual science meeting to whitebark pine restoration. The meeting is open to the public and will include a keynote address, scientific talks and field trips. The free public address on “Whitebark Pine in Peril: What Can be Done?” will be given at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, in Ballroom B of MSU’s Strand Union Building. Presenters will be Diana Tomback, director of the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation and professor with the University of Colorado Denver; Liz Davy, foundation board member and Ashton/Island Park district ranger in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest; and Jami Westerhold, director of forest restoration for American Forests, a nonprofit conservation organization. Earlier in the day, experts from MSU, the University of Montana and a variety of federal agencies from the United States and Canada will give 20-minute talks on issues related to whitebark pine. Some speakers will discuss restoration and management. Others will focus on research and development. Specific talks will include such topics as pine cone production in the Custer National Forest, health in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and whitebark pine restoration on the Flathead National Forest. Two field trips will also be offered. The first, on Saturday, Sept. 21, will take participants to Fairy Lake in the Bridger Mountains where one of the more easily accessible stands of whitebark pine to Bozeman is located. The second, on Sunday, Sept. 22, will go to the Beartooth Highway if more than six people sign up. Whitebark pine is a key indicator of the health of an ecosystem, said Dave McWethy, assistant research professor in MSU’s Department of Earth Sciences and co-principal investigator for the Northern Rockies Fire Science Network. Unfortunately, it has been hit hard by a synergy of stressors: drought, white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle infestations and competition from other trees, possibly due to fire suppression. A major result of declining whitebark pine is a shortage of whitebark pine nuts, which affects animals from grizzly bears to birds, McWethy said. Whitebark pine produce a high-fat, energy-rich nut that’s one of the most important plant foods eaten by grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, according to “Yellowstone’s Wildlife in Transition,” a 2013 book that involved several MSU faculty members and alumni. When whitebark pine nuts are abundant, bears eat them almost exclusively from late August through early November. When production is down, the grizzlies head down the mountain to find other foods, McWethy said. In the process of foraging, they’re more likely to encounter humans. An Aug. 28 article in the Jackson Hole News & Guide said, in fact, that whitebark pine cone output has fallen by 84 percent this year and could result in a heavy year of hunter-grizzly bear conflicts in the Greater Yellowstone area. Whitebark pine nuts are in the pine cones. Whitebark pine is one of six conifer species that occur commonly in the Greater Yellow Ecosystem, according to “Yellowstone’s Wildlife in Transition.” Whitebark pine currently occupies about 17 percent of Yellowstone National Park and 10 percent of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It has low commercial value, but high ecological value. It typically grows in harsh conditions, which include poor soils, steep slopes, high winds and extreme cold. Because whitebark pine only grows at high elevations, restoration is a challenge, McWethy said. He added that “Because of warming temperatures, it’s thought to be water stressed and likely more sensitive to blister rust and mountain pine beetle attacks.” Tomback said the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation was officially formed in 2001, but many members of the group had worked together since the mid-1980s on whitebark pine research. “We originally put together this loosely organized research group because of the perception that whitebark pine was declining,” she said. Whitebark pine continues to decline, but thanks to the work of many individuals, restoration strategies and methods have been developed and are currently in the early stages of being tested and refined, Tomback said. She added that the group not only advocates for whitebark pine, but other high-elevation pine relatives that are undergoing similar declines. “They are somewhat behind whitebark pine, but it’s not looking rosy,” Tomback said. “The good news is that lessons have been learned from whitebark pine that may prevent or mitigate losses in these other species.” Whitebark pine itself is a foundation species that not only impacts animals, ecosystems and biodiversity, but humans, as well, through its role in sustaining watersheds and preventing soil erosion, Tomback said. In addition, the seeds were historically used as food by Native Americans. The upcoming conference of the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation is co-sponsored by the Northern Rockies Fire Science Network, MSU and the Montana Institute on Ecosystems, and the Union of Concerned Scientists. A $10 donation is requested at the door for the whitebark pine workshop and field trips. For more details and a complete schedule, go to http://whitebarkfound.org/?p=87 Evelyn Boswell, (406) 994-5135 or email@example.com

Every second Saturday in June, Falls Church residents and visitors from across the region and beyond are treated to outstanding blues music and festivities. This year, the annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival will be no different. We have planned a special weekend to commemorate our 20th music festival. Our mission “All Blues ~ All Weekend ~ All Over Town” turns Falls Church into a Mecca for those seeking authentic blues music! Our first festival in 1994, the brainchild of Foxes Music owner Jim Edmonds and local activist Dave Eckert, took place on the lot now slated to become The Reserve at Tinner Hill. Musical highlights of the festival were the Second Baptist and Galloway United Methodist church choirs. There were presentations about Tinner Hill, food, and vendors. The next year, I joined the planning of the festival, which was moved to Wallace Street, where it stayed until 1999. There it grew from a gospel street festival into an event featuring blues, jazz, R&B, and African drummers. At Tinner Hill and S. Washington in an antique store, we conducted the Oral History Theater. I incorporated the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation in 1997. Members of the Tinner and Henderson families were on the board of directors. Bob Hull helped us set out on good financial footing through his efforts at the Virginia House of Delegates. David Snyder and Gerry Connolly worked to secure funding to buy the half acre on Tinner Hill. Board members Bob Morrison and Michael Diener helped keep our finances in order. Victor Dunbar and Ronald Winters were important board members. Real estate attorney Harold Hamlette handled discussions with the City and county regarding the Tinner Hill lease agreement. Thus synergy was created to keep African American history alive in Falls Church. Then we moved the festival to Tinner Hill, part of the traditionally African American community where the Tinner family owned land since the mid-1860s. Two homes had once been there, one belonging to Joseph Tinner where the first meeting took place of the organization that evolved into the nation’s first rural branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Here the festival began to develop an identity based on African American history. John Jackson played Tinner Hill. We presented many musical genres on the Hill including “world” music, gospel, go-go, blues, and other African American musical styles. In 2005, Nikki Graves (later, Henderson) took the lead in festival production. Her programming experiences at Henry Ford Museum convinced her that Falls Church could become a weekend destination for music lovers. Festival goals expanded from locally embraced community festival to premier blues festival in the region with national and regional performers. The festival moved to Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School from 2006 to 2007. We concentrated on blues performers and booked Memphis Gold. There were stilt walkers, storytellers, Double Dutch teams and even a belly dancer. But attendance suffered due to stifling heat in the parking lot and lack of shade. Blues lover and staunch supporter of the Tinner Hill Festival Lindy Hockenberry, then vice-mayor, suggested partnering with the City and moving the festival to the large, shady Cherry Hill Park. She also suggested we make it an all-blues festival! In 2008, the first year in the park, the economy tanked and our sponsorship base dwindled. While attendance increased, the festival still ended in the red financially. Focusing on blues, we booked the best talent we could afford. Our budget was modest, but we managed to pull it off. The festival continued to grow. We incorporated more highly recognized blues performers and extended programming from one day in one location to three days across town. We included educational programming and other arts-related activities. We partnered with Creative Cauldron director Laura Hull, whose award-winning productions focused on music and local black history were phenomenal additions. Tom Gittins of Art and Frame of Falls Church hosted blues-related exhibitions and artist receptions. With Judy Jensen, Mary Lynn Hickey, and Mary Knieser, we developed a dedicated group of festival volunteers. We soon realized we couldn’t afford to put on the quality festival we wanted without charging admission. We suggested a $10 donation, which still did not cover the cost of producing the festival. Two years ago, we began to charge admission. We obtained all necessary permits from ABC to sell beer in the park, and purchased beer from Mad Fox Brewing Company. With these revenue streams, we were able to almost break even. The Mary Riley Styles Library, Falls Church Community Center, and local businesses including Art & Frame, Clare and Don’s, Stifel & Capra, Dogwood Tavern, the State Theatre and Famous Dave’s BBQ made “blues all over town” a reality by presenting live music. As I look back on 20 years of Tinner Hill Festivals, I cannot help but look forward. We have several innovative projects in the works at Tinner Hill. We are not simply an organization that puts on blues festivals. One goal is to generate income to fund our organization’s history projects. We are working to make Falls Church history more inclusive and bring about an accurate portrayal of the contributions of African Americans to the history of Falls Church and surrounding areas. Edwin Henderson is president and founder of the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation.

Herpes zoster: Shingles Herpes zoster, commonly called shingles, is an outbreak of a rash or blisters on the skin that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox — the varicella-zoster virus. The first sign of shingles is often burning or tingling pain, or sometimes numbness or itch, in one particular location on only one side of the body. After several days or a week, a rash of fluid-filled blisters, similar to chickenpox, appears. The most common location for shingles is a band, called a dermatome, spanning one side of the trunk around the waistline. Shingles pain can be mild or intense. Some people have mostly itching; some feel pain from the gentlest touch or breeze. Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for shingles. According to the CDC, Almost 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will develop shingles. There are an estimated 1 million cases each year in this country. Anyone who has recovered from chickenpox may develop shingles; even children can get shingles. However the risk of disease increases as a person gets older. About half of all cases occur among men and women 60 years old or older. Scientists think that in the original battle with the varicella-zoster virus, some of the virus particles leave the skin blisters and move into the nervous system. When the varicella-zoster virus reactivates, the virus moves back down the long nerve fibers that extend from the sensory cell bodies to the skin. The viruses multiply, the tell-tale rash erupts, and the person now has shingles. - Reduce pain - Utilize antiviral essential oils - Reduce/relieve stress Aromatherapy applications: Gel based applications, German chamomile, Eucalyptus or Peppermint hydrosol spritzer, Tamanu/Calophyllum oil (for post-herpetic neuralgia), Undiluted application Example Aromatic Programs for Shingles: Topical application of Calophyllum inophyllum (Tamanu) and Ravintsara (C. camphora) are applied to lesions 2-5 times a day. Calophyllum inophyllum stimulates phagocytosis, which helps the organism to remove and eliminate pus gathered in the lesions. Ravintsara serves to relieve pain and to act as an antiviral agent. The correct botanical species for Ravintsara in this application is: Cinnamomum camphora. The two should be mixed at a 50/50 concentration. Application can continue until virus is resolved. (K. Schnaubelt) Client is a 44 year old man, generally in good health. Monday, January 6th: Client complains of a pain just below his right shoulder blade. Tuesday, January 7th: Client complains again of pain in the same area, ask for me to look at it to see if there is something there. Wednesday, January 8th: same as above Thursday:, January 9th: Client does not feel well but goes to work. That evening, again complains of pain and is not feeling well. Has symptoms of a possible flu. Later that evening, client takes a shower. Upon coming out of the shower, a very visible red rash has appeared in the area below the right shoulder blade that is also causing pain. We knew immediately by the way it showed up that it was ‘shingles’. First essential oil application (I used what I had on hand): - 50% Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) - 25% Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) - 15% Thyme ct. linalol (Thymus vulgaris ct. linalol) - 10% Thyme ct. thymol (Thymus vulgaris ct. thymol) Immediately mixed up the above synergy and applied undiluted, using a q-tip, to shingles. That evening, client was up most of the night, vomiting and in much pain. (flu-like symptoms can accompany shingles) Friday, January 10th: Client takes day off of work. Rash has now spread to under the right arm and the right side of the chest (almost exactly where it is on the back). I continue to apply the above remedy. I email Aromatics International and Stillpoint Aromatics and they both overnight me some Cinnamomum camphora. Thank you!!!!!!! Saturday, January 11th: One application of the remedy above. Then once the Cinnamomum camphora arrives I blend up a batch of the 50% tamanu and 50% Cinnamomum camphora. Apply with a q-tip throughout the day (at least 4-5 times). We add the herbal tinctures to help with pain and calm the ‘nerves’ so to speak, into the treatment: - St. Johns Wort (5-6 dropperfuls every 4-5 hours) - Blend of Nervines from local herbalist (same as St. Johns wort) Sunday, January 12th: Same thing as above only client begins to complain that he does not like the oiliness of the preparation and feels he needs something more to relieve the pain. Use tinctures throughout the day. I combine the following: - 40% Eucalyptus globulus - 40% Cinnamomum camphor - 20% Mentha x piperita Applied undiluted using q-tip. Client feels almost immediate relief from pain. This lasts for several hours before I reapply. The synergy is applied approximately 5-7x throughout the day and once again before client goes to sleep. Monday through Wednesday (January 13 – 15): I continue to apply the synergy undiluted to the affected areas, 5-6x a day. Use tinctures throughout the day. Thursday, January 16th: Client goes back to work 1/2 day. Synergy is applied 3x that day. Use tinctures 2x day. Friday January 17th: Shingles have dried up and now the skin is becoming a bit itchy so we move back to the 50% tamanu and 50% C. camphora. Saturday January 18th: Apply blend 3x throughout the day. The pain is almost gone and the skin is almost healed. Sunday January 19th: Continue to apply tamanu to areas that are now healed. By Wednesday January 22nd: all pain is gone and skin has almost cleared. Synopsis and Additional Information: One thing that came from this experience were several discussions about the trigger of shingles. Shingles is often triggered in otherwise healthy individuals by stress. So we discussed the stressors in the clients life and ways in which the client could better deal with these stressors. I believe this was as important as the actual treatment. There is a renewed awareness of factors which stress the client (going to sleep too late, being stressed about work, etc.) He is now devoted to insuring that he goes to sleep earlier, deals with work better, and also insuring he makes time simply to relax in the evenings after work. The undiluted application of the blend seemed most effective for this client and I believe it shortened the time frame for healing as well as reduced the potential for lingering pain after the shingles had cleared. All in all, it was a great success.

Saturday, June 12, 2010 Read more at this link. Thursday, June 10, 2010 In re: IMMERSION CORPORATION SECURITIES LITIGATION. This Document Relates to: ALL ACTIONS. Case No. CV 09-4073 MMC. United States District Court, N.D. California. June 9, 2010. SUSAN S. MUCK (CSB No. 126930), email@example.com, JENNIFER BRETAN (CSB No. 233475), firstname.lastname@example.org, FENWICK & WEST LLP, San Francisco, California. JAY L. POMERANTZ (CSB No. 209869), Jpomerantz@fenwick.com, Felix S. Lee (CSB No. 197084), email@example.com, FENWICK & WEST LLP, Mountain View, California, Attorneys for Defendants Immersion Corporation, Victor A. Viegas, Clent, Richardson, Stephen Ambler and Daniel Chavez. BROWER PIVEN, A Professional Corporation, By: David A. P. Brower, New York, New York. Attorneys for Lead Plaintiff, and the Proposed Class. [PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING REQUEST FOR A ONE-WEEK EXTENSION TO FILE MOTION TO DISMISS COMPLAINT (Civil L.R. 7-12) MAXINE M. CHESNEY, District Judge. WHEREAS, on January 12, 2010, this Court issued an order setting the briefing schedule for the motion to dismiss the Consolidated Complaint in the above-captioned action ("Scheduling Order"); WHEREAS, pursuant to the Scheduling Order, Defendants' motion to dismiss is currently due on June 8, 2010; and WHEREAS, counsel for Defendants have requested Plaintiff's counsel to agree to a one-week extension of the due date for Defendants' motion to dismiss (and a corresponding one-week extension to the due dates for the opposition and reply briefs), and Plaintiff's counsel has agreed to such extension. IT IS ACCORDINGLY STIPULATED, pursuant to Civil L.R. 7-12, by and between undersigned counsel for the Parties that: (i) Defendants' motion to dismiss the Consolidated Complaint shall be due on June 15, 2010; (ii) Lead Plaintiff's opposition to Defendants' motion shall be due on August 16, 2010; and (iii) Defendants' reply shall be due on September 27, 2010. PURSUANT TO STIPULATION, IT IS SO ORDERED. >>Data Center Development Flying High Again In New Era of Cloud Computing CK enhanced conventionally fractionated chemoradiation for high grade glioma in close proximity to critical structures >>CK enhanced conventionally fractionated chemoradiation for high grade glioma in close proximity to critical structures Journal of Hematology & Oncology 2010 Published: 9 June 2010 CyberKnife enhanced conventionally fractionated chemoradiation for high grade glioma in close proximity to critical structures Eric Oermann , Brian T. Collins , Kelly T. Erickson , Xia Yu , Sue Lei , Simeng Suy , Heather N. Hanscom , Joy Kim , Hyeon U. Park , Andrew Eldabh , Christopher Kalhorn , Kevin McGrail , Deepa Subramaniam , Walter C. Jean and Sean P. Collins With conventional radiation technique alone, it is difficult to deliver radical treatment (> 60 Gy) to gliomas that are close to critical structures without incurring the risk of late radiation induced complications. Temozolomide-related improvements in high-grade glioma survival have placed a higher premium on optimal radiation therapy delivery. We investigated the safety and efficacy of utilizing highly conformal and precise CyberKnife radiotherapy to enhance conventional radiotherapy in the treatment of high grade glioma. Between January 2002 and January 2009, 24 patients with good performance status and high-grade gliomas in close proximity to critical structures (i.e. eyes, optic nerves, optic chiasm and brainstem) were treated with the CyberKnife. All patients received conventional radiation therapy following tumor resection, with a median dose of 50 Gy (range: 40 - 50.4 Gy). Subsequently, an additional dose of 10 Gy was delivered in 5 successive 2 Gy daily fractions utilizing the CyberKnifea image-guided radiosurgical system. The majority of patients (88%) received concurrent and/or adjuvant Temozolmide. During CyberKnife treatments, the mean number of radiation beams utilized was 173 and the mean number of verification images was 58. Among the 24 patients, the mean clinical treatment volume was 174 cc, the mean prescription isodose line was 73% and the mean percent target coverage was 94%. At a median follow-up of 23 months for the glioblastoma multiforme cohort, the median survival was 18 months and the two-year survival rate was 37%. At a median follow-up of 63 months for the anaplastic glioma cohort, the median survival has not been reached and the 4-year survival rate was 71%. There have been no severe late complications referable to this radiation regimen in these patients. We utilized fractionated CyberKnife radiotherapy as an adjunct to conventional radiation to improve the targeting accuracy of high-grade glioma radiation treatment. This technique was safe, effective and allowed for optimal dose-delivery in our patients. The value of image-guided radiation therapy for the treatment of high-grade gliomas deserves further study. >>"2010 is the year you're really starting to see stuff happen in Asia," he told the Buy-Side Tech High Frequency Trading NYC conference at the Andaz Wall Street Hotel. Competition among increasingly high-speed, electronically-driven markets has not emerged in China, Japan and other Asian nations in the way that it has in the Western world, because, he noted, there has not been a regulatory driver. Wednesday, June 9, 2010 >>Medical radiation equipment maker Accuray Inc. said Wednesday it will partner with Siemens AG to ramp up sales of its CyberKnife robotic radiation therapy system. Accuray said Siemens will have the right to sell the CyberKnife system as part of a group of products, while Accuray will have the right to sell the system directly. Siemens, which is based in Germany, will also buy some Accuray technology and use it in other products. The companies are also forming a research and development partnership. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. >>Equinix’s Domestic Revenue Poised for Solid Growth In H2 Analysts at Citigroup upgrade Equinix Inc (NASDAQ: EQIX) from "hold" to "buy." The target price for EQIX is set to $110. According to Citigroup, the upgrade in the rating is based on, “1) prospect for improving domestic revenue growth heading into the 2H/10 based on our recent sector checks & bottoms-up revenue analysis; 2) we believe the revenue risk from Euro exposure is becoming better understood, while the organic demand environment should meet our expectations; 3) EQIX is making progress on its integration & synergy realization from its SDXC acquisition; & 4) the valuation is discounting future growth prospects for the data center portfolio, in our view.” “We find the valuation for EQIX has become more attractive, given the recent share price underperformance,” the analysts mention. Tuesday, June 8, 2010 In a few words, we believe that the Silicon Valley market mirrors the general situation of the US colo markets: a nice (for the colo Companies active in the market) unbalance between a strong demand and little room available. This is taken from Data Center Knowledge, and dates back to January 2009: >>Kelly said the space available at the San Francisco data center wasn’t a sign of weakening demand in the local colocation market, noting recent projections from Tier 1 Research. In a November report, Tier 1 predicted that colocation demand in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area will continue to outpace supply, boosting data center utilization from the current 70 percent to 95 percent by 2012. The credit crunch contributed to reducing new builds. Equinix is among the few Companies who recently built new data centers in the area - and in spite of some pro-active churn, in particular of a wholesale customer, that freed several cabinets in their existing centers, they are looking forward to the opening of the new center, as they are approaching full occupancy. New builds in the area are now being planned by a few Companies like Digital Realty and Coresite - but that's more of a wholesale approach that will please large customers and let smaller customer looking for the right partner to accomodate their growth needs. 1. To elect one Class II director, David Sugishita, to serve for a term of three years and until his successor is elected and qualified, or until his earlier death, resignation or removal: Name Shares for Withheld Non-Votes David Sugishita 7,555,611 6,949,106 8,622,918 An annual study commissioned by Savvis Inc., a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions for enterprises, predicts the number of companies that outsource their IT infrastructure will increase globally from 17 percent today to 64 percent in 2020. Independent research firm Vanson Bourne in April surveyed more than 600 IT and business decision makers from mid to large enterprises and public sector organizations based in the United States, United Kingdom and Singapore. Sixty-one percent of respondents believe managing IT in-house provides no competitive advantage and has to stop. Sponsor at GigaOM Structure 2010 Conference. Panel Discussion with Lane Patterson, Chief Technologist, Equinix. Reducing Latency and Increasing Capacity on Broadband. June 24, 11:20 a.m. Equinix Workshop; June 24, 3:20 p.m. Room 3, Level 2 >>As Switch & Data Becomes Equinix Monday, June 7, 2010 London based low latency provider, Fixnetix has announced FX trading connections to Hotspot FX, LLC. are now available with co-location services in NY4, Secaucus, New Jersey. Fixnetix today announced the availability of connectivity to Hoptspot FX at Equinix NY4 in Secaucus, New Jersey, with Fixnetix citing increasing demand for low latency connectivity to FX liquidity from the electronic trading community. Growth in algorithmic FX trading has been significant over recent years with some estimates of high frequency trading volumes as high as 40% or more on some platforms, with these percentages expected to be further bolstered by the increasing number of multi-asset class and arbitrage traders looking to dynamically hedge currency risk. "The current shift to move more products on exchange and centrally cleared means that more and more organisations will require access to global cross product trading venues," says Bob Fuller, CEO of Exchange Axis and Chair of the Joint Working Group IT Sub Group. "FX is quickly becoming an equal player to all other asset classes which means having the same level of latency and reliability demands, as regulators appear to be showing increased interest in this asset class" "Fixnetix strives to provide the most optimal trading solutions for our customer base of banks, funds and prop shops worldwide," adds Hugh Hughes, Chief Executive of Fixnetix. "We are proud to provide low latency connectivity to Hotspot and multiple asset classes as our FX service offering is stronger than ever with our recent alliance to NY-based Market Factory, an FX feed handler allowing for buy side and sell side instant access, thereby increasing counterparty diversity and liquidity." "Low latency access on a reliable network only enhances the Hotspot FX system which delivers anonymous, transparent, reliable and highly liquid trading opportunities, as well as authoritative real-time and historical market data, "offers John Miesner, Global Head of Sales at Hotspot FX. IPC Extends Support to Equinix-Enabled Financial Ecosystems in Key Metropolitan Regions Throughout Asia-Pacific IPC Extends Support to Equinix-Enabled Financial Ecosystems in Key Metropolitan Regions Throughout Asia-Pacific Electronic Connectivity Services portfolio now available to the financial community through Equinix’s Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo International Business Exchange Data Centers Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Japan — June 7, 2010 — Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq:EQIX), a provider of global data center services, and IPC, a leading provider of indispensable financial trading communications solutions, today announced that IPC has extended its core networking infrastructure to additional Equinix International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data centers located throughout the Asia-Pacific region. IPC’s expanded presence in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo and will strengthen the company’s capability to support the growing demand for its portfolio of Electronic Connectivity Services. Last month, IPC and Equinix announced IPC’s plan to extend its services to Equinix IBX data centers located in Asia-Pacific and Europe. IPC also leverages Equinix across North America in Chicago, New York and Toronto. The Asia-Pacific market presents significant potential to the financial community as Asian exchange volumes continue to experience accelerating growth. With market de-regulation and the emergence of alternative trading venues and new market entrants, there is an increasing demand for inter-connectivity with multiple venues, participants and geographies in the region. The sheer scale of the region’s geography also creates demand for Equinix’s industry-leading interconnection services that enable the strategic financial ecosystems where firms are connected to key customers and partners to optimally transact business. IPC’s private and secure network interconnects more than 200 cities across six continents. The network has built-in resiliency for the highest levels of service availability and lowest latency, which is an ideal connectivity option for the members of the Equinix electronic trading community. The participants in Equinix-enabled financial ecosystems can reach out to more than 2,400 trading floors and almost 4,000 market participants and exchanges globally connected by the IPC network. The network upgrade will strengthen IPC’s offer of high-quality, reliable and scalable trading connectivity solutions for successful electronic trading. Equinix’s global footprint of network-neutral IBX data centers also provides IPC a wide choice of connectivity options with networks, carriers and Internet service providers to optimize network performance. “IPC’s decision to select Equinix’s premier data center services in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo is another vote of confidence for Equinix across the Asia-Pacific region,” said David Wilkinson, senior director, Business Development of Equinix in Asia-Pacific. “Our established ecosystems of financial communities in our IBX data centers present an immediate market opportunity to IPC, hence facilitating its penetration into the regional markets.” “A growing customer base here in Asia-Pacific means there is a need to enhance IPC’s infrastructure within the region,” said David Dodd, Managing Director, IPC Asia-Pacific. “Equinix’s premier data center services, global footprint and depth of operational experience meet our stringent requirements. Our network extension within the Equinix Asia-Pacific region can propel our service offerings to new heights, allowing us to better support the demand for scalable and high-performance connectivity in the region.” IPC is a leading provider of indispensable financial trading communications solutions to the world’s top financial services firms and global enterprises. With 35 years of expertise and innovation, IPC provides its customers with global systems and solutions, as well as a suite of products and enhanced services that includes advanced Voice-over-IP technology and integrated network and 24x7x365 management services for more than 40 countries. Based in Jersey City, NJ, IPC has approximately 900 employees throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. For more information, visit www.ipc.com. About Equinix in the Global Financial Markets Equinix provides a neutral meeting place for the world’s leading financial market participants including trading venues, buy and sell side firms, market data providers, technology providers and financial networks; that locate servers and infrastructure within Equinix data centers in order to support highly reliable, low latency connectivity for a broad range of market participants. Learn more at: http://financial.equinix.com. Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX) provides global data center services that ensure the vitality of the information-driven world. Global enterprises, content and financial companies, and more than 575 network service providers rely upon Equinix’s insight and expertise to protect and connect their most valued information assets. Equinix operates 87 data centers across 35 metro regions in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Important information about Equinix is routinely posted on the investor relations page of its website located at www.equinix.com/investors. We encourage you to check Equinix’s website regularly for the most up-to-date information. Sunday, June 6, 2010 >>Medical robots are advancing at phenomenal speed, and within years micro-sized robots could be assisting surgeons with operations from inside their patients. Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna’s CRIM Lab in Italy has developed a robot called ARES (Assembling Reconfigurable Endoluminal Surgical System) that will be assembled inside the human body. This modular design is leading the way for a new breed of device that may one day take the place of our most trusted surgeons’ hands. ARES may only be a concept at present, but the project represents amazing new possibilities in the field of robotic surgery. Ingestible robot surgery puts robots further out of grasp—the only connection being a screen facsimile of the patient’s interior. While haptic technology may eventually solve sensory deprivation in the operating room, no usable methods exist. >>I don’t see this as good news: “ARAY installs 200th CK” At the end of Q3 (Jan-Mar), there were 196 CK installed worldwide. Today (June 3) ARAY announced the 200th CK is installed in UK. That means only 4 CK are installed in the first 64 days (April 1 to June 3) of Q4. How many could they install in the 27 days left in Q4? 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6? Q1-Q3 2010 total CK installed=20 (Q1=4, Q2=10, Q3=6) If 2, Q4 = 4+2 = 6 and 2010 total=26 If 3, Q4 = 4+3 = 7 and 2010 total=27 If 4, Q4 = 4+4 = 8 and 2010 total=28 If 5, Q4 = 4+5 = 9 and 2010 total=29 If 6, Q4 = 4+6 = 10 and 2010 total=30 CK installed in previous years: It is almost certain CK installed in 2010 will be less than 2007, or even less than 2006! >>Bankruptcy filings for data center and telcom providers have been rare in recent years, but were common in the dot-bomb meltdown of 2001-2003, when providers such as Exodus, MFN/AboveNet, WorldCom and Relera filed for Chapter 11, largely from the financial stress of heavy borrowing to build data centers and networks. That overbuilding resulted in a huge imbalance between supply and demand. Is there any chance of similar supply-demand imbalance today? We’ll examine that issue this week on DCK.

Credit Collections Masterclass: Maximise Your Hidden Profit Centre Venue: Dubai, UAE |Event Date/Time: Jul 18, 2011||End Date/Time: Jul 19, 2011| |Early Registration Date: Apr 30, 2011| In order to meet the demands of the 21st century, put your credit department right where it belongs: at the heart of your business. Expect to work; expect to contribute to discussions; expect a workshop like you have never seen; and expect to have fun! Join us today to: UNDERSTAND the leverage that you have to make profit in an area that is currently seen as a cost to your organisation. INCREASE the personal impact of each member of the team by focusing their energies on better performance and increased profitability. INFLUENCE the future culture of your collections floor. PLAN for strengthening the synergy between the collections team and the rest of the operation. LEAD your Collections team with your practical action plan. USE the practical ideas that you will take away for the growth of your business by driving down costs and working more effectively. ACHIEVE this without capital expenditure! The focus of Day 1 will be on looking at generating profits from the collection function; re-defining the image of collections and repositioning it within the business. The focus of Day 2 will be on consolidating the concepts from Day 1 with designing the competitive collections environment. These will be integrated with the whole Collections team from Senior Manager to Collector to ensure better performance and to assure profitability. About your Course Facilitator: Your Course Facilitator, with more than 20 years of banking and credit industry experience, has personally delivered world-class training and consultancy around the world. On the international circuit, he has delivered keynote speeches at the World Congress for Collections and Credit Control, and has also written bespoke training programmes for many of the world’s largest banks, designing strategy and ongoing coaching programmes for all levels of staffs. He has also developed, written, and designed the flagship credit control/collections programme “Advanced Collectionsâ€, delivering outstanding results in different cultures all over the world. Being a Member of the ICM (Institute of Credit Management), he was responsible for running the ground breaking Collections programme “Collect with Confidence†and later for “Professional Collections Skills†and “Advanced Collections Trainingâ€. His worldwide clients include: American Express, Toyota, Virgin Atlantic Airways, UOB Bank Singapore, ING, HSBC, Royal Sun Alliance, Sri Lanka Telecom, Citibank, Maxis Mobile Malaysia, Nynex Cablecomms, Bank of Scotland, and many more... ** All delegates whom register before 30th April 2011 will be entitled to our early-bird discount (subject to first-come-first-serve basis). Who Should Attend: Senior and Middle Management of Collections and Credit Control Management, Debt Recovery/Collections, Accounts Receivables, Finance, Credit Management, Sales and Marketing, or any executives involved in managing credit control and/or collections and recovery function in the organisation.

Randstad Sr. Software Validation Engineer in Livonia, Michigan Sr. Software Validation Engineer Thursday, September 29, 2016 The role of the Sr. Software Validation Engineer is to plan and execute the validation testing of our Battery Management System software according to project timing and budget. This includes analyzing technical requirements from internal and external customers, developing test plans to validate that the requirements have been met, and executing the tests in manual or automated test environments. Analyze technical requirements, and create test plans and procedures to validate them. Track and report validation status. Manage and execute software validation from project beginning to end. Develop and maintain realistic project milestones and deliverables using appropriate tools. Contribute to Process Improvement efforts, including test planning, management, execution and automation. Act as the primary software testing interface to both internal and external customers. Ensure team follows established software validation processes. Develop best practices and tools for software verification and validation. Bachelor degree in Electrical and/or Computer Engineering with 7 - 10 years of Embedded software testing experience Experience with software bench testing techniques and equipment, such as power supplies, oscilloscopes, simulators, and data loggers Experience with Vector CAN tools, such as CANalyzer or CANoe Experience with Requirements Management tools like DOORS Experience with Hardware-in the-Loop (HIL) testing (e.g. dSpace, ETAS, National Instruments) Experience with SW Test Automation Familiarity with project change and configuration management software, such as Jira, SVN, Clear Case, Clear Quest, PVCS or Change Synergy Working knowledge of CAN and\or LIN Networking Experience with software maturity models, such as Automotive SPICE. Ability to estimate, schedule, and report on project deliverables. Ability to conform to shifting priorities, demands and timelines Through analytical and problem-solving capabilities. Strong written and oral communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills. Experience with UDS and OBD Diagnostics a plus Tier 1 supplier experience a plus

BOLOGNA.- Some call him a storyteller, while others consider him the only artist who could capture the very instant crystallized in time of a scene, or the essence of a person. After all, it was Edward Hopper himself (1882-1967) the best-known and most popular American artist of the 20th century, a man of few words, a retiring personality who loved the ocean and the horizon, and the clear light in his large studio who explained his poetics: If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint. The exhibition running until 3 July 2016 at Palazzo Fava - Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Bologna has been jointly organized by the Fondazione Carisbo, Genus Bononiae. Musei nella Città and the Arthemisia Group, with the collaboration with the Municipality of Bologna and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. It offers an chronological overview of Edward Hoppers entire output, from his Parisian watercolours to his landscapes and cityscapes from the 50s and 60s, with over 60 artworks on display, including celebrated masterpieces such as South Carolina Morning (1955), Second Story Sunlight (1960), New York Interior (1921), Le Bistro or The Wine Shop (1909), and Summer Interior (1909), as well as fascinating studies (like his 1941 study for Girlie Show) that are testaments to Hoppers superb draughtsmanship. The selection spans his entire career and touches on all the techniques used by an artist who is now considered a classic twentieth-century painter. An outstanding loan is the large painting entitled Soir Bleu (has a length of about two meters), symbol of loneliness and human alienation, made by Hopper in 1914 in Paris. This major retrospective is curated by Barbara Haskell curator of painting and sculpture for the Whitney Museum of American Art with the collaboration of Luca Beatrice. The Whitney has devoted a number of exhibitions to Hopper, starting with the 1920 show at the Whitney Studio Club and including memorable exhibitions in 1950, 1964 and 1980. And since 1968, when Hoppers widow, Josephine, bequeathed their collection to the Whitney, the museum has housed the bulk of Hoppers works, over 3,000 paintings, drawings and prints. Like the exhibition on street art now underway at Palazzo Pepoli (Street Art - Banksy & Co. Larte allo stato urbano, Palazzo Pepoli the Museum of the History of Bologna, through 26 June 2016), the Hopper show is the result of a cultural partnership between the Fondazione Genus Bononiae. Musei nella Città and the Arthemesia Group, reflecting a synergy that sees the participation of the Municipality of Bologna as well. Divided chronologically into six thematic sections, the exhibition retraces Hoppers career, from his academic training as a student in Paris to his much better-known classical period in the 30s, 40s and 50s, and on to his intensely iconic works in his later years. All the artists favourite techniques are covered by the show: oil painting, watercolours and prints, with a special focus on the intriguing connection between his paintings and the studies he drew for them, an essential part of Hoppers output. The first few sections feature a group of self-portraits, works from Hoppers time as a student, and the airy sketches and other works from his years in Paris. Masterpieces like Night Shadows (1921) and Evening Wind (1921) attest to the elegance of the artists technique and that sense of the incredible potential of everyday experience that would win him recognition and mark the start of a richly rewarding career. In the section that celebrates Hoppers superb draughtsmanship and work process, a significant subgroup of his preparatory drawings is on display, including Study for Gas (1940), Study for Girlie Show (1941), Study for Summertime (1943), Study for Pennsylvania Coal Town (1947). The exhibition also brings together some of Hoppers best paintings devoted to women, naked or half-dressed, alone in rooms, going about their chores or in contemplative stances: works that epitomize the artists poetics, his unassuming realism, and above all his skill at bringing out the beauty of ordinary subjects, often by means of a cinematic approach. All of Hoppers mastery is on display, not only in his paintings but also his remarkable prints, his drawings and watercolours, in a career ranging from the turn of the last century to the 1960s: an extraordinary repertoire of the motifs and genres of figurative painting, such as portraits, landscapes, nudes, and interiors, as seen in masterpieces like Self-Portrait (1903-06), Second Story Sunlight (1960), Summer Interior (1909), and New York Interior (ca. 1921). Hopper was long associated with evocative images of urban dwellings and their inhabitants, yet to the skyscrapers that were emblematic of the aspirations of the jazz age Hopper actually preferred the faded red brick facades of anonymous shops, or views of little-known bridges. His favourite subjects were glimpses of ordinary life in reassuring middle class apartments, often seen through the windows on his travels, along with the interiors of cafeterias or cinemas that have gained iconic status thanks to some of the celebrated masterpieces on view. Hopper also produced marvelous watercolours during his summers spent in Gloucester, Massachusetts; Maine; and, starting in 1930, Truro (Cape Cod Sunset, 1934). The exhibition aims to showcase Hoppers signature style and its legacy, as seen and imitated in many fields of the visual arts, from painting and cinema to photography and illustration, as well as advertising, television, album covers, magazine covers, comic strips and merchandising. Ironically enough, considering how reserved Edward Hopper was in his private life, hardly a fixture in the art circles of his day, at one point he became a popular painter, admired and even adored for his oeuvre that reflected all the stereotypes of the American dream, then as now. LARTISTA THE ARTIST Born and raised in Nyack, a small town on the Hudson River in New York State, Hopper briefly studied illustration and then painting at the New York School of Art, under legendary teachers such as William Merritt Chase and Robert Henri. He travelled to Europe three times (from 1906 to 1907, in 1909 and 1910), and it was his stays in Paris that left an indelible impression on the artist and fueled his love of all things French, which he would never lose, even after he settled down in New York for good, in 1913. Six feet tall, Hopper cut an impressive figure yet was famous for shying away from the spotlight, writing and speaking very little about his art. When he died at the age of eighty-four, his works had been well regarded by critics and the public at large for his entire career, despite the rise of new avant-garde movements ranging from Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art. In 1949, Look magazine named Hopper as one of Americas leading painters; in 1950 the Whitney Museum organized a major retrospective of his works, and in 1956 Hopper wound up on the cover of Time. In 1967, the year he died, Hopper represented the United States at the prestigious Sao Paulo Biennial. Since then, Hoppers art has been celebrated in a number of exhibitions and has inspired countless painters, poets and film directors. The author John Updike delivered an eloquent tribute to the artist in a 1995 essay, calling his paintings calm, silent, stoic, luminous, and classic.

Become part of the caring Jewish community on Long Island. Whether you live in the North Shore, South Shore or in Suffolk county, you can become part of a community where everyone feels at home. Where everyone is cared for and everyone’s participation matters. Events, special briefings, volunteer days, and Jewish educational programs will help you translate your values into impact. Help support nearly 100 health, human-service, relief, educational, and community-building agencies on Long Island, in Westchester, in New York City, in Israel, and in communities around the world. Business and Professionals Division Through shared values, meet other people in your profession. Support services you care about. Connect to your community. SYNERGY on Long Island - Strengthens synagogue leadership and resources. - Reinforces local synagogues as centers for Jewish life. - Provides professional educational opportunities. To learn more about SYNERGY, contact Elisa Blank at 516.762.5821 or .

Frontier Communications Corporations (NYSE:FTR) Q2 2014 Results Earnings Conference Call August 05, 2014, 04:30 PM ET Luke Szymczak – VP, IR Maggie Wilderotter – Chairman and CEO Dan McCarthy – President and COO John Jureller – Executive VP and CFO Batya Levi – UBS Simon Flannery – Morgan Stanley Frank Louthan – Raymond James David Barden – Bank of America Phil Cusik – JPMorgan. Mike McCormack – Jefferies Michael Rollins – Citi Investment Research Good day, everyone, and welcome to the Frontier Communications Second Quarter 2014 Earnings Report Conference Call. Today’s call is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the call over to Mr. Luke Szymczak. Please go ahead, sir. Thank you Brendan, and welcome to the Frontier Communications second quarter earnings call. My name is Luke Szymczak, Vice President of Investor Relations. With me today are Maggie Wilderotter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Dan McCarthy, President and Chief Operating Officer; and John Jureller, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The press release, earnings presentation and supplemental financials are available on the Investor Relations section of our website, frontier.com. During this call, we will be making certain forward-looking statements. Please review the Safe Harbor language found in our press release and SEC filings. On this call, we will also be discussing our GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures as defined under SEC rules. Reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP is provided in our earnings release. Please refer to this material during our discussion. I'll now turn the call over to Maggie. Thanks Luke, and good afternoon, everyone. We appreciate you joining Frontier’s second quarter 2014 earnings call. Frontier continued its solid momentum and delivered strong results in Q2. We are pleased with our sustained operational and financial performance and we remain on track to close the Connecticut acquisition in the fourth quarter. Our total shareholder return for the 12 months ending June 30th was 54% evidenced that our hard work and yielding results that benefit Frontier’s shareholders. I will start on Slide 5. In Q2, we delivered 27,700 broadband net adds making it our sixth consecutive strong quarter. Growth continues to be broad-based with market share penetration gains in 82% of our local markets through the first half of this year. We also delivered sequential growth in residential revenue in Q2 which is another milestone in stabilizing our revenues. We are pleased that the small, medium enterprise portion of our business which we refer to as SME had good revenue performance this quarter as well and improved trends relative to Q1. Our operational execution has yielded substantial improvement in revenues over the last 18 months. We expect that we will sustain these trends throughout the rest of 2014. One catalyst for our results this quarter was an increased emphasis on marketing bundles relative to Q1 when simply broad-band was the primary focus. We generally maintain a balance in attracting bundled and standalone customers each quarter. In Q2, more emphasis on bundles resulted in a product mix with higher billing for customer and this is reflected in the sequential uptick in residential average revenue per customer or ARPC. We continued to increase the rate at which customers move to higher broad-brand speed tiers in Q2, a third of our broad band activity was above the basis speed tier. We also maintained our focus on new product roll outs like our new residential emergency phone line for 499 per month which provides customers a resilient and reliable back up phone for emergencies. We believe the weather patterns of the past two years have convinced many that in an emergency situation a land line can be a true life line. The emergency line availability is unique, because our competitors do not have the same level of network resiliency or reliability that we do. For the SME market we introduced Frontier Texting powered by Zipwhip. Frontier Texting allows our business customers to stand and receive text messages using their existing land line phone numbers. This is a great way for businesses to communicate with customers and employees who prefer to use text messaging. Since launch, we have sold close to 800 businesses on this feature and it is driving substantial incremental new voice lines and broad-band service in addition to new customers to Frontier. We are making progress with our Frontier AnyVare hosted business Voice-over-IP telephony platform which is now available in all markets and is targeted at small and medium businesses. Since cyber crime knows no boundaries, we launched a new automated online capability that allows us to market and sign up customers for Frontier Secure suite of products outside of our footprint. Our Internet of Things offerings expanded in Q2 with the addition of the Nest Thermostat, customers can now remotely monitor and set their heat and air-conditioning. This product along with remote video monitoring security monitoring with our Dropcam product starts to provide customers with home automation products fully supported by our Premium Text Support teams at Frontier. Watch for continued broadening of these offerings over the coming quarters, the Internet of Things is important because it leverages our broadband capabilities, enhances our revenues and presents more opportunities to offer our customers a monthly Tech Support service. Speaking of our Tech Support capabilities, I am pleased that we have signed a new three-year contract with Intuit to offer their customers our Premium Tech Support and customer support capabilities for the QuickBooks product line. This expansion of our business relationship with Intuit was based on the track record we have build with them over the past year and a half and providing U.S. based Tech Support to some of their customers from our call centers. White Label Premium Tech Support is a growth business for Frontier that we plan on aggressively expanding. Another recent milestone was the anonymous approval on July 25 of our Connecticut acquisition by the Federal Communications Commission or FCC. We now have secured all federal approvals and we have made strong progress in getting state approval as well. We continue to monitor the progress of the new FCC Connect America Fund or CAF II which is plan to replace tradition universal service fund support that focused on voice products. The FCC is finalizing some changes to the CAF II program, but as designed it will enable Frontier to build broadband to households that don’t have it today and to increase broadband speeds to current customers in our most rural markets. The FCC continues to indicate that they are on track to offer financial support to carriers by the end of this year with the program implementation beginning in 2015. We believe the FCC’s new plans for using E-Rate funds to support broadband and WiFi services for schools will ultimately benefit the education of this nation’s children and also offers Frontier an opportunity to provide new advanced services to these important customers. Everyone on this call is in the fortunate position of taking great connectivity for granted. In unserved and underserved areas, internet access can literally change lives. We are proud to be part of that effort and we plan to aggressively apply for these E-Rate funds in our markets. Net neutrality continues to make headlines and we remain confident, a consensus can be build that protects consumers abilities to access the internet, allows new businesses to get a start on the internet and creates the competitive commercial environment for network owners like Frontier to continue investing in much demanded capacity. To clarify, Frontier has been peering with other companies for years now. It is how we connect to services and content hosted by others. The bottom-line for us is that Frontier has promoted an open internet environment since we begin to offer broadband service, regulating the internet will result in dampened investment and innovation. We will continue to work with other ISPs, content providers, and the FCC over the next several months on this important topic. We believe the best net neutrality result will be one that enables consumers and businesses to participate in the decisions about carriage and prioritization of their content deliver and usage. In Q2 we delivered strong expense management which has always been a hallmark of how Frontier does business. We still have expense reduction opportunities in our current markets and we will also drive for synergies in Connecticut as soon as we close. We know that expense management is a key to sustaining our free cash flow and our dividend. Our management team is focused on achieving our free cash flow targets which underpin our dividend. In Q2 we maintained a very attractive and secured dividend payout ratio. We are excited about the prospects for the Connecticut transaction to create incremental value for our shareholders. We anticipate the transaction will be free cash flow accretive in the first fully year and will increase the security of our dividend by improving the dividend payout ratio. The all-cash consideration means no dilution for Frontier shareholders. We are prepared to complete the cut over and close the Connecticut transaction in Q4. As we all know the Windstream REIT announcement has attracted considerable attention. Putting a tax efficient structure in place has a lot of appeal. While they have received the private letter ruling from the IRS, as Windstream has mentioned, there are still other hurdles they need to clear to implement this structure successfully. As for Frontier, our current top priorities are to deliver on the basic business and ensure a successful and high quality integration of the Connecticut acquisition. We are always looking for ways to optimize our tax structure that compliments our business strategy. We will closely follow Windstream’s progress and evaluate the REIT structure based on what we learned from their implementation. I will now hand the call over to Frontier’s President, Dan McCarthy, who will provide more color on our Q2 operating results. Thanks, Maggie. Please turn to slide six. Our focus continues to be driving growth in broadband market share. As Maggie discussed we had another strong quarter of broadband results, with net additions of 27,693. This quarter our marketing programs produced a sales mix more heavily weighted toward bundled sales and higher speed tiers. This mix resulted in a higher ARPC level and was a contributor to the growth in residential revenue we delivered this quarter. We were pleased with these results especially the expansion of sales in higher speed tiers. In the first half of this year we have taken share in 82% of our local markets and we remained optimistic in our ability to continue to this trend by offering customer choice and simplicity. In Q2 Frontier Secure attach rates were 32% on all residential broadband sales. Frontier Secure continues to resonate with customers and provides incremental revenue and most importantly, reduces customer churn. We continue to invest in our networks to upgrades speed and capacity. This quarter 33% of our sales were in our higher speed tiers. This is up nicely from Q1 and up over 60% higher than Q2 of 2013. We believe our network investments have been instrumental and enabling this mix change and we see substantial opportunities with our customer base since over 80% are still on our basic tier. I want to note that nearly 10% of our households are served through a fiber to the home architecture. Over the next several quarters we will introduce expanded speed offerings in select markets including 50 megabit and 100 megabit services. Some residential areas will also be able to purchase up to 1 gig broadband service. We are excited to bring these new products to market and look forward to making these choices available to our customers. We continue to believe we have substantial room to increase our broadband market share with current share still below 25%, driving the share growth remains number one priority for us and we’ve aligned our resources and channel partners around this objective. Please turn to slide seven. Residential revenue grew sequentially in Q2 reflecting our retention efforts and increased focus on bundled product sales and solid market share growth. During the quarter, the SME revenue trend also improved declining less than $1 million sequentially from Q1. Customer Premise Equipment revenue was up sequentially in Q2 as we had anticipated and we have continue to build a very strong pipeline headed into the second half of the year. This contributed to the SME quarter-over-quarter progress. In the carrier portion of the business we saw revenue pressures associated with the continued migration of mobility customers from TDM to Ethernet services. We are working with all wireless carrier partners on the timing of their tower conversions to fiber. As a result, we may see some tower conversions move into 2015. This would be a positive for revenue in the short-term, but may extend the timing of revenue headwinds to the first few quarters in 2015. Please turn to slide eight. Q2 is a seasonal quarter for Frontier with the completion of the school year which triggers elevated disconnect activities in our markets. This type of activity is normal and expected in the second and third quarters each year. We did have lower customer acquisition levels due to our focus on bundled sales versus our Simply Broadband product. The combination of these events resulted in an uptick in residential net customer losses to 31,800. However, I want to point out that we did not see a significant increase in customer losses to competition or a significant change in the competitive landscape. We just didn’t drive as much marketing activity due to the skewed advertising of our bundles over Simply Broadband. When we kicked off our advertising campaign in Q3, we have once again shifted the mix focus towards both Simply Broadband and bundles. So during the remainder of the year, we anticipate sales mix results similar to Q1 with increase Simply Broadband levels. And thus far in Q3 we are seeing this trend. On the business front, we made excellent progress in improving customer losses, with Q2 losses of $2,190, roughly half the level of Q1 and the best performance since the Verizon acquisition in 2010. Economic softness continues to contribute to a decline in the number of business in our footprint. We are encouraged that despite that decline, our market share in the business segment has been stable and in some areas increasing. Please turn to slide nine. Our focus on simplifying our business is helping to drive cost savings. We reduced operating expenses by $7 million sequentially to $614 million excluding pension in OPEB cost. John will discuss this in greater detail. We pride ourselves on increasing efficiencies in our business and I believe the addition of Connecticut property will provide ample opportunities to drive additional efficiencies as we complete our integration. Please turn to slide 10. We continue to see strong contributions from our distribution channel partnerships. In Q2 alternate channels accounted for 36% of Broadband gross additions, up from 33% in Q1. We are pleased with our partner’s performance and their consistency in delivering each quarter. Revenue from CPE improved from Q1 reflecting our strong pipeline and the completion of a number of complex installations. Our CPE pipeline continues to expand in all categories including Next Generation 911 systems. Although CPE remains the small portion of the overall business revenue it is very important as it allows us to provide a comprehensive solution for our customers. We are also seeing very good momentum with our Ethernet offerings, with more 34% growth relative to last year second quarter. Ethernet is the cornerstone of our growth strategy on commercial, and we are investing more capital to expand Ethernet to new areas as well as upgrading our MPLS switching platforms. An area that continues to show strong growth is our deployment of WiFi solutions for commercial customers. We have been pursuing and wining WiFi opportunities for nearly a decade. This quarter brought some high profile successes including the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, North Carolina. We see the FCC’s decision regarding E-Rate for schools as a catalyst for new Wifi opportunities for us in the education segment. We plan to aggressively pursue those opportunities and leverage our local engagement relationships to facilitate WiFi deployments throughout our footprint. Slide 11, updates the progress we are making on our network. In Q2, our Broadband availability expanded to additional 14,000 households of which 6,900 were funded with the FCC Connect America Fund program known as CAF. We also use CAF funds to upgrade broadband speeds to an additional 28,900 households. As of the end of Q2 we can now serve 90% of our footprint with Broadband. We are proud of this accomplishment and look forward to working with the FCC to finalize CAF II rules and drive further expansion and capacity upgrades in our market. As mentioned we are introducing new speeds in select market up to 1 gigabit. As of the end of Q2, 54% of the households can receive 20 meg or greater speed, 75% can get 12 megabit and 83% can get 6 megabit. Over the last few weeks we have made great progress in renegotiating several of our large collective bargaining agreements. This included reaching tentative agreement with the Communication Workers of America in West Virginia. This is currently our largest single contract and we are delighted to have reached this agreement. We are all working diligently to prepare for the Connecticut acquisition. Our teams are preparing for flash cut at close and we will be moving to the Frontier systems immediately. We have been pleased with the corporation from AT&T in facilitating our preparations and they’ve been excellent partners in preparing for the asset transfer. Our initial plans will be to aggressively market U-verse, while upgrading broadband speeds in many of the more rural market clusters. These upgrades will include improving last mile electronics and migrating middle-mile infrastructure to ROADM technology. We believe we will have an excellent network platform to compete in Connecticut from day one. We remained confident in our ability to close the transaction in Q4. We have been able to reach settlements with many parties in the state approval case and we have received a strong welcome from the Connecticut business community and we are delighted to have the full support of the Communication Workers in America. We’ve completed all Connecticut regulatory hearings and preparations for system conversions and integration. And as Maggie mentioned the transaction has received approval from the SEC. We also have good line of sight to the synergy target we have discussed with you in the past. We are on track and we look forward to getting this acquisition closed. I’ll now hand the call over to our CFO, John Jureller. Thank you, Dan. I’d like to review the second quarter results. Frontier had earnings per share of $0.04 in the second quarter of 2014, compared to a loss of $0.04 in the second quarter of 2013, and earnings of $0.04 in the first quarter of 2014. Adjusting for expenses related to the pending acquisition of the AT&T Connecticut properties, severance cost and discrete tax items, our non-GAAP adjusted net income was $0.05 per share in the second quarter of 2014 as compared to $0.06 per share in the second quarter of 2013 and $0.05 per share in the first quarter of 2014. On July 30, the Board declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.10 per share consistent with past quarters. Slide 12 shows our revenue composition. Our revenues for the quarter were $1.147 billion, a sequential decline of only $6.8 million, or 0.6% and an improvement compared to the $26.3 million sequential decline in Q1. Total residential customer revenue was $497 million, an increase of $1.1 million sequentially. This increase was lead by our continuing growth in residential data revenue. Business customer revenue of $516.3 million was down $8.7 million sequentially. This business revenue decline was primarily related to the anticipated step down in wireless backhaul revenue. As Dan mentioned, CPE was a positive contributor at this quarter. Customer data and Internet services revenue increased by $1.2 million versus the first quarter of 2014, due to residential and business broadband growth, as well increased Frontier Secure revenue partially offset by the decline in wireless backhaul revenue. As were shown previously on slide seven, Frontier’s data services revenue continues to grow, increasing approximately 8% since Q2, 2013. Further the sequential increase versus Q1 offset the sequential decline in now-switch data revenues, even with the headwinds and wireless backhaul revenues. Voice services revenues decline $10.7 million or 2.2% as compared to the first quarter of 2014. Regulatory revenue for the quarter was $134 million, an increase of $0.9 million sequentially. Overall, we are pleased with our revenue performance. We maintained strong residential Broadband acquisition in customer momentum in Q2 which is beginning to drive sequential improvements in our residential revenue. Likewise, we are pleased with continued improvement in the revenue trends in the SME portion of business revenue. Slide 13 provides an analysis of our average revenue per customer. In residential, average revenue per customer or ARPC of $59.64 represented 1% sequential increase, as well as 1% increase over the prior year. We had a relatively higher mix of bundled product customer additions that is double and triple plays, as well as some pricing changes which contributed to the uptick. Business ARPC was 0.4% lower sequentially and 0.5% less than the prior year. The decline was primarily due to the decrease in wireless backhaul revenue from the same base of carrier customers. The percentage decline in business customers improved by 50% from the first quarter and was at its best level since the 2010 acquisition. We estimate that our overall market share in business was stable once again this quarter. As shown on slide 14, our cash operating expenses remained stable sequentially in Q2 and decline by $1 million relative to the second quarter of 2013. This excludes approximately $20 million of integration related operating expenses for the Connecticut transaction. As Dan discussed earlier, excluding pension and OPEB cost, the remaining cash operating expenses were down $7 million sequentially and declined year-over-year. Pension and OPEB cash contributions which are funded at various times throughout the year are mostly non-controllable on our quarter-to-quarter basis. So it’s important to highlight the progress we continue to make in our controllable cost structure. At the same time, we continue to provide visibility to our investors with respect to our annual pension contributions which for this year will total approximately $100 million and are included in our leverage free cash flow guidance. The adjusted EBITDA margin was 44.9% for the second quarter of 2014. Adjusted EBITDA excluding pension and OPEB entirely was 46.4% as compared to 46.2% in Q1. We remain committed to improving our operating efficiency while investing effectively in our network, customer service, and delivery infrastructure to drive our business forward. We incurred $126 million of capital expenditures in Q2, and an additional $31 million related to the Connecticut integration activities. Further our CAF funded expenditures in Q2 were $18 million. To-date, we have expended $62 million of the $133 million CAF funds received. Please turn to slide 15. Frontier’s cash flow remains very healthy. On a trailing four-quarter basis, our leverage free cash flow was $931 million for Q2. Our dividend payout ratio was 46% in Q2. We continue to focus on our free cash flow generation and maintaining a comfortable dividend payout ratio for our shareholders. On Slide 16, is our leverage ratio and liquidity relative to prior periods. Frontier’s liquidity remains robust. We ended the quarter with nearly $1.6 billion in cash and credit availability. Note that our liquidity has consistently remained strong and our free cash flow generation after dividends has provides for a reduction of $500 million in net debt over the last four quarters. Frontier’s capital allocation framework remains unchanged, investing appropriately in our network infrastructure and operations, supporting our current dividend and utilizing excess cash generated to reduce indebtedness and our leverage ratio over time. We are comfortable with our leverage rate levels and are committed to maintaining our liquidity along with a prudently managed balance sheet. Slide 17 shows our long-term debt maturity profile. As we've indicated based upon how management sees the trajectory of the business we’re confident in our ability to generate cash flow from our current business to fund our scheduled debt repayments through 2016 without a refinancing need. Once completed, the addition of a cash flow from a Connecticut business will only serve to further bolster our cash generation. In the second quarter we completed a four-year renewal of our $750 million revolving credit facility and completed a favorable $350 million term loan commitment. We anticipate being in the public markets in the third quarter for an estimated $1.55 billion for the remainder of the Connecticut acquisition bridge loan refinancing. Please turn to slide 18. We are reaffirming our 2014 guidance. Our guidance for leverage free cash flow is a range of $725 million to $775 million. Our guidance for capital expenditures excluding expenditures related to integration activities in CAF is a range of $575 million to $625 million. This guidance excludes the impact of additional revenue, EBITDA, CapEx or other cash flow items upon the acquisition of the Connecticut business. Our guidance for cash taxes is a range of $130 million to $160 million for our current business operations taking into account our estimate of pre-close integration expenditures. Our cash tax guidance does not include any potential impact of extending bonus depreciation into 2014, while the recent actions in this regard in Washington have been trending favorably. We will not include this potential impact in any guidance until it’s more definitive. We continue to anticipate spending $225 million to $275 million on integration activities for the Connecticut acquisition with most of this occurring prior to the completion of the transaction. Presently, we estimate this could be $140 million to $170 million of operating expenses and $85 million to $105 million of capital expenditures. In summary, Frontier’s operating results, proven capital investments and expense management provide a strong cash flow base and a solid financial platform for supporting and investing in the business, servicing our debt and comfortably sustaining our dividend. In addition to our relentless focus on our base business in the 27 states we operate in today, significant activities continue in preparation of the completion of the Connecticut transaction. With that, let me pass the call back to the operator and open up the line for questions. Thank you. (Operator Instructions) And we’ll go first to Batya Levi with UBS. Batya Levi - UBS Thank you, couple of questions. First, Windstream's decision to spin its network to an independent REIT. We think that the ability to lower taxes definitely creates value, but can you give your thoughts on letting go the ownership of the network assets? Do you think that this could be achieved maybe through forming a qualified REIT structure under a holding company without giving up the ownership of the assets? And second question on the results -- the margins were bit weaker than we thought, but when you look at it on a sequential basis, there is some stability. First, were there any one timers that we need to think about? And it looks like the headcount's increased a bit. I'm assuming that's related to the Connecticut purchase. How do you think about margins going forward? Thank you. Hey, Batya, it’s Maggie. Let me start with the Windstream question. I will say that one of the things about the Windstream structure that gives us is the separation of the network assets from the operating company. And how that works for us for strategic flexibility in the long run, both for upgrading the networks, whether we want to acquire more properties or divest of properties. So we need to do some more homework on the various different REIT structures that could be put in place. That is something that we will look at in the coming months to see if the benefit of the tax structure would be better than some of the risks that you would take and how you make a holding company or two separate companies work. So, it’s early days in this. We’re going to continue to explore it. We’ll also look at what Windstream has to do in order to get their proposal implemented successfully. Another challenge for us I think as being in 27 soon to be 29 states, we have public utility commissions in many locations that would weigh in on whatever we decide to do. So there are still more to come. But as I think you can understand we’re going to look at this very closely and see what the choice points are and what make sense to maximize our position. Batya Levi - UBS Batya, this is John. As to the margins, I think when we look at it – it’s a function obviously of our cost structure. And in our cost this quarter as we lowered expense -- our expense is lower by almost $7 million. If you set aside what we have to do throughout the year in terms of pension and OPEB. So, we continue to bring down expense through the course of the quarter. And we’re continuing to make headway and progress in further areas of the expense management and we’ll do that through the year. The other thing Batya I would mention on the headcount increase. That is for the Intuit contract. So we have added Frontier Secure Premium Tech Support resources in order to fulfill that contract for Intuit. Batya Levi - UBS Okay. Got it. Thank you. And we’ll go next to Simon Flannery with Morgan Stanley. Simon Flannery - Morgan Stanley Thanks a lot. Good evening. I wonder if we could come back to the Connecticut transaction. You said it would close in Q4. Can you give us a little bit more color around the timing of the hearings and various proceedings at the Commission? And also, if you have anything you can share with us on the performance of those assets over the last few quarters? And then on the systems prep, perhaps you can just talk through where you are ahead of that cut over versus where you were, say, when West Virginia or where elsewhere you've spent, I think, something like $70 million -- about 28% or so the total spend here. What have you been able to tick the box on so far? Thanks. Hi, Simon, it’s Dan. First of all on the Connecticut hearings, we’ve completed the hearings at the state level at this point. The parties are briefing the case and we have -- as I mentioned we’ve reach settlement with many of the parties. So it’s been a very good process for us at this point. The current procedural order has potentially has us potentially receiving an order on . And then we’ll take it from there, obviously anything can happen as they get that order out. But that’s that current schedule. As far as the performance… Simon Flannery - Morgan Stanley I’m sorry, Simon. Simon Flannery - Morgan Stanley You’ll be able to close immediately on that – receipt of that is that right. Well I have all of the approvals at that point. Simon Flannery - Morgan Stanley Yes. And I think if you remember Simon when we did the Verizon acquisition, we closed about 2 to 3 weeks after we got all the approvals. It will depend on the final for the flash cut, because this is similar to what we did with West Virginia. So the big thing is let’s get all the approvals done and then we will close as soon as possible. As far as the performance of the assets, we continue to get good feedback that the assets are performing well. They continue to execute on their strategy which is really focus on the U-Verse product set in the market and they are continuing to see success there. And as far as the conversion goes, we are on track compared to where we were with West Virginia. AT&T has been as I’ve said, a great partner. So we are going through mock conversions even as we speak, and we’re very pleased with the results. And we’re confident that after we received the approval we’ll be in a position to move forward with the close. Simon, one thing to add on in terms of performance, you’ll be able to actually see some of that when we’re in the public debt market as part of those pro formas will be in our offering statement. So you’ll get more specific data on that in this quarter. But I do think -- to reinforce what Dan said, AT&T has not full back in these markets here in Connecticut. They’ve done a very good job of continuing to take care of customers and grow the business. Simon Flannery - Morgan Stanley Great. Thank you. We’ll go next to Frank Louthan with Raymond James. Frank Louthan - Raymond James Great. Thank you. Just wanted -- looking at the broadband penetration, how do you all feel about the recent FCC notice of inquiry redefining -- potentially redefining broadband as 10 megs? And then in addition on the regulatory side, through the small auction that they proposed, sort of $100 million or so ahead of the larger reverse auction, is that something that looks interesting to you to participate in? Any comments there? Frank, this is Dan. I think we’ve been working with the FCC as many other carriers are, on the definition moving to 10. At this time, we were comfortable with that approach will continue to work with them to make sure that the characteristics for the product stay right where we think it needs to be. But at this point we’re comfortable there. Frank, this is Maggie. On the spectrum auction that’s going to come up anything on the wireless front we are not going to participate in those auctions. That’s not something that we would look to do as a company. I think as we have a wireless partnership with AT&T and that’s what we’re really focused on. Frank Louthan - Raymond James Well, I was commenting -- the FCC authorized a smaller sort of CAF like auction at the May or June -- or the June meeting, actually. I was more describing that. I'm not sure if that fit any parameters. Maybe we could follow up with that off-line, but I just wanted to follow up. Any thoughts on the two Telecom/Level 3 merger? Has that caused you any concern? You have any significant penetration in any of your markets that you might want to try and lockup ahead of that merger? Hey, Frank, I didn’t realize you’re asking about CAF. So, we know that that specific ruling was pretty narrow to very high cost, very rural areas. We’ve already taken the CAF money that we’re going to take. So from that perspective, we’re really now just focused on the CAF II initiative which we think can be millions of dollars for us on an annualized basis. So that’s really where our focus is going to be which is not just about extending broadband, which will continue to be able to do, but its really about upgrading a number of our very rural markets to get to whatever the standard is going to be, whether its 10 meg or not. Frank Louthan - Raymond James And Frank, as far as the merger goes, they do cover several of our larger markets as you probably know. We’ve been working on locking up customers in extended contracts for while now. And we don’t see any expanded threat from the combination of the two. Frank Louthan - Raymond James Okay. Thank you. And next we’ll go to David Barden with Bank of America. David Barden – Bank of America Hi, guys, thanks for taking my questions. I guess just a few, if I could. First just quick – John, an official guidance number yet until we get some more clarity, but I'm sure you've run the numbers. If you could just give us some kind of ballpark figure as to what you think the benefit from a bonus tax depreciation extension of 50%, the way it's been going on for the last couple of years, would be, it would be helpful? Second, I know you guys called out kind of softer than typical CPE sales last quarter impacting revenue. I was wondering if you could talk about how the CPE sales specifically changed quarter on quarter and impacted the numbers this time. And then I guess the last question I have is going back to the costs. I know, Maggie, last quarter, you called out storms -- winter storms over time, mudslides in Washington, and I think that there was an expectation that the costs were going to be lower this quarter, as we seasoned the FICA and the wage increases and such. So I was just wondering if you can kind of get a little bit more specific about what maybe was on the docket that didn't happen, what's on the docket that will happen in the second half specifically to kind of -- so we can watch the margin number a little closely? Thanks. Hey, Dave, this is John. So let just taking your questions in order. First on bonus depreciation, again we’re hesitant to call out to people until we’re done, but we can just say the impact would be material as compared to our cash tax guidance. And let me just leave at that, because we don’t know quite how the final rules will be written, but even at 50% bonus depreciation it would have a material impact for us. David Barden - Bank of America Merrill Lynch As far as CPE sales, we did have expanded sales both on the large complex sales, specifically around some very large school districts that are turning up even as we speak right now and should be in the third quarter and we did sell a number of E911 systems, again are very large systems that are complex and take a lot of time to turn up, but we continue to see pretty good sales in the small side and it continues to be a competitive advantage for us against other providers who don’t provide a whole solution. Yes two things on those questions David one is, if there are tax extended that’s very likely going to happen in the [lame duct] session if at all in Washington. So, I think as in the past we’ve also seen it happen – and then be retroactive. So, with Washington sort of in turmoil on getting anything done, we are going to be cautiously optimistic but we are going to sit back and wait to see what happens. On the CPE side, I think as Dan and I are pretty pleased with what happened in the second quarter. We knew that there was some momentum that you have to build again because a lot of people spend in the fourth quarter so the first quarter always has a tendency to be lighter. We see a good pipeline into the third quarter for CPE and the real benefit to CPE for us is the maintenance and the ongoing recurring revenue that we get from selling these systems into our customer sites. Some of them are long term and sales like the E911 systems don’t happen overnight, sometime they can take a year to get those system sales done. But we feel good about the pipeline, and we’re encouraged for Q3 as well on CPE. On the cost side, I want to reiterate what John said, we did reduce cost by $7 million quarter-over-quarter. Some of that was less storms and less overtime, we have a tendency though to be in markets where there is always something going on, so we also are continuing to grow the business and expand in terms of installations and repairs in the market. So, we will continue to have reduction in cost in the quarters to come as we continue to automate and streamline what we are doing. But we are also trying to drive the business on the top line growth path to which in other words we are moving resources from lowering cost in certain areas that are less strategic to supporting the business in terms of the growth that we’re seeing especially on the broad-band side. Got it. Okay, thanks. We’ll go next to Phil Cusik with JPMorgan. Phil Cusik – JPMorgan. Hi guys, thanks. Following up on an earlier question, Windstream spoke about getting to 80% 10 megs by 2018. Can you remind us where you are in terms of availability in uptick on that kind of product? It’s a great question Phil. One of the things that are a little different about Windstream strategy versus ours is I think as we’ve been investing very heavily in this network over the last four years since the Verizon acquisition. So we feel very comfortable that we’re going to be at 10 meg and 80% of our markets in a very short period of time compared to 2018. We think probably several years before that happens. So, we are more bullish that the network we have accelerated our investments tin the network to get us there a lot quicker than what Windstream is looking at with their strategic reach. Phil Cusik – JPMorgan I’m sorry Phil, at this point we’re at 75% at 12 megs even as we speak. So as we implement some of the cap funds that we have today as well as cap 2 we actually see getting to 80% much faster than the position when it’s picked up. Yes and we’re really banking on 10 meg down at 1 meg up, that’s what we are looking at, that’s what we’ve been talking about internally to make sure that we try to deliver that to basically all of our customers. Phil Cusik – JPMorgan And then on the business side, what sized businesses have been buying the Ethernet and MPLS products? And what sort of competition are you seeing in that segment of the market? I would say the area is principally thought a medium size and enterprise on the retail and we are seeing nice uptick on the carrier side as well. We launched those products and enhance them with quality of service and SLAs and we’re staring to see nice ramp on the carrier segment. The competitors on the retail side range from the cable competition to [fee] license on some of the larger markets. But we’re holding our own against them. I think we’ve done very well in sales as we’ve continued to launch aggressively in all of our markets for Ethernet and we plan to have it in all markets by the end of this year Phil. Phil Cusik – JPMorgan Next we’ll go to Mike McCormack with Jefferies. Mike McCormack - Jefferies Hey guys thanks. Maggie, just thinking about some of the speed improvements that you're doing and obviously launching the 1 gig and 500 meg in the back half of the year. Are you seeing any sort of change in consumer behavior? Because I know in the past, you guys have sort of identified that for a lot of your customer base, price is more important than speed. I've been trying to get a sense for whether or not you are seeing a sea change in customer behavior on that? And then thinking about the incremental margins for the business overall, the migration from TDM and Voice into IP ethernet, could you just give us a sense for what that means from a incremental margin standpoint when that revenue shifts? That would be great, thanks. Hi Mike. So I’ll start on the customer behavior and then Dan can also jump in on the Ethernet front in terms of those conversions. It’s pretty interesting as we mentioned over 30% of our activity in the second quarter were speed tier upgrade, so we are seeing some behavior change in terms of customers taking more speed, but if you look at it still 75% to 80% of our customers use 6 meg or less. So, if you look across the board, our customer base is still very well within the parameters that what we are offering. We also have found that a lot of customers when they upgrade their speed, so not necessarily using more speed, they just think they need speed. So one of the things that we’ve tried to do is position with activities that we sell to customers, whatever they are going to do on broadband we try to match the right speed levels to what their activity levels are. But we think that there is going to be great demand. We did see a big uptick on video streaming in the second quarter and we know as that continues to grow, that will continue to drive customers to take more speeds from us as well. We’re going to launch in September a rollout of both 50 and 100 meg service as Dan mentioned. That’s going to be across about 16 states. So we are continuing to invest and to provide those choice points to residential customers. On the gig side, I think as we’ve launched gig service to our business customers in many of our markets though our Ethernet products and we do have a plan to launch gig service across a number of our markets over the next several quarters. So we’re going to continue to stay competitive and give customers choice, but we’re also trying to work with customers to make sure they are just not buying speed for the sake of doing so. And Mike I would just add to that that some of the customers that are taking the higher speed tiers as Maggie pointed out are using it in different ways. We have seen some increases in the average uses especially around those higher bandwidth customers for instance we’ve seen averages approach close to 50 gig on average with the median of about 23 gig in those markets where we have some very high bandwidth. And that’s very different than where we were just recently. On your other question we have seen and we do anticipate some cost changes as we migrate from TDM both LD voiced and also TDM transport to an Ethernet world. The cost change is really reflective in the maintenance cost as well as the incremental CapEx associated with driving capacity for customers on the transport side and then significantly lower IP transport cost for LD. So those will be two things that we can take advantage of next year as we launch different IP products that’s on the voice side and continue to expand and retire some of the older TDM market texture and replace them with Ethernet. Mike McCormack - Jefferies Dan, what are you seeing -- I'm sorry -- with respect to the pricing behavior on Ethernet side. What kind of year-over-year price declines have you guys experienced in that market? On the retail side we’ve really haven’t’ seen a whole lot of compression certainly on the carrier side there has been pressure especially as people have looked to partner with us on different yields, and the way we are solving that is really meeting people at potential [indiscernible] meet points and then exchanging traffic in a different way that minimizes CapEx and allows us to meet those price points, but that’s really on a one-off basis. Mike McCormack - Jefferies Okay. Thanks guys. So operator lets take one more question. Sure. Our final question will come from Michael Rollins with Citi Investment Research. Michael Rollins – Citi Investment Research Thanks for taking the question. I was just wondering if you talk a little bit more about the operating leverage in the business. And so if I look on a year-over-year basis, then you look at the decline in revenue relative to the change in EBITDA, they almost match each other. And I was wondering if that's coming from just the mix shift in services from legacy to some of the newer product? Is it investment in marketing? If you could just talk a little bit more about -- on a year-over-year basis, which takes care the seasonality question, how that works and how you are looking at that. Thanks. Yes Mike, this is John Jureller. So I think you’re right in sort of looking numerically at this. But what we do is we have also some embedded cost increases that we have to work through. So for example compensation and benefit cost also continue to increase. So we take on other elements like on a network maintenance cost keep on coming down, our transport come keep on coming down, we continue to manage things around real estate, around procurement and then we have some pressures that go the other way, alright. So, it’s not a one for one [purely] from a contribution margin perspective, but we have to maintain our expense discipline on the face of the revenue, the secular revenue declines that we still have. Yes and Mike one of the other things that I would add to that is I think as you have seen over these last six to eight quarters we have been very focused on getting revenue stabilized and as we mentioned in this quarter we actually had growth in residential revenue. And the big thing is its continuing to look at broadband growth to offset the declines that we continue to see in voice, so not only do we stabilize revenue but we start to get to that inflection point of revenue starting to even grow. And that starts to change that mix. The other thing is we’re really pressing the business as we’ve turned on more capacity in the networks both from an access and speed perspective. We are driving more broadband penetration to get that penetration rate up and then we’re also selling and up selling those customers overtime to more services to drive more revenues. So we are doing some more aggressive investment on the marketing side, but as John said we are trying to take the cost down in other areas where we are increasing cost in the business. So we feel good that we are on the right trajectory and that we’re going to start to make those changes in terms of that equilibrium between revenue and EBITDA but as we’ve said it’s going to be another couple of quarters. Michael Rollins – Citi Investment Research Thanks for taking the question. Well, thank you all for joining us today for the Q2, 2014 earnings call. I do want to do a quick thank you to the entire Frontier employee base for their dedication and hardwork each and every day to grow our business and to take care of our customers. We remain confident in our ability to deliver strong results for the remainder of 2014. And we look forward to updating you on Q3 results in early November. So have a good evening everybody. And that does conclude today's call. Thank you all for your participation. Copyright policy: All transcripts on this site are the copyright of Seeking Alpha. However, we view them as an important resource for bloggers and journalists, and are excited to contribute to the democratization of financial information on the Internet. (Until now investors have had to pay thousands of dollars in subscription fees for transcripts.) So our reproduction policy is as follows: You may quote up to 400 words of any transcript on the condition that you attribute the transcript to Seeking Alpha and either link to the original transcript or to www.SeekingAlpha.com. All other use is prohibited. 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There exists great scope for cooperation among the biodiversity-related conventions, both in the areas of policy coherence and implementation. At its fifth meeting in 2006 (see BLG-5 report) for example, the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions decided to develop an interactive CD-ROM on the application of the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (decision VII/12), within the biodiversity-related conventions. The preparation of this CD-ROM was completed in November 2008 and the Biodiversity Liaison Group is pleased to announce the launch of the first edition (see notification 2008-153). Additional examples of existing cooperative activities are given below, with options for further enhancing cooperation presented here. These examples are indicative only, provided to give a sense of current forms of cooperation among the biodiversity-related conventions. Migratory Species (CBD – CMS; CMS - Ramsar) By decision VI/20, the CBD recognized CMS as the lead partner for migratory species, and endorsed the joint work programme between the two conventions. Joint activities on migratory species undertaken to date include: - The compilation of case-studies on migratory species and their habitats (as relevant to the thematic areas and cross-cutting issues under the CBD) for dissemination through the clearing-house mechanism. - A joint synergy project is currently under development to provide guidance on how migratory species are (or can be) integrated into the framework of the national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and ongoing and future programmes of work, under the CBD. Under the joint work plan between Ramsar and CMS results to date include co-ordinated work between Ramsar and the CMS African-Eurasian Waterbird Exploitation of wild plants and animals (CBD – CITES) CBD decision VI/9 identifies CITES as an important instrument for the implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, especially in regards to target 11 (“No species of wild flora endangered by international trade”. CITES and the CBD also share an interest in bushmeat issues—the exploitation of terrestrial wildlife for food. CITES invited the CBD to participate in the CITES Bushmeat Working Group, and participated in the CBD liaison group on non-timber forest products, contributing particular expertise on bushmeat. Protected Areas (CBD – WHC – Ramsar – CMS) The CBD is developing joint activities with WHC and Ramsar within the context of the programme of work on protected areas, with representatives from the WHC and Ramsar secretariats participating in CBD meetings on protected areas. The CBD has also requested CMS to review the potential for linking protected area networks across international boundaries. In addition, the Ramsar Secretariat and World Heritage Centre cooperate closely, undertaking joint expert advisory missions to threatened sites that are both World Heritage and Ramsar sites. Water, Water Resources and Wetlands (CBD – Ramsar) The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has been recognised by the CBD Conference of the Parties as a lead implementation partner for wetlands. Cooperation with Ramsar, as outlined in the third joint work plan (2002-2006) between the CBD and the Ramsar Convention, cuts across each of the CBD’s ecosystem themes and cross-cutting issues. Significant progress has been made regarding the implementation of joint CBD-Ramsar activities. For example: Indicators for the 2010 target (CBD – Ramsar) - At its ninth meeting, the Ramsar Conference of the Parties will consider a jointly revised set of criteria for achieving a more comprehensive coverage of components of biological diversity through the designation of Ramsar sites, together with guidelines on how the criteria should be applied and interpreted. - The River established to implement CBD decisions relating to the management of inland waters, water resources and wetlands, is expected to become fully operational in the near future, complete with a website for information exchange on key issues. Through participation in expert group meetings, members of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) and Ramsar Secretariat have contributed to the development of CBD indicators for assessing achievement of the 2010 the development of the targets for the inland waters and coastal and marine programmes of work, and to the joint development of guidelines for the rapid assessment of inland water biological diversity, presented to CBD SBSTTA-8 and being considered for adoption by Ramsar COP9. Sustainable use (all biodiversity-related conventions) Through CBD decision VII/12 the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity were adopted. Sustainable use or wise use is relevant to all biodiversity-related conventions. The CITES Secretariat therefore prepared a compilation of the application of the Addis Ababa principles and guidelines by all six convention. The CD content is (available here for download) or to request a copy of the CD, please write to email@example.com Preparation of Global Biodiversity Outlook and International Year of Biodiversity (all biodiversity-related conventions) The third edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3) which is due for publication in 2010 will provide an analysis of the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target. It is being prepared by the CBD Secretariat in collaboration with the other biodiversity-related conventions. In 2010 various events will be used to launch GBO-3 related products. Preconditions for harmonization of national reporting to biodiversity-related agreements The UNEP project on Knowledge Management among MEAs, led by UNEP-WCMC in partnership with the Biodiversity-related Conventions, called for a paper on pre-conditions for harmonization of national reporting can help countries understand the rationale for and challenges to harmonization of national reporting, to be prepared by UNEP-WCMC for distribution by the convention secretariats. The report is (accessible here).

I have always liked the loose-leaf format. It is easier to read and highlight, stays open when used as a reference, and occasionally I've asked student to bring just one chapter to class with them. The images are outstanding-fresh, in color, and stylish. It is hard to make textiles sexy, but the front matter to each chapter reminds us that textiles are the basis of fashion. -- Sandra Lee Evenson, University of Idaho, USA The text has clear terms, in-depth information, supporting pictures and easy read. -- Usha Chowdhary, Central Michigan University, USA Each chapter has good topic. All the chapters make a complete introduction to textiles. Good figures and illustrations are used. The binder format is excellent! -- Vivian Li, Colorado State University, USA The strengths of the text are that it covers everything in relation to the study of textiles... The table of contents is very well presented and it provides ease of navigation in the loose-leaf style textbook. I find a seamless synergy between booth the text and kit. Students have easy accessibility while reading about the topics and making the connections to the actual fabrics. The synergy reinforces their learning of the content. -- Nancy Miller, LIM College, USA A very good overview, and introduction to the textile industry; from fibre/yarn to product and other supply chain information. -- Lindsey Waterton-Taylor, University of Manchester, UKVom Verlag: With an easy-to-use loose-leaf / binder format and vibrant, color photographs, Fabric Science shows the creative application of textiles in fashion and interior design. The companion Fabric Science Swatch Kit, 11th Edition (9781628926576), which includes 114 fabric swatches aligned with this text, gives students hands-on experience with textile fibers, yarns, fabrications, dyes, prints, and finishes--providing a complete package for understanding textiles. The eleventh edition to meet the needs of both students and professionals in the textile, fashion, and related industries seeking an introduction to textiles. Johnson and Sarkar provide readers with a comprehensive text about the design, structure, and application of textiles with an emphasis on fashion and home goods. The range of information is exceptionally broad, and includes basic fiber makeup, fiber innovation, the formation of fabrics, quality issues, and laws that regulate textiles; updated topics include environmental responsibility, nanotechnology and innovations in industrial textiles and career opportunities in design, production, marketing, merchandising, apparel and home products. Key Features ~New Business of Textiles features focus on textile applications within the industry, ranging from Novelty Yarns in Chanel Suits; Wearable Apparel Technology; to Green Dry Cleaning. ~20% new photographs and more than 250 color photos and illustrations througout the text ~Chapter objectives, key terms, study questions and assignments reinforce concepts and application ~Swatch Key at the start of each chapter identifies examples in the companion Fabric Science Swatch Kit, 11th Edition (9781628926576) to understand chapter content and complete chapter assignments Instructor's Guide, Test Bank and PowerPoint presentation available. „Über diesen Titel“ kann sich auf eine andere Ausgabe dieses Titels beziehen.

America's Cup Winner Leads at Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai [Source: Louis Vuitton Trophy] James Spithill, winner of the 33rd America's Cup and defender of the 34th America's Cup, topped the standings on the opening day of racing in the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai. The young Australian skipper steered BMW Oracle Racing to a 2-0 record over the French/German boat All4One while the other four boats in the contest posted 1-1 records. Racing was close and eventful on the short windward-leeward courses tucked into gulf waters between Dubai Creek and the palm-tree shaped man-made islands of The Palm Jumeirah. There were two collisions, one serious, when Dean Barker’s Emirates Team New Zealand speared its spinnaker pole through the side of Mascalzone Latino Audi steered by Gavin Brady. No one was hurt but Brady was penalized twice in the incident and race officials asked Brady to withdraw to avoid further damage to the Kiwi boat. Emirates Team NZ smash into Mascalzone Latino. Dubai, 14 November 2010. Photo copyright Chris Cameron / Emirates Team NZ Cameron Dunn from Mascalzone said his team was head to wind when the New Zealand boat tried to turn inside them and their spinnaker pole sliced into the brittle carbonfiber topsides of the Italian boat. “It went straight through the carbonfiber,” Dunn said. “It’s not a very thick skin at that point. It’s not designed to take impacts on the side. We’re lucky it wasn’t much worse. It could have been considerably worse. I’m surprised the bow didn’t hit. Luckily it was just the spinnaker pole. No one was hurt. It was pretty exciting for the 18th man in the back, and the television cameraman.” Ray Davies, tactician on ETNZ said: “It was pretty dramatic. Obviously not what anyone wants. A lot of damage, a broken spinnaker pole and a big hole in a boat. It’s not a good way to start but the guys are working on repairs and it should be OK for tomorrow.” Following a jury hearing into the collision, Mascalzone Latino Audi was docked one point while ETNZ lost half a point. Before racing started, race officials had warned sailors about actions that might render boats incapable of racing. In the other incident, young French helmsman Sebastien Col flicked the bow of his French/German boat All4One into the safety wands on the stern of BMW Oracle Racing. The contact earned him a penalty flag and he lost the race. Dubai skies were clear, hot and sunny skies as racing got under way after a short delay. The sea breeze came in at 6-8 knots and built to 14 to 15 knots as the afternoon wore on. Boats raced twice around a windward-leeward course with a mid course start finish line that also served as a gate for all legs. Flight One, Race One, Mascalzone Latino Audi def Emirates Team New Zealand, 00:27 – At the start ETNZ split away on port tack while Mascalzone bore off on starboard with an early lead. Gavin Brady, skippering the Italian boat seized the early advantage and controlled the race, leading at every mark and fending off the New Zealanders as they threatened to overtake at the leeward mark. Flight One, Race Two, Artemis Racing def Synergy Russian Sailing Team, 00:30 – It was all over before the start gun as Cameron Appleton on Artemis threatened to push Synergy above the committee boat as they approached on starboard tack. Francesco Bruni elected to squeeze into the narrowing gap between his opponent and the committee to. Seconds later the umpires signaled a red flag penalty requiring an immediate penalty turn. The Swedish boat led comfortably and finished 122 metres ahead. Artemis has a mixed start in the LV Trophy. Dubai, 14 November 2010. Photo copyright Sander van der Borch / Artemis Racing Flight Two, Race One, Emirates Team New Zealand def Mascalzone Latino Audi, ret – This race ended with a bang. Dean Barker carried Gavin Brady far above the wrong side of the weather mark before the boats collided after rounding. The Kiwi spinnaker pole speared through the side of the Italian boat leaving Brady with two penalties for the mark rounding scuffle. Minutes later Mascalzone Latino was asked to withdraw to avoid further damage. Barker sailed on to take the point. Flight Two Race Two, Synergy Russian Sailing Team def Artemis Racing, 00:31 – Both boats wanted the right at the start but it was Artemis who controlled and split off on port to claim the right hand advantage. Half-way up the first leg, the Russian boat clawed back to take a narrow 11 second lead at the top mark before extending and protecting their lead for the rest of the race. Flight Three, Race One, BMW Oracle Racing def All4One, 00:17 - James Spithill landed a penalty on the French/German boat and led it off the line with a 60-metre advantage after a spirited pre-start exchange. All4One helmsman Sebastien Col had attempted to duck below his opponent and hook him as they approached the line but as his bow pinged the safety wands on the American boat’s stern, the umpires’ flag went up. Col kept it close but the race belonged to Spithill. Flight Four, Race One, BMW Oracle Racing def All4One, 00:24 - The Americans wanted the right and controlled the start but Sebastien Col started perfectly to leeward and the margin was seldom more than a metre either way as they sailed for three and a half minutes out to the layline. BMW Oracle rounded eight seconds ahead, gradually extended on the following legs and finished 85 metres ahead. 1. BMW ORACLE Racing, 2-0, 2 pts =2. Artemis Racing, 1-1, 1 pt =2. Synergy Russian Sailing Team, 1-1, 1 pt 4. Emirates Team New Zealand, 1-1, 0.5 pts * 5. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, 1-1, 0 pts * 6. All4One, 0-2, 0 pts

Livestock farming is a complex and demanding business and now is further complicated by consumers expecting greater care for the welfare of livestock and the environment. Meeting the expectations of customers while at the same time trying to make a living on a family farm is becoming far more difficult. Gone is the time when farmers, wherever they are, could rely on the image of idyllic rural scenes as a way of fulfilling the 'promise' of clean, green and ethically produced product. Australia, for many, still conjures up the image of a wide brown land with stockman droving contented sheep to shady riverbanks. However, this is changing as consumers become aware of current sheep management practices such as mulesing, which is portrayed as a barbaric act by animal welfare lobby groups. Since the early 1850's Australia has produced high quality apparel wool from Merino sheep, but early in the 20th century problems with sheep dying from 'flystrike' (infestations of maggots from the Australian sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina), reached epidemic proportions, which threatened the industry with collapse. A history of selecting sheep with heavy fleeces and many skin wrinkles to produce more wool made them easy targets for the blowfly. This is because with extra wool around the tail area, then soiled with faecal material, the chances of infestation increase substantially. Sheep in Australia are run in big flocks on large properties (500 - 100,000ha) at low stocking rates (1-10 ewes/ha) and are usually managed by a single family. This means that it is very difficult to monitor sheep individually, on a daily basis, and also means that any control technique requires minimal intervention, and cannot be recurrent. To deal with these problems, research and development organisations began investigating methods of control and by the early 1950s, a surgical procedure called 'mulesing was developed. Mulesing involves stripping the skin away from the area around the anus and tail at three Chapman, H M; Copland, R S; Swan, R A; Robertson, I D A postal survey was conducted of 80 sheep farmers in the Kojonup and Esperance districts of Western Australia to establish what they wanted from a veterinary service. Twenty five of the farmers surveyed used a sheep consultant, 25 did not, and 30 were interested in employing one. Farmers were asked questions about themselves and their attitudes to private veterinarians who provide specialist services to sheep farmers. Data reported here showed that farmers wanted a veterinarian who lived in the district, was well trained in sheep management and production, was enthusiastic and had good communication skills. The service provided should be whole-farm and available to members of the consultant's group only. Regular newsletters and field days were necessary, but the provision of contract services, such as mulesing, lamb-marking, drenching, pregnancy testing and sheep classing, and 'fire-brigade' services for sick animals, were not rated as important. Most farmers were unwilling or unable to give a dollar value for the likely benefits of a consultancy service. Non-financial benefits included keeping farmers up to date with new technical developments and information. The survey also showed that a veterinarian specialising in services to sheep farmers could be confident of employment. PMID:1888311 Silvester, Luke T.; Vere, David T. The Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre (Sheep CRC) commenced operations in February 2002 and will receive federal funding of $19.8 million over its seven-year grant period. As well, the sheep industry is expected to invest over $10 million in Sheep CRC activities over this period, while core and supporting parties will make in-kind contributions totalling about $60 million. The main objective of the Sheep CRC is to develop new technologies that will increase the productivit... Garforth, C J; Bailey, A P; Tranter, R B The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) identified practices to reduce the risk of animal disease outbreaks. We report on the response of sheep and pig farmers in England to promotion of these practices. A conceptual framework was established from research on factors influencing adoption of animal health practices, linking knowledge, attitudes, social influences and perceived constraints to the implementation of specific practices. Qualitative data were collected from nine sheep and six pig enterprises in 2011. Thematic analysis explored attitudes and responses to the proposed practices, and factors influencing the likelihood of implementation. Most feel they are doing all they can reasonably do to minimise disease risk and that practices not being implemented are either not relevant or ineffective. There is little awareness and concern about risk from unseen threats. Pig farmers place more emphasis than sheep farmers on controlling wildlife, staff and visitor management and staff training. The main factors that influence livestock farmers' decision on whether or not to implement a specific disease risk measure are: attitudes to, and perceptions of, disease risk; attitudes towards the specific measure and its efficacy; characteristics of the enterprise which they perceive as making a measure impractical; previous experience of a disease or of the measure; and the credibility of information and advice. Great importance is placed on access to authoritative information with most seeing vets as the prime source to interpret generic advice from national bodies in the local context. Uptake of disease risk measures could be increased by: improved risk communication through the farming press and vets to encourage farmers to recognise hidden threats; dissemination of credible early warning information to sharpen farmers' assessment of risk; and targeted information through training events, farming press, vets and other advisers, and farmer groups Full Text Available This study explored and described the farmers' attitudes towards sheep farming in three districts of Tamil Nadu state in India, namely, Coimbatore, Dindigul and Tiruchirappalli. It examined the farmers' personal characteristics, determined their overall attitude towards sheep farming and how this attitude varied based on their personal characteristics. One hundred and fifty farmers formed the sample. The study revealed that majority of the farmers were middle aged, illiterate, had 5- 15 years of experience in sheep farming and had a sheep flock size of 50 – 100. A majority of the respondents were found to have a favourable attitude towards sheep farming. Education was found to have a negative and significant association with attitude. In comparison, the farmers of Tiruchirappalli district were found to have a less favourable attitude towards sheep farming. Introducing basic scientific concepts in sheep farming is advised to enhance productivity in the state of Tamil Nadu. Full Text Available Abstract Background Scrapie is a chronic neurodegenerative disease affecting small ruminants and belongs to the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Scrapie is considered a serious animal disease and it has been notifiable in Norway since 1965. The clinical signs of scrapie might be vague and the farmers, if familiar with the signs of scrapie, are often in the best position for detecting scrapie suspects. In 2002, an anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted in order to assess Norwegian sheep farmers' vigilance of scrapie. Results Although the potential detection of a scrapie-positive animal would lead to the destruction of the sheep flock concerned, almost all the farmers (97 % expressed their willingness to report scrapie suspects. This was most certainly dependent on the Government taking the economic responsibility for the control programme as nearly all the farmers responded that this was an important condition. Listeriosis is relatively common disease in Norwegian sheep and a differential diagnosis for scrapie. In a multinomial logistic regression the reporting behaviour for non-recovering listeriosis cases, used as a measurement of willingness to report scrapie, was examined. The reporting of non-recovering listeriosis cases increased as the knowledge of scrapie-associated signs increased, and the reporting behaviour was dependent on both economic and non-economic values. Conclusion The results indicate that in 2002 almost all sheep farmers showed willingness to report any scrapie suspects. Nevertheless there is an underreporting of scrapie suspects and the farmers' awareness and hence their vigilance of scrapie could be improved. Furthermore, the results suggest that to ensure the farmers' compliance to control programmes for serious infectious diseases, the farmers' concerns of non-economic as well as economic values should be considered. Mandleni, B.; Anim, F.D.K. The main objective of this study was to investigate the factors that affected the decision of small-scale farmers who kept cattle and sheep on whether to adapt or not to climate changes. The Binary Logistic Regression model was used to investigate farmers’ decision. The results implied that a large number of socio-economic variables affected the decision of farmers on adaptation to climate changes. The study concluded that the most significant factors affecting climate change and adaptation w... A low-power portable device is being used successfully in North Wales to provide precise position-logging of sheep grazing on upland hill pastures following irradiation by fallout from the Chernobyl reactor. This follows the discovery that radiation levels appear to vary significantly among sheep from the same flock, suggesting hot-spots of radiation. The design and execution of the system is described. (UK) Bellos, Georgios; Mikropoulos, Tassos A.; Deligeorgis, Stylianos; Kominakis, Antonis Purpose: The objective of the present study was to compare the learning efficiency of two information and communications technology (ICT)-based instructional strategies (multimedia presentation (MP) and concept mapping) in a sample (n = 187) of Greek sheep farmers operating mainly in Western Greece. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 15… Mounter, Stuart W. Knowledge about the size and distribution of returns from alternative broad types of R&D and promotion investments permit strategic-level decisions about resource allocation, both within and across research programs. The Australian sheep meat and wool industries are characterised by strong cross-commodity relationships due to the joint product nature of the industries. An equilibrium displacement model of the Australian sheep meat and wool industries was developed to account for these relatio... Kaler, Jasmeet; Green, L E A 2009 UK Government report on veterinary expertise in food animal production highlighted that there was insufficient herd health expertise among veterinarians and lack of appropriate business models to deliver veterinary services to the livestock sector. Approximately two thirds of sheep farmers only contact their veterinarian for emergencies and one fifth have all year round contact. The aim of the current study was to understand sheep farmers' perception, the current and future role of veterinarians in flock health management using qualitative methodology. The eligibility criteria were male farmers with a flock size of at least 200 adult sheep. Seven focus groups of farmers (n=45) stratified by three regions and two age groups (≤50 and >50) were conducted. Thematic analysis of the discussions indicated that most farmers considered and used their veterinarian as a fire-fighter, whilst other advice was gathered free of charge when the veterinarian was on the farm for other reasons (typically seeing cattle) or by telephone. A small group of farmers were using their veterinarian or a sheep consultant proactively with regular contact and found this financially beneficial. Farmers indicated that the key barriers to using a veterinarian proactively were inconsistent service, high turnover of veterinarians, lack of expertise of sheep farming among veterinarians and concern about independence of advice. Although economics was also mentioned as a key barrier to using veterinarians more proactively, most farmers did not know where they gained and lost income from their flock; there was heavy reliance on the single farm payment scheme (SPS) and very few farmers kept records from which they could investigate where there were inefficiencies in production. Overall sheep farmers considered sheep farming complex and that each farm was unique and that they themselves were the experts to manage their flock. We conclude that there is an impasse: veterinarians might need to Garforth, Chris J; Bailey, Alison P.; Tranter, Richard B. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) identified practices to reduce the risk of animal disease outbreaks. We report on the response of sheep and pig farmers in England to promotion of these practices. A conceptual framework was established from research on factors influencing adoption of animal health practices, linking knowledge, attitudes, social influences and perceived constraints to the implementation of specific practices. Qualitative data were collected fro... McCoombe Scott; Chandrasekara Ananda; Brumby Susan; Torres Susan; Kremer Peter; Lewandowski Paul Abstract Background Studies have confirmed that the rate of mental illness is no higher in rural Australians than that of urban Australians. However, the rate of poor mental health outcomes, and in particular suicide, is significantly raised in rural populations. This is thought to be due to lack of early diagnosis, health service access, the distance-decay effect, poor physical health determinants and access to firearms. Research conducted by the National Centre for Farmer Health between 200... The Climate Institute analysis suggests ratifying the Kyoto Protocol and implementing a national emissions trading scheme today could provide Australian farmers with an income of $1.8 billion over the period 2008-2012, due to the emissions saved by limiting land clearing. Separately, a report to the National Farmers Federation by the Allen Consulting Group earlier this year concluded that a carbon emission trading system which recognised Kyoto Protocol rules could create an additional income stream of $0.7-0.9 billion over a five year period from revenue to farmers from forestry sinks. These two studies suggest that ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and the introduction of a national emissions trading scheme could provide farmers an income stream in the order of $2.5 billion. A central tenet of the Federal Government's greenhouse policy for over a decade has been to not ratify Kyoto, but to meet its Kyoto target - a national emissions increase of 8% from 1990 levels, in the period 2008-2012. Australia's National Greenhouse Gas Accounts show that farmers, by reducing land clearing rates since 1990, have offset substantial increases in greenhouse gas emissions from other sectors, mainly energy. Official Federal Government projections show that without land clearing reductions, Australia's greenhouse emissions would be 30% above 1990 levels by 2010. Australia's farmers have been responsible for virtually the entire share of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions reductions, but their efforts, worth around $2 billion, have not been recognised or financially rewarded by the Government. By reducing land clearing, farmers have already reduced greenhouse gas emissions by about 75 million tonnes since 1990. By 2010, the savings are projected to be about 83 million tonnes. This level of emissions reductions is equivalent to eliminating the total annual emissions of New Zealand or Ireland. Over that same period, emissions from energy and transport have and continue to sky Wassink, G J; George, T R N; Kaler, J; Green, L E The aims of this research were to identify management practices that sheep farmers currently use to treat and prevent footrot in sheep and whether they consider that these are successful management tools and to find out how sheep farmers would ideally like to manage footrot in their flock. Over 90% of lameness in sheep in the UK is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus, which presents clinically as interdigital dermatitis (ID) alone or with separation of hoof horn (FR). A questionnaire was sent to 265 farmers to investigate their current management and their satisfaction with current management of the spectrum of clinical presentations of footrot. Farmers were also asked their ideal management of footrot and their interest in, and sources of information for, change. Approximately 160 farmers responded. Farmers satisfied with current management reported a prevalence of lameness 5%. These farmers practised routine foot trimming, footbathing and vaccination against footrot. Whilst 89% of farmers said they were satisfied with their management of FR over 34% were interested in changing management. Farmers identified veterinarians as the most influential source for new information. Farmers reported that ideally they would control FR by culling/isolating lame sheep, sourcing replacements from non-lame parents, trimming feet less, using antibacterial treatments less and using vaccination more. Footbathing was a commonly used management that was linked with dissatisfaction and that also was listed highly as an ideal management. Consequently, some of the ideal managements are in agreement with our understanding of disease control (culling and isolation, sourcing healthy replacements) but others are in contrast with our current knowledge of management and farmers self-reporting of satisfaction of management of footrot (less use of antibacterial treatment, more footbathing and vaccination). One explanation for this is the theory of cognitive dissonance where belief follows behaviour Yan, Ying; Scott, Maxwell J Genetic approaches, including the sterile insect technique (SIT), have previously been considered for control of the Australian sheep blow fly Lucilia cuprina, a major pest of sheep. In an SIT program, females consume 50% of the diet but are ineffective as control agents and compete with females in the field for mating with sterile males, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the program. Consequently, transgenic sexing strains of L. cuprina were developed that produce 100% males when raised on diet that lacks tetracycline. However, as females die mostly at the pupal stage, rearing costs would not be significantly reduced. Here we report the development of transgenic embryonic sexing strains of L. cuprina. In these strains, the Lsbnk cellularization gene promoter drives high levels of expression of the tetracycline transactivator (tTA) in the early embryo. In the absence of tetracycline, tTA activates expression of the Lshid proapoptotic gene, leading to death of the embryo. Sex-specific RNA splicing of Lshid transcripts ensures that only female embryos die. Embryonic sexing strains were also made by combining the Lsbnk-tTA and tetO-Lshid components into a single gene construct, which will facilitate transfer of the technology to other major calliphorid livestock pests. PMID:26537204 Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies have confirmed that the rate of mental illness is no higher in rural Australians than that of urban Australians. However, the rate of poor mental health outcomes, and in particular suicide, is significantly raised in rural populations. This is thought to be due to lack of early diagnosis, health service access, the distance-decay effect, poor physical health determinants and access to firearms. Research conducted by the National Centre for Farmer Health between 2004 and 2009 reveals that there is a correlation between obesity and psychological distress among the farming community where suicide rates are recognised as high. Chronic stress overstimulates the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis that is associated with abdominal obesity. Increasing physical activity may block negative thoughts, increase social contact, positively influence brain chemistry and improve both physical and mental health. This paper describes the design of the Farming Fit study that aims to identify the effect of physical activity on psychological distress, obesity and health behaviours such as diet patterns and smoking in farm men and women. Methods/Design For this quasi-experimental (convenience sample control-intervention study, overweight (Body Mass Index ≥25 kg/m2 farm men and women will be recruited from Sustainable Farm Families™ (SFF programs held across Victoria, Australia. Baseline demographic data, health data, depression anxiety stress scale (DASS scores, dietary information, physical activity data, anthropometric data, blood pressure and biochemical analysis of plasma and salivary cortisol levels will be collected. The intervention group will receive an exercise program and regular phone coaching in order to increase their physical activity. Analysis will evaluate the impact of the intervention by longitudinal data (baseline and post intervention comparison of intervention and control groups. Discussion Full Text Available The objective of the study is to determine that sheep farming in the villages to increase farmers welfare could be developed taken into consideration of farmers perception and attitude which were included in the planning of development programme. In order to achieve the objective more effectively, the institutional system of sheep farming needs to be transformed into a corporate institution. Field study was conducted during the period of 1994-1997 in two villages of Jambu sub district, District of Semarang. Two approaches were used simultaneously, i.e. ideografis and nomotetis to analyze the data and information. Result s showed that, first, sheep farming in the villages still had big development opportunity .second, the threat of stagnation in the sheep farming may occur due to high dependency on family labor and lack of capital. Third, due to top down policy and lack of vision on the agrobusiness activities, the development of sheep farming could be hampered. Fourth, transforming into a corporate institution may increase economic profitability of sheep farming as well as performance of the farms. Fifth, in order to realize the development of corporate business systems, need to establish a pilot project. To implement the concept, support from banking institution especially for discount rate was necessary, along with the involvement of ATAI (Agricultural Technology Assessment Institutes, local livestock services, credit system and local government leader that has people oriented vision. Arnautovska, Urska; McPhedran, S; Kelly, B; Reddy, P; De Leo, D Research on farmer suicide is limited in explaining the variations in farmers' demographic characteristics. This study examines farmer suicides in two Australian states: Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW). Standardized suicide rates over 2000-2009 showed a 2 times higher prevalence of suicide in QLD than NSW (147 vs. 92 cases, respectively). Differences in age and suicide method were observed between states, although they do not appear to account for the sizeable intra- and interstate variations. Suicide prevention initiatives for farmers should account for different age groups and also specific place-based risk factors that may vary between and within jurisdictions. PMID:26890223 Rubzen, Brian Bien; Rola-Rubzen, Maria Fay Precision farming has the potential to increase farm productivity, lower input costs and increase expected returns. Despite these potential benefits, the adoption of precision farming technology in Australia has been relatively slow. One of the reasons for this is the lack of information regarding the technology. This study investigated the information needs of farmers in relation to precision farming. The study was conducted in Western Australia and involved interviews with 400 farmers. The ... Lisa Lobry de Bruyn Full Text Available Soil health is an essential requirement of a sustainable, functioning agroecosystem. Tracking soil health to determine sustainability at the local level largely falls to farmers, even though they often lack access to critical information. We examine farmers’ participation in gathering soil information at the farm and paddock scale over the last two decades in Australia and the United States, by reviewing national-level reporting of farmer use of soil testing and farm planning as well as qualitative research on farmer perspectives. The level of participation in soil testing and farm planning has remained stable in the last two decades, with only 25% and 30% of landholders, respectively, participating nationally, in either country. The review revealed national-level reporting has a number of limitations in understanding farmers’ use of soil information and, in particular, fails to indicate the frequency and intensity of soil testing as well as farmer motivation to test soil or what they did with the soil information. The main use of soil testing is often stated as “determining fertilizer requirements”, yet data show soil testing is used less commonly than is customary practice. In Australia and in the United States, customary practice is three and half times more likely for decisions on fertilizer application levels. The rhetoric is heavy on the use of soil testing as a decision tool, and that it guides best practices. However, given that only a quarter of farmers are soil testing, and doing so infrequently and in low densities, the level of information on soil health is poor. While farmers report consistent monitoring of soil conditions, few have consistent records of such. In contrast to the information on the poor state of soil health, there is strong farmer interest in procuring soil health benefits through changes in farm practices such as conservation tillage or cover crops, even if they are unable to demonstrate these soil health Thompson, Lyndal-Joy; Reeve, Ian This paper reports on research into the learning aspects of adopting integrated parasite management practices for sheep (IPM-s) applying a workplace learning framework. An analysis of four primary data sources was conducted; a postal survey of Australian wool producers, a Delphi process with IPM-s researchers, focus groups and interviews with wool… Bennett, J. McL.; Cattle, S. R. Purpose: There is inconsistency in the design, understanding, implementation and monitoring of soil health programmes. Despite mounting scientific evidence for the credibility of certain soil health indicators, an increase in the reporting of programme benefits, and progress in communicating these benefits, many farmers remain hesitant to… Bennett, J. McL.; Cattle, S. R. Purpose: Many farmers remain hesitant to implement structured management plans and strategies tailored to address soil health, irrespective of mounting scientific evidence for the credibility of certain soil health indicators, an increase in the reporting of program benefits and progress in communicating these benefits. Hence, the purpose of this… Highlights: ► Effectiveness and practicality of greenhouse gas mitigation measures are assessed. ► Best–Worst Scaling surveys are used to elicit expert and sheep farmer opinion. ► Effective and practical measures are priority candidates for policy inclusion. ► Support mechanisms may be needed to deliver effective, low practicality measures. ► Variation in farmers’ perceptions of practicality holds implications for policy delivery. -- Abstract: Policy decision making for agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation is hindered by scientific uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of mitigation measures. Successful on-farm adoption of measures is contingent upon farmer perception of the relative practicality of implementing the measure and associated incentives and advice. In the absence of a comprehensive evidence base we utilised Best–Worst Scaling, a discrete choice survey method, to elicit expert and farmer opinion on the relative effectiveness and practicality of mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sheep production systems. The method enabled individual mitigation measures to be ranked on a ratio scale of effectiveness (expert opinion) and practicality (farmer opinion). Six measures were identified as possessing the combined qualities of effectiveness and practicality and are considered priority candidates for policy promotion. The overall preferred measure was the use of legumes in pasture reseed mixes. Estimation and analysis of the distribution of individual respondent scores revealed heterogeneity in farmers’ perceptions of practicality, suggesting that flexible policies are required to enable farmers to select mitigation measures most suited to their farm type and locality. Practical measures with below average effectiveness may be widely adopted with limited regulation, incentivisation or advice, whilst some highly effective measures with lower practicality are likely to present greater obstacles to adoption Cabaret, J; Benoit, M; Laignel, G; Nicourt, C Sheep meat production in France is characterized by large flocks and a limited supply of labour. Digestive-tract strongyles are considered as one of the main health problems and control relies mostly on the use of anthelminthics, although resistance to at least the benzimidazoles is increasing. We conducted interviews on nine conventional and seven organic farms regarding whether an anthelmintic targeted selective treatment program could fit within the operations of the farms. In addition, necropsies of lambs were performed on three organic farms, and faecal egg counts and small lungworm counts were performed on all farms in autumn in ewes. Each interview consisted of an open discussion on sheep health and was terminated with comments on digestive-tract helminth infection as detected in parallel with the interview. Factors likely to affect the adoption of the targeted selective treatment approach were subjected to cluster analysis. Conventional farms were mostly advised by veterinarians and relied on systematic planning of anthelmintic treatments. The frequency of treatments was up to once a month for lambs and two to three times a year for ewes. The concept of selecting animals to be treated according to a scheme of targeted selective treatments based on phenotypic markers (e.g., anaemia, diarrhoea, weight gains) was not seen as feasible by these farmers. Conversely, organic farmers, with greater use of advisors and a restricted range of anthelmintic treatments were more susceptible to integrating phenotypic markers into their practices for controlling digestive-tract strongyles. PMID:19414221 , plantations, even land around the forest. Diversification of cattle and crops in Indonesia varied, sheep population in 2013 is about 12.7 million head and cassava production in 2013 about 21 million tons. Considering the role of farmers to economic growth, it is necessary to increase productivity to be more productive and efficient. The purpose of writing was to determine the increase of cattle sheep through crop diversification in the economic analysis of income by business diversification can reduce risk and still provide the potential rate of profit to farmer. Diversification of livestock and tatanam can be concluded that cattle scale of 5 rams can be achieved on the sales value of about 4.17sheeps, and production BEP selling price around Rp.1.043.625/tail, net gain of about Rp.1.121.875/period by value of B/C approximately 1.19, butter and arsin variety of cassava with an area of about 2 hectares has profit of cassava on varieties of butter around Rp.8.414.085/ha/year, profit of cassava varieties on Arsin around Rp.6.921.705/ha/year, the value of B/C ratio was 2.7 and 2.6 are not significantly different from the results obtained by the farmers.Diversification become more important for farmers due to income source as economic trigger at rura. Basec on cost and investment calculation, cattle sheep and cassava as main product is technically feasible, economically and financially was good, means that the business had conducted feasible diversification to be continued. D'Haese, Marijke F.C.; Verbeke, Wim; Huylenbroeck, Guido Van; Kirsten, Johann F.; D'Haese, Luc Commercial producers, brokers, exporters and spinners dominate the wool supply chain in South Africa. Until recently smallholder farmers in the Transkei region had limited access to a profitable market outlet for their wool. In response, the South African wool industry has taken the initiative to help local farmers by building shearing sheds, under which the local association can bulk the wool and trade directly with the brokers. More direct access to the wool brokers is a prerequisite for th... Full text: The Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, is a major agricultural pest in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, a number of field trails were conducted with a 'field female killing' strain of L. cuprina developed by Foster and colleagues. In the last field trial on Flinders Island, a significant repression of the field population was achieved. Thus there is a long history of attempts to use genetic strategies to control L. cuprina. We have been working towards developing a transgenic strain of L. cuprina that would be ideal for a maleonly SIT (Sterile Insect Technique) programme. We previously developed a tetracycline-repressible system for controlling female viability. This system had two components, yp1-tTA and tetO-hid. The tTA gene was only transcribed in female fat cells due to action of the female-specific transcription enhancer from the yolk protein1 gene. Once synthesis was induced, the tTA transcription factor bound to the tetO sequence and induced expression of the hidcell death gene. Since binding of tTA to DNA is inhibited by tetracycline, females are fully viable on media containing the antibiotic. As tTA and HID are functional in both Drosophila and mammalian cells, we expect they will be active in most if not all insects. However, for the system to function effectively it is essential that the yolk protein transcription enhancer is both very active in females and has very low activity in males. Since the Drosophila yp1 enhancer may not be fully functional in L. cuprina we have isolated and sequenced a genomic clone containing L. cuprina yolk protein genes. An analysis of the complete DNA sequence of the clone indicates that in L. cuprina the yolk protein genes are organised into a gene cluster. We have begun experiments to identify the female-specific transcription enhancer of one of the yolk protein genes. We have used a reporter gene approach in both transgenic Drosophila and L. cuprina. We have previously shown that transgenic L Bayão, Geraldo Fábio Viana; Queiroz, Augusto César de; Freitas, Samuel Galvão de; Batalha, Camila Delveaux Araujo; Sousa, Katiene Régia Silva; Pimentel, Róberson Machado; Cardoso, Lucas Ladeira; Cardoso, Alex Junio da Silva The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, voluntary intake and apparent digestibility of the diets containing residue from palm heart of Australian Royal Palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) to replace sugar cane on sheep. Twelve sheep were used with average live weight of 23.3 ± 2.8 Kg and they placed in metabolism cages and distributed in six latin square 2 x 2 in a factorial design 3 x 2 (three types of residue--sheet, bark and composed--and two levels of residue's replacement, 5% and 15%). It was observed higher intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), nonfiber carbohydrates (NFC) by substitution of composed residue. The average values of apparent digestibility of DM, OM, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre correct for ash and protein (NDFap) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were higher for sheet residue. There was interaction between type of residue and level of residue's replacement on the urinary excretion of total nitrogen (NUE), apparent nitrogen balance (BNA) and microbial nitrogen compost (NMIC). Residues from palm heart of Australian Royal Palm can be used as roughage in the ruminants'diet, and of these residues, the sheet and composed residue showed better response in the evaluated characteristics. PMID:26336723 Norris Belinda J Full Text Available Abstract Background Fleece rot (FR and body-strike of Merino sheep by the sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina are major problems for the Australian wool industry, causing significant losses as a result of increased management costs coupled with reduced wool productivity and quality. In addition to direct effects on fleece quality, fleece rot is a major predisposing factor to blowfly strike on the body of sheep. In order to investigate the genetic drivers of resistance to fleece rot, we constructed a combined ovine-bovine cDNA microarray of almost 12,000 probes including 6,125 skin expressed sequence tags and 5,760 anonymous clones obtained from skin subtracted libraries derived from fleece rot resistant and susceptible animals. This microarray platform was used to profile the gene expression changes between skin samples of six resistant and six susceptible animals taken immediately before, during and after FR induction. Mixed-model equations were employed to normalize the data and 155 genes were found to be differentially expressed (DE. Ten DE genes were selected for validation using real-time PCR on independent skin samples. The genomic regions of a further 5 DE genes were surveyed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP that were genotyped across three populations for their associations with fleece rot resistance. Results The majority of the DE genes originated from the fleece rot subtracted libraries and over-representing gene ontology terms included defense response to bacterium and epidermis development, indicating a role of these processes in modulating the sheep's response to fleece rot. We focused on genes that contribute to the physical barrier function of skin, including keratins, collagens, fibulin and lipid proteins, to identify SNPs that were associated to fleece rot scores. Conclusions We identified FBLN1 (fibulin and FABP4 (fatty acid binding protein 4 as key factors in sheep's resistance to fleece rot. Validation of these Kolosov Y. A.; Belik N. I.; Krivko A. S. In the article we have studied the influence of breeding Stavropol Rams breed and Australian meat merino for increase a wool productivity at offspring received from crossing with Soviet merino females Bolormaa, S; Gore, K; van der Werf, J H J; Hayes, B J; Daetwyler, H D Genotyping sheep for genome-wide SNPs at lower density and imputing to a higher density would enable cost-effective implementation of genomic selection, provided imputation was accurate enough. Here, we describe the design of a low-density (12k) SNP chip and evaluate the accuracy of imputation from the 12k SNP genotypes to 50k SNP genotypes in the major Australian sheep breeds. In addition, the impact of imperfect imputation on genomic predictions was evaluated by comparing the accuracy of genomic predictions for 15 novel meat traits including carcass and meat quality and omega fatty acid traits in sheep, from 12k SNP genotypes, imputed 50k SNP genotypes and real 50k SNP genotypes. The 12k chip design included 12 223 SNPs with a high minor allele frequency that were selected with intermarker spacing of 50-475 kb. SNPs for parentage and horned or polled tests also were represented. Chromosome ends were enriched with SNPs to reduce edge effects on imputation. The imputation performance of the 12k SNP chip was evaluated using 50k SNP genotypes of 4642 animals from six breeds in three different scenarios: (1) within breed, (2) single breed from multibreed reference and (3) multibreed from a single-breed reference. The highest imputation accuracies were found with scenario 2, whereas scenario 3 was the worst, as expected. Using scenario 2, the average imputation accuracy in Border Leicester, Polled Dorset, Merino, White Suffolk and crosses was 0.95, 0.95, 0.92, 0.91 and 0.93 respectively. Imputation scenario 2 was used to impute 50k genotypes for 10 396 animals with novel meat trait phenotypes to compare genomic prediction accuracy using genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) with real and imputed 50k genotypes. The weighted mean imputation accuracy achieved was 0.92. The average accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) based on only 12k data was 0.08 across traits and breeds, but accuracies varied widely. The mean GBLUP accuracies with imputed Hashemi, N; Mirsadraee, M; MT Shakeri; AR Varasteh BACKGROUND: Animal exposure may be an important trigger for work-related symptoms among farmers.OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of work-related respiratory symptoms (WRS) in sheep breeders and agricultural farmers and to determine work-related risk factors.METHODS: A family doctor used a questionnaire to interview a cohort of 173 farmers comprised of 127 sheep breeders and 46 agricultural farmers in the rural area of Rokh (northeast Iran). The questionnaire pertained to recurrent wheezi... Sheep and beef farmers around the UK were interviewed to find out if they would adopt a range of technologies to reduce methane emissions.* Sheep farmers worked in a range of different environments, some of them very challenging. Farmers talked about a production system that worked for them, in their particular environment and reflecting their particular values. Factors within the system can act as major drivers or barriers to activity. Many perceived that opportunities to do other things tha... This revised book is an expanded and updated version of the Australian Sheep and Wool Handbook published in 1991 and focuses on the sheep wool and meat industry. The book is divided in 5 sections, each including several chapters written by well-known and qualified researchers and industry representatives from many countries. The first section on Major sheep and wool industries, in my opinion, is particularly interesting because it explores the sheep and wool industries of leading countries (e... Chandran, Dev; Naidu, Sureddi Satyam; Sugumar, Parthasarathy; Rani, Gudavalli Sudha; Vijayan, Shahana Pallichera; Mathur, Deepika; Garg, Lalit C; Srinivasan, Villuppanoor Alwar Sheep pox and enterotoxemia are important diseases of sheep, and these diseases cause severe economic losses to sheep farmers. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of formaldehyde-inactivated recombinant epsilon toxin as a vaccine candidate. The potency of the recombinant epsilon toxoid with aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant in sheep was determined. Vaccinated sheep were protected against enterotoxemia, with potency values of >5 IU being protective. Further, the use of this construct in a combination vaccine against sheep pox resulted in the sheep being protected against both sheep pox and enterotoxemia. PMID:20427629 Chandran, Dev; Naidu, Sureddi Satyam; Sugumar, Parthasarathy; Rani, Gudavalli Sudha; Vijayan, Shahana Pallichera; Mathur, Deepika; Garg, Lalit C.; Srinivasan, Villuppanoor Alwar Sheep pox and enterotoxemia are important diseases of sheep, and these diseases cause severe economic losses to sheep farmers. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of formaldehyde-inactivated recombinant epsilon toxin as a vaccine candidate. The potency of the recombinant epsilon toxoid with aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant in sheep was determined. Vaccinated sheep were protected against enterotoxemia, with potency values of >5 IU being protective. Further, the use of this construct in a combination vaccine against sheep pox resulted in the sheep being protected against both sheep pox and enterotoxemia. PMID:20427629 Chandran, Dev; Naidu, Sureddi Satyam; Sugumar, Parthasarathy; Rani, Gudavalli Sudha; Vijayan, Shahana Pallichera; Mathur, Deepika; Garg, Lalit C; Srinivasan, Villuppanoor Alwar Sheep pox and enterotoxemia are important diseases of sheep, and these diseases cause severe economic losses to sheep farmers. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of formaldehyde-inactivated recombinant epsilon toxin as a vaccine candidate. The potency of the recombinant epsilon toxoid with aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant in sheep was determined. Vaccinated sheep were protected against enterotoxemia, with potency values of >5 IU being protective. Further, the use of t... Lasseur, Jacques; Dupre, Lucie; Sicard, Julia In the Mediterranean mountains, in order to face the CAP, sheep farmers had to consider the following possibilities: growing, or producing certified lamb with more productive constraints but higher income , or diversifying farms activities. In this area, sheep farming is characterized by an important use of rangeland, sometimes collective ones, since the system is based on a great mobility, especially during summer time. Sheep, and sometimes farmers, move to higher rangeland where they ... Full Text Available Sumatera thin tail (STT sheep are highly adapted to the local environment, no seasonal reproductive activity, and highresistance to internal parasite, but they have small body size and low mature body weight. "On Fann research" to identify morphological characteristics of intoduced breed and STT sheep, as well as an altemative conservation pattem were conducted in two location, i.e. Pulahan village, Air Batu District, Asahan Regency as the potensial area for STT sheep and Pulo Gambar village, Galang District, Deli Serdang Regency as the development area of introduced breed of sheep. The approach of Agroecosystem analysis, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of STT and introduced breed of sheep as well as interview to the farmer that raised STT in order to get recommendation of conservation pattern were aplied. The study show that STT sheep were isolated from the other area, and the populations tend to decrease from year to year. Qualitative characteristics of STT indicated smaller linear body measurements than those of introducted breed of sheep at the same age. Qualitative characteristics indicated that STT possess dominance body color of light brown and white (50.93% vs 41.28%. The STT mostly have one body color pattern (61.75%. The dominance spotted pattem were 1-10% of the body (60.29%, while the dominance of the head color was light brown (48.40%. Conservation pattern of STT are through natural process, in which the farmers are directly conserved, therefore the farmers do not have opportunity to develop their sheep farming. Therefore the conservation pattern recomnendation for STT sheep are by defending the location as "in situ conservation" or "on farm conservation" and giving "compensation program" to fanner because STT sheep farming less benefit than those of introduced breed of sheep. 刘凡瑜; 关超玲; 李晔; 袁志忱; 王迪; 甄清; 姚燕 Objective To find out the current situation of brucellosis infection and exposure status of family members of sheep farmers in the western pastoral areas of Jilin Province,and to provide a reference for control of human brucellosis spreading among family members.Methods On November 2012,Qianguo County was randomly selected using a multi-stage sampling method,and two townships,Chaganhua and Wulantala,were randomly selected in the county; half of the villages were selected from each township; all family members of the sheep farmers in these villages were investigated about their demographic characteristics (sex,age,education),high-risk behavior and information about brucellosis infection by using a questionnaire survey.Based on the principle of informed consent,respondents venous blood samples were collected.Brucellosis was confirmed with serum agglutination test (SAT).The effects of gender,age,education and other demographic data,high-risk behavior and high-risk behavior protection on the prevalence of brucellosis were studied.Results Out of the 403 copies of qualified questionnaires collected,84 people were found infected with brucellosis,and the infection rate was 20.84％ (84/403).Men infection [24.78％ (57/230)] was higher than that of women [15.61％ (27/173),x2 =5.038,P ＜ 0.05].The rates of eight kinds of high-risk behaviors were:helping feeding 86.85％ (350/403),cleaning sheepfold 80.40％ (324/403),holding lamp 71.71％ (289/403),delivering sheep 61.54％ (248/403),vaccinating sheep 53.85％ (217/403),apoblema 47.39％ (191/403),milking 22.08％ (89/403) and slaughtering sheep 14.89％ (60/403).The highest risk behavior was vaccinating sheep[24.40％(53/217)],and the lowest was milking [16.90％ (15/89)].The highest rate of basic protection was delivering a sheep [31.85％ (79/248)],the next was apoblema[27.23％ (52/191)],and the lowest was slaughtering sheep [8.33％ (5/60)].There was no statistical significant difference between brucellosis infection Nabradi, Andras; Madai, Hajnalka The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the risk attitudes of Hungarian sheep producers regarding the changes they have had to go through since the political changes of 1989–1990. Moreover, the objective of this study is to strengthen the empirical basis for risk analysis by identifying the importance of farmers’ risk attitudes. The results of a nationwide survey of over 500 sheep farmers presented a framework of risk attitudes, risk sources and applied risk management techniques ... Barrett, Damien; O'Neill, Ronan; Sammin, Donal; Clegg, Tracy A; More, Simon J Schmallenberg virus (SBV) disease emerged in Europe in 2011, with the virus initially identified in Germany, and the first confirmed case of SBV infection in Ireland diagnosed in a dairy calf in October 2012. SBV was subsequently confirmed by RT-PCR in 49 cattle herds and 39 sheep flocks. While these studies provide a good representation of the spatial distribution of SBV in Ireland, they do not quantify the impact of SBV on productivity. The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of SBV on weaning rate in Irish sheep flocks, based on data reported by Irish sheep farmers, and to evaluate weaning rate in sheep flocks as an indicator to be used in emerging disease surveillance systems. A questionnaire on productivity and management practices in sheep flocks was developed to gather data from sheep farmers. Valid responses from 267 sheep farmers were received. Negative binomial regression indicated that flocks with a confirmed SBV diagnosis had a weaning rate 0.9 times that of flocks free of SBV. The 10% reduction in weaning rates as a result of SBV is a justifiable concern for farmers and should be considered in formulating flock breeding policy. This study shows the value of a production database as an indicator of an emerging disease and the economic impact of that disease in Irish sheep flocks. PMID:26547824 The livers and lungs of 5596 sheep (443 local, 473 Romanian and 4680 Australian) slaughtered in Amman Central Abattoir during November-December 1999 were examined in routine meat inspection procedures for helminths. Dictyocaulus filaria, hydatid cyst, Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum were recovered from the examined sheep with variable prevalences. Dicrocoelium dendriticum is reported from the livers of imported sheep in Jordan for the first time. Farmers Insurance claims the No. 2 spot on the Training Top 125 with a forward-thinking training strategy linked to its primary mission: FarmersFuture 2020. It's not surprising an insurance company would have an insurance policy for the future. But Farmers takes that strategy one step further, setting its sights on 2020 with a far-reaching plan to… Cheshire, Lynda; Meurk, Carla; Woods, Michael Farmers have traditionally been perceived as having a deep attachment to land and place that contrasts with the mobility of modern society. In this paper, we use this work as a starting point for analysing new forms of attachments among a cohort of Australian farmers who are highly mobile in their business activities. In response, we devise a new… AGATHA AGATHA POPESCU The paper purpose was to identify the main trends in the Romanian sheep and goat meat market based on the analysis of the specific indicators regarding sheep and goat livestock and production at country level and by region, using the data provided by National Institute of Statistic for the period 1990-2009. About 198,729 farmers are raising sheep and goats and the average farm size is about 16 heads. The sheep and goat livestock declined by 34 % in the analyzed period accounting for 10,058 th... Hajderllari, Luljeta; Karantininis, Konstantinos; Bonnichsen, Ole The purpose of this paper is to provide some evidence on the push and pull factors that motivate farmers to expand across their home countries’ borders. The focus is on Danish expansion farmers and investor farmers setting up activities in Central and Eastern European countries like Slovakia......-border activities, except that we do not find a significant influence from the availability of cheap labour in the host countries.... Niewolny, Kim; Whitter-Cummings, Althea The purpose of the Virginia Beginning Farmer Profiles is to help beginning farmers and ranchers in Virginia gain knowledge about farm start-up and planning from first-hand, personal experiences shared by other beginning farmers. This educational resource is component of the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition Program's "Whole Farm Planning" curriculum. This evidence examines one aspect of the communications between scientific experts and Cumbrian hill farmers affected by the Chernobyl fallout restrictions. Based on interviews with hill sheep farmers it analyses their responses to scientific advice, explanation and prognosis about the fallout and its effects on hill farming. Several factors were identified which influenced the credibility of expert advice: the degree of uncertainty and variability in the scientific knowledge; the recognition of relevant local knowledge needed to be integrated with scientific knowledge; the extent of past secrecy and lack of transparency of official institutional processes of decision making; the lack of apparent scientific learning from the radioactive fallout from the 1957 Windscale fire; and the opportunity for more informal personal interaction between farmers and scientists. The scientific advice was perceived as unrealistic and unrelated to hill farming realities. The effectiveness of communication of scientific advice influences the broader credibility of decision making bodies, and is therefore important. It is concluded that achievement of these ends requires not only changes in the public expression of scientific information, but also changes in the organisation of expertise to improve the practical relationships between scientific experts and relevant public groups such as the hill sheep farmers. (author) Andrade, Stefan Bastholm; Anneberg, Inger troubles are connected to convictions of neglect. Second, we analyse narratives where interviewed farmers, involved in cases of neglect, describe how they themselves experienced the incidents. We find that while livestock farmers in general have a low risk of animal neglect problems, a small percentage of......In this paper we analyse how risk factors in highly industrialised agriculture are connected to animal neglect. With Danish agriculture as a case study, we use two types of data. First, we use register data from Statistics Denmark to map how risk factors such as farmers’ financial and social...... growing concern among the farmers towards the governmental control in farm animal production. We discuss how these factors can be used to identify and help farmers with a high risk of being convicted of livestock neglect.... Millenium Challenge Corporation — Trees For the epidemic zone, the evaluation estimated the impact of FISP on disease prevalence and estimated the consequent impact on coconut production and farmer... Knox, Anna; Lilja, Nina In this brief, we learn that "combining technical innovations with collective action initiatives has been shown to lead to substantial farmer benefits. A number of farmer-led research and extension (FRE) approaches incorporate collective action for different purposes and at different stages in the innovation process. Collective action can be useful in sharing knowledge, setting priorities, and experimenting with, evaluating, and disseminating technologies." The authors describe various partic... Science Teacher, 2005 Massive extinctions of animals and the arrival of the first humans in ancient Australia--which occurred 45,000 to 55,000 years ago--may be linked. Researchers at the Carnegie Institution, University of Colorado, Australian National University, and Bates College believe that massive fires set by the first humans may have altered the ecosystem of… Hean, Robyn L.; Cacho, Oscar J.; Signor, Anthony; Mullen, John D. The focus of this paper is the role of farm forestry in farming systems in the NSW wheatsheep zone. The wheat-sheep zone suffers from significant land degradation problems, and the environmental and economical sustainability of many farming systems is in question. Farm forestry provides the opportunity to diversify farmer incomes, increase agricultural productivity and provide environmental solutions. It is therefore proposed that the potential role of farm forestry in the wheat-sheep zone is... Tauer, Loren W. The productivity of farmers at six different age cohorts was computed by estimating production functions using 1987 census data. The results suggest that farmers of different ages operate with slightly different technologies and use various inputs at different efficiencies. Compared with previous 1978 estimates, the productivity of middleaged farmers appears to be even greater than the productivity of younger and older farmers. The average age of U.S. farmers exceeds the age of highest produc... Wheeler, David L. Fifteen years ago, the Australian state of Queensland was famous more for its beaches than for its brain power. Fellow Australians thought of Queenslanders as miners, farmers, or surfers, not as professors or scientists. When Queensland announced in 1998 that it was planning to become a "Smart State," or a knowledge economy, locals quipped that… Nemessalyi, Zsolt; Madai, Hajnalka; Nabradi, Andras The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the risk attitudes of Hungarian sheep producers regarding the changes they have had to go through since the political changes of 1989-1990. Moreover, the objective of this study is to strengthen the empirical basis for risk analysis by identifying the importance of farmers' risk attitudes. The results of a nationwide survey of over 500 sheep farmers presented a framework of risk attitudes, risk sources and applied risk management techniques of l... Grommers, F. J.; Elving, L.; Eldik, P. van The incidence of difficult parturition was recorded in Texel Sheep lambs (224), Milk Sheep lambs (273) and various crossbreeds (1043) in ten spring lambing seasons. at lambing time the ewes were under 24-hour observation. Difficult parturition is defined as necessity for obstetrical assistance as a Bishop, S C This paper considers genetic resistance to infectious disease in sheep, with appropriate comparison with goats, and explores how such variation may be used to assist in disease control. Many studies have attempted to quantify the extent to which host animals differ genetically in their resistance to infection or in the disease side-effects of infection, using either recorded animal pedigrees or information from genetic markers to quantify the genetic variation. Across all livestock species, whenever studies are sufficiently well powered, then genetic variation in disease resistance is usually seen and such evidence is presented here for three infections or diseases of importance to sheep, namely mastitis, foot rot and scrapie. A further class of diseases of importance in most small ruminant production systems, gastrointestinal nematode infections, is outside the scope of this review. Existence of genetic variation implies the opportunity, at least in principle, to select animals for increased resistance, with such selection ideally used as part of an integrated control strategy. For each of the diseases under consideration, evidence for genetic variation is presented, the role of selection as an aid to disease control is outlined and possible side effects of selection in terms of effects in performance, effects on resistance to other diseases and potential parasite/pathogen coevolution risks are considered. In all cases, the conclusion is drawn that selection should work and it should be beneficial, with the main challenge being to define cost effective selection protocols that are attractive to sheep farmers. PMID:26260859 König, Emelie Zonabend; Mirkena, Tadele; Strandberg, Erling; Audho, James; Ojango, Julie; Malmfors, Birgitta; Okeyo, Ally Mwai; Philipsson, Jan Crossing local breeds with exotic breeds may be an option for increased livestock productivity. However, there is a risk for endangerment of the local breeds. One such case is in Kenya where the imported Dorper breed is used for crossbreeding with Red Maasai sheep. The aim of this study was to investigate farmers' trait preferences as a basis for determination of breeding objectives for Red Maasai and Dorper sheep at two sites, Amboseli and Isinya, in Kenya. Within their own flock, each farmer identified three ewes representing the best, average and poorest within each breed group: Red Maasai, Dorper and Crosses. Farmers gave reasons for their ranking. Body measurements and weights were also taken. At the harshest site, Amboseli, differences between breed groups in body weight were small and breeds were equally preferred. In Isinya, where environmental conditions are better and farmers are more market oriented, Dorper and Crosses had significantly higher body weights and market prices and were thus preferred by the farmers. Red Maasai were preferred for their maternal and adaptive traits. Breeding objectives should emphasize growth traits and milk production in both breeds at both sites. Body condition needs to be specifically considered in the breeding objectives for sheep in Amboseli, whereas adaptive traits need to be generally emphasized in Dorper. PMID:26374208 The Farmer Dosemeters of Atomic Energy Medical Centre (AEMC) Jamshoro were calibrated in the Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) at PINSTECH, using the NPL Secondary Standard Therapy level X-ray exposure meter. The results are presented in this report. (authors) Tauer, Loren W. Farmer productivity by age was estimated, allowing for differences because of efficiency and returns to scale. Using Census of Agriculture data, estimates vary by state, but returns to scale average 1.07. Efficiency increases average 4.5 percent every ten years of age, to the age interval 35 to 44, and then decreases at that same rate. Zake, J.; Walaga, C.; Jager, de A. Farmer Field Schools (FFSs) have been used in many countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa as a way to deal with constraints such as crop pests, soil fertility depletion, health issues like HIV/AIDS and the communal management of natural resources. They often work in partnership with local NGOs Bartel, Robyn; Barclay, Elaine Motivational posture theory is applied and extended to the context of Australian agriculture and environmental regulation. Regulatory failure in this area has been observed but little was known of the compliance attitudes and behaviours of farmers prior to this study. Agriculture covers over 60% of Australia's land surface so this information is… Windsor, P A considerations for animal health authorities. Although concerns of vaccine efficacy, safety and issues with diagnosis and administration persist, vaccination is increasingly recognized as providing a robust strategy for managing paratuberculosis, having made important contributions to the health of Australian sheep and the lives of producers with affected properties, and offering a mechanism to reduce risk of infection entering the food chain in ovine and caprine products. PMID:26255556 @@ Introduction The Australian Research Council(ARC) is the Australian Government's main agency for allocating research funding to academics and researchers in Australian universities.Its mission is to deliver policy and programs that advance Australian research and innovation globally and benefit the community. Sennekamp, J; Joest, M; Sander, I; Engelhart, S; Raulf-Heimsoth, M Recent studies suggest that besides the long-known farmer's lung antigen sources Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula (Micropolyspora faeni), Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, and Aspergillus fumigatus, additionally the mold Absidia (Lichtheimia) corymbifera as well as the bacteria Erwinia herbicola (Pantoea agglomerans) and Streptomyces albus may cause farmer's lung in Germany. In this study the sera of 64 farmers with a suspicion of farmer's lung were examined for the following further antigens: Wallemia sebi, Cladosporium herbarum, Aspergillus versicolor, and Eurotium amstelodami. Our results indicate that these molds are not frequent causes of farmer's lung in Germany. PMID:22477566 Onyewotu, L.O.Z.; Stigter, C.J.; Abdullahi, Y.; Ariyo, J. As a response to desertification and long periods of drought in Northern Nigeria in the 1970s, the Kano State Forestry Department designed a programme of land rehabilitation using shelterbelts. It soon became clear, however, that the shelterbelts had design errors and had many disadvantages. Farmers had not been consulted when they had been established and this added to their sense of dissatisfaction with the measures implemented. In this article the authors use the Nigerian experience to str... Full Text Available This study was conducted by using a survey made at 80 enterprises from 63 villages with the aim of determining situations, problems and solution proposals related to the sheep and goat farms in Kastamonu province. The average age of the farmers was 49.3 years. The farmers were 8.75% of primary school graduates, 68.75% of secondary school and also 22.6% of illiterate. The enterprises have raised animals as 31.75% of state + own land and 68.75%’ of private + leased land. Also they are kept the rate of 70% Hair goat, 30% Angora goat and 55% Merino sheep, 42.5% Akkaraman sheep, and 16.25% Turkmen genotype, 7.5% Sakız sheep and 6.25% of Kıvırcık Sheep. The average flock sizes goat and sheep enterprises were 77.3 head goats and 71.7 heads sheep, respectively. Sixty percent of the breeder feed their animals on the pasture for 8-10 months and only 30% the breeders give supplementary feeding before and during mating period. The enterprises have 31.2% parturition chamber and 92.5% lamb growth areas. While all enterprises are routinely used to protective vaccines but only used disinfectant of 73.7% enterprises. The reason of sheep and goat breeders is majority contributions of income and habits. So, flock sizes are small (74.5 heads animal. In conclusion, young people by encouraging small animal farming in the province of Kastamonu, should be given to technical, economic support and educational seminars. In the future, as the sole source of income and a large flock size may lead to a development of sheep and goat breeding in Kastamonu province. Full Text Available Two years field study has been carried out in the Purwakarta district , West Java, to evaluate sheep productivity of Sumateran Composite (K and Barbados cross (BC breeds introduced to the farmers, compared with locally thin tail sheep breed (L that were maintained by the farmers. Genotype compositions of K sheep were Barbados Blackbelly 25%, St. Croix 25%, and Sumateran sheep 50%; and for BC were Barbados Blackbelly 50% and Sumateran sheep 50%. Sheep those were introduced was new breed from breeding improvement of Indonesian Research Institute for Animal Production. Litter size of K, BC, and L ewes was 1.3; 1.4; and 1.5 respectively. Pre-weaning mortality rate were 5.0; 5.0 and 8.0% respectively for K, BC, and L lambs. Ewe Reproduction Rate (LRI = number of lamb at weaning/ewe/year of L (2.14 was higher than BC (2.0 and K (1.85. The ewe productivity (PI = kg lambs/ewe/year is the average of weaning weight timed LRI. Because the weaning weight of L (7.0 kg were significantly lowest than BC (10.5 kg and K (9.25 kg will affect on PI. PI of L (14.98 ewe were significantly (P<00.5 lowest than BC (21 and K (17.11. Body weight of crossbred (K X L and BCxL under the same physiologic status were similarly with BC and K. According to the result of productivity evaluation of introduced sheep breed in the field condition, can be sumarize that productivity of K and BC sheep were significantly better than locally thin tail sheep. Hamilton, William; Bosworth, Gary; Ruto, Eric In this paper we investigate the “Young Farmer Problem” in Europe with a specific focus on how it applies in England. Recent reforms of the European Union’s (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) have specifically targeted young farmers for increased support; with young farmers being seen as more innovative, entrepreneurial and amenable to change. Furthermore, the EU has stated that the “generational renewal” of agriculture is critical for the long term viability of the sector. This paper ... Thirteen sheep from a milk producing farm in the Canton of Grisons that presented chronic coenurosis were examined and subjected to treatment trials at the veterinary hospital in Zurich. Symptoms were first observed around two months after the import of two dogs from Italy (Abruzza) of which one was infected with Taenia multiceps and Echinococcus granulosus. The most frequently observed clinical symptoms of the sheep were reduced general condition, circling, reduced menace reflex, apathy, unsteady gait and head tilt. Analyses of cerebrospinal fluid revealed an increased leucocyte count in 3 sheep and eosinophilia in 4 sheep. In 4 animals that underwent computertomography, one or more hypodense, definable lesions were found in the brain. In 2 sheep surgical treatment and in 10 animals medical treatment with either Praziquantel (n=8) or Oxfendazol (n=2) was attempted. Only one animal treated with Praziquantel needed not to be euthanized. At necropsy, one or two coenurus cysts could be found either in a side ventricle (n=2), in the cerebellum (n=3) or in the cerebrum (n=7). The locations corresponded with the clinical findings. Despite Praziquantel or Oxfendazol treatment, living protoscoleces could be found in the parasite cysts Lajili, Kaouthar; Barry, Peter J.; Sonka, Steven T.; Mahoney, Joseph T. An empirical approach combining elements of principal-agent theory and transaction cost economics is used to determine farmers'Â’ preferences for contract terms in crop production. The approach is tested by asking grain farmers to rank contract choices and specify price premiums in simulated case situations. The statistical results indicate that farmers'Â’ preferences for rates of cost sharing, price premiums, and financing arrangements are significantly influenced by asset specialization and... Spyrou, V; Valiakos, G Orf virus, a member of the genus Parapoxvirus, is the causative agent of contagious ecthyma ('Orf'). It is a pathogen with worldwide distribution, causing significant financial losses in livestock production. The disease mainly affects sheep and goats, but various other ruminants and mammals have been reported to be infected as well. It is also a zoonotic disease, affecting mainly people who come in direct or indirect contact with infected animals (e.g. farmers, veterinarians). The disease is usually benign and self-limiting, although in many cases, especially in young animals, it can be persistent and even fatal. Production losses caused by Orf virus are believed to be underestimated, as it is not a notifiable disease. This review of literature presents all latest information regarding the virus; considerations regarding treatment and prevention will be also discussed. PMID:26315771 Greber, Deborah; Doherr, Marcus; Drögemüller, Cord; Steiner, Adrian BACKGROUND The rates of congenital disorders in Swiss sheep were determined by a questionnaire which was sent to 3,183 members of the Swiss Sheep Breeders' Association. FINDINGS A total of 993 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 31.2%. Of these, 862 questionnaires originated from farms keeping one of the predominant Swiss sheep breeds: Swiss White Alpine sheep, Brown-Headed Meat sheep, Swiss Black Brown Mountain sheep and Valais Blacknose sheep. During a 10-yea... M.A. Shejal; A. V. Khanvilkar; S.D.Rahane and D.R. Belhekar The sheep is an important economic livestock species, contributing greatly to the Indian economy, especially in arid, semi arid and mountain areas. The current population in world is 1110.78 millions, around 44.85 millions (1987) sheeps in India (ICAR., 2002). Sheeps are mostly reared for meat and wool. The average annual wool production per sheep is between 3.5 to 5.5 kg of fine quality wool in Australia, New Zealand and U.S.S.R., where as in India except Magra sheep which annually yield mor... Harris, K A; Eglin, R D; Hayward, S; Milnes, A; Davies, I; Cook, A J C; Downs, S H British sheep farmers were invited to complete a questionnaire about the impact of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) on animal health, welfare and their own emotional wellbeing during the 2011-2012 lambing season, through Defra and Farming Industry websites, letters to farmers who had requested SBV laboratory tests and advertisement at Sheep 2012. The 494 responders included SBV confirmed (positive by RT-PCR) (n=76), SBV suspected by farmer (n=140) or SBV not suspected (n=278). Percentage of barren ewes was similar across SBV groups, however, lamb and ewe losses were higher on responder farms where SBV was confirmed or suspected. The median percentages of all lambs born (and lambs born deformed ) that died within one week of birth was 10.4 per cent (5.5 per cent), 7.0 per cent (2.9 per cent) and 5.3 per cent (0 per cent), respectively, on SBV confirmed, suspected and not suspected farms (Pimpact was greater where SBV was confirmed or suspected (Pimpact on emotional wellbeing (4 per cent of SBV not suspected), 13 per cent reported a high impact on flock welfare and financial performance and 6 per cent were less likely to farm sheep next year because of SBV (impact has been large relative to reported sheep loss. PMID:24795165 Acute shortage of canal water for irrigation in this district has caused resentment among the farmers.The water is being released in the various channels for just one week in a month,which is not enough to meet the irrigation needs of the farmers who are preparing their fields for paddy Snoo, de G.R.; Lokhorst, A.M.; Dijk, van J.; Staats, H.; Musters, C.J.M. Farmers are the key players when it comes to the enhancement of farmland biodiversity. In this study, a benchmark system that focuses on improving farmers’ nature conservation was developed and tested among Dutch arable farmers in different social settings. The results show that especially tailored AGATHA AGATHA POPESCU Full Text Available The paper purpose was to identify the main trends in the Romanian sheep and goat meat market based on the analysis of the specific indicators regarding sheep and goat livestock and production at country level and by region, using the data provided by National Institute of Statistic for the period 1990-2009. About 198,729 farmers are raising sheep and goats and the average farm size is about 16 heads. The sheep and goat livestock declined by 34 % in the analyzed period accounting for 10,058 thousand heads in 2009. Sheep/goat ratio changed from 14/1 in 1990 to 9.96/1 in 2009, in the advantage of goats. Sheep and goats are mainly grown in Central, North-Eastern and South-Western Romania. Mutton and goat meat production accounted for 1,443 thousand tons in 2009, being by 40 % lower than in 1990 because of livestock decline. About 23 % mutton and sheep meat is produced in the South-Eastern Romania, 18 % in the Central part and 14 % in North-East. The share of mutton and goat meat declined from 8.38 % in 1990 to 7.21 % in 2009 in total meat production in the country. As a conclusion, mutton and goat meat market registered a decline during the last decades, in favour of pork and poultry meat. Tadesse, Estefanos; Negesse, Tegene; Abebe, Girma A survey was conducted in Awassazuria district of southern Ethiopia to characterize sheep production system. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Using purposive sampling, a total of 120 households from the district were included in the survey. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Result indicated that Kajima neighbourhood has more (phome consumption. The criteria used by the households for purchase and sale of sheep are physical characteristics (coat colour, horn and tail) (46.7 %), body conformation (35 %), age (10.8 %) and known local ecotype (7.5 %). The reasons of slaughter of sheep include festival (55 %), childbirth (18.3 %), wedding (12.5 %), mutton for home (9 %), circumcision (5 %) and for guest (1.7 %). Farmers fatten sheep for New Year (60 %), Easter (30.8 %), Christmas and Arefa (Eid al-Adha celebration (Feast of the Sacrifice); home consumption, ranked in decreasing order of importance. The sheep production in southern Ethiopia is constrained by shortage of grazing land (23.3 %), recurrent drought (17.5 %), disease and parasite (15 %), marketing (10.8 %), water shortage (9 %) and other constraints including predators and lack of input, capital and lack of extension service. The presence of diversified and environmentally adaptable sheep breeds, high demand of mutton in the Awassa town and presence of nutritious and unutilized feed resources like fish meal and poultry litter were some of the opportunities for sheep production in the area. PMID:25997416 Michigan State Univ., East Lansing. Coll. of Agriculture and Natural Resources Education Inst. This task-based curriculum guide for agricultural production, specifically for sheep, is intended to help the teacher develop a classroom management system where students learn by doing. Introductory materials include a Dictionary of Occupational Titles job code and title sheet, a task sheet for developing leadership skills, and a task list. Each… Danish farmers have developed their own strategies to respond to environmental regulations of manure application. Selfgoverning manure exchanges have been widely undertaken by farmers for more than a decade, giving rise to well-established practices. However, there is little factual knowledge about...... the extent and functioning of such existing partnerships between farms as well as farmers’ perceptions of what constitutes successful arrangements. Based on registry and farmer survey data the PhD thesis shows that the vast majority of manure exporters know their partners prior to establishing manure......, duration of the partnership and transport distance. The most important aspects of farmers' perception of successful collaborative arrangements seem to be trust, continuity, flexibility and accessibility. These findings supplement the understanding of farmer collaboration based on spatial-economic models... Tropp, Debra; Barham, James The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), in partnership with the Farmers Market Consortium, hosted the National Farmers Market Summit November 7–9, 2007, in Baltimore, MD. The Summit assembled key stakeholders from the farmers market community to convene a national conversation on issues and challenges facing today’s farmers markets. The National Farmers Market Summit had three broad objectives: (1) Identify farmers market needs and existing gaps in assistance, (2) Prioritize future res... Benavides, Magda Vieira; Sonstegard, Tad S; Van Tassell, Curtis Genetic markers for sheep resistance to gastrointestinal parasites have long been sought by the livestock industry as a way to select more resistant individuals and to help farmers reduce parasite transmission by identifying and removing high egg shedders from the flock. Polymorphisms related to the major histocompatibility complex and interferon (IFN)-γ genes have been the most frequently reported markers associated with infection. Recently, a new picture is emerging from genome-wide studies, showing that not only immune mechanisms are important determinants of host resistance but that gastrointestinal mucus production and hemostasis pathways may also play a role. PMID:27183838 Full Text Available Abstract Background In May 2003 the Soest County Health Department was informed of an unusually large number of patients hospitalized with atypical pneumonia. Methods In exploratory interviews patients mentioned having visited a farmers' market where a sheep had lambed. Serologic testing confirmed the diagnosis of Q fever. We asked local health departments in Germany to identiy notified Q fever patients who had visited the farmers market. To investigate risk factors for infection we conducted a case control study (cases were Q fever patients, controls were randomly selected Soest citizens and a cohort study among vendors at the market. The sheep exhibited at the market, the herd from which it originated as well as sheep from herds held in the vicinity of Soest were tested for Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii. Results A total of 299 reported Q fever cases was linked to this outbreak. The mean incubation period was 21 days, with an interquartile range of 16–24 days. The case control study identified close proximity to and stopping for at least a few seconds at the sheep's pen as significant risk factors. Vendors within approximately 6 meters of the sheep's pen were at increased risk for disease compared to those located farther away. Wind played no significant role. The clinical attack rate of adults and children was estimated as 20% and 3%, respectively, 25% of cases were hospitalized. The ewe that had lambed as well as 25% of its herd tested positive for C. burnetii antibodies. Conclusion Due to its size and point source nature this outbreak permitted assessment of fundamental, but seldom studied epidemiological parameters. As a consequence of this outbreak, it was recommended that pregnant sheep not be displayed in public during the 3rd trimester and to test animals in petting zoos regularly for C. burnetii. Perímetro escrotal e idade à puberdade em ovinos Merino Australiano submetidos a diferentes regimes alimentares - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v27i4.1179 Scrotal perimeter and age of puberty in Australian Merino Sheep, submitted to different alimentary strategies - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v27i4.1179 Leonardo Franco Martins Full Text Available Testou-se a hipótese de que animais bem alimentados durante a vida fetal e durante o período pós-parto apresentariam melhor desempenho reprodutivo que aqueles com alimentação restrita durante a vida fetal e/ou no pós-parto, sendo animais com menor idade à puberdade. Utilizaram-se 120 ovelhas Merino Australiano prenhes com 60 dias de gestação, distribuídas em fatorial 2x2, com quatro níveis nutricionais, tendo metade de seus grupos invertidos. Os animais foram pesados no nascimento, e as ovelhas que pariram fêmeas foram eliminadas e os machos identificados por brincos de cores diferentes (laranja, roxo, preto e verde e distribuídos entre os tratamentos. O escore corporal manteve as mesmas relações observadas para o peso corporal entre os grupos. Os animais de brinco preto apresentaram menor perímetro escrotal aos 132 dias, com maior crescimento escrotal, decorrente da melhora nutricional desses animais em determinados períodos. Como condição de escore corporal, o perímetro escrotal manteve a mesma relação entre os grupos, como observado para o peso corporal, com o grupo laranja com maior perímetro, seguido pelo grupo roxo, pelo verde e pelo preto. Apenas 62,5% dos animais manifestaram puberdade até o final do experimento. Os animais atingiram a puberdade com escore, com perímetro e com idade semelhantes, entretanto tiveram pesos diferentesThe hypothesis that animals well fed during the fetal life and in the post parturition would present better reproductive performance than those with restricted feeding, during the fetal life and/or in the post parturition was experimented pointing out that younger animals reach puberty first. One hundred and twenty pregnant Australian Merino sheep were used on the 60th day of gestation, distributed in a 2x2 factorial, with four nutritional levels, half of groups being were inverted. Birth weights were recorded. The females were eliminated and the males were identified by using earrings Full Text Available In 1995 several outbreaks of food poisoning in humans occurred in Iceland, that were traced to salmonella contamination of singed sheep heads. This prompted us to study the prevalence of salmonella infection in sheep and to trace where and how infection might have occurred. Faecal, intestinal contents and tonsillar samples were collected in the spring and autumn from sheep on 50 farms in the southwestern part of the country, where salmonellosis had been detected and from 5 farms in the northwestern part of the country. All faecal samples from the southwest were negative, whereas samples from 3 farms obtained in the autumn in the northwest were positive. Tonsillae taken in the autumn were positive in sheep from 3 farms in the southwest and 2 in the northwest. Our results show that salmonella infection is rare in Icelandic sheep but healthy carriers may harbour the bacteria in tonsillae. Salmonella was not detected in drainage from slaughterhouses nor in singed sheep heads. Stewart, Fraser; Kragt, Marit; Gibson, Fiona Foreign investment can provide a flow of capital into Australian agriculture and has played an important role meeting the shortfalls in domestic savings throughout Australia’s history. Despite the political and media attention on foreign investment in agriculture, there is little knowledge about stakeholders’ perceptions of foreign investment in their community. This study assesses the opinions of farmers about foreign investment in the Wheatbelt. We investigate the economic, social and envir... McGregor, Murray J.; Bent, Martin J.M. Barriers to trade between countries have reduced through the general Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The nature of trade between businesses is also changing dramatically through developments in Information Technology but also due to adoption of quality assurance and new approaches to supply chain management. The impacts of this "New Economy" vary around the world. This paper considers the implications of these developments for Australian farmers. ... Dickins, Alan; Clark, Corinna C A; Kaler, Jasmeet; Ferguson, Eamonn; O'Kane, Holly; Green, Laura E In 2013, a questionnaire was used to gather data on risks for introduction, and factors associated with prevalence, of contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD). There were 1136 (28.4%) usable responses from 4000 randomly selected sheep farmers in England. CODD was present in 58% (662) of flocks, with a reported prevalence of CODD lesions of 2.3%. The geometric mean period prevalence of all lameness was 4.2% and 2.8% in CODD positive and negative flocks respectively. Factors associated with a greater risk of presence of CODD were purchasing replacement ewes, not always checking the feet of sheep before purchase, not isolating purchased sheep, foot bathing returning ewes, foot trimming the flock more than twice in the year all compared with not doing these activities and increasing log10 flock size. Farmers who vaccinated sheep with Footvax™ were less likely to report presence of CODD. Factors associated with increasing prevalence of CODD lesions were not always checking the feet of purchased sheep, flocks that mixed with other flocks and sheep that left the farm for summer grazing and later returned. In addition, flocks where farmers followed the current recommended managements for control of footrot, had a lower prevalence of CODD whilst those who used foot bathing and where feet bled during routine foot trimming had a higher prevalence of CODD. The prevalence of CODD decreased with each log10 increase in flock size. We conclude that CODD is an infectious cause of lameness in sheep of increasing importance in GB. Introduction is linked to poor biosecurity with one likely source of the pathogen being introduction of or mixing with infected sheep. As with footrot, prevalence of CODD was lower in flocks where farmers focused on individual treatment to manage lameness and avoided foot bathing and trimming feet. We conclude that most of the currently recommended biosecurity and treatment approaches to control footrot in GB are also effective for control of CODD Vartdal, Barbro; Løes, Anne-Kristin Three categories of organic farmers are described; the ecosopher, the antroposopher and the reformist, the latter being locally oriented whereas the two first catergories were more globally oriented. Conversion to organic agriculture is described as a process of social adaptation. Attracting and retaining the next generation of farm operators has been a persistent struggle in U.S. agriculture. Over the past century, productivity gains in U.S. agriculture have led to the consolidation of farm enterprises into larger operations, limiting opportunities for farm ownership and triggering an exodus of young farmers from the industry. Although the recent surge in farm prosperity has rekindled interest in U.S. agricultural production, the increasing age of farmers and rising c... <正>On the afternoon of February 12, 2007, the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD) held the inauguration of the Farmer Training Fund and a press conference. Li Xiaolin, CPAFFC vice president and chairman of the Board of Directors of the CFFPD, who announced the inauguration, said, the Farmer Training Fund is set up by the CFFPD timely in response to the Party’s call of "building a new socialist countryside" and a ... or other standards in 40 CFR parts 264, 265, 268, or 270 for those wastes provided he triple rinses... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Farmers. 262.70 Section 262.70... APPLICABLE TO GENERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE Farmers § 262.70 Farmers. A farmer disposing of waste... Humann-Ziehank, Esther; Tegtmeyer, Philip C; Seelig, Bjoern; Roehrig, Petra; Ganter, Martin Background This study was performed to demonstrate the widespread distribution and severity of selenium (Se) deficiency in sheep flocks and to evaluate the impact of influencing factors. In 150 flocks, ten serum samples of adult ewes were analysed for Se concentration. The farmers were interviewed concerning flock size, provision of mineral supplement, predominant form of husbandry (stationary fenced pasture/transhumance), predominant form of water provision (tap water/well/surface water) and... Tirab, Ahmed Berima; Chimonyo, Michael The study was conducted to identify the major production constraints of Hamari sheep in Darfur and Kordofan Regions of Western Sudan. A structured questionnaire was administered to 128 farmers in Darfur and Kordofan. Feed shortages, prevalence of diseases and parasites, and predation were more severe in Darfur than Kordofan (P flocks, large flocks, semi-nomadic and sedentary husbandry system in Kordofan than their counterparts in Darfur Region (P flock size, region and production system used. PMID:27126220 Sahlström, Leena; Virtanen, Terhi; Kyyrö, Jonna; Lyytikäinen, Tapani Biosecurity is important in order to prevent disease transmission between animals on farms as well as from farm to farm. Personal biosecurity routines such as hand washing and the use of protective clothing and footwear are measures that should be used at all farms. Other measures are for example related to purchasing new animals to the farm. A questionnaire-based survey was undertaken to study the frequency of use of different biosecurity measures on cattle, pig and sheep farms in Finland. Information about which biosecurity measures are in use is needed for contingency planning of emerging diseases or when combating endemic diseases. Knowledge about the level of biosecurity of a farm is also needed in order to assess if and where improvement is needed. Information regarding biosecurity levels may benefit future animal disease risk assessments. A total of 2242 farmers responded to the questionnaire resulting in a response rate of 45%. The implementation frequencies of different biosecurity measures are reported. The results revealed differences between species: large pig farms had a better biosecurity level than small cattle farms. There were also differences between production types such as dairy farming versus beef cattle farming, but these were not as remarkable. Sheep farming in Finland is sparse and the large number of hobby farmers keeps the biosecurity level low on sheep farms. This might represent a risk for the entire sheep farming industry. The Finnish farmers were satisfied with their on-farm biosecurity. Eighty percent of the farmers report that they were satisfied even though the biosecurity level was not particularly high. The implementation of biosecurity measures could be further improved. Even though the disease situation in Finland is good today, one must be prepared for possible epidemics of threatening diseases. PMID:25147126 Voors, M J; D'Haese, M The rural economy of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been adapting to new economic and political realities. Especially important for rural areas has been the breakdown of the socialist market structure in agriculture, which meant the demise of cooperative structures and farmers gaining access to new market outlets. The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential of dairy sheep farmers to enter into new contracts with buyers and to analyze why some farmers continue selling to traditional market outlets. Using survey data of dairy sheep farmers we studied the choice they make between 3 market outlets: (1) selling milk to a recently established large dairy processor, (2) selling milk to traditional small local processors, or (3) transforming milk on-farm into cheese and selling it at the farm gate or at local markets. The significance of determinants of choice for these markets were tested in a multinomial logit model, which showed that distance to the collection point of the large dairy processor was the most important determinant of whether farmers sold milk or made cheese, with those at a greater distance selling cheese. Furthermore, we analyzed the main sources of transaction costs in developing new market channels. Overcoming transport and transaction costs may contribute to higher income for the farmers and hence to improving their livelihoods. PMID:20655456 ... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Farmers' cooperative as a âfarmer.â 780.133 Section 780.133... General Scope of Agriculture Practices Performed âby A Farmerâ § 780.133 Farmers' cooperative as a “farmer.” (a) The phrase “by a farmer” covers practices performed either by the farmer himself or by the... Full Text Available Through our researches were carried out at ICDCOC- Palas, Constantza, we proposed ourselves to establish the poly-parasitism structure on sheep, as well as elaborating efficientical methods for anti-parasitical prophylaxis and fighting in sheep populations and pasture sourfaces, in order to ensuring anti-parasitical protection in sheep exploitations The copro-parasitological examinations was carried ovoscopicaly (flotation - by Willis and Mc. Master methods; sediment – by polyvalent method and larvoscopicaly – by Baermann method. The parasitological examination of coprological smears which were harvested on sheep showed the presence of polyparasitism phenomenon with protozoans (coccidiae: Eimeria spp. and helmints (cestodae: Moniesia expansa; gastro-intestinal nemathodes: Trichostrongylus spp., Nematodirus spp., Strongyloides papillosus and pulmonary nemathodes: Müellerius capillaris, Protostrongylus rufescens, Dictyocaulus filaria. Also, we proposed ourselves to study the paresites and their intermediary stages on pastures which were exploited with sheep, comparatively with mowed pastures. In the ansamble of research activities a special place is occupied by testing differents methods, in order to prevention and fighting of parasitical infestations on sheep and pasture in sheep farms. The Australian Seismological Centre of the Australian Geological Survey Organisation, operates and co-operates a national seismograph network consisting of 24 analogue and 8 digitally telemetred (3 broadband) stations (see fig. 1 and table 1). The network covers the Australian continent and the Australian Antarctic Territory. Full Text Available The Australian Seismological Centre of the Australian Geological Survey Organisation, operates and co-operates a national seismograph network consisting of 24 analogue and 8 digitally telemetred (3 broadband stations (see fig. 1 and table 1. The network covers the Australian continent and the Australian Antarctic Territory. Jørs, Erik; Konradsen, Flemming; Huici, Omar; Teaching farmers Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Farmer Field Schools (FFS) has led to reduced pesticide use and safer handling. This article evaluates the long term impact of training farmers on IPM and the diffusion of knowledge from trained farmers to neighboring farmers, a subject of...... importance to justify training costs and to promote a healthy and sustainable agriculture. Training on IPM of farmers took place from 2002 to 2004 in their villages in La Paz County, Bolivia, while dissemination of knowledge from trained farmer to neighboring farmer took place until 2009. To evaluate the...... impact of the intervention, self-reported knowledge and practice on pesticide handling and IPM among trained farmers (N=23) and their neighboring farmers (N=47) were analyzed in a follow up study and compared in a cross-sectional analysis to a control group of farmers (N=138) introduced in 2009... Boyle, David B; Bulach, Dieter M; Amos-Ritchie, Rachel; Adams, Mathew M; Walker, Peter J; Weir, Richard Bluetongue virus (BTV) is transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.). It causes disease mainly in sheep and occasionally in cattle and other species. BTV has spread into northern Europe, causing disease in sheep and cattle. The introduction of new serotypes, changes in vector species, and climate change have contributed to these changes. Ten BTV serotypes have been isolated in Australia without apparent associated disease. Simplified methods for preferential isolation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and template preparation enabled high-throughput sequencing of the 10 genome segments of all Australian BTV prototype serotypes. Phylogenetic analysis reinforced the Western and Eastern topotypes previously characterized but revealed unique features of several Australian BTVs. Many of the Australian BTV genome segments (Seg-) were closely related, clustering together within the Eastern topotypes. A novel Australian topotype for Seg-5 (NS1) was identified, with taxa spread across several serotypes and over time. Seg-1, -2, -3, -4, -6, -7, -9, and -10 of BTV_2_AUS_2008 were most closely related to the cognate segments of viruses from Taiwan and Asia and not other Australian viruses, supporting the conclusion that BTV_2 entered Australia recently. The Australian BTV_15_AUS_1982 prototype was revealed to be unusual among the Australian BTV isolates, with Seg-3 and -8 distantly related to other BTV sequences from all serotypes. PMID:22514341 Suvedi, Murari; Jeong, Eunseong; Coombs, John In 2008 MSU Extension evaluated their program to identify the major areas of educational need for Michigan farmers and agribusiness operators. Surveys were mailed to a stratified random sample from Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service records of dairy, livestock, swine, cash crops, fruit, vegetable, and nursery/greenhouse producers. Findings… Coverdale, G. M. Discusses the importance of biological education in the rural development of under-developed countries. Argues that if the peasant farmer possessed even the most basic rudiments of biological knowledge he would be much more adaptable and amenable to technological innovation. Also describes how such an educational program might be implemented. (JR) This paper analyses farmers' decisions to carry out transactions by using three different types of networks: input supply cooperatives, processing and/or marketing cooperatives, and producers associations. We use arguments from economic sociology and new institutional economics to define the main fa Ollila, Petri; Nilsson, Jerker; Hess, Sebastian This study examined the extent to which farmer cooperatives enjoy social capital within their memberships as they become internationalised. The empirical basis was a survey of farmers in Finland. Findings from limited dependent variable regression models suggest that the farmers who are most loyal to their cooperatives tend to oppose its foreign investments. Another group of farmers tended to switch membership status between different cooperatives, and a third group tended to opt out of coope... Tegegne, Fisseha; Pasirayi, Simbarashe; Singh, Surendra P.; Ekanem, Enefiok P. One of the key challenges that small farmers face is marketing their products. National and international markets are difficult to tap into for small farmers due to their inability to compete with large farm operators that dominate these markets. The objective of this study was to examine marketing channels used by small Tennessee Farmers. A mail survey was sent to 250 selected small farmers in Tennessee. Ninety-two completed responses, representing about 37% response rate, were received. Ove... Bagi, Faqir Singh; Reeder, Richard J. Using a national farm survey, this study estimates a logit model to identify factors affecting U.S. farmers' participation in agritourism. Of the dummy variables, public access to the farm for recreation has the greatest positive impact, followed by farms near central cities, farms in Rocky Mountain and Southern Plains regions, farmers with college education, farmers paying for farm advice, farms organized as partnerships/corporations, farms enrolled in conservation programs, and farmers with... Considerable advances have been made in the knowledge of the mechanisms and control of synthesis and degradation of proteins in animal tissues during the last decade. Most of the work on the measurement of synthetic and degradative rates of the mixed protein fraction from tissues has been conducted in the rat. There have, unfortunately, been few publications describing results of protein turnover studies with ruminants. Consideration is given here to the techniques used to measure protein turnover, and some of the results obtained, particularly with sheep, are summarized. No attempt has been made to discuss directly the situation in parasitized animals; rather the aim is to provide background information which complements other work dealing with the effects of parasites on the nitrogen metabolism of ruminants. (author) Grum, Charlotte; Svabo, Connie Proposal for Performance Research, in response to the call Turning Animal: As a part of a 2015 group exhibition exploring the history and local myths of a woman living in a Danish heath landscape 150 years ago, artist Charlotte Grum connected herself to a live sheep for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week......, for 5 weeks, turning the two into a hybrid relational assemblage, intra-acting and becoming with the heath habitat, the other by-passing human and non-human animals, the changing weather and their fluctuating biological needs. She wanted to explore the discursive and material effects of a site......-specific human-nonhuman animal intra-action, to challenge the gendered and anthropocentric reading of a particular historical subject and to explore the messy constituents of the very categories of women and animals. In general she is occupied with how to animate and perform the intra-active entanglement of... Grum, Charlotte; Svabo, Connie As a part of a 2015 group exhibition exploring the history and local myths of a woman living in a Danish heath landscape 150 years ago, artist Charlotte Grum connected herself to a live sheep for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 5 weeks, turning the two into a hybrid relational assemblage, intra...... performative practice. Continuing explorations of how to undo authorship, activate multiple subject positions and animate the very resources through which we practice and continuously become, for this conference artist Charlotte Grum has invited Connie Svabo, Associate Professor in Performance-Design at...... Roskilde University, to participate in a performative conversation. Svabo’s interest in environmental aesthetics and in new modes of disseminating artistic knowledge (Schwab & Borgdorf, 2013) will intra-act with visual and textual notes from “Becoming Sheep” in a live exploration of the methodological... Marriner, S E; Bogan, J A The concentrations of albendazole and its two major metabolites, the sulfoxide and sulfone, were measured in plasma and in ruminal and abomasal fluid of three sheep (surgically prepared with permanent ruminal and abomasal cannulae) orally given albendazole as a suspension at a dose rate of 10 mg/kg. Albendazole was not detectable in plasma at any time in one sheep (detection limit, 0.02 micrograms/ml) and in the other sheep, only transiently detectable. Albendazole sulfoxide was detectable in plasma and in abomasal fluid at mean peak concentrations of 3.2 and 26.2 micrograms/ml, respectively, 20 hours after administration. It is probable that much of the anthelmintic activity of albendazole in sheep is due to the metabolically formed sulfoxide and sulfone. PMID:7436109 Salvatore Virdis; Christian Scarano; Vincenzo Spanu; Gavino Murittu; Carlo Spanu; Ignazio Ibba; Enrico Pietro Luigi De Santis In the present work the results of a survey conducted in Sardinia Region on Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination in milk of small ruminants from 2005 to 2013 are reported. A total of 517 sheep and 88 goat milk samples from bulk tank, tank trucks and silo tank milk were collected. Analyses were performed by the Regional Farmers Association laboratory using high-performance liquid chromatography following the ISO 14501:1998 standard. None of the sheep milk samples analysed during 2005- 2012 showed... Chowa, Clodina; Garforth, Chris; Cardey, Sarah Purpose: Malawi's current extension policy supports pluralism and advocates responsiveness to farmer demand. We investigate whether smallholder farmers' experience supports the assumption that access to multiple service providers leads to extension and advisory services that respond to the needs of farmers. Design/methodology/approach: Within a… Harris, D J; Nowara, G The extent and causes of sheep losses in the semi-arid Mallee region of north-western Victoria were assessed by interviewing the owners of 79 randomly selected farms running 241 flocks in 1987/88 and 245 flocks in 1988/89. Mean annual losses were higher in ram flocks (21%) than in ewe flocks (7%), in flocks of non-Merino sheep (rams 24%, ewes 11%, weaners 5%) than in Merino (rams 11%, ewes 6%, wethers 4%, weaners 4%) and in ewe flocks 3 or more years old (10%) than in young ewe flocks (3.5%). In flocks where losses exceeded 5%, the causes most often reported by farmers were blowfly strike (especially in Merino sheep and weaners), ewe losses in autumn close to lambing, and heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum) poisoning. Heliotrope poisoning was considered by the authors to be the main reason for the higher losses in old ewes than in young ewes and in non-Merino sheep than in Merino sheep. Losses of ewes associated with pregnancy and lambing were considered by the authors to be often predisposed by liver damage caused by heliotrope poisoning, and high losses in non-Merino ram flocks were attributed to both heliotrope poisoning and their ability to escape through boundary fences. Reasons for continuing high losses due to enterotoxaemia are discussed. Losses due to gastro-intestinal parasites, footrot and foot abscess were low. PMID:8585847 Andrei G. Sakharov; Andrei V. Shelepov; Elizaveta A. Safonkina; Mark R. Rakhmangulov The 2014 Australian presidency took place against the backdrop of multiple challenges in both global economy and international politics, with Ukrainian crisis, Syrian conflict, Islamic State, and Ebola. Thus, despite being an economic forum, the G20 could not avoid addressing these issues, with discussions taking place during the bilateral meetings and on the sidelines of the forum. The article attempts to analyze the Australian G20 Presidency within a functional paradigm, assessing G20 perfo... baba, syahdar; Asmuddin, Natsir; Maruddin, Fatma; Izzdin, Idrus The consecuency of the increasing of dairy cattle population in Enrekang is environmental pollution from manure. The objective of this research was to explore dairy farmer???s knowledge and practices of manure management in Enrekang Regency. The design of research was survey with 79 respondents from a total of 460 dairy farmers that divided by 65 respondents was small scale (1-3 heads each farmer) and 14 respondents was medium scale (more than 3 heads each farmers). Data were obtained thro... Junkuszew, Andrzej; Dudko, Paulina; Bojar, Wiktor; Olech, Monika; Osiński, Zbigniew; Gruszecki, Tomasz M; Kania, Monika Greguła; Kuźmak, Jacek; Czerski, Grzegorz An analysis of the risk factors for ovine lentivirus infection was performed in sheep flocks located throughout the central-eastern region of Poland. Here, we report the infection details for 98 flocks with a total of 6470 ewes, 15 sheep breeds. The identification of infected animals and a review of the epidemiological status of each flock were based on an evaluation of serological tests performed on collected blood serum samples. Blood for examination was obtained from 2925 ewes of the 98 flocks under observation. Specific antibodies for Maedi Visna Virus (MVV) were detected via ELISA. Data illustrating the conditions at each sheep farm were obtained through questionnaires completed by farmers, as well as observations, measurements, and breeding records that were available. These observations were used to assess risk factors contributing to small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection in sheep flocks. It was found that both sheep flock size and the type of management system had a significant effect on the increased risk of lentiviral infection. In addition, we demonstrate that there is a significant (pmastitis (OR 2.01, CI: 1.55-2.61) and diarrhea (OR 4.22, CI: 3.30-5.39) with SRLV infection in the observed sheep. Additionally, the infection rate of the animals translated directly to an impaired physical condition. Notably, the risk of infection could potentially be reduced if sheep producers are further acquainted with SRLV detection and invoke a control program based on diagnostic tests. Moreover, marketing approval should be granted for solely SRLV-seronegative animals. PMID:27094139 Full Text Available Sheep husbandry is the main source of income for farmers in arid zones. Increasing sheep production on steppes may increase the greenhouse gas production. The objective of this study was to investigate the nitrous oxide (N2O emissions from the steppes for Awassi sheep keeping and feed cropping in arid zones such as Syria. The methodology developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC was used to estimate N2O emissions. A survey was conducted on 64 farms in Syria to gather data for analysis. Precipitation and crop yield data from 2001 to 2009 were also used for calculation and modelling. Sheep-keeping systems, precipitation, year and the region have significant effects on N2O emissions (p < 0.05. Emissions of N2O from lands with extensive, semi-intensive and intensive systems were 0.30 ± 0.093, 0.598 ± 0.113 and 2.243 ± 0.187 kg sheep−1year−1, respectively. Crop production was higher in regions with high precipitation levels, which helped to reduce N2O emissions. Using more residuals of wheat, cotton and soya as feed for sheep in the keeping systems evaluated may decrease the overuse of steppe regions and N2O emissions. Nitrous oxide emissions of N2O from sheep-keeping areas can be reduced by changing sheep-keeping systems and increasing the crop production in arid zones through artificial irrigation. ... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Gross income of farmers. 1.61-4 Section 1.61-4... Gross income of farmers. (a) Farmers using the cash method of accounting. A farmer using the cash... required to be capitalized. (b) Farmers using an accrual method of accounting. A farmer using an... McLaren, Suzanne; Challis, Chantal This study investigated the applicability of 3 models of resiliency for the prediction of suicidal ideation from depression (the risk factor) and social support and sense of belonging (the protective factors). A sample of 99 Australian men farmers completed measures of depression, suicidal ideas, social support, and sense of belonging. Sense of… The specific rights of farmers in Alberta regarding seismic operations on their land are described. A seismic operator can enter onto a property only after obtaining approval from the owner and occupant of the land. It is entirely up to the farmer to negotiate the terms of the contract. This document summarizes the chronology of a seismic survey and describes the steps required to conduct seismic tests on titled land, leased land and on leased road allowance. Also discussed are the implications of seismic operations on water wells and property damage. The required distances of various seismic operations, and the requirements for hole abandonment, cleanup and compensation are laid out. Special considerations for 3-D seismic surveys are also addressed Full Text Available Abstract Background No clinical trials have been conducted in India on the efficacy of parenteral antibacterials to treat footrot in sheep. In addition, there are no studies worldwide on the efficacy of parenteral antibacterials to treat chronic footrot. Sixty two sheep with acute footrot and 30 sheep with chronic footrot from 7 villages in Kashmir, India were recruited into two separate trials. Sheep with acute footrot were allocated to one of three treatments using stratified random sampling: long acting parenteral oxytetracycline, long acting parenteral enrofloxacin and topical application of potassium permanganate solution (a traditional treatment used by sheep farmers in India. In a quasi pre-post intervention design, sheep with chronic footrot that had not responded to treatment with potassium permanaganate were randomly allocated to treatment with one of the two parenteral antibacterials mentioned above. Sheep with acute footrot were treated on day 0 and those with chronic footrot on days 0, 3, 6 and 9. Sheep were monitored for up to 28 days after treatment. Time to recovery from lameness and initial healing of lesions was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, nonparametric log-rank and Wilcoxon sign-rank tests. Results There was significant correlation in recovery from lameness and presence of healing lesions in sheep with acute (r = 0.94 or chronic (r = 0.98 footrot. Sheep with acute footrot which were treated with parenteral antibacterials had a significantly more rapid recovery from lameness and had healing lesions (median = 7 days compared with those treated with topical potassium permanganate solution (less than 50% recovered in 28 days. The median time to recovery in sheep with chronic footrot treated with either antibacterial was 17 days; this was significantly lower than the median of 75 days lame before treatment with antibacterials. The median time to recovery for both acute and chronic footrot increased as the severity Ward, Alton C.S.; Weiser, Glen C.; Anderson, Bruce C.; Cummings, Patrick J.; Arnold, Karen F.; Corbeil, Lynette B. Respiratory disease and poor lamb recruitment have been identified as limiting factors for bighorn-sheep populations. Haemophilus somnus (recently reclassified as Histophilus somni) is associated with respiratory disease in American bison, domestic sheep, and cattle. It is also harbored in their reproductive tracts and has been associated with reproductive failure in domestic sheep and cattle. Therefore, reproductive tract and lung samples from bighorn sheep were evaluated for the presence of... Ismeth Inounu; D. Ambarawati; R.H. Mulyono Coat colour is a qualitative trait whose expression is controlled by genes and could be used as a characteristic of sheep breed and could be used as a trade mark for certain sheep breeder enterprise. The research was done to study the coat color pattern in Garut sheep and its crossbred. In this study 178 heads of sheep was used which consisted of 64 Garut sheep (GG); 24 MG sheep (50% M and 50% G); 14 HG sheep (50% St. Croix and 50% G); 20 HMG sheep and 56 MHG sheep. HMG and MHG sheep are comp... Jørs, Erik; Konradsen, Flemming; Huici, Omar; Morant, Rafael C; Volk, Julie; Lander, Flemming Teaching farmers integrated pest management (IPM) in farmer field schools (FFS) has led to reduced pesticide use and safer handling. This article evaluates the long-term impact of training farmers on IPM and the diffusion of knowledge from trained farmers to neighboring farmers, a subject of importance to justify training costs and to promote a healthy and sustainable agriculture. Training on IPM of farmers took place from 2002 to 2004 in their villages in La Paz County, Bolivia, whereas dissemination of knowledge from trained farmer to neighboring farmer took place until 2009. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, self-reported knowledge and practice on pesticide handling and IPM among trained farmers (n = 23) and their neighboring farmers (n = 47) were analyzed in a follow-up study and compared in a cross-sectional analysis with a control group of farmers (n = 138) introduced in 2009. Variables were analyzed using χ(2) test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Trained farmers improved and performed significantly better in all tested variables than their neighboring farmers, although the latter also improved their performance from 2002 to 2009. Including a control group showed an increasing trend in all variables, with the control farmers having the poorest performance and trained farmers the best. The same was seen in an aggregated variable where trained farmers had a mean score of 16.55 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.45-17.65), neighboring farmers a mean score of 11.97 (95% CI: 10.56-13.38), and control farmers a mean score of 9.18 (95% CI: 8.55-9.80). Controlling for age and living altitude did not change these results. Trained farmers and their neighboring farmers improved and maintained knowledge and practice on IPM and pesticide handling. Diffusion of knowledge from trained farmers might explain the better performance of the neighboring farmers compared with the control farmers. Dissemination of knowledge can contribute to justify the cost and This report summarizes the findings of a national study to determine what skills and competencies are needed by beginning employees on sheep ranches and farms, lamb feedlots, and in the sheep shearing industry. The research procedure, which involved determining from the sheep industry the competencies needed by beginning employees in the thirteen… J.A. Van Wyk Full Text Available In three trials conducted on two separate farms the production of sheep treated for naturally acquired haemonchosis using the FAMACHA© system of targeted selective treatment (TST (i.e. to treat only those animals unable to manage unaided in the face of heavy Haemonchus challenge was compared to that of suppressively drenched sheep in the same flock. As expected by the research team who developed and evaluated the FAMACHA© system, TST did result in some loss in production. However, despite high levels of worm challenge in two of the trials and the fact that the comparison was with suppressive drenching which is not sustainable, the total effect was relatively small in relation to the important advantage of using the TST as regards reduced selection for anthelmintic resistance (AR. Concerning the sustainability of worm control, it is concluded that the development of drug resistance to anthelmintics leaves sheep and goat farmers in South Africa no choice but to use methods of TST such as FAMACHA©. The FAMACHA© system can also be a useful clinical aid for early on-farm detection of AR by farmers; the degree of improvement in the colour of the ocular mucous membrane from pale to red in individually drenched anaemic animals over a period of 7-14 days can give a good indication of the efficacy of the compound(s used. Zurauskas, J; Beroukas, D; Walker, J G; Smith, M D; Ahern, M J; Roberts-Thomson, P J Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) has not been reported before in Australian Aborigines. We describe in detail a community middle-aged Aboriginal woman whose diffuse scleroderma terminated fatally with a renal crisis. Moreover, we have identified a further five Aboriginal patients on the South Australian Scleroderma Register (two with diffuse, two with limited and one with overlap scleroderma), a number consistent with that expected from the 2001 census data for our state. However, an analysis of all antinuclear antibody (ANA) requests from the Top End of Australia over a 6-year period revealed only two Aborigines with low titre anticentromere antibody (despite frequent occurrence of ANA with other specificities). Neither of these Aborigines had features of scleroderma. In conclusion, scleroderma does occur in indigenous Australians but further studies are needed to confirm the apparent infrequency of centromere-associated limited scleroderma (which is the commonest form of scleroderma in our Caucasian population). PMID:15667472 Anisa Yonelia; L. Meily Kurniawidjaja Agriculture is an important sector that has big impact to the society thus a program that can keep its sustainability is needed, especially in term of productivity. The focus of this study was risk management of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in rice farmers in Ngrendeng Village, Ngawi, East Java in 2012 with analyze hazard and risk on activities and workplaces. This study was a semi-quantitative analitical descriptive with observational approach using Australian Standard/New Zealand St... XIAO, Yongtian; Cui, Yu; HU, Lijia The problem of farmers' income growth is the key of issues concerning agriculture, countryside and farmers, so the farmers’ income growth is the fundamental starting point for agricultural and rural economic development. In this paper, we use the statistics concerning farmers' income in Yunnan Province from 1995 to 2012, to perform the path analysis of components of farmers' income in Yunnan Province, study the path of influence of components of farmers' income on farmers' net income, and t... The mineral requirements of dairy sheep under semi-intensive and intensive management systems are reviewed. Basically, mineral requirements obtained with mutton breeds are supplemented with specific information obtained with dairy sheep. The daily requirements of sheep in major elements have been estimated using the factorial method, first to calculate the net requirements during maintenance, growth, reproduction and lactation, and second to assess the efficiency of absorption for converting net requirements into dietary allowance. The requirements in trace elements were estimated from the results of feeding trials. The choice of values for endogenous losses and particularly the precision with which efficiency of absorption can be predicted are the main sources of error in estimates of dietary allowances, especially when efficiency of absorption is low. The net requirements in major elements are given for maintenance, pregnancy and lactation, together with the recommended coefficients of absorption. Dietary requirements in trace elements are expressed as milligram per kilogram dry matter. The requirements in all nutrients and particularly in Ca and P increase during late pregnancy, especially during lactation. The requirements during lactation mainly reflect milk composition, the level of milk yield and lactation length, but also the feed intake level. The factors related to the confinement, feeding and management of dairy breeds, which differ from those of mutton breeds, may affect their mineral requirements. Changes in husbandry practices resulting in increased production may increase the stress on the animal and therefore alter its metabolic equilibrium. Direct supplementation of the diet of dairy sheep is the cheapest and most convenient method of mineral supplementation. The cost is outweighed by the enhanced performance of sheep. Determination of the mineral composition of feedstuffs available for feeding dairy sheep indicates the type and level of mineral Norris, Ray P The traditional cultures of Aboriginal Australians include a significant astronomical component, perpetuated through oral tradition, ceremony, and art. This astronomical component includes a deep understanding of the motion of objects in the sky, and this knowledge was used for practical purposes, such as constructing calendars. There is also evidence that traditional Aboriginal Australians made careful records and measurements of cyclical phenomena, paid careful attention to unexpected phenomena such as eclipses and meteorite impacts, and could determine the cardinal points to an accuracy of a few degrees. Kristijan Pandek; Boro Mioč; Zdravko Barać; Vesna Pavić; Neven Antunac; Zvonimir Prpić Among the most important breeds of sheep, used for the milk production in Croatia, are the sheep from Pag, Brač, Cres, Istrian and Travnik΄s sheep, different crossbreeds and, recently, East Friesian sheep. The aim of the research was to determine the genotype effect on lactation period, milk yield and protein and fat content, which are important in cheese making. The longest lactation period (213 days) had East Friesian sheep, while the highest total milk production (294 kg) and the highest p... the present study was conducted as in the experimental sheep farm of the nuclear research center, egyptian atomic energy authority in association with the institute of graduate studies and research. university of alexandria. this study aims to accurately and economically detect early pregnancy using techniques of biotechnology .consequently, the suggested method may replace techniques used nowadays for pregnancy detection since these techniques have disadvantages (e.g. long time before accurately determining pregnancy in rectal abdominal palpation and high cost and hazards of using serum progesterone radio immunoassay (RIA). the farmer may benefit from such detection economically by increasing his farm breeding cycle efficiency , reducing the breeding expenses . and isolating fertile ewes as early as possible. therefore reducing abortion incidences. stillbirths or production of weak lambs. this study was performed in two separate experiments. the first experiment: twenty four mixed breed sheep from the experimental sheep of the nuclear research center . egyptian atomic energy authority were used in this study. blood samples were taken at days 18.104.22.168.21.and 25 days after mating and a native- page were applied on the serum of these samples in correlation with serum progesterone RIA test. in addition . white blood cells were isolated from blood samples to obtain purified total RNA for RT-PCR. gel images were analyzed using totallab v.i.II(nonlinear dynamic, Newcastle upontyne. UK) computer software.the second experiment:nine pregnant and two non-pregnant ewes used in this experiment. blood sample were taken 0.25.30.35.40.45.and 50 days after mating and SDS-page were applied on the serum of theses samples. Native-page were applied for serum samples and stained for glycoproteins. gel images were analyzed using totallab v/1.11 (nonlinear dynamic. Newcastle upontyne. UK) computer software Cenci-Goga Beniamino T Full Text Available Abstract Background Serum samples from 630 milk sheep, in 33 dairy flocks representative of the southern area of the Tuscany region, were tested for the presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii using an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT. Questionnaires exploring the management system were completed by the veterinarian in charge of the flocks. Results At least one seropositive animal was found in 32 of the 33 flocks tested (97.0%; 95% CI: 84.2%, 99.9%. In the positive flocks, median seroprevalence was 29.4% (interquartile range: 15.9%-46.1%. Overall animal-level seroprevalence, adjusted for sampling weights and test sensitivity and specificity, was 33.3% (95% CI: 24.8%, 42.7%. In a multivariable negative binomial regression model the number of seropositive animals in a flock decreased with increasing flock size (for >400 vs. CR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.95; P = 0.028 and was greater on farms where stray cats had access to animals’ water (CR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.26; P = 0.027. Conclusions Small flock size and access of cats to water are potential risk factors for Toxoplasma infection in sheep in the Grosseto district in Tuscany, Italy. Sheep could be an important source of T. gondii infection in humans, since we estimate that between 25% and 43% of sheep in the district were seropositive. Toxoplasmosis is also likely to be an important cause of abortion in sheep in the district. Control and prophylactic measures must be adopted to improve the rearing system and the implementation of health promoting programmes in a joint effort between sheep farmers, farmers’ associations and veterinarians to inform about the means of transmission of the infection and for a better understanding of the disease. Young and old farmers in Sweden view their cooperative commitment differently. Young farmers generally see their cooperative commitment as a means to obtain economic advantages. Old farmers have the opposite view: They view the cooperative membership as a way of showing solidarity with peers, economic aspects being of secondary importance. The recent development of farmers' views upon cooperatives, combined with the great changes taking place on the European agricultural markets, imply proble... Merget, Rolf; Sander, Ingrid; van Kampen, Vera; Raulf, Monika; Brüning, Thomas We present the case of a 29-year-old farmer with hay fever and atopic dermatitis since adolescence who had developed work-related asthma about 5 years earlier. He was sensitized to grass pollen, wheat and rye flour, dust from the floors of the animal facilities (cows and pigs) and grain barn, and a battery of animal feed from his farm. Work-relatedness of his asthma was demonstrated by serial measurements of spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide at work and during a holiday. Immunoblot analyses revealed dominant IgE-binding to grass pollen and triticale (a hybrid of rye and wheat). IgE inhibition experiments demonstrated that sensitization to triticale was not due to cross-reactivity to grass pollen. Testing of specific IgE-antibodies to recombinant wheat allergens showed sensitizations to profilin, peroxidase, and nonspecific lipid transfer proteins type I subfamily 9.1 and 9.7. We conclude that triticale allergy may occur as a distinct allergy in farmers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:501-505, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:26814013 Warren, M. J.; W. Hutchinson The aim of the paper is to look at the way hackers act and ways in which society can protect itself. The paper will show the current views and attitudes of hackers in an Australian context. The paper will also include a case study to show how a hacking incident can develop and how technology can be used to protect against hacking. Franz, Nancy K.; Piercy, Fred; Donaldson, Joseph; Westbrook, Johnnie; Richard, Robert Few studies have examined the types of educational delivery methods preferred by farmers (Eckert & Bell, 2005; Eckert & Bell, 2006). The research project reported here explored the preferred learning methods of farmers in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Virginia. Data on learning methods collected directly from farmers were compared with preferred… Giuseppina Camboni; Walter Pinna; Federico Infascelli; Giuseppe Moniello This paper reviews the major (Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Chlorine, Sulphur, Magnesium) and the trace elements (Iron, Copper, Cobalt, Iodine, Manganese, Zync, Molybdenum, Selenium) that play an essential role in animal metabolism. For each one the authors indicate not only the function, but also the more recent advances in terms of daily requirements for dairy sheep. Data were taken on contamination of organs of a mother sheep and its lamb. 2.5 months after the passage of the Chernobyl - caused radioactive cloud over Graz (Austria). The specific activity of Cs-137 in the muscle tissues is strongly dependent on its fat content. Barium 140 could be detected in the rib bones of both animals Braae, Uffe Christian; Kabululu, Mwemezi; Nørmark, Michelle Elisabeth; Nejsum, Peter; Ngowi, Helena Aminel; Johansen, Maria Vang Few studies have been carried out in Africa to estimate the prevalence of Taenia hydatigena. With the aim to determine the prevalence of T. hydatigena in slaughtered pigs and small ruminants (goats and sheep) in Mbeya, Tanzania, two cross-sectional surveys were carried out investigating pigs in April to May 2014 and small ruminants in September 2012. In total, 243 pigs were examined post-mortem for T. hydatigena cysts which were found in 16 (6.6 %) pigs. The majority (80 %) of cysts were found on the omentum and the rest on the liver (20 %), all on the visceral surface. Two pigs were also found infected with Taenia solium but showed no signs of other infections. A total of 392 goats and 27 sheep were examined post-mortem, and the prevalence of T. hydatigena was similar in goats and sheep with 45.7 and 51.9 %, respectively. DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1) from a subsample of metacestodes from goats and sheep confirmed the T. hydatigena infection. The prevalence found in small ruminants was comparable to other studies conducted in Africa, but for pigs, it is one of the highest recorded to date. The present study also confirms the occurrence of T. hydatigena and T. solium in pigs from Mbeya. Further studies are needed to determine the impact of T. hydatigena on production under sub-Saharan conditions and the financial consequences for smallholder farmers. PMID:26210397 Full Text Available Hyperprolific phenotype of Booroola sheep was first discovered in the Australian Merino breed. This phenotype is due to the action of a single autosomal gene that influences the number of ovulations per estrogenic cycle. Recent discoveries have revealed that high prolificacy in Booroola Merino sheep is the result of a mutation (FecB in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1B (BMPR-1B gene. This mutation is located in the highly conserved kinase domain of the bone morphogenetic protein receptor IB, and is characterized by precocious differentiation of ovarian follicles, leading to the production of large numbers of ovulatory follicles. Our objective was to develop an easy method to identify the FecB mutation in order to screen sheep populations in terms of prolificacy. We designed primers to amplify a 190 bp fragment from the BMPR-1B gene containing or lacking the mutation. The PCR product was cut with AvaII endonuclease and the restriction products were analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Using the PCR-RFLP technique, we established an easy and efficient method that can be used to screen the FecB mutation. Therefore, these new methods increase the panel of molecular tools available for sheep breeders to choose the most prolific genotypes for improving artificial selection. Anneberg, Inger; Sørensen, Jan Tind; Vaarst, Mette When the inspector drives into the farmyard and asks to see the animal barns to inspect the welfare of the animals, a tense situation may arise because inspections transcend limits and are complex and difficult for many farmers to relate to. A new research project is examining the interaction...... between authorities and farmers.... Ochterski, Jim; Frenay, Erica Many beginning farmers have little previous contact with Extension, yet they will comprise an important part of our future base of support. We present those educational activities directed toward beginning farmers that represent high impact, outcome-based Extension programming, given an educator's time limitations. This checklist of insights will… Micheels, Eric; Barry, Peter This article utilizes a farmer survey to analyze the relationships between farm business structure and the importance farmers place on risk management practices. The strongest relationships occur between farm size and risk management, while rating differences across age of operator, tenure, and use of debt are less pronounced. Chunyan Chen; Shudong Zhang For the time being, great gap still exists between the status quo of civic awareness of farmers and the requirement of construction of a new countryside in China. Thus, exploration into the path of fostering the civic awareness of farmers is an urgent task to construct the new socialist countryside. Thuo, Mary; Bell, Alexandra A.; Bravo-Ureta, Boris E.; Okello, David K.; Okoko, Evelyn Nasambu; Kidula, Nelson L.; Deom, C. Michael; Puppala, Naveen Purpose: Groundnut farmers in East Africa have experienced declines in production despite research and extension efforts to increase productivity. This study examined how social network structures related to acquisition of information about new seed varieties and productivity among groundnut farmers in Uganda and Kenya.… Farmer\\'s lung incidence in Ireland was constant until 1996, even though hay making methods were revolutionised in late 1980\\'s. We undertook this study to find out the incidence of farmer\\'s lung in Ireland from 1982-2002 and its correlation with rainfall and the effect of changing farm practices. The primary cases of farmer\\'s lung were identified from Hospital in Patients Enquiry (HIPE) unit of the national Economic & Social Research Institute (ESRI) Dublin. Rainfall data were obtained from Met Eireann whereas population, hay production and silage production were obtained from the Central Statistics Office, Dublin. As the farming population is in decline, we used the annual working unit (AWU), which reflects the true population at risk. An AWU is the equivalent of 1800 hours per farm worker per year. The incidence rates were constant from 1982-1996, but from 1997-2002 a marked decline was observed. There was strong positive correlation with hay production (r = 0.81) and strong negative correlation with silage production (r = -0.82). This study indicates that the incidence of farmer\\'s lung is now in decline. Antony, George; Prestwidge, D.; Sandell, G.; Archer, A; Thorburn, Peter; Higgins, Andrew J. The supply chain of the conventional Australian sugar industry is characterized by horizontal separation between the stages. Often antagonistic relations between segments, particularly farmers and millers, led to each developing their systems for their own segment’s benefit, without reference to the wider industry interests. Cane growing developed into a monoculture, reliant on material inputs and technological solutions, whose low labour intensity afforded substantial lifestyle benefits to... Sun; Xiaoping; Liu; Jianbin; Zhang; Wanlong; Lang; Xia; Yang; Bohui; Guo; Jian; Feng; Ruilin In order to improve the meat performance of local sheep in Gansu Province,Dorset and Borderdale were introduced to crossbreed with local sheep which were Tan sheep,Small-tail Han sheep and Mongolia sheep. The offspring under different crossbreeding combinations were sampled randomly at the different growing stage to measure their growth traits so as to select optimize the crossbreeding mode. The results indicated that,for the same crossbreeding mode,the growth rate of progeny was in order F3> F2> F1; for the F3 progeny,the combinations Dorset- Borderdale- Small tail Han sheep and Dorset- Borderdale- Mongolia sheep gave a higher growth rate,with a body weight of 1. 57%,3. 17%,8. 23%,1. 15% higher in male and female individuals than the counterparts of Dorset and Tan sheep and Small tail Han sheep; for the F2 progeny,the combinations Dorset- Borderdale- Small tail Han sheep and Dorset- Borderdale- Mongolia sheep also gave a higher growth rate,with a body weight of 2. 15%,4. 53%,9. 21% and 2. 75% higher in male and female individuals than the counterparts of Dorset and Tan sheep and Small tail Han sheep; for the F1 progeny,the combination Borderdale and Small tail Han sheep assumed a higher growth rate,with a body weight of 3. 23%,6. 07%,7. 42% and 8. 66% higher in male and female individuals than the counterparts of Borderdale- Mongolia sheep and Tan sheep- Small tail Han sheep,respectively. Therefore,in the Small-tail Han sheep and Mongolia sheep producing regions,the F2 or F3progeny bred by using Dorset or Borderdale sheep as male parent to cross with local breeds,or the hybrid lambs of Small-tail Han sheep and Borderdale sheep as highly qualified commodity,would produce significant economic benefit. Moreover,the novel breeds obtained by crossing were the valuable genetic resource for breeding meat sheep. The WINDOPS WindFarmer design and optimisation software is now widely used throughout the wind energy industry. Whilst the design, optimisation and visual assessment capabilities of the software have been covered in previous papers presented to the BWEA, little focus has been given to the powerful capabilities of the WindFarmer Finance Module. The WindFarmer Finance Module is designed to allow users to carry out full financial appraisals of wind energy projects within the integrated WindFarmer interface. Any existing spreadsheet containing a wind farm costing or financial model can be loaded and dynamically linked to elements within the Base module. This paper explores the functions of this module and demonstrate the powerful WindFarmer features that allow users to determine not only the optimum layout for a site, but also the most economical type and number of wind turbines. (Author) Farmers play an important role in agricultural modernization,and farmers’quality directly influence the agricultural modernization drive. We analyzed basic situations and existing problems of farmers,including lack of consciousness as a master,cultural awareness,market awareness,skill awareness,and democracy and legal awareness.To build new farmers,we put forward multi-channel and comprehensive training schemes,including enhancing leadership,making clear objective,and giving top priority to subjects;increasing fund input and perfecting new farmer training system;focusing on economic development and combining with new socialist countryside construction;training by classification to improve overall qualities of different level farmers;combining many cultivation ways to improve the overall training effect. Thornber, Peter M Australia is a federation of states and territories, each with their own parliament and animal-welfare laws. Australian animal-welfare legislation imposes a "duty of care" on people responsible for the care and well-being of animals under their management. In the livestock sector, this responsibility is mirrored by the ongoing development of standards, guidelines, and codes of practice to assist people to understand their responsibilities and to meet expectations concerning animal welfare. The Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) is the national animal-welfare policy blueprint for sustainable improvements in animal welfare, and one of its key goals is to achieve greater consistency in the development, implementation, and enforcement of animal-welfare standards. Standards, guidelines, and model codes also inform the development of contemporary, evidence-based quality assurance programs for individual livestock industries and provide the basis for competency-based training programs for animal handlers. Australian standards have been developed for pigs and land transport of livestock, and work is progressing on national standards for cattle, sheep, horses, zoo animals, dogs, and cats. Other achievements include the development of requirements for the care and use of animals in research and teaching, guidelines for the welfare of aquatic animals, and codes of practice for the humane killing of pest animals. State and territory governments are developing a framework for consistent regulation and compliance in consultation with industries and welfare organizations. PMID:20378873 ... Foreign Agricultural Service Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service... Farmers Program Review Committee, comprised of representatives from USDA's Office of the Chief Economist... CONTACT: Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers Program Staff, Office of Trade Programs, FAS, USDA,... ... Foreign Agricultural Service Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service... Farmers Review Committee, comprised of representatives from USDA's Office of the Chief Economist, Farm... Farmers' Program Should Contact: USDA, Farm Service Agency (at your local service center). FOR... ... Foreign Agricultural Service Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service... for Farmers Program Review Committee, comprised of representatives from USDA's Office of the Chief... assistance in FY 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers... Virdis, Salvatore; Scarano, Christian; Spanu, Vincenzo; Murittu, Gavino; Spanu, Carlo; Ibba, Ignazio; De Santis, Enrico Pietro Luigi In the present work the results of a survey conducted in Sardinia Region on Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination in milk of small ruminants from 2005 to 2013 are reported. A total of 517 sheep and 88 goat milk samples from bulk tank, tank trucks and silo tank milk were collected. Analyses were performed by the Regional Farmers Association laboratory using high-performance liquid chromatography following the ISO 14501:1998 standard. None of the sheep milk samples analysed during 2005- 2012 showed... Kirsten, Johann F.; Zyl, Johan van South African agriculture is comprised of mainly two categories of farmers -- the subsistence farmers in the former homeland areas and the large-scale commercial (mainly white) farmers. This is in contrast with the situation in many other countries in the world where one would find a whole range of farm sizes, ranging from the very small or subsistence farmer to the very large farmer/agribusiness. The paper highlights the situation of small-scale farmers in an international context and compar... Taylor, M A There have been changes in the emergence and inability to control of a number of sheep parasitic infections over the last decade. This review focuses on the more globally important sheep parasites, whose reported changes in epidemiology, occurrence or failure to control are becoming increasingly evident. One of the main perceived driving forces is climate change, which can have profound effects on parasite epidemiology, especially for those parasitic diseases where weather has a direct effect on the development of free-living stages. The emergence of anthelmintic-resistant strains of parasitic nematodes and the increasing reliance placed on anthelmintics for their control, can exert profound changes on the epidemiology of those nematodes causing parasitic gastroenteritis. As a consequence, the effectiveness of existing control strategies presents a major threat to sheep production in many areas around the world. The incidence of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, is inextricably linked to high rainfall and is particularly prevalent in high rainfall years. Over the last few decades, there have also been increasing reports of other fluke associated diseases, such as dicroceliosis and paramphistomosis, in a number of western European countries, possibly introduced through animal movements, and able to establish with changing climates. External parasite infections, such as myiasis, can cause significant economic loss and presents as a major welfare problem. The range of elevated temperatures predicted by current climate change scenarios, result in an elongated blowfly season with earlier spring emergence and a higher cumulative incidence of fly strike. Additionally, legislative decisions leading to enforced changes in pesticide usage and choices have resulted in increased reports and spread of ectoparasitic infections, particularly mite, lice and tick infestations in sheep. Factors, such as dip disposal and associated environmental concerns, and, perhaps more Full Text Available Tracer Inoodle tbin-tail sheep and Kacang goats were used to measure the seasonal changes in gastrointestinal nematodes parasitism i ~'und[, .xillapek .Fodd~ 'ofis in West Java . Each 3 months for 12 months worm-free male sheep (5 and goats (5 about 5 months of age were ~ $Jri~tgldI o% ef- farmer, and managed as part of their flock for 2 months . Animals were then returned to the laboratory and maintained on "`~^taaan-ftwAiet in elevated slatted pens for 3 weeks prior to slaughter. In all trials sheep had higher faecal egg counts than goats . Egg counts were significantly lower during the late dry-early wet season due mainly to lower burdens of Oesophagostomum spp. than at other times of the year. The predominant genera recovered from faecal larval cultures were Haemonchus and Trichostrongylus . At post mortem more than 94 percent of animals were infected with Trichostrongylus colubriformis, T. axei, Haemonchus contortus, Oesophagostomum columbianwn and Strongyloides papillosus . Other species found, in descending order of occurrence, were Cooperia curticei, Trichuris ovis, Bunostornum trigonocephalum, Oesophagostomumn asperum, Capillaria bovis and Gaigena pachycelis. It was concluded that intensity of exposure of both sheep and goats to H contortus, T. axei and C. curticei was similar throughout the year, but that availability of infectioe larvae of T. colubriformis was higher during the dry than the wet season and vise versa for O. columbianum . Sheep had higher burdens of T. Colubrzformis than goats but similar numbers of other species. Full text: The Australian Synchrotron to be built at Monash University, is a synchrotron light facility based on a 3-GeV electron storage ring. It is scheduled to be fully operational in 2007. In this paper we describe the accelerator systems that lie at the heart of the facility, and describe the spectral characteristics of the 'light' - ranging from infra-red to hard x-rays - that will be provided from bend magnets, undulators, and wigglers Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to look at the way hackers act and ways in which society can protect itself. The paper will show the current views and attitudes of hackers in an Australian context. The paper will also include a case study to show how a hacking incident can develop and how technology can be used to protect against hacking. Teixeira, A.; Pereira, Etelvina; Rodrigues, Sandra The main objective of this work was to contribute to the characterization of a new product, based on goat and sheep meat with a strategy, which gives value-added to meat from culled goats and sheep, which have a very low commercial price. Carcasses from animals weighing more than the body weight allowed by PDO label specifications were used to produce fresh sausages. Sheep and goats sausages were produced in a traditional industry, in Northeast Portugal. The following character... Full Text Available This paper reviews the major (Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Chlorine, Sulphur, Magnesium and the trace elements (Iron, Copper, Cobalt, Iodine, Manganese, Zync, Molybdenum, Selenium that play an essential role in animal metabolism. For each one the authors indicate not only the function, but also the more recent advances in terms of daily requirements for dairy sheep. Hue, Khuc Thi The potential of cassava foliage (Manihot esculenta Crantz) as a protein-rich feed in sheep production in Vietnam was examined by studying cassava foliage yield, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) content, toxicity and performance of lambs fed the foliage as a supplement. Cassava foliage fed ad libitum as a protein supplement to a basal diet of urea-treated rice straw gave similar lamb live weight gain (LWG) as diets supplemented with commercial concentrate or protein-rich foliage of stylosanthes (S... Robinson, D L; Goopy, J P; Hegarty, R S; Oddy, V H; Thompson, A N; Toovey, A F; Macleay, C A; Briegal, J R; Woodgate, R T; Donaldson, A J; Vercoe, P E A total of 2,600 methane (CH4) and 1,847 CO2 measurements of sheep housed for 1 h in portable accumulation chambers (PAC) were recorded at 5 sites from the Australian Sheep CRC Information Nucleus, which was set up to test leading young industry sires for an extensive range of current and novel production traits. The final validated dataset had 2,455 methane records from 2,279 animals, which were the progeny of 187 sires and 1,653 dams with 7,690 animals in the pedigree file. The protocol involved rounding up animals from pasture into a holding paddock before the first measurement on each day and then measuring in groups of up to 16 sheep over the course of the day. Methane emissions declined linearly (with different slopes for each site) with time since the sheep were drafted into the holding area. After log transformation, estimated repeatability (rpt) and heritability (h(2)) of liveweight-adjusted CH4 emissions averaged 25% and 11.7%, respectively, for a single 1-h measurement. Sire × site interactions were small and nonsignificant. Correlations between EBV for methane emissions and Sheep Genetics Australia EBV for production traits were used as approximations to genetic correlations. Apart from small positive correlations with weaning and yearling weights (r = 0.21-0.25, P production trait and methane EBV (calculated from a model adjusting for liveweight by fitting separate slopes for each site). To improve accuracy, future protocols should use the mean of 2 (rpt = 39%, h(2) = 18.6%) or 3 (rpt = 48%, h(2) = 23.2%) PAC measurements. Repeat tests under different pasture conditions and time of year should also be considered, as well as protocols measuring animals directly off pasture instead of rounding them up in the morning. Reducing the time in the PAC from 1 h to 40 min would have a relatively small effect on overall accuracy and partly offset the additional time needed for more tests per animal. Field testing in PAC has the potential to provide accurate Frimpong, Kwasi; Van Etten E J, Eddie; Oosthuzien, Jacques; Fannam Nunfam, Victor Environmental health hazards faced by farmers, such as exposure to extreme heat stress, are a growing concern due to global climate change, particularly in tropical developing countries. In such environments, farmers are considered to be a population at risk of environmental heat exposure. The situation is exacerbated due to their farming methods that involve the use of primitive equipment and hard manual labour conducted in full sunshine under hot and humid conditions. However, there is inadequate information about the extent of heat exposure to such farmers, both at the household and farm levels. This paper presents results from a study assessing environmental heat exposure on rural smallholder farmers in Bawku East, Northern Ghana. From January to December 2013, Lascar USB temperature and humidity sensors and a calibrated Questemp heat stress monitor were deployed to farms and homes of rural farmers at Pusiga in Bawku East to capture farmers' exposure to heat stress in both their living and working environments as they executed regular farming routines. The Lascar sensors have the capability to frequently, accurately and securely measure temperature and humidity over long periods. The Questemp heat stress monitor was placed in the same vicinity and showed strong correlations to Lascar sensors in terms of derived values of wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT). The WBGT in the working environment of farmers peaked at 33.0 to 38.1 °C during the middle of the day in the rainy season from March to October and dropped to 14.0-23.7 °C in the early morning during this season. A maximum hourly WBGT of 28.9-37.5 °C (March-October) was recorded in the living environment of farmers, demonstrating little relief from heat exposure during the day. With these levels of heat stress, exposed farmers conducting physically demanding outdoor work risk suffering serious health consequences. The sustainability of manual farming practices is also under threat by such high levels of Mackenzie Ross, Sarah Jane; Brewin, Chris Ray; Curran, Helen Valerie; Furlong, Clement Eugene; Abraham-Smith, Kelly Michelle; Harrison, Virginia The study aim was to determine whether low level exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OPs) causes neuropsychological or psychiatric impairment. Methodological weaknesses of earlier studies were addressed by: recruiting participants who had retired on ill health grounds; excluding participants with a history of acute poisoning, medical or psychiatric conditions that might account for ill health; and exploring factors which may render some individuals more vulnerable to the effects of OPs th... Vagnoni, E; Franca, A; Breedveld, L; Porqueddu, C; Ferrara, R; Duce, P Although sheep milk production is a significant sector for the European Mediterranean countries, it shows serious competitiveness gaps. Minimizing the ecological impacts of dairy sheep farming systems could represent a key factor for farmers to bridging the gaps in competitiveness of such systems and also obtaining public incentives. However, scarce is the knowledge about the environmental performance of Mediterranean dairy sheep farms. The main objectives of this paper were (i) to compare the environmental impacts of sheep milk production from three dairy farms in Sardinia (Italy), characterized by different input levels, and (ii) to identify the hotspots for improving the environmental performances of each farm, by using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The LCA was conducted using two different assessment methods: Carbon Footprint-IPCC and ReCiPe end-point. The analysis, conducted "from cradle to gate", was based on the functional unit 1 kg of Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM). The observed trends of the environmental performances of the studied farming systems were similar for both evaluation methods. The GHG emissions revealed a little range of variation (from 2.0 to 2.3 kg CO2-eq per kg of FPCM) with differences between farming systems being not significant. The ReCiPe end-point analysis showed a larger range of values and environmental performances of the low-input farm were significantly different compared to the medium- and high-input farms. In general, enteric methane emissions, field operations, electricity and production of agricultural machineries were the most relevant processes in determining the overall environmental performances of farms. Future research will be dedicated to (i) explore and better define the environmental implications of the land use impact category in the Mediterranean sheep farming systems, and (ii) contribute to revising and improving the existing LCA dataset for Mediterranean farming systems. PMID:25265396 Ackerman, Frank; Whited, Melissa; Knight, Patrick Atrazine, an herbicide used on most of the US corn (maize) crop, is the subject of ongoing controversy, with increasing documentation of its potentially harmful health and environmental impacts. Supporters of atrazine often claim that it is of great value to farmers; most recently, Syngenta, the producer of atrazine, sponsored an "Atrazine Benefits Team" (ABT) of researchers who released a set of five papers in 2011, reporting huge economic benefits from atrazine use in US agriculture. A critical review of the ABT papers shows that they have underestimated the growing problem of atrazine-resistant weeds, offered only a partial review of the effectiveness of alternative herbicides, and ignored the promising option of nonchemical weed management techniques. In addition, the most complete economic analysis in the ABT papers implies that withdrawal of atrazine would lead to a decrease in corn yields of 4.4% and an increase in corn prices of 8.0%. The result would be an increase in corn growers' revenues, equal to US$1.7 billion annually under ABT assumptions. Price impacts on consumers would be minimal: at current levels of ethanol production and use, gasoline prices would rise by no more than US$0.03 per gallon; beef prices would rise by an estimated US$0.01 for a 4-ounce hamburger and US$0.05 for an 8-ounce steak. Thus withdrawal of atrazine would boost farm revenues, while only changing consumer prices by pennies. PMID:24804340 Dalphin, J.C.; Debieuvre, D.; Pernet, D.; Maheu, M F; Polio, J. C.; Toson, B.; Dubiez, A.; Monnet, E; Laplante, J. J.; Depierre, A The prevalence of chronic bronchitis and of clinical farmer's lung was studied in 30 districts of the French Doubs province in relation to individual (age, sex, smoking) and geographical (altitude) factors. 5703 exclusively dairy farmers (response rate 83%) participated in the study by answering a medical questionnaire. Prevalences of chronic bronchitis and clinical farmer's lung were 9.3% and 1.4% respectively. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate risk factors for chronic bronchi... Anders, E.; Norton, U. This study will evaluate the magnitude and origins of plant biomass use in everyday small-holder farmer households. Implementation of farmer co-designed agroforestry practices as an offset to current post-harvest field residue collection and transition processes associated will be assessed. We hypothesize that post-harvest crop residue use is critical to current subsistence strategies. It is further hypothesized that co-designed alternative resources will mitigate farmer need to remove post-h... Dr. S.R. Keshava Full Text Available Agriculture is the India's culture since time immemorial. Even today, Agriculture is a way of life and the principle source of livelihood for more than 52% of its population (Economic Survey 2009-10. Hence agriculture plays a key role in the overall economic and social well being of the country.Farmers face floods, drought, pests, disease, and a plethora of other natural disasters. The weather is their greatest adversary, something that can never be controlled by man. Yet, farming has been in existence since the caveman turned his spear in for a hoe. Farming has come a long way since then; nevertheless; farmers are still at the mercy of the heavens. Crop insurance is a risk management tool that farmers can use in today's agricultural world. Government of India as early as 1972 initiated the administered insurance schemes. But the lack of political and bureaucratic will failed one nobler scheme leaving the farmer to his fate. The current goal of the central government is to benefit China′s900 million farmers through the development of mrket economy,as there can be no harmonious society without the participation of its major body. José Luis López González Full Text Available This research aimed to identify the contribution that the backyards of corn farmers make to food security and the preservation and conservation of plant and animal diversity, and its link with farmers' knowledge, in San Nicolas de los Ranchos. To this end, 77 producers surveyed randomly selected corn was calculated using an equation, the role of food security in the backyard, and the calculation of the diversity index and species richness that helped expose the plant diversity found also estimated the amount of dung that provide animals to backyard farming, this helped to show synergy livestock farming. Some results suggest that the products obtained in the backyard contribute to feeding the family. Also found plant and animal diversity, as are most ornamental plants, food and medicinal use, it is also possible to identify animals such as chickens, turkeys, sheep, goats, cows, horses and donkeys. Dollman, James; Pontt, Johanna L; Rowlands, Alex V Rural Australians have a higher likelihood of chronic disease than urban Australians, particularly male farmers. Chronic disease has been associated with occupational sedentary time. The aim was to validate the self-report of sedentary time in men in contrasting rural occupations. Farmers (n = 29) and office workers (n = 28), age 30-65 years, were recruited from the Riverland region of South Australia. Daily sedentary time and number of breaks in sedentary time were self-reported and measured objectively using body-worn inclinometers. Correlational analyses were conducted between self-reported and objectively measured variables, separately by occupation. There was a significant correlation between self-reported and objectively measured sedentary time in the whole sample (r = 0.44, P = 0.001). The correlation among office workers was significant (r = 0.57, P = 0.003) but not among farmers (r = 0.08, P = 0.68). There were no significant correlations between self-reported and measured number of breaks in sedentary time, for the whole sample (rho = -0.03, P = 0.83), office workers (rho = 0.17, P = 0.39) and farmers (rho = -0.22, P = 0.25). In conclusion, the validity of self-report of sedentary behaviours by farmers was poor. Further research is needed to develop better performing self-report instruments or more accessible objective measures of sedentary behaviour in this population. PMID:26430922 This article outlines the views of the Australian Special Education Principals' Association (ASEPA) on inclusion and the impact this is having on Australian Government Schools from a school based perspective. ASEPA is a relatively young association and was formed in 1997 out of the need to put forward the case to support students with special… The article contains the text of statement delivered by the leader of the Australian delegation to the Second Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in Geneva on August 14, 1980. An outline is given of Australian policy regarding nuclear weapons proliferation Davis, John; Caskie, Paul; Wallace, Michael Abstract We estimate the structural effects, costs and potential efficiency gains that might arise from the introduction of an Early Retirement Scheme for farmers in Northern Ireland using data from the Farm Business Survey and a separate survey of 350 farmers aged between 50 and 65. Modelling results suggest that farm scale is a significant determinant of profit per hectare but that operator age is not. The economic gains from releasing land through a Scheme were conditional on tr... Kotevska, Ana; Martinovska-Stojcheska, Aleksandra; Ohlmer, Bo; Dimitrievski, Dragi Macedonia is a candidate-country for EU membership since 2005. The EU integrative process, without doubt, will have impact on the Macedonian economy and particularly on the agricultural sector, as being one of the most significant in terms of GDP contribution and workforce employer. So far, farmer's attitudes and intentions with regard to the EU integration and accession were not much investigated. In this sense, the objective of the paper is to provide understanding of the Macedonian farmers... Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska; Beata Świątkowska; Urszula Wilczyńska Background: The study’s objective is to present epidemiological situation concerning the incidence of occupational diseases among farmers in Poland. Material and Methods: All 3438 cases of occupational diseases diagnosed among farmers and obligatorily reported to the Central Register of Occupational Diseases (covering all the national territory and all the cases of occupational diseases diagnosed in Poland after 1970) over the years 2000–2014 were subjected to analysis. Results: The annual in... Habtemariam, Lemlem Teklegiorgis; Gandorfer, Markus; Kassa, Getachew Abate; Heissenhuber, Alois Factors influencing climate change perceptions have vital roles in designing strategies to enrich climate change understanding. Despite this, factors that influence smallholder farmers' climate change perceptions have not yet been adequately studied. As many of the smallholder farmers live in regions where climate change is predicted to have the most negative impact, their climate change perception is of particular interest. In this study, based on data collected from Ethiopian smallholder farmers, we assessed farmers' perceptions and anticipations of past and future climate change. Furthermore, the factors influencing farmers' climate change perceptions and the relation between farmers' perceptions and available public climate information were assessed. Our findings revealed that a majority of respondents perceive warming temperatures and decreasing rainfall trends that correspond with the local meteorological record. Farmers' perceptions about the past climate did not always reflect their anticipations about the future. A substantial number of farmers' anticipations of future climate were less consistent with climate model projections. The recursive bivariate probit models employed to explore factors affecting different categories of climate change perceptions illustrate statistical significance for explanatory variables including location, gender, age, education, soil fertility status, climate change information, and access to credit services. The findings contribute to the literature by providing evidence not just on farmers' past climate perceptions but also on future climate anticipations. The identified factors help policy makers to provide targeted extension and advisory services to enrich climate change understanding and support appropriate farm-level climate change adaptations. PMID:27179801 Habtemariam, Lemlem Teklegiorgis; Gandorfer, Markus; Kassa, Getachew Abate; Heissenhuber, Alois Factors influencing climate change perceptions have vital roles in designing strategies to enrich climate change understanding. Despite this, factors that influence smallholder farmers' climate change perceptions have not yet been adequately studied. As many of the smallholder farmers live in regions where climate change is predicted to have the most negative impact, their climate change perception is of particular interest. In this study, based on data collected from Ethiopian smallholder farmers, we assessed farmers' perceptions and anticipations of past and future climate change. Furthermore, the factors influencing farmers' climate change perceptions and the relation between farmers' perceptions and available public climate information were assessed. Our findings revealed that a majority of respondents perceive warming temperatures and decreasing rainfall trends that correspond with the local meteorological record. Farmers' perceptions about the past climate did not always reflect their anticipations about the future. A substantial number of farmers' anticipations of future climate were less consistent with climate model projections. The recursive bivariate probit models employed to explore factors affecting different categories of climate change perceptions illustrate statistical significance for explanatory variables including location, gender, age, education, soil fertility status, climate change information, and access to credit services. The findings contribute to the literature by providing evidence not just on farmers' past climate perceptions but also on future climate anticipations. The identified factors help policy makers to provide targeted extension and advisory services to enrich climate change understanding and support appropriate farm-level climate change adaptations. ... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Farmer Mac securities. 615.5174 Section 615....5174 Farmer Mac securities. (a) General authority. You may purchase and hold mortgage securities that... Corporation (Farmer Mac securities). You may purchase and hold Farmer Mac securities for the purposes... ... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Expenses of farmers. 1.162-12 Section 1.162-12... farmers. (a) Farms engaged in for profit. A farmer who operates a farm for profit is entitled to deduct... 263A and the regulations thereunder. For taxable years beginning after July 12, 1972, where a farmer... Lukuyu, B.; Place, F.; Franzel, S.; Kiptot, E. Purpose: This paper assesses the effectiveness of volunteer farmer trainers in promoting adoption of agricultural technologies in western Kenya. Specifically, the purpose was to assess the type of information they disseminated, farmer trainers' characteristics desirable to farmer trainees, and how trainees evaluate farmer trainers.… Proposes reasons for the precipitous drop in the number of Black farmers since the 1950s. Today, most Black farmers have very small operations and are at an advanced age. A healthy rural nonfarm economy is essential to supplement farmers incomes. The Agriculture Credit Act of 1987 offers low-interest loans to Black farmers. (KS) Full Text Available Rice is one of the important cash crop of Pakistan. To improve rice production, farmers must be aware of recommended practices. Different sources of information are used for dissemination of information and it was assumed that farmer would be able to understand new technology for rice production and will employ this technology at their fields. Therefore, this study sought to describe farmers level of knowledge regarding the recommended technology for rice production and to assess the effectiveness of the sources of information. The study used a sample survey method and identifies through a simple random sampling technique 150 rice growers of Larkana district of Sindh province of Pakistan. The study found that more than 70% rice growers were following recommended technology which was considered under the moderate level. Radio and Agriculture Extension were found significant sources in helping farmers to adopt new technology. Farmers were of the opinion that the government should held conferences for farmers which is helpful in understanding new and improved technological advancement in the field of agriculture. The majority of the respondents perceived that agricultural extension agents should pay visit to their farm/field on a regular basis. Pasture-based finishing systems for meat goats, sheep and cattle are growing rapidly in the eastern USA. Increasing demand for pasture-raised meat and dairy products requires renewed efforts to communicate the best practical information in order to initiate mixed grazing with goats, sheep, and beef... Feces were collected from 125 sheep between January and December 2007, on ten farms in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium. Ninety samples were collected from lambs 2 to 6 months of age, and 35 were from sheep over 12 months of age. All samples were... Full Text Available Yields and production of rainfed areas in the Near East and North Africa are stagnating. The Australian wheat-medic system has been tried out in several countries of the region, Increases in soil fertility and yields were expected as well as better crop-livestock integration. Difficulties were more serious than foreseen. The farmer of the region differs from his Australian counterpart by the much smaller size of his farm and by his preference for keeping his land-use options open to match climatic variability. Karim, Masud; Hossain, M. Delwar The main purpose of this study was to assess farmers' agricultural knowledge in sugarcane cultivation. The specific objectives of the study were to i) describe the selected characteristics of the farmers, ii) determine the extent of farmers agricultural knowledge in sugarcane cultivation, and iii) determine the relationships between the selected characteristics of the farmers and their agricultural knowledge in sugarcane cultivation. Data were collected from a randomly selected 140 farmers th... Berthouly, C; Do, Duy Ngoc; Thévenon, S; farmers and their husbandry practices will define the farmer's network and so determine farmer connectivity. It is thus assumed that farmer connectivity will affect the genetic structure of their livestock. To test this hypothesis, goats reared by four different ethnic groups in a Vietnamese province were...... ethnic groups, ethnicity and husbandry practices. In this study, we clearly linked the livestock genetic pattern to farmer connectivity and showed the importance of taking into account spatial information in genetic studies.... This research concerns development initiatives in rural communities. I define a farmer initiative as the impetus that sufficiently and necessarily drives a farmer (or group of farmers) to formulate a realistic strategic plan, and to implement it in an attempt to create space for manoeuvre and to pursue change through changing social conditions. Farmer initiatives emerge from farmers' experiences, knowledge, events, social networks, and from interactions among themselves, a wider network of ac... ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Sheep safety test. 113.45 Section 113... Procedures § 113.45 Sheep safety test. The sheep safety test provided in this section shall be conducted when.... (1) Inject each of two sheep of the minimum age for which the product is recommended with... Moore, Hope; Pandolfi, Fanny; Kyriazakis, Ilias A questionnaire was distributed electronically amongst sheep farmers in England; it aimed to provide a quantification of current anthelmintic practices, farmer awareness of the issue of anthelmintic resistance (AR) and the uptake, awareness and opinions surrounding conventional and alternative methods of nematode control. The majority of farmers relied on several anthelmintics and used faecal egg counts to identify worm problems. Although farmers were aware of the issue of AR amongst helminth parasites in the UK, there was a disconnection between such awareness and on farm problems and practice of nematode control. Grazing management was used by 52% of responders, while breeding for resistance and bioactive forages by 22 and 18% respectively. Farms with more than 500 ewes, and farmers who felt nematodes were a problem, had a higher probability of using selective breeding. Farmers who considered their wormer effective, had a qualification in agriculture and whose staff did not include any family members, were more likely to use bioactive forages; the opposite was the case if farmers dosed their lambs frequently. Amongst the alternatives, highest preference was for selective breeding and vaccination, if the latter was to become commercially available, with more respondents having a preference for breeding than actually using it. Several barriers to the uptake of an alternative were identified, the most influential factor being the cost to set it up and the length of time for which it would remain effective. The disconnection between awareness of AR and practice of nematode control on farm reinforces the need for emphasising the links between the causes of AR and the consequences of strategies to address its challenge. PMID:27084464 Aurora M.G. Gouveia Full Text Available Epidemiological and health aspects of sheep husbandry were assessed on 213 sheep flocks in 142 municipalities from the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. An updated questionnaire was filled out for each flock, requesting data on the farm, the flock and the farmer by the veterinarians of the State Government Agency for Animal Health (Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária. Thirteen important variables were selected and scored to determine the technological level of the 117 farms; 0.9% of them was classified as high technological level, 45.3% as medium technological level and 53.0% as low technological level. Lamb production was the main objective of the farms and the main features were low-frequencies of individual identification of animals (16.9%, technical assistance (31.9%, use of quarantine for newly acquired animals (0.9% the separation of animals by age group (3.7% and requeste the sanitary certificate at purchasing of animals (11.7%. The main health problems reported were abortion (23.9%, keratoconjunctivitis (17.9%, contagious ecthyma (13.6%, pneumonia (10.3%, diarrhea (9.3% and caseous lymphadenitis (6.1%. Information of the epidemiological situation and the mainly health measures used in the sheep farms are important to improve the productivity and quality of the lamb. Full Text Available Pre-weaning growth performances of Sekota sheep breed was studied at Sekota district of Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia under traditional crop-livestock production systems which is characterized by extensive, low-input low-output system. Two hundred thirty one lambs were monitored from birth to weaning age. Data on growth performances were collected and analyzed using the general linear model procedures of Statistical analysis system software. The least squares mean birth weight, three months weight and average daily weight gains from birth to three months age were 2.73 kg, 11.9 kg and 101 gm, respectively. Parity and type of birth were significant sources of variation for birth weight. Location had an effect of three months weight. The results obtained revealed the potential of the breed for meat production in the prevailing environment. The effect of parity on birth weight indicates special care for lambs from maiden ewes. Management options like integrated health care and supplementation of feed for sheep during the dry season help farmers to benefit from their sheep. Daniela Marina Mot Full Text Available Myiasis represents an infestation of animals and humans caused by the maggots of certain fly species of Diptera order, Insecta class, which feed on the hosts' living or dead tissues or body fluids. In sheep, myiasis is a major animal welfare issue developing serious pain, suffering and in untreated cases may result in tissue injuries, reproduction and productivity losses and even death. There are two most important fly species which cause traumatic cutaneous myiasis of sheep in Europe: Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Sarcophagidae implicated in etiology of wound myiasis in southern and eastern Europe and Lucilia sericata (Calliphoridae, implicated in etiology of sheep strike, mainly in the middle latitudes of Europe continent. A few farmers from Timiş, Arad and Caraş-Severin counties were been asked to response to a questionnaire on the prevalence of traumatic myiasis which evolved in their sheep flock in April-September period of year 2012. From a total number of 2206 sheep taken into study were been discovered 1658 healthy sheep (75.16% and 548 sheep with myiasis (24.84%. From identified lesions with myiasis were been collected insects maggots from all three stages of development and were been prepared in Microbiology laboratory in the view to obtain data on the culturable bacteria isolated under aerobic conditions. Bacteria detected from maggots samples were: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus vulgaris, Micrococcus luteus and Escherichia coli. The myasis insects maggots in sheep infestation can acquire many bacteria from their host or from their surroundings, all these can, together another bacteria, complicate the lesions and without treatment may lead to animals death. Full Text Available A three-year survey (1997–99 was carried out on organically reared sheep flocks throughout Sweden. The aim was to determine the prevalence and intensity of nematode infections and to establish relationships between sheep management practices and parasite infections. Faecal samples from ewes and lambs were collected from 152 organic flocks around lambing-time and during the grazing-period for analysis. Results were compared with the different management practices that farmers use to prevent parasitism in their flocks. A high proportion of the flocks was infected with nematodes. The most prevalent species were Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumeincta, Trichostrongylus axei, T. colubriformis and Chabertia ovina and infections progressively increased during summer in lambs grazing on permanent pastures. Severity of parasitic infection in lambs was highly dependent on egg output from the ewes. H. contortus was found in 37% of the flocks, even at latitudes approximating the Polar Circle. Nematodirus battus was recorded for the first time in Sweden during the course of this study. Lambs turned out onto permanent pasture showed higher nematode faecal egg counts (epg than lambs that had grazed on pastures, which had not carried sheep the previous year. This beneficial effect of lambs grazing non-infected pastures persisted if the ewes were treated with an anthelmintic before turn-out and if the lambs were kept on pastures of low infectivity after weaning. In lambs, the prevalence and the magnitude of their egg counts were higher during autumn in flocks where lambs were slaughtered after 8 months of age, compared with flocks where all lambs were slaughtered before this age. These results will be used in providing advice to farmers of ways to modify their flock management in order to minimise the use of anthelmintics, but at the same time efficiently produce prime lambs. Cunningham, Lewis T., III; Brorsen, B. Wade; Anderson, Kim B. There has been considerable normative research about how farmers should make marketing decisions, but little positive research on what farmers really do. Regressions of gender, total volume, timing, and frequency of sales on the average weighted price received are used to test hypotheses regarding gender differences, myopic loss aversion, economies of size, and market efficiency. Octavian Negrea; Vioara Mireşan; Camelia Raducu; Flore Chirilă; Octavia Negrea; Adriana Criste; Daniel Cocan; Iulia Festila The investigations on the incidence and intensity of parasitism in some endoparasytes in sheep performed on 376 animals (260 sheep and 116 young adult sheep) Turcana breed, Gilău area, Cluj County, indicated an increased incidence in trihostrongilidys of 72.7% in young sheep and 65.0% in adult sheep. The incidence of monesya had different values depending on age group, 45.5% at young sheep and 10.0% in adult sheep. The data obtained regarding the prevalence of hepatobiliary trematodsys... Butler, Alan J.; Rees, Tony; Beesley, Pam; Bax, Nicholas J. The entire Australian marine jurisdictional area, including offshore and sub-Antarctic islands, is considered in this paper. Most records, however, come from the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the continent of Australia itself. The counts of species have been obtained from four primary databases (the Australian Faunal Directory, Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota, Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums, and the Australian node of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System),... T. Meintjies; L. J. Fourie; I.G. Horak A single Merino sheep, artificially infested with the sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis, and a similarly infested Dorper sheep were placed with 9 uninfested Merino or 9 uninfested Dorper sheep respectively during winter and the rate of spread of infestation on the uninfested sheep observed. The same procedure was repeated in summer. It took 14 and 8 weeks respectively in winter before all sheep in the 2 groups displayed lesions of sheep scab, whereas in summer it took 10 and 12 weeks before all... This article expounds the necessity of the transformation from traditional farmers to modern new farmers: the building of new socialist countryside needs modern new farmers; the coordination of urban-rural integration development needs the transformation from traditional farmers to modern new farmers; the development of modern agriculture needs the transformation from traditional farmers to modern new farmers. Then it analyses the characteristics and role of new-generation farmers, and presents the way to accelerate cultivation of new-generation farmers: make sound laws and regulations, to lay solid foundation for cultivation of new-generation farmers; create conditions, to provide funds guarantee for cultivation of new-generation farmers; make scientific planning, to promote regular, systematized and standardized training work for new-generation farmers; focus on education, to promote the overall quality of new-generation farmers; innovate upon content, to meet the needs of development of new-generation farmers; highlight focus, to intensify competitiveness training for returning-home migrant workers. E, Guang‐Xin; Zhong, Tao; Ma, Yue‐Hui; Gao, Hui‐Jiang; He, Jian‐Ning; Liu, Nan; Zhao, Yong‐Ju; Zhang, Jia‐Hua; Huang, Yong‐Fu Abstract The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) has been an economically and culturally important farm animal species since its domestication around the world. A wide array of sheep breeds with abundant phenotypic diversity exists including domestication and selection as well as the indigenous breeds may harbor specific features as a result of adaptation to their environment. The objective of this study was to investigate the population structure of indigenous sheep in a large geographic location of... Dirk Booyse; Burk A. Dehority Protozoa species were identified in rumen contents of four domestic sheep (Ovis aries) from South Africa. All animals were fed a forage diet which consisted of 50% lucerne and 50% teff hay. Ten new host records were identified, bringing the total number of species and forms observed in sheep in South Africa to 30. The occurrence and geographic distribution of ciliate protozoa in both domestic and wild sheep from around the world are summarised. It was found that 15 genera and 131 species... Lassen, Jesper; Sandøe, Peter The controversy in Europe over genetically manipulated (GM) foods has been conceived largely as a conflict between a reluctant public and a more enthusiastic agri-food sector. As a result, the political focus has been on the public to the neglect of other actors, such as the farmers, whose...... willingness to adopt GM technology is taken for granted. This article explores the case of herbicide-resistant GM plants with claimed environmental benefits. It is assumed that these claims satisfy public concerns and that farmers are not only willing to grow them but do so in a way that ensures that the...... hand, the result of a conflict between the idea behind herbicide-resistant plants and what we conceptualise as harmony on the farm, and , on the other hand, the way farmers perceive nature in relation to the farm. In a wider perspective the problems illustrate a clash between an agricultural and GM... Nath, Tanmoy; Kingwell, Ross S.; Cunningham, Peter; Islam, Nazrul; Xayavong, Vilaphonh; Curtis, Kimbal; Feldman, David; Anderton, Lucy; Mahindua, Truphena Western Australia (WA) supplies around three-quarters of Australia’s exports of live sheep. The number of sheep exported live from WA has ranged from 4.5 million to 2.4 million with the trend in numbers exported being downwards. The future of this export trade appears to be increasingly vulnerable and uncertain, primarily because of the influence of animal welfare lobbyists. This paper uses scenario analysis to assess the impact on WA’s sheep supply chain of the termination of the live sheep ... Linda Burney of the Wiradjuri Nation and Minister for Community Services in New South Wales discusses how xenophobia has manifested itself as forms of political and institutional racism in Australian history. She asks us to think of Australia as a giant and beautiful mosaic with over 200 Aboriginal Nations and for the rest of the Australian population to welcome ways to work with all its nation's people. Australian schools by and large are safe schools. Nonetheless discipline problems do exist – including bullying behaviour. For this kind of problem schools should have management policies in place. As traditional behaviour-management practices – including corporal punishment – are largely prohibited in Australian schools, contemporary practices centre on management through supportive school programmes, including appropriate curricula and school-support structures. This article supports the be... The Chinese authorities plan to gradually rebalance the composition of Chinese economic growth from investment towards household consumption. This article uses the World Input-Output Database (WIOD) to give a general sense of how this rebalancing might affect Australian exports and economic activity. Dollar for dollar, Chinese investment appears to absorb more than twice as much Australian value-added output as Chinese household consumption. This largely reflects the significant role of resou... While the focus of this paper is Australian uranium exports, the status of other energy minerals is also discussed briefly. The size of its uranium resources has given Australia the opportunity to become a major exporter; however, it is estimated that any major long-term expansion of uranium production hinges on favourable market conditions and on major changes in the Australian government's policy towards the industry. 4 tabs., ill Jørs, Erik; González, Ana Rosa; Ascarrunz, Maria Eugenia; evaluated by well known statistical methods, controlling for relevant confounders. To measure genetic damage chromosomal aberrations and the comet assay analysis were performed. Results: Pesticide exposed farmers had a higher degree of genetic damage compared to the control group. The number of chromosomal...... aberrations increased with the intensity of pesticide exposure. Females had a lower number of chromosomal aberrations than males, and people living at altitudes above 2500 metres seemed to exhibit more DNA damage measured by the comet assay. Conclusions: Bolivian farmers showed signs of genotoxic damage... Karlan, Dean; Kutsoati, Ed; McMillan, Margaret; Udry, Chris Farmers face a particular set of risks that complicate the decision to borrow. We use a randomized experiment to investigate (1) the role of crop-price risk in reducing demand for credit among famers and (2) how risk mitigation changes farmers’ investment decisions. In rural Ghana, we offer farmers loans with an indemnity component that forgives 50 percent of the loan if crop prices drop below a threshold price. A control group is offered a standard loan product at the same interest rate. We ... As the consequence of climate change, water that is received in Australian Murray-Darling Basin wetlands is declining and agricultural water demands are increasing. In order to keep the water use balance between environment protection including wetland protection and irrigation water use, the Australian government adopted a series of reforms in Murray-Darling Basin to address the environmental water shortage problem and encourage irrigators to use water more efficiently and plant high economic value crop. The water trading and cap are two major reforms in this process.In order to match up the environmental water demand such as wetland water use, based on the seasonal rainfall, dam level and environmental water demand, the cap system seasonally allocate how much water the irrigators can access as per water licenses. As the cap dramatically reduced the water access for irrigators, the water trading is aiming to use limited agricultural water more efficiently. The water trading scheme separate the water use right from the land property right and allow Australian farmers to trade their water licenses in the market. Water trading encouraged farmers who plant low value crops such as wheat and canola transfer their water entitles to farmers who plant high value crops such as grape. In the drought seasons, The Australian government can purchase the water licenses from irrigators to increase the environmental flows.This Australian water management system represents the most complicated and effective environmental and agricultural water use management in this world. There are possible many lessons that will help China to better manage the water use for wetland protection and farming practices. Pavón-Domínguez, P.; Serrano, S.; Jiménez-Hornero, F. J.; Jiménez-Hornero, J. E.; Gutiérrez de Ravé, E.; Ariza-Villaverde, A. B. The multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) is used to verify whether or not the returns of time series of prices paid to farmers in original markets can be described by the multifractal approach. By way of example, 5 weekly time series of prices of different breeds, slaughter weight and market differentiation from 2000 to 2012 are analyzed. Results obtained from the multifractal parameters and multifractal spectra show that the price series of livestock products are of a multifractal nature. The Hurst exponent shows that these time series are stationary signals, some of which exhibit long memory (Merino milk-fed in Seville and Segureña paschal in Jaen), short memory (Merino paschal in Cordoba and Segureña milk-fed in Jaen) or even are close to an uncorrelated signals (Merino paschal in Seville). MF-DFA is able to discern the different underlying dynamics that play an important role in different types of sheep livestock markets, such as degree and source of multifractality. In addition, the main source of multifractality of these time series is due to the broadness of the probability function, instead of the long-range correlation properties between small and large fluctuations, which play a clearly secondary role. Botha, C J; Truter, M; Bredell, T; Lange, L; Mülders, M S G A sheep farmer provided a maize-based brewer's grain (mieliemaroek) and bales of Eragrostis curvula hay to ewes and their lambs, kept on zero-grazing in pens. The 'mieliemaroek' was visibly mouldy. After 14 days in the feedlot, clinical signs, including generalised weakness, ataxia of the hind limbs, tremors and recumbency, were noticed. Six ewes died within a period of 7 days. A post mortem examination was performed on 1 ewe. The carcass appeared to be cachectic with mild effusions into the body cavities; mild lung congestion and pallor of the kidneys were observed. Microscopical evaluation revealed nephrosis and birefringent oxalate crystals in the renal tubules when viewed under polarised light. A provisional diagnosis of oxalate nephrosis with subsequent kidney failure was made. Amongst other fungi, Aspergillus niger was isolated from 'mieliemaroek' samples submitted for fungal culture and identification. As A. niger is known to synthesise oxalates, a qualitative screen to detect oxalic acid in the mieliemaroek and purified A. niger isolates was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Oxalic acid was detected, which supported a diagnosis of soluble oxalate-induced nephropathy. PMID:19653520 Unidirectional transplacental clearances of radioiodide were calculated from the net radioiodide fluxes after injection into fetal and/or maternal circulations of 33 catheterized conscious sheep. Maternofetal potential difference (PD) was also recorded. Clearance reached a steady state 20 min after bolus injection. Fetomaternal clearance was related to PD. Bidirectional clearance ratios measured in five experiments showed a significant divergence from the value for passive flux predicted from the measured PD, and in four experiments these ratios were also significantly different from unity, this result being incompatible with passive flux even if the transplacental PD is assumed to be zero. Injection of thiocyanate or iodide reduced radioiodide clearance. Fetomaternal clearance of radioiodide was halved by an increase in fetal plasma iodide concentration of approximately 0.1 mM. There appears to be an inhibitable iodide-transporting site capable of active transport in either direction Cristina Santos Sotomaior Full Text Available It is well known that the susceptibility of sheep to scrapie is determined by the host’s prion protein gene (PRNP. PRNP polymorphisms at codons 136 (alanine, A/valine, V, 154 (histidine, H/arginine, R and 171 (glutamine, Q/histidine, H/arginine, R are the main determinants of sheep susceptibility/resistance to classical scrapie. There are four major variants of the wild-type ARQ allele: VRQ, AHQ, ARH and ARR. Breeding programs have been developed in the European Union and the USA to increase the frequency of the resistant ARR allele while decreasing the frequency of the susceptible VRQ allele in sheep populations. In Brazil, little PRNP genotyping data are available for sheep, and thus far, no controlled breeding scheme for scrapie has been implemented. This review will focus on important epidemiological aspects of scrapie and the use of genetic resistance as a tool in breeding programs to control the disease. This report details the work undertaken by the Board during 1989 and includes the results of on-farm measurements, slaughterhouse monitoring and butchers' shops surveys relating to sheep and sheepmeat (author) This report summarises the work undertaken by the Board during 1988 and includes the results of in vivo farm measurements, slaughterhouse monitoring and butcher's shops surveys relating to sheep and sheepmeat Wernike, Kerstin; Hoffmann, Bernd; Bréard, Emmanuel; Since late 2011, a novel orthobunyavirus, named Schmallenberg virus (SBV), has been implicated in many cases of severely malformed bovine and ovine offspring in Europe. In adult cattle, SBV is known to cause a mild transient disease; clinical signs include short febrile episodes, decreased milk...... production and diarrhoea for a few days. However, the knowledge about clinical signs and pathogenesis in adult sheep is limited.In the present study, adult sheep of European domestic breeds were inoculated with SBV either as cell culture grown virus or as virus with no history of passage in cell cultures...... 3–5 days by real-time RT-PCR. In total, 13 out of 30 inoculated sheep became RNAemic, with the highest viral load in animals inoculated with virus from low cell culture passaged or the animal passaged material. Contact animals remained negative throughout the study. One RNAemic sheep showed... Wessels, M E; Holmes, J P; Jeffrey, M; Jackson, M; Mackintosh, A; Kolodny, E H; Zeng, B J; Wang, C B; Scholes, S F E GM2 gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs disease) was diagnosed in 6- to 8-month-old pedigree Jacob lambs from two unrelated flocks presenting clinically with progressive neurological dysfunction of 10 day's to 8 week's duration. Clinical signs included hindlimb ataxia and weakness, recumbency and proprioceptive defects. Histopathological examination of the nervous system identified extensive neuronal cytoplasmic accumulation of material that stained with periodic acid--Schiff and Luxol fast blue. Electron microscopy identified membranous cytoplasmic bodies within the nervous system. Serum biochemistry detected a marked decrease in hexosaminidase A activity in the one lamb tested, when compared with the concentration in age matched controls and genetic analysis identified a mutation in the sheep hexa allele G444R consistent with Tay-Sachs disease in Jacob sheep in North America. The identification of Tay-Sachs disease in British Jacob sheep supports previous evidence that the mutation in North American Jacob sheep originated from imported UK stock. PMID:24309906 Tamgüney, Gültekin; Richt, Jürgen A; Hamir, Amir N.; Greenlee, Justin J.; Miller, Michael W.; Wolfe, Lisa L; Sirochman, Tracey M; Young, Alan J; Glidden, David V.; Johnson, Natrina L.; Giles, Kurt; Stephen J DeArmond; Prusiner, Stanley B. Scrapie of sheep and chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids are transmissible prion diseases. Milk and placenta have been identified as sources of scrapie prions but do not explain horizontal transmission. In contrast, CWD prions have been reported in saliva, urine and feces, which are thought to be responsible for horizontal transmission. While the titers of CWD prions have been measured in feces, levels in saliva or urine are unknown. Because sheep produce ∼17 L/day of saliva and scrapie ... Full Text Available Annual world sheep milk production is estimated at the level of 8.2 million tons and constitutes 1.5% of the total milk production obtained from various species of mammals. Majority of this milk is used to manufacture cheeses and fermented beverages. These products are commonly considered as regional articles and are protected by legal regulations which guarantee their taste and aroma typical for a given region and which they owe to traditional production technologies. In Poland, sheep are reared, primarily, in mountainous areas (Podhale, Bieszczady but also in Wielkopolska and Podlasie. The sheep population in Poland is estimated at 223 000 animals but milk is obtained only from a small number of animals and its annual production is assessed at the level of 1000 t. The nutritional value of sheep milk is higher in comparison with goat or cow milk. Sheep milk protein is characterised by a high biological value comparable with the biological value of the whole chicken egg. In addition, products manufactured from sheep milk possess high nutritive value. Due to its rich chemical composition, sheep milk provides an excellent raw material for processing into maturing soft and hard cheeses (75-80% of protein is casein, for fermented beverages, both natural and with different tastes, as well as butter, ghee and ice-cream. High proportion of dry matter (up to 18% found in sheep milk does not require application of any thickeners in production of fermented beverages. That is why these beverages are fully natural and free of additives. Full Text Available Livestock keeping is increasingly becoming more popular in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. However, lack of feed is a real challenge. Inadequate feed supply in urban areas is due to many interacting factors, which include among others land shortage, high cost of feeds, climate risks and poor quality of feeds. The objective of this study was to identify and examine the effectiveness of the strategies adopted by livestock farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of Kampala, Uganda to cope with feed scarcity. A total of 120 livestock farmers from Kampala were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Dairy cattle (48.3% and chickens (37.5% were the most common species, followed by pigs (34.2%, goats (26.7% and sheep (3.3%. Farm size was generally small both in terms of herd size and total landholding. Cattle and pig farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of Kampala ranked feed scarcity as their first major constraint, while chicken farmers had high cost of feeds. These farmers have adopted several strategies for coping with feed scarcity. Among the major coping strategies adopted were: changing of feed resources based on availability and cost (37.5%, purchasing of feed ingredients in bulk (29.7%, using crop/food wastes (26.6%, harvesting of forages growing naturally in open access lands (23.4% and reducing herd size (17.2%. However, most of the coping strategies adopted were largely aimed at dealing with the perennial challenge of feed scarcity on a day-by-day basis rather than dealing with it using sustainable and long-term strategies. Tauer, Loren W.; Lordkipanidze, Nazibrola Productivity of U.S. farmers by age is measured by non-parametric programming using 1992 Census data, decomposed into efficiency and technology Malmquist index components. Productivity increases slightly with age and then decreases. In most states productivity variations are from technology use rather than efficiency differences. Varma, Vijaya Krushna Varma Varma suggests a new land acquisition act which is pro farmer, pro industry and pro development, and which leads to faster economic growth. My suggestions for new land acquisition act consist of 6 segments 1. Land acquisition 2. Categorisation of Land allotment 3. Time table for completion of projects 4. Compensation 5. Rehabilitation 6. Land management Farmer stock peanuts are stored in bulk storage facilities for periods ranging from 30d to 12mo. Studies were conducted in 1/10 scale conventional and monolithic dome storage facilities located in Dawson, GA. Conventional storage was represented by four metal buildings with storage capacity of appro... About 730 million farmers will benefit from tax cuts totaling more than 20 billion yuan (US$2.4 billion) this year, as 26 of China's 31 provinces will terminate the Agricultural Tax, according to Vice Minister of Agriculture Fan Xiaojian. Full Text Available Background: The study’s objective is to present epidemiological situation concerning the incidence of occupational diseases among farmers in Poland. Material and Methods: All 3438 cases of occupational diseases diagnosed among farmers and obligatorily reported to the Central Register of Occupational Diseases (covering all the national territory and all the cases of occupational diseases diagnosed in Poland after 1970 over the years 2000–2014 were subjected to analysis. Results: The annual incidence in the analyzed period ranged 5–14 per 100 000 farmers. The analysis showed that about 90% of pathologies were induced by the biological agents. Almost every third pathology due to biological agents had allergic origin. Infectious and parasitic diseases accounted for 62% of the cases. Among them the diseases carried by ticks (93% – borreliosis (85.8% and tick-borne encephalitis (7.2% were the most frequent ones. The age of farmers, in the case of whom bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis were diagnosed, was significantly higher than the age of remaining employees of the national economy, in which these occupational diseases were recognized. Conclusions: The study indicates the necessity to introduce periodic health examinations programs focusing on agricultural workers to monitor health and well-being and improve working conditions and the working environment. Med Pr 2016;67(2:163–171 Kauppinen, T.; Valros, A.; Vesala, K.M. Our results show that farmers' attitudes count: treating the animals humanely, investing in a favourable environment, and having a positive attitude towards new information and scientific research is associated with an above-average productivity on piglet farms. These attitudes, when implemented and concretized in practice, also benefit the animals through a higher standard of welfare. Jørs, Erik; Gonzáles, Ana Rosa; Ascarrunz, Maria Eugenia; Tirado, Noemi; Takahashi, Catharina; Lafuente, Erika; Dos Santos, Raquel A; Bailon, Natalia; Cervantes, Rafael; O, Huici; Bælum, Jesper; Lander., Flemming Background Pesticides are of concern in Bolivia because of increasing use. Frequent intoxications have been demonstrated due to use of very toxic pesticides, insufficient control of distribution and sale and little knowledge among farmers of protective measures and hygienic procedures. Method Questionnaires were applied and blood tests taken from 81 volunteers from La Paz County, of whom 48 were pesticide exposed farmers and 33 non-exposed controls. Sixty males and 21 females participated with a mean age of 37.3 years (range 17–76). Data of exposure and possible genetic damage were collected and evaluated by well known statistical methods, controlling for relevant confounders. To measure genetic damage chromosomal aberrations and the comet assay analysis were performed. Results Pesticide exposed farmers had a higher degree of genetic damage compared to the control group. The number of chromosomal aberrations increased with the intensity of pesticide exposure. Females had a lower number of chromosomal aberrations than males, and people living at altitudes above 2500 metres seemed to exhibit more DNA damage measured by the comet assay. Conclusions Bolivian farmers showed signs of genotoxic damage, probably related to exposure to pesticides. Due to the potentially negative long term health effects of genetic damage on reproduction and the development of cancer, preventive measures are recommended. Effective control with imports and sales, banning of the most toxic pesticides, education and information are possible measures, which could help preventing the negative effects of pesticides on human health and the environment. PMID:19662224 With the election rights of farmers, there exists inequality not only in practice but also in legislation. How do we view such inequality? We do not think that such inequality is entirely the result of artificiality. It depends on the historical status of farmers, especially the level of the productive forces they represent. In China, provided the majority of the residents are farmers, who are small individual farmers, it is plausible that farmers cannot acquire the equal election rights in legislation. However, we shall create conditions for actively promoting the realization of farmers' equal election rights in legislation. The day when the majority of farmers become the producers and operators of commodities will be the time when farmers in China realize their equal election rights in legislation. ... Foreign Agricultural Service Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service... analyzed by USDA's Economic Research Service and reviewed by the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers... adjustment assistance in FY 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Trade Adjustment Assistance for... ... Foreign Agricultural Service Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service... Farmers Program Review Committee, comprised of representatives from USDA's Office of the Chief Economist... adjustment assistance in FY 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Trade Adjustment Assistance for... Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard Farmers may earn money from participating in the ongoing greenhouse gas (GHG) trade system under the Kyoto agreement.......Farmers may earn money from participating in the ongoing greenhouse gas (GHG) trade system under the Kyoto agreement.... ... From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office ] DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Foreign Agricultural Service Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service... site for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers program. The URL is... Kawakami, Tsuyoshi; Van, Vhu Nhu; Theu, Nguyen Van; Khai, Ton That; Kogi, Kazutaka The government of Viet Nam places a high priority on upgrading the quality of farmers' lives. Providing adequate occupational safety and health (OSH) protection for all farmers is an important challenge. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) of Viet Nam trained WIND (Work Improvement in Neighbourhood Development) farmer volunteers. From 2004-2007, MOLISA in cooperation with ministries of health and agriculture trained 480 WIND farmer volunteers in selected 14 provinces. Trained farmer volunteers trained their neighbouring farmers and expanded their networks. The WIND training programme produced in Cantho, Viet Nam in 1996, was used as the core training methodology. The WIND action-checklist, good example photo-sheets, and other participatory training materials were designed for WIND farmer volunteers as practical training tools. The volunteers trained 7,922 farmers. The trained farmers implemented 28,508 improvements in materials handling, work posture, machine and electrical safety, working environments and control of hazardous chemicals, and welfare facilities. The provincial support committees organized follow-up workshops and strengthen the WIND farmer volunteer networks. The system of WIND farmer volunteers proved effective in extending practical OSH protection measures to farmers at grassroots level. The system of WIND farmer volunteers was adopted in the First National Programme on Labour Protection and OSH of Viet Nam as a practical means in OSH and is now further expanding within the framework of the National Programme. PMID:18840935 This study was carried out in Malatya and vicinity to determine the seroprevalance of Babesia ovis in sheep. A total of 220 sheep sera were tested against B. ovis using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). In addition, peripheral blood smears from these sheep were prepared and examined for B. ovis. The ELISA test showed that 55.9% of sheep were seropositive for B. ovis infection. The infection rate was 49.2% in sheep which were 1-12 months old and 59% in sheep which were older than... The vegetation composition of the diet of mountain sheep was determined by faecal fragment analysis. A comparison of diet composition with the vegetation available for grazing revealed selection by sheep of grasses, in preference to the more abundant shrubby vegetation. The radiocaesium content of the diet and of the available vegetation was determined and compared with sheep in-vivo radiocaesium levels and sheep faeces radiocaesium activity activities. This approach demonstrated the importance of diet selectivity by sheep in determining dietary intake of radiocaesium. Faeces radiocaesium activity was shown to be more appropriate than vegetation radiocaesium activity as a predictor of in-vivo radiocaesium activity in free ranging mountain sheep. (Author) Ogurtsov, Victor A.; Van Asseldonk, Marcel A.P.M.; Huirne, Ruud B.M. This paper analyzed the impact of farm and farmer characteristics on the acceptability to dairy farmers in the Netherlands of an all-risk insurance package and underlying specific categories of insurance coverage. The major farm characteristics considered were structural, operational and financial variables, while farmer age was the major farmer-specific characteristic analyzed. The specific insurance categories reviewed were damage, legal, disability, liability and health insurance. The resu...

CARTAGENA, Colombia (MarketWatch) -- A little more than 10 years after buying his first jet in Brazil, Bolivian-born German Efromovich is set to control the second-largest airline in Latin America, with a total fleet of almost 150 airplanes. Last week, he unveiled plans to merge Colombia's largest airline, Avianca SA, which he owns, with El Salvador's Grupo Taca under a new holding company. Efromovich's Synergy Aerospace Corp. will control two thirds of the new company, while El Salvador's Kriete family, which owns Grupo Taca, will have the remaining third. A combined Avianca and Taca will be the second-largest airline in the region in terms of revenue, behind Chile's LAN Airlines (LAN, LAN.SN). The agreed merger is the latest move by Efromovich, the 59-year-old son of Polish Jews who fled to Bolivia to escape Europe during World War II. He didn't know anything about the aviation business until 1998, when a supplier paid a bill to his oil-servicing company with a small King Air airplane. The current deal involves the acquisition by Synergy of a 10% stake in Taca for $40 million, which under the terms of the agreed merger would value Avianca at $800 million, according to market analyst Natalia Agudelo, who covers the Colombian stock market with local brokerage Interbolsa. Including Efromovich's other businesses such as the 9% stake in Canadian-Colombian oil company Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (PRE.T), which is worth $216 million, Efromovich and his brother Jose are now worth well over $1 billion. They also own two shipyards in Brazil and other ventures such as a hotel in Cartagena, Colombia, and a project to grow palmoil in the Andean nation. Efromovich said he built his airline assets, which following the merger will be second in the region in terms of revenue with a combined $3 billion annual sales behind LAN, by taking risks and not being scared by challenges. "The key is not to sell expensive, but to buy cheap," he told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. The charismatic Efromovich said he wants people to work hard and he will reward them. "There shouldn't be worries about layoffs. If we all work the best we can to make the company successful, it gets ever more successful." In 1998, his company, Synergy, was offering maintenance services for oil operations in Brazil. The company started to fly its staff from cities to fields and quickly offered the service to its clients, marking the birth of his OceanAir carrier. Efromovich spotted an opportunity in the fast-growing Latin American region. In several countries, the air transportation business had been in the hands of poorly run private or state-owned companies. As the demand for air travel quickly grew, well-managed private companies took over the industry. In late 2004, Efromovich's company agreed to buy a controlling stake in Avianca, which at the time was under protection of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. He paid $63 million in cash and assumed nearly $220 million in debt. Synergy subsequently acquired the remainder of Avianca in 2005. Avianca, which traditionally has been a domestic Colombian airline, has gained market share and increased profitability by cutting costs. It replaced aging McDonnell Douglas MD-83 jets with newer, more fuel-efficient airplanes, and increased the number of flights. Efromovich, who already had Brazilian citizenship, was granted Colombian citizenship in 2005. Avianca and Taca are part of the new breed of airline in Latin America that are both more efficient than previous state-owned or private flagship carriers and more ambitious in entering other markets. "This is not a rescue merger. Both companies are successful and profitable," Fabio Villegas, Avianca's chief executive, said when the planned merger was announced. The new company additionally will include Efromovich's other airlines, OceanAir and two Ecuadorean carriers, VIP SA and Aerogal, which he is in the process of acquiring. "We'll need many more airplanes" than what Avianca and Taca had been in the process of acquiring, Efromovich said, making clear that his airline business is aiming for further growth in the region and beyond. Efromovich has suffered some setbacks. In late 2004, he created an airline in Peru called Wayra Peru with local partners, but had to shut the failed venture after only a few months. His bid on VarigLog, the cargo unit of bankrupt Brazilian airline Varig, is lingering in local courts. Also, his shipyard operation is engaged in a dispute with Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.BR, PBR), or Petrobras, Brazil's state-controlled oil giant, over alleged embezzlement. Efromovich's concept of the airline business doesn't follow the low-cost model. Avianca's fares aren't cheap and since low-cost competitors have sprung up in the Colombian domestic market, Efromovich has lobbied the government to limit competition. "The government must realize that predatory competition is as harmful as a monopoly," he said.

- About Us - Local Savings - Green Editions - Legal Notices - Weekly Ads Connect with Us Santa brings computers to SWHS Santa Claus came early this year to South Whidbey High School. The white-bearded gift giver dropped off 29 new personal computers for the school's new lab. At least that's the story the school district is sticking to. Santa Claus is actually a generous but anonymous South Whidbey couple, who donated $45,000 for the purchase of the personal computers. The result is a newly configured computer lab. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and teachers," said Superintendent Martin Laster. "For students to have access to a place and to teachers who can help them achieve their goals, it's a wonderful synergy." The donation came through the South Whidbey Schools Foundation. Dan Blanton, the district's assistant superintendent, said the gift shows how South Whidbey residents feel about local schools. "The gift is an example, along with the passage of the levy, of the tremendous support the schools receive from the community," Blanton said. The district's technology director, Brian Miller, is in the final stages of connecting and installing new software in the donated PCs, completing Internet hookups and connecting scanners. The lab will open for student use by March 25. The lab's primary function is for use after school and during the school day for special projects. "The lab will not be used for regular classes but reserved for use by teachers who want to bring their entire classroom in to do electronic research or word processing," Laster said. "We also hope to make it available to the community." Much of the lab's use will occur after school hours, during the high school's new Extended Day Program. Similar to a program at Langley Middle School, it allows students to use the computers for projects and homework, and gives them time to get some after-school tutoring. "This will be a great to benefit to students who are struggling in the areas of math and language arts or who want more time to work on homework and projects," said high school principal Mike Johnson. Miller himself will be on hand to assist students with improving their technology skills in the new lab, while and Mike Crebbins and Greg Ballog will be available to provide math tutoring. Kathy Stanley, a primary school teacher, will assist students with language arts. The computer donation came after a meeting between Laster and the philanthropic couple. "They asked me to put out a proposal, it was fine tuned, and new computers are the result," Laster said. "They really deserve our honor and appreciation for this outstanding gift that will benefit students and the community into the future. I wish we could name them." Money for the teachers and other costs of the program came through Initiative 728. South Whidbey received $423,000 for the 2001-02 school year. That's about $194 per full-time student, which will rise to $220 in the next two years.

Once upon a time in retail, suppliers were very touchy about what you sold, how their product would sit within your shop, how you would market it and the geographical proximity of competitors. The internet’s changed all that – to a degree. There are suppliers who simply still refuse to acknowledge the internet as a marketplace with which they want to be associated, are protective of their brand and feel that it is impossible to police the net in the same manner as the physical shop. I understand the dilemma of wanting to protect your brand but the messages from wholesalers can be so inconsistent. One potential supplier in particular sells products over which I simply salivate whenever I see them, so much so that I’ve thought to myself, “Is it worth getting a high street shop again?” NO NO NO…….but I do miss not being able to sell it and I can’t name names because I’d love to think that one day they’d actually let me aboard!!! Their argument is that they can control and dictate the outlets who vend their wares, they can see that the product has been displayed to best effect and sits with the flavour of said physical shop perfectly, but that they can’t do this online. I will never understand why they are so reticent and so naive about what is and what is not possible. What frustrates me even more is that if you do have a physical shop and you also have a website for that shop then they will allow you to sell online. If you are an online entity only, however, they will not even entertain a conversation. I had an interesting chat a few years back with a supplier who was launching a brand new line on a certain day, ironically I think it was April 1st, at midday. By 1pm this brand new gift line was on Ebay with a Buy It Now price equal to the wholesale price. I know we all like a bargain but what were the suppliers thinking? Who makes the money there? Those of us who abided by the recommended retail price (RRP) set by the wholesaler looked instantly like we were ripping off the customer selling at twice the Ebay rate. In this situation what then transpires is that the product in mind is instantly devalued and nobody can sell it let alone the wholesaler, so it bombs! When I drew this item to their attention and asked how in hell the rest of us were supposed to be making a living they’d had no idea how it had happened???!! When I looked into buying a certain range of cufflinks I asked the manufacturers who else they supplied online. Oh they only had 6 or 7 people selling online, there wouldn’t be an issue of competition. I placed a pro-forma order and said I’d take a look once I was back at the office. At 35 different online vendors I gave up. They had no idea who was selling their product or how many sites. Suppliers who sell their own lines online are usually very good and know the score. They either sell under a different name or sell at an RRP. There are others who grate. Sadly they are usually the smaller makers and my heart does go out to them, but… They sell their wares at the wholesale price direct to the public then chase you to buy from them too at the same price. Where’s the incentive? They put their own web address on every item so even if you do sell their lines once, you never restock because the customer then knows where to buy directly from the maker. Where’s the long term thinking, the sustainability? Phrases like cake and eating it spring to mind….or burning bridges…or biting the hand that feeds you. Make your mind up – do you want to wholesale or not? Another supplier hounded me month in month out to buy their product. It was a new product, they were being exclusive about who represented them. They were opting for boutiques in terms of physical shops, and, online, were being uber selective about who sold their lines. They liked newroomsonline, felt their product sat perfectly with what I sell and were desperate to get in with me. A few months later their products were on one of those carboot sale style websites. One particular bag they’d wanted to sell to me at a wholesale of £9 was selling at £9.99. They went into administration in March! Desperate times call for desperate measures and I don’t blame anyone for wanting and needing to make a living but be clear about who you want to make your living from and don’t hassle me if your modus operandi mimics one of the above practices and I refuse politely. I could say things like joined-up thinking, working together, singing off the same hymn sheet, collaborative working, synergy or even coalition…..but then I’d instantly lose any credibility…I do have some, right?

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Download iOS Updates Once for Installing on Multiple Devices "If you have several iPhones, iPads, or iPods that need updating to the latest version of iOS, you can use a nice trick to save some bandwidth and download a single iOS update file to apply to multiple devices from either Mac OS X or Windows. This is a perfect solution for a family that has multiple iPhones or iPads that need updating, particularly when you don’t want to download the same firmware multiple times." iPad Basics: How To Do iPad OS Software Updates Over the Air (wirelessly) — iPad Insight For A Good Time, Put Clock Pro HD On Your iPad [iOS Tips] | Cult of Mac "For a mere $2.99, you can download and install this awfully gorgeous clock app to your iPad, and never again bemoan the fact that you don’t, in fact, have an app for that." 11 iPad Battery-Saving Tips | iPad.AppStorm 10 iPad tips every teacher should know - HOME - Edgalaxy: Where Education and Technology Meet. Infographic: 60 Percent of App Developers Don't Break Even | News & Opinion | PCMag.com 10 Ways to Optimize Your iPad for Kids With Special Needs Boxee for iPad: Discover, Watch, and Share Video | iPad.AppStorm "Granting access to all of the latest videos being shared by your friends, a constantly updating featured stream of their own, and your entire catalogue from your computer. Boxee is a great way to avoid finding yourself stuck with nothing new to watch. So let’s find out how to liberate you from those storage space restrictions with Boxee for iPad." Change the Font Size of Web Pages in Safari for iOS with Bookmarklets How to Restore an iPad Through the iCloud | Mac|Life " Is it possible to restore an iPad without connecting it to a Mac or PC if a simple hard reset doesn’t solve problems?" . The rest of

Association for Computing Machinery – ACM President: Sandeep Nair (email@example.com) Engage computer science graduate students to enable technical empowerment and networking. Baltimore Participatory Action Research- B’PAR Co-President: Sherella Cupid (firstname.lastname@example.org) Co-President: Frank Anderson (email@example.com) B’PAR GSO has been established to serve as a network, forum, and safe space for UMBC graduate students who are interested or engaged in participatory research networks. Bangladesh Student Association @ UMBC President: Tahmid Abtahi (firstname.lastname@example.org) To promote Bangladesh and Bangladeshi culture among the UMBC community. Chemical and Biochemical Engineering – BioCHEGS President: Cynthia Chelius (email@example.com) To promote interaction between full/part-time graduate students in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering. Chemistry Graduate Student Association – CGSA President: Evgenia Barannikova (firstname.lastname@example.org) To represent graduate students in the Chemistry Department. Chinese Students & Scholar Association – CSSA President: Zheng Li (email@example.com) To serve Chinese students and scholars at UMBC. Graduate Association of Biological Sciences – GABS President: Alice Chou (firstname.lastname@example.org) To promote the welfare of graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences. Graduate Student of Environmental Engineering – GEE President: Trevor Needham (email@example.com) To support and connect GEE graduate students. Geography and Environmental Science Graduate Community – GESGC President: Jared Marguilies (firstname.lastname@example.org) To organize social events, promote the academic and professional growth of its members, and communicate formally with the GES faculty. Graduate Student Organization of the Education Department- GSOED President: Becca Weinberg (email@example.com) To maintain community in MAT and MAE programs and to provide opportunity for collaboration among education graduate students. Human Centered Information Systems – HCIS President: Christopher Wong (firstname.lastname@example.org) To support graduate students in Information Systems (IS) and Human-Centered Computing (HCC). Indian Student Association (EKTA) President: Siddhant Bhatankar (email@example.com) Helping Indian students to settle into life in the community and celebrating Indian festivals.. President: Jaclin Paul (firstname.lastname@example.org) To network and organize socials and critique events for graduate students in Visual Arts (IMDA Program). The Erickson School Management in Aging Services GSO – MAgS President: Aramide Awosika (email@example.com) To engage current and future MAgS students in business and policy issues relative to aging services. Meyerhoff Graduate Student Association – MGSA President: Maraki Negesse (firstname.lastname@example.org) To support minority graduate students in the STEM field through workshops, networking events, and social settings. Math & Statistics Graduate Student Association – MSGSA President: Rabab El Naiem (email@example.com) To represent graduate students in Mathematics & Statistics. Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Association – MEGSA President: William Rivera (firstname.lastname@example.org) To provide a sense of community in Mechanical Engineering and a means to promote synergy in the department and graduate student community. MPS Biotechnology GSO President: John Habibi (email@example.com) To engage the UMBC community in the growing field of biotechnology. Language, Literacy & Culture Graduate Student Organization – LLC GSO President: Felix Burgos (firstname.lastname@example.org) To support and connect LLC graduate students. Psychology Graduate Student Organization – PGSO President: Lindsay Emery (email@example.com) To build community among students in the Psychology Graduate Program. Physics Graduate Student Association – PGSA President: Jaron Kropp (firstname.lastname@example.org) To facilitate a relationship between the department and graduate students. Public Policy Graduate Student Organization – PPGSO President: Kevin Baier (email@example.com) To support academic, professional, and social development among students, faculty, staff, and alumni associated with Public Policy and related subjects at UMBC. Gerontology – Sigma Phi Omega President: Jing Xu (firstname.lastname@example.org) To promote scholarship, research, professionalism, and excellence in gerontology and aging services, and to recognize high attainment in the pursuit of academic and professional excellence in these areas. Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics – SIAM President: Samuel Khuvis (email@example.com) To foster interest in applied mathematics. Sociology GSO- SGSO President: Victoria Skinner (firstname.lastname@example.org) Supporting graduate students who are working towards their Masters of Arts in Applied Sociology or their Graduate certificate in the non-profit sector. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Graduate Student Organization – ESOL Club President: Katie Edwards (email@example.com) To support and connect both domestic and international students in the TESOL Program.

While eSports organizations are often looking for 'mainstream' brands to sponsor gaming teams and events, WBSC's Premier12 global baseball event has recently announced in a press release that GungHo Online Entertainment will be a gold sponsor of its upcoming tournament. With games released such as 'Puzzle & Dragons', GungHho's titles will be seen displayed on signage throughout all fields and on media backdrops throughout the 2015 season. Calling this sponsorship a "natural fit," WBSC's President Riccardo Fraccari claims this support will help "create a very special synergy dedicated to the fan and game-experience." Does this mean we may see a baseball mobile game next? We'll have to wait and see. This tournament kicks off with home team Japan playing against South Korea on 8 November, hosted at Sapporo Dome in Toyohira-ku.

Video: More married couples sleeping apart? Transcript of: More married couples sleeping apart? ANN CURRY, co-host: This morning on TODAY'S RELATIONSHIPS , couples that sleep in separate beds. It may sound like something your grandparents did, but the truth about modern married life might just surprise you. Natalie 's joining us now with details on this. Hey, Natalie . NATALIE MORALES, anchor: Hey, Ann , once again. Well, whether it's because of snoring, working different shifts or the kids, more and more happily married couples are saying goodnight and then going their separate ways . MORALES: Lucy and Ricky had separate beds. Now, if that feels outdated to you, guess again. According to the National Sleep Foundation , nearly one in four American couples sleep in separate bedrooms or beds. And the National Association of Home Builders says it expects 60 percent of custom homes to have dual master bedrooms by 2015 . Unidentified Woman #1: My husband has to sleep on the couch for half the night and then come to bed so he won't bother me so much. Unidentified Woman #2: I'm probably old-fashioned because I feel more safe and secure having my husband next to me in bed. Unidentified Man #1: Those bedroom sets cost a lot of money, so we better sleep in them. Unidentified Woman #3: Yeah, exactly. MORALES: Allyson Cohen is a marriage and family therapist who believes that choosing separate beds can lead to healthier individuals and greater intimacy between partners. Dr. ALLYSON COHEN: Sleep issues stemming from restless leg syndrome to getting up to use the restroom in the middle of the night , snoozing in the morning, being on different wake/ sleep schedules, all of these things sort of impact the night sleep . When you're more well-rested, you are more productive at work, you bring home that positive energy and it impacts your relationship . You have more energy to communicate. You have more energy to spend time together. You have more energy to have sex. Unidentified Woman #4: I think the benefits of sleeping separately, especially when one person's not sleeping well, outweigh the negatives because I'm just generally happier during the day, I'm nicer to him if I'm well-rested. Like, it makes our relationship better, I think. Unidentified Man #2: As much as I hate when she leaves, when she leaves I sprawl out. MORALES: But if there's no pillow talk , like on " The Brady Bunch "... MORALES: ...is your relationship doomed to fail? Dr. COHEN: People don't like to talk about sleeping in separate beds because there's a stigma that there must be something dysfunctional in their relationship . But for those people that really put sort of the -- a tremendous value on a good night 's sleep , which I think most of us do and are sometimes afraid to say, it can be an incredibly creative solution that really's effective for the relationship . MORALES: Well, apparently even Hollywood is catching on. According to InTouch Weekly , Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers and his wife sleep separately because of his snoring, Ann. CURRY: OK, that's a lot of information. MORALES: I'm sure he'd want us to share that. CURRY: I know. Natalie , thank you so much . CURRY: We've got Bruce Feiler , he's a columnist with The New York Times , and he first wrote about separate bedrooms in Sunday's paper. He's also the author of a book called " Council of Dads ," which is a lovely book. And also we've got Argie Allen . She's a relationship therapist. Thank you for joining us, both of you, this morning. Mr. BRUCE FEILER (New York Times Writer): Good morning. Ms. ARGIE ALLEN (Relationship Therapist): Good morning. CURRY: OK, so I guess, you know, the big question is... Mr. FEILER: Yeah. CURRY: ...sort of how did you come into this? Because, you know, you were first thinking about writing this article because of your own experience in your own family. I'm not talking about you, but I'm talking about your... Mr. FEILER: Well, first of all, my grandparents slept... Mr. FEILER: ...separately, and I kind of thought it had been outmoded. And then I began to see these numbers. We heard in the taped piece, about a quarter of Americans doing it. By the way, it's doubled in the last decade. But also I would say, Ann , you and I've talked before, in my own writing, I try to bring people together. " The Council of Dads ," as you just mentioned, is about bringing friends together for your kids. And really, we live in a world where families, couples , they no longer eat together, pray together, work together. Sleeping together, it's almost the last bastion of togetherness in a relationship . CURRY: So what are you saying, it's a bad thing or a good thing? What are you saying about that? Mr. FEILER: I think it's a good thing because the truth is we spend more time as couples sleeping together than doing anything else together. CURRY: Uh-huh . Mr. FEILER: And the thing about it is the bed has become incredibly chaotic. CURRY: Uh-huh . Mr. FEILER: You've got the TV , you've got the Twitter feed. you know, one in five young people are checking their Facebook overnight. And I think about my bed. It's like, `I'll get up early with the kids tomorrow, you move the car on Tuesday.' It's like my bed's more crowded than my kitchen and it needs its own Outlook calendar. CURRY: So people are needing sanctuary. What do you think, Argie ? Ms. ALLEN: Yeah. CURRY: I mean, do you think -- I mean, we heard a person on the tape saying it's actually good maybe for a relationship . Is it? Ms. ALLEN: Yeah, I think it's a yes or no. I mean... CURRY: What do you mean? Ms. ALLEN: ...for some couples it's a good thing, like in the taped piece where the woman said, `I'm happier when I'm coming home if I'm sleeping well at night.' For some couples , their using the connection as their synergy. Ms. ALLEN: And so to make the decision not to be in the same bed doesn't work well for them. Mr. FEILER: Hm. Ms. ALLEN: So I say if it's a physical issue, fix it. Mr. FEILER: Yes. Ms. ALLEN: If it's emotional, work on it. Ms. ALLEN: And if you're at that age when it doesn't really matter because you're retired and you're spending all this time at home and you're not worrying about connecting at night... Mr. FEILER: Right. That's correct. Ms. ALLEN: ...then it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. Ms. ALLEN: But whatever it is, you've got to talk about it. CURRY: You don't... Mr. FEILER: I'm with that. Because what the experts told me when I was doing this piece for the Times is that it's an accomplishment, right? And I think that's the thing. It's like that's why my whole riff in this piece is like brush up on your bed-iquette, right? And that is -- you know, and it's sort of like it's an accomplishment. I feel now when I -- I used to be a bad sleeper. Then I got sick, I actually spent a lot of time in bed, and I found it very healing, which may be unexpected for a man. Ms. ALLEN: Yeah. Mr. FEILER: But I feel like now is -- if it's exactly as Argie just said, if it is a problem, the specialists say they can fix it: snoring, apnea, restless leg . If it's a lifestyle issue, we almost have to talk about it. We teach our kids about table manners. I think it's as adult we have to practice our mattress manners. Ms. ALLEN: That's right . CURRY: So really what you're talking about is not judging it, that each couple should come to this on their own. Ms. ALLEN: That's right . That's right . CURRY: And not be threatened by this idea. Ms. ALLEN: That's right . And we've got to be transparent with ourselves in terms of the origin and the root of whatever is going on. And so if it's not a problem... CURRY: Well, let me interrupt you because a lot of men might feel threatened by this idea. Ms. ALLEN: Yeah. Yeah. CURRY: You know, their wife doesn't want to sleep in the same bed with them. And I 'm just making an assumption here. I may be completely wrong. Mr. FEILER: Well, no, it's true. I talked to a -- I talked to a professor who interviewed a lot of people who said, you know, men and women actually feel like they're going to get more sex if they -- if they... CURRY: OK, let's bring up the word, OK? Mr. FEILER: Talking about bed sleeping here and couples , right? But I, you know, I think that what I -- the main thing that I feel after doing this piece, and I don't know how Argie feels about this, is that, you know, is that it is something that I'm doing that is constructive. Mr. FEILER: So it's like 7 AM in the morning, I've already done something to help my marriage by getting through the night. Ms. ALLEN: Yeah. But you know what? You also said don't make assumptions. Don't assume that there's a problem when there's not. Ms. ALLEN: Have the conversation and then move forward with whatever the situation is. CURRY: OK. I better call my husband then a little bit later. Bruce Feiler and Argie Allen , thank you so much both of you this morning. And by the way, to read Bruce 's full article -- you may be interested in this, you may want to also read an excerpt of his book -- you can had to todayshow.com for that. And also coming up next, Al catches the acting bug -- hm -- after your local news. - Well: Ugly Fruits (and Vegetables) Get a Makeover - Well: Living With Cancer: Being Mortal - Supreme Court Allows Nationwide Health Care Subsidies - Well: The Joy of (Just the Right Amount of) Sex - Supreme Court Allows Nationwide Health Care Subsidies - News Analysis: Measuring Health Insurance Subsidies’ Success

Stephanie's Id finds balance between genres It was a serendipitous meeting -- when Stephanie's Id siren Stephanie Morgan walked into the studio of Asheville sculptor John Payne, there it was hanging from the ceiling -- the title for the band's next ... Firefighter Graduates From National Academy A Bremerton fire lieutenant graduated May 9 from the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, according to the Bremerton Fire Department. via Kitsap Sun Looks are deceiving -- actors not related Friends and I went to see "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day," and we were struck by the remarkable resemblance of the young piano player, Michael, to the actor of years ago, John Payne. via Contra Costa Times The lady on the two-cent stamp "Abelstamps" asks on the Virtual Stamp Club website, "Does anyone know what stamp is the subject of this Harry Warren tune from the 1938 movie "Garden of the Moon"?" Written for: Garden Of The Moon Performer: ... via The Stamp Collecting Round-Up 'Miracle on 34th Street' Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringel and Natalie Wood are shown in a scene from from what is probably one of the best holiday movies ever made. via Detroit Free Press Christmas comes courtesy of the writer's hand "And when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile." SOON enough, Santa will be loading his sleigh, checking the wipers and piloting his little chariot -- the ultimate hybrid -- through the relatively balmy skies of Southern California. via Los Angeles Times Classic Christmas film returns to the big screen By Doug Mason Sunday, December 16, 2007 The original poster for "Miracle on 34th Street" is dominated by top-billed Maureen O'Hara and John Payne making goo-goo eyes at each other. via Knoxville News Sentinel Miracle on 34th St. Tonight 8pm Miracle on 34th Street is a 1947 film written by Valentine Davies, directed by George Seaton, and starring Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, and Edmund Gwenn. via WDWB-TV Southfield RTS for Friday, November 16, 2007 "Remember the whip cracking at the beginning of Wagon Train?" MULE TRAIN: Since the laundry product "Borateem" has been touted in recent columns as a way to combat flea-infested carpets, we were reminded of the old Western, "Death Valley Days" sponsored by the U.S. Borax ... via The Bradford Era - Bradford Photo Credit: Photographic illustrations of John Payne are copyright © by their respective holders. The images are published with permission or as allowed by the copyright law's fair use or quotation provisions. If any copyright holder objects to an image being included, please notify us and it will be removed immediately. Top Synergy reveals the methods and means that have led to the development of the popular Relationships Analyst. While some aspects are more suited to experienced astrologers, you will find a lot of fascinating topics that may sway you from any conservative views you may have about relationships. Find out why Astro Profile has become such an important self-improvement tool. And now, you can also get your own report, just like the ones we prepared for all the famous people on our database. With thousands of famous relationships and their Astro Profiles, you can analyze your relationships with your mentors and favorites and find out what types of relationships work best for you . You can also learn in great detail how they handle their relationships and other aspects of their lives, and what makes them tick. A knowledgebase about common topics is growing thanks to your inquiries and in-depth exploration of the workings of the Relationships Analyst. Enjoy your reading and help to further boost the FAQ section by posting your questions and comments. Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. This ancient saying is also true when it comes to our love-, business-, and other relationships. This is why we are here; to make the most of ourselves, a courageous choice that enhances all aspects of life, relationships included. So come and join us, your friends who respect your imperfections, love your resolute, and embrace you for the wholesome being that you are! Top Synergy's popular Relationships Analyst calculates the intensity of the commitment, intimacy, passion, and synergy in your relationships. With this free yet powerful tool, you will also understand what types of relationships are most likely to work for you and your partner. The report also features your RQ (Relationship Quotient) score for the most common types of relationships, such as love, business, friendship, intellectual, sensual, etc. Enjoy practical articles about building and enhancing relationships, improving our self-awareness, and other interesting topics. Dr. Brenda Shoshanna - our anchor author and a world-renowned relationships psychologist - offers you the benefit of her vast professional experience. We seek more articles about more topics by more authors. Are you the one or know of any? Here you will find up-to-date news from around the world about relationships. Hundreds of hand-picked links are neatly organized by categories such as: dating, relationship support, sensual relationships, self improvement, and more. There is a special section dedicated to relationships in the new age: astrology, psychic, tarot, dreams, spells, etc.

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University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center Launches Clinical Trial Testing Novel Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer For immediate release: April 06, 2015 The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center (UMGCC) has launched a new clinical trial testing a novel treatment for patients with localized, inoperable recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The treatment employs the immunotherapy drug MK-3475 (Pembrolizumab) in combination with radiation to the tumor, and is indicated for patients who have received prior radiation, have no evidence of distant metastatic disease and for whom surgery is not an option. The national trial is being led by Dan P. Zandberg, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and a medical oncologist specializing in head and neck cancers at UMGCC. The Greenebaum Cancer Center is currently the only trial site and is actively recruiting participants. “When surgery isn’t possible for patients with locally recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, unfortunately, prognosis is generally poor, and newer more effective treatments are greatly needed.” says Dr. Zandberg. “MK-3475 has shown promise for treating head and neck cancers in clinical trials, and it’s our hope that it will prove to be even more effective against this type of cancer when given in combination with radiation.” MK-3475 is one in a promising new class of immunotherapy cancer drugs that work by activating a patient’s own immune system against the tumor. Cancer cells thrive in part by suppressing the immune system so the immune system cannot attack the tumor. One important way the immune system is suppressed is by the interaction between PD-L1 on cancer cells and PD-1 on T cells—a type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system. PD-L1 (Programmed death ligand 1) is expressed by cancer cells and binds to PD-1 (Programmed death 1) on T cells, causing them to stop attacking the cancer. MK-3475 is a man-made antibody against PD-1 and blocks this interaction, allowing the T cells to continue to attack the cancer. MK-3475 is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of advanced melanoma. It is being tested by its maker, pharmaceutical company Merck, for treatment of multiple different cancers including head and neck, kidney and lung cancer. In head and neck cancer preliminary efficacy has led to the development of a larger phase III trial for patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The UMGCC trial is the first to use MK-3475 in combination with radiation therapy to treat any type of cancer. By combining the drug with radiation, which is known to stimulate the immune system, researchers believe that, in addition to its local effects against the tumor, the radiation will increase the efficacy of MK-3475 and this synergy will result in improved outcomes for patients with inoperable localized recurrence of their head and neck cancer. Merck is providing the drug and funding for the trial. The vast majority of cancers in the head and neck are squamous cell carcinomas. When patients are first diagnosed, treatment is typically up-front surgery or combined radiation and chemotherapy. Patients who undergo up-front surgery may receive radiation or combined radiation and chemotherapy after the surgery. Thus a significant amount of patients receive radiation as part of their initial therapy. If these patients recur without evidence of distant metastatic disease (cancer spreading beyond the head and neck) and surgical resection is not an option, they are typically treated with radiation again (reirradiation) combined with chemotherapy. Improved outcomes are needed for these patients, as unfortunately, the median progression-free survival is only 7-8 months. The primary endpoint of the trial is to determine if progression-free survival is extended by treatment with reirradiation and MK-3475. Forty-eight patients will be recruited for the trial. All patients will receive radiation twice per day for five weeks with MK-3475 given intravenously every three weeks starting on the first day of radiation. MK-3475 will be continued for an additional three months following the completion of reirradiation. Patients will then be evaluated for response in their tumor. If there is a complete response, MK-3475 will be stopped and the patient will be followed to see if the tumor recurs. If there is a partial response or stable disease, the patient will continue being treated with MK-3475 as long as the tumor continues to respond or stay stable in size. If the tumor progresses, treatment with MK-3475 will be discontinued. Toxicity will be monitored closely during this trial. To learn more about participating in this trial, call 410-328-7904 or 1-800-888-8823. About the University of Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated center in Baltimore affiliated with the University of Maryland Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine, offers a multidisciplinary approach to treating all types of cancer and has an active cancer research program. It is ranked in the top 50 cancer programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, go to www.umgcc.org.

Europäische Kirchen mahnen Armutsbekämpfung an Brief an EU-Ratspräsidentin Angela Merkel 07. März 2007 Im Blick auf die am morgigen Donnerstag, 8. März, beginnende Tagung des Europäischen Rates in Brüssel haben die Konferenz Europäischer Kirchen (KEK) und die Organisation Eurodiaconia die deutsche Ratspräsidentin, Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel in einem Brief aufgefordert, sich stärker für die Umsetzung der so genannten Lissabon-Strategie zur Bekämpfung von Armut und sozialer Ausgrenzung einzusetzen. Die Kirchen und diakonischen Organisationen schlagen in dem Brief einen Vier-Punkte-Plan vor, der unter anderem eine stärkere Einbindung der nationalen Parlamente und der europäischen Zivilgesellschaften in den Lissabon-Prozess anregt und die Wahrung der Menschenwürde einfordert. Seit Jahren habe man viel über die Entschlossenheit der Mitgliedsstaaten gehört, Armut und soziale Ausgrenzung zu bekämpfen, erklärte Rüdiger Noll, Direktor der KEK-Kommission Kirche und Gesellschaft. „Aber der Gemeinsame Bericht über Sozialschutz und soziale Eingliederung 2007 zeigt deutlich, dass diese Erklärungen bislang wenig bewirkt haben.“ Die Kirchen und diakonischen Organisationen warnten davor, Menschen nur unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Produktivität zu betrachten. „Wir wissen, was Armut und soziale Ausgrenzung bedeutet“, erklärte Heide Martinussen, Generalsekretärin von Eurodiaconia. „Wenn mehr als 72 Millionen Menschen in der EU von Armut bedroht sind, erwarten wir entschlossenes Handeln.“ Die Kirchen und diakonischen Organisationen zeigten sich besorgt über die wachsende Kluft zwischen Armen und Reichen in europäischen Gesellschaften. Es müsse daran erinnert werden, dass Solidarität eine Voraussetzung für gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt und als solche eine wichtige Säule des europäischen Sozialmodells sei. Hannover, 07. März 2007 Pressestelle der EKD Wortlaut des Briefes: Presidency of the European Union Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel Brussels, 7 March 2007 Spring European Council 2007: “I hear the message well but my faith alone is weak.” European churches and diaconal organisations ask EU Member States to deliver on their promises to combat poverty and social exclusion. Dear Chancellor Merkel, In 2005 we addressed the European Spring Council and asked for “a balanced and mutually supportive interaction between the economic, social and environmental policies of the Lisbon Strategy”. We were glad to see that the Council at this time shared the concerns of churches and diaconal organisations. The EPSCO Council key messages from 22 February point out again “that the objectives of strengthening competitiveness, increasing employment and improving social cohesion are equally important, interlinked and mutually supportive” and that the common social objectives of the Member States should be taken into account within the Lisbon Strategy “in order to make a decisive impact on social exclusion and poverty”. We strongly support the EPSCO recommendation to give priority to fighting child poverty and giving children equal opportunities and to promote active inclusion policies. A “Plan D” for the Lisbon Strategy: “Die Botschaft hör’ ich wohl, allein mir fehlt der Glaube.“ - “I hear the message well but my faith alone is weak” (J.W. Goethe.) European Churches and diaconal organisations are disappointed at the lack of progress in the fields of social protection and social inclusion. Child poverty is one example where political declarations have made little impact. In March 2006, the European Council asked the Member States “to take necessary measures to rapidly and significantly reduce child poverty, giving all children equal opportunities, regardless of their social background” (Par. 72). But the evaluation of the National Action Plans on Social Inclusion and the analysis of the Joint Social Protection and Social Inclusion Report 2007 clearly show that in a number of Member States this commitment did not have any relevant impact on national policies. A concrete example: Despite the commitments of Member States to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, undocumented children, or children with no permanent residence, or in asylum procedures, are often excluded from schooling. Improving democratic participation in EU processes is important for the future of Europe as the EU tries to regain its peoples’ trust. We would therefore ask the EU Member States to make the Lisbon Agenda more transparent and allow a better participation in the process, for example by increasing the involvement of the national parliaments. We encourage the EU Member States to increase the participation of civil society in the development and implementation of its policies. Synergy effects do not only exist in “public-private partnerships”, but also in the active involvement of civil society via nonprofit organisations like churches and diaconal organisations. We welcome the intentions of the German Presidency for a close cooperation with civil society, which may set a good example. We appreciate the initiative of the German presidency for a European Alliance for Families and we are ready to participate in the implementation of this initiative. Churches and diaconal organisations are concerned about the growing gap between the rich and the poor in European societies, the segmentation of the labour markets with more and more precarious employment situations and the growing marginalisation of specific groups like less skilled people or people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and people with a migration background. The practice of solidarity is not only an essential element of Christian faith, but also a precondition for a socially cohesive society for all and as such is an important pillar of the European social model. We would therefore ask you once again to strengthen the social dimension in the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy by including concrete guidelines on social inclusion. We welcome the EU’s concern in strengthening people’s capacities and promoting “lifelong learning”, but the understanding of ”human capital” is much too narrow, if people are regarded only as productive factors. Work and social inclusion are fundamental rights of the people in the European Union. The right to work, to realise one’s own potential is an element of human dignity. 50 years after the commitment of the Member States “to ensure the economic and social progress of their countries by common action” (Treaty establishing the European Economic Community), we ask the Member States to commit themselves to concrete “common actions” combating poverty and social exclusion and to deliver on their promises. We thank you for this opportunity to address our concerns to you for your consideration. We remain, yours sincerely, Heidi Paakjaer Martinussen Rev. Rüdiger Noll Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches The Church and Society Commission (CSC) is one of the commissions of the Conference of European Churches (CEC). The CSC links CEC’s some 125 member churches from all over Europe and its associated organisations with the European Union’s institutions, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, NATO and the UN (on European matters). Its task is to help the churches study church and society questions from a theological social-ethical perspective, especially those with a European dimension, and to represent common positions of the member churches in their relations with political institutions working in Europe. Eurodiaconia is a federation of 43 members - churches, non-statutory welfare organisations and NGOs in Europe - operating at national and international level. Our members are rooted in Christian faith within the traditions of the Reformation as well as in the Anglican and Orthodox traditions. We network diaconal and social work of institutions and church communities and co-operate with civil society partners. Our Mission: We link our members to serve for solidarity and justice. Our strategic aims are to ensure quality of life for all in a social Europe, to link institutions of diaconia, social initiatives and churches in Europe, to be and to enhance a network of competence. European churches and diaconal organisations provide a wide range of social, healthcare and educational services all over Europe for young and old, physically and mentally disabled and engage more than half a million professionals and volunteers in their hospitals, institutions and projects. Eurodiaconia and the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) have a joint Social Policy working group. Mr. Franz Müntefering, Deputy Federal Chancellor and Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth Ambassador Wilhelm Schönfelder, Permanent Representation of Germany to the European Union Rue Joseph II, 166 Tel : +32 (2) 234.38.60

How does a company as large as Microsoft keep its innovative spark alive? At the “Strategies for Success in the New Era of Connected Ecosystems” conference hosted by Wharton’s Mack Institute for Innovation Management, Todd Rawlings, the senior quality manager for corporate business excellence at Microsoft, expounded on the new models for institutionalizing innovation. Afterwards, he spoke to Knowledge@Wharton about how the technology giant makes sure to stay on the cutting edge of innovation. An edited transcript of the conversation appears below. Knowledge@Wharton: How do you spark innovation at such a huge company as Microsoft, especially once it’s big and established? Todd Rawlings: It’s definitely a challenge. I was just [reading a magazine that was reporting the top 50 most innovative companies] and didn’t see Microsoft listed … so it’s difficult to spark and maintain successful innovation in a company as large as ours. But I do think we’re doing some things at Microsoft that are interesting and may lead us to getting on these lists in the future. What I’d like to talk about today is a grassroots innovation movement called the “Microsoft Garage.” And in some aspects it is what you might envision, an actual ‘Garage’ space. In fact, the original Garage had a garage door, opener and everything. Now we have many spaces for innovation and ‘Maker’ projects in Microsoft offices all over the world. It draws in people from all disciplines of Microsoft, whether they’re engineers – which most of them are — marketing people, testers or folks like me that come from the process quality world, and we all can come together with ideas, make things and fail, learn and try again. We can basically take our ideas from concept to something that might be added to an existing product line. Or maybe it’s something that is given to customers to try and later is made into a product. The Garage started out six years ago as an employee-driven, grassroots idea, and now it’s been embraced all the way up to our CEO, Satya Nadella. Knowledge@Wharton: Where do those ideas that you work on in the Garage bubble up from? Rawlings: They come from people’s passions or start from problems. “So I am experiencing a problem; I’m uncomfortable in a certain area of my work and I want to solve it.” Or, “I see a customer problem and then I’m feeling that pain, too, and I want to solve it for them.” Those, I think, are the initial sparks. “It’s difficult to spark and maintain successful innovation in a company as large as ours.” Then, what we try and do in The Garage is mentor those people. We try to give them the tools that they might need, whether that means physical tools or code-type tools or even marketing tools and idea-creation tools. Knowledge@Wharton: So what does innovation look like at Microsoft, and does it need to have an immediate return on investment (ROI)? Rawlings: I should clarify something here. While there’s a Garage, and 10,000 people are involved in hacking ideas in it at any one time around Microsoft, we also have Microsoft Research, which comprises 1,000 very focused individuals, many with Ph.D.s, working on specific areas and ideas that are maybe five, 10, 15 years out [to fruition]. The Garage tends to be a little bit closer in, maybe one to five years out. We bring the people in and when they need a tool, we’ve got these spaces that they can come into right on the Redmond [Washington] campus and also on [Microsoft] campuses around the world. All the 3-D printers and the laser machines and anything that they might need are given to them. Then, when an idea emerges that has some real potential, it is sometimes picked up by Microsoft Research, and I’ve got some examples of that, if you’d like. Knowledge@Wharton: Sure, I’d love to hear about those. Rawlings: There was an idea that was raised around how to improve data centers, because right now, some of our larger data centers take up many acres of space. They can use upwards of 160 megawatts of power. And that model doesn’t work in areas like Singapore. You can’t just go and get acres of space anymore, yet we still want to bring computing close to the people. Because believe it or not, as fast as fiber is, there’s a delay there when you’re across the world, and people don’t want delays, they want their information now. The idea came out initially as a paper to design a new type of data center that could be compact, put near 50% of the population of the world, and also to be a greener type of data center, one that used renewable energy sources and dissipated its heat more naturally. This became the idea for an ocean-based datacenter [Project Natick] and initially came out as a paper within Microsoft during something we used to call Think Week, and then it became a Garage project. Different ideas will progress different ways through the system, but this is how we did it. I had the good fortune of working with one of the advanced development folks in the data center, so he and I came up with this idea and kind of pushed it through. We got some interest during the Hackathon from some senior people in Microsoft Research. Then they took our idea and helped us to patent it, and recently, they’ve actually built some submersible datacenter prototypes. So that’s kind of the progression. I think the next step for the submersible datacenter is that we’ll be producing a second phase prototype this summer and hopefully proceed with a marketable product after that. “The Garage started out six years ago as an employee-driven, grassroots idea, and now it’s been embraced all the way up to our CEO, Satya Nadella.” Knowledge@Wharton: Do you at times act as a venture capital company and invest in companies that might be small start-ups with some interesting technology that fits in with what you do or may give you ideas of what you should be doing? Rawlings: As a company, I would say yes. And Microsoft is pretty well known as someone who acquires quite a few companies, depending on the technology. But I would also say that a new direction for us, innovation-wise, is the Garage, and it’s primarily internal-focused … There is an external Garage area on the Microsoft website where you can go and download some of the apps that are being developed in the Garage. One product in particular that is on the horizon is a set of sensors for the agriculture world. It started out because Microsoft is growing a lot more of its own produce in-house using hydroponics. The thinking there is better quality food, better quality employees. Also, the fact that much of our produce, especially in these winter months, is coming from way south, so there’s a huge trucking cost and there’s an environmental impact, as well. So we created some sensors that allow these farmers — urban farmers, if you will — to better monitor their crops growing on all these towers around campus, because there’s only three of them, and they’re growing in, say, 50 different buildings. If a pump goes out, the plants die, because they’re not using soil. This is an example of something that Microsoft has been helping us with in small ways. I wouldn’t say that it’s fully funded. We’ve had to scrap and scrape, but we are finding funds. But again, I would say that that sort of incubation stage is an area where we still have some work to do. Knowledge@Wharton: What would you say are the biggest hurdles that you have to overcome in trying to innovate? Rawlings: First of all, one hurdle is just getting the word out that there is such a place. Because people have ideas and they don’t have a channel, necessarily, to move on them, to advance on them. Getting that message out that there is a Garage and that it’s OK to spend part of your time working on it — I think that’s still a challenge. We’re getting more and more help, because Satya is starting to address that and talk more about it. The other thing is that I think people start to develop ideas and they work on them very, very diligently, but they don’t necessarily see that there are two or three other groups also working on similar ideas, and if they would all come together, they’d have a great chance of success. So that’s a challenge, too — making sure that everyone knows all the projects that everyone else is working on. And you would think that a communications company like Microsoft would do that, but when you’ve got 3,000 projects sometimes — and this is what happened in our Hackathon last summer — it’s difficult to really know what everyone else is doing. “As an executive, you have to think many chess moves down the way.” Knowledge@Wharton: What advice would you give companies facing the challenge of digital start-ups that might be coming at them to take away part of their business? Obviously, this is something you’re dealing with all the time. Rawlings: The most important thing is to get this innovation process established in your company. I’m really trying to drive home … this concept of commitment to creativity from the highest levels. At Microsoft, we have that commitment all the way up to the CEO. You have to commit to it for a period of years before you can expect a whole lot of ROI to come out of it. The early people who get involved may be just super-creative and want to experiment, make a laser-etched block for their kid. It’s not necessarily something that is going to have immediate benefit for Microsoft. But that person who made the block might then be teaching the next person who comes in, who 3-D prints or etches something that becomes the new Surface docking station or another revolutionary new product. As an executive, you have to think many chess moves down the way. The investment in this is so important. The second one is confidence-building. If you’re committed to the creativity, you’re building the confidence level in your employees that their ideas matter, that their ideas are worth something. So, as they engage with the Garage, they get mentored. They’re boosted up, they begin to understand the growth mindset, and they feel like they can become inventors within the company. The last one is around connections. When we have a Hackathon, a lot of times, people from a wide variety of disciplines will come together, people who have never met before, and I learn about them and they share their ideas. All that synergy through the connections comes together and creates even more value. These are people then that when I go back to my team, I can call on in the future, because I know that I could depend on them during the Hackathon. They delivered. A lot of times, I believe, you get that diversity through people who have come together and connected in that way. So the commitment, the confidence building and the connections are, I think, the three main areas that a company needs to consider when they’re going after innovation.

Described by pianist Leslie Howard as one of the finest musicians of his generation worldwide, Simon Tedeschi was named the Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year performing Ginastera's Piano Concerto No 1 with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jun Maerkl at the Melbourne Concert Hall. He was the recipient of a Queen's Trust Overseas Study Award of $10,000, also presented at the Young Performers Awards in Melbourne. Mr. Tedeschi first performed a Mozart Piano Concerto at age 9 in the Sydney Opera House and since then has played as soloist with the Queensland, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Fort Worth Chamber Orchestra, Texas. He has toured Taiwan, New Caledonia, Italy and Malta as soloist with the SBS Radio and Television Youth Orchestra. Mr. Tedeschi has won numerous prizes and piano scholarships. In 1994, he entered his first International Piano competition in Italy, where he achieved tremendous results. There he was voted the "Most Outstanding Performer in all Youth Sections" as well as winning the Open Age Concerto Section, two Piano sections and his age section. As a result of this competition, Mr. Tedeschi toured the USA in 1995, performing in New York, North Carolina and Texas. That same year, he had a private audience with Luciano Pavarotti and performed for him. In 1996, Mr. Tedeschi attended the Van Cliburn Institute, Texas, for 3 weeks, which accepted only 20 pianists worldwide. He was one of only three chosen to perform a Mozart Concerto with the Fort Worth Orchestra. Recent engagements include the Shostakovich 1st with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the Mozart K595 with the Sydney Symphony. Simon Tedeschi was the subject of an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary, Australian Story, screened nationally on August 5th, 1999. Mr. Tedeschi signed a recording deal with Sony Music Entertainment Australia under the Sony Classical label, his debut CD released in May 2000. He was subsequently nominated for a MO Award as Classical Performer of the Year and for an ARIA award – Classical Record of the Year. 2000 engagements included the Grieg Piano Concerto with the QSO, recitals for the MSO, a Scriabin programme for the Adelaide Festival, an extensive recital tour for Musica Viva, and guest appearances with the internationally-acclaimed harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler on his Australian tour. Simon was also invited back from Europe to play in Sydney for a conference entitled 'Geniuses, Prodigies and Savants' held by the Centre for the Mind in Sydney. Mr. Tedeschi has performed for the Dalai Lama at his fund-raising concert in London in December, 2000. He also appeared at the Edinburgh Festival and St. John's, Smith Square – performances which moved Larry Adler to comment that "...he is one of the finest Gershwin exponents I have seen...reminds me of the young Rachmaninoff...". In 2001, Mr Tedeschi performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra and toured extensively for Musica Viva Australia with guitarist Slava Grigoryan. In February 2002 Simon Tedeschi won the keyboard section of the Royal Overseas League Music Competition in London, which is open to Commonwealth musicians under the age of 28. As well as this, he was engaged to perform for the Dalai Lama at the Sydney Opera House, as part of his mid-year trip to Sydney. Also in 2002, he played recitals and concertos in New York, Philadelphia, London, Edinburgh, Wales and a 5-concert tour of Mexico as part of the Cervantino Festival. In early 2003, Simon Tedeschi performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at the New South Wales Premier's Australia Day Concert at Darling Harbour, Sydney. He also recorded Leroy Anderson's Piano Concerto with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and appeared in recital with classical guitarist Slava Grigoryan In 2004, he toured for Musica Viva, and travelled to Japan for performances with Leigh Warren & Dancers. 2005 has already incorporated recitals in Italy, the opening recital for the Australian Pavilion at the World EXPO in Nagoya, Japan and a performance at the invitation of the Governor of NSW for their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark. Simon was later invited back to Nagoya, Japan, to perform in EXPO Hall for International Marine Day. Simon has recently recorded Tchiakovsky's 1st Piano Concerto and Grieg's Piano Concerto with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Richard Bonynge, which was released in September 2005. Richard Bonynge himself commented: 'an extraordinary young pianist...I felt a true musical togetherness with Simon – his sensitivity, his passion and his superb technique.' This record was subsequently nominated for an ARIA award - classical record of the year. In November 2005, Simon has been invited to be the soloist with the Cyprus State Orchestra for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which will be held in Malta. This year has also incorporated recitals all over Australia, performances with award winning Jazz pianist Kevin Hunt and touring with renowned Brazilian Flautist Tadeu Coelho and Cellist Trish O'Brien. 2006 saw Simon performing in New York (for the International Keyboard Institute and Festival), Pennsylvania (for the Mt Gretna Festival) and San Francisco (State University) with Roger Woodward. The year has also featured continuing tours with jazz pianist Kevin Hunt, culminating in a performance in November in the Basement (Sydney's premier jazz venue). Jazz performances have also included a trio performance with Vibe/Clarinet/Sax/Flute player Glen Henrich and bass player Dave Pudney as well as a performance on New Years Eve as part of Kinderjazz, sharing the stage with some of Sydney's finest Jazz musicians. Simon was also invited to be guest adjudicator for the City of Sydney Piano Scholarship. As well as performing Rhapsody in Blue with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Simon also performed for the very first time with Roger Woodward and Synergy Percussion Ensemble at the City Recital Hall, Sydney. Simon is currently based in the USA, courtesy of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust and Professor Jack C Richards. In July 2007, Simon was awarded the 'Young Jewish Pianist' Award (selected and presented by pianist Misha Dichter) and was featured in 'New York's Emerging Artist' Series held in New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage. He returned to Australia for a two piano recital with Roger Woodward, a tour of Queensland with flautist Jane Rutter, a tour of Australia with Jazz violinist Ian Cooper, a performance of Rhapsody in Blue with the Queensland Orchestra under the baton of Benjamin Northey as well as a recording of the Mozart Piano Concerto K488 with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra under Alexander Briger. He performed in the Sydney Opera House in September 2007 as part of the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) Cultural Event, for major world leaders such as George W Bush, Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe. October 2007 featured a lecture-recital at United Nations Headquarters in New York, in observance of UN Day. Simon was recently the receipient of an award from the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia and the Australian Opera Auditions Committee. 2008 will be an exciting year for Simon, featuring performances in Utah, Colorado, Philadelphia, Connecticut, a solo recital in Sydney's City Recital Hall and another performance at Sydney's 'Basement' with Kevin Hunt. Charitable performances have a prominent part in Simon's performing schedule; this year alone sees performances for the Karuna Foundation in support of Cambodian orphans, the Mater Hospital and a gala concert in the Sydney Opera House for the Wayside Chapel. Simon Tedeschi is the Roving Ambassador for The Australian Children's Music Foundation and the patron of the Bowraville Cultural Festival. He was recently awarded the Centenary of Federation Medal by the Governor General of Australia. Simon's instrument in Australia is kindly provided by Hutchings Pianos of Sydney. Born in Sydney in 1981, he studied piano with Neta Maughan from 1990-2000. He has also studied in London with Noretta Conci. |Piano Gathering in Boston, 3:rd of May in 2008 (VIDEO)||25:24||Tedeschi, S.|

The State Bank of India group is embarking on a fresh strategy for expansion - opening of branches and automated teller machines (ATMs) and relocating branches - in the four metropolitan regions of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. It wishes to cut the time for break-even to a year for new branches from the present period of up to 24 months. Apart from the imperatives of competition, it is looking at effective use of locations and better deployment of resources in metropolitan regions, said a senior executive. The group plans to create profiles of potential centres for network optimisation. It is bringing in an external advisor for the exercise. Bank officers will work alongside the study team. These officials would later work to help implement the plans vetted by the bank. Another SBI executive said it was under-strength in metropolitan areas - 2,218 of 14,097 branches in March 2012 and not very different in December 2013, with 2,448 of 15,297 branches in the network. Yet, the bulk of business gets done in such regions. Besides customer service, location is a key factor for attracting customers and building a business. Many private sector banks (PSBs) have built a thriving branch network in metro cities. Much of the presence of large public sector banks is not much more than a social statement, said an analyst with a private broking house. Some pockets in metros are coming up as attractive business centres. For example, in the Mumbai metropolitan area, New Panvel, an area adjoining the upcoming international airport in Navi Mumbai, provides a big business opportunity. This exercise also gives the lender an opportunity for looking at coordination and cooperation with associate banks, said an SBI branch manager. "At present, the synergy between associate and parent is low," he said. The profiling exercise would take into account the presence of associate banks and other banks at or near these locations. SBI has been working on plans to consolidate (merge) associate banks with itself. It had already merged State Bank of Saurashtra and State Bank of Indore. The merger of State Bank of Hyderabad was on the cards but the plans were kept in abeyance due to the Telangana statehood agitation. The exercise would identify and analyse the most important factors which affect the performance of branches. If existing banking facilities in the proposed locations are considered inadequate, the study would go into the reasons. It would present an estimate of the minimum business new branches are expected to attract in 12-36 months. It would also give the market share of the State Bank group in the locality vis-a-vis the potential. ATMs in the proposed locations should be such that these should be able to reach a high hit-rate, like 200 a day within six months, say executives. BRANCH REVAMP - The bank plans to create profiles of potential centres for network optimisation - It is bringing an external advisor for the exercise - Though the bank is under-strength in metropolitan areas, the bulk of business gets done in such regions - Some pockets in metros are coming up as attractive business centres - The profiling exercise would take into account the presence of associate banks and other banks at or near these locations - The exercise would identify and analyse the most important factors which affect the performance of branches

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1) What are your own origins, Andrew? I was born, raised, and currently live in Toronto, Canada, and I’ve been an artist pretty much my entire life. We all draw and scribble when we’re kids, and I was one of those that never really stopped. I went to a college here in Toronto called Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art and Design (great name, right?) for illustration. Through that, I learned how to bring all of the crazy thoughts and images in my head to life! 2) What inspired you to create, ‘The Work’? I’ve always been fascinated by the art of storytelling and the ability to engage and communicate with all sorts of people. Whether it be movies, TV, novels, comics, or any other medium, I just eat it up. The Work sprouted from the way I saw geek culture effect and penetrate these forms of media. At the time I was thinking about a way to tell a story about superheroes that I hadn’t seen before. To me, it’s very hard to create a new and original superhero because all of the best ideas have already been done. I thought it would be interesting to tell a story about what would happen behind the scenes of a world with superheroes instead of focusing on the superheroes themselves. It was an opportunity where I could make a really fun and meta comic that satirizes the whole genre, and to a certain extent, the entertainment industry in general. 3) In your own words how would you describe this story? The Work is a buddy-cop style story about two people named Scarlet and Conner and the work they do as Agents for a secret society made of the 1% called The Party. On the surface, their world is like any other comic book universe where super heroes fight super villains. But secretly, these heroes and villains are employed by The Party as a means of entertainment. Scarlet is a new Agent that struggles with getting her hands dirty in the business as Conner pressures her to assimilate. It’s a fun and twisted story that draws from some of the things that happen behind the scenes of making movies, comics, and competitive sports, dipped in a nerdy super hero coating! 4) What song would you say best represents this comic and why? If I had to pick one song, I think “Sequoia Throne” by Protest the Hero best encapsulates the essence of The Work. A bit obscure, but they’re a prog-metal band from Whitby, Ontario (east of Toronto). The song is fast-paced, has moments of aggression and beauty plus is lyrically about nerdy stuff like aliens, monsters, and how at the end of the day, people are the scariest villains. It’s something that reminded me of The Party’s sinister machinations behind the larger than life capes and cowls. 5) If you could get a celebrity – either living or dead – to promote your wares, who would you choose, and why would you want to choose this particular person? I’d go with either Stan Lee or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson because they’re two of the most entertaining, fun, and engaging figures around. 6) What have you learnt about yourself through this endeavour? I’ve discovered truly, how much work goes into making a comic. I’ve always wondered whether or not I’d be able to create a comic totally by myself, if I just sat down and put the time and work in... and it turns out that I can (with a bit of help from colour flatter John Siozon). Now that I’ve discovered that I CAN do it, the question of SHOULD I do it arises (he says jokingly). Comics are usually created by a team of creators for good reason. It can be a bit of a mental and physical strain on a single person and learning to adjust the pace of production, so I don’t end up burning out is something to be worked on. There’s also a new appreciation for how well a team can collaborate and create this synergy on a good book. It can be easy if there’s one person creating a comic in a way -- there’s a singular vision and there’s one person working to achieve that. It’s amazing when you can find a whole group of different people on the same wave length and they produce something great together. 8) If ‘The Work’ had a motto, what would it be? “Get’er done”. I think it’s a universal motto that I follow myself and it seems pretty fitting. The work that the characters do? They gotta get’er done. The work that I need to do? Just gotta get’er done! And on that note, I'd like to thank Andrew for telling us about his comic, The Work, before directing you towards his facebook, deviantart, and bigcartel pages. And while you're at it, don't forget to pick yourself up a copy on gumroad.com.

|Item#||Name||Size & Form||Brand||Price||Retail||Actions| Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA, thioctic acid) is a naturally occurring vitamin-like nutrient that has been intensely investigated as a therapeutic agent for a variety of conditions involving the body’s nervous, cardiovascular, immune, and detoxification systems. It exists as two enantiomers or stereoisomers: R-(+)-lipoic acid (RLA) and S-(-)-lipoic acid (SLA). It is produced in small amounts in the liver and other body tissues, where it is needed by enzymes to catalyze numerous essential chemical reactions in the body. For instance, ALA is essential inside the mitochondria of cells, where it is needed to metabolize glucose and direct calories into energy production. ALA is considered to be a multimodal supplement because, aside from its enzymatic role in energy production, it acts by multiple mechanisms and displays diverse pharmacologic and antioxidant properties. Recently discovered is ALA’s ability to switch the regulation of several genes linked to cell survival, inflammation and oxidative stress. So in addition to its enzymatic role, ALA is a powerful antioxidant and performs a number of other vital functions related to its ability to modify the expression of various genes. ALA is therefore not so much a direct benefit to cells, but rather an indirect aid that "kick starts" declining function in cells, helping them recover the functions that came more easily and naturally in the young. Click Here to listen to featured audio on Best Alpha-Lipoic Acid. An ideal antioxidant would have the ability to quench a wide variety of free radicals, to support the functioning of other antioxidants, to bind or “chelate” metal ions that can generate free radicals, to function in watery and fatty environments, and to be present in tissues, cells, and extracellular spaces. Having exceeded these criteria, Lipoic Acid was termed the “universal antioxidant.”5 As a team, LA and DHLA come close to the ideal, for the following reasons:6-8 1) LA is easily absorbed when consumed orally. 2) LA is readily converted to DHLA in various tissues. 3) As a pair, LA and DHLA neutralize superoxide, hydroxyl, peroxyl, and hypochlorus radicals. 4) LA and DHLA form stable complexes with metal ions such as iron, manganese, copper and zinc ions. 5) LA and DHLA scavenge free radicals in both fatty and watery environments. 6) DHLA recycles other important antioxidants. Within the cell, antioxidants work as a team to keep free radicals from damaging cell structures. In order to neutralize a free radical, an antioxidant such as vitamin C must give up an electron, which means it becomes oxidized. Before it can function as an antioxidant once again, it must be regenerated back to its "reduced" form by gaining an electron to replace the donated electron. For this, it needs the help of other antioxidants. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and glutathione are key antioxidants that can be generated by cycling between their oxidized and reduced forms. This is necessary to maintain the balance between oxidation and its reverse––the neutralization of free radicals by antioxidants. DHLA is an essential component in the interaction between these antioxidants, as well as being able to recycle coenzyme Q (CoQ). Studies show that addition of alpha-lipoic acid to liver tissues results in increased vitamin C levels. It has been found that DHLA is responsible for regenerating vitamin C, which in turn regenerates vitamin E.8 DHLA also converts glutathione from its oxidized form back into its free radical scavenging reduced form.8, 9 The LA/DHLA pair is thus vital for answering "oxidative stress," which occurs when the balance is tipped in favor of oxidation in cells.10 DHLA helps preserve antioxidants in both the watery cell interior and the fatty structure of cell membranes.5 Evidence from animal studies suggests the free radical-scavenging activity of DHLA in the mammalian brain.11 Alpha-lipoic acid is a key factor in the cellular process that metabolizes glucose for energy production. Researchers have noted that for a non-hormonal compound, LA is remarkable for its effect on carbohydrate metabolism—especially the R-lipoic form of alpha-lipoic acid. For example, in vitro studies have shown the ability of RLA to promote rapid uptake of glucose in muscle and fat cells.12, 13 The impact of lipoic acid administration in promoting healthy blood sugar metabolism is also evidenced in numerous animal and human studies.14, 15 In one rat study, the known benefit of exercise on glucose uptake was complimented by 30 mg of RLA per kg body weight for 2 weeks. Glucose uptake into muscle increased by 45% in sedentary rats given RLA (compared to rats not receiving RLA); when the rats combined treadmill exercise with the RLA administration, glucose uptake jumped to 124% (compared to only 68% in rats given exercise but no RLA).16 After helping to initially increase glucose uptake into cells, RLA subsequently increases glucose utilization via activation of an enzyme complex—called the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex—involved in energy production inside the mitochondria of cells.17 LA is cited especially for its ability to reduce oxidative stress in the context of the important relationship between healthy blood sugar levels and vascular health.18 As we age, our ability to synthesize lipoic acid decreases. Age also brings an accumulation of oxidized proteins that interfere with mitochondrial efficiency. LA’s status as a so-called “mitochondrial nutrient” addresses this situation.19 Furthermore, aging is accompanied by a decreased ability of the liver to recycle ascorbic acid following oxidative stress. R-lipoic acid, after two weeks of supplementation to aged rats, reversed the age-related impairment of ascorbic acid recycling and concentration in liver cells.20 A second study confirmed these results. Researchers determined that an RLA-supplemented diet fed to old rats for two weeks resulted in improved mitochondrial function, decreased free radical damage, and increased metabolic rate. Whereas a significant decline was seen in ascorbic acid and glutathione levels in the livers of the control rats, the RLA-supplemented group showed no decline in the levels of these critical antioxidants.21 Aging is associated with oxidative stress in the brain. The brain's high rate of metabolism and its long-lived neurons make it particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Since LA interrupts cellular oxidative processes in both its oxidized and reduced forms, it plays a modulatory role in the brain and nervous system. One group of researchers found that LA decreased oxidative stress in the brain mitochondria of aged rats.22 This kind of activity inside of neurons may help explain the observed effect of LA administration on cognitive upkeep in an animal model. Evidence of cognitive benefits has cropped up in multiple studies on normal old mice, including one where longer-term memory was enhanced by LA.19 There are probably several mechanisms—in tandem with decreased oxidative stress—behind the cognitive support seen in these animal studies, including stimulated production of acetylcholine and enhancement of memory-related signaling pathways.19 Preliminary research on humans suggests that LA supports sustained cognitive function in older age.23, 24 Studies also indicate that supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid supports eye health. One of the most toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke, acrolein, is especially harmful to retinal pigment epithelial cells. Rats chronically exposed to low doses of acrolein lose the viability of these cells, showing a decrease in mitochondrial function due to oxidative stress. Pretreatment of these retina cells with LA before the acrolein exposure significantly protected them from oxidative damage.25 RLA is exceptionally suitable for supporting the retina of the eye. This was shown in rats, presumably via prevention of the activation of nuclear factor kappa B, a protein complex found in all cells that is involved in cellular responses to stimuli such as stress, free radicals, and ultraviolet irradiation.26 Studies in rats also demonstrate LA’s ability to support healthy retinal capillaries.27 Alpha-lipoic acid may offer several different mechanisms in helping us to maintain cardiovascular health. From animal studies, researchers began to discover the impact of LA on blood lipids over half a century ago.28 Additionally, a recent study in mice demonstrated results seen in previous studies using mice or rats: lipoic acid lowered body weight gain and fat mass.29. Researchers attributed this to appetite suppression and enhanced energy expenditure. Mice in this same study also benefited from lower levels of triglycerides upon LA administration. While the favorable results seen in many of these in vivo studies have not yet been investigated in humans, researchers believe that LA supplementation holds promise for supporting the cardiovascular system through such means as helping to maintain a healthy weight and by promoting healthy lipid metabolism. 1.Bast, A. and G.R. Haenen, Lipoic acid: a multifunctional antioxidant. Biofactors, 2003. 17(1-4): p. 207-13. 2.Breithaupt-Grogler, K., et al., Dose-proportionality of oral thioctic acid--coincidence of assessments via pooled plasma and individual data. Eur J Pharm Sci, 1999. 8(1): p. 57-65. 3.Carlson, D.A., et al., The plasma pharmacokinetics of R-(+)-lipoic acid administered as sodium R-(+)-lipoate to healthy human subjects. Altern Med Rev, 2007. 12(4): p. 343-51. 4.Zempleni, J., T.A. Trusty, and D.M. Mock, Lipoic acid reduces the activities of biotin-dependent carboxylases in rat liver. J Nutr, 1997. 127(9): p. 1776-81. 5.Kagan, V.E., et al., Dihydrolipoic acid--a universal antioxidant both in the membrane and in the aqueous phase. Reduction of peroxyl, ascorbyl and chromanoxyl radicals. Biochem Pharmacol, 1992. 44(8): p. 1637-49. 6.Packer, L., E.H. Witt, and H.J. Tritschler, alpha-Lipoic acid as a biological antioxidant. Free Radic Biol Med, 1995. 19(2): p. 227-50. 7.Suzuki, Y.J., M. Tsuchiya, and L. Packer, Thioctic acid and dihydrolipoic acid are novel antioxidants which interact with reactive oxygen species. Free Radic Res Commun, 1991. 15(5): p. 255-63. 8.Biewenga, G.P., G.R. Haenen, and A. Bast, The pharmacology of the antioxidant lipoic acid. Gen Pharmacol, 1997. 29(3): p. 315-31. 9.Bast, A. and G.R. Haenen, Interplay between lipoic acid and glutathione in the protection against microsomal lipid peroxidation. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1988. 963(3): p. 558-61. 10.Serbinova, E., I. Maitra, and L. Packer, The synergy between vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid - possible relationship in protection against oxidative stress in vivo. Life Chemistry Reports, 1994. 12: p. 17-21. 11.Prehn, J.H., et al., Dihydrolipoate reduces neuronal injury after cerebral ischemia. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab, 1992. 12(1): p. 78-87. 12.Estrada, D.E., et al., Stimulation of glucose uptake by the natural coenzyme alpha-lipoic acid/thioctic acid: participation of elements of the insulin signaling pathway. Diabetes, 1996. 45(12): p. 1798-804. 13.Yaworsky, K., et al., Engagement of the insulin-sensitive pathway in the stimulation of glucose transport by alpha-lipoic acid in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Diabetologia, 2000. 43(3): p. 294-303. 14.Jacob, S., et al., Oral administration of RAC-alpha-lipoic acid modulates insulin sensitivity in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: a placebo- controlled pilot trial. Free Radic Biol Med, 1999. 27(3-4): p. 309-14. 15.Kamenova, P., Improvement of insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after oral administration of alpha-lipoic acid. Hormones (Athens), 2006. 5(4): p. 251-8. 16.Saengsirisuwan, V., et al., Interactions of exercise training and alpha-lipoic acid on insulin signaling in skeletal muscle of obese Zucker rats. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 2004. 287(3): p. E529-36. 17.Korotchkina, L.G., S. Sidhu, and M.S. Patel, R-lipoic acid inhibits mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase. Free Radic Res, 2004. 38(10): p. 1083-92. 18.Muellenbach, E.A., et al., Interactions of the advanced glycation end product inhibitor pyridoxamine and the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid on insulin resistance in the obese Zucker rat. Metabolism, 2008. 57(10): p. 1465-72. 19.Liu, J., The effects and mechanisms of mitochondrial nutrient alpha-lipoic acid on improving age-associated mitochondrial and cognitive dysfunction: an overview. Neurochem Res, 2008. 33(1): p. 194-203. 20.Lykkesfeldt, J., et al., Age-associated decline in ascorbic acid concentration, recycling, and biosynthesis in rat hepatocytes--reversal with (R)-alpha-lipoic acid supplementation. FASEB J, 1998. 12(12): p. 1183-9. 21.Hagen, T.M., et al., (R)-alpha-lipoic acid-supplemented old rats have improved mitochondrial function, decreased oxidative damage, and increased metabolic rate. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 1999. 13(2): p. 411-418. 22.Palaniappan, A.R. and A. Dai, Mitochondrial ageing and the beneficial role of alpha-lipoic acid. Neurochem Res, 2007. 32(9): p. 1552-8. 23.Hager, K., et al., Alpha-lipoic acid as a new treatment option for Azheimer type dementia. Arch Gerontol Geriatr, 2001. 32(3): p. 275-282. . 24.Holmquist, L., et al., Lipoic acid as a novel treatment for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Pharmacol Ther, 2007. 113(1): p. 154-64. 25.Jia, L., et al., Acrolein, a toxicant in cigarette smoke, causes oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in RPE cells: protection by (R)-alpha-lipoic acid. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2007. 48(1): p. 339-48. 26.Lin, J., et al., Effect of R-(+)-alpha-lipoic acid on experimental diabetic retinopathy. Diabetologia, 2006. 49(5): p. 1089-96. 27.Kowluru, R.A. and S. Odenbach, Effect of long-term administration of alpha-lipoic acid on retinal capillary cell death and the development of retinopathy in diabetic rats. Diabetes, 2004. 53(12): p. 3233-3238. 28.Wollin, S.D. and P.J. Jones, Alpha-lipoic acid and cardiovascular disease. J Nutr, 2003. 133(11): p. 3327-30. 29.Zhang, W.J., et al., Dietary alpha-lipoic acid supplementation inhibits atherosclerotic lesion development in apolipoprotein E-deficient and apolipoprotein E/low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. Circulation, 2008. 117(3): p. 421-8. *Statements on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Prices are subject to change at anytime and without notice. The majority of the product information has been reprinted from the manufacturer.

The year 2006 Marketing Plan for The Body Shop International consists of: The view of present company situation. Company managed to successfully market itself for 3 decades as well as expand very fast through retail franchising model. Constant product development has shown positive results in sales. Trading relationships with communities in need has enabled company to outsource high quality sustainable and relatively cheap materials. Growth Model. Acquisition of independent "The Body Shop" franchisee stores In Hong Kong and Canada is expected to marginally increase stakeholder value. As well, company plans to open 120 new stores in four regions. Current Marketing Strategy. The Body Shop employed "green marketing" strategy to build customer base in the market by help of publicity. The Body Shop considers the most efficient way of advertising through using its shops and staff. By using the shop windows company runs posters and by using the staff informs their customers. Marketing Objectives. One of core company objectives is to move the brand to a "masstige" positioning (Mass-market combined with prestige). Opportunities for Expansion. The worldwide cosmetics and toiletries market has a turnover in excess of $80 billion (with 3.1% annual growth) dominated by major companies like Proctor and Gamble, Unilever, Shiseido, L'Oreal, Avon and Revlon. Even though competition levels are high there is a high growth potential for male grooming products in UK, USA and Europe. Men in the UK spend a total of $1351 million in year 2005. Strategic development options. The Body Shop does not reach market segment aged between 8 and 14. Because of different marketing approach company does not use intensive advertising campaigns through mass media. Company distribution channels have to be widened. Expected profits. Company predicts operating Profit of â¤43.0m during year 2006 around 15%-20% increase compared to previous year. 2006 Marketing Plan focus is on how to deliver positive store sales performance, and ensure that new strong and disciplined operating practices are used and the ones already put in place continue. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 SITUATION ANALYSIS 3 SWOT ANALYSIS 3 MARKETING OBJECTIVES 6 MARKETING STRATEGY 6 MARKETING PROGRAMS 7 FUTURE STRATEGIC DIRECTION 7 STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS 8 MARKET ANALYSIS 8 MARKET SEGMENTATION 8 MARKET VALUE FORECAST 9 MARKET VOLUME FORECAST 10 STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS 11 POJECTED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT 12 Body Shop International is a skin and hair care retailer operating in around 52 countries through around 2050 outlets as well as growing direct selling organization. The Body Shop has only one manufacturing facility, "Soapworks" in Scotland. The remainder of production is outsourced to suppliers around the world. The Body Shop manufactures, and markets a range of over 600 products and approximately 400 accessories. The company sells a wide range of high quality values-driven health and beauty products as shampoos, bath products, soaps, skin creams and conditioners, beauty related accessories, special children's and men's toiletry ranges, perfumes and seasonal products. The company also sells a line of cosmetics. None of the company's products are tested on animals, and many of the company's stores offer recycling facilities. The Body Shop develops trading relationships with communities in need and company's ultimate goal is to be socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. The company operates through a number of retail formats including stores in railway stations, units in large shopping malls, town center stores and airports. It has grown through the opening of franchises. The Body Shop International operates company owned stores in the UK, the US, France, Germany and Singapore, with the remaining 45 markets owned and operated by independent franchisees. Company had global retail sales of â¤708.7m in year 2005 and profit before taxation of $36.2m. (www.thebodyshopinternational.com) * First mover advantage * Strong product development * Strong Brand Name * The Body Shop at Home * Trade Not Aid program First mover advantage The company was the first to manufacture and market naturally inspired skin and hair care products. The company also revolutionized the concept of ethical treatment of animals by not testing cosmetics and other personal care products on animals. Though the company's concept was copied by other competitors in the years to come, the company still retained high brand recognition and the first mover advantage. Strong product development The company has a strong product development program which enables it to maintain a healthy pipeline of products. The company built on the success of its ingredient-led Bath and Body range with the extension of the range into new variants such as Ultra Smooth Face Base, Global Fragrance collection; and the New Everyday Aromatherapy range. Strong Brand Name The name of The Body Shop has strong loyalty from its customers and worldwide recognition for its commitment to the environment and its superior products. The Body Shop at Home Home selling has proven to offer great synergy with the store-based business and to be highly successful in the UK and US and in Mexico. "Trade Not Aid" program The company has a unique procurement program which provides it access to low cost raw materials for its products as well as ties up with its corporate social responsibility program. The company purchases such ingredients as blue corn from the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico and Brazil nut oil from the Kayapo Indians of the Amazon River Basin, and thus proves to be beneficial socially and cost-wise. * False claims * Franchisee problems The company has been charged with exploitation and deception by selling products that were not "all-natural" and goods with ingredients that were, at some point, tested on animals. The company was charged with making false claims about its products and thus misleading the customers. The company lost face in front of its loyal customer base who endorsed the company's ethical stance about natural ingredients and non-testing on animals. The company's business has primarily been based on franchising. As the company banks heavily on loyal customer base who expect uniform ambience, quality and service in all Body Shop outlets, the company is highly dependent on the performance of its franchise stores. The performance of the franchisee stores has deteriorated over the last several years and there have been numerous customer complaints about poor quality and service in these stores. The company has failed to effectively manage its franchisee stores. * High growth potential of male grooming products * Entry in new markets In order to effectively manage its franchisee and strategically enhance the number of company owned stores, the company has embarked on a series of acquisitions of its franchisee stores which have been constantly profitable. Company acquired 127 stores "through the purchase of the Canadian and Hong Kong head franchise businesses and other individual franchised stores, primarily in the UK." (Annual Report, pg. 2) High growth potential of male grooming products There is a high growth potential for male grooming products in UK, USA and Europe. Men in the UK spend a total of $1351 million a year on body-care, hair-care, skincare products and fragrances. The UK market for male grooming products is likely to grow to $1.5 billion by 2008. A trend toward greater usage of personal care items among young men has also seized the US. Young men between the ages of 8 to 18 are an important and growing sector of the health and beauty care industry, representing a potential market of $2.8 billion by 2008. This high growth potential of male grooming products is a positive sign for the company's range of men's products. Entry in new markets The company plans to exploit the opportunities to enter new markets like North and South Asia, South America and Eastern Europe. Demographically high opportunity Asian markets are showing an increase in consumer spending and increased trend towards purchase of personal care and grooming products among the urban population in these countries. These regions can be the key growth drivers of the company's revenues. * Strong competition * Foreign currency risk Body Shop sales have dropped due to intense competition in the global natural cosmetics market. Throughout the world competitors such as Boots, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal, Avon Products and numerous others have threatened to take market share from The Body Shop. The company competes against those that offer natural products, but also against those that offer supplemented products. Recently many of competitors' natural products have been offered in simple packaging and in many cases at a lower price. The Body Shop has been criticized for selling low end products at a premium price. Foreign currency risk The company faces currency exposure arising from the translation of the net assets held by overseas subsidiaries, export sales from the UK and retail royalties payable to the UK, as well as from purchases and interest payments. Since, the company sources most of its raw materials (natural products) from low cost destinations, currency fluctuations can eliminate the company's cost advantage and can have an adverse affect on the company's margins. (Datamonitor, Published Sep. 2004) * The major task of The Body Shop is to define and satisfy the needs and expectations of the customers more effectively than its competitors. * One of core company objectives is to move the brand to a "masstige" positioning (Mass-market combined with prestige) by developing innovative, credible and relatively low price retail goods that are sold under the tag of a prestigious brand name. (bbc.co.uk) * Company has objectives to open around 120 additional shops across four regions of which two thirds will be company-owned. As well there are great opportunities to enter new markets as North and South Asia, South America and Eastern Europe. (Annual Report, pg. 2) * The Body Shop plans investment in "stores and store refurbishments, while...continuing to invest in point of sale systems to improve operational efficiencies." (Annual Report, pg. 14) * Expand sales more than double from year 2005 through home selling "The Body Shop At Home" and e-commerce channels. The Body Shop has no marketing department and no advertising department. They operate according to criteria, which places more emphasis on human values than on strictly commercial considerations. The Body Shop never advertised in newspapers or television because this type of advertising increases costs hence price of the products. For The Body Shop, the most effective and useful way of advertising is to use its shops and its staff. By using the shop windows they run posters and by using the staff they inform their customers. The newest venture for The Body Shop is the "at home business", where trained consultants come to your home and demonstrate the products. (www.geocities.com) The founder of company Anita Roddick spends most of her time in marketing activities such as campaigns and conferences. The Body Shop employed "green marketing" strategies to build their customer base in the market by help of publicity. The Body Shop uses global marketing programs such as value promotions, increased sampling and gift with purchase initiatives, designed to support new product launches and seasonal events. Programs are developed to drive customer loyalty and increase repeat visits. Environmental audit reports is supportive mean for customer loyalty and confidence in the company. (available at www.bodyshop.com) Many people have a strong trust that The Body Shop's products have not been tested on animals and those products have less impact on environment. And the benefits of using products are printed on labels to an explanation of using it. These sort of things increased the confidence to the company. Also the programmes and actions such as improvement in energy efficiency, reduce, re-use and recycle of waste management, reduce the packaging waste were perceived by the consumers in a very positive way for the benefit of the company. (Welford, 1993, p.116) Even though company doesn't give advertisements directly to the media because of economic reasons, they know how to use media and how to advertise themselves very well. Since 1985, the company works together with environmental organisations and Friends of Earth campaigning on major environmental issues such as Acid Rain, Tropical Rain Forests, The Ozone Layer etc. All these actions and campaigns were effective, which were strongly supported by the media and press. Such market strategy development is known as "green marketing" which is more about changing the type of advertising. Green marketing becomes a whole company approach and philosophy for the business. (Forrester, 1990, p.59) Company exploits cross-channel marketing opportunities with its "Love Your Body" loyalty programme with more than 2m cards sold in 10 markets. (The Body Shop, Interim Results, 27 August 2005) FUTURE STRATEGIC DIRECTION New product development and marketing initiatives are ongoing activities which make company competitive in skin and hair care market segment. The Body Shop will continue the project for The Body Shop.com in the US. On-line consumer channel is expanding rapidly worldwide. Company expects to expand the concept to global coverage. "The Body Shop at Home" - direct sales channel showed impressive growth in the UK, the USA and Australia. Company plans this promotional model to be a prime growth vehicle over the next several years. Growth will come from the existing operations in the UK, US and Australia, as well as a number of additional countries, which company sees as having the opportunity to develop the concept in. STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS With the aim of providing better customer service, The Body Shop initiated a search for a solution that would streamline the checkout process for the customers. Trial "Point-of-Sale" (POS) system that utilizes HP iPAQ h3850 Pocket PC equipped with Compact-Flash wireless LAN adapters and thermal printers has proven successfully and will be further implemented to increase productivity of retail outlets by: * Improving customer satisfaction and revenue per outlet * Reducing average checkout waiting time * Multiple points of sale improving convenience for customers (Hewlett-Packard Company, 2003) The Body Shop International operates in premium hand and body care market segment which accounts for 30.8% of the global market and is worth around 2.2 billion, the rest 69.2% is mass products. Europe is the largest global hand and body care market accounting for 39.1%. There are more than 1000 stores of The Body Shop in Europe which generated around â¤350m in sales in 2005. Global Hand & Body Care Market Segmentation : % Share, by Value, 2004 Rest of the World 11.2% Total sales of The Body Shop International 2005 Source: Annual Report The Body Shop Int. PLC MARKET VALUE FORECAST Global Hand and Body Care Market is forecast to have a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 3.1% in the period 2004-2009, and the market is expected to reach a value of $8.3 billion. Global Hand & Body Care Market Value Forecast: $ billion, Year $ billion % Growth 2004 7.1 3.80% 2005 7.4 3.70% 2006 7.6 3.50% 2007 7.8 2.70% 2008 8.1 3.00% 2009 8.3 2.60% 2004 - 2009 3.1% MARKET VOLUME FORECAST The Global Hand and Body Care Market is predicted to have a volume of 1,792.4 million units, and the CAGR in the period 2004-2009 is expected to be 2.5%. Global Hand & Body Care Market Volume Forecast: Units Year Units million % Growth 2004 1,583.2 2.60% 2005 1,624.5 2.60% 2006 1,665.8 2.50% 2007 1,708.2 2.50% 2008 1,750.2 2.50% 2009 1,792.4 2.40% 2004 - 2009 2.5% The Body Shop has the first mover advantage in the natural personal care products market though its position is challenged by the growing competition in the market. The company was the leader in the natural products area, - today most of their competitors have followed business model. Even though competition level is growing very fast, high market growth potential promises room for further expansion: "The global toiletries and cosmetics market is estimated to be growing at an annual rate of approximately 3.1%. This underlying growth in the market, together with the opportunity to grow market share in markets around the world, provides a solid foundation for the future growth of The Body Shop." * The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.(U.S.) * Aveda (U.S.) * Bath & Body Works (U.S.) * Origins Natural Resources, Inc. * Boots (U.K.) * Lush (U.K.) * Nectar (Ireland) Datamonitor (Published Sep. 2004) The Estée Lauder Companies is one of the world's largest manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair-care products. The Company's products are sold in more than 130 countries and territories under well recognized brand names, including Estée Lauder, Clinique, Aramis, Prescriptives, Origins, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, Aveda etc. Estée Lauder's net sales increased 14% or $694.4 million to $5.8 billion in 2004. (Global Hand & Body Care, Datamonitor 2005) According to Verdict Research, "shoppers are going to supermarkets rather than retail cosmetics stores for beauty aids." They also found that supermarket chains will double their share of the health and beauty market to 60% in the next five years." (Shana Bush, "The Body Shop") Today Marketers are rushing to compete in the tween and teen grooming market. At $6.9 billion now, sales of youth hair-care, cosmetics, skincare, and ethnic HBC items are forecast to hit $8 billion by 2008. Expanding numbers of tweens and teens (aged 8-14), their high disposable income, the growing worldliness of both tweens and teens - even that a majority of teen girls now reach puberty at the age of 10 - these are all drivers that open up. (www.marketresearch.com) STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS The Body Shop will need to widen its distribution channels if it wants to compete with major players in grooming product market as Procter & Gamble Company with licensed trademark OT - "first complete line of personal care products ever developed exclusively for tween and teen guys." (http://couponing.about.com) Key success factor for companies (marketers) in teen and tween market is "COOL trend", youth culture understanding and adoption of provocative marketing campaigns featuring young models. With narrow range of grooming products and current advertising strategies The Body Shop does not reach market segment aged between 8 and 14. Company should use advertising campaigns through mass media. (Marketing and Consumerism) POJECTED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT Total Total Total 2006 2005 2004 â¤m ãm ãm Turnover 460.9 419.0 381.1 Cost of sales (160.93) (146.3) (140.7) Gross profit 299.97 272.7 240.4 Operating expenses (256.97) (236.5) (210.1) Operating profit 43.0 36.2 30.3 Net interest (2.0) (1.7) (1.8) Profit on ordinary activities before taxation 41.0 34.5 28.5 Taxation on profit on ordinary activities (8.6) (7.2) (6.8) Profit on ordinary activities after taxation 32.4 27.3 21.7 Equity minority interests - (0.3) - Profit for the financial year 32.4 27.0 21.7 Dividends paid and proposed (12.2) (11.9) (11.6) Retained profit 20.2 15.1 10.1 Basic earnings per ordinary share 15.7p 13.1p 10.7p Calculations were made based on 15%-20% growth expectations of operating profit in 2006. (The Body Shop, Annual Report 2005) Cost Loyalty programmes â¤700,000 Cost of Promotions â¤1.2m Cost of Sampling â¤500,000 Cost of Gifts â¤1.3m Annual gross sales from the previous year - â¤419.0m Marketing expenditures during the current year - â¤3.7m Annual gross sales at the end of the current year - â¤460.9m Percentage of the actual difference between this year's sales and last year's sales that can be fairly attributed to the marketing effort depends on many influence factors. In order to calculate marketing efficiency ratio (used for future controls activities in marketing) confidential data on The Body Shop marketing expenditure is required. FORRESTER, S. (1990) Business and Environmental Groups - a natural partnership? North Yorkshire: Directory of Social Change Publication PEATTIE, K. (1995) Environmental Marketing Management: Meeting the Green Challenge Kent: Pitman Publishing WELFORD, R. and GOULDSON, A. (1993) Environmental Management & Business Strategy Glasgow: Pitman Publishing 2003 Hewlett-Packard Company, "The Body Shop raises retail outlet efficiency with HP iPAQ based POS system". "OT, America's First Line of Grooming Products Just For Tween and Teen Guys", March 08, 2004 (http://couponing.about.com/b/a/070617.htm) Marketing and Consumerism, "Special Issues for Tweens and Teens" (http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/parents/marketing/issues_teens_marketing.cfm) Interim Rezults 27 August 2005, "The Body Shop", (www.thebodyshopinternational.com) Datamonitor, "Global - Hand & Body Care", October 2005. Datamonitor, "The Body Shop PLC - Company Profile", September 2004. Shana Bush, "The Body Shop", (http://kieff.com/gary/StudentExamples/bodyshop.doc) Annual Report 2005,"The Body Shop". Packaged Facts, "The U.S. Market for Teen and Tween Grooming Products" Apr. 1, 2003 (http://www.marketresearch.com/map/prod/831975.html)

Carol Hanson Sibley, Library, presented a paper at the Children’s Literature Association Conference in Biloxi, Miss. The paper, entitled “Synergy at Play: The Tug of War in Kevin Henkes’ Owen,” honored the 2013 Phoenix Picture Book Award. She also served on the committee to select the 2014 picture book award. The committee selected “The Bear” by Raymond Briggs to be honored for lasting excellence, 20 years after publication. Posted on June 20, 2013

This intuitive approach seems to be spurring the growth of the franchise industry year after year. Using proven, scalable business models, with brand recognition, infrastructure, methodology and support systems already in place, small business owners everywhere are investing in numerous franchise opportunities across the country. The Franchise Business Economic Outlook for 2014, developed by IHS Global Insight and released by the International Franchise Association Educational Foundation back in January, predicts that the overall growth in quantity, output and contributions to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) for the franchise industry will exceed its 2013 numbers and eclipse the rate of the rest of the economy in general. Steadily increasing GDP contributions by franchises have been at least 4% over the past three years, and 2014 is on pace to continue this growth streak. What are the keys to success in this industry, and why has it continued to outperform the private sector over the past few years? Here is a look at some of the factors that make investing in a franchise system a viable and lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs everywhere. Synergy – Joining a growing franchise is like jumping on-board a moving train. With everything working together and moving forward, picking up steam along the way, these expanding businesses capitalize on sheer momentum. As brand recognition and awareness continue to increase, adding franchise locations becomes easier and success begins to snowball. Proven system – Many franchisees come from a business background, either from a corporate environment or from another small business. Either way, by joining an established brand and system, franchise owners are freed from having to develop a concept and business-specific strategies, avoiding the basic growing pains of starting a new business from scratch. They are able to hit the ground running, immediately implementing their personal business philosophies and practices within the framework of the franchise, dictating their own level of financial growth along the way. Stability – It’s much safer to invest in and open a franchise business than an unproven start-up. Successful franchises are structured to maximize owners’ profitability and increase their odds of sustaining their business. With a turn-key approach to setting up new locations and having the training, support and marketing already in place to assist franchisees every step of the way, it becomes less likely that the independent franchise businesses will fail. With shared accountability, it behooves everyone in the organization to do whatever it takes to help each and every franchisee achieve long-term success. Be your own boss – Although it can often feel like a huge burden and increase stress to be a business owner, in a franchise system, the parent company works to alleviate distractions and allow the franchisee to just run their business. An owner is able to enjoy the perks of creating the schedule, making employment decisions, and controlling their financial destiny, all with the ongoing support of a proven business leader, the franchisor. Essentially, owning a franchise allows franchisees to enjoy the benefits of having their own small business without the headaches of trying to develop and fund a start-up. With the brand recognition, expertise and support already in place, a franchise is designed to aid its local owners in being successful and keep them in business. With so many different types of franchises to choose from, entrepreneurs interested in going this route need to identify which industry they would like to pursue to achieve the personal growth they are seeking, while giving them the ability to leverage company resources and maximize the earning potential they desire. Go ahead and turn the key! Batteries Plus Bulbs, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Hartland, WI, is a leading omni-channel retailer of batteries, light bulbs and smartphone repair services for the direct-to-consumer and commercial channels.Through a nationwide network of stores, the Company offers a differentiated value proposition of unrivaled product selection, in-stock availability and customer service. Batteries Plus Bulbs is owned by Freeman Spogli, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles and New York City. To learn more about one of Forbes® Top 10 Best Franchises in America for the past three years, visit Batteries Plus Bulbs Franchise

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I would like to introduce myself with following observation: I am now working for several years as Competence Manager – and following the development of IT business for many years, I find it interesting to see how constellations of cooperation between business and IT have changed. From being a tool which in the beginning could support only a few processes in a corporation, IT has now become something which everybody have to deal with both corporate wise as well as in private life. In the first phase of commercial IT operation normal people tended to leave everything that dealt with IT to the IT department. The power of their competence enabled the experts in the IT department to initiate, install and change every task regarding IT. The need for IT was recognized, but one rarely went into detail regarding questions like “What do you do with the interests you pay in the bank?” or “What can be done to boost sales?”. Since the knowledge about IT was limited, top management ‘left the tasks to others’ – and those others were the experts in IT departments. IT ruled everything, solutions had a lack of usability, and functional requirements were not covered the way they should. In the next phase the relationship between business and IT is considered as a customer-vendor relationship. IT is organized in own departments within most big companies, and they are also billing their ‘customers’ internally for the consulting services and the use of software. As a result large departments of these companies search support external instead of using their own IT department. The reasons for choosing external services: - They might be cheaper - The assumption that they offer a better service quality - The internal billing of IT services are felt to be too expensive, and single departments will look for cheaper alternatives All in all this is suboptimal as in such cases the total cost of ownership for the corporation is increasing, and the relationship between IT and business is damaged. What now seems to be the latest trend is a more cooperative relationship in which IT and business cooperate on finding the best solutions by joining efforts. This goes both for evaluation of solutions as well as for in-house development of solutions. Business and IT are working together in teams. The goal is to achieve a better synergy for both IT solutions and employees. Instead of working against each other due to disagreement on an approach, a deeper cooperation between IT and end users will lead to a better utilization of knowledge both from the user perspective as well as from the IT perspective. The creation of a solution is very often an interactive and iterative process which requires an ongoing dialogue between IT and the users to accomplish the best result. It will therefore be interesting to see how this trend will develop in the time to come. It will definitely be the better approach than seen in the past. – written by Leif Petter Haagestad, Competence Manager, itelligence AS –

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience. Bryan M. Wolfe | April 23, 2012 Apple Highlights Strength In Business In 2007, Apple released the first iPhone. At the time, the new handset was clearly designed for the consumer market and not for business use. Same goes for the iPad, which first arrived in 2010. However, as Bob Dylan famously said, “the times they are a-changin,” according to iLounge. In recent weeks, Apple has launched mini websites highlighting the use of the company’s two iDevices in business. Entitled “iPhone in Business” and “iPad in Business," respectively, the sites are designed to show how the iDevices can help users in a professional environment. For example, for the iPhone, Apple emphasizes the handset’s ability to manage projects, organize your day, and help you travel light, among other things. Futhermore, the company focuses on companies currently using the iPhone, apps perfect for businesses, and information on how best to integrate, secure, and deploy the iPhone into a work environment. Apps featured include: SharePlus, Dropbox, and Air Sharing, among others. [caption id="attachment_294268" align="aligncenter" width="995" caption="The iPhone and Business"][/caption] For the iPad, meanwhile, Apple highlights their new tablet’s Retina display, 4G/LTE network, and of course, apps used in business. Among the iPad business apps profiled include: Sketchbook Pro, Fuze Meeting HD, and QuickOffice Pro HD. [caption id="attachment_294266" align="aligncenter" width="1004" caption="iPad and Business"][/caption] All of this comes as the Blackberry-maker, RIM, is suffering. Once the market leader in business, BlackBerry has continued losing market share since iOS and Android arrived. According to a recent iDownload Blog report, the iPad now controls 96 percent of the professional market, versus 53 percent for the iPhone. Be sure to check out our latest App Synergy column, entitled "How To App Synergize Your Business." Is your company finally using iDevices? Which ones?

These fantastic outdoor spaces offer elegant design, innovative materials and chic accessories. Photo By: Jamie Durie Photo By: HGTV fan jerseygirl211 Photo By: DK - Garden Design ©2009 Dorling Kindersley Limited Photo By: HGTV fan Keith Munyan Photo By: Hursthouse Landscape Architect and Contractors With its warm earth tones and luxurious fabrics, this covered patio allows the comforts of a living room to expand into the outdoors. The heavy outdoor curtains provide privacy and shade. Design by Lori Dennis Set for Alfresco Dining Designed by Jamie Durie, this stunning sunken outdoor dining room offers the best views of the surrounding countryside and cozy seating that invites lingering at the table long after dinner. Mediterranean Flair for a Small Space In this Italian Renaissance design by Jamie Durie, topiaries and large earthen pots complement the Tuscan look. Creamy concrete pavers interspersed with synthetic grass create a mini parterre in the transition zone between the dining area and the pool. Clean lines and bench seating make the most of the small space. Photo by Jason Busch Built by architect Thom Oppelt, the design of this stunning patio and home was inspired by the expanded estates of the Tuscan countryside. Image courtesy of Gene Northup, Synergy Sotheby's International Realty Jamie Durie adapted contemporary Australian design elements to give this beautiful patio a beach-like feeling. The wave-like contours of colorful stacked sandstone are set against the diagonal decking to expand the space and give it flow. Beyond the patio is a gorgeous painted wall. Next image: In places, the deck has been molded to provide contour seating. Image by Jonathan Tickner Colorful layers of sandstone serve as a divider between undulating hardscape and landscape and also provide durable built-in seating. Design by Jamie Durie Hues of the Southwest In this Sedona-inspired landscape, designer Jamie Durie used gorgeous roof tiles and stone to create a festive gathering spot that includes circular seating around the patio tree. (Next slide: A dining grotto) Adjacent to the custom patio, designer Jamie Durie created a grotto-styled outdoor dining room, rich with colorful stone and accented with bright blue. An elegantly arched pergola creates a classic style for this outdoor space, posted by HGTV fan jerseygirl211. This gorgeous new sunken dining area is part of a large deck expansion project by Jamie Durie. Style From the Ground Up Used as a centerpiece for a patio or path, this stylized sun comes in kit form ready to fit together like a puzzle. Other popular designs include fish, butterflies and geometric shapes. Made from a molded composite, it can add a decorative touch to a patio. Creating a Dreamy Impression Designed by Jamie Durie, a Mediterranean-style "wall" creates a dreamy backdrop for this outdoor room, and the hedge beyond provides privacy. This backyard oasis, with vaulted ceiling, invites guests to enjoy the beautiful fireplace on a chilly evening. Curtains can be drawn to provide privacy. Designed by Morgan Holt. Posted by HGTV fan Keith Munyan, this gorgeous covered patio features a barbecue area, fountain and firepit. Cure for a Blank Wall In this elegant design by Robert Hursthouse, a vine-laden trellis softens an otherwise uninteresting garage wall, creating a rich, warm environment for dining and conversation.

1 TNO-rapport Meerjaren Speurwerkprogramma Voortgangsrapportage 2014 Thema High- Tech Systemen en Materialen Industry De Rondom AP Eindhoven Postbus HE Eindhoven T F Datum 6 maart 2015 Auteur(s) Autorisatie Dr. Roland van Vliet, Ir. Jaap Lombaers, Ir. Riné Pelders, Dr. Henri Werij, Dr. ir. Bert Don, Dr. ir. Erik Tielemans, Ir. Frank van den Bogaart, Dr. ir. Maarten Manders, Dr. ir. Jan de Vlieger A.J.A. Stokking Managing Director Industry Regievoerend Department Financierend Departement Aantal pagina's Aantal bijlagen Ministerie EZ Ministerie EZ 92 (incl. bijlagen) Alle rechten voorbehouden. Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden vermenigvuldigd en/of openbaar gemaakt door middel van druk, fotokopie, microfilm of op welke andere wijze dan ook, zonder voorafgaande toestemming van TNO. Indien dit rapport in opdracht werd uitgebracht, wordt voor de rechten en verplichtingen van opdrachtgever en opdrachtnemer verwezen naar de Algemene Voorwaarden voor opdrachten aan TNO, dan wel de betreffende terzake tussen de partijen gesloten overeenkomst. Het ter inzage geven van het TNO-rapport aan direct belanghebbenden is toegestaan TNO 2 TNO-rapport / 92 Inhoudsopgave 1 Introduction VP High-Tech Semicon Introduction Programs Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment and Yield Improvement Equipment Program Advanced Instrumentation VP Large Area Electronics Introduction Program Results and specifically in Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector VP High-Tech Instruments and Materials Program Solar Program Lighting Program Additive Manufacturing Program Healthcare VP Automotive Mobility Systems Inleiding Uitvoering Resultaten Resultaten Publiek Private Samenwerking (PPS) en aansluiting bij Topsectoren VP Space Introduction Program and results Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector VP Security Inleiding Uitvoering Resultaten Resultaten Publiek Private Samenwerking (PPS) en aansluiting bij Topsectoren VP Human Health RM Nano Inleiding Uitvoering Resultaten Resultaten Publiek Private Samenwerking (PPS) en aansluiting bij Topsectoren VP Defensie Gerelateerde Industrie Introduction Activities 3 TNO-rapport / Results Results Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector Ondertekening... 92 4 TNO-rapport / 92 1 Introduction This report describes the developments of TNO s VP s (VP= Vraaggestuurd Programma) over the year 2014 with respect to the Topsector HTSM and looks back to the last 4-year strategic period of TNO in the Theme HTSM. The 4-yearplan of TNO for was based on the governmental themes as used from One governmental theme (nr 12) was HTSM. Each year an adaptation to this plan was given because of latest developments and new insights towards the knowledge agenda of TNO, all in good tuning within knowledge arena s with all relevant stakeholders in the outside world. The presentation of this adaptation is prescribed in the TNO law and is part of the lawful obligation of TNO to account for the usage of SMO (SMO= Samenwerkings Middelen Onderzoek) by TNO. In 2012 the government introduced the Topsectors. The Topsector HTSM was established with 17 roadmaps whereby these roadmaps reflect industrial communities. The previous Theme HTSM and its VP s covered a subset of today s roadmaps within the Topsector HTSM. This report primarily represents the progress of the VP s in broad outline. The audience of this report are the Ministry of Economic Affairs as regievoerder and the Topsector HTSM while in due course this report will be published by TNO on its website. The persons responsible as VP manager for the respective VP s within TNO are listed below: VP High-Tech Semicon - Dr. Roland van Vliet VP Large Area Electronics Ir. Jaap Lombaers VP High-Tech Instruments and Materials Ir. Jaap Lombaers VP Automotive Mobility Systems Ir. Leo Kusters VP Space Dr. Henri Werij VP Security Drs. Henk Geveke VP Human Health RM Nano Dr. ir. Erik Tielemans VP Defensie Gerelateerde Industrie Dr. ir. Maarten Manders 5 TNO-rapport / 92 2 VP High-Tech Semicon 2.1 Introduction Through the period , the VP Semiconductor Equipment has been adapted under influence of market pull (vraagsturing). During 2011, it became clear that the several programs could not attract sufficient industrial support. Consequently, the program was reorganized. Two long running programs, Semicon Manufacturing Equipment and Yield Improvement Equipment have successfully attracted a series of PPS and TKI programs. Also, the technology developed in the programs that were stopped is being put to good use in several new and more successful programs: QuTech (TKI on quantum computing) and Instrumentation. After a number of reorganizations, the latter program has focused in 2012 on industrial instrumentation, transferring science instrumentation to VP Space and Science (separated end of 2012 and reunited in 2015) and medical instrumentation to VP FFP. These two are reported elsewhere. Here we summarize the most important results in the program Semiconductor and Yield improvement equipment ( ) and in the program Advanced Instrumentation. 2.2 Programs Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment and Yield Improvement Equipment Introduction Within the Topsector High-Tech Systems and Materials, The Netherlands holds a strong position in the semiconductor equipment industry. The semiconductor community is facing serious challenges with the continuation of Moore s Law. Structures on semiconductors are becoming smaller to achieve more functionality per surface area. These small structures need to be produced, and also measured and inspected. The most important development in the industry is the introduction of Extreme Ultra Violet Lithography (EUVL), which is resulting in a fundamental change in the development of lithography and metrology equipment. It is the ambition of the Semiconductor Equipment Roadmap to strengthen the Dutch ecosystem in the area of High-Tech Equipment for Semiconductor Equipment with breakthrough technologies and by broadening the scope of existing strong technologies. This enables the industry to develop modules and tools that are significantly more efficient and cheaper to run and gain a higher productivity. The motivation of TNO s Semiconductor Equipment knowledge investment program is described in the Roadmap Semiconductor Equipment , which builds upon the roadmap and strategy developed in the strategic period However 2014 is the last year of the strategic period, the roadmap is dynamic and 2014 is also the time to prepare the next strategic period. The most recent roadmap has been described in Roadmap SE v0.99.docx. De graphic version of this roadmap is presented below. 6 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 1. Graphic roadmap Semiconductor Equipment The (VP) program Semiconductor Equipment is consists of two (sub) programs with a different marked focus in the Semiconductor Equipment domain. The two programs are: Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Yield Improvement Equipment. Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment is focusing on the primary production process of semiconductors, such as lithography and other processing patterning methods. On the other hand Yield Improvement Equipment has its focus on the improvement of yield and productivity of the production process on critical parts with the help of e.g. metrology and ultra-clean handling Program 2014 In 2014 the Semiconductor Equipment knowledge investment program has been executed in a similar way as in previous years. A significant part of the knowledge development project portfolio in the Semiconductor Equipment program is not planned and executed as a one year project, but required more years in the strategic period Also part of the developments will proceed in 2015 and beyond. In general the program was running from idea to prototype. New ideas, coming from e.g. scientists or business development are challenged in kiemen (seed projects) on feasibility from technological and market perspective. When a kiem seems to have potential success, a new knowledge investment phase will be started up to dive deeper into the subject. Depending on the complexity and marketreadiness of the idea, it can land in mixed funding projects or directly into businessto-business projects. Zooming into knowledge development in 2014, Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment had its focus on the development of new production and sensor techniques for semiconductor lithography and mask-less lithography. Thereby Yield Improvement Equipment continued the strategy on yield improvement by contamination control, via the vision of Prevention, Diagnostics, and Remediation. 7 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 2. TNO s contamination control approach. The largest part of the Semiconductor Equipment program was executed in cooperation with leading industry partners in mixed funding projects. The strategy for the allocation of the knowledge development budget for a large part to mixedfunding projects is being done to gain knowledge close to the applicability of the research. Knowledge gaps in industry are being identified and direct feedback from industry is gained. The mixed funding projects were defined and executed in EU collaboration as ENIAC, national research as in STW and NanoNextNL, and with the help of the Topsector HTSM by TKI projects Results 2014 A selection of key results of the program are described per knowledge investment project. Most of the results are obtained by multi-annual developments in the Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment and Yield Improvement Equipment programs. This does not only holds for the 3 to 4 year European and national mixed funding projects, but also for the TNO internal knowledge investment projects. The projects are presented in the following categories: TNO knowledge investment projects Mixed funding European and National projects Topsector HTSM TKI projects TNO knowledge investments projects TNO internal knowledge development projects have the goal to prepare TNO for the definition of mixed funding or business-to-business project. Critical knowledge gaps were tackled or new technological ideas were investigated on feasibility. A selection of knowledge development project results are presented in this section. EUV Sensor In EUV Lithography short-, mid- and long-term control over in-band EUV power is needed for high-yield semiconductor production. In this project a new concept has been developed for an EUV sensor. The concept has been manufactured and tested in the EUV Beam Line, as shown in the Figure below. The results show that the new configuration yields a reproducible photo-electron signal. 8 TNO-rapport / 92 Public Private Partnership: the sensor was tested in collaboration with Carl Zeiss SMT. Not well enough understood phenomena will be investigated in a TKI project together with ASML and Carl Zeiss SMT in Figure 3. Photos of the realized EUV sensor Mark-II. Ultra-clean Reticle Handler In 2013 the start was made of the design and realization of a new ultra-clean reticle handler with the goal to learn from building a particle free robot system, which can be used for partners to test their equipment at TNO. Another major goal was to develop and understand particle contamination prevention strategies. In 2014 the system was realized and first particle cleanliness tests were done to get some first numbers of added particles per reticle pass. The first results are promising, however the robot is not as stable as specified. Therefore the system will be improved in Figure 4. Photos of the realized ultra-clean handler robot and the flip-unit. Public Private Partnership: the Ultra-clean handler has been realized in collaboration with Dutch companies. The Ultra-clean handler will be improved further in the EU project E450 LMDAP in collaboration with ASYS. Mimicking plasma with ion exposures TNO realized a proof-of-concept test setup to mimic different plasma-like ion energies with an ion-exposure setup. The setup can be used with hydrogen e.g. to test cleaning performance of different ion energies. The goal of the setup is to qualify materials, which are used in harsh plasma environments. 9 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 5. The realized setup which allows us to generate different ion energies. Public Private Partnership: the definition and validation of the proof-of-concept has been done with different partners of TNO for different applications. The system is currently in use for several projects for different customers. Rapid Nano 4 particle detection Rapid Nano is an optical particle detection system to detect nano-sized particles on reticle blanks. The system is developed by TNO, based on dark field microscopy and was used for different customers in several projects. In 2012 and 2013 the detection limit of Rapid Nano 3 particle detection system was improved with a new multi-azimuth illumination method. At the moment the system is still using 532 nm wavelength laser. With the multi-azimuth illumination method, the detection limit went down to 43 nm PSL particles on silicon. Also the multi-azimuth illumination (Rapid Nano 3) setup at TNO is currently used by different customers. Figure 6. Rapid Nano 3 with multi-azimuth illumination. In 2014 a new concept design was developed to improve the Rapid Nano system to a detection limit of 20 nm particles. This will be Rapid Nano 4. To achieve this detection limit a smaller wavelength is necessary, namely 193 nm. This concept will be realized in 2015 and is planned to be connected to the Ultra-clean Reticle Handling system at TNO to exclude any human interaction when scanning a reticle blank. Public Private Partnership: the Rapid Nano is a TNO development, using input from different (partner) companies in the Semiconductor Equipment domain. Rapid Nano 3 is being used for different customers, while Rapid Nano 4 is in concept phase. 10 TNO-rapport / 92 Mixed funding European and national projects In mixed funding projects TNO is developing knowledge in a more direct cooperation with partner companies and institutes. Some of the key results TNO achieved in the European and national mixed funding projects are described in this section. ENIAC EEM450PR Hydro carbon containment work package In the hydro carbon containment work package of EEM450PR project two proof-of concepts have been developed to monitor and clean hydro carbons. An improved Mass Filtered Ion Gauge (MFIG) demonstrator has been designed, realized and tested. Together with the design, modeling has been done to optimize the ion optics. The tests of the MFIG show a detection limit of mbar, which is a very good sensitivity. Second a new, improved miniaturized version of a Shielded Microwave Induced Remote Plasma (SMIRP) source was designed, realized and tested. The first tests performed show the ignition of a stable plasma with nitrogen and hydrogen. This activity was a follow up of an internal knowledge investment project, were a first version of a SMIRP was realized. Figure 7. The hydrogen plasma seen in the test setup of the SMIRP. Public Private Partnership: TNO is working together with the consortium members of the EEM450PR project. Additional required research on the dynamics of the plasma impedance of a SMIRP will be done in close cooperation with ASML and Carl Zeiss SMT in a TKI project on Fundamentals of Low-density Plasma. ENIAC E450EDL Subtask 5.4.1: Novel concepts and modules Development of high throughput AFM technology for 450mm wafers This project is part of a continuation of a kiem project in 2012, where TNO studied the feasibility of a novel High-Throughput Scanning Probe Microscopy concept. Currently TNO is aiming for a market introduction of the High-Throughput SPM concept by developing a demonstrator system. This work package started by determining the requirements for the system. This has been done together with project partners in the consortium. Thereafter the High Throughput SPM system was designed, and the design has been finalized. Most parts have been ordered and the parts of the arm and scan heads are fabricated and delivered. 11 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 8. Design impression of the High Throughput SPM system. Public Private Partnership: the partners of TNO in this project are the consortium members of the ENIAC E450EDL project and in particular Applied Materials. ENIAC Silver The goal of the ENIAC project Silver is a Green Fab. TNO is working on a method to reduce the use and waste of ultra-pure water for cleaning wafers. This has been done by the development of: A monitoring system to monitor the waste of water to be able to stop in-time. A test setup based on a droplet cleaning method with the goal to minimize the use of water. The setup has been realized and tested. It has been proven experimentally that the droplet cleaning method is able to clean a surface. Figure 9. (a) CAD impression of the realized system and (b) results of cleaning a wafer. Public Private Partnership: The partners of TNO in this project are the consortium members of the Silver project. TNO is currently looking for partners to bring this (proof-of concept) technology to the next level. STW Helium Ion Microscopy Despite some technical issues with the Helium Ion Microscope (HIM), a significant amount of scientific successes were achieved in Two major ideas resulted from internships of PhD students at TNO are implemented in the regular innovation projects. One of the PhD students has been replaced by a post-doc researcher, who is continuing the research. The main results are presented in the pictures in the Figure below. First it shows a HIM grown tip on an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) cantilever, which is a first step to make the HIM a possible setup to realize odd shape AFM tips. Second multiple pillars grown in a resist with the HIM, where the HIM is used to mimic EUV light. 12 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 10. (a) A grown pillar on an AFM cantilever with a T-shape and 13 nm diameter and (b) HIM written 16 nm pillars at 24 nm pitch in an EUV resist. Public Private Partnership: TNO is working in close cooperation with the TU Delft, and ASML, Carl Zeiss SMT and TU/e are represented in the steering group of this project. TKI projects TKI projects from the Topsector HTSM are a significant and growing part of the Semiconductor Equipment program. The projects are always defined with one or more partner companies to support the project and steer by on the direction of innovation. TKI Fundamentals of particle contamination control In this project three different work packages were executed on particle contamination related topics in prevention, diagnostics and remediation. An example work package is flying particle detection in vacuum. Flying nanometer sized particles can be problematic in equipment where EUV reticles are present, because a particle can land on the reticle and disturb the image. In this TKI project a study has been done on a concept of flying particle detection for relative high speed particles (~100 m/s). The detection concept is designed to not disturb the particle flow. Calculations and simulations were performed to determine the detection limit of the concept system. Figure 11. The investigated principle of a particle detection system. Public Private Partnership: the TKI project, where this work was part of, was initiated and executed in close cooperation with ASML. TKI Experimental research of the impact of radiation induced plasma on material surfaces and vacuum conditions 13 TNO-rapport / 92 The development of the next generation integrated circuits will be done by EUV lithography. To guarantee the lifetime of critical surfaces in EUV equipment, these surfaces need to be tested in a realistic environment. There it is necessary to investigate radiation material interaction with EUV induced plasma under the right vacuum conditions. In this project TNO investigated the feasibility of the realization of an experimental research setup to be able to reproduce and mimic realistic conditions. The result of the project is a concept (on paper), which is supposed to be the start of a new experimental setup. Figure 12. Concept design of an EUV experimental setup. Public Private Partnership: the TKI project has been initiated and executed together with Carl Zeiss SMT. Also ASML has been involved on the relevance of requirements for this feasibility. In 2015 the project will be continued with the realization of this concept to be able to perform projects and experimental studies together with commercial parties and institutes to TNO. TKI Addressable Light Source Array Over the last years several commercial projects have had the goal to design or realize a new generation of optical lithography. Usually the projects were stopped because of the fact that the light sources didn t allow a scalable concept. TNO has started in cooperation with ASML a project to investigate the possibilities of a light source which allows scaling. Within this project the first conductive lines have been written at 1 J/cm^2 CW using inhouse ink technology. A Disk Laser demonstrator has been realized. Figure 13. First results in writing a conductive line. Public Private Partnership: this project has been initiated and executed as a TKI project in close cooperation with ASML. 14 TNO-rapport / Results In 2011 the program Semiconductor Equipment and Devices started with the following three knowledge investment programs: Front-end Equipment Back-end Equipment Photonic Sensing With the start of the strategic period the programs were reconsidered and redefined. The reason was an optimization of TNO s market focus and new organizational insights. The following knowledge investment programs were started up in 2012: Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Yield Improvement Equipment Semiconductor portfolio/incubators The first two programs were defined as the updated roadmaps of Front-end Equipment and Back-end Equipment, while Photonic Sensing was phased out and became part of the Semiconductor Equipment Portfolio program. Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment and Yield Improvement Equipment were close connected to each other and a did have a strong focus to the Semiconductor Equipment market. The resulting program roadmaps were continued and executed during the strategic period , and will be continued in the strategic period The Portfolio program, meant as an incubator program resulted in the knowledge investment program Industrial Instrumentation. This program is a roadmap itself nowadays and for the strategic period , so it is reported as a separate program. 2.3 Program Advanced Instrumentation Introduction In order to help solving the Grand Societal Challenges 1, advanced instrumentation is needed in at least three levels, as sketched in Figure A1, adapted from the roadmap advanced instrumentation 2. (1) The most direct need is that of societal instrumentation that delivers immediate information on personal health, food safety, road use and many other societal needs. (2) These instruments and many other products are produced on an industrial scale. In order to achieve this in Europe in a competitive and clean way, we need smart manufacturing processes that ultimately can be run by one person, have 100 percent yield (zero defects) and are highly flexible to cope with ever changing customer demands. In order to achieve these goals, industrial instrumentation is required, instrumentation that monitors production processes and enables placement of parts or products. (3) Moreover, breakthrough solutions are needed to solve the Grand Societal Challenges and for this science is performed. Breakthrough science is always based upon breakthrough science instrumentation, that enables scientist to see beyond what has been seen before. Scientific instruments are typically expensive and large; industrial instrumentation must be smaller and less expensive and is typically produced in 100 to fold. Societal instruments need to be cheap and are typically produced in huge numbers. Thus, breakthrough instrumentation developed for science can be developed via industrial instrumentation into societal instrumentation. In this way, market pull (starting from the grand societal challenges) can meet technology push (starting from science). In this regard, it is very helpful that many systems requirements are constant in the complete chain: real time data acquisition and translation to 15 TNO-rapport / 92 information; robustness and reliability, precision and accuracy, sensitivity without cross sensitivity and non-damaging, non-contact technology is required in all cases. To bring focus into the Advanced Instrumentation program, we have selected three areas where Dutch industry historically has a significant position and/or end users have shown their interest: big science instrumentation, industrial instrumentation for continuous processes and medical instrumentation. In 2015, the program will be focused even more on industrial instrumentation, in line with the focus of TNO of Smart Industry. Figure A1. Roadmap Advanced Instrumentation Program 2014 In 2014 the Advanced Instrumentation knowledge investment program has been executed in a similar way as in previous years. A significant part of the knowledge development project portfolio is planned and executed in long year programs, some of which have started as long ago as the year Also part of the developments will proceed in 2015 and beyond. In general the program was running from idea to prototype. New ideas, coming from e.g. scientists or business development are challenged in kiemen (seed projects) on feasibility from a market and IP perspective. If that is positive, technological validation can be executed, yielding a technology demonstrator. This can be used to find an industrial partner. Depending on the complexity and marketreadiness of the idea, it can land in mixed-funding projects or directly into businessto-business projects. Zooming into knowledge development in 2014, the Advanced Instrumentation knowledge investment program had its focus on the development of instrumentation for big science, industrial process monitoring and health monitoring, focusing on the three main elements of an instrument: new sensing technologies, fast control loops and local embedded data (real time) data processing (Figure A2). 16 TNO-rapport / 92 Big Science Instrumentation Sensor development Industrial Instrumentation Sensor development Fast control loops Local embedded processing Medical Instrumentation Sensor development Fast control loops Figure A2. TNO approach to instrument development. The Big Science program has been executed with scientific partners as the technology development is still at low TRL-levels. The Industrial Instrumentation line is partly done by TNO itself and partly in PPPs (Public Private Partnerships) with Dutch industry and sometimes with scientific partners. The medical instrumentation line has been performed almost solely in PPPs. The strategy for the allocation of the knowledge development budget for a large part to mixed-funding projects is being done to gain knowledge close to the applicability of the research. Knowledge gaps in industry are being identified and direct feedback from industry is gained. For this purpose, the program manager is member of the roadmap team for the HTSM Topsector Roadmap Advanced Instrumentation, as well as being member of Holland Instrumentation. Top scientists are involved heavily in the EU Manufacturing programs, gaining knowledge and finding partners on European projects for developing industrial instrumentation Results 2014 Big Science Instrumentation The TNO effort is focused on three Big Science Projects with a strong Dutch position and ample opportunities for cooperation with Dutch industries in future: ITER (nuclear fusion), CERN (particle physics) and KM3-net (neutrino detection). In nuclear fusion, one of the major challenges is to monitor and control the extremely hot plasma and the reactor which contains that plasma. In recent years, we have developed concepts and designs for sensing systems for wall temperature and plasma characteristics, among others. Although these have been shown to function according to specification, big concerns still exist on the life time, in particular that of the first mirror that is direct line to the plasma. These mirrors can be rapidly contaminated with Beryllium (Be) and Tungsten (W), causing unacceptable loss of functionality of the mirrors. In 2014, we have focused on contamination prevention and cleaning techniques for first mirrors in ITER. An overview of possible prevention techniques and a consequent trade-off has led to a patent application and designs for test equipment. 17 TNO-rapport / 92 An overview of possible cleaning techniques and a consequent trade-off has led to another patent application. We have designed safe equipment to work with Be, a highly volatile and toxic element (Figure A3). To sustain our theoretical conclusions and recommendations we have performed sputtering experiments on Carbon samples using both the microwave and the RF sources. We have also experimentally evaluated the Ion Energy Distribution Function of the RF and ion Be sources. Those parameters influence the effectiveness of the mirror cleaning process. Figure A3. Scheme of an experimental set-up to study effects of plasma and gas flux on the first mirror 3. PPP: in the ITER project, we cooperate with FOM-AMOLF, TU/e and NRG to become a significant scientific partner to the ITER project. Also, we work with industrial partners to realize test setups and demonstrators, enabling these partners to becoming suppliers for parts for ITER and subsequent projects. Our investments have led to an industrial partnership with General Atomics (USA) on the development of an optical system for wall temperature measurement and the contamination control thereof. For KM3-net, a new fiber laser hydrophone has been developed and tested. The unique features of this hydrophone are the large dynamical range in acoustical frequencies combined with the very high sensitivity. To our knowledge this sensor is the only sensor described in literature that exhibits these features. Moreover, the sensor is easily constructed and very affordable. This makes the TNO-technology the most suited (and in fact the only) technology that allows the acoustics detection of cosmic rays as needed in KM3-net. Figure A4. Hydrophonic sensor of world record sensitivity for neutrino detection; left hand: the optical 18 TNO-rapport / 92 transducer; right hand: encased in an oil hose to make up a sensor 4. Industrial Instrumentation Sensors Since 2010, TNO and partners have been developing fast & robust 3D measurement technology using Optical Coherence Technology. The current version allows the complete scan of five dimes per second - at micrometer resolution. This is a unique technique for assessing the geometry and roughness in industrial processes, in future allowing the real time control of such parameters. In 2014, we have developed a new system that is more robust for industrial environment; that can monitor surfaces at higher angles of incidence; and yields higher spatial resolution for any object positioning & clamping. In consequence, the system is more market ready. In addition, we now have a better understanding of the background of the needs of potential industrial customers; identified potential applications for existing TNO expertise (image recognition, actuator development) and an improved understanding of end-user needs in mass-production setting. Figure A5. The fully functional OCT-sensing systems that combines high resolution (< 1 µm) with high rates and works without a problem is an industrial environment. Right hand side; sensor integrated in a pilot line, with product in measurement position. PPP: this development has been supported by two EU FP7 projects, MegaFit and HiPR, with partners including Philips, S&T and Siemens. The Megafit set-up has been used for demonstrations at the Hannover Messe (Figure A6) and ZIE-2014, amongst others. Further development is envisaged in the Regions of Smart Factories initiative with Irmato as the partner that will develop a commercial product out of this system. Local embedded data processing In 2014, we have developed an ultrafast vision-in-the-loop system using new high speed camera infra structures and AMD s new GPGPU combination for low entry, for use is very fast pick and place and assembly systems 19 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure A6. Schematic and part of the test set-up demonstrating the functionality of local embedded data processing. Medical Instrumentation Sensors For medical instrumentation, non-invasive detection of health parameters is a holy grails. In 2014, we have worked on two projects that deliver important building blocks towards that objective. First, a photonic pressure sensor was developed and demonstrated that enables measurements on the skin independent of the pressure applied or changes in that pressure (Figure A7). This reduces one important cause of measurement instability. Further, a sensor head was designed that should allow easy detection of melanoma on the skin with Raman-spectroscopy, without the need to surgically remove skin samples. Figure A7. A small fiber optic-based sensor has been developed for force feedback in medical and remote handling application. PPP: both these projects are PPPs with several Dutch industrial partners, including Delft University of Technology, Erasmus MC, Avantes, AMC, Philips Lighting, Leiden University Medical Center. 5 Control Another option for non-invasive measurement of many blood parameters is the to use the human eye. Both eye diseases and many blood parameters can be easily detection through this optical loophole, that appears not only to be the mirror of the human soul, but also that of human health. However, natural rapid eye movements make it impossible to take sharp images. We have adopted OCT-technology to reduce the influence of the natural movements sufficiently to ensure much sharper images. A functional demonstrator has been build. 20 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure A8. Test setup that was used to demonstrate that we can correct images for rapid eye movement. Right hand side; test picture used. PPP: this project again is part of the IOP Photonic devices, and is a PPS with Focal, AMC, TU Delft. Supervisory board members are Demcon, Xiophotonics, Ioptics, Bcense Results As the advanced instrumentation was started only in 2013, we only list a number of examples of results in 2013, additional to the long running projects mentioned above. Big Science Instrumentation Overlaying images For a better understanding of images of different types, it is valuable to overlay or register those images digitally. This is extremely challenging, due to significant differences in magnification and angle of entry between the different techniques as well as within the images. Results: algorithms have been developed for the registration of images of the same sources and of different sources. Some of them are already applied by the industrial Result of registration of images; M=maginification. partner involved. PPP/Partners: third phase cofinanced project/dutch instrument supplier. Het Huygens Huys The Dutch government invests more than 100 M /year in Big Science projects such as CERN, SKA, ESO and ITER. The Dutch landscape of activities for Big Science is rather scattered, resulting in a low return on investment for several projects, including ITER, CERN and ESRF. We aim to build Het Huygens Huys, a platform for Dutch Industries and academics with the aim to double the return on investment and ensure spin-off of the technologies developed. Results: a round table discussion was held with ~30 partners, mostly from industry. The outlines for Het Het Huygenshuis: room(s) for all. 21 TNO-rapport / 92 Huygens Huys were drafted. PPP/Partners: more than 20 companies are involved, open for all high-tech parties. Industrial instrumentation Cheap production of high quality FBG s FBG s, Fiber Bragg Gratings in optical fibers, offer a generic solution for sensing almost any parameter to high precision and sensibility. The optical fibers is used both as power line and for data transport, making installation easy. Also, the fiber is insensitive to electromagnetic fields, A tool for fast, cheap production of FBG s. cannot cause explosions and withstands harsh conditions. The cost of the fibers with FBG, however, is limiting its application. Also, FBG quality varies too much and production times are unacceptable. We have designed and demonstrated a tool for semi-automated fast production of affordable, constant quality FBG s. PPP/Partners: laser producer Coherent (Ch) and phase mask producer Ibsen (Dk) are involved in the marketing of the production. 2014: we have found a Dutch SME and for production and sales of the tool. Medical instruments BLISS at the GP s practice A GP, General Practitioner, assesses a large number of patients on a daily base. Often, this diagnoses is supported by (lab) measurements. It would be advantageous to perform these measurements immediately during the consult. This would reduce patient anxiety as well as that of the GP. Also, it is expected to reduce the number of hospital visits considerable, Mock-up model of BLISS. thus cutting overall health care cost. Indeed, a large number of tests has been developed. However, the GP does not employ many tests, because of concerns on quality and also because of the complexity of the use of so many different tests, each with its own user unfriendliness and the consequent risk on mistakes. We have developed the concept of BLISS, a suitcase containing all relevant test, quality certification and one user interface with extremely simple operating software (compare the AEDdevice). BLISS has attracted a lot of interest of the stakeholders. PPP/Partners: cordaid and a number of Dutch SME s (realized in 2014). Enabling minimal surgery In surgery, a strong trend is towards minimal invasive surgery (MIS), allowing precise and even tele-operated procedures that inflict as little as possible tissue damage to the patient, thus improving his recovery time. We develop specific technology for a number of applications with industrial and academic partners. Results: we have realized several demonstrators for relevant technologies. These include a robot for inserting a MRI-compatible steerable needle PITON: needle insertion. (PITON, see figure), a parallax endoscope for 3D vision in MIS (BOEM) and an idea for a magnetic in-body sensor based on a fiber 22 TNO-rapport / 92 optic sensor. PPP/Partners: STW-PITON/ DEAM (coordinator), TNO, TUD, TU/e, UMC-U, Technobis and Hemolab. BOEM/ Pontes (coordinator), DEAM. References 1 2 Roadmap Advanced Instrumentation, to be published in Ad Verlaan, Richard Versluis, Anton Duisterwinkel, Norbert Koster, Andrey Ushakov, Methods to reduce contamination of the ITER VIS/IR diagnostic system First Mirror, SOFT, E.J Buis et al. Fiber based hydrophones for ultra-high energy neutrino detection PoS(TIPP2014)85; E.J. Buis et al, Fiber based hydrophones for ultra-high energy neutrino detection, TIPP 2014, 2-6 juni, Amsterdam; E.J. Buis et al, Fiber based hydrophones for ultra-high energy neutrino detection, Arena2014, 9-12 juni, Annapolis 5 See Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector As addressed above, much of the work has been performed in PPP (several examples given above). The Roadmap for the VP Advanced Instrumentation is an integral part of the Advanced Instrumentation Roadmap of the HTSM Topsector. No TKI projects have been performed as yet. 23 TNO-rapport / 92 3 VP Large Area Electronics 3.1 Introduction Holst Centre executes two main program lines of which one is Large Area Electronics (also known as Systems-in-foil or SIF), managed by TNO, and the other is wireless sensor systems managed by imec. This report describes the progress made in Large Area Electronics. It must be noted that the efforts in Large Area Electronics are not TNO exclusive and include significant contributions from imec researchers. For a full overview of Holst Centre s progress. Large Area Electronics concerns large area electronic devices on flexible substrates. Research results contribute to solving major societal challenges such as improved effectiveness of health care (by smart sensing and diagnostics), reduction of energy consumption (by OLED lighting and by electronic devices with ultra-low power consumption) and green energy generation and storage (by low-cost, flexible solar cells and batteries). The Large Area Electronics program line reached major achievements in areas such as barrier technology, printing of metals and thin film transistor technology which all have been successfully transferred to industry. 3.2 Program 2014 Founders Holst Centre was founded by imec and TNO, which has resulted in an independent internationally oriented research centre with its facilities on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven. Coming together under one roof has brought many opportunities for the organizations in terms of attracting, hiring and retaining the necessary talent. Research Staff The Holst Centre organization has seen a steady growth of its critical mass in people since the start in November Holst Centre currently employs approximately 200 team members on payroll of which about half are dedicated to Large Area Electronics. To become a centre of excellence, its employees are selected on both technical and non-technical competencies. In terms of education level, 54 % of the team members have a PhD-degree and 29 % have a Master s degree. Their backgrounds lie mostly in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering. Next to payroll employees (including some from other parts of imec and TNO), the Holst Centre teams consist of important other groups that add to the open innovation platform: Residents from the industry, that actively take part in our research roadmap. PhD students that do their research at Holst Centre, supervised by both the team and their university. Master students that do their thesis-project at Holst Centre. Contracted staff of other organizations such as Philips Innovation Services. Holst Centre staff currently includes over 25 nationalities. This reflects the international efforts that Holst Centre has undertaken, but also the multi-national character of students at the local universities with whom Holst Centre is in contact. Holst Centre intends to grow further based on the same mix of backgrounds and people that has currently been built, simply because it has proven to be successful. Also Holst Centre has an active policy to enable our researchers to make their next 24 TNO-rapport / 92 step in their career path to its partners. In 2014, 10 people moved to industrial partners of Holst Centre. Facilities Next to the research facilities already in place on the Campus, Holst Centre has expanded in the past few years with larger-scale systems, which in the future can become part of a pilot line fabrication: In 2012 a R2R metal printing line was installed with rotary screen print from SPG, inkjet printing from Xennia and photonic curing developed in house. In 2012, a R2R barrier line was installed by Roth & Rau. In 2013 a R2R spatial ALD tool was installed by VDL. In 2014 a R2R slot-die coating line was installed with 4 different in-situ monitoring techniques to optimise yield in R2R processing. In 2014 a gen.1 line was installed to enable TFT fabrication based on maskless lithography. In 2014 a R2R multilayer coatline was installed which was fabricated by Holst Centre partners VDL, Smit Ovens, and Bosch Rexroth. 3.3 Results and specifically in 2014 The scope of the research activities in the Large Area Electronics include the following topics: OLED Lighting Barrier Technology Organic Photovoltaics Thin Film Transistor (TFT) based applications Hybrid Electronics OLED Lighting The developments in the past 4 years have been focused on three interconnected goals for the development of OLED (Organic LED) technology into a serious competitor for LEDs: A low cost, high volume manufacturing process Robust, reliable and high efficiency devices Realizing the unique freedom of design of OLED s For enabling low cost production processes the focus has been to manufacture OLED lighting panels in a Roll-to-Roll manufacturing process. In the past period (see section on execution) several R2R systems have been realised with partners to show this feasibility. The evolution of number of steps which have been done in the past four years is shown graphically in figure 1. To enable robust, reliable and high efficient flexible OLEDs, several key technologies had to be developed including a reliable water barrier (see section on barrier technology) and a transparent electrode system, both of which have been on the roadmap for the past 4 years. The evolution is shown in demonstrators in figure 2. In the early phase of commercialisation, flexible OLEDs are expected to be sold at a cost premium as yield is low and full R2R production is not installed yet. Therefore it is critical for early adoption to create unique applications for OLEDs by leveraging the unique freedom of design and flexibility of OLEDs. Some examples of typical prototypes developed in the past 4 years are shown in figure 3. 25 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 1. Left: status Flexible OLED of which 2 layers were R2R coated. Right: status flexible OLED where 5 layers are R2R coated. Figure 2. Left: status Flexible OLED with inhomogeneous light emission of 50% and ~8 lm/w. Right: status flexible OLED of 47 lm/w and more than 90% homogeneous light emission. Figure 3. Left: status Flexible OLED seamless integrated in LeMans car. Right: status flexible OLED of 47 lm/w and more than 90% homogeneous light emission. 26 TNO-rapport / 92 Barrier Technology OLEDs are extremely sensitive to water. A barrier concept has been developed in the past 8 years protecting moisture ingress into water sensitive flexible devices such as OLEDs and OPV (Organic PV/Solar Cells). The technology is based on a combination of a special organic layer sandwiched between 2 SiN layers made with PECVD. The technology based on S2S production of OLED has been transferred to Philips in 2011, which employs it currently as top encapsulation barrier in its newest generation of Lumiblade OLED panels. In addition, in 2014, the pilot line for producing this barrier on PET via R2R processing made its first km s of barrier film. This barrier film in 2014 was a simpler version and consisted of PET/organic layer/sin. However, this barrier has good enough water barrier properties that is can be used for organic PV pilot production. These barrier films are currently being used by Heliatek for their R2R OPV pilot line. Also, one of partner companies in Holst Centre, Rolic, has founded in 2013 a Dutch affiliate, ROLIC BV, to commercialise these barrier films. Figure 4. Left: R2R barrier line capable of producing PET/SiN/organic layer/sin. Right: R2R produced barrier film. In 2014, 2.6 km was produced. Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) Up until fall 2014, the OPV program was focused on scaling up production of organic based solar cells towards Roll-to-Roll processing while ate the same time increasing its efficiency and lifetime. For increasing lifetime, the barrier as presented in the previous section for OLEDs was used to encapsulate OPV devices. As is shown in figure 5 (left) the efficiency of full flexible devices, did not significantly decrease for over 8000 hours at 85C/85% humidity conditions. It is estimated that this corresponds to 70 years at ambient conditions. For R2R processing in 2014, an all R2R processed modules were shown, based on standard P3HT/PCBM heterojunction, as shown in figure 5 (right). The efficiency of these devices were only 2-3%, on par what is to be expected for such heterojunction. Higher efficiencies of up to 9.6% were achieved using different polymers and triple junctions. However, these triple junctions involve 13 layers (including electrodes) and are therefore difficult to realise in R2R. This has led to the decision to use a different absorber material, being methylammonium lead halide which has a perovskite crystal structure. With this absorber efficiencies in excess of 15% have been realised on cell level in 2014, and will be the focus point of the coming years to scale these perovskite based solar cells to R2R. 27 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 5. Left: shelf lifetime test for fully encapsulated OPV cells. Right: R2R produced solar cell module where all 6 electro-active layers were made with R2R processing. Thin Film Transistor Applications Holst Centre has over the past 4 years been working on thin film transistors (TFT) on polymer films, initially for flexible OLED displays. Using advanced analysis and modeling techniques, a bond-debond process was developed in 2012 which allowed processing of full flexible displays on rigid carriers such as Si-wafers and glass substrates. Based on this technology, backplanes were developed using oxide based semiconductors, which met the requirements of OLED display industry and this process was transferred to a display factory in In 2014, the TFT process on polymer films was further optimized and scaled up to gen 1 substrate size (320x352mm substrate size). Through these advancements in TFT performance, new applications are under development in 2014, such as: Foldable OLED displays (Figure 6 left). X-ray detector on plastic substrate with medical grade performance (Figure 6 right). High speed oxide circuits that are NFC (Near Field Communication) compatible. Hybrid Electronics The use of thin plastic foils as a base substrate will ensure thinner and more flexible electronic devices as compared current PCB-based electronics. It furthermore enables new manufacturing methods, such as continuous Roll-to-Roll, instead of wafer and/or batch processes. To enable such devices on flexible films, Holst Centre developed both S2S and R2R metal printing processes (as opposed to Cu plating and etching in PCB industry), which was shown in 2013 feature size of 30 microns could be reached. Also photonic curing was developed in allowing ultrafast (~1 s) curing of printed metal and thus enabling R2R line with a low foot print. This technology is currently transferred to a consortium of local companies. Films with such printed and cured circuits are shown in figure 7. In 2014, the focus was on making multilayer circuits with at this moment 3 electrical planes can be made. Furthermore chip placement of thinned Si-based chips was developed allowing a variety of electronic products as in traditional PCB industry but now in a flexible form factor. A number of these applications based on multilayer printing is shown in figure 7. 28 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 6. Left: OLED film bend down to radius of 05mm allowing foldable displays. Right: TFT backplane on polymer film as readout for flexible X-ray imagers. Figure 7. Left: multipurpose sensor label with fully printed, multilayer circuit, embedded 25 µm thick silicon chips, and peripheral components integrated as Right: TFT backplane on polymer film as readout for flexible X-ray imagers. Right: Roll of PET film with multilayer of metal and insulator printed and photonic cured in R2R pilot line. 3.4 Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector Holst Centre including its Large Area Electronics research is fully set up as a Public Private Partnership in which the topics discussed in the previous sections are developed via Shared Research Programs. Each Shared Research Program has a roadmap determined by its participants. The partners pay a participation fee to get a non-exclusive licence to the results of the program they participate in. In addition to these cash contributions, industrial partners contribute by involving own researchers ( industrial residents ) in the programs. In total Holst Centre has over 55 partners, of which 29 are participating in Large Area Electronics related programs. The activities and roadmap of the topics in Holst Centre are positioned within the Roadmaps of HTSM: The OLED lighting research is part of the HTSM Roadmap Lighting. The coating and printing process research for Large Area Electronics is positioned in the HTSM Roadmap Printing. The Thin Film Transistor and Hybrid Electronics research is positioned in the HTSM Roadmap Components and Circuits. 29 TNO-rapport / 92 The Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) research, has been made part of the Solliance initiative, also a Public Private Partnership. Solliance has the ambition to be an international key research partner for the thin film PV industry by bridging the gap between new thin film PV technologies and their industrial application, thus enabling a world-class thin film PV industry in the ELAT (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen) region. Current R&D partners for the Shared Research Program on organic photovoltaics include TNO, imec, ECN, TU/e and Forschungszentrum Jülich. The aims of the thin film PV research align with the priorities defined in The Dutch Technology Roadmao Solar, originally written in two formats for the Innovation Contract HTSM and Innovation Contract Energy, both co-authored by TNO. End of 2012 the implementation of the HTSM Innovation Contract was updated by all stakeholders to formulate a single Solar roadmap for both the Topsectors HTSM and Energy. 30 TNO-rapport / 92 4 VP High-Tech Instruments and Materials 4.1 Program Solar Introduction A reliable, affordable, clean and safe energy supply is a prerequisite for the future economic and social development. Amongst others, this requires a change to energy generation by renewable sources, like wind and solar. The Dutch High-Tech Industry is well place to exploit the opportunities arising from this need for renewable energy sources, in particular photovoltaics (PV). The volume of the solar PV market was 100 billion Euros in 2014, as the presently installed capacity of PV power generation expanded from 70 GWp in 2011 to 170 GWp in The 20% CAGR of the PV market over the last five years was enabled by an increase in product quality (solar energy conversion efficiency) with a simultaneous steep decrease in PV module production costs to 0.5 per Watt peak in Although the large reduction of PV module costs seems to be driven by several incidental factors (overcapacity, investment crises and a market consolidation), it is common opinion that there is still an enormous potential for further product improvement and cost reduction, with the potential for a two orders of magnitude market growth up to 2050, and a considerable contribution of PV to the worlds electricity production. The upstream part of the Dutch PV sector, mainly focused on manufacturing equipment and materials, is well positioned to contribute to the realization of this potential. The Dutch High Tech industry has a 5% share of world-wide market for PV production equipment and materials. A large part is traditional c-si PV modules, but the market volume and share of thin film PV devices and in particular CIGS will increase dramatically in the coming decade creating market opportunities for new processes and equipment. Thin film PV functionality with a conversion efficiency that is competitive with crystalline can be realized directly on construction materials like glass and steel with potential beneficial properties, such as free form factor, semi-transparency, resistance to breakage, light weight, very efficient and low cost at long operational lifetimes. TNO s ambition is to use its strengths in process- and equipment development to maintain and expand the market share of the upstream part of the Dutch PV sector, in particular for thin CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) solar cells. This ambition is being realized in the framework of the CIGS shared research program of the Solliance Initiative. Solliance is the public private partnership (PPS) between TNO, ECN, TU/e, Holst Centre, Imec and Forschungszentrum Jülich and industrial partners Smit Ovens and DSM on thin film photovoltaics. The overall technical ambition of the Solliance CIGS Shared Research Program is to: Close the 5% efficiency gap between lab and production using fast and reliable production methods and equipment. o > 20 % conversion efficiency modules by Move from current vacuum processes to atmospheric processes for large area R2R production. o < 5 c/kwh and > 99% high yield production by Allow green production and reduced use of scarce materials. o > 25 year PV module life time. Facilitate free form and easy PV integration. o Reduce balance-of-system-costs with 40% by 2018. 31 TNO-rapport / 92 Key challenge is to develop generic in-line production technology for cells and modules to spin-out at OEM level in collaboration with industrial partners and investors Activities 2014 Thin film CIGS is chosen as the carrier for the development of knowledge on various generic PV production technologies. The activities are divided into five work packages governing generic technologies along the various stage of the solar cell manufacturing chain. Solar module demonstration, life-time and integration Activities focus on the solar module level, i.e. the end of the solar cell production chain. The core of the activities is the pilot line for the production of 10x10 cm 2 thin film CIGS demonstrator cells on rigid and flexible foil substrates. The CIGS cell demonstrators also serve as testing material for the development of life-time testing methods and building integrated PV solutions. In 2014 the CIGS baseline was used to prepare 10x10 cm 2 co-evaporated demonstrators CIGS cell on rigid glass for various project and developments. A reference process for cells on flexible steel substrate was developed for the baseline. First modules from baseline CIGS cells were prepared for outdoor, accelerated lifetime and reliability testing. Atmospheric photo absorber processing The activities focus on the processing of thin film CIGS photo-active material. The core of the activities is the development of pilot scale atmospheric processes for CIGS and buffer layer deposition on 32.5x32.5 cm2 glass panels. Pilot-scale processes for CIGS cell production by atmospheric selenisation and electrodeposited CuInGa (CIG) precursors on 32.5x32.5 cm 2 glass panels were further developed in 2014 and optimized to efficiencies of 10-11%. As planned the CIGS reference line was moved to the new Solliance building, restarted and upgraded with a new sputter tool. Activities on s-ald process and equipment development for buffer layers and passivation films were continued in Light Management The activities focus on the improvement of light management in (thin film) PV cells. The core of the activities is the development of atmospheric processes for the deposition of transparent conductive oxides (TCO) by a range CVD methods and s- ALD and generic methods and materials for surface nanostructuring and texturing to improve the light incoupling in solar cells. In 2014 AP (PE) CVD and s-ald process development for S2S deposition of crystalline and new amorphous TCOs was continued. Transparent thin CIGS cells with back contact transparent conductive electrodes and light management structure were produced in 2014 including first activities on development for nano-imprint lithography of light management structures. 32 TNO-rapport / 92 Cell interconnection The activities focus on the interconnection of individual solar cells to modules. The core of the activities is the development of alternative technologies for the monolithic interconnection in the film solar module manufacturing. Construction and demonstration of the S2S tool for post-scribing and interconnection of thin film PV cells was done in The tool was relocated to the Solliance building and upgraded for further back-end interconnection development. The simulated improvement in solar cell efficiency for micro- scale metal grids was demonstrated on CIGS cells. Technologies for R2R cleaning and repair of monolithic interconnection defects were demonstrated on a R2R lab-tool. New solar cell concepts The activities focus on the exploration, design and development of future thin film solar cells concepts. The core of the activities is the development of kesterite (Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 ) and multi-junction high efficiency concepts of different solar cell types. New activities were set up for the development of high-efficiency solar cells (>25%) combining thin film CIGS and kesterite cells with Si-wafer based cells Results 2014 Solar module demonstration, life-time and integration A process for CIGS layer co-evaporation on 10x10 cm flexible steel substrates was developed in the CIGS baseline. A maximum cell efficiency of 15% on 1x0.5 cm 2 was obtained. A sol-gel process for colouring PV modules demonstrated on small modules in 2014 was applied onto commercial PV modules. The coated panels were placed at the PV test site of Hogeschool Zuyd for outdoor life-time testing. New insights in the degradation behaviour of CIGS cells was obtained from in-situ accelerated life time testing. Atmospheric photo absorber processing Processes for the atmospheric pressure CIGS module production on 32.5x32.5 cm 2 glass substrates have been developed. Insights in the electrodeposition of Cu/In/Ga (CIG) precursor stacks and subsequent selenisation in elemental Se were gained and process parameters were optimized. Uniform CuInGa electrodeposition and a maximum efficiency of 9.8 % were achieved. The model to correlate selenisation process parameters to the resulting CIGS absorber layer properties was further developed and validated for Ga segregation to the Mo back-contact before selenisation. A spatial ALD process that enables accurate control of the composition Zn(O,S) buffer layers was successfully developed. Preliminary test of the Zn(O,S) buffer layer on CIGS cell showed comparable efficiency to a CIGS cell with a standard CdS buffer layer. Light Management A process for spatial ALD deposition of ZnO-based transparent conductive oxide films at temperatures below 200 o C was developed. Highly conductive TCO films, with a specific resistance in the order of cm were obtained. A process for atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (APPPECVD) of highly conductive Al:ZnO transparent conductive oxide films was developed and a sheet resistance of < 25 / sq suitable for application in CIGS solar cells was obtained at a high speed of nm/s. Cell interconnection The back-end interconnection tool for interconnecting CIGS cells in a 323x325 module was moved to the new Solliance building and upgraded. The simulation 33 TNO-rapport / 92 models predicting the efficiency gain of metal grid application on transparent conductors were experimentally validated. New solar cell concepts The activities on the process development of kesterite cells were stopped in 2014, due to the limited improvement in efficiency of kesterite solar cells in general and the worsening of the business case for this technology Results TNO s track record in generic process development for individual stages in the manufacturing of different types of (thin film) solar cells and in equipment development for the high-end manufacturing industry led to TNO cofounding the Solliance solar research cooperation in In 2014 this culminated in the relocation of ECN, TNO and Holst Centre facilities and researcher to the new Solliance building at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven financially supported by the Province of Noord Brabant. An unique asset of the Solliance facilities is the prepilot CIGS PV platform consisting of a CIGS cell reference line realized at TNO in 2012 and the CIGS module base-line completed in 2014.This platform, that is only one of three open CIGS platforms world-wide, and the results achieved in the TNO Solar Program since 2011 led to the establishment of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) on thin film CIGS PV in The Dutch companies DSM and Smit Ovens joined the CIGS Shared Research Program (SRP) of Solliance as full industrial partners, thereby engaging in a longer term relation for joint development and commercialisation of research results. The technologies developed from 2011 to 2014 in the various work packages of the TNO Solar Program are the core of the proposition for participation in the Solliance CIGS Program. Solar module demonstration, life-time and integration In 2012 the reference line for co-evaporation of 10x10 cm 2 thin film CIGS demonstrator cells on realized using the Solliance funding by the Province of Noord Brabant. In the PiD project CIGSelf ( ) the baseline was ramped-up from 14% in 2012 to 16 % efficient CIGS cells on glass in Using the industrial partner contributions to the Solliance CIGS SRP the efficiency was increased to 17% in 2014 and a process for CIGS layer co-evaporation on flexible steel substrates was developed with a cell efficiency of 15%. In 2014 modules were prepared from the CIGS cells for outdoor, accelerated lifetime and reliability testing. In the entire period from new insights in the degradation behaviour of CIGS cells were obtained from an ETP materials sponsored PhD project in cooperation with TU Delft. This resulted in various scientific publications, including two poster prizes and a nomination for the Dutch Solar Thesis Award in In 2013 commercialisation Back-end Interconnection tool. of an in-situ accelerated life time testing tool developed in the PhD project was awarded to Eternal Sun through the TNO SBIR program. From 2011 to 2014 a part-time lectorship at the Hogeschool Zuyd on Building integrated PV (BIPV) was funded by the Solar Program. Together with Hogeschool 34 TNO-rapport / 92 Zuyd in 2011 and 2012 in-line coating concepts for improved aesthetical embedding of solar panels with minimal performance losses and minimal costs in BIPV were developed in the PiD project Smartchain. In 2013 a sol-gel process for colouring PV modules resulting in highly aesthetic PV modules with a minimal loss in conversion efficiency was demonstrated. In 2014 the process was applied onto commercial PV modules that were placed at the PV test site of Hogeschool Zuyd for outdoor life-time testing in the TKI Zonnegevel project. In the near future industrial project partners could exploit this technology in innovative BIPV concepts. Atmospheric photo absorber processing From 2012 to 2014 equipment, funded by the Province of Noord Brabant, for a 30x30 cm 2 CIGS module base-line using Cu/In/Ga electrodeposition and selenisation in elemental selenium was ramped-up in various phases. In the PiD project CIGSelf ( ) a first selenisation process using elemental Se was developed for sputtered CuInGa precursors on a 10x10 cm 2 area with a cell efficiency of 10.5%. In parallel in the cofunded project in-situ XRD a unique tool for monitoring the selenisation process was designed and realized. In the cofinanced project and the TKI project TripleA CIGS cells with an efficiency of 8.4% from electrodeposited CuInGa precursors on 10x10 cm 2 area were realized. In 2014 this technology was up-scaled to the full 30x30 cm 2 size baseline with a maximum cell efficiency of 9.8% in the KIC EIT Effic project and the Solliance CIGS SRP. The baseline is only one of three open CIGS platforms world-wide and the only one using atmospheric absorber processing. In KAV and ETP projects TNO developed unique spatial ALD technology that was partially spun-off in the startup company Solaytec for Si-based PV. In 2011 and 2012 KAV budget of the Solar Program was used to design R2R equipment and processes for application of the s-ald technology in thin film PV. the in 2011 and 2012 a proof-of-principle R2R ALD tool was realized and Al 2 O 3 barrier layer, deposition was demonstrated. In 2013 and 2014 an industrial tool for spatial ALD Zn(O,S) buffer layer deposition in R2R CIGS manufacturing was developed together with VDL and CIGS on foil manufacturer Flisom (CH) in the EU FP7 project R2R- CIGS. In parallel a Zn(O,S) buffer layer process allowing the full range of compositions from ZnS to Selective reflective coating installed on the district of tomorrow. ZnO was demonstrated in the TKI project Desire in A S2S spatial ALD tool for 30x30 cm 2 glass panels was designed and codeveloped in a HTSM TKI+ and a B2B project with OEM Smit Ovens in 2014 as a first step towards commercialisation of the spatial ALD technology in thin film PV. Light Management TNO had a long track record in the development of atmospheric CVD processes for the deposition of transparent conductive oxides (TCO) before In the EU FP projects HipoCIGS ( ), Orama ( ) and R2R CIGS ( ) this expertise was used to develop various crystalline and amorphous ZnO 35 TNO-rapport / 92 based TCOs for application in CIGS PV manufacturing using CVD and spatial ALD. In 2012 highly conductive and transparent izno films deposited in an AP CVD process were demonstrated to yield 15.9% efficient CIGS cells. In 2013 and 2014 this was further developed to a high speed (15 nm/s) APPPECVD process for Al:ZnO TCO films with a sheet resistance of < 25/sq suitable for application in CIGS solar cells. In parallel a 0.5 m wide atmospheric plasma tool for R2R deposition of ZnO:Al was constructed and integrated in a pilot-scale CVD reactor. Generic light management technologies were developed in the ETP materials in 2012 to In parallel surface nanostructuring and texturing technologies from the ETP were adapted specifically to PV in the Solar Program. In 2011 structuring of the CIGS back-contact by nano-imprinting technology from the ETP materials, was demonstrated in the EU FP7 project HipoCIGS. KAV funding in 2012 and the TKI Limanil project in 2013 and 2014 were used to model light management structures for CIGS and thin ( nm) and transparent CIGS cells on ITO back-contacts were developed in the reference line to validate the modelled structures. In 2014 DSM joined to the Solliance CIGS program with a specific interest in further commercialisation of light management materials. Cell interconnection In the PiD project Produzo ( ) and the TKI project Fantastic (2014) an alternative back-end technology for the monolithic interconnection in thin film PV module manufacturing was developed resulting in the construction and demonstration of a 30x30 cm 2 S2S tool for post-scribing and interconnection in In 2014 a step towards commercialization of the tool was made with the start of the KIC EIT project EFFIC, where Solliance partners TNO, ECN cooperate with the local High-end Equipment industry, Smit Ovens, CCM, IBS PE and Roth & Rau, and CIGS manufacturer Nexcis (F) as launching customer. New solar cell concepts A Solar program KAV funded assessment in 2011 showed that kesterite (Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 ) thin film PV cells are a potentially cheaper and resource-efficient alternatives to CIGS cells, albeit with an unsure business case. In 2013 a baseline process for electrodeposition of CuZnSn precursors was developed and kesterite cells were produced in the TKI project Triple A. The activities on kesterite (Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 ) cells were stopped in 2014, because of the limited improvement in efficiencies of kesterite solar cells in general and the worsening of the business case for this technology Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector The aims of the Solar Program strongly align with the priorities defined in The Dutch Technology Roadmap Solar, originally written in two formats for the Innovation Contract HTSM and Innovation Contract Energy, both co-authored by TNO. The HTSM Roadmap Solar has the ambition to develop more Dutch PV business at OEM level, and to increase value creation by a higher level of collaboration and integration along the value chain. The Topsector Energy Innovation Contract on solar energy strives to facilitate and stimulate large scale deployment of PV in the Netherlands and abroad by developing cost-competitive solutions for physical integration into the built environment, the infrastructure and the landscape and 36 TNO-rapport / 92 electrical integration into the grid and maximize the economic benefits for the Netherlands of the growth of the PV sector. End of 2012 the implementation of the HTSM Innovation Contract was updated by all stakeholders to formulate only one Solar Roadmap for both the Topsectors HTSM and Energy. Under The Dutch Technology Roadmap Solar, the TNO program Solar is executed in the Solliance initiative that was established in Solliance has the ambition to be the central player for the thin film PV industry by bridging the gap between new thin film PV technologies and their industrial application, thus enabling a world-class thin film PV industry in the ELAT (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen) region. Within Solliance strategic research collaborations with industry are developed by definition of Shared Research Programs with technology partners along the solar module manufacturing value chain. TNO is leading the thin film CIGS Shared Research Program in Solliance. In 2014 the SRP CIGS of Solliance evolved to a full Public Private Partnership (PPP) by the accession of Smit Ovens and DSM as industrial partners. Both companies signed a contract for at least 3 years for participation in the full CIGS Program. Close collaboration and synergy exists between the CIGS, Organic PV and, the newly established, high efficiency solar cells programs of Solliance. In 2014 the cooperation in Solliance was further strengthened by the opening of the Solliance building at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven and the relocation of ECN, TNO and Holst Centre facilities and researcher to the new building. The CIGS SRP also leverages individual partner s participation fees through multiple partner contributions, matching funds (TKI and SMO) and EU projects. Participation in potential European Public Private Partnerships, like the Energy Materials Industrial Research Initiative (EMIRI), is actively pursued. EMIRI strives to create a contractual PPP in phase with Horizon 2020 start up in 2015 that provides an implementation mechanism for the EU SET Plan Materials Road Map. TNO is leading the PV work group of EMIRI to further align priorities of Solliance with European roadmaps on renewable energy and technology, specifically thin film PV. On national and regional level the cooperation with academic partners (TU Delft, University of Nantes, Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Hasselt, Hogeschool Zuyd and Avans Hogeschool) are also actively developed in various frameworks (M2I, STW, Solliance, TKI Solar Energy). 4.2 Program Lighting Introduction The lighting industry has been working on smart or intelligent lighting systems and solutions since the second oil crisis, during the 80s, mainly to achieve energy (and cost) savings. Nevertheless the market penetration for indoor lighting still is below 10% (outdoor <5%). Next to the business- and people aspect the most important technology reasons are: 1) the current smart solutions are very complex to get up and running, calibrated and commissioned, 2) the current smart solutions are relatively static (pre-programmed) in their design and cannot autonomously adapt to new lighting needs without considerable re-design effort, 3) the current smart lighting solutions are using a central command structure and propriety communication unable to interact with other applications like Mobility or Security. 37 TNO-rapport / 92 The program targets smart (intelligent) technology lighting solutions (HW/SW) which are: 1) easy to install (plug & play), 2) easy to use and 3) easy to maintain over lifetime enabling dynamic, personalized and integrated lighting solutions. This program researches how a common technology platform using a decentralized system approach can be established for indoor- and outdoor lighting applications open for multiple vendors and enabling seamlessly integration with Smart Buildings or Smart Cities overcoming the technology roadblocks encountered by earlier attempts to do so. In the second half of 2014 the Snellius Program was stopped due to lack of budget of one of the main partners and lack of new partners to compensate for this. Other options will be pursued to continue the activities in this field focussing on the demonstration of a smart lighting solution Activities 2014 Smart Lighting Solutions: development of a decentralized lighting control concept. This is a key step in making installation and management of the billions of light points in our world manageable. A decentralized approach is in our opinion a necessity for the realization of good, intelligent lighting, enabling concepts of smart cities and smart buildings. Human Centric Lighting Solutions: creating a new lighting concept that combines an equal or better user acceptance with substantially lower energy consumption. This concept is the corner stone of our approach towards sustainable lighting as it is good for People, Planet and Profit Results 2014 Results Smart Lighting Solutions State of the Art Networked Controlled Outdoor Lighting Systems In the context of the Smart Lighting Solutions Shared Research Program we have done a broad assessment in the field of networked controlled outdoor lighting systems. The outcomes are discussed on four different system levels: Objectives, Functionalities, Components and Communication. To conclude some considerations are given about R&D challenges for this market and the observed trends for Networked Controlled Outdoor Lighting are given. Tests on communication modules For the implementation of a smart wireless sensor network for smart lighting solutions, TNO investigated which hardware and protocols should be utilized for supporting the application of wireless nodes in a basement-like environment. In the application it is required that all nodes can communicate with each other and that there is no master node in the network that is controlling the nodes. The control of the nodes is distributed over the network. For communication it is only possible to use a broadcasting protocol since it is unknown how many and which nodes are connected to the network. It can be concluded that communication with the particular nodes (without using external antennas) is possible up to 30 meters. For a longer range, communication antennas and/or other protocol adaptations are required (for example hopping protocols). When all nodes attempt to communicate simultaneously, performance may drop if nodes are out of range of each other but try to address nodes within their overlapping range areas. A routing protocol especially designed for the basement environment needs to be developed and tested in order to ensure that all nodes are able to receive all communicated data. Considering the current 38 TNO-rapport / 92 communication performance and goal of this application with respect to communication this is expected to be feasible, however. System Design A first version of a Smart Lighting Solution (SLS) system, including a Central Control Unit and twelve SensorBoxes, has been developed and implemented in the optical corridor at the premises of TNO in Soesterberg, to be demonstrated to the stakeholders. A complete package of hardware/software system components was designed and integrated on system level in a structured way. This version serves as basis for further development of a system implementable in a real environment such as a parking garage. Smart Lighting Solutions tests in Soesterberg The system was tested in April Dynamic behaviour of the system could be tested according the test plan. There was still some incorrect system behaviour noticeable: the system still classifies a vehicle (simulated by running persons) as pedestrians. Further improvement is needed of the reasoner in the SensorBox (in which the classification of the detection is performed) to get a good functioning system. Results Human Centric Lighting Solutions Research plan to test innovative dynamic lighting concepts at multiple indoor and outdoor locations This activity focusses on the development of evidence-based dynamic lighting solutions in which a user can perform his or her activities (both visual as nonvisual) better, safer and more comfortably while using a minimum of light related energy and decreasing lighting related other costs. A dynamic lighting solution uses advanced communication networks that will optimize lighting of infrastructure (outdoor) and rooms (indoor) based on the presence of vehicles or persons, user needs and aspects like weather or glare. The validated lighting solutions have been converted into a common set of parameters, guidelines and codes of practice which were still lacking to date. In order to develop and validate dynamic lighting concepts different lead users have been selected each with their own application context and user needs. In a Masterplan document the research has been described that is conducted in each application context and how this research contributes to the overall aim to develop evidence based lighting concepts, and to prove concept validity and added value. Perceptual Lighting Quality Assessment Methods Lighting is not only essential for human functioning but it also creates specific impressions, generates desired patterns of behavior and contributes to visual comfort and feelings of safety. To develop and optimize evidence based lighting concepts, there is a need for validated and effective methods and techniques to assess to what extent lighting concepts meet their specific objectives, i.e. whether lighting indeed succeeds in manipulating the sensory aspects of the environment in such a way that people are supported and the intended effects are achieved (e.g. increased visual performance, feel comfortable in that environment, exhibit a desired behavior). An overview has been generated of evaluation measures, data collection and analysis methods that may serve to assess different aspects of perceptual lighting quality. Thereto, we identified appropriate methods and techniques to obtain data for several relevant parameters, statistically based data from participants and the external factors that have to be taken into account when studying a lighting concept (indoor or outdoor) in a field test. The perceptual lighting quality measures and evaluation procedures presented in this report may serve as an underlay for the design of experiments to test the effectiveness of new lighting concepts in practice. 39 TNO-rapport / 92 Human Centric Lighting Solutions/Assessment of light distributions in simulated indoor car park Laboratory experiments with static lighting conditions We investigated the possibility to improve the lighting of indoor car parks by designing and testing the concept of dynamically lighting the activity spot. A person in de car park is detected by sensors and the lighting nearby the person is set to a higher level than in the rest of the car park. The main goal of this lighting concept is reduction of lighting related energy use while improving or maintaining the level of perceived safety and comfort for the car park users. We conducted four perception experiments in the laboratory with static observers and measured the experience of comfort and safety for various photometric parameters for the activity spot. When the light spot in an activity spot is set at a lamp illuminance of 100 lx, a background with a lamp illuminance of 20 lx is the lowest light level with an acceptable experience of comfort and safety and the highest energy saving potential. The size and gradient of the light spot at the observer do not seem to determine the experience when this spot is the only activity spot in the room. When a second light spot is visible with another person in the activity spot, we found that the combination of a light spot size of 3 lamps (9 m) and a gradient of 30% resulted in an experience rating, that equaled the rating of the reference condition (100 lx for all lamps). To conclude, activity spots can be used to reduce lighting levels, and in potential reduce energy consumption, without compromising feelings of comfort and safety. Characteristics of valid activity spots applied in a windowless corridor were defined Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector The Snellius Program directly linked to the Lighting Roadmap of the Topsector High-Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM). As of 2015, the more system oriented activities have been transferred from TNO s theme Industry to the TNO theme Urbanisation, addressing the wider concept of Smart Buildings and Smart Cities rather than the underlying smart lighting technology components. Further developments will be positioned and reported in the TKI Energo Topsector. 4.3 Program Additive Manufacturing Introduction Additive manufacturing (AM) is an enabling technology with numerous advantages compared to the conventional subtractive manufacturing technologies. AM enables the manufacturing of complex, personalized and customized products at low cost. AM also offers the possibility to introduce multi-material products or parts with material gradients. AM integrates very well with design tools and CAD software and as a result, the AM approaches can significantly impact both time and cost savings, as well as inventory, supply chain management, assembly, weight, and maintenance. AM is seen as an enabling technology for many applications, such as embedded and smart integrated electronics (Internet of things, smart conformal and personalized electronics), complex high tech (sub-)modules made of ceramic or metal with multi-material or grading material properties, human centric products (like dentures, prostheses, implants). While new materials and manufacturing technologies are introduced in the market, we see that for many applications the technology is still immature: product quality is inferior to that obtained with conventional methods, the choice of available materials is limited, yield is low by process-induced defects, manufacturing costs are high, and productions speeds are typically low. The technological challenges are indicated in the strategic research 40 TNO-rapport / 92 agenda on Additive Manufacturing (SRA) of the AM platform 2014, and in several related roadmaps (like the consolidated roadmaps on metals, polymers, ceramics from the Brainport and High-Tech companies and the Dutch Topsector HTSM Printing Roadmap), which represents the future AM needs of the industry, see figure 1. Figure 1. Technology Roadmap, from the European Strategic Research Agenda. Additive manufacturing will play an important role in specific manufacturing chains, based on the benefits of customization and personalization, freedom of design and cost-effective small-scale and on-demand manufacturing. TNO focusses on the development of next generation additive manufacturing technology for manufacturing chains for the medical, high-tech equipment, integrated electronics and aerospace application domains. For this, TNO builds strategic alliances with complementary (inter-)national R&D partners and strongly engages its large (inter- )national network of material companies, equipment manufacturers and end users in shared and bilateral (B2B) innovation programs. These innovation programs are designed to develop world-class, next generation, additive manufacturing technology to enable or accelerate additive manufacturing innovations by companies along the additive manufacturing value chain. To address the identified needs, TNO has launched the Additive Manufacturing Shared Innovation Program ShIP AM with focus on: 1) process control and predictive modelling to improve product quality during powder bed fusion (the metal AM program), 2) improved material and process capabilities (engineering polymers, ceramics, printing concepts) for Vat photo-polymerization (vat photo-polymerization program) and 3) integration of Additive Manufacturing in production chains, making it an integral part of a next generation industry approach (the hybrid integration program), see figure 2. 41 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 2. Technology Roadmap of the Shared Innovation Program Additive Manufacturing. Metal AM Program The goal of the Metal Additive Manufacturing Program is to develop next generation Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technology to improve part quality, production yield and dimensional stability, and dictate material properties. The major elements of this program are process modelling and simulation to enhance understanding and aide in process prediction, along with novel inspection and control technology to ensure the AM build maintains high quality. While TNO believes that PBF will play a major role in many markets, the current focus is with high-tech equipment and aerospace markets (freedom of design, lightweight, functionality). TNO brings more than a decade of PBF fusion experience to the table, with a strong track record in European projects, mechanical design optimization routines such as topology optimization, materials processing and modelling knowledge. TNO focuses in this program on: Processing window vs materials property determination. Multi-scale microstructural material modelling to predict mechanical behavior during build (towards virtual SLM). Material-Laser interaction and inspection technology for novel in-line inspection and process control (feed forward, closed loop control). Vat photo-polymerization Program The goal of the Vat photo-polymerization (VP) Program is to accelerate the adoption of Vat photo-polymerization additive manufacturing technology for highend production processes by bridging the gap between research and commercialization, by developing processes, materials and applications to manufacture fully functional, end-use parts using Vat photo-polymerization. The program has four focus areas: (1) new and improved materials, (2) improved resolution and surface quality, (3) Improved accuracy and repeatability, and (4) improved production cost efficiency. The initial focus of the program has been on the dental market (personalized, customized, on-demand manufacturing, and is currently extended to other sectors in the high tech market. A strong knowledge position in the field of biocompatible polymers has been developed. Dental materials certified for temporary use in the mouth (up to 1 month) have been introduced in the market. Materials for long term use are in the final 42 TNO-rapport / 92 stages of the certification process. A ceramic Al2O3/binder slurry for production of crack free ceramic parts with wall thicknesses of up to 10mm and sizes up to 50mm has been developed. Tool development is focusing on the patented force feedback (Lepus 1 development) and next generation laser diode array exposure systems which will be a breakthrough in resolution, build area and speed (Lepus Next Gen tool). For this system LEPUS Next Gen a patent application has been filed. Advanced recoating technology, to be able to handle high viscosity resins, is under development. This opens the way to develop resin systems with greatly improved material characteristics as well as composite and particulate filled materials. Hybrid manufacturing/integration Program The main challenges that drive the Hybrid Manufacturing Program are 1) the necessity to increase the efficiency of current AM processes to allow cost effective production and 2) transform the layout to allow integration of layer wise production in an industrial production sequence. The program brings additive manufacturing from prototyping towards industrialization with emphasis on price/speed while maintaining system flexibility, stability & reliability. Furthermore, the program targets for increasing production efficiency to allow creation of products a minute instead of products a day (factor 100). The program focusses on the orthotics market (insoles, braces, exoskeleton etc.) with spin-off to other markets that require personalized, customized, on-demand manufacturing and develops the next technology building blocks: High-speed/continuous AM, speed single pass deposition using inkjet implemented in a continuous production approach. In-line inspection technologies, high-speed, 2.5 D inspection. Integration/architecture (next generation AM platform) Results 2014 The dental application requires dedicated photopolymers (either fully organic or organic/inorganic composites), to satisfy the requirement of high impact strength, durability and bio-compatibility. Together with our partners, we have investigated the effect of different inorganic fillers on process-ability (e.g. viscosity, colloidal stability, light penetration) as well as mechanical properties (e.g. fractural strength and modulus, impact strength, abrasion resistance). Based on these formulations, our research partner developed bio-compatible materials to produce printed elements for dental prostheses. In addition, different routes to improve toughness of organic and composite materials were investigated. The technology was integrated in a newly developed vat photo-polymerization printer and introduced in the market in 2014 (see figure 3). 43 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 3. Left image: dental vat-photo-polymerization printer (D30, developed and commercialized by RapidShape). Middle image: close up with printed dentures from Vertex-NextDent. Right image: product launch at Dental Expo, Amsterdam Several applications, including dental, require large-size build platform, at high throughput, without sacrificing resolution. Currently, vat photo-polymerization systems are limited in at least one of: build size, resolution, and production speed. Because these limitations are mainly caused by limitations of the illumination system, we developed with a partner a novel light engine, that combines high speed, high-resolution and scalable for large area. This light engine was based on pixel grid scanning with arrays of multiple laser diodes. The pixel size of the projection is currently 20µm, which is an important improvement over existing state of the art systems. Within the program, we developed a new recoating system for fast, accurate and large area deposition of highly viscous materials. This re-coater technology was integrated with an exposure tool to evaluate the print capability of the technology. A picture of the developed tool is given in figure 4. Figure 4. Left image: LEPUS next Gen research platform (including novel light engines and re-coater). Right image: close up of light engine Results When TNO introduced its Hybrid Manufacturing Platform on the Euromold December 2011 the AM community was inspired, as described in the Economist (The Economist, Special report: manufacturing and innovation, Apr 21st 2012). The platform showed what the future of additive manufacturing could look like, when addition of processing steps does not immediately impose extra processing time, due to the parallel layout (see figure 5). 44 TNO-rapport / 92 In the past years, we have used this research platform to further develop singlepass additive manufacturing technology and the integration of this technology in small-scale flexible productions systems. Developed building blocks include 1) a novel system architecture for single-pass additive manufacturing (the PrintValley carousel), 2) high-speed single-pass additive manufacturing technologies based on jetting technology, 3) mechatronic concepts for 3D manufacturing (among other smart height-adjustment, 4) first version of pick-and-place robotics for product handling, 5) in-line metrology solution to for process and yield control, and 6) highspeed post-processing technology (selective ablation for surface polishing and support removal).7) software architecture for system control (communication protocols, ICT architecture, module control, 3D slicer for (multi-material) manufacturing). Figure 5. Single-pass AM research platform (tool and close-up). The Vat photo-polymerization technology is a very suitable route for ceramic and metallic part printing. The process flow typically involves the photo-polymerization of photo-sensitive resins to shape the 3D product (the resin typically has a high load of solid powder to obtain dense products), a de-binding step to remove the organic binder, and a sintering step to obtain dense ceramic products. Challenges include control of internal stresses during thermal processing and control of material properties (viscosity, powder size distribution, high solid loads (>40%vol). In the past period, ceramic formulations (based on Al2O3 powder) were developed, that combined the requirements of process-ability (viscosity, solids content, etc.) and high part quality after de-binding and sintering (zero internal stresses/voids). A proof-of-concept system was developed to experimentally validate high-viscous slurry concepts and formulations. Based on these slurries, a baseline process was developed which was used to investigate accuracy, crack-development and process repeatability of ceramic parts. Examples of printed ceramic parts are given in figure 6. 45 TNO-rapport / 92 Figure 6. Image of experimental setup and printed ceramic part Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector Within the Metal AM Program, we have started a Public Private Partnership with the National Aerospace Laboratory of The Netherlands (NLR) and The Materials Innovation Institute of The Netherlands (M2i). At the moment, 7 industrial partners subscribed to this program and collaborations with the Delft University of Technology and the University of Twente are an integral part of this PPP. Also, the PBF program has a strong position in European projects, in which the design, use cases and process aspects of metal additive manufacturing are addressed. Within the vat photo-polymerization program, a partnership with Chemelot was established comprising a program of 8 PhD students. In addition, a collaboration with ECN was established on multi-material additive manufacturing. Within this program, we will work among others on ceramic vat photo-polymerization. Academic collaborations within the program include Delft University of Technology (medical gripper), Fontys University of Applied Science and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In addition, multi-material vat photo-polymerization technology is part of the human-centric (dental) customization scope within the Smart Industry Fieldlab 3DMM. The Hybrid Integration Program has established research partnerships with Fraunhofer IPT, and the Danish Institute of technology DTI. In addition, we are setting up a strategic partnership with the High-Tech Systems Centre (HTSC) of the TU/e. Within this collaboration, we anticipate the development of next generation high-speed and multi-material Additive Manufacturing concepts, which will be part of the collaboration with the HTSC. At the moment, we have submitted plans for 3 PhD projects within this collaboration as well. 4.4 Program Healthcare Introduction The use of light as a core technology in medical instrumentation has become more and more common over the past years. However, taken the latest and foreseen developments in for instance (fluorescence) spectroscopy, nano-photonics and optical imaging into account, one can conclude that innovation in photonics based medical devices is by far not exploited to its full capacity and a lot of innovations that will improve the patients health outcome, expand and improve the functionality of medical devices and that will increase the sustainability of our healthcare system lie ahead. The Program Healthcare focusses on these innovations that within TNO are clustered in the so called van t Hoff Program. The van t Hoff Program is a collaborative research and innovation program combining the strong points of 46 TNO-rapport / 92 partners throughout the value chain in medical technology to accelerate technological innovation and their implementation in health care. The van t Hoff Program aims to improve medical diagnosis and therapy through the development of innovative medical devices based on photonics and biomedical technologies. By innovating together with industry we aim to ensure the actual application of the developments while creating economic impact. The various technologies will affect health outcomes in various ways. Better and faster diagnosis and monitoring of diseases in (a)symptomatic stages and personalized treatment will open up possibilities for better (drug related) treatment of patients leading to increased self-reported physical and mental health, prolonged participation to society, decrease in hospitalizations and visits to clinicians, and/or increased life time expectancy. Also, the non- or minimally invasive character of the technologies results in no or less burden to the patient. Minimally invasive surgical procedures are characterized by real time discrimination of tissue structures, leading to faster surgery, improved surgical quality (less multiple operations needed), preservation of function and a decrease of the use of (toxic) contrast agents. The van t Hoff Program was initiated by TNO in Within the van t Hoff Program, TNO collaborates with (Dutch) health foundations, industrial partners in the field of optical sensing and diagnostics as well as several leading (medical) research institutes and academic hospitals. The program has several long term goals that are embedded in 5 lines: In the selective ion measurement for dialysis line the goal is to develop a miniaturized selective ion sensor for sodium, potassium and calcium that can be integrated in a portable kidney and has sufficient accuracy to validate reuse of dialysate. In the detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases line the goal is to develop simple technology for safe, accurate and cost-effective diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer s disease, Parkinson s Disease). In the non- and minimally-invasive glucose measurement line the goal is to develop a commercially available non-invasive glucose sensor and a commercially available minimally-invasive glucose sensor. The modular fiber optic sensors for non- and minimally invasive diagnostics and surgery line goal is to develop simple screening technology for the risk assessment of (the development of) cancer. In the surgical imaging/image guide surgery line the goal is to develop spectroscopic devices that allow real-time imaging and identification of relevant tissue structures (nerves, vessels, tumour borders) during surgery and other medical procedures Activities 2014 Selective ion measurement for dialysis In 2014 proof of concept was demonstrated by means of a working model of the sensor for quantified Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) measurement of sodium and potassium in spent dialysate that was realized within a laboratory setting. The setup was tested in the nephrology ward of Maastricht UMC (photo 1). Here we have measured the (change in) actual dialysate composition during dialysis session by sampling dialysate every 15 minutes and analysing the samples 47 TNO-rapport / 92 with both our system and the gold standard. With this experiments we ve demonstrated sufficient accuracy for potassium. We ve learned that we will have to improve accuracy of our sodium concentration measurement by a factor 10 in order to be able to deploy the sensor in various medical scenarios, and identified the reason why accuracy is what it is. Based on the on-site measurements, we ve learned that the robustness of the calibration procedure of the system will benefit from a redesign to compensate for thermal issues that are linked to the laser enclosure and offset of settings due to transportation of the system. Photo 1. Measuring in a relevant clinical environment at MUMC. Regarding the detection of calcium we have performed lab experiments to determine the number of photons that are emitted at 422 nm (characteristic wavelength for calcium). The lab tests and the measurements at Maastricht UMC provided functional and technical requirements for the improvement and extension of the functionality of the sensor. Based on these requirements and those that were derived from sessions with our partners and leading nephrologists we have set up a trade-off matrix of components that served as input for the design of a sensor that allows for accurate measurement of sodium concentrations during dialysis, expanding the functionality of the sensor with the calcium ion and eventually miniaturization of the sensor. Based on this matrix the concept was improved. The biggest adjustment in the concept is the implementation of an improved (more sensitive) spectrometer. The miniaturisation of the sensor has been worked out in a work plan. Detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases In 2014 the work focused on the development of a ring resonator biosensor for single-analyte measurements of neurodegenerative disease markers Amyloid Beta, tau and p-tau in cerebro spinal fluid (CSF). The research activities focussed on the one hand on the development of hardware and software of the readout unit and the sensor design. On the other hand the activities focussed on the development of the assay that is needed to detect specific biomarkers. Regarding the development of the readout unit and sensor design we improved the signal processing of the readout unit significantly, by a factor of 10. The higher resolution enables reliable measurements of lower concentrations of proteins. In order to improve the reproducibility of the system, the flowcel was redesigned to minimize the chance of creating air bubbles in the sample. This activity was performed in close corporation with the TU Delft. Furthermore, an on-chip temperature reference sensor was integrated in the system. 48 TNO-rapport / 92 Regarding assay development, we focused on the process of controlled application of antibodies on the chip. We have tested a new process to immobilise antibodies on the surface of the chip, which has to lead to a reproducible distribution of an antibody on the chip for an improved signal and reproducibility. Furthermore we ve demonstrated the binding of antibodies to the streptavidine. We performed experiments to test the affinity of 4 antibodies for Amyloid Beta. We experienced difficulties with the binding of Amyloid beta to the antibodies to the chip. We ve performed experiments to study the reason for this, but did not find a reasonable explanation yet. Therefore we did not achieve our 2014 goal to detect Amyloid Beta in a simple solution, with sensitivity at least as good as currently used ELISA-based methods. In 2014 we also focussed on Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR) on CSF of healthy persons and persons with PD. As also found in 2013, we identified significant differences in specific parts of the spectrum, but only when groups were considered and not on an individual basis. We analysed the data to see if making groups based on length of the disease and the severity of disease would improve the outcome on an individual level. We did not find a correlation between the length of the disease and the signal nor could we find a correlation between the severity of disease and the signal. Due to the inter-individual differences it was not possible to label the samples as healthy or sick. The Hersenstichting, Alzheimer Nederland and the Parkinson Vereniging initially participated in the van t Hoff Program with the goal to support R&D activities that will result in non-invasive technology for diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease. In their first year (2013), activities were primarily focused on detection of single proteins with optical imaging methods, resulting in the development of a Ring Resonator based biosensor to detect biomarkers for neurodegenerative disease in biological fluids as the main research focus for However, the Ring Resonator biosensor and the optical signature still demand small samples of cerebro spinal fluids (CSF) or (eventually) blood. During the year, we have had several sessions with the Brain Foundations and key opinion leaders from our medical and technical advisory boards. We discussed (progress on) the research topics on our roadmap. In this sessions we have also discussed the possibility of developing an optical method to detect neurodegenerative diseases via the eye, performing retinal imaging resulting in a feasibility study in 2014 to determine if this topic could become a van t Hoff activity. Based on the feasibility study, we concluded that this trajectory would fit very well within the van t Hoff scope. As a second step we compiled a technical annex for this research trajectory, to be executed in Non- and minimally-invasive glucose measurement The technology that is under investigation for minimally-invasive measurement of glucose concentrations is based on mid-infrared evanescent field sensing. In this approach, mid-infrared (MIR) light (~10 µm) is guided through a fiber. Regarding the research on a minimally invasive sensor, the 2014 focus was on the effects of confounding biological factors in the mid infrared wavelength range. Our study shows a rich set of strong absorptions for glucose in the MIR region of cm-1, corresponding to C-O stretching vibrations. We have drafted a list of molecules to be considered for the MIR measurement of glucose in ISF and biological confounding factors in interstitial fiber-based measurements that will have to be taken into account. The results of the study will be incorporated in the sensor design of the study. We performed optical simulations that show that the mode distribution within a multimode fiber, and therefore the transmission at fixed glucose concentration, can 49 TNO-rapport / 92 change due to bending of the fiber, vibrations, etc. which impacts the detection limit: a 0.17% change in evanescent fraction corresponds to 1 mm detection resolution. Research activities for the non-invasive glucose sensor were initially focussed on the development of an OCT-based device that measures glucose under the finger nail. After consulting with our technical advisory board members, we concluded that the results did not show promising and, in close corporation with our stakeholders, we decided to terminate this trajectory. At the same time effort was made to incorporate activities on a Raman spectroscopy based non-invasive glucose sensor into van t Hoff. This was followed by alignment activities on the topic of dissemination with the Diabetesfonds (which resulted in an explanatory film on the technology by the Diabetesfonds ambassador Diederik Jeekel, a national press release and an item on the RTL evening news). Modular fiber optic sensors for non- and minimally invasive diagnostics and surgery In 2014 we have improved the design of our fiber optic system that is capable of measuring and quantifying the scattering, absorption and fluorescence of tissue, in vivo. We focussed on the reduction of the integration time of the device, bringing it down to 3 seconds to facilitate in vivo clinical measurement. Furthermore we ve improved the calibration procedure. Based on this work we have submitted a research proposal to the call Unieke Kansen from KWF/Alpe d HuZes. The proposal is entitled Patient-friendly screening for head and neck, lung and oesophageal cancer based on optical measurements of the buccal mucosa. The proposal was granted in December Within the project we will demonstrate the feasibility of measuring light-scattering related biomarkers of field carcinogenesis in the buccal mucosa of patients with H&N, lung and oesophageal cancer, in vivo. Surgical imaging/image guide surgery In 2014 the work focussed on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy during surgery. Endogenous spectral fingerprints were successfully determined over an unprecedented wide spectral range for the following human tissues: Normal colon, tumorous colon, mesenteric adipose tissue, thyroid, parathyroid, nerves, arteries, veins and ureter. Especially the prevention of collateral damage to nerves is a universal challenge in all types of surgeries. Many of these signatures were found beyond the detection range of normal silicon-based cameras, thus forming a stimulus for new surgical camera types (e.g. InGaAs). The discovered contrast features can be applied by imaging systems during routine surgery as an adjunct to current imaging modalities and possibly become the new gold standard. Furthermore, we have developed a prototype NIR fluorescence imaging device to provide anatomical guidance during endocrine surgery. The parathyroid is the only tissue that fluoresces in the NIR wavelength region under 785 nm excitation and can therefore be easily visualized using this natural biological contrast. We solved the (general) problem of obtaining real-time pixel-to-pixel matched overlays of NIR auto fluorescence and white light imaging for improved image-guidance. A simple and cheap solution for filtering of VIS and NIR wavelengths was developed, allowing a display (in real time on a camera screen) of the perfect overlay of the normal white light image and NIR fluorescence image, with operating lights on. A patent application on this invention is currently being prepared Results 2014 Selective ion measurement for dialysis 50 TNO-rapport / 92 We have built a functional model of a sensor that uses optical technology and can actually measure ions specific during dialysis in-line, resulting in quantified ion levels where the competition can only measure quantified conductivity of dialysate. Detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases Ring resonator biosensor We have improved the signal processing of the readout unit significantly -by a factor of 10-, we redesigned components of the chip and an on-chip temperature reference sensor was integrated in the system. Furthermore we demonstrated the binding of streptavidine to the chip and antibodies to the streptavidine. Retinal imaging for diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease Within this new research trajectory we performed a feasibility study on both the business case and the biomedical technology opportunities. Non- and minimally-invasive glucose measurement We have demonstrated that a minimally invasive glucose sensor based on the evanescent wave principle requires an extremely stable mode distribution over the fiber. Furthermore we clarified the challenge (to be further addressed in 2015) to get a practical sensor since the body is such a dynamic entity. Modular fiber optic sensors for non- and minimally invasive diagnostics and surgery The optical design of the multi diameter single fiber reflectance and fluorescence technology is improved in order to decrease the integration time of a measurement and to enable miniaturisation of the system. We acquired a new project and partners in the van t Hoff program (KWF and ErasmusMC). Surgical imaging/image guide surgery We developed low-cost technology (patent pending) for anatomical guidance during endocrine surgery and demonstrated the distinction between parathyroid and thyroid during surgery. In 2014 our work on the sensor development for dialyses and surgical imaging was awarded by medical experts, we have had 3 demonstrator sessions at conferences, 3 papers published (2 in peer reviewed journals), 1 paper accepted in a peer reviewed journal and we have submitted a paper to a peer reviewed journal. Furthermore we have presented at 8 conferences. We ve sent out a national and international press release on the non-invasive glucose measurement activities and showed our work on this topic on national television (RTL evening news on 14 November 2014). Also we have launched an explanatory film on the technology for non-invasive glucose management, together with the Diabetesfonds. Finally, the PhD-trajectory in the surgical imaging line was successfully finalized in December Results Even though the program was officially launched in 2012, preparations started in Since then we acquired in depth expertise on optics, optomechatronics, intelligent imaging, pharmacokinetics, and systems biology applied in the field of medical technology. We use this knowledge to demonstrate our level of expertise to potential new partners, we presented at national and international congresses (as invited speaker), we published papers (preferably in peer reviewed journals) and we contributed to standardization activities (e.g. IEC TC 62/SC 62D/MT 20). In addition, by means of demonstrators at events, press releases and media (TV) performances we have disseminated on the one hand our program results and on the other hand our unique way of working (building an ecosystem consisting of 51 TNO-rapport / 92 health foundations, hospitals, key opinion leaders, industry partners that enables the acceleration of medical and technological innovation and their implementation in health care). All dissemination activities contribute to the creation of awareness on our activities and becoming attractive to potential new partners. At the start of the program, the van t Hoff Program endeavoured to employ models of light-tissue interaction, light propagation, optical component characteristics, sensor motion effects and other error sources to clarify and compensate the noise originating from biological variation. In the first quarter of 2014, we decided after sound boarding with our partners and stakeholders to emphasize the goal of the program (development of innovative medical devices) better by restructuring the program activities leading to the identification of 5 the focus areas and described above. Over the years we have connected 7 health foundations, 4 academic hospitals and 6 companies to the program. We demonstrated our technology at conferences. We were on national television and made an explanatory movie on one of our technologies. We have filed 4 patent applications and prepared 5 more (to be filed in 2015). We presented at more than 15 conferences, published in more than 6 journals (5 peer reviewed), submitted to 2 per reviewed journals and furthermore contributed to 2 hand books on medical innovation. We ve also contributed to a PhD trajectory within LUMC. Furthermore a van t Hoff PhD trajectory that was carried out within Maastricht UMC was successfully defended in December Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector We combine the needs identified by charity health foundations and leading academic hospitals with the technological skills and resources of industrial companies and research institutes. Importantly, key opinion leaders in medical research are involved in research activities and/or advisory boards. The van t Hoff Program thus forms an ecosystem which enables acceleration of medical and technological innovations and their implementation in health care (see figure 1). Figure 1. The innovative ecosystem facilitated within the van t Hoff Shared Innovation Program: a collaborative research and innovation program combining the strong points of all partners to accelerate medical technological innovation and their implementation in health care. The content of the program is defined in close cooperation with each partner, where TNO coordinates the program and guards the overall program goals. TNO consults 52 TNO-rapport / 92 each participant in the program lines on the course to be taken, taking into account progress made previously and relevant external developments. The content of the program is fully into line with the Roadmap Healthcare of the Topsector High-Tech Systems and Materials. The program manager of van t Hoff is also the secretary of the Roadmap HTSM Healthcare and therefore uniquely positioned to guard this process. Furthermore, the program is in line with topics of the Roadmaps of the Dutch Topsector Life Sciences and Health, in particular regarding self-management, home care and ICT and Imaging & image guided therapies. Based on all inputs TNO updates the program description annually by means of a technical annex in which the program goals, structure, work packages, deliverables, time tables and risk mitigation are described. TNO updates the partners on the progress via dedicated quarterly reports and meetings and the annual partner meeting. The program has a strong ambition to grow. We will do this by bringing in new partners. For the year to come we will focus on at least 1 additional company and 1 (international) health organization per program line as a paying partners in the program. Furthermore we foresee new collaborations with 2 universities. 53 TNO-rapport / 92 5 VP Automotive Mobility Systems 5.1 Inleiding Binnen TNO Thema Mobiliteit is het VP Automotive Mobility Systems (AMS) gericht op het versterken van de concurrentiepositie van de Nederlandse Automotive- en Mobiliteitsindustrie met het Ministerie van Economische Zaken (EZ) als regievoerder. Het VP AMS sluit daarmee rechtstreeks aan op de Roadmap van de TKI HTSM Automotive. Het VP AMS richt zich vooral op het ontwikkelen van innovatieve oplossingen voor het verbeteren van de voertuigveiligheid, zuiniger en schoner maken van voertuigen en verbeteren van de duurzaamheid, veiligheid en betrouwbaarheid van het verkeer. Hierbij wordt intensief samengewerkt met de Nederlandse automotive industrie en toenemend ook met Nederlandse verkeersindustrie en ander industrieën die zich in nieuwe segmenten van mobiliteit gaat bewegen. 5.2 Uitvoering 2014 Hoogtepunten in 2014 Truck Platooning Truck Platooning op basis van twee voertuigen bespaart brandstof, vergroot de veiligheid en zorgt ervoor dat effectiever gebruik kan worden gemaakt van de beschikbare wegcapaciteit. TNO richt zich op een 5-jarig implementatieprogramma met als einddoel dat er een wettelijk kader beschikbaar is aan het einde van deze periode dat het mogelijk maakt om met dit concept op de Nederlandse snelwegen te kunnen rijden: robuust, veilig en efficiënt. Naast de technologische ontwikkeling van het concept - het automatisch remmen, gas geven en sturen van het volgende voertuig en de communicatie tussen de voertuigen - is er ingezet op fail-safe technologieën om de robuustheid van het systeem te waarborgen. Dit is noodzakelijk voor het kunnen gaan testen op de openbare weg. Naast de technologische ontwikkeling is er samenwerking gezocht met relevante partijen die noodzakelijk zijn voor het behalen van de 5-jarige doelstelling. Dit betreft zowel partijen vanuit de industrie, de transportsectoren de overheid. Fietsersveiligheid Nederland is een van de verkeer veiligste landen van Europa. Dit geldt echter niet voor fietsers. Maatregelen zijn nodig om het aantal fietsverkeersslachtoffers terug te 54 TNO-rapport / 92 brengen. Er is een breed scala aan interventies mogelijk. TNO zet in op de volgende twee sporen. Ten eerste de aanpak van fietsverkeersdoden door maatregelen in de auto, aangezien 80% van de fietsdoden in Nederland motorfiets-fiets ongevallen zijn. Daarnaast richt TNO zich op het voorkomen van zwaargewonden fietsers. Voorbeelden van interventies vanuit de auto zijn automatisch remmen en/of een externe airbag. In opdracht van het ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu (IenM) heeft TNO in het SaveCAP-project (www.savecap.org) samen met partners (Autoliv, Fietsersbond, Centraal Beheer Achmea) prototypes ontwikkeld en het belang van fietsersveiligheid gepromoot. TNO leidt nu het CATS project (www.tno.nl/cats) om de marktintroductie van fietsveilige auto s te versnellen. Samen met vrijwel alle belangrijke spelers in de Europese automotive industrie (15 fabrikanten en toeleveranciers) en onderzoeks- en test instituten werkt TNO aan een protocol om auto s in de toekomst op fietsveiligheid te testen. Euro NCAP beoogt introductie van fietsveiligheidstesten begin In het project Veilig en Bewust op de Fiets heeft TNO samen met partners (Roessingh Research and Development en Fietsersbond) in opdracht van IenM enkelzijdige ongevallen alsook maatregelen om deze te voorkomen onderzocht. De gegenereerde ideeën zijn samengebracht in een prototype intelligente fiets. In 2015 zal het concept samen met marktpartijen doorontwikkeld worden. Fietsveiligheid leeft internationaal. Dat blijkt uit de populariteit van het internationale congres op fietsveiligheid (www.icsc2014.eu) waarvan TNO medeoprichter is. Naast de hierboven vermelden projecten is TNO betrokken bij andere fietsveiligheidsinitiatieven, zoals project VRU ITS (www.vruits.eu), COST action HOPE (www.bicycle-helmets.eu), veilige (fiets)kruispunt. Flex Fuel TNO s Flex Fuel Control team werkt aan geavanceerde verbrandingsconcepten die een hoog verbrandingsrendementen combineren met ultra lage emissies. Door nauwkeurige menging van een hoog en laag reactieve brandstof (diesel en aardgas) in de cilinder kan het gewenste verbrandingsgedrag gerealiseerd worden: Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI). Dit concept is gebaseerd op gecontroleerde zelfontsteking en is uiterst gevoelig voor bedrijfscondities zoals temperatuur en brandstofsamenstelling. TNO richt zicht op de combinatie van diesel en aardgas omdat dit grote CO2 en brandstofkosten reductie mogelijk maakt zonder de noodzaak van een roetfilter en SCR katalysator. Ultieme doelstelling is de combinatie van een zeer grote range aan (bio)brandstoffen. Uitvoering van het programma Het VP AMS is onderverdeeld in een aantal samenhangende deelprogramma s: Automated Driving: ontwikkeling van oplossingen voor voertuigautomatisering ten behoeve van veiliger, schoner en meer efficiënt verkeer. 55 TNO-rapport / 92 Cooperative Mobility: ontwikkeling van oplossingen voor verbeterde veiligheid en efficiëntie van het verkeer door middel van V2X communicatie. Low Carbon HD Transport: ontwikkeling van oplossingen voor reductie van CO2 uitstoot van commerciële voertuigen in het verkeerssysteem. Binnen deze deelprogramma s wordt gefocust op oplossingen voor specifieke klanten en markten in zogenaamde PMCs. Door expliciet een koppeling met een beoogde toepassing en markt te maken wordt meer focus verkregen in de kennis en technologie ontwikkeling. Bedrijven en andere stakeholder uit de markt worden zo vroeg mogelijk in de ontwikkeling van de oplossing betrokken. Vraagsturingsproces 2014 Het Vraagsturingsproces is vooral ingericht door actieve participatie in het roadmapteam van de TKI HTSM Roadmap Automotive. Dit roadmapteam, onder voorzitterschap van AutomotiveNL, is samengesteld uit vertegenwoordigers van de bedrijven en kennisinstellingen die samenwerken in het Automotive TKI Programma van HTSM. Het roadmapteam is verantwoordelijk voor opstelling en actualisatie van de TKI HTSM Automotive Roadmap en borgen dat deze gedragen wordt door haar stakeholders. Het roadmapteam initieert eventueel initiatieven voor TKI grondslag of toeslag projecten en beoordeelt of projectvoorstellen passen op de TKI Roadmap en adviseert daarover aan de roadmaptrekker. TNO heeft in 2014, met de TKI Automotive Roadmap als uitgangspunt, zijn deelprogramma s ingericht en samenwerkingen opgezet met bedrijven (die vaak een actieve rol spelen in de TKI Roadmap). Samenwerking nationaal en internationaal Samenwerking binnen de Topsectoren Het VP AMS focust zich volledig op een onderzoeksprogramma dat past binnen de ambitie van het TKI HTSM Automotive. De drie deelprogramma s sluiten op de volgende wijze aan op de Roadmap van het TKI: Automated Driving Dit deelprogramma sluit aan bij de trend in de automotive sector dat steeds meer voertuigfuncties geautomatiseerd worden en dat voertuigen tijdelijk of in de toekomst zelfs voor langere tijd geautomatiseerd kunnen rijden. TNO richt zich in dit programma vooral op technologie en randvoorwaarden die (coöperatief) automatisch rijden mogelijk maakt en op wat dit betekent voor de bestuurder en voor andere (kwetsbare) weggebruikers. In 2014 is gestart met de ontwikkeling van het mogelijk maken van truck platooning. De focus in het TNO programma ligt op (hoog)dynamisch maneuvreren, veiligheid van kwetsbare verkeersdeelnemers, effecten op de bestuurder van (automatisch) ingrijpen, robuuste controls met als doel het versnellen van de implementatie van automatisch rijden. Cooperative Mobility Coöperatieve Mobiliteit is al veel langer een speerpunt van TNO. Samen met 3TU is TNO verantwoordelijk voor de uitvoering van het DITCM Programma. TNO richt zich in het automotive programma vooral op toepassingen van communicatie die direct de voertuigveiligheid verbetert. Dit zijn vaak tijd kritische toepassingen die direct ingrijpen in veiligheidssystemen in het voertuig. In 2014 zijn acht projecten samen met DITCM gerealiseerd Thema s waren: Datafusie ten behoeve van verkeersmanagement innovatie, Architectuur en interoperabiliteit, (cyber)security en PKI s, opschalingsplatform (Spits), standaardisatie/dutch profile, Human factors en gedrag, innovatieve verkeerscentrale, en standaardisatie of indicatoren voor logging data. 56 TNO-rapport / 92 Low Carbon HD Transport Nederland heeft een sterke transport sector met belangrijke OEMs en toeleveranciers in trucks, bussen en speciale zware voertuigen en een sterke logistieke sector. Dit deelprogramma richt zicht op reductie van de CO2 uitstoot in het (integrale) transport systeem. In 2014 zijn verdere stappen gezet richting toepassing van low carbon fuels en verhoging van verbrandingsrendement (zie par flex fuel), verbetering van emissies en verbruik in werkelijke (Real World) inzet van voertuigen en in het toepassen van voorspellende informatie voor het optimaliseren van het energieverbruik van het voertuig. Samenwerking met Nederlandse universiteiten De bestaande samenwerkingsverbanden van TNO met diverse Nederlandse universiteiten is in 2014 voortgezet. Belangrijkste initiatieven zijn: DITCM: samenwerking TNO met 3TU op het gebied van coöperatieve mobiliteit. DAVI: samenwerking met TUD en ander partijen op het gebied van automatisch rijden. ASD PDeng opleiding: twee eindopdrachten van trainees en een in-house project. Afstudeerders en promovendi: TNO blijft ruimhartig opdrachten verzorgen. Dit jaar is medewerker Jeroen Ploeg gepromoveerd. UHD s en deeltijd hoogleraren: samenwerking wordt uitgebreid. Doel is om in elk deelprogramma een verankering bij een universiteit te borgen. Nationale samenwerkingsverbanden TKI HTSM Automotive: in 2014 is ruim 6,5 miljoen Euro grondslag gevormd TNO vooral in contractonderzoek vanuit de automotive industrie bij TNO. Tevens is in 2014 een nieuw TKI project gestart met partners VDL bus & coach en Heavac. Ook zijn er drie nieuwe TKI projecten in voorbereiding die begin 2015 zullen starten. AutomotiveNL is de sectororganisatie voor de Nederlandse automotive industrie met als doelstelling het bevorderen van een bloeiend en groeiend automotive netwerk in Nederland door realisatie van een internationale automotive hotspot voor Smart Mobility en Future Powertrain. AutomotiveNL heeft een innovatieprogramma dat de inhoud van de Roadmap TKI HTSM Automotive afdekt. AutomotiveNL is belangrijke partner voor TNO in de realisatie van projecten binnen de TKI. DITCM Innovations is een partnership van leidende Nederlandse bedrijven, overheden en instellingen op het gebied van coöperatieve mobiliteit. Binnen DITCM Innovations wordt gewerkt aan een gezamenlijk innovatieprogramma. Internationale samenwerkingsverbanden ERTRAC, the European Technology Platform for Road Transport. ERTRAC werkt aan een gemeenschappelijke Strategic Research Agenda, waaraan TNO ook haar bijdrage levert. Andere NL partners zijn DVS en SWOV. imobility (vroeger genaamd esafety) forum. Deze groep werkt aan een gemeenschappelijke Strategic Research Agenda op het gebied van mobiliteit. EARPA, Vereniging van Road Transport R&D Providers. Vanuit TNO wordt secretariaat ingevuld en heeft de themadirecteur Mobiliteit zitting in de board. Focus ligt op automotive R&D. TNO is trekker en heeft key posities in de meeste Task Forces. Verder heeft hier consortiumvorming voor EU projecten plaats. 57 TNO-rapport / 92 EGVIA, the European Green Vehicles Initiative Association is het samenwerkingsverband van Europese bedrijven en kennisinstellingen op het gebied van schone voertuigtechnologie. TNO participeert actief in EGVIA in het voorbereiden (en uitvoeren) van pre-competitief Europese onderzoek. ERTICO ITS Europe is een multi-sector, Public Private Partnership die zich richt op de ontwikkeling en implementatie van Intelligente Transport Systemen. TNO is lid van dit partnership. Met ERTICO worden regelmatig projectvoorstellen in het EU Kaderprogramma geschreven. In 2014 participeerde TNO binnen VP AMS in een 20-tal Europese projecten binnen het Europese programma s. In deze projecten wordt samengewerkt met een groot aantal internationale partners. 5.3 Resultaten 2014 Het onderzoek binnen het VP AMS is gefocust op de ontwikkeling van oplossingen ten behoeve van specifieke product markt combinaties (PMCs). Met deze focus sluit het VP onderzoek aan op de concrete behoefte van haar (industriële) stakeholders. De resultaten van het programma in 2014 worden hieronder samengevat per PMC Automated Driving Safety State Estimation Ontwikkeling van technologie om veiligheidstoestand van een voertuig real-time te schatten ten behoeve van voertuigdynamica. Realisatie van een collision avoidance demonstrator waarin een hoog dynamische manoeuvre wordt uitgevoerd de grens van voertuigstabiliteit. De TNO Tyre State Estimatior heeft significante stappen gemaakt richting een real-time toepasbaar schattingsalgorithme. Dit is een belangrijke input voor beheersing van hoog dynamische (automatische) voertuigmaneuvres. Het EU project EMC2 is gestart, het zal zich richten op veilige controls van complexe veiligheid kritische scenario s. Real Life Safety Methodology Ontwikkeling van methodologie voor de ontwikkeling en validatie van actieve veiligheidssystemen. Bijzonder focus op veiligheid van kwetsbare verkeersdeelnemers (fietsers). Start van door TNO geleide CATS consortium (Volvo, BMW, VW, Daimler, TMC, ) dat test methodologie voor fietsersveiligheid gaat ontwikkelen. In Veilig en Bewust 2 is een intelligente fiets die ouderen ondersteunt, ontwikkeld. (https://www.tno.nl/nl/over-tno/nieuws/2014/12/ouderen-veilig-op-weg-met-eersteintelligente-fiets/). Evaluatie methodiek voor Actieve veiligheid en Real Life Safety Methodiek is verder ontwikkeld in een aantal Europese projecten (o.a. ASSESS, AsPeCCS, InteractIV, AdaptIV, ). Intelligent Vehicle Situational Awareness Ontwikkeling van een platform en algoritmes voor integratie van sensoren en communicatie in het voertuigen ten behoeve van actieve veiligheidssystemen. In het project Collision avoidance for VRU is een AEB-systeem ontwikkeld dat auto s automatisch laat remmen voor fietsers. 58 TNO-rapport / 92 De C-ACC applicatie (automatisch volgen van een voertuig) is uitgebreid met automatisch sturen en invoegen. In een Kiem project is onderzocht hoe voertuigen meer zich meer zelf organiserend kunnen gedragen. Ten behoeve van het Truck Platooning project is de controller voor het automatisch volgen met een truck verder ontwikkeld tot een robuust product dat korte volgafstanden kan realiseren. Human Behaviour Predictive Modelling Ontwikkeling van mensmodellen (cognitief en biomechanisch) die het gedrag van bestuurders en kwetsbare weggebruikers kunnen voorspellen. VRU behaviour prediction heeft een algoritme opgeleverd waarmee de baan van een fietser kan worden voorspeld, op basis van waarneming (met camera s) vanuit een auto van beweging van de fietser. Transition of control heeft een concept gerealiseerd voor een agent die bestuurders van een platoonende truck begeleidt tijdens het omschakelen van manueel naar automatisch en vice versa (en sluit daarmee aan op Truck Platooning). Met de Driver-Cyclist Scenario Generatie is een goede eerste stap gemaakt die kan leiden tot het (automatisch) verzamelen en categoriseren van veiligheid kritische scenario s die kunnen dienen als input/validatie voor veiligheidssystemen Cooperative mobility Cooperative Development Tools & Methodology Ontwikkeling van tools en methodologie voor het ontwerpen en valideren van coöperatieve systeemoplossingen. Een gedetailleerd plan hoe de toolchain in de komende jaren verder opgebouwd moet worden vanuit de bestaande (losse) tools is nu al beschikbaar. Dit heeft geleid tot een beter beeld hoe de toolchain aansluit bij behoeften vanuit de roadmap. Secure, Robust and Scalable Cooperative Systems Technologie en kennis die de opschaling van coöperatieve systemen moet versnellen. Focus is op (Cyber)security, robuustheid en schaalbaarheid. Het project heeft zicht in 2014 sterk gefocusseerd op het security aspect en anticipeert daarmee op vragen vanuit DITCM, Connecting Mobility, Beter Benutten, Connect, ANL en RWS (ITS corridor). Security staat nu op de landelijke agenda en is vanuit de hiervoor genoemde partijen bij DITCM belegd. Er is een security demonstrator voor C-ACC gerealiseerd om daarbij aansluiting te vinden bij het Truck Platooning project. Het realiseren van een integrale oplossing met PKI system bleek (nog) een stap te ver vanwege onvoldoende consensus in de markt en beschikbaarheid van bestaande oplossingen en tools om dit te realiseren. Platform for Cooperative Systems Platform technologie voor de integratie van coöperatieve systemen. Integratie van in-car, road-side en back-office systemen in één platform om complexe services te realiseren. In een brede portefeuille van projecten is de ontwikkeling van integratie van coöperatieve systemen naar een breed inzetbaar en gedragen platform dichterbij gekomen. 59 TNO-rapport / 92 Stappen zijn gemaakt op het gebied van integratie, midleware en het ondersteunen van eerste applicaties als hazzard warning, speed advice, etc Low Carbon HD Transport Real World Performance Oplossingen en tools voor het verbeteren van real-world brandstofverbruik en emissies van heavy duty voertuigen. In TKI project Next Generation Aftertreatment is verder modelkennis opgebouwd rondom interactie motor/aftertreatment/voertuig inzet. In een simulatie studie zijn concepten voor thermal management onderzocht. In model based OBD is de potentie van virtual sensing (roet) onderzocht. Dit kan leiden tot control strategieën die fijnstof uitstoot actief kunnen beïnvloeden. Er is een start gemaakt met de ontwikkeling van een multi-level energy optimization toolchain. Met deze toolchain zal de CO2 optimalisatie potentieel in het hele transportsysteem worden beschouwd. Dit zal in 2015 als een nieuwe PMC worden voortgezet. De SIMCAT toolchain is verder geactualiseerd voor dual layer technologie en beter beschrijving van effecten als thermische veroudering en vergiftiging. Flex Fuel Controls Controls oplossingen voor reductie van brandstofverbruik (door verhoging van het verbrandingsrendement) en voor verlaging van CO2 uitstoot (door toepassing van low-carbon fuels). Verbetering van de prestatie van het dual fuel RCCI concept bij hoge lasten geborgd (50% BTE) op robuuste wijze. Er is een demonstrator gerealiseerd (samen met partner). Ontwikkeling op het gebied van modelvorming, controls ontwikkeling en validatie op demonstrator platform lopen simultaan. Onderzoek loopt door in Real-time implementatie van een van een control concept op basis van closed loop combustion control. De real-time performance wordt nog verder verbeterd. Een verkennende studie naar waterstof plasma als middel om metaanslip in een RCCI concept te reduceren. Predictive Powertrain Controls Controls oplossingen voor optimaliseren van energiemanagement in het voertuig door toepassing van voorspellende informatie over route, verkeer, bestuurder, etc. Op het gebied van adaptieve strategieën voor energy management zijn modellen (verder) ontwikkeld ten behoeve van identificeren van de rijcylcus, status van de batterij (state of health en state of charge) en toepassing in verschillende voertuigconfiguraties. Een significante stap richting predictive energy management is gezet in een TKI project met VDL en Heavac op het gebied van energy managment van bussen waarin met name klimaatregeling in de bus als factor wordt meegenomen. 5.4 Resultaten Plan (Samengevat uit Meerjarenprogramma VPs Mobiliteit ) 60 TNO-rapport / 92 Het Vraaggestuurde Programma Automotive Mobility Systems (VP AMS) richt zich op het ontwikkelen van systemen voor automotive mobiliteit en op het ontwikkelen van (nieuwe) bedrijvigheid in vooral de automotive sector en de verkeersindustrie. In het plan werd de volgende impact beoogd: Focus op drie belangrijke factoren die het totale verkeerssysteem beïnvloeden; de mens (gedrag), middelen (voertuigen en infrastructuur) en beleid. Concentreren op het ontwikkelen van oplossingen in het verkeerssysteem die commercieel vermarktbaar zijn. De belangrijkste focus in dit VP ligt op het ontwikkelen van (technologische) oplossingen. Deze zijn gericht op een nieuwe generatie van een verkeerssysteem waar bij de grenzen tussen voertuig, omgeving, infrastructuur en verkeersmanagement vervagen. Optimalisatie van het gedrag en de effecten van het verkeerssysteem zullen met integrale oplossingen over dit gehele systeem heen worden bereikt. De link met beleid wordt gemaakt door vooral te concentreren op het demonstreren van integrale oplossingen in demonstraties en pilots om daarmee de specifieke voordelen van de oplossing en eventuele beleidsconsequenties aan te geven. In het VP AMS wordt aandacht besteedt aan: Technologie: het effect van technische (deel)oplossingen op het gehele systeem. Systeem: aandacht voor (de technische aspecten van) integrale systeemoplossingen. Implementatie: het uitrollen van systeemoplossingen naar toepassing in de praktijk. Het programma concentreert zich op drie programmalijnen waarin de belangrijkste doelstellingen op het gebied van Betrouwbaar, Economisch, Veilig en Duurzaam terugkomen: Intelligente veiligheid: het toepassen van intelligente sensorsystemen, communicatie (C2C en C2I) en modelgebaseerde toestandschatting voor het ontwikkelen van advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) ter voorkomen van ongelukken. Betrouwbaar verkeer: het toepassen van ICT en integratie van voertuig gebonden technologie met verkeersmanagement voor het optimaliseren van doorstroming van het verkeer en het voorkomen van incidenten. Duurzame voertuigaandrijving: verbetering van het brandstofverbruik en emissies van de voertuigaandrijving (mn CO2), verdere elektrificering van de voertuigaandrijving en integratie van het voertuig in integrale verkeerssystemen die milieuzonering mogelijk maken. 61 TNO-rapport / 92 Vraaggestuurde Programma Automotive Mobility Systems Intelligente veiligheid Betrouwbaar verkeer Duurzame aandrijving Technologie Systemen implementatie Resultaten Intelligente veiligheid Belangrijke stappen in verbetering van de verkeersveiligheid zijn gerealiseerd doordat de veiligheidssystemen in voertuigen steeds verder opschuiven van injury mitigation naar collision avoidance. Dit wordt bereikt door gebruik te maken van: Verbetering van de situational awareness van het voertuig. Automatisch ingrijpen in het voertuig op een adaptieve wijze. De bestuurder op een adequate wijze ondersteunen bij het vermijden van een ongeluk en tijdens/na het ingrijpen van het veiligheidssysteem. Steeds meer gebruik makend van data en communicatie (ICT). Terwijl voertuigen (auto s) steeds veiliger worden wordt de relatieve veiligheid van kwetsbare verkeersdeelnemers verzwakt. Daarom wordt extra aandacht besteed aan deze groep verkeersdeelnemers. In de afgelopen vier jaar heeft TNO significant bijgedragen in het versnellen van deze ontwikkelingen. Voorbeelden van resultaten die hierin zijn bereikt: De Situational awareness is verbeterd door de ontwikkeling van het IVSP (Intelligent Vehicle Safety Platform) dat sensordata (GPS, vision, radar,...) en V2X communicatie mogelijk maakt en dit uitbreid met een collision & injury riskassessment. Dit platform wordt o.a. gebruikt in projecten als de intelligente kruising die op dit moment in Helmond wordt gerealiseerd. Een belangrijke trend is dat steeds meer voertuigfuncties worden geautomatiseerd en dat in veiligheid kritische omstandigheden de controle van het voertuig wordt overgenomen. TNO heeft in de afgelopen periode veel demonstratieprojecten gerealiseerd (bijvoorbeeld collision avoidance voor fietsers waarbij de auto automatisch remt als een botsing met een fietser onafwendbaar is en de fietser gelijktijdig wordt gewaarschuwd. Samen met de industrie zijn methodieken en (test)protocollen ontwikkeld om de effectiviteit van deze systemen aan te tonen ten behoeve van certificatie (Real Life Safety Methodiek). Met de toenemende automatisering van het voertuig is goede ondersteuning en begeleiding van de bestuurder essentieel voor acceptatie van deze oplossingen. In diverse (Europese) projecten is met de industrie gewerkt aan 62 TNO-rapport / 92 concepten voor ondersteuning van bestuurders (o.a. InteractIVe en AdaptiIVe). Ook op het gebied van fietsersveiligheid is in het project Veilig en Bewust op de fiets (zie par ) gewerkt aan ondersteuning van kwetsbare groepen fietsers. De effectiviteit van (automatische) veiligheidssystemen kan significant worden verbeterd als deze systemen met de wegebruikers en met elkaar informatie kunnen delen. Coöperatieve veiligheid is een belangrijk speerpunt van TNO om intelligentie aan de veiligheid toe te voegen. Het eerde genoemde IVSP platform ondersteunt dit. In de afgelopen periode zijn diverse oplossingen hiervoor ontwikkeld en gedemonstreerd (bijvoorbeeld op intertraffic demonstraties). Betrouwbaar verkeer Voor de verbetering van de doorstroming en efficiëntie van het verkeer is binnen het VP AMS in de afgelopen periode vooral gewerkt aan coöperatieve technologie en verbetering van de betrouwbaarheid en veiligheid van deze oplossingen. Door voertuigen met elkaar en met de infrastructuur te laten communiceren is het mogelijke om te anticiperen op onverwachte verkeerssituaties en om het ingrijpen in het gedrag van de weggebruikers op een wijze waarbij (beter) afgestemd wordt op lokale omstandigheden en het gedrag van andere weggebruikers. Hierdoor wordt het gedrag van een collectief van weggebruikers geoptimaliseerd in plaats van elke individuele weggebruiker voor zichzelf. Het onderzoek bij TNO concentreert zich op de volgende onderwerpen: Verbetering van betrouwbaarheid, veiligheid en opschaalbaarheid van draadloze (V2X) communicatie. Ontwikkeling van strategieën om voertuigen effectiever aan het verkeer deel te laten nemen, met name Coöperative-Adaptive Cruise Control (C-ACC) als oplossing. Ontwikkeling van interactie tussen de verschillende stakeholders die samen moeten werken om tot integrale oplossingen te komen. Demonstratie van de effectiviteit van coöperatieve technologie ten behoeve van verbetering van betrouwbaarheid van het verkeer. In de afgelopen vier jaar heeft TNO significant bijgedragen in het versnellen van deze ontwikkelingen. Voorbeelden van resultaten die hierin zijn bereikt: Samen met het Enabling Technology Programma AMSN (Adaptive Multi Sensor Networks) is onderzoek gedaan naar verbetering van de betrouwbaarheid van de draadloze communicatie (package loss), effectiviteit van communicatie tussen voertuig en infrastructuur en strategieën voor verbetering van de robuustheid van de communicatie. Dit heeft geresulteerd in een aantal demonstraties en publicaties van TNO. Daarnaast zijn eerste stappen gemaakt richting oplossingen voor het verbeteren van de (cyber) security van draadloze V2X communicatie. Deze kennis wordt nu toegepast in o.a. A58 project en Europese ITS corridor. Automatische voertuiggeleiding als middel om voertuigen effectiever gebruikt te laten maken van de weg (en tegelijkertijd verkeersveiligheid en brandstofverbruik te verbeteren) is een effectief middel om de betrouwbaarheid van het verkeer te verbeteren. TNO heeft een eigen control concept voor automatisch volgen van voertuigen ontwikkeld en regelmatig gedemonstreerd (o.a. aan Minister van IenM tijdens Innovatie-Estafette 2012). Op dit moment is deze technologie de basis voor het 2-truck platooning dat TNO ontwikkelt met een consortium (zie par ). 63 TNO-rapport / 92 Coöperatieve technologie vereist ook samenwerking (coöperatie) tussen verschillende belanghebbenden (overheid, industrie, weggebruikers, belangengroeperingen). TNO is de founding father van DITCM. In DITCM werken diverse bedrijven, instellingen en overheden samen aan het versnellen van de introductie van coöperatieve oplossingen. Ook is TNO sturend geweest in de 5 November Groep, wat geleid heeft tot de nationale routekaart beter geïnformeerd op weg en de oprichting van Connecting Mobility vanuit de Mobiliteitshoek. Dit heeft geleid tot beter op elkaar afgestemd beleid vanuit zowel de economische als de maatschappelijke mobiliteitskant. Het innovatieprogramma van DITCM appelleert aan beide is daardoor een aantrekkelijk innovatieprogramma voor zowel bedrijven als overheden. Om de maatschappelijke voordelen van coöperatieve technologie te onderbouwen zijn in de afgelopen jaren vele demonstraties georganiseerd (bijvoorbeeld het in het CONTRAST project (Brabant in Car II) samen met DITCM en met andere stakeholders. Dit heeft er onder andere toe bijgedragen dat coöperatieve technologie en automatisering als een middel om de effectiviteit van het verkeer te verbeteren op dit moment een speerpunt is van de Nederlandse overheid. Duurzame aandrijving Op het gebied van duurzame voertuigaandrijving hebben we in de afgelopen periode een verschuiving meegemaakt van aandacht voor luchtkwaliteit richting voertuig efficiency en reductie van broeikasgas emissies. Het TNO programma heeft geanticipeerd op deze verschuiving. Het programma focuste zich in de afgelopen periode op de volgende onderwerpen: Real-World emissies en performance. (Predictive) Energy management van geavanceerde powertrains. Optimalisatie van verkeers- en voertuiggedrag voor gereduceerde emissies en verbruik. Transitie naar toekomstige brandstoffen en energiedragers. Concrete resultaten die zijn bereikt in de voorbije periode zijn: Met de ontwikkeling van een modelgebaseerde integrale control strategie voor motor en uitlaatgasnabehandeling is TNO in staat om voortdurend dit systeem te optimaliseren naar minimaal brandstofverbruik binnen de grenzen van toegestane emissies. Deze optimalisatie kan ook tijdens de inzet (in Real World) worden bereikt. Deze control strategie wordt ondersteund met een softwarematige optimalisatietool (SIMCAT) en een laboratorium waar de Real World performance van de voertuigen kan worden gemeten en geoptimaliseerd (hoogte klimaatkamer). In de afgelopen jaren is deze methodiek, samen met industriële klanten verder ontwikkelt. Dit heeft onder andere ertoe geleid dat de introductie van EuroVI bij vrachtauto s niet ten koste van brandstofverbruik is gegaan. Met de trend van toenemende elektrificeren van de aandrijving en hybride aandrijving die gebruik maakt van batterij opslag, is er een groot potentieel ontstaan voor het optimaliseren van het energieverbruik over een cyclus (rit) door intelligent energiemanagement in het voertuig. Hiervoor kan met gedetailleerde modellen van de componenten in de aandrijving en opslag de vermogensstroom worden geoptimaliseerd naar wat de cyclus vraag. Door te anticiperen op komende energiebehoefte kan dit potentieel nog verder worden benut. In diverse Europese projecten is in de afgelopen periode modelkennis opgebouwd van het gedrag van elektrische componenten en batterijen (state- 64 TNO-rapport / 92 of-health en state-of-charge). Strategieën voor energie management zijn ontwikkeld en toegepast. Uitbreiding naar toepassing van voorspellende informatie wordt nu toegepast in het recent gestarte TKI project. Het verkeersgedrag en de werkelijke cyclus van een voertuig hebben een groot effect op de voertuigemissies en op verbruik. Hierop kan worden geanticipeerd met het energiemanagement in het voertuig, maar het is ook mogelijk om de rit (cyclus) te beïnvloeden met bijvoorbeeld verkeersmanagement en fleetmanagement. In diverse projecten zijn deze mogelijkheden in de voorbije jaren getoetst. Concreet resultaat is onder andere een project met gemeente den Haag waarin het verkeersmanagement in de stad is geoptimaliseerd voor het reduceren van lokale emissies om daarmee de luchtkwaliteit te verbeteren. In de toekomst zal de beschikbaarheid van fossiele brandstoffen meer onder druk komen en zullen prijzen door schaarste oplopen. Ook wordt verwacht dat, vanwege (nieuwe) regelgeving voor het reduceren van broeikasgassen, de druk om CO2 uitstoot zal toenemen. Vanwege beide redenen is er behoefte aan reductie van de inzet van fossiele brandstoffen en vervanging door duurzame alternatieve met lage/geen CO2 uitstoot. In de voorbije periode heeft TNO verkenningen uitgevoerd naar nieuwe energiedragers voor transport en wat de gevolgen van toepassing daarvan zijn voor het transport en het milieu. Op basis van deze kennis heeft TNO een bijdrage kunnen leveren aan het SER energieakkoord en de daarbij behorende brandstofvisie. 5.5 Publiek Private Samenwerking (PPS) en aansluiting bij Topsectoren Topsector HTSM Roadmaps Automotive Het VP AMS is nauw aangesloten bij de Automotive Roadmap binnen HTSM. In 2014 is ruim 6,5 miljoen Euro grondslag gevormd door TNO, vooral in contractonderzoek vanuit de automotive industrie. Tevens is in 2014 een nieuw TKI project gestart met partners VDL bus & coach en Heavac. Ook zijn er drie nieuwe TKI projecten in voorbereiding die beging 2015 zullen starten. 65 TNO-rapport / 92 6 VP Space 6.1 Introduction Space technology and applications plays a crucial and irreplaceable role in the daily life on planet Earth. Navigation, Telecommunication and Earth Observation form the backbone of many integrated applications and services. Scientific satellites offer unparalleled value for astronomy and planetary exploration. The objectives of the VP Space Program were to improve the TNO knowledge base and projected return on investment in the following domains, relevant for Space: Earth Observation Instrumentation Space Science Instrumentation Mission Critical Subsystems Space Data Utilization The purpose of the VP Space is to address topics that are either relevant for current space projects or for future missions. These space projects are often based on new technologies, applied in a challenging environment, resulting in (unique, one-off) instruments with extreme performance requirements. In particular, 1) we want to address risk items before committing to a new project or 2) generate technological breakthroughs that could enable new business. Since our space activities are typically carried out for or together with industry this all is beneficial to the competitive position of the industry. Risk mitigation leads to lower prices, more competitive offers and less budget overrun, while innovative designs might lead to completely new business for the Dutch Space ecosystem. 6.2 Program and results Space Earth Observation Instrumentation Research activities carried out during the past four years were focussed on solving potential show stoppers for the Earth-Observation class of Instruments, where the Netherlands hold a very strong international position, and on generating new instrument concepts, aimed at generating new business for Dutch Space industry. Our activities have been discussed with external Dutch stakeholders including NSO, knowledge institutes like SRON and KNMI, and industry (e.g. Airbus Defence and Space NL, f.k.a. Dutch Space). Furthermore, we aligned our activities with the Earth Observation Roadmap of ESA in order to prepare in an optimum way for future missions. A significant part of the research carried out during the past four years was related to crucial technology required to qualify for the EU/ESA Sentinel-5 mission, where the Netherlands are in a strong position to acquire a significant part of the instrument development, based upon our track record with instruments like SCIAMACHY, OMI and TROPOMI, the latter being the Sentinel-5 precursor. Topics addressed include the development of a new type of diffraction gratings, a new polarisation scrambler and slit homogenizer, the development of an alternative UV1 spectrometer concept, the investigation of novel calibration technology (faster and cheaper, while keeping the quality at the same level), more detailed understanding of diffusers, improved optics manufacturing technology (coatings, dichroics, surface shape and roughness, including freeform optics). These activities were synchronised with the Program for Mission Critical Components. The research carried out in the present VP Program has contributed to an outstanding position for 66 TNO-rapport / 92 Dutch players with respect to the development of Sentinel-5 modules for the prime Airbus Defence and Space (D), where the tender process has just started. Sentinel-5 Polarisation Scrambler. The on-ground calibration of earth observation is a time consuming process; in the VP Program the design, analysis and breadboarding of specific stimuli, such as a Winston cone and a Slit Function Stimulus, has been performed, with the goal to reduce the time of the calibration measurement significantly, without degrading the accuracy of the calibration. For the in-orbit calibration the calibration hardware should be as simple as possible, especially for small (microsat) instruments; the measurements of the earlier earth observation instruments have provided insight in the degradation of the instruments in space, and the minimal set of on-board calibration subsystems to monitor this degradation with sufficient accuracy. In preparation for the BIOMASS mission TNO has designed and tested (e.g., multipaction analysis and test) several critical high-power RF components. Together with the fact that TNO RF modules now have in-space flight heritage, these activities contributed largely to a strong position of the Netherlands in one of the BIOMASS consortia, led by a major prime in the space industry. RF subsystem ready for testing for BIOMASS. Apart from research addressing the issues of the upcoming EU/ESA missions, we have invested in the design and (breadboard) realization of novel earth observation instrument concepts compatible with nano- and microsatellites. In order to assess the scientific feasibility of the small-instrument concepts being developed we have collaborated with e.g. KNMI and SRON. After assessing several concepts, a selection was made of the most promising designs, which are being realised in hardware. Recently using a breadboard TNO has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a new concept for detection of atmospheric trace gases and possibly aerosols, compatible with cubesat geometries. This we think might lead to new 67 TNO-rapport / 92 business and business models for (Dutch) industry in the commercial space market. Another small instrument design was even brought to flight configuration, where the mechanical hardware has been produced using additive manufacturing techniques; optical components will be added shortly.thermal stability still might be a critical issue, to be investigated in the near future. As we have the ambition to develop complete space missions (including payload, platform, operation, and ground segment), a broad analysis of the main mission aspects has been started, together with partners. Monolythic structure for microsat instrument, produced using Additive Manufacturing. Space Science Instrumentation The two main themes for the Space Science lnstruments Program were: Technology for Ground-based astronomy, with focal points in technology development Adaptive Optics and Segmented Mirrors. Technology for ESA s science mission, e.g., SPEX, EUCLID, SPICA-SAFARI with a main focus on the LISA mission. TNO has a good relation and track record with ESO, the leading European groundbased astronomy organization. Existing telescope systems (e.g. ESOs VLT) will be equipped with advanced adaptive optical system for further optimization of the image quality. For ESO s future telescope, named European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), a segmented primary mirror (M1) will be used. Currently the M1 is expected to have a diameter of 39.2 m, composed of 798 hexagonal segments, each having a diameter of 1.4 m. All segments of the M1 mirror must be accurately co-phased to within a few nanometer. This is particularly challenging because of the required performance for different orientations w.r.t. to gravity, under wind loading and mechanical vibration, but also because the actuators must be low cost and suitable for mass production. Several European consortia have been competing, and are still competing, to become the supplier for this M1. During the reporting period TNO has continued to develop improved hardware for the M1 support structures and the related Position Actuators (PACT). State-of-the-art adaptive control algorithms have been developed for PACT and for Deformable Mirrors (adaptive optics). These research endeavours have contributed largely to the fact that at the end of 2014 a consortium of VDL, TNO and NOVA got awarded an ESO contract for the design and production of qualification models for mirror segment support and related auxiliary equipment for the primary mirror of E-ELT. It is our common ambition that this will lead to a follow-up contract to VDL for the production 68 TNO-rapport / 92 of 931 support structures. The same strategy will be used in case of PACT and other E-ELT related topics. Prototype mirror segment, with support structure and actuators for E-ELT. Adaptive optic systems are the key enabling component for modern telescopes: correction of the atmospheric turbulence paves the way for observations with unprecedented resolution. Adaptive mirrors, driven by high speed control systems, deform their reflecting surface with many actuators to correct the deformed wavefront of the star light. TNO has focused on the mirror development and the design and optimisation of control strategies; recently adaptive optics is planned to be applied in space instruments, as well as for medical and industrial applications. For ESA instrumentation for the LISA and EUCLID mission were investigated. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a joint NASA ESA project to develop and operate a space-based gravitational-wave detector sensitive between 3x10-5 and 0.1 Hz. For LISA we worked on the In Field Pointing mechanism (IFP) to replace the initial Optical Assembly Tracking Mechanism (OATM). A significant performance improvement has been achieved, meeting the performance requirements. The IFP has been shipped to Astrium (now Airbus Defence and Space) for integration in the overall IFP breadboard. The thermal stability of the LISA telescope assembly has been measured with extreme accuracy. This has led to fine-tuning and improvement (by Airbus) of the mechanical configuration and a follow on project for the CHEOPS project. As for many VP Space topics, the LISA project results have been published, with co-authors from our partners, and presented at a Space conference. For Euclid we worked on the fine guidance sensor (FGS). Space Mission Critical Components In the period this program has been focused on three application fields: Components for Earth Observation, both optical and radar based. A typical example is the design of a new type of profile and manufacturing technology for diffraction gratings; the resulting gratings provide the optimum efficiency and extremely low level of straylight. These are the main performance parameters of gratings for high-end applications. The unique characteristics have been 69 TNO-rapport / 92 patented. Similar developments have been performed for optical coatings and diffusers. The requirements on the scattering characteristics and residual spectral effects of diffusers get more strict for every new earth observation instrument. Detailed modelling, analysis and supporting measurements on different types of diffusers have been performed to increase the level of knowledge for future diffuser application; furthermore the accuracy of manufacturing of the diffusers has to be improved continuously. For radar missions, components required for SAR (synthetic aperture radar) have been developed. This is for instance relevant for the SSBV project on PanelSAR. Igniter components and technology: development and test of new (green) igniter materials; a patent is pending. Structures: high stability structures for satellite communication systems, and additive manufacturing of structures. allowing lighter structures with improved functionality and mechanical properties like stiffness This has implications for the manufacturing of nano- and microsatellites and has direct relevance for the manufacturing industry. Space Data Utilization Satellites enable us to remotely collect a large variety of spatial information on a global scale, with high resolution and repeatability. Thus, Earth Observation offers unique possibilities to monitor changes in many different dynamic processes, for instance the weather, deforestation, emissions at sea, the decline of dams and dykes, or the size of floods. In addition, satellites play an important role in monitoring climate change and air quality. TNO Space mainly uses satellite data in combination with computer models and ground based measurements to develop customized end user applications. To support this expertise our SMO program focused on the following areas: 1) Air quality monitoring, 2) Dust impact assessment, 3) Enabling optimal instrument design, 4) Subsidence monitoring and 5) Safety & Security. Air quality monitoring In the field of Air Quality we have been able to acquire a relevant position in the MACC program of the EU (MACC = Monitoring Atmospheric Composition & Climate). TNO provides the emission database for MACC and TNO s chemistry transport model LOTOS-EUROS is one of the main regional models that is used for air quality forecasting. In 2015 MACC will turn into the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) and TNO is well positioned to play a relevant role here. We have the ambition to apply our expertise in monitoring and forecasting air pollution to markets outside Europe as well. Via the SMO program LOTOS-EUROS can now be used in several other areas across the globe. For instance, the model is currently used in the ambitious EU project Marco Polo to improve air quality monitoring in China using satellite data. And during the recent 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil we used LOTOS-EUROS to provide a 4-day forecast for the Rio de Janeiro and Sao-Paolo area of the surface concentrations of ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. 70 TNO-rapport / 92 Website display of the forecasts of today and upcoming surface concentrations at 15:00 (BRT) over South East Brazil. Dust impact assessment Dust and sand storms effect safety, human health, local economy and the environment in many ways. Dust storms are important phenomena over large tracts of the arid and semi-arid regions, e.g. Sahara, the Middle East and Asian deserts. As the processes involved are complex and strongly dependent on wind speeds, the modelling of dust is a challenge. Together with SRON we have used remote sensing data to investigate dust phenomena and improve the LOTOS-EUROS model. Better information on the formation and intensity of dust and sand storms is will allow us to better predict or mitigate the negative effects of these storms, e.g. in the oil & gas industry. Enabling optimal instrument design A special product to be mentioned here is the so-called Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE), where we collaborate with KNMI. An OSSE is a powerful tool to quantify the actual impact of future satellite observations and to ensure that the performance of these satellites is optimally tuned to the intended user community, before the satellite is actually built. Thus, OSSE s provide a powerful link between TNO s upstream and downstream activities. In the SMO program we have shown the potential of an OSSE by investigating the added value of different small satellite instruments designs (measuring NO 2 concentration) in comparison to the much larger Sentinel 5 precursor (TROPOMI). Subsidence monitoring Reliable information on actual and future subsidence is of prime importance in many different areas, e.g. the management of infrastructure, the assessment of flood risk, the production of oil & gas, water management, urban planning etc. TNO has coordinated the EU project SubCoast, which aimed at developing the Copernicus downstream service - based on satellite data, in-situ measurements and geoscientific models - for assessing and monitoring subsidence hazards in coastal lowland areas around Europe. Coastal lowland areas are widely recognized as highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly sea-level rise and 71 TNO-rapport / 92 changes in run-off, as well as being subject to stresses imposed by human modification of catchment and delta plain land use. The results of SubCoast have facilitated the birth of the Netherlands Subsidence Information Service, initiated by the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure and the Environment, the kick-off of which will take place on 25 February Safety & Security The main goal of this part of the SMO program was to improve the capabilities of European Coast Guards regarding Maritime Situation Awareness. TNO participated in two EU projects, DOLPHIN and NEREIDS, in which we developed software tools to a) recognize vessels using satellite images, b) predict their tracks based on navigational charts and environmental elements (persistent surveillance) and c) detect dangerous and/or deviating behaviour. These software tools have been successfully demonstrated with regard to traffic safety scenario s in the North Sea and the English Channel, and with regard to border control in West Africa and the Mediterranean. 6.3 Public Private Partnership (PPP) and connection with Topsector TKI Innovatieve Stuwstof Productie Technieken TKI project This TKI project is funded within the Topsector High-Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM) and is defined with a partner company to support the project and steer by on the direction of innovation. Project summary In this project three different work packages are defined on new production technologies for energetic materials, in particular propellants for space application. These three work packages WP1: Propellant mixing by means of acoustic waves, WP2: Propellant production by means of extrusion and WP3: Propellant production by means of Additive Manufacturing (AM). As an example, a result from WP3 is shown in which the AM technology Stereo Lithography (SL) was used to produce RDX based propellant. 72 TNO-rapport / 92 The solid load of the example is 50% by weight. The next step is to replace part of the RDX by Ammonium Nitrate as oxidizer to generate a propellant. Public Private Partnership The TKI project was initiated and executed in close cooperation with Safran Aerospace Propulsion Products (Consortium Agreement TNO-060-EH ). TKI project TKI UV1 ( nm) channel optics improvement For the Sentinel-5 mission a detailed (preliminary) requirements analysis was performed resulting in the identification of the following items for which more stringent requirements are expected compared to what has been realized before: telescope mirrors, polarization scrambler geometry, AR coatings for the polarization scrambler, UV2VIS graded coating, slit homogenizer coatings (UV1 & UV2VIS/NIR), dichroics, alternative UV1 channel design. For these items a plan is established to mitigate the risk for upcoming joint proposal activities, with Airbus D&S Netherlands, so that a competitive offer can be prepared with acceptable risk. Pre-development proposals to Airbus D&S Germany have been prepared for polarization scrambler manufacturing, UV2VIS graded coating and AR coatings for the polarization scrambler; these project have recently been awarded. For the UV1 spectrometer an alternative design has been prepared/analyzed with less optical components compared to the design prepared in the frame of the Sentinel-5 phase A/B1 study. Due to fewer optical components, the straylight performance is expected to be better. The results of the TKI project lead to pre-development projects, while significantly strengthening the position of Airbus D&S NL and TNO to prepare winning proposals for the best practice procurement items for the instrument, specifically the UV1 spectrometer and the telescope assembly including the polarization scrambler. 73 TNO-rapport / 92 7 VP Security 7.1 Inleiding De Roadmap Security voor de Topsector High-Tech Systems and Materials wordt gedragen door een breed consortium van bedrijven, overheden, TNO, NLR en STW/NWO (zie Onder regie van het roadmapteam Security is het plan 2014 voor TNO Vraaggestuurd Onderzoeksprogramma Security opgesteld en in uitvoering genomen. Daarbij gaat het tegelijkertijd om het realiseren van impact op de toekomstige veiligheidssituatie in Nederland, het versterken van het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven en het uitbouwen van de kennisbasis bij TNO: de Gouden driehoek. Dit rapport biedt voor het TNO management, het roadmapteam Security van de Topsector HTSM en het voor de Topsectoren regievoerend departement Economische Zaken inzicht in de voortgang in Uitvoering 2014 Het VP Security zet in op de technologische uitdagingen die te maken hebben met bedreiging van de veiligheid van onze samenleving. We kijken zowel naar oplossingen die bijdragen aan het voorkomen dan wel beheersen van geweld door opzettelijk handelen, als ook naar oplossingen die de schadelijke effecten van incidenten (crises, rampen) beperken, binnen de domeinen van de volgende vier deelroadmaps (zie 1. System of systems: voor een geïntegreerde aanpak van de uitdagingen op het gebied van openbare orde, veiligheid en beveiliging is ontwikkeling van concepten voor een systeem van systemen essentieel. Hierbij zijn alle stakeholders betrokken. 2. Cyber security: de steeds grotere invloed van ICT op de samenleving vergroot ook het belang van cyberresilience en de bestrijding van cybercrime. De groeiende ketenafhankelijkheid van onderlinge verbonden ICT-systemen vereist nieuwe concepten. 3. Sensoren: voor effectieve beveiliging zijn waarnemingen en informatie cruciaal. Er zijn twee invalshoeken: a. Actieve sensoren (radars) verder verfijnen en daarmee intelligentere systemen vormen. Nederland heeft hier een excellente positie op het gebied van R&D, en een leidende marktpositie op de toegankelijke wereldmarkt. b. Passieve sensoren leveren steeds meer data. Dat vereist nieuwe concepten voor data processing en het filteren van irrelevante data. Er zijn veelbelovende ontwikkelingen op het gebied van intelligente sensoren en zelflerende systemen. 7.3 Resultaten 2014 De belangrijkste resultaten in 2014 voor de vier deelroadmaps binnen het programma zijn: Deelroadmap Systems-of-systems In 2014 is de kennisontwikkeling voor de deelroadmap Systems-of-systems verder geconcretiseerd in een drietal consortia waarin de driehoek Overheid-Bedrijfsleven- Kennisinstellingen van operationele veiligheidsorganisaties, minstens één 74 TNO-rapport / 92 toeleverend bedrijf en TNO. In al deze initiatieven is versterking van de Real Time Intelligence de rode draad. Dit was mede aanleiding tot de ontwikkeling van een basisstructuur voor optimaal real time intelligence met een lange en een korte loop (zie figuur 1). Figuur 1. Het ontsluiten voor de operationele OOV-processen van intelligence opgedaan in de lange intelligence-loop is een belangrijke uitdaging voor Real-Time-Intelligence. Figuur 2. Artist impression van het Real Time Intelligence-lab waar geëxperimenteerd kan worden met nieuwe concepten, producten of werkwijzen met het oog op Real Time Intelligence. In discussie met de meerdere vertegenwoordigers van de politie en met marktpartijen is onderzocht hoe Real Time Intelligence verder versterkt zou kunnen worden. Daarbij bleek er een substantieel draagvlak voor het opzetten van een thematisch samenwerkingsverband en een experimenteeromgeving voor Real Time Intelligence. Samen met de politie, The Hague Security Delta en de Landelijke Meldkamer Organisatie (LMO) is een coalition of the willing gevormd en een visie ontwikkeld op de beste verschijningsvorm van zo n Real Time Intelligence Lab. Deelroadmap Cybersecurity Voor de deelroadmap Security is de ontwikkeling van tools voor cyber risk management van individuele bedrijven doorgezet. Mede door de samenwerking met universitaire groepen is een kennisbasis gerealiseerd, die nu verder doorontwikkeld wordt in een samenwerking met een leverancier voor risicomanagement tooling en een dienstverleners op dit gebied. Ook de Taskforce Bestuur en Informatieveiligheid Dienstverlening was hierbij betrokken, terwijl de 75 TNO-rapport / 92 ontwikkeling naar toepassing nu wordt doorgezet in het Centrum voor Informatiebeveiliging en Privacybescherming (www.cip-overheid.nl/). Figuur 3. Model Van Aanvaller tot Business Impact, dat doorontwikkeld is naar een cyber risk management tool voor individuele bedrijven. Na de opening van het CyberSecurityLab bij TNO en het HSD Cyberlab heeft het bedrijfsleven veel aandacht aan deze strategie gegeven, maar het animo om gezamenlijk innovatief onderzoek te verrichten is nog gering. De belangrijkste oorzaak is het uitblijven van voldoende marktkansen voor dit onderwerp, behoudens hele specifieke onderwerpen. De tijdshorizon waarbinnen SOC's met elkaar informatie uit zullen gaan wisselen blijkt te lang voor commerciële partijen om een investering in innovatie te doen. Bovendien is er slechts beperkte voortgang met de implementatie van de visie van de Rijksoverheid (sectorale SOC's die uiteindelijk intersectoraal informatie uitwisselen). In dit kader is het onderzoek echter gezien het lange-termijn belang wel voortgezet. De resultaten zijn gedeeld met de Rijks Beveiligingsautoriteit (Rijks-BVA) en verscheidene marktpartijen: IBM, HP, Dell, DataExpert, FireEye, Cyber Spear en vele andere kleinere spelers. Inmiddels hebben enkele van deze partijen een investering gedaan in de vorm van een bijdrage aan het CyberSecurityLab, is specifieke samenwerking ontstaan met een drietal bedrijven en is een concreet project gestart op basis van de stimuleringsregeling van The Hague Security Delta (Threadstone). Klaarblijkelijk zijn marktpartijen dus wel bereid om te investeren indien de visie concreter wordt geformuleerd en de behoefte aan (nieuwe) sensoren en de marktkansen concreter worden. Deelroadmap Passieve Sensoren In 2014 is het gelukt om door de vertaling van gedragsanalyse in de software van cameratoezicht automatisch zakkenrollerij te midden van normaal winkelend publiek te detecteren (Automatic detection of suspicious behavior of pickpockets with track-based features in a shopping mall., 2014). Dit is een grote mijlpaal voor het project Passieve Sensoren, en heeft bewondering geoogst bij de betreffende wetenschappelijke community, in de media, bij eindgebruikers en bij de industrie. Daarnaast zijn de mogelijkheden verkend van het toepassen van video content analyse op beelden van een bodycam. Het detecteren van mensen met sensoren op een bewegend platform blijkt goed te werken, waardoor er direct al perspectief is op concrete toepassingen. Wel is een veel nauwkeuriger continue bepaling van locatie en oriëntatie van de bodycam nodig. Mede naar aanleiding van een challenge met de nationale politie zal in 2015 een door de praktijk gestaafde toekomstvisie op het gebruik van zogenaamde wearables worden ontwikkeld. 76 TNO-rapport / 92 Figuur 4. Beeld van een bodycam waar in automatisch gezocht kan worden naar vooraf gedefinieerde objecten of gedragingen. De markt waarop de technologie van Passieve Sensoren gevaloriseerd wordt, is Europees. Daarom is onderzocht hoe de nationale behoeften op dit gebied kunnen worden afgestemd met het Europese aanbod (belang NL overheid) en hoe kunnen we het Nederlandse aanbod op gepaste wijze onder de aandacht helpen brengen in het buitenland? In het verlengde van TNO s rol in de ERNCIP thematic group on video analytics & surveillance (https://erncip-project.jrc.ec.europa.eu/networks/tgs/video) wordt in 2015 initiatief genomen voor een demonstratieproject met een testbed voor validatie en harmonisatie van surveillance concepten en technologie daarvoor. De huidige portefeuille aan EU projecten en de stijgende omvang van de R&Dactiviteiten op dit gebied rechtvaardigen een vergelijkbaar initiatief als er voor crisismanagement is ontwikkeld. Vision and roadmap urban lighting Eindhoven 2030 Research Results July 2012 Produced by LightHouse for and in partnership with the city of Eindhoven as part of the Interreg IVC PLUS project prof.dr.ir. MANAGEMENT OF CLOUD SOURCED APPLICATIONS A MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK Master Thesis Information Management Anne Slaa 2011 Capgemini. All rights reserved. MANAGEMENT OF CLOUD SOURCED APPLICATIONS Thesis Master Improving customer satisfaction in infrastructure outsourcing Influencing the different handshakes to increase customer satisfaction This is the Master thesis Part-time MSc General Management of Authors: Design and implementation of a time-optimal controller for model race cars Robin Verschueren Thesis voorgedragen tot het behalen van de graad van Master of Science in de ingenieurswetenschappen: wiskundige Selection of Research Data Guidelines for appraising and selecting research data Heiko Tjalsma Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) Jeroen Rombouts 3TU.Datacentrum DANS Studies in Digital Archiving The heritage of World War II in the Netherlands The development of new criteria to value the traces of World War II in the Netherlands L. Elemans (s1187759) Figure 1: The ladder, symbol for comfort and Olav Lowinsky Hand in date: 15-10-2013 Marketing Event ROI Why would or would ROI not be measured? Studies among ROI eperts and Dutch Marketing Event Agencies Marketing Event ROI Why would or would ROI KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN FACULTEIT GENEESKUNDE Departement Maatschappelijke Gezondheidszorg Instituut voor Familiale en Seksuologische Wetenschappen DEVIANT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN DEMENTIA Masterproef 1 Word skipping in reading: On the interplay of linguistic and visual factors. Denis Drieghe¹, Marc Brysbaert², Timothy Desmet¹, and Constantijn De Baecke¹ ¹ Ghent University, Belgium ² Royal Halloway, Energie-efficiënt bouwen onder Europese vlag SESAC demonstratieproject in Delft Energy-efficient building under the flag of Europe SESAC demonstration project in Delft Energie-efficiënt bouwen onder Europese Leuven STATistics STATe of the Art Training Initiative 2013-2014 Course timetable 2013-2014 DATE TITLE PRESENTERS LEVEL AND MORE LANGUAGE ON PAGE September 2013 30 September, Essential Tools for R Anna V.U. Hans Bracquené Jaargang 17 Bondgenotenlaan 93/5 Nummer 3 3000 Leuven december 2012 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org website: www.vrind.be N I E U W S B R I E F 1 ON Semiconductor Joins imec s GaN-on-Si Research TITEL TOOLS EN DIENSTEN VOOR LEARNING ANALYTICS 2 Tools en diensten voor learning analytics VOORWOORD In deze brochure vindt u informatie over enkele tools en diensten voor learning analytics. De toolbeschrijvingen 1 2 7 5 Applied Research 1 2 3 4 5 Geef aan in hoeverre de competenties verwerkt/ gedekt is in de module. 1. minimaal - 5. maximaal competentie Research proposal, management summary. Will be anounced on Dissemination of DOiT Femke van Nassau Inspired by Theo Paulussen Not everybody likes to cook. Those who like to cook, do not always use a recipe book. When using a recipe book, most people don t stick ENERGY TRANSITION We need to accelerate sustainability The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that by 2020, the global population will consume some 15,025 Mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent) Non-Fictie - 000 2015-12-1733 Wright, Alex Cataloging the world Cataloging the world : Paul Otlet and the birth of the information age / Alex Wright. New York : Oxford University Press, . - 350 pagina's MAGAZINE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT NETWORK ISSN: 2211-6486 IN DIT NUMMER O.A.: Remote debugging naar een Azure VM < Decrease dataflows between systems with CDC < SQL Server In-Memory OLTP < SCRUM is meer dan The Making of... the city marketing of Amsterdam Het ontstaan van de city marketing van Amsterdam I amsterdam Het ontstaan van de city marketing van Amsterdam 1 Inhoudsopgave contents Voorwoord Foreword ITIL Nederlandse begrippenlijst v2.0, 31 januari 2013 gebaseerd op de English glossary v1.0, 29 juli 2011 ITIL begrippenlijst en afkortingen Nederlands Deze begrippenlijst mag gratis gedownload worden. Voorbereidend document vergaderingen werkgroep Beschikbaarheid van adequate behandeling en beschikbaarheid van kennis/educatie 14 en 23 november 2011 De Stuurgroep Weesgeneesmiddelen wil samen met andere

“[The] notion of outwitting nature literally splits our mind-brain system because it poses one half of the brain as the enemy of the other half and turns what should be a splendid synergy into warring camps. Would a 3-billion-year experiment in genetic coding really have produced as its finest product a brain whose only purpose is to outwit itself? Yet, we believe, apparently with a tenacious passion, that the purpose of human intelligence is to predict and dominate the infinitely contingent and interacting balances of a universal system. We call our supposed successes in this venture progress…” —Joseph Chilton Pearce, Magical Child So is there an alternative to culture, socialization, and mimesis? The answer may be right in front of us, but it may be so obvious that we fail to notice it. First of all, let’s take a look at what culture is. Of seven meanings attributed to the word “culture,” there is one that stands out from the others (emphasized). 1. a particular society at a particular time and place 2. the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group 3. all the knowledge and values shared by a society 4. (biology) the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar) 5. a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality 6. the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization 7. the raising of plants or animals In his groundbreaking 1977 book, Magical Child (pg. 49), Joseph Chilton Pearce cites studies that showed how “so-called random movements immediately co-ordinated with speech when speech was used around the infants.” These and subsequent studies further revealed that “each infant had a complete and individual repertoire of body movements that synchronized with speech: that is, that each had a specific muscular response to each and every part of his culture’s speech pattern” (my emphasis). By adulthood, Pearce notes, “the movements have become microkinetic, discernible only by instrumentation, but nevertheless clearly detectable and invariant. The only exception found was in autistic children, who exhibited no such body-speech patterning.” If Pearce’s summation is accurate, then the idea that culture is a kind of learned social language may be more than just a figure of speech. Culture may literally be language, and vice versa, and spoken language may be a kind of “delivery device” for culture. Similar to how an operating system runs a computer (via code) or a virus adopts a host, does culture “install” itself in the human organism through language? This idea is not especially new. It has been around in philosophical circles, and more recently science-fiction ones, since the early days of both, and is perhaps most famously depicted by the movie, The Matrix. But if, outside of philosophical and fictional speculations, there is a solid biological basis for the idea, then the notion of culture as a kind of biological invader becomes more compelling.* * If this were so, we might expect deaf, as well as autistic, children to be (at least somewhat) immune to culture. Deaf people do tend to have their own subculture, while autistic children are often mistaken for deaf ones (and vice versa) in early diagnoses. The immunity would only be partial, however, since sign language is the means to socialize children and, as in Pearce’s description, entails body movements matching specific “sounds” (words). In the research report, “Representing Inner Worlds: Theory of Mind in Autistic, Deaf, and Normal Hearing Children,” similar results are obtained from autistic and deaf children. “These results point to an interplay among biology, conversation and culture in the development of a theory of mind.” http://www.psy.cmu.edu/~rakison/tom.pdf

: [Gen V] View Single Post May 29th, 2011 (6:08 AM). Originally Posted by I don't like Flash Cannon on Magnezone. The Magnezone I used to run had an Airballoon and had Magnet Rise over Flash Cannon. This allowed my Magnezone to eliminate opposing Excadrill. I also used a slightly different spread for my Magnezone and gave him Modest nature. Magenato (Magnezone) @ Air Balloon Trait: Magnet Pull EVs: 56 HP / 255 SAtk / 196 Spd Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk) - Hidden Power [Fire] - Magnet Rise You could definitely do with another Physical Sweeper on the team. Dunno what though. I saw a similar set on Smogon and this pic came with the set. XD On-topic, I would definitely recommend putting in hazards into this team, because things like Nidoking and Thundy are gonna be counting on them to hit some important KOs. There's a lot to choose from, but I would recommend standard Spikes (or SR) Skarm due to its synergy with Chansey. Well, good luck with this! do not know what they are Joined May 2011 View Public Profile Send a private message to Conjurer Find all posts by Conjurer Find threads started by Conjurer Ignore Posts by Conjurer

We’ve been waiting for the latest member of the N Charlotte Toyota Prius family to arrive, and it’s finally here – the 2013 Toyota Prius c! If you want a hybrid option that still retains super-sporty style and a ton of cool features, you’ve found it. This member of the family is renowned for its more compact design, but it still offers the incredible fuel efficiency for which the rest of the family is known. Your wallet will thank you when you start reaping the benefits of 53 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway! What’s new on the 2013 Toyota Prius c near Charlotte? Not too many changes were made for the new model year (Toyota can recognize when they’ve got a good thing going). You’ll find the same unique style, featuring elements and options such as: - Integrated fog lights - A color-keyed rear spoiler to add the sport factor - A compact hatchback design available in eye-catching colors like Moonglow, Summer Rain, Blue Streak, and Habanero - A power moonroof with a sliding sunshade - A SofTex trimmed interior, which is a plush leather-like material that’s more environmentally friendly and also easier to maintain - A SofTex trimmed steering wheel that also boasts audio and climate controls! Find incredible new technology on this hybrid Toyota! All of the siblings of the N Charlotte Toyota Prius family also boast incredible technological features and options, and the new Toyota Prius c is no exception. Expect to be able to take advantage of elements like: - A display audio system with a 6 inch screen, Bluetooth capabilities, iPod connectivity, and the option of Sirius XM Satellite Radio – your music selection will expand exponentially! - The Smart Key System, which allows for an easy-to-use push button start - Navigation services and Toyota’s Entune, which is a series of multimedia applications that allow you to do everything from make a dinner reservation to check the score on the game - An automatic climate control system - Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology – this incredible hybrid technology allows for the renowned fuel efficiency found in the Toyota Prius c near Charlotte. It also cuts down tremendously on smog-forming emissions. Get the choices you need at Toyota of N Charlotte! And more! You’ll also have more options than you know what to do with when you choose the 2013 Toyota Prius c in N Charlotte. This innovative hybrid is available in four models – One, Two, Three, and Four – and you’ll also be able to choose special packages to go along with it! Find added flash in the Alloy Wheel Package, which promises a power moonroof, 16 inch alloy wheels, and other incredible features! Best of all, this member of the family is not only the most compact (but can still seat up to five, making it a great option for urban-based drivers), it’s also the most affordable. You’ll find it at our N Charlotte Toyota dealership starting out at just $19,080… and that’s not counting our amazing new Toyota specials! Come see for yourself that efficiency and sporty style CAN go hand in hand – schedule your test drive at (888) 883-3797. We look forward to getting you behind the wheel of this remarkable new hybrid!

Ascena Retail Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ASNA) reported its fiscal fourth-quarter financial results after the markets closed on Monday. This has been a tough fiscal year for Ascena, with significant store traffic headwinds and a competitive selling environment. Overall the stock is down over 17% year to date, while over the past weeks it is down nearly 40%. For the quarter, the company said that it had $0.08 in earnings per share (EPS) on $1.81 billion in revenue, versus consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters that called for $0.16 in EPS on revenue on $1.77 billion. In the same period of last year, Ascena posted EPS of $0.06 and $1.17 billion in revenue. In terms of the outlook for the coming fiscal year, Ascena expects to have EPS in the range of $0.60 to $0.65 and total company sales unchanged from this year, while comparable sales are expected to slip 1% to 2%. Consensus estimates call for $0.83 in EPS on $7.17 billion in revenue for fiscal 2017. On the books, Ascena’s cash and cash equivalents totaled $372 million, with roughly $199 million being held outside the United States. At the end of the previous fiscal year, cash and cash equivalents totaled $241 million. David Jaffe, president and CEO of Ascena, commented: Aside from the challenging business trend we’ve seen, I’d like to highlight progress in four key areas of our business that I believe lay the foundation for stronger future performance. First, we were pleased by the Justice turnaround. The Justice team delivered full-year operating margin in the middle of the guidance range we provided last September. Second, our integration of ANN continues to progress well, and we remain ahead of plan with our synergy and cost savings workstreams. Third, the new ascena omni-channel platform went live at Justice in the fourth quarter, and the early reads on demand growth have significantly exceeded our expectations. And finally, we continue to make progress with our enterprise transformation work, and we are currently moving forward to address identified opportunities. Shares of Ascena closed Monday up nearly 2% at $8.12, with a consensus analyst price target of $11.67 and a 52-week trading range of $6.33 to $14.76. Following the release of the earnings report, the stock was down about 25% at $6.13 in early trading indications Tuesday.

Friday, October 29, 2010 Dayang gained 20 sen to close at RM2.59 today.The sharp rally saw the stock breaking above its horizontal resistance at RM2.40 as well as the line connecting three prior peaks. See the daily & weekly chart below. Chart 1: Dayang's daily chart as at Oct 29, 2010 (Source: Quickcharts) Chart 2: Dayang's weekly chart as at Oct 29, 2010 (Source: Quickcharts) Dayang is an oil & gas service provider. For 1H2010 ended 30/6/2010, Dayang recorded a net profit of RM27.4 million on a turnover of RM99.5 million (go here). Its EPS for that period was 7.79 sen- giving the company an annualized EPS of 15.58 sen. At RM2.59, Dayang is trading at a current PE of 16.6 times. At this multiple, Dayang is deemed overvalued. The market is obviously anticipating some very positive development for this stock in order to justify the current market price. Dayang has a very healthy financial position. As at 30/6/2010, its current ratio was at 3.3 times while its borrowings to equity stood at 0.3 time only. Based on bullish technical outlook, Dayang could be a trading BUY. However, Dayang has rallied quite substantially today & one may be better served by buying on a pullback. Table: HPI's last 8 quarterly results Chart 1: HPI's last 24 quarterly results This morning, HPI has broken above its horizontal resistance at RM2.00. With this breakout, the stock is likely to continue with its prior uptrend. Its potential target is RM2.20-2.30. Chart 2: HPI's daily chart as at Oct 29, 2010_9.10am (Source: Quickcharts) Based on improved financial performance & technical breakout, HPI could be a trading BUY. Thursday, October 28, 2010 Chart: MEGB's daily chart as at Oct 28, 2010_4.40pm (Source: Quickcharts) Why is this stock dropping? Could it be due to mundane reasons such as delay in opening of some of its planned campuses? CIMB has recently issued a BUY call on this stock, valuing it at RM4.62 (here). I have my skepticism for this stock (here) but I am still puzzled by its poor share performance since its listing. Chart 1: Kuchai's daily chart as at Oct 28, 2010_11.45am (Source: Tradesignum) Those who have been in the stock market long enough would recall that Kuchai had a massive bonus issue in 2006 (here). For every one share owned, Kuchai's shareholder received 45 bonus shares. As the stock approached the entitlement date, Kuchai share price launched into a near vertical parabolic rise. It touched an adjusted high of RM4.704 (or, unadjusted high of RM216.50). Such sharp rallies are like reverse bungee jumps- it is bound to drop back to the ground. Is it about to do something similar. Let's wait & see. Meanwhile for those holding this stock, you should take note that the immediate strong horizontal resistance is at RM1.30-1.35. Success in taking out this resistance will get you a ticket to ride on a reverse bungee. Enjoy your ride! Chart 2: Kuchai's weekly chart as at Oct 28, 2010_11.45am (Source: Tradesignum) Note: Malaysia Finance has a write-up on this stock (here). Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Yesterday, it went to an intra-day high of RM6.15 but closed at RM6.09- just shy off the upside breakout level of RM6.10. This morning, Kseng again went above the RM6.10 breakout level- going as high as RM6.14 before pulling back to the present price of RM6.09 (as at 10.40am). KSeng's yesterday move was on big volume but the volume has dwindled substantially. Chart 1: KSeng's weekly chart as at Oct 26, 2010 (Source: Quickcharts) If KSeng can break above the RM6.10 level, it could rally significantly in a technical 'blue sky' scenario (see Chart 2). KSeng's share price could potentially go as high as RM10.00-20.00. This target is arrived at by adding the trading range (A) to the breakout point (RM6.10). If we based on a logarithmic chart, the target price could be about RM15.00-20.00 (such as the one below). If we used a linear chart, the target price is about RM9.70-10.00. Chart 2: KSeng's monthly chart as at Oct 1, 2010 (Source: Tradesignum) This is an anticipatory trading BUY call. KSEng has yet to surpass the upside breakout level of RM6.10 convincingly. As such, the stock is not a trading BUY yet. Tuesday, October 26, 2010 I’ve come across an article by Chip Anderson in Chartwatchers (here), which addressed some of the questions that beginners may ask when they start out on their journey to learn about technical analysis. The topic is fairly wide & one may have to spend a few years to learn in-depth about this subject in order to be a professional, either a Certified Technical Analyst or a Chartered Market Technician. If you just want to have a good working knowledge of technical analysis, then all you need is a good book on technical analysis (such as John Murphy’s Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets) and a good charting program (such as Metastocks). I do not hold a professional qualification in technical analysis. My knowledge of the subject comes from continuous learning & daily observation of charts & the market. I use my technical knowledge- alone or complemented with fundamental analysis- in order to pick stocks that would give outstanding performance as well as determining the likely direction of the broader market. I have listed below John Murphy’s Ten Laws of Technical Analysis, which I hope would help you to decide whether you would like to learn more about this important topic. In my opinion, technical analysis would improve your investment performance significantly if it is learned properly & applied correctly. Study long-term charts. Begin a chart analysis with monthly and weekly charts spanning several years. A larger scale map of the market provides more visibility and a better long-term perspective on a market. Once the long-term has been established, then consult daily and intra-day charts. A short-term market view alone can often be deceptive. Even if you only trade the very short term, you will do better if you're trading in the same direction as the intermediate and longer term trends. Determine the trend and follow it. Market trends come in many sizes – long-term, intermediate-term and short-term. First, determine which one you're going to trade and use the appropriate chart. Make sure you trade in the direction of that trend. Buy dips if the trend is up. Sell rallies if the trend is down. If you're trading the intermediate trend, use daily and weekly charts. If you're day trading, use daily and intra-day charts. But in each case, let the longer range chart determine the trend, and then use the shorter term chart for timing. Find support and resistance levels. The best place to buy a market is near support levels. That support is usually a previous reaction low. The best place to sell a market is near resistance levels. Resistance is usually a previous peak. After a resistance peak has been broken, it will usually provide support on subsequent pullbacks. In other words, the old "high" becomes the new low. In the same way, when a support level has been broken, it will usually produce selling on subsequent rallies – the old "low" can become the new "high." Measure percentage retracements. Market corrections up or down usually retrace a significant portion of the previous trend. You can measure the corrections in an existing trend in simple percentages. A fifty percent retracement of a prior trend is most common. A minimum retracement is usually one-third of the prior trend. The maximum retracement is usually two-thirds. Fibonacci retracements of 38% and 62% are also worth watching. During a pullback in an uptrend, therefore, initial buy points are in the 33-38% retracement area. Draw trend lines. Trend lines are one of the simplest and most effective charting tools. All you need is a straight edge and two points on the chart. Up trend lines are drawn along two successive lows. Down trend lines are drawn along two successive peaks. Prices will often pull back to trend lines before resuming their trend. The breaking of trend lines usually signals a change in trend. A valid trend line should be touched at least three times. The longer a trend line has been in effect, and the more times it has been tested, the more important it becomes. Follow moving averages. Moving averages provide objective buy and sell signals. They tell you if existing trend is still in motion and help confirm a trend change. Moving averages do not tell you in advance, however, that a trend change is imminent. A combination chart of two moving averages is the most popular way of finding trading signals. Some popular futures combinations are 4- and 9-day moving averages, 9- and 18-day, 5- and 20-day. Signals are given when the shorter average line crosses the longer. Price crossings above and below a 40-day moving average also provide good trading signals. Since moving average chart lines are trend-following indicators, they work best in a trending market. Track oscillators. Oscillators help identify overbought and oversold markets. While moving averages offer confirmation of a market trend change, oscillators often help warn us in advance that a market has rallied or fallen too far and will soon turn. Two of the most popular are the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Stochastics. They both work on a scale of 0 to 100. With the RSI, readings over 70 are overbought while readings below 30 are oversold. The overbought and oversold values for Stochastics are 80 and 20. Most traders use 14-days or weeks for stochastics and either 9 or 14 days or weeks for RSI. Oscillator divergences often warn of market turns. These tools work best in a trading market range. Weekly signals can be used as filters on daily signals. Daily signals can be used as filters for intra-day charts. Trade MACD. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator (developed by Gerald Appel) combines a moving average crossover system with the overbought/oversold elements of an oscillator. A buy signal occurs when the faster line crosses above the slower and both lines are below zero. A sell signal takes place when the faster line crosses below the slower from above the zero line. Weekly signals take precedence over daily signals. An MACD histogram plots the difference between the two lines and gives even earlier warnings of trend changes. It's called a "histogram" because vertical bars are used to show the difference between the two lines on the chart. Use ADX. The Average Directional Movement Index (ADX) line helps determine whether a market is in a trending or a trading phase. It measures the degree of trend or direction in the market. A rising ADX line suggests the presence of a strong trend. A falling ADX line suggests the presence of a trading market and the absence of a trend. A rising ADX line favors moving averages; a falling ADX favors oscillators. By plotting the direction of the ADX line, the trader is able to determine which trading style and which set of indicators are most suitable for the current market environment. Include volume and open interest. Volume and open interest are important confirming indicators in futures markets. Volume precedes price. It's important to ensure that heavier volume is taking place in the direction of the prevailing trend. In an uptrend, heavier volume should be seen on up days. Rising open interest confirms that new money is supporting the prevailing trend. Declining open interest is often a warning that the trend is near completion. A solid price uptrend should be accompanied by rising volume and rising open interest. Technical analysis is a skill that improves with experience and study. Always be a student and keep learning. - John Murphy Friday, October 22, 2010 Chart: Exxon's weekly chart as at Oct 16, 2010 (Source: Yahoo Finance) Based on the technical breakout, Exxon could be a trading BUY. Chart 1: All Carbon Steel Products Composite Price & Index charts (June 2006 to Sept 2010) from MEPS (INTERNATIONAL) LTD The rise in steel prices reflect the increased demand & higher cost of iron ore. Over the past 2 weeks, we can see the share price of our local steel producers is slowly moving up again. My preferred stocks for this sector are AnnJoo & KinSteel. Both stocks have broken above their downtrend line. Chart 2: AnnJoo's weekly chart as at Oct 22, 2010_11.00am (Source: Quickcharts) Chart 3: Kinsteel's weekly chart as at Oct 22, 2010_11.00am (Source: Quickcharts) Based on the improved fundamental & technical breakout, steel stocks could be good trading BUY. Thursday, October 21, 2010 Chart: KBunai's 60-min chart as at Oct 20, 2010 (Source: Quickcharts) The gift that keeps giving! First, Pemandu at the Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) open day on September 22 announced that an integrated resort (IR) - including a mangrove centre, water theme park and waterfront properties- will be developed on a 500-acre “eco-nature” resort in Karambunai, Sabah. This IR may come with the option to build a casino to ensure a higher return on investment (ROI). Later, Karambunai denied that the IR would include the development of any casino (here). At the Budget announcement on October 15, it seems that the government would be developing this resorts at a cost of RM3 billion. Now, it is made clear that it’s a public-private partnership with the government contributing RM100 million to the total development cost of RM3 billion (here). Like the saying goes, “If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride on them.” My concerns are as follows: · Would the project be any more successful than MK Land’s Bukit Merah resort? · Should the RM100 million be spent to build up an area which can cater for more than one resort? Taman Negara could be a good model to follow. Imagine a similar RM100 million allocation for Mutiara Taman Negara as compared to funding the development of the infra-structure around Taman Negara. · Would a RM3 billion “eco-nature” resort be so massive that you can’t see any more “eco-nature” in the resort? All in all, I am not sold on the idea of Karambunai as a stock nor Karambunai as “eco-nature” resort, with or without a RM100 million contribution from the government. Wednesday, October 20, 2010 From Chart 1 & 2 below, we can see that Topglov & Kossan are trend-following stocks, giving idealized charts for easy technical analysis. The best way to establish the trend of these stocks is by plotting the 10, 20 & 40- week SMA lines (equivalent to the 50, 100 & 200-day SMA lines). Once the 10 & 20-week SMA lines have cut below the 40-week SMA line (or, the death cross sighted), the stocks would enter into a bearish phase. When the reverse happened [the 10 & 20-week SMA lines have cut above the 40-week SMA line (or, the golden cross sighted)], the stocks would enter into a bullish phase. Topglov & Kossan have witnessed the death cross 2 or 3 weeks ago. The last time Topglov has experienced the same technical event was in July 2007 while Kossan had its death cross in October 2007. Both stocks then entered into a downtrend until the golden cross appeared in March 2009- signaling the bull rally for these stocks for the past 15 months. Chart 1: Topglov's weekly chart as at Oct 20, 2010_11.00am (Source: Quickcharts) Chart 2: Kossan's weekly chart as at Oct 20, 2010_11.00am (Source: Quickcharts) I have also appended below the charts of Harta & Supermx who show promise of a recovery. In Chart 3, we can see that Supermx has recovered so much ground that its 10-week SMA line is poised to curve above the 40-week SMA line. Chart 3: Supermx's weekly chart as at Oct 20, 2010_3.30pm (Source: Quickcharts) In the case of Harta, we can see that the share price has recently revisited its recent high at RM5.60-5.66. While it failed to break above the recent high (and may set the stage for a potential bearish triple top reversal), the fact that it managed to re-test the recent high is very commendable. You may notice that the 10-week SMA line has curved above the 40-week SMA line. Chart 4: Harta's weekly chart as at Oct 20, 2010_11.00am (Source: Quickcharts) What could have triggered the strong rebound in rubber glove stocks? Everything, that can go wrong for this sector, has gone wrong. They are: 1. a normalizing demand (& a looming excess production capacity situation); 2. a sharp rise in the prices of rubber latex (see Chart 5) and the cost of other raw material; and 3. an unfavorable movement in the forex rates (albeit a potential short-term relief). (Note: TSR 20 index as proxy for rubber latex price) Chart 5: TSR 20 index & CRB's weekly chart as at Oct 19, 2010 (Source: Rubbernet) Based on fundamental reasons, I am still very skeptical on the near term outlook for rubber glove stocks. However the strong rebound in the share price seems to suggest things are on the mend. We would have a much clearer picture in a few weeks' time, which would come from either more positive technical readings or the release of the financial results for QE30/9/2010 for Supermx, Harta & Kossan (expected in 2nd week of November). USD index tested the uptrend line at the 76 mark & rebounded yesterday. This rebound could carry the index to its 50-day SMA line at 80.66 (denoted as 'A'), which would be comparable to the rebound of June-July 2009 (denoted as 'A"'). After this potential rebound, I believe the USD would continue to drift lower as a death cross has been sighted (with its 50-day SMA line crossed below its 200-day SMA line). The entire downtrend for USD might last for many months (denoted as 'X') which is comparable to the preceding downtrend from March to December 2009 (denoted as 'X"'). Chart 1: USD's daily chart as at October 19, 2010 (Source: Stockcharts.com) The weakness in the USD has been a boon to many risk assets, such as emerging markets equities & commodities. A new round of Quantitative Easing (known as QE2) by the US Fed has been openly discussed that it may have achieved half its objectives even before it was rolled out. Whatever the impact of QE2, investors have voted by moving their funds into other assets- especially gold. In time of crisis or period of hyper-inflation, people can only count in one currency that can retain its value. That's safe haven currency is gold. Chart 2: Gold's daily chart as at October 19, 2010 (Source: Stockcharts.com) Today, as we celebrate our success in investing in equities & properties, let's not forget that this success is due partly to the sharp drop in the value of our currencies- be it RM or USD. Below I have appended the charts of crude oil, CRB, S&P500 and SSEC as priced in gold. Notice how CRB, S&P500 and SSEC are revisiting its crisis low! Chart 3: WTIC:GOLD & CRB:GOLD's daily chart as at October 19, 2010 (Source: Stockcharts.com) Chart 4: S&P500:GOLD & SSEC:GOLD's daily chart as at October 19, 2010 (Source: Stockcharts.com) The continuous, aggressive creation of more money & credit may one day save us from the next Great Depression but at what cost. Every central banker in the developed countries is working overtime to unleash some inflation in order to beat off the specter of deflation. After all, no one wants a Japanese lost decade. If we are not careful, we may get something equally bad- a German Hyperinflation. These are dangerous times, indeed! Friday, October 15, 2010 FBM-KLCI has risen steadily from its low of 1250 at the end of May to touch an intra-day high of 1503 yesterday. The powerful liquidity-driven rally is experiencing some profit-taking today. From the chart below, we can see bearish divergence in some indicators which signaled underlying weakness in the market. The current correction may bring the index down to the horizontal line 1480, which was September high. In addition, I drew the immediate uptrend line ('SS') which connects the troughs since May. Two 'parallel' lines were also drawn- one marking the upper boundary while the second line delineating the mid-point. This second line should also provide some support to the index at 1480 level in the current correction. All in all, I believe the developing correction to be healthy & the 1480 level should be a good entry level to the market. Chart: FBM-KLCI's dail chart as at Oct 15, 2010_10.30am (Source: Quickcharts) Thursday, October 14, 2010 One of the parties which had submitted a proposal to takeover PLUS is MMC. When the market got wind of the proposal, it chased the share to a high of RM3.38 on October 4. Today, MMC share price is positive but very subdued. There are growing concern that MMC or its main shareholder, Syed Mokhtar is controlling too many strategic assets due to his close connection with the ruling party, UMNO (go here). The subdued rally in MMC share price is a sign that the company is not favored to acquire PLUS. Chart: MMC's 15-minute chart as at Oct 14, 2010_12.20pm (Source: Quickcharts) Wednesday, October 13, 2010 As at 3.01am EDT,SSEC was trading at 2861.36 (a gain of 19.95 points or 0.70%). SSEC rallied after it re-opened on October 8 following a 5-day holiday (from October 1 to October 7). This means that SSEC has broken above its 200-day SMA line at 2835 as well as the long-term downtrend line (at 2830) that stretches back to October 2007. With these double breakout, I believe SSEC is likely to commence on its new uptrend. You should get into CIMBX25 asap. Chart: SSEC's weekly cahrt as at Oct 11, 2010_plotted on log scale (Source: Yahoo Finance) Pelikan is involved in the manufacturing & distribution of writing instruments, art, painting & hobby products, office stationeries & printing consumables. In 1Q2010, it completed the acquisition of the Herlitz, Molkari & Ganymed group, which is involved in the sales of school and office products. For more on Herlitz, go here. Recent Financial Results Pelikan's results are pretty volatile. In QE31/3/2010, its net profit soared due to the recognition of negative goodwill of RM143.1 million from the acquisition of the Herlitz, Molkari & Ganymed group. Table: Pelikan's last 8 quarterly results Chart 1: Pelikan's 24 quarterly results Pelikan's financial position is deemed satisfactory, with current ratio at 1.63 times & debt to equity at 0.57 time as at 30/6/2010. From the EPS of 4.58 sen for QE30/6/2010 & assuming that this June quarter accounts for 45-50% of its earning for a full year, I have arrived at an estimate for FY2010 EPS of 10 sen. Based on current price of RM1.24, Pelikan is trading at a PE of 12.4 times. At this multiple, Pelikan is deemed fairly valued, with limited potential upside. Pelikan has been sliding even since it made a high of RM1.60 in August 2009. It has just broken above its downtrend line at RM1.21-1.22. Its next resistance levels are at the horizontal lines of RM1.30 & then RM1.40. Chart 2: Pelikan's daily chart as at Oct 11, 2010 (Source: Tradesignum) Based strictly on technical consideration, Pelikan could be a good trading BUY. However, if Pelikan can derive synergy from its new acquisition, it should be a stock to watch. Tuesday, October 12, 2010 The Thai government agreed today to impose a 15 per cent withholding tax on interest and capital gains earned by foreign investors on Thai bonds, the latest bid by an emerging economy to tame its surging currency.For more, go here. I believe this is one of the best weapons to tackle the inflow of hot moneys into our region. The alternative is to impose capital controls which are even more unpalatable to international community. Slowly but surely, the tide is turning... From Chart 1 below, we can see that the cross rate for USD-RM has gone above the 20-day SMA line at 3.09. As at 4.30 am EDT, USD-RM cross rate was traded at 3.1065. Would the USD-RM cross rate rise sharply like in June-July 2009 (denoted as 'A') & April-June 2010 (denoted as 'C') or would it swing up & down like in October 2008 to February 2009 (denoted as 'B')? A sharp rise in the USD-RM cross rate would lead to a sharp correction in our stock market (see Chart 2 below). On the other hand, a bumpy ride for the USD-RM cross rate may not jeopardize the current rally in the stock market. I am more inclined towards the second scenario since the USD index has already recorded a death cross (as noted in an earlier post). Nonetheless, we must be prepared for choppy tradings ahead. Chart 1: USD-RM exchange rate as at September 22, 2010 (Source: Yahoo Finance) Chart 2: FBM-KLCI's daily chart as at Oct 11, 2010 (Source: Tradesignum) Coastal Contract Bhd ('Coastal') is involved in the provision of marine products & services to the shipping, Oil & Gas and commodities industries. Recent Financial Results For the QE30/6/2010, Coastal's net profit increased by 11.5% q-o-q or 46.4% y-o-y to RM48.3 million while its turnover was marginally lower than the immediate preceding quarter (QE31/3/2010) but soared by 46% over the previous corresponding quarter (QE30/6/2009). The beetr performance was attributable to better revenue from the Shipbuilding division. Table: Coastal's last 8 quarterly results A look at the past 6 years chart of Coastal's top-line & bottom-line shows that the company's growth record has been very impressive & consistent. Chart 1: Coastal's 24 quarterly results Coastal's financial position is healthy. As at 30/6/2010, its current ratio stood at 1.8 times while its bank borrowings to shareholders' funds stood at 0.3 time. Coastal (closed at RM2.29 yesterday) is now trading at a PE of 4.3 times its last 4 quarters' EPS of 52.55 sen. At this multiple & strong growth track record, Coastal is deemed a very attractive stock. I have presented below 2 charts of Coastal. Chart 2 is the weekly chart plotted on arithmetic scale. It shows a stock that is trapped with a triangle ('XYZ'), with upside breakout (or, resistance) at RM2.40 & downside breakout (or, support) at RM2.15. Coastal was similarly trapped within a triangle in 2008, where it broke to the downside due to intense selling pressure during the Global Financial Crisis. With no crisis in sight, this bearish is not a likely scenario. Chart 2: Coastal's weekly chart as at Oct 4, 2010_plotted on linear scale (Source: Tradesignum) Chart 3 is a weekly chart plotted on logarithmic scale. It shows the stock in an uptrend (S-S2) where the support is at RM2.10. The horizontal support & resistance levels are at RM2.00-2.10 & RM2.40-2.70, respectively. Chart 3: Coastal's weekly chart as at Oct 4, 2010_plotted on log scale (Source: Tradesignum) Based on strong & steady financial performance, healthy financial position & attractive valuation, Coastal is a good stock for long-term investment. An upside breakout above RM2.40 could signal the continuation of its prior uptrend. Monday, October 11, 2010 Chart 1: CPO's daily chart as at Oct 11, 2010_3.00pm (Source: ifs.marketcenter.com) The bullish breakout in CPO could lead to an upside breakout for the Plantation index, which is presently being blocked at the psychological 7000 level. In the afternoon session, the Plantation index is trading above the 7000 level. Chart 2: Plantation's daily chart as at Oct 8, 2010 (Source: Tradesignum) My preferred plantation stocks are IJMPlant and IOI. Even Sime may feature in the bullish plantation theme play. Friday, October 08, 2010 Malton Bhd ('Malton') is involved in construction, project management & property development. Malton is well-known for being the project manager for the development of The Pavillion, Kuala Lumpur. For more on the group's activities, go here. Pertinent, Unrelated Developments Lately, Malton's major shareholder, Desmond Lim made news when his private company, Urusharta Cemerlang KL) Sdn Bhd acquired a small parcel of land (measuring 0.7 acre) near The Pavilion for RM210 million. The land was acquired at a whopping price of RM7210 psf- a new benchmark for KL commercial land. Desmond Lim is also linked to a consortium, which consists of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), that has received approval in principle to redevelope the Sungai Besi Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base. Go here for more details. Desmond Lim's high profile could be a good thing as well as being a liability. This in turn could have a negative impact on Malton. Financial Performance & Position Malton is a profitable company, which reported a net profit of RM21.9 million on a turnover of RM346.9 million for FYJune2010. Its financial position is satisfactory, with current ratio at 2.3 times and bank borrowings to shareholders' funds of 0.3 time as at 30/6/2010. With FYJune2010 EPS of 6.27 sen & current price of RM0.60, Malton is trading at a OE of 9.6 times. At this PE multiple, Malton- a mid-size construction-cum-property group- is deemed fully valued. Malton is currently testing its horizontal resistance at RM0.60 after it broke above its downtrend line at RM0.48-0.50 two weeks ago. If Malton can break above teh RM0.60 resistance, it may test higher levels at RM0.80 & then RM1.00-1.10. Chart: Malton's monthly chart as at Oct 1, 2010_plotted on log scale (Source: Tradesignum) Based strictly on technical consideration, Malton could be a trading BUY. A good entry is either at RM0.55 (on pullback) or when it has broken above the RM0.60 mark. Wednesday, October 06, 2010 Topglov has just announced its results for QE31/8/2010. Two things are worth noting immediately: - its turnover dropped when compared to the immediate preceding quarter; and - its net profit dropped for the second consecutive quarter. Table: Topglov's last 8 quarterly results Chart 1: Topglov's 17 quarterly results Topglov (closed at RM5.69 today) is now trading at a trailing PE of 14 times (based on its last 4 quarters' EPS of 40.7 sen). With earning sliding fast, the trailing PE may understate Topglov's PE multiple [or, make Topglov appear more attractive than it is (or will be)]. Topglov has rebounded from a recent intra-day low of RM4.98 recorded on September 23 to touch its 200-day SMA line (or equivalent to the 40-week SMA line) at RM5.75-5.80. Can it break above the 200-day SMA line? Not with this poor set of financial results! Chart 2: Topglov's weekly chart as at Oct 6, 2010 (Source: Quickcharts) Based on the poor financial results & negative technical outlook, I would rate Topglov a SELL. Multi-Code Electronics Industries (M) Bhd ['Multico'] is involved in the manufacturing of electronics parts and accessories for the automotive industries. The factory is located at the Pandan Industrial Area, Johor Bahru, with approximately 500 employees. Recent Financial Results Multico has recently announced its results for QE31/7/2010, where its net profit increased by 39% q-o-q from RM2.5 million to RM3.5 million on the back of a 14%-increase in turnover from RM26.6 million to RM30.3 million. The improved performance is attributable to increased demand for motor vehicles. Table: Multico's last 8 quarterly results Chart 1: Multico's 13 quarterly results The huge losses incurred in QE31/7/2007 was due to provision for doubtful debts. Recently, 2 former directors of Multico were found guilty of defrauding the company of RM18 million in 2007. For more, go here. Multico's financial position is very healthy, with strong liquidity & very little bank borrowings. As at 31/7/2010, its current ratio stood at 2.13 times & gearing ratio at 0.01 time. Multico (closed at RM0.745 yesterday) is now trading at a PE of 3.5 times (based on last 4 quarters' EPS of 21 sen). Being a smallcap stock, Multico could potentially command a PE of 6 times- giving it a potential target price of RM1.26. After a long bottoming phase, Multico signaled its return by breaking above its strong horizontal resistance at RM0.60 in April. However, the stock did not go very far. After making a high of RM0.68, the stock dropped back. In late September, Multico surpassed the April high of RM0.68. This looks like a Cup-with-handle formation with the breakout at RM0.68. If this reading is correct, the stock could continue to rise & test the next horizontal resistance at RM1.00. Chart 2: Multico's weekly chart as at Oct 5, 2010 (Source: Quickcharts) Based on strong financial performance & position, undemanding valuation & positive technical outlook, Multico couls be a good stock for medium-term investment. Tuesday, October 05, 2010 AWC Berhad (“AWC”) is involved in the provision of engineering services and integrated facilities management solutions in Malaysia, and rapidly expanding in Singapore and the Middle East. Its four core businesses are: - Facilities – provides “one stop” integrated facilities management services to building owners. - Engineering – leader in Building Automation System and specializes in heating, ventilation and air conditioning control systems (HVAC), hydronic balancing system and industrial cooling system. - Technology – provides turnkey research & development for micro electronic software products, consumer electronics products and security related products. - Environment – Proprietary brand STREAM, uses the breakthrough automated pneumatic vacuum technology for waste collection. Yesterday, AWC announced a capital reduction scheme which was intended to wipe out its accumulated losses of RM45.8 million as at 30/6/2009 (or RM43.9 million as at 30/6/2010). The scheme involves the cancellation of RM0.20 from the par value of each ordinary share of RM0.50. Upon completion of the scheme, the outstanding shares will remain unchanged at about 228.679 million units, each with a par value of RM0.30. The accumulated losses arose when AWC took over an ailing listed company, Trans Capital Holdings Bhd ('TCHB') in 2003. That was part of a restructuring exercise & from here, AWC ended up with TCHB's accumulated losses of RM80 million as at 30/6/2003 (which was slowly reduced to RM43.9 million as at 30/6/2010). The proposed capital reduction scheme is nothing more than an accounting exercise to clear out a unpleasant blot from its Balance Sheet. Recent Financial Results AWC's net profit increased by 33% q-o-q to RM3.2 million on the back of a 29.5%-increase in turnover to RM66.7 million. Compared to the previous corresponding quarter (QE30/6/2009), AWC's net profit dropped by 26.1% despite an increase of 70.0% in its turnover. The seesaw movement in its top-line & bottom-line is due to a sharp drop in the company's profit margin due to increased sales from lower margin businesses. Table: AWC's last 8 quarterly results Chart 1: AWC's 8 quarterly results AWC's financial position is very healthy with current ratio of 2 times & gearing ratio of 0.09 time as at 30/6/2010. Its cash balance stood at RM49 million or RM0.21 per share! Based on its close of RM0.23 yesterday, AWC is trading at a PE of 4 times (based on last 4 quarters' EPS of 5.72 sen). At this multiple, AWC is deemed quite attractive. As a smallcap, AWC could command a PE multiple of 6 times. Over the past 2 years, AWC has risen from a low of RM0.06 to a high of RM0.36. The stock is still in a downtrend, where the price movement can be fitted into a 3-fan trend line. An upside breakout above the RM0.30 could be the start of an uptrend for this stock. The horizontal support levels are at RM0.20 & RM0.23 while horizontal resistance levels are at RM0.33 & RM0.36. Chart 2: AWC's weekly chart as at Oct 4, 2010_plotted on log scale (Source: Tradesignum) AWC is a relatively cheap smallcap, which was unfairly knocked down by the announcement of a capital reduction scheme yesterday. I view this scheme as nothing more than a housekeeping exercise to clear out a blot in its Balance Sheet. The sharp drop in the share price could be an opportunity to get into the stock as a lower price. Monday, October 04, 2010 One way to bet on Chinese equity is to construct a portfolio of top Chinese companies. If you do not have the resources to do, you can just buy CIMB FTSE Xinhua 25. This exchange traded fund (ETF) is constructed to mirror FTSE Xinhua 25 index, which is an index comprising the top 25 Chinese companies that are listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (go here). From Chart 1, you can see that FTSE Xinhua 25 (FXI) has been consolidating for the past 15 months & is poised for an upswing. Chart 1: FXI's weekly chart as at Sept 27, 2010 (Source: Yahoo Finance) Chart 2 below shows the price chart of CIMBX25. An upside breakout above RM1.05 could be the start of an uptrend in CIMBX25. Chart 2: CIMBX25's daily chart as at Oct 4, 2010 (Source: Tradesignum) I believe CIMBX25 is a good long-term investment in Chinese equity. You may accumulate this ETF today and buy more aggressively once it breaks above the RM1.05 level.

Cool New Technology Roll Out 092116 ZD1324654 Need a British male voice that is AUTHENTIC, smart, confident, rich and clear to describe a new technology. In case it is helpful: NOT affected, NOT cartoony NOT Masterpiece theater. Thank you! It is a new tech roll out story that will be paralleled with pro bicycling. Must read entire script IN FULL so we can get client approval. 2016-09-21 18:07:27 GMT 2016-09-23 11:00:00 (GMT -08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) Yes (click here to learn more about ) Closed530 direct invitation(s) have been sent by the voice seeker resulting in 0 audition(s) and/or proposal(s) so far. Voice123 SmartCast is seeking 10 auditions and/or proposals for this project (approx.) Invitations sent by SmartCast have resulted in 4 audition(s) and/or proposal(s) so far. The Voice Actor should be located in: Fixed - USD 350 Via Internet: Worldwide English - USA and Canada Middle Age Male AND Senior Male • Audio files must be delivered via email There are no special pre-, post-, or production requirements for this project. This is a non-union project VO: Evolution. It’s navigating a changing environment - Rounding the corners to reveal new efficiencies and new potential. VO: It’s the proving ground for adaptability; Harnessing every technology and every innovation that you need... VO: To go further... Faster. VO: It’s HPE Synergy: The first composable infrastructure for the Digital Transformation... VO: And a ground-breaking evolution of IT That bridges traditional systems With cloud-native apps - Driving greater agility and increased profitability for your business. VO: Synergy delivers near-instant infrastructure for your IT operations - With fluid pools of physical and virtual processing, storage, and fabric for your network - All managed by a single interface, Through a unified API... With one powerful line of code. VO: Eliminate over-provisioning, And deploy new apps and services at amazing cloud-like speed. Simplify your operations with frictionless updates, And develop more apps, faster than ever before. VO: Template-driven, software-defined intelligence puts the power in IT To run anything... Move faster... Work efficiently... And unlock value for your Enterprise. It’s time to evolve with the Digital Transformation, and experience the true agility of composable infrastructure. HPE Synergy. Please note that you should only use the script or your recording of it for auditioning purposes. The script is property, unless otherwise specified, of the voice seeker and it is protected by international copyright laws. 64759Sign in to display the company name (if applicable)2010-05-03153 291 Voice123 Team Comments Voice123 consultations with this voice seeker regarding this project and/or other projects by this voice seeker, via phone, chat, and/or email. This project - phone. Previous projects - phone. This project - email or chat. Previous projects - email or chat. Corporate web site for this voice-seeker confirmed by Voice123 Note: Voice123 strives to establish the legitimacy of all projects posted. However, Voice123 subscribers and users are responsible for confirming information stated by prospective voice seekers, agents and/or clients. Voice123 subscribers and users assume all liability for use of any information found through Voice123, or any of its publications. This page contains the most important details of this project. If you find the information on this project inaccurate or inappropriate, please let us know by contacting us. Paste this link in an email to a friend, IM or other website

Connected Educators Month runs during the month of October 2013 and there are hundreds of events, classes, meet-ups, and ways to use social media scheduled to allow educators around the globe to connect! But “connecting” should not just occur during this time period. There are ways you can re-connect with other educators and connect with new ones throughout the year. This blog post will offer tips that can help you broaden and sustain your personal learning network. Sue Waters, on her blog, way back in 2008, when there were few personal learning networks, asked educators to answer some questions about their use of personal learning networks. One of the questions she asked was “Why is a personal network important to educators?” I loved these ideas from Derek Wenwoth from New Zealand– - Help each other solve problems - Hear each others’ stories and avoid local blindness - Find synergy across structures - Keep up with change - Reflect on their practice and improve it - Build shared understanding - Find a voice and gain strategic influence - Cooperate on innovation And Robin Ellis, from PA, stated her heart-felt reason PLNs were important to her… - The most important aspects of personal learning networks for me are the ability to connect, communicate, and collaborate globally. - The network is always on 24/7/365 and always willing to share ideas and offer help. - It is a way to build relationships otherwise not possible. There are many ways to both build and maintain your personal learning network. I have found, as I become interested in new topics, I grow my network to include experts and practitioners in that topic. I learn from them, have a chance to ask questions, and provide feedback on my thoughts, too. Remember that a PLN is a two-way street; you have to “pay it forward” and contribute, too! Everyone who teaches is creative, smart, and resilient. It’s the way we are. You all have great ideas and reflections to share, so please post to social networks, create a curation page with your favorite (annotated) links, and offer suggestions in Webinar chat boxes! Alec Couros has created a wonderful graphic that illustrates what the networked teacher looks like. You can see the networked teacher is both a consumer and a creator of digital content and shares his/her expertise! Ways to connect Create a survey and share One way I find educators to connect with is to create a survey on a hot topic that I am interested in, spread the word through my social media channels, and tell the respondents that I will share the collected data with them. Since people have to give me their email address if they want the data, after looking through the answers, I often find some creative new item or idea, and I can contact that person and connect for more information. And then, of course, I follow them, G+ them, LI them, etc., to keep up on the cool things they are doing! Join online communities Another way to find new colleagues to connect with is to follow some of the online communities sponsored by organizations and companies, like the ISTE’s Wikispace, EdWeb, Adobe’s Education Exchange, Discovery’s Educator Network, and Sony’s Education Ambassadors. As you peruse these communities, and find information that is useful or interesting to you, you can personally connect with the author and add them to your PLN! Sign up for Twitter Twitter is the most important tool in my PLN toolbox. It is easy to both share and receive information. Some of the key points of Twitter are… - It is an online messaging service, like instant messaging, but it is one-to-many as opposed to one-to-one. It is not truly synchronous like IM, but, it can be pretty close to it. - The messages you post on Twitter are public and can be found in a Twitter search by anyone. - A Twitter message can only be 140 characters long. - Users can decide to follow your posts and you can choose to follow theirs, or not. The most important aspect of Twitter to learn about is how to find experts to follow. The social networking component of Twitter helps with this. Once you find one good person to follow, you can look at the people that person follows, look at their tweets, and add them to your Twitter feed! Another useful aspect of Twitter is the use of the hashtag. A hashtag is used in a Twitter message to allow many messages to be gathered together in one place. There are hashtags set up for conferences, classrooms, and regular Twitter events like #edchat, that sponsor an online chat at a certain time each week on a topic of interest. You can conduct a Twitter search on a hashtag, even if you are not a Twitter user, to get some great information and find smart people to follow! There is a new online tool called Tagboard that allows you to search a hashtag and see all the “hits” and also limit it by type– Twitter, Instragram, Facebook, etc. You can also set-up your own hashtag and share the tagboard with others. Multimedia can be part of creating your PLN, too. One way to both learn from others and to gain a following of your own is to create or subscribe to a podcast or video series. The first thing you need to subscribe to a podcast or videocast is a podcast aggregator such as iTunes. Whether or not you use any Apple products, iTunes is a great organizer of audio and is available to download for both Windows and Mac computers. People who have podcasts list them in the iTunes podcast store (they are not actually housed in the iTunes store), so that is one place to start looking for podcasts to subscribe to. Podomatic is another place to find podcasts to follow, since they actually host all the podcasts created on their site. Once you feel comfortable about how podcasts work, you can create one of your own! For free, with Podomatic, you can create a podcast via your phone or computer microphone or upload an audio file. The uploaded file automatically gets the feed address that you share with others or register with iTunes. One of the reasons many educators create videocasts is to demonstrate to students how to do something. A videocast which captures everything on your desktop is called a screencast. Screen-cast-o-matic is a free, online screen-capture program that allows you to capture up to 15 minutes of audio and video and host it online at YouTube or download it as an FLV, mp4, or avi file. Blogging can be another component of your connecting toolkit. You can read and subscribe to blogs, create your own, or join a group blog. To subscribe to blogs, you need to use a newsreader, such as Feedly. Once you sign-up for a newsreader, you only have to visit this single place to find out about any new posts on any of yous subscribed blogs. However, the hardest part about following applicable blogs is FINDING the ones that will help you the most. There are a couple of ways to do this… - If you know an expert in your field’s name, do a phrase search on “name’s blog” and you will likely find a blog maintained by this person - Many bloggers include a blogroll, a list of blogs THEY follow right on their blog, so you can check those out, too. - There are several directories of edubloggers out there, like the The International Edubloggers Directory and the list of Education Blogs by Discipline Once you spend some time reading and commenting on the blogs of others, you might decide to create your own. Most educators use Blogger, WordPress, or eduBlogs. Whichever one you use to make your blog, make sure to add it to the lists of educator-created blogs to make sure people come visit, subscribe, and comment on your blog! Comments are what creates part of the collaboration component of your PLN. You might also decide to create a group blog. A group blog is a blog with postings from various contributors. One example of an education-specific group blog is Edutopia, which has many blog posters. A group blog takes advantage of the expertise of many to create a well-rounded blog. Online conferences and Webinars Many educational organizations and groups offer online Webinars or conference presentations by experts. During the presentation, the best part is sometimes the “backchannel”, which is the conversation that is going on among participants while the presenter is presenting. This is often done in a chat area, and you can find some great resources and educators to add to your PLN during these chats. Finding listings of these Webinars is not easy but you usually wind up hearing about them either from others in your subject area, your professional organizations, or those already in your PLN. An unconference ,or edcamp, is a participant-driven meeting. Many times these un-conferences are held before a regularly scheduled national or regional conference since participants can come a day early and attend the un-conference. Usually, a small committee reserves a room, a mic, and tables and chairs. Early on the day of the conference, the time periods are put on the large screen, and participants vote on topics for the day. Educators volunteer to lead and moderate these sessions. It is more a conversation than a presentation. At an unconference, you really have the time to talk to others in an informal way and add them to your rapidly growing personal learning network. I hope I have given you some new ideas to grow your personal learning network and collaborate with others all year long! If you have some other great tips or sites, please leave them in the comments! Thanks!

"Defining Moments" -- some Camaro5Fest thoughts..... "Defining Moments" -- Some Camaro5 thoughts........ I “write” this post while flying on a jet from Jacksonville to Detroit after attending the very first Camaro5fest. (The first of many Camaro5Fests, I hope!) In every endeavor, there are ‘defining moments’ – --when we first started working on the very first run of a 5th gen Camaro -- The GMX-280 - -but we killed it as it did not deserve the hallowed Camaro name…) --when we started working (again!) on the Camaro program --when Sangyup Lee drew the first drawing of a Camaro (after many many others) that captured the true ‘essence’ of the 5th gen. --when I first saw the completed full-size clay of the 5th gen. --January 9, 2006 when the Silver Concept was first unveiled to the world. --January 9, 2006 when it was very apparent that the concept was a resounding hit…. --August of 2006 when we made the announcement to the world that we would, indeed, build the next gen. Camaro – and further, that it would be built by the great men and women of Oshawa Assembly. --when the ‘contract’ was signed – making everything official. --The first sightings of the black and white IVERs…… --The first time we received 4 completed production intent 5thgens. --watching the wonder and amazement in the eyes of our 15 Disciples as they saw – for the first time - those 4 production-intent Camaros at Milford… --September of 2008 when we unveiled the first production intent 5thgen to our enthusiasts at the world-famous Indy 500 -- (a very special defining moment for me: Taking delivery of “Thor’ – my beloved CTF SS/RS) --March of 2009 – Start of Regular Production! -April 17, 2009 – Delivery to our first known retail customer – in Indianapolis, IN Fast forward to EXACTLY ONE YEAR LATER: --well over 1,000 Camaro Enthusiasts and an estimated 500 2010 Camaros descend on Valdosta, Georgia to celebrate the return of a Legend…….. ……….and I still have “Perma-grin” as I think of what a great weekend it’s been. Steve, Tom, Jeremy, and I arrived on Friday morning to unload about a dozen Camaro ‘specialty’ vehicles at South Georgia Motorsports Park – and my first reaction was: “Holy F-car, batman! -- This is going to be BIG” - -because the place was crawling with car carriers and vans from a couple dozen vendors………… …and then the Camaros and their owners started to arrive………..even though the event didn’t start until that night! We went back to the hotel to get ready for the Welcoming ‘Cruise’ – and as we made our way from the Marriott to the Host hotel - -we saw more and more Camaros. We stopped at a local car wash so that the Detroit contingent could get the bugs (…or, as I call them, “Mustang crumbs” ) washed off the faces of their Camaros. The girl at the carwash was stunned as suddenly there was a line of 15 or more Camaros -- waiting for a bath………… We arrived at the hotel and I got a lump in my throat as I surveyed the parking lots – my goodness…. there were new Camaros as far as the eye could see – dozens and dozens of each color – plus many more in colors we’ve only dreamed of…… It’s interesting – over there was a section of Inferno Orange ones – and over there are several black ones with orange stripes………yellows there, Blues here. …..and everywhere was the evidence of “Perma-grin” – that look that says “Wow – I love this car and I love what it brings to me………..” Al Oppenheiser (our chief engineer) drove into the parking lot in one of the black and white “IVERs – and a flock of people headed over to check it out and say hello to us. We brought a few Transformer Editions (including Thor!) as well as a few Synergy Green Editions – and that got another flock headed our way. And oh the hospitality! Everyone was so happy to be there. I thought to myself: “..This is a dream-come-true….the Camaro is BACK! “ (the famous Woodward Avenue billboard was right: Heaven couldn’t handle all the noise”) Shortly, several members of Law Enforcement lined up in their police vehicles to block traffic for the largest Camaro Caravan I’ve ever seen……..a couple hundred 2010 Camaros coming down the highway all at once makes people stop in their tracks….. Defining Moment: Two little boys are on their bicycles along a back road as we approach. Their eyes are the size of saucers as they smile and wave and yell “bumblebee!’ at us. I remark to Joe Bella – who is driving ‘Thor’ as I ride in the passenger seat: “These boys will remember this night for a long time to come…..how will they ever forget seeing several hundred Camaros roaring by on this back road?” There was such great fellowship afterward at the Holiday Inn until the wee-hours of the morning…meeting so many old friends and making new ones…….. As I continued to walk thru the parking lot, I was fascinated as I looked at each Camaro – to see what the owner had done to make it his or her very own…..so many details – some subtle, some not so subtle! I love listening to all of the stories – of how they wanted a new Camaro – of what the Camaro means to them. And I’m told over and over again that “…..my Camaro is part of the family – “ --And all of these wonderful people coming up to me - -shaking my hand and thanking everyone at General Motors for building such an amazing automobile. (their words, not mine) Early the next morning the Georgia Countryside woke up to the “voices’ of hundreds of Camaros invading SGMSP. It was a perfect-weather day of Drag racing, autocrossing, vendor exploration, and just enjoying the experience of owning a new Camaro….and meeting my fellow enthusiasts! I think that Al Oppenheiser (Chief Engineer) Peter Kosak (VLD) Cheryl Pilcher (Product Manager) John Fitzpatrick (Marketing Manager) Adam Denison (Communications) John Cox (Accessories Manager) and myself went thru several “sharpies’ as we were asked to sign dozens and dozens of cars, books, and owner’s manuals. We are delighted to do so! I must recognize a very special person who came the whole way from Oshawa to meet our enthusiasts: Mike Judge (aka Super60) works at the Oshawa Plant building these magnificent machines. What makes him more special is the countless hours he’s spent on Camaro5 talking with our enthusiasts – and providing them with signed lithographs - -something that he took upon himself to do and for which we applaud him! Mike – it was so great to meet you in person and I thank you for your dedication as well as your kindness to one and all. As I stood on the bleachers at the Drag Strip and saw the longgg line-up of Camaros staged to ‘take each other on’ – I couldn’t help but think of young athletic men and women gathering to compete. Yes - -they’re only cars – but they have such presence – and those headlights…………. Am I crazy? I guess not, as suddenly an older gentleman came up to me – introduced himself and sat with me for a while – and made the SAME assessment as if the Camaros really ARE personalities, if you will…. -I spent some time walking around the vendors –watching as they showcased their wares – some of which are what I like to call “Camaroabilia” – and others who sell products and components that enhance the performance or handing of the new Camaro. --After dinner, we enjoyed six laps around SGMSP’s oval track – and fireworks - -then a trip back to the hotel for more “Camaro Comradeship” This was the first ‘Camaro5Fest’ – and the Moderators who pulled this activity together are to be commended – the event went off without a hitch and you’d have believed that this had been their 20th event—not their first! Has the Camaro been a success? Judging by the numbers, one might say “yes!’ But the REAL judge of success lies within the ownership experience. Is everyone 100% completely satisfied? No – unfortunately I can’t say that every last owner is -- and unfortunately I’m not sure that our goal of 100% complete customer enthusiasm will ever be met as it’s probably humanly unattainable, but we’ll sure die trying! What I DO know is this: In 33 years with General Motors, I don’t know that I’ve ever quite experienced what I did this past weekend at Camaro5fest. I saw every age group from all walks of life from all over the United States and Canada…….. …………….and one thing brought them together: A new Camaro. I can tell you that the team will never stop “putting their all” into this car – we’ll never stop trying to continually improve it – so that you, our customer will continue to experience the joy of owning a Camaro – the “Pride of Ownership” – or, as I call it; “Perma-grin” As I sit in a meeting tomorrow morning, I will probably let my mind drift back to Saturday – and I will realize that this is one of those “Defining moments” -- perhaps one of the best of my career…………and I will never forget that it is YOU – the enthusiast – who made this all possible…..because without YOU, there is no Camaro. God Bless you. See you again at another Camaro show! …….and don’t forget – Wear those safety belts! Last edited by fbodfather; 04-19-2010 at 12:38 PM.

This has been a lean month! So much is changing, which is exactly what I am looking forward to, so it is all good. It is just that the cash flow has dipped to a trickle. A tricky trickle. I have begun the process with the ‘lender’ to let go of the current house at Misty Grove. It is a bittersweet feeling. It is an amazing house and home. It is beautiful here. However, it has too much of the past invested in it and not enough of my future. Emotionally, financially, physically. Just too much. I have wanted to make a move for quite some time, but I just had to wait for the right time to see it all start happening. I just had the most amazing phone call. My heat wasn’t working properly in my main living area, not a good thing when it didn’t quite top 25 degrees F today. I wasn’t in danger of a frozen pipe mess, but it has been getting quite chilly here, never cresting 60 degrees F in the living room unless I took manual steps to make it happen. So, I called my heating expert in and found out it was a stupid problem. You have to love it. A problem with the seating of the thermostat. All fixed. However, in the process, we started talking about his website. It turns out that he didn’t have one. So, we traded. My domain knowledge to get him started getting a brand going on the Internet for some covering-my-ass fixing of a stupid problem. After he left I got back down to the current data modeling that I am doing for a company to pull their ass out of their fire. Around about 4:00p I got a call from him and he was with his friend who owns a construction business in New Milford. We talked in great detail about how to optimize his website and how to stop bleeding money through Pay-Per-Click that was yielding no results. There are better ways to approach branding that don’t require a hefty monthly expense (ask me more about that). In conversation it turns out that his father used to own The Land! He was the one who sold it to Angel, et al. Amazing! I love the synergy of it all. He lives right next door, alongside his brother. Just wonderful. So this holiday season is providing some angst, which it normally does, but it is never fun to be cash poor at Christmas. Well, I know I am in a huge majority these days, so I can deal with it. By the way, I have been submitting blog entries and articles for one of my colleagues and favorite people, at http://www.DrewBerman.com. Articles on Nutritional Cleansing and Chocolate Nutrition. Great stuff! Most of my writing efforts have been going there these past couple of weeks, but this is my personal stage and I want to give myself the time to share with you. So much is poised to take place and it will all start rolling after the holidays. Until then, I find myself in the spectator’s seat for a big event… Links for you:

Mark Badgley and James Mischka have been hailed by Vogue as one of the Top 10 American Designers and as the darlings of the Hollywood set. The design duo has made their mark over the past two decades with glamorous, stylish and wearable evening wear and accessories. Mark and James joined forces in 1988 and have captivated the fashion press and prominent retailers around the world with their sophisticated style that caters to a younger, more modern couture customer, without forsaking women of any age. They have remained true to their design philosophy and the consistent integrity of their collections has pushed them to the forefront of fashion. Their designs appeal to a range of fashionable women, including celebrities like Madonna, Catherine Zeta Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Garner and Julia Roberts. Our style harks back to the glamorous Hollywood of the Forties say Mischka. The Badgley Mischka signature style is simple, streamlined and thoroughly elegant. Our designs are constructed of the finest fabrics and superior craftsmanship. " Says Badgley: We like to keep things effortless. It"s fabulous if you can spend hours getting ready, but a woman should also be able to bring a dress to work and change there for an evening out. There is a unique synergy between the talented pair, who met while studying at Parsons School of Design in New York. They share a similar aesthetic about clothes and the way people dress. Both men spent time designing for leading names Badgley for Donna Karan; Mischka, the men"s collection for WilliWear WilliSmith before starting their own line. In 1993, after a quick rise to fashion fame, Badgley Mischka sought financial support to elevate their company to the next level. Escada joined forces with the then up and coming design team. With solid financial backing, Badgley Mischka built a successful global business and expanded into new areas. In October 2004, Candies, Inc., now, Iconix Brand Group, Inc., acquired the Badgley Mischka brand from its parent company, Escada. With Iconix"s financial and marketing support, the Badgley Mischka label has flourished to the next level and become a true lifestyle brand. Badgley Mischka is sold in the most prestigious stores in the world including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. For Fall 2012 designers are inspired by a wide range of influences, from the elaborate details of brocade and metallic gold embellishments to the dynamic mix of military chic and power pantsuits. Colo