Northdown is sometimes referenced as Wye Northdown in older literature – indicating Wye College, where it was invented. It was a later part of the work first started by ES Salmon; work with the goal of breeding higher alpha acid hop varieties with more disease resistance.
Dr. Ray A. Neve took over the Wye breeding program from Professor Salmon in 1953, and in 1961, revamped the program to include the added goal of marrying higher alpha acid content with true "British" hop aromas and less of the "Americanized" aromas. The American hop aromas many British brewers objected to were a natural extension of using American hops as high alpha acid parents for many of the program's earlier successes, including Bullion and Brewer's Gold.
The Northern Brewer female was open pollinated with a downy resistant male, which Neve indicates as coming from the Hop Research Center in Hüll, Germany.
Northdown was released to growers in 1971. This hop variety showed good resistance to downy mildew and, though still somewhat susceptible, showed better resistance to downy mildew than its mother. It was a popular hop variety in England for many years, though it was confined to regions where wilt diseases were not an issue.
It is no longer a big a player in the British hop scene, at least not like it once was, but it is still a variety worthy of note, especially for anyone brewing an English ale style.
Another interesting note: Northdown is the mother of Admiral. The only super alpha variety to be developed in the UK.
If you plan on growing hops in your backyard, we would make a few recommendations to help you in your endeavors. Before you choose the variety you want to grow, it is a good idea to talk to other local growers or possibly someone at your local homebrew supply. They may be able to point you toward varieties that grow well in your area.
Unfortunately, Northdown rhizomes will be near impossible to come by in the U.S., but they are available in the U.K. The closest thing you'll likely be able to find to Northdown in the United States is Northern Brewer rhizomes.
Susceptible To — powdery mildew, though shows higher resistance than Northern Brewer; also susceptible to Verticillium Wilt.
Resistant To — Good resistance to downy mildew; somewhat resistant to powdery mildew.
Ease of Harvest — Difficult due to the loose cones.
Storage — Moderate; Maintains 60% to 70% alpha acid content after 6 months storage at 68°F.
Aroma is mild sometimes called neutral, but pleasant, delicate, with English character. High amounts of caryophyllene oil give a woody spiciness, often described as piney or cedar-like in this variety. Humulene oil, also found in high amounts, adds an herbal character. Other descriptors include floral and sometimes light fruity berry-like notes.
These may be available in your local homebrew store, but if not there are plenty of online homebrew stores that will have them. Northdown is easier to find in pellet form than whole cone.
Northdown was bred as a bittering hop, but its oil content has made it a good dual purpose hop. It has enough alpha umph to see it through as a bittering addition. Its bitterness is often described as rounded, full-bodied, and clean, though some have said it can become harsh if overused.
Its oil content makes it a shoe-in for later additions all the way down to dry-hopping. Many hop oils, including caryophyllene and humulene degrade with heat, so if you want to retain more of that classic English herbal woodiness get them in later in the boil or into the fermentor.
Northdown can also be of particularly good company to other English aroma hops, such as Progress and Fuggles.
You'll note that almost all of the examples below are brewed in Europe and many will be hard, if not impossible, to find in U.S. bottle shops. If any can be found it'll be Fuller's. They are a well-known brand in the U.S. and should be pretty easy to come by. At any rate, if you are going to brew with Northdown try to pick up a couple of examples. This, ummm… research will deepen your understanding of how Northdown works in different beer styles and give you a better idea of how to use it in your own homebrewing.


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Tommy Aldridge
Birth date: Aug 15, 1950
Birth country: United States
Birth place: Jackson, Mississippi
Whitesnake (1987 - 1991; 2002 - 2007; 2013 - present)
Ozzy Osbourne (1981 - 1983)
Tommy Aldridge is an American heavy metal and hard rock drummer. Aldridge is noted for his work with numerous bands and artists since the 1970s, such as Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent, Thin Lizzy, Vinnie Moore and Yngwie Malmsteen.
Self-taught, Aldridge was initially inspired by the music of Cream, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Drummers such as Joe Morello, Ginger Baker, John Bonham and Mitch Mitchell were particularly influential as Aldridge developed his drumming style. Aldridge himself has become very influential, and is regarded as a double bass drum pioneer in rock music.
Coming from a non-musical family, Aldridge taught himself to play drums in the 1960s, building a kit piece by piece with money earned delivering newspapers and other odd jobs. He credits his unique style to learning without the benefit of a mentor or teacher. While his mother was supportive of his desire to play music, his father was an alcoholic who didn't view musicians favorably. As a result, while practicing in an outbuilding in his backyard Aldridge would often place towels over his drum heads to prevent his father from hearing. In the early 1970s, Aldridge began playing original music with Alley Keith in the Florida Panhandle. Inspired by drummers such as Louis Bellson and Sam Woodyard, he started using a double-bass drum setup and became an early pioneer of the hard rock double kick drum style of drumming.
After playing for a short time with the southern rock band David and the Giants in 1972, Aldridge auditioned for Black Oak Arkansas while still a teenager and was surprised to get the job. He made his recording debut in 1972 with Black Oak Arkansas' If an Angel Came to See You, Would You Make Her Feel at Home? album. He subsequently recorded several albums with the band between 1972 and 1976 and toured extensively. Aldridge has said that he wasn't particularly fond of Black Oak Arkansas' music and his intention when joining the band was to use the opportunity as a springboard to make a name for himself in the industry, something he says he's not particularly proud of in hindsight.
Not happy with the band's heavy use of hashish, Aldridge attempted to leave Black Oak Arkansas. He was forced to sneak away in the middle of the night and subsequently "hide out in Chicago" upon leaving the band, as the band's management wasn't keen to give him his contractual freedom. One and a half years of lawsuits ensued, after which he was free to record again. Aldridge then spent 1978 to 1981 with the Pat Travers Band, recording five albums over that time.
Upon parting ways with Travers in 1981, Aldridge moved to London, England and began working with Gary Moore, recording the Dirty Fingers album in 1981. American guitarist Randy Rhoads, who had recently arrived in England to record with Ozzy Osbourne, was a big fan of Moore's music, and one day he and Bob Daisley arrived to watch Moore's band rehearse. Aldridge and Rhoads became friends immediately. Aldridge had known Osbourne for several years, as Black Oak Arkansas had toured with Osbourne's previous band Black Sabbath extensively in the 1970s, and Aldridge's new friendship with Rhoads would lead him to join Osbourne's band a few months later.
Although Aldridge is credited in the liner notes and pictured on the inner sleeve of Osbourne's 1981 album Diary of a Madman, Lee Kerslake actually performed all the drum parts on the original release. Aldridge has stated that working with Rhoads in Osbourne's band was one of the "musical highlights" of his life. Rhoads stated of Aldridge in late 1981 that "he was always my favorite drummer", stating that he was "knocked out" by the drummer after seeing him perform with Black Oak Arkansas on television in the 1970s. Aldridge appeared on Osbourne's Bark at the Moon album in 1983 as well as a pair of live albums (Speak of the Devil and Tribute) before leaving the band in 1983.
Soon after, Aldridge, along with bassist and former Ozzy Osbourne-bandmate Rudy Sarzo, joined forces with guitar/keyboard virtuoso Tony MacAlpine to form a short-lived project called MARS. Close friends, Aldridge and Sarzo then both joined Whitesnake, a band who were then touring in support of the highly successful Whitesnake album. Aldridge and Sarzo then performed on the band's follow-up album, Slip of the Tongue, released in 1989. Announcing he was going to take a break from the music industry, Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale put the band on indefinite hiatus after the tour.
Following his stint in Whitesnake, Aldridge played in the band Manic Eden, with his former Whitesnake bandmates Adrian Vandenberg and Sarzo. The line-up also included former Little Caesar vocalist Ron Young.
During the 1990s Aldridge worked with numerous acts ranging from Motörhead to Ted Nugent.
From 2002 Aldridge toured with Whitesnake alongside David Coverdale (vocals), Doug Aldrich (guitar), Reb Beach (guitar), Marco Mendoza/Uriah Duffy (bass) and Timothy Drury (keyboards). Aldridge left Whitesnake in 2007 to pursue alternate musical endeavours.
From 2007 to 2009, Aldridge was touring with Thin Lizzy alongside Scott Gorham, John Sykes and Marco Mendoza. The latter part of his drum solo in this Thin Lizzy tour includes a "hands-only" percussion piece where he plays snare, tomtoms, and cymbals without sticks as he also did while touring with Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers, Ozzy Osbourne and Whitesnake.
Aldridge has been an in-demand drum clinician since the early 1980s, and much of his work involves drum clinics and festivals each year.
On January 25, 2013, it was announced that Aldridge had rejoined his former band Whitesnake for the third time. He is their drummer to this day.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Aldridge

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Today I'm introducing the Ruthless Golf World Rankings. These rankings are totally unscientific and, while they make use of the OWGR and any other information I think is relevant, they represent what I and I alone think. Since it's my blog, that's really all that matters around here anyway. ;-D
However, note that every player on this list won at least once on either the PGA or European Tour. I think if you're a top player, you've won somewhere recently. My priority list (based on quality of field) looks like this:
majors, TPC, and WGCs
FedExCup playoffs and prestige events (like Bay Hill and Dubai)
other PGA and ET events
This year, the Ryder Cup gives you extra credit if you did something special there. Most Americans are Top 10 on the Tour money list; most foreign players are Top 10 in the ET's equivalent, the Race to Dubai. I also put extra emphasis on recent form, and I make some allowance if you're recovering from injury or serious sickness.
So here are my post-Ryder Cup choices for the best players in the world, based on their play over the last year with special emphasis on how they seem to be trending now:
Lee Westwood: He has only one PGA win and no ET wins this year but he played well in the majors. He's #3 in the Race to Dubai despite playing only 11 events (most players have 17 or more events unless they're PGA members, which Lee is not). He reached #2 in the OWGR without even playing for 2 whole months, and a win at the Dunhill this week will make him #1. And when he came back for the Ryder Cup, he didn't miss a step. Westwood is pretty much a no-brainer for my #1.
Steve Stricker: He picked up two PGA tour wins this year (winning at Riviera is big-time prestige), he's #5 on the money list, and will probably miss getting the Vardon Trophy for scoring by a paltry .02 strokes behind Matt Kuchar. (And he will miss; I think we all know he's gone hunting by now!) But I don't think there's any question that he's the best US player right now, which lands him in my #2 spot.
Graeme McDowell: McDowell's been a bit erratic this year, but he's shown up at the big moments. He has two ET wins (yeah, our US Open counts as an ET win), he's #2 in the Race to Dubai, and his performance at the Ryder Cup was just unbelievable. (Yes, in addition to winning the Cup for Europe, I say he carried Rory McIlroy.) I believe he's joined the PGA Tour for next year; he could be a breakout player here as well.
Martin Kaymer: With 3 big ET wins (yes, the PGA Championship counts as an ET event), a standout performance at the Ryder Cup, and being #1 in the Race to Dubai, Kaymer's the real deal. The heir-apparent to Bernhard Langer, he just may eclipse Langer's record with that gorgeous swing of his.
Jim Furyk: Three wins -- including the Tour Championship -- second on the money list, and won the FedExCup trophy. Despite a poor week at the Ryder Cup, I don't think there's much question that he's the second-best American on tour right now.
Dustin Johnson: At #4 on the money list and two wins (and very nearly four), D-John's two major near-misses -- and prompt bounceback performances -- are signs of great things to come. His singles match beatdown of Martin Kaymer didn't hurt his cause here.
Miguel Angel Jiminez: He doesn't get any love from the OWGR (he's only #25 there) but he won 3 prestige events -- Dubai, the French Open, and the European Masters -- putting him #8 in the Race to Dubai, and then he showed up big at the Ryder Cup. Oh, and did I mention he's 46?
Hunter Mahan: His year's been erratic like McDowell's, but Hunter's won twice on Tour this year -- one of them a WGC -- he's #10 on the money list, and he put on one heck of show in the final singles match at the Ryder Cup. He fought his way back from 3 down to 1 down before the pressure finally got him -- as Darth Vader would say, "Impressive. Very impressive." I expect him to play big next year.
Luke Donald: He won the Madrid Masters on the ET, played extremely well through the FedExCup playoffs, got to #7 on the Tour money list and #13 in the Race to Dubai, then beat Jim Furyk in singles (a little revenge, perhaps?) and remained undefeated in foursomes at the Ryder Cup. He finally seems to have gotten over his wrist problems; I expect him to win on the PGA Tour next year.
TIE:
Louis Oosthuizen: Although he's cooled off in the second half of this year, he's got 2 ET wins (one being the Open Championship) and he posted a 4th at the KLM Open just before the Ryder Cup. Slumps aren't unusual for first-time major winners, so he gets a pass for a couple of slow months. I expect him to get it going again soon, simply because (like Kaymer) he has such a simple effective swing.
Phil Mickelson: To be honest, Phil makes this list because of the Masters; I just don't see how I can leave a major winner off. It might be different if he was an unknown, but Phil has proven that he's not just a flash in the pan. Despite his so-so play, he's still #6 on the money list. His performance in Monday singles at the Ryder Cup tells me that the problem isn't his game, so I'm assuming he's still getting used to his arthritis meds. I'll reassess his position later on, but I know it can take several months to find an acceptable treatment.
That's right, folks -- no Tiger Woods and no Rory McIlroy. I'm encouraged by Tiger's improvement since he hooked up with Sean Foley, but with no wins this was a lost year for him. (Remember, I require a win to make my list.) And although McIlroy won the fairly prestigious Wells Fargo event and made a nice bounceback after that second round 80 at the Open Championship, he simply didn't play well enough to warrant a position on my list. (I'll say it again -- McDowell carried him during the Ryder Cup. And he could only halve against Cink in singles after Cink virtually gave him the match with a couple of missed putts. He'll get better, but he ain't Top 10 material yet.)
I seriously considered Ian Poulter and Zach Johnson (both had PGA wins -- Poulter's was a WGC -- and played well at the Ryder Cup), as well as Matt Kuchar (who will probably win the Vardon -- I think that's important -- but who didn't show up in Wales). But with only one win each, Phil's Masters easily beat them out. Several other players, like Ernie Els, played well early but fell off at the end of the season. Luke Donald also beat them out because he finished the season so strong.
I think my Top 5 are pretty much self-evident, although I'll admit there's some room for debate about 6-10, I put D-John ahead of Jiminez because, although Jiminez had 3 prestige events to D-John's 1, D-John played much better in the majors. But I wouldn't be adverse to flipping the two, since 3 prestige wins is a big deal in any comparison.
Westwood, Stricker, McDowell, Kaymer, and Donald were Ryder Cup standouts, and Jiminez was a standout as a role player. I make no apology for giving Mahan serious props for heart at the Ryder Cup; I can't begin to say how impressed I was with him. People can say you've got to expect the unexpected, but that bomb McDowell lipped in at 16 would have crushed just about anybody's hopes. (Ok, maybe not Rickie Fowler's, but I thought Fowler's overseas experience at the Walker Cup was seriously undervalued by just about everybody except Corey Pavin. Fowler clearly demonstrated that he's made of different stuff than most team players... but just give Hunter time. I think this Ryder Cup will give him that extra "something" as well.)
So that's my first Ruthless Golf World Rankings. If you think I should have included something else in my "figgerin," just leave me a comment. I'll consider it in my next rankings...
Or maybe not. It's my blog, after all. ;-)
Labels: players
courtgolf October 8, 2010 at 9:55 AM
the curse of #1 - Westwood re-injured the leg at the Dunhill Cup. Good thing he has a little time to heal up before the 2011 season starts.
now - would that re-injury have happened in the warm weather of someplace like...ohh...Florida ? :-)
Betcha wish you had picked up the family and moved to the PGA Tour NOW, don'tcha Westie ? (JUST kidding) :-D


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CBRE unveils leadership changes for Southeast Asia
Charlene Chin
/ EdgeProp
February 18, 2019 4:59 PM SGT
CBRE leadership
CBRE, a commercial real estate services and investment group, has announced three leadership changes for Southeast Asia.
Pauline Goh, CEO of CBRE Singapore and Southeast Asia since July 2010, will take up the role of chairman for Southeast Asia. The new role will be focused on growing strategic client accounts across the region.
Moray Armstrong has been appointed managing director for CBRE Singapore. All business leaders in Singapore will report to Armstrong, who will still retain operational oversight of the Advisory & Transactions (A&T) platform. Previously he served as managing director of the A&T business.
Vikram Kohli will assume the role of chief operating officer with management and operational oversight over Southeast Asia. He previously served as regional managing director for the region, focusing on markets outside of Singapore.
Goh, Armstrong and Kohli will report to Anshuman Magazine, chairman and CEO of India, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa.
https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/cbre-unveils-leadership-changes-southeast-asia
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text:
Сергей Сергеевич Иванько (23 октября 1925, , УССР, СССР — 2 мая 2004, Силвер-Спринг, США) — советский дипломат, литературовед (под псевдонимом С. Батурин), переводчик. Эпонимический персонаж повести Владимира Войновича «Иванькиада».

Биография

Окончил Военный институт иностранных языков (1951). С 1953 года печатался как журналист, переводил современную китайскую литературу. С 1954 был заместителем ответственного секретаря журнала «Новое время», членом редколлегии газеты «Литература и жизнь» (1958—1959, уволен за опечатку в материале о советско-китайской дружбе), заведующий редакцией восточных литератур Гослитизидата.

Затем занимал ряд дипломатических и государственных должностей:

Заведующий сектором, директор Издательской службы ООН (1962—1970)
главный редактор Главной редакции художественной литературы, член редколлегии Госкомиздата СССР (1970—1974)
директор отдела Бюро персонала ООН (1974—1980)
начальник Управления внешних сношений, член коллегии Министерства культуры СССР (1980—1983)
первый заместитель председателя правления АПН (1983—1988)
заведующий информационным отделом, советник посольства СССР в США, главный редактор журнала «Soviet Life» (1988—1991).

Член Союза журналистов (1958), Союза писателей (1972).

В 1978 году перебежчик Виктор Суворов назвал Иванько советским шпионом.

После 1991 года жил с семьёй в США.

Сын Александр (род. 1962) — международный гражданский служащий, Специальный представитель Генерального секретаря ООН по Западной Сахаре и глава Миссии ООН по проведению референдума в Западной Сахаре.

«Иванькиада»

В 1973 году собрание жильцов ЖСК «Московский писатель» постановило предоставить освободившуюся двухкомнатную квартиру семье писателя Войновича взамен однокомнатной в том же доме. Однако живший в соседней квартире Иванько пожелал присоединить её к своей жилплощади, для чего воспользовался своими немалыми связями; и всё же в конечном счёте был вынужден отступить: дважды    собрание пайщиков голосовало в пользу Войновича. Перипетии этой борьбы составили сюжет повести, вышедшей в 1976 году.

Войнович передаёт слух, что Иванько — «родственник бывшего председателя КГБ Семичастного» и «занимает очень заметный пост в том самом учреждении, где его родственник Семичастный был председателем». В послесловии 2010 года Войнович пишет:

Благодаря мне Сергей Иванько прославился гораздо больше, чем своими книгами. Я слышал, что после выхода американского издания «Иванькиады» он пытался скупить весь тираж, что ему, естественно, не удалось. После чего он смирился с существованием этой книги и даже, как я слышал, соглашался ставить на ней автографы.

Книги

Под своим именем
Тайвань — исконная китайская земля. — М.: Госполитиздат, 1955
США и Китай (Политика США в отношении Китая. 1948-1968). – М.: Международные отношения, 1969
Меняющаяся Америка. Путевые заметки. — М.: Изд-во АПН, 1988
Фенимор Купер. — М.: Молодая гвардия, 1990 (Жизнь замечательных людей)

Под его редакцией вышли собрания сочинений Теодора Драйзера в 12 томах (1973; 1986), Фенимора Купера в семи томах (1982), Джека Лондона в шести томах (1989).

Под псевдонимом С. Батурин
Драйзер. — М.: Молодая гвардия, 1975 (Жизнь замечательных людей)
Портреты американских писателей: Линкольн Стеффенс, Джек Лондон, Теодор Драйзер. — М.: Художественная литература, 1979
«Ваш во имя революции». Рассказ о Джеке Лондоне. — М.: Детская литература, 1983.
Джон Стейнбек и традиции американской литературы. — М.: Художественная литература, 1984

Переводы
Лю Бай-юй. Избранное. — М.: Изд-во иностранной литературы, 1955
Ай У. В огне рождается сталь. — М.: Молодая гвардия, 1959
Мао Дунь. Распад. — М.: Художественная литература, 1968

Примечания

Ссылки
http://www.vestnik.com/issues/2002/1002/win/kuznetsova.htm

Американисты СССР
Дипломаты СССР
Прототипы литературных персонажей

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Bilski v. Kappos, 561 U.S. 593 (2010), was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States holding that the machine-or-transformation test is not the sole test for determining the patent eligibility of a process, but rather "a useful and important clue, an investigative tool, for determining whether some claimed inventions are processes under § 101." In so doing, the Supreme Court affirmed the rejection of an application for a patent on a method of hedging losses in one segment of the energy industry by making investments in other segments of that industry, on the basis that the abstract investment strategy set forth in the application was simply not patentable subject matter.
The Court affirmed the judgment of the Federal Circuit in In re Bilski, the case below. However, it rejected the machine-or-transformation test as a sole test of patentability based on an interpretation of the language of § 101. The Court rejected the Federal Circuit's statutory interpretation regarding the word "process," finding the definition in § 100(b) to be sufficient without turning to the canon of noscitur a sociis. Section 100(b) defines process as a "process, art or method, and includes a new use of a known process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, or material."


GREE Forum > Forums > Kingdom Age > Guild Recruitment > Why shoul you join us?
View Full Version : Why shoul you join us?
-We have ranked decently high in all wars, from 224th to 136th and we're working to be in top 100 next war.
-We have a very active and close core group. We hang out on nimbuzz and groupme, we talk about KA, Xbox (some of us are now friends on xbox), work and even personal issues. We are that close, most of us.
-We have players from all over the world: U.S.A., Canada, U.K, Australia, Latin America and Turkey so it is interesting and fun to chat with all of us.
-We have our own forum, a lot of bonuses and we finished both guild quests.
-We know you have a life, a job, a wife, a husband, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, kids and pets; so it's ok if you wont be active for a time, just let us know.
-Active players who donate and use chat at least to say hi everyday and take part in guild quests and war.
-Daily donations according to you IPH. An average of 5 times you IPH daily is not hard to achieve. I know not everyone can give 50K daily, but with an IPH of 5k, you can give 25K every day and still have gold to work on your kingdom.
-Usage of gems is always welcome. Gemmers are a priority too, but a free player can compensate the lack of gems with high activity.
-You wont regret joining us if you play by the rules.
-Your character will get stronger and you'll have fun.
-Im an officer, but the one who makes the call is the leader. I can't promise you will be accepted right away, so please be patient while I talk about you with our guild leader.
-Send request to 376 818 841 and please post on you wall you saw the add here.
Thanks a lot and happy hunting.
Only 3 spots left. Hurry up!
War starts tomorrow! Come join us!
hello could I join? I'm level 34 with about 57000 attack and 56000 defense.
We have several requesters, whats your ingame name? I didn't see anyone with your forum name. And you have to make room on your inbox too, I can't pm you.
My in game name is Avery.
Hi my name is Butthead and I am a KA addict. My addiction truly started when I joined KFF. I've been through two wars with the guild now and couldn't be happier. We have a lot of fun fighting along side eachother, helping eachother develop and are there to be shoulders if needed. We are a family (without the creepy uncle who smells really bad).
Before joining KFF I was considering quiting playing the game all together but decided to PM Eddard to give the game one more chance. Since then my main KA character has grown by leaps and bounds and I've started two LLP characters. We have a great solid core of officers who work as a team with the Guild Leader. Decisions are made for the good of the guild and are done in a timely manner, no peeps that should have been gone months and months ago. I dont consider my daily participation with the guild a chore at all...since i often find myself with a sore side from laughing so hard! Its amazing how team dynamic and great peeps make a game so much fun!
Oh, that is not a matter of age, it's a matter of maturity and respect. Age has a little bit to do with maturity I grant you, but any serious guild expect their members to be respectful with the guild leader. I'm sorry it didn't work out with you Avery, but hey, you got some cool units from a top 100 guild. Good luck to you mate!
So, now that we finished the current Guild Quest, we have 2 more open spots. So come join our top 100 guild!
Ok, thanks to all of you who sent your requests and asked for info via pm. Im both sorry and happy to inform all of you that Im no longer part of Knights from a far. Some of the officers and members (including Butthead) had to leave because the guild was not going the way we thought was the best way to achieve victory. And basically the goals achieved were the product of the hardwork and money of a handfull of people, not a real team effort.
So, we joined Ryan and his guild JAG and we placed in top 75 last war. And we're building two guilds now, so there will be room for a lot of active players who want to share victory and glory with us.
Once again, to all of you I had to say you're stats were not high enough and "we're no longer recruiting" I am trully sorry, and I hope we can take you all in our new awesome teams.
You will be hearing from us soon!!
Thanks a lot and happy hunting!!


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text:
Lîle de Disko (en groenlandais , littéralement « Grande île », en danois ), est une île du Danemark située dans la baie de Baffin, près de l'île principale du Groenland. Elle appartient à la municipalité de Qeqertalik.

Géographie
Avec une superficie totale de , elle est la deuxième île la plus vaste de l'archipel groenlandais et une des 100 plus grandes îles du monde. Elle est d'une taille comparable à la Corse. Qeqertarsuaq est la plus grande localité. Elle est séparée du  groenlandais par le détroit de Sullorsuaq.

Histoire

Références

Pour approfondir

Bibliographie

 .
 .
 .

Articles connexes
 Baie de Baffin
 Baie de Disko
 Détroit de Sullorsuaq
 Géographie du Groenland
 Liste des îles du Groenland

Liens externes

Disko
Disko


The Australian share market has closed lower with most sectors in the red and a sharp sell-off in energy companies as investors await the US central bank's interest rate move later this week.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 0.32 per cent lower at the close, with only the mining-related materials and telecommunications sector finishing higher.
Oil and gas companies were the biggest drag after oil prices dropped to three-month lows on Friday due to concerns about high oil supplies in the US.
Bell Direct equities analyst Julia Lee said the local share market ignored strong leads from Wall Street, unlike other markets in the region, and trading volumes were relatively low ahead of the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision on March 15.
"Other markets traded higher after Wall Street's positive performance on the back of the strong non-farm payroll numbers," Ms Lee said.
"On the Australian market, the energy space has had a selloff and the interest rate-sensitive areas of the market have also come under pressure, especially property."
The major miners were lower during early trade but turned around in the afternoon thanks to improved Chinese iron ore futures.
"We are seeing red all across the screen but an area of strength is the materials which saw a significant turnaround after the Dalian iron ore futures rose during the session," Ms Lee said.
Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals rose 19 cents to $59.16 and four cents to $6.15, respectively.
Among the energy players, Santos fell six cents, or 1.7 per cent, to $3.53, Oil Search dropped 16 cents, or 2.3 per cent, to $6.77 and Woodside Petroleum shed 33 cents, or 1.1 per cent, to $30.73.
A number of broker downgrades hurt the property sector with Scentre Group, the owner of Westfield shopping centres in Australia, down 2.6 per cent, or 11 cents, to $4.15.
Property developer Stockland gave up 2.4 per cent, or 11 cents, to $4.50, and Bunnings warehouse owner BWP Trust slipped 2.8 per cent, or eight cents, to $2.75.
As for the big four banks, Westpac finished flat at $35.13, while National Australia Bank, ANZ and Commonwealth Bank were marginally lower.
The US Federal Reserve's two-day interest rate meeting is expected to end with a rate hike on Thursday morning, Australian time.
The Australian dollar has traded higher at 75.71 US cents, up from 75.19 on Friday with help from a decline in the US dollar as profit takers moved in after the strong US payrolls numbers and the gains in the iron ore price.
* The benchmark S&P/ASX200 was down 18.3 points, or 0.32 per cent, at 5,757.3 points.
* The broader All Ordinaries index was down 16.6 points, or 0.29 per cent, at 5,794.9 points.
* The March SPI200 futures contract was down 23 points, or 0.40 per cent, at 5,756 points.
* National turnover was 2.1 billion securities traded worth $4.09 billion.
The spot price of gold in Sydney at 1700 AEDT was $US1,207.80 per fine ounce, up $US9.80 from $US1,198 on Friday.
* March 2017 3-year bond futures contract at 97.850 (2.15pct), from 97.82 (2.18pct).


text:
/**
 * @name Mixpanel
 * @description
 * Cordova Plugin that wraps Mixpanel SDK for Android and iOS
 *
 * @usage
 * ```
 * import {Mixpanel} from 'ionic-native';
 *
 * Mixpanel.init(token)
 *   .then(onSuccess)
 *   .catch(onError);
 *
 * ```
 * @classes
 * MixpanelPeople
 */
export declare class Mixpanel {
    /**
     *
     * @param aliasId {string}
     * @param originalId {string}
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static alias(aliasId: string, originalId: string): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static distinctId(): Promise<any>;
    /**
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static flush(): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param distinctId {string}
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static identify(distinctId: string): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param token {string}
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static init(token: string): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param superProperties {any}
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static registerSuperProperties(superProperties: any): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static reset(): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param eventName {string}
     * @param eventProperties {any} optional
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static track(eventName: string, eventProperties?: any): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @returns {Promise<any>}
     */
    static showSurvey(): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @returns {MixpanelPeople}
     */
    static readonly people: typeof MixpanelPeople;
}
/**
 * @private
 */
export declare class MixpanelPeople {
    /**
     * @private
     */
    static plugin: string;
    /**
     * @private
     */
    static pluginRef: string;
    /**
     *
     * @param distinctId {string}
     * @return {Promise<any>}
     */
    static identify(distinctId: string): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param peopleProperties {string}
     * @return {Promise<any>}
     */
    static increment(peopleProperties: any): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param pushId
     * @return {Promise<any>}
     */
    static setPushId(pushId: string): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param peopleProperties
     * @return {Promise<any>}
     */
    static set(peopleProperties: any): Promise<any>;
    /**
     *
     * @param peopleProperties
     * @return {Promise<any>}
     */
    static setOnce(peopleProperties: any): Promise<any>;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a biomarker of airway inflammation that has proved to be useful in investigations of genetic and epigenetic airway susceptibility to ambient air pollutants. For example, susceptibility to airway inflammation from exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < =2.5 μm (PM2.5) varies by haplotypes and promoter region methylation in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS encoded by NOS2). We hypothesized that PM2.5 susceptibility associated with these epigenetic and genetic variants may be greater in children with high FeNO from inflamed airways. In this study, we investigated genetic and epigenetic susceptibility to airborne particulate matter by examining whether the joint effects of PM2.5, NOS2 haplotypes and iNOS promoter methylation significantly vary across the distribution of FeNO in school children.
The study included 940 school children in the southern California Children's Health Study who provided concurrent buccal samples and FeNO measurements. We used quantile regression to examine susceptibility by estimating the quantile-specific joint effects of PM2.5, NOS2 haplotype and methylation on FeNO.
We discovered striking differences in susceptibility to PM2.5 in school children. The joint effects of short-term PM2.5 exposure, NOS2 haplotypes and methylation across the FeNO distribution were significantly larger in the upper tail of the FeNO distribution, with little association in its lower tail, especially among children with asthma and Hispanic white children.
School-aged children with higher FeNO have greater genetic and epigenetic susceptibility to PM2.5, highlighting the importance of investigating effects across the entire distribution of FeNO.
The fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a quantitative, noninvasive, easily measurable biomarker related to airway inflammation, responsive to adverse effects of air pollution on respiratory health [1–4]. Although the mechanisms by which exposure to air pollutants causes airway inflammation are not yet fully understood, high levels of NO are ultimately produced from bronchial epithelial cells and other resident cell types by the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, encoded by NOS2).
In recent years, extensive research has shown that elevated ambient-background and traffic-related air pollutants are both associated with higher FeNO in healthy subjects and in patients with asthma and COPD [1, 5–9]. In the southern California Children's Health Study (CHS), we reported that both long- and short-term exposures to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were associated with higher FeNO in school children [10, 11]. In terms of genetic determinants of FeNO, variants in NOS2 on chromosome 17 have been shown to be significantly associated with FeNO in both children and adults [12–16]. Data from CHS also showed that promoter haplotypes in NOS2 had affected respiratory health and were significantly associated with FeNO, asthma incidence and pulmonary function development in school children . Building on those findings, we further found that NOS2 genetic and epigenetic variations and short-term PM2.5 exposure jointly affected FeNO level . This novel finding suggested that the susceptibility of airway inflammation to short-term exposure to PM2.5 is modified by haplotype and iNOS promoter methylation .
Because children with asthma and other conditions associated with inflamed airways show larger responses to particulate air pollutants, we hypothesized that PM2.5 susceptibility associated with these epigenetic and genetic variants may be greater in children with high FeNO from inflamed airways. All the studies above were performed using standard "mean-based" linear regression, which reports the change in mean outcome for a given change in exposure. This approach assumes that effects of risk factors on FeNO only shift the location of the FeNO distribution; thus it may obscure heterogeneity in the effects by failing to capture associations that differ across the FeNO distribution. A different analytic method is needed to address our hypothesis that PM2.5 susceptibility for airway inflammation (as measured by FeNO) associated with these epigenetic and genetic variants is greater in children with existing airway inflammation and high FeNO. For example, in a novel application of quantile regression, asthma, current rhinitis, gender and race/ethnicity were found to be associated with larger increases in the upper tails of the FeNO distribution suggesting that inflamed airways show enhanced difference for these factors . In the present study, we used quantile regression methods to examine data from the CHS on air pollution exposures, genetic and epigenetic data to evaluate variation in their joint effects on FeNO across its distribution, and determined whether the joint effects varied by asthma status, race/ethnicity, gender or allergy.
We evaluated the population of 940 non-Hispanic white and Hispanic white children analyzed previously [18, 20]. Each child had FeNO measurement and buccal sample collection on the same day in one of three consecutive school years (2004–2005, 2005–2006, 2006–2007). The institutional review board at the University of Southern California approved the study protocol. All subjects assented and their parents or legal guardians consented. The brief description of collected data in the study is provided in the following subsections. More detailed information on methods for data collection could be found in our previous publications [18, 20].
In years 2004–2005 and 2005–2006, offline FeNO samples were collected in bags at 100 ml/s expiratory flow following American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines . In 2006–2007, online FeNO was measured using EcoMedics CLD-88-SP analyzers at 50 ml/s expiratory flow following ATS guidelines . In our previous publication, we used 361 school children in the CHS study who had FeNO measured using both online and offline techniques to develop and validate a model predicting online FeNO from offline FeNO (adjusted R 2 = 0.94) . In this study, we used predicted online FeNO for children measured in the first two years, and online FeNO for children measured in the third year.
PM2.5 data were obtained from central monitoring sites in each study community operated by local air pollution agencies in conformance with US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. Each community contained a single central-site monitor. At each monitoring site, 24-h average measurements PM2.5 were obtained daily or every third day. When pollution data were not available for certain days, the gaps were filled using data from nearby monitors provided that the monitors were not more than 7 km apart. Daily 24-h averages were used to calculate cumulative average exposure levels 7 days prior to the FeNO test date, referred to as "short-term PM2.5 exposure" hereafter.
We selected 7 SNPs in NOS2 promoter region, which represents a minimum set of haplotype-tagging SNPs (htSNPs) with MAFs ≥0.05 to explain >90% of haplotype diversity (R2h ≥ 0.90). The order of selected SNP in NOS2 promoter haplotypes is rs4795080-rs2779253-rs1889022-rs10853181-rs2531866-rs1014025-rs25318723. In this study, the primary NOS2 promoter haplotype of interest is h1000010 [H1], which is one of most common haplotype variants and shown to impact the mean FeNO level jointly with short-term PM2.5 and methylation in previous publication . Other common haplotype variants: h0111101 [H2], h0000000 [H3] and h0000010 [H4] were also explored separately as secondary haplotype of interest. The haplotype frequencies were estimated by using an SAS macro code available with the TagSNPs program. This haplotype estimation technique provides the maximum likelihood estimates of the haplotype frequencies assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
The methylation site was 8091 bp down-stream to the nearest NOS2 promoter SNP (rs4795080). The DNA methylation analyses were performed by bisulfite-PCR with appropriate quality control. Laboratory personnel performing DNA methylation analyses were blinded to study subject information. Bisulfite conversion of 1 μg of genomic DNA extracted from buccal mucosal cells were performed with the EZ-96 DNA Methylation Gold Kit (Zymo Research, Orange, CA), according to the manufacturer's recommended protocol. Final elution was performed with 40 μL M-elution buffer. Bisulfite-converted DNA was stored at −70 °C until further use. Pyrosequencing assays were performed using the HotMaster Mix (Eppendorf Hamburg, Germany) and the PSQ HS96 Pyrosequencing System (Biotage AB, Uppsala, Sweden).
Race/ethnicity, annual family income, parental education, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS), asthma history and allergy history were determined from annual written questionnaires completed by the parents. Questionnaires were collected at the school visit during which the child's buccal cell sample was collected. Height and weight were measured on the day of FeNO testing. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized as underweight, normal, overweight or obese based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts (https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/growthcharts/resources/sas.htm).
In the QR model, all regression coefficients are indexed by quantile τ (where, for example, τ = 0.5 corresponds to the median) and β 1(τ) − β 7(τ) quantify the change in the value of the quantile of log-transformed FeNO, Q logFeNO (τ), associated with unit change in the predictor variables PM , M and H. All models were adjusted for the design variables age and community of residence as well as gender, race/ethnicity, asthma, respiratory allergy, parental education, secondhand tobacco smoking, month of FeNO collection and experimental plate (for Pyrosequencing reactions). Furthermore, we use 7 degree freedom likelihood ratio tests to examine whether the joint effects of PM2.5, NOS2 promoter haplotypes, iNOS promoter methylation on FeNO level are modified by variables such as asthma status, race/ethnicity, gender and allergy. We fitted the QR models at selected quantiles ranging from 0.10 to 0.90, with 0.20 increments. Since inference in quantile regression does not rely on the normality assumption, log-transformation of FeNO is not needed in general. However, we modeled log-transformed FeNO because it is more linearly associated with covariates than original scale FeNO, and we also wanted to compare quantile regression results to results from traditional mean regression of log-transformed FeNO. All models were fitted using the quantreg package in R (http://cran.r-project.org/) using the method discussed in . Hypothesis tests were performed under a 0.05 significance level and a two-sided alternative.
We also constructed a way to visually present the distortion of FeNO distribution by contrasting the empirically observed FeNO distribution among study cohort with their predicted distribution for a given change in PM2.5, haplotype and methylation exposure using the fitted quantile regression model.
Participants were between 6 and 11 years old (mean = 9.3) and equally divided between boys and girls (Table 1). Most children were non-Hispanic White (64.6%). The geometric mean of FeNO was 11.1 ppb (geometric SD = 1.9). Consistent with previous literature, we found that age and history of asthma and respiratory allergy were associated with higher FeNO level (all P < 0.001). Gender, BMI, parental education and SHS were not significantly associated with FeNO. Among children with asthma, geometric mean FeNO was 14.8 ppb (geometric SD = 2.4), and the FeNO level at 80th percentile was about 4 times the median. There were 62.8% of the children in the study population with short-term PM2.5 levels >10 μg/m3. The observed variation of short-term PM2.5 exposure by community in the study cohort is provided in Additional file 1: Figure S1.
Using mean-based regression , short-term PM2.5 exposure, NOS2 haplotype and percent iNOS promoter methylation were jointly associated with mean FeNO (three-way interaction P < 0.01). Using quantile regression, we further discovered that these associations were not homogenous across the quantiles of FeNO. Significant associations were observed among subjects with the highest FeNO (Additional file 1: Table S1).
The quantile regression results are presented in conjunction with mean-based regression results in Figs. 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows joint effects on log-FeNO level at its mean and at selected quantiles, for each given copy number of NOS2 haplotype, along with various combinations of decreases in iNOS promoter methylation and increases in short-term PM2.5 exposures from their average levels. Short-term PM2.5 exposure was more strongly associated with higher log-FeNO level when children carried at least one copy of NOS2 haplotype and had lower percent iNOS promoter methylation. The observed phenomenon was not constant across the log-FeNO distribution, with larger and more significant joint effects at higher quantiles of FeNO.
Figure 2a demonstrates that short-term PM2.5 exposure, NOS2 haplotype and iNOS promoter methylation jointly distort the log-FeNO distribution. Specifically, this figure compares the empirical log-FeNO distribution among children without a copy of the NOS2 haplotype under observed short-term PM2.5 exposure and iNOS promoter methylation levels (black line) to their predicted log-FeNO distribution (red line). The predicted values are calculated when they all have two copies of NOS2 haplotype and observed short-term PM2.5 exposure increased by 10 μg/m3 and observed iNOS promoter methylation levels decreased by 10 percentage points. In the official American Thoracic Society guidelines to the clinical interpretation of FeNO, for children with age < 12, FeNO >35 ppb indicates eosinophilic inflammation, and the use of corticosteroids is likely to be responsive for symptomatic individuals . This figure shows that the proportion of children with FeNO >35 ppb is less than 10% among children with no copy of haplotype in the current study population. However, the proportion will increase to more than 20%, if the children have two copies of haplotype, 10 μg/m3 increase in short-term PM2.5 exposure and 10 percentage point decreased in methylation level. The Q-Q plot in Fig. 2b further shows that log-FeNO is distorted dramatically in the upper tails. These findings illustrate that the shift in mean log-FeNO distribution using standard means regression methods provides an incomplete summary that ignores critical features in these data.
Using quantile regression, we found significant modification of the joint effects of NOS2 haplotype, iNOS promoter methylation level and short-term PM2.5 exposure on the FeNO distribution (Table 2). For example, asthma and race/ethnicity each significantly modified the joint effect on the 90th percentiles of the FeNO distribution (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively) and gender significantly modified the joint effect on the 10th, 50th and 70th percentiles of FeNO distribution (all p ≈ 0.01).This is in contrast to means regression, which did not detect these interactions of asthma, race/ethnicity and gender on mean log-FeNO (7 degree of freedom likelihood ratio test p-values are 0.63, 0.72 and 0.07, respectively). Children's respiratory allergy status did not significantly modify the joint effects on either the mean or percentiles of log-FeNO (all p > 0.05).
We found that the joint genetic, epigenetic and exposures effects among children with asthma were significantly larger than those among children without asthma, especially above the 90th percentiles of FeNO distribution (Fig. 3). Larger joint effects were observed among Hispanic white children across the FeNO distribution, especially on the 90th percentiles of FeNO, when compared with Non-Hispanic children (Fig. 4). Interestingly, we observed that among Non-Hispanic white children, lower iNOS promoter methylation was associated with lower log-FeNO at the 90th percentile for a given PM2.5 level and copy of NOS2 haplotype. However, this association was not observed among Hispanic white children. In a similar joint effect figure by gender (Additional file 1: Figure S2), no simple joint effect pattern across the various combinations of PM2.5 exposure, iNOS promoter methylation level and copy of NOS2 haplotype could be identified between male and female in Table 2.
Additional file 1: Figures S3, S4 and S5, similar to Fig. 2, depict the empirical and predicted log-FeNO distribution by asthma, race/ethnicity and gender, respectively. Additional file 1: Figures S3 and S4 show that the severe distortion in the upper tails of FeNO distribution are more dramatic among children with asthma and among the Hispanic white group for a 10 μg/m3 increases in short-term PM2.5 exposure and 10 percentage decreases in iNOS promoter methylation, and comparing 0 to 2 copies of NOS2 haplotype. Additional file 1: Figure S4 shows that the same change in PM2.5, iNOS promoter methylation and NOS2 haplotype markedly distorts the lower tail and middle part of the log-FeNO distribution in females but only distorts the upper tail in males.
Several models were fitted to assess the sensitivity of the results. The observed associations were robust to excluding subjects with exposure to second hand smoke (N = 33) and to adjustment for BMI, physical activity, and any asthma medication uses (data not shown). Besides NOS2 promoter haplotype H1, we also explored the other common haplotype variants (H2-H4). Since H2 has inverse correlation with H1 (Spearman r = −0.43), its joint effects with PM2.5 and iNOS methylation for log-FeNO were significant, especially in the higher quantiles of FeNO, but opposite to what was found for H1 (data not shown). There were no significant interactive effects of iNOS methylation, PM2.5 exposure and H3 or H4 haplotypes across the log-FeNO distribution.
We discovered that the joint effects of short-term PM2.5 exposure, iNOS promoter methylation and NOS2 haplotypes vary dramatically across the distribution of FeNO. These results went beyond the mean model by providing more insights to the joint effects of air pollution, genetic and epigenetic variants on the FeNO distribution. In this paper, our novel quantile regression analysis showed that the joint effects of short-term PM2.5 exposure, iNOS promoter methylation and NOS2 haplotypes occurred predominantly in the upper tail of the FeNO distribution. This indicates that the genetic and epigenetic susceptibility of airway inflammation to short-term PM2.5 exposure is variable and greater among school children already having relatively high FeNO reflecting airway inflammation. Further, we discovered that the observed joint effects of short-term PM2.5 exposure, genetic and epigenetic variation in NOS2 are greater among children with asthma and children identifying as Hispanic white who already have high FeNO level. This phenomenon was not evident from standard mean-based regression results due to the strong assumption of this method that effects are limited to shifts in the mean.
We infer that the observed larger associations of PM2.5, genetic and epigenetic variations in NOS2 among the children already having high FeNO level are not fully attributable to the presence of asthma. In analyses of the subset of children without asthma, we found significantly stronger associations in the upper tail of FeNO distribution and the magnitudes of these associations were similar to those observed in the entire study population. The observed heterogeneous joint effect was also unlikely to be confounded by the level of asthma severity, which was not directly measured in CHS. CHS is a population-based cohort of school children. Therefore, asthma severity is low compared to typical clinical cohorts. Our results were robust in a sensitivity analysis that adjusted for asthma medication use, which can be treated as a surrogate for asthma severity.
These findings provide novel evidence of the importance of analyses that go beyond the standard approach estimating mean effects when evaluating the pathways for genetic and epigenetic variations and environmental exposure in phenotypic expression of respiratory disease. In the current epigenetic, genetic and air pollution health effects literature, mean regression is the dominant statistical approach due to its straightforward implementation and interpretation. However, this approach relies on the strong assumption that risk factors impact phenotype expression only through shifting its mean. Quantile regression can be considered a complement to mean regression which provides a more flexible way to understand the role of potential risk factors in the disease etiology and phenotype expression. In the past few years, the use of quantile regression in epidemiology and public health is gradually emerging. For example, Burgette et al. found that tobacco exposure depresses the 20th and 30th percentiles of birth weight more strongly among pregnant mothers with high level of lead in blood than those with low level . Bind et al. showed that increases in particle number, PM2.5, black carbon and mass concentration were significantly associated with lower methylation in the lower tails of the IFN-γ and ICAM-1 methylation distributions .
The observed novel varying effect of short-term PM2.5, genetic and epigenetic variations in iNOS promoter on FeNO among school children is biologically plausible. First, published studies have documented that short-term PM2.5 exposure and NOS2 promoter haplotype are both associated with higher FeNO level [12, 26–31]. Secondly, lower iNOS promoter methylation has been associated with higher iNOS expression, and consequently increases in NO production and FeNO level . The FeNO levels for children with low promoter methylation in NOS2 are more likely to be in the upper tail of FeNO distribution. Thirdly, increases in short-term PM2.5 were more significantly associated with lower methylation in the lower tail of iNOS promoter methylation distribution. In other words, we hypothesize that higher short-term PM2.5 exposure could lead to sharper fall in iNOS promoter methylation among children with lower DNA methylation than those with comparatively high methylation. Therefore, it is plausible that the observed significant joint effects on the upper tail of FeNO distribution are attributable to the significant effect of PM2.5 on the lower tail of iNOS promoter methylation distribution, especially among children carrying this NOS2 haplotype. Further studies are needed to fully evaluate the temporal patterns of exposure on iNOS DNA methylation and resultant changes in FeNO level and the influence of DNA-sequence variants in NOS2 in such associations.
The strengths of the current study include the large, population-based cohort of school children, rigorous FeNO data quality control, and a thorough investigation of the joint effects of PM2.5, iNOS promoter methylation and NOS2 haplotypes on FeNO using a cutting-edge statistical approach.
Results from our study should be interpreted in light of some limitations. The cross-sectional nature of the analysis precludes us from assessing the effects of some long term health confounders and temporal effects and addressing the causality. Our covariates were assessed by questionnaire, potentially introducing recall bias and misclassification. Because such misclassification usually biases the results towards null, it is unlikely to explain the observed findings. Moreover, the questionnaire items we employ are widely used in similar studies and treated as standardized core questions to estimate the prevalence of asthma status and current nose symptoms . The findings may not be generalizable to other ethnic groups, as the study population was primarily non-Hispanic white and Hispanic children in southern California. Although the joint effects of PM2.5, iNOS promoter methylation and NOS2 haplotypes on FeNO were also modified by gender, a clear illustration for this difference across various combinations of these exposures is still lacking and further study is warranted to better understand the role of gender in the observed joint effects on FeNO.
Although this manuscript primarily focus on understanding the joint effects of short-term PM2.5, genetic and epigenetic variants on FeNO, more complete investigation of other air pollutants, including the components of PM2.5, is warranted for future work. Meanwhile, genetic and epigenetic susceptibility of air inflammation to long-term air pollution exposure remains unknown and need to be answered in the future work.
In summary, we found that school children with high FeNO have increased genetic and epigenetic susceptibility to short-term PM2.5 exposure. We also showed that standard mean regression failed to capture how PM2.5, iNOS promoter methylation and NOS2 haplotypes jointly distort the FeNO distribution, primarily affecting the upper tail. Using quantile regression, we further discovered the phenomena that joint effects on the upper tail of the FeNO distribution are more significant among children with asthma or who are Hispanic white, which was also not found using mean-based regression. Quantile regression allows the estimation of associations across the response distribution, and could be used more widely, as either an alternative or a complement to mean regression approach for better understanding the pathway of environmental exposure, genetic and epigenetic factors in phenotype expression in future studies.
We are indebted to the school principals, teachers, students and parents in each of the 13 study communities for their cooperation and especially to the members of the health testing field team for their efforts.
This work was supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (grants 5R01HL61768 and 5R01HL76647); the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center (grant 5P30ES007048) funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; the Children's Environmental Health Center (grants 5P01ES009581, R826708–01 and RD831861–01) funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency; the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (grants 5P01ES011627, 1R01ES023262–01, 1K22ES022987); Air Quality Management District (grant RFP#PBOC-9 2012); and the Hastings Foundation.
The data analyzed in the current study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
All authors contributed to the conception and/or design of this study; data interpretation; writing, and critical revision of the manuscript; and approved the final version to be published. YZ, MTS, EBR, and FDG contributed to the acquisition and analysis of the data.
The study was approved by the University of Southern California Internal Review Board.


text:
Sexual Misconduct Policy (replaced with A.R. 5.1.16 on August 14, 2020)
Administrative Regulation 2.4.4 Sexual Harassment Policy for Students*
*Administrative Regulation 2.4.4 is rescinded effective August 14, 2020. For cases made prior to August 14, 2020, 2.4.4 applies. Administrative Regulation 2.4.4 is archived here for transitional purposes.
I. Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . . ." 20 USC §1681 / 34 C.F.R. part 106
The policy of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is to provide an educational, employment, and business environment free of sexual violence, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communications constituting Sexual Harassment as prohibited by state and federal law. Discrimination under this Policy is an unequal treatment of a student based on the student's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, or pregnancy. This Policy prohibits Sexual Harassment and Discrimination in any college education program or activity, which means all academic, educational, extracurricular, athletic and other programs. This Policy is subject to Constitutionally protected speech rights and principles of academic freedom. Questions about this Policy may be directed to the MCCCD EEO/affirmative action office.
A. Sexual Harassment
Any unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with, limits, or deprives a student of the ability to participate in or benefit from any MCCCD educational program or activity. The unwelcome behavior may be based on power differentials, the creation of a Hostile Environment, or retaliation for allegations of Sexual Harassment under this Policy. Sexual Harassment can occur regardless of the relationship, position or respective sex of the parties. Sexual Harassment includes Hostile Environment Harassment, Sexual Assault, Inducing Incapacitation for Sexual Purposes, Sexual Exploitation, Dating Violence, and Stalking. Same sex Sexual Harassment violates this Policy. Sexual Harassment by and between students; employees and students; and campus visitors and students is prohibited by this Policy.
Depending on the particular circumstances, Sexual Harassment may include, but is not limited to, the following:
1.Physical assaults of a sexual nature, such as rape, sexual battery, molestation, or attempts to commit these assaults; and intentional physical conduct that is sexual in nature such as touching, pinching, patting, grabbing, poking, or brushing against another individual's body in a sexual manner.
2. Offering or implying an education-related reward (such as a better grade, a letter of recommendation, favorable treatment in the classroom, assistance in obtaining employment, grants or fellowships, or admission to any educational program or activity) in exchange for sexual favors or submission to sexual conduct.
3. Threatening or taking a negative educational action (such as giving an unfair grade, withholding a letter of recommendation, or withholding assistance with any educational activity) or intentionally making the individual's academic work more difficult because sexual conduct is rejected.
4. The use or display in the classroom, including electronic, of pornographic or sexually harassing materials such as posters, photos, cartoons or graffiti without pedagogical justification.
5. Explicit sexual comments by one or more students about another student, or circulating drawings or other images depicting a student in a sexual manner.
6. Unwelcome sexual advances, repeated propositions or requests for a sexual relationship to an individual who has previously indicated that such conduct is unwelcome, or sexual gestures, noises, remarks, jokes, questions, or comments by a student about another student's sexuality or sexual experience. Such conduct between peers must be sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an educational environment that is hostile or abusive. A single incident involving severe misconduct may rise to the level of Sexual Harassment.
B. Hostile Environment Harassment
Harassment based on sex, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation that is sufficiently serious (i.e., severe, pervasive, or persistent) and objectively offensive so as to deny or limit a person's ability to participate in or benefit from the college's programs, services, opportunities, or activities.
A Hostile Environment can be created by anyone involved in a college program or activity (e.g., administrators, faculty members, students, and campus visitors or contractors). Mere offensiveness is not enough to create a Hostile Environment. Although repeated incidents increase the likelihood that harassment has created a Hostile Environment, a serious incident, such as a sexual assault, even if isolated, can be sufficient.
In determining whether harassment has created a Hostile Environment, consideration will be made not only as to whether the conduct was unwelcome to the person who feels harassed, but also whether a reasonable person in a similar situation would have perceived the conduct as objectively offensive. Also, the following factors will be considered:
a. the degree to which the conduct affected one or more students' education;
b. the nature, scope, frequency, duration, and location of incident or incidents;
c. the identity, number, and relationships of persons involved;
d. the nature of higher education.
C. Sexual Assault
An act involving forced or coerced sexual penetration or sexual contact.
D. Inducing Incapacitation for Sexual Purposes
Using drugs, alcohol, or other means with the intent to affect, or having an actual effect on, the ability of an individual to consent or refuse to consent to sexual contact.
E. Sexual Exploitation
Taking non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another for anyone's advantage or benefit other than the person being exploited, and such behavior does not otherwise constitute a form of Sexual Harassment under this Policy. Examples of behavior that could rise to the level of Sexual Exploitation include:
a. Prostituting another person;
b. Non-consensual visual (e.g., video, photograph) or audio-recording of sexual activity;
c. Non-consensual distribution of photos, other images, or information of an individual's sexual activity, intimate body parts, or nakedness, with the intent to or having the effect of embarrassing an individual who is the subject of such images or information;
d. Going beyond the bounds of consent (such as letting your friends hide in the closet to watch you having consensual sex);
e. Engaging in non-consensual voyeurism;
f. Knowingly transmitting an STI (sexually transmitted infection), such as HIV, to another without disclosing one's STI status;
g. Exposing one's genitals in non-consensual circumstances, or inducing another to expose his or her genitals;
h. Possessing, distributing, viewing or forcing others to view obscenity.
F. Dating Violence
Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors:
A. the length of the relationship;
B. the type of relationship;
C. the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
G. Stalking
Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress.
H. Consenting to Sexual Activity
Consent is clear, knowing, and voluntary; it is active, not passive. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable clear permission regarding willingness to engage in sexual activity.
Consent to one form of sexual activity cannot imply consent to other forms of sexual activity. Previous relationships or consent cannot imply consent in future sexual acts. Consent cannot be procured by use of physical force, compelling threats, intimidating behavior, or coercion.
Coercion is unreasonable pressure for sexual activity. Coercive behavior differs from seductive behavior based on the type of pressure someone uses to get consent from another. When people make clear to you that they do not want sex, that they want to stop, or that they do not want to go past a certain point of sexual interaction, continued pressure beyond that point can be coercive. In order to give effective consent, one must be age 18 or older.
If you have sexual activity with someone you know to be – or should know to be – mentally or physically incapacitated, you are in violation of this Policy. Incapacitation is a state where one cannot make a rational, reasonable decision because one lacks the ability to understand the who, what, where, why or how of that person's sexual interaction.
II. Definitions
Alleged Victim
The person who is the victim of any alleged Sexual Harassment or Discrimination in violation of this Policy.
Complainant
A person who has experienced or witnessed, or otherwise knows of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination in violation of this Policy and files a Formal Complaint pursuant to this Policy.
Respondent
The person who is alleged to have engaged in Sexual Harassment or Discrimination prohibited under this Policy.
The Vice President of Student Affairs serves as each respective college's Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator is the individual responsible for providing education and training about Discrimination and Sexual Harassment to the college community and for receiving and investigating allegations of Discrimination and Sexual Harassment in accordance with this Policy. The Title IX Coordinator is authorized to designate other appropriately trained individuals to investigate Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Complaints and reports as deemed appropriate. The contact information for the Title IX Coordinator at each college may be found at https://district.maricopa.edu/consumer-information/title-ix/title-ix-coordinators.
III. Reporting Discrimination
A. Bystander
No student or employee should assume that an official of the college knows about a particular situation. The college encourages any student who feels he or she has been discriminated against or harassed in violation of this Policy to promptly report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator. Any student who knows of Discrimination or Sexual Harassment prohibited under this Policy that is experienced by another student should report that information to the Title IX Coordinator. Before a student reveals information, college employees will try to ensure that the student understands the employee's obligations and, if the student wishes to maintain confidentiality, direct the student to confidential resources. A student may choose to make a full report or request confidentiality as he or she determines.
All members of the college community are expected to adhere to this Policy, to cooperate with the procedures for responding to complaints of Discrimination and Harassment, and to report conduct or behavior they believe to be in violation of this Policy to the Title IX Coordinator. A duty to report conduct or behavior that violates this Policy is imposed on all administrators, supervisors, faculty members, and persons in positions of authority. Such employees perform their duty to report by reporting the conduct or behavior to the Title IX Coordinator.
B. College Complaints and Reporting
Any person who has experienced, witnessed, or otherwise knows of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination prohibited under this Policy is to report such conduct to the college's Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator is trained to help you find the resources you might need, to explain all reporting options, and to respond appropriately to conduct of concern. Such conduct is to be reported to the Title IX Coordinator as soon as possible after it occurs. The Title IX Coordinator tracks all reports of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination.
There are several avenues available for any person who experiences, witnesses, or otherwise knows of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination to report such conduct:
Leave a private voice message for the Title IX Coordinator;
Send a private email to the Title IX Coordinator;
Mail a letter to the Title IX Coordinator's office;
Visit the Title IX Coordinator (although it is best to make an appointment first to ensure availability);
File a Formal Complaint pursuant to this Policy;
Report to another trusted college official (e.g., faculty member, coach, advisor) who will provide information as required under the Policy to the Title IX Coordinator.
If there is an allegation of conduct in violation of this Policy about the Title IX Coordinator or any staff member who is part of the Vice President of Student Affairs' office, that allegation should be lodged with the President of the college. The President will appoint another trained individual to take the place of the Title IX Coordinator for purposes of the allegation.
C. Retailiation Prohibited
Retaliation occurs when adverse action is taken against a student or employee because he or she has engaged in protected activity such as filing a complaint of Discrimination or Harassment. Retaliation may be found even when the underlying charge does not constitute Discrimination or Harassment in violation of this Policy, and all persons who participate in a Discrimination or Harassment proceeding, not only the complaining party, are protected against retaliation. A retaliatory adverse action is an action taken to deter a reasonable person from opposing a discriminatory or harassing practice, or from participating in a Discrimination or Harassment proceeding, or more generally, from pursuing that person's rights.
D. Criminal Reporting
Please remember that if someone is in immediate danger or needs immediate medical attention, the first place to report is 911. You may also report to College Safety or local law enforcement. Some forms of Discrimination and Harassment may also be crimes. For example, sexual assault, stalking and rape are crimes. Criminal reports should be made to law enforcement, even if it is uncertain whether the particular conduct is a crime. Calling local law enforcement can help you: obtain emergency and nonemergency medical care; get immediate law enforcement response for your protection; understand how to provide assistance in a situation that may escalate to more severe criminal behavior; arrange a meeting with victim advocate services; find counseling and support; initiate a criminal investigation; and answer questions about the criminal process.
E. Confidentiality of Complaints and Reports
Parties in these processes, including the Alleged Victim, Respondent, Complainant and witnesses, have privacy rights and reasonable expectations of confidentiality in the investigation of matters subject to this Policy. In addition, the integrity of the process depends on ensuring reasonable expectations of confidentiality. The Title IX Coordinator or investigator will keep confidential the Complaint, report, witness statements, and any other information provided by the Alleged Victim, Respondent, Complainant or witnesses, and will disclose this information only to the Alleged Victim, Complainant, Respondent, or witnesses as necessary to give fair notice of the allegations and to conduct the investigation; to law enforcement consistent with state and federal law; to other college officials as necessary for coordinating interim measures or for health, welfare, and safety reasons; and to government agencies who review the college's compliance with federal law. The written investigation report and any written decision will be disclosed only to the Alleged Victim, Complainant, Respondent, Title IX Coordinator, and discipline authority. In the case of employees, the discipline authority is the college administrator with the authority to impose sanctions in accordance with applicable employment policies. In the case of students, the discipline authority is the Vice President for Student Affairs and college officials as necessary to prepare for subsequent proceedings (e.g., college President and MCCCD legal counsel).
F. Anonymous Reporting
The Title IX Coordinator accepts anonymous reports of conduct alleged to violate this Policy and will follow up on such reports. The individual making the report is encouraged to provide as much detailed information as possible to allow the Title IX Coordinator or investigator to inquire into or investigate the report, and respond as appropriate. The Title IX Coordinator or investigator may be limited in the ability to follow up on an anonymous report unless sufficient information is furnished to enable the Title IX Coordinator or investigator to conduct a meaningful and fair inquiry or investigation.
IV. Rights of Parties
A. Alleged Victim: The Alleged Victim has the right to:
1. An inquiry and appropriate resolution of all credible allegations of Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and sexual violence made in good faith to the Title IX Coordinator.
2. Be treated with respect by college officials.
3. Have the same opportunity as the Respondent to have others present (in support or advisory roles) during an investigation.
4. Report Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and violence to both on-campus and off-campus authorities.
5. Be informed of the investigation findings and imposed sanctions at the same time as the Respondent.
6. Be informed of and afforded access to available counseling, mental health, physical health or student services for victims of Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and violence.
7. Have notification of and options for, and available assistance in, changing academic and living situations after an alleged act of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination prohibited under this Policy, if so requested by the Alleged Victim and if such changes are reasonably available. No Formal Complaint, or investigation--campus or criminal--need occur before this option is available. Accommodations may include:
Change of on-campus student's housing to a different on-campus location;
Assistance from college support staff in completing relocation;
Arranging to dissolve a housing contract and pro-rating a refund;
Exam, paper, or assignment rescheduling;
Taking an incomplete in a class;
Transferring class sections;
Temporary withdraw from institution;
Alternative course completion options.
8. Not have irrelevant prior sexual history admitted as evidence in an investigation.
9. Make a victim-impact statement available to the investigator and decision-maker.
10. Access to available protection against another student who has engaged in or threatens to engage in stalking, threatening, harassing or other improper behavior that presents a danger to the welfare of the complaining student or others.
11. Have allegations of sexual misconduct that might be criminal in nature responded to quickly and with sensitivity by campus law enforcement.
12. Seek Reconsideration of the finding of the investigation and any sanction imposed.
13. Review all documentary evidence collected, used, and disseminated during the investigation and sanctioning process.
14. Petition that any member of the investigative process be removed on the basis of demonstrated bias.
15. Have an advocate or advisor present at all phases of the investigation.
16. Present relevant witnesses to the investigator and decision-maker, including expert witnesses.
17. Be fully informed of campus conduct rules and procedures as well as the nature and extent of all alleged violations.
18. Have MCCCD compel the presence of student, faculty, and staff witnesses.
19. Written notice of the investigation, findings and sanctions.
20. Challenge documentary evidence obtained during the investigation.
21. Be informed in advance of any public release of information regarding the investigation.
22. Give consent for the release of any personally identifiable information contained in the investigation.
B. Immediate Action and Interim Measures
The college may take interim measures to assist or protect the parties during the inquiry or investigation process, as necessary and with the Alleged Victim's consent. Such measures for an Alleged Victim may include arranging for changes in class schedules or living arrangements, issuing a no-contact order, obtaining counseling, and modifying test schedules or other class requirements temporarily.
C. Respondent: The Respondent has the right to:
3. Have the same opportunity as the Alleged Victim to have others present (in support or advisory roles) during an investigation.
4. Be informed of and have access to campus resources for medical, counseling, and advisory services.
5. Be fully informed of the nature, rules, and procedures of the investigation process, and to thorough and timely written notice of all alleged violations, including the full nature of the violation and possible sanctions.
6. Protections of due process required by local, state, or federal law.
8. Make an impact statement available to the investigator and decision-maker.
9. Seek Reconsideration of the finding of the investigation and any sanction imposed.
16. An outcome based solely on evidence presented during the investigation. Such evidence should be credible, relevant, based in fact, and without prejudice.
17. Written notice of the investigation, findings, and sanctions.
V. Due Process
Due process is afforded any employee, student, or visitor accused of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination prohibited under this Policy. On receipt of a Formal Complaint, or upon receipt of credible evidence that Sexual Harassment or Discrimination prohibited under this Policy has occurred, an immediate preliminary inquiry will be conducted to determine if there is reasonable cause to believe this Policy has been violated. A preliminary inquiry shall be concluded within ten working days following the determination that such reasonable cause exists; however, it may be re-opened in the event additional evidence of a violation of this Policy is later discovered. If, following a preliminary inquiry, such reasonable cause is found, a prompt, thorough, impartial investigation will be conducted by a qualified, authorized investigator. An investigation will be conducted using a preponderance of evidence standard. A preponderance of evidence standard means that an investigator will conclude that Sexual Harassment or Discrimination occurred only if the results of the investigation demonstrate it is more likely than not that such conduct took place. If the investigator's final decision is that Sexual Harassment or Discrimination prohibited under this Policy occurred, the college will take immediate action to eliminate the Harassment or Discrimination, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. Remedies for the victim of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination will also be sought. Violations of this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination for employees; sanctions up to and including suspension or expulsion for students; and appropriate sanctions against campus visitors. This Policy applies to prohibited conduct that impacts the educational environment, whether it occurs on or off campus, and covers students, employees, and visitors.
A. Sex Discrimination Grievance Procedures for Students
The purpose of these procedures is to provide a prompt and equitable resolution for allegations of Discrimination as prohibited under this Policy. Persons believing that they have been subjected to or witnessed, or otherwise know of Discrimination or Harassment on any of these bases may file a Complaint with the college. These procedures address allegations of Discrimination or Sexual Harassment as prohibited under this Policy. The procedures also address allegations of retaliation against those who have opposed practices forbidden under the Policy, those who have made allegations of Discrimination or Harassment under the Policy, and those who have testified or otherwise participated in enforcement of the Policy.
B. Mediation
Alleged victims who believe they have been discriminated against or harassed may choose in certain circumstances to resolve their allegations through mediation. Mediation is an informal and confidential process where parties can participate in a search for fair and workable solutions. An Alleged Victim may choose to ask the Title IX Coordinator to assist in the mediation process. Allegations that are addressed through mediation are not required to be made in writing. The parties may agree upon a variety of resolutions such as modification of work assignment, training for a department, or an apology. Parties may agree to a resolution that is oral or embodied in a written agreement. With a written agreement, the parties may elect to file it with the Title IX Coordinator in the event enforcement becomes necessary. Once both parties reach a mediated agreement, it is final and cannot be the basis of a Request for Reconsideration. The Title IX Coordinator or either party may at any time, prior to a final agreement, decide that attempts at mediation have failed. Upon such notice, the Title IX Coordinator may conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine whether this Policy has been violated. The mediation process may not be used if the alleged conduct constitutes criminal conduct.
C. Formal Complaint Process
A person who has experienced, witnessed, or otherwise knows of Sexual Harassment or Discrimination in violation of this Policy may file a Formal Complaint by contacting the Title IX Coordinator at each respective college or center. A Complainant may file a Formal Complaint either orally or in writing. The Title IX Coordinator will accept Formal Complaint filings within 300 calendar days of the most recent occurrence of the alleged discriminatory act.
The Complainant's documentation in support of a Formal Complaint should clearly and concisely identify the action, decision, conduct, or other basis that constituted an alleged act or practice of Discrimination prohibited under this Policy. Upon receipt of a Formal Complaint, the Title IX Coordinator will notify the college President and the Office of General Counsel. The Office of General Counsel will assign a case number to the Formal Complaint.
A copy of the Formal Complaint will be shared with the Respondent within five (5) working days of receipt by the Title IX Coordinator. The Respondent will be put on notice that retaliation against the Complainant, Alleged Victim, or potential witnesses will not be tolerated and that an investigation will be conducted.
The Respondent must provide a written response to the Formal Complaint within fifteen (15) calendar days of his or her receipt of the Formal Complaint.
After either accepting a Formal Complaint or receiving credible evidence that Discrimination has occurred, and determining after a preliminary inquiry that there is reasonable cause to believe this Policy has been violated, the Title IX Coordinator will:
Designate an investigator to conduct a fact-finding investigation, which will include, at a minimum, a review of written evidence (including the Complaint and response) and interviews with appropriate employees and students. The Title IX Coordinator may serve as investigator;
Determine the identity and contact information of the Complainant;
Identify the correct policies allegedly violated;
Conduct a thorough, reliable, and impartial investigation;
Complete the investigation promptly (within 60 calendar days, unless—owing to the complexity of the investigation or the severity and extent of the alleged conduct--more time is necessary to complete the investigation);
Make findings based on the preponderance of evidence; and
Present the findings to the Title IX Coordinator, who will deliver the findings, in writing, within ten (10) working days, to the President, with a recommendation as to the disposition of the matter.
The President shall accept, reject, or modify the recommendation, and provide a written notification of his or her action, along with the findings presented by the Title IX Coordinator, to the Complainant, Alleged Victim, and Respondent within fifteen (15) calendar days of receiving the findings and recommendation from the Title IX Coordinator.
Evidence which is collateral to the allegations of Discrimination or Sexual Harassment and which was obtained during an investigation may be used in subsequent grievance or disciplinary procedures.
D. Maintenance of Documentation
Documentation resulting from each level in the Formal Complaint Process (including witness statements, investigative notes, etc.) will be forwarded to and maintained by the Office of General Counsel. Investigative records are not to be maintained with or considered as a part of a student record. Documentation regarding corrective action is considered part of the student's record.
E. Right to Assistance
A Complainant, Alleged Victim or Respondent may receive the assistance of an attorney or other person at any stage of a Complaint filed under the Formal Complaint Process. Such person may attend any investigative interview and advise the Complainant, Alleged Victim or Respondent but shall not otherwise participate in the interview. The investigator shall direct communications directly to the Complainant, Alleged Victim and Respondent, and not through such individual's attorney or other person providing assistance.
F. Time Frame and Grounds for Filing a Request for Reconsideration
A Complainant, Alleged Victim or Respondent who is not satisfied with the decision of the President has ten (10) working days to request, in writing, reconsideration of the decision by the Maricopa Community College District's Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. There are four grounds upon which a Request for Reconsideration may be made: (1) the party has new information, unavailable at the time of the investigation; (2) the party has procedural concerns that may change or affect the outcome of the determination; (3) the party perceives that there was insufficient evidence to support the investigators findings; or (4) the party perceives any action taken by the President to be too severe. The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost will review the findings of the investigation and recommendation of the Title IX Coordinator, and respond to the Request for Reconsideration within ten (10) working days from its receipt. The Title IX coordinator shall ensure that, prior to acting on any Request for Reconsideration, the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost has been fully briefed regarding every component of this Policy. If the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost determines that the investigation was not conducted in a fair manner, or that the determination is not consistent with the evidence, or that any disciplinary action is not commensurate with the allegations, the case file will be reopened and assigned for further investigation. If the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost concludes that the investigation was conducted in a proper manner, that the determination is consistent with the evidence, and that any disciplinary action is commensurate with the allegations, he or she will—in writing-- certify that the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost has read and thoroughly considered all of the information collected in the investigation, certify that the investigation was conducted in a proper manner and the decision is consistent with the evidence, and deny the Request for Reconsideration. The written certifications and decision by the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost shall be delivered to the Complainant, Alleged Victim, and Respondent promptly after they are issued. At this point, or if no Request for Reconsideration is made, the investigation into alleged Discrimination under this Policy is concluded.
G. External Filing of Discrimination Complaint
MCCCD encourages students to use the due process under this Policy to resolve Discrimination concerns. Students also have the right to file civil rights complaints with appropriate external agencies. No retaliation will be taken against a person for filing a complaint with an external agency. The following agency accepts discrimination charges filed by, or on behalf of, students:
Office for Civil Rights
Denver Office
Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building
1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310
Denver, Colorado 80204-3582
E-mail: OCR.Denver@ed.gov