New London — As someone who was a teacher for 15 years, Jenna Grodzicki loves meeting young readers, and by going to author fairs, she hopes to get her books where they belong: into the hands of children.
On Saturday, she sat next to Leslie Woods, a fellow author who writes bilingual children's books, inside the Public Library of New London, copies of two books on display. One is about a lemon shark who struggles to make friends because the other sea creatures fear him, and another is about the adventures of an indoor cat who ventures outside.
Grodzicki and Woods, who respectively live in Burlington and Gales Ferry, were among the 45-plus writers present at the fourth annual Local Authors Fest at the library on Saturday.
For many, this was their first time at this event. And for many, such events are a great way not only to sell books, but also to engage with readers and give writing advice.
It's great to "connect with other authors, because writing is a bit of a solitary activity," said Cindy Eastman, author of the humorous memoir "Flip-Flops After 50." Published in 2014, it's Eastman's first book.
"If you don't even sell one book, if you talk to somebody about how much they love reading ... it's really rewarding," Eastman said.
Next to her, Simsbury resident Penny Goetjen showcased her mysteries, in which the setting — whether it's the Caribbean or the coast of Maine — becomes one of the characters, she said.
Across the room, Richard Foye was showcasing "Foye and the Filipinos," his meticulously researched account of the rescue of his father, who went on to serve as New London High School principal for 20 years, in the Philippines during World War II.
David K. Leff has written 11 books of nonfiction, fiction and poetry, on topics ranging from maple sugaring to canoeing in Maine to unusual natural sites in Connecticut.
"I like meeting other writers," he said. "It's kind of a hothouse of ideas in a way, and it's also nice to talk to visitors, potential purchasers."
The event also included speeches from authors Lottie B. Scott, Todd Gipstein, Martha Seif Simpson and Dirk Langeveld (a marketing editor at The Day).
"How can we writers, how can we use our talents to change the world by our pen?" Scott asked.
Gipstein is an author, photographer and filmmaker who has traveled the world for his work with National Geographic. He said he doesn't get writer's block but does get "life block sometimes," when other responsibilities get in the way of writing.
"To me," he said, "writing is really a synthesis of experience, research and imagination."


text:
package co.nubetech.hiho.mapreduce.lib.output;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.text.NumberFormat;

import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapred.FileAlreadyExistsException;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapred.InvalidJobConfException;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapreduce.JobContext;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapreduce.TaskAttemptContext;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapreduce.TaskID;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapreduce.lib.output.FileOutputCommitter;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapreduce.lib.output.TextOutputFormat;

import co.nubetech.hiho.common.HIHOConf;

public class AppendTextOutputFormat extends TextOutputFormat {
	private String isAppend;
	private static long fileCount;

	private static final NumberFormat NUMBER_FORMAT = NumberFormat
			.getInstance();

	static {
		NUMBER_FORMAT.setMinimumIntegerDigits(5);
		NUMBER_FORMAT.setGroupingUsed(false);
	}

	@Override
	public void checkOutputSpecs(JobContext job)
			throws FileAlreadyExistsException, IOException {
		try {
			super.checkOutputSpecs(job);
		} catch (FileAlreadyExistsException e) {

			Configuration conf = job.getConfiguration();

			isAppend = conf.get(HIHOConf.IS_APPEND, "false");
			if (isAppend.equalsIgnoreCase("false")) {
				throw new FileAlreadyExistsException();
			} else {
				Path outDir = getOutputPath(job);
				if (outDir == null) {
					throw new InvalidJobConfException(
							"OUTPUT directory not set.");
				}
			}
		}
	}

	@Override
	public Path getDefaultWorkFile(TaskAttemptContext context, String extension)
			throws IOException {
		Path p1;
		isAppend = context.getConfiguration().get(HIHOConf.IS_APPEND);
		if (isAppend.equalsIgnoreCase("false")) {
			p1 = super.getDefaultWorkFile(context, extension);
		} else {
			FileOutputCommitter committer = (FileOutputCommitter) getOutputCommitter(context);
			Path p = committer.getWorkPath();
			fileCount = p.getFileSystem(context.getConfiguration())
					.getContentSummary(getOutputPath(context)).getFileCount();
			if (fileCount > 1) {
				fileCount = fileCount - 1;
			}
			p1 = new Path(committer.getWorkPath(), getUniqueFile(context,
					"part", extension));
		}
		return p1;
	}

	public synchronized static String getUniqueFile(TaskAttemptContext context,
			String name, String extension) {

		TaskID taskId = context.getTaskAttemptID().getTaskID();
		int partition = taskId.getId();
		partition = partition + (int) fileCount;
		StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder();
		result.append(name);
		result.append('-');
		// result.append(taskId.isMap() ? 'm' : 'r');
		result.append('-');
		result.append(NUMBER_FORMAT.format(partition));
		result.append(extension);
		return result.toString();
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Polaris 21 (Eigenschreibweise POLARIS 21, französisches Akronym von Préparation Opérationnelle en Lutte Aéromaritime, Résilience, Innovation et Supériorité) ist ein französisches Militärmanöver in der Zeit vom 18. November bis zum 3. Dezember 2021. Es ist das größte jemals durchgeführte Militärmanöver Frankreichs und dient der Vorbereitung intensiver Kriegsszenarien.

Unter dem Befehl des französischen Admirals Pierre Vandier findet das Manöver im westlichen Mittelmeer und an der Atlantikküste statt. An der Übung beteiligt sich die Hälfte der französischen Marineflotte um den Flugzeugträger Charles de Gaulle herum sowie 6000 französische Soldaten aus allen Sektoren, außerdem der US-amerikanische Zerstörer USS Porter (DDG-78), sowie Streitkräfte aus Griechenland, Spanien, Italien und dem Vereinigten Königreich.

Einzelnachweise

Französische Militärgeschichte
Militärmanöver
Ereignis 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Fixer Upper Unofficial Fan Podcast! Welcome to Episode 7, Kathy & I are talking about Season 4 Episode 6 of HGTV's Fixer Upper TV Show. This episode was titled "A Veteran Home Makeover" and really was a touching episode for us. This was also a special episode because it was put together with help and support from the Family Of 3 Foundation started by Pro Football player Robert Griffin III. This Remodel benefited Vietnam veteran Bill Graham and his wife of 45 years, Sherry Graham. Family of 3 is a great non profit foundation that works hard to support and aid struggling military families.


text:
"""
Applying transformations to large files in batches:

BatchProcessor.multi_channel_apply lets you apply transformations to
batches of data where every batch has observations from every channel.

This example show how to process a large file in batches and save the
results to disk.
"""

import logging
import os

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

from yass.batch import BatchProcessor
from yass.batch import RecordingsReader

# configure logging to get information about the process
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)

# raw data file
path_to_neuropixel_data = (os.path.expanduser('~/data/ucl-neuropixel'
                           '/rawDataSample.bin'))

# output file
path_to_modified_data = (os.path.expanduser('~/data/ucl-neuropixel'
                         '/tmp/modified.bin'))

# out example function just adds one to every observation
def sum_one(batch):
    """Add one to every element in the batch
    """
    return batch + 1

# create batch processor for the data
bp = BatchProcessor(path_to_neuropixel_data,
                    dtype='int16', n_channels=385, data_format='wide',
                    max_memory='500MB')

# appply a multi channel transformation, each batch will be a temporal
# subset with observations from all selected n_channels, the size
# of the subset is calculated depending on max_memory. Each batch is
# processed and when done, results are save to disk, the next batch is
# then loaded and so on
bp.multi_channel_apply(sum_one,
                       mode='disk',
                       output_path=path_to_modified_data,
                       channels=[0, 1, 2])

# let's visualize the results
raw = RecordingsReader(path_to_neuropixel_data, dtype='int16',
                       n_channels=385, data_format='wide')

# you do not need to specify the format since multi_channel_apply
# saves a yaml file with such parameters
filtered = RecordingsReader(path_to_modified_data)

fig, (ax1, ax2) = plt.subplots(2, 1)
ax1.plot(raw[:2000, 0])
ax2.plot(filtered[:2000, 0])
plt.show()


Lower panel, above, a haiku by the Zen monk Ryokan, from Stephen Mitchell, The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry.
Beautiful, the moon? A tautology, surely..
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 26th, 2017 at 1:43 pm	and is filed under Charles Cameron, criminals, Doublequotes, poetry, sufi, Uncategorized, Zen. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


text:
The official slogan of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games is "Heart to Heart, @Future".
Four-time Olympic diving gold medallist Guo Jingjing is among Hangzhou 2022's "dream ambassadors".
More than 52,000 volunteers will be needed for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games.
Every Hangzhou 2022 volunteer will be presented with a "little cyan box" containing a certificate, pin badges and stamps.
Ten companies have been named as prestige partners of Hangzhou 2022, including Alibaba Group.
The Hangzhou Olympic Center Stadium, the focal venue of the Games, is also known as the "Big Lotus".
Esports and breaking will make their Asian Games debuts at Hangzhou 2022.
Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province.
Hangzhou sits on the Qiantang River, which stretches for 285 miles and enters the Pacific in Hangzhou Bay.
Sister cities of Hangzhou around the world include Boston in the United States, Leeds in England, Nice in France, Cape Town in South Africa, Budapest in Hungary and Canberra in Australia
Hangzhou hosted the G20 Summit in 2016.
Hangzhou is one of China's "ancient capitals".
From 907, Hangzhou was the capital of Wuyue, a coastal Kingdom which lasted until 960.
A huge fire in 1237 destroyed nearly 30,000 buildings in Hangzhou.
Hangzhou was believed to be the largest city in the world by 1180.
Hangzhou was founded in the year 200 by the Qin Dynasty.
A city wall was first constructed in Hangzhou under the Sui Dynasty in 591.
Hangzhou is the southern endpoint of China's famous Grand Canal, a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Hangzhou's famous West Lake has been described as "a paradise on water or water in paradise".
West Lake in Hangzhou is a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Marco Polo described Hangzhou as "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest city in the world".
Hangzhou has been a famous producer of silk for centuries.
Hangzhou is famous for Longjing tea, which is considered to be among the finest in China.
The people in Hangzhou speak with their own distinct dialect.
A popular dish in Hangzhou is Dongpo pork - belly pork served in a thick gravy.
The China Academy of Art was founded in Hangzhou in 1928.
Opera is popular in Hangzhou and is performed in many theatres in the city.
Quyuan Garden in Hangzhou features 200 different species of lotus flowers.
Zhejiang Library in Hangzhou houses a collection of nearly 80,000 books.
Hangzhou is considered a superb place to view China's revered plum blossom.
Hangzhou is home to the first public bicycle project in China.
Alibaba Group was founded in Hangzhou by Jack Ma.
Hangzhou has been described as a "cashless city" with the Alipay app widely used.
Hangzhou hosted the World Short Course Swimming Championships in 2018.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic badminton champion Chen Yufei is from Hangzhou.
Forbes has rated Hangzhou as the best commercial city in mainland China.
Hangzhou is considered as a major centre for scientific research.
Matches during the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup were played in Hangzhou.
Three sporty robots, named Congcong, Lianlian and Chenchen, are the Hangzhou 2022 mascots.
Hangzhou cultural programme
Slogan and dream ambassadors
Asian Games 10 Cities Tour
Asian Games International Etiquette Contest
Asian Games English Star Contest
The Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games will be promoted as an event which is about much more than sport.
Organisers will work to highlight the rich culture and history of the host city and region, as well as the rest of China.
Local people will be part of Asian Games activities, so it won't just be about the athletes and officials.
"As an indispensable part of major sports events, cultural activities help create a vibrant, high-quality atmosphere and will become highlights of the Hangzhou Asian Games," said Chen Weiqiang, the vice-mayor of Hangzhou and the deputy secretary general of the Organising Committee.
"By holding different Asian Games-themed activities, the Hangzhou 2022 Organising Committee will showcase Asia's wonderful and diverse civilisations and China's remarkable culture."
Cultural activities have included paper artist Xie Caihua displaying his works in Xiangshan, one of the venue hubs, to welcome the Asian Games.
A cultural space dedicated to the Games was unveiled at the China Cartoon and Animation Museum, and on Olympic Day in 2021 a cultural and fashion show for Hangzhou 2022 was held.
The Organising Committee also set-up a pavilion dedicated to the Asian Games at the Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo in 2020.
To mark two years to go, an art exhibition was laid on in Yuhang which included Asian Games mascots and emblems.
Hangzhou 2022 has also recruited teams to make a film dedicated to the history and culture of Asian Games host cities, both past and present.
A global call for musical works dedicated to Hangzhou 2022 was launched in 2020.
The Asian Games slogan is a nod to Hangzhou's technological prowess ©Hangzhou 2022
The slogan for Hangzhou 2022 has been unveiled as "Heart to Heart, @Future".
Organisers said the phrase "reflects the ability of the digital age to connect people from all over the continent through the Asian Games".
Hangzhou's reputation as a city of technology and as "internet city" is highlighted by the use of the @ symbol.
An event to reveal the slogan included cultural performances, dancing and music.
Hangzhou 2022 has also appointed "dream ambassadors" to promote the Asian Games and the region.
They included pianist Lang Lang, actor and singer Xiao Zhan and four-time Olympic diving gold medallist Guo Jingjing.
Olympic Day in 2021 was marked with a cultural performance ©Hangzhou 2022
The Asian Games 10 Cities Tour is travelling around China to promote Hangzhou 2022, as well as the region itself and its culture and history.
Each stop includes a series of presentations, sporting events such as fun runs, shows and other events.
Cities on the tour include Chinese capital Beijing, as well as Shanghai, Xi'an, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Chengdu, Nanjing and Xiamen.
An event will also be held in Hangzhou itself.
Hangzhou 2022 announced the launch of the International Etiquette Contest in September 2020.
The one-year contest has two major categories across various age groups - urban civilisation etiquette and Games services etiquette.
Auditions, preliminaries, semi-finals and finals were held with 10 winners chosen from each age group.
Winners in the Games category were awarded with 10,000 yuan, with those successful in the urban category taking home 5,000 yuan.
Hangzhou 2022 launched an etiquette contest to run alongside the Asian Games ©Hangzhou 2022
The winners were all recommended for jobs or volunteer roles with Hangzhou 2022.
They showed great understanding of Chinese culture and hospitality.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the President of the Olympic Council of Asia, sent a congratulatory letter to hail the contest as "a new measure in the history of Asian Games" after it launched.
Hangzhou 2022 launched an English speaking contest as it aimed to recruit volunteers who can speak the language for the Asian Games.
The contest challenged entrants to give a speech in English and attend a question and answer session.
Outstanding contestants will be considered favourably when volunteers for the Asian Games are recruited.
Husain Al Musallam, the director general of the Olympic Council of Asia, offered his congratulations in a video address when the contest was launched.
It is sponsored by China Mobile, a prestige partner of Hangzhou 2022.
Successful applicants also advanced to the China Daily 21st Century Cup, a national English speaking competition.
They will be tasked with helping visitors who attend the event and also with promoting the culture of the host city and the wider region.
More than 230,000 people registered to become a volunteer.
Those successful will be kitted out with gear made by 361 Degrees International Limited, a prestige partner of Hangzhou 2022.
All of the volunteers will also receive a "little cyan box" containing a certificate, pin badges and stamps.
The volunteers will be given uniform made by 361 ©Hangzhou 2022
Back to Hangzhou 2022 Home
Closing ceremony

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We are smack dab in the middle of Summer. Rotating smoothly in the machine of our routines; I can almost hear them hum. The ending of the school year was hard because it meant our routine would change. The world is familiar with growing pains. The autism world is familiar with an additional term: transition pains. We feel them deep and big and wide here, anytime there is change in the wind. Sometimes big, sometimes small. But they are there, punctuating life. I have felt them, long before I even became a Momma. Life blows and change whirls up around you. But I just got here, I always think. And we plant our legs and roots and search for comfort again.
Pause for just a second. Take a deep breath in. Exhale. Slow down time for just a moment. Are you in a moment in transition, or are your machines rotating. Either way- it's exactly where you are supposed to be.
Now, I pause and remember for just a moment- our machines are rotating, life is the same. It is good. We are status quo. But it is boring and aching the living daylight out of me. It reminds me that I do, in fact like a little bit of change to feel balanced. I'm always searching for balance.There's so much I want to do and say and write. But like the song lyrics above state: instead I sleep.
I will embrace my days. Live my simple life with intent. Remember that this ebb and flow is natural and necessary. And so is sleep. I often go to bed at night, exhausted, but not really feeling like I accomplished something.
I remind myself that life is not a completed mental list of daily or weekly accomplishments. Life is not a row of check marks that must be checked off for worth. What is life though? A question that usually runs on a loop somewhere in my always thinking mind. What is life if it is not change, and it is not staying the same? I guess Life is letting go. Not needing or trying to make Life into one particular thing. Life is change and it's the same. It's easy and it's so freaking hard. It's loss and pain and goodness and God. It's not simply identifying yourself with your nouns- Mom, Police Officer, Runner, Teacher, Sister, Friend, Husband, Student. Life is constantly changing, and amidst the change- it is letting go.
It's one of my 2016 intentions, "Letting go".
I know most of the time when I feel that awful elephant on my chest, when I can't go a real breath in, when I am feeling stuck or unworthy or afraid- chances are, I am holding on to something I shouldn't. Pain. The past. Expectations of my life and other people in it. I am SO GOOD at holding on to all that crap. If I could just free up that mind space, maybe I wouldn't be so exhausted.
What would it feel like if you just decided to let go? I think for me, it would be so scary and so good. A little pain is always required in the realm of change.
This happened tonight. And Lifetime could totally turn this into a horror movie. Scary music would play as the unsuspecting mom grabbed a cart, without realizing that both her young boys got their own kiddie cart from hell. She never knew what was coming and didn't even have time to put the kabosh on the kid carts because the small blond one was already running in circles around the banana stand. Seriously, I was yelling and laughing and then pretending not to laugh as mostly Parker RAN at full speed yelling, READY, SET, GOOOOOO!!!!!!! Oh man, the looks I got. I mean, come on woman- you have a whole other foot right on the end of your other leg. And I still need to go to the grocery store tomorrow, because I didn't get half of what I needed. We just needed to get the hell out of there. And it was scary and hard, but we tried. I tried. And at the end of the day- those are some of my favorite parenting memories. Be proud because you tried, not because it was perfect. (Because it so wasn't).
A totally out of the norm last week at lunch celebrating my friend Lisa's birthday.
My wonderful parents were in town at the end of June.
Adventures in bowling. Has the potential to be another scary movie, but this excursion wasn't so bad.
Greyson showing Grandpa the cars he wants.
As I look through this pictures I am filled with just a moment of peace. Living and accomplishing things are two very different things. And maybe, just maybe our worth from living, being and loving, is so much more important than accomplishing.
Chrissy, I have been reading your wonderful blog for years! I cherish your common sense wisdom and the fierce love you have for your family. Your boys are beautiful and amazing and I can picture Parker and the banana stand! Now, every time I go to Trader Joe's, you three will be with me in spirit. �� Thank you for a blog filled with hope and beautiful pictures and so much strength and love!
Glad you had family time!! We have the same fun noodles as Grey.


1. This high quality laser pointer adopts the latest technology optics and microelectronics.
Press-button switch at the bottom, no need to keep holding when use it.
2. Across the sky,allowing you to find the stars in the fan days you want the stars,is the leader in the vast sky.
3. Be able to light a cigarette when adjust focus on it.
4. This high quality laser pointer adopts the latest technology optics and microelectronics.
Tactical head can help you to break glasses or beat enemies in emergency circumstances.


text:
>Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition
>Volume 4
>Navy and black bean-based dog foods are digestible...
Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition
Navy and black bean-based dog foods are digestible during weight loss in overweight and obese adult companion dogs
Genevieve M. Forster ,
Nora Jean Nealon ,
Dale Hill ,
Tracey D. Jensen ,
Teva L. Stone ,
John E. Bauer and
Elizabeth P. Ryan
Genevieve M. Forster
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 1680 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1678, USA
Nora Jean Nealon
Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 1680 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1681, USA
Dale Hill
ADM Alliance Nutrition Inc., 1000 North 30th Street, Quincy, IL, 62301, USA
Tracey D. Jensen
Wellington Veterinary Hospital, 7837 6th Street, Wellington, CO, 80549USA
Teva L. Stone
John E. Bauer
Elizabeth P. Ryan*
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 1680 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1678, USA Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 1680 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1681, USA
*Corresponding Author:Elizabeth P. Ryan; e.p.ryan@colostate.edu
Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are a nutrient-dense, low glycemic index food that supports healthy weight management in people and was examined for dogs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and nutrient utilisation of navy (NB) and black (BB) bean-based diets in overweight or obese companion dogs undergoing a weight loss intervention. A nutritionally complete, dry extruded dog food was used as the control (CON) diet and two isocaloric, nutrient matched bean diets, containing either 25% w/w cooked BB or NB powder formed the test diets. Diets were fed to adult, overweight companion dogs for either four weeks (short-term study, n = 30) or for twenty-six weeks (long-term study, n = 15) at 60% of maintenance calories for ideal weight. Apparent weight loss increased over time in both the short- and long-term studies (p < 0.001) but was not different between the three study groups: apparent weight loss was between 4.05% – 6.14% for the short-term study and 14.0% – 17.9% in the long-term study. The ATTD was within expected ranges for all groups, whereby total dry matter and crude protein ATTD was 7–8% higher in the BB diet compared to CON (P < 0.05), crude fat ATTD was similar across all diets, and nitrogen free extract ATTD was 5–6% higher in both BB and NB compared to CON (P < 0.05). Metabolisable energy was similar for all diets, and ranged from 3,434–3,632 kcal/kg. At the end of each study period, dogs had haemoglobin levels ≥12 g/dl, packed cell volume ≥36%, albumin ≥2.4 g/dl, ALP ≤ 300 IU/l and all median values for each group were within defined limits for nutritional adequacy. This investigation demonstrated that BB and NB diets were safe, digestible, and supported weight loss in calorically restricted, overweight or obese, adult companion dogs.
Dogsweight lossdigestibilitybeansobesitynovel protein
Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition , Volume 4 , 2016 , e4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jan.2015.12[Opens in a new window]
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition Ltd. 2016
Obesity is the primary nutritional disorder in companion dogs (German, Reference German2010). Recent surveys estimated that 34–59% of pet dogs in the United States, Europe and China are overweight or obese (Linder et al., Reference Linder, Freeman, Holden, Biourge and German2013; Mao et al., Reference Mao, Xia, Chen and Yu2013; McGreevy et al., Reference McGreevy, Thomson, Pride, Fawcett, Grassi and Jones2005). Overweight dogs can have a shorter, reduced-quality of life (German, Reference German2010; Kealy et al., Reference Kealy, Lawler, Ballam, Mantz, Biery, Greeley, Lust, Segre, Smith and Stowe2002; Linder et al., Reference Linder, Freeman, Holden, Biourge and German2013) and an increased risk for developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, urinary tract infections, pancreatitis, osteoarthritis, and some types of cancer (German, Reference German2006; Linder, Reference Linder2014).
For clinically healthy dogs, the primary treatment for obesity is nutritional therapy (NRC, 2006). Because excess adiposity is directly related to a positive energy balance, the most practical dietary approach for weight loss is caloric restriction. An adequate weight loss diet has a nutrient composition that supports lean mass retention, induces fat mass reduction, and increases satiety (Linder et al., Reference Linder, Freeman, Holden, Biourge and German2013). Diets high in protein and fibre have been shown in both humans and dogs to promote weight loss and maintain lean muscle mass (Butterwick and Markwell, Reference Butterwick and Markwell1997; German et al., Reference German, Holden, Bissot, Morris and Biourge2010), as well as reduce voluntary food intake in dogs (Weber et al., Reference Weber, Bissot, Servet, Sergheraert, Biourge and German2007). Emerging research has shown that, in addition to macronutrients, there are specific feedstuffs and dietary patterns that may promote weight loss as a function of bioactive components and phytochemicals (Deibert et al., Reference Deibert, Konig, Schmidt-Trucksaess, Zaenker, Frey, Landmann and Berg2004; Rayalam et al., Reference Rayalam, Della-Fera and Baile2008; Shai et al., Reference Shai, Schwarzfuchs, Henkin, Shahar, Witkow, Greenberg, Golan, Fraser, Bolotin, Vardi, Tangi-Rozental, Zuk-Ramot, Sarusi, Brickner, Schwartz, Sheiner, Marko, Katorza, Thiery, Fiedler, Blüher, Stumvoll and Stampfer2008). For example, in humans the consumption of non-soy legumes such as common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.), split peas, lentils, and chickpeas is associated with decreased risk for obesity, (Papanikolaou and Fulgoni, Reference Papanikolaou and Fulgoni2008), reduced adiposity without caloric restriction (Mollard et al., Reference Mollard, Luhovyy, Panahi, Nunez, Hanley and Anderson2012), voluntary reduction of caloric intake (Borresen et al., Reference Borresen, Gundlach, Wdowik, Rao, Brown and Ryan2014), increased satiety, and in some cases, resulted in higher levels of weight loss with 30% caloric restriction compared to an isocaloric, low legume or legume-free diet intervention (McCrory et al., Reference McCrory, Hamaker, Lovejoy and Eichelsdoerfer2010).
Common beans, such as navy, black and pinto varieties, are excellent candidates for a weight loss-promoting food because they contain high quality protein, have a carbohydrate profile with a low glycemic index, are abundant in dietary fibre, and are rich sources of iron, zinc, folate and magnesium (Mudryj et al., Reference Mudryj, Yu and Aukema2014). The high protein content and amino acid profiles of beans have been associated with increased energy expenditure during weight loss and the arginine and glutamine content in particular was associated with improved carbohydrate and fat oxidation (Rebello et al., Reference Rebello, Greenway and Finley2014). The fibre fraction from beans is abundant in resistant starch, which can augment weight loss via slower carbohydrate digestion and increased microbial fermentation (Hayat et al., Reference Hayat, Ahmad, Masud, Ahmed and Bashir2014; McCrory et al., Reference McCrory, Hamaker, Lovejoy and Eichelsdoerfer2010). Furthermore, bean fibre provides prebiotics sources for the gut microbiome, which contributes to energy balance via production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that have been shown to regulate hormones involved in food intake regulation, such as glucose-like protein 1 (GLP-1) and leptin (Huazano-Garcia et al., Reference Huazano-Garcia and Lopez.2015). Common beans contain a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals such as alpha-amylase inhibitors, phenolic compounds, and phytosterols which may modulate excess nutrient absorption, reduce dietary energy availability, promote satiety, and improve lipid metabolism (Barrett and Udani, Reference Barrett and Udani2011; Chávez-Santoscoy et al., Reference Chávez-Santoscoy, Tovar, Serna-Saldivar, Torres and Gutiérrez-Uribe2014; McCrory et al., Reference McCrory, Hamaker, Lovejoy and Eichelsdoerfer2010; Ramírez-Jiménez et al., Reference Ramírez-Jiménez, Reynoso-Camacho, Tejero, León-Galván and Loarca-Piña2015). Due to the fact that dry bean consumption promoted weight loss in humans and rodents, the potential of beans to promote weight loss in dogs merits investigation because dogs have similar digestive physiology, obesity related co-morbidities and environmental exposures to people.
Common beans are safe and digestible in normal, healthy weight dogs (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Hill, Gregory, Weishaar, Lana, Bauer and Ryan2012a). Bean-based diet formulations support short-term apparent weight loss, and were reported effective at reducing low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG) when compared to a control, bean-free diet (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Ollila, Burton, Hill, Bauer, Hess and Ryan2012b). Therefore, the objectives of this current study were to: 1) evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutritionally complete, navy (NB) and black (BB) bean diets in overweight or obese dogs undergoing calorically restricted weight loss and 2) determine the nutritional adequacy and utilisation bean-based diets compared to a bean-free, nutrient-matched control (CON) diet using the outcome measurements defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO, 2010) compared to an isocaloric, nutrient matched, standard ingredient, control diet. It was hypothesised that cooked bean powders added at 25% weight/weight (w/w) into a nutritionally complete extruded dog food formulation will be digestible, support weight loss, and maintain indices of nutritional adequacy as compared to a bean-free control diet.
The four-week (short-term) and twenty-six-week (long-term) studies were conducted as randomised, double-blinded, controlled dietary intervention clinical trials for calorically-restricted weight loss comparing three study diets: CON, NB, or BB. The short-term weight loss study was conducted at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (Fort Collins, CO, USA) and the long-term study was conducted at the Wellington Veterinary Hospital (Wellington, CO, USA). Owners signed an informed consent form and provided a medical history before dogs were enrolled in the study. All dogs were transitioned to the study-provided diet (CON, NB, BB) over a four day period by increasing the proportion of the test diet mixed into the dog's regular food as previously described (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Hill, Gregory, Weishaar, Lana, Bauer and Ryan2012a). At the end of the study period, all dogs were transitioned back to their regular food. Owners were instructed to exclusively feed the study kibble in the amounts prescribed. For the short-term study, owners were given pre-measured daily packets of food, and in the long-term study owners were given measuring cups with lines marked to indicate the appropriate amount of kibble to feed daily. All owners were instructed to feed only the prescribed dog food for the duration of the study. Water was provided ad libitum and no treats were allowed.
Body weights were assessed every two weeks and caloric intake was adjusted as needed to achieve a target weight loss of 0.5% – 2% body weight per week. For the short-term study (n = 30), a 96-hour faecal collection was performed after the dogs had been exclusively consuming the study food for 10 days. For the long-term study (n = 15) a 96-hour faecal collection was performed 12 weeks into the trial. Owners were instructed to collect faecal samples from the dogs within five hours of being voided. Samples were frozen and stored at −20° C until analysis. Compliance to the study protocol was determined by owner surveys, diet logs (short-term study only), number of faecal samples collected and apparent weight loss.
The Colorado State University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved all clinical trial operations, animal care procedures, and collection of biological samples for analysis before beginning the study (IACUC 13-4316A).
Adult male and female dogs between the ages of 2–7 years, with a body condition score (BCS) of at least six on a nine point scale (Laflamme, Reference Laflamme1997) and a body weight of at least 10 kg, with no known health concerns were recruited for study participation. All dog owners provided written informed consent for participation. After enrolment, all dogs were evaluated by the study veterinarian, assessed for haematological and biochemical anomalies, assigned a BCS, and screened for hypothyroidism with a total thyroxine (T4) test as previously described (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Ollila, Burton, Hill, Bauer, Hess and Ryan2012b). Dogs were excluded from participation for hypothyroidism, abnormal blood results (unless determined by the veterinarian to be within normal limits for a specific dog), or a history or diagnosis of cancer, inflammatory disease, or current infection. Dogs were also excluded if they had been administered antibiotics or analgesics within one month of starting the study. The preventive use of anthelmintics was allowed. Dogs could be removed from the study at the discretion of the study veterinarian or request of owner. All dogs were monitored throughout the study for adverse changes in clinical blood, serum, or plasma samples. At the end of each study period, haemoglobin, packed cell volume (PCV), albumin, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were compared to the AAFCO reference ranges for nutritionally adequacy (AAFCO, 2010). One dog (short-term study, CON) had chronically-elevated ALP (830 g/dl at baseline that decreased to 320 g/dl at four weeks) and participated at the discretion of the attending veterinarian. Haemoglobin and PCV values were not obtained from one dog at the end of study (long-term study, BB) due to a clotted blood sample, post-collection.
Of the fifty-six dogs screened for participation in the short term or long term weight loss study, 49 were enrolled. Seven dogs failed the pre-screen exam for either renal or hepatic abnormalities (n = 2), detection of previously undiagnosed cancer (n = 2), hypothyroidism (n = 1), urinary tract infection (n = 1) or aggression and difficult handling (n = 1). Thirty-three dogs were enroled in the short-term study and randomised based on BCS to CON, BB, or NB study groups. Three dogs were withdrawn due to physical injury (n = 1), owner unable to keep study-related appointments (n = 1) and not consuming the study provided dog food (n = 1) (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Ollila, Burton, Hill, Bauer, Hess and Ryan2012b). Sixteen dogs were enrolled in the long-term study and randomised based on BCS to the CON, BB, or NB study groups. One dog was withdrawn from the long-term study after diagnosis with tapeworm and the owner's non-compliance to protocol by feeding dog treats. Individual characteristics of each dog are presented in Appendix 1 and summaries of the baseline characteristics are shown in Table 1. Breeds included dogs from retriever, terrier, herding, and working lineages, and spanned both purebred and mixed breeds. Dogs were equally distributed between study diet groups for age, weight, sex and BCS. There was one dog in each of the short-term and long-term studies that was not neutered. One eight year-old dog was included in the short-term study and one 10-year-old dog was included in the long-term study at the discretion of the study veterinarian.
Table 1. Baseline characteristics of dogs completing cooked bean powder-based calorically restricted weight loss study interventions
Thirty dogs completed the short-term, 4 week study: Control Diet, N = 10; Black Bean Diet, N = 10; Navy Bean Diet, N = 10. Fifteen dogs completed the long-term, 6 month study: Control Diet, N = 5; Black Bean Diet, N = 5; Navy Bean Diet, N = 5.
1Age as reported by owner.
2All dogs were neutered with the exception of one female in the short-term study control group and 1 female in the long-term study black bean group.
3Body Condition Score (BCS) was determined using a 9 point scale (Laflamme, Reference Laflamme1997).
4Continuous variables (age and weight) were evaluated for differences across groups using a Kruskal-Wallis test and categorical variables (sex and BCS) were evaluated using a Chi-square test. P values are shown across short-term and long-term studies and within study across diet. P < 0.05 was considered significant.
Dietary formulations
CON, BB, and NB diets were provided as a dry, extruded, kibbled dog food that was formulated to meet nutritional recommendations for adult dog maintenance (AAFCO, 2010; NRC, 2006) and adjusted to consist of 27% protein and 8% fat as-fed. The CON, BB, and NB diets were mixed and manufactured under the same conditions and location (ADM Alliance Nutrition Feed Research Pilot Plant, Quincy, IL; Applied Food Biotechnology Plant, St. Charles, MO) and formulated to be isocaloric and containing equivalent levels of nutrients. The CON diet ingredients consisted of poultry meal, wheat, corn, brewer's rice, pork and bone meal, flaxseed, fishmeal, brewer's yeast, and added vitamins and minerals (Table 2).
Table 2. Diet ingredient and chemical composition
a. Provided per kilogram of control, black bean, and navy bean diets: vitamin A, 7,500 IU; vitamin D, 750 IU; vitamin E, 93.75 IU; thiamine 3.75 mg; riboflavin, 30 mg; pantothenic acid, 12 mg; niacin, 15 mg; pyridoxine, 1.88 mg; folic acid, 0.26 mg; vitamin B12, 37.5 µg; choline, 534.4 mg; Fe from ferrous sulfate, 282 mg; Cu from copper sulfate, 15 mg; I from calcium iodate, 2.025 mg.
b. Manganese from manganous oxide provided per kilogram: 10.125 mg (control, black bean), 32.01 mg (navy bean).
c. Zinc from zinc oxide provided per kilogram: 213.068 mg (control), 150 mg (black bean), 198.02 mg (navy bean).
d. Selenium from sodium selenite provided per kilogram: 0.6463 mg (control), 0.2250 mg (black bean, navy bean).
The BB and NB diets contained identical ingredients as the CON diet with the inclusion of cooked BB or NB bean powder (ADM Bean Specialties, Decatur, IL) added at 25% w/w to the BB and NB diets. To account for the inclusion of the cooked bean powders, the wheat and corn ingredients were reduced to achieve iso-nutrient formulations to the CON diet. The metabolisable energy (ME) of the diets was calculated using modified Atwater Factors and estimated at 3,314 kcal/kg (NRC, 2006).
Calculations for energy requirements and caloric restriction
BCS was used to estimate ideal bodyweight (BW), and determined using a nine point scale (Laflamme, Reference Laflamme1997). A score of less than four was considered underweight, a score of either four or five was considered ideal BW, a score of six or seven was overweight, and a score of eight or nine was considered obese (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Ollila, Burton, Hill, Bauer, Hess and Ryan2012b). For each BCS point over five, a dog was considered to be 10% above his or her ideal body weight in kilograms (German et al., Reference German, Holden, Bissot, Morris and Biourge2009). Using ideal weights determined by BCS, daily ME requirements for weight maintenance were calculated for each dog using the following formula:
$${\rm ME}\left( {{\rm kcal}/{\rm day}} \right)\, = \,110 \times {\left( {\hbox{ideal BW, kg}} \right)^{0.75}}$$
(Forster et al., Reference Forster, Hill, Gregory, Weishaar, Lana, Bauer and Ryan2012a; NRC, 2006)
Dogs were calorically restricted to approximately 60% of their maintenance energy requirement.
Proximate analysis, apparent total tract digestibility, and bomb calorimetry
Proximate analysis was used to determine the crude nutrient profiles of the food and faecal samples as previously reported (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Hill, Gregory, Weishaar, Lana, Bauer and Ryan2012a). Soluble and insoluble fibre fractions were determined as described by Prosky et al. (Reference Prosky, Asp, Schweizer, Devries and Furda1992). ATTD was evaluated at two weeks for the short-term study, and at twelve weeks for the long-term study and was calculated for total dry matter (TDM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), and nitrogen free extract (NFE). The following formula was used to determine NFE:
$$\eqalign{{\rm NFE} \,\% &= {\rm TDM} \,\% - {\rm CP} \,\% - {\rm CF} \,\% - \hbox{crude fibre} \,\% \cr & \quad - {\rm ash} \,\% }$$
For each nutrient component, the ATTD was calculated on a dry matter (DM) basis using the following formula (AAFCO, 2010):
$$\eqalign{{\rm ATTD \%} & = [(\hbox{g of nutrient consumed} - \hbox{g of nutrient excreted}) \cr & \quad /(\hbox{g of nutrient consumed} )] \times 100.}$$
Total gross energy (GE) content was measured by bomb calorimetry for each diet and in each faecal sample taken at two weeks for the short-term study and at twelve weeks for the long-term study. ME (kcal/kg) was determined at two weeks during the short-term study, and at twelve weeks during the long-term study and reported in kcal/kg using the following formula (AAFCO, 2010):
$$\hbox{ME} ={\matrix{\{\hbox{GE consumed} - \hbox{GE of faeces} - \hfill \cr \quad [(\hbox{protein consumed g} - \hbox{protein in faeces g}) \cr \quad \times 1.25] \}\hfill}\over \hbox{food consumed g} \times 1,100}$$
where GE was in kcal/g, 1.25 kcal/g was used as the correction factor for energy lost in urine, and both diet and faecal values were on a DM basis.
Dogs were excluded from the ATTD and ME analysis if owners reported dietary indiscretion during the faecal collection period, were unable to differentiate between samples from different dogs, or collected faecal samples for less than three days. CON group exclusions: short-term n = 4 and long-term n = 1; BB group exclusions: short-term n = 1 and long-term n = 1; and NB group exclusions: short-term n = 3 and long term n = 0.
Non-parametric analyses were performed on all measures. For percent apparent weight loss, a two-way ANOVA (repeated measures) was performed within each study. For ATTD, ME, and food intake/kg BW, a two-way ANOVA (non-repeated measures) was performed. Bonferroni post-hoc tests were applied to correct for multiple comparisons. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism, Version 5.03 (San Diego, CA, USA). Confidence limits were set at 95% (P < 0.05).
Nutrient profiles of bean-based dog foods
Proximate analysis and bomb calorimetry results confirmed that the CON, NB and BB dog food formulations were equal in nutrient levels and isocaloric (Table 2). On an as-fed basis, for all diets, the estimated ME content of the diets was 3,314 kcal/kg, CP content was approximately 26%, and CF was 8%. Crude fibre was similar between the CON, BB, and NB diets (~4%), while TDF was ~1% higher in NB and BB diets when compared to CON. Insoluble fibre was slightly increased in the BB diet (~1.5%), while soluble fibre was slightly increased in the NB diet (~1%).
There was no difference in sex, median age, or BCS between dietary treatment groups or studies (Table A1). In both the short and long-term studies, percent apparent weight loss increased over time (P < 0.0001) and was similar between dietary treatments in each study. In the short-term study the median weight loss was 4.05% in the CON group, 5.98% in BB, and 6.14% in NB. For the long-term study, the median weight loss was 17.90% in CON, 14.0% in BB, and 12.21% in NB (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Percent apparent weight loss in dogs consuming a bean-based or control diet over (a) 4-weeks (short-term study, n = 30) and (b) 12-weeks (long-term study, n = 15). In both (a) and (b) percent apparent weight loss increased over time (p < 0.05), but not between dietary treatments at any time point. Data are shown as median and IQR.
Daily nutrient intake (g/kg ideal BW) was not different between groups (Table 3) except for soluble fibre, which was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in NB group (~0.4 g/kg ideal BW) compared to BB (~0.25 g/kg ideal BW), but not different from CON (~0.3 g/kg ideal BW, P > 0.05). All dogs consumed approximately 2.5 g CP per kg ideal BW (medians ranged from 2.1 g – 2.7 g/kg ideal BW), and dogs within the BB and NB group consumed, on average, 2 g cooked bean powder per kg ideal body weight (Table 3).
Table 3. Daily nutrient intake of forty-five overweight or obese adult, companion dogs undergoing calorically restricted weight loss on nutritionally complete diets.
To determine differences in daily intake between diets and studies, each nutrient was evaluated with 2-way ANOVA. There were no differences between studies or interactions terms. A Bonferroni post-test was used to determine the groups with significant differences. Groups not sharing the same letter superscript are significantly different from each other.
Apparent total tract digestibility and metabolisable energy of black and navy bean-based dog diets during weight loss
In the CON, BB, and NB diets, nutrient ATTD was consistent with expected ranges for standard ingredient and bean-based extruded dog diets (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Hill, Gregory, Weishaar, Lana, Bauer and Ryan2012a). TDM, CP, CF, and NFE ATTD are presented as median and range (min-max; Table 4). There were no differences in ATTD between each study group of the short and long-term study. In the short-term study, median TDM ATTD was higher (P < 0.05) for BB (83.0%) than CON (74.6%), while NB was similar to both (80.2%). In the long-term study, TDM ATTD was similar for all three diets: CON (73.7%), BB (79.6%), and NB (77.5%). For the NB diet, these results were consistent with previous studies demonstrating equal TDM ATTD compared to a nutrient matched CON diet (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Hill, Gregory, Weishaar, Lana, Bauer and Ryan2012a). To our knowledge, this is the first report of the ATTD of a BB based canine diet. To verify that TDM ATTD was higher for the BB diet compared to CON, we performed a pooled analysis on the results from both trials. The differences in TDM ATTD between CON and BB remained significant (data not shown), further supporting that that the BB TDM was indeed more digestible than CON and may have not been significant in the long-term study due to the sample size.
Table 4. Digestibility and metabolisable energy of three nutritionally complete diets fed to overweight or obese adult companion dogs undergoing calorically restricted weight loss.
1Digestibility was calculated on a DM basis. 2–4Five, two, and three dogs were excluded from analysis in the CON, BB, and NB groups, respectively. Total number of dogs analyzed: CON, n = 6 (short-term), n = 4 (long-term); BB, n = 9 (short-term), n = 4 (long-term); NB, n = 7 (short-term), n = 5 (long-term). 5To determine differences in digestibilities between diets and studies, each nutrient was evaluated with 2-way ANOVA. There were no differences between studies or interactions terms (data not shown). A Bonferroni post-test was used to determine the groups with significant differences. Groups not sharing the same letter superscript are significantly different from each other.
In the short-term study, CP ATTD was higher in BB (85.7%) compared to CON (78.6%; P < 0.01), and NB was similar to both (83.5%). In the long-term study, CP ATTD was similar between the CON (80.9%), BB (82.5%), and NB (79.4%). Again, the difference in CP ATTD between CON and BB remained significant when data from both the long and short-term studies were pooled (data not shown). During the long-term study, the consistency of CP digestibility and cumulative weight loss between dietary treatments supported the use of common beans as a as a staple ingredient in weight loss dog food formulas. Past work with dogs has demonstrated that dietary protein intake is associated with lean mass retention and is central in facilitating a healthy metabolism during weight loss (Laflamme, Reference Laflamme2012). Given that cooked beans are both highly digestible and capable of supporting weight loss, the role of bean-based diets as a novel protein source in supporting canine lean mass retention warrants further investigation.
CF was equally digestible between all diets in the short-term study: CON (89.8%), BB (95.2%), and NB (92.9%) and the long-term study: CON (93.2%), BB (94.1%), and NB (89.4%). Carbohydrate ATTD, as measured by NFE, was higher in both the BB (89.3%) and NB (87.6%) diets compared to CON (83.2%) in the short-term study, and similar between all diets in the long-term study: CON (82.1%), BB (86.5%), and NB (85.1%). The NFE ATTD remained significantly higher in both bean groups when data from both the short and long-term studies were pooled (data not shown) supporting that the carbohydrates derived from the BB and NB were more digestible than those derived from corn and wheat based diets. Recent metabolomic studies have shown that metabolism of carbohydrates may be modulated in normal weight dogs consuming bean-based diets (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Heuberger, Broeckling, Bauer and ryan2015) even though carbohydrate digestibility was the same as the a control diet (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Hill, Gregory, Weishaar, Lana, Bauer and Ryan2012a). For dogs undergoing weight loss, BB diets influenced relative NFE digestibility (Table 4), which may be due to differential modulation of carbohydrate metabolism compared to the CON diet. Future metabolomic investigations using samples from this study may reveal distinct carbohydrate compositions contributing to these effects in overweight and obese dogs.
ME was calculated for each group to determine the amount of energy provided by the CON, BB, and NB foods, which was similar between both the short and long-term studies and across all diets. Results are presented as a median (min-max, Table 4). The median ME for the CON diet was 3,446 kcal/kg for the short-term and 3,519 kcal/kg for the long-term study. In the BB diet, ME was 3,632 kcal/kg for the short-term and 3,507 kcal/kg for long-term study. In the NB diet, ME was 3,571 kcal/kg for the short-term and 3,434 kcal/kg for the long-term study. ME was highest in the BB short-term study (3,632 kcal/kg) and this was the only measured ME that was higher than the estimated ME of 3,314 kcal/kg (p = 0.004). These data demonstrated that the energy utilisation from bean based dog food was equivalent to standard ingredient dog food formulations in dogs undergoing calorically restricted weight loss.
Whole blood analyses and serum biochemistry
No negative physiological effects were observed in any measured parameter (data not shown). To demonstrate the nutritional adequacy of the dog food formulations, each dog's results were compared to AAFCO reference limits or haemoglobin, PCV, albumin, and ALP at the end of the study period. Results were presented as a median (min-max) along with the AAFCO limits for each parameter (Table 5).
Table 5. Plasma and serum biochemical analysis of three diets fed to overweight or obese adult companion dogs undergoing calorically restricted weight loss.
Values for blood and serum samples were determined at four weeks (short-term), and twenty-six weeks (long-term). Reference values were taken from AAFCO guidelines (AAFCO, 2010) for group means and individual dogs.
The median albumin for the CON group was 3.9 g/dl and 3.9 g/dl; 3.9 g/dl and 4.0 g/dl for the BB group: and 3.9 g/dl and 4.1 g/dl for the NB group for the short and long-term studies respectively. The median ALP for the CON group was 40.5 IU/l and 41.0 IU/l; 51.0 IU/l and 31.0 IU/l in the BB group; and 27.5 IU/l and 47.0 IU/l in the NB group for the short and long-term studies, respectively. The median PCV for the CON group was 51.0% and 51.0%; 49.5% and 56.0% in the BB group; and 51.0% and 51.0% in the NB group for the short and long-term studies, respectively. The median haemoglobin for the CON group was 17.7 g/dl and 18.0 g/dl; for BB was 17.7 g/dl and 20.0 g/dl; and for NB was 17.8 g/dl and 17.9 g/dl for the short and long-term studies, respectively. Serum values fell within AAFCO established reference limits, demonstrating that the NB and BB dog foods provided adequate nutrition and were safe to consume during both short and long-term weight loss. AAFCO values were applied for adult dog weight maintenance because there were no established values for dogs undergoing calorically restricted weight loss. Given that differences in canine serum samples have been reported for overweight and obese dogs compared to normal weight dogs, and that changes occur during weight loss (Forster et al., Reference Forster, Ollila, Burton, Hill, Bauer, Hess and Ryan2012b; Yamka et al., Reference Yamka, Friesen and Frantz2006), future studies need to determine if AAFCO reference values should adjusted for diets targeting weight management.
Conducting weight loss and digestibility studies with companion dogs, as opposed to colony dogs, presented new challenges due to owner compliance in feeding and faecal collection and lapses in dietary discretion when feeding and collecting samples in a multiple dog household. Although this study was successful in achieving weight loss, many dogs did not achieve their ideal weight during or following completion of the long-term study. This may complicate interpretation of the results, however, these challenges emphasise the need for effective communication and perhaps an accelerated translation of canine weight loss study findings to real clinic settings for body weight management planning.
In this study, it was demonstrated that nutritionally complete dog foods containing cooked bean powders were digestible by overweight or obese, adult, companion dogs undergoing short or long-term calorically restricted weight loss. The dog foods supported apparent weight loss, provided utilisable energy, and the dogs maintained indices of nutritional adequacy when compared to a bean-free control dog food. The higher NFE ATTD in both the BB and NB diets compared to CON suggested that bean based dog foods may impact canine carbohydrate metabolism. It can be concluded that cooked common beans are safe and digestible when used as a major food ingredient during canine weight loss and when fed in a nutritionally complete, extruded kibble. This provides a rationale for the continued investigation of the potential for cooked beans to improve protein, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism, which are important for overall canine health.
We would like to thank ADM Alliance Nutrition for providing the dog foods and Gordon Gregory at ADM Edible Bean Specialties for providing the cooked bean powder. We would also like to thank the Wellington Veterinary Hospital and the Flint Animal Cancer Center Clinical Trials Core for providing companion dogs for participation in this study and clinical oversight. Additionally, we would like to thank Cadie Tillotson for technical assistance with study coordination. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial or not-for profit sectors.
Bean powder was supplied by ADM Edible Bean Specialties and dog food formulations and proximate analysis were completed by ADM Alliance Nutrition labs. While these studies and analysis of results were completed at Colorado State University and should be considered free from any experimental bias, commercialisation of bean-based dog foods are in early stages of development by members of this investigative team.
Table A1. Baseline characteristics of individual canine study participants 1 .
1 Age, sex, and breed were reported by owners. BCS: body condition score on a 9 point scale; Weight: body weight in kg; F/I: intact female; F/S: spayed female; M/N: neutered male.
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Table A1. Baseline characteristics of individual canine study participants1.
Genevieve M. Forster (a1), Nora Jean Nealon (a2), Dale Hill (a3), Tracey D. Jensen (a4), Teva L. Stone (a4), John E. Bauer (a1) and Elizabeth P. Ryan (a1) (a2)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jan.2015.12


— Rasika, a renku of 8 verses.
twilight of dawn . . .
Renku or renga [collaborative poetry] is a genre of Japanese short forms of poetry. Two of the most famous masters of renga were the Buddhist priest Sogi (1421–1502) and Master Basho (1644–1694). Renga/renku was one of the most important literary arts in pre-modern Japan. When teaching renku to beginners in schools and colleges or during Haiku Utsavs that we have in India, I felt the shortest renku, junicho was a wee bit too long, for all we can spare for renku is around 2 hours and John Carley's Yotsumono [of just 4 verses] is surely not for beginners who need to learn the nuances when going on a renku trip.
Necessity is the mother of inventions— I've been thinking for some time now about this problem when teaching renku to beginners and I hit upon a new form of renku! Thus it looks like my version is based on the need to have a shorter version of renku, without sacrificing on the aesthetics of this 400 year old art form that has come to us from Master Basho's time— the shofu-style of renku which is essentially anti-thematic. "Rasa" means the emotional essence in Indian aesthetics. "Rasika" is one who enjoys the rasa. So I wish to call this short renku "Rasika".
Rasika has 8 verses set as in traditional junicho style. The jo-ha-kyu are not clearly demarcated. The number of kaishi (writing sheets) is just one. I'm keeping this renku very flexible regarding the inclusion of the usual 4 seasons in renku, meaning spring, summer, autumn and winter. Since we do not have the space and the number of verses to include all the four seasons, we can pick and choose just 2 or 3. It has the conventional moon and blossom verse and of course the "love verses' without which a renku seems incomplete. The link and shift is strong, and the leaps can be wide, since it is not a 36 verse structure of Kasen, which can afford to have small shifts.
The renku above are two trials I carried out: The first was within our Indian group: IN haiku. My special thanks to Anitha Varma and Shrikaanth Krishnamurthy for being enthusiastic, or rather for being the more daring renkujin to join me in this experiment. I found that it does work and we finished the renku in a very short time.
I tried this out the second trip with international renkujin immediately. My special thanks to Barbara A. Taylor and Gisele LeBlanc for so enthusiastically joining me on this trp. I now know I will be able to hold renku workshops and, participants can get their first taste of this beautiful art form, without sacrificing any essential ingredient in the art of renku writing.
I want to dedicate Rasika to Norman Darlington, Moira Richards and to the late John Carley from whom I learnt the art of writing renku.
"I was very excited when Kala Ramesh invited me to participate in this experimental eight verse renku form. Being quite new to the art of renku myself, I found the shorter "Rasika" much less intimidating than its longer counterparts, yet it still offered the opportunity to immerse myself in the nuances and basic elements of renku writing. I hope it entices many more poets to explore this wonderful art form."


Build children's fine motor skills with this adorable fishing game from Janod.
Kids will grip the fishing rod and try to pick up the fish using the magnet dangling on the end of it's line! The 6 wooden fish are brightly coloured and have have a metal spot, for the magnetic fishing rod to 'catch' them with! Children will enjoy catching them and throwing them back in their correct holes again and again!


text:
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Alcohol consumption among HIV-positive pregnant women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: prevalence and correlates
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Research outputs: NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INNOVATION (NSI)
2009 Innovation in sub-Saharan Africa: competitiveness, capability and achievements in South Africa, Nigeria and Uganda
The Research on Knowledge Systems (RoKS) 2006 competition provided funding that has opened up a new field and delineated the contours of a r...
2008 Contextual policy framework for developing a National System of Innovation in Uganda
2008 The South African National System of Innovation: potential and constraint
2008 Analysis of the National System of Innovation in Nigeria: context and emerging trends


text:
Public Complaint No. 1661967731 - 364793465
Danielle Alexis Greenlee
Ray County Sheriff's Office
Henrietta, MO 64036
https://raycountysh…
Date of Offense
Nature of Complaint
Conduct Unbecoming [Off-Duty]
Cass County, MO, USA
38.6574448, -94.315422
Deputy Greenlee while off duty lied to LE (Cass County SO, Deputy Fox) while investigating a missing persons report, stating she had Ben awarded guardianship of her daughter so she would not have to return her to her father on an agreed upon date and time.
Missouri's Sunshine Law
Mo. Code §610.023 et seq.
The Missouri Sunshine Law was introduced seven years after the Freedom of Information Act was passed in Congress in response to the Watergate scandal. In 1973, RSMO Chapter 610 was signed into the Missouri Constitution making the state one of the earliest advocates of the open records act. The law expressly stated that meetings, records, votes, actions, and deliberations of public governmental bodies are to be open to the public. Records are defined by Missouri law as "any record, whether written or electronically stored, retained by or of any public governmental body including any report, survey, memorandum, or other document or study prepared for the public governmental body by a consultant or other professional service paid for in whole or in part by public funds, including records created or maintained by private contractors under an agreement with a public governmental body or on behalf of a public governmental body."
Anyone can request documents and a statement of purpose is not required. There is nothing in the Missouri Sunshine Law that restricts the use of records and an individual should allow three business days for the return of records requests.
Peace Officer Standards and Training Program [MO POST]
Jessica Fergerson
1101 North Riverside Drive
Jay Ashcroft


Finally, after the hottest summer in the last ten years, we had a calm cool autumn month. Looks like business activity is inversely proportional to temperature — as the temperature goes down, flespi becomes more and more popular :). In September we had a 12% growth in our users' database and exceeded the threshold of 100 000 devices registered on the platform. And nobody even knows the number of unregistered devices connecting to BI and GPS tracking platforms via flespi on a channel/gateway level as we don't count them.
We managed to finish September with the exact four nines 99.99% uptime. Most of the counted downtime was due to a couple of BGP related outages at NL-IX. Actually, most of our users might not have been affected but our automatic system detected connectivity problem to the platform from a couple of locations and thus we counted it as downtime.
One of our most noticeable achievements in September is the proxy protocol with special source traffic viewer in Toolbox. These things are of special attention for those who want more information about the source TCP traffic between devices and platforms. Note that it can be any device and any platform, as the channel transparently proxies data streams between multiple locations. Some of the interesting cases that we tried included experimenting with Queclink and Concox devices to transparently connect them to several GPS tracking platforms and at the same time connect as a non-mandatory target to a flespi channel to perform remote device management with the flespi configurator tool. Worked like a charm!
We also introduced a new communication channel between flespi engineers and platform users — a built-in chat. As you know, engineers like to concentrate on their work, that's why we are solving the problems of our users via this chat extremely fast. Please look at the faces that are behind the names of folks chatting with you, talk with us if you have any issues or proposals and feel the dark power of telematics!
Going further with MQTT we already have some special features of our broker and plan to extend this list soon. For example, as MQTT 5.0 introduces custom properties for messages; we are thinking of applying special filters or data conversion schemes in subscriptions when payload comes in JSON. This should bring a whole new range of possibilities for developers.
In September we showed up on the MWCA exhibition in Los Angeles and in October we will visit GITEX in Dubai. You are welcome to come and speak to us directly. We particularly love technical persons — there's a 99.9% chance that we will find a common topic for discussion.
We shifted to October a couple of planned features from September — one of them is sub-accounts management possibility, which will be available only to users of our Commercial plan. We also consider extending it with OAuth2 backend capabilities to simplify most flespi-based developments. Another shifted is Tableau dashboard integration. This one is basically ready, but we need to finalize and market it, which will be done soon.
And at the end of October, we should have the pilot version of our analytics system — the one that adds to flespi backend BI power tools. It will be available in the experimental mode via API only for a few months and initially, we will work with a few of our active users to make the system capable of solving their engineering tasks.
We wish you to maximize your lead-to-customer conversion rate in October and enjoy the colors of autumn — Belarus' most beautiful season.


Big jackpots have always been among the major attractions of online gaming and the Mega Fortune online slot, which has been developed by Net Entertainment, definitely stands out in that regard. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the game that you will absolutely need to play if you'd like to have a shot at that dream payout. At the time of writing, it was actually even the Guinness World Record holder of the largest online jackpot payout ever, having paid out 17.8 millions of Euros at the start of 2013. That alone would make it a must-play game, but the fact that it's a very good online slot on its own makes it even better than that!
The Mega Fortune online slot is all about luxury, so it's hardly surprising that the game's audiovisuals fit right into that theme. Luxurious rings, glamorous limousines, cold cash, and bottles of champagnes – that's what you're going to find on the reels in this game. And, as if that wouldn't be enough, your journey to a life full of glamour will be accompanied by a fittingly laid-back music. We've certainly liked it – and so will you!
A plethora of gameplay features would surely distract you from the jackpots, so you'll be happy to know that this is indeed – more or less – your classic online slot game. Even then, you'll always like to see the wild symbols that take the form of a luxurious yacht. After all, they will not only act as substitutes for all the regular symbols, but they can also bring you a grand total of 10000 coins on their own!
Secondly, there's the scatter symbol, which comes in the shape of a champagne and which can activate the exciting free spins feature, which also automatically multiplies all your winnings! The highest multiplier stands at x5 and you'll also get a chance to add more free spins to the tally by finding more scatter symbols, so be prepared for a stream of coins flowing in your direction!
And your main goal? Well, if you're to get a shot at the wheel of fortune mini-game, which is the only way to the jackpots, you'll need to find a winning bet line of three or more bonus symbols.
So, what about the massive jackpots? Isn't that what the Mega Fortune online slot is all about? Well, in total, there are three different jackpots that can fall into your pockets. Firstly, there's Jackpot Rapid, the lowest one of the bunch. Secondly, there's Jackpot Major, a much more welcome sight that will usually net you tens of thousands of pounds. Exciting? Perhaps, but not after you've learned about the exciting Mega Fortune Jackpot, which is bound to transform your life. Its value is nearly always more than a couple of millions of pounds! How about that!
The bottom line of everything is that this is the number one slot as far as jackpots are concerned. If you're looking for that fat pay-check, this game is the absolute top of the crop. There's just no way going around it – who wouldn't want to play the one online slot machine that's actually featured in the Guinness Record Book? Get out there and start playing it right now – the subtle combination of excellent gameplay and the possibility of a life-changing jackpot is simply bound to get you buzzing!


When the kneecap has been dislocated once, does that make it more likely that it will happen again?
Of all of the different joints in the body, the knee is the largest. It also may be the one that we make the most demands on, which explains why it is so often vulnerable to injury, especially in many kinds of physical and sports activities. The three bones that come together to make up the knee joint are the tibia, which is commonly referred to as the shin bone, the femur, or thigh bone, and the patella, which is the kneecap.
The kneecap actually sits on top of the joint. Triangular in shape, it is what is called a sesamoid bone, which is bone that is embedded within a muscle or tendon. By providing such a smooth surface for the other bones to glide over, the kneecap enables the joint to perform its primary function, which is that of extension. This allows the leg to bend, straighten and even twist to a fair degree.
Knee joints are susceptible to a variety of injuries, such as sprains, tears in tendons, ligaments and cartilage and hyperextension. A common injury to the knee is kneecap dislocation. This occurs when the kneecap has been knocked out of place as a result of some sort of blow or trauma or from too much pressure being placed on it from a sudden or overly forceful movement or change of direction.
Does having a dislocated kneecap increase your chances for having the same thing happen again? Having a prior injury to the kneecap can up the odds for it happening again if the ligaments that were damaged or torn do not heal properly and provide the proper tension to adequately secure the kneecap to the inside of the knee. Unfortunately, this is often the case.
If you have questions about kneecap dislocation or any other orthopedic concerns, the physicians and staff of Orthopaedic & Sports Associates of Long Island are very experienced in a wide range of orthopedic conditions and are committed to providing personalized care in a state-of-the-art facility. To schedule an appointment, or if you just have questions, please use our convenient online contact form by clicking here.


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A Bumpy Road for the Somali Roadmap
As Somalia's roadmap for stability encounters internal political hurdles, the upcoming British conference on Somalia might be the most realistic chance to eradicate extremism and keep the nation together.
By Abdinur Mohamud, January 20, 2012 .
President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (left) confers with Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden
Progress on the political roadmap to move Somalia out of conflict and toward stable, permanent, and representative government by August 2012 seems to be facing intractable barricades. The roadmap calls for the adoption of a new constitution by July, with parliamentary elections to take place in August of this year. With less than six months remaining and al-Shabab forces controlling much of the country, the likelihood of constituting a representative constituent assembly, finalizing a draft constitution, and conducting a national referendum is unrealistic if not impossible.
Political tumult in Mogadishu has clouded the skies further. A startling move by politically marginalized members of parliament to unseat Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden—at a time when both he and President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed were away attending the Somali National Consultative Constitutional Conference in Garowe last December—has created a new constitutional crisis that could hinder progress toward completing the Somali transition.
The feisty parliamentarians felt shut out of the political process by the speaker and, with their fate hanging in the balance, rebelled over the so-called "Garowe Principles" produced by the December conference. The new agreement slashes the bloated parliament of 550 members to a more manageable 225 and indirectly bestows more transitional powers in the hands of few powerful stakeholders, including the president, speaker, and two other heads of regional governments.
Fuming with anger over the UN-sponsored conference, the parliamentarians forced their way into the closed parliament compound, appointed an impromptu leader to conduct business in the speaker's absence, and voted to oust the speaker altogether. The president, whose own political future seems to be entangled with the speaker's, rejected the decision on procedural and tactical grounds. International community members also rejected the parliamentary decision and implored all Somali stakeholders to support the roadmap.
Other contested Garowe Principles include the reduction of the current parliamentary term by two months—in clear violation of the national charter and without the agreement of the current parliament—and the extension of the transition period by an additional four years. This came as a surprise to many Somalia observers, since the international community has seemed bent on ending the transitional period by August 2012. This latest extension makes the realization of permanent stability for Somalia now seem a distant dream. Finally, legislators objected to the haphazard plan to complete the draft national constitution in a mere seven days in May by 1,000 randomly selected citizens. This plan deprives the drafters of the opportunity to comprehend the complex document, deliberate on it, and resolve matters of national importance.
Meanwhile, with al-Shabab at least temporarily displaced by the recent military incursions by Kenya to the south and Ethiopia to the west, the Transitional Federal Government's (TFG) sphere of influence is suddenly expanding. However, its capacity to meet its obligations to the newly liberated communities remains extremely inadequate.
Alternatives to Garowe
A three-year transition period commencing in August 2012, with a smaller technocratic provisional government of no more than five cabinet members and a return to the presidential system, would be preferable. This would eliminate the never-ending conflict at the highest offices of the nation and resolve the challenging governance crisis of today's Somalia. It would also make future presidents more accountable for the policies of their government.
Additionally, a provisional new parliament of no more than 100 members, based on a modified 4.5 power-sharing formula, would essentially meet parliamentary reform strategies called for in the roadmap until Somalia is ready for meritocracy. Thecurrent power-sharing method allows Somalia's four feuding major clans to share parliamentary seats and government posts equally, leaving a paltry half-share to an assortment of underrepresented clans. A modified five-point formula would herald a new era of fair and equal representation in government all the while redressing past injustices. New legislators could come from either the current parliament or from the outside until the nation is ready for a referendum.
Effective governance plans such as the above will only take root if external powers and donor states provide the necessary funding to enhance the legitimacy of the central government, resist the impulse to micromanage the affairs of the Somali state, and effectively neutralize Ethiopia's hegemonic desires to destabilize the country.
Foreign Influence
The international community led by the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), the architect of these convoluted and short-lived political agreements, is not only confusing the Somali people. It is also baffling international experts monitoring the Somali case. Furthermore, in a very undiplomatic — if not outright autocratic — response to the Somali parliament's vote, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a joint development coalition of East African nations, issued a communiqué lashing out at the parliament and threatening the parliamentarians and their supporters with dire consequences, essentially silencing dissent and the right of citizens to protest.
This is not a helpful role for the international community.
Since the Berlin conference of 1884, when Western powers carved up the Somali-inhabited territories in the Horn of Africa among themselves, Somalis have been naturally suspicious of foreign intrusion. After the Second World War, a British proposal known as the Bevin plan calling for a unified Greater Somalia was quashed by other Western powers and Ethiopia. As a consequence, freewheeling foreign powers promoting their own security and economic interests in the region effectively dashed the hopes and aspirations of millions of Somalis. Moving the clock forward to 2012, some of the same external powers continue to weigh in on Somalia's future, with the UK proposing yet another plan for the country's way forward.
Fresh from a successful campaign against Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, Britain and France seem to have realized their inescapable role in post-colonial Africa. A hesitant United States,on the other hand, overstretched militarily and unwilling to commit ground troops to Africa, is cautiously observing the renewed European interest from a distance. Unmanned aerial drones targeting al-Shabab strongholds from stations in Ethiopia, Seychelles, and Djibouti seem to be sufficiently meeting U.S. strategic interests in Somalia. With the weak African Union unable to provide logistical and financial support needed for its 9,000-strong deployment in Somalia, Britain and France seem to be expanding their political and military involvement.
Sensing the bumpy ride ahead for the roadmap, British Prime Minister David Cameron has proposed a high-level international conference on Somalia this February in London to bring focus and direction to Somalia's endless political quagmire. Its stated goals include tackling instability in Somalia and protecting ships from pirates in the Gulf of Aden. However, the UK is also said to be proposing a new international approach to establish sub-national areas of stability throughout the country that can later be joined together in a stable nation-state. The British plan is essentially complementing the U.S. dual track policy, providing a crucial missing component that joins the two tracks. In addition, London hopes to establish a new international multi-donor stability fund for Somalia, ensuring transparency and accountability of donor funds for the country. The British government will also likely push for the creation of a reformed and leaner International Contact Group for Somalia. Its design would be similar to the Madrid Quartet mediating the peace process for Israel and Palestine.
With a jittery parliament sensing its impending demise, and an unrealistic roadmap that is not likely to end the current transition by August 2011, the Cameron plan may be the only realistic chance to lay a strong foundation to finally bring fragmented Somali territories together under a unified state— provided that external powers remain neutral this time around.
Abdinur Mohamud is a former Somalia minister of education and a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus. He now works and lives in Westerville, Ohio.
Issues: War & Peace
Regions: Africa, Somalia
Tags: Al Shabaab, somalia, Transitional Federal Government
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Montana / Galata / Galata Divorce & Family Law
Galata Divorce & Family Law Lawyer, Montana
Not enough matches for Galata Divorce & Family Law lawyer.
Below are all Galata lawyers.
Brad Aklestad
Wills & Probate, Agriculture, Elder Law, Constitutional Law
205 Main Street, Shelby, MT 59474
Hugh Brown
110 E. Jefferson, Chester, MT 59522
Elizabeth K Woods
Merle James Raph
153 Main, Shelby, MT 59474
William Edward Hunt
Luke Michael Casey
Brian D Lee
Don R Lee
Whistleblower, Toxic Mold & Tort, Residential Real Estate, Estate Planning
Robert G Olson
226 - 1St Street South, Shelby, MT 59474
Lawyer.com can help you easily and quickly find Galata Divorce & Family Law Lawyers and Galata Divorce & Family Law Firms. Refine your search by specific Divorce & Family Law practice areas such as Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce and Family Law matters.
The payment made to a lawyer for legal services. These fees may take several forms: hourly per job or service -- for example, $350 to draft a will contingency (... (more...)
The payment made to a lawyer for legal services. These fees may take several forms: hourly per job or service -- for example, $350 to draft a will contingency (the lawyer collects a percentage of any money she wins for her client and nothing if there is no recovery), or retainer (usually a down payment as part of an hourly or per job fee agreement). Attorney fees must usually be paid by the client who hires a lawyer, though occasionally a law or contract will require the losing party of a lawsuit to pay the winner's court costs and attorney fees. For example, a contract might contain a provision that says the loser of any lawsuit between the parties to the contract will pay the winner's attorney fees. Many laws designed to protect consumers also provide for attorney fees -- for example, most state laws that require landlords to provide habitable housing also specify that a tenant who sues and wins using that law may collect attorney fees. And in family law cases -- divorce, custody and child support -- judges often have the power to order the more affluent spouse to pay the other spouse's attorney fees, even where there is no clear victor.
ARREARAGES
Overdue alimony or child support payments. In recent years, state laws have made it difficult to impossible to get rid of arrearages; they can't be discharged i... (more...)
Overdue alimony or child support payments. In recent years, state laws have made it difficult to impossible to get rid of arrearages; they can't be discharged in bankruptcy, and courts usually will not retroactively cancel them. A spouse or parent who falls on tough times and is unable to make payments should request a temporary modification of the payments before the arrearages build up.
A document that provides proof of a marriage, typically issued to the newlyweds a few weeks after they file for the certificate in a county office. Most states ... (more...)
A document that provides proof of a marriage, typically issued to the newlyweds a few weeks after they file for the certificate in a county office. Most states require both spouses, the person who officiated the marriage and one or two witnesses to sign the marriage certificate; often this is done just after the ceremony.
Something on a piece of property that attracts children but also endangers their safety. For example, unfenced swimming pools, open pits, farm equipment and aba... (more...)
Something on a piece of property that attracts children but also endangers their safety. For example, unfenced swimming pools, open pits, farm equipment and abandoned refrigerators have all qualified as attractive nuisances.
ADOPTIVE PARENT
A person who completes all the requirements to legally adopt a child who is not his or her biological child. Generally, any single or married adult who is deter... (more...)
A person who completes all the requirements to legally adopt a child who is not his or her biological child. Generally, any single or married adult who is determined to be a 'fit parent' may adopt a child. Some states have special requirements, such as age or residency criteria. An adoptive parent has all the responsibilities of a biological parent.
The legal union of two people. Once a couple is married, their rights and responsibilities toward one another concerning property and support are defined by the... (more...)
The legal union of two people. Once a couple is married, their rights and responsibilities toward one another concerning property and support are defined by the laws of the state in which they live. A marriage can only be terminated by a court granting a divorce or annulment. Compare common law marriage.
The right and obligation to make decisions about a child's upbringing, including schooling and medical care. Many states typically have both parents share legal... (more...)
The right and obligation to make decisions about a child's upbringing, including schooling and medical care. Many states typically have both parents share legal custody of a child. Compare physical custody.
A document that authorizes a couple to get married, usually available from the county clerk's office in the state where the marriage will take place. Couples pa... (more...)
A document that authorizes a couple to get married, usually available from the county clerk's office in the state where the marriage will take place. Couples pay a small fee for a marriage license, and must often wait a few days before it is issued. In addition, a few states require a short waiting period--usually not more than a day--between the time the license is issued and the time the marriage may take place. And some states still require blood tests for couples before they will issue a marriage license, though most no longer do.
MARITAL TERMINATION AGREEMENT
See divorce agreement.