The 'Future Landscapes for People and Nature' symposium featured 11 leading thinkers and practitioners and was attended by over 130 academics, natural resource managers, local and state government agency staff and community members. Each speaker highlighted major drivers and emerging trends in land use change, and the implications of these changes for nature and human communities.
Speakers covered a variety of topics, including environmental history, indigenous perspectives, climate change resilience, fire, peri-urban expansion, production agriculture, Landcare, environmental enterprises, threatened species, environmental law and engaging the community. A highlight was the speed talks delivered by four La Trobe early career researchers – Dr Jen Wood, Alicia Dimovski, Cara Sambell, Simon Verdon – which were enthusiastically received by the audience. All presentations are available below for viewing.


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Why is this image so small?
This image is presented as a "thumbnail" because it is protected by copyright. The Brooklyn Museum respects the rights of artists who retain the copyright to their work.
Leslie J. Powell (American, 1906-1978). New Circus. Oil on canvas, frame: 31 x 36 1/2 in. (78.7 x 92.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Charles Leonard Pfeiffer, 53.232. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.232_acetate_bw.jpg)
New Circus
Leslie J. Powell
ARTIST Leslie J. Powell, American, 1906-1978
DIMENSIONS frame: 31 x 36 1/2 in. (78.7 x 92.7 cm) (show scale)
SIGNATURE Lower right: "L. Powell"
COLLECTIONS Contemporary Art
CREDIT LINE Gift of Charles Leonard Pfeiffer
RIGHTS STATEMENT © artist or artist's estate
Copyright for this work may be controlled by the artist, the artist's estate, or other rights holders. A more detailed analysis of its rights history may, however, place it in the public domain. The Museum does not warrant that the use of this work will not infringe on the rights of third parties. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions before copying, transmitting, or making other use of protected items beyond that allowed by "fair use," as such term is understood under the United States Copyright Act. For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
CAPTION Leslie J. Powell (American, 1906-1978). New Circus. Oil on canvas, frame: 31 x 36 1/2 in. (78.7 x 92.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Charles Leonard Pfeiffer, 53.232. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.232_acetate_bw.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 53.232_acetate_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A $20 million grant from the World Bank's BioCarbon Fund ISFL will help farmers in Colombia's Orinoquía region to sustainably increase agricultural production and to realize the potential of the region to become a food basket for the country and the world.
The program aims to improve livelihoods, the economy and the environment, including protecting the region's precious forests, water sources and biodiversity.
The BioCarbon Fund ISFL program in the Orinoquía creates enabling conditions for the adoption of sustainable and low-carbon natural resources management.
When cattle rancher Jorge Rodriguez established his farm years ago in the Meta Department of Colombia's Orinoquía region, he decided to call it La Esperanza, meaning hope.
Rodriguez was not alone. Between 1990 and 2015, more than 1 million hectares of Orinoquía's forests, mostly in the Meta Department, were cleared to create pasture land. Colombia's Orinoquía region is a massive, 25-million-hectare savanna and wetland area in the east of the country, bordering Venezuela. It is home to almost 1.5 million people. In recent years, large-scale land conversion has happened throughout the region to increase the production of livestock, palm oil, cacao, rubber, and rice.
The Orinoquía is considered Colombia's last agricultural frontier, with the potential to serve as a food source for Colombia, and the world. While exploiting this potential is vital for the livelihood of farmers, it is also a crucial part of Colombia's development agenda. But agricultural expansion comes at a cost.
Clearing forests to create pasture land is a leading driver of deforestation in Orinoquía. Not only are these forests vital to mitigate climate change, they are home to hundreds of species of mammals and birds. Other threats include the draining and conversion of millions of hectares of highly biodiverse native savannas, including flooded savannas, which are associated with high levels of methane emissions. The region belongs to the Orinoco river watershed that encompasses the region's vast grasslands and rainforests, and is the source for about a quarter of all running water in Colombia.
To ensure agricultural expansion is done sustainably in Orinoquía, Colombia has partnered with the World Bank's BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes (ISFL) to launch a Sustainable Integrated Landscape Program in the region. Led by Colombia's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in close coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the National Planning Department, the program has the highest-level of support from country's President Juan Manuel Santos, who signed the grant agreement with the World Bank last week.
The $20-million grant from the BioCarbon Fund ISFL will be used to improve land-use planning, protect landscapes including forests, and provide technical assistance so that cattle, oil palm and commercial forestry businesses transition to sustainable and competitive production models. Engaging the private sector is at the core of the program, including promoting public-private partnerships that support low-carbon practices, supporting environmental zoning that preserves natural habitats and working with the private sector on areas where it can make investments in sustainable production. Once these activities produce verified carbon emission reductions, the BioCarbon Fund ISFL will reward these efforts by purchasing up to 10 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
"Given the level of economic growth in the Orinoquía region over the past 15 years, there is a unique opportunity right now to influence the development trajectory of the region and ensure that future land use avoids deforestation and other significant negative environmental impacts," says Issam Abousleiman, World Bank Country Manager for Colombia.
The recently-brokered peace agreement between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) provides a unique opportunity for the BioCarbon Fund ISFL and Colombia to work together to advance sustainable and low-carbon natural resources management and enforcement. The BioCarbon Fund ISFL program in the Orinoquía supports strategies for addressing the structural causes of conflict that also create enabling conditions for the adoption of sustainable and low-carbon natural resources management. This will support sustainable development in the Orinoquía and contribute to the ongoing peace process in the country.
Cattle rancher Jorge Rodriguez in Colombia's Orinoquía region.


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Emerging Markets Euromoney Country Risk
Why Moody's is wrong to keep Cyprus on junk status
Jeremy Weltman
Published on: Friday, June 28, 2019
The country is better prepared to withstand the risks now authorities are targeting primary budget surpluses.
Cyprus is now into its fifth year of vigorous economic growth, after three years (2012-2015) of steep decline caused by the banking crisis, with little indication the trade-risk vulnerabilities affecting other eurozone markets will become a limiting factor.
GDP has grown consistently, by 0.9% per quarter in real terms from mid-2018 through to the first months of 2019, resulting in a 3.5% annual growth rate for the first quarter.
It is set to slow down, with tourism affected by Brexit, and weaker activity rates spanning Germany and other trade partners, but only to 3.1% this year and 2.7% in 2020, says the European Commission (EC), as strengthening domestic demand compensates for slowing exports growth.
The EC may be wrong, of course, but if it's right, that's good news for fiscal correction – maintaining solid tax revenue and alleviating the welfare budget as unemployment continues to fall.
Risk factors such as GDP growth, unemployment and government finances have been continually upgraded in Euromoney's survey.
In April, the seasonally adjusted harmonized unemployment rate fell below 7% for the first time since the banks collapsed, after reaching an eye-watering 17% at the height of the crisis.
Last year's general government balance was skewed by one-off support for the Cyprus Cooperative Bank (CCB) sale, causing a temporary deficit of 4.8% of GDP on the EU's comparable measure.
This year it will return to a surplus of around 3% of GDP, showing improvement on outturns for 2016 and 2017.
This is despite cuts to fuel excise duty, a bigger public sector wages bill, and support for low-income pensioners boosting disposable incomes and consumer spending.
The bottom line is that strong GDP growth and primary budget surpluses should see the debt burden slim down to 90% of GDP in 2020, on a path towards greater stability.
That raises the question: should Cyprus be regarded junk status?
Fitch and Standard & Poor's certainly do not agree, after they respectively upgraded the country in September and October, respectively, to investment grade.
And yet Moody's has held off, retaining its stable Ba2 sovereign issuer rating.
However, as Euromoney's risk survey demonstrates, the trend has been consistently positive for the past five years:
Cyprus has gained 11 points in the survey, climbing 26 places in the global rankings to 40th out of 186 countries, continuing that rise in the first quarter.
That puts the tourist hotspot towards the top of the third of five tiered categories of risk, nestled between Portugal and Malaysia in the risk rankings.
Both countries are investment grades, and so are Italy, China, Peru and five other countries all below Cyprus, only stopping at Oman in 50th place.
It's enough to make Moody's blush – not least because Euromoney has pressed the point previously, and most independent experts contributing to Euromoney's survey agree that Cyprus, for all its risks, is an investment-grade issuer.
One of them is Dimitria Rotsika, senior economist at Piraeus Bank Group.
She is clear that Cyprus is not without its risks, including the fact it continues to face a large amount of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the banking sector.
That view is echoed by the IMF in its latest, post-programme monitoring report, in which it states: "The removal of CCB's NPLs and securitization of a large NPL portfolio have led to a sharp reduction in NPLs.
"Nevertheless, NPLs are still among the highest in the EU, public and private debt levels remain elevated and efforts to clean up bank balance sheets and build capital buffers are ongoing."
This is perhaps, crucially, where Moody's may take some persuading.
And yet as Rotsika asserts: "Cyprus managed to lend via the international debt markets fairly quickly after the loan-agreement conclusion on rather favourable terms that priced in the country's success in this post-programme era."
Its capital access score in Euromoney's survey was lifted as a result.
"The boldest move signalling changes in the domestic economy and the fiscal consolidation is the issue of 30- and 15-year bonds with a return much lower (2.75%) than Greece's recent issue of a benchmark 10 year at 3.875%," says Rotsika.
And as the IMF also notes, the political risks are contained. There are no parliamentary elections until 2021, with authorities committed to engaging with the IMF for ongoing advice until 2020.
Plus repayment capacity is manageable, with sizeable primary fiscal surpluses ensuring a decline in the gross public debt-to-GDP ratio to support continued favourable market borrowing terms.
Another survey contributor, Constantin Gurdgiev, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, is of the same mindset.
He acknowledges the fact Cyprus is vulnerable to exogenous shocks, especially the European Central Banks (ECB) holdings of Cypriot government bonds, which have one of the shortest maturity profiles of all eurozone bond holdings.
This is a problem when the ECB changes tack and stops replacing maturing assets with new purchases.
Still, Gurdgiev believes the short-term dynamics make Cyprus due an upgrade.
He cites three ongoing factors driving the improved credit risk outlook.
First is the gradual improvement in the investment and trade climate between Cyprus's traditional extra-EU economic partners, most notably Russia.
"This week's Council of Europe vote is a more public manifestation of this trend, but beyond the international political arena, the April meeting between presidents Nicos Anastasiades and Vladimir Putin has been a major positive, highlighting growth in trade and a gradual uptick in bilateral capital inflows," says Gurdgiev.
The second is the ECB's monetary policy forward guidance:
"Cyprus is enjoying historically low cost of funding for its sizeable government debt," says Gurdgiev. "Ten-year yields on Cypriot bonds are currently running at around 0.624%, the lowest on record, and substantially below the 2016 H1 highs of 4.1% to 4.15%.
"The ECB is de facto providing support for the government deeply in debt, since Cyprus re-entered the ECB purchasing programme in late 2018."
Third, is the economy and the fact that, despite gradually cooling off, growth is still there, with unemployment falling, aggregate investment rising and gross national savings above 13% of GDP.
The question is whether all this will strike a chord with Moody's analysts.
Precedence suggests that eventually they might.
To find out more about expert risk ratings on the Euromoney Country Risk platform, register for a trial
Risk experts consistently proved right on Turkey
China's risks extend beyond trade frictions
France, Germany risk spike shows core Europe wobbling
Why Malaysia is riskier than its credit ratings suggest
Cyprus and Malta's reduced risk flags ratings upgrades
Country risk: Cyprus is stronger than its ratings claim
Economic impact of Brexit: special focus
Risk metrics favour Portugal despite Italy contagion
Cyprus: special focus


(IndustryNews247.Com, November 09, 2018 ) Global Bacterial Cellulose Market Study 2015-2025. This Report covers the volumes, prices, historical growth and future perspectives in the Bacterial Cellulose market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Bacterial Cellulose, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.


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The Senate: Safeguard or Handbrake on Democracy?
By Helen Coonan - posted Saturday, 15 May 1999 Sign Up for free e-mail updates!
The claim by Democrat Leader Senator Meg Lees at their National Convention on 23 January that the Senate is the "legislative powerhouse of the parliament" shows a misunderstanding of the principles of responsible government and the functions of the Senate. It is largely because the Democrats who will again hold the balance of power in the Senate from July 1, are attempting to implement this mistaken concept that the Senate is today dysfunctional.
The Senate is not a law unto itself. It must exercise its co-equal powers within a system of responsible government that recognises the broad parameters of the Government's right to govern and the public interest in having a stable parliamentary system capable of managing day to day institutional conflict.
Having shifted its emphasis from 'keeping the bastards honest', the Democrats, if Senator Lees is to be accepted, are now denying the legitimacy of the Government with a majority of seats in the House of Representatives and seek to usurp the function of Government.
Let there be no mistake. An efficient and hardworking Senate, scrutinising, criticising and examining legislation, and keeping the Government accountable is a great institutional safeguard for all Australians.
But an obstructional competitor in the government of the country, frustrating or at least substantially delaying urgently required responses to national problems, is disabling Australia from realising and enjoying its full potential. The Senate safeguard has in fact become a handbrake on progress.
In fairness, part of the problem lies in the intense brinksmanship that characterises modern political parties. In the Senate it provides an Opposition intent on electoral competition, implacably opposed to a Government's agenda, that effectively hands the casting vote on important national legislation to the minor parties and independents.
It provides minor parties who command only narrow electoral support with the opportunity to exploit the balance of power to secure changes to government policy that better suit their own policy preferences. Taken to its logical conclusion, it allows the major defeated party in the Senate to hijack the claimed mandate of a minor party to form a minority government in the Senate.
Minority parties and independents are an essential part of a democracy where power is well distributed through the institutions of government. It is a legitimate means of ensuring that diverse views receive a proper hearing and consideration. But it is a profoundly undemocratic outcome when decisions that affect the national interest are effectively concentrated in the hands of a few.
The proportional representation form of voting to elect Senators together with the increase in number of Senators in 1984, from ten to twelve per State (and the resultant reduction in the quota from 16.66 per cent to 14.28 per cent) has ensured that neither of the major parties will have a working majority in the Senate for the forseeable future. An unintended consequence of the increase in numbers has been the major parties winning approximately the same number of Senate seats each, with minor party candidates who make up the "balance" of power relying on preferences to get elected.
There is an overwhelming need for electoral reform that will ensure there is at least the prospect of the government of the day again obtaining a majority in the Senate.
The form of proportional representation used in Australia requires Senators to receive a quota of votes (currently 14.28%) to get elected. Minor party candidates and independents rarely get enough primary votes to fill a quota and have to rely on preferences.
Many Western democracies that use proportional representation require candidates to achieve a specified percentage of a quota of overall primary votes (a threshold) to qualify for election or continuance in a scrutiny process, such as the distribution of preferences.
This is an edited extract of a speech delivered to the Sydney Institute.
Senator Hon. Helen Coonan is Federal Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer. She is a Senator for NSW.
» Making the Senate work efficiently is an imperative for the 21st century - November 7, 2003
» New medical indemnity package removes doctors' reason to retire - June 5, 2003
All articles by Helen Coonan
Full Senate Reform Report (PDF, 347KB)
Helen Coonan's home page
Meg Lees' home page


We found list of 40 store websites similar to Landsend from about 21,500+ online company shops in total.
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Leave your review about Landsend!
I all time found wonderful and high-quality merchandises from this site Lands' end. Prices of all these items are reasonable. I like their exceptional customer service and the way they communicate with their clients. Also, they offer free shipping to their all customers, which is quick and fast. This site all-time offers sales on some of their items.
Lands End has the awesome quality of clothes which are great in prices too. Even their returning policies are quite easy and their shipment process is so fast and reliable along with great deals. On every visit, I can easily find new items which are outstanding. I will definitely order more and more products from here. Thank you for quality products.
From Lands End site, I have purchased quality apparels for my whole family including pet clothes as well. This site offers bonus sales, weekly deals and discount coupons as well which are cheap in prices. Last week I bought a jacket from here which cost $30 to me plus these products have the lifetime guarantee that can't beat with anyone.
Lands End is the most reliable and perfect place for me to buy apparels. During shopping from here, I have not faced any issue regarding quality and sizes. This is one of my trustworthy brand along with helpful & reliable customer service. Their clothes last long and on each washing they look new as ever before.
All time Lands end offer great deals and sales on its all items. Their apparels are great in quality and at the end of every season; they offer sales that are the best time for me to grasp as more clothes as I can. I am using their athletic pants since 3 years and still they all look great in quality. Their processing method is also easy and fast.
Countless times I purchased different products from Land's end through online. Whatsoever I don't have any issue with them, so no complaints. Their products are same as they mentioned on their site, prices are reasonable with excellent quality. Their clothes are best for outdoor gathering and vacations. Refunds and return are handled well. Recommended.
Lands' End offers all time quality products along with exceptional customer service. I especially like their great quality, no sizing issue and they always have clearance sales. Other online stores can't beat their lifetime guarantee which they offer on their all products. I got 100% customer satisfaction from this company so I am giving 5 stars to them.
From Land send, I bought a pairs of lovely boots which are cool, warm, comfortable plus best wearing on winter days. On purchasing any items for them, they give me the discount coupon of 25% which I utilize when doing further shopping from here. Their items' prices are unbeatable and customer service is exceptional too.
Two times I shopped at this store and both times my orders were processed and shipped on time. No issue at all with my both parcels. Customer associates were helpful and friendly. I like the quality of jeans which was slim fit and comfortable to me when wearing. Much better jeans compared to many other stores, exceeded my expectations toward Lands' Send.
My every order was processed so fast and arrived at home promptly. Even quality of Lands' End products is all excellent. Their customer care staff are all efficient and helpful. I have been buying so many items from them and never had any problem with my any product. Huge selection of clothes is available here at fair prices.
Landsend has been rated 4 out of 5 based on 1 vote(s) and 10 user(s) reviewed this website.


"Hi Savoie This is Rick,I also have a Lycoming engine in my 750 I am ready for exhaust,Could i get the info on your exhaust system it would help ,Thanks & your plane looks great !!"
"Hi Dr. Savoie, Congratulations on completing your new build. I viewed your Zenair first flight YouTube video with interest. I live in Plaster Rock where I own and fly my Zenair 701 from a farm strip. Would it be possible to visit your…"
Hi Savoie This is Rick,I also have a Lycoming engine in my 750 I am ready for exhaust,Could i get the info on your exhaust system it would help ,Thanks & your plane looks great !!
Congratulations on completing your new build. I viewed your Zenair first flight YouTube video with interest.
I live in Plaster Rock where I own and fly my Zenair 701 from a farm strip.
Would it be possible to visit your Zenair? I work with Acadain Timber and visit Edmundston quite often.
I can be reached at 506.356.5025, or blairdegrace@gmail.com.


The Point Park United Student Government (USG) is experiencing a renaissance. An organization once concerned with lack of communication affecting interest is now experiencing resurgence in membership and enthusiasm.
Among other factors, USG President Blaine King points to an influx of freshmen who want to get involved with giving the student body a voice within Point Park.
"…That's one thing that we're actually very excited to hear. They're freshmen, they're young and we can groom them [into leadership roles in the future]. This is a very young USG," King said.
King also pointed to confusion in last year's election leading to reports of declining interest.
"If I had to say, there was not a good sense of when the elections were, and a lot of people felt [unsure] of when elections actually took place," King said.
Moving forward, King said he has a vision for the future of USG for its members.
"We have a strategic plan for the next year which we are going to follow, which states our three main goals," King remarked.
According to King and USG Vice President Gabriel Dubin, the three goals for the year are to be attentive and recognizable to the student body, to give support for commuters and to be advocates for university initiatives.
"We want recognition for USG in the sense that we want people to know who we are, be aware of what we do, and be aware of how we can help," Dubin said.
Dubin, who is currently a commuter student, explained the importance of reaching out to commuters.
Specifically, Dubin said USG is hoping to work alongside student organizations in an effort to schedule events at commuter-friendly times.
While USG has always supported university initiatives, Dubin clarified that the key to fully adopting university initiative is cooperating with administration.
"We [as USG] have decided we want to work [directly] with the deans and the University president," Dubin said.
With these goals in mind, Dubin is also excited in the surge in interest but warned that freshmen generally create a wave of attention that passes. To avoid this, he said that USG has been working to reach out to upperclassmen and freshmen alike in an effort to keep the enthusiasm moving.
"…We're hoping this class stays engaged and we can utilize that in the future," Dubin said regarding this year's freshmen.
Press Secretary and sophomore multimedia major Emily Yount, who is also the graphic designer for The Globe echoed Dubin and King's statements that the organization is excited to have interest from underclassmen. She noted that all of the USG cabinet members except Dubin are underclassmen.
"What we're really trying to push this year is showing the students really what we do because there is a lot of things that go unnoticed that USG does and pays for and puts a lot of time and energy and effort into that go completely unnoticed," Yount said regarding USG visibility.
She cites the bike loan program in the Student Center and the water bottle fill-up stations in building lobbies as programs USG sponsors but are rarely thought of as USG programs.


INTRODUÇÃO: Os resultados da análise dos gases sanguíneos utilizando diferentes equipamentos podem apresentar grandes variações decorrentes das diferenças metodológicas, dos procedimentos de calibração e da aplicação de configurações distintas para cada tipo de instrumento.
OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar múltiplos sistemas analíticos para teste de gases sanguíneos, eletrólitos e metabólitos, em conformidade com o Programa de Acreditação de Laboratórios Clínicos (PALC) da Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia Clínica/Medicina Laboratorial (SBPC/ML).
MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas 20 amostras em três analisadores de gases sanguíneos ABL800 Flex (Radiometer Medical ApS, Dinamarca) em relação ao equipamento em uso, que foi considerado referência. A análise de variância (Anova) foi aplicada para fins de estudo estatístico dos resultados obtidos nos quatro equipamentos, bem como o cálculo da média, do desvio padrão e do coeficiente de variação.
RESULTADOS: Os valores de p obtidos na análise estatística foram: pH = 0,983, pO2 = 0,991, pCO2 = 0,353, lactato = 0,584, glicose = 0,995, cálcio ionizado = 0,983, sódio = 0,991, potássio = 0,926 e cloro = 0,029.
CONCLUSÃO: A avaliação de múltiplos sistemas analíticos é procedimento essencial no laboratório clínico para garantia da qualidade e da exatidão dos resultados.
Palavras-chave: gasometria; harmonização; acreditação laboratorial; pH; pO2; pCO2; lactato; glicose; Na; K; Cl; Ca2+.
INTRODUCTION: The results of blood gas analysis using different instrumentation can vary widely due to the methodological differences, the calibration procedures and the use of different configurations for each type of instrument.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate multiple analytical systems for measurement of blood gases, electrolytes and metabolites in accordance with the accreditation program (PALC) of Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia Clínica/Medicina Laboratorial (SBPC/ML).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 samples were evaluated in three ABL800 Flex (Radiometer Medical ApS, Denmark) blood gas analyzers, and the results were compared with those of the device in use, which was considered the reference. The analysis of variance (Anova) was applied for statistical purposes, as well as the calculation of mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
RESULTS: The p values obtained in the statistical analysis were: pH = 0.983, pO2 = 0.991, pCO2 = 0.353, lactate = 0.584, glucose = 0.995, ionized calcium = 0.983, sodium = 0.991, potassium = 0.926, chlorine = 0.029.
CONCLUSION: The evaluation of multiple analytical systems is an essential procedure in the clinical laboratory for quality assurance and accuracy of the results.
Keywords: gas analysis; harmonization; laboratory accreditation; pH; pO2; pCO2; lactate; glucose; Na; K; Cl; Ca2+.
Blood gas analysis is aimed at assessing oxygen uptake in the lungs and tissue oxygenation, besides the study of acid-base balance. Thus, measurement of partial pressures of gases allows the adoption of therapeutic interventions to correct disturbances in pulmonary ventilation, tissue oxygenation, and acid-base balance. Depending on the nature of the sample, whether blood is arterial or venous, results are distinct, and for the proper interpretation of results, it is important that the sample type be identified in the medical order. When one is interested in assessing oxygen uptake in the lungs, arterial blood is the specimen of choice, because the result will allow obtaining information on gas exchange and the calculation of the amount of oxygen being delivered to tissues. However, investigation of just the metabolic components can be done with the use of a venous sample.
Validation of analytical systems aims at studying and documenting performance of multiple instruments prior to their implementation into routine use. The Clinical Laboratory Accreditation Program (PALC) of Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia Clínica/Medicina Laboratorial (SBPC/ML)(1), as well as the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)(2, 3) and the rule ABNT NBR NM ISO 15189:2008(4), determine the necessity of comparing multiple analyzers used in the laboratory routine, regardless of whether the devices have the same brand.
Gas analysis results obtained from different instruments may present wide variation due to factors such as different principles of analysis and calibration procedures, or use of different instrument configurations(1, 2). Oliveira and Mendes highlight that performance evaluation carried out based on analytical validation allows to measure present errors and securely determine whether these errors affect results, permitting to know if the system works in the expected manner and if it produces adequate results(5).
The objective of this work was to analyze the performance of multiple blood gas analyzers in the measurements of the following parameters: pH, pO2, pCO2, ionized calcium, sodium (Na), potassium (K), glucose, lactate and chlorine (Cl), by comparing their results.
Venous blood samples were drawn from outpatients into blood gas-dedicated syringes containing lithium heparin; samples with air bubbles and clots were eliminated. At least 20 samples were tested for each analyte, using three ABL800 Flex (Radiometer Medical ApS, Denmark) analyzers in comparison with the used reference instrument. Evaluation of assay performance was based on CLSI protocols(2, 6).
In the ABL800 analyzers, one-point automatic calibrations were performed each four hours or for each 10 samples; two-point calibrations, each eight hours. In the reference equipment, a one-point calibration was performed each 60 minutes; a two-point calibration, each 12 hours, all according to instructions by the manufacturer.
Method performance was evaluated for precision, accuracy, linearity, analytical sensitivity, carryover contamination and stability of the sample. In the precision study, we compared the performance of each device based on simultaneous analyses of the same materials in all analytical systems. Inter-assay precision was determined with two control solutions (high and low) by means of two daily repetitions during 20 days; intra-assay precision, with 40 aliquots, was determined with two control solutions (high and low) by means of two daily repetitions. Sensitivity and linearity of the methods were tested with samples acquired from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), of the United States. Recovery tests were carried out by addition of control solutions with values known in patients' blood samples. According to the rules of Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (Anvisa) and CLSI, recovery must be within the 80%-120% range(3). Stability of the sample was examined based on a same sample analyzed one, two and three hours after the storage at 2ºC-8ºC. Acceptable variation was set at less than 10%. Carryover was determined via a sequence analysis with 21 aliquots, interspersing high- and low-concentration samples. The acceptable limit of error was three times the standard deviation (SD) of the mean obtained from the low-concentration sample in the sequential measurement of low-concentration samples followed by another low-concentration sample (low-low). The reference range was calculated using venous blood samples of adult volunteers considered healthy (n = 20). Statistical analysis was performed by the calculation of mean, SD, coefficient of variation, linear regression, Pearson's correlation, calculated error rate and analysis of variance (Anova). We also evaluated if the values obtained from healthy volunteers presented Gaussian distribution, aiming at validating reference ranges in relation to those described in the literature. Calculations were made using statistical packages EP Evaluator version 9.3 and Minitab version 5.0.
Table 1 describes the results of pH, pO2, pCO2, ionized calcium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, glucose, and lactate for assessment of precision together with the mean values obtained from the three ABL Flex 800 analyzers. The acceptable levels were defined based on the literature data. The yielded results demonstrated that the instruments exhibit precision.
Table 2 displays data observed with the purpose of evaluating sensitivity, linearity, analytical measurement range, recovery of the method and stability of the sample. The obtained recovery range was 80.5%-102.5%, within the 80%-120% acceptable interval. Stability of parameters for samples of different levels was tested in the interval of zero to three hours, at temperatures of 2ºC to 8ºC.
The mean, limit error, and carryover (Table 3) observed in the four instruments showed that the method does not suffer from the influence of high-concentration samples over low-concentration ones. The differences between high-low and low-low means were compared with the calculated limit error, which amounts to three times the SD obtained in the measurements of low-concentration samples following a low-concentration sample.
In order to assess agreement among methods, error was estimated by dispersion graphs for measurements (Figure 1). Clinically or statistically significant difference was not verified among the studied instruments. The obtained errors are all within the statistical and clinical limits, when compared with the total error allowable (TEa) described in the literature for each analyte. This demonstrates that the instruments may be used interchangeably without affecting clinical care and without causing harm to the patient, as shown in Tables 4 and 5, and in Figure 2.
Quality of analytical results is assured by the creation of mechanisms for failure prevention through process design and auditing. In order to ensure process quality in blood gas analysis, it is important that pre- and post-analytical phases also be within specifications, acting preventively on the possible sources of error and TEa(5, 7, 8).
Reducing the possibility of error during the analytical phase is essential when one is selecting processes and defining procedures that allow for an adequate performance. It is necessary that test limitations be known, as well as their parameters of clinical and analytic performance, to provide reliable results, always aiming at higher safety levels for patients. In this context, it is crucial that the sample type (venous or arterial blood) be identified in the medical order. If the patient is on assisted ventilation, it is necessary that essential data about this condition be also described in the order. Besides, one must verify if the sample was collected into a syringe containing balanced heparin, if the sample volume is suitable for the conduction of the exam, if the syringe is adequately sealed, if the ideal conditions of storage were met, if transportation was carried out within the stipulated time, and if material was correctly identified(7).
In the analytical phase, besides internal quality control and proficiency assays, there are other general recommendations that directly influence quality of the performed analyses. The first step is the development of a validation protocol that ensures method reliability, assessing performance and identifying potential errors. Input screening and validation of different batches, including controls and calibrators, help a lot in the management of the whole process, and minimize differences between the different used batches.
It is really troublesome to establish a process to evaluate performance of gas analysis methods due to sample instability, especially pCO2 and pO2, and the difficulty to run dilutions in these samples for sensitivity and linearity tests. For these reasons, we chose to study sensitivity and linearity of the samples provided by CAP.
A crucial point is the selection of reagent material of the same batch, and the samples that will be used, that is, these materials must encompass all ranges of important clinical values to avoid a biased evaluation of the obtained statistical results. This is one of the most arduous phases during the process of equipment validation. Thus, biological samples for gas analysis must be measured in all the studied instruments just after collection. Because the stabilization time of the analytes is extremely short, degradation or oxidation over time may result in the obtainment of wrong results.
Activities of process control in the analysis of blood gases are important for clinical decision making. Confidence in the method is crucial and may be assessed by means of equipment validation. Another important factor to be taken into account is the choice of the most appropriate instrument for the laboratory routine.
García-Payá et al. compared performance of quality control in patients of four hospitals, and used the sigma metrics for evaluation of precision and accuracy of the method(8).
The intra-assay and inter-assay variation coefficients in our work resulted in values below the limits of analytical quality specifications for the studied analytes(9). The value of TEa adopted was based on the criteria of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)(9, 10).
It is important to relate the results of daily quality control to the criteria or the acceptable performance standards described in the literature. Our reference was the biological variation, which became a determining factor of how exact and precise a test can be. By means of determination of systematic (bias) and random (variation coefficient) error, we may estimate the total error permitted for each analyte, and the capacity to foresee how many errors can occur in a million opportunities through sigma calculation(11).
The limitations of our study were: analysis of patients' samples with values within the reference interval, small intra-individual variability, difficulty in obtaining enough sample volume, and short sample stability.
The systems involved in human interactions and decisions are prone to error. Therefore, it is necessary to standardize process activities to avoid errors, or, at least, make them tolerable. Error detection in each sample provides additional safety against random errors(12). Thus, it is fundamental that methods be validated following the presented criteria, assuring quality of results for patients' safety.
In this work, differences between results obtained from the studied instruments were not statistically and clinically significant. The gathered data presented good accuracy and precision. Analytical measurement intervals satisfied the needs of the clinical body. The obtained results permit to conclude that validation of multiple instruments admits determination of the same laboratory parameters using distinct devices. These findings are fundamental for quality assurance and reliability of results.
At last, quality is a comprehensive and multifaceted concept, whose dimensions vary in importance, depending on the situation: technical competence, accessibility, effectiveness, interpersonal relationship, efficiency, continuity, safety and adequate facilities.
1. Programa de Acreditação em Laboratórios Clínicos (PALC) da Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia Clínica/Medicina Laboratorial, 2010 [Internet]. Available at: http://www.sbpc.org.br/upload/conteudo/Norma_palc2013_web.pdf. [Accessed on: 10 Mar. 2014].
2. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Approved Guideline - EP5-A2; Evaluation of precision performance of quantitative measurement methods. Approved Guideline, second edition. Wayne, PA: CLSI; 2004.
3. Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Estimation of analytical error for clinical laboratory methods; Approved Guideline, first edition. EP21A, 2003; vol. 23, n. 20.
4. ABNT NBR NM ISO 15189. Laboratórios de Análises Clínicas - requisitos especiais da qualidade e competência, 2008 [Internet]. Available at: http://www.abnt.org.br. [Accessed on: 10 Mar. 2014].
5. Oliveira CA, Mendes ME. Gestão da fase analítica do laboratório: como assegurar a qualidade na prática [Internet]. 1 ed. digital. Controllab, 2010;1:39-61. Available at: http://www.controllab.com.br/pdf/gestao_fase_analitica_vol1.pdf. [Accessed on: 10 Mar. 2014].
6. Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Blood gas and pH analysis and related measurements; Approved Guideline, second edition. CLSI document C46-A2. Wayne, PA: CLSI; 2009.
7. Oliveira CA, Mendes ME. Gestão da fase analítica do laboratório: como assegurar a qualidade na prática [Internet]. 1 ed. digital. Controllab, 2010;3:39-61. Available at: http://www.controllab.com.br/pdf/gestao_fase_analitica_vol 3.pdf. [Accessed on: 10 mar. 2014].
8. García-Payá ME, Fernández-González M, Morote NV, Cobos AB, Díaz MCT, Hernández JFS. Performance of the radiometer ABL-90 FLEX blood gas analyzer compared with similar analyzers. Lab Medicine. 2013;44:2-61.
9. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). Desirable specifications for total error, imprecision, and bias, derived from intra and inter-individual biologic variation [Internet]; 2014. Available at: http://www.westgard.com/biodatabase1.htm. [Accessed on: 1 Feb. 2014].
10. Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Evaluation protocols (EP05 through EP21) [Internet]. Wayne, PA: CLSI; 2009. Available at: http://www.nccls.org. [Accessed on: 10 Mar. 2014].
11. Mendes ME, Ebner PAR, Romano P, et al. Practical aspects of the use of FMEA tool in clinical laboratory risk management. J Bras Patol Med Lab. 2013;49(3):174-81.
12. Toffaletti JG, McDonnell EH, Ramanathan LV, et al. Validation of a quality assessment system for blood gas and electrolyte testing. Clin Chim Acta. 2007;382:65-70.


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I am Hendrix, check me out!
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Camperbug is a fantastic and unique travel agency. Feel free to browse and make an enquiry about the beautiful buses which you will discover over the coming pages. If you want to hire a vw camper you will find a fantastic range of vehicles from all the over the UK. We have the coolest and largest selection of retro vehicles listed for hire anywhere on the internet. There are currently five different types of VW van which have been commonly converted for camping and we list them all. We have T5's, T4's, the beautiful wedge shaped T3, the famous bay window T2 and last but not least the ever iconic Split Screen or T1, which for many fans is the definitive camper. For those in the know, they are some LT35s for hire too!
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Today, China is proving to be Canada's public enemy number one and an ambassador who wishes to appease Chinese interests is not in line with Canada's foreign policy.
Ambassador McCallum's comments on Meng Wanzhou's extradition process are unacceptable and are not representative what Canada should be trying to achieve with regards to China. They are also a sign of a pervasive problem with how Canada tries to enact its foreign policy interests internationally.
Since establishing diplomatic relations with the communist state, Canada's approach to China has been muddled and haphazard.
It's been a cycle of rhetorical admonishment and a preference for the status quo. Most of the time, Canada works alongside China, trying to piggyback off China's rapidly growing economy. Yet ever so often, China does something that can't be ignored.
In our current case, it's the arbitrary detainment of Canadian citizens.
What we need to realize is that the status quo with China isn't congenial relations, but rather, it's fickle assertiveness. President Xi Jinping holds uncontested power in perpetuity, his word and whims are law.
We shouldn't be surprised when China lashes back at perceived slights and we shouldn't expect the Chinese government to play by international rules.
Canada needs to take a unified foreign policy approach when it comes to China and ambassador John McCallum's comments on the extradition of Meng Wanzhou are a sign of a pervasive disconnect between a united federal approach and our diplomatic operatives on the ground.
Within international relations, a "middle power" refers to a state that isn't a superpower but is still able to wield moderate influence over others. Canada is a textbook example of a historically successful middle power.
In the past, Canada has been able to steer a steady course in foreign relations relatively peacefully, carving its own place in the global community that was neither adversarial, nor complacent. This was especially evident with how we handled China during the Cold War.
By opening diplomatic channels with the Chinese government, which was still in its turbulent youth, we opened a valuable stream of communication, while also creating a foreign policy distinctly different from our neighbor's.
However, that was a different time, and a different China.
Today, China is asserting itself onto the world, no longer seeking to make allies but rather to strong arm weaker nations to do their bidding. Somewhere along the way, Canada forgot any sense of purpose when it came to dealing with China.
As Mulroney's book outlines, the diplomats on the ground have become detached from executive authority which has resulted in failures to communicate.
In McCallum's case, he seems to have taken it upon himself to represent Canadian interests and in this he has made a grave mistake.
As Mulroney pointed out in a CBC interview, the ambassador's credibility has been compromised and his comments have contributed to further confusion in Canada's foreign policy.
In the face of China's new-found arrogance, Canada needs to start asserting itself. We can no longer expect congeniality because of our past kindness.
What Canada requires is new leadership willing to approach a consistent foreign policy towards all foreign powers and not the selective and haphazard attitude we've taken so far.
Canada needs to stand up to China and McCallum needs to step down.


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The Integral Yoga Ministry
The Integral Yoga Ministry was inspired by Sri Gurudev Swami Satchidananda's example and motto: "The dedicated enjoy supreme peace, therefore live only to serve." Some of his students have chosen the path of sannyas or monasticism. The first of his American students ordained into the Holy Order of Sannyas (organized into ten orders with four branches by Adi Shankaracharya, approximately 8th century) took vows during Guru Purnima in July 1975. They have the title of "Swami" and are similar to monastics of other traditions. Sannaysis observe vows of renunciation and dedicated service to all.
Fully-ordained monks wear orange robes, a symbol of this renunciation. Pre-sannyasis have the title, "Brother" or "Sister," similar to novices in other traditions. They wear white clothes as a symbol of purity, with an orange scarf indicating they are training in renunciation. Swami Sarvaananda, a senior disciple of Swami Satchidananda, is the first sannyasi to have become a Board-certified Hindu Chaplain.
In 1980, Reverend Jaganath Carrera, one of Swami Satchidananda's senior students asked him if there could be a way for Integral Yoga householders to formalize their devotion and dedication. Thus, the Integral Yoga Ministry was founded, inspired by the selfless example of the Integral Yoga sannyasis. The first group of 23 householder students were ordained as Integral Yoga Ministers during Guru Purnima in July 1980. These ministers, given the title "Reverend," may marry and have families if they wish. When performing formal ministry functions, they wear white robes with a gold sash. An Integral Yoga minister vows to grow and serve through living a yogic lifestyle under the spiritual guidance and teachings of Swami Satchidananda. The Integral Yoga Ministry is an interfaith ministry. All faiths are respected and celebrated.
When asked the difference between these two forms of ministry, Swami Satchidananda replied, "There is a little difference between the ministers and the sannyasis. The sannyasis have dedicated their entire lives 100 percent in order to serve the humanity. In the case of the ministers, they are dividing their service: part to their families, part to the public. So, it's a personal life and public life. So, they have to have a proper ratio of service to their families and to the public. That's the only difference between ministers and sannyasis. Other than that the lifestyle is the same, the dedication is the same. There's no difference at all. In a way I can say they are sannyasis in their families, but they have a family of their own."
The mission of the Integral Yoga Ministry is for swamis and ministers to lead lives of dedicated service to Sri Swami Satchidananda, God, and the entire creation and to impart the teachings of Integral Yoga. They do this joyfully by observing purity of body and mind, living in the spirit of non-attachment, and by celebrating our unity and diversity with love and compassion.
The Sannyas Board oversees applications for entry into pre-Sannyas and guides their spiritual development. The Ministry Board oversees the Integral Yoga Seminary and the process of ordination for qualified candidates. The Integral Yoga Ministry continues to be a growing spiritual branch of Integral Yoga with an international reach. With increasing numbers of dedicated ministers and seminarians in both the United States and abroad, the impact of the Integral Yoga Ministry can be felt around the globe.
Swamis and ministers seek to follow in the footsteps of Sri Swami Satchidananda by rendering loving service to people of all faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds, through the teachings of Integral Yoga and by making a positive difference in the world through realizing and serving the True Self in all creation. They perform acts of service by teaching and conducting classes, workshops, retreats, and programs, as well as mantra initiations and pujas (worship services). Additionally, Integral Yoga Ministers can offer the following:
Interfaith services
Spiritual Mentoring
Vows of Intent
In 2020, when many people were seeking solace during the pandemic, the Ministry began a Spiritual Support Service through phone and through email. The Integral Yoga Ministry is dedicated to the inclusiveness that can be found by becoming people of peace, who constantly work to improve their understanding of the beauty of diversity and to celebrate that diversity as well as the unity behind all the diversity.
Read Reverend Jaganath Carrera's remembrances about establishing Yoga's first interfaith ministry.
Email ministry[a]integralyoga.org for more information.


Precisely what is Digital Scrum together with Precisely how Do you find it Implemented?
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12-monthly surveys online get that will agile options enjoy scrum are generally rising on a yearly basis. That 2007 Condition with Agile Progress Customer survey seen that will thirty seven percentage with participants employ scrum. And from now on a lot more than 50 percentage with surveyed agencies get implemented scrum since their own principal agile strategy. The following strategy can be a sound, group method to software programs progress that could be integrated in a office environment. Intimately related to utilizes connection together with company succeed to help properly regulate product or service progress.
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Maalim Ali Aden is a Somali politician. He is the Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs of Somalia, having been appointed to the position on 6 February 2015 by Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke.

References

Living people
Government ministers of Somalia
Year of birth missing (living people)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


AIDA64 offers you a tool for this task, called System Stability Test. It uses the AIDA64 Benchmark Module, which is heavily optimized for all 32-bit and 64-bit x86 processors. Thanks to this it can put an excessive load on the system, driving all parts of the CPU to the maximum, yielding in very high levels of power usage and heat dissipation. With the System Stability Test you can diagnose the stability and reliability of your PC. You can also verify the cooling performance with realtime updated graphs measuring temperatures, fan speeds and voltage levels. Measurement statistics are available to register the minimum, maximum and average sensor readings while running the stress test. When you build a new computer, overclock or tune one, or when you experience mysterious freezes and system failures, you need to test the system for stability under heavy load to find the weak point or a faulty hardware component.


For many years I never wrote anything about politics. I believe that there is a whole lot more to life, but with so much misunderstanding, I decided to start writing. Check it out.
Is It Safe For Foreigners In Russia?
Did Russia Meddle With US Elections?


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Skin-Electrode Mechanosensing Structure (SEMS)
We exploited the ionic transport in the human skin to construct skin-electrode iontronic interfaces for pressure sensing, allowing possible applications of detecting physiological signals from the human body and the recovery of sensory functions for patients with tactile dysfunction.
Chuanfei Guo
Professor, Southern University of Science and Technology
The human skin is the largest organ covering the body. Sensation is one of the most important functions of the human skin—the skin has tons of nerve endings that can respond to physical stimuli, such as touch, pressure, and vibration. However, people may lose their sensory functions when the nerve is damaged, or when they are suffered from diseases such as diabetes, and thus epidermal devices that can help patients recover the sensory functions are needed.
In addition, there is a great need for electrodermal devices to capture the physiological information of the skin, and this has sparked immense scientific and industrial interests. Existing electrodermal devices such as e-skins, however, are designed without considering the special biological and electrical features of the human tissues. The current form of e-skins often takes a layered structure of two electrodes sandwiching a layer of artificial functional material (such as a piezoelectric layer, or an ionic gel) that often causes challenges in on-skin applications, including toxicity, dehydration, and poor breathability. A new principle for epidermal sensing utilizing a much simpler structure without employing any artificial sensing materials is thus desired.
Chuan-Fei Guo, a PI at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), has worked deeply on e-skins. His group uses an ionic gel as the active layer in capacitive sensors. The ionic layer forms an electric double layer (EDL) at the ionic gel-electrode interface, for which the separation between the negative and positive charges is ~1 nm, and thus the capacitance density is several orders of magnitude higher than that of traditional capacitive-type pressure sensors. One day, Dr. Guo raised a question: is it possible to use the human skin, a natural ionic conductor, to replace the synthesized ionic elastomers for epidermal pressure sensing? This would eliminate the use of artificial ionic materials, which often have toxicity and high cost.
A collaborative team between SUSTech (professor Chuan-Fei Guo's group) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (professor Nick Fang's group) soon tried this idea in experiment and it worked as expected. A sensory structure was constructed based on the skin-electrode interface for highly sensitive, submillimeter spatial-resolution pressure sensing. The skin-electrode mechanosensing structure (SEMS) simply consists of the skin, one or a set of sensing electrodes, and a counter electrode. The sensing electrode has a microstructured surface that deform sensitively to mechanical stimuli, while the counter electrode is highly conformable to the skin and has no response to pressure. When touching the sensing electrode, the skin-electrode interface has an increased contact area, and thus the capacitance increases. Note that such a simple "electrodes-on-skin" configuration has been widely applied in electrodermal signal recording and stimulation (such as electrocardiogram), but has not yet been used in tactile sensing.
The SEMS presents high sensitivity and ultrahigh signal-to-noise ratio because of its iontronic nature. It is so sensitive that it can detect tiny physiological signals such as fingertip pulse waves, which can otherwise hardly be detected using existing e-skins. It is also exciting that the SEMS is immune to noise artifacts with body motion, and thus we expect the device to find wearable applications to enable long term monitoring of vital signals such as pulse irregularity.
Compared with existing e-skins, the SESS does not need any artificial ionic materials, and does not require elaborated packaging processes. This simple sensing structure can also be easily incorporated into a textile as wearable electronics, demonstrated by a smart glove for high-resolution pressure mapping during hand gripping or manipulation. The SEMS based wearables hold great promise for the recovery of patients with paralysis or sensory dysfunction.
Fig.1 | (a) Mechanism of skin-electrode mechanosensing structure (SEMS). (b) SEMS-based smart glove. (c) Capacitance mapping of holding a beaker and a balloon. (d) Recorded fingertip pulse during the test from a human subject who performed 10 minutes of exercise and back to rest state for 40 min.
This novel sensing mode is also expected to be applicable to other tissues since biotissues are mostly ionic hydrogels. Therefore, the concept can be extended as "tissue-electrode mechanosensing", which may find a wide range of applications in the sensing of physiological signals in human body.
For more information, please read our recent work published in Nature Communications.
Zhu, P., Du, H., Hou, X. et al. Skin-electrode iontronic interface for mechanosensing. Nat Commun 12, 4731 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24946-4


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Safak Pavey Quotes
"It is well known that Turkey has more imprisoned journalists than any other country, but as a result of the chilling effect of these prosecutions on the press, many stories never make the news."
Safak Pavey
?afak Pavey (née Önal born 10 July 1976) is a Turkish diplomat, columnist and politician. She is a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly from...
Name Safak Pavey
Profession Diplomat
Nationality Turkish
I'm still always surprised when someone recognizes me.
Jessica Origliasso, Musician
More Quotes by Jessica Origliasso
"I certainly do not support excluding faith from public life."
"The discourse of the West and the attitudes of its leaders are important because they influence public debate in Turkey."
"Bear in mind how valuable a secular Turkey is for the world."
"Priority is placed on the chastity of women. You can be corrupt, or a murderer and still hold your head up high on the street without problems, whereas if there are any suspicions of your chastity and moral behaviour as a woman, you get lynched."
"Many female politicians get intimidated by the aggressive behaviour of men. I don't. Not because I am a courageous person or anything, but because I see international standards, and I see that they are worth fighting for."
"One of women's greatest values is compassion."
"I believe in peace-building in any kind of platform, be it a political platform like Parliament or negotiations like peace-building negotiations."
"I come from a fragmented society. A country proud to serve as a bridge between Europe and Asia yet unable to bridge its own differences."
"The government in Turkey, which represents the powerful, traditionalist mass, is very comfortable creating policies tailored only for their supporters."
"The government believed that adherence to authority was human nature, so the Gezi protests were a real surprise to them. After the initial moment of shock, they decided to severely punish those participating in what they called an act of disobedience to authority."
"At pivotal moments throughout history, there have always been grey areas, and there likely will be in the future. Courage now lies not in the black and white, as in the past, but in the grey."
"Families with disabled children are praying for their kids to die before them because they have no support systems. They are very scared about who will take care of their kids and how their kids will have a dignified life after they die."
More Quotes By Diplomats
Mitchell Reiss QuotesDag Hammarskjold QuotesJeane Kirkpatrick QuotesHarold Nicolson QuotesWilliam Cameron Forbes QuotesCaleb Cushing QuotesMiroslav Lajcak QuotesMark Lippert QuotesJames Bryce QuotesLawrence Eagleburger QuotesBahman Ghobadi QuotesEugenie Anderson QuotesNicole Avant QuotesSaint-John Perse Quotes


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Q: How to filter a SQL column by a value e.g -1 and join the table to another table I have 2 SQL tables clients and historic_contact. I want to join the tables together however historic_contact has a column in which I want to use data with -1 in the last column pre_campaign
SELECT
    clients.id, clients.age, clients.job, clients.marital_status,
    clients.education, clients.credit_in_default,
    historic_contact.contact_type, historic_contact.duration,
    historic_contact.count, historic_contact.pre_campaign
FROM
    clients
JOIN
    historic_contact ON clients.id = historic_contact.client_id

This returns all data in the table and not data with -1 in the pre_campaign column after joining the two tables

A: use a where condition with historic_contact.pre_campaign=-1
SELECT
clients.id,clients.age,clients.job,clients.marital_status,clients.education,clients.credit_in_default,
historic_contact.contact_type,historic_contact.duration,
historic_contact.count,historic_contact.pre_campaign
FROM clients JOIN historic_contact ON clients.id = historic_contact.client_id
    where historic_contact.pre_campaign=-1

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ME="`basename "$0"`"

usage()
{
  >&2 cat <<EOF
usage: $ME [options] rose_src_path

Build rose on mac.

options:
  --prefix=PATH     prefix of rose installation, default is \$HOME/opt/rose
  --boost=PATH      prefix of boost 1.4.7, default is \$HOME/opt/boost
  --help            print this help

environments:
- TAR: default tar command to use

Note for Mac OS X 10.8
- /usr/share/aclocal must exist
- modify config/determine-os.m4 to add darwin12
- modify config/support-java.m4 remove javaconfig

external dependences:
- macports: libtool
- apple gcc 4.2
- boost 1.4.7
- gfortran
- ccache
- mpich2

environments
- GFORTRAN_PATH     optional, absolute path to the gfortran binary
EOF
}

die()
{
  >&2 echo "$*"
  exit -1
}

for i in "$@"; do
  case "$i" in
    --prefix=*) ROSE_prefix=`echo $i | sed 's/[-a-zA-Z0-9]*=//'` ;;
    --boost=*) BOOST_HOME=`echo $i | sed 's/[-a-zA-Z0-9]*=//'` ;;
    --help) usage; die ;;
    *) ROSE_src=$i
  esac
done

#if [ ! -e "$ROSE_src" ]; then
#  usage
#  die "Rose source directory does not exist"
#fi

test -z "$ROSE_src" && ROSE_src=$HOME/work/rose
test -z "$ROSE_prefix" && ROSE_prefix=$HOME/opt/rose

## Setup Environment

#ROSE_src=$HOME/work/rose
ROSE_build=$ROSE_src/build.mac
#QROSE_prefix=$HOME/opt/qrose

MACPORTS_HOME=/opt/local
test -z "$BOOST_HOME" && BOOST_HOME=$HOME/opt/boost-1.47
#QT_HOME=/nfs/apps/qt/4.5.1
export GFORTRAN_PATH=$MACPORTS_HOME/bin/gfortran-mp-4.8

#MPI_HOME=$MACPORTS_HOME
#MPI_HOME=$HOME/opt/mpich2
MPI_HOME=$MACPORTS_HOME
#export MPICC=$MPI_HOME/bin/mpicc
export MPICXX=$MPI_HOME/bin/mpicxx
export MPIF77=$MPI_HOME/bin/mpif77
export MPIFC=$MPI_HOME/bin/mpif90

# The default /bin/sh does not work any more
#SH=$MACPORTS_HOME/bin/tcsh
#SH=/bin/sh

# See: config/support-dwarf.m4
#DWARF_HOME=$MACPORTS_HOME
#DWARF_INCLUDE=$DWARF_HOME/include/elftoolchain
#DWARF_LIB=$DWARF_HOME/lib/elftoolchain
#
#export LDFLAGS=-L$DWARF_LIB
#export CFLAGS=-I$DWARF_INCLUDE
#export CXXFLAGS=$CFLAGS
#export CPPFLAGS=$CFLAGS

#export JAVA_HOME=/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.7.0.jdk/Contents/Home
JDK_FRAMEWORK=/System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk
export JAVA_HOME=$JDK_FRAMEWORK/Contents/Home

# Use native automake on mac
export PATH=\
$MACPORTS_HOME/bin:\
/usr/bin:\
/bin

#export CCACHE_DIR=$HOME/tmp/rose
#test -e "$CCACHE_DIR" || mkdir -p "$CCACHE_DIR"
ccache -M 10G

export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=\
$BOOST_HOME/lib:\
$JDK_FRAMEWORK/Contents/Libraries:$JAVA_HOME/lib
#$JAVA_HOME/lib:$JAVA_HOME/jre/lib:$JAVA_HOME/jre/lib/server
#$QT_HOME/lib:

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH

## Check Requirements

require()
{
  for i in "$@"; do
    >/dev/null which "$i" || {
    die "$ME: ERROR: cannot find '$i' in PATH, ABORT"
  }
  done
}
require automake aclocal autoconf perl python gcc ccache libtool glibtool $SH
require gfortran java #$MPICC $MPICXX $MPIF90 $MPIFC

assert_dir()
{
  test -d "$1" -a -x "$1" || die "$ME: ERROR: cannot access directory: $1"
}
assert_dir "$ROSE_src"
test -d "$ROSE_build" || mkdir -p "$ROSE_build"
assert_dir "$ROSE_build"

## Build and Install

CONFIG=
CONFIG="$CONFIG --prefix=$ROSE_prefix"
CONFIG="$CONFIG --with-boost=$BOOST_HOME"
#CONFIG="$CONFIG --with-mpi"
#CONFIG="$CONFIG --with-QRose=$QROSE_prefix"
#CONFIG="$CONFIG --with-qt=$QT_HOME"

#CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-fortran --disable-java"   # no fortran support
CONFIG="$CONFIG --with-gfortran=$GFORTRAN_PATH"
CONFIG="$CONFIG --with-java=$JAVA_HOME"

#CONFIG="$CONFIG --with-dwarf=$DWARF_HOME"          # enable libdwarf
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-tests-directory"          # test disabled, which would fail on mac when DWARF is enabled
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-projects-directory"       # no rose projects
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-tutorial-directory"       # no rose tutorial
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-binary-analysis"
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-ltdl-install"
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-opencl"
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-cuda"
CONFIG="$CONFIG --disable-php"
CONFIG="$CONFIG --without-haskell"

#pushd "$ROSE_src" && \
#  echo === build === && \
#  ./build \
#  && \
#popd && pushd "$ROSE_build" && \
#  echo === configure === && \
#  "$ROSE_src"/configure $CONFIG \
#  --with-alternate_backend_C_compiler=gcc CC="ccache gcc" \
#  --with-alternate_backend_Cxx_compiler=g++ CXX="ccache g++" \
#  && \
#popd &&
pushd "$ROSE_build" && \
  echo === make === && \
  make -j4 && \
  echo === make install === && \
  make install && \
popd && pushd "$ROSE_build/tests/translatorTests" && \
  echo === make install roseCompiler === && \
  make install roseCompiler
#make check

# EOF
#sed "s|/bin/sh|$SH|g" "$ROSE_src"/configure > "$ROSE_src"/configure.tmp && \
#mv "$ROSE_src"/configure "$ROSE_src"/configure.bak && \
#mv "$ROSE_src"/configure.tmp "$ROSE_src"/configure && \
#chmod +x "$ROSE_src"/configure && \

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


There were a total of four shootings over the weekend – three which ended fatal. The third killing occurred on Sunday night in Belmopan and police are saying that evidence so far would suggest that the shooter acted in self-defense. Sometime around seven p.m., the mutilated body of nineteen year old Kevin Vasquez was discovered on Costa Rica Street Extension in the Salvapan Area of Belmopan. The body was found face down on the street with gunshot wounds to the head, chest and left upper leg. Investigations so far are indicating that the nineteen year old Honduran welder of the same area accosted thirty-one year old Mark Conorquie, who was standing outside of his yard. Conorquie has since told police that the deceased approached him and reportedly attempted to pull a gun from his waist. That is when a struggle ensured and Vasquez was fatally shot. Superintendent Howell Gillett told News Five today that a revolver with three shells and three live rounds has since been recovered.
Vasquez was no stranger to the police; he was named recently in a robbery that occurred over the Christmas period and had two other cases at the Magistrate's Court in Belmopan for Kidnapping and Attempted Murder. Conorquie and another nineteen year old of Belmopan have both been detained pending further investigation.


text:
using System.Globalization;
using FluentValidation;
using Nop.Admin.Models.Localization;
using Nop.Services.Localization;

namespace Nop.Admin.Validators.Localization
{
    public class LanguageValidator : AbstractValidator<LanguageModel>
    {
        public LanguageValidator(ILocalizationService localizationService)
        {
            RuleFor(x => x.Name).NotEmpty().WithMessage(localizationService.GetResource("Admin.Configuration.Languages.Fields.Name.Required"));
            RuleFor(x => x.LanguageCulture)
                .Must(x =>
                          {
                              try
                              {
                                  var culture = new CultureInfo(x);
                                  return culture != null;
                              }
                              catch
                              {
                                  return false;
                              }
                          })
                .WithMessage(localizationService.GetResource("Admin.Configuration.Languages.Fields.LanguageCulture.Validation"));

            RuleFor(x => x.UniqueSeoCode).NotEmpty().WithMessage(localizationService.GetResource("Admin.Configuration.Languages.Fields.UniqueSeoCode.Required"));
            RuleFor(x => x.UniqueSeoCode).Length(2).WithMessage(localizationService.GetResource("Admin.Configuration.Languages.Fields.UniqueSeoCode.Length"));

        }
    }
}


In the race to become ethical in SCM, companies that are ahead of the game are usually the ones that are "born-green", in which they prioritised corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their supply chains. Lush is such a company that prioritises ethics and has taken the green approach as a core value of their organisation. With Lush, they put an enormous amount of care into making their products and put importance into finding ingredient suppliers that do the same with the help of their Ethical Buying team. Their buyers travel worldwide, personally visiting our suppliers to trace the ingredients, to meet the growers and producers, and ensure care for the environment and fair conditions for workers.
Lush has called its supply chain approach "creative buying", where a business looks beyond lowest price and bottom line, and instead buys the best, safest and most suitable products by their ethics. To do this, Lush does not only look at what they buy in association with cost. Organisations should seek assurances that their suppliers are also firms with an ethically sound CSR policy. Clear and transparent CSR programs allow a level of trust to be built into the supply chain for both the purchaser and supplier. They believe that what we buy should have a positive impact on the community from which they are harvest material. Buying from small-scale producer groups affords us the opportunity to drive positive change and form incredible relationships with people all over the world.
Green policies aren't about appearances, marketing and sales. A credible environmental CSR policy places supply chain processes and practices at its heart. Doing so can reap a whole range of benefits from reduced transport costs, less waste, increased efficiency, lower material costs and even access to government incentive programmes.
When packaging is unavoidable Lush uses 100% recyclable and biodegradable bags.
Lush's bottles and bags are made from BPA-Free, 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and encourages its customers to return the bottles by giving them a free treat when they return those.
While designing the products Lush goes for natural ingredients that are produced in a sustainable way as every product is 100% vegetarian and 81% are vegan.
Lush does not buy raw materials from suppliers who indulge in animal testing or use preservatives.
It is important to define Clear Vision: Lush had a clear vision of how and why they wanted to portray their SCM on social media. They showed their SCM as ethical, socially responsible and sustainable for the environment and that's exactly what they wanted to communicate to their suppliers and customers. Thus, ask yourself, what is social media expected to do for my supply chain. What are my social media goals? Am I seeking to communicate or engage with my key suppliers and customers?
Identify with your suppliers and customers in Online Communities: Lush is a company that identifies with suppliers and consumers looking to save the environment, prevent animal cruelty, and online communities that engage in sustainable development. Their theme is based or centred on sustainability concepts such as efficiency or sustainable materials. Where are your existing and potential suppliers collaborating? What online communities can your company identify with and will exposure of your SCM engage them?
Actively engage: Social media is an ongoing, always on a platform, which means that it is important to be present to the ongoing conversation: listening, contributing to the discussion, providing timely feedback, and incorporating that information into materials, processes, and products. To be effective with business sustainability plan Lush has a defined engagement strategy. Lush is a company that encourages clients to build sustainability programs that leverage social media engagement tools to implement direct and measurable impacts on social, environmental, and economic goals. For example, Lush has created a recycling campaign in which the customer that purchases five fresh face masks from Lush and returns them to a Lush retail store (where they can be recycled and placed back into the supply chain), the customer can receive a free fresh face mask of their choice. This also includes active interaction within the supply chain, seeing how lush created videos using Lush employees to display how their products are made in factories and engage their customers to become more familiar with lush's SCM. How can your company use social media as a tool to engage customers and suppliers in you SCM? What sustainable measures do you take in you SCM?


text:
NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs in on J.T. Miller, Chara on the move, and Lindholm extension
Nov 13, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (9) scores on this first period shot against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Today's NHL rumors begin with the Toronto Maple Leafs and a possible change to their trade deadline approach.
Toronto received some good news on defenseman Jake Muzzin, who was injured in a collision with Montreal's Chris Wideman on Monday.
"He'll be going through concussion protocol and all that stuff and we'll be patient with that of course. It's positive," head coach Sheldon Keefe said about his longterm outlook.
However, the word is that Muzzin will hit LTIR and that'll give the Leafs $5.625 million in cap room with the trade deadline looming.
NHL Rumors: Leafs and J.T. Miller?
"So, when you look at defensemen that the Toronto Maple Leafs are targeting, you look at Hampus Lindholm in Anaheim, looking at John Klingberg with the Dallas Stars. We talked about Ben Chiarot. And what about Mark Giordano from the Seattle Kraken? Again, those are all just pie in the sky options at this point," Darren Dreger said on Insider Trading. "And then you look at adding a forward up front. Toronto would love to add a top-six winger, something to complement that second line."
When it comes to a top six forward, Elliotte Friedman said on Sportnet that if the Leafs have LTIR they will be in on J.T. Miller.
Miller, 28, has one more year on a deal worth $5.25M, so the Leafs would need to figure out how to make it work moving forward. He has 53 points in 50 games this season.
Leafs social media about to become a shit storm ???♂
pic.twitter.com/95FUkvw2Zy
— The Cam & Strick Podcast (@CamandStrick) February 23, 2022
NHL Rumors: Zdeno Chara will be wanted man
Nov 15, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon (14) and New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) fight during the first period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Chara, 44, played in his 1,651st career game — tying him with Chris Chelios for the most games played by a defenseman in NHL history. The hulking veteran defenseman will be a UFA at the end of this season and is a likely rental since the Islanders will be sellers at the deadline.
"Teams have started to call Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders who are fading out of the playoff race, they were never really in the race all year, one the league's true disappointments, and they're saying to Lou Lamoriello, 'Hey keep us in mind if you decide to do something with Zdeno Chara,'" LeBrun said. "Now this is an interesting situation. Chara does not have a no-trade clause, but he's a future Hall of Famer and the sense around the league is that Lou Lamoriello is going to go to Chara at some point and see if in fact he actually wants to move."
Several contenders are already linked to Chara including the Blues, Bruins, and Panthers.
Lindholm and Ducks begin extension talks
Lindholm, 28, is making $5.2 million against the cap which and was considered a top rental trade target. The big left-handed defenseman (6-4, 216) has 20 points in 51 games this season averaging top pair minutes at 22:46.
Of course, the Ducks realize his value and have started extension talks. Per Pierre LeBrun new GM Pat Verbeek has begun negotiations with Lindholm's agent, Claude Lemieux to see if the two sides are close in terms of a new contract.
This will help Verbeek assess whether or not he should be putting Lindholm on the block come March 21.
NHL Rumors: Copp becoming interesting trade chip for Jets, Hertl waiting for offer, and Pavelski extension


Today I am going to introduce you tone of my favourite fictional characters, Mrs Exeter. Anyone who has read Vogue magazines from the 50s may recognise this name, but who was Mrs Exeter and what did she do for fashion?
Initially the character was an illustration by Audrey Lewis, it wasn't until 1952 that photographs of the character actually appeared. The original Mrs Exeter was played by a Mrs Eastley who was a similar age to the character of Mrs Exeter. Mrs Eastley had lived a similar late Victorian upbringing as the character, where values such as poise and elegance were key and a woman was nothing without good posture. It is interesting also how slim the character was in the first photographic representations (33in waist, no way, more like 23in). It wasn't until 1954 that the person most associated with Mrs Exeter, Margot Smyly, began to play her. Interestingly Margot Smyly was only in her thirties when she began to represent her. Vogue still suggested that Mrs Exeter was in her sixties, despite the younger model being used. If I were a model I don't know how happy I would feel about representing a character 30 years older than myself!
The 1950s were one of the few periods in fashion when an older woman could look chic and at the height of fashion without looking overdone. The styles of the 1950s (full skirts, etc) could be quite forgiving for the older woman, and it was a period where many young girls were dressing almost to look like their mothers. This had a lot to do with Dior's own ideal image of a woman: his mother. Mrs Exter came to be the epitome of this older yet still impeccably stylish woman.
As a character Mrs Exter helped to show that fashion was appropriate for all ages, and featured regularly in "Clothes with no age-tag" It is interesting that in these features it is often Mrs Exeter who looks more comfortable in the clothes rather than the younger woman.
Mrs Exeter continued to appear in Vogue until the 1960s. Towards the end veering from a lady in her 60s to one who was only at middle age. It was mostly due to the changing fashions and an increasing focusing on youth fashions the character ceased to appear.
I wish that this idea of the older model was still seen in magazines and the like (I am a big fan of Twiggy in the now finished M&S adverts as cheesy as they were). Most representations of the older woman in fashion seem to be done in a "look how novel and politically correct we are being" manner, which simply isn't necessary. Mrs Exeter was a very popular character and demonstrates why the 50s were such a great period of fashion, clothes to suit any age group. I think she is a great person to look to when more mature ladies now are thinking about wearing vintage clothing, the 50s styles definitely look great on women of any age!
I only wish I had more pictures to show, I only have a few copies of 50s Vogue and she does not feature in any of them!
Today I took a little trip to Leeds Met student union to sample the vintage fair they had on. I went with quite low expectations: lots of synthetic 80s horrors, levi cut offs and oversized jumpers. This fair was actually so bad it surpassed the previous worst vintage fair I have been to by miles. The fair was basically a glorified car boot with barely any actual vintage garments. It was worrying that I felt a genuine sense of excitement when I found a single 40s blouse on a stall. Bar one stall that had quite a reasonable number of decent pieces this was the ONLY pre 60s garment I found. ONE GARMENT.
The only slight saving grace was "Curious Cleo", here there were still a lot of 80s garments but also quite a few 50s dresses and a few 40s too. There was a particularly nice blue check dress that if it had been my size I would have snapped up. I asked the stall holder about this and she said that in general the students wouldn't buy the 50s stuff and that there wasn't much of a market for it at the student union fairs.
I suppose I should really learn from my mistakes and simply stop going to the fairs at student unions rather than writing disparaging (and probably wholly unhelpful) blogposts about how awful the fairs were, but the point is I don't understand why they are so bad. And more importantly why do sellers feel that they can palm off such utter crap on students?
So, what conclusion have I come to from this fair. I will absolutely NOT be going to one of The Vintage Fairs events again ( I was sorely tempted to send my Mum to the one in Winchester to check it out, but I don't feel like I can subject her to the torture of it). I feel so rubbish after today that I think I am going to need to treat myself to a trip to Harrogate at the weekend to remember what proper vintage is!
More interesting posts will follow again soon, but I have just moved back to Leeds to complete the final year of my degree (sob).
In the meantime. A few photos of vintage outfits of late and things I have been doing.
This is one of the dresses I was bought for my 21st. Original 1940s with the most wonderful zipped sleeves.
This is what I got up to on Friday night. A farewell to all of my "home" friends. Steffie (my wonderful twinney) pulling the intriguing face in the first picture played host, before we headed out to Wimbledon. My dress for the evening was a wonderful late 50s Alice Edwards dress which I have blogged about before.


Joe Neri traces his musical roots to Greenwich Village, where he bought his first guitar in the early '60s during the folk music revival of the time. Virtually weaned on early rock 'n' roll and rhythm & blues, he became a student of American roots music, and has devoted much of his musical life to it.
For the past twenty-plus years, Neri has performed extensively throughout Southern California and Northern Arizona, as both a solo acoustic artist and as the frontman for Blues Dawg, his electric blues band. During that time he recorded three studio and five live albums, each a combination of original and cover songs.
Since moving to Silver City earlier in 2018, Neri has been performing his solo acoustic act around town, as well as performing with the local electric blues/rock band, Bullard Street Station. He is also a founding member of Silver City Slickers, a newly formed folk ensemble.