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Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer's Surprising Collaboration -- and Weird Proposal -- on Stock Buybacks
David Dayen
Sanders and Schumer target buybacks as a way to leak corporate profits to investors. But their solution is an unnecessary Rube Goldberg contraption.
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP Images
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer listens as Senate Budget ranking member Bernie Sanders speaks during the news conference in Washington.
Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders went to the same high school in Brooklyn, but that's about all they shared in common until an op-ed in Monday's New York Times. The subject is stock buybacks, the increasingly common procedure whereby public companies use their prodigious cash hordes generated by record profits to purchase their own shares, rather than increase wages or invest in equipment. It's one way to leak profits out to investors while workers get the shaft.
As Schumer and Sanders point out, between 2008 and 2017, over 80 percent of corporate profits have been dedicated to buybacks and dividends, a more direct cash transfer to corporate investors. Buybacks also enrich shareholders by artificially increasing the stock price—if there are fewer shares available for purchase, the value of each increases. This has the nice side benefit of enriching top executives, most of whom are paid with stock.
William Lazonick, America's foremost critic of buybacks, detailed the whole sordid scheme in the Prospect's summer 2018 issue. As he wrote then, "Corporate resource allocation has increasingly transitioned from 'retain and reinvest' to 'downsize and distribute.'"
Schumer and Sanders may seem like an odd couple to condemn financial engineering, but Schumer has actually been signaling a critique of buybacks since before the Trump tax cuts were signed, warning that the large corporate tax cut would simply be funneled to investors and executives through buybacks. This blew up the entire myth of the tax cuts juicing the economy through corporate investment in workers and materials, and Schumer was right. Companies announced $70 billion in buybacks in the ten days after the Senate passed its version of the tax cuts. And in 2018, the first full year of the tax cuts, repurchases reached $1 trillion, a record for the United States.
The buyback explosion is the perfect example of how the Trump tax cuts operate as a transfer to the wealthy, and Schumer sniffed that out early. That companies like Wells Fargo have enjoyed huge profits from the tax cuts and spent billions on buybacks while laying off workers just makes it more acute. As primarily a political animal, Schumer will often throw populist elbows if it makes Republicans look bad. It's also the case that fewer shares on the market means less opportunity for stockbrokers, Schumer's constituents, to earn fees.
But if the critique is solid and broadly shared across the Democratic Party, the solution Schumer and Sanders advocate for here is … odd. Schumer and Sanders want to prohibit companies from buying back stock until it satisfies a checklist of "investing in workers and communities," including paying a living wage of $15 an hour, providing paid sick leave, and offering health insurance and defined benefit pensions to workers. This is similar to a bill presidential candidate Cory Booker introduced last year.
This is a bizarre form of micromanagement, which would require regulatory judgment calls for every public company. There are already meager limitations for buybacks: Companies cannot engage in them at the beginning or end of the trading day, must use a single broker for the trades, purchase shares at the prevailing market price, and limit the volume of buybacks to 25 percent of the average daily trading volume over the previous four weeks. But in 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission admitted to Senator Tammy Baldwin in a letter that they do not collect any of this data. Companies don't even have to disclose how many shares they buy back on a given day.
Does anyone really believe the SEC will suddenly devote its scarce resources to determining whether companies are good corporate citizens to workers and communities?
There's a far simpler solution for the scourge of buybacks—making them illegal, again. Buybacks were largely not a problem until 1982, when the SEC promulgated Rule 10b-18, giving companies a "safe harbor" from prosecution for market manipulation when engaging in buybacks. Lazonick calls this "a license to loot the U.S. business corporation," and he's correct. The stock manipulation is inherent in the practice, yet today, no corporation can be cited for it.
The answer is to just repeal the safe harbor, which can be done administratively by a willing SEC, or through legislation, like Baldwin's Reward Work Act. We had a functioning economy before 1982, when the safe harbor was imposed. If companies want to reward shareholders by manipulating markets, they should be held accountable for it. Maybe they'll have to reward shareholders in other ways, like making a good product and building a successful business.
Baldwin's bill pairs a repeal of Rule 10b-18 with a straightforward way to empower workers, by guaranteeing them a percentage of corporate board seats. Known as co-determination, this model works well in Germany and across Europe to put workers and companies into a real partnership.
In other words, you improve worker conditions by building worker power, not through a weird bank shot where you hold buybacks hostage for cosmetic changes in corporate behavior. The recurring Democratic impulse to use one problem to solve another through Rube Goldberg mechanisms is a poor substitute for clean solutions. If you want to stop buybacks, just ban them.
Representative Gottheimer Asks Regulators to Deregulate Banks He's Invested In
Donald Shaw
At the behest of a big-bank trade group, Gottheimer rallied 16 of his fellow Democrats to join him in urging financial regulators to gut a provision of Dodd-Frank that protects insured depository institutions from risky trading.
Inside the Congressional Staff Meeting About Libra
A House Democratic Aide
Staffers challenge Facebook's happy talk about its digital currency in a briefing.
At Netroots Nation, a Worker's Voice Spoke Volumes
Sarah Woodhams, a laid-off Toys "R" Us employee, highlighted the schemes of private equity, to a somewhat baffled Julián Castro.
David Dayen is the executive editor of The American Prospect. His work has appeared in The Intercept, The New Republic, HuffPost, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and more. His first book, Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud, winner of the Studs and Ida Terkel Prize, was released by The New Press in 2016.
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Originally commissioned by Artichoke for Lumiere Durham 2015, Stars Beneath Our Feet takes as its source material the micro-algae Dunaliella salina. The work forms part of the artist's wider research on the agency of the organism within art practice.
Video footage of Dunaliella salina is captured using Dark Field and Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) Microscopy. Data taken from movements made by the organisms under an Atomic Force Microscope (ATM) is audified to create the soundtrack. The resulting audio-visual installation attempts to construct an embodied understanding of the organism, one that encompasses their being in the world without consideration of their use as resources.
Invisible to the naked eye, micro-algae were among the Earth's first oxygen-producing organisms, creating the conditions that enabled the development of life on Earth. Today, scientists develop micro-organisms as a sustainable source of food and fuel. Some are cultivated by NASA for use on long-term space missions. They are also prized in industry for their ability to produce pigment and are used commercially as health supplements. It is thought that if life exists beyond this world it is likely to be microbial.
Louise Mackenzie is a UK based artist creating installation, sculpture, performance, sound and film works. With a focus on living material, she is interested in the relationships between medium, sound, image and text, attempting to find ways in which these can be connected to produce unexpected results.
Louise received the New Graduate Award at Synthesis, Manchester Science Festival, 2013 and was shortlisted for the Bio Art & Design Awards, 2015 in The Netherlands. She is currently recipient of post-graduate research funding from BxNU Institute of Contemporary Art, a Northumbria University and BALTIC partnership.


Just days into Donald J. Trump's first month in office, members of the president's transition team have scheduled dramatic budget cuts to federal spending including the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The elimination of the NEA, which only makes up 0.003 percent of the federal budget, will leave arts organizations throughout the country without funding for future exhibitions and programs.
However, the recent growth in artist-endowed foundations may serve to replace the loss of federal funding threatened by the new administration. In fact, the educational and policy-making think tank the Aspen Institute issued a report documenting the increasing role of artist-endowed foundations in grantmaking and charitable disbursements. According to their report, there are now 363 operating artist-endowed foundations, reporting $3.48 billion in total assets (in 2010), with approximately two-thirds of these foundations formed between 1991 and 2010.
On November 7, 2016, Alla Efimova participated in the Aspen Institute's Artist-Endowed Foundation Leadership Forum, at which senior leaders of 60 artist-endowed foundations gathered in New York City for the second annual Artist-Endowed Foundation Leadership Forum. The forum was an invitational symposium at which foundation leaders discussed key issues and innovations in the fields of art stewardship and cultural philanthropy. As a growing field of philanthropy, artist-endowed foundations might represent a powerful, new force in grantmaking to counter the effects of the Trump administration.
A contemporary arts management company, specializing in innovative strategy and organizational solutions for artists, collectors, and artists' estates.


Several years ago, God led River Bend to partner with a retired electrical engineer, Sam Nicholson, and his wife Marcy. God led Sam and Marcy to start a ministry in Nuevo do Octubre along the Amazon River, south of Iquitos Peru. Sam and Marcy reach the people along a 100-mile section of the Amazon River through medical clinics. River Bend conducts a Pastor Training class every February. In addition, River Bend adopted a village called Buenos Aires, Peru. It is on an island in the middle of the Amazon River with approximately 400 residents. The living conditions on the island are deplorable. There is no electricity, and safe drinking water is scarce. Most of the villagers suffer with the effects of intestinal parasites and other waterborne illnesses. River Bend is helping the people of Buenos Aires by digging fresh water wells and delivering much-needed medical supplies. So far, we have completed one well, conducted one children's evangelistic event, and delivered medical supplies. We have also helped Pastor Ramon with a much needed cataract surgery. He lives on the island. Our future plans include digging more wells, delivering more medical supplies, and bringing in more teams to reach the people for Jesus Christ.
Dr. Samuel has visited us several times over the years, and he always brings an exciting word about the ministry. In June of 2008 we were able to raise enough funds to buy 78 bicycles for new pastors, what a blessing it was to know the gospel was going to spread into new areas. We continue to support the ministries of Dr. Samuel.
In 2005 the Lord led our church to form a relationship with Andrew Mukasa in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. At the time Andrew was attempting to raise funds to buy the building his church, Victory Centre, was meeting in. We were blessed to help him reach his goal and assist the church in securing a permanent home. In the four years since then, Andrew has started 3 more churches and two pre-schools. Every week he conducts four radio broadcasts which reach up to 4 million people.
Pastor Training, Primary School, Assist churches from the US on mission trips, Dig water wells, Establish a Radio ministry, Help start new churches, Build a medical clinic, Children's education and rehabilitation center, Trail guide for visiting pastors who don't know where they're going.
Bob and Rhonda have a tremendous faith and follow God in a difficult place in the world. In 2008, after much prayer and seeking the Lord, River Bend partnered with Bob and Rhonda to establish a new church in Barranco Village. This village is inhabited by an unreached people group called the Garifuna. For years Bob and Rhonda have been creating relationships in the village and bringing groups from the US to lead VBS or do special outreaches. The work was growing and the next step was to create a new church, it was exactly what we were seeking.
Pastor Rosalio who was living and ministering in Honduras was called to come start the new work. Although it has only been a short while the ministry is going well. We are excited that this marks the first time an ongoing indigenous evangelical work exists in Barranco.


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Descartes Labs brings AI to minex with its Advanced Mineral Exploration Package
Posted by Paul Moore on 3rd March 2020
Descartes Labs, a New Mexico-based geospatial analytics company, has announced the availability of its Advanced Mineral Exploration Package, a specialised data platform and modelling workbench for exploration geology and data science teams to access remote sensing and machine learning capabilities globally. The Advanced Mineral Exploration Package lets clients integrate in-house data with the platform, giving them access to the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in the industry.
Descartes Labs says it provides the only platform that combines NASA's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) global data set with the massive supercomputing resources required to fully leverage it for mineral deposit targeting. The Advanced Mineral Exploration Package provides comprehensive coverage for mineral mapping on a global scale, facilitating new discoveries and accelerating mineral exploration timelines.
The platform also includes the most comprehensive 'bare earth mosaic', which selects the pixel at every location with the clearest atmospheric conditions by masking out vegetation, water, snow, ice and clouds. This provides optimum mapping capability for each imagery product.
"The Descartes Labs Advanced Mineral Exploration Package represents a major breakthrough for the mining industry. For the first time, geoscientists and data science teams can easily access the cleanest available data set for multispectral data anywhere on the planet," said Phil Fraher, CEO of Descartes Labs. "The platform helps mining companies dramatically increase the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of the mineral exploration life-cycle; it's the perfect 'basemap' data set to kickstart any exploration project, for any commodity."
The Descartes Labs Platform combines a highly scalable processing and modeling platform with a multi-petabyte library of public and private data for building predictive models. The platform exposes three primary components that work in tandem to accelerate productivity across the mining lifecycle:
Data Refinery
The data refinery offers a wide array of multispectral data sets and pre-built machine learning models as well as petabytes of analysis-ready geospatial data with the ability to ingest, clean, calibrate, and benefit from any internal or third party data source.
The workbench is a cloud-based data science environment that combines Descartes Labs Platform APIs, visualisation tools, and sample models inside a hosted JupyterLab interface. For mineral exploration specifically, geoscientists can combine the Descartes Labs data catalog along with their own data sets, no matter how large.
Exploration teams have the ability to rapidly deploy models and applications to produce valuable insights and generate ROI across multiple use cases. As part of this package, Descartes Labs is introducing pre-configured brownfield and greenfield data science notebooks for mineral exploration. These notebooks provide a fast and easy way for geoscience teams to get started with petabytes of data, allowing clients to integrate their private data collections in an extensible manner.
Metso Outotec to conduct strategic review in Metals business area segments
Weba Chute Systems solves choking problem at Botswana diamond mine
Liebherr modernises its L 550, L 566 and L 580 wheel loaders

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Saint September 20 : St. Andrew Kim Taegon and Companions : Martyrs : Patron of Korean Cleargy
St. Andrew Kim Taegon
Feast: September 20
Feast Day:
Canonized:
6 May 1984 by Pope John Paul II
Major Shrine:
Chŏltusan (Martyr's Mound), Seoul, South Korea
Patron of:
Korean Clergy
Andrew Kim Tae-gon was born on 21 August 1821, in Chungchong Province, Korea. His parents, being converts to Catholicism, were subject to persecution, to avoid which they moved to Kyonggi Province. At 15 years old, Kim Tae-gon was chosen by a visiting priest to be a seminarian, and was sent with two other seminarians to Macao. He arrived in 1873 and began his studies with the missionaries of the Far Eastern Procure of the Parish Foreign Mission Society. In 1842 Kim Tae-gon left Macao as an interpreter for a French admiral aboard a warship. When the admiral returned to France, Kim Tae-gon tried to return to his homeland through the strictly guarded norther frontier, but he failed. He was ordained a deacon in China in 1844 and managed to return to Korea the next year, arriving in Seoul early in 1845. He then led the French missionaries by sea to Shanghai, where Bishop Ferreol ordained him the first Korean priest in the Church's 60-year history in Korea. He returned to Korea with Bishop Ferreol, reaching Chungchong Province in October of the same year. In his home town and vicinity, he catechized the faithful, until Bishop Ferreol summoned him to Seoul. At the Bishop's command, he tried to introduce French missionaries from China into Korea, enlisting the aid of Chinese fishermen. For this, Father Kim Tae-gon was arrested and sent to the central prison in Seoul, where was charged as the ringleader of a heretical sect and traitor to his country. He was sentenced to death and was beheaded on 16 September 1846. He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1925, and canonized by Pope John-Paul II on 6 May 1984.
http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/A/standrewkimtaegon.asp
Posted by Jesus Caritas Est at 8:45 PM
Saint September 21 : St. Matthew Apostle : Patron of Accountants, Taxes and Bankers
January 24, near Hierapolis or Ethiopia
accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, customs officers, financial officers, guards, money managers, security forces, security guards, stock brokers, tax collectors
Apostle and evangelist. The name Matthew is derived from the Hebrew Mattija, being shortened to Mattai in post-Biblical Hebrew. In Greek it is sometimes spelled Maththaios, B D, and sometimes Matthaios, CEKL, but grammarians do not agree as to which of the two spellings is the original. Matthew is spoken of five times in the New Testament; first in Matt., ix, 9, when called by Jesus to follow Him, and then four times in the list of the Apostles, where he is mentioned in the seventh (Luke, vi, 15, and Mark, iii, 18), and again in the eighth place (Matt., x, 3, and Acts, i, 13). The man designated in Matt., ix, 9, as "sitting in the custom house", and "named Matthew" is the same as Levi, recorded in Mark, ii, 14, and Luke, v, 27, as "sitting at the receipt of custom". The account in the three Synoptics is identical, the vocation of Matthew-Levi being alluded to in the same terms. Hence Levi was the original name of the man who was subsequently called Matthew; the Maththaios legomenos of Matt., ix, 9, would indicate this. The fact of one man having two names is of frequent occurrence among the Jews. It is true that the same person usually bears a Hebrew name such as "Shaoul" and a Greek name, Paulos. However, we have also examples of individuals with two Hebrew names as, for instance, Joseph-Caiaphas, Simon-Cephas, etc. It is probable that Mattija, "gift of Iaveh", was the name conferred upon the tax-gatherer by Jesus Christ when He called him to the Apostolate, and by it he was thenceforth known among his Christian brethren, Levi being his original name. Matthew, the son of Alpheus (Mark, ii, 14) was a Galilean, although Eusebius informs us that he was a Syrian. As tax-gatherer at Capharnaum, he collected custom duties for Herod Antipas, and, although a Jew, was despised by the Pharisees, who hated all publicans. When summoned by Jesus, Matthew arose and followed Him and tendered Him a feast in his house, where tax-gatherers and sinners sat at table with Christ and His disciples. This drew forth a protest from the Pharisees whom Jesus rebuked in these consoling words: "I came not to call the just, but sinners". No further allusion is made to Matthew in the Gospels, except in the list of the Apostles. As a disciple and an Apostle he thenceforth followed Christ, accompanying Him up to the time of His Passion and, in Galilee, was one of the witnesses of His Resurrection. He was also amongst the Apostles who were present at the Ascension, and afterwards withdrew to an upper chamber, in Jerusalem, praying in union with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with his brethren (Acts, i, 10 and 14).
Of Matthew's subsequent career we have only inaccurate or legendary data. St. Irenæus tells us that Matthew preached the Gospel among the Hebrews, St. Clement of Alexandria claiming that he did this for fifteen years, and Eusebius maintains that, before going into other countries, he gave them his Gospel in the mother tongue. Ancient writers are not as one as to the countries evangelized by Matthew, but almost all mention Ethiopia to the south of the Caspian Sea (not Ethiopia in Africa), and some Persia and the kingdom of the Parthians, Macedonia, and Syria. According to Heracleon, who is quoted by Clement of Alexandria, Matthew did not die a martyr, but this opinion conflicts with all other ancient testimony. Let us add, however, that the account of his martyrdom in the apocryphal Greek writings entitled "Martyrium S. Matthæi in Ponto" and published by Bonnet, "Acta apostolorum apocrypha" (Leipzig, 1898), is absolutely devoid of historic value. Lipsius holds that this "Martyrium S. Matthæi", which contains traces of Gnosticism, must have been published in the third century. There is a disagreement as to the place of St. Matthew's martyrdom and the kind of torture inflicted on him, therefore it is not known whether he was burned, stoned, or beheaded. The Roman Martyrology simply says: "S. Matthæi, qui in Æthiopia prædicans martyrium passus est". Various writings that are now considered apocryphal, have been attributed to St. Matthew. In the "Evangelia apocrypha" (Leipzig, 1876), Tischendorf reproduced a Latin document entitled: "De Ortu beatæ Mariæ et infantia Salvatoris", supposedly written in Hebrew by St. Matthew the Evangelist, and translated into Latin by Jerome, the priest. It is an abridged adaptation of the "Protoevangelium" of St. James, which was a Greek apocryphal of the second century. This pseudo-Matthew dates from the middle or the end of the sixth century. The Latin Church celebrates the feast of St. Matthew on 21 September, and the Greek Church on 16 November. St. Matthew is represented under the symbol of a winged man, carrying in his hand a lance as a characteristic emblem.
http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/M/stmatthew.asp
Pope Francis "There is still time...there is still time for Him to come to us." New Evangelization Conference
19/09/
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the participants in a conference on his post-Synodal Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium on Friday. Some 2,000 people gathered in the Paul VI audience hall to meet the Holy Father, on the afternoon of the second day of a three-day conference organized by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation in order to explore strategies and avenues for the pastoral renewal of the Church in the missionary key of the Joy of the Gospel.
Click below for our report:
In his words to the group, the Pope reflected on the words of St Matthew's Gospel where Jesus felt compassion for the crowds who were "tired and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd". So many people today, he said, are on the margins of our society, feeling tired and dejected, awaiting an answer from the Church.
How can we share our experience of faith, the Pope asked? He said he is not offering any detailed analysis of the complex realities of today's world, but rather urging the Church to read the signs of the times which can offer us hope and courage. Bishops, priests, deacons, catechists and all those working to pass on the faith have a particular responsibility to read these signs of the times, the Pope said, and to respond with wisdom and generosity.
Instead of being afraid and defensive, like the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day, the Pope said those involved in pastoral work must go out constantly in search of those on the margins who are looking for the comfort that Christ can bring. Rather than merely increasing pastoral initiatives, the Pope said it's important to focus on the needs of these people, with patience and perseverance. We don't have a magic wand to solve all the problems, the Pope concluded, but we do have faith in the Lord who accompanies all our efforts and who will never abandon us.
Those taking part in the conference have come from all around the world, and represent every state of life in the Church: lay people with families and in the single life; bishops; priests; deacons; men and women religious – all involved in missionary work, and especially in service to the poor and marginalized.
The President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, told Vatican Radio that the participants bring a wealth of diversity in experience, all of which is focused on a single purpose: spreading the Good News of salvation as effectively as possible. "[In the conference] we have the possibility to share a common understanding," he said, "and then to translate [that understanding] into the different cultural and ecclesial traditions of our Churches."
The conference promoted by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation on The Pastoral Project of Evangelii gaudium opened Thursday, September 18th, and concludes on Saturday, September 20th.
Scotland votes NO and remains part of UK - Official Statement from Bishops
Catholic Bishops Statement on Referendum
"The Bishops' Conference of Scotland recognises and respects the result of the Scottish referendum, that Scotland should remain a part of the United Kingdom, and commends all those who participated in what was a was a passionate and sometimes partisan debate. The vast majority of Scots engaged with the Referendum and it is our hope that we can all now cooperate for the benefit of our nation in future. We urge the Catholic community to continue to engage in public debate and decision-making and, in doing so, to uphold the meaning and importance of the Christian message. May God bless Scotland." Shared from Scottish Catholic Media Office - Image Share Google
Latest Vatican Information Service News and Pope Francis
- Audience with the president of Armenia: special attention to Christian communities and other religious minorities, and to refugees in conflict zones
- Francis prays at St. Mary Major before his trip to Albania
- The Pope to visit Naples on 21 March 2015
- Audiences
- Other Pontifical Acts
- The Pope receives the bishops of Cote d'Ivoire: the role of the Church can be crucial in rebuilding your country
- Francis to bishops: men able to cultivate God's fields
Audience with the president of Armenia: special attention to Christian communities and other religious minorities, and to refugees in conflict zones
Vatican City, 19 September 2014 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father Francis received in Audience the President of the Republic of Armenia, His Excellency Mr. Serzh Sargsyan, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.
During the cordial discussions, satisfaction was expressed for the development and strengthening of bilateral relations, highlighting the special role of Christianity in the history and life of Armenian society.
With regard to the regional political situation, it is hoped that complex and hitherto unresolved issues may be overcome through dialogue between all the interested parties. Furthermore, mention was made of the theme of conflict in the Middle East, and trust was expressed in the common efforts of interested nations and religious communities to achieve a peaceful co-existence of peoples throughout the entire region. Special attention was paid to the situation faced by Christian communities and other religious minorities in the area, and to the humanitarian crisis regarding refugees from the affected zones.
Francis prays at St. Mary Major before his trip to Albania
Vatican City, 19 September 2014 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon the Pope made a private visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray in silence before the image of the Virgin "Salus Populi Romani" on the eve of his apostolic trip to Albania, as he has done before his previous trips to other countries. The Holy Father left a floral tribute before the image and stayed in the Basilica, which was closed to the public, for half an hour.
The Pope to visit Naples on 21 March 2015
Vatican City, 19 September 2014 (VIS) – Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, archbishop of Naples, Italy, announced today that the Holy Father will visit Naples on 21 March 2015, confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. Today is the feast day of St. Januarius, patron of the city.
Vatican City, 19 September 2014 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;
- Archbishop James Patrick Green, apostolic nuncio in Peru;
- Professor Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant'Egidio Community;
- Professor Ignazio Marino, mayor of Rome.
Yesterday, Thursday 18 September, the Holy Father received in audience:
- Archbishop Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei";
- Bishop Oscar Vicente Ojea of San Isidro, Argentina;
- A group of cyclists from the "Cruce por la educacion argentina" Association.
Other Pontifical Acts
Vatican City, 19 September 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Ulrich Neymeyr, auxiliary of the diocese of Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany, as bishop of Erfurt (area 12,000, population 2,188,589, Catholics 152,282, priests 200, permanent deacons 1, religious 240), Federal Republic of Germany.
The Pope receives the bishops of Cote d'Ivoire: the role of the Church can be crucial in rebuilding your country
Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) – The bishops of Cote d'Ivoire were received by the Holy Father this morning, at the end of their five-yearly "ad Limina" visit, and the written discourse he handed to them emphasised the need for dialogue and brotherhood among prelates and their priests, along with the successful inculturation of faith.
"The fraternal communion that unites the bishops of a nation around Christ is essential for the growth of the Church as well as for the progress of society as as whole", he writes. "This is especially true in a country that has suffered serious divisions and is in need of your witness and your firm commitment to rebuilding fraternity. Let us not be robbed of the ideal of brotherly love! By really being brothers, open to dialogue and mutual trust, listening to all – even when there are differences and contradictions – and making space for everyone, especially the youngest among you, you will provide a new missionary impulse and will truly transform society, so that it is more consistent with the Gospel ideal".
"Therefore", he continued, "I can only encourage you to take on the role that is yours in the task of national reconciliation, setting aside any personal involvement in political disputes at the expense of the common good. However, it is important to maintain constructive relations with the authorities within the country, as well as with the various components of society, so as to spread the true evangelical spirit of dialogue and collaboration. The role of the Church – which is valued and listened to – can be crucial. … I urge you to continue in your dialogue with Muslims, so as to discourage any drift towards violence or any incorrect religious interpretation of the conflict you have experienced".
"Of course, you are not alone in facing the enormous task of evangelisation and the conversion of hearts: you have the support of the clergy, generous and motivated, and whose numbers continue to grow", he remarks. "However, to avoid difficulties and shortcomings that some priests encounter, the best approach is without doubt to ensure the quality of formation, both initial and permanent, the encouragement of a priestly fraternity that overcomes ethnic divisions and, in particular, the closeness and attention that, like loving and caring fathers, you must give to each one of them. Use, wherever possible, gentleness, persuasion and encouragement to awaken pastoral zeal, rather than immediate sanctions or severity. I urge you to visit your priests often in order to listen to them and get to know them better. The formation of a fraternal, united 'presbyterium' around the bishop is necessary for a priest to remain attached to his own diocese and to prioritise its needs, rather than giving in to the temptation to leave it, to the detriment of the people of God who need his ministry".
The Pope offers warm thanks to the consecrated persons for "the considerable task they take on, along with laypersons working alongside them, in the sectors of education, health and development. Their work is appreciated by all and is absolutely indispensable in view of the intimate connection between evangelisation and human development": He also invites the bishops to ensure their pastoral closeness to all the lay faithful, but especially families, "who are more fragile nowadays, both on account of the secularisation of Ivorian society and the movement of the population and divisions caused by the conflict, as well as by less morally demanding temptations that arise all around them". The Pontiff also draws attention to the elderly as, "despite the traditional African mentality that reserves a special veneration for them, many now find themselves alone and abandoned, due to the 'throwaway' culture that has appeared in your societies. However, their participation is essential for the equilibrium of the people and the education of the young".
Francis concludes by expressing his joy and gratitude for the great work of evangelisation that is being carried out in Cote d'Ivoire. "However", he warns, "faith remains fragile and the wind does not blow in its favour. Often, as the recent conflicts have unfortunately shown, ethnic particularism overrides evangelical fraternity, and many baptised persons, tired or disillusioned, drift away from the light of truth in search of easier solutions, whereas others simply do not put the demands of faith into practice in their lives. Undoubtedly the key for the future is found partly in ensuring the Word of God is more deeply rooted in people's hearts. It is certainly also necessary to enter into deeper dialogue with cultural, religious and traditional reality in order to achieve a true inculturation of our faith, unambiguously rejected what is contrary to it while welcoming and nurturing what is good. I therefore encourage you to continue ceaselessly in your work of evangelisation. In this way, the Church in Cote d'Ivoire can face the challenges of the future with serenity".
Francis to bishops: men able to cultivate God's fields
Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father received in audience the bishops appointed during the last year, who are participating in the congress organised by the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Francis commented that he was happy to meet them and said that they were "the fruit of the arduous work and tireless prayer of the Church who, when she chooses her pastors, recalls that entire night the Lord spent on the mount, in the presence of the Father, before naming those He wanted to stay with him and to go forth into the world".
The Pope asked them now that they have overcome their initial fears and excitement of their consecration, never to take for granted the ministry entrusted to them, never to lose their wonder before God's plan nor the awe of walking aware of His presence and the presence of the Church who is, first and foremost, His. He also reminded them of "the inseparable bond between the stable presence of the bishop and the growth of the flock". "When the pastor is missing or unavailable, pastoral care and the salvation of souls is at risk. In fact, in the pastors Christ gives to the Church, He shows His love for His bride and gives His life for her".
He continued, "we do not need superficially happy bishops; it is necessary to dig deeper to discover what the Spirit continues to inspire in your Bride. You are not fixed-term bishops, who always need to change address, like medicines that lose their power to cure, or like those insipid foodstuffs that have to be thrown away because they have lost their usefulness. It is important not to block the curative force that springs from within the gift you have received, and this defends you from the temptation to come and go aimlessly, because no wind is favourable to he who does not know where he is going. And we have learned where we are going: we are always going towards Jesus". He added, "in this way, your watch over your flock will never fail to encounter the flame of the Risen Christ".
"I also beg you not to fall prey to the temptation to change the people. Love the people that God has given you, even when they have committed grave sins, without tiring of turning to the Lord for forgiveness and a new beginning, even at the cost of having to cancel your false images of the divine face or the fantasies you have nurtured of how to ensure their communion with God". The Church, he added, is to offer "welcome to all without discrimination, offering the firmness of the authority that enables growth and the gentleness of paternity that generates. Do not fall prey the temptation to sacrifice your freedom by surrounding yourself with courts, networks or choirs of assent, as the Church and the world always have the right to hear from the lips of bishops the Gospel that sets them free".
Pope Francis advised the bishops to imitate Moses' patience in leading his people, as "nothing is more important than introducing people to God!". He therefore urged them to begin with the young and the elderly, "because the first are our wings, and the second are our roots. Wings and roots without which we do not know what we are, much less where we are going". He added that he saw the bishops as sentinels, able to awaken their Churches; "men able to cultivate and ripen God's fields and pastors able to restore unity. "Do not waste energy in conflict and disagreement, but rather use it to build and to love", he concluded, wishing them "fruitfulness, patience, humility and much prayer".
Vatican City, 18 September 2014 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father received in audience fourteen prelates from the Episcopal Conference of the Cote d'Ivoire on their "ad Limina" visit:
- Cardinal Jean Pierre Kutwa, archbishop of Abidjan;
- Bishop Alexis Touabli Youlo of Agboville;
- Bishop Raymond Ahoua, F.D.P., of Grand-Bassam;
- Archbishop Paul-Simeon Ahouanan Djro, O.F.M., of Bouake;
- Bishop Ziri Boniface Gbaya of Abengourou;
- Bishop Marcellin Yao Kouadio of Yamoussoukro;
- Archbishop Joseph Ake Yapo of Gagnoa;
- Bishop Maurice Konan Kouassi of Daloa;
- Bishop Gaspard Beby Gneba of Man;
- Bishop Jean-Jacques Koffi Oi Koffi of San Pedro-en-Cote d'Ivoire;
- Archbishop Marie-Daniel Dadiet of Korhogo;
- Bishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo of Katiola;
- Bishop Antoine Kone of Odienne;
- Bishop Jean Salomon Lezoutie, coadjutor of Yopougon.
Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Anthony Colin Fisher of Parramatta, Australia, as metropolitan archbishop of Sydney (area 1,264, population 2,482,000, Catholics 664,000, priests 484, permanent deacons 3, religious 1,537), Australia.
Catholic Quote to SHARE by St. Louis de Montfort "Pray with great confidence....."
"Pray with great confidence, with confidence based upon the goodness and infinite generosity of God and upon the promises of Jesus Christ. God is a spring of living water which flows unceasingly into the hearts of those who pray." -St. Louis de Montfort
Posted by Jesus Caritas Est at 10:44 AM
Today's Mass Readings : Friday September 19, 2014
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 11 COR 15:12-20
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead,
then neither has Christ been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching;
empty, too, your faith.
Then we are also false witnesses to God,
because we testified against God that he raised Christ,
whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Responsorial Psalm PS 17:1BCD, 6-7, 8B AND 15
R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings,
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
Gospel LK 8:1-3
Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.
Pope Francis "This is the future that awaits us and this is the fact that brings us to pose so much resistance...' Homily
Pope Francis at Mass
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence on Friday morning. In remarks to the gathered faithful following the readings of the day, the Holy Father focused on the Resurrection as the seal of Christian identity. Drawing on the words of St Paul the Apostle from his Letter to the Corinthians, which were proclaimed at Mass, Pope Francis spoke of the difficulty that some Christians – and others, who might otherwise be attracted to the Faith – have in understanding and living with the certain knowledge in faith that our bodies will be transformed and that we shall be restored to them.
"[The Corinthians]," said Pope Francis, "had other ideas: 'sure, the dead are justified, they shall not go to hell – good thing, too! – but they'll go into the cosmos, into the air – just the soul before God'," and so St. Paul had to offer a "difficult correction": that of the Resurrection. Nor were the Christians of Corinth the only ones to have difficulty with the teaching. The Greeks at Athens, to whom St. Paul also preached – the wise philosophers – were even afraid of the notion:
"[The Christian teaching on the bodily resurrection] is a scandal: they cannot understand it. This is why Paul offers the following line of reasoning, which is quite clear: 'if Christ is risen, how can they say that there is not among yourselves resurrection from the dead, as well? If Christ is risen, the dead, too, shall rise'. There is resistance to the transformation, resistance to the work of the Spirit we received at Baptism, which is to transform us utterly, unto the Resurrection. When we speak of this, our language tlls us: 'I want to go to heaven, I don't want to go to hell', but we stop there. None of us says: 'I shall rise as Christ [did]'. No, even for us it is difficult to understand this."
Pope Francis went on to say that a sort of "cosmic pantheism" is easier to grasp, since there is this resistance to transformation – St Paul's word – and, "in the Resurrection, we shall all be transformed.":
"This is the future that awaits us and this is the fact that brings us to pose so much resistance: resistance to the transformation of our bodies. Also – resistance to Christian identity. I'll say more: perhaps we are not so much afraid of the Apocalypse of the Evil One, of the Antichrist who must come first – perhaps we are not so afraid [of him]. Perhaps we are not so afraid of the voice of the Archangel or the sound of his trumpet – that shall sound the victory of the Lord. Fear of our resurrection, however, we have: we shall all be transformed. That transformation shall be the end of our Christian journey."
Pope Francis went on to say that the essence of Christian identity is, "being with the Lord, in body and soul." He went on to say, Our Christian identity is completed, therefore, "with the resurrection of our bodies, with our resurrection.":
"That is the end, right there: [that point in which we are] satiated, by the image of the Lord. Christian identity is a way, a journey, on which we 'are' with the Lord, as those two disciples who 'were with the Lord' on that night. Our whole life is called to 'being with the Lord', in order – at the end – after the voice of the Archangel, after the sound of his trumpet, to remain with Him and abide with the Lord [forever]."
Posted by Jesus Caritas Est at 9:46 AM
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If you run a business, then you are a target for all types of problems. While you value your customers, you also have to protect yourself from the possibility of financial loss due to injury or lawsuit. Funeral homes have to concern themselves with the business liability insurance basics, but they also have special needs that create other liability concerns. Before you open the doors of your funeral home for business, you should be aware of the liability needs that your business will encounter.
As Nationwide Insurance points out, one of the primary concerns for a funeral home is the protection of its visitors. Each week, a funeral home has the potential to host hundreds of people who want to pay their last respects to loved ones and friends. While a funeral home takes as many measures as possible to maintain a safe environment for guests, accidents and injuries can happen. Because of the significant amount of visitors a funeral home has, business liability insurance becomes a necessary part of protecting the business from significant financial loss.
One of the primary tasks of liability insurance is to protect a funeral home from the possibility of a lawsuit from an angry client. Attending to the needs of a grieving family is a stressful occupation and there can come a time when the family feels that the funeral home did not treat the deceased or the family with respect. Whether your client wins the lawsuit or not, your business will incur costs that could be devastating. With the right kinds of business liability insurance in place, you can defend your business while preserving your reputation at the same time.
Unlike most businesses, a funeral home is not portable enough to be moved to an alternate location in the event of a fire or natural disaster. Many office-based businesses can work with their insurance companies on contingency plans to set up temporary accommodations in a hotel or some other location if the business is shut down due to a disaster. A funeral home does not have that ability and, in the event of an unexpected natural disaster or fire, having the right business liability insurance can mean the difference between reopening or going out of business.
When it comes to the right business liability insurance for your funeral home, the best move to make is to bring in experts who can make the right recommendations and get you the protection you need. Contact Poms & Associates today and one of our business liability experts will contact you immediately to get you started down the path to business protection. We are experts in the liability needs of businesses just like yours and we understand the unique issues funeral homes face. Let our experts show you how to protect your business using the right liability coverage and make sure that your business is there for your customers for generations to come.


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Sara Fischer Apr 17, 2019
Facebook adds 2 new fact-checking partners
Photo: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images
Facebook has added 2 new fact-checking partners to help it determine whether content is valid on its platform, according to a spokesperson. Both partners were approved by Poynter's International Fact Checking Network Board, which Facebook has partnered with to approve fact-checkers.
Yes, but: Both of the outlets approved by the Board are considered by some to be partisan: CheckYourFact.com arguably leans right, as it's a for-profit subsidiary owned by The Daily Caller, Inc., although editorially independent. Science Feedback fact-checks news and information primarily based on whether it is rooted in science. Some conservatives disagree with this characterization, arguing climate change is not a settled science.
Why it matters: The situation highlights how messy and complicated fact-checking can be on Facebook — as well as on tech platforms generally, who do not want to exercise editorial responsibility for content that gets posted.
Details: According to a Facebook spokesperson, the agreement struck between Poynter and Facebook in 2016 requires Facebook to accept these entities as a part of its own fact-checking program.
Facebook originally outsourced the practice of selecting fact-checkers to Poynter via this partnership in 2016 to avoid having to make any decisions about fact-checkers that could be clouded as biased.
Between the lines: Poynter's International Fact-Checking Network is considered credible, and is used to enforce standards for fact-checking broadly, not just at Facebook.
The board is made up of well-known fact-checkers from around the world, including from the Washington Post and Poynter.
The IFCN board votes on certification of fact-checkers without any input from Facebook or other partners.
It looks at a set of criteria when reviewing fact-checking partners to be a part of its network, including non-partisanship and fairness, transparency of sources, transparency of funding and more.
Yes, but: Just because an outlet is approved as part of the fact-checking network doesn't mean that it's not partisan.
Facebook has come under fire for working with certain fact-checking partners in the past. Most notably, it was criticized — particularly by left-leaning outlets — for adding The Weekly Standard as a fact-checking partner in September before the publication shut down several months ago.
In an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review in September, Alexios Mantzarlis, who ran the International Fact-Checking Network at the time, said of The Weekly Standard's approval: "I'm not denying The Weekly Standard is a partisan publication, but the decision we made was that we would look at the partisanship of the fact-checking operation itself, not the entire publication."
The bottom line: Facebook has decided to outsource the approval of fact-checkers, which both saves it from having to make editorial decisions while also forcing it to incorporate fact-checking partners that could be considered controversial.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Science Feedback does not have a website.


text:
Neuro, cardio, and reno protective activities of rosuvastatin in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats undergoing treatment with metformin and glimepiride
Shailaja Rondi1, Ramu Peddolla1, Raj Kumar Venisetty2
1 Department of Pharmacology, St. Peter's Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, India
2 Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Chaitanya College of Pharmacy Education and Research, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, India
Date of Web Publication 30-May-2014
Raj Kumar Venisetty
Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Chaitanya College of Pharmacy Education and Research, Kishanpura, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh
Diabetes is associated with complications like neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, and retinopathy due to increased oxidative stress and serum lipids. In the present study, rosuvastatin, a HMG-CoA inhibitor, was investigated for its protective effect in neuropathy, nephropathy, and cardiomyopathy based on the lipid-lowering property along with its pleiotropic effects such as improved blood flow to the organ and antioxidant defense. Type 2 diabetes was induced in Wistar rats by single i.p. administration of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). These diabetic rats were treated with daily doses of rosuvastatin (10 mg/kg) alone, metformin (120 mg/kg) and glimepiride (1 mg/kg) and rosuvastatin in combination with metformin (120 mg/kg) and glimepiride (1 mg/kg) for a period of 6 weeks. The biochemical parameters involved in neuropathy, renopathy, and cardiopathy were estimated. Treatment resulted in significant (P < 0.05) decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and increase in levels of glutathione peroxidise and catalase in brain and kidney homogenates. Significant (P < 0.05) increase in high-density lipoproteins and decrease in creatinine kinase, triglycerides, total serum cholesterol represents the cardioprotective action, whereas significant (P < 0.05) increase in the latency in the hotplate model shows the neuroprotective activity, and significant (P < 0.05) decrease in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine levels and increase in serum total protein levels suggested the renoprotective actions. The unique properties of rosuvastatin such as antioxidant defense and lipid-lowering nature might have resulted in cardio, neuro, and renoprotective activity in type 2 diabetic rats treated with metformin and glimepiride.
Keywords: Cardiomyopathy, diabetes, nephropathy, neuropathy, serum proteins
Rondi S, Peddolla R, Venisetty RK. Neuro, cardio, and reno protective activities of rosuvastatin in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats undergoing treatment with metformin and glimepiride. J Adv Pharm Technol Res 2014;5:78-83
Rondi S, Peddolla R, Venisetty RK. Neuro, cardio, and reno protective activities of rosuvastatin in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats undergoing treatment with metformin and glimepiride. J Adv Pharm Technol Res [serial online] 2014 [cited 2021 Jan 20];5:78-83. Available from: https://www.japtr.org/text.asp?2014/5/2/78/133429
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels. [1] Long-term complications of diabetes include retinopathy with potential loss of vision; nephropathy leading to renal failure; peripheral neuropathy with risk of foot ulcers, amputations, and Charcot joints; and autonomic neuropathy causing gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and cardiovascular symptoms and sexual dysfunction. Patients with diabetes have an increased incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular, peripheral arterial and cerebrovascular disease. Hypertension and abnormalities of lipoprotein metabolism are often found in people with diabetes. [2] The main reason for complications of diabetes is with the flow of blood through the blood vessels that supply energy for every organ. High blood sugar levels will damage the blood vessels and nerves. This causes problems in association with body organs like kidneys, nerves, feet, eyes, heart, bones, skin problems, digestive problems, sexual dysfunction, and problems with teeth and gums. [3]
Metformin is a biguanide that lowers blood glucose primarily by decreasing hepatic glucose output and reducing insulin resistance. When used as monotherapy, metformin does not cause hypoglycemia and is thus termed as an "anti-hyperglycemic". [4] Metformin acts by increasing the sensitivity of liver, muscle, fat, and other tissues to the uptake of glucose and effects of insulin. These actions lower the level of sugar in the blood. [5]
Glimepiride is more selective for the β-cell K + -ATP channel than for the cardiovascular tissue K + -ATP channel. All the sulfonylurea's exhibit both insulin-secreting and extrapancreatic activities. Glimepiride relies on extrapancreatic effects for a greater proportion of its hypoglycemic effect, and it is possibly because of this that it is considered less likely to produce unwanted hypoglycemia. [6] A specific sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) closely linked to the ATP-sensitive potassium ion channel exists on the β-cell. Sulfonylureas are believed to inhibit this potassium ion channel, thus blocking the efflux of potassium and lowering the membrane potential to cause depolarization. The voltage-dependent calcium channels then open, increasing intracellular calcium concentration. The increased intracellular concentration of calcium ultimately stimulates insulin secretion. [7]
Rosuvastatin is a synthetic lipid-lowering agent. It is a competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3- methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the rate-determining enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis via the mevalonate pathway. This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate. It acts primarily in the liver. It decreases hepatic cholesterol, increases hepatic uptake of cholesterol, and reduces plasma cholesterol levels. [8] Statins were also shown to exhibit non-lipid-modifiable effects called pleiotropic ones, which could be responsible for additional benefits. The most important pleiotropic anti-atherogenic effects of statins are improvement of endothelial dysfunction, antioxidative properties, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-thrombotic effects and neoangiogenesis. [8],[9] Statins have also been suggested to reduce inflammatory cytokines production like tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β). [10] In addition, statins can disrupt the oxidative stress/inflammation cycle by decreasing the release of inflammatory mediators and lipid peroxidation. Chronic administration of statins can also inhibit peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α and g, which are known inflammatory mediators. [11] These pleiotropic actions may help in reducing vascular inflammation and in anti-rejection regimens following graft arterial disease. Statins, by increasing the production of nitric oxide, in the endothelium, have local vasodilatory property in addition to anti-thrombogenic, anti-proliferative, and leukocyte adhesion inhibiting effects. [12] Other mechanisms by which statins favorably influence atherosclerosis include enhancement of endothelium-dependent relaxation, inhibition of platelet function, and inhibition of endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictor and mitogen. [13]
Animal procurement and maintenance
Wistar Albino rats, aged 4 months (body weight: 160-180 g), were used for the present study, procured from Sanzyme Ltd., Hyderabad, India. The animals were housed in acrylic poly cages (38 cm × 23 cm × 10 cm) with not more than 6 animals per cage, at ambient temperature of 18 ± 2°C with 12-h-light/12-h-dark cycle. Rats have free access to standard chow diet and water ad libitum. The maintenance and the handling of animals were performed according to the rules and regulations of Institutional Animal Ethical Committee, (Regd. No. 36/SPIPS/IAEC/12) Kakatiya University.
Chemicals and reagents
Rosuvastatin and metformin HCl were kindly gifted by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Hyderabad, India. Glimepiride was procured as a gift sample by MSN Laboratories, Hyderabad, India. Streptozotocin and Thiobarbituric acid were purchased from Himedia Laboratories, Mumbai, India, and all other chemicals of highest purity grade available were purchased from S.D. Fine Chemicals, Mumbai, India. For estimation of various biomarkers, Glucose kit, Creatinine kit, Total protein kit, Urea kit, CK-MB kit, Triglycerides kit, Total cholesterol kit, HDL cholesterol kit were purchased from Coral Diagnostics, Mumbai, India
Experimental protocol and methods
Albino Wistar rats of either sex weighing between 180 ± 10 gms were used for the experiment and were allowed to acclimatize for a week. Six rats were formed into one group; 5 such different groups of rats were formed and labeled (Group - I: Normal control, Group - II: Diabetic control, Group - III: Rosuvastatin-treated, Group - IV: metformin- and glimepiride-treated, and Group - V: metformin-, glimepiride-, and rosuvastatin- treated). Diabetes in rats was induced by single dose of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally (i.p.). [14] Blood glucose levels were estimated after 3 days, and the animals with glucose levels more than 200 mg/dl were used for the study. The diabetic rats were treated with metformin - 120 mg/kg/d; p.o., glimepiride - 1 mg/kg/d, p.o. and rosuvastatin - 10 mg/kg/d, p.o. based on their treatment group for about 6 weeks.
After 6 weeks of treatment, blood samples were collected by retro-orbital sinus puncture, under mild ether anesthesia, from all the groups of animals. Plasma was obtained by immediate centrifugation of blood samples using BIOFUGE cooling centrifuge at 4000 rpm for 10 minutes at 4°C temperature. All samples were stored at -20°C until analysis. Blood samples were used for the estimation of different biochemical parameters i.e. Glucose, Creatine kinase- MB, Serum lipids (triglycerides, LDL and HDL), Creatinine, BUN, and Total protein using semi-autoanalyzer (Biochemical systems international) and the corresponding diagnostic kits. Later, the rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and their brains and kidneys were harvested and then rinsed with ice-cold saline. Then, the organs were homogenized with ice-cold phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The homogenates (10% w/v) were then centrifuged at 10,000 g for 15 min, and the supernatant so obtained was used for the estimation of antioxidant parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA) as the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) with the help of UV-Visible spectrophotomer (ELICO limited).
Hotplate model was performed, and paw withdrawal latency time for all the groups of animals was recorded after 6 weeks of treatment prior to sacrifice in order to assess the neuropathy. [15]
Statistical analysis of all the obtained results was performed by one-way ANOVA using graph pad prism software version 5.0 followed by Bonferroni's multiple comparison test. All the results were expressed as mean ± SEM, and a probability of P < 0.05 was considered as significant.
0Effect on blood glucose levels
In the streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats, blood glucose levels were significantly raised when compared with normal control group and were considered as diabetic. Treatment (for about 6 weeks) with rosuvastatin alone rendered no significant decrease in the blood glucose levels. Treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents (metformin plus glimepiride) and the combination of a rosuvastatin with oral hypoglycemic agents (triple therapy) both rendered a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the blood glucose levels to a near normal level when compared with diabetic control [Table 1].
Table 1: Effect on various biochemical parameters in different animal groups
Effect on serum lipids
In the diabetic rats, there was a significant and pathological abnormality in the levels of serum lipids (LDL, HDL, and triglycerides) when compared with normal control. Treatment with rosuvastatin alone significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the levels of LDL and the triglycerides, whereas rendered no significant improvement in the levels of HDL when compared with diabetic control. Treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents yielded no significant reversal in the pathologically abnormal levels of serum lipids. Triple therapy significantly (P < 0.05) improved the levels of HDL; furthermore, yielded a significant reduction in the levels of LDL and the triglycerides when compared with diabetic control [Table 1].
Effect on CK-MB levels
Creatine kinase- MB (CK-MB) levels were significantly raised in the diabetic rats when compared with normal control group. Triple therapy and rosuvastatin monotherapy decreased the CK-MB levels significantly (P < 0.05) to a near normal level when compared with diabetic control. Treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents rendered no significant decrease in this cardiac risk marker [Table 1].
Effect on renal parameters
Renal risk markers (creatinine, BUN, and total protein) were found to be pathologically anomalous in the diabetic rats when compared with normal control. Triple therapy significantly (P < 0.05) brought down the levels of creatinine to a level, closer to the physiological range. Rosuvastatin monotherapy and anti-diabetic drug therapy both yielded no significant reversal in the serum creatinine levels. On the other hand, none of the therapies rendered the levels of urea nitrogen to a near normal range. A significant (P < 0.05) improvement in the total protein levels was found after the stipulated statin monotherapy and triple combination therapy when compared with diabetic control, whereas oral hypoglycemic therapy failed to do so [Table 1].
Effect on antioxidant parameters in the brain
Oxidative stress marker, malondialdehyde (MDA), levels were significantly higher, and the antioxidant defense markers, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), concentrations were significantly lower in the brain homogenates of streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats when compared with normal control.
Rosuvastatin monotherapy significantly (P < 0.05) curbed the levels of MDA and augmented the concentration of CAT to an almost physiological rage, on the other hand failed to improve GPx concentration when compared with diabetic control. Anti-diabetic drug therapy found to be insignificant (P > 0.05) in reversing the abnormality in the concentrations of antioxidant parameters (MDA, CAT, and GPx) accompanied by type 2 diabetes; in contrary, triple therapy found to be significant (P < 0.05) in doing so when compared with diabetic control [Table 2].
Table 2: Effect on antioxidant parameters in the brain homogenates of different animal groups
Effect on antioxidant parameters in the kidney
In the kidney homogenates of diabetic rats, there found to be a considerable derailment in the antioxidant parameters (CAT, GPx, and MDA) when compared with normal control. Triple combination therapy and rosuvastatin monotherapy significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the oxidative stress marker (MDA) concentrations, whereas oral hypoglycemic therapy failed to do so. Antioxidant defense marker concentrations (CAT and GPx) were significantly (P < 0.05) improved to a near physiological range by triple therapy when compared with diabetic control. On the other hand, anti-diabetic drug therapy and alone rosuvastatin therapy rendered an insignificant increase in the antioxidant defenses in the kidney homogenates when compared with diabetic control [Table 3].
Table 3: Effect on antioxidant parameters in the kidney homogenates of different animal groups
Effect on neural functioning (tail-withdrawal reflex)
In the streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats, there was a significant increase in the paw-withdrawal latency time (6 sec) when compared with normal control group. Treatment (for 6 weeks) of the diabetic rats with rosuvastatin alone and with oral hypoglycemic agents (Metformin + glimepiride) both rendered no significant decrease in the paw withdrawal latency time. Treatment with the combination of a statin and the oral hypoglycemic agents (triple therapy) significantly (P < 0.05) lowered the paw withdrawal latency time when compared with diabetic control rats [Table 4].
Table 4: Effect on nerve fiber conduction (tail‑withdrawal reflex) in different animal groups
The results of the present study inferred that the treatment of streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic Wistar Albino rats with the combination of a statin (rosuvastatin) and oral hypoglycemic agents (metformin + glimepiride) provides cardio protection and alleviates neural and renal complications in addition to better and efficient glycemic control.
This triple therapy (rosuvastatin + glimepiride + metformin) resulted in efficient glycemic control in the diabetic rats. One of the previous studies involving statins reported that atorvastatin improves glycemic control and insulin sensitivity via the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-g (PPAR-g) via 15-deoxy-delta-12, 14-PGJ 2 (15DPGJ 2 ). [16]
This study demonstrated that rosuvastatin when combined with oral hypoglycemic agents reported protective effect in neural complications associated with type 2 diabetes. This was evidenced by better glycemic control along with a significant reduction in the concentration of MDA (biomarker for lipid peroxidation) and a significant rise in the concentrations of antioxidant enzymes (GPx and CAT) in the brain homogenates of diabetic rats treated with triple therapy, which indicates minimal damage to the neural cell membranes.
The mechanisms that are attributable to the antioxidant activity of statin are increase in the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), decrease in the lipid peroxidation and the ROS production. [17]
This study also demonstrated that triple therapy improves nerve fiber conduction in diabetic rats, which was evidenced by decrease in the paw withdrawal latency time (s) when the animals were subjected to hotplate test (thermal stimulus model to assess small nerve fiber function). Here, the statins up-regulate the expression and the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). [18]
In this study, rosuvastatin in combination with oral hypoglycemic agents demonstrated a potential cardioprotective action against diabetic dyslipidemia and the consequences associated with diabetic dyslipidemia. Triple therapy rendered significant changes in the raised LDL, triglyceride, and creatine kinase-MB concentrations and reduced HDL concentration in the diabetic rats.
The cardioprotective role of triple therapy might be due to effective control on blood glucose levels and lipid concentrations by the combination of metformin with a sulfonylurea in the diabetic rats. [19] In addition to this, beneficial cardiovascular pleiotropic effects of rosuvastatin, which include improvement of endothelial dysfunction, increased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, antioxidant properties, inhibition of inflammatory responses, and stabilization of atherosclerotic plaques, might act in concert with the potent lipid-lowering effect of statins to exert early as well as lasting cardiovascular protective effects. [8] In one of the previous studies, it was reported that cardioprotective activity can be assessed by a significant reduction in the levels of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) along with significant changes in the other cardiac risk markers and the antioxidant defense markers like MDA and CAT. [20]
It was also observed by triple therapy to the diabetic animals that this combination mitigates renal anomalies associated with diabetic nephropathy. Significant reduction in the concentration of serum creatinine and an increase in the total protein content (i.e. decrease in proteinuria) along with better glycemic control were the corresponding findings observed with the triple therapy to the diabetic rats. In addition to this, there were also the findings denoting significant positive changes in the concentrations of antioxidant parameters in the kidney homogenates of diabetic rats after the stipulated period of triple therapy.
The renoprotective role of statin combined with oral hypoglycemics was attributed to strict glycemic control, improvement in the insulin sensitivity, lowered serum lipid content, decreased ROS production, and reduced protein overload as well. [21] In the literature, there was an in vivo evidence for the assessment of renoprotective effect wherein the renal risk markers were significantly decreased (creatinine, BUN, and proteinuria) along with a significant reduction in the oxidative stress marker (MDA) and a significant rise in the antioxidant defense markers (GSH, CAT). [22]
At the end, triple therapy (rosuvastatin in combination with glimepiride plus metformin) improved glycemic control and the antioxidant defenses, enhanced nerve fiber functioning, substantially decreased cardiac risk markers (LDL, triglycerides, and CK-MB), and reduced the protein overload, thereby alleviated renal damage, in comparison to glimepiride plus metformin therapy, in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic Wistar Albino rats.
Rosuvastatin have a protecting effect in type 2 diabetes-associated neuronal, cardiac, and renal complications in Wister Albino rats when administered in combination with oral hypoglycemic agents. Beneficial pleiotropic effects of rosuvastatin and strict glycemic control with metformin and glimepiride may be resulted in the protective effects against type 2 diabetes and its devastating complications
Further studies are necessary, first, to warrant whether this triple combination therapy provides protection against any other diabetic anomalies in addition to the aforementioned complications, second, to provide insights into explicit molecular mechanisms underlying the outcomes of this study.
Authors are thankful to Dr. Reddy Labs and MSN Labs, Hyderabad for providing the API's for this work.
1. Triplitt CL, Reasner CA, and Isley WL, Diabetes Mellitus in Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, Eds. JT DiPiro, RL Talbert, GC Yee, GR Matzke, BG Wells, and LM Posey, 6 th Ed. McGraw Hill Medical Publishing Division, New York. 2005. p. 1333-67.
2. American Diabetes Association: Clinical practice recommendations. Diabetes Care 1998;21:S1-95.
3. Stern MP, Haffner SM. Prospective assessment of metabolic control in diabetes mellitus: The complications question. JAMA 1998;260:2896-7.
4. Melchior WR, Jaber LA. Metformin: An antihyperglycemic agent for treatment of type II diabetes. Ann Pharmacother 1996;30:158-64.
5. Zhou G, Myers R, Li Y, Chen Y, Shen X, Fenyk-Melody J, et al. Role of AMP-acitvated protein kinase in mechanism of metformin action. J Clin Invest 2001;108:1167-74.
6. Dills DG, Schneider J. Clinical evaluation of glimepiride versus glyburide in NIDDM in a double-blind comparative study. Horm Metab Res 1996;28:426-9.
7. Langtry HD, Balfour JA. Glimepiride: A review of its use in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Drugs 1998;55:563-84.
8. Davignon J. Beneficial cardiovascular pleiotropic effects of statins. Circulation 2004;109 Suppl 1:III39-43.
9. Pella D, Rybar R, Mechirova V. Pleiotropic effects of statins. Acta Cardiol Sin 2005;21:190-8.
10. Rosenson RS, Tangney CC, Casey LC. Inhibition of proinflammatory cytokine production by pravastatin. Lancet 1999;353:983-4.
11. Inoue I, Goto S, Mizotani K, Awata T, Mastunaga T, Kawai S, et al. Lipophilic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor has an anti-inflammatory effect: Reduction of MRNA levels for interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, cyclooxygenase-2, and p22phox by regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha) in primary endothelial cells. Life Sci 2000;67:863-76.
12. Scalia R, Gooszen ME, Jones SP, Hoffmeyer M, Rimmer DM, Trocha SD, et al. Simvastatin exerts both anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects in Apo E deficient mice. Circulation 2001;103:2598-603.
13. Rosenson RS. Non-lipid lowering effects of statins on atherosclerosis. Curr Cardiol Rep 1999;1:225-32.
14. Reitman S, Frankel S. Colorimetric method for the determination of serum glutamic oxaloacetic acid and glutamic pyruvic transaminases. Am J Clin Pathol 1957;28:56-63.
15. Cameron NE, Eaton SE, Cotter MA, Tesfaye S. Vascular factors and metabolic interactions in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. Diabetologia 2001;44:1973-88.
16. Freeman DJ, Norrie J, Sattar N, Neely RD, Cobbe SM, Ford I, et al. Pravastatin and the development of diabetes mellitus: Evidence for a protective treatment effect in the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study. Circulation 2001;103:357-62.
17. Wassmann S, Laufs U, Baumer AT, Muller K, Ahlbory K, Linz W, et al. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors improve endothelial dysfunction in normocholesterolemic hypertension via reduced production of reactive oxygen species. Hypertension 2001;37:1450-7.
18. Santodomingo-Garzon T, Cunha TM, Verri WA Jr, Valerio DA, Parada CA, Poole S, et al. Atorvastatin inhibits inflammatory hypernociception. Br J Pharmacol 2006;149:14-22.
19. DeFronzo RA, Goodman AM. Efficacy of metformin in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The multicenter metformin study group. N Engl J Med 1995;333:541-9.
20. Momin FN, Kalai BR, Shikalgar TS, Naikwade NS. Cardioprotective effect of methanolic extract of Ixora coccinea leaves on doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity in rats. Indian J Pharmacol 2012;44:178-83.
21. Buemi M, Allegra A, Corica F, Aloisi C, Giacobbe M, Pettinato G, et al. Effect of fluvastatin on proteinuria in patients with immunologlobulin A nephropathy. Clin Pharmacol 2000;67:427-31.
22. Hassan HA, El-Agmy SM, Gaur RL, Fernando A, Raj HG, Ouhtit A. In vivo evidence of hepato- and reno-protective effect of garlic oil against sodium nitrite-induced oxidative stress. Int J Biol Sci 2009;5:249-55.
1 Antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidemic, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory Activities of Ethanolic Seed Extract of Annona reticulata L. in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats
Wenbin Wen,Yukiat Lin,Zhenyu Ti
Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2019; 10
2 Comparative Study between the Effect of Pentoxifylline versus Diltiazem versus Rosuvastatin on the Development and Progression of Nephropathy in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats
Abdel Hamid M. Elhawary,Amany N. Ibrahim,Magdy I. Attallah
Egyptian Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 2018; 8
3 Role of simvastatin and insulin in memory protection in a rat model of diabetes mellitus and dementia
Veronia Fawzy Fahim,Walaa Wadie,Amani Nabil Shafik,Magdy Ishak Attallah
Brain Research Bulletin. 2018;
4 Antinociception induced by rosuvastatin in murine neuropathic pain
Hugo F. Miranda,Fernando Sierralta,Nicolas Aranda,Paula Poblete,Rodrigo L. Castillo,Viviana Noriega,Juan Carlos Prieto
Pharmacological Reports. 2018; 70(3): 503
5 Osteomeles schwerinae Extract Prevents Diabetes-Induced Renal Injury in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii Rats
Eunjin Sohn,Junghyun Kim,Chan-Sik Kim,Kyuhyung Jo,Jin Sook Kim
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2018; 2018: 1
6 Targeting proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, TGF-ß1 and STAT-3 by rosuvastatin and ubiquinone to ameliorate trastuzumab cardiotoxicity
Ahmed M. Kabel,Abeer A. Elkhoely
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2017; 93: 17
7 Controversy of oral hypoglycemic agents in type 2 diabetes mellitus: Novel move towards combination therapies
Abhijit A. Ghadge,Aniket A. Kuvalekar
Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews. 2016;
8 Rosuvastatin ameliorates diabetes-induced reproductive damage via suppression of oxidative stress, inflammatory and apoptotic pathways in male rats
Gehan Hussein Heeba,Alaaeldin Ahmed Hamza
Life Sciences. 2015; 141: 13
9 An Early Diagnostic Tool for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Rats
Shoista Kambiz,Johan W. van Neck,Saniye G. Cosgun,Marit H. N. van Velzen,Joop A. M. J. L. Janssen,Naim Avazverdi,Steven E. R. Hovius,Erik T. Walbeehm,Francesca DæAddio
PLOS ONE. 2015; 10(5): e0126892
10 Rosuvastatin and ellagic acid protect against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in hyperlipidemic rats
Mai A. Elhemely,Hany A. Omar,Afaf A. Ain-Shoka,Hekma A. Abd El-Latif,Amira M. Abo-youssef,Gamal A. El Sherbiny
Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. 2014;
Rondi S
Peddolla R
Venisetty RK
nephropathy
serum proteins
Cited by others 10


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Q: $A\in GL_n(\mathbb{C})$ has a unitary triangularization Let $A\in GL_n(\mathbb{C})$. Show that $A$ has a unitary triangularization, that is there exists $U\in M(n\times n)$ unitary such that $U^{-1}AU$ is an upper triangular matrix.

Since the characteristic polynomial of $A$ splits over $\mathbb{C}$, I immediately know that $A$ is similar to an upper triangular matrix. I'm now trying to show that the according change of basis matrix is unitary. One approach was trying to show the sufficient condition that $\left|\left| Ux \right|\right|=\left|\left|x \right|\right|,\, \forall x\in\mathbb{C}^n$, which I haven't been able to show so far.

A: You can prove it by induction. If $n=1$, it is trivial. Let $v$ be an eigenvector of $A$. Now let $V_1=\Bbb Cv$ and let $V_2=V_1^\perp$. If $\{v_1,\ldots,v_{n-1}\}$ is an orthonormal basis of $V_1^\perp$, then $\{v/\|v\|,v_1,\ldots,v_{n-1}\}$ is an orthonormal basis of $\Bbb C^n$ and the matrix of $A$ with respect to that basis is of the form $\left[\begin{smallmatrix}\lambda&A\\0&B\end{smallmatrix}\right]$, where $\lambda\in\Bbb C$, and $B$ is a $(n-1)\times(n-1)$ matrix. Now, consider the map $A_1\colon V_2\longrightarrow V_2$ defined by $A_1=\pi\circ A$, where $\pi$ is the orthogonal projection from $V$ onto $V_2$. And now you apply the induction hypothesis to $A_1$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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gj@glunz-jensen.com
Glunz & Jensen Holding's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen A/S. The shares are negotiable instruments without restrictions in negotiability and are issued to bearer and give one vote per share of DKK 20.
Share capital and voting rights
The company's share capital amounts to DKK 36.426.180. The company's holding of treasury shares is 0 per Mach 9, 2021.
Ownership by Mach 9, 2021
Approaching the end of the financial year 2020/21, Glunz & Jensen had 667 registered shareholders, and these owned a total of 95,5% of the share capital. Glunz & Jensen wishes in the best possible way to service its shareholders with information about the group, why all shareholders are encouraged to leave their shares listed by name in the company's register of shareholders. As we only communicate electronically, we kindly ask shareholders to register their e-mail address in the register of shareholders; Alternatively, send an email to shareholders@glunz-jensen.com or hbf@glunz-jensen.com so that the shareholder's electronic address may be registered.
Ownership interest [%]
Heliograph Holding GmbH, Konrad-Zuse-Bogen 18, 82152 Krailling, Germany 46,26 %
Strategic Investments A/S 17,55 %
Notified according to the section 38 of the Danish Securities Trading Act *) 63,81 %
All other shareholders 36,19 %
Total 100,00 %
Based on the performance development in 2019/20, the Board of Directors recommended to the Annual General Meeting that no dividend was paid for the 2019/20 financial year.
Glunz & Jensen emphasizes on an ongoing basis to provide timely, accurate and relevant information about the company - including strategy, results and expectations. Through detailed reporting, an effort is made to give all stakeholders a simple access to information, and emphasis is placed on entering into an active dialogue with the stakeholders.
The communication with investors, analysts, the press and other stakeholders takes place via regular publication of notices, including interim reports and meetings. Announcements are available on the company's website.
Shareholders, analysts, investors and other interested parties who have questions regarding Glunz & Jensen, should contact:
E-mail: gj@glunz-jensen.com
Contact person: CEO Martin Overgaard Hansen
E-mail: moh@glunz-jensen.com
Contact person: Chairman Flemming N. Enevoldsen
E-mail: f.n.enevoldsen@gmail.com


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Remaining in the EU
Over the last three years I've campaigned alongside the people of Bristol West for the UK to remain in the European Union. My experience in Parliament as an Opposition Whip through a time of national crisis has meant I've gained support from other Members of Parliament and worked behind the scenes to keep us in the European Union – three times – when we were due to leave on 29 March, 12 April, and 31 October. This is why I am standing as the Remain MP for Bristol West.
We need to go back to the public with a new vote on a deal which is based on Labour principles to preserve environmental protections and workers' rights, versus Remaining in the EU – which I have always believed is the best deal.
The so-called Remain Alliance doesn't get us anywhere because Labour is the only party that can – and will, if elected to government – offer a route to a referendum. As I have said before, and I will say again, I will be campaigning to remain in the EU as I have done since the referendum in 2016.
Over the last three years I have campaigned alongside the people of Bristol West for the UK to remain in the European Union. My experience in Parliament as an Opposition Whip through a time of national crisis has meant I've gained support from other Members of Parliament and worked behind the scenes to keep us in the European Union – three times – when we were due to leave on 29 March, 12 April, and 31 October. This is why I am standing as the Remain MP for Bristol West. The Remain Alliance announcement today doesn't get us anywhere. We need to go back to the public with a new vote on a deal which is based on Labour principles to preserve environmental protections and workers' rights, versus Remaining in the EU – which I have always believed is the best deal. Labour is the only party that can – and will, if elected to government – offer a route to a referendum. As I have said before, and I will say again, I will be campaigning to remain in the EU as I have done since the referendum in 2016.
Posted by Thangam Debbonaire for Bristol West on Thursday, November 7, 2019


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Living-wage Benchmarks
Does the company report on living-wage benchmarks?
3 Known
Aldi Sud
Clean Clothes Campaign
Working Conditions and Benefits
Does the company commit to living-wage benchmarks?
Companies must commit to living-wage benchmarks for many reasons. By putting a figure on the living wage, the labour cost can be calculated and embedded into pricing breakdowns, and companies can use this to be sure that suppliers are receiving enough to pay a living wage. If enough companies do this, production-country governments are given a clear signal that putting up the minimum wage to a living-wage level will not risk loss of business. The commitment to a real living-wage benchmark from companies also opens up space in wage negotiations between workers and factory owners. Currently, these negotiations often achieve very little because factory owners say they cannot pay more, due to low prices paid by buyers. But if unions or worker groups know that brands being produced in their factory have committed to a specified living-wage figure, these negotiations are opened up and a living wage becomes a possibility.
The campaign defines Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week shall meet at least legal or industry minimum standards and always be sufficient to meet basic needs of workers and their families and to provide some discretionary income. (See p.98 of the report)
In this report, fifty of the most influential or strategic companies retailing in Europe were approached to take part in the study. These represent a mixture of fashion, sportswear, budget and supermarket retailers, as well as luxury fashion brands. Check whether the company you would like answers to this metric has participated in the Campaign's search and add the score the campaign has determined in relation to whether the company reports on living-wage benchmark?


Many years ago, as Rajhin passed by a river, he heard weeping from the far shore. There, a woman filled her pockets with stones. When she finished, the woman walked into the river.
Rajhin could not let her drown, so he ran across the river's surface and pulled the woman from her would-be grave.
"Why did you save me, my lord?" she asked. "Does Rajhin, the Trickster God, not know my intent?"
"I know the what, my lady, but not the why."
The woman frowned and turned her back. "You could not possibly understand my plight. Please, let me gather my stones and continue on my way."
But Rajhin would not let her continue until she shared her story.
The woman, Munilli, had a fiancee named Mazaram, and the two were much beloved. But Munilli's step-father Azelit-ra, was a greedy man. Before he would give them permission to marry, he insisted on a bride-price beyond Mazaram's considerable means, and well beyond all reason.
Azelit-ra was headman of the village in which they lived and none dared speak against him for his injustice. But Mazaram was not cowed by Azelit-ra, which made the step-father hate him all the more. Still, Mazaram would not dishonor Munilli by eloping. Rather than see her fiancee ruined by her step-father's demands, Munilli chose the river.
"You say your step-father rules your village?"
"With an iron paw, my lord," Munilli replied sadly. "Those he does not bribe owe him money. Only a few, such as Mazaram, remain free of his grasp … and he does what he can to ruin them."
"Do you think your step-father is satisfied ruling a tiny village?" Rajhin asked.
"Satisfied?" Munilli scoffed, wiping her tears away. "He does not know the meaning of the word."
"Then perhaps I can help. Come, let us find Mazaram."
As they went to the village, Rajhin explained his plan to the young woman.
That afternoon, Mazaram and Munilli approached Azelit-ra upon the porch of his great moon-sugar plantation house. Seeing the hand-in-hand angered Azelit-ra, even though they were properly affianced. "So, my little pauper," the step-father greeted Mazaram, "have you agreed to my bride-price, or shall we finally see the last of you?"
Mazaram refused to take offense and instead bowed briefly. "While it is true I cannot meet your bride-price, my lord, I can offer you something better."
Azelit-ra's ears twitched, but he sneered with skepticism. "Better? Better than the sum I demand for my only daughter? Fine, tell me of this offer. If it is generous, then so be it. But if not, I would see your tail as you leave forever!"


"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:1-6, ESV).
While meditating on Ephesians 4:1-16 recently, I realized that the entire passage focuses on Christian unity, which St. Paul here refers to as "unity of the Spirit." Paul often addressed threats to Christian unity. To this day, the unity is threatened.
Before I proceed, I would like to clear up a major misunderstanding about Christian unity. The unity of the Spirit is not developed by an absolute adherence to common dogma. Some who profess a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will reject those who disagree with them on secondary (or even less important) doctrines. Whether it be eternal security, methods of baptism, the Lord's Supper, eschatology, etc., these are not issues that allow one Christian to condemn others to hell. None of us has a right to claim that others are not saved, or are somehow second-rate Christians, if they disagree with us. I am not saying that doctrine is completely unimportant; we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8), and doctrine is important insofar as it keeps our eyes on the true Jesus of Scripture (as opposed to a "Jesus" that we make up to suit our own needs). However, doctrine is only useful as a means of fostering our relationship with Christ. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ comes first; doctrine and church practices are tools to foster that relationship.
What is truly important in the "unity of the Spirit" is the personal relationship with Christ. Through that relationship, we are bound to other Christians in the church. Scripture often very appropriately uses the language of family to describe the church: God is our Father, and we are brothers and sisters through our relationship with Him.
In Ephesians and elsewhere (First Corinthians 12, for example), St. Paul refers to the church as "the body of Christ," which is also a fitting image. We are tempted to view some members of the church (including the pastor, worship leaders, Sunday school teachers, or others with visible roles on Sunday morning) as "more important." Yet, as 1 Corinthians 12:15-26 shows, the less glamorous or visible members of the body are important too. Some organs seem more important than others, but each one fulfills an important role.
Since we are a body, it is not our job to create spiritual unity. Ephesians 4:3 calls us to maintain the unity of the Spirit. It is already there. Just as my right hand has maintained a connection to the rest of my body since before I was born, so every Christian has a vital spiritual link to other believers. I do not have to buy a right hand and glue it on; I just need to preserve it and care for it, so that it can continue to fulfill its role in my body.
This unity of Christians is multi-faceted. It is a unity of existence: There is one body and one Spirit. We share a unity of purpose: One hope that belongs to our call. We share a unity of Lordship and fellowship: One Lord (Jesus), one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.
… to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" (Ephesians 4:12-14).
Unity of the Spirit is something we gain through our spiritual birthright, by being believers in Christ. Unity of the faith and of knowledge is something we grow towards. Perhaps this is something that will not be completed until we get to heaven. As long as we see in a mirror dimly or through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12), we have room to grow. Nevertheless, those who are called to teach and preach the Word of God to the church are not called to promote division or denominational distinctives, designed to set themselves apart from other Christians. They are called to preach the truth about Jesus Christ: to bring people to knowledge of the Son of God. They are called to bring people to spiritual maturity.
Their mission includes promoting unity through their diversity. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherd/teachers have different skills, perspectives, and talents. They approach their ministries from different angles. Yet, they work together to carry out a common goal: to bring people to maturity in Christ.
The true measure of success for these ministers is when those within their flock develop their own ministries (Ephesians 4:12). Each of us has a different place of service within the Body of Christ. The church needs those who serve in the fourfold ministry. It also needs the secretary, the prayer warrior, the musician, and the janitor. It needs the person who holds no official title in the church, but is always ready to encourage the downtrodden. The church needs the guy who is willing to drive people to and from church. Whether it is a "spiritual" ministry that demands in-depth Bible training, or serving others with talents one could use in the most secular of businesses, your skills and talents are needed.
Christians are called to work together to glorify Jesus Christ. We are called to grow up into Him: to become more like Christ as we mature. We are called to unity, not uniformity: We build the church and preserve its unity not by forcing everybody into the same mold, but by allowing people to grow in their own gifts, talents, and passions, so that together we can strengthen the church, glorify our Savior, and draw people into relationship with Him.