text:
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Linq;
using System.Linq.Expressions;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Dapper;
using MicroOrm.Dapper.Repositories.Extensions;
using MicroOrm.Dapper.Repositories.SqlGenerator;

namespace MicroOrm.Dapper.Repositories
{
    /// <summary>
    ///     Base Repository
    /// </summary>
    public partial class DapperRepository<TEntity>
        where TEntity : class
    {

        /// <summary>
        ///     Execute Join query
        /// </summary>
        protected virtual IEnumerable<TEntity> ExecuteJoinQuery<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(
            SqlQuery sqlQuery,
            IDbTransaction transaction,
            params Expression<Func<TEntity, object>>[] includes)
        {
            var type = typeof(TEntity);

            var childPropertyNames = includes.Select(ExpressionHelper.GetPropertyName).ToList();
            var childProperties = childPropertyNames.Select(p => type.GetProperty(p)).ToList();

            if (!SqlGenerator.KeySqlProperties.Any())
                throw new NotSupportedException("Join doesn't support without [Key] attribute");

            var keyProperties = SqlGenerator.KeySqlProperties.Select(q => q.PropertyInfo).ToArray();
            var childKeyProperties = new List<PropertyInfo>();

            foreach (var property in childProperties)
            {
                var childType = property.PropertyType.IsGenericType() ? property.PropertyType.GenericTypeArguments[0] : property.PropertyType;
                var properties = childType.FindClassProperties().Where(ExpressionHelper.GetPrimitivePropertiesPredicate());
                var keyprop = properties.Where(p => p.GetCustomAttributes<KeyAttribute>().Any());
                childKeyProperties.Add(keyprop.FirstOrDefault()); //just takes the first key in case of compound keys
            }

            if (!childKeyProperties.Any())
                throw new NotSupportedException("Join doesn't support without [Key] attribute");

            var lookup = new Dictionary<object, TEntity>();
            const bool buffered = true;

            var spiltOn = string.Join(",", childKeyProperties.Select(q => q.Name));

            switch (includes.Length)
            {
                case 1:
                    //Connection.Query<TEntity, TChild1, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1) =>
                    //        EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1),
                    //    sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn);

                    TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetry(() => Connection.Query<TEntity, TChild1, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity,
                                child1),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));

                    break;

                case 2:
                    TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetry(() => Connection.Query<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 3:
                    TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetry(() => Connection.Query<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 4:
                    TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetry(() => Connection.Query<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3, child4) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3, child4),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 5:
                    TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetry(() => Connection.Query<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 6:
                    TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetry(() => Connection.Query<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5, child6) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5, child6),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                default:
                    throw new NotSupportedException();
            }

            return lookup.Values;
        }

        /// <summary>
        ///     Execute Join query
        /// </summary>
        protected virtual async Task<IEnumerable<TEntity>> ExecuteJoinQueryAsync<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(
            SqlQuery sqlQuery,
            IDbTransaction transaction,
            params Expression<Func<TEntity, object>>[] includes)
        {
            var type = typeof(TEntity);

            var childPropertyNames = includes.Select(ExpressionHelper.GetPropertyName).ToList();
            var childProperties = childPropertyNames.Select(p => type.GetProperty(p)).ToList();

            if (!SqlGenerator.KeySqlProperties.Any())
                throw new NotSupportedException("Join doesn't support without [Key] attribute");

            var keyProperties = SqlGenerator.KeySqlProperties.Select(q => q.PropertyInfo).ToArray();
            var childKeyProperties = new List<PropertyInfo>();

            foreach (var property in childProperties)
            {
                var childType = property.PropertyType.IsGenericType() ? property.PropertyType.GenericTypeArguments[0] : property.PropertyType;
                var properties = childType.FindClassProperties().Where(ExpressionHelper.GetPrimitivePropertiesPredicate());
                var keyprop = properties.Where(p => p.GetCustomAttributes<KeyAttribute>().Any());
                childKeyProperties.Add(keyprop.FirstOrDefault()); //just takes the first key in case of compound keys
            }

            if (!childKeyProperties.Any())
                throw new NotSupportedException("Join doesn't support without [Key] attribute");

            var lookup = new Dictionary<object, TEntity>();
            const bool buffered = true;

            var spiltOn = string.Join(",", childKeyProperties.Select(q => q.Name));

            switch (includes.Length)
            {
                case 1:
                    await TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetryAsync(() => Connection.QueryAsync<TEntity, TChild1, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 2:
                    await TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetryAsync(() => Connection.QueryAsync<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 3:
                    await TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetryAsync(() => Connection.QueryAsync<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 4:
                    await TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetryAsync(() => Connection.QueryAsync<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3, child4) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3, child4),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 5:
                    await TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetryAsync(() => Connection.QueryAsync<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                case 6:
                    await TransientDapperExtentions.QueryWithRetryAsync(() => Connection.QueryAsync<TEntity, TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6, TEntity>(sqlQuery.GetSql(), (entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5, child6) =>
                            EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(lookup, keyProperties, childKeyProperties, childProperties, childPropertyNames, type, entity, child1, child2, child3, child4, child5, child6),
                        sqlQuery.Param, transaction, buffered, spiltOn));
                    break;

                default:
                    throw new NotSupportedException();
            }

            return lookup.Values;
        }

        private static TEntity EntityJoinMapping<TChild1, TChild2, TChild3, TChild4, TChild5, TChild6>(IDictionary<object, TEntity> lookup, PropertyInfo[] keyProperties,
            IList<PropertyInfo> childKeyProperties, IList<PropertyInfo> childProperties, IList<string> propertyNames, Type entityType, TEntity entity, params object[] childs)
        {
            var compositeKeyProperty = string.Join("|", keyProperties.Select(q => q.GetValue(entity).ToString()));

            if (!lookup.TryGetValue(compositeKeyProperty, out var target))
                lookup.Add(compositeKeyProperty, target = entity);

            for (var i = 0; i < childs.Length; i++)
            {
                var child = childs[i];
                var childProperty = childProperties[i];
                var propertyName = propertyNames[i];
                var childKeyProperty = childKeyProperties[i];

                if (childProperty.PropertyType.IsGenericType())
                {
                    var list = (IList)childProperty.GetValue(target);
                    if (list == null)
                    {
                        switch (i)
                        {
                            case 0:
                                list = new List<TChild1>();
                                break;

                            case 1:
                                list = new List<TChild2>();
                                break;

                            case 2:
                                list = new List<TChild3>();
                                break;

                            case 3:
                                list = new List<TChild4>();
                                break;

                            case 4:
                                list = new List<TChild5>();
                                break;

                            case 5:
                                list = new List<TChild6>();
                                break;

                            default:
                                throw new NotSupportedException();
                        }

                        childProperty.SetValue(target, list);
                    }

                    if (child == null)
                        continue;

                    var childKey = childKeyProperty.GetValue(child);
                    var exist = (from object item in list select childKeyProperty.GetValue(item)).Contains(childKey);
                    if (!exist)
                        list.Add(child);
                }
                else
                {
                    // ReSharper disable once PossibleNullReferenceException
                    entityType.GetProperty(propertyName).SetValue(target, child);
                }
            }

            return target;
        }

        /// <summary>
        ///     Dummy type for excluding from multi-map
        /// </summary>
        // ReSharper disable once ClassNeverInstantiated.Local
        private class DontMap
        {
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This course is intended primarily for students in the MA Programme Theology and Religious Studies. Other interested students should gain the lecturer's permission to follow the course.
Ahmad, Sadaf. Transforming Faith: The Story of Al-Huda and Islamic Revivalism among Urban Pakistani Women. New York: Syracuse University Press, 2009.
Selby, Jennifer. Questioning French Secularism: Gender Politics and Islam in a Parisian Suburb. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2012.
Mahmood, Saba. Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject. Princeton University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-691-08695-8 (paperback).
Sjørup, Lene, and Hilde Rømer Christensen. Pieties and Gender. Leiden: Brill, 2009. ISBN 90-04-17826-7.


text:
Benjamin Arzt
Character Animator - Rigger - 3D Artist
VFX – Visual Effects
Rendering & Visuals
Home Portfolio Archive by category "Short Films"
Category: Short Films
Short movies that follow a narrative, ranging from personal work to proefessional projects.
MeTube 3
"The third part of the internationally award-winning MeTube short film series. This time the intergalactic music nerds August and Elfi conquer the opera stage and orchestrate their final adventure in an opulent manner!" I was responsible for bringing yet another Transformer to life by animating the Food-Truck robot. Links YouTubeMaking-OfFacebook
Portfolio, Short Films, VFX - Visual Effects
When John Goes Outside
"When John Goes Outside" is a 3D animated short film and tells the story of John and Flabby – a story about friendship, but also about life and death. I had the honour of animating some shots on the movie (one can be seen in this reel). The movie was…
Portfolio, Short Films
Geschichte einer Legende
– For english subtitles, click on the "Gear"-symbol! – "Die Geschichte einer Legende" – a 40-minute short – tells the tale of two boys who become friends after taking playful trips into their world of fantasy. Their parents, however, do not agree with their activities… To bring said childhood fantasies to life,…
Legende – Animation Reel
This post refers to my Animation Breakdown. For the full movie and more details on the project (like a VFX-Breakdown, a Making-Of and awards), go to "Die Geschichte einer Legende (Movie)". I was the lead animator for the Scarecrow-Character "Rupert", animated the first half of the Stag Beetle scene (Beetle only)…
Portfolio, Short Films, Showreels, VFX - Visual Effects
Rift: a fissure, crevasse, a clear space or interval, Estrangement. "RIFT" is an animated short which tells the story of a mountain climber named Walther and his inner struggles. It's a master's degree project by animation students of the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg. Synopsis Walther's pressure grows more and…
Meta is a short, metaphorical VFX-experiment that shows a surreal, humanoid creature. The strange entity with two upper bodies gets shot with an extraordinary, black liquid which leads to the growth of mechanical sprouts. These seedlings slowly develop into mor complex machines which start to overgrow the body. Said being is a visual…
Peonza Libre
My very first character animation! You wanna know when I fell in love with creaing animated movies? This project started it all! It was created for the "MultiMediaProject 1" at the FH Salzburg, MultiMediaArt. A lot could be improved today, but I still cherish this little project because the characters still…
Portfolio, Practice, Short Films
2012 – End of the World
Two practice projects for the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg, MultiMediaArt. The first was a simple example for Maya-particles. The timing for the movement was mandatory. Since it didn't look "realistic" without an external source to make the particles move and stop I added a "supernova" in After Effects to make…
Portfolio, Practice, Short Films, VFX - Visual Effects
How to catch a fur monster
Lame But Superior Inc. demonstrates how trash can be used to catch little, furry creatures. A short Fur- and Hair-Dynamics-Practice with Maya for the FH-Salzburg, MultiMediaArt (2012). Music: "paramount" by Alastair Cameron slightly edited to fit the animation.
© 2016-2021 by Benjamin Arzt | Privacy Policy | Imprint
All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Trace Adkins short quotes
Trace Adkins - Quotes
There are 6 quotes by Trace Adkins at 95quotes.com. Find your favorite quotations and top quotes by Trace Adkins from this hand-picked collection . Feel free to share these quotes and sayings on Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr & Twitter or any of your favorite social networking sites.
If I feel like doing something, I do it. If I feel like saying something, I say it. If I feel like dancing, I do. If I don't, I don't.
It's great to be able to get up there now and do an hour or 75 minutes of songs they're familiar with. ---->>>
People get passionate about a song. It's been my experience if you put out radio candy, something commercial, it doesn't sell records. ---->>>
I only record songs that I really like and believe in and can sing with conviction. ---->>>
I don't do the same show on any two nights. ---->>>
New York City is a notoriously hard market to perform country music in. ---->>>
Name: Trace Adkins
Occupation: Musician
Website: http://traceadkins.com
Tracy Darrell Adkins (born January 13, 1962), known as Trace Adkins, is an American singer and actor. Adkins made his debut in 1995 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released ten more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations. In addition, he has charted more than 20 singles on the Billboard country music charts, including the Number One hits "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing", "Ladies Love Country Boys", and "You're Gonna Miss This", which peaked in 1997, 2007, and 2008, respectively (wikipedia)


In a column for The New York Times, Jan Hoffman discusses the plight of the modern parent: Let a child walk to school alone to encourage independence, or drive them directly to the school's front door to prevent crime and kidnapping? In an age when even some school buses are "fitted with surveillance cameras, watching for beatings and bullying," many parents feel more anxious than ever about their children's safety. But have they taken the wrong approach?
According to Hoffman, 41 percent of children arrived at school by bike or on foot in 1969; by 2001, that number had fallen to just 13 percent, according to National Household Travel Survey data. Children living in low-income neighborhoods often "have no choice but to walk," Hoffman writes.
From 1969 to 2001, the rate of "children either being driven or driving themselves to school rose to 55 percent from 20 percent," a statistic experts say "has also hampered children's ability to navigate the world," Hoffman reported.
This inability to think independently, and the assumption that all strangers are threats, could be putting children in even more danger.
Opinion & Analysis: Have parents become overprotective?
The New York Times: Why Can't She Walk to School?
Writing for Scripps Howard News Service, Betsey Hart suggests that modern parents often "blame the media for hyping the so-rare-but-sensational story of stranger abduction," such as the story of Jaycee Lee Dugard, who escaped from her abductor 18 years after she was kidnapped. It's easier to point fingers at news networks and "make judgments" about what is and isn't safe, than to talk to kids about making "moral choices," Hart says. Buying into "stranger danger" allows parents to avoid the difficult task of teaching kids to trust their instincts. Not everything can be taught or contained in a simple rule, which can be a difficult pill for parents to swallow, Hart suggests.
An editorial in The Frederick News-Post reiterates Hart's assertion of overzealous fear of strangers: "The problem is that along with honest efforts to protect our children from stranger danger, we are also creating a society where children are suspicious and fearful of adult strangers."
The editorial cited the example of a father who took his two young daughters, ages 1 and 3, into the restroom with him at the Frederick County Department of Social Services. Another person in the restroom notified a security guard that a man with two young children had gone into a stall. The security guard reprimanded the father outside the restroom.
In response to the incident, a Frederick News-Post reader commented that "an unmarried man would be wise not to venture within 1,000 feet of a child or a playground." The editorial writer conceded that this advice "may be a bit over the top" but that it is "also a sad commentary on both reality and our attempts to deal with it."
The anxiety of raising children begins as soon as they are born, according to Anna Shepard, the mother of a five-month-old, in a column for The Guardian. "If there's one thing worse than being up all night with a fretful baby, it's being up when yours is happily asleep," she writes. The "vague sense" that someone is "out to get" her baby is the one thing Shepard says she was not prepared for. A friend offered sound advice: Learn "to accept that bad things happen, but they are unlikely. If you obsess over them, you'll ruin what should be a magical time," Shepard writes.
Many parents teach their children not to talk to strangers because of abduction fears, but children are often kidnapped by people they know, and children who become lost frequently just wander off. A child who becomes lost or is in danger must know how to find the "right" stranger for help; statistically speaking, it's generally safer for a child to approach a woman instead of a man, for example. More advice is available in findingDulcinea's feature, "Safety Information for Kids."


text:
Too Close to Call: Here's What Voters Have to Say
By Ben BrownFOXBusiness
What voters have to say about the election
FOXBusiness.com took to the streets of New York City to see what voters had to say about this crazy election!
Election night is underway! As the polls close and votes trickle in, Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton are in a battle to the finish.
"I voted for Donald Trump because he's going to make America great again, and he's going to bring jobs back to America," said a Trump supporter from New York.
Trump's poll numbers took a hit after a leaked "Access Hollywood" tape from 2005 revealed the businessman making lewd comments about women. However, he has seen a recent boost in the polls after the FBI initially announced it was re-opening the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server, although they have since cleared her of criminal charges.
Despite this investigation, the WikiLeaks email releases and the controversy surrounding the Clinton Foundation, some Clinton supporters still say nothing could make them want to vote for Trump.
"I don't care if Hillary Clinton came out and said I'm the reincarnation of the devil, I'd rather vote for her than Donald Trump," said a Hillary Clinton supporter in New York.
Throughout an election cycle filled with scandals, twists and turns, it has all come down to this exciting finish as Americans wait to find out who will be their next president.


BEST WESTERN The Crianlarich Hotel is a family-owned 3-star Hotel in Scotland. The Conservatory (restaurant) has been awarded one rosette by the AA. Our bar food has been the recipient of independent awards and recognition, including Bar Food of the Year 2010 (medal winner) and 2011 Local Food (Gold Award). Not only that, we are within two hours' drive of 90% of Scotland's "must see" attractions - and for our more active guests, we are at the mid-point of the world-famous West Highland Way and have 30 Munros within a day's climb of the village!


text:
Questa voce raccoglie le informazioni riguardanti il Fußball-Club Energie Cottbus nelle competizioni ufficiali della stagione 2009-2010.

Stagione
Nella stagione 2009-2010 l'Energie Cottbus, allenato da Claus-Dieter Wollitz, concluse il campionato di 2. Bundesliga al 9º posto. In Coppa di Germania l'Energie Cottbus fu eliminato al secondo turno dal .

Rosa

Organigramma societario
Area tecnica
 Allenatore: Claus-Dieter Wollitz
 Allenatore in seconda: Markus Feldhoff, Matthias Grahé
 Preparatore dei portieri: Antonio Ananiev, Ronny Zeiß
 Preparatori atletici:

Risultati

2. Bundesliga

Girone di andata

Girone di ritorno

Coppa di Germania

Statistiche

Statistiche di squadra

Andamento in campionato

Statistiche dei giocatori

Collegamenti esterni

2009-2010

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Eczema is a persistent and itchy skin condition. Symptoms, which include dry, red, inflamed skin, can, at times, interfere with your daily life. As if these symptoms weren't enough, people with eczema also have to worry about other health conditions that frequently accompany eczema, one of which is heart disease.
In a study released May 2018 people with severe eczema were found to have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Previous research has been mixed. For example, a study published in 2015 also found people with eczema were more prone to heart disease and stroke, but a study completed in 2017 suggested there wasn't a link.
In the most recent study, eczema was associated with small increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, for people with severe eczema, there was a small increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The authors of the study indicated they were not sure why there is a link or whether the two conditions are directly connected or if treatments may play a role.
In this study, researchers looked at the medical records of more than 380,000 patients and found that individuals with eczema have higher risk of non-fatal cardiovascular disease – 20 percent higher for heart failure and 10 percent higher for stroke with no increased risk for death. However, people with severe eczema had a 41 percent increased risk of heart attack, a 69 percent increased risk of heart failure, a 22 percent increased risk of stroke, and a 38 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease as compared to people without eczema.
The authors aren't sure why this connection exists. But in the 2015 study, the researchers noticed that those with eczema were more likely to drink alcohol and exercise less. These unhealthy habits may contribute to the higher rate of heart disease. Other potential causes for the connection include chronic inflammation, explains Jonathan Silverberg, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in an American Academy of Dermatology statement, or the body releasing anti-inflammatory substances to fight skin irritation and infections.
What tests can be done to help assess my risk?
Do my cholesterol levels put me at a higher risk for heart disease?
Is my blood pressure within normal range? If not, what can I do to reduce it?
What types of diet changes can I make?
What is my body mass index? What does that mean?
Should I be seeing a cardiologist on a regular basis?
It can be difficult to know when you should see a doctor. Sometimes symptoms are not a sign of heart disease but could be indigestion or another medical condition. Other times signs of heart disease could go on for years without you ever developing a serious condition.
It is better to contact your doctor and for a health scare only rather than to ignore signs of a serious heart condition.
Eczema is not just skin-deep Dr. Silverberg explains in the AAD statement. Besides heart disease, eczema can have a serious impact on your quality of life and overall health. People with eczema have an increased risk of developing asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever,) food allergies and obesity. These conditions may be related to eczema-related inflammation affecting the entire body or eczema symptoms negatively impacting sleep and health habits.
In addition, people with eczema have an increased risk of multiple types of infection, including bacterial skin infections, cellulitis. And eczema can affect the immune system, which puts you at risk of internal infections, such as upper respiratory infections or urinary tract infections.


text:
Resources Resource library News digest Significant failings in sepsis care
Significant failings in sepsis care
Date 13 September 2013
NOT enough is being done by doctors and other healthcare staff to save the lives of sepsis patients says the Health Service Ombudsman in England.
A new report highlights "significant failings in the diagnosis and treatment of severe sepsis" in ten cases investigated by the Ombudsman where patients died.
Sepsis accounts for 100,000 hospital admissions each year, with an average cost of about £20,000 each, according to the UK Sepsis Trust. Around 37,000 people are estimated to die of sepsis each year. The most common causes of severe sepsis are pneumonia, bowel perforation, urinary infection and severe skin infections.
In its report the Ombudsman found that care failings seem to occur mainly in the first few hours after arriving in hospital, when rapid diagnosis and simple treatment can be critical to the chances of survival.
Among shortcomings noted were a lack of timely history and examination (including adequate nurse triage) on presentation, lack of necessary investigations, failure to recognise severity, inadequate first-line treatment and physiological monitoring of vital signs, and delay in source control of infection. The report also cites delays in senior medical input and a lack of timely referral to critical care.
Recommendations include improving the recognition of sepsis and treatment, along with improvements in auditing and research.
The Health Service Ombudsman, Julie Mellor, said: "In the cases in our report, sadly, all patients died. In some of these cases, with better care and treatment, they may have survived. It is time for the NHS to act to save lives by improving the care of patients with sepsis.
"We have worked closely with NHS England, NICE, UK Sepsis Trust and Royal Colleges to find solutions to the issues identified in our report. NICE and NHS England have already agreed to take forward the recommendations of our report. We know it is not easy to spot the early signs of sepsis, but if we learn from these complaints and work to improve diagnosis and provide rapid treatment, then lives can be saved."
Time to act - Severe sepsis: rapid diagnosis and treatment saves lives


text:
Sur les toits est un film de Georges Méliès sorti en 1897 au début du cinéma muet. C'est un court-métrage d'environ une minute.

Synopsis
Des voleurs s'introduisent par les toits d'un immeuble dans un appartement, jettent son propriétaire par-dessus une balustrade, et le cambriolent. Arrive ensuite un gendarme, que les voleurs arrivent à contourner puis à bloquer dans une lucarne.

Fiche technique

Voir aussi

Article connexe
 Filmographie de Georges Méliès

Liens externes

Film français sorti en 1897
Film d'action français
Court métrage français
Film français en noir et blanc
Film muet français
Film réalisé par Georges Méliès


So what exactly holds your shoulder on?
So while evading a piece of runaway machinery, this gent fell over a wall and landed heavily on his left shoulder. Shoulder and scapula views were ordered. What's he done? Just as importantly, when does this need more than than just time in a sling and physio....?
If the circle is intact (and the clavicle is not fractured) the GHJ is still connected to the axial skeleton via the coracoid - CC ligaments - Clavicle - Sternum - Ribs - Spine. If there is a fracture between the glenoid (neck) and the coracoid (v. rare) we would have to plate the glenoid back onto the scapular body to restore the integrity of the SSC.
2. Intra-articular scapular fractures (glenoid). Traditionally, any displaced (>2mm) intra-articular fracture would undergo ORIF. There is increasing evidence that this is not required. The modern-thinking is that even displaced intra-articular fractures maybe managed non-operatively as long as there is no subluxation of the humeral head anteriorly or posteriorly i.e. the displaced fragment is not behaving like a large bony Bankart lesion.
Finally, in the absence of a surgical indication the mainstay of management is analgesia and PHYSIO +++. A scapular fracture is a massive trauma to the shoulder girdle and the soft tissue stiffness that can occur "downstream" is immense, so move please ++++++++!


This mod adds items from Star Wars, such as lightsabers and Star Wars mobs. This is only the beginning version, so it may not work in order to show the wickedness. This Mod needs a Texture Pack, so just do this.. Go onto: STORMTROOPERLOVERFAN21 (my profile) > UPLOADS > TEXTURE PACKS > STAR WARS: Universe (Texture Pack) Version: 0.0.0.1 \ or click this link: https://utk.io/texturepacks/3341541803/STAR-WARS-Universe-Texture-Pack-Version-0001 \\ Enjoy the mod!


Sunday brunch at Café Sausalito is always fun, we have Chef Renée from True NOSH with different VEGAN selections that will blow your mind!
True NOSH is in HK for a short period of time and we are so excited to collaborate with Café Sausalito to bring you some of our most innovative VEGAN Brunch dishes that will make you want to turn vegan! Reserve a spot now!


text:
Volume 29 special Issue 5: biological and behavioral effects of early adver...
URL: /core/journals/development-and-psychopathology
To send this article to your account, please select one or more formats and confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about sending content to .
< Back to all issues
Biological and Behavioral Effects of Early Adversity on Multiple Levels of Development
Volume 29 - Special Issue 5 - December 2017
Page/Article number Title Type Online publication date
Special Issue Articles
Epigenetic correlates of neonatal contact in humans
Sarah R. Moore, Lisa M. McEwen, Jill Quirt, Alex Morin, Sarah M. Mah, Ronald G. Barr, W. Thomas Boyce, Michael S. Kobor
Animal models of early postnatal mother–infant interactions have highlighted the importance of tactile contact for biobehavioral outcomes via the modification of DNA methylation (DNAm). The role of normative variation in contact in early human development has yet to be explored. In an effort to translate the animal work on tactile contact to humans, we applied a naturalistic daily diary strategy to assess the link between maternal contact with infants and epigenetic signatures in children 4–5 years later, with respect to multiple levels of child-level factors, including genetic variation and infant distress. We first investigated DNAm at four candidate genes: the glucocorticoid receptor gene, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 (NR3C1), μ-opioid receptor M1 (OPRM1) and oxytocin receptor (OXTR; related to the neurobiology of social bonds), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF; involved in postnatal plasticity). Although no candidate gene DNAm sites significantly associated with early postnatal contact, when we next examined DNAm across the genome, differentially methylated regions were identified between high and low contact groups. Using a different application of epigenomic information, we also quantified epigenetic age, and report that for infants who received low contact from caregivers, greater infant distress was associated with younger epigenetic age. These results suggested that early postnatal contact has lasting associations with child biology.
Shaping long-term primate development: Telomere length trajectory as an indicator of early maternal maltreatment and predictor of future physiologic regulation
Stacy S. Drury, Brittany R. Howell, Christopher Jones, Kyle Esteves, Elyse Morin, Reid Schlesinger, Jerrold S. Meyer, Kate Baker, Mar M. Sanchez
The molecular, neurobiological, and physical health impacts of child maltreatment are well established, yet mechanistic pathways remain inadequately defined. Telomere length (TL) decline is an emerging molecular indicator of stress exposure with definitive links to negative health outcomes in maltreated individuals. The multiple confounders endemic to human maltreatment research impede the identification of causal pathways. This study leverages a unique randomized, cross-foster, study design in a naturalistic translational nonhuman primate model of infant maltreatment. At birth, newborn macaques were randomly assigned to either a maltreating or a competent control mother, balancing for sex, biological mother parenting history, and social rank. Offspring TL was measured longitudinally across the first 6 months of life (infancy) from peripheral blood. Hair cortisol accumulation was also determined at 6, 12, and 18 months of age. TL decline was greater in animals randomized to maltreatment, but also interacted with biological mother group. Shorter TL at 6 months was associated with higher mean cortisol levels through 18 months (juvenile period) when controlling for relevant covariates. These results suggest that even under the equivalent social, nutritional, and environmental conditions feasible in naturalistic translational nonhuman primate models, early adverse caregiving results in lasting molecular scars that foreshadow elevated health risk and physiologic dysregulation.
Effects of pre- and postnatal maternal stress on infant temperament and autonomic nervous system reactivity and regulation in a diverse, low-income population
Nicole R. Bush, Karen Jones-Mason, Michael Coccia, Zoe Caron, Abbey Alkon, Melanie Thomas, Kim Coleman-Phox, Pathik D. Wadhwa, Barbara A. Laraia, Nancy E. Adler, Elissa S. Epel
We examined the prospective associations of objective and subjective measures of stress during pregnancy with infant stress reactivity and regulation, an early-life predictor of psychopathology. In a racially and ethnically diverse low-income sample of 151 mother–infant dyads, maternal reports of stressful life events (SLE) and perceived stress (PS) were collected serially over gestation and the early postpartum period. Infant reactivity and regulation at 6 months of age was assessed via maternal report of temperament (negativity, surgency, and regulation) and infant parasympathetic nervous system physiology (respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) during the Still Face Paradigm. Regression models predicting infant temperament showed higher maternal prenatal PS predicted lower surgency and self-regulation but not negativity. Regression models predicting infant physiology showed higher numbers of SLE during gestation predicted greater RSA reactivity and weaker recovery. Tests of interactions revealed SLE predicted RSA reactivity only at moderate to high levels of PS. Thus, findings suggest objective and subjective measures of maternal prenatal stress uniquely predict infant behavior and physiology, adjusting for key pre- and postnatal covariates, and advance the limited evidence for such prenatal programming within high-risk populations. Assessing multiple levels of maternal stress and offspring stress reactivity and regulation provides a richer picture of intergenerational transmission of adversity.
Positive maternal mental health during pregnancy associated with specific forms of adaptive development in early childhood: Evidence from a longitudinal study
Desiree Y. Phua, Michelle K. Z. L. Kee, Dawn X. P. Koh, Anne Rifkin-Graboi, Mary Daniels, Helen Chen, Yap Seng Chong, Birit F. P. Broekman, Iliana Magiati, Neerja Karnani, Michael Pluess, Michael J. Meaney, The Growing Up In Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes Study Group
The quality of prenatal maternal mental health, from psychological stress and depressive symptoms to anxiety and other nonpsychotic mental disorders, profoundly affects fetal neurodevelopment. Despite the evidence for the influence of positive mental well-being on health, there is, to our knowledge, no research examining the possible effects of positive antenatal mental health on the development of the offspring. Using exploratory bifactor analysis, this prospective study (n = 1,066) demonstrated the feasibility of using common psychiatric screening tools to examine the effect of positive maternal mental health. Antenatal mental health was assessed during 26th week of pregnancy. The effects on offspring were assessed when the child was 12, 18, and 24 months old. Results showed that positive antenatal mental health was uniquely associated with the offspring's cognitive, language and parentally rated competences. This study shows that the effects of positive maternal mental health are likely to be specific and distinct from the sheer absence of symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Immune and neuroendocrine correlates of temperament in infancy
Thomas G. O'Connor, Kristin Scheible, Ana Vallejo Sefair, Michelle Gilchrist, Emma Robertson Blackmore, Marcia A. Winter, Megan R. Gunnar, Claire Wyman, Jennifer Carnahan, Jan A. Moynihan, Mary T. Caserta
There is now a clear focus on incorporating, and integrating, multiple levels of analysis in developmental science. The current study adds to research in this area by including markers of the immune and neuroendocrine systems in a longitudinal study of temperament in infants. Observational and parent-reported ratings of infant temperament, serum markers of the innate immune system, and cortisol reactivity from repeated salivary collections were examined in a sample of 123 infants who were assessed at 6 months and again when they were, on average, 17 months old. Blood from venipuncture was collected for analyses of nine select innate immune cytokines; salivary cortisol collected prior to and 15 min and 30 min following a physical exam including blood draw was used as an index of neuroendocrine functioning. Analyses indicated fairly minimal significant associations between biological markers and temperament at 6 months. However, by 17 months of age, we found reliable and nonoverlapping associations between observed fearful temperament and biological markers of the immune and neuroendocrine systems. The findings provide some of the earliest evidence of robust biological correlates of fear behavior with the immune system, and identify possible immune and neuroendocrine mechanisms for understanding the origins of behavioral development.
Cumulative prenatal exposure to adversity reveals associations with a broad range of neurodevelopmental outcomes that are moderated by a novel, biologically informed polygenetic score based on the serotonin transporter solute carrier family C6, member 4 (SLC6A4) gene expression
Patrícia P. Silveira, Irina Pokhvisneva, Carine Parent, Shirong Cai, Anu Sathyan Sathyapalan Rema, Birit F. P. Broekman, Anne Rifkin-Graboi, Michael Pluess, Kieran J. O'Donnell, Michael J. Meaney
While many studies focus on the association between early life adversity and the later risk for psychopathology, few simultaneously explore diverse forms of environmental adversity. Moreover, those studies that examined the cumulative impact of early life adversity focus uniquely on postnatal influences. The objective of this study was to focus on the fetal period of development to construct and validate a cumulative prenatal adversity score in relation to a wide range of neurodevelopmental outcomes. We also examined the interaction of this adversity score with a biologically informed genetic score based on the serotonin transporter gene. Prenatal adversities were computed in two community birth cohorts using information on health during pregnancy, birth weight, gestational age, income, domestic violence/sexual abuse, marital strain, as well as maternal smoking, anxiety, and depression. A genetic score based on genes coexpressed with the serotonin transporter in the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex during prenatal life was constructed with an emphasis on functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms, that is, expression quantitative trait loci. Prenatal adversities predicted a wide range of developmental and behavioral alterations in children as young as 2 years of age in both cohorts. There were interactions between the genetic score and adversities for several domains of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), with pervasive developmental problems remaining significant adjustment for multiple comparisons. Scores combining different prenatal adverse exposures predict childhood behavior and interact with the genetic background to influence the risk for psychopathology.
Stress exposure and psychopathology alter methylation of the serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene in preschoolers
Stephanie H. Parade, Andrew M. Novick, Justin Parent, Ronald Seifer, Samantha J. Klaver, Carmen J. Marsit, Asi Polly Gobin, Bao-Zhu Yang, Audrey R. Tyrka
Serotonin signaling pathways play a key role in brain development, stress reactivity, and mental health. Epigenetic alterations in the serotonin system may underlie the effect of early life stress on psychopathology. The current study examined methylation of the serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) gene in a sample of 228 children including 119 with child welfare documentation of moderate to severe maltreatment within the last 6 months. Child protection records, semistructured interviews in the home, and parent reports were used to assess child stress exposure, psychiatric symptoms, and behavior. The HTR2A genotype and methylation of HTR2A were measured at two CpG sites (–1420 and –1224) from saliva DNA. HTR2A genotype was associated with HTR2A methylation at both CpG sites. HTR2A genotype also moderated associations of contextual stress exposure and HTR2A methylation at site –1420. Contextual stress was positively associated with –1420 methylation among A homozygotes, but negatively associated with –1420 methylation among G homozygotes. Posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder symptoms were negatively associated with methylation at –1420, but positively associated with methylation at –1224. Results support the view that the serotonin system is sensitive to stress exposure and psychopathology, and HTR2A methylation may be a mechanism by which early adversity is biologically encoded.
Change in FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) methylation over time among preschoolers with adversity
Stephanie H. Parade, Justin Parent, Kantoniony Rabemananjara, Ronald Seifer, Carmen J. Marsit, Bao-Zhu Yang, Huiping Zhang, Audrey R. Tyrka
FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) alters stress response system functioning, and childhood maltreatment is associated with methylation of the FKBP5 gene. Yet it is unknown if maltreatment contributes to change in FKBP5 methylation over time. The current study draws upon a sample of 231 preschoolers, including 123 with child welfare documentation of moderate to severe maltreatment in the past 6 months, to understand if maltreatment contributes to change in FKBP5 methylation over a 6-month period. Review of child protection records and semistructured interviews in the home were used to assess maltreatment and exposure to other contextual stressors, as well as service utilization. Methylation of FKBP5 at two CpG sites in intron 7 was measured from saliva DNA at the time of initial study enrollment, and 6 months following enrollment. Child maltreatment was associated with change in FKBP5 methylation over time, but only when children were exposed to high levels of other contextual stressors. Service utilization was associated with increases in methylation over time, but only among children with the FKPB5 rs1360780 protective CC genotype. Methylation of FKBP5 is sensitive to stress exposure and may be a mechanism linking early adversity to long-term health and developmental outcomes.
Dynamic stress-related epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter during early development: The role of child maltreatment
Justin Parent, Stephanie H. Parade, Laura E. Laumann, Kathryn K. Ridout, Bao-Zhu Yang, Carmen J. Marsit, Ronald Seifer, Audrey R. Tyrka
Epigenetics processes may play a vital role in the biological embedding of early environmental adversity and the development of psychopathology. Accumulating evidence suggests that maltreatment is linked to methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 (NR3C1), which is a key regulator of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis. However, prior work has been exclusively cross-sectional, greatly constraining our understanding of stress-related epigenetic processes over time. In the current study, we examined the effect of maltreatment and other adversity on change in NR3C1 methylation among at-risk preschoolers to begin to characterize within-child epigenetic changes during this sensitive developmental period. Participants were 260 preschoolers (3–5 years old, 53.8% female), including 51.5% with moderate to severe maltreatment in the past 6 months. Child protection records, semistructured interviews, and parent reports were used to assess child stress exposure. Methylation of exons 1D and 1F of NR3C1 via saliva DNA were measured at two time points approximately 6 months apart. Results indicate that maltreated children evidence higher baseline levels of NR3C1 methylation, significant decreases in methylation over time, and then at follow-up, lower levels of methylation, relative to nonmaltreated preschoolers. Findings from the current study highlight the complex nature of stress-related epigenetic processes during early development.
Exploring longitudinal associations between neighborhood disadvantage and cortisol levels in early childhood
Eric D. Finegood, Jason R. D. Rarick, Clancy Blair, The Family Life Project Investigators
Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience chronic stressors that generate "wear" on stress regulatory systems including the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. This can have long-term consequences for health and well-being. Prior research has examined the role of proximal family and home contributions to HPA axis functioning. However, there is evidence to suggest that more distal levels of context, including neighborhoods, also matter. Prior evidence has primarily focused on adolescents and adults, with little evidence linking the neighborhood context with HPA activity in infancy and toddlerhood. We tested whether neighborhood disadvantage (indexed by US Census data) was associated with basal salivary cortisol levels at 7, 15, and 24 months of child age in a large sample of families (N = 1,292) residing in predominately low-income and rural communities in the United States. Multilevel models indicated that neighborhood disadvantage was positively associated with salivary cortisol levels and that this effect emerged across time. This effect was moderated by the race/ethnicity of children such that the association was only observed in White children in our sample. Findings provide preliminary evidence that the neighborhood context is associated with stress regulation during toddlerhood, elucidating a need for future work to address possible mechanisms.
Variation in DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene predicts children's resilience to prenatal stress
Izabela Milaniak, Charlotte A. M. Cecil, Edward D. Barker, Caroline L. Relton, Tom R. Gaunt, Wendy McArdle, Sara R. Jaffee
Emerging research in epigenetics has shown that there is variability in how environmental exposures "get under the skin" through mechanisms like DNA methylation to influence gene expression that may lead to differential adaptations to stress. This is the first study to examine prospectively the relationship between DNA methylation at birth and resilience to prenatal environmental stressors in several domains (conduct, hyperactivity, emotional problems, and global symptomatology) in middle childhood. We focused on DNA methylation in the vicinity of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene as it has been previously associated with impairments in social–cognitive processes that may underlie a wide range of childhood psychopathology. Participants were 91 youth exposed to pre- and postnatal adversity with established conduct problem trajectories drawn from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Consistent with our hypothesis, OXTR DNA methylation was predictive of resilience in the conduct problems domain in middle childhood. DNA methylation profiles did not predict resilience in domains of emotional, hyperactivity, and global symptomatology, suggesting a potential role for OXTR in the development of conduct problems in particular. However, individuals who were resilient to conduct problems were also broadly resilient across multiple domains. Therefore, future research should elucidate the biological pathways between OXTR DNA methylation and gene expression and its relation to impairments in social behavior.
Reward sensitivity, impulse control, and social cognition as mediators of the link between childhood family adversity and externalizing behavior in eight countries
Jennifer E. Lansford, Jennifer Godwin, Marc H. Bornstein, Lei Chang, Kirby Deater-Deckard, Laura Di Giunta, Kenneth A. Dodge, Patrick S. Malone, Paul Oburu, Concetta Pastorelli, Ann T. Skinner, Emma Sorbring, Laurence Steinberg, Sombat Tapanya, Liane Peña Alampay, Liliana Maria Uribe Tirado, Suha M. Al-Hassan, Dario Bacchini
Using data from 1,177 families in eight countries (Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States), we tested a conceptual model of direct effects of childhood family adversity on subsequent externalizing behaviors as well as indirect effects through psychological mediators. When children were 9 years old, mothers and fathers reported on financial difficulties and their use of corporal punishment, and children reported perceptions of their parents' rejection. When children were 10 years old, they completed a computerized battery of tasks assessing reward sensitivity and impulse control and responded to questions about hypothetical social provocations to assess their hostile attributions and proclivity for aggressive responding. When children were 12 years old, they reported on their externalizing behavior. Multigroup structural equation models revealed that across all eight countries, childhood family adversity had direct effects on externalizing behaviors 3 years later, and childhood family adversity had indirect effects on externalizing behavior through psychological mediators. The findings suggest ways in which family-level adversity poses risk for children's subsequent development of problems at psychological and behavioral levels, situated within diverse cultural contexts.
A neurocomputational investigation of reinforcement-based decision making as a candidate latent vulnerability mechanism in maltreated children
Mattia I. Gerin, Vanessa B. Puetz, R. James R. Blair, Stuart White, Arjun Sethi, Ferdinand Hoffmann, Amy L. Palmer, Essi Viding, Eamon J. McCrory
Alterations in reinforcement-based decision making may be associated with increased psychiatric vulnerability in children who have experienced maltreatment. A probabilistic passive avoidance task and a model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging analytic approach were implemented to assess the neurocomputational components underlying decision making: (a) reinforcement expectancies (the representation of the outcomes associated with a stimulus) and (b) prediction error signaling (the ability to detect the differences between expected and actual outcomes). There were three main findings. First, the maltreated group (n = 18; mean age = 13), relative to nonmaltreated peers (n = 19; mean age = 13), showed decreased activity during expected value processing in a widespread network commonly associated with reinforcement expectancies representation, including the striatum (especially the caudate), the orbitofrontal cortex, and medial temporal structures including the hippocampus and insula. Second, consistent with previously reported hyperresponsiveness to negative cues in the context of childhood abuse, the maltreated group showed increased prediction error signaling in the middle cingulate gyrus, somatosensory cortex, superior temporal gyrus, and thalamus. Third, the maltreated group showed increased activity in frontodorsal regions and in the putamen during expected value representation. These findings suggest that early adverse environments disrupt the development of decision-making processes, which in turn may compromise psychosocial functioning in ways that increase latent vulnerability to psychiatric disorder.
Using an adoption–biological family design to examine associations between maternal trauma, maternal depressive symptoms, and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors
Aleksandria Perez Grabow, Atika Khurana, Misaki N. Natsuaki, Jenae M. Neiderhiser, Gordon T. Harold, Daniel S. Shaw, Jody M. Ganiban, David Reiss, Leslie D. Leve
Maternal trauma is a complex risk factor that has been linked to adverse child outcomes, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. This study, which included adoptive and biological families, examined the heritable and environmental mechanisms by which maternal trauma and associated depressive symptoms are linked to child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Path analyses were used to analyze data from 541 adoptive mother–adopted child (AM–AC) dyads and 126 biological mother–biological child (BM–BC) dyads; the two family types were linked through the same biological mother. Rearing mother's trauma was associated with child internalizing and externalizing behaviors in AM–AC and BM–BC dyads, and this association was mediated by rearing mothers' depressive symptoms, with the exception of biological child externalizing behavior, for which biological mother trauma had a direct influence only. Significant associations between maternal trauma and child behavior in dyads that share only environment (i.e., AM–AC dyads) suggest an environmental mechanism of influence for maternal trauma. Significant associations were also observed between maternal depressive symptoms and child internalizing and externalizing behavior in dyads that were only genetically related, with no shared environment (i.e., BM–AC dyads), suggesting a heritable pathway of influence via maternal depressive symptoms.
Threat vigilance and socioeconomic disparities in metabolic health
Camelia E. Hostinar, Kharah M. Ross, Meanne Chan, Edith Chen, Gregory E. Miller
A quarter of the global population meets diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS prevalence stratifies by socioeconomic status (SES), such that low SES is associated with higher MetS risk starting in childhood. Despite this trend, some low-SES children maintain good metabolic health across the life span, but the factors responsible for their resilience are not well understood. This study examined the role of threat vigilance as either a moderator or a mediator of the effects of low early life SES on adult metabolic risk. Three hundred twenty-five Canadians aged 15–55 participated (M = 36.4 years, SD = 10.7; 55.4% female). We coded parental occupational status between the ages of 0 and 5 to index early life SES. We used the International Diabetes Federation case definition for MetS based on waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride levels, HDL cholesterol, and glycosylated hemoglobin measures. Threat vigilance was assessed using the Weapons Identification Procedure, a visual discrimination paradigm that captures implicit perceptions of threat. Analyses supported the moderator hypothesis: low early life SES was associated with MetS diagnosis exclusively among those with high levels of threat vigilance. This suggests that low early life SES environments that heighten vigilance to threat might be particularly detrimental for metabolic health. Conversely, low threat vigilance may buffer against the metabolic risks associated with socioeconomic disadvantage.
Childhood maltreatment moderates the effect of combat exposure on cingulum structural integrity
Layla Banihashemi, Meredith L. Wallace, Lei K. Sheu, Michael C. Lee, Peter J. Gianaros, Robert P. Mackenzie, Salvatore P. Insana, Anne Germain, Ryan J. Herringa
Limbic white matter pathways link emotion, cognition, and behavior and are potentially malleable to the influences of traumatic events throughout development. However, the impact of interactions between childhood and later life trauma on limbic white matter pathways has yet to be examined. Here, we examined whether childhood maltreatment moderated the effect of combat exposure on diffusion tensor imaging measures within a sample of military veterans (N = 28). We examined five limbic tracts of interest: two components of the cingulum (cingulum, cingulate gyrus, and cingulum hippocampus [CGH]), the uncinate fasciculus, the fornix/stria terminalis, and the anterior limb of the internal capsule. Using effect sizes, clinically meaningful moderator effects were found only within the CGH. Greater combat exposure was associated with decreased CGH fractional anisotropy (overall structural integrity) and increased CGH radial diffusivity (perpendicular water diffusivity) among individuals with more severe childhood maltreatment. Our findings provide preliminary evidence of the moderating effect of childhood maltreatment on the relationship between combat exposure and CGH structural integrity. These differences in CGH structural integrity could have maladaptive implications for emotion and memory, as well as provide a potential mechanism by which childhood maltreatment induces vulnerability to later life trauma exposure.
Effects of early institutionalization on emotion processing in 12-year-old youth
Johanna Bick, Rhiannon Luyster, Nathan A. Fox, Charles H. Zeanah, Charles A. Nelson
We examined facial emotion recognition in 12-year-olds in a longitudinally followed sample of children with and without exposure to early life psychosocial deprivation (institutional care). Half of the institutionally reared children were randomized into foster care homes during the first years of life. Facial emotion recognition was examined in a behavioral task using morphed images. This same task had been administered when children were 8 years old. Neutral facial expressions were morphed with happy, sad, angry, and fearful emotional facial expressions, and children were asked to identify the emotion of each face, which varied in intensity. Consistent with our previous report, we show that some areas of emotion processing, involving the recognition of happy and fearful faces, are affected by early deprivation, whereas other areas, involving the recognition of sad and angry faces, appear to be unaffected. We also show that early intervention can have a lasting positive impact, normalizing developmental trajectories of processing negative emotions (fear) into the late childhood/preadolescent period.
Child temperament and teacher relationship interactively predict cortisol expression: The prism of classroom climate
Danielle S. Roubinov, Melissa J. Hagan, W. Thomas Boyce, Marilyn J. Essex, Nicole R. Bush
Entry into kindergarten is a developmental milestone that children may differentially experience as stressful, with implications for variability in neurobiological functioning. Guided by the goodness-of-fit framework, this study tested the hypothesis that kindergarten children's (N = 338) daily cortisol would be affected by the "match" or "mismatch" between children's temperament and qualities of the classroom relational context. The robustness of these associations was also explored among a separate sample of children in third grade (N = 165). Results among kindergarten children showed negative affectivity and overcontrolled temperament were positively related to cortisol expression within classrooms characterized by lower levels of teacher motivational support, but there was no relation between temperament and cortisol when motivational support was higher. Among third-grade children, negative affectivity was marginally positively related to cortisol at lower levels of teacher–child closeness and unrelated at higher levels of teacher–child closeness. Findings suggest children's cortisol expression depends on the extent to which specific temperamental characteristics "fit" within the relational and contextual qualities of the classroom environment, particularly as children navigate the new roles and relationships that emerge during the transition to formal schooling. Developmentally informed neurobiological research in classrooms may contribute to tailored programmatic efforts to support children's school adjustment.
Dimensions of childhood adversity have distinct associations with neural systems underlying executive functioning
Margaret A. Sheridan, Matthew Peverill, Amy S. Finn, Katie A. McLaughlin
Childhood adversity is associated with increased risk for psychopathology. Neurodevelopmental pathways underlying this risk remain poorly understood. A recent conceptual model posits that childhood adversity can be deconstructed into at least two underlying dimensions, deprivation and threat, that are associated with distinct neurocognitive consequences. This model argues that deprivation (i.e., a lack of cognitive stimulation and learning opportunities) is associated with poor executive function (EF), whereas threat is not. We examine this hypothesis in two studies measuring EF at multiple levels: performance on EF tasks, neural recruitment during EF, and problems with EF in daily life. In Study 1, deprivation (low parental education and child neglect) was associated with greater parent-reported problems with EF in adolescents (N = 169; 13–17 years) after adjustment for levels of threat (community violence and abuse), which were unrelated to EF. In Study 2, low parental education was associated with poor working memory (WM) performance and inefficient neural recruitment in the parietal and prefrontal cortex during high WM load among adolescents (N = 51, 13–20 years) after adjusting for abuse, which was unrelated to WM task performance and neural recruitment during WM. These findings constitute strong preliminary evidence for a novel model of the neurodevelopmental consequences of childhood adversity.
Methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 (NR3C1), in maltreated and nonmaltreated children: Associations with behavioral undercontrol, emotional lability/negativity, and externalizing and internalizing symptoms
Dante Cicchetti, Elizabeth D. Handley
The present study examined the effect of various dimensions of child maltreatment (i.e., developmental timing of maltreatment, number of maltreatment subtypes, and chronicity of maltreatment) on methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 (NR3C1), and investigated the associations between NR3C1 methylation and child outcomes. Participants included 534 children who attended a research summer camp program for school-aged maltreated (53.4%) and nonmaltreated (46.6%) children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Results show that children with early onset maltreatment evidence significant hypermethylation compared to nonmaltreated children. Moreover, more maltreatment subtypes experienced and more chronic maltreatment are both related to greater NR3C1 hypermethylation. Findings also indicate that hypermethylation of NR3C1 is linked with a number of negative child outcomes including greater emotional lability–negativity, higher levels of ego undercontrol, more externalizing behavior, and greater depressive symptoms. Together, results highlight the role of methylation of NR3C1 in the effects of child maltreatment on the development of emotion dysregulation and psychopathology.


Posted originally to Eurasia Future on 21 March 2019.
For Israel, the failure to oust the Iran and Hezbollah-aligned Syrian government has arguably marked the last nail in the coffin for the hyper-aggressive 'Yinon Plan' style geostrategic strategy it employed from the early 80s. However, Israel's new path forward toward its unachieved goals – mainly, bringing down Iran is already under-way and new states may soon find themselves directly relevant to Israeli ambitions.
Yemen is one such state, and Pakistan may become one soon as well in the future.
According to leaks in 2016 to the Israeli media from Israeli security circles, the two also signed a covert memorandum in 2014 on joint military cooperation in several regions of strategic interest which included joint drills on two Red Sea islands Egypt had handed over to the Saudis.
The move by Egypt, which in 2013 saw a military coup with the Saudis' blessing and support establish the rule of highly pro-Saudi military man Abdel Fattah al Sisi, came during Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz's visit to Egypt in April of 2016 and was followed mere days later by the leaks regarding the 2014 MoU. Israel's Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon had publicly approved of the deal immediately, stating that Israel and Egypt's 1979 Camp David accord was not violated by Egypt transferring the islands of Sanafir and Tiran to the Saudis.
Iran has not been proven to be materially involved in the Yemen War, and indeed it has denied such allegations whilst providing public statements in favour of the Ansarullah faction (known often as the 'Houthis', and followers of Zaydism and not Twelver Shi'ism as is often assumed). This does not, however, mean the Yemen War is not of great importance to it for a number of reasons that should bear heavily in the minds of the Iranian leadership.
Iran's capability to block the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, through which 40% of the world's oil and gas shipments pass from GCC states have to pass through en route to the rest of the world, in the scenario of an attack on itself has made the prospects of an Iran invasion perilous enough to prevent the US trying to do it. Utilizing its ballistic missiles against the Gulf Arab states' water desalination plants on the coast as well as their ports and off-shore pipelines is also a deadly last-resort route Iran could take if faced with an invasion. Attacking Iran would rapidly take down not only the GCC with it, but also cripple industry, transport and essentially modern life the world over thus making many countries genuinely invested in preventing war with Iran.
The preoccupation of Saudi Arabia and Israel – as well as the UAE – with Yemen becomes clearer in lieu of this. The wide and expansive coastline of Yemen on the Gulf of Aden, opening into the Arabian Sea, provides an ideal location for the GCC states to build modern ports and redirect the energy shipments they, especially the Saudis, rely on so much for their wealth away from having to use the Strait of Hormuz to enter global shipping routes. This would weaken Iran's trump card in the event of an invasion and make it less economically unfeasible for the USA – still pushed virtually perpetually by Israel via its lobby to attack Iran regardless of the consequences – and any willing partners to invade it.
The Red Sea islands being handed over to the Saudis was thus likely part and parcel of the behind-the-scenes Israeli-Saudi planning centered around Yemen. The Saudi intervention in Yemen starting in March of 2015 – characterized by indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure and a blockade on the country causing a mass starvation crisis – has been openly blessed by Benjamin Netanyahu who claimed in typically irrational fashion that Iran intended to 'block the straits of Bab al Mandeb'. The reason behind the lazy suggestion was obvious; to create a pretext for Israel's involvement in Yemen by raising the spectre of the Iran bogeyman. Israel has also trained mercenaries used by the GCC in Yemen.
Despite Ansarullah not having any working relations with the Iranians (or being able to, given the blockade), their despising of Zionism is evident in their rhetoric and their resistance mentality strongly parallels that of Iran. Israel's Bab al Mandeb concerns instead have Ansarullah, which possesses ballistic missiles, at their epicentre regardless of Iran.
The GCC's aggression covering those straits and focusing on key Yemeni ports is hence of obvious benefit to the Israelis and ties in perfectly to the closer understanding established with Israel vis-à-vis the Red Sea, itself a highly important waterway for global shipping. Securing Yemen with a pro-GCC, pro-Israel status quo would not only enable the utilization of the Yemeni coastline to divert GCC shipping away from the Strait of Hormuz but would also create a situation where Israel and the GCC could, under one pretext or the other, shut off the access of Iranian ships to the Red Sea. This would stop them reaching the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and onward to the European markets some in the Iranian government seem to still entertain hopes about tapping into. Such red lines are not something the Israelis are unwilling to cross, and Iran knows it.
The game to secure Yemen and the broader Gulf of Aden and to militarize the important shipping routes is clearly on. But, as Israel and the GCC work toward making Iran more attack-able through their ventures in Yemen, another potential front for stoking conflict with Iran lays beyond what is typically considered the Middle East region.
A look at Pakistan's 900 km long, poorly-manned border with Iran would tempt Israeli strategists to compliment their Yemen strategy seeking to neutralize Iran's Strait of Hormuz trump card in the event of war with a heated up Balochistan front as well.
The mostly barren and open region, in the event of Pakistani complicity in such designs, could replicate the utility that the Turkish and western Iraqi fronts served Israel, the US and the GCC when they threw the kitchen sink at the Syrian government. Baloch separatist groups, with a very small population to draw recruitment from, would be a more potent weapon with states at their back capable of and known for using mercenary proxies.
In what is an under-highlighted phenomenon in South and West Asian geopolitics, the Balochistan region is not only the scene of anti-Iranian terrorist groups supported by the Israelis but a much larger and more active role by India in supporting Baloch separatists against Pakistan. India's close ties military-strategic ties with Israel, as described in a recent article by Robert Fisk, and India's proactive strategic understanding with the US vis-à-vis 'containing' China from the naval and military perspective weigh heavier than its economic relations with Iran and it could be a serious asset in destabilizing Balochistan.
While Pakistan is not complicit in anti-Iranian terrorism which utilizes its wild territory – albeit a few emotional Iranian generals claimed so days after the 13 February murder of 27 IRGC by Takfiri groups – it has not shown signs of recognizing the potential destabilization of the region by highly powerful anti-Iranian actors. While Pakistan has made visible efforts in the past despite its preoccupation with the Indian and Afghan fronts to act against such groups on its soil, such as helping Iran capture the chief of MOSSAD-backed Jundullah in 2010, it seems oblivious to the possibility that the GCC, with whom it shares close ties, would likely choose Israel and the US over Pakistani concerns in deciding to use Balochistan against Iran.
Pakistan also recently rescued 4 abducted Iranian soldiers after locating and attacking a hideout Jundullah's successor Jaish al Adl was holding them in. The terrorists, who had entered Pakistan from the Afghan border with the Iranian guards captive, had kidnapped 12 IRGC in October last year of which 5 were previously freed by Pakistan in November. Notably, the rescue came days after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised Iran of 'good news' over a week ago.
Iran has itself been somewhat guilty of 'sleeping on the job' when it comes to Balochistan's security. Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav was discovered and captured by Pakistani security services in March 2016 when he crossed the Iran border into Pakistani Balochistan. Tasked with supporting Baloch separatists – who India openly supports and provides a wealth of curiously Hindi-speaking 'Baloch' Twitter accounts to advocate for – as well as sectarian groups targeting Pakistani Shias, Yadav had operated out of Chabahar, Iran, under the cover of a businessman with an authentic Indian passportbearing a fake, Muslim-sounding name.
Iran did not back up India's immediate claims Yadav was an innocent man kidnapped from Iranian territory and considering its eagerness to get the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline underway it is difficult to theorize that it would agree to destabilizing the region. It is obvious enough Iran was not complicit in his activities. Iran however, has not raised the issue with India thus far and instead chosen to repeatedly invoke Saudi Arabia's alleged involvement on the Pakistani side.
Iran's decision to verbally pressurize the Pakistani side and shoehorn the Saudis into the Balochistan issue rather than take the issue of Yadav up with India could potentially engender suspicions on the Pakistani side. It represents, for Pakistanis in the post-Yadav capture scenario, an Iranian posture demanding Pakistan do its bit yet ignoring its own duties despite Iran's generally shrewd and sensible stance on security issues.
Moreover, Iran seems oblivious of the reasons for the US offering sanctions waivers to India for its investments in Iran which involve operating the Chabahar Port and building transport infrastructure to supply its goods to Afghanistan and beyond. India, the USA's '100 year-long partner', quite obviously does not choose economies such as Iran and Afghanistan for such large and long-term investments based on them being ideal investment environments – far from it. It seeks, instead, hegemony over Pakistan, especially in Afghanistan's affairs.
India, who received a bloody nose in the aerial dogfights between itself and Pakistan that took off after its 'surgical strikes' debacle (airstrikes it claimed killed many 'terrorists' but in truth struck trees and rocks) in the early hours of 25 February, has been alleged by Pakistani government officials to have been plotting launch missiles at it in a joint strike with Israel.
An Iran on adequately high alert would immediately question why its biggest rivals, whose policies toward attempting to cripple its economy and especially its energy exports are as aggressive as they come, have found such agreement with India's Iran-Afghanistan trade corridor. More importantly, Iran not extending its clear understanding of where US hostility toward it emanates from – the Israel Lobby – and thus demanding explanations of Israel's Indian partner regarding its activities in Balochistan represents folly on its part. The possibility that leftover networks and contacts Yadav facilitated contribute to anti-Iran groups alongside the anti-Pakistan ones should be startling for the IRGC.
As the author outlines in this analysis of Pakistan-Iran relations, the uncanny Israeli lobby influence on the US Treasury Department's sanctions offices means that Israel despite its long history of advocating the toughest sanctions on Iran has made an exception for India's trade corridor there. Knowing Israel, whose officially registered lobby on Capitol Hill AIPAC authored the first sanctions on Iran in the 90s to begin with, Israel not attempting to render Chabahar Port devoid of partners signals that it sees advantage in a powerful Indian presence in the vital Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
A powerful India with strategic depth in Afghanistan and Balochistan would be good for Israel and the US and bad for both Pakistan and Iran.
India's own Afghanistan ambitions involve using its close ties to the US-backed Kabul regime to foster anti-Pakistan Baloch separatist groups there, and India's state, media and political spectrum have already demonstrated with their recent brinkmanship with Pakistan that they make it an ideally aggressive partner for Israel in the region.
While it refused to become part of the GCC's war on Yemen in 2015, Pakistan does not demonstrate cognizance of the extent of the involvement of the GCC in Middle East turmoil which has its origins rooted in Tel Aviv.
The survival-oriented Iranian leadership, whose Resistance approach has strengthened it in the Middle East with several strategic victories, would do well to constructively engage the more economy-focused Pakistani government and ensure that the GCC – major investors in Pakistan – faces stiff refusal by the Pakistani side to use Balochistan against Iran.
The Pakistani military, which began the process of enhancing ties with the Iranians following the Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa's visit to Tehran in November 2017, more enshrines the survival mentality that Iran would ideally look for in a partner to keep the Balochistan front under close watch. Its own vast experience with counter-terror and counter-insurgency, accumulated through the multiple operations launched against Takfiri groups that once plagued its northwest and the region bordering Afghanistan, would be an asset to the Iranians if more tactful rhetoric is applied by the latter toward Pakistan.
Iran and Pakistan's mutual duties in organizing their priorities toward ensuring security thus parallel one another; Iran must acknowledge the close ties of India with Israel and Pakistan must acknowledge the close ties of the GCC with Israel even though the GCC is not involved in Balochistan and Afghanistan the way India is yet.
Managing to increase Iranian insecurity in the Persian Gulf region simultaneously with bolstering anti-Iranian groups in Balochistan – and targeting Pakistan as well – would be a gain for the Israelis possibly big enough to offset their failures in the Levant. To deny them the chance to do so is vital for both Iran and Pakistan.
"albeit a few emotional Iranian generals" – that was to say the least dealt lightly given how imprudent Tehran's tirade was!


Leigh Phillips of DMeurope has just published an article describing Nokia's upcoming Lifeblog software. Despite the name, Nokia is claiming Lifeblog is not blogging software. Righty-o. Instead, Lifeblog has been described as a "total experience application". This sounds fulfilling. The Lifeblog software is about logging your life. The software organizes all the messages, images, videos and sound clips people capture with their mobile phones. "The mobile telephone is becoming a life recorder," said Christian Lindholm, former head of user interfaces at Nokia. "People are gatherers," he said, "somewhere deep in the genes there's something that tells us to collect stuff." Christian has posted the following on his personal blog: I will try to correct some initial misunderstandings circulating in blogs, before everyones expectations are raised too high and we cause dissapointment to our users and ourseleves.
Nokia Lifeblog is not a blogging tool, it is a logging tool or as we prefer to call it a multimedia diary.
Initially the Nokia Lifeblog will not be available for the Nokia 6620, but some other terminal.
Q: Why a logging tool or as Nokia prefer to call it a multimedia diary? A: Nokia feels that blogging is a subset of your electronic life, not the whole life, hence our focus on the PC initially. The first version will not have any features enabling blogging (you can send e-mail from PC version, but I do not call that blogging).
Q: Why does Nokia call it Lifeblog? A: We added the 'b' in front of the 'log' as we wanted the name signal a longer term intent. Nokia mission is conncet people and that is what blogs do.


There are two landscape images I've vowed never to take in WA – one is the boat-shed over the river in Crawley the other is the Pinnacles. I caved in on the Pinnacles. Fortunately the day we were there was heavily overcast, with some patches of lighter cloud so there was an interesting eerie light over the site. I was keen not to come home with captures of those golden pillars under a striking blue sky – the world really doesn't need any more of those.
It was my first visit there and it made a great over-nighter from Perth. We stayed in Cervantes before heading back the next day, stopping in at some places we bypassed the day before.
Looking forward to getting out that way again soon. More Pinnacles photos under landscape images. (I'm standing firm on the Crawley Boat shed pledge though).
This cutie came to say goodbye as we were packing up to leave our chalet in Margaret River. The young kookaburra was patient enough to wait while I leapt inside, grabbed my camera, changed lenses, then tripped around the porch trying to look inconspicuous.


In a nutshell, recruitment is three rounds (Philanthropy, Sisterhood, and Preference) and one heck of a long week. There is a LOT that goes in to this whole process: what to say, what not to say, practicing chants, grabbing girls at the door, what to wear, how to vote, etc… the list goes on.
To be honest, I was somewhat dreading this whole recruitment process going in to it. I have never had to experience fall recruitment (since I rushed in the spring of my sophomore year and went abroad fall of my junior year), and I was hoping I could magically get out of this whole process. However, that was not going to happen, so I put on a happy face and participated. Surprisingly, I learned a whole lot about recruitment that I never knew before.
PNM – Potential New Member. Any girl who's not Greek already.
Rush Crush – A girl you fall in love with during recruitment and NEED to have her in your sorority. Seriously, you'd give your left arm to give this girl a bid.
Bid Day – The end of recruitment when the new girls get a bid to join your sorority and run to your group on a big lawn where everyone is freaking out hugging each other and taking pictures throwing up their "gang" sign with their hands.
With all sarcasm aside, there is a point to posting about the end of recruitment. I've never considered myself a "sorority girl." Ever. But I can sincerely say that this recruitment process has opened my eyes to a deeper understanding of what it means to be in a sisterhood. I had my reservations before joining a sorority, and a few more even after getting in. As much as I was not looking forward to recruitment training and rush week, this entire process has helped me understand how strong and supportive these girls are. Alpha Gamma Delta is more than just girls going to parties and hanging out. I've learned quickly that some of these girls will jump in front of a moving car for me. They can tell when something's wrong and I haven't spoken a word to them yet. They are there to share my happiness, but also support me during harder times.
I don't want this post to sound cliché, but AGD recruitment has changed my outlook on sorority sisterhood. It has reminded me why I'm choosing to stick with the chapter through my senior year. The last round, Preference, is a truly special ceremony when our select final groups of PNMs come in one last time before making a decision. We make this round serious, and have the opportunity to connect on a deeper level with a PNM we have invited back. After this heartfelt conversation, usually involving tears, the girls in our chapter have a special ceremony where we play "You Make It Real" by James Morrison, and pass around a candle. I'm not one to really get emotional about this stuff, but there was an energy in the room that I couldn't help but embrace. Looking around at all my sisters with tears in their eyes, I found myself tearing up too with my heart about to burst out of my chest. The love, passion and sincerity that everyone feels for this sisterhood is something that is hard to describe with words. Finally I can say that I felt that same deeper connection to Alpha Gamma Delta that I was trying hard to find.
Bid day is now over and a group of 32 new "babies" has joined our chapter. I'm really looking forward to getting to know each one. Everyone is raving about the new pledge class already! I will say that the bid day event was a bit anticlimactic in my opinion, but it was great to see how happy the new girls were to join our sisterhood. While I was upset that my "rush crush" ran to another sorority, I learned that everything happens for a reason and girls end up with the chapter that will be best for them. I'm still a little bitter about the computer/voting system works, but we can't change much now.
I'm really looking forward to this semester with our new "baby squirrels" to see how our chapter can help them grow and also see how our chapter can grow from them.
That's all for now. More updates about our new girls to come soon. Now it's time to go friend 32 new girls on Facebook and welcome them to Alpha Gamma Delta!


You may have experienced bunions at some point in your life. Also known as Hallux Valgus (not the name of some Harry Potter wizardly spell), these painful bony bumps that develop at the big toe joint can really be no fun at all.
You may wonder where the heck they come from, and whether any possible treatments exist.
Dr Sean Ng, an experienced Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon with a special interest in Sports Surgery, Minimally Invasive Foot & Ankle Surgery, hosted a DxD Session and shed some light on these pesky nuisances.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but bunions don't just vanish. According to Dr Sean, they will not reverse, or go back to their normal shape (so deal with them).
If surgery isn't your thing, you could use bunion straps (special velcro straps that attempt to correct the deformity and hold it in place).
Bunion straps have to be worn as long as possible (ie: 24/7). However, they don't reverse the bunion at all. The deformity comes back once the straps are removed.
Want another temporary fix? Some patients also use a toe spacer (a piece of soft silicone that is placed between the big and second toes, to hold them apart). Finding the right footwear can be an issue when it comes to using spacers.
What is bunion removal surgery like?
So what happens during a bunion surgery procedure in Singapore, and what is it like as a patient undergoing this ordeal?
Well, there's either the traditional open method or a keyhole/minimally invasive surgery method.
Dr Sean recommends a keyhole correction as a first option. It's less painful than the traditional "open" method and comes with less risk of infection, bleeding and damage.
Is it risky? Scary? Both?
Although cutting open your deformed foot sounds scary, today, experienced doctors combined with medical developments have made it a much less terrifying ordeal.
It is generally a very safe procedure. Risks will include surgical and anaesthetic risks, which are usually only between 1-2%.
How painful is a bunion removal procedure?
Pain is very subjective. There are, however, ways to attempt reducing discomfort and pain.
More pain is typically expected from a longer and larger wound. Medication after the procedure is there to help reduce inflammation (and pain).
In general, pain from a keyhole surgery is less than that of the traditional method.
There are patients who do not complain of any pain at all after surgery, or at most, just slight discomfort.
According to Dr Sean, it is worth probing doctors on their experience and number of cases. It's important that you choose a surgeon that you feel comfortable with, so that you trust the decisions he/she makes for you.
Almost all orthopaedic surgeons know how to do a standard "open" bunion correction, but an experienced one can suggest and perform other types of surgical correction that might be suitable for the patient.
Most patients usually have mild to moderate bunions, and keyhole/minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is one of the best bunion correction measures.
However, this requires highly specialized skills and because of this, looking for a surgeon can be a little like searching for a fabled unicorn.
Before the procedure, pre-operative investigations and fitness for surgery are of utmost importance.
These can include blood tests, ECG, a chest X-ray, and more. While waiting for the surgery, you should do things to reduce the chances of the bunion getting worse.
After the procedure, start walking again slowly. Patients may be able to bear weight immediately (the same day after surgery) but should expect some discomfort.
As the pain improves with each passing day, you should be completely back to strutting around like your usual self (maybe without the breakdancing just yet).
Take care of the wound(s) and keep the dressings dry. A cast protector may be a good idea for when you take showers, so that wounds don't get worse.
To sum up, bunions are not just annoying, but rather, they can gradually get more annoying as time goes by. If you are on the lookout for the best corrective measures, consider Dr Sean's advice. Your foot might just thank you for it.


Baghdad, 9 June 2017 – Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Ján Kubiš, strongly condemned today's suicide bombing in Musayib District in northern Babel.
"The terrorists continue to disregard the Holy Month of Ramadan and continue to murder innocent people. This shows how cowardly they are," SRSG Kubiš said.
"No matter what they do, the resolve of the Iraqi people will not wane and the terrorists will be defeated in the end," he added.
"My condolences go the families of the victims and my wishes for a speedy recovery go to the wounded," he further added.


text:
The term 'Website'' or 'us' or 'we' refers to the owner of the website (Vacation Money) and their affiliate sites (under the same domain www.vacationmoney.co.uk/) whose registered office is Vacation Money - 1 Cedar Square, Blackpool, FY1 1BP.
Vacation Money is a trading name for Gemcabin Ltd Gemcabin Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 1786166 | AML number 12112981 The term 'you' refers to the user or viewer of our website.
By using this Website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Vacation Money's relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.
This website uses cookies to monitor browsing preferences. If you do allow cookies to be used, this information tracks your site usage and cannot be used to identify you personally.
© 2019 Vacation Money. | Terms & Conditions | Website Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | About Us


The project envisages the construction of a residential complex with apartments and commercial spaces on the ground level in the old city centre of Tbilisi.
Fides Consulting has provided to the client a complete set of engineering and construction services including architectural and design services, construction supervision and project management, selection of subcontractors and construction materials, HSE services and other related consulting services.
Since the early concept phase of the project, Fides Consulting has provided professional assistance in project management to ensure successful completion at high quality standards.
© 2017 - 2019 Ltd "Fides Consulting". All rights reserved.