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January 17, 2019 FinTech and Alternative Finance, Fintech International, Fintech Interviews and Podcasts, Innovation and Resources No comments
Why Open Banking Represents a Seismic Shift for Fintech
Wharton | University of Pennsylvania | Jan 16, 2019
Open banking, a collaborative model in which banking data is shared with third-party players, is expected to revolutionize the financial services ecosystem. For consumers, the opening up of banking data could mean better control over their finances. At the same time, the trend has also raised concerns over data privacy and security.
In a conversation with Knowledge@Wharton, Jane Barratt, chief advocacy officer at MX, a Utah-based company that provides data to financial institutions and fintechs, talks about how open banking will impact legacy institutions as well as nimble startups.
Knowledge@Wharton: What is open banking? What are some of the factors that have led to the opening up of banking data to make it shareable via secure APIs [application programming interface] with third parties?
Jane Barratt: Over the past decade or so, we have seen open government and other open initiatives. There's an expectation now of increased transparency. The idea of people sharing their data — their financial data — is not a new one. It's happening, and it's happening with methods that aren't necessarily private or secure or transparent. People don't really know where their data is going. Open banking is basically accessing the APIs that the financial institutions use to get greater transparency into your own data, and then being able to share that, with your consent and permission of course, with third parties of your choice.
See: MoF Consultation (Deadline Feb 11): Department of Finance Canada Launches Consultations on Open Banking
Knowledge@Wharton: Could you give some examples of how this is happening, both in the U.S. and in other parts of the world?
Barratt: The U.S. is in the early stages of having an ecosystem built around open banking. Europe has had PSD2 [the revised Payment Services Directive]. You've got open banking in the U.K. European banks have a head start on the U.S. in terms of getting the frameworks and the technology in place.
There have been some gaps in terms of understanding by the general public about what open banking actually is. If there is a use case for sharing your data, most people understand. "I can use it to share data with my accountant or a budgeting app." Or, "I don't have to manually share my data through a statement or [by] writing it down for them." But the ecosystem around it is still coalescing.
When you look at Europe or Australia, for example, or potentially Canada and Mexico, these are countries that are leading with regulators. Regulators and governments have come together, and they have a strong seat at the table. Australia has a singular consumer data right — not rights. It's just the data right, which is that it's yours. They're starting with open banking as the first vertical, and then moving into energy and telecommunications. You can see your usage and pricing and competitive offers.
"There's a lot of talk of the customers being at the center of everything we do, but organization charts do not reflect that."
And you can see information that often used to be behind the scenes within institutions. The U.S. is much more of an industry-led solution versus a government-led solution. It is by far the most complex banking model in the world. There is a lot of momentum, but it's still relatively early days.
Knowledge@Wharton: What changes do you think open APIs will bring to banks' organizational structures and also their competitive positions in the market?
Barratt: From the early days of digital, I used to joke, "Show me a website, and I can draw you your org chart," because it was always laid out by division and byproduct. There's a lot of talk of the customers being at the center of everything we do, but organization charts do not reflect that. You now have companies investing heavily in, say, data lakes. These tell us where our customers are and what they do. I think that will start to coalesce around organizational changes.
For instance, who is driving the structure of this? Who is extracting the intelligence from it? How is it being put to work? That's a more sensible organizational approach than every division having their own databases and CRM and all of the different product databases. It has gotten very messy over the years. Hopefully, true data centricity will come about through how data is collected and what tools are layered on top of it, and all this will help the end customer.
See: Fintech firms want to shake up banking, and that worries the Fed
We have some data on return on investment from both the institutional perspective and the individual perspective. We have seen that when someone can access their data and is given access to tools, their financial strength improves. Institutions spend a lot of money acquiring customers and cross-selling to customers. Instead of this, institutions could focus on reducing high-interest debt, increasing deposits and moving customers up the value chain to higher value products.
There is now so much more competition [to be the] customer's primary financial institution — even Amazon could be a peer at some point soon. If financial institutions can organize themselves around customer outcomes, they will be able to retain that primary financial institution status. But if they continue to just cross-sell a bunch of products, then it's going to be [downhill] for them.
Knowledge@Wharton: Will a platform strategy be profitable for incumbent banks that own most of the deposit and lending market share?
Barratt: Banks are already platforms, especially institutions that have multiple product lines around insurance and deposits and lending. They just haven't acknowledged it yet. It's not that big of a stretch to put a level of intelligence on top of it with which people can engage. At present, the language is still around segments. For instance, if you're newly married, you're put in that segment. But your financial profile may be the same as a boomer because you've inherited money or you've got good financial habits and you've got good savings. And then you have boomers who have the same profiles as millennials.
It's only when you get to a platform level that you can extract the intelligence around who a person is based on their true profile. Who I am with my credit card company is different from who I am with my insurance company, or who I am with my primary institution. No one has given me a really great reason to connect all of them. And that is the platform that an institution could be, because they have the biggest advantage out of anyone in the ecosystem, which is trust.
I've trusted you all this time with my money. I could trust you with my data. There is a great quote from Walter Wriston, who was the CEO and chairman of Citicorp in the 1970s. He said, "Information about money is as valuable as the money itself." An institution could be a major value-add player in the data-as-currency space. No one's talking about this as yet. It could be a seismic shift in the industry.
Knowledge@Wharton: How should challenger banks position themselves in this environment?
Barratt: Challenger banks have done a great job in different countries, to varying degrees. They have done a good job of being more digitally savvy. That has been their value proposition. "I'm going to give you a better app. I'm going to give you a better experience. I'm going to give you better transparency."
See: Passion For Banking Innovation Fueled By Fintech, Big Tech Disruptors
They haven't necessarily invested in their brands or in the trust. As your financial life becomes more complex, are you going to trust your deposit account with your mortgage or insurance provider? It's still early days to be able to point to a challenger, but I think there are some examples of players who have done an amazing job, like Aspiration out of Los Angeles, which is a values-led bank.
"The newer players are telling compelling stories and offering compelling digital experiences."
Knowledge@Wharton: What are some of the key lessons that the bigger institutions could learn from them?
Barratt: It's about being able to tell a stronger story. There is a genuine human need to understand the story behind companies with which you do business. The newer players are telling compelling stories and offering compelling digital experiences. Of course, bigger institutions can do it. They can micro-target it down to the individual if they wanted to and tell a story that's great for me. It's just that organizationally they're not set up for it at this point in time.
Knowledge@Wharton: Is the introduction of APIs going to bring improvements in banking services? If so, what might be some examples?
Barratt: Definitely. We are seeing giant institutions engaging in a deep way with the ecosystem from a contractual perspective. The data aggregators, who have traditionally been the middle men between the fintechs and the APIs, are doing a lot more direct connection. People no longer have to share their credentials. Out into the ecosystem, you can now have much more secure, token-led engagements.
What some of the institutions are doing is that they are opening up their internal APIs. It's not heavy lifting for them. You can't see everything. But they're getting out there quickly, and they are then seeing how the data moves.
For them, it's less around, "Let's make this a uni-directional flow of data." It's very much the expectation that it's bi-directional. And if I can get the incentive to connect my investments, insurance, etc. back to my primary institution, they're in a much better place to be able to service me.
See: RBC first Canadian bank to open an API developer portal
Knowledge@Wharton: What do you think are the biggest challenges of open banking for both banks and for their customers?
Barratt: With increased transparency, there is definitely increased risk. There is an expectation that the industry should be able to solve these challenges and risks — because that's what we've been doing. But there is a nefarious element to the financial services industry, and so [the question is] with more open data, is there more chance for more scammers, for example? The answer generally — and in theory — should be no, because the personally identifiable information (PII) is taken out. All I've done is to allow someone to have a look at my transactions. That's not going to track back to me. So, the risk element from privacy and transparency should be reduced. However, there are some very creative scammers out there.
Guest Post | Jan 27 2023 Starting a business in the Asian market can be an exciting and rewarding experience. With its vast population, diverse cultures, and growing consumer demand, there are huge opportunities for entrepreneurs to gain success in this region. However, it is important to understand the unique challenges that come with doing business in Asia. From navigating cultural differences to developing effective marketing strategies for local consumers, establishing a successful small business requires careful planning and execution. Popular Asian cities to start a business Whether you're looking for a vibrant culture and nightlife or a more traditional setting with lower overhead costs, there is something for everyone in this vast region. These are some Asian cities which are always popular with both entrepreneurs and big companies for you to consider when planning a breach to the Asian market. Hong Kong – The Gateway to Asia's Markets Hong Kong is a top destination for entrepreneurs from around the world. The city boasts low business and corporate taxes, easy-to-navigate government regulations, pro-business banking and financing laws, and strong infrastructure to support businesses of all sizes. Starting a business in Hong Kong is relatively easy and straightforward. All new businesses ...
Guest Post | Jan 27, 2023 When preparing for your child's future, everyone wants the best for them. However, planning for a healthy financial future doesn't always come as naturally. Fortunately, there are some simple guiding principles that can help you create a savvy savings plan for your little one's benefit in the long term. Here are just a few of the top ways to save money for your child's future: Open a Savings Account This will give you an easy way to store and track all the money you save in one place. Many banks offer special accounts for children, including bonus rates and other incentives. Banks also offer online banking options, and it's easier than ever to keep an eye on how much you're saving and how it's growing over time. You will also be able to review your budget and adjust as needed. This will ensure you are constantly optimizing your savings. Savings accounts are also a great way to teach kids about financial responsibility and the importance of saving for the future. Set Up Automatic Transfers If you want to ensure that you consistently contribute to your child's savings, consider setting up automatic transfers from your ...
Coindesk | David Z. Morris | Jan 25, 2023 Global inflation is at a turning point. Here's what that could mean for crypto's nascent turnaround 2023 crypto bounce: Blue-chip crypto assets including bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) have had a very nice 2023 so far, with BTC up roughly 36% since the New Year and ETH up close to 30%. There's growing reason to think that "the bottom is in" for crypto markets, and some macroeconomic data suggests this year will be much brighter for the sector than 2022 See: Are Markets Moving Towards a Crypto Fiduciary + Caveat Emptor Standard? Why? [arguably] the crypto bottom could be in since bad actors and the consequences of their contagion-spreading leverage plays have been flushed out. Certainly on an emotional level, getting rid of the likes of Alex Mashinsky, Do Kwon, Three Arrows Capital and Sam Bankman-Fried feels like the chance for a new beginning. While getting rid of scammers should mean we've cleared some major downside tail risks, it hardly amounts to grounds for a new crypto bull market. Instead, what will matter most over the next year are macroeconomic conditions, particularly the impact of inflation and interest rates on crypto ...
NFX | Gigi Levy-Weiss | Jan 26, 2023 An overlooked key to growth: How well you transition from Founder to CEO determines how your company scales. Seed stage Founders have a hand in everything: marketing, hiring, product, sales, everything. You have to early on. But when your startup starts to grow you can't – and shouldn't – keep doing it all yourself. Once you reach 30-50 people, your goal should be to build a team and mechanisms that will do "everything" so that you, the CEO, can focus on leading and managing. The deceptively simple secret: Elite CEOs build systems. Read: Culture and Diversity Leadership: Tale of Two Doors Hiring: Before we dive into systems, let's get this out of the way. Don't worry about spending too much time on hiring. Take the time you need to surround yourself with the right people[, and don't be afraid to try people out'. Wix CEO: "I cycled for 22 people before I found Omer Shai, my CMO. I hired and moved people to different things. I fired people. It was around 22 people that they hired within about a year and a half…When I got to Omer after a few weeks, it ...
Tristram Waye for Bitvo | Jan 26, 2023 Crypto blew up, governments cracked down, regulation forthcoming? We are now in a place where awareness has to be exercised in places where trust was once taken for granted. And that means embracing two principles from the Middle Ages. These are caveat emptor and the fiduciary standard. Caveat emptor: The word caveat emptor means buyer beware in Latin. The idea is that the buyer is responsible for assessing whatever it is that they are buying. Its origins date back to the open markets of the 16th century. In developed countries, the concept has moved from buyer to seller beware. Numerous consumer protection laws have been enacted to lift the burden from the buyer and shift it to the seller. In general, there are numerous remedies for established consumer products. See: How Important is KYC for crypto transactions? But for speculative, largely unregulated assets like crypto, caveat emptor is still highly relevant. Keep in mind that in contrast with venture capital, crypto secondary markets are a massive benefit. As William Janeway said about venture capital, cash and control are key elements in VC. Meaning that if the project goes sideways, you can't sell ...
Guest Post | Jan 26, 2023 If you want to learn more about investing, especially how to buy shares, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll provide you with all the information you need to begin your trading journey with confidence. Do you want to know how to buy stocks? We'll go over the basics of what stocks are, how to choose the right ones, and the different ways to purchase shares. By the end of this review, you'll have a better understanding of how to get started in the world of stocks trading. What are Stocks? When you invest in stocks, also referred to as equities, you are essentially buying a small piece of ownership in a company. As the company prospers and becomes more profitable, the value of your shares will tend to rise. However, it's important to remember that these securities can also decrease in value, particularly during tough economic times or when a company is struggling. For example, let's say you decide to invest in a well-known tech company that specializes in developing software for smartphones. As the company keeps releasing new and innovative products, its profits and stock value are likely to ...
FIS Release | Kim Snider | Jan 24, 2023 A global study of 2,000 executives at firms across markets revealed plans to increase investment in embedded finance, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks, and decentralized finance in 2023, including cautious optimism towards cryptocurrency. Inaugural research by FIS 2023 Global Innovation Report asked c-suite and senior executives in financial services (banks, insurers, capital markets firms, and fintechs) and non-financial businesses (retail, restaurants, travel, gaming and digital content, and technology providers) globally about their key areas of financial investment in 2023. 4% of financial services firms' executives across the globe say they will invest significantly in developing embedded finance products in 2023 as consumers demand more convenient ways to pay, bank and invest. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of all non-financial services executives told FIS it will be strategically important to have a presence in the metaverse in the next three years. See: Deloitte 2023 Sustainability Report: Most Organizations Have Increased Investment but Tough to Move the Needle FT Partners Jan 2023 Blockchain and Crypto Market Update Report ESG is top of mind for financial services firms globally, with 60% of executives saying they are developing new ESG products and services. Nearly one-third (29%) ...
Jan 26, 2023 The gambling industry in the United States significantly contributes to the economy, generating billions of dollars in revenue each year. From Las Vegas to Atlantic City, casinos and other legal gambling attract millions of visitors and employ thousands of people. In recent news from Casino USA, the US gambling industry has set a new quarterly record for casino revenue, reaching an all-time high. It is a significant milestone for the industry, demonstrating its resilience and continued growth despite the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Details of the Record The US casino industry generated record-breaking revenue in the latest quarter, surpassing all previous records. The revenue generated is yet to be officially announced, but early estimates suggest it exceeds $50 billion. It represents a significant increase compared to the same quarter in the previous year and is a clear indication of the industry's resilience in the face of the ongoing pandemic. The latest quarter's revenue numbers are significantly higher compared to previous quarters. During the last quarter, the industry generated around $40 billion, indicating a growth of over 25% in the latest quarter. It is an impressive performance, especially given the ongoing uncertainty and economic challenges ...
Knowledge at Wharton | Angie Basiouny | Jan 17, 2023 A new book from Wharton management professor Emilie R. Feldman offers a comprehensive primer on divestitures, which can be a financial game-changer for companies that know how to execute them correctly. Feldman, whose research focuses on corporate strategy and governance, spoke to Wharton Business Daily on SiriusXM about her book, "Divestitures: Creating Value Through Strategy, Structure, and Implementation," which was released in December. Opportunity cost: Often the idea of focus is overlooked by executives, and this is really the missed opportunity that could be pursued in the sense that divesting, removing assets and businesses that don't fit and might be underperforming, could free up resources to pursue better opportunities in a more focused fashion after completion of those transactions. "Managerial compensation is strongly correlated with market capitalization, so there's a financial incentive not to divest because doing so reduces the executive's bottom line." See: Bill Gates Announces $20 Billion Donation and Obligation to Return His Resources to Society 4 strategies: resolving or exiting underperforming businesses; improving focus; reconfiguring and reshaping the corporate portfolio to move into more profitable opportunities; and addressing regulatory requirements. Types of divestitures: Sales are the most ...
Jan 26, 2023 Thinking of buying a home for the first time but worried about the upcoming recession? With so much economic uncertainty, it's understandable that you might be a bit hesitant to make those big purchases. But don't worry because There are many first-time homebuyer assistance programs available that will help you make your dreams of homeownership a reality - even in the most uncertain of times. Advantages Of Homeownership During a Recession It's no secret that recessions can be tough, but did you know that homeownership during a recession can actually work in your favor? According to the US Census Bureau, the median net worth of homeowners is $195,400 higher than that of renters. This allows homeowners to weather the storm when the economy falters better than renters who rely on fluctuating rental rates for their monthly income. Additionally, homeownership offers a number of tax benefits for homeowners, including: Tax-free interest Tax deductions for mortgage interest Tax deductions for property taxes Tax deductions for mortgage insurance premiums Tax deductions for energy-efficient home improvements But one of the most important advantages of homeownership during a recession is the potential for long-term growth. Property values may decline slightly during recessions, ...
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The brazing of titanium alloys is nowadays a common and necessary industrial practice, because of the wide usage of these alloys in areas such as aerospace and chemical industries. However, to have a successfully brazed joint, it is important for the brazing filler to be able to wet the substrate. Unfortunately, there is a research gap with respect to the study on the wetting and spreading behaviour of brazing fillers on titanium alloys. In this work, wetting behaviour of Ti-20Zr-20Cu-20Ni brazing filler on Ti-6Al-4V was studied using sessile drop technique. Effects of the surface roughness of the substrate and heating scheme on wetting and spreading of the filler metal were evaluated. The degree of wetting was evaluated by measuring the apparent dynamic contact angle and calculating the spread ratio. The wetting mechanism was carefully studied too by the combination of quenching technique and microstructural analyses. Different wetting/spreading regimes were identified. The surface roughness of the substrate was found to have little or no effect on the final apparent contact angle in this work. The wetting behaviour of this system had a reactive nature. High heating rate (6.8oC/s) limited metallurgical reaction between the substrate and the brazing filler, leading to wetting/spreading dominated by the primary stage. With the low heating rate scheme (1.7oC/s), metallurgical reaction between the brazing filler and the substrate was more intense. High heating rate with soaking scheme is recommended for brazing because it entails good spreading and limited metallurgical reaction between the brazing filler and the substrate.


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Displaying 1 - 10 of 15. Show 10 results per page.
Project acronym AMBH
Project Ancient Music Beyond Hellenisation
Researcher (PI) Stefan HAGEL
Host Institution (HI) OESTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), SH5, ERC-2017-ADG
Summary From medieval times, Arabic as well as European music was analysed in terms that were inherited from Classical Antiquity and had thus developed in a very different music culture. In spite of recent breakthroughs in the understanding of the latter, whose technicalities we access not only through texts and iconography, but also through instrument finds and surviving notated melodies, its relation to music traditions known from later periods and different places is almost uncharted territory. The present project explores relations between Hellenic/Hellenistic music as pervaded the theatres and concert halls throughout and beyond the Roman empire, Near Eastern traditions – from the diatonic system emerging from cuneiform sources to the flourishing musical world of the caliphates – and, as far as possible, African musical life south of Egypt as well – a region that maintained close ties both with the Hellenised culture of its northern neighbours and with the Arabian Peninsula. On the one hand, this demands collaboration between Classical Philology and Arabic Studies, extending methods recently developed within music archaeological research related to the Classical Mediterranean. Arabic writings need to be examined in close reading, using recent insights into the interplay between ancient music theory and practice, in order to segregate the influence of Greek thinking from ideas and facts that must relate to contemporaneous 'Arabic' music-making. In this way we hope better to define the relation of this tradition to the 'Classical world', potentially breaking free of Orientalising bias informing modern views. On the other hand, the study and reconstruction, virtual and material, of wind instruments of Hellenistic pedigree but found outside the confinements of the Hellenistic 'heartlands' may provide evidence of 'foreign' tonality employed in those regions – specifically the royal city of Meroë in modern Sudan and the Oxus Temple in modern Tajikistan.
From medieval times, Arabic as well as European music was analysed in terms that were inherited from Classical Antiquity and had thus developed in a very different music culture. In spite of recent breakthroughs in the understanding of the latter, whose technicalities we access not only through texts and iconography, but also through instrument finds and surviving notated melodies, its relation to music traditions known from later periods and different places is almost uncharted territory. The present project explores relations between Hellenic/Hellenistic music as pervaded the theatres and concert halls throughout and beyond the Roman empire, Near Eastern traditions – from the diatonic system emerging from cuneiform sources to the flourishing musical world of the caliphates – and, as far as possible, African musical life south of Egypt as well – a region that maintained close ties both with the Hellenised culture of its northern neighbours and with the Arabian Peninsula. On the one hand, this demands collaboration between Classical Philology and Arabic Studies, extending methods recently developed within music archaeological research related to the Classical Mediterranean. Arabic writings need to be examined in close reading, using recent insights into the interplay between ancient music theory and practice, in order to segregate the influence of Greek thinking from ideas and facts that must relate to contemporaneous 'Arabic' music-making. In this way we hope better to define the relation of this tradition to the 'Classical world', potentially breaking free of Orientalising bias informing modern views. On the other hand, the study and reconstruction, virtual and material, of wind instruments of Hellenistic pedigree but found outside the confinements of the Hellenistic 'heartlands' may provide evidence of 'foreign' tonality employed in those regions – specifically the royal city of Meroë in modern Sudan and the Oxus Temple in modern Tajikistan.
Project acronym ARCHADAPT
Project The architecture of adaptation to novel environments
Researcher (PI) Christian Werner Schlötterer
Host Institution (HI) VETERINAERMEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN
Summary One of the central goals in evolutionary biology is to understand adaptation. Experimental evolution represents a highly promising approach to study adaptation. In this proposal, a freshly collected D. simulans population will be allowed to adapt to laboratory conditions under two different temperature regimes: hot (27°C) and cold (18°C). The trajectories of adaptation to these novel environments will be monitored on three levels: 1) genomic, 2) transcriptomic, 3) phenotypic. Allele frequency changes during the experiment will be measured by next generation sequencing of DNA pools (Pool-Seq) to identify targets of selection. RNA-Seq will be used to trace adaptation on the transcriptomic level during three developmental stages. Eight different phenotypes will be scored to measure the phenotypic consequences of adaptation. Combining the adaptive trajectories on these three levels will provide a picture of adaptation for a multicellular, outcrossing organism that is far more detailed than any previous results. Furthermore, the proposal addresses the question of how adaptation on these three levels is reversible if the environment reverts to ancestral conditions. The third aspect of adaptation covered in the proposal is the question of repeatability of adaptation. Again, this question will be addressed on the three levels: genomic, transcriptomic and phenotypic. Using replicates with different degrees of genetic similarity, as well as closely related species, we will test how similar the adaptive response is. This large-scale study will provide new insights into the importance of standing variation for the adaptation to novel environments. Hence, apart from providing significant evolutionary insights on the trajectories of adaptation, the results we will obtain will have important implications for conservation genetics and commercial breeding.
One of the central goals in evolutionary biology is to understand adaptation. Experimental evolution represents a highly promising approach to study adaptation. In this proposal, a freshly collected D. simulans population will be allowed to adapt to laboratory conditions under two different temperature regimes: hot (27°C) and cold (18°C). The trajectories of adaptation to these novel environments will be monitored on three levels: 1) genomic, 2) transcriptomic, 3) phenotypic. Allele frequency changes during the experiment will be measured by next generation sequencing of DNA pools (Pool-Seq) to identify targets of selection. RNA-Seq will be used to trace adaptation on the transcriptomic level during three developmental stages. Eight different phenotypes will be scored to measure the phenotypic consequences of adaptation. Combining the adaptive trajectories on these three levels will provide a picture of adaptation for a multicellular, outcrossing organism that is far more detailed than any previous results. Furthermore, the proposal addresses the question of how adaptation on these three levels is reversible if the environment reverts to ancestral conditions. The third aspect of adaptation covered in the proposal is the question of repeatability of adaptation. Again, this question will be addressed on the three levels: genomic, transcriptomic and phenotypic. Using replicates with different degrees of genetic similarity, as well as closely related species, we will test how similar the adaptive response is. This large-scale study will provide new insights into the importance of standing variation for the adaptation to novel environments. Hence, apart from providing significant evolutionary insights on the trajectories of adaptation, the results we will obtain will have important implications for conservation genetics and commercial breeding.
Project acronym CALLIOPE
Project voCAL articuLations Of Parliamentary Identity and Empire
Researcher (PI) Josephine HOEGAERTS
Host Institution (HI) HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), SH5, ERC-2017-STG
Summary What did politicians sound like before they were on the radio and television? The fascination with politicians' vocal characteristics and quirks is often connected to the rise of audio-visual media. But in the age of the printed press, political representatives also had to 'speak well' – without recourse to amplification. Historians and linguists have provided sophisticated understandings of the discursive and aesthetic aspects of politicians' language, but have largely ignored the importance of the acoustic character of their speech. CALLIOPE studies how vocal performances in parliament have influenced the course of political careers and political decision making in the 19th century. It shows how politicians' voices helped to define the diverse identities they articulated. In viewing parliament through the lens of audibility, the project offers a new perspective on political representation by reframing how authority was embodied (through performances that were heard, rather than seen). It does so for the Second Chamber in Britain and France, and in dialogue with 'colonial' modes of speech in Kolkata and Algiers, which, we argue, exerted considerable influence on European vocal culture. The project devises an innovative methodological approach to include the sound of the human voice in studies of the past that precede acoustic recording. Adapting methods developed in sound studies and combining them with the tools of political history, the project proposes a new way to analyse parliamentary reporting, while also drawing on a variety of sources that are rarely connected to the history of politics. The main source material for the study comprise transcripts of parliamentary speech (official reports and renditions by journalists). However, the project also mobilizes educational, satirical and fictional sources to elucidate the convoluted processes that led to the cultivation, exertion, reception and evaluation of a voice 'fit' for nineteenth-century politics.
What did politicians sound like before they were on the radio and television? The fascination with politicians' vocal characteristics and quirks is often connected to the rise of audio-visual media. But in the age of the printed press, political representatives also had to 'speak well' – without recourse to amplification. Historians and linguists have provided sophisticated understandings of the discursive and aesthetic aspects of politicians' language, but have largely ignored the importance of the acoustic character of their speech. CALLIOPE studies how vocal performances in parliament have influenced the course of political careers and political decision making in the 19th century. It shows how politicians' voices helped to define the diverse identities they articulated. In viewing parliament through the lens of audibility, the project offers a new perspective on political representation by reframing how authority was embodied (through performances that were heard, rather than seen). It does so for the Second Chamber in Britain and France, and in dialogue with 'colonial' modes of speech in Kolkata and Algiers, which, we argue, exerted considerable influence on European vocal culture. The project devises an innovative methodological approach to include the sound of the human voice in studies of the past that precede acoustic recording. Adapting methods developed in sound studies and combining them with the tools of political history, the project proposes a new way to analyse parliamentary reporting, while also drawing on a variety of sources that are rarely connected to the history of politics. The main source material for the study comprise transcripts of parliamentary speech (official reports and renditions by journalists). However, the project also mobilizes educational, satirical and fictional sources to elucidate the convoluted processes that led to the cultivation, exertion, reception and evaluation of a voice 'fit' for nineteenth-century politics.
Project acronym COMPLEX-FISH
Project Complex eco-evolutionary dynamics of aquatic ecosystems faced with human-induced and environmental stress
Researcher (PI) Anna KUPARINEN
Host Institution (HI) JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO
Summary Resilience and recovery ability are key determinants of species persistence and viability in a changing world. Populations exposed to rapid environmental changes and human-induced alterations are often affected by both ecological and evolutionary processes and their interactions, that is, eco-evolutionary dynamics. The integrated perspective offered by eco-evolutionary dynamics is vital for understanding drivers of resilience and recovery of natural populations undergoing rapid changes and exposed to multiple stressors. However, the feedback mechanisms, and the ways in which evolution and phenotypic changes scale up to interacting species, communities, and ecosystems, remains poorly understood. The objective of my proposal is to bridge and close this gap by merging the fields of ecology and evolution into two interfaces of complex biological dynamics. I will do this in the context of conservation and sustainable harvesting of aquatic ecosystems. I will develop a novel mechanistic theory of eco-evolutionary ecosystem dynamics, by coupling the theory of allometric trophic networks with the theory of life-history evolution. I will analyse the eco-evolutionary dynamics of aquatic ecosystems to identify mechanisms responsible for species and ecosystem resilience and recovery ability. This will be done through systematic simulation studies and detailed analyses of three aquatic ecosystems. The project delves into the mechanisms through which anthropogenic and environmental drivers alter the eco-evolutionary dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Mechanistic understanding of these dynamics, and their consequences to species and ecosystems, has great potential to resolve fundamental yet puzzling patterns observed in natural populations and to identify species and ecosystem properties regulating resilience and recovery ability. This will drastically change our ability to assess the risks related to current and future anthropogenic and environmental influences on aquatic ecosystems.
Resilience and recovery ability are key determinants of species persistence and viability in a changing world. Populations exposed to rapid environmental changes and human-induced alterations are often affected by both ecological and evolutionary processes and their interactions, that is, eco-evolutionary dynamics. The integrated perspective offered by eco-evolutionary dynamics is vital for understanding drivers of resilience and recovery of natural populations undergoing rapid changes and exposed to multiple stressors. However, the feedback mechanisms, and the ways in which evolution and phenotypic changes scale up to interacting species, communities, and ecosystems, remains poorly understood. The objective of my proposal is to bridge and close this gap by merging the fields of ecology and evolution into two interfaces of complex biological dynamics. I will do this in the context of conservation and sustainable harvesting of aquatic ecosystems. I will develop a novel mechanistic theory of eco-evolutionary ecosystem dynamics, by coupling the theory of allometric trophic networks with the theory of life-history evolution. I will analyse the eco-evolutionary dynamics of aquatic ecosystems to identify mechanisms responsible for species and ecosystem resilience and recovery ability. This will be done through systematic simulation studies and detailed analyses of three aquatic ecosystems. The project delves into the mechanisms through which anthropogenic and environmental drivers alter the eco-evolutionary dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Mechanistic understanding of these dynamics, and their consequences to species and ecosystems, has great potential to resolve fundamental yet puzzling patterns observed in natural populations and to identify species and ecosystem properties regulating resilience and recovery ability. This will drastically change our ability to assess the risks related to current and future anthropogenic and environmental influences on aquatic ecosystems.
Project acronym EPIC
Project Enabling Precision Immuno-oncology in Colorectal cancer
Researcher (PI) Zlatko TRAJANOSKI
Host Institution (HI) MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAT INNSBRUCK
Summary Immunotherapy with checkpoints blockers is transforming the treatment of advanced cancers. Colorectal cancer (CRC), a cancer with 1.4 million new cases diagnosed annually worldwide, is refractory to immunotherapy (with the exception of a minority of tumors with microsatellite instability). This is somehow paradoxical as CRC is a cancer for which we have shown that it is under immunological control and that tumor infiltrating lymphocytes represent a strong independent predictor of survival. Thus, there is an urgent need to broaden the clinical benefits of immune checkpoint blockers to CRC by combining agents with synergistic mechanisms of action. An attractive approach to sensitize tumors to immunotherapy is to harness immunogenic effects induced by approved conventional or targeted agents. Here I propose a new paradigm to identify molecular determinants of resistance to immunotherapy and develop personalized in silico and in vitro models for predicting response to combination therapy in CRC. The EPIC concept is based on three pillars: 1) emphasis on antitumor T cell activity; 2) systematic interrogation of tumor-immune cell interactions using data-driven modeling and knowledge-based mechanistic modeling, and 3) generation of key quantitative data to train and validate algorithms using perturbation experiments with patient-derived tumor organoids and cutting-edge technologies for multidimensional profiling. We will investigate three immunomodulatory processes: 1) immunostimulatory effects of chemotherapeutics, 2) rewiring of signaling networks induced by targeted drugs and their interference with immunity, and 3) metabolic reprogramming of T cells to enhance antitumor immunity. The anticipated outcome of EPIC is a precision immuno-oncology platform that integrates tumor organoids with high-throughput and high-content data for testing drug combinations, and machine learning for making therapeutic recommendations for individual patients.
Immunotherapy with checkpoints blockers is transforming the treatment of advanced cancers. Colorectal cancer (CRC), a cancer with 1.4 million new cases diagnosed annually worldwide, is refractory to immunotherapy (with the exception of a minority of tumors with microsatellite instability). This is somehow paradoxical as CRC is a cancer for which we have shown that it is under immunological control and that tumor infiltrating lymphocytes represent a strong independent predictor of survival. Thus, there is an urgent need to broaden the clinical benefits of immune checkpoint blockers to CRC by combining agents with synergistic mechanisms of action. An attractive approach to sensitize tumors to immunotherapy is to harness immunogenic effects induced by approved conventional or targeted agents. Here I propose a new paradigm to identify molecular determinants of resistance to immunotherapy and develop personalized in silico and in vitro models for predicting response to combination therapy in CRC. The EPIC concept is based on three pillars: 1) emphasis on antitumor T cell activity; 2) systematic interrogation of tumor-immune cell interactions using data-driven modeling and knowledge-based mechanistic modeling, and 3) generation of key quantitative data to train and validate algorithms using perturbation experiments with patient-derived tumor organoids and cutting-edge technologies for multidimensional profiling. We will investigate three immunomodulatory processes: 1) immunostimulatory effects of chemotherapeutics, 2) rewiring of signaling networks induced by targeted drugs and their interference with immunity, and 3) metabolic reprogramming of T cells to enhance antitumor immunity. The anticipated outcome of EPIC is a precision immuno-oncology platform that integrates tumor organoids with high-throughput and high-content data for testing drug combinations, and machine learning for making therapeutic recommendations for individual patients.
Project acronym EPICLINES
Project Elucidating the causes and consequences of the global pattern of epigenetic variation in Arabidopsis thaliana
Researcher (PI) Lars Magnus Henrik NORDBORG
Host Institution (HI) GREGOR MENDEL INSTITUT FUR MOLEKULARE PFLANZENBIOLOGIE GMBH
Summary Epigenetics continues to fascinate, especially the notion that it blurs the line between "nature and nurture" and could make Lamarckian adaptation via the inheritance of acquired characteristics possible. That this is in principle possible is clear: in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale cress), experimentally induced DNA methylation variation can be inherited and affect important traits. The question is whether this is important in nature. Recent studies of A. thaliana have revealed a pattern of correlation between levels of methylation and climate variables that strongly suggests that methylation is important in adaptation. However, somewhat paradoxically, the experiments also showed that much of the variation for this epigenetic trait appears to have a genetic rather than an epigenetic basis. This suggest that epigenetics may indeed be important for adaptation, but as part of a genetic mechanism that is currently not understood. The goal of this project is to determine whether the global pattern of methylation has a genetic or an epigenetic basis, and to use this information to elucidate the ultimate basis for the global pattern of variation: natural selection.
Epigenetics continues to fascinate, especially the notion that it blurs the line between "nature and nurture" and could make Lamarckian adaptation via the inheritance of acquired characteristics possible. That this is in principle possible is clear: in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale cress), experimentally induced DNA methylation variation can be inherited and affect important traits. The question is whether this is important in nature. Recent studies of A. thaliana have revealed a pattern of correlation between levels of methylation and climate variables that strongly suggests that methylation is important in adaptation. However, somewhat paradoxically, the experiments also showed that much of the variation for this epigenetic trait appears to have a genetic rather than an epigenetic basis. This suggest that epigenetics may indeed be important for adaptation, but as part of a genetic mechanism that is currently not understood. The goal of this project is to determine whether the global pattern of methylation has a genetic or an epigenetic basis, and to use this information to elucidate the ultimate basis for the global pattern of variation: natural selection.
Project acronym EPIDEMICSonCHIP
Project EPIDEMICS in ant societies ON a CHIP
Researcher (PI) Sylvia Maria Cremer-Sixt
Host Institution (HI) INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYAUSTRIA
Summary Living in societies amplifies the risk of getting sick, as pathogens can easily spread along the dense social interaction networks of the hosts. Sanitary care and the organisational structure of societies are expected to limit the risk of epidemics. Yet, how the defences of the individual group members scale-up, combine and synergise towards society-level protection, is poorly understood, as the majority of societies can only be studied via correlational and modeling approaches. Insect societies provide a powerful system for experimental studies, as whole societies are accessible for surveillance and manipulative approaches. We can monitor every behavioural interaction between all members, determine their effects on colony-wide disease spread and replicate experiments arbitrarily. The fitness effects of collective disease defences can be quantified, as they result in a single fitness measure of colony productivity. This is because all members of a social insect colony form a reproductive entity composed of the reproductive queens and males and their sterile workers. I will use an ant host–fungal pathogen system to find out how initial infection develops into an epidemic, and, in turn, how colony-level defence emerges from the interactions between its members. To infer effect from cause, I will not only observe the colony after initial infection of a subset of colony members, but also manipulate the sanitary behaviours and spatiotemporal interaction of host individuals. To this end, I will engineer an automatised platform, following the principles of lab-on-a-chip techniques, to individually target and manipulate colony members, and to quantify their behaviours. Fitness effects will be read out by the quantity and quality of reproductive offspring in the next generation. Such a long-term whole-colony approach is required for understanding the evolution of social immunity, that is, how disease shapes society and how society shapes disease.
Living in societies amplifies the risk of getting sick, as pathogens can easily spread along the dense social interaction networks of the hosts. Sanitary care and the organisational structure of societies are expected to limit the risk of epidemics. Yet, how the defences of the individual group members scale-up, combine and synergise towards society-level protection, is poorly understood, as the majority of societies can only be studied via correlational and modeling approaches. Insect societies provide a powerful system for experimental studies, as whole societies are accessible for surveillance and manipulative approaches. We can monitor every behavioural interaction between all members, determine their effects on colony-wide disease spread and replicate experiments arbitrarily. The fitness effects of collective disease defences can be quantified, as they result in a single fitness measure of colony productivity. This is because all members of a social insect colony form a reproductive entity composed of the reproductive queens and males and their sterile workers. I will use an ant host–fungal pathogen system to find out how initial infection develops into an epidemic, and, in turn, how colony-level defence emerges from the interactions between its members. To infer effect from cause, I will not only observe the colony after initial infection of a subset of colony members, but also manipulate the sanitary behaviours and spatiotemporal interaction of host individuals. To this end, I will engineer an automatised platform, following the principles of lab-on-a-chip techniques, to individually target and manipulate colony members, and to quantify their behaviours. Fitness effects will be read out by the quantity and quality of reproductive offspring in the next generation. Such a long-term whole-colony approach is required for understanding the evolution of social immunity, that is, how disease shapes society and how society shapes disease.
Project acronym EVOCHLAMY
Project The Evolution of the Chlamydiae - an Experimental Approach
Researcher (PI) Matthias Horn
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITAT WIEN
Summary Chlamydiae are a unique group of obligate intracellular bacteria that comprises symbionts of protozoa as well as important pathogens of humans and a wide range of animals. The intracellular life style and the obligate association with a eukaryotic host was established early in chlamydial evolution and possibly also contributed to the origin of the primary phototrophic eukaryote. While much has been learned during the past decade with respect to chlamydial diversity, their evolutionary history, pathogenesis and mechanisms for host cell interaction, very little is known about genome dynamics, genome evolution, and adaptation in this important group of microorganisms. This project aims to fill this gap by three complementary work packages using experimental evolution approaches and state-of-the-art genome sequencing techniques. Chlamydiae that naturally infect free-living amoebae, namely Protochlamydia amoebophila and Simkania negevensis, will be established as model systems for studying genome evolution of obligate intracellular bacteria (living in protozoa). Due to their larger, less reduced genomes compared to chlamydial pathogens, amoeba-associated Chlamydiae are ideally suited for these investigations. Experimental evolution approaches – among the prokaryotes so far almost exclusively used for studying free-living bacteria – will be applied to understand the genomic and molecular basis of the intracellular life style of Chlamydiae with respect to host adaptation, host interaction, and the character of the symbioses (mutualism versus parasitism). In addition, the role of amoebae for horizontal gene transfer among intracellular bacteria will be investigated experimentally. Taken together, this project will break new ground with respect to evolution experiments with intracellular bacteria, and it will provide unprecedented insights into the evolution and adaptive processes of intracellular bacteria in general, and the Chlamydiae in particular.
Chlamydiae are a unique group of obligate intracellular bacteria that comprises symbionts of protozoa as well as important pathogens of humans and a wide range of animals. The intracellular life style and the obligate association with a eukaryotic host was established early in chlamydial evolution and possibly also contributed to the origin of the primary phototrophic eukaryote. While much has been learned during the past decade with respect to chlamydial diversity, their evolutionary history, pathogenesis and mechanisms for host cell interaction, very little is known about genome dynamics, genome evolution, and adaptation in this important group of microorganisms. This project aims to fill this gap by three complementary work packages using experimental evolution approaches and state-of-the-art genome sequencing techniques. Chlamydiae that naturally infect free-living amoebae, namely Protochlamydia amoebophila and Simkania negevensis, will be established as model systems for studying genome evolution of obligate intracellular bacteria (living in protozoa). Due to their larger, less reduced genomes compared to chlamydial pathogens, amoeba-associated Chlamydiae are ideally suited for these investigations. Experimental evolution approaches – among the prokaryotes so far almost exclusively used for studying free-living bacteria – will be applied to understand the genomic and molecular basis of the intracellular life style of Chlamydiae with respect to host adaptation, host interaction, and the character of the symbioses (mutualism versus parasitism). In addition, the role of amoebae for horizontal gene transfer among intracellular bacteria will be investigated experimentally. Taken together, this project will break new ground with respect to evolution experiments with intracellular bacteria, and it will provide unprecedented insights into the evolution and adaptive processes of intracellular bacteria in general, and the Chlamydiae in particular.
Project acronym HOPE
Project Host Protective Engineering of Cancer Immunity by Targeting the Intracellular Immune Checkpoint NR2F6
Researcher (PI) Gottfried BAIER
Summary "Because of its biological complexity, cancer is still poorly understood. Chronic inflammation has been shown, both experimentally and epidemiologically, to be a predisposition to, and also an inseparable aspect of clinically prevalent cancer entities. Therefore, a detailed understanding of both tumour and immune cell functions in cancer progression is a prerequisite for more successful therapeutic startegies. My team was the first to reveal the lymphocyte-intrinsic PKC/NR2F6 axis as an essential signalling node at the crossroads between inflammation and cancer. It is the mission of this project to identify molecular signatures that influence the risk of developing tumours employing established research tools and state-of-the-art genetic, biochemical, proteomic and transcriptomic as well as large scale CRISPR/Cas9 perturbation screening-based functional genomic technologies. Defining this as yet poorly elucidated effector pathway with its profoundly relevant role would enable development of preventive and immune-therapeutic strategies against NSCLC lung cancer and potentially also against other entities. Our three-pronged approach to achieve this goal is to: (i) delineate biological and clinical properties of the immunological PKC/NR2F6 network, (ii) validate NR2F6 as an immune-oncology combination target needed to overcome limitations to ""first generation anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors"" rendering T cells capable of rejecting tumours and their metastases at distal organs and (iii) exploit human combinatorial T cell therapy concepts for prevention of immune-related adverse events as well as of tumour recurrence by reducing opportunities for the tumour to develop resistance in the clinic. Insight into the functions of NR2F6 pathway and involved mechanisms is a prerequisite for understanding how the microenvironment at the tumour site either supports tumour growth and spread or prevents tumour initiation and progression, the latter by host-protective cancer immunity."
"Because of its biological complexity, cancer is still poorly understood. Chronic inflammation has been shown, both experimentally and epidemiologically, to be a predisposition to, and also an inseparable aspect of clinically prevalent cancer entities. Therefore, a detailed understanding of both tumour and immune cell functions in cancer progression is a prerequisite for more successful therapeutic startegies. My team was the first to reveal the lymphocyte-intrinsic PKC/NR2F6 axis as an essential signalling node at the crossroads between inflammation and cancer. It is the mission of this project to identify molecular signatures that influence the risk of developing tumours employing established research tools and state-of-the-art genetic, biochemical, proteomic and transcriptomic as well as large scale CRISPR/Cas9 perturbation screening-based functional genomic technologies. Defining this as yet poorly elucidated effector pathway with its profoundly relevant role would enable development of preventive and immune-therapeutic strategies against NSCLC lung cancer and potentially also against other entities. Our three-pronged approach to achieve this goal is to: (i) delineate biological and clinical properties of the immunological PKC/NR2F6 network, (ii) validate NR2F6 as an immune-oncology combination target needed to overcome limitations to ""first generation anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors"" rendering T cells capable of rejecting tumours and their metastases at distal organs and (iii) exploit human combinatorial T cell therapy concepts for prevention of immune-related adverse events as well as of tumour recurrence by reducing opportunities for the tumour to develop resistance in the clinic. Insight into the functions of NR2F6 pathway and involved mechanisms is a prerequisite for understanding how the microenvironment at the tumour site either supports tumour growth and spread or prevents tumour initiation and progression, the latter by host-protective cancer immunity."
Project acronym NITRICARE
Project Nitrification Reloaded - a Single Cell Approach
Researcher (PI) Michael Wagner
Summary "Nitrification is a central component of the Earth's biogeochemical nitrogen cycle. This process is driven by two groups of microorganisms, which oxidize ammonia via nitrite to nitrate. Their activities are of major ecological and economic importance and affect global warming, agriculture, wastewater treatment, and eutrophication. Despite the importance of nitrification for the health of our planet, there are surprisingly large gaps in our fundamental understanding of the microbiology of this process. Nitrifiers are difficult to isolate and thus most of our current knowledge stems from a few cultured model organisms that are hardly representative of the microbes driving nitrification in the environment. The overarching objective of NITRICARE is to close some of these knowledge gaps and obtain a comprehensive basic understanding of the identity, evolution, metabolism and ecological importance of those bacteria and archaea that actually catalyze nitrification in nature. For this purpose innovative single cell technologies like Raman-microspectroscopy, NanoSIMS and single cell genomics will be combined in novel ways and a Raman microfluidic device for high-throughput cell sorting will be developed. Application of these approaches will reveal the evolutionary history and metabolic versatility of uncultured ammonia oxidizing archaea and will provide important insights into their population structure. Furthermore, the proposed experiments will allow us to efficiently search for unknown nitrifiers, evaluate their ecological importance and test the hypothesis that organisms catalyzing both steps of nitrification may exist. For non-model nitrifiers we will develop a unique genetic approach to reveal the genetic basis of key metabolic features. Together, the genomic, metabolic, ecophysiological and genetic data will provide unprecedented insights into the biology of nitrifying microbes and open new conceptual horizons for the study of microbes in their natural environments."
"Nitrification is a central component of the Earth's biogeochemical nitrogen cycle. This process is driven by two groups of microorganisms, which oxidize ammonia via nitrite to nitrate. Their activities are of major ecological and economic importance and affect global warming, agriculture, wastewater treatment, and eutrophication. Despite the importance of nitrification for the health of our planet, there are surprisingly large gaps in our fundamental understanding of the microbiology of this process. Nitrifiers are difficult to isolate and thus most of our current knowledge stems from a few cultured model organisms that are hardly representative of the microbes driving nitrification in the environment. The overarching objective of NITRICARE is to close some of these knowledge gaps and obtain a comprehensive basic understanding of the identity, evolution, metabolism and ecological importance of those bacteria and archaea that actually catalyze nitrification in nature. For this purpose innovative single cell technologies like Raman-microspectroscopy, NanoSIMS and single cell genomics will be combined in novel ways and a Raman microfluidic device for high-throughput cell sorting will be developed. Application of these approaches will reveal the evolutionary history and metabolic versatility of uncultured ammonia oxidizing archaea and will provide important insights into their population structure. Furthermore, the proposed experiments will allow us to efficiently search for unknown nitrifiers, evaluate their ecological importance and test the hypothesis that organisms catalyzing both steps of nitrification may exist. For non-model nitrifiers we will develop a unique genetic approach to reveal the genetic basis of key metabolic features. Together, the genomic, metabolic, ecophysiological and genetic data will provide unprecedented insights into the biology of nitrifying microbes and open new conceptual horizons for the study of microbes in their natural environments."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Remembering the Importance of Alzheimer's Care Rome
November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. We want to take this opportunity to talk about how this disease affects some of our residents and their families, and how we work to combat its symptoms with exceptional Alzheimer's care. The intent of this national designation is to provide a footing for education about the effects of Alzheimer's, as well as to highlight potential care options for those affected by it.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, just know you do not have to go through it alone. Our team at Regency specializes in providing incredible Alzheimer's care, and we are committed to loving and caring for you or your family member in the same way we would our own.
Quick Facts about Alzheimer's from the CDC:
In 2014 there were as many as 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease.
This statistic is projected to almost triple to 14 million people affected by Alzheimer's by 2060.
Symptoms can present themselves after age 60, and risk increases with age.
Younger people can be affected by the disease, however it is uncommon.
The number of people living with Alzheimer's doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.
Though scientists and doctors do not fully understand what causes Alzheimer's disease, they do know that age continues to be the best known risk factor. Family history also plays into a person's risk, as researchers believe that genetics may have something to do with development of the disease. Research continues to try to determine whether education, diet, and environment play a role in the development of Alzheimer's, and there is growing evidence to suggest that physical, mental, and social activity may help reduce one's risk.
Is It Just Memory Loss or Something More?
It's important to understand that severe memory loss is not a normal part of aging. Issues with memory are often the beginning warning signs of cognitive decline. When these issues start to interfere with one's everyday life, it may be time to seek help in the form of Alzheimer's care.
The National Institute on Aging asserts that those battling Alzheimer's disease may struggle with the following:
Getting lost in familiar places
Repeating questions
Difficulty completing familiar tasks
Misplacing things and having trouble retracing steps
Trouble handling money or managing bills
Changes in mood, demeanor, or personality
If you or a loved one is struggling in the areas outlined above, our team at Riverwood can help. Alzheimer's care often involves a management and treatment approach that is three pronged– managing behavioral symptoms, helping maintain mental function, and slowing the development of symptoms. Learn more about how our team at Regency helps our residents manage the symptoms of this disease through compassionate Alzheimer's care Rome, and check out our blog about memory care too. We take pride in our approach to serving these residents at our assisted living community.
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The History of Valentine's Day & Other Interesting Facts
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We are incredibly proud of our staff members, who have been true heroes throughout this pandemic. Thank you for making our community a great place to live and work.
We want to extend our most sincere thanks to our staff, residents, and families for being so understanding and receiving changes so readily.


Tchaikapharma completed the bioequivalence clinical trials of 4 new dual-component pharmaceutical products for the treatment of arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases – with sucsess. The new drug fixed-dosage combinations with angiotensin receptor blockers and thiazide or thiazide-similar diuretics represent innovative solutions for an advanced medical care.
The researched and other already registered new combined pharmaceutical products are innovative scientific solutions developed by Tchaikapharma and are extensively prescribed by doctors and are met with a wide satisfaction by patients – in Bulgaria and a number of pharmaceutical markets in the EU.
On 20 August 2018, the Food and Drug Administration of the USA made a proposal for simplification of the registration procedure for exactly this kind of pharmaceutical combinations and the Administration described them as "complex" and accepted their innovative combined effect and high efficacy, which cannot be found in the already known mono-component generic medications.
Tchaikapharma's laboratories are completing the development, and more importantly, are about to finish – within the next 18 months – the clinical trials of the three-component pharmaceutical products for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are the chronicle conditions with the highest morbidity and longest duration in the EU countries, which lead to acute complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke and other severe life-threatening events.


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/ Tom Mison on Ichabod Crane
Tom Mison on Ichabod Crane
By Gian Laquindanum / 7 years ago
Tom Mison had the biggest break last year when he starred on Fox's hit show Sleepy Hollow. Mr. Mison has brought to life the iconic character of Ichabod Crane in a very interesting way. Tom's portrayal of the show's lead character is one of the keys why Sleepy Hollow is so successful. He brings lightheartedness to a dark show full of death, mystery, and monsters. He is what you call an ice breaker, an opening for a moment where we could laugh at how Crane operates and moves in the present world. It doesn't matter if they just faced a headless man riding an apocalyptic horse, give Ichabod Crane a cup of water and he will flip out over the fact that it wasn't free.
One of the most memorable scenes in the show is the time when Crane talked about his love story to Yolanda, a voice of a vehicle's OnStar emergency and navigation system. "It's so nice," Mison said. "that even when he's at his most cantankerous and grumpy and proud, there's still an innocence to him. Talking to somebody in the car, nobody needs that, but he's not going to be dismissive about it. He's going to have a really nice chat with her."
Mison continued by saying "I really love Yolanda, the lady featured. I'd love it if he could call and get advice, particularly emotional advice."
As entertained as I am with the plight of Crane's everyday life, Tom Mison says that he has a very different experience with the character. "Ichabod is the hardest part I've played," says Mison. "There's so much that we need to balance with him. To slightly veer in any one direction a little too much, and it will collapse."
For me, whatever he's doing, I hope he keeps it up. It's very seldom that we see lead characters being the most interesting part of any ensemble. A few examples would be Huge Laurie as House, Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes, and Bryan Cranston as Walter White. A lot of shows have uninteresting lead characters, Walking Dead has Rick Grimes, How I Met your Mother has Ted Mosby, Lost has Jack Sheppard, and so on and so forth.
So Mr. Mison's Ichabod Crane is a breath of fresh air. He doesn't need to rely on other cast members to make the show watchable. He doesn't need a Barney, or a Sawyer, or a Daryl. Crane is good all by himself. Obviously, other actors in the show support the lead, especially Leftenant Abbie Mills (played by the excellent Nicole Beharie). But to be frank, Mison is the real star of the show.
The only thing that I can't accept is that he keeps wearing the same clothes over and over again. I'm sure Sleepy Hollow has a Gap in their mall or something. But I have to say, that shirt he's wearing is pretty durable. Mison said "It's been washed. It's clean. The blood has been washed off." At least we know it's clean.
John Noble On Sleepy Hollow
Jun 02, 2015 / By Gian Laquindanum
Orlando Jones' Exit on Sleepy Hollow Stirs Speculations
May 28, 2015 / By Gian Laquindanum
Fox Moves Sleepy Hollow's Schedule
Sleepy Hollow Moves To Rockdale
Sleepy Hollow Season 3 Updates
Sleepy Hollow Season 3 Returns This Fall
Apr 26, 2015 / By Gian Laquindanum
Sleepy Hollow's Orlando Jones Raises Fund For Walter Scott
Nicole Beharie of Sleepy Hollow Talks About Ichabod And Abbie


Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us Jennifer.
God is indeed the power and inspiration for change. He works tirelessly as a master mechanic would, but He guarantees to return to check on us again and again.
I like that analogy! That's one I think my husband would relate well to, as he loves mechanic work. I'm so grateful for God's regular checkups!
"Instead of striving, I'm submitting." Oh how that is transformational and yet some days I catch myself slipping back into the striving. I feel like I have to prove myself.
I think all of us that have come to taste His grace are on that same learning journey! Father, empower us to yield more and more, and strive less and less!
I praise Him with you for bringing you into that glorious freedom He died to provide for us, Len! He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
It can be very liberating, and it comes to mind every January 1: Instead of making New Year's Resolutions to DO something more, do it better, try harder, etc., I resolve to just yield continuously to God and see what HE can do – what He has probably been longing to do for many years..
That's perfect! I love it very much. At the New Year I generally don't make resolutions either, but spend extensive time with Him just telling Him I want more of Him, and more of whatever He wants to do this year!
What relief to know He doesn't expect us to google and do a search on "How to Change"! Some of my most profound changes have felt a lot like I felt after a painting breakup with someone: one day I realized that I hadn't thought about for a while and don't know when or how it happened! Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!
You are welcome, LaRonda! That analogy makes me smile. It's so true!
Wow. Thank you Jennifer for expressing this so profoundly. It IS the TRUTH I'm still journeying with Him to bring about in my life. Absolute dependence on what He has already done for me at Calvary and letting Him through the Holy Spirit, change me. (No striving or 'having' to DO something). Surrender to Him, Loving interaction and repentance as we journey together. Thank you. Thank you for sharing with us.
You are welcome, Faye! My spirit rejoices to know that it resonated with you and encouraged you on your journey. You are so inexpressibly precious to the Father!


Former Technical Director of the All India Football Federation, Colm Joseph Toal has signed up as the Technical Director of Minerva Punjab FC.
Colm has worked with the AIFF for 7 years, played multiple roles with the National Teams of India. He has played multi-faceted roles with the AIFF as the Technical Director, Coach of the Olympic team, and the Indian U-19 & U-16 teams. He was the architect of the AIFF's Youth Development program between the years 2007 and 2014 during which he identified and developed players like Jeje Lalpekhlua, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Lalrindika Ralte, Milan Singh, Daniel Lalhlimpuia, Narayan Das, Pronay Halder, etc. Internationally, he has an experience of managing teams over a period of 39 years. His CV is impressive with stints as the Head Coach of the Uzbekistan U-20 National Team, Assistant Head Coach of Calcio Udinese, FC Copenhagen, Chinese National Team, FC Zurich and Al Ittihad Club.
With such a strong move, Minerva Punjab seems firm to bring back the glory days of Punjab football. The move will be a boon for the team which aspires to produce the best talent for India's Mission 2022 World Cup with majority of the players from North India in the national colours.


This delicate floral motif conjures memories of making daisy chains in the sun. Available in earring, ring and necklace variations. Crafted exclusively in Britain, using the finest silver and oxidized silver, each piece is hand finished by Jane and her team in Scotland. Available in both silver and oxidised black finishes and in three chain lengths: 16", 18" and 20".
Style with matching Flora earrings and ring.


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What Is Drew Lachey Doing Now?
By Angela Campbell/June 10, 2021 5:39 pm EST
While former 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey recently walked away as the winner of the reality series "The Masked Singer," some might be curious what his younger brother and former bandmate, Drew Lachey, has been up to lately. Drew has actually stayed quite busy since 98 Degrees put their music on hiatus in the early 2000s. More than 15 years ago, he won "Dancing With the Stars," wowing fans and judges alongside his dance partner Cheryl Burke (via People). He returned for the 15th season of "Dancing With The Stars" for its all-stars reunion in 2019 and also competed on "American Ninja Warrior" the same year (via NBC).
Meanwhile, 98 Degrees has held a couple of reunion tours, including one in 2012 alongside New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men, and has released new music periodically since 2013, such as a Christmas album titled "Let It Snow" in 2017. Aside from his reality show appearances and periodic performances with the band, Drew has also been quite active in charity work, especially in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he now lives with his wife and children, according to People.
98 Degrees is gearing up for a new tour and new music
Instagram/Drew Lachey
Even though Drew Lachey and his wife, Lea, temporarily relocated to Los Angeles when Drew returned to "Dancing With The Stars" in 2019, their family's home base is in Cincinnati (via People). He told the publication, "The decision to move back to Cincinnati — and away from the industry that I work in and a lot of our friends — was by far one of the best decisions we ever made in our lives. If we're able to give our daughter and our son even five more minutes of innocence, then the move was all worth it."
The couple, who are parents to Isabella Claire and Hudson Nicholas, also started a nonprofit organization called Lachey Arts, based in Cincinnati. According to its website, the organization operates a performing arts center that offers classes in dance, music, and theater to youth under the guidance of successful and renowned teachers.
After winning "The Masked Singer," Nick Lachey also announced 98 Degrees was again reuniting for a "98 Days of Summer" campaign that will include live performances across the United States and new music, including a new single and music video titled "Where Do You Wanna Go," according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. The summer campaign kicks off June 11.


We invite applications for a funded, full-time 3 year PhD position in political philosophy at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, in the context of an ERC Consolidator Grant (648610) project led by Serena Olsaretti on "Justice and the Family: An Analysis of the Normative Significance of Procreation and Parenthood in a Just Society".
1) Parental Justice – Does justice require that parents and non-parents share, and share equally, the costs and benefits of having children, and how do different answers to this question bear on our theory of distributive justice?
2) Childhood Justice – What are the claims of justice that we have as children, how do they relate to those we have as adults, and who bears the correlative duties?
3) Intergenerational Justice – Do all contemporaries, regardless of whether they are parents or non-parents, have the same obligations of justice towards future generations, and how, if at all, are the justification and the content of those obligations affected by considerations about what parents owe their children and parents and non-parents owe to each other?
The PhD bursary is regulated by a pre-doctoral labour contract for research staff at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. It is a fixed-term, full-time contract. The gross annual value of the bursary would be of approximately €21,000, or €1400 per month gross.
Starting date: Between 1 June 2016 and 1 October 2016.
We invite applications for a fully funded, full-time 2 year postdoctoral position in political philosophy at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, in the context of an ERC Consolidator Grant (648610) project led by Serena Olsaretti on "Justice and the Family: An Analysis of the Normative Significance of Procreation and Parenthood in a Just Society".
The post-doctoral position is regulated by a post-doctoral labour contract for research staff at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. It is a fixed-term, full-time contract. The gross annual value of the position is between €30,000 and €40,000.
Starting date: Between 1 June 2016 and 1 October 2016 (negotiable).


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Logarithm
Many students when using logarithms, only memorize the rules, without fully understanding their concept. The basic concept of logarithms can be expressed as a shortcut.
Multiplication is a shortcut for Addition: 3 x 5 means 5 + 5 + 5
Exponents are a shortcut for Multiplication: 4^3 means 4 x 4 x 4
Logarithms are a shortcut for Exponents: 10^2 = 100
The present definition of the logarithm is the exponent or power to which a stated number, called the base, is raised to yield a specific number.
The logarithm of 100 to the base 10 is 2 This is written: log 10 100 = 2
Many people throughout time have been accredited with the production and development of logarithms. However, there is one man who is responsible for the invention of the logarithm. That man is the Scotsman, John Napier. Napier is placed within a short lineage of mathematical thinkers beginning with Archimedes and more recent geniuses, Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.
Short bio of John Napier
John Napier was born in the Tower of Merciston, which is now at the center of Napier University's Merchiston campus, in 1550. At the age of 13, he went to St. Andrews studying at St. Salvator's College for two years but failed to obtain a degree. It is thought that he traveled throughout Europe between 1566-1571, making extended stays in Paris and Holland. In 1571, Napier returned to Scotland and devoted himself to running his estate and participating in the religious controversies of the time. He was a fervent Protestant and published, what he considered his most important contribution to society, the Plaine Discovery of the Whole Revelation of St. John (1593). This is an explanatory work on the Book of Revelation which has intrigued scholars throughout the history of Christianity. Napier believed that the symbols the Book contained were mathematical so they must be able to be disclosed through reason. He regarded this work as so important that it was his only work written in English.
Napier, who is credited with the invention of logarithms, only considered the study of mathematics as a hobby. Napier's discussion of logarithms appears in his Minifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio (1614). Unlike the logarithms used today, Napier's original logarithms are to base 1/e and involve a constant (10^7). Napier defined his logarithms as a ratio of two distances in a geometric form, as opposed to the current definition of logarithms as exponents. What was Napier's purpose for inventing this system? He developed this shortcut to save astronomers time and limit "slippery errors" of calculations. His idea was that by "shortening the labours, doubled the life of the astronomer." With his logarithms, Napier presented a mechanical means of simplifying calculations in his Rabdologiae in 1617. He described a method of multiplication using rods with numbers marked off on them. This was the earliest form of mechanical calculation and the forerunner of our modern day calculator.
Napier not only "invented" logarithms, he had many other achievements in his lifetime. Among these accomplishments were revolutionary methods for tilling and fertilizing soil and a number of "Secret Inventions" to defend his country from Philip of Spain. These inventions include the round chariot with firepower and heavy protection (the idea behind the tank); an underwater ship (the submarine); and an artillery piece which would mow down a field of soldiers (the machine gun). It is rumored that while testing his machine gun, he took out an entire flock of sheep in a pasture outside of his estate. After witnessing the destructive power his invention possessed, he swore never to make another gun or give the information on how to make one to anyone.
John Napier invented logarithms, but many other scientists and mathematicians helped develop Napier's logarithms to the system we use today. The first table of common logarithms was compiled by the English mathematician Henry Briggs. In 1624, while working with Napier, Briggs and Napier discovered natural logarithms which first arose as more or less "accidental variations" of Napier's original logarithms. The possibility of defining logarithms as exponents was recognized by John Wallis in 1685 and later by Johann Bernoulli in 1694.
The invention of logarithms was foreshadowed by the comparison of arithmetic and geometric series. In the simple table used above, the top line is a geometric series and the bottom line is an arithmetic series.
The first table based on this concept was published in 1620 in Prague by Joost Bürgi.
The comparison between the two series was not based on any explicit use of the exponential notation; this was a later development.John Napier, the Scottish mathematician, published his discovery of logarithms in 1614. His purpose was to assist in the multiplication of quantities that were then called sines. The whole sine was the value of the side of a right angled triangle with a large hypotenuse, say 107 units long. His definition was given in terms of relative rates. The logarithm, therefore, of any sine is a number very neerely expressing the line which increased equally in the meene time whiles the line of the whole sine decreased proportionally into that sine, both motions being equal timed and the beginning equally shift.
In modern terminology, L is the logarithm and X the sine. (In modern notation X would be r sin .)
Thus, with modern techniques derivatives can be used (see Box 10, item 73). At t = 0, X = r ( = 90º), and, since the motion is "equally swift" at the beginning, a = br. Furthermore, the function L is known to have certain values at specific points (see Box 10, item 74). Thus in terms of present logarithms to the base e the function L can be expressed in terms of natural logarithms (see Box 10, item 75). Napier's value of r was 107. This expression does not have the expected property for L(XY), but the relationship involving products and division (see Box 10, item 76) does apply.
In cooperation with the English mathematician Henry Briggs, Napier did adjust his logarithms into the form in which it is usually found. For the modern Naperian logarithm (i.e., the logarithm to the base e) the comparison would be between points moving on two straight lines, marked in units of length, the L point moving uniformly from minus infinity to plus infinity, the X point moving on a half line from zero to infinity at a speed proportional to the distance from zero. Furthermore, L is zero when X is one and their speed is equal at this point. The essence of Napier's discovery is that this constitutes a generalization of the relation between the arithmetic and geometric series; i.e., multiplication and raising to a power of the values of the X point correspond to addition and multiplication of the values of the L point. In modern terminology,
From the point of view of the user it is better to limit the L and X motion by the requirement that L = 1 at X = 10 in addition to the condition that X = 1 at L = 0. This produces the common logarithms to the base 10.These are sometimes known as Briggsian logarithms: the natural logarithms are known as Naperian logarithms. The calculation of logarithms The treatment above differs from that of Napier in that the word "exactly" is applicable rather than "very neerely."
This obscures the ingenious procedure used for calculating the early logarithms, in which powers of numbers such as 1.00001 were used so that multiplication was minimized and replaced by addition. Thus, X = (1.00001)n, L = n/105 corresponds approximately to L = loge X, or the natural logarithm.
To obtain the Briggs or base 10 table, the calculation would be continued until X exceeded 10 and then the L scale adjusted so that at X = 10, L = 1.In addition to the discrete series procedure, Napier and Briggs suggested the calculation of logarithms by extracting roots of 10; i.e., log 10 = 0.5, log 101/4 = 0.25. This permits the n computation of the previous paragraph to be shortened, for the Briggs logarithm can be adjusted for by taking L = 0.25 for X = 101/4. Power series were not used in the initial construction of the tables. The power series for log(1 + x) and ex were only available in the 18th century and rigorously established in the early 19th century.
Logarithm tables Napier died in 1617. Briggs published a table of logarithms to 14 places of numbers from 1 to 20,000 and from 90,000 to 100,000 in 1624.
Adriaan Vlacq published a 10-place table for values from 1 to 100,000 in 1628, adding the 70,000 values. Both Briggs and Vlacq engaged in setting up log trigonometric tables. Such early tables were either to 1/100 of a degree or to a minute of arc. In the 18th century tables were published for 10-second intervals, which were convenient for seven-place tables.
In general, finer intervals are required for logarithmic functions in which the logarithm is taken of smaller numbers; for example, in the calculation of the functions log sin x and log tan x. The related functions modified by division by x in the argument of the logarithm are easily calculated by series for small values of x.
The availability of logarithms greatly influenced the form of plane and spherical trigonometry. Convenient formulas are ones in which the operations that depend on logarithms are done all at once. The recourse to the tables then consists of only two steps. One is obtaining logarithms, the other obtaining antilogs. The procedures of trigonometry were recast to produce such formulas.
(F.J.M.)from encarta encyclopedia http://encarta.msn.com/index/conciseindex/1F/01FD4000.htm
Logarithm, mathematical power or exponent to which any particular number, called the base, is raised in order to produce another particular number.
In 102 = 100, the logarithm of 100 to the base 10 is 2, written as log10 100 = 2. Common logarithms use the number 10 as the base. Natural logarithms use the transcendental number e as a base. The first tables of logarithms were published independently by Scottish mathematician John Napier in 1614 and Swiss mathematician Justus Byrgius in 1620.
The first table of common logarithms was compiled by the English mathematician Henry Briggs.
The problem in constructing a table of logarithms is to make the intervals between successive entries small enough for usefulness in calculating. Logarithm tables have been replaced by electronic calculators and computers with logarithmic functions. Each logarithm contains a whole number and a decimal fraction, called respectively the characteristic and the mantissa. In the common system of logarithms, the logarithm of the number 7 has the characteristic 0 and the mantissa .84510 and is written 0.84510. The logarithm of the number 70 is 1.84510, and the logarithm of the number 700 is 2.84510. The logarithm of the number .7 is -0.15490.
Timeline of Logarithms
by Anthony Fogleman
1550 John Napier1 was born in Edinburgh Scotland.
1552 Jobst Bürgi was born in Switzerland.
1588 Bürgi began working on his logarithms2 independent of Napier (I was unable to find the base to which Bürgi created his logarithms).
~1594 John Napier started work on his tables and spent the next twenty years completing. The tables were for trigonometric applications and gave the logarithms for the sine of angles 30o to 90o. Although Napier did not actually use in his logarithms it could be said his base was roughly 1/e.
1614 Napier published "Mirifici logarithmorum canonis descriptio" in which he discusses his logarithms.
10 March 1615 Henry Briggs wrote a letter roughly translating questions Napier's use of his base (1/e) and why he did not use base 10 and log 1 = 0. Napier replied that he too had the idea but could not create the tables due to an illness.
Summer 1615 Henry Briggs visited John Napier and they spent a month working on the
tables for the logarithms to base 10.
1616 Henry Briggs visited John Napier a second time.
4 April 1617 John Napier passed away.
1617 Briggs published his "Logarithmorum Chilias Prima" which contained his tables for logarithms to base 10.
1619 "Mirifici logarithmorum canonis constructio" is published in which the method
Napier used for constructing his logarithms is discussed.
1620 Bürgis' were published in his "Arithmetische und Geometrische Progress-
Tabulen."
Bürgi's work went unnoticed due to the beginning of the Thirty Years' War.
1622 William Oughtred invented the slide rule, which offered an even quicker way of calculating logarithms.
1632 Jobst Bürgi passed away.
1675 Newton discovers the fact that the d/dx ln x = 1/x.
1685 John Wallis realized that logarithms could be defined as exponents.
1694 Johann Bernoulli also realized that logarithms could be defined as exponents.
1694 to present Logarithms had reached their full potential and most of what was done after 1694 was calculating logarithms to different bases.
1 reworked from the encyclopedia brittanica
2 Napier is also written as Neper and numerous other forms
3 Logarithm means "reckoning number"


I suppose I need to add a disclaimer to this too. I made the plan for myself according to my lifestyle: freelance, lots of time sitting down and generally not too active. That's why I do not require as much calories consumption as say, a construction worker who generally spends a lot of time outdoors putting in hard labour. Or a dance instructor. I'd also like to still have some fun so I would not totally restrict or deprive myself of a certain food item. Therefore, you'll see me eating a piece of cake at a party, or sample that burger (without the bun if possible) a friend has made for me. And once in a while, a pasta dish will appear on the dinner table.
Bottom line is, that this is about a lifestyle change and not a 'weight loss' diet. However, swapping over to healthier choices does help you lose a few unwanted pounds, and that is not a bad thing at all.
By the way, if you are interested, I'll show you the exercise video I've been using recently. Check out her other exercise videos too. Jun Dayeon is a 45 year old Korean lady who has become a fitness instructor who has managed to lose 20kg through her diet and exercise regime. While I'm not aiming to lose 20kg, this particular video is fun, easy and works the whole body.
So what do you think about D.I.Y Health and Fitness? Are there any rules you follow? Are there websites that your refer to religiously for this purpose?
And….. I know!! I do love that Pink Pot too. 🙂 Photo taken by Josh Chong Wedding | Portraiture Photography.
I am trying hard to be healthier. Start to work out everyday, and I feel way better.
Interesting. But they should have given you a bigger picture and more blurb. Many of us don't care about Siva.
Hoping there are many, many more articles.
Eating healthier is always a good option. Exercise is another story. Cannot lah.
Congrats with the interview 🙂 you're definitely an inspiration with all your lovely vegetarian recipes ~ Even thought my bf and I are meat lovers even though I'm intrigued to try your dishes! I also like how realistic you are ~ not crazy with dieting but just trying to be healthy!


Other taxi service information is available online.
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