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Investors | Investors | Contact Us & FAQs
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Altria Investor Relations
Altria Client Services Inc.
If you have any questions concerning Investor Relations, you may call and leave a message at 804-484-8222 or email us.
Computershare Investment Plan for Altria Group, Inc.
1-800-442-0077 (within the U.S., U.S. Territories or Canada)
1-781-575-3572 (Outside the U.S. or Canada)
If sending correspondence by overnight mail:
www.computershare.com/altria
For Reporters Only
Altria Client Services
804-484-8897 (24 Hours)
Shareholder Services at Altria
General Investor FAQs
Annual Reports, Shareholder Publication and Shareholder Information
Q: How can I view the current Annual Report or other shareholder publications?
A: Visit the Annual Report and SEC Filings webpages.
Q: How can I receive printed copies of the current Annual Report, news releases or other shareholder publications?
A: To request printed copies please contact Investor Relations at 1-804-484-8222. Shareholders can also consent to receive future annual reports and proxy materials electronically.
Q: How can I contact Altria Group's transfer agent?
A: Computershare is the transfer agent for Altria Group, Inc. You may access the Computershare website, or you may call toll-free 1-800-442-0077 in the United States and Canada. From outside the United States and Canada, shareholders may call 1-781-575-3572.
Q: When is the Annual Meeting of Shareholders and what is the record date?
A: Please visit the Annual Report & Proxy webpage for answers to these questions.
Q: What is RSS?
A: RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It is a technology that allows you to receive up-to-date news from different websites, delivered directly to one screen on your computer. RSS also automatically highlights new headlines so that you do not have to refresh your screen each time. To receive Altria Group updates, subscribe to the RSS feeds from Altria.com.
Stock & Dividend Information
Q: On which stock exchanges is Altria Group currently listed?
A: Altria Group is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the ticker symbol "MO".
Q: Does Altria Group have a Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Program, and if so, how do I enroll?
A: Altria Group offers a Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan administered by our transfer agent, Computershare. You may access the Computershare website, or you may call toll-free 1-800-442-0077 in the United States and Canada. From outside the United States and Canada, shareholders may call 1-781-575-3572.
Q: Does Altria Group pay cash dividends on its stock?
A: Yes. We have posted a history of dividends and stock splits since 1989. Dividends are declared and approved only at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Q: Who are the members of the Altria Group Board of Directors?
A: We invite you to view a list of current board members and read their biographies.
Q: Who can I contact with questions about Altria Group's operating companies?
A: Visit the Media Contacts section.
Q: Which analysts currently cover Altria Group?
A: Visit the Investor Analysts section.
Q: Where can I get more information on Altria Group's spin-off of Philip Morris International?
A: For information about Altria Group's spin-off of Philip Morris International, please see the Philip Morris International Spin-off Investor Information FAQs section on this page.
Q: Where are Altria Group's corporate headquarters located?
A: Altria Group's corporate headquarters are located at 6601 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23230.
Q: What companies does Altria Group own?
A: View a list of Altria Group operating companies. In addition, Altria Group currently holds a continuing economic and voting interest in SABMiller plc.
UST Acquisition (Completed) FAQs
Q: When did the merger close?
A: The merger closed on January 6, 2009.
Q: What was the purchase price of the merger?
A: Shareholders of UST received $69.50 in cash for each share of common stock held on January 6, 2009, the closing date of the merger. The transaction was valued at approximately $11.7 billion, which includes the assumption of approximately $1.3 billion of debt.
Q: Where can I find a copy of the Agreement and Plan of Merger?
A: The Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September 7, 2008 and Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated October 2, 2008 were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You may download the documents by visiting the SEC website.
You may also download the documents by visiting the Altria website.
Q: What happened to my shares of UST common stock as a result of the merger?
A: As a result of the merger, UST common stock is no longer publicly traded. In accordance with the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September 7, 2008 and amended on October 2, 2008, shareholders of UST are entitled to receive $69.50 in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes, for each share of UST common stock held on January 6, 2009, the effective date of the merger. For example, if you owned 100 shares of UST common stock on the closing date of the merger, you are entitled to receive $6,950 in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes, in exchange for your 100 shares of UST common stock.
Q: What happens if I sold my shares before the merger was completed?
A: In order to receive the cash payment of $69.50 per share, you needed to have held your shares of UST common stock on January 6, 2009, the closing date of the merger.
Q: Who is the paying agent for the merger between Altria and UST?
A: Computershare is the paying agent. As the paying agent, Computershare distributed the cash payment for shares of UST common stock. Registered shareholders received information from Computershare regarding their cash payment. Shareholders who held their shares through a bank or broker received information from their bank or broker. You may call Computershare toll-free at 866-963-6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico. Shareholder representatives are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Outside the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico you may call 781-575-2754. Or by mail: Computershare P.O. Box 43014 Providence, RI 02940-3014
Q: Who do I contact if I have additional questions regarding the exchange of UST shares for the cash payment?
A: You may call Computershare, the paying agent, toll-free at 866-963-6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico. Shareholder representatives are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Outside the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico you may call 781-575-2754. Or by mail: Computershare P.O. Box 43014 Providence, RI 02940-3014.
Q: What should I do with the Form W-9 included with my Exchange Form?
A: If your account did not have an accurate or updated taxpayer identification number (TIN), Computershare enclosed a Form W-9 with the Exchange Form. If Computershare did not include a Form W-9 and your cash payment is to be issued in the same name, you need take no further action to certify the TIN for the registered account. Under U.S. Federal income tax law, any person submitting the Exchange Form who has not previously certified the TIN relating to the registered account must provide to Computershare, the paying agent his, her or its correct TIN, and certify that such TIN is correct on the enclosed Form W-9. If such TIN is not provided, a penalty of $50.00 may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service and payment of the merger consideration may be subject to backup withholding. The TIN to be provided is that of the person submitting the Exchange Form. The TIN for an individual is generally his or her social security number. Exempt persons (including, among others, all corporations and certain foreign individuals) are not subject to backup withholding and reporting requirements. A foreign individual may qualify as an exempt person by submitting a Form W-8, signed under penalties of perjury, certifying such individual's foreign status. That form can be obtained from Computershare. See the Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Form W-9 for additional instructions.
Q: Can I use my UST proceeds to purchase Altria stock?
A: Shareholders may choose to reinvest their UST proceeds at their discretion and each individual should evaluate how best to use their funds.
Q: What happened to my UST dividend?
A: As a result of the closing of the merger on January 6, 2009, no further dividends will be paid by UST.
Q: Who do I call if I have additional questions regarding UST?
A: Computershare is available to answer questions regarding the following issues:
Registration changes (name change, transfer ownership, etc.)
Direct Registration (electronic registration of shares)
Replacing lost, stolen or destroyed certificates
Other account maintenance-related questions
Shareholder representatives at Computershare are available from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, toll-free at 866-963-6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico or 781-575-2754 for shareholders outside of the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico. If your question is not answered, please call the Altria Client Services Investor Relations number at 804-484-8222.
Cash Distribution for UST Stock
Q: How were shares of UST common stock exchanged for cash?
A: If shares of UST common stock were held through a bank or broker (i.e., in "street" name) at the closing of the merger on January 6, 2009, the bank or broker handled the exchange of shares. If UST share holdings were listed on the books of UST's transfer agent, Computershare (either in certificate form or electronically in book-entry form) at the closing of the merger on January 6, 2009, those shareholders received information directly from Computershare, who is also the paying agent. For additional information, UST shareholders who held shares through a bank or broker should contact their bank or broker directly with any specific questions regarding their account.
Q: How long will it take my bank or broker to send me the cash payment?
A: UST shareholders who held shares of UST common stock through a bank or broker (i.e., in "street" name) received information directly from their bank or broker regarding the cash payment for their shares of UST common stock. The timing of the notification can vary from institution to institution.
Q: What do I need to do if I still hold UST stock certificates?
A: UST shareholders who hold shares of UST common stock in certificate form must surrender their stock certificates in order to receive the cash payment. Computershare, the paying agent, mailed a letter of transmittal and an exchange form containing detailed instructions to UST shareholders who hold shares of UST common stock in certificate form within approximately five business days following the closing of the merger on January 6, 2009.
If you want this information resent to you, please call Computershare toll-free at 866-963-6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico and request that a duplicate exchange form be mailed to you. Outside the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico you may call 781-575-2754. We urge you to act promptly because your UST stock certificates now represent only the right to receive the cash payment to which you are entitled, and no interest will accrue or be paid on such amount.
Q: Should I return my UST stock certificates?
A: Shareholders who hold shares of UST common stock in certificate form should not return their stock certificates to Computershare, the paying agent, until they have received and completed an exchange form. A letter of transmittal and an exchange form containing detailed instructions was mailed to shareholders who held shares of UST common stock in certificate form within approximately five business days following the closing of the merger on January 6, 2009. Shareholders must complete the exchange form and return it along with their stock certificates and any other required materials in order to receive their cash payment. If you want this information resent to you, please call Computershare toll-free at 866-963-6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico and request that a duplicate exchange form be mailed to you. Outside the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico you may call 781-575-2754.
Q: What will happen if I do not return my UST stock certificates?
A: The UST common stock evidenced by the stock certificates you presently hold is no longer trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and only represents the right to receive the cash payment. Until you properly present your certificates for exchange you will not receive the cash payment. No interest will accrue or be paid on the cash entitlement, so you are encouraged to exchange your shares promptly by following the instructions in the material sent to you by Computershare. Any unexchanged UST shares may eventually be subject to applicable state abandoned property, escheat or similar laws.
Q: How do I return my UST stock certificates?
A: A letter of transmittal and exchange form containing detailed instructions was mailed to shareholders who hold shares of UST common stock in certificate form within approximately five business days following the closing of the merger on January 6, 2009. If you want this information resent to you, please call Computershare toll-free at 866-963-6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico and request that a duplicate exchange form be mailed to you. Outside the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico you may call 781-575-2754.
Once you have completed and executed the exchange form and are ready to return it along with your UST stock certificates and any other required materials to Computershare, we recommend that you insure the return package for 3% of the value of the certificates, and send the return package via registered mail in the courtesy reply envelope that will be included in your packet or via overnight courier to the address listed on the reverse side of the exchange form. For example, if you own 100 shares of UST common stock, the value of your stock is $6,950. Three percent (3%) of the value of your stock is $208.50. Please retain copies of all documents mailed for your records until the cash exchange has been completed.
Q: What should I do if my stock certificates were lost, stolen or destroyed?
A: If your UST stock certificates were lost, stolen or destroyed, you must mark the appropriate box next to the missing stock certificates listed on the exchange form and complete Box A on the reverse side of the exchange form. You must enclose a check or money order made payable to "Computershare" for the surety fees to replace your stock certificates.
Q: What happens if my stock certificates are lost in the mail?
A: If your exchange form and stock certificates are lost in the mail, you should make every effort to track the package. If you are unable to track the package you will need to follow the steps and procedures for replacing stock certificates that are lost, stolen or destroyed. Lost, stolen or destroyed certificates are subject to surety fees for replacement. Please retain copies of all documents mailed for your records until the cash exchange has been completed.
Q: What if I lose my exchange form or need additional ones?
A: You may call Computershare, the paying agent, toll-free at 866-963-6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico and request that a duplicate exchange form be mailed to you. Outside the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico you may call 781-575-2754.
Q: When should I expect the exchange of my stock certificates to be completed?
A: You should receive a check for the cash payment approximately seven to ten business days after Computershare's receipt of your completed and executed exchange form and UST stock certificates.
Q: Why can't I receive my check for the cash payment until I return all of my UST stock certificates?
A: UST common stock evidenced by the stock certificates you presently hold is no longer trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and only represents the right to receive the cash payment. Please note that no interest will accrue or be paid on the cash entitlement, so you are encouraged to exchange your shares promptly by following the instructions in the materials sent to you by Computershare. Any unexchanged UST shares may eventually be subject to applicable state abandoned property, escheat or similar laws.
Q: What do I do if my address has changed?
A: If you are a registered UST shareholder, please call Computershare toll-free at 866-963- 6134 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico or 781-575-2754 for shareholders outside of the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico. UST shareholders who held shares through a bank or broker should contact their bank or broker directly with any specific questions regarding their account.
Q: What if I want my cash payment mailed to a special address?
A: If you were a registered UST shareholder and want your cash payment mailed to a third party, such as your bank or broker, you must include those instructions on a separate sheet of paper, and have those instructions Medallion Guaranteed. Unless you indicate otherwise, any instructions provided will NOT change your address for other mailings that could occur in the future.
Q: What is a Medallion Guarantee? Is it the same as a Notary certification?
A: In the United States, a Medallion Guarantee is a special signature guarantee for the transfer of securities. It is a guarantee by the financial institution that the signature is genuine and the financial institution accepts liability for forgery. Medallion guarantees protect shareholders by preventing unauthorized transfers and possible investor losses. A Notary Public certification is not the same and is not acceptable for this purpose. This guarantee is normally obtained from selected banks or other financial institutions such as a broker, dealer, credit union, savings association or other entity which is a member in good standing of the Securities Transfer Agents' Medallion Program ("STAMP"). Different institutions have different policies as to what type of identification they require to provide the guarantee and whether they charge a fee for such service. Most institutions would not guarantee a signature of someone who has not already been their customer
Q: Is the exchange of my UST shares for cash a taxable event for U.S. holders?
A: You are urged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the particular consequences to you of the merger and related transactions, including the U.S. Federal, state, local, foreign and other tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of your shares. The receipt of cash by a U.S. holder in exchange for its shares of UST common stock pursuant to the merger will be a taxable transaction for U.S. Federal income tax purposes (and also may be a taxable transaction under applicable state, local, foreign and other income tax laws). In general, a U.S. holder will recognize gain or loss for U.S. Federal income tax purposes equal to the difference between the amount of cash received by such holder in exchange for its shares of common stock and the holder's adjusted tax basis in such shares. Gain or loss, as well as the holding period, will be determined separately for each block of shares of common stock surrendered for cash pursuant to the merger, with a block generally consisting of shares of common stock acquired at the same cost in a single transaction. If your shares of common stock are held as capital assets, such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares of common stock have been held for more than one year at the effective time of the merger. Such gain or loss will generally be short-term capital gain or loss if at the effective time of the merger the shares of common stock have been held for one year or less. Individual and certain other non-corporate U.S. holders who recognize long-term capital gains are generally eligible for preferential rates of taxation. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations. Tax Basis Information
Tax Basis Information
How do I calculate the tax basis of my UST stock?
A: If you purchased your UST shares for cash, the tax basis for your UST shares would generally equal the cost of these shares including commissions or other fees. If you received your UST shares as a gift, through an employee compensation arrangement, or through some other means, we recommend that you consult your own tax advisor to determine your tax basis in these shares. If you acquired different blocks of stock at different times and different prices, you must determine your adjusted tax basis and holding period separately with respect to each block of stock.
UST Inc. historical price lookup.
Completed FY 2008 Financials (8-K/A) - Jan 30, 2009
Altria Shareholder
Q: What happens to my Altria shares?
A:If you are an Altria shareholder, your shares of Altria common stock will remain unchanged by the merger. You do not need to surrender your shares or your stock certificates.
Q: What is the current annualized dividend rate for Altria Group?
A:Visit the Dividend Schedule & History section
Q: Who do I call if I have any questions regarding Altria?
A: Altria shareholders should call the transfer agent, Computershare. Computershare is available to answer questions regarding the following issues:
Dividend information, including the dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan
Shareholder representatives at Computershare are available from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, toll-free at 800-442-0077 within the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico or 781-575-3572 for shareholders outside of the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico. If your question is not answered, please call Altria Client Services Investor Relations at 804-484-8222.
PMI Spin-Off (Completed) FAQs
General PMI Spin-off Information
Q: Why did Altria spin off PMI?
A: Altria's Board of Directors and management believed that the Spin-off would enable each of Altria's international and domestic tobacco businesses to focus exclusively on realizing its own opportunities and addressing its own challenges, thereby building long-term shareholder value. Some of the benefits include an improved focus on the different market dynamics and competitive frameworks, a more optimal and efficient capital allocation, a greater financial flexibility, a greater transparency leading to the elimination of the sum-of-the-parts discount under which Altria's stock has typically traded, a reduction in corporate overhead, the creation of a potential acquisition currency in the form of a more focused equity, and a tighter alignment of compensation and rewards with the performance of each entity.
Q: Were any approvals required for the Spin-off?
A: The spin off of PMI was subject to the receipt of a favorable ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the receipt of an opinion of tax counsel, the effectiveness of a registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the approval of the New York Stock Exchange to list the PMI shares, as well as the execution of several intercompany agreements and the finalization of other matters.
Q: Can you explain exactly what happened, and when, at each key point in the process of the Spin-off?
Declaration Date - January 30, 2008: Altria's Board authorized the spin off of PMI.
Record Date - March 19, 2008: Altria's shareholders of record as of 5:00 p.m. New York City Time on this date were entitled to receive one share of PMI stock for each share of Altria "regular way" stock owned, provided they retained the Altria shares through the Distribution Date.
Shortly after the Record Date: An Information Statement was mailed to shareholders of record as of the Record Date. The Information Statement provided details of the Spin-off, including the procedures by which the PMI stock was distributed.
Distribution Date - March 28, 2008: PMI shares were distributed to shareholders of record of Altria "regular way" stock that had been held through the Distribution Date.
Q: Why not sell PMI as a public offering?
A: Spinning off PMI was the best way to achieve our business objectives and to create value for Altria's shareholders. A U.S. tax free distribution of shares in PMI was the most tax efficient way to separate the companies.
Q: How did my ownership in Altria change as a result of the Spin-off?
A: The record date was March 26, 2012.
A: The number of shares of Altria stock that you own did not change as a result of the Spin-off, but the dollar value of those shares changed. On the Distribution Date, Altria's shareholders received one share of PMI stock for each share of Altria stock that they owned as of the Record Date. The market value of each Altria share, however, declined to reflect the impact of the Spin-off.
Q: Are there any transitional agreements between Altria and PMI after the Spin-off is completed?
A: In connection with the Spin-off, Altria and PMI entered into a number of agreements that govern the Spin-off and the relationship between the companies.
Q: What was the Record Date for the Spin-off?
A: The Record Date was March 19, 2008, and ownership was determined as of 5:00 p.m. New York City Time on that date.
Q: When did the Spin-off occur?
A: Shares of PMI stock were distributed on March 28, 2008. We refer to this date as the Distribution Date.
Q: What banks and law firms advised the Altria Board of Directors and management about the Spin-off?
A: Centerview Partners, Lehman Brothers, Hunton & Williams and Sutherland Asbill & Brennan advised the Board and management. Additionally, Citibank, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase were advisors to management.
Q: What was the Distribution Ratio of Altria shares to PMI shares?
A: The ratio was 1:1. Altria distributed one share of PMI stock for each share of Altria stock outstanding as of the Record Date for the Spin-off.
Q: How do I contact PMI's transfer agent?
A: Computershare Trust Company, N.A. is PMI's transfer agent. You may call Computershare toll-free at 1-877-745-9350 within the U.S. and Canada. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, you may call 1-781-575-4310.
Information Statement
Q: Were any regulatory or Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approvals required, in the U.S. or elsewhere, to complete the Spin-off?
A: The Spin-off was subject to the receipt of a favorable ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the effectiveness of a registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the approval of the New York Stock Exchange to list the PMI shares.
Q: Why was the transaction called a tax free spin off, and what are the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Spin-off to U.S. shareholders?
A: Altria received a private letter ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and an opinion of tax counsel that the distribution of PMI stock to Altria shareholders was tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. You should consult your own tax advisor as to the particular consequences of the Spin-off to you.
Q: Was the Spin-off tax free to Altria shareholders outside the U.S.?
A: Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to tax on the distribution of shares in jurisdictions other than the U.S. In this regard, Altria has received advice from some foreign tax authorities and advisors, and anticipates that the Spin-off will be tax free in Canada and Sweden, but subject to tax in Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. Altria is awaiting final advice from the U.K. tax authorities. Contrary to Altria's News Release of January 30, 2008, Altria has subsequently received advice that the Spin-off will be subject to tax in Norway. The foregoing is general information and does not constitute tax advice. It is extremely important that shareholders consult their tax advisor regarding the particular consequences of the Spin-off in their situation, including the applicability and effect of any U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax laws.
Q: As a result of the Spin-off, how do I calculate the tax basis of my Altria and PMI stock?
A: Please refer to the Distribution of Philip Morris International Inc. Common Stock of Altria Group, Inc. Shareholder Tax Basis Information Statement for assistance with computing your tax basis.
Financials Ex-PMI
On March 28, 2008, Altria Group, Inc. completed the spin-off of Philip Morris International to Altria's stockholders. Highlights of Altria's ex-PMI unaudited financials from the Company's Form 8-K report filed with the SEC on April 3, 2008, are presented in this section. The unaudited pro forma consolidated financial statements provide a view of Altria Group's financial position, excluding PMI's data.
The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated statements of earnings for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, treat the spin-off of PMI as if the distribution and related transactions occurred on January 1, 2005. The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2007 gives effect to the spin-off of PMI as if the distribution and related transactions occurred on December 31, 2007. The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements are subject to the assumptions and adjustments set forth in the notes accompanying the financial statements. Management believes that the assumptions used and adjustments made are reasonable under the circumstances and given the information available.
Dicslaimer
These unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements are presented for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the operating results or the financial position that would have been achieved had the separation of PMI been consummated as of the dates indicated or of the results that may be obtained in the future. These unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes should be read together with Altria's audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes as of and for the year ended December 31, 2007, and Management's Discussion and Analysis included in Altria's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Below are links to select financial statements from Altria's April 3, 2008 Form 8-K report, as well as the 8-K report in its entirety.
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS (EX-PMI)
For the Year Ended December 31, 2007
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (EX-PMI)
ALTRIA'S 8-K REPORT - APRIL 3, 2008
Kraft Spin-Off (Completed) FAQs
Spin-off Terms and Key Dates
Q: What was the dollar value of the Kraft Spin-off? How was the value calculated?
A: The Kraft Spin-off was valued at approximately $46.1 billion based on the closing price on March 30, 2007, for Kraft of $31.66 per share and 1,455,000,000 Kraft shares distributed by Altria. The distribution of 88.9% of Kraft's outstanding shares owned by Altria was made on March 30, 2007, to Altria's shareholders of record as of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 16, 2007 (the Record Date).
On the Distribution Date, Altria distributed 0.692024 of a share of Kraft stock for each share of Altria stock outstanding as of the Record Date, based on the number of Altria shares outstanding on that date. For amounts of less than one share, Altria's shareholders received cash in lieu of a fractional share of Kraft. The Distribution Ratio of 0.692024 was determined on the Record Date.
Q: Can you explain exactly what happened at each key point in the process of the Kraft Spin-off?
January 31, 2007 - Altria's Board authorized the Kraft Spin-off of Altria's ownership interest in Kraft Foods Inc.
March 16, 2007 - Altria shareholders of record as of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on this date (the Record Date) became entitled to receive 0.692024 of a share of Kraft stock for each share of Altria stock owned.
March 20, 2007 - An Information Statement was mailed to shareholders of record of Altria stock as of the Record Date. The Information Statement provided details about the Kraft Spin-off, including the procedures by which the Kraft stock was distributed.
March 30, 2007 - Kraft shares were distributed to shareholders of record of Altria stock that was held through the Distribution Date.
Q: Are there any transition agreements between Altria and Kraft now that the Kraft Spin-off is completed?
A:In connection with the Kraft Spin-off, Altria entered into certain agreements with Kraft to define responsibility for obligations arising before and after the Kraft Spin-off including, among others, obligations relating to employees, certain transition services and taxes.
Q: How did my ownership in Altria change as a result of the Kraft Spin-off?
A: The number of shares of Altria stock that you own did not change as a result of the Spin-off, but the dollar value of those shares did. On the Distribution Date, Altria's shareholders received 0.692024 of a share of Kraft stock for each share of Altria stock that they owned. The fair market value of each Altria share, however, was adjusted to reflect the Kraft Spin-off, and hence, the loss of the value of the Kraft stock.
Receipt of Kraft Shares
Q: How were fractional shares treated in the Kraft Spin-off?
A: Fractional shares of Kraft stock were not issued. If you were entitled to receive a fractional share of Kraft stock in the Kraft Spin-off, you received a taxable cash payment in lieu of the fractional share.
Q: How did the Kraft Spin-off affect the number of shares of Altria I currently hold?
A: The number of shares of Altria held by a shareholder did not change. On the Distribution Date, Altria's shareholders received 0.692024 of a share of Kraft stock for each share of Altria stock that they owned. The fair market value of each Altria share, however, was adjusted to reflect the Kraft Spin-off, and hence, the loss of the value of the Kraft stock.
Q: When should I have received my Kraft shares? Should I have received a stock certificate for Kraft shares distributed as a result of the Kraft Spin-off?
A: Registered holders of Altria stock who were entitled to receive the distribution should have received a book-entry account statement reflecting their ownership of Kraft stock. A cash payment in lieu of fractional shares should have been mailed along with the statements. For additional information, registered shareholders should contact Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, Kraft's (now Mondelez International, Inc.) transfer agent. You may call Wells Fargo Shareowner Services toll-free at 1-866-655-7238 from within the U.S. and Canada. Outside the U.S. and Canada, you may call 1-651-450-4064. Holders of Altria stock who hold their shares through a broker, bank or other nominee should direct questions regarding the distribution to their broker, bank or other nominee.
Q: Do I need to do anything with my Altria stock certificates? Should I send them to the transfer agent or to Altria?
A: No action is required. You should retain your Altria stock certificates.
Q: Were any regulatory or Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approvals required, in the U.S. or elsewhere, to complete the Kraft Spin-off?
A: No governmental approvals were required to complete the Kraft Spin-off.
Q: Why was the Kraft Spin-off called a tax free Spin-off, and what are the tax consequences to Altria's shareholders?
A: Altria received an opinion from outside legal counsel to the effect that the Kraft Spin-off would be tax free to its shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes, except for any cash received in lieu of a fractional share of Kraft stock. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding the particular consequences of the Kraft Spin-off to you, including the applicability and effect of any U.S. federal, state and local and foreign tax laws.
Q: As a result of the Kraft Spin-off, how do I calculate the tax basis of my Altria and Kraft stock?
A: Altria provided information to enable its U.S. shareholders to calculate the tax basis in both Altria and Kraft shares. This information was posted on our Web site on April 4, 2007.
Q: Is the Kraft Spin-off tax free for foreign shareholders?
A: Unfortunately, certain non-U.S. jurisdictions may choose to subject this type of corporate reorganization to taxation even though the distribution of Kraft Foods Inc. common shares is not taxable under U.S. federal laws. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding the particular consequences of the Kraft Spin-off to you, including the applicability and effect of any U.S. Federal, state and local and foreign tax laws.
Q: Is the Kraft Spin-off tax free for Canadian shareholders?
A: Yes. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has determined that the Kraft Spin-off is tax free for Canadian shareholders and has been approved for the purposes of section 86.1 of the Income Tax Act. To view the CRA's decision, please visit the Agency's Web site.
Q: How do I contact Kraft's transfer agent?
A: Wells Fargo Shareowner Services is Kraft's (now Mondelez International, Inc.) transfer agent. You may call Wells Fargo Shareowner Services toll-free at 1-866-655-7238 within the U.S. and Canada. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, you may call 1-651-450-4064.


Karla, you lucky duck!! I'll miss your giveaways, but I sure look forward to see what's next!
Anything you do is fine with me. You are such an inspiration. Wish I could afford to support you more. Thanks for being you.
Don't worry sweetie!!most of us aren't here for the giveaways anyway!!
Hey Moon Rae--you keep beating me to the punch! You are so cool!


I've been sending the same code review comments to several different people lately, so I thought I might share it.
1) Do not redirect stderr to /dev/null. Trust me, you're gonna want the error message someday. If your program is producing something stupid on stderr every time it runs, find a safer way to make the stupid message not appear: for example, add a –quiet option or something to ask it to not print useless information.
The idea with #2 is that if "do a bunch more stuff" accidentally throws a FooError that you weren't expecting, you don't want to accidentally catch it with your original FooError handler, because a) you're handling a FooError you weren't expecting so you might handle it wrong, and b) you're masking an error condition you didn't know existed. Better to let the exception leak out and get a useful stack trace.


text:
Q: Как объединить строки из двух файлов? Есть два файла, содержащие равное количество строк. Мне нужно прочесть из них все строки и сохранить их в третий файл объединив одну к одной через +.
У меня получился вот такой код, но он не работает как следует. Какую я сделала ошибку?
var
  f1,f2,f3:TextFile;
  s,str:string;
  i:integer;
begin
  OpenDialog1.Options := OpenDialog1.Options + [ofAllowMultiSelect];
  if OpenDialog1.Execute then
  begin
    AssignFile(f1,OpenDialog1.FileName);
    AssignFile(f2,OpenDialog1.FileName);
    AssignFile(f3,ExtractFileDir(OpenDialog1.FileName)+'\Rezultat.txt');
    Reset(f1); Reset(f2); Reset(f3); Rewrite(f3);

    while not Eof(f1) do begin
      Readln(f1,s,str);
      Readln(f2,s,str);
      S:=str+'+'+s;
      Writeln(f3,s,str);
    end;

    CloseFile(f1);
    CloseFile(f2);
    CloseFile(f3);
  end;
end;

A: var
  f1,f2,f3:TextFile;
  s,str:string;
  i:integer;
begin
  OpenDialog1.Options := OpenDialog1.Options + [ofAllowMultiSelect];
  if OpenDialog1.Execute then
  begin
    AssignFile(f1,OpenDialog1.Files[0]);
    AssignFile(f2,OpenDialog1.Files[1]);
    AssignFile(f3,ExtractFileDir(OpenDialog1.FileName)+'\Rezultat.txt');
    Reset(f1);
    Reset(f2);
    Rewrite(f3);
    while not Eof(f1) and not Eof(f2) do
    begin
      Readln(f1,s);
      Readln(f2,str);
      Writeln(f3,s + str);
    end;
    CloseFile(f1);
    CloseFile(f2);
    CloseFile(f3);
  end;
end;

A: Все вопрос решила. Все работает.
begin
if ODialog1.Execute then begin
AssignFile(f1,ODialog1.FileName);
if ODialog2.Execute then begin
AssignFile(f2,ODialog2.FileName);
AssignFile(f3,ExtractFileDir(ODialog1.FileName)+'\Rezultat.txt');
Reset(f1); Reset(f2); Rewrite(f3);
    while not Eof(f1) do begin
        Readln(f1,s);
        Readln(f2,str);

 s:=s+'+'+str;
Writeln(f3,s);
  end;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Baltimore Orioles pitching staff has been getting a lot of grief as the team goes through a streak that no American League team has been a apart of. The 18 straight games of allowing five runs or more has put much of the blame on the starters, and rightfully so. The Orioles are last in Major League Baseball in team ERA and batting average against.
It is easy to point the finger at the pitching, but as a whole, the Orioles are just not getting it done right now.
The woes of the pitching has overshadowed an offense that is going through a rut in the month of June. Most of their June numbers are on par with their season averages in terms of batting average and on-base percentages, but they are not scoring runs. While much has been made of the Orioles giving up more than five runs a game, they have only score more than three runs in just seven games in June.
What makes that hard to hard to fathom is the ball starting to carry at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and around the league. Baltimore is tied for second in the AL and tied for fourth in the majors with 33 home runs in June. This comes one year removed from the Orioles setting a MLB record for the most homers in June.
Outside of the home run numbers, the Orioles are middle of the pack or worse in all of those categories. Meanwhile, the division leaders in the AL are all posting impressive numbers. The New York Yankees rank in the top 10 of all of those categories. The Houston Astros lead the league in batting average and home runs. The Cleveland Indians are in the middle of the pack in just about every category, but they are blessed with the great pitching that the Orioles could not figure out this series. They are the reigning AL Champions because of their balance throughout the roster.
What is more troublesome is the effect that all these struggles has put on the Orioles defensively. Buck Showalter's teams have always stressed defense first and the Orioles have been one of the best teams since his arrival in Baltimore. The Orioles rank 11th in fielding percentage, but are 26th in defensive efficiency ratio. The defense has had its lackadaisical moments throughout this rough stretch.
The struggles in the field seem more evident as of late with J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis on the disabled list. Paul Janish, Trey Mancini and Hyun Soo Kim have had mishaps on defense in recent memory. Jonathan Schoop already has nine errors this season, a career high for him. Manny Machado also has seven errors on the year, which is more than he had all of last season.
Things will not get easier this weekend for the O's as they will travel to St. Petersburg to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are another one of those teams that rank highly in just about every offensive category.
If there is a ray of hope for the Orioles it is that the bullpen should be back to full strength in the near future. Darren O'Day is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list tomorrow and Zach Britton is eligble to come off the 60-day DL on July 4. That will allow Showalter to realign his bullpen to his liking and limit the turnover of relievers from the Norfolk shuttle.
That will not solve the problems swinging the bat. In order for this team to finish above .500 for the sixth consecutive season, they need everyone to pick up their game. The make up of this team is still much of the same of one who made the playoffs last season.
Joe learned his journalistic ways in the halls of Annenberg and McGonigle en route to becoming Temple Made. He was a Temple News contributor, and the lead reporter for the 2011 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. A die-hard Philadelphia sports fan, Joe has suffered through many years of letdowns by his hometown teams.
Could Hunter Harvey make the Orioles starting rotation?


text:
Meghan Markle Is Making Surprise US Visit
Meghan Markle Is Making A Surprise U.S. Visit
Kathryn Lindsay
Meghan Markle may be a British royal now, but she'll never forget her roots — especially where pal Serena Williams is concerned. Williams was a huge part of the former actress's lavish baby shower last year, and now Markle is returning to the U.S. for the first time since that celebration to support Williams in the U.S. Open.
According to The Times, Markle is headed to New York City for the U.S. Open final this weekend, having hopped on a commercial flight (if you're following the recent drama, that's important) Friday morning.
"It is a last-minute trip," a source told the outlet. "Excited to support her friend, and then come back."
On Saturday, Williams faces off against 19-year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu in the Women's Singles final. Last year, she was runner-up to Naomi Osaka after umpire Carlos Ramos docked her a point and then a game for things like throwing her racquet. This not only resulted in an argument between Williams and Ramos, but a larger conversation about sexism and racism in the sports community. But I dare any umpire to make a sexist call against Williams with the Duchess of Sussex in the audience.
Then, she zooms back to England. After all, she has a lot to return to. Her charity with husband Prince Harry just kicked off its first initiative, Travelyst.
"#Travalyst aims to make travel more sustainable, to help protect destinations and benefit communities long into the future, and to enable consumers to make more environmental friendly choices whilst travelling," the @sussexroyal Instagram post explains, adding that the charity is partnering with Booking.com, Skyscanner, Trip Advisor.
But before all that, there's another possible major moment I'm crossing my fingers for: Last month, Gigi Hadid and Tyler Cameron were seen having lunch with Williams and friends. If Markle is coming to visit Williams...is there a chance she's going to meet the former Bachelorette contestant?
Meghan Markle Visiting US To See Serena Williams
written by Kathryn Lindsay
Photo: Karwai Tang/Getty Images.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Taishi Nakagawa tests positive for coronavirus
By Tokyo Reporter Staff on October 8, 2020
TOKYO (TR) – Actor Taishi Nakagawa has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his agency has revealed.
On Thursday, the agency for Nakagawa said in a message on its web site that the positive result was confirmed the day before.
The actor began suffering from a fever on Tuesday. He then underwent a polymerase chain reaction test at a health care facility in the capital.
The positive result was confirmed the next day. His temperature has since reverted to normal.
"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and concern caused to all concerned business parties, his co-stars and his fans," the agency said.
Taishi Nakagawa (Twitter)
The agency added that it will continue to use guidance from the health center to manage the physical condition of Nakagawa.
After making his acting debut in 2009, Nakagawa has starred in a number of films and television dramas. He is the lead voice actor in the animation "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish," which will be released in December.
"We will continue to give top priority to ensuring the safety of our actors, employees and related parties," the message added. "We will also endeavor to thoroughly implement infection prevention measures."
Published in Entertainment, Film, Japan and News
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text:
By Barbara Janelle M.A.
The young woman lay in a coma in the Intensive Care Unit of the large hospital. She had collapsed due to a strain of pneumonia that was resistant to all known drugs. The prognosis was poor – she was expected to die. The family had called in the Therapeutic Touch Volunteer Hospital Team on the off chance that a complementary therapy would help.
As Team Director, I saw her first, and heard from the family about the medical measures being taken. The focus was on killing the organism that caused the illness. Yet it seemed that the use of strong drugs over the years had only supported the development of this resistant strain.
Once again, I was faced with the accepted cultural belief that it was all right to kill other species, other forms of life. I knew that I did not feel happy about doing this, even in my garden, or with biting insects. I thought of Machaelle Small Wright's (1) belief that nature is just waiting to work WITH us. All we have to do is to conceive of what might be and ask for cooperation.
In discussion with the TT Team members, I asked everyone to connect with the Deva of the bacteria during their treatments to ask if we could make a deal that would allow both the virus and the woman to survive. In addition, the treatments were to focus on supporting the overall strength and health of the young woman rather than on fighting symptoms which is the focus of so much allopathic medicine.
Several days went by and the family and doctors were certain that she would die shortly. Then during a TT treatment, the crisis occurred. The experienced practitioner described the woman's energy field suddenly drawing in massive, massive amounts of energy. Within hours, it was apparent that the woman would recover.
What happened here? I believe that on a soul level, the young woman chose to live. The caring of her family, the support of the medical community and the cooperative effort of nature working in concert with human beings provided the means through which she could do so.
On another TT Team, we worked with a young man with leukemia who underwent a bone marrow transplant. I believe that the efforts of the team members to invite the man's body/field and the new bone marrow to find harmony and support life contributed to his survival.
In a companion article to this, Hana Kanoo in England describes the effect of working with a disease-causing fungus to support the health of her Borzoi, Nibrass.
I have been involved in many successful attempts to find compromise that would honour all involved and support life. These have included:
conversations with ants that allowed me to move their nest that was in a compost pile so I could spread the compost (2)
conversations with ants overrunning our new home in California that has resulted in an almost ant-free house. (They return when anyone in the house is stressed.)
conversations with fleas that were attacking my cats (3)
negotiations with pocket gophers in my garden
In each instance, I am told that these other lifeforms are performing important services:
the pocket gophers are aerating soil and enabling it to hold more moisture
ants help to bring energetic balance to places that need it. Their appearance is a signal to me that something is out of balance in my life or household
fleas support health through action to stimulate internal energy meridian function
In some cases my work is to thank them, in others, I must take over their roles – keep the soil aerated, energetically balance and clear the house, work physically and energetically on my cats daily to support their health.
COOPERATION WITH ALL LIFE
Life exists through cooperation and we humans are invited to be a conscious part of Earth's Cooperative. This ancient understanding is very strange to those living in cultures that believe man has dominion over the Earth and the right to kill other life forms. The result of human attempts to eradicate plants and insects is the poisoning of the Earth and of ourselves. Attempts to kill disease-causing organisms have resulted in strains highly resistant to drugs.
When we learn that we can support health by working in cooperation with other forms of existence, we will make a huge step toward taking our proper role in this Earth system. Life and survival is a cooperative effort.
(1) Machaelle Small, Wright, Co-Creative Science, Perelandra, Jeffersonton, VA, 1997
(2) "The State of Being," Species Link, Issue 30 Spring, April-June 1998
(3) "Fleas, Flies and Other Helpers, Species Link, July-September, 1996


text:
HomeConference NewsGame Developers Conference's 2023 State of the Game Industry Survey Shows Developer...
Game Developers Conference's 2023 State of the Game Industry Survey Shows Developer Skepticism Towards Metaverse and Blockchain Projects, Shift Towards Hybrid Remote/In-Office Work and More
Survey of 2,300 Game Development Professionals Reflects Steady Support for Unionization,
Over 90% of Respondents View Harassment and Toxicity as an Issue for the Industry
SAN FRANCISCO – January 19, 2023 – The Game Developers Conference (GDC) has released the results of the 11th annual State of the Game Industry survey, revealing trends in the game industry ahead of GDC 2023, which will be held at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center from March 20 – 24.
The results of the survey reflect the insights and sentiment of more than 2,300 game industry professionals with a margin of error at +/-3% at a 99% confidence level, and offer a snapshot of the growing (and fading) trends in game development leading up to GDC 2023.
Developers point to 'Fortnite' as likely metaverse winner, though some remain skeptical
When asked which company is best positioned to deliver on the promise of the metaverse, Epic Games/Fortnite earned 14% of the vote, the highest of any individual company. Next was Meta/Horizon Worlds and Microsoft/Minecraft (7% each), Roblox (5%), and Google and Apple (3% each), with VRChat and Nvidia also receiving some mentions.
However, developers remain wary. Nearly half (45%) of respondents didn't select any companies/ platforms, instead stating that the metaverse concept will never deliver on its promise. This number is up from 33% in 2022, with many of the responses from this year specifically citing the unclear definition of the concept, the lack of substantial interactivity and the high cost of hardware (VR headsets in particular) as barriers towards sustainable metaverse experiences.
Studio interest in blockchain technology did not grow in the past year
This year, 23% of developers said that their studios have expressed some level of interest in using blockchain technology –including cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and Web3– to support their games. This number represents a very slight decrease from the 27% of respondents from 2022 who expressed interest in cryptocurrency and the 28% who expressed interest in NFTs. Only about 2% of this year's respondents said their studios are already using blockchain technology in their projects.
Looking into the future, about 14% of developers said they are in favor of using blockchain technology in games, while 61% said they were opposed. One-fourth of respondents said they were unsure or had no opinion. Developers' sentiment towards the technology appear to be fairly consistent on the topic, as two-thirds of survey takers on both sides of the issue said that they had not changed their minds on blockchain over the past year.
Majority of respondents work for indie studios rather than AAA
This year, the survey sought to determine how many responding developers work for indie or AAA studios, or if they are independent contractors or freelancers. The results of the survey indicate that 39% of respondents work for an indie studio while 23% work for a AAA studio. One-fifth of respondents had write-in responses for their own company descriptions, with descriptions that included ecommerce, charity work, university programs and AA studios.
Hybrid work schedules are on the rise, while remote work appears to be here to stay
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses continue to examine how the past few years have impacted employees and their needs in the workplace. In many parts of the world, remote work is no longer considered an essential health measure, and many workplaces are shifting to a return to the office while others are still working from home.
One-fourth of game developers surveyed said they primarily work remotely with the option to go into the office, which marks a slight decrease from the 29% in 2022. Hybrid work schedules, in which workers split their time between remote and in-office, saw the biggest increase (17% this year, up from 11% in 2022).
Support for unionization remains strong, with a majority of developers supporting, and one-fifth broaching the topic at work
Amidst the recent news of Microsoft's ZeniMax Studios QA team successfully forming a union, this year's survey reflects a continued support for efforts to unionize. At 53% support in this year's survey (close to the 55% in 2022), a majority of developers surveyed expressed support for unionization. Beyond that, more than one-fifth (22%) of developers have said they or their colleagues have actively discussed unionization at work.
Developers cite salary, company culture, and remote work as top factors for considering job switch
This year's responses seem to align with the growing chatter around the "Great Resignation," a phenomenon marked by large swaths of employees switching companies in hopes for better pay and benefits. This trend appears to bear out among the game developers surveyed, with more than half of them expressing that, over the past year, they've either changed the companies they work for (16%) or have thought about doing so (36%). Among those who said they've changed companies or thought about it, the leading motivations include salary, company culture, ability to work on a specific project/franchise, work/life balance, and having remote work policies.
91% of respondents said that player harassment and toxicity is an issue in the industry
For years, developers have spoken at the Game Developers Conference about the cost of not responding to toxic behavior from select players, including harassment and threats. Developers appear to be taking heed of the warning signs of this negative behavior, and many studios are taking steps to address harassment.
The vast majority of respondents believe that player toxicity and harassment are a major issue. Men surveyed were less likely to say they experienced or witnessed harassment than women or non-binary people, and respondents were more likely to say they experienced or witnessed harassment if they identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
In many cases, the problem of harassment has become pervasive enough in the past year to warrant official company responses, with studios of all sizes condemning harassment against their employees by players. To dig further into this topic, the survey asked respondents who had experienced or witnessed harassment whether their companies had addressed the issue. About two-thirds (68%) said their companies have addressed the harassment they experienced or witnessed –either internally (30%), externally (4%), or both (34%). One-fifth said no, while 11% were unsure.
Accessibility efforts in games maintain steady growing support
With the recent announcement of PlayStation's "Project Leonardo" accessibility controller at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the industry as a whole appears to be making efforts to address accessibility, and the participants of this year's survey (who were polled ahead of Sony's announcement in January) echoed that sentiment in their responses.
Continuing an upward trend seen over past surveys, the prioritization of accessibility features in game development is now more common than not. When asked if their current games implement accessibility measures for those with sensory, motor, or other impairments, 38% of respondents said yes, which kept pace with previous years. However, the number of those who said no (32%), continued to decline, down from 36% in 2022. This marks the second year in a row where affirmative responses outweighed the negative ones, suggesting that accessibility efforts are becoming more of a core design value among studios and developers.
PC continues to lead in current and future game development
Every year, the survey asks game developers which platforms they've been developing games for, and which platforms they'll be developing for in the near future. PC once again leads for current (65%) and next (57%) games in development, with PlayStation 5 next up with 33%, compared to 28% for Xbox Series X/S.
The full survey, which includes more insight into the game development community's thoughts on these topics and a multitude of other facts and details, can be downloaded for free here.
For more details on the Game Developers Conference, please visit the GDC's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.
The Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is the world's largest professional game industry event with market-defining content for programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision makers, and others involved in the development of interactive games and immersive experiences. GDC brings together the global game development community year-round through events and digital media, including the GDC Masterclass, GDC Vault, gamedeveloper.com, Game Career Guide, Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.
GDC is organized by Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information visit www.informa.com.
Game Wave Festival invites everyone to watch the live broadcast of the Nordic Game Discovery Contest Grand Finals!


As the deadline for the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) sulphur regulations approaches, Höegh Autoliners ceo Ivar Myklebust has explained why the company stands firm in its decision to not use scrubbers.
When the IMO's sulphur regulations, which cut the allowable sulphur content in marine fuel from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent, come into force on January 1, 2020, carriers face two options: switch to low sulphur fuel oil or install exhaust cleaning systems, also known as scrubbers.
Höegh Autoliners has decided that it will comply with the regulations by using very low sulphur fuel oil or low sulphur marine gas oil (MGO).
"We have ordered zero scrubbers and will order no more," explained Myklebust. "The reasoning behind the IMO 2020 regulation is to reduce emissions from the global trading fleet. I am not so sure scrubbers will support that mission," he added.
A scrubber removes particulates from exhaust gasses before they are emitted to the air. "Surely, scrubbers will reduce emissions to air, but it appears as it will just move the emissions to the sea instead," said Myklebust.
Another reason Höegh decided against scrubbers is the number of ports that have already started to ban, or restrict the use of, the technology.
"If this is a trend it is impossible to say, but it looks like more ports will follow," he added. "Considering that each of Höegh Autoliners' vessels spend 60-70 days in ports annually, often in areas where scrubbers are banned, it makes little sense for us to invest in scrubbers.
Ultimately, according to Myklebust, no matter how carriers choose to comply with the regulations, transporting cargo by sea will be more expensive from January 1, 2020. Those that invest in scrubbers will need their investments to be paid off and for those using very low sulphur fuel oil or MGO, the fuel will be considerably more expensive.


Purpose: To use spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess the features of the inner and outer layers of the macula in subjects with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
Design: Prospective observational comparative study.
Materials and Methods: Subjects with RP with reduced central visual acuity and central macular thinning (RP group) underwent spectral domain OCT evaluation along with age-matched healthy control subjects (control group). Using the E-MM5 raster protocol, a 5 × 5 mm central macular cut was acquired with inner and outer macular volumes serving as the primary outcome measures. A structural analysis of the inner and outer retinal layers at the macula in the RP group was also performed using the HD cross-line protocol.
Results: The RP group comprised six eyes of six RP subjects and control group comprised six eyes of six control subjects. The outer macular volume was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the RP group (2.01±0.44 mm  ) compared to the control group (4.68±0.16 mm  ). There was no difference in the mean inner macular volume between the RP group (2.46±0.24 mm  ) and the control group (2.55±0.22 mm  ). No significant structural alteration was noted in the inner retinal layers of the RP group. There was no significant correlation (r = -0.04, P>0.05) between best-corrected visual acuity and outer macular volume in the RP group.
Conclusions: Spectral domain OCT findings confirm that RP preferentially affects the outer retinal layers in the macula. Although the number of patients included in this study was small, it demonstrated relatively well-preserved volume and morphology of the inner retinal layers using spectral domain OCT.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a well-recognized method of determining retinal architecture and is an accurate method of measuring retinal thickness. , Time domain OCT has been used to evaluate RP maculopathy and studies have shown that patients with RP with visual acuity worse than 20/200 have demonstrated central macular thinning or CME on OCT examination. , Investigators have reported that selective alterations in the structural integrity of the outer retinal layers of the macula with central outer retinal thinning on spectral domain and ultra-high resolution OCT correlates clinically with visual acuity in patients with RP. , The inner retinal layers features in terms of morphology and thickness in RP patients have not been clearly elucidated, neither has the relationship between the outer and the inner retinal layers, especially in RP cohorts with reduced central visual acuity and central macular thinning.
In this study, we compare the volumes and the morphological alterations of the inner and outer retinal layers of the macula on spectral domain OCT in RP subjects with decreased central visual acuity and central macular thinning to healthy matched controls.
The institutional review board approved this observational comparative cross-sectional study performed at a single center (AJEH) between August 2008 and January 2009. Written informed consent that met the tenets of the declaration of Helsinki was obtained from all subjects in the study prior to OCT imaging. Subjects with RP with reduced central visual acuity and central macular thinning (RP group) underwent measurement with spectral domain OCT and were compared to age-matched healthy control subjects (control group).
The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/200 or worse measured with the Snellen acuity chart.
Central foveal thickness (CFT) was less than 100 microns on spectral domain OCT HD cross-line protocol.
Subjects were at least 18 years old.
The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/30 or better measured with the Snellen acuity chart.
Prior history or current evidence of glaucoma or optic neuropathy.
Prior history of ocular trauma, intraocular surgery or laser therapy.
Refractive error greater than +6.00 D or less than −6.00 D.
Media opacity that precluded quality OCT image capture.
Using the E-MM5 raster protocol and HD cross-line protocol of the RTVue (Optovue Inc., California, USA) spectral domain OCT, a 5 × 5 mm cut of the central macula and vertical and horizontal line sections through the fovea were acquired for each eye through a dilated pupil. OCT images were converted to grayscale for better contrast of the individual layers. The reference line, pre-selected by the computer software, was used as the demarcation between the outer and inner retina on grayscale images. The ganglion cell complex (GCC) comprising the inner plexiform, ganglion cell, and nerve fiber layers was compared between groups for structural integrity using the HD cross-line protocol [Figure 1]. Retinal volume was measured by the area covered under the 5 × 5 mm cut.
The primary outcome measure was the RTVue inner and outer macular volumes of both groups. Statistical analysis was performed using computer software (StatXact-4, Cytel Software, Cambridge, MA). The means were compared using the unpaired T-test, and correlations were calculated with the Pearson correlation coefficient. All tests were two-tailed with a statistically significant P value less than 0.05.
Six eyes of six RP patients comprised the RP group and six eyes of six healthy patients comprised the control group. The mean age was 45 years in the RP group and 46.83 years in the control group (P<0.05). The mean BCVA was 1.15 ± 0.14 (log MAR ± SD) in the RP group and 0.0 in the control group.
The outer macular volume was 2.01 ± 0.44 (mm  ± SD) in the RP group and 4.68 ± 0.16 (mm  ± SD) in the control group. The inner macular volume was 2.46 ± 0.24 (mm  ± SD) in the RP group and 2.55 ± 0.22 (mm  ± SD) in the control group. The outer macular volume was significantly lower in the RP group when compared to controls (2.6, 2.17 - 2.99, P<0.05). There was no difference in the inner macular volume between groups (-0.09, -0.38 - 0.2, P>0.05) [Table 1] and [Table 2], [Figure 2].
There was no significant correlation (r=-0.04, P>0.05) between BCVA and outer macular volume in the RP group. The layers of the GCC were distinct in both study and control groups. The inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction and external limiting membrane (ELM) were disorganized in all RP patients when compared to controls.
Histopathologic studies demonstrate photoreceptor layer disruption/shortening in most cases of RP. , This finding has been further corroborated by in vivo spectral domain or ultra-high resolution OCT studies of the retina. Witkin et al.,  noted significant photoreceptor layer shortening in RP cases compared to matched controls, while the same difference was not noted between their CFTs. Our study supports this observation, in that all eyes with RP had significantly reduced outer macular volumes compared to age-matched controls, while the same difference was not noted in the inner macular volumes. Additionally, inner retinal layer morphology at the macula was well-preserved. This preferential change of the outer retina with relative preservation of the inner retina, at least structurally, could help determine the level of intervention in the order of the neuronal pathways with regards to impulse generation and transmission by artificial means.
Aizawa et al.,  categorized the inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction on spectral domain OCT into three grades according to the clarity of the demarcation line. They found a significant correlation between IS/OS junction grade and BCVA as well as CFT, suggesting that BCVA and CFT was significantly better in RP eyes with distinct, highly reflective IS/OS junctions. Witkin et al.,  noted excellent correlation between BCVA and photoreceptor layer shortening in RP eyes. Our study did not register a significant correlation between BCVA and outer macular volume. Perhaps a small sample size with selective inclusion of RP cases with reduced central visual acuity and central macular thinning could have accounted for the above. Nevertheless, a statistically significant difference in the outer macular volumes between the study and control groups was measured, and this was the primary aim of our study. Another weakness of this study besides the small number of cases involved is the fact that the variability of measuring the inner and outer retina in RP patients by the automated segmentation technique is not currently known.
In conclusion, the spectral domain OCT findings in this study indicate that RP is a disease preferentially affecting the outer retinal layers. The RP cases included in this study demonstrated relatively well-preserved volume and morphology of the inner retinal layers on spectral domain OCT.
1. Pagon RA. Retinitis pigmentosa. Surv Ophthalmol 1988;33:137-77.
2. Hee MR, Izatt JA, Swanson EA, Huang D, Schuman JS, Lin CP, et al. Optical coherence tomography of the human retina. Arch Ophthalmol 1995;113:325-32.
3. Puliafito CA, Hee MR, Lin CP, Reichel E, Schuman JS, Duker JS, et al. Imaging of macular diseases with optical coherence tomography. Ophthalmology 1995;102:217-29.
4. Hirakawa H, Iijima H, Gohdo T, Tsukahara S. Optical coherence tomography of cystoid macular edema associated with retinitis pigmentosa. Am J Ophthalmol 1999;128:185-91.
5. Grigoropoulos VG, Emfietzoglou J, Nikolaidis P, Chatzistefanou K, Vergados J, Theodossiadis GP, et al. Optical coherence tomography findings in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and low visual acuity. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging 2010;41:35-9.
6. Aizawa S, Mitamura Y, Baba T, Hagiwara A, Ogata K, Yamamoto S. Correlation between visual function and photoreceptor inner/outer segment junction in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Eye (Lond) 2009;23:304-8.
7. Witkin AJ, Ko TH, Fujimoto JG, Chan A, Drexler W, Schuman JS, et al. Ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography assessment of photoreceptors in retinitis pigmentosa and related diseases. Am J Ophthalmol 2006;142:945-52.
8. Berson EL. Retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1993;34:1659-76.
9. Ferris FL 3 rd , Kassoff A, Bresnick GH, Bailey I. New visual acuity charts for clinical research. Am J Ophthalmol 1982;94:91-6.
10. Milam AH, Li ZY, Fariss RN. Histopathology of the human retina in retinitis pigmentosa. Prog Retin Eye Res 1998;17:175-205.
11. Stone JL, Barlow WE, Humayun MS. Morphometric analysis of macular photoreceptors and ganglion cells in retinas with retinitis pigmentosa. Arch Ophthalmol 1992;110:1634-9.


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Q: How to get current elapsed time of iPhone music player? This is a seemingly simple question that I just can't seem to find a simple answer for.
To rephrase the question: I want to get the current time stamp on a song playing on the native music player on an iPhone from my separate app.
I've seen the rich set of commands possible with MPMediaItemProperty but it seems nothing quite fits the bill.
MPMediaItemPropertyPlaybackDuration is close, but I believe this returns the total length of the currently playing song.
Any help is appreciated!
Matt

A: I believe you're looking for -[MPMusicPlayerController currentPlaybackTime];. This value returns the current position of the playhead, or rather the elapsed time in the currently playing track.
NSTimeInterval interval = [[MPMusicPlayerController iPodMusicPlayer] currentPlaybackTime];


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Why Is Chinese Sci-Fi Everywhere Now? Ken Liu Knows
ronnie173
Reading "E.T." didn't fully prepare Liu for life in America. When he was 11, he moved to Palo Alto, Calif., where his mother worked as a pharmaceutical chemist and his father worked as a statistical analyst. He didn't speak English and hadn't lived with his parents since he was a toddler. He enrolled in a public school, where he went by Ken, a name his mother picked because it was the closest English analog to his Chinese name, Yukun.
Books provided a familiar refuge. He learned English in about a year, and soon was reading novels like "A Wrinkle in Time" and "The Yearling," then moved on to American classics by authors like Faulkner and Melville, and science fiction by Orson Scott Card, Margaret Atwood and Arthur C. Clarke. He excelled in school and went to Harvard, where he majored in English and studied computer science.
When he graduated in 1998, Liu worked as a software engineer, first at Microsoft, and then at a start-up called Idiom Technologies, where he met his wife, Lisa Tang Liu. The work wasn't glamorous — he built what he describes as "back-office-database-type stuff" — but he liked it: "It was much more fun to work at that level because you're closer to the machines." Then the dot-com bubble burst, and Lisa was laid off from her job as a project manager. Liu grew disillusioned with the tech industry and began searching for something new. He went into programming because he liked rules and systems, so he decided to try another rules-based trade and went to Harvard Law School. After graduating, he clerked for a federal judge, then worked as a corporate lawyer specializing in international tax planning and real estate. It was demanding, and not particularly stimulating. Liu, who at that point had two young daughters, and had grown up apart from his own parents, didn't want to be an absent father. He became a litigation consultant specializing in patent infringement and technology cases — a job that brought him close to machines again, examining source codes and disassembling smartphones and tablets to study the underlying mechanics.
Throughout his shape-shifting professional odyssey, Liu wrote fiction, though he never imagined he could make a living from it. Eventually, he published his short fiction in sci-fi magazines, and won acclaim for his strange, surreal stories, which sometimes take place on distant planets or intergalactic spaceships heading for habitable worlds, but often center on strained family bonds. His 2011 story, "The Paper Menagerie," about an American boy whose mother, a Chinese immigrant, makes him delicate origami animals that come to life, won the Hugo, the Nebula and the World Fantasy Award, making Liu the first author to sweep the genre's three major awards for a single work. Four years later, he published "The Grace of Kings," an epic fantasy novel that drew on both Western mythology and epics and on historical legends about the Han dynasty. In 2017, he quit his job as a litigation consultant to focus on writing.
Liu and I first met on a freezing day in early March in Stoughton, a small town outside Boston where he lives with his wife, Lisa, now a photographer, and their two daughters, who are 7 and 9. Liu — who at 43 is wiry and energetic, with a close buzz cut, thick eyebrows and a round, boyish face — met me at the train station, and had absent-mindedly left his Airpods in his ears. As we trudged through piles of snow on unplowed sidewalks, we talked about a screen adaptation of one of his stories, and his forthcoming translation of Hao Jingfang's novel, which he compared to Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Dispossessed." The novel unfolds in 2201, a century after a human colony on Mars declared independence from Earth, where society has become increasingly technocratic and capitalistic. Liu told me that he isn't sure how American sci-fi fans will respond to the book, which is more of a philosophical thought experiment than a plot-driven space odyssey. "It's not the sort of thing popular American taste favors," Liu says. "It will be valuable for American readers to be exposed to it."
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From seawater to salt, here are seven places where plastic pollution doesn't belong.
Plastic pollution is a lot like your curious cat. She'll find the tiniest nook, where nothing should fit, and she'll sneak in. Your cat and plastic are alike that way, except your cat is awesome, and probably hates water. Plastic isn't cute. And unfortunately, it loves getting into water.
It doesn't get more basic, or more essential for the oceans than seawater. But right now, the big blue is polluted with at least 5.25 trillion particles of floating plastic trash, weighing in at a whopping 269,000 tons, according to 2014 estimates.
Here's a salty trick: Plastics are hiding right under your nose, literally, in the seasoning on your food. A study published in April found that at least 14 sea salt brands, from six countries, are contaminated.
If plastics are hiding out in seawater and in salt, it's probably not shocking that they're in shellfish too. After all, most things tasty-on-the-half-shell are filter feeders. They strain their food from saltwater. In Baynes Sound, British Columbia, both wild and farmed Manila clams are laced with plastics, according to an August 2016 study. Ninety percent of the plastics were tiny fibres, the study found, which can wash out of clothing and flow into the sea.
From tiny clams to giant marine mammals, plastics turn up in everybody. Corn chip bags, fishing line and garbage can liners are just a few of the plastic products found in whales' stomachs.
Hard fact to swallow: Microscopic plastic fibres are swirling around in tap water worldwide. They contaminate more than 80 percent of global drinking water, according to a 2017 study by Orb Media. Plastic even flows from the taps of the visitor centre of the U.S. Capitol Building, the study found. There were 16 fibres in water samples taken there.
Is nothing sacred? Apparently not, because the "P" in your IPA might as well stand for "plastic" too. A 2014 study in the land of beers, Germany, tested 24 brands for plastic fibres and granules. All the beers tested plastic-positive, although the extent of contamination varied.
Plastic is in water, food, even beer. So, unfortunately, it's probably in you too. Not just a little bit, either. If you eat shellfish, you could swallow up to 11,000 tiny plastic particles every year, according to one 2014 study.


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Permanent Representative of Republic of Korea Presents Credentials to ISA
JAMAICA, Kingston (21 September 2017) - - Mr Lee Young-gyu, chargé d'affaires ad interim of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea presented his credentials to Secretary-General, Michael Lodge, as the new Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the International Seabed Authority on Wednesday, 20 September 2017.
Prior to his appointment, Mr Young-gyu was Counsellor and Consul General at the Korean Embassy in South Africa.
Mr Young-gyu joined the Foreign Service in 1986 and has also travelled on diplomatic postings to Vietnam and Brazil.
In his meeting with the Secretary-General, Mr Young-gyu said the Republic of Korea looked forward to working with the Authority.
The Secretary-General noted the Republic of Korea's long-standing contribution to the work of the Authority as a member of the Council in Group B, as well the Authority's collaboration with KIOST, and as a contractor for exploration for polymetallic nodules and polymetallic sulphides. In this regard, the Authority was looking forward to the signature of the third exploration contract with the Republic of Korea, for exploration for cobalt-rich crusts, which had been approved by the Council in 2016.
Call for proposals for a consultant to undertake an assessment of the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Authority for 2019-2023


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News / Light Brigade charges into Morrisons
Light Brigade charges into Morrisons
Posted by Help For Heroes | Categories: Companies We Work With , Corporate Support , Fundraising
Following the New Year announcement that British rock legends Iron Maiden and independent family brewers Robinsons have teamed up to create a special beer in support of Help for Heroes; Light Brigade, a unique golden English ale, is now available online and in Morrisons stores nationwide.
Commenting on the new collaboration, Oliver Robinson, Robinsons' Managing Director (beer division), said: "We're delighted that Morrisons is getting behind this beer from the word go. With 5p of each bottle sold and 6p in every pint being donated directly to the Charity, whose cause is truly exceptional, this initiative gives new meaning to responsible drinking. We are enormously proud to be associated with Help for Heroes and to be helping make a tangible difference."
The collaboration between Iron Maiden, Robinsons and Help for Heroes is a natural fit: Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden's vocalist, loves his real ale, has a well-known interest in British military history and is a supporter of Help for Heroes and Robinsons Brewery is one of Britain's most established and respected independent family-owned brewers with 180 years' brewing experience.
Mel Waters, CEO of Help for Heroes said: "We are thrilled that Bruce Dickinson has developed a new beer under the Trooper brand with Robinsons. I am sure that Light Brigade will prove to be very popular and raise significant funds, enabling us to empower more Veterans to reach their potential and regain their purpose. This is an incredibly exciting new partnership and we are delighted to see Light Brigade now ready for general sale in-store."
In keeping with the Trooper brand, band mascot Eddie is featured on the bottle label on horseback in a uniform that was worn by the British cavalry at The Charge of the Light Brigade, which took place in 1854 at the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War.
Bruce Dickinson comments: "We hope that beer, music and history fans alike will enjoy Light Brigade and will simultaneously raise a glass or two to our Veterans. I am incredibly proud of our association with Help for Heroes and of the new beer we have developed for them with Robinsons. As an authentic English Golden Ale, Light Brigade is full of body and flavour, just as you'd expect from us!"
In addition to brewing the beer, Robinsons will also be organising a calendar of charity events across their 280-strong pub estate, including taking part in Help for Heroes 563km Big Battlefield Bike Ride which will travel through historic battlefields and commemorate 100 years since the end of the Great War.
Light Brigade, with a 4.1% ABV, will also be produced on a long-term basis, differentiating it from the other limited edition Trooper beers.
LIGHT BRIGADE is now available to purchase nationwide in 270 Morrisons stores as well as online at www.robinsonsbrewery.com with plans already in place to roll out nationally.
READ MORE about the partnership with Iron Maiden and Robinsons here.


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Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome
Stephanie Trend, Anderson P. Jones, Lilian Cha, Matthew N. Cooper, Sian Geldenhuys, Marzena J. Fabis-Pedrini, William M. Carroll, Judith M. Cole, David R. Booth, Robyn M. Lucas, Martyn A. French, Scott N. Byrne, Allan G. Kermode, Prue H. Hart
UWA Centre for Child Health Research (affiliated with the Telethon Kids Institute)
Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders (Perron Institute)
Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is the earliest clinical episode in multiple sclerosis (MS). Low environmental exposure to UV radiation is implicated in risk of developing MS, and therefore, narrowband UVB phototherapy might delay progression to MS in people with CIS. Twenty individuals with CIS were recruited, and half were randomised to receive 24 sessions of narrowband UVB phototherapy over a period of 8 weeks. Here, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy on the frequencies of circulating immune cells and immunoglobulin levels after phototherapy are reported. Peripheral blood samples for all participants were collected at baseline, and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after enrolment. An extensive panel of leukocyte populations, including subsets of T cells, B cells, monocytes, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells were examined in phototherapy-treated and control participants, and immunoglobulin levels measured in serum. There were significant short-term increases in the frequency of naive B cells, intermediate monocytes, and fraction III FoxP3+ T regulatory cells, and decreases in switched memory B cells and classical monocytes in phototherapy-treated individuals. Since B cells are increasingly targeted by MS therapies, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with MS should be investigated further.
Dive into the research topics of 'Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Phototherapy Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
Leukocytes Medicine & Life Sciences 66%
Multiple Sclerosis Medicine & Life Sciences 52%
B-Lymphocytes Medicine & Life Sciences 36%
Monocytes Medicine & Life Sciences 29%
Immunoglobulins Medicine & Life Sciences 21%
Environmental Exposure Medicine & Life Sciences 12%
T-Lymphocyte Subsets Medicine & Life Sciences 12%
Trend, S., Jones, A. P., Cha, L., Cooper, M. N., Geldenhuys, S., Fabis-Pedrini, M. J., Carroll, W. M., Cole, J. M., Booth, D. R., Lucas, R. M., French, M. A., Byrne, S. N., Kermode, A. G., & Hart, P. H. (2019). Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome. Scientific Reports, 9(1), [7980]. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44488-6
Trend, Stephanie ; Jones, Anderson P. ; Cha, Lilian ; Cooper, Matthew N. ; Geldenhuys, Sian ; Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J. ; Carroll, William M. ; Cole, Judith M. ; Booth, David R. ; Lucas, Robyn M. ; French, Martyn A. ; Byrne, Scott N. ; Kermode, Allan G. ; Hart, Prue H. / Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome. In: Scientific Reports. 2019 ; Vol. 9, No. 1.
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title = "Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome",
abstract = "Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is the earliest clinical episode in multiple sclerosis (MS). Low environmental exposure to UV radiation is implicated in risk of developing MS, and therefore, narrowband UVB phototherapy might delay progression to MS in people with CIS. Twenty individuals with CIS were recruited, and half were randomised to receive 24 sessions of narrowband UVB phototherapy over a period of 8 weeks. Here, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy on the frequencies of circulating immune cells and immunoglobulin levels after phototherapy are reported. Peripheral blood samples for all participants were collected at baseline, and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after enrolment. An extensive panel of leukocyte populations, including subsets of T cells, B cells, monocytes, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells were examined in phototherapy-treated and control participants, and immunoglobulin levels measured in serum. There were significant short-term increases in the frequency of naive B cells, intermediate monocytes, and fraction III FoxP3+ T regulatory cells, and decreases in switched memory B cells and classical monocytes in phototherapy-treated individuals. Since B cells are increasingly targeted by MS therapies, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with MS should be investigated further.",
keywords = "REGULATORY B-CELLS, MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS, ULTRAVIOLET-B, BONE-MARROW, T-CELLS, MEMORY, LIGHT, IRRADIATION, SUPPRESSION, ACTIVATION",
author = "Stephanie Trend and Jones, {Anderson P.} and Lilian Cha and Cooper, {Matthew N.} and Sian Geldenhuys and Fabis-Pedrini, {Marzena J.} and Carroll, {William M.} and Cole, {Judith M.} and Booth, {David R.} and Lucas, {Robyn M.} and French, {Martyn A.} and Byrne, {Scott N.} and Kermode, {Allan G.} and Hart, {Prue H.}",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group - Macmillan Publishers",
Trend, S, Jones, AP, Cha, L, Cooper, MN, Geldenhuys, S, Fabis-Pedrini, MJ, Carroll, WM, Cole, JM, Booth, DR, Lucas, RM, French, MA, Byrne, SN, Kermode, AG & Hart, PH 2019, 'Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome', Scientific Reports, vol. 9, no. 1, 7980. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44488-6
Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome. / Trend, Stephanie; Jones, Anderson P.; Cha, Lilian; Cooper, Matthew N.; Geldenhuys, Sian; Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J.; Carroll, William M.; Cole, Judith M.; Booth, David R.; Lucas, Robyn M.; French, Martyn A.; Byrne, Scott N.; Kermode, Allan G.; Hart, Prue H.
T1 - Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome
AU - Trend, Stephanie
AU - Jones, Anderson P.
AU - Cha, Lilian
AU - Cooper, Matthew N.
AU - Geldenhuys, Sian
AU - Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J.
AU - Carroll, William M.
AU - Cole, Judith M.
AU - Booth, David R.
AU - Lucas, Robyn M.
AU - French, Martyn A.
AU - Byrne, Scott N.
AU - Kermode, Allan G.
AU - Hart, Prue H.
N2 - Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is the earliest clinical episode in multiple sclerosis (MS). Low environmental exposure to UV radiation is implicated in risk of developing MS, and therefore, narrowband UVB phototherapy might delay progression to MS in people with CIS. Twenty individuals with CIS were recruited, and half were randomised to receive 24 sessions of narrowband UVB phototherapy over a period of 8 weeks. Here, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy on the frequencies of circulating immune cells and immunoglobulin levels after phototherapy are reported. Peripheral blood samples for all participants were collected at baseline, and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after enrolment. An extensive panel of leukocyte populations, including subsets of T cells, B cells, monocytes, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells were examined in phototherapy-treated and control participants, and immunoglobulin levels measured in serum. There were significant short-term increases in the frequency of naive B cells, intermediate monocytes, and fraction III FoxP3+ T regulatory cells, and decreases in switched memory B cells and classical monocytes in phototherapy-treated individuals. Since B cells are increasingly targeted by MS therapies, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with MS should be investigated further.
AB - Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is the earliest clinical episode in multiple sclerosis (MS). Low environmental exposure to UV radiation is implicated in risk of developing MS, and therefore, narrowband UVB phototherapy might delay progression to MS in people with CIS. Twenty individuals with CIS were recruited, and half were randomised to receive 24 sessions of narrowband UVB phototherapy over a period of 8 weeks. Here, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy on the frequencies of circulating immune cells and immunoglobulin levels after phototherapy are reported. Peripheral blood samples for all participants were collected at baseline, and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after enrolment. An extensive panel of leukocyte populations, including subsets of T cells, B cells, monocytes, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells were examined in phototherapy-treated and control participants, and immunoglobulin levels measured in serum. There were significant short-term increases in the frequency of naive B cells, intermediate monocytes, and fraction III FoxP3+ T regulatory cells, and decreases in switched memory B cells and classical monocytes in phototherapy-treated individuals. Since B cells are increasingly targeted by MS therapies, the effects of narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with MS should be investigated further.
KW - REGULATORY B-CELLS
KW - MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS
KW - ULTRAVIOLET-B
KW - BONE-MARROW
KW - T-CELLS
KW - LIGHT
KW - IRRADIATION
KW - SUPPRESSION
KW - ACTIVATION
Trend S, Jones AP, Cha L, Cooper MN, Geldenhuys S, Fabis-Pedrini MJ et al. Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome. Scientific Reports. 2019 May 28;9(1). 7980. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44488-6