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No hiding among the trees: forensic phylogenetics
Molecules as documents of history
Some 50 years ago, Emile Zuckerkandl and Linus Pauling proposed that molecules could be read as "documents of evolutionary history". The molecules to which they referred were proteins, and the sequence of the amino acids that specified each. Sequences are expected to be more similar in closely related, therefore recently diverged, species than in species that diverged long ago. This idea forms the basis for molecular phylogenetics – the use of differences in protein, DNA or RNA sequences to see how a set of taxa are related to one another. Evolutionary relationships can be depicted by a tree diagram, much like a family tree, where branches diverge at common ancestors, and sequences sharing the same common ancestor cluster together.
Figure 1. Left: Sir Alec Jeffreys in 1987 used his newly developed DNA fingerprinting technique to identify Colin Pitchfork as the murderer of two 15-year-old girls. Source. Right: Colin Pitchfork. Source
At the dawn of molecular phylogenetics, some scientists (Ernst Mayr, among others) doubted that homologs (genes related by ancestry) would retain enough similarities between distant organisms such as mouse and man to yield any valuable information. These doubts were soon proven mostly groundless, although different types of sequences indeed have different rates of change. Choose wisely, and you can look back far into the past, or dally about in the near present. "Information processing" genes – those that encode factors involved in transcription or translation – are so highly conserved that they can be compared across life's two (or three) domains. Genes involved in immunity, by contrast, evolve very quickly due to constant one-upmanship with pathogens.
DNA as documents of crime
Today the vast majority of sequencing is done on DNA, and RNA transcripts (the transcriptome), and it's easy to forget that the first sequences to be determined and compared phylogenetically were of proteins. In fact, the order in which sequencing techniques were developed goes from protein, to RNA, and finally to DNA. Since this is the opposite of the order of information flow defined by Crick's "Central Dogma", I like to present this to my genomics students as the "Central Catma". (Interesting historical note: Crick later admitted that he did not really understand the exact meaning of dogma, "beyond questioning", when he coined the term!).
By the 1980s, DNA molecules were also serving as documents of a more mundane history – paternity. Since assessing paternity is, after all, a case of "whodunnit", it didn't take a huge conceptual leap to imagine DNA's potential to serve as documents of crime. And who does whodunnits better than the Brits! So it is appropriate that one of the earliest criminal cases solved by DNA evidence took place in the UK, in the 1980s. The case involved the rape and murder of two 15-year-old girls. A young man with mental disabilities confessed to the crime, but his DNA did not match DNA obtained from semen on the corpse. Being stoked on the potential of this new scientific technique and unwilling to give up so easily, authorities collected DNA samples from all the men of the town. However, a certain "Colin Pitchfork" convinced a friend to submit a sample in Colin's name. Later this ruse was revealed when the friend became a bit loose-lipped at the pub and a good citizen overheard. Colin was arrested and went on to infamy as the first person convicted of murder by DNA evidence when his DNA was matched to the crime scene samples (Fig. 1). That first case highlighted how forensic evidence can swing both ways: exonerating someone accused, even when the person had confessed; or nailing someone to whom no other evidence pointed.
The Pitchfork case did not involve phylogenetics, but instead DNA fingerprinting: determining the highly individualized patterns of variation that distinguish one person's genome sequence from another's. Slowly-mutating organisms like us retain basically the same DNA fingerprint throughout our lives, so the information revealed is static, serving as a type of calling card inadvertently left at the scene of the crime. But here we discuss the small things – in this case, viruses.
As it happens, the first forensic use of phylogenetic analysis involved a small thing known as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Is this just lucky coincidence for those of us who like to talk about viruses? No. In order to reap information from molecular documents of history, there has to be an adequate number of changes to the sequences being compared, over the relevant time frame. HIV acquires substitutions at a rate of approximately one change per 10,000 nt per replication cycle. Since the HIV genome is ~10,000 nt (of RNA), there is roughly one change in each newly replicated genome. That's enough changes to give useful information about the chain of infection from person to person. So rather than a calling card, phylogenetics reveals a slimy trail of transmission.
You can't hide among them trees
Figure 2. Kimberly Bergalis, who allegedly acquired HIV from her dentist during a tooth extraction. Source
The case involved a University of Florida student, Kimberly Bergalis, who allegedly had no known risk factors to HIV exposure yet began experiencing frequent fevers, fatigue, fainting, and thrush. Her mother, who was a nurse at a clinic treating STDs, recognized the panel of symptoms as those typical of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), suffered by HIV-infected patients. She insisted to doubtful doctors that Kimberly be given an HIV test – which came up positive. Kimberly was at a loss to explain how she was exposed to HIV. The only possible exposure she could think of was when she had two teeth pulled by the family dentist – who had since sold his practice and was dying of AIDS
The incident garnered considerable media attention at a time (late 1980s) when fear and confusion about AIDS were at a peak in the U.S. (Fig. 2). Since the group most affected by the syndrome at that time was the gay male community, stigmatization was also rampant. Understanding of how HIV was transmitted was still fuzzy: yes, it spread mostly through blood, but also through semen. But could it be spread by saliva? Tears? Sweat? Many people were terrified of this newly emerged and deadly menace.
Figure 3 (click to enlarge). Table (top) and phylogenetic tree (bottom) showing closely related HIV sequences from the dentist and several of his patients, including Kimberly Bergalis. Source
Health care workers were at the center of many of these concerns. Cases had already occurred in which medical workers had been infected by patients with HIV. But these situations usually involved exposure to large amounts of blood from infected patients. A question as yet unanswered was, how likely was an infected health care worker to infect a patient?
The Bergalis case was taken up by the Florida Dept of Health, and later by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The dentist wrote an open letter advising all of his patients to be tested for HIV. Eventually, seven former patients emerged who had tested positive. In order to establish whether the dentist had been the source of the virus that infected his patients, a group of labs collected virus samples from the dentist, each of the infected patients, and 35 HIV-positive people from the region where the dentist had worked ("LC", local controls). They sequenced a portion of a gene that varies among HIV strains. By aligning the sequences and comparing them, they could discern groups that shared many of the same nucleotide changes from those that shared few of the same changes. Presumably, the viruses with nearly identical sequences – in other words, very little variation from one another – shared a more recent common ancestor and were part of the same transmission chain.
When the virus sequences from the dentist were compared with those from his patients and those from local controls, five of the seven patient sequences showed only 3.4 to 5% variation with the dentist sequences, compared to 11 to 12% variation with local controls (Fig. 3, top). These five patients had claimed to have no HIV risk factors, and each had undergone invasive surgery by the dentist. The virus sequences from the other two patients, however, showed the same range of variation with the dentist as with local controls – roughly 11 to 13%. These two patients had previously known risk factors for HIV. A phylogenetic tree generated from an alignment of the sequences depicted the relationship visually (Fig. 3, bottom). This type of analysis is standard fare in today's research publications, but at that time the methods were so new that the authors felt the need to explain in the legend a detail that goes without saying today: that the "vertical distances are for clarity only", and contain no phylogenetic information (Fig. 3, bottom).
In the Florida case, it was unclear how transmission occurred. The dentist died in September 1990, and Kimberly died just over a year later. Importantly, the phylogenetic evidence did not prove that the dentist was the source of the virus, only that the evidence was consistent with that scenario. In the nearly three decades since, there have been no other documented cases of health care workers having infected patients in the U.S., although there is evidence of two such cases in Europe, each involving invasive surgery – a hip replacement in France, and a caesarean section in Spain.
Murder by virus
The first admission of phylogenetic analysis as evidence in a criminal trial occurred in 1998 and helped incriminate a doctor accused of using viruses as a murder weapon. The case involved a jilted lover (the doctor) who plotted revenge by requesting blood work for two patients he knew to be infected: one with HIV, the other with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the blood samples never made it to the lab. Instead, he mixed them into a deadly serum and made a supposedly friendly stop at his former girlfriend's home. In the past he had given her vitamin injections, and now he claimed he wanted to give her just one more, for old times' sake (a true romantic). The sequences of the victim's viruses were nearly identical to sequences from the infected patient, while sequences from viruses isolated from local controls fell outside this cluster. Interestingly, particular mutations in the reverse transcriptase enzyme of HIV were those commonly seen as a response to AZT treatment, suggesting that the founding virus came from someone who was on anti-retroviral therapy (as was the unwitting donor of the virus). The doctor was sentenced to 50 years in prison and was recently denied parole.
Figure 4. Cartoon depicting a foreign aid worker purposefully injecting a Libyan baby with HIV. Source
A high-profile case that turned on a slightly different use of phylogenetic methods involved six foreign aid workers at a children's hospital in Libya. An outbreak of HIV and HCV infections among the children was attributed to the evil deeds of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor. The group, known as the "Tripoli Six", was imprisoned, and confessions extracted through torture, leading to death sentences for all. Phylogenetic analyses performed by European scientists revealed that the HIV viruses clustered into one related group, and HCV into three main groups, with all of the strains endemic to the region. While this finding was consistent with a hospital-spread transmission originating from a local strain, it did not by itself do much to persuade the Libyan authorities, who had already portrayed the workers as evil incarnate in the press (Fig. 4). However, by analyzing the amount of sequence divergence present among the viruses isolated from dozens of children, the researchers were able to show with very high statistical confidence that the most recent common ancestors for the HIV cluster and the three HCV clusters all arose well before March 1998 – the date the medical workers had arrived in Libya (Fig. 5). Although this evidence was not admitted in a trial, it was thought to sway authorities to agree to extradite the prisoners to Bulgaria, where they were immediately pardoned by the Bulgarian president. A detail that often goes unmentioned in this story is that it was Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, who reached out for help from the European researchers in determining the likelihood that the infections had been intentional.
A view of the forest
Figure 5. Changes accumulated by a group of related viruses, along with knowledge of the mutation rate, can be used to estimate the date of the most recent common ancestor for the group – the virus that initiated the cluster. Each virus cluster in the Libyan case was traced back to origins that preceded the arrival of the foreign medics. Source
As new cases involving phylogenetic forensics continue to crop up, so do concerns over its limits, potential misuse, and the need for standards. Some researchers are troubled by the potential criminalization of unintentional HIV transmission, for instance, and the use of phylogenetics in murder convictions in such cases. Such concern is compounded by the fact that there is still debate in the field over interpretation of results. There is the risk of an ambitious prosecutor or defender implying to jurors that phylogenetic results have the same high statistical confidence as the DNA fingerprinting analyses we've all come to know (preferably only through crime dramas). Yet phylogenetic analyses cannot directly point a finger, but only raise a hairy eyebrow toward innocence or guilt. However, the use of phylogenetic forensics is on the increase in civil and criminal trials – pity the person tasked with explaining the nuances of these techniques to jurors, judges, and attorneys.
June 04, 2018 at 04:00 AM in Odds & Ends | Permalink


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Metro Creative Connection
Higgins: $280,000-plus for Grassroots Gardens, Niagara Falls School District & Buffalo Schools
Thu, Aug 26th 2021 09:55 am
Farm to School Grants expand access to fresh, local foods & hands-on agricultural learning
Congressman Brian Higgins announced three local recipients of U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm to School Grants. Grassroots Gardens of Western New York received an award totaling $96,627, the Buffalo Public School District was awarded $96,290, and the Niagara Falls Central School District received an award of $94,603.
Higgins' team said, "The grants will introduce more locally grown produce to school cafeterias and expose children to agriculture and nutrition education and hands-on learning. The grants also work to provide revenue to American farmers and boost the local economy."
He explained, "Even before the pandemic, too many children went to school hungry, and the breakdown of services caused by the pandemic shows how vulnerable children and families are in our community. These efforts, led by Grassroots Gardens and the Buffalo and Niagara Falls school districts, will play a role in beginning to address food access gaps and foster healthy eating lessons that can be carried forward."
Grassroots Gardens of Western New York (GGWNY) is a dedicated group of community gardeners and activists with the mission of sharing knowledge, power and resources to grow healthy food, heal systemic harm, and strengthen neighborhood connections through community gardens. Members collaboratively cultivate more than 1 million square-feet of urban green space, with over 100 community gardens in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The grant will be used to implement the Western New York School Garden Project, which serves students at farm-to-school-eligible districts to create collaborations, teacher-led garden clubs, as well as video content, training and resources for teachers and parents leading school gardens.
"While Grassroots Gardens will continue to only build and fund school gardens in the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls, we have increasingly been asked to provide technical assistance to rural and suburban schools starting their own school gardens," Executive Director Jeanette Koncikowski said. "This project will allow us to build a digital curriculum to provide on-demand teacher or parent training on school garden programming. We'll be sharing lesson plans, harvest of the month ideas and recipes, toolkits for building raised beds, and more all the while featuring the beauty and bounty of BPS' school gardens."
The grant award to Niagara Falls Central School District will aid its farm-to-school program in engaging the community in activities that improve access to local foods. This includes local procurement and agricultural education efforts. Through the grant, the district will expand and enhance the garden curricula, offer enhanced curricula at the middle and high school levels, increase purchasing of local products, expand the existing "Harvest of the Month" program, bring prepared meals to low-income neighborhoods, and provide staff training. As a result, the district wellness committee anticipates expanding building-level wellness committees and training for the 7-8 grade levels.
"The Farm to School Grant helps us take on urban food deserts by bringing healthy, fresh, local foods directly to our students and families," Niagara Falls City School District Superintendent Mark Laurrie said. "It is vital to the health of our community, and it is a duty of the school district to provide nutritious food and information on healthy eating to Niagara Falls residents who are experiencing difficulty getting it on their own."
The award allocated to the Buffalo City School District will help fund the "Celebrating Cultural Diversity Program with Buffalo Farm to School," enhancing the existing farm-to-school program by introducing a focus on cultural relevancy. Partnering with culturally diverse and socially disadvantaged farmers, the program will identify crops commonly used in the traditional diets of the diverse student body. The partnerships, established with Cornell Cooperative Extension and Providence Farm Collective, will create opportunities for socially disadvantaged farmers to successfully enter the urban district's school food market. Also partnering with growers, the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, adult and youth leaders from the community, and the district's food service department, the program will develop new, culturally appropriate recipes, which will be served in eight pilot schools.
This year, the USDA is investing $12 million in Farm to School grants, announcing 176 awards in 45 states and the District of Columbia. The awards help to expand access to fresh, local foods and hands-on agricultural learning for children across the country. The projects awarded will serve over 1.4 million students in more than 6,800 schools across the country. The record-breaking grants give children more nutritious food options in school and support local agricultural economies.
The latest data from the 2019 Farm to School Census indicates that, during the 2018-19 school year, districts purchased nearly $1.3 billion in local fruits, vegetables and other foods, totaling approximately 20% of all school food purchases. The new grants are said to reflect the USDA's commitment to supporting farm to school efforts across the country.
School School feature

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
from model.contact import Contact
from random import randrange
def test_add_contact(app,db,check_ui):
    if len(db.get_contact_list()) == 0:
        app.contact.create(Contact(firstName='test'))
    old_contact = db.get_contact_list()
    index = randrange(len(old_contact))
    contact = Contact(firstName="firstName", middleName="middleName", lastName="lastName", nickName="nickName", title="title",
                               company="company", address="address", home="home", mobile="mobile", work="work", fax="fax", email="email",
                               email2="email2", email3="email3", homepage="homepage", address2="address2", phone2="phone2", notes="notes")
    contact.id=old_contact[index].id
    app.contact.edit_contact_by_id(contact.id, contact)
    new_contact = db.get_contact_list()
    assert len(old_contact) == len(new_contact)
    old_contact[index]= contact
    assert sorted(old_contact, key=Contact.id_or_map) == sorted(new_contact, key=Contact.id_or_map)
    if check_ui:
        assert sorted(new_contact, key=Contact.id_or_map) == sorted(app.contact.get_contact_list(), key=Contact.id_or_map)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Michigan State University assistant professor Jose Perea is the principal investigator on a collaborative research project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
A two-year, $1,637,726 DARPA grant has been awarded to MSU and five other universities to develop novel computational, geometric and topological tools to represent complex spatio-temporal dynamics in a way that allows for control and prediction of the underlying physical systems.
These new tools will deepen scientists' understanding of turbulent systems and the dynamics of dense granular media. Applications of this work include prediction and control in systems such as weather and climate forecasting, the dynamics of biomass in the oceans, earthquakes, avalanches and calving of icebergs.
MSU will receive $186,250 of the grant money; other universities also receiving funding are Duke University, Georgia Tech, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers University and Virginia Tech.
Perea's research entails applications and adaptations of ideas from algebraic and geometric topology to the study of high-dimensional and complex data. Prior to joining MSU, he held a post-doctoral position as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics at Duke University. He received his B.S. in mathematics from Universidad del Valle and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Stanford University.


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Black and White Wednesday: "The Messiah in the Saddle 'Resolution'" by Howard Chaykin
Check it out, Groove-ophiles! Howard Chaykin wrote and illustrated "The Messiah in the Saddle 'Resolution'" which appeared in the hard-to-find b&w Marvel Super-Action #1 (and only, October 1975). It's all Dominic Fortune, all Howard Chaykin, and all right here for you! Who loves ya, baby?
Labels: 1970s comic books, 1970s comicbooks, black and white wednesday, dominic fortune, howard chaykin, marvel comics, marvel super action
Gary Ware May 22, 2013 at 1:09 AM
Chaykin really just seemed to give the one character all those different names and costumes throughout the seventies.
No complaints. I loved them all.
I wonder if he ever conceived a story in which they all appeared?
And it's a shame American Flagg falls outside the groovy era.
Doc Thompson May 29, 2013 at 2:02 PM
.Scorpion (Atlas/Seaboard) turned into Dominic Fortune (Marvel) and then Cody Starbuck (Star Reach, Heavy Metal) or was that the other way around.Then there was+ Monark Starstalker (Marvel) all the same characters and Rueben Flagg. Chaykin really just seemed to give the one character all those different names and costumes throughout the 1970's and 1980's.I hated this issue because it's dum bonehead one,where the woman introduces the idea that Dominic Fortune-whose could have derived a name like Outer Limits composer Dominic Fortere was actually David Fortunov-a name that can't be anywhere outside of Marvel Comics.Chaykin never finished and always fracked up his comics with stupid sexist crap
Edo Bosnar May 22, 2013 at 7:44 AM
Ah, vintage Chaykin. Lovely. Thanks, Groove!
Mike Mikulovsky May 22, 2013 at 9:49 AM
Loved this character & Chaykin's beautiful art work. His Star Wars adaptation was totally far out too!
Aaahhh, yes...Scorpion (Atlas/Seaboard) + Dominic Fortune (Marvel) and then Cody Starbuck (Star Reach, Heavy Metal) + Monark Starstalker (Marvel) and then, of course, there's Reuben Youngblood (Warren), all leading up to Reuben/American Flagg, ALL of it great stuff. - Jeff Clem
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Arthritis literally means "inflammation of a joint". Since there are any number of factors that can cause inflammation of a joint, there are many types of arthritis.
Some examples of arthritis include Ankylosing Spondylitis, Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, Sjogren's Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout. Each of these may affect the patient differently and may have significantly different complications. It is, therefore, very important to know the exact type or form of arthritis that you may be treating.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory disease that chiefly affects the synovial membranes of multiple joints in the body. As a consequence of the disease being systemic, there are many extra-articular features of the disease as well.
In most cases of RA, the patient has remissions and exacerbations of the symptoms. This means that there are periods of time when it "feels good" and times when it "feels worse". There will likely be times when RA "feels cured". It is important to understand that there are very few people that have complete remission of the disease. It is essential that the RA patient does not stop the treatment program established by knowledgeable health care practitioners. Rarely does the disease "go away", although at times the symptoms might temporarily remit.
The disease is considered an autoimmune disease that is acquired and in which genetic factors appear to play a role.
The prevalence of the disease is 1-2% of the general population and is found world-wide. Females with RA outnumber males by a 3:1 margin. The onset of the disease in adults is usually between the ages of 40-60 years, although it can occur at any age. The cause of RA is presently unknown.
Rheumatoid Arthritis can attack any synovial joint in the body. Excepting the distal interphalangeal joints, it has the greatest affinity for the small joints of the hand, wrist, and foot. In many cases, the joint involvement in the limbs becomes relatively symmetrical. Further, the cervical spine, usually the superior aspect, becomes affected and patients must be watched carefully for disruption of the atlantoaxial joint. In advanced cases of the disease, subluxation at the atlantoaxial joint can occur.
Early in the course of the disease, several changes on joint structures occur. Joint effusion and inflammation of the synovium occur, producing a soft tissue swelling that is easily detected during evaluation of the patient. Additionally, changes (osteoporosis) in the ends of the bones forming the joint may be present early in the disease process.
The attack on a joint by the disease usually begins with the synovium. Early in the disease, edema begins to be seen in cells in the synovium and multiplication of synovial lining cells occurs. As the disease progresses, the synovium may grow considerably larger, eventually forming tissue called pannus. Pannus can be considered the most destructive element affecting joints in the patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Pannus can attack articular cartilage and destroy it. Further, pannus can destroy the soft subchondral bone once the protective articular cartilage is gone. The synovial fluid secreted by the synovium is thought to serve two main purposes, lubrication of the joint and provision of nutrients to the avascular articular cartilage. In this disease process, interaction between antibodies and antigens occurs, causing alterations in the composition of the synovial fluid. Ultimately, digestants are formed in the fluid, which attack the surrounding tissue. Once the composition of this fluid is altered, it is less able to perform the normal functions noted above, and more likely to become destructive.
The changes in the synovium and synovial fluid briefly described above are responsible for a large amount of joint and soft tissue destruction. The destruction of bone eventually leads to laxity in tendons and ligaments. Under the strain of daily activities and other forces, these alterations in bone and joint structure result in the deformities frequently seen with rheumatoid arthritis. Considerable destruction of the joint can occur with pannus invading the subchondral bone.
Bone destruction occurs at areas where the hyaline cartilage and the synovial lining do not adequately cover the bone. If the disease progresses to a more advanced stage, the articular cartilage may lose its structure and density, resulting in an inability to withstand the normal forces placed on the joint. In these advanced cases, muscle activity causes the involved ends of the bones to be compressed together causing further bone destruction. Further, the disease can irreversibly change the structure and function of a joint to the degree that other degenerative changes may occur, especially in the weight-bearing joints of the body. Joint destruction can progress to the degree that joint motion is significantly limited and joints can become markedly unstable.
Another major element in the treatment of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis is to prevent disability and preserve bodily function. One way to achieve this goal is to develop an exercise routine, based on specific needs, that preserves motion, strength, functional activities and lifestyle.
Positioning is also valuable in preserving motion and enhancing function. Patients should be encouraged to frequently change body position at work, home and during leisure activities.
Preservation of muscle strength and endurance is also very important in individuals with RA. Muscle atrophy can quickly occur because of disuse, splinting or the inflammatory process. Loss of muscle bulk is correlated with loss of functional ability. Thus, the health care practitioner must develop an exercise program that maintains or increases the strength of the patient with RA.
The significance of a systemic disease like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is that it is pervasive, leaving no part of the patient's life untouched. Perhaps the best way for the health care practitioner to understand what it is like to live with a systemic disease is to imagine every activity that takes place during a "normal" day and how those activities might be affected by a disease like RA.
The first hurdle to overcome for many of these patients is fighting the morning stiffness that frequently accompanies RA in order to get out of bed. Will the patient need assistance getting out of bed and if so, what modification may be necessary?
Depending on the degree of joint involvement, patients may have considerable difficulty performing self care activities like brushing teeth, combing hair, putting on shoes, and buttoning or zipping garments. What devices or strategies may help the patient successfully complete these activities?
Preparing meals can offer challenges like opening boxes and cans, and attempting to pour from heavy objects like coffee pots or full containers of milk or orange juice. What strategies can the patient use to minimize the stresses placed on the wrist, hand, and finger joints when preparing meals or participating in other activities?
Are there steps that need to be negotiated either within the house or to move in or out of the house? Will modifications need to be made?
Does the patient need to drive? If so, what recommendation do you need to make regarding choice of vehicle?
Is the patient employed? Are there reasonable accommodations that need to be made to keep the patient a productive employee?
Is there family support for the patient? Are external services necessary for the patient?
The point is that health care practitioners need to carefully evaluate every element of the patient's day, including work and social events in order to develop the strategies, assistive devices and new skills necessary for the patient to function with the illness. A major goal of health care practitioners should be to assist patients with planning and living the lifestyle of their choice.
Source: This information was made available through the Arthritis Society.
Aging is a natural process that is the future of all living creatures. The number of people over 65 increases annually. Since aging is an inevitable fact, it must be discussed in the sense of the coherent problems. Medical care has provided longer life but is no guarantee of a trouble-free physical or mental existence.
Decreased circulation and absorption of calcium from the bones may result in osteoporosis, shown by skeletal shrinkage and an increased tendency to bone fractures (more prevalent in women).
Although aging is neither a disease nor an accident, it requires consideration and understanding to satisfy the needs of the geriatric client, who may require assistive devices.
Many seniors endure a variety of aches and pains. Chronic pain can have a serious impact on physical and emotional well-being. Common sources of chronic pain include migraine headaches and arthritis. The most common forms of arthritis in the aging population are Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Falls are very common among the elderly and can be caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors are related causes which are external to the person such as the physical environment. Some examples associated with falls are: unkept sidewalks, poor or wet walking surfaces, stairs, inadequate lighting, obstructions on pathways, lack of handrails, scatter rugs, low beds and seats, and improper footwear.
Depression is a mental state of depressed mood characterized by feelings of sadness, despair and discouragement. Depression has a wide range of severity. The causes of depression can vary but are often the result of the loss of a loved one, chronic pain, poor health and/or a chemical imbalance in the brain. In most cases, treatment is available and is often a combination of medication and behavioral counseling/therapy. Medication compliance is an issue for many individuals with mental illness.
Source:This information was obtained through the National Advisory Council on Aging.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that impairs the body's ability to use food properly. Normally, glucose, a form of sugar produced when starches and sugar are digested, is burned as fuel to supply the body with energy. This process, turning food into energy, is called metabolism.
In order to metabolize glucose properly, the body requires another substance: insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Its job is to regulate the body's use of glucose. Insulin is essential to the metabolic process. Trying to burn glucose without insulin is like trying to set fire to a pile of logs without a match. It can't be done. People with Diabetes either don't produce enough insulin to properly metabolize glucose or the insulin they have works inefficiently. Without insulin to turn glucose into energy, the glucose piles up in the bloodstream and spills into the urine, showing as "sugar in the urine". High levels of sugar in the blood and urine are the hallmarks of untreated diabetes.
While there is currently no cure for diabetes, it can be controlled. The main goal of diabetes treatment is to control blood sugar levels and keep them in the normal range. The specific kind of treatment used to control blood sugars depends on the specific type of diabetes a person has.
In this form of Diabetes, a person's pancreas produces little or no insulin. Although the causes for this are not entirely known, scientists believe that the body's own defense system (the immune system) attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. As insulin is necessary for life, people with Type I Diabetes must take one or more injections of insulin every day in order to metabolize their food. Before the discovery of insulin in 1921, people would fall into a diabetic coma and die, usually within a few weeks of onset.
This form of Diabetes used to be known as "juvenile diabetes" because it usually appears in children or young adults.
In this form of diabetes, the pancreas still produces insulin, but for some reason, the body is not able to use it effectively. So, in spite of the presence of adequate amounts of insulin, blood glucose levels are not normal. Fortunately, Type II Diabetes can be treated in a variety of ways including weight loss, proper diet, reduced sugar intake and exercise. More severe cases may be treated with oral drugs or insulin injections.
Type II, which is also known as "adult-onset diabetes" occurs most often in people over 40.
One or more of these symptoms on a recurring basis, indicate a need to consult a doctor.
Nearly 1 in every 20 North Americans had diabetes. Out of about 6 million diagnosed with diabetes, 1 million are Type I and 5 million are Type II. Another 5 million are Type II and have not yet been diagnosed.
People with diabetic relatives; an inherited genetic tendency seems to prevail.
People who are overweight: excess weight increases susceptibility.
Treatment of diabetes aims to do what a normal body does naturally, ie. maintain a proper balance of insulin and glucose.
Complications from diabetes include blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, gangrene, amputation of feet and toes, heart disease and stroke.
Diabetes is the leading cause of new adult blindness among 20 –74 hears of age.
About 60 to 70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe nerve damage.
People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to have heart and vascular disease than people without diabetes.
Gangrene, due to diabetic complications, is the leading cause for amputation of the lower extremities.
One third of all dialysis patients have diabetes-caused kidney failure and the death rate from kidney disease is 500 times higher in young adults with diabetes.
The death rate among infants born to mothers with diabetes is 203 times as high as for women without diabetes.
With its complications, Diabetes is the leading cause of death by disease in North America. Diabetes is a chromic, complicated and destructive disease.
Diabetes and its complications costs the Canadian economy more than $3 billion each year in health care, absenteeism and lost productivity.
People with diabetes have an absenteeism rate 2 to 3 times higher than the general population.
Approximately 72% of those with juvenile diabetes are in the workplace.
Approximately 58% of those with mature onset diabetes are in the workplace.
Source: This information was made available through the Canadian Diabetes Association.


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India Plans 4,000 Megawatts Wind Energy Tender This Year
Following the massive success of the first-ever wind energy tender, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy in India is planning to launch another tender this year four times the size.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India has announced that it will auction 4,000 megawatts of wind energy capacity this financial year, i.e. by March 2018. The agency shall offer this capacity to prospective project developers in multiple trenches. SECI is also expected to launch wind energy tenders of 5,000-6,000 megawatts every year till 2022.
India plans to have installed wind energy capacity of 60 gigawatts by March 2022, these auctions are will be aligned to achieve this goal. India's current installed wind energy capacity stands at just over 32 gigawatts.
India added a record 5,400 megawatt wind energy capacity was added during the financial year 2016-17 (April 2016 to March 2017). This is 35% more than the envisaged target of 4,000 megawatts set at the start of the financial year. Between April 2016 and February 2017, a total of 2,374 megawatts of wind energy capacity was added. In March 2017 alone the capacity addition jumped to 3,026 megawatts.
Chairman of the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA) recently stated that a record 6,000 megawatts wind energy capacity is expected to be added in financial year 2017-18 which will be 11% higher than the 5,400 megawatt capacity added in 2016-17, also a record.
The first-ever wind energy auction in India yielded the lowest-ever tariffs of Rs 3.46/kWh (5.2¢/kWh). Four companies – Mytrah Energy, Green Infra (owned by Sembcorp), Inox Wind and Ostro Energy were awarded 250 megawatts capacity each while Adani Green Energy secured rights to develop 50 megawatts capacity.
April 23, 2017 0 comment
Invenergy Announces 700 MW Wind & Solar Project For Long Island
written by Joshua Hill
Clean energy developer and owner Invenergy has announced it will develop a 700 MW wind and solar project for Long Island, the largest ever renewable energy project proposed for the region.
Invenergy, which owns, develops, builds, and operates clean energy operations in Europe and North America, announced on Monday the 700 MW Clean Energy Link project for Long Island, which will consist of four new wind farms and two new solar farms located within the 12-state PJM regional power market, and intended solely for Long Island.
Upon completion, Clean Energy Link will triple Long Island's renewable energy portfolio, and move Nassau and Suffolk from 3% in 2015 to 10% upon completion in 2020.
Clean Energy Link, however, will not be built in Long Island, but rather in multiple states around the country, making use of rural areas where land is both less expensive and more readily available, and delivered to Long Island by way of a new buried HVDC transmission line, terminating at a net-zero converter station on Long Island itself.
"Long Island has never had an opportunity like the Clean Energy Link," said Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "In a single stroke, the Clean Energy Link will more than triple the green energy supply to Long Island. It's a big step forward for Long Island and means we can stop talking about meeting the Governor's 50 by 30 and begin actually achieving it."
"Long Island is determined to protect our environment, and Governor Cuomo's 50 by 30 mandate is the vehicle that ensures innovative methods for securing renewable energy is a part of the equation," added Assemblyman Steve Englebright. "Long Islanders have long sought clean energy via wind and solar projects, but the proposal by Invenergy allows us to make a significant step forward without sacrificing open space as a consequence."
GE Partners On Wind & Hydro Hybrid Pilot Project
The German wind firm Max Boegl Wind AG approached GE Renewable Energy to collaborate on the project, which is theoretically set to be the first wind project with an integrated hydropower plant. The aim of the project is to use the hydropower plant as a stop-gap measure to continue generating electricity when the wind stops blowing.
Aiming for grid-connection by the end of 2017, and with the hydropower plant set to begin operation by the end of 2018, the project could be a significant step forward for the wind industry. In addition, the wind turbines GE are installing will be the world's tallest, measuring 584 feet high, with the bottom 131 feet of the turbine acting as a water reservoir, able to hold 1.6 million gallons of water. The turbine itself will sit on another reservoir capable of holding an addition 9 million gallons of water.
Innovative wind energy company Max Boegl Wind AG is partnering with GE to build a four-turbine pilot wind farm with integrated hydropower plant.
The principal is simple, as can be seen above: When the wind is blowing, the wind turbines will generate electricity. If the wind stops blowing, the hydropower kicks in, allowing the water to travel downhill to generate electricity. When the hydropower plant's energy supply is high, it will pump the water back up the hill to the reservoirs, acting as a giant liquidy-battery.
Obviously, as can be seen below, there are specific geographical needs for the project to work: The wind turbines must sit atop a hill, and there must be room in the valley below for a man-made lake that can store the water when not in use up-hill.
The idea of pairing renewable energy technologies like wind with a hydropower battery is not new, but this might be the first instance of this particular pairing reaching operation. It surely won't be the last, however.
Gamesa To Install Asia's Tallest Wind Turbines
Spanish wind energy manufacturing giant Gamesa has announced it has been appointed to build a new small wind farm which will lay claim to Asia's tallest wind turbines.
The 67.5 MW Sarahnlom Wind Farm project is being built by developer PowerChina ZhongNan in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima, in central Thailand, and will be owned by Gunkul Engineering. While comparatively small compared to some of the wind farms we have been talking about lately, this is nevertheless an important step forward for Asia's wind industry, with the turbine towers to be used reaching to 153 meters high, the tallest turbines to be installed in Asia.
Gamesa will provide 18 of its G114-2.0 MW wind turbines, and 15 of its G114-2.1 MW turbines, all atop the 153 meter-tall turbine towers.
"In designing such tall towers, which are almost 30 meters taller than is usual for this model, and at a competitive cost, Gamesa's R&D team has achieved a major technological feat," explained Juan Diego Díaz, Marketing Director. "On the one hand, we reduce the Cost of Energy of the complex by boosting total energy output, as the turbines will reach heights at which the wind blows harder. On the other hand, we are demonstrating once again our ability to respond to what the market needs thanks to the versatility of our turbines."
The project is expected to be built during the first half of 2017, with turbines supplied during the first quarter and completion expected to be completed by the end of the first half.
Amazon To Develop Its Largest Wind Farm To Date
Amazon announced the development of the Amazon Wind Farm Texas earlier this month, a new 253 MW wind farm that will be the company's largest wind project to date.
The new Amazon Wind Farm Texas continues a growing portfolio of wind and solar farms developed by Amazon to power its data centers and operations around the United States, and the world. Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company's data services arm, has committed to achieving 100% renewable energy usage for its global infrastructure footprint. Previous projects have been announced and developed in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia. For the Indiana project, Amazon Wind Farm Fowler Ridge went live on January 1 of this year. Amazon's renewable energy capacity delivers energy to the electrical grids which in turn supply both current and future Amazon Web Services Cloud data centers.
Amazon Wind Farm Texas will be made up of more than 100 wind turbines, generating a maximum capacity of 253 MW, or 1,000,000 MWh of wind energy each year — that's enough energy to power almost 90,000 US homes. Scheduled to be completed in late 2017, the new wind farm is the company's largest wind project to date, and in combination with Amazon's four other wind farms, will generate more than 2.6 million MWh of renewable energy each year — enough to power more than 240,000 US homes, and at the least the Cloud data centers in each of those states.
"We're excited to work with the community in Scurry County and Lincoln Clean Energy to generate 1,000,000 MWh of renewable energy each year from West Texas," said Kara Hurst, director of sustainability, Amazon. "Amazon Wind Farm Texas is our largest renewable energy project to date and the newest milestone in our long-term sustainability efforts across the company."
Amazon have teamed up with Lincoln Clean Energy, a leading developer of wind and solar projects across the US, which will construct, own, and operate the Amazon Wind Farm Texas — and from whom Amazon will purchase approximately 90% of the power generated.
"We applaud Amazon's leadership in directly purchasing renewable power," added Declan Flanagan, founder and CEO of Lincoln Clean Energy. "Direct purchasing by large, long-term thinking customers like Amazon has quickly become a key driver of the transition to renewable power across the US."
MidAmerican Energy Receives Go-Ahead For $3.6 Billion, 2 GW Iowa Wind XI Project
US Energy company MidAmerican Energy announced late August that it would proceed with its $3.6 billion investment into the 2 GW Wind XI project set to be developed in Iowa.
MidAmerican Energy announced that it had received the final order and approval from the Iowa Utilities Board on August 26 for Wind XI, which will use 1,000 wind turbines to reach a total planned capacity of 2 GW. Completion for the project is expected by the end of 2019, and upon completion will result in the largest economic development project in Iowa's history, as well as being the largest wind project MidAmerican Energy has ever undertaken.
Specifically, Wind XI will be spread out across multiple sites in Iowa, being placed into service over a three year period starting in 2017 and ending in 2019.
"This is an exciting day for our customers, the state of Iowa and MidAmerican Energy," said Bill Fehrman, president and CEO of MidAmerican Energy. "We thank the board for its support and for moving quickly to deliver this ruling."
A project this size might in some cynical areas raise questions over the financial impact on taxpayers, but MidAmerican Energy has promised that Wind XI will be paying for the whole project itself, and will not be asking for an increase in customer utility rates or financial assistance from the state.
In addition, the Wind XI project will generate more than $1.2 billion in landowner easement and property tax payments over the next 40 years, while during construction the project will provide for thousands of jobs, and hundreds of jobs upon completion and throughout the life of the project.
"Wind energy helps us keep prices stable and more affordable for customers, provides jobs and economic benefits for communities and the state, and contributes to a cleaner environment for everyone," Fehrman added.
MidAmerican Energy announced its commitment to the project back in April of this year, labeling the project a big step towards the company's own goal of reaching 100% renewable energy for all its Iowa customers.
September 1, 2016 0 comment
Wind Energy Scores Big In Chile's Electricity Auction
Update #2: The lowest solar price bid is now 2.42¢/kWh.
Update: It was Solarpack that set the record-low bid, not SunEdison, as originally indicated in this article. The article has been updated accordingly.
A couple of companies managed to secure a huge share in the latest electricity auction held in Chile, and auction where a new record-low solar bid was set (globally) and wind projects took 40% of the auctioned power contracts.
According to media reports, Mainstream Renewable Power Ltd. and Empresa Nacional de Electricidad/Chile SA won more than two-thirds of the electricity supply auction in Chile.
Meanwhile, Solarpack set a new record-low solar bid at 2.91¢/kWh ($29.1/MWh). That beats the 2.99¢/kWh bid a Masdar Consortium provided for an 800 MW solar power project in Dubai earlier this year.
Overall, entities participating in the Chile power auction bid to supply a total of 12.34 TWh of electricity every year.
In this auction project developers had to place bids for the price of electricity without disclosing the source. About half of the electricity supply, around 6.17 TWh, will be supplied from existing infrastructure, while the rest will require an investment of $3 billion, the energy minister of Chile stated.
Mainstream has won rights to supply 3.7 TWh of electricity every year (30% of the auctioned electricity), while Endesa, a subsidiary of Enel, will supply 4.9 TWh (40% of the auctioned electricity). There was a significant correction in tariff in this auction compared to previous one. The average tariff bid in the auction declined 40% to US$47.59 per MWh compared to the previous auction.
To supply the contracted electricity Mainstream will develop 7 wind energy projects with a total capacity of 985 MW. To achieve this capacity, the company is expected to invest $1.65 billion over the next 5 years. Electricity generated from these projects will be sold at tariffs between $38.8 per MWh and $47.2 per MWh.
Endesa will sell 4.9 TWh of electricity every year at an average tariff of $50.83 per MWh. Media reports do not mention the type of technology Endesa will use to supply the electricity, but solar and wind power are possibilities and it's hard to see anything else competing with them at such a low price. Enel commissioned a 160 MW solar power project in the country earlier this year.
Another boost to renewable energy development may come from Spain's Acciona, which will supply 506 GWh electricity every year.
Fresh investment commitments from renewable energy project developers, like Mainstream, come as no surprise as the government recently approved legislation that will create a new interconnected transmission network to be established alongside a new independent operator. This will ensure that power generated from renewable energy projects located in remote regions of the country is supplied to population centres.
"Nobody expected the energy price in the PV block to go below $30/MWh, but it is important to keep in mind that the tender cannot be evaluated just by its lowest price bid," Christian Siemoneit, Managing Partner at Hansalia, told Cleantechies in response to the news. "In general we can see the high competitiveness of the Chilean energy market but also the low costs of capital of Enel / Endesa and Mainstream. The competition of utilities and IPPs with large-scale solar projects is very hard at the moment. But there are still opportunities in this sector, especially for wind parks and smaller solar projects. We see very attractive investment conditions and decent returns with renewable energy in Chile also over the next few years."
Images by vectoropenstock.com and CleanTechnica
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Gamesa Wins 160 MW Wind Energy Contract In Egypt
International company continue to benefit from the recent surge in renewable energy infrastructure development in Egypt.
Gamesa recently announced that it was awarded contract for 160 MW wind energy capacity by the New & Renewable Energy Authority of Egypt. The total capacity is spread across two projects at the same location.
Larger of the two projects shall have an installed capacity of 120 MW. Gamesa shall be responsible for supply, installation and commissioning of 60 units of G80-2.0 MW wind turbines. The project shall be funded through the Spanish government's Fund for International Business Expansion. Delivery of the turbines is expected to begin in October 2016 while the project is scheduled to be commissioned by third quarter of 2017.
The smaller of the two projects will include delivery of 20 units of G80-2.0 MW turbines. These turbines shall be commissioned at an existing 200 MW wind farm which has also been commissioned by Gamesa. The initial development of the wind farm was financed by KfW and this expansion shall also be supported by KfW.
Gamesa will also handle construction of the civil engineering and electric infrastructure needed to install and operate these facilities and will handle their maintenance for the next 3 years.
Gamesa secured its first order in Egypt in 2003 for the Zafarana wind farm. Since then, the company has installed nearly 600 MW in this country and services over 400 MW under O&M agreements.
Egypt is planning to add 2 GW wind energy capacity by 2022, part of an overall 4.3 GW renewable energy capacity addition by the same year.
China is Top Developing Nation for Clean Energy Investment, Analysis Finds
written by Yale Environment 360
China is the most attractive among developing nations for low-carbon investment and deployment, according to an analysis by the Climatescope project, a partnership among various international development agencies and Bloomberg New Energy Finance. China received top marks because it is the largest manufacturer of wind and solar equipment in the world, has the largest demand market for wind and solar energy, and has taken major strides to improve its domestic policy framework score, the analysis said.
Brazil ranked second, largely due to the country's aggressive approach to clean energy development and the availability of low-cost capital through its national bank, the report said. South Africa ranked third, and the analysis noted the nation had attracted $10 billion in clean energy investments in 2012 through 2013. The project ranked 55 developing countries on their past, present, and future ability to attract investment for clean energy companies and projects.
Point – Counterpoint: Heartland Institute Gets It Wrong on Wind
written by Marita Mirzatuny
On the heels of a recent Forbes blog post where I call out Texas' Comptroller for playing favorites in her biased scrutiny of Texas' wind industry, comes another Forbes piece by James Taylor from the Heartland Institute. Confusing correlation with causation, Taylor claims wind energy causes higher energy prices. However, an increase in electricity prices cannot automatically be accounted for by pointing the finger at wind energy. That's simply playing fast and loose with the facts.
This is the same tired slant we have heard from Heartland Institute time and time again. Not surprising – when pundits want to cherry pick data to make their argument strong, it doesn't always work.
First there are many, many factors that determine energy rates, not just one type of resource. In an analysis of utility rates, economists Ernst Berndt, Roy Epstein, and Michael Doane identified 13 reasons why an electric utility's rates may be higher or lower than the average. They include things like the average use per customer, age of the electricity distribution system, generation resource mix, local taxes, and rate of increases prior to any implemented renewable portfolio standard (RPS). So faulting renewables for high energy prices is a bogus claim. Furthermore, there is no data showing a nationwide pattern of renewable energy standards leading to rate increases for consumers. The report states: "American consumers in the top wind energy-producing states have seen their electricity prices actually decrease by 0.37 percent over the last 5 years, while all other states have seen their electricity prices increase by 7.79 percent over that time period." Further, 15 studies from various grid operators, state governments, and academic experts have examined the impact of wind energy on wholesale electricity prices and confirmed that wind energy reduces electricity prices.
Noticeably missing from Taylor's lineup of "proof" is Texas, the number one wind producer in the nation. In 2009, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) said, "renewable generation has reduced wholesale and retail energy prices during some periods and has been instrumental in moderating price increases during periods in which the cost of natural gas was increasing." That same report also states that "for each additional 1,000 megawatts of wind produced, the clearing price in the energy market fell by $2.38," or $67 million annually. ERCOT's own Independent Market Monitor found that coal and natural gas set the marginal price of energy somewhere around 90 percent of the time, meaning that 90 percent of the prices influencing investment decisions are set by coal and natural gas, not wind. When fuels do affect prices, the Brattle Group also makes a pretty strong case that natural gas, not wind, is responsible for setting the bulk of market prices.
When it comes to jobs and economic growth, Texas, again leading the nation, reported an increase of 8,000 to 9,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2013 related to the wind industry. The economic benefits and jobs realized in West Texas represent the biggest economic revival in that area since the Great Depression. The cost of reliably integrating large, conventional power plants onto the power system in Texas is more than 17 times larger than the cost of reliably integrating wind energy.
Furthermore, operational wind energy projects and those under construction will avoid 115 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, while avoiding the consumption of over 36 billion gallons of water each year, because wind turbines use virtually zero water in operation. Those savings do not exist in a vacuum.
Heartland Institute is the same organization that ran a billboard comparing those concerned about climate change to terrorists. When the planet experienced yet another month of recording-breaking temperatures, it's mind-boggling to see the same overused rhetoric slamming climate-saving clean energy.
But, if Taylor wants to talk about high prices, let's look at what it costs for Heartland to do your bidding. Heartland received $25,000 from the Koch Foundation in 2011 and a projected $200,000 for 2012! It also received $25,000 from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (a notable climate change denier), and $2,500 from Marathon Petroleum. Listed "sponsors" for the Heartland Institute's 2009 "International Conference on Climate Change" amounted to $47 million from fossil fuel energy companies and right-wing foundations, with 78 percent of that total coming from the Scaife family of foundations.
Heartland funders are determined to maintain the status quo, lie about climate change and renewable energy, and keep the playing field rigged for their own self-interests at the expense of everyone else's. This Forbes article is no exception.
Article appearing courtesy Environmental Defense Fund.
Ireland is Another European Leader in Renewables
written by Edouard Stenger
I recently came across a report on how Ireland could benefit even more from wind energy. Almost a fifth of Irish electricity already comes from renewable energy sources as the installed wind energy capacity has reached 2,000 MW in 2013.
Installed capacity of renewables have grown eight-fold since 1990 and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per household has dropped by 40 percent in twenty years.
Further cuts in emissions are projected as the country has a goal of 40 percent renewable electricity by 2020 (compared to an average of 20 percent for the European Union). The country currently imports over 85 percent of the total energy it is consuming.
The local government is pushing for energy efficiency and renewables and enacted a carbon tax as early as 2010. In as little as three years, this tax raised a billion euros ($1.3 billion), slashed emissions by as much as 6.7 percent in 2011 alone while the economy grew.
As I noted in a previous article, carbon taxes are very successful in cutting greenhouse gases emissions in various countries such as Australia or British Columbia. Economic powerhouses such as China and South Africa will implement their own next year.
Ireland could also benefit largely from marine energy sources according to the local Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Irish ocean energy industry could support 17,000 to 52,000 jobs and contribute €4-10 billion to the economy by 2030.
Irish leadership on renewables doesn't end on the island. Indeed, a local company recently signed a $525 million deal for a 225 MW wind farm in Ghana, west Africa. This project will allow the country to get 10 percent of its electricity needs by wind.
Debate Over Value of Renewables Brings in Heavy Hitters
A recent article in The Economist describes a blog post by Charles Frank of the Brookings Institute in which he questions the methods that have been used to compare renewable energy sources with more traditional sources like coal, gas and nuclear.
Drawing on the work of Paul Joskow of MIT, Frank claims that the generally accepted levelized cost models, which essentially divide the total lifetime system cost by the total amount of electricity produced, do not adequately discount the value of renewables sources like solar and wind based on their intermittent nature. Joskow's reasoning is that since these intermittent sources vary their output at different times of the day and the year, that should be reflected in their value, since the demand for, and the price of electricity also varies throughout the day, at least in the commercial market.
So, given that wind, for example, produces electricity mostly at night, when the power is less valuable, that should be reflected in the value of a wind investment. Solar, on the other hand produces mostly at mid-day, when the power is most valuable, so it may be getting short-changed by the levelized cost approach.
Frank started with Joskow's premise, then went on to perform a detailed analysis of various energy sources, based on avoided emissions and avoided costs, which revealed, he says, that contrary to popular belief, solar and wind are the least cost-effective way of producing low carbon electricity, followed by hydro, nuclear, and finally at the top of the list is combined cycle gas turbine power. Written from the perspective of building new electric generation capacity, Frank concludes, "Assuming that reductions in carbon dioxide emissions are valued at $50 per metric ton and the price of natural gas is not much greater than $16 per million Btu, the net benefits of new nuclear, hydro, and natural gas combined cycle plants far outweigh the net benefits of new wind or solar plants."
The problem with an analysis like this is, given the rapidity with which renewable energy costs are dropping, trying to compare them with traditional sources is akin to trying to catch a falling knife. Frank's data was obsolete by the time the ink dried on the page.
In addition, the analysis is highly sensitive to the eventual market price for carbon, which could swing the results dramatically. Also not considered is the impact of energy storage which could easily neutralize the liabilities that form the basis for Frank's thesis.
But Amory Lovins, of the Rocky Mountain Institute, has already demonstrated that the perceived need for storage has been overstated. Smart grid and smart grid operators will be able to dynamically reconcile supply with demand far more effectively than originally thought, through what Lovins calls choreography. Yes, wind and sun are intermittent, but they are also fairly predictable. The tools available for and acceptance of demand management (can you wait a few seconds for a spike to pass before your air conditioner kicks in?) are also gaining in importance.
Given the broad coverage this story received, Lovins felt the need to weigh in here with a written rebuttal to correct what he felt were significant errors that led to erroneous conclusions.
Lovins points out that correcting nine of Frank's incorrect assumptions reverses the conclusion to fall in line with the order that the marketplace has consistently chosen as the best investment for the money: hydro, wind, solar, gas, and nuclear. Says Lovins, Frank assumed the both wind and solar were twice as costly and half as productive as they actually are today. He also assumed gas productivity to be twice what it is and ignored the impacts of both methane leakage (a very serious greenhouse gas contributor) and price volatility. Indeed the climate impact of methane leakage (not to mention the environmental impacts of fracking) is severe enough to have caused some experts to question the value of switching away from coal.
Rounding out the list, are out of date assumptions regarding the construction cost (low by half) and operating cost (low by 80%) of nuclear plants. Frank's assertion leaned heavily on the premise that a good deal of new generating capacity is needed (which it isn't), and he did so without taking energy efficiency opportunities into account. While Frank has brought a fresh analytical slant to this important problem, when applied with the most recent data it produces the same conclusion as the prevailing approach. In other words, although the variation of the value of electricity produced at different times had not been taken into account by prior analyses, the impact of doing so was not sufficient to change the overall conclusion.
Article by RP Siegel of Justmeans, appearing courtesy 3BL Media.
New Energy Projects Boost the Use of Undersea Power Cables
In the German North Sea, 80 wind turbines now under construction will eventually generate enough power for some 400,000 homes. That power will travel via advanced cables buried along several miles of ocean floor, part of a growing move toward undersea transmission of electricity.
Submarine power cables have been around since the early 1800s. But for most of their history, such cables were used primarily to transmit electricity from conventional sources such as coal plants, either between countries or out to islands or oil platforms.
As recently as a decade ago, the submarine cable industry was in decline. That changed in the mid-2000s, as rising energy prices and concerns about climate change stimulated interest in developing offshore wind and more efficient transnational power grids.
The worldwide market for submarine electrical cables has surged over the past decade, according to industry observers, and is set to grow even more. A report published in November 2013 by Navigant Research, a Boulder, Colorado-based firm that tracks the energy industry, predicts that global sales of high-voltage submarine power cables will nearly triple over the next decade, from $1.9 billion in 2014 to more than $5.3 billion in 2023.
Bringing the Sea's Wind Energy to Shore
"I can tell you that there is a demand for submarine cables," said Walt Musial, principal engineer for the National Wind Technology Center, a program of the U.S. Department of Energy. "Offshore wind installations are growing in number—you're seeing development in the North Sea and the Asian markets, and there's a strong possibility the market will develop in the U.S. as well."
Per-Arne Osborg, a Norway-based research and development manager at cablemaker Nexans, also predicts continued growth, particularly in high voltage DC (HVDC) submarine lines that can transmit electricity for long distances with fewer losses than alternating current, or AC, lines. "Yes definitively, the renewable power has to be distributed and a grid capable of transporting the power will be needed," Osborg said in an email. (See related: "High Voltage DC Breakthrough Could Boost Renewable Energy.")
The $340 million submarine transmission cable being built for DanTysk, the wind farm in the German North Sea, will stretch nearly 99 miles (159 kilometers). The company building the line, Italian-based cablemaker Prysmian Group, also is a player in Western Link, an ambitious plan to link Scottish and English power grids with a $1.1 billion, 239-mile (385-kilometer) submarine cable under the Irish Sea. And Canada is moving ahead with construction of a $1.5 billion line that would allow Nova Scotia to import hydroelectric power from Labrador.
Forging such underwater connections will help nations use electricity more efficiently and take advantage of distant renewable sources, while also preserving green space on land, said Julian Pease, a U.S.-based Prysmian business manager for submarine cables.
"Scotland has more offshore wind farms to build, and that power is needed in the south of England," he said. "It would have been difficult to get government permits for the traditional method of using overhead lines, because it would have cut across a lot of picturesque countryside. This is an alternative solution, which reduces the environmental impact."
Pease said that wind power provides about 60 percent of the market for cables. In addition to long lines to shore, a wind farm with 200 turbines also might require as much as 125 miles (200 kilometers) of cable to link them all together.
Costs and Unknowns
Burying cables about 6.5 feet (2 meters) under the ocean floor, which involves the use of specially designed ships and robotic vehicles, does have some environmental impacts, according to a 2009 report by the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. Cables can provide artificial habitats that attract animals and plants not normally found in an area, "but such change is not likely to be significant," the report said. But because of a lack of research, not as much is known about what, if any, effect of electromagnetic fields and heat generated by the cables might have on aquatic life, the report noted.
But proponents of submarine cables argue that improving energy efficiency on land and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases will tip the scale positively in the long run. One salient example is the 360-mile (580-kilometer) NorNed submarine cable, which allows Dutch consumers to draw on hydropower generated in Norway during daytime peak demand period, while Norwegians can draw power from Dutch coal-burning power plants when they need it. The increased efficiency produced by the linkage reduces carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 1.7 million tons per year, according to cablemaker ABB.
NorNed, which was completed in 2008, currently is the world's longest submarine power cable. But far bigger projects have been proposed. Perhaps the most ambitious is the 621-mile (1,000-kilometer) submarine cable that Iceland's state-owned electricity firm Landsvirkjun has proposed building to Great Britain, which would supply some of the island's abundant geothermal, hydro and wind energy to British consumers. British financier Edi Truell is exploring how to raise more than $6 billion needed to build the line, whose feasibility is still being studied.
In the United States, Google and other sponsors want to connect the mid-Atlantic region with a high-voltage submarine cable that would bring offshore wind power to New Jersey and other states in the region. But that offshore wind capacity doesn't exist yet: Projects such as the Atlantic City wind farm proposed by Fishermen's Energy have suffered regulatory and other delays, and the website for the Atlantic Wind Connection lists the cable's completion date as "TBD."
Google was willing to invest in the $5 billion Atlantic line, it said, because it made "good business sense" and because otherwise, each wind farm project would need to build its own transmission lines, causing delays and grid inefficiencies.
Prysmian's Pease said that advances in technology—in particular, the use of cross-linked polyethylene plastic to replace paper as an insulation material—have made cables easier and less expensive to manufacture, and improved their performance. While the plastic-insulated cables haven't yet caught up the conventional paper-insulated cables in their ability to handle high voltages, Pease predicted that they eventually could close most of the gap.
But several problems could impede the future growth of submarine cables, according to Navigant research director Bob Lockhart. Laying cables requires navigating through the often complex regulations that various countries impose upon their territorial waters, which can add years of delay to projects. There are relatively few consulting firms able to conduct surveys of the sea floor, another essential step, and the supply of specially equipped ships for cable-laying is similarly limited.
Even so, Lockhart foresees a bright future for submarine cables, as the demand for renewable energy increases. "What about a huge solar farm in North Africa that would transmit energy to Europe?" he said. "That would have to go underwater."
Article by Patrick J. Kiger for National Geographic, appearing courtesy 3BL Media.
First U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Wins Federal Funds, Courtroom Fights
For over a decade, Cape Wind's proposal to build a turbine farm off Cape Cod has generated excitement and opposition in large measures—but no power. New federal funding and recent courtroom victories may soon change all that, and launch America's offshore wind industry in earnest.
The Department of Energy's (DOE) Loan Programs Office has announced a conditional commitment to Cape Wind, a 130-turbine project slated for the shallow waters of Nantucket Sound. The $150 million loan guarantee would support construction of the 360 megawatt (MW) wind farm and might finally help the bid to spin turbines above the waters of Nantucket Sound.
"I think a big significance of the DOE's conditional guarantee is that it makes the U.S. government a participant in the financing of America's first offshore wind farm," said Cape Wind spokesman Mark Rodgers. "That's something that you see quite often in Europe, and I think it sends a message to other financial stakeholders about the confidence the government has in us. After all, although it was different agencies the government also approved the project and issued us our lease. We believe this commitment will help us to continue to attract additional commercial sector financial players."
With commitments already in place for approximately 60 percent of Cape Wind's $2.5 billion cost, Rodgers said Cape Wind expects financing to wrap up by year's end. Initial construction of the onshore cable route could also begin before the end of 2014, he added, if final project financing is completed this fall. "With that schedule, as it stands now, ocean construction would begin in 2015 and we'd expect to commission at least a portion of the project and start producing electricity by the end of 2016, with the full project commissioned in 2017."
Cape Wind has been fully permitted for several years. Now the long lineup of legal challenges it has weathered, dozens of suits dating back to 2003, may finally be drawing towards a close as well. In March four National Environmental Policy Act lawsuits brought by the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, the town of Barnstable, and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) were decided resoundingly in favor of Cape Wind by United States District Judge Reggie Walton. An appeal seems likely, but opponents of the project may finally be running low on further legal options.
"We've had a slew of major decisions, all of which have gone in our favor," Rodgers said. "To date we've won 26 legal challenges against this project. Our opponents have been very litigious, but they have an overwhelmingly losing track record." Rodgers added that while further legal appeals are probably inevitable, he believes that the recent legal decisions have moved Cape Wind past the point where further courtroom wrangling could affect the schedule.
A Shift in the Wind?
Offshore wind advocates see Cape Wind as the vanguard of a critical, and huge, source of green energy—much of which happens to be located in areas like the Northeast coast, which lies close to millions of energy consumers. (See related: Banking on Connections to Spur Offshore Wind.")
"Today's announcement of a conditional commitment to the Cape Wind project demonstrates our intent to help build a strong U.S. offshore wind industry," said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz in a July 1 statement.
DOE estimates that offshore winds near the nation's coasts could provide a potential 4,000 GW of electricity—a staggering amount that's four times today's total nationwide generation capacity. To date, all that power remains untapped. If it comes online, Cape Wind would be a small operation in terms of the national grid but a large local player, able to provide some 75 percent of the electricity consumed on Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
"If built, the Cape Wind Project could transform the fishing ports and manufacturing towns in Eastern Massachusetts into a hub for a vibrant U.S. offshore wind industry. The lessons that could be learned from this project can help catalyze similar projects in other areas of the U.S. with excellent offshore wind resources," said Peter Davidson, executive director of the DOE Loan Programs Office.
"As we've seen with onshore wind and utility-scale solar, as more projects are built, prices come down." Davidson added. His department's Wind Program has also elected to fund three projects, for deployment by 2017, that can help drive offshore wind development from small scale demonstrations to commercial scale operations. (Those projects are Dominion Virginia Power, Fishermen's Energy Atlantic City (NJ) Windfarm, and Principle Power (OR) Windfloat.)
In Europe, commercial offshore wind is more than two decades old and the booming industry is the fastest growing power sector. According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), 73 offshore farms in 11 nations currently produce more than 7,300 MW and have capacity for some 27 terawatt hours. That's enough power to supply 7 million homes, or the population of the Netherlands. Sixteen additional farms that are under construction will provide an additional 4.9 gigawatts of power capacity.
High-Profile Opponents
Construction of the first commercial offshore wind operation in America involves endemic challenges, but Cape Wind also has faced a very determined human opposition. Detractors have included a who's who of those living or summering along these scenic shores. (Related: Cape Wind Deadline: Headwinds for Offshore Turbines.)
Notables leading the fight against Cape Wind included the late Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy and his nephew, environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The bipartisan opposition has also included billionaire businessman and Cape Cod denizen William Koch. Koch told CommonWealth magazine last year that he had put "well over" $1 million into fighting Cape Wind as one of the backers of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound. His aim, he said, has been to "delay, delay, delay."
Much of this opposition was focused on preserving the classic coastal views and aesthetics that some fear will be marred by the offshore installation of the 440-foot (135-meter) turbines.
But the project's potential environmental impacts also drew detractors and spawned years of analysis and study. Most environmental groups have come to support Cape Wind's ability to produce clean energy, and been satisfied that environmental impacts can be mitigated.
For example, a decade of study convinced the once-skeptical Massachusetts Audubon that the project would pose no undue threat to birds and other wildlife. And in 2012 Cape Wind and other wind developers signed an agreement with environmentalists to mitigate underwater sound and the impact of ship traffic on migrating, feeding, and breeding right whales in the North Atlantic. (Related: As U.S. Eyes Offshore Wind Development, Whales Get New Protections.)
In recent years much Cape Wind opposition has centered on the higher costs consumers will be asked to pay for electricity generated offshore. Utilities NSTAR and National Grid have contracted to buy Cape Wind power at 19 cents per kilowatt hour, with a 3.5 percent increase each year. Those contracts cost considerably more than land-based power, but are in line with the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that on a per-megawatt-hour basis, new offshore wind energy will cost 2.6 times more than onshore wind power and 3.3 times more than advanced natural gas plants.
The high costs don't sit well with those opposing Cape Wind.
"In 2010, Cape Wind signed exorbitant price contracts with the Massachusetts utilities and it became very clear that this power wasn't cheap at all," Alliance President and chief executive Audra Parker told National Geographic last year. "At that point, opposition started to increase across Massachusetts among people and business concerned with the possibility of rising electric bills."
"We believe that there are many obstacles that will prevent [Cape Wind] from ever being built; financial obstacles, legal challenges, and growing objections to that specific project in that specific location at that specific cost," she added. (See related stories about wind energy concerns, "Federal Study Highlights Spike in Eagle Deaths at Wind Farms," "Wind Farm Faces Fine Over Golden Eagle's Death," and "Hope for Stemming Wind Energy's Toll on Bats.")
But a legal challenge to that power purchase, brought by the Alliance, the Town of Barnstable, and other local groups, was recently quashed, another in the growing string of Cape Wind courtroom victories. In May a U.S. District Court judge ruled against the suit which sought to cancel the power purchase agreement with the state of Massachusetts, leaving the 15-year agreements in place. An appeal of the federal court decision is pending.
Cape Wind's Rodgers acknowledged that current costs are higher than other forms of energy, but he stressed that Cape Wind is worth it as an investment in a future of clean, unlimited energy.
"Offshore wind is uniquely scalable to deliver large blocks of carbon free clean energy to urban populations on the U.S. East Coast," he said. "It can do that more effectively than other sources of renewable energy and as we develop it the price will come down just as we've seen with other technologies."
Article by Brian Handwerk of National Geographic Energy Blog, appearing courtesy 3BL Media.


text:
21 February, 2019 — By Steve Barnett
Harry Elves (right) and George Gentili-Walsh
A TEAM of karate kids from across Camden and Islington flexed their martial arts muscles to help their club rank amongst the very best in the country.
A 20-strong squad from the Veras Academy returned from the English Karate Federation Kyu Grade Championships in Leicester boasting four gold medals, four silver medals and 10 bronze medals. The mighty haul saw the club, which is based at the Ringcross Community Centre in Holloway, climb to seventh place in the England rankings.
The highlight of the competition, which was held in January, saw para-athletes Harry Elves, 15, and George Gentili-Walsh, 9, strike gold in their respective disability kata categories.
Sensei Raphael Veras said he was delighted with all the effort his super squad displayed.
"To see each of my karate-kas compete at the nation's most important competition and bring home medals is overwhelming. I am extremely proud of everyone of them," he added.
"The English KYU grades is a stepping stone for anyone wanting to eventually compete for the English Karate Federation and represent their country.
"The Veras Academy kids have proved that they are amongst the best in England. This is what they work so hard for."


text:
Q: How to add query hint inside a view I have a view that contains multiple joins, and this makes the query run really slow. It takes more than 3 hours to execute this query via the VIEW.
I the copied the SELECT ... part of the statement from the view into a different query window and added the following query hint:
...OPTION (USE HINT ( 'FORCE_LEGACY_CARDINALITY_ESTIMATION' ), maxdop 0)`

Executing the stand-alone SELECT statement with the query hint reduces the execution time down to 3 minutes.
After that, I tried to adapt this query hint in the original view, and I got this error in SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio):

Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'OPTION'.

So, how can I add this query hint to the view so that the resulting query from the view becomes fast?

A: Essentially, you will apply this table hint when you are referencing the view. KenJ from SQLServerCentral posted this answer which applies to your question:
select * from your_view
option(use hint('force_legacy_cardinality_estimation'))

SQLServerCentral Thread
You can find another definition from Microsoft Documents.

[force_legacy_cardinality_estimation]...Applies the specified table
  hint to the table or view that corresponds to exposed_object_name. We
  recommend using a table hint as a query hint only in the context of a
  plan guide.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


DRS 2006 Community Forum • View topic - Version 4?
First, let me say that I have been using DRS2006 from the Ver.1 days. I was given the assignment of finding an inexpensive Radio Automation software to handle the ovenight shift at the small market station I was then employed at. Found DRS2006 in a matter of minutes and I personally have been using it ever since. The radio station, after waiting for updates to add features that were common in the more expensive software packages, finally went a different direction to get the full automation needed.
The station switched to a satellite fed overnight program and DRS2006 has never had the capabillity of fully interacting with audio switchers/satellite equipment. DRS2006 Version3 was very close to meeting that goal with the Line in mixer control that was built in. I have a satellite test setup in my shop area, we made it work with procedures I had posted here in the forum some years ago.
Anyway, Mark and the team were able to take the basics of what the big expensive Automation packages were offering and make it affordable for all of us.
Now, what I intended to post about was my confusion with Version 4. The "Modules" have been shrunk down to include everything on one screen. I personally liked the individual modules, seemed simple enough to me....Database Manager.....Audio Manager....Playlist Editor...On Air Studio. But, one thing that is inevitable is change, so I now must adapt.
I paid for Version 4 before even trying the demo version. Have been trying to locate the "Playlist Editor" to create a playlist now in the Demo. I also see that you have to register the machine HWID that you intend to use it on. I always set up a test PC before loading on the main PC, so I is this going to be a big hassel when I am ready to go live with Version 4? Also, I saw in another post, that we currently have no way to Import the Database from Ver.2 to Ver4. Is this true? Maybe more features are in the Professional/Enterprise Packages?
I have many more questions or comments I'll post later since this post is so long.
there will be several plugins available soon which will add more and more features to this basic package so you can choose the features you need. There will also be a database converter which you can use to import your V2 data.
You can edit your playlist in the main window just like. Of course you can't be on air and build playlists on the same machine. However you can of course do this on another machine in the network and save the playlists which then can be used by the on air machine.


text:
"""Starter script for Nova Console Proxy."""

import sys

from oslo_config import cfg
from oslo_log import log as logging
from oslo_reports import guru_meditation_report as gmr

from nova import config
from nova import objects
from nova import service
from nova import version

CONF = cfg.CONF

def main():
    config.parse_args(sys.argv)
    logging.setup(CONF, "nova")
    objects.register_all()

    gmr.TextGuruMeditation.setup_autorun(version)

    server = service.Service.create(binary='nova-console',
                                    topic=CONF.console_topic)
    service.serve(server)
    service.wait()