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The Importance of Exercise for Psoriatic Arthritis
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Life With Psoriatic Arthritis: Finding Balance
I'm Married to Someone With Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis can stress even a strong marriage. Find out how one husband helps his wife with the condition, which, in turn, strengthens their marriage.
By Marie Suszynski
Medically Reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH
Watch: Living Well With Psoriatic Arthritis
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When Brian Holbrook met Lori-Ann in 2006, the first signs of psoriatic arthritis were already a part of her life. Today, the condition is a part of the couple's marriage.
He admits that coping is difficult at times, but ultimately psoriatic arthritis has brought the two of them closer.
"It's either going to drive you apart or you can choose to love through it," says Holbrook, who lives with his wife in Jersey City, N.J. "I think we're closer because of it. We understand each other because of it."
Psoriatic Arthritis: The Third Wheel in a Relationship
When Holbrook met Lori-Ann, she had some joint pain, and from time to time, her skin would get inflamed. He could see her wince when she walked and noticed that it was hard for her to stand and sit. They married in 2008 and went to Asheville, N.C., for their honeymoon. Even then, after a full day of walking, Holbrook remembers how wiped out Lori-Ann was.
Lori-Ann's condition hadn't been diagnosed yet, and Holbrook dismissed her fatigue and pain. The couple thought her symptoms, which were sporadic at the beginning of their relationship, were a result of her carrying some extra weight. Her mother has osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, but Holbrook didn't know much about the different types of arthritis.
Lori-Ann's symptoms came to a head when they moved from Atlanta to Jersey City. With increasingly serious joint pain and skin problems, her symptoms didn't seem to be related to weight anymore.
"I could see what was happening was wrong," he says. "It was hard for me to see my wife in that much pain and moving like someone twice her age." When Lori-Ann, who is now 46, decided she needed to see a doctor, Holbrook was relieved she would be getting help. She was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2012.
Holbrook soon got a sense of the seriousness of his wife's disease. About five months later, her rheumatologist recommended she start a biologic drug.
"I went with her for her first infusion," he says. "Sitting in the infusion room with my wife and one other patient hooked up with IV drips like cancer patients was eye-opening. This did not seem like my mother-in-law's arthritis. I felt a lot of compassion."
Conflicts and Misunderstandings
Treatment has helped Lori-Ann a great deal, but she still feels crippling fatigue and experiences flare-ups. Sometimes her fatigue causes her to spend entire weekends on the couch. This lack of energy has led to conflict between the couple at times because she can't always keep up with her share of the housework.
On good days, Lori-Ann has no problem cleaning their one-bedroom apartment and doing the dishes. And as a coping strategy, she does one deep-cleaning chore a day rather than trying to spend hours cleaning the apartment from top to bottom. But when she's having a flare or severe fatigue, she can't do any housework at all. Holbrook admits he didn't always understand at first. "There were times we argued about the chores and the unfairness of him having to be responsible for everything," Lori-Ann says.
At times, communication crumbled. "During a flare-up, it's not easy to remain patient and try to explain to him why I could assist last week but not today," Lori-Ann says. "More than once, my feelings were hurt because I felt picked on. I felt like my disease was burdensome to others."
In addition to the chores, psoriatic arthritis has kept the couple from being as active together as they would like. Sometimes Holbrook wants to go out and stay out late, but Lori-Ann just can't do that. He also loves taking 25-mile bike rides and long hikes with Lori-Ann — neither of which they can do together.
Communication: The Essential Ingredient
Through their hardship, the Holbrooks have learned the key to managing the stress of a chronic disease while keeping their marriage strong: making a concerted effort to be better communicators.
"Brian and I both recognized that we were making mistakes and assumptions about one another, leading to miscommunication and bad listening skills," Lori-Ann says. That's when she began to take more time to explain her symptoms and feelings to as well as express her appreciation for him.
For his part, Holbrook worked on being better at empathizing with Lori-Ann. He remembers himself that she didn't choose to have her disease and that she needs to use her energy on what's important. When she rests for a weekend, it means she can continue going to her job at a law firm in New York, and that's something that's important to both of them.
Holbrook also did his own research on psoriatic arthritis to get a better grasp on Lori-Ann's experience. And when Lori-Ann started a blog about living with psoriatic arthritis, he was able to gain an even deeper perspective on the disease.
"We're both people of faith, and that does help quite a bit," he says. No matter the challenges, says Holbrook, he's in it for better or for worse.
How Support Helps With Psoriatic Arthritis
Staying on top of a chronic disease like psoriatic arthritis, which is painful and potentially disabling, takes effort. But having psoriatic arthritis support from a spouse can help you not just cope with the disease but also avert early feelings of depression — a threat to many with psoriatic arthritis, according to a study published in 2014 in Rehabilitation Psychology. a huge difference.
"Supporting social networks, spousal support — these are unbelievably important," says Susan Goodman, MD, a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Like Holbrook, spouses can help with daily activities and with making sure their loved ones keep up with medications, doctor appointments, and the healthy lifestyle that will make it easier to manage their disease.
Fortunately for Lori-Ann, depression hasn't been much of an issue. However, the fact that she has these unique challenges, and always will, gives her anxiety, she says. Sometimes she's afraid that she's disappointing her husband and that the disease is making her unattractive.
But Holbrook says being married to someone with psoriatic arthritis and dealing with the stress of Lori-Ann's flares, fatigue, and disappointments when she can't join him in activities has taught him to be more patient and more compassionate.
And fortunately, there's one outdoor event that Holbrook can count on doing with his wife: the annual National Psoriasis Foundation's walk, held in New York City. He and Lori-Ann participated and raised money in 2013 and 2014 and plan to walk again. It's one more way he can lend her support.
Last Updated:4/1/2015
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Category: Bio-nanotechnology
Nanomedicine comes of age with mRNA vaccines
There have been few scientific announcements that have made as big an impact as the recent news that a vaccine, developed in a collaboration between German biotech company BioNTech and the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, has been shown to effective against covid-19. What's even more striking is that this vaccine is based on an entirely new technology. It's an mRNA vaccine; rather than injecting weakened or dead virus materials, it harnesses our own cells to make the antigens that prime our immune system to fight future infections, exactly where those antigens are needed. This is a brilliantly simple idea with many advantages over existing technologies that rely on virus material – but like most brilliant ideas, it takes lots of effort to make it actually work.
Here I want to discuss just one aspect of these new vaccines – how the mRNA molecule is delivered to the cells where we want it to go, and then caused to enter those cells, where it does its job of making the virus proteins that cause the chain of events leading to immunity. This relies on packaging the mRNA molecules inside nanoscale delivery devices. These packages protect the mRNA from the body's defense mechanisms, carry it undamaged into the interior of a target cell through the cell's protective membrane, and then open up to release the bare mRNA molecules to do their job. This isn't the first application of this kind of nanomedicine in the clinic – but if the vaccine lives up to expectations, it will make unquestionably the biggest impact. In this sense, it marks the coming of age of nanomedicine.
Other mRNA vaccines are in the pipeline too. One being developed by the US company Moderna with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (part of the US Government's NIH), is also in phase 3 clinical trials, and it seems likely that we'll see an announcement about that soon too. Another, from the German Biotech company CureVac, is one step behind, in phase 2 trials. All of these use the same basic idea, delivering mRNA which encodes a protein antigen. A couple of other potential mRNA vaccines use a twist on this simple idea; a candidate from Arcturus with the Duke-National University of Singapore, and another from Imperial College, use "self-amplifying RNA" – RNA which doesn't just encode the desired antigen, but which also carries the instructions for some machinery to make more of itself. The advantage of this in principle is that it requires less RNA to produce the same amount of antigen.
But all of these candidates have overcome the same obstacle – how to get the RNA into the human cells where it is needed? The problem is that, even before the RNA reaches ones of its target cells, the human body is very effective at identifying any stray bits of RNA it finds wandering around and destroying them. All of the RNA vaccine candidates use more or less the same solution, which is to wrap up the vulnerable RNA molecule in a nanoscale shell made of the same sort of lipid molecules that form the cell membrane.
The details of this technology are complex, though. I believe the BioNTech, CureVac and Imperial vaccines all use the same delivery technology, working in partnership with a Canadian biotech company Acuitas Therapeutics. The Moderna vaccine delivery technology comes from that towering figure of nanomedicine, MIT's Robert Langer. The details in each case are undoubtedly proprietary, but from the literature it seems that both approaches use the same ingredients.
The basic membrane components are a phospholipid analogous to that found in cell membranes (DSPC – distearoylphosphatidylcholine), together with cholesterol, which makes the bilayer more stable and less permeable. Added to that is a lipid to which is attached a short chain of the water-soluble polymer PEO. This provides the nanoparticle with a hairy coat, which probably helps the nanoparticle avoid some of the body's defences by repelling the approach of any macromolecules (artificial vesicles thus decorated are sometimes known as "stealth liposomes"), and perhaps also controls the shape and size of the nanoparticles. Finally, perhaps the crucial ingredient is another lipid, with a tertiary amine head group – an ionisable lipid. This is what the chemists call a weak base – like ammonia, it can accept a proton to become positively charged (a cation). Crucially, its charge state depends on the acidity or alkalinity of its environment.
To make the nanoparticles, these four components are dissolved in ethanol, while the RNA is dissolved in a mildly acidic solution in water. Then the two solutions are mixed together, and out of that mixture, by the marvel of self-assembly, the nanoparticles appear, with the RNA safely packaged up inside them. Of course, it's more complicated than that simple statement makes it seem, and I'm sure there's a huge amount of knowledge that goes into creating the right conditions to get the particles you need. But in essence, what I think is going on is something like this.
When the ionisable lipid sees the acidic environment, it becomes positively charged – and, since the RNA molecule is negatively charged, the ionisable lipid and the RNA start to associate. Meanwhile, the other lipids will be self-organising into sheets two molecules thick, with the hydrophilic head groups on the outside and the oily tails in the middle. These sheets will roll up into little spheres, at the same time incorporating the ionisable lipids with their associated mRNA, to produce the final nanoparticles, with the RNA encapsulated inside them.
When the nanoparticles are injected into the patient's body, their hairy coating, from the PEO grafted lipids, will give them some protection against the body's defences. When they come into contact with the membrane of a cell, the ionisable lipid is once again crucial. Some of the natural lipids that make up the membrane coating the cell are negatively charged – so when they see the positively charged head-group of the ionisable lipids in the nanoparticles, they will bind to them. This has the effect of disrupting the membrane, creating a gap to allow the nanoparticle in.
This is a delicate business – cationic surfactants like CTAB use a similar mechanism to disrupt cell membranes, but they do that so effectively that they kill the cell – that's why we can make disinfectants out of them. The cationic lipid in the nanoparticle must have been chosen so that it disrupts the membrane enough to let the nanoparticle in, but not so much as to destroy it. Once inside the cell, the conditions must be different enough that the nanoparticle, which is only held together by relatively weak forces, breaks open to release its RNA payload.
It's taken a huge amount of work – over more than a decade – to devise and perfect a system that produces nanoparticles, that successfully envelopes the RNA payload, that can survive in the body long enough to reach a cell, that can deliver its payload through the cell membrane and then release it. What motivated this work wasn't the idea of making an RNA vaccine.
One of the earliest clinical applications of this kind of technology was for the drug Onpattro, produced by the US biotech company Alnylam. This uses a different RNA based technology – so called small interfering RNA (siRNA) – to silence a malfunctioning gene in liver cells, to control the rare disease transthyretin amyloidosis. More recently, research has been driven by the field of cancer immunotherapy – this is the area for which the Founder/CEO of BioNTech, Uğur Şahin, received substantial funding from the European Research Council. Even for quite translational medical research, the path from concept to clinical application can take unexpected turns!
We all have to hope that the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine lives up to its promise, and that at least some of the other vaccine candidates – both RNA based and more conventional – are similarly successful; it will undoubtedly be good to have a choice, as each vaccine will undoubtedly have relative strengths and weaknesses. The big question now must be how quickly production can be scaled up to the billions of doses needed to address a world pandemic.
One advantage of the mRNA vaccines is that the vaccine can be made in a chemical process, rather than having to culture viruses in a cell culture, making scale up faster. Of course there will be potential bottlenecks. These can be as simple as the vials needed to store the vaccine, or the facilities needed to transport and store them – especially acute for the BioNTech/Pfizer, which needs to be stored at -80° C.
There are also some quite specialised chemicals involved. I don't know what will be needed for scaling up RNA synthesis; for the lipids to make the nanoparticles, I believe that the Alabama-based firm Avanti Polar Lipids has the leading position. This company was recently bought, in what looks like a very well-timed acquisition, by the Yorkshire based speciality chemicals company Croda, which I am sure has the capacity to scale up production effectively. Students of industrial history might appreciate that Croda was originally founded to refine Yorkshire wool grease into lanolin, so their involvement in this most modern application of nanotechnology, which nonetheless rests on fat-like molecules of biological origin, seems quite appropriate.
The paper describing the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine is: Phase I/II study of COVID-19 RNA vaccine BNT162b1 in adults.
The key reference this paper gives for the mRNA delivery nanoparticles is: Expression kinetics of nucleoside-modified mRNA delivered in lipid nanoparticles to mice by various routes.
The process of optimising the lipids for such delivery vehicles is described here: Rational design of cationic lipids for siRNA delivery.
A paper from the Robert Langer group describes the (very similar) kind of delivery technology that I presume underlies the Moderna vaccine: Optimization of Lipid Nanoparticle Formulations for mRNA Delivery in Vivo with Fractional Factorial and Definitive Screening Designs
Author Richard JonesPosted on November 13, 2020 Categories Bio-nanotechnology4 Comments on Nanomedicine comes of age with mRNA vaccines
The Rose of Temperaments
The colour of imaginary rain
falling forever on your old address…
Helen Mort
"The Rose of Temperaments" was a colour diagram devised by Goethe in the late 18th century, which matched colours with associated psychological and human characteristics. The artist Paul Evans has chosen this as a title for a project which forms part of Sheffield University's Festival of the Mind; for it six poets have each written a sonnet associated with a colour. Poems by Angelina D'Roza and A.B. Jackson have already appeared on the project's website; the other four will be published there over the next few weeks, including the piece by Helen Mort, from which my opening excerpt is taken.
Goethe's theory of colour was a comprehensive cataloguing of the affective qualities of colours as humans perceive them, conceived in part as a reaction to the reductionism of Newton's optics, much in the same spirit as Keats's despair at the tendency of Newtonian philosophy to "unweave the rainbow".
But if Newton's aim was to remove the human dimension from the analysis of colour, he didn't entirely succeed. In his book "Opticks", he retains one important distinction, and leaves one unsolved mystery. He describes his famous experiments with a prism, which show that white light can be split into its component colours. But he checks himself to emphasise that when he talks about a ray of red light, he doesn't mean that the ray itself is red; it has the property of producing the sensation of red when perceived by the eye.
The mystery is this – when we talk about "all the colours of the rainbow", a moment's thought tells us that a rainbow doesn't actually contain all the colours there are. Newton recognised that the colour we now call magenta doesn't appear in the rainbow – but it can be obtained by mixing two different colours of the rainbow, blue and red.
All this is made clear in the context of our modern physical theory of colour, which was developed in the 19th century, first by Thomas Young, and then in detail by James Clerk Maxwell. They showed, as most people know, that one can make any colour by mixing the three primary colours – red, green and blue – in different proportions.
Maxwell also deduced the reason for this – he realised that the human eye must comprise three separate types of light receptors, with different sensitivities across the visible spectrum, and that it is through the differential response of these different receptors to incident light that the brain constructs the sensation of colour. Colour, then, is not an intrinsic property of light itself, it is something that emerges from our human perception of light.
In the last few years, my group has been exploring the relationship between biology and colour from the other end, as it were. In our work on structural colour, we've been studying the microscopic structures that in beetle scales and bird feathers produce striking colours without pigments, through complex interference effects. We're particularly interested in the non-iridescent colour effects that are produced by some structures that combine order and randomness in rather a striking way; our hope is to be able to understand the mechanism by which these structures form and then reproduce them in synthetic systems.
What we've come to realise as we speculate about the origin of these biological mechanisms is that to understand how these systems for producing biological coloration have evolved, we need to understand something about how different animals perceive colour, which is likely to be quite alien to our perceptions. Birds, for example, have not three different types of colour receptors, as humans do, but four. This means not just that birds can detect light outside human range of perception, but that the richness of their colour perception has an extra dimension.
Meanwhile, we've enjoyed having Paul Evans as an artist-in-residence in my group, working with my colleagues Dr Andy Parnell and Stephanie Burg on some of our x-ray scattering experiments. In addition to the poetry and colour project, Paul has put together an exhibition for Festival of the Mind, which can be seen in Sheffield's Millennium Gallery for a week from 17th September. Paul, Andy and I will also be doing a talk about colour in art, physics and biology on September 20th, at 5 pm in the Spiegeltent, Barker's Pool, Sheffield.
Author Richard JonesPosted on August 29, 2016 Categories Bio-nanotechnology, General2 Comments on The Rose of Temperaments
A little history of bionanotechnology and nanomedicine
I wrote this piece as a briefing note in connection with a study being carried out by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics about Emerging Biotechnologies. I'm not sure whether bionanotechnology or nanomedicine should be considered as emerging biotechnologies, but this is an attempt to sketch out the connections.
Nanotechnology is not a single technology; instead it refers to a wide range of techniques and methods for manipulating matter on length scales from a nanometer or so – i.e. the typical size of molecules – to hundreds of nanometers, with the aim of creating new materials and functional devices. Some of these methods represent the incremental evolution of well-established techniques of applied physics, chemistry and materials science. In other cases, the techniques are at a much earlier state, with promises about their future power being based on simple proof-of-principle demonstrations.
Although nanotechnology has its primary roots in the physical sciences, it has always had important relationships with biology, both at the rhetorical level and in practical outcomes. The rhetorical relationship derives from the observation that the fundamental operations of cell biology take place at the nanoscale, so one might expect there to be something particularly powerful about interventions in biology that take place on this scale. Thus the idea of "nanomedicine" has been prominent in the promises made on behalf of nanotechnology from its earliest origins, and as a result has entered popular culture in the form of the exasperating but ubiquitous image of the "nanobot" – a robot vessel on the nano- or micro- scale, able to navigate through a patient's bloodstream and effect cell-by-cell repairs. This was mentioned as a possibility in Richard Feynman's 1959 lecture, "Plenty of Room at the Bottom", which is widely (though retrospectively) credited as the founding manifesto of nanotechnology, but it was already at this time a common device in science fiction. The frequency with which conventionally credentialed nanoscientists have argued that this notion is impossible or impracticable, at least as commonly envisioned, has had little effect on the enduring hold it has on the popular imagination.
Continue reading "A little history of bionanotechnology and nanomedicine"
Author Richard JonesPosted on December 19, 2011 January 12, 2012 Categories Bio-nanotechnology4 Comments on A little history of bionanotechnology and nanomedicine
Three things that Synthetic Biology should learn from Nanotechnology
I've been spending the last couple of days at a meeting about synthetic biology – The economic and social life of synthetic biology. This has been a hexalateral meeting involving the national academies of science and engineering of the UK, China and the USA. The last session was a panel discussion, in which I was invited to reflect on the lessons to be learnt for new emerging technologies like synthetic biology from the experience of nanotechnology. This is more or less what I said.
It's quite clear from the many outstanding talks we've heard over the last couple of days that synthetic biology will be an important part of the future of the applied life sciences. I've been invited to reflect on the lessons that synbio and other emerging technologies might learn from the experience of my own field, nanotechnology. Putting aside the rueful reflection that, like synbio now, nanotechnology was the future once, I'd like to draw out three lessons.
1. Mind that metaphor
Metaphors in science are powerful and useful things, but they come with two dangers:
a. it's possible to forget that they are metaphors, and to think they truly reflect reality,
b. and even if this is obvious to the scientists using the metaphors, the wider public may not appreciate the distinction.
Synthetic biology has been associated with some very powerful metaphors. There's the idea of reducing biology to software; people talk about booting up cells with new operating systems. This metaphor underlies ideas like the cell chassis, interchangeable modules, expression operating systems. But it is only a metaphor; biology isn't really digital and there is an inescabable physicality to the biological world. The molecules that carry information in biology – RNA and DNA – are physical objects embedded in a Brownian world, and it's as physical objects that they interact with their environment.
Similar metaphors have surrounded nanotechnology, in slogans like "controlling the world atom by atom" and "software control of matter". They were powerful tools in forming the field, but outside the field they've caused confusion. Some have believed these ideas are literally becoming true, notably the transhumanists and singularitarians who rather like the idea of a digital transcendence.
On the opposite side, people concerned about science and technology find plenty to fear in the idea. We'll see this in synbio if ideas like biohacking get wider currency. Hackers have a certain glamour in technophile circles, but to the rest of the world they write computer viruses and send spam emails. And while the idea of reducing biotech to software engineering is attractive to techie types, don't forget that the experience of most people of software is that it is buggy, unreliable, annoyingly difficult to use, and obsolete almost from the moment you buy it.
Finally, investors and venture capitalists believed, on the basis of this metaphor, that they'd get returns from nano start-ups on the same timescales that the lucky ones got from dot-com companies, forgetting that, even though you could design a marvellous nanowidget on a computer, you still had to get a chemical company to make it.
2. Blowing bubbles in the economy of promises
Emerging areas of technology all inhabit an economy of promises, in which funding for the now needs to be justified by extravagant claims for the future. These claims may be about the economic impact – "the trillion dollar market" – or on revolutions in fields such as sustainable energy and medicine. It's essential to be able to make some argument about why research needs to be funded and it's healthy that we make the effort to anticipate the impact of what we do, but there's an inevitable tendency for those claimed benefits to inflate to bubble proportions.
The mechanisms by which this inflation takes place are well known. People do believe the metaphors; scientists need to get grants, the media demand big and unqualified claims to attract their attention. Even the process of considering the societal and ethical aspects of research, and of doing public engagement can have the effect of giving credence to the most speculative possible outcomes.
There's a very familiar tension emerging about synthetic biology – is it a completely new thing, or an evolution of something that's been going on for some time – i.e. industrial biotechnology? This exactly mirrors a tension within nanotechnology – the promise is sold on the grand vision and the big metaphors, but the achievements are largely based on the aspects of the technology with the most continuity with the past.
The trouble with all bubbles, of course, is that reality catches up on unfulfilled promises, and in this environment people are less forgiving of the reality of the hard constraints faced by any technology. If you overdo the promise, disillusionment will set in amongst funders, governments, investors and the public. This might discredit even the genuine achievements the technology will make possible. Maybe our constant focus on revolutionary innovation blinds us to the real achievements of incremental innovation – a better drug, a more efficient process for processing a biofuel, a new method of pest control, for example.
3. It's not about risk, it's about trust
The regulation of new technologies is focused on controlling risks, and it's important that we try and identify and control those risks as the technology emerges. But there's a danger in focusing on risk too much. When people talk about emerging technologies, by default it is to risk that conversation turns. But often, it isn't really risk that is fundamentally worrying people, but trust. In the face of the inevitable uncertainties with new technologies, this makes complete sense. If you can't be confident in identifying risks in advance, the question you naturally ask is whether the bodies and institutions that are controlling these technologies can be trusted. It must be a priority, then, that we think hard about how to build trust and trustworthy institutions. General principles like transparency and openness will certainly be helpful, but we have to ask whether it is realistic for these principles alone to be maintained in an environment demanding commercial returns from large scale industrial operations.
Author Richard JonesPosted on April 15, 2011 Categories Bio-nanotechnology, Science policy, Social and economic aspects of nanotechnology16 Comments on Three things that Synthetic Biology should learn from Nanotechnology
On Descartes and nanobots
A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed for the Robots podcast special on on 50 years of robotics, and predictions for the next half century. My brief was nanorobots, and you can hear the podcast here. My pitch was that on the nanoscale we'd be looking to nature for inspiration, exploiting design principles such as self-assembly and macromolecular shape change; as a particularly exciting current development I singled out progress in DNA nanotechnology, and in particular the possibility of using this to do molecular logic. As it happens, last week's edition of Nature included two very interesting papers reporting further developments in this area – Molecular robots guided by prescriptive landscapes from Erik Winfree's group in Caltech, and A proximity-based programmable DNA nanoscale assembly line from Ned Seeman's group in NYU.
The context and significance of these advances is well described in a News and Views article (full text); the references to nanorobots and nanoscale assembly lines have led to considerable publicity. James Hayton (who reads the Daily Mail so the rest of us don't have to), in his 10e-9 blog comments very pertinently on the misleading use of classical nanobot imagery to illustrate this story. The Daily Mail isn't the only culprit here – even the venerable Nature uses a still from the film Fantastic Voyage to illustrate their story, with the caption "although such machines are still a fantasy, molecular 'robots' made of DNA are under development."
What's wrong with these illustrations is that they are graphic representations of bad metaphors. DNA nanotechnology falls squarely in the soft nanotechnology paradigm – it depends on the weak interactions by which complementary sequences are recognised to enable the self-assembly of structures whose design is coded within the component molecules themselves, and macromolecular shape changes under the influence of Brownian motion to effect motion. Soft machines aren't mechanical engineering shrunk, as I've written about at length on this blog and elsewhere.
But there's another, more subtle point here. Our classical conception of a robot is something with sensors feeding information into a central computer, which responds to this sensory input by a computation, which is then effected by the communication of commands to the actuators that drive the robot's actions. This separation of the "thinking" function of the robot from its sensing and action is something that we find very appealing; we are irresistibly drawn to the analogy with the way we have come to think about human beings since Descartes – as machines animated by an intelligence largely separate from our bodies.
What is striking about these rudimentary DNA robots is that what "intelligence" they possess – their capacity to sense the environment and process this information to determine which of a limited set of outcomes will be effected – arises from the molecules from which the robot is made and their interaction with a (specially designed) environment. There's no sense in which the robot's "program" is loaded into it; the program is implicit in the construction of the robot and its interaction with the environment. In this robot, "thought" and "action" are inseparable; the same molecules both store and process information and drive its motion.
In this, these proto-robots operate on similar general principles to bacteria, whose considerable information processing power arises from the interaction of many individual molecules with each other and with their physical environment (as beautifully described in Dennis Bray's book Wetware: a computer in every living cell). Is this the only way to build a nanobot with the capacity to process and act on information about the environment? I'm not sure, but for the moment it seems to be the direction we're moving in.
Author Richard JonesPosted on May 23, 2010 June 12, 2010 Categories Bio-nanotechnology, General, Soft Machines1 Comment on On Descartes and nanobots
Targeted delivery of siRNA by nanoparticles in humans
An important milestone in the use of nanoparticles to deliver therapeutic molecules is reported in this week's Nature – full paper (subscription required), editors summary. See also this press release. The team, led by Mark Davis from Caltech, used polymer nanoparticles to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules into tumour cells in humans, with the aim of preventing the growth of these tumours.
I wrote in more detail about siRNA back in 2005 here. If one can introduce the appropriate siRNA molecules into a cell, they can selectively turn off the expression of any gene in that cell's genome, potentially giving us a new class of powerful drugs which would be an absolutely specific treatment both for viral diseases and cancers. When I last wrote about this subject, it was clear that the problem of delivering of these small strands of RNA to their target cells was going to be a major barrier to fulfilling the promise of this very exciting new technology. In this paper, we see that substantial progress has been made towards overcoming this barrier. In this study the RNA was incorporated in self-assembled polymer nanoparticles, the surfaces of which were decorated with groups that selectively bind to proteins that are found on the surfaces of the tumour cells being targeted.
The experiments were carried out as part of a phase 1 clinical trial on humans. What the Nature paper shows is that the nanoparticles do indeed accumulate at tumour cells and are incorporated within them (see the micrograph below), and that the siRNA does suppress the synthesis of the particular protein at which it is aimed, a protein which is necessary for the growth of the tumour. If this trial doesn't demonstrate unacceptable harmful effects, further clinical trials will be needed to demonstrate whether the therapy works clinically to arrest the growth of these tumours.
Targeted nanoparticles carrying therapeutic siRNA molecules entering a tumor cell - Caltech/Swaroop Mishra
Author Richard JonesPosted on April 18, 2010 June 12, 2010 Categories Bio-nanotechnology, General
Soft machines and robots
Robots is a website featuring regular podcasts about various aspects of robotics; currently it's featuring a podcast of an interview with me by Sabine Hauert, from EPFL's Laboratory of Intelligent Systems. This was prompted by my talk at the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computing, which essentially was about how to build a nanobot. Regular readers of this blog will not be surprised to hear that a strong theme of both interview and talk is the need to take inspiration from biology when designing "soft machines", which need to be optimised for the special, and to us very unfamiliar, physics of the nanoworld, rather than using inappropriate design principles derived from macroscopic engineering. For more on this, the interested reader might like to take a look at my earlier essay, "Right and wrong lessons from biology".
Author Richard JonesPosted on July 19, 2009 Categories Bio-nanotechnology, Radical nanotechnology and MNT1 Comment on Soft machines and robots

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Sims introduced a new Alexa Skill that allows users to learn about The Sims, play Sims trivia, and listen to music from The Sims, including music from expansion packs.
In December, The Sims 4 launched a new patch containing Lin-Z, a smart speaker with a custom voice assistant inspired by Amazon Echo and Alexa.
Smart speakers in the real world seem to be far easier to use than those in the virtual world, as you'll need to put in the work to build a friendship with Lin-Z before it will listen to you.
In January, EA and Maxis launched an Alexa Skill called The Sims, based on the popular series of life simulation games. The skill offers a variety of interactions. For those who are new to the franchise, they can learn about the history of The Sims, and for those who are a bit more knowledgeable about the games, there is a trivia option. The skill also lets users listen to the distinctive Sims music, with 140 songs spanning all of The Sims games and several expansion packs. While these three interactions are all that is listed in the skill store information, Maxis hints that, in true Sims fashion, there may be hidden features available for those who are "Sims-savvy enough" to find them.
I decided to test these issues to see if they were resolved, were still active problems, were based on a misunderstanding of the skill, or may have stemmed from user error. The first of the above reviews stems from a misunderstanding of what the skill was meant to be. Since announcing the skill, EA and the Sim Gurus have been very clear that this skill is not a way to play The Sims, but is a companion to the game.
When testing the issues with music, I asked Alexa to open The Sims and then said "Play music from The Sims," which worked. However, when I requested an individual song while in The Sims skill, Alexa would open Amazon Music and play the song. When I was prompted to choose a new interaction in the skill I said, "Play music from Strangerville," and I also asked Alexa to play music from Strangerville outside of the skill. Both times I got the same response: "Sorry, I don't know that one." In the store description, it says that you can play music from specific expansion packs, and, via a quick browsing of Manu Sharma's Twitter, I found the simple fix to the issue. You simply have to say, "Alexa, ask The Sims to play music from Strangerville." When I tried that, I had no issues, though I still could not choose individual songs.
In a December 2018 patch, Maxis introduced "Lin-Z" to The Sims 4. What is Lin-Z? Lin-Z is an Alexa-style voice assistant in a smart speaker, though its antics may be a bit more reminiscent of HAL-9000 of "2001: A Space Odyssey" fame. Or, it may just be a horrendously incompetent version of Alexa.
Your Sim can build a relationship with Lin-Z, but it isn't always as easy as with other Sims or pets. After purchasing the Lin-Z Smart Speaker (a 730 simoleon purchase), my Sim asked Lin-Z to play pop music; Lin-Z blasted hip-hop. My Sim asked Lin-Z to turn on the lights in her room; Lin-Z turned off all of the lights in the house. My Sim asked Lin-Z to turn off the music; Lin-Z turned up the volume. This is the kind of comedy one can expect from The Sims, and I enjoy it…most of the time.
Despite its frequent disobedience, Lin-Z was very helpful with ordering my sim a pizza, so at least that worked out. Dominos anyone? As you finally build your relationship with Lin-Z, after first undoing the damage caused by all of Lin-Z's disobedience (and your Sim yelling at Lin-Z), your sim's smart speaker will become a little less mischievous, and might just give you some tips on what to say to Alexa to find The Sims easter eggs. Fortunately, Alexa is far more competent than Lin-Z, or at least more obedient, though The Sims developers did a pretty accurate job of depicting the frustration of your voice assistant misunderstanding your commands. For those of you that want to hear the developer discussion about The Sims on Alexa, here is SimGuruKate, SimGuruEmory, and SimGuru0x00 talking about the project.


Rechargeable LED lantern models are popular among people. This is because the struggle that comes with buying and carrying batteries with you is eliminated. You only need to recharge your lantern, and it will serve your lighting needs for a long time.
There are also some rechargeable LED lanterns with excellent features like power banks. The power bank will always be of utmost use in the case of power shortage during your outdoor activities or adventure. The added advantage also results in a rise in the cost of a given LED rechargeable lantern model.
In this post, we concentrate on easing your selection when it comes to purchasing a LED rechargeable lantern. After conducting a thorough analysis of the different brands available on the market, we are pleased to bring you the top ten best LED rechargeable lanterns in 2019 reviews.
Don't allow negligence to lead you into buying an inferior quality product. Go through these reviews to emerge finally with the best LED rechargeable lantern that suits your activities and needs appropriately.
Could your budget be the only drawback to getting the best LED Rechargeable Lantern? Then, this product by the ThorFire Company is here for you. Hardly will you find a high-performance lantern with a similar price tag like this one. It aims at being affordable even by the average person. Its other exclusive feature is that it does not function with particular rechargeable batteries. You are free to purchase AA batteries or 18650 batteries to have the best experience with this product. The 18650 batteries are also rechargeable but should be bought separately. Its LED lights are energy efficient to ensure that the cells serve you for a long time before recharge. You will love its decent illumination. Its build is water resistant making this lantern durable.
Image is a Company dedicated to providing high-performance but simple lanterns. They understand the struggle that comes in transporting all the recommended products to outdoor adventure locations. It's for this reason that they have come up with this exclusive LED rechargeable lantern. It features a traditional design that mimics the traditional oil lamps. It's build from plastic and features a sturdy handle for safe and comfortable handling. It's lightweight in nature as it does not feature added components like power banks. Unlike most of the available lanterns, this one utilizes rechargeable AA batteries. Swapping them in the case of little power is, therefore, quite easy. The included solar cells on its top allow natural recharge of the batteries for maximum reliability and convenience.
Camping and mountaineering enthusiasts have a reason to smile with the introduction of this LED rechargeable lantern by Vonhaus. It features a 4-in-1 functionality. It will serve you in different ways depending on your current situation. Whenever you choose to hold it horizontally, it will serve you like a flashlight. When placed in an upright position, it serves its user as a regular lantern. Again, it features a power bank function which can help you charge various devices via USB. Looking at its brightness, it brings you 10 LED lights for maximum visibility even in the darkest places. Within it is a 3. 2 V rechargeable battery that provides sufficient power for a good number of hours before recharge.
The superway lantern is a portable model whose excellent features set it apart. It comes with a sturdy build which plays a significant role in protecting its inner components. Its large battery capacity is among the factors that make this product attractive. Its battery has a capacity of 10400 mAh and an output of 2. 1 amperes. This means that this lantern can serve you for about 99 hours when operating in the low brightness mode. The LED array featured in this lamp is expertly developed to ensure that it serves you for about 100,000 hours. When running in high-light mode, this lantern produces 280 lumens but for just 28 hours before demanding a recharge. What makes it more interesting is that the battery can serve as a power bank for charging tablets and smartphones.
If you are looking for the perfect deal for your hard-earned money, then it's only wise that you consider the Etekcoty (2 pack) camping lantern package. Its price is impressive considering that you get two lanterns. The featured lanterns are straight forward and simple as they come with no fancy elements. They both have embedded rechargeable batteries designed to provide sufficient power for up to 8 hours of non-stop use. The LED array of lights featured in these lanterns facilitates high energy efficiency while providing a reliable illumination. What makes these lanterns exceptional is the included solar panels that help in recharging the batteries.
If you love camping and wish to have the best experience out there, then don't forget to bring the Ivation lantern. Not only is it ideal for outdoor activities but also for use around the home during a power shortage. This model brings you a bright LED light array that is energy efficient and provides decent brightness. The LEDs used are meant to serve you for about 100,000 hours.
It also features a 1500mAh rechargeable battery. Its innovative compact build style makes it ideal for use as a table lamp. Its top handle is very useful when moving this lantern from place to place.
Frequent camping or outdoor adventure enthusiasts always find the Suaoki rechargeable lantern very impressive and useful. It also suits homes with dark rooms and stores where brightness intervention is necessary from time to time. This lamp features a simple, compact design that makes it durable and easy to handle. It features a foldable design that makes it easy to store and transport.
Within it is an embedded 1000mAh battery that supplies sufficient power for up to 12 hours on low brightness mode and 5 hours in high brightness mode. Its entire build is waterproof making it ideal for use in rainy or wet conditions.
Night emergencies could be your worst nightmare. However, with a high-performance lantern, you can be in a position to handle the situation smoothly. The Supernova Halo 180 is a rechargeable LED lamp designed to be your partner in containing challenging and life-threatening occurrences in low light or darkness conditions. Despite its small size, it provides as much light as the large models. Its small size allows you to carry it to any place, just in case!
Just like most models reviewed herein, it also features a rechargeable battery which supplies sufficient power for a good number of hours. Its 180-lumen brightness production is adequate when operating in a small room. The little strap fitted on this product facilitates easy and safe handling.
This is just another reliable lantern that suits people surviving on a small budget. It's a lamp with an inexpensive price tag despite its excellent features. Within it is a rechargeable battery pack as well as a solar cell for recharging the battery. Its high brightness makes it ideal for use in extremely dark conditions while its lightweight nature makes it easy to maneuver.
It brings you 36 LEDs array which provides adequate lighting. Again, you are free to switch between High and Low mode depending on your current situation or the power remaining. You are free to use three rechargeable or the non-rechargeable AA batteries on this lantern. The solar panel is there to help recharge the batteries.
This is a portable lantern designed to meet and exceed high-quality and performance standards. It's functional, lightweight and most importantly inexpensive. It sources its power from an inbuilt power cell. Its battery has a reliable capacity of about 4400mAh. Also, you are free to use its power cell as a power bank for charging various devices. Within this rechargeable lantern are 15 LED lights. They are all used when operating in the high mode while only six work in the low brightness mode. You don't have to fret when purchasing this lantern as the manufacturer accompanies the package with a one year warranty. Buy with confidence.
From the reviews above, it's clear that the top ten best LED rechargeable lanterns in 2019 vary in some ways including shape, size, battery capacity, brightness, and durability. Again there are those that provide a recharge mechanism like solar cells. The power to choose your preferred model remains in your hands. Go for a product that suits your needs in the best way.


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How to Fix A "Cannot Delete Backup" iCloud Error?
November 21, 2017 iCloud 4 Comments
Overview of iCloud
iCloud is one of the best features that is used to backup information and files in a device. However, failure of the iCloud device can be a major headache for an individual with an apple device. The value of having an iCloud backup of an iPhone, iPad or iPod is that it prevents loss of valuable content and data from the IOS gadget.
Under standard conditions, it is not difficult to delete backups from an IOS devices. One goes to Settings, clicks on iCloud > storage > Manage Storage. Sometimes, one may follow the actual procedure but end up getting a message that states "cannot delete backup" if they try to remove the old iCloud backups. Others have a statement such as:
"Cannot delete backup. This backup cannot be deleted at this time"
"The selected items could not be deleted. Try again later."
Methods On How to Fix The Error
Restarting the IOS device
One can eliminate the iCloud error messages by rebooting the device used for storage. Sometimes, an iPhone requires rebooting to make sure that it functions efficiently and appropriately. It occasionally slows down some processes after being in use for an extended period. The storage errors can be as a result of issues in the settings and data tabs. In most cases, rebooting helps to solve problems relating to the deletion of iCloud backup.
Changing the IOS version
An old IOS version causes problems in the storage and deletion of the iCloud backup on the iPad, iPod or iPhone. Changing the IOS version is another alternative that assists in dealing with the issue of iCloud backup. The user ought to make sure that he/she has the latest version of the IOS operating on their iPhone. Updating the existing version from the settings app is easy.
Try the following steps:
Go to settings > iCloud> Backup > Turn off iCloud backup
Settings> iCloud> Storage> manage storage> Select your device backup that you cannot delete
A spinning wheel appears and shows that iCloud is operating. Wait for a cursor to appear and try to delete the existing backup.
Sign out and sign in to iCloud account
One can also try to log out and log in after some time in his/her iCloud account. To complete the action, one should go to the settings app, and tap on iCloud then click on sign out. After signing out, one will be required to log in after a short period. This will ensure that it is possible to delete backups from iCloud.
Using Mac to delete iCloud backup
iPhone users can resolve to utilize Mac to delete backups from iCloud if it is impossible to remove them normally. One moves to Apple Menu and clicks on system preferences. Later tap on iCloud and click manage. At this point, it is possible to delete the backups on iPhone with ease. An individual using Windows requires installing iCloud for PC to access the backups.
Reset the iPhone to factory setting
A person facing problems during deletion of backups can opt to reset the gadget to factory settings. The process does not affect personal content, but it aids in the fixation of several problems in the system. The user requires to hold down the home and sleep buttons at the same time until the appearance of the apple logo. It is now possible to reset the gadget and try to delete the backups.
The listed methods provide options available to fix issues relating to the deletion of iCloud backups. Individuals delete unused backups to create free space for other components, therefore, solving the issue is important.
How To Fix iCloud Music Library can't be enabled Error
brian October 26, 2018
Bypassing or Removing an iCloud Activation Lock- iOS 11 and Older on iPhone or iPad
iCloud Says Files Are Unavailable! How to Fix
Unlocking iCloud from your iPhone and iPad
shawnu March 29, 2018 Reply
If you have recently attempted a restore from the back-up you're trying to delete, Apple locks the back-up from deletion for a few days, in order to preserve the back-up file to compensate for possible interruptions while restoring. Wait a few days and try deleting the back-up again.
Nick July 2, 2018 Reply
That is more helpful than the article, Thank you!
Kevin February 22, 2019 Reply
finally!! some information that is actually helpful.
ShaneV May 2, 2020 Reply
Too bad the iCloud app error message doesn't actually tell you this…


The new year gets off to a great start with the announcement of Silicon Dreams, the UK's first festival to celebrate the silicon chip. This will take place at Snibston Discovery Museum, Coalville in Leicestershire. Snibston is an overlooked gem of a visitor attraction for everyone - it's also quite centrally located and easy to get to no matter where you're travelling from. Mark the date in your diary - 5th-7th July.
This will be a family event including computing workshops, retro computing, vintage gaming, film and arts and electronic music. On top of all this, there will be all the attractions of our host venue including science galleries, a toy box gallery, fashion gallery, industrial engineering exhibits, transport gallery, a heritage railway and an area for under 5's. It will be the first of its kind and we think that it will be a very special weekend for everyone.
In amongst all of that lot will be the second Vintage Computer Festival GB. The inaugural event was held in 2010 and hosted by The National Museum of Computing and Bletchley Park. Those who were key to the 2010 event have returned to take up the challenge again!
Silicon Dreams is a much broader, family-oriented festival for families, geeks, schoolkids, big kids – just about everyone. That plus the demand for another VCF and... well, you're effectively getting two festivals for the price of one. Our charitable beneficiaries will be the Centre for Computing History, the Retro Computer Museum and the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
To the 2,500 people who attended VCF-GB 2010, I hope you will come to the 2013 event at Snibston. To everyone else, we'd love to see you too, as there really will be something for everyone. We realise that many of our visitors have families, and not everyone in the family is a geek! It won't be dumbed down - we'll just have lots more variety.
We hope to have a website running very soon, but in the meantime the holding page has links to our Facebook and Twitter pages.
and further information here - several events are planned for the weekend including a fantastic concert with Heaven 17!
This looks great Andy! Thanks for the advanced warning - I've put it into my diary as I've never been to the Snibston Museum before and this looks like a great excuse!
What a great weekend - unfortunately the turnout wasn't as good as expected but the entertainment Saturday night was just fantastic - a great show with a lot of machines and stuff to do . . . well done to Simon H and his team.


Located at the Pembroke and Area Airport (CYTA), Av Serve provides aviation services for the Pembroke, Petawawa and Ottawa Valley regions. From complete kit plane fabrication to certified aircraft maintenance and repair, we are your one stop shop. If it is routine maintenance, aog, service bulletin or airworthiness directives compliance, you are looking for our ATP airframe and engine maintenance libraries cover most North American production aircraft.
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Paul Kneller's lures. If you know anything on these guys feel free to fill us in. Better yet if you know Paul ask him to to have a look.
I reckon I might have a few of these in the depths of my lure boxes, what are they worth to the collectors ?
Use PM's for prices guys.


These meetings are co-training time. The opportunity to share our classroom practices, reflect together face the problems encountered, and continue to move forward on the path of Freinet. Our meetings: Wednesday, November 7, on the theme of the relationship with parents, Saturday, Jan.
By Delphine Imeneuraet on 07/06/16 – 6:14 p.m.
Attention all numbers have not yet been indexed: See full list Title Publication Date The New Educator No.
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By Cecile the Virat 22/11/17 – 10:25 p.m. In: GD 26 – Drome group presentation GD 26 brings together teachers of Drome who wish to exchange on the Freinet and participate in the life of the ICEM.
By Agnes Merry on 03/05/19 – 8:56 p.m. In: Gr. Child Rights stance DCI-France (Defense for Children International) with ICEM member is co-signed an appeal against the decree on the filing of unaccompanied foreign minors.
1 to 10 of 23 Results Site No. 23, December 2016 In: In Site For teachers review teaching techniques> Free literature In December 2016 Site, Search Site Publication documentary ICEM Freinet Pedagogy: class productions , documentary research, presentations, testimonies, practices … to give-find ideas: for student actors and authors of their knowledge.


This handy guide contains all the information you need for Lowde Fest!
A complete programme including set times.
Information about all the bands including preview videos.
A guide to all of the beers available on the day.
Directions for the day of the festival.
Social Media links to keep up to date.
Information about The Lowde Music Trust.
Links to find out more about our sponsors.


Visionaire, also known as Dirty Dutch Visionaire, came out of nowhere with this awesome electro house remix of "Get Loose". I hadn't heard much of his work before listening to his take on "Get Loose", but quickly came to get hooked on his unique, "dirty dutch" sound. The infectious melody of the original track by Showtek & Noisecontrollers isn't lost in this remix, but is rather complimented by the energetic synths and euphoric piano breaks of Visionaire. This is definitely a track that stands out from the rest in my eyes, and is conveniently a free download as well. Be sure to give it a listen below, and check out Visionaire's Facebook and Soundcloud if you want to hear more of his music!
Next ArticleJK Soul impresses with new crossover album "Take Me Higher"


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European U21 Championship Tips: England won't be defeated
England U21 and Italy U21 have met nine times this century and the Young Lions have never been victorious. They did at least obtain a draw in four of the latter eight contests, and a repeat of that result should be within their capabilities.
England U21's mediocrity to date in this European U21 Championship is quite easy to spin into a positive.
Match Odds: England U21 2.56, Italy U21 3.10, The Draw 3.40
Without performing to their full potential, they are in a position whereby a draw will see them into the semi-finals provided Group B leaders Portugal U21 aren't turned over by Sweden U21.
However, one lingering negative constrains that optimism: they aren't playing very well ahead of a clash with a team that they never play well against. England U21 and Italy U21 have met nine times this century – most recently in the 2013 tournament – and, regardless of the constant cast changes in that timeframe, the Young Lions have never been victorious.
They did at least obtain a draw in four of the latter eight contests, and a repeat of that result should be within their capabilities.
Despite being spearheaded by Domenico Berardi, who scored 15 Serie A goals and set up ten more for 12th-placed Sassuolo in 2014/15, the Azzurrini didn't strike once from open play in their opening two Group B fixtures, and they had a man advantage for 52 minutes against Sweden U21.
Recommended Bet
Back the draw @ 3.40
Match Odds: Portugal U21 1.84, Sweden U21 5.00, The Draw 3.80
Sweden U21 likely require a win over the competition's 4.70 second favourites to progress following a defeat to England U21. It is a difficult task, but they certainly shouldn't be written off because their entire route to this point has been about getting by at the last minute when thoroughly discounted.
They weren't even making the qualifying play-offs until Oscar Hiljemark's 92nd-minute effort against Turkey U21 secured a 4-3 triumph in their final group tie, they rallied from 2-0 down against France U21 in that two-legger and then fell behind again in the 87th minute, only to regain the lead a minute later. Their three Group B points came in a game against Italy U21 that they trailed with ten men.
Their tendency to finish with a flourish is shared by Portugal U21, who won their final qualifying group encounter 3-1, concluding the scoring in injury time, and enjoying a spectacular 5-4 success over Netherlands U21 in the second leg of their play-off.
The advice therefore is to trust this collision to rage against the mundanity of the Group B fare to date – there have been a combined five goals in four matches – by delivering over 2.5 goals.
Back over 2.5 goals @ 2.06
Michael Lintorn foresees a draw for England U21 against bogey side Italy U21, which would leave them relying on an assist from Portugal U21…


The budget contained a number of significant changes to the superannuation system, including retirement income streams and other tax changes.
These measures are still proposals only and require passage of legislation to become law.
Notwithstanding this, it's likely many will pass through as proposed and so it's worth familiarising with some of the key proposals and associated pitfalls and opportunities.
The concessional contributions cap will reduce to $25,000 per year regardless of age and members with balances of $500,000 or less will be able to carry forward unused amounts for up to 5 years.
Additional 15% contributions tax (division 293 tax) income threshold has been reduced to $250,000 per year (from $300,000 per year).
Removal of the "work test" and 10% rule for all individuals, effectively opening up personal concessional contributions and receiving spouse contributions for all up to the age of 75.
John and Betty (both 74 y.o) have an investment property which they sell on 1 July 2018 – a year which they will have no other income or work. They fetch $820,000 with a cost base of $500,000. After the 50% discount the capital gain is $160,000, they each make a $50,000 concessional contribution ($25k each plus the transfer of unused $25k each from 2017/18). They retain $30,000 in their personal names (broadly within their 18/19 effective tax free threshold as Senior Australians). The $15,000 contributions tax is the only tax payable on a $320,000 capital gain (effective tax rate of 4.7%).
With the abolition of the 10% rule from 1/7/17, anyone under 75 can make personal deductible contributions without a work test. This provides more flexibility to make distributions to beneficiaries who can then reduce their taxable income by making personal deductible contributions up to their $25k cap. Together with a proposed low income super tax offset, the effective tax rate on these distributions may be zero. It's quite possible we could see strategies where high tax paying adult children make distributions to their retired parents.
From 7:30pm (AEST) on 3 May 2016, non-concessional contributions will be capped at a lifetime amount of $500,000 (indexed in $100k increments to wages (i.e. AWOTE)) and will include non-concessional contributions made since 1 July 2007. The lifetime cap will replace the existing annual non-concessional contributions caps ($180,000 per annum and the $540,000 'bring-forward' rule).
NCC's in excess made prior to 7:30pm (AEST) on 3 May 2016 will not be required to be withdrawn from super however will still count towards the lifetime limit for the purposes of assessing future NCC's.
Plan early – The lifetime NCC cap reduces one's ability to withdraw and re-contribute. Couples now need to plan contributions well before retirement in order to exploit the full cap (i.e. $3.2 million) available to a couple. Strategies such as contribution splitting should be revisited.
LRBA's gain further momentum – Borrowing via (LRBA's) to contribute large assets now, and then progressively paying the loan through annual concessional contributions are likely to be popular, particularly for clients with little or no NCC cap left.
The government will limit the amount of superannuation that can be transferred to tax-free retirement income streams to $1.6 million. Individuals with more than $1.6 million in tax-free retirement income streams on 1 July 2017 will be required to either withdraw the excess amount or transfer the excess back to an accumulation account. However, where the retirement income stream exceeds $1.6 million because of future earnings, the excess will not be required to be withdrawn or transferred.
Existing and new transition to retirement (TTR) pensions will have investment earnings taxed at up to 15%, in line with superannuation in accumulation accounts.
Segregation – The $1.6 mill cap will be applied at 1/7/17 however future earnings will be allowed to accrue without the need to rollback any excess to accumulation or place a limit on exempt pension income. On this basis segregation of a fund's growth assets to back the pension account (or defensive cash assets to accumulation) may have the potential to optimise the outcome.
Sell large unrealised gains in FY16/17 – Some larger funds (SMSFs) will be required to rollback pension monies from 1/7/17 onwards. The FY16/17 year might be the final year these funds could attain 100% tax free status and so where appropriate, consideration could be given to realising assets with large unrealised gains before year end.
TTRs still useful – On balance TTR strategies will look less attractive under the new measures. Salary sacrifice and TTR strategies could still be relevant where both the TTR income is non-taxable and the TTR income is needed to allow clients to maximise their concessional contributions.
In general the budget super changes had the effect of reducing the attractiveness of super relative to the pre-budget rules – particularly for the perceived wealthy.
Ironically, in the very same budget that the Government will enshrine into legislation, the long term objective of superannuation is 'to provide income in retirement to substitute or supplement the Age Pension', most measures do appear driven by the short sighted motive of simply increasing the current year's tax take.
That said, probably only the eternal optimists expected the uncapped, zero tax, super world to last forever. For those who remember the "pre 2006 budget" model (i.e. taxed pensions and lump sums, RBL's, etc.), these latest changes will still leave us in a more concessional system than we had then. Put simply, super is still far more attractive than investing via corporate and individual tax rates.
One thing we can be sure of is there will be many changes, and with change there has always been strategic opportunities for the vigilant.


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African Ministers Call for 5% Budget For Water, Sanitation
By Mariam Sanni, Abuja
The African Ministers' Council on Water, AMCOW, has called on the Government to recommit to both the 2003 PANAFCON commitment of allocating at least 5% of budgets for water and sanitation.
The call was made in a statement by the African Minister at the end of Africa Water and Sanitation Week Conference with the issuance of the Windhoek Multi-Stakeholder Resolutions for Accelerating Water Security and Access to Safely Managed Sanitation and Hygiene in Africa.
The Conference was convened virtually by the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW) and the African Union Commission (AUC) and hosted by the Government of Republic of Namibia.
The statement further calls for the e-Thekwini commitment to establish public sector budget allocations of a minimum of 0.5% of GDP for sanitation and hygiene programmes.
It's called on governments to seize the opportunity of heightened awareness of ensuring water availability, improved sanitation and hygiene services provision.
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Further, it called for keeping up the fight against COVID-19, bringing down the over-all disease burden and preventing future pandemics. It is imperative that pandemic preparedness and response capabilities are strengthened, and the profile of sanitation and hygiene is raised.
It's reads, 'The Conference provided a platform to over 3000 registered participants for dialogue and knowledge exchange to advance the water and sanitation agenda in Africa.
''On water governance, the statement calls for the strengthening of policy, legal, institutional and regulatory environments by ensuring context specificity; intra- and inter-sectoral coherency. It calls for upholding the principles of universal social inclusion and equity.
''The statement further enjoins governments to raise the profile of social accountability and transparency. It notes the vitality of recognizing women and youth as agents for the planning and implementation of the water, sanitation and hygiene agenda in Africa.
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''The statement notes that it is imperative to develop the requisite human resources capacity especially among the women and youth for sustainable services delivery.
''On finance, the statement calls on governments and the private sector to significantly increase investments in climate-resilient and inclusive water and sanitation services and infrastructure. The continued support of development banks and partners is cited as a critical enabler.
''The statement calls on governments and stakeholders to address the challenges faced in the access of reliable and complete data in the water, sanitation and hygiene. The need to rethink how data on hygiene practices is captured and utilized to inform decision-making and improve sanitation and hygiene programming, and delivery has been emphasized.
''On water for growth and economic development, governments and partners are encouraged to prioritize water management and services provision as essential ingredients for poverty alleviation and inclusive development.
'' Further, it calls for the prioritisation of groundwater resources management as a key element of water resources development, utilisation and management. Well-functioning monitoring, assessment and management systems are noted as requisite ingredients to ensure sustainable use of the resources.
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The Ministers also resolved to mobilize groundwater networks, actors and institutions towards a common, harmonized, and evidence-based approach to sustainable groundwater use and management.
The statement emphasizes, should be to a minimum quality standard before reuse and or safe disposal. The statement calls for standardized regulations for wastewater treatment.
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AMCOWhas called on the Government to recommit to both the 2003 PANAFCON commitment of allocating at least 5% of budgets for water and sanitation.The African Ministers' Council on Water


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"Russia is like the Stepmother, not the Mother:" Alisa Oblezova Reflects on Russian Migration Policy Today
Photo by Alexander Popov on Unsplash
Dr. Alisa Oblezova, Institute on Migration Policy has been interviewed by Liz Malinkin, Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars
wilsoncenter.org
By Mary Elizabeth Malinkin & Alisa Oblezova
Malinkin: What are some of the types of discrimination migrant workers face in Russia?
Oblezova: The range of problems that migrant workers face in Russia is great and includes forced labor and trafficking. Migrants are treated differently because of their temporary status and complete dependence on their employer. There are very few statistics on trafficking of migrant workers; it is largely hidden because those who are trafficked live in fear. They often don't file official complaints because they fear being fired or deported. There is also an economic effect of discrimination—the earnings gap is about 30 percent. For example, the Federal Migration Service (FMS) studied the working conditions of street cleaners in Moscow and discovered they were only being paid half their official salary. Another example is literacy tests. A migrant worker in Russia from a visa-free country who works in retail, for example, has to pass a Russian language exam. However, migrants from countries requiring visas don't have to take it. So there is different treatment because of their citizenship. There is no good explanation why migrants from Georgia don't have to take a test, but migrants from Uzbekistan do. It doesn't make sense. And there are a lot of similar situations.
During your grant you met with U.S. lawyers and government authorities who specialize in the protection of victims of discrimination. What were some of the insights that might influence your research?
The meetings were very useful for understanding the mechanisms of anti-discrimination prohibition. They gave me a better understanding of the problem of discrimination because according to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, it is declared that everyone is equal, but the prohibition of discrimination is not enforced. In the United States, you can treat people differently, but you have to prove that this different treatment has fair grounds.
You have mentioned that employment law in Russia applies equally to documented and undocumented workers alike – can you give an example of how this works in practice?
Again, it is very difficult to find such cases in official sources, but according to the Labor Code, any individual who worked on a permanent basis can go to court and enforce a formal employment contract to be signed. Even if someone worked as a dvornik (street cleaner), he could go to court and demand backpay for all work performed, even without having registered. There are many examples when simply a propusk (pass for the work site) or a paystub were used to prove employment. This was an important right for undocumented workers as well, but right now the Russian Department of Labor is preparing amendments to the Labor Code that would only allow people with official permission to work.
What prompted that change?
I am sure it was the initiative of the FMS. They have declared their main goal to be fighting against illegal employment, but in fact they created so many obstacles for law-abiding employers to hire migrant workers that it pushes them to hire undocumented migrants.
Does that make it more similar to the U.S.? You were saying the discrimination law is not for migrants…
The provision on the Special Council for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) only covers documented workers, not undocumented. Undocumented migrants have no power and no resources to protect their rights. But regarding their collective bargaining, in the U.S., they have rights. There was a remarkable case, Hoffman Plastic Compounds v. National Labor Relations Board, which allowed undocumented migrants to be covered by this legislation.
One of the complications that anyone residing in Russia faces whether they are a citizen or migrant is the registration system. Is there any discussion – whether in political or legal circles, or among the broader public – of reforming the system?
We have long had a registration system and it has been enforced, but until recently there was nothing about criminal punishment for violators. But now a landlord who leases an apartment to people who are not registered will be accused of a criminal violation and could face severe punishment. It's a major concern in our society now because only after this amendment came into effect did people begin to understand what it meant for them. There are a lot of people in Moscow working without registration. They don't want to waste time and money on it – to lose a day at the police station just to get registered — it's a very complicated procedure. Nowadays there are a lot of discussions about this, and the legal community is against registration because it is a return to the USSR, to the propiska. It works against the internal mobility of the work force and creates a lot of problems for all citizens. It is also interesting that in at least this one aspect, migrants are in a preferable position to citizens because they have the possibility to mail in their migration card and registration whereas Russian citizens cannot. Citizens have to go to the police station in person. The police are trying to ease the procedures for the FMS officers, above all.
What do you see as the next likely developments in Russian immigration policy?
It is simultaneously very simple and very difficult because we are deeply involved in this process now. We have to rethink all of our immigration procedures. But in the process we are creating a lot of provisions and legislative amendments which make the life of employers as well as migrant workers worse and worse. For example, the new literacy test for Russian – I understand why migrants don't want to take it because it wastes about a month. Migrants often have a work permit for only one year, so no one wants to lose a month of wages.
How does it take a month?
There is now an educational center in every subject of the Russian Federation. Such tests are usually given once every two weeks. You arrive and wait two weeks to take the test. Then the certificate is issued within 10 days, but you have to wait in person to receive it (or another person can pick it up if they have power of attorney) — they will not mail it.
So you have to travel to the city where the test is given, and stay somewhere…
Yes, and you have no possibility to earn money during this month. If someone wants to work as a street cleaner, they need to take this exam.
And people are taking the test already?
Yes, but it's not a very common practice because there are a lot of ways around it. First, they can pay for a falsified certificate that costs about 7,000 rubles. Or, they sign a work contract but for a different profession or occupation that is not covered by the legislation. They can sign a contract for any occupation that doesn't require the test – whatever they can think of. Or, they just don't sign a work contract and work illegally because if you have a work permit to work for a year, there is no point to lose a whole month, plus pay 3,000 rubles. Moreover, if you pass the exam, you would think it is proof that you know Russian, but, no, the certificate is only valid for three years. In three years you have to do everything all over again. It's nonsense.
In some ways there's a disconnect between Russia's need for migrants for economic reasons and the policies and laws you've mentioned. They are not creating a welcome situation, and it's making it very difficult. On the other hand, a lot of migrants are still coming to Russia. It's slowed down a little bit after the worldwide economic crisis but there are still fairly big flows – is that right?
Yes, the flows are still very big. I have done a lot of work in Uzbekistan on the Afghanistan border as a legal counselor for a mining project. I saw with my own eyes how people live there and, honestly, it is a terrible situation. They live without any electricity or water supply, little access to medical care, or most necessities. I can't imagine what their salaries are, but of course they're much lower than in Russia. In Russia the minimum wage is now 5,200 rubles per month, and in Uzbekistan it was about 300,000 summs (about 1,000 rubles). It was very low compared to Russia, and I understand why they want to work in Russia – it is just a way to improve their situation.
What do you think Russia can learn from the U.S. migration system, if anything?
First, Russia should learn that migrant workers should have protection against retaliation. Migrants cannot afford to lose their jobs, but they need to protect their rights. Another positive aspect of the U.S. migration system is the encouragement to obtain citizenship. The majority of migrant workers in Russia do not consider Russia as their permanent residence and no one's really hurrying to get citizenship – it's mostly repatriates. Russia is like the stepmother, not the mother. She forces people to run around to different bureaus, take tests, etc.
We need to create the conditions so that people will want to move to Russia instead of making extra problems for them. I think that we can create an attractive environment for migrants, we just have to understand the problem of integration. There are similar problems for high-skilled migrants, businesses, and researchers. These elite could make a real contribution to Russian society and develop the economy, but instead we've created a stupid situation. For example, approximately 100 high-skilled migrants were hired last year in Moscow, but none in Perm. Perm really wants to hire specialists —with knowledge of foreign languages and technology, especially management technology—but the Perm FMS has no authority to accept applications to hire high-skilled immigrants. Everything has to go through the Moscow FMS.
Many of the migration issues we have discussed are rooted in the overall rule of law in Russia. How would you characterize the general rule of law in Russia at this time? Are there any developments?
As a lawyer I see changes and developments. When you do business in a fair market, competitiveness forces competitors to obey the rules. As I see in the commercial court, all of the disputes are transferred to the court. The next step is to develop the relationships among legal entities so that businesses and individuals go to the court to resolve their disputes instead of turning to organized crime or the police. People are going to court more often to resolve their disputes, and this is a good development.
Mary Elizabeth Malinkin
Matthew Rojansky, Director, Kennan Institute