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Pollack Periodica
Seismic retrofit of steel frame structures
Author: Magdy Ismailmagdyibrahim@m-eng.helwan.edu.eg1
1 Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, , University of Pécs, Boszorkány u. 2, H-7624 Pécs, , Hungary
https://doi.org/10.1556/606.2020.15.2.10
Steel structures; Moment resisting frames; Seismic retrofit; Dynamic analysis; Material cost
Moment resisting frames are considered as an effective seismic force resisting system that is used for steel structures. Some of these structures that were built in high seismic hazard zones were designed according to old strength-based design codes. Currently, these structures do not meet the requirements of the new seismic codes. Therefore, the seismic retrofit of these structures is mandatory and cannot be overlooked. Steel braces and concrete-steel composite elements are common solutions for enhancing the seismic behavior of existing steel frame structures. This paper presents a numerical study that evaluates different possible techniques for the seismic retrofit of existing steel moment-resisting frame structures. The study investigates the performance of three multi-story buildings with different heights that are located in a high seismic hazard zone. Three retrofit techniques were introduced including; 1) X-Steel braces, 2) buckling restrained composite braces, and 3) composite concrete-steel plate shear walls. The seismic performance enhancement of the studied structures was evaluated in terms of the structure's fundamental period, maximum inter-story drift and maximum base shear-to-weight ratios. Moreover, the cost of retrofitting material was estimated for each technique and they were compared to select the retrofit technique with the least constitutive material cost.
Steel moment-resisting frame structures located in high seismic hazard zones are susceptible to excessive lateral deformations during strong ground motions. Some of these structures were designed according to strength-based codes, and hence they are in an urgent need for seismic retrofit. The retrofit should aim to limit the structure's interstory drifts by increasing the structure's lateral stiffness in order to mitigate potential problems due to geometric nonlinearity and/or failure of beam-column connections [1]. In addition, excessive damage of non-structural elements should be avoided. The objective of this study is to investigate the seismic performance of three multi-story steel frame buildings with different heights that are located in a high seismic hazard zone. Three retrofit schemes were introduced including; 1) X-Steel bracings; 2) buckling restrained composite bracings; and 3) composite concrete-steel plate shear walls. The seismic performance enhancement of the studied structures was evaluated in terms of the structure's fundamental period, maximum inter-story drift ratio and maximum base shear-to-weight ratio. In addition, the cost of retrofit material was estimated for each technique and they were compared to select the retrofit technique with the least constitutive materials for each height considered.
2 Description of the selected buildings
Three existing steel buildings with different heights were considered in this study. The buildings were designed according to a pre-1970 design code (ACI 1968) [2]. The buildings are of heights five, ten, and fifteen stories that represent low- and medium-rise buildings. The three buildings have the same floor plan that consists of five symmetrical bays in each direction of 4 m length. The Reinforced Concrete (RC) floor was designed to carry its self-weight and a live load of 2.0 kPa and a superimposed dead load of 2.0 kPa. The floor height is 3.0 m, the slab thickness is 140 mm and the total height of the three buildings are 15, 30 and 45 m. Fig. 1 shows the elevation of the three selected buildings as well as the beam and column sections. The column dimensions varied along the height according to the change of the axial load acting on each group of columns, while the beam dimensions were assumed to remain the same for the entire building. For existing buildings, the compressive strength of concrete was assumed to be fc' = 25 MPa and the yield strength of steel was taken as fy = 400 MPa. The modulus of elasticity for existing concrete was 22 GPa and for steel material was taken 200 GPa. The concrete density was assumed to be 24 kN/m3, and Poisson's ratio was taken 0.2 for concrete and 0.3 for steel material. The compressive strength of the new concrete used for retrofit is taken fc' = 40 MPa and its modulus of elasticity is 30 GPa. The existing buildings were assumed to be located in San Francisco, California, which represents a high seismic hazard zone in the United States. In this study, the existing buildings were strengthened so that the maximum inter-story drift value does not exceed 1.20%. This limit was set to maintain the non-structural elements and not to affect the gravity load resisting system.
Elevations of the studied 5-, 10-, and 15-story frame buildings
Citation: Pollack Periodica 15, 2; 10.1556/606.2020.15.2.10
3 Different retrofit schemes
In the present study, three different techniques were considered for the seismic strengthening of existing steel frame buildings located in a high seismic hazard zone. The aim of building strengthening is to increase the building lateral stiffness and hence reduce the building deformations under design loads. The retrofit techniques are namely;
3.1 Retrofit using steel angle braces
Braced steel frame systems are considered by designers as an efficient and economical lateral load resisting system. However, their performance during severe ground motions was not satisfactory due to buckling of bracing members under compression, which resulted in a major loss of the frame strength and stiffness [3]. In the present study, existing frame buildings were strengthened by introducing steel X-braces in the middle external bays of the 5- and 10-story buildings, and two bays were braced for the 15-story building as it is shown in Fig. 2. The braces were installed along the full height of the frame. The brace section selected for strengthening the 5-story frames is a single equal angle (200 x 200 x 30 mm), and two back-to-back equal angles (200 x 200 x 30 mm) for the 10- and 15-story frames. The cross-sectional areas of the brace sections are 111, 222, and 222 cm2 for the 5-, 10-, and 15-story buildings, respectively.
Seismic retrofit of the studied buildings using steel X-braces
3.2 Retrofit using buckling restrained braces
Buckling Restrained Brace (BRB) is a composite element that is usually composed of a ductile metal core (usually steel) that is enclosed by a continuous concrete-filled steel tube. Several research studies showed the effectiveness of BRB in the seismic resistance of steel frames [4]-[7]. The main advantage of the BRB elements over the conventional concentric steel braces is preventing the lateral and local buckling behavior using the concrete core. Meanwhile, the steel core is responsible for the tensile strength and ductility of the element.
In the present paper, the steel frame buildings were retrofitted by introducing buckling restrained braces as it is shown in Fig. 3. Similar to the steel angle braces, the existing frames were strengthened using the BRB in the middle external bays of the 5- and 10-story frame buildings, while two bays were braced for the 15-story building. The BRB cross-section used is a composite circular concrete-steel I-section encased with a 3 mm steel tube. For the 5-story building, the radius of the circular BRB was 250 mm and the steel I-section was 150 x 150 x 10 mm. For the 10-story building, the radius of the circular BRB was 300 mm and the steel I-section was 200 x 150 x 20 mm. For the 15-story building, the BRB radius was 300 mm and the steel I-section was 200 x 200 x 20 mm.
Seismic retrofit of the studied buildings using BRB braces
3.3 Retrofit using composite plate shear walls
Composite plate shear walls are considered to be a relatively new seismic force resisting system used for steel buildings. They can be utilized by either laying a concrete layer connected to two steel plates using shear studs, or by bonding the concrete layer with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) sheets/plates. Several experimental and numerical studies investigated the behavior of composite concrete-steel plate shear walls under earthquake loading [8]-[10].
In the current study, the existing buildings were strengthened by introducing a composite concrete-steel plate shear wall in the middle external bays of the 5- and 10-story buildings. The wall composed of a concrete layer that is sandwiched between two layers of 3 mm steel plates. The thickness of the concrete layer is 10 and 15 cm for the 5- and 10-story buildings, respectively. For the 15-story building, two composite walls were used for each external frame with two layers of 3 mm steel plates and a 15 mm of concrete in between as it is shown in Fig. 4.
Seismic retrofit of the studied buildings using composite plate shear walls
4 Linear dynamic analysis of the selected buildings
Linear dynamic analyses were conducted for the 5-, 10-, 15-story frame buildings with different retrofit schemes. Three dimensional linear dynamic analyses were conducted using the computer software ETABS, it is a program based on finite element analysis [11]. The P-∆ effect was considered in the numerical analysis. The building floors were assumed to act rigidly in the horizontal directions (two dimensional rigid diaphragms). The frame foundations were modeled as fixed supports. The number of mode shapes considered in the analysis was taken as 12, representing the first four mode shapes in the three directions (Ux, Uy and Rz). The sum of Modal Participating Mass Ratios (MPMR) in each direction considering the first four mode shapes were found to be at least 0.93 of the total building mass, which exceeds the minimum required ratio of 0.90 according to the design code.
The existing and retrofitted buildings were analyzed using the design response spectrum of San Francisco city according to the ASCE 7-10 [12]. The retrofitted buildings were designed to satisfy the requirements of ACI 2008 [13] and AISC 360-10 [14]. The nonlinear forces and deformations were obtained by using the response modification factor R (for the seismic forces), and the deflection amplification factor Cd. The values of R and Cd for existing and retrofitted structures are presented in Table I.
Table I:
Response modification factor (R) and deflection amplification factor (Cd) [12]
Retrofit system Dual systems with special moment frames capable of resisting at least 25% of prescribed seismic force Existing structures
X-steel braces BRB Composite plate wall
Response modification factor (R) 7.0 8.0 7.5 3.5
Deflection amplification factor
(Cd) 5.5 5.0 6.0 3.0
5 Analysis results
5.1 Dynamic properties of the selected buildings
Modal analyses were conducted for the 5-, 10-, and 15-story frame buildings for existing and retrofitted structures considering a 5% damping ratio. Fig. 5 shows the fundamental period of existing and retrofitted buildings with different heights. From the figure, it can be seen that the retrofit schemes decreased the structures' fundamental periods due to the additional stiffness provided by the retrofit system. It can be also noticed that the fundamental periods of the retrofitted buildings were similar to each other for the same building height. This is due to the inter-story drift limit of 1.20% that was set for all retrofitted buildings to determine the required stiffness of the retrofit system. Therefore, the retrofitted structures had similar stiffness's and fundamental periods for the same building height. The modeling of the interactions between the component parts of the connection, in particular, the interaction between the welded surfaces has been modeled by a tie constraint, so that no relative motion between the surfaces in contact is possible [15].
Fundamental periods of the 5-, 10-, and 15- story buildings
5.2 Maximum inter-story drift ratio
Fig. 6 shows the maximum Inter-story Drift (ID) ratio for existing and retrofitted buildings. During analyses, the existing frame buildings could not withstand 100% of the design response spectrum intensity. Therefore, for existing buildings, the ID ratio shown in Fig. 6 was calculated at the maximum intensity that could be resisted by the buildings, which is 75%, 67%, and 59% of the design response spectrum for the 5-, 10-, and 15-story buildings, respectively. On the other hand, the retrofitted buildings were able to resist a 100% of the response spectrum intensity of the location considered. Hence, the ID ratios of the retrofitted buildings were calculated at the full intensity of the design spectrum of San Francisco. This will be the case for all the following analysis results presented here.
Maximum I.D. ratio for the 5-, 10-, and 15-story buildings
As previously mentioned, the inter-story drift for the retrofitted buildings was limited to 1.20%. This limit was set in order not to affect the non-structural elements and the existing gravity load resisting system. This limit was used to design the retrofit elements and to ensure the safety of existing steel frame elements. The figure shows that the selected retrofit schemes were able to reduce the maximum ID ratio for the three building heights to be less than 1.20% when subjected to the design spectrum of the location considered.
5.3 Maximum shear-to-weight ratio
Fig. 7 shows the base shear-to-weight ratio for existing buildings and retrofitted ones with different retrofit schemes. From the figure, it can be seen that the retrofit techniques resulted in a higher base shear compared to existing structures due to the additional stiffness provided by the retrofit. The figure shows that X-steel bracings resulted in the least base shear-to-weight ratio compared to other retrofit techniques for all building heights. The capacity curve of the structure Base Shear curve is a suitable tool for investigating overall behavior of the structure [16]. On the other hand, the composite plate shear walls resulted in highest base shear between the three retrofit techniques.
Base shear-to-weight ratio for the 5-, 10-, and 15 story buildings
6 Cost of retrofit constitutive materials
Table II shows the weight of steel and the volume of concrete material used for the seismic retrofit of each building height and retrofit scheme. The values shown are used to estimate the total cost of retrofit material for each technique and each building height. Based on a survey of construction material prices in California, USA, the average price of one ton of steel section material and one cubic meter of concrete material were found to be USD 2,200 $ and 250 $, respectively. Based on the aforementioned values, the total cost of the constitutive materials used for every retrofit scheme was obtained for each building height.
Table II.
Quantities of seismic retrofit constitutive materials for the studied buildings
Material No. of stories X-Steel braces BRB Composite Plate Shear Wall
Steel (ton) 5 15 11 15
Concrete (m3) 5 --- 11 80
10 --- 55 240
15 --- 310 720
In order to normalize the cost values, the total retrofit cost for each building was divided by the number of floors and these values were presented in Fig. 8. From the figure, it can be concluded that the BRB system was the most economical retrofit system for the three heights considered. The BRB system showed the least retrofit material cost among the three retrofit schemes, which is the most optimum engineering optimization [17]. This is due to the smaller steel sections used in the compression members due to restraining the brace against buckling with the help of the concrete section and the steel encasing. The cost saving is more visible for the 15-story building. On the other hand, the composite concrete-steel plate shear wall showed the highest cost of retrofit material between the three systems for all building heights. Therefore, it can be concluded that the BRB retrofit scheme provided a lateral stiffness that is comparable to other retrofit schemes; meanwhile it attracted the least seismic forces between the three schemes. In addition, the BRB showed the least retrofit material cost compared to other techniques.
Total cost of retrofit material per floor
It should be mentioned that the cost estimate did not include the cost of labor work of each technique. The estimate did not include the cost of foundation upgrade that might be needed because of the additional seismic forces due to retrofit. The conclusions derived here in this study are limited to buildings' geometry similar to the studied buildings and for buildings located in high seismic hazard zones.
The effectiveness of different retrofit techniques in upgrading the seismic performance of steel frame structures was evaluated. Three steel buildings with different heights were selected. The frames were strengthened using three strengthening techniques, namely; using steel X-bracings, introducing Buckling Restrained Bracings (BRBs), and using composite concrete-steel plate shear walls. The seismic performance enhancement of the analyzed frame buildings was evaluated in terms of the building's fundamental period, maximum inter-story drift ratio, and maximum story shear-to-weight ratio. Moreover, the retrofit material cost was evaluated for each retrofit technique.
The conducted analyses have resulted in the following conclusions:
1.Existing frame buildings were not able to withstand a 100% of the design response spectrum intensity. They had a collapse mechanism at 75%, 67%, and 59% of the design spectrum of San Francisco city for the 5-, 10-, and 15-story buildings, respectively;
2.The fundamentals periods of retrofitted structures were less than those of existing structures due to the additional stiffness provided by the retrofit schemes;
3.The retrofitted buildings were able to withstand a 100% of the design response spectrum intensity within the ID limit of 1.2%;
4.The building's additional stiffness decreases the building's inter-story drift significantly compared to existing buildings;
5.The retrofit techniques increased the buildings' base shear and overturning moment compared to existing buildings for the three different heights considered;
6.The composite concrete-steel plate shear wall system showed the least lateral deformations, and the highest attracted seismic forces between the three retrofit schemes;
7.The BRB system showed the least base shear and retrofit material cost for the three building heights considered. On the contrary, the composite concrete-steel plate shear wall showed the highest cost of retrofit material between the three retrofit schemes for the three building heights.
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Editor(s)-in-Chief: Iványi, Amália
Editor(s)-in-Chief: Iványi, Péter
Miklós M. Iványi
Bálint Bachmann (Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Jeno Balogh (Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA)
Radu Bancila (Department of Geotechnical Engineering and Terrestrial Communications Ways, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, "Politehnica" University Timisoara, Romania)
Charalambos C. Baniotopolous (Department of Civil Engineering, Chair of Sustainable Energy Systems, Director of Resilience Centre, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, U.K.)
Oszkar Biro (Graz University of Technology, Institute of Fundamentals and Theory in Electrical Engineering, Austria)
Ágnes Borsos (Institute of Architecture, Department of Interior, Applied and Creative Design, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Matteo Bruggi (Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, Politecnico di Milano, Italy)
Ján Bujňák (Department of Structures and Bridges, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Žilina, Slovakia)
Anikó Borbála Csébfalvi (Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Smart Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Mirjana S. Devetaković (Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Serbia)
Szabolcs Fischer (Department of Transport Infrastructure and Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Architerture, Civil Engineering and Transport Sciences Széchenyi István University, Győr, Hungary)
Radomir Folic (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad Serbia)
Jana Frankovská (Department of Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia)
János Gyergyák (Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Kay Hameyer (Chair in Electromagnetic Energy Conversion, Institute of Electrical Machines, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany)
Elena Helerea (Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania)
Ákos Hutter (Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technolgy, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Károly Jármai (Institute of Energy and Chemical Machinery, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Informatics, University of Miskolc, Hungary)
Teuta Jashari-Kajtazi (Department of Architecture, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Prishtina, Kosovo)
Róbert Kersner (Department of Technical Informatics, Institute of Information and Electrical Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Rita Kiss (Biomechanical Cooperation Center, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary)
István Kistelegdi (Department of Building Structures and Energy Design, Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Stanislav Kmeť (President of University Science Park TECHNICOM, Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia)
Imre Kocsis (Department of Basic Engineering Research, Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen, Hungary)
László T. Kóczy (Department of Information Sciences, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Informatics and Electrical Engineering, University of Győr, Hungary)
Dražan Kozak (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia)
György L. Kovács (Department of Technical Informatics, Institute of Information and Electrical Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Balázs Géza Kövesdi (Department of Structural Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Budapest University of Engineering and Economics, Budapest, Hungary)
Tomáš Krejčí (Department of Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic)
Jaroslav Kruis (Department of Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic)
Miklós Kuczmann (Department of Automations, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Informatics and Electrical Engineering, Széchenyi István University, Győr, Hungary)
Tibor Kukai (Department of Engineering Studies, Institute of Smart Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Maria Jesus Lamela-Rey (Departamento de Construcción e Ingeniería de Fabricación, University of Oviedo, Spain)
János Lógó (Department of Structural Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary)
Carmen Mihaela Lungoci (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Universitatea Transilvania Brasov, Romania)
Frédéric Magoulés (Department of Mathematics and Informatics for Complex Systems, Centrale Supélec, Université Paris Saclay, France)
Gabriella Medvegy (Department of Interior, Applied and Creative Design, Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Tamás Molnár (Department of Visual Studies, Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Ferenc Orbán (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Smart Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Zoltán Orbán (Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Smart Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Dmitrii Rachinskii (Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas, USA)
Chro Radha (Chro Ali Hamaradha) (Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Technical College of Engineering, Department of City Planning, Kurdistan Region, Iraq)
Maurizio Repetto (Department of Energy "Galileo Ferraris", Politecnico di Torino, Italy)
Zoltán Sári (Department of Technical Informatics, Institute of Information and Electrical Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Grzegorz Sierpiński (Department of Transport Systems and Traffic Engineering, Faculty of Transport, Silesian University of Technology, Katowice, Poland)
Zoltán Siménfalvi (Institute of Energy and Chemical Machinery, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Informatics, University of Miskolc, Hungary)
Andrej Šoltész (Department of Hydrology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia)
Zsolt Szabó (Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Hungary)
Mykola Sysyn (Chair of Planning and Design of Railway Infrastructure, Institute of Railway Systems and Public Transport, Technical University of Dresden, Germany)
András Timár (Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
Barry H. V. Topping (Heriot-Watt University, UK, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary)
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Warm-Up Effect and Warm-Up Time of a Laser Tracker
Authors: Radoslav Choleva and Alojz Kopáčik
Investigation of seepage effect on river dike's stability under steady state and transient conditions
Authors: Alban Kuriqi, Mehmet Ardiçlioglu, and Ylber Muceku
Investigation of hydraulic regime at middle part of the Loire River in context of floods and low flow events
Authors: Alban Kuriqi and Mehmet Ardiçlioǧlu
Influence of Water Absorption on The Selected Properties of Hemp Hurds Composites
Authors: Lucia Kidalova, Nadezda Stevulova, and Eva Terpakova
N-M-χ interaction for arbitrary cross section under biaxial bending and axial load
Author: Nino Spinella
Properties monitoring of fibrous composites based on hemp hurds with different mean particle size
Authors: Julia Cigasova, Nadezda Stevulova, and Jozef Junak


In today's news roundup, we hear more about the Permanent TSB saga from David Hall of the IMHO, another group are challenging the goverment on bank repossessions and a new UK developer applies for a second luxury scheme in North Dublin.
The Permanent TSB news rumbles on. Some of the inflicted borrowers overcharge by PTSB will be ineligible for refunds and compensation because they went bankrupt. According to David Hall, Director of the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation, at least 3 homeowners went bankrupt this year and last year – having surrendered their homes to the bank after getting into arrears.
Although they will be offered refunds, technically because they are bankrupt the money should be handed to the official bankruptcy assigne – to return it to their debtors, namely PTSB!
Meanwhile another group has formed to challenge the bank's ability to repossess family homes. Right2Homes, co-founded by business man Brian O'Reilly, has started a crowdfunding campaign to support a high-profile court case, Darcy v Minister for Justice and the Attorney General, that challenges a 2013 law that they see as circumventing the Justice Dunne ruling of 2009 which effectively prevented the banks from seeking possession of family homes.
London developer Hollybrook who have recently completed their first small scheme in Malahide – Robswall – have applied for planning permission for a second development. The scheme will be 124 apartments in Clongriffin, in a 5-6 storey building topped with a luxury penthouse.


Polyomavirus middle T (MT) is responsible for murine polyomavirus (PyV) tumorigenesis. Otherwise wild type viruses that have mutant MT fail to induce tumors. Transgenic MT causes tumors in many tissues, providing valuable models for diseases such as breast cancer. Studies of MT led to the discovery of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Much evidence suggests that continued study of MT will yield new insights into neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis. Our central hypothesis is that MT promotes transformation by the modulation of specific steps in cell signaling that affect not only the tumor cell itself, but also associated stromal cells, to support tumor progression. We will focus on three areas where MT studies can offer novel insight into neoplastic transformation: 1) Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A): The role we have uncovered for the A? isoform of PP2A in activation of c- src by MT points to the importance of specific isoforms. We will examine the role of both A subunit isoforms of PP2A and loss of specific trimeric ABC complexes of PP2A in MT transformation. We have evidence for a new model whereby MT brings substrates to PP2A for dephosphorylation. The lipins, which are both enzymes of the lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) metabolism and also transcriptional coactivators, are examples of such substrates that point to novel PP2A-dependent signaling in transformation. We will test their role in transformation. Guided by a mutant defective in lipin binding, we will also use mass spectrometry of mutant and wild type (WT) MT to uncover additional substrates. 2) PI3K: MT mutant E349K shows that there is a step, so far unappreciated, between PI3K recruitment to activated tyrosine kinases and signaling to activate downstream targets such as Akt. The nature of the defect will be determined in studies of PI lipids and protein localization. Using mass spectrometry comparing E349K to WT, we will seek to identify the cellular protein(s) responsible. Identification of a new intermediate in PI3K signaling would be paradigm shifting and offer new possibilities for therapeutic intervention. 3) Cytokines: Although cytokine expression is well recognized to be an important part of tumorigenesis, little progress has been made in understanding the signals that control the patterns of cytokine expression. More importantly, the idea that cancer signaling alters responses to cytokines is largely unexplored. Our evidence shows that MT both induces cytokine expression and at the same time alters the response of tumor cells to cytokines. We will determine the spectrum of effects on cytokine expression and response that MT has both in tumor cells and on stromal cells by gene array and protein analysis. Using genetic tools we will investigate the mechanisms MT uses to do this and carry out novel tests of how the genetic background of the host modulates responses. Finally, we will ask how these effects determine macrophage recruitment in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo studies. Our work will thus close gaps in our knowledge of cytokines and determine their contribution to MT mammary tumorigenesis.


text:
Q: Divide part of a dataframe by another while keeping columns that are not being divided I have two data frames as below:
   Sample_name   C14-Cer   C16-Cer    C18-Cer  C18:1-Cer   C20-Cer
0          1 1  0.161456  0.033139   0.991840   2.111023  0.846197
1         1 10  0.636140  1.024235  36.333741  16.074662  3.142135
2         1 13  0.605840  0.034337   2.085061   2.125908  0.069698
3         1 14  0.038481  0.152382   4.608259   4.960007  0.162162
4          1 5  0.035628  0.087637   1.397457   0.768467  0.052605
5          1 6  0.114375  0.020196   0.220193   7.662065  0.077727

   Sample_name   C14-Cer   C16-Cer    C18-Cer  C18:1-Cer    C20-Cer
0          1 1  0.305224  0.542488  66.428382  73.615079  10.342252
1         1 10  0.814696  1.246165  73.802644  58.064363  11.179206
2         1 13  0.556437  0.517383  50.555948  51.913547   9.412299
3         1 14  0.314058  1.148754  56.165767  61.261950   9.142128
4          1 5  0.499129  0.460813  40.182454  41.770906   8.263437
5          1 6  0.300203  0.784065  47.359506  52.841821   9.833513

I want to divide the numerical values in the selected cells of the first by the second and I am  using the following code:
df1_int.loc[:,'C14-Cer':].div(df2.loc[:,'C14-Cer':])

However, this way I lose the information from the column "Sample_name".
    C14-Cer   C16-Cer   C18-Cer  C18:1-Cer   C20-Cer
0   0.528977  0.061088  0.014931   0.028677  0.081819
1   0.780831  0.821909  0.492309   0.276842  0.281070
2   1.088785  0.066367  0.041243   0.040951  0.007405
3   0.122529  0.132650  0.082047   0.080964  0.017738
4   0.071381  0.190178  0.034778   0.018397  0.006366
5   0.380993  0.025759  0.004649   0.145000  0.007904

How can I perform the division while keeping the column "Sample_name" in the resulting dataframe?

A: You can selectively overwrite using loc, the same way that you're already performing the division:
df1_int.loc[:,'C14-Cer':] = df1_int.loc[:,'C14-Cer':].div(df2.loc[:,'C14-Cer':])

This preserves the sample_name col:
In [12]:
df.loc[:,'C14-Cer':] = df.loc[:,'C14-Cer':].div(df1.loc[:,'C14-Cer':])
df

Out[12]:
      Sample_name   C14-Cer   C16-Cer   C18-Cer  C18:1-Cer   C20-Cer
index
0             1 1  0.528975  0.061087  0.014931   0.028677  0.081819
1            1 10  0.780831  0.821910  0.492309   0.276842  0.281070
2            1 13  1.088785  0.066367  0.041243   0.040951  0.007405
3            1 14  0.122528  0.132650  0.082047   0.080964  0.017738
4             1 5  0.071380  0.190179  0.034778   0.018397  0.006366
5             1 6  0.380992  0.025758  0.004649   0.145000  0.007904

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text:
Kim Jong Chu (Hangul: 김영주) (Mangyondae, nu Pyongyang), 21 september 1920 - Pyongyang, 14 december 2021) was een Noord-Koreaans politicus.

Hij was lid van de communistische Koreaanse Arbeiderspartij (CND). Kim Jong Chu was de jongere broer van Kim Il-sung. Na diens overlijden werd Kim Jong Chu een van de vicepresidenten van Noord-Korea, samen met Park Sung-chul, Li Jong-ok en Kim Pyong Sik, waarnemend staatshoofd, een functie die hij tot 1998 bleef bekleden.

Hij overleed in 2021 op 101-jarige leeftijd.

Noord-Koreaans politicus
Honderdplusser

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text:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">

<TITLE>
Util
</TITLE>

<META NAME="date" CONTENT="2013-06-28">

<LINK REL ="stylesheet" TYPE="text/css" HREF="../../../../doclava-developer-docs.css" TITLE="Style">

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net.hockeyapp.android.utils

Class Util

java.lang.Object
  net.hockeyapp.android.utils.Util

public class Util
extends java.lang.Object

Utility class

Author:

Bogdan Nistor

Field Summary

static java.lang.String
PREFS_FEEDBACK_TOKEN

static java.lang.String
PREFS_KEY_FEEDBACK_TOKEN

static java.lang.String
PREFS_KEY_NAME_EMAIL_SUBJECT

static java.lang.String
PREFS_NAME_EMAIL_SUBJECT

Constructor Summary

Util()

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static java.lang.String
encodeParam(java.lang.String param)

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

PREFS_FEEDBACK_TOKEN

public static final java.lang.String PREFS_FEEDBACK_TOKEN

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Constant Field Values

PREFS_KEY_FEEDBACK_TOKEN

public static final java.lang.String PREFS_KEY_FEEDBACK_TOKEN

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Constant Field Values

PREFS_NAME_EMAIL_SUBJECT

public static final java.lang.String PREFS_NAME_EMAIL_SUBJECT

See Also:
Constant Field Values

PREFS_KEY_NAME_EMAIL_SUBJECT

public static final java.lang.String PREFS_KEY_NAME_EMAIL_SUBJECT

See Also:
Constant Field Values

Constructor Detail

Util

public Util()

Method Detail

encodeParam

public static java.lang.String encodeParam(java.lang.String param)

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Building on the success of its iconic 779.CL workshop lighting series, FACOM® has today unveiled the 779.CL5 Inspection Lamp with 'Find My Light' technology. With the introduction of this new light, FACOM is addressing two of the most common workshop user issues, namely losing or breaking their insoection lamps.
Furthermore, the 779.CL5 is the first in a series of premium, smart and connected tools to be introduced by FACOM, as part of a new 'Garage of the Future' initiative across its extensive portfolio of automotive products and solutions.
This innovative tool is the world's first inspection light of its type to incorporate a long range radio frequency signal, ensuring professional operators will avoid losing their essential work light. There are many lights today that use Bluetooth, but this is ill-suited for the automotive and industrial workplace since the range is too short. If the lamp is misplaced or mixed up with others within the garage environment, the user simply presses the 'Find My Light' button on the paired docking station, immediately triggering the alert system, so the unit can be easily identified or located.
In addition, the 779.CL5 emits an audible security alarm should the signal between the docking station and the light itself be lost, thereby indicating that the tool has been stolen or taken away in error. This feature can be disabled, should the user wish to take the light off-site.
Another common cause of users losing their lights is when the lamp runs out of charge after being left switched on and forgotten after a repair has been completed. When the integrated battery begins to run low, the light will flash and 'beep' every 15 seconds, notifying the owner to retrieve the device and return it to the dock for recharging. Many competing workplace lamps feature a similar flashing light, however the 779.CL5 is the only light with an integrated audible alarm that ensures the user will locate their lamp.
Delivering 600 lumens for up to 3.5 hours, or 300 lumens for up to 6.5 hours, the high-performance 779.CL5 has been engineered for intensive automotive and industrial workplace use, delivering reliable luminosity in the most challenging conditions. Constructed from high-strength materials and certified IP67 for resistance against damage from water, dust and debris, this durable tool is suitable for almost any environment. Indeed, the light is so robust that users can feel confident it will continue to work, even if run over by a vehicle.
World's first inspection light with a radio frequency signal technology strong enough for the automotive and industrial workshop – alerts the user when it travels out of range and tracks the lamp when misplaced in the workshop.


Try using the SMEDG search engine! Top right...be amazed!
SMEDG holds monthly meetings, free and open to anyone interested in mineral exploration and related topics. Attendance is usually about 40, occasionally 80 -100. SMEDG is a not-for-profit organisation, run by a volunteer committee and funded by the proceeds of its biennial Symposia and Mines and Wines. Funding of events is as close to 'at-cost' as we can make it, with sufficient left over to pay for 10 meetings per year at '99-on-York', and to underwrite the next Symposium. SMEDG, with massive input from David Timms, organises two Sydney Harbour Cruises each year. This web site was originally created, by Steve Collins in July 1999, to provide news of meetings for the SMEDG community. It has evolved, somewhat haphazardly, into an information resource with hundreds of extended abstracts and papers, many with .ppt/.pdf files attached.
The globe is interactive: enlarge or rotate. See yourself flagged on SMEDG. Red dots show visitors' locations.


Even if you're working with a tiny space, a well-devised living area sets the tone for the rest of your place. And as there's no shortage of swoon-worthy living rooms on the web, we rounded up 70 of our faves, divided into ideas to try out yourself, to help you brainstorm your own home resolutions for the new year. Whether it's with wall paint or gallery walls, velvet sofas or flashy textiles, these rooms are designed to inspire and drool over. Grab a coffee or tea and settle in, because we've got a lot to show you.


Alexis Tsipras may use clashes expected on Saturday over the murder of a rapper by Golden Dawn activists as a cover to launch false flag political assassinations to be blamed on the army, police members start a purge using false witness statements and forged documents.
The actual anniversary of the rapper's death is on Thursday but the first clashes are expected on Saturday.
Greek judges should condemn the murderers of the rapper immediately or at least be seen to be about to do so, or they will become the first targets of a purge. I have to say, the judges have shown bias.
Recall Globalist minion Alexander Oekonomou is the head of Athens criminal court and he has a motive to help purge the judiciary, police and army because he is facing years in jail for his role in misusing the legal system to set me up for a lethal penalty on October 5th.
Larisa, Volos, Trikala courts are all under the control of the Globalists.
The army and police would be wise to also make statements saying they hope for a speedy end to the trial, a fair trial and due process to distance themselves from any false flag group.
This entry was posted on Friday, September 14th, 2018 at 12:56 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


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The Rules Redux: 4 Mind Games Men Play
Men are masters of game playing in relationships. Here are the four most frequent ones I see.
Jag Carrao
Dating and relationship coach
03/18/2010 05:12am EDT | Updated May 25, 2011
My last blog on top dating mistakes women make caused an uproar among male readers who complained my advice encouraged women to "play games." Not a huge surprise, since the most common dating blunders are a boon to lazy men looking for casual flings. But a bit ironic, given that MEN themselves are masters of game playing in relationships.
In fact, the tough love coaching I give my clients is aimed at protecting women from falling victim to such games. What kind of games am I talking about? I'm sure female readers could cite hundreds of examples. But from my practice, here are four of the most frequent games I see men playing:
1) The "play to lay" game. This is where he pretends to care about you more than he actually does at the beginning in order to get you into bed. As women we crave emotional intimacy, so it's not difficult for a man to combine earnest questions and over-the-top compliments to create the illusion of trust and connection that usually precedes sexual intimacy. The game is a blast for both parties involved – until a woman finds herself wondering why the man who was "crazy for her" and "couldn't get enough of her" has poofed after a few rolls in the hay.
Girl's Game Changer: In order the separate the man who actually DOES fall in love with you at first sight and CAN go the distance from the players, a woman must pace the relationship. Rules authors Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider recommend: "Don't see him more than once or twice a week for the first month or two." They also suggest not inviting him back to your place for the first few dates, and holding off on sex until you're confident he'll stick around. Sure, a guy who's just looking to get laid won't put up with such "games from women." In other words, you'll weed out those who want only one thing.
2) The "spontaneity" game. At worst, this is when men try to pass off "booty calls" as spontaneous gestures of missing you and needing you. At best, it's just laziness, lack of organization, or taking a woman's time and schedule for granted. Either way, it doesn't really make a gal feel special or respected when a man calls right before he wants to see her.
Girl's Game Changer: Ladies, if you would prefer that the men in your lives gave you more advance notice when asking you out, then STOP accepting last minute invitations! Why not just tell him you prefer to be asked out in advance? You know, 'cuz it's all about communicating and being honest? BECAUSE IT WON'T WORK and it will only come across as nagging. As I said in my previous blog, I think the "three days in advance" (e.g., Wednesday for Saturday) as proposed in The Rules is reasonable.
Yes, it's true, as one of my (predictably, male) critics pointed out: a woman may miss out on some occasional spontaneous fun -- like fabulous last minute tickets that a guy has just scored -- if she has "a rule" against accepting last minute invitations. But far more often, the fun, fantastic nights out women ARE missing are those they COULD have planned with their girlfriends but DIDN'T because they were trying to keep their schedules open to accommodate last minute invitations from men!
3) The "good enough for now" game. This is the fun little merry-go-round in which a man creates the impression that the two of you are in a serious relationship when he's actually stringing you along, enjoying your sexual favors and home-cooked meals, while actively looking for something better.
Girl's Game Changer: Again, The Rules provide the key. If you're seeing him once or twice a week, then make sure one of those dates is international date night: Saturday. Unless one/both of you are working or have family commitments on Saturdays, that's when he gets to see you. How to get him to ask you out for Saturday? Say no to Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday…you get the idea. Once again, a man who is just marking time with you won't "put up with such games" from women – which is precisely what we want! Men with lukewarm interest won't pursue a woman who is even the slightest challenge – but not even teams of wild horses (much less a few pesky Rules) can deter the man who really, really loves you.
4) The "break up to make up" game. Two can certainly play at this game, but when the on-again-off-again routine starts stretching into years, vs. months, it's women who have the most to lose, as time is our most precious, non-renewable resource. (See avoiding time wasters).
Girl's Game Changer: This one is so hard. As Greg Behrendt put it in He's Just Not That Into You:
"What could be better than hearing from the man who just told you he didn't want you in his life anymore, his sad, wistful, 'I miss you so much' voice on the other end of the phone? It's validating. It's exciting. It's irresistible. But resist you must."
Usually, when he breaks it off, it's broken forever. But not always. Sometimes you've crowded and scared a guy, and the break up is his was of reasserting his space. So GIVE HIM SPACE. Don't call him, don't e-mail him. If he does call and ask to get back together, proceed with caution. He's proven he can walk away from you once. The defensive dating techniques I recommend can protect your already bruised heart from getting brutalized once more.
There is another common game men play – it's actually a word game, where they pretend they have never heard of and certainly cannot pronounce such words as "marriage," "commitment" and "children." Deftly winning this game requires delicate skill, and deserves an entire blog on the subject. So tune in next time for "Engaged by Christmas."
Meanwhile, women interested in learning the hard-to-get-but-easy-to-be-with approach to dating can try a free ten minute consultation for a limited time by visiting www.maliburulesgirl.com.
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Since the advent of the internet companies are becoming more aware of how important it is to keep in contact with existing customers and generate new custom. It's more than just marketing, it's about retaining existing custom and attracting new customers.
As a business you already know how expensive it can be to gain new custom and how valuable retaining existing customers can be. An existing customer has already shown that they are interested in your product or service and therefore more likely to buy from you again.
Companies are not only much smarter and more aware when it comes to marketing, but more aware of the costs and work involved in making things happen. Direct marketing companies such as ours often play an important role in facilitating a business's marketing plan. We essentially become part of that company's existing team.
As a business it often makes sense for you to outsource any complex or difficult work to another company that has specific skills in that area. Businesses often think they can save money by doing their own printing only to end up having spent twice as many man hours than it should have taken to do the job.
Only recently we were asked to print a double sided perforated folded DL sized item on ultra glossy card. Printing onto gloss surfaces can be problematic without the correct equipment that can handle this type of media, otherwise you would find it very challenging.
There are two ways you can save by making sure your address data is correct. The first is to make sure that you have no duplicate data, opted out customers are removed and where we manage returns making sure gone away, no such address, address inaccessible and so on are suppressed.
A switched on business will realise that passing on those more challenging jobs to a specialist will work out to be more cost effective. Your in-house printing capabilities may have limitations where the investment needed to buy specialist printing equipment would not outweigh the potential returns for such an investment. Therefore it makes more sense to contract out this type of work to companies that have already made the investment.
As the saying goes, you can do it wrong and pay twice or do it right and pay once. Getting the lowest price doesn't always add up to good value. Sometimes it is possible to do things differently to reduce costs without cutting corners and therefore get things done at a lower cost.
Generally however if you find you are getting a quote for work that is significantly lower it may indicate that you are getting an inferior product. Conversely a more costly quote may indicate that you are being overcharged.
Ensuring that you have all the information, whilst this may require a little more effort in your initial research, can pay dividends by getting the most favourable price for the level of quality you are after. Moreover dealing with a company that you trust can pay dividends.


Every five years the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) updates the Clinical Practice Guidelines used by health care professionals to help you manage your diabetes. The guideline updates published in December 2003 reinforce that good diabetes control (striving for values as close to normal as safely possible) can prevent, delay and/or improve the complications of diabetes.
These new guidelines recommend tighter blood glucose control and earlier intervention in order to reach target goals within six to twelve months. The new guidelines are available at the CDA website www.diabetes.ca. A searchable format helps users find the information needed quickly and easily.
A diagnosis of IFG and/or IGT (prediabetes) confirms a person is at risk of developing diabetes. Studies have shown that lifestyle intervention (healthy diet, moderate weight loss and a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week) is very effective in delaying or preventing the development of diabetes.
As much as 2.7 per cent of the population may have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. Screening for Type 2 diabetes should be done every three years in people over the age of 40 who have no other risk factors. Earlier or more frequent screening is recommended for those with risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes.
Another important part of the new guidelines discusses Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG), essential for all people with diabetes. Benefits include improved A1C (glucose control), avoiding hypoglycemia (low blood glucose reactions) and increased lifestyle flexibility. Benefits are enhanced when dietary choices, physical activity and medications are adjusted in response to blood glucose (BG) values. Ask your diabetes educator for more information on learning to interpret SMBG results and how to make appropriate changes. For best management, people with Type 1 diabetes should test a minimum of three times per day while those with Type 2 diabetes should test at least once daily. More frequent testing is often needed to get the information necessary to make behavioural or treatment adjustments and help meet optimal blood glucose values. SMBG should include pre-meal (pre-prandial) and two-hour post meal (post-prandial) testing times.
Carbohydrates should be 50 to 55 per cent of total daily calories.
Eat low-glycemic index foods instead of high-glycemic index foods.
Added sugars can account for up to 10 per cent of daily calories.
Protein - aim for 15 to 20 per cent of total daily calories.
Fat - less than 30 per cent of energy needs. Eat mono-unsaturated fats more often. Restrict saturated fat to less than 10 per cent and polyunsaturated fats to less than 10 per cent of total daily calories.
Alcohol consumption should be limited to one or two drinks per day, less than 14 drinks per week for a man and 9 drinks per week for a woman.
Nutritional therapy is an integral part of diabetes treatment for all people with diabetes. With nutrition therapy, the goal is to improve or maintain quality of life, nutritional status and health while preventing and treating complications of diabetes. Use the healthy diet recommended for everyone in Canada's Guidelines for Healthy Eating. In general, these guidelines suggest eating a variety of foods from all four food groups and choosing whole grain products, fruits and vegetables more often.
Benefits of physical activity include better fitness, improved blood glucose control and lipid (blood fats) profiles, lowered insulin resistance and maintenance of a healthy weight. The new guidelines suggest people with Type 2 diabetes should accumulate at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity (such as brisk walking, biking, continuous swimming, dancing, raking leaves, or water aerobics) each week spread over three non-consecutive days. If possible, accumulate 4 or more hours of exercise per week. Those with diabetes (including elderly people) should also do resistance exercise (weight lifting) three times per week. In resistance exercises, start with one set of 10 to 15 repetitions, progressing to two sets of 10 to 15, then three sets of 8 repetitions, three times per week. Before beginning any physical activity program, check with your doctor.
If lifestyle interventions do not allow a person with Type 2 diabetes to achieve target blood glucose values within two to three months, or if that person has an A1C equal to or more than 9.0 per cent at the time of diagnosis, medications to lower the blood glucose (oral antihyperglycemic medications) or insulin should be started. For overweight people with an A1C of less than 9.0 per cent, the drug metformin either alone or in combination with another oral medication is recommended. People who are not overweight can begin with one or two oral medications from different classes. People with an A1C equal to or more than 9 at diagnosis should begin immediately on either two oral medications from different classes or insulin therapy along with lifestyle interventions. The lag time between adjustments or additions of other oral antihyperglycemic medications or insulin should be kept to a minimum. Aim for reaching target values within six to twelve months of diagnosis.
Women with pre-existing diabetes who want to become pregnant should optimize their blood glucose control prior to conception. Women are recommended to carefully plan their pregnancy by working closely with their diabetes health care team. The goal for A1C pre-pregnancy is equal to or less than 7 (equal to or less than 6 if possible).
Those with Type 1 diabetes are advised to use multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin (three to four per day) or insulin pump therapy (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion or CSII). Multiple daily injection insulin regimens consist of basal insulin injections once or twice daily, along with a bolus injection of fast or rapid-acting insulin to cover food intake at each meal. Fast or rapid-acting insulin (lispro or aspart) combined with basal insulin is preferred over regular insulin in achieving post-prandial (after meal) targets. The injections help improve A1C while reducing hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) reactions.
All pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes (GDM) between 24 to 28 weeks. Two of the three defining values in the previous chart must be present for a diagnosis of GDM. Recommended blood glucose target values for GDM are less than 5.3 before meals, less than 7.8 one hour after a meal and less than 6.7 two hours after a meal. If GDM cannot be managed with nutrition therapy alone, insulin therapy should be used. While insulin is known to be safe, most oral medications have not been proven safe for use during pregnancy. Since having GDM increases a women's future risk of developing diabetes, lifestyle intervention should be an important consideration after pregnancy.
Having diabetes is associated with a high risk of vascular (heart and blood vessel) problems. Aggressive management of blood pressure and lipids is generally needed to lower the risk of heart attack or stroke. The target goal for blood pressure control is 130/80 mmHg. Unless a person is not able to take Aspirin™ diseases. It also contributes to high blood pressure. All people with diabetes are urged to stop smoking.
Guidelines recommend checking your A1C level every three months. People should check their feet regularly and health professionals should also perform regular foot exams for them. Blood pressure should be monitored at each appointment. A lipid profile (the blood test that reveals cholesterol and triglyceride levels), should be done at diagnosis, then every one to three years as indicated. See Guidelines at www.diabetes.ca for more information on the screening and treatment of complications.
Most people can use the target values in the new guidelines. Professional judgement is necessary to determine who can reasonably and safely achieve these targets. When setting individual goals and treatment strategies, consider individual risk factors including age, prognosis, existing complications and other diseases, along with the risk of and ability to recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia. Work with your doctor and the other members of your diabetes health care team to decide which target goals are appropriate to the treatment and management of your diabetes.


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"The Nation" Finds Its Courage Once the Danger's Past
Better late than never, I guess…
Everything that needs to be known is now [now? —  ♇ ] known: The reasons the Bush Administration gave for the American war in Iraq were all falsehoods or deceptions, and every day the U.S. occupation continues deepens the very problems it was supposed to solve. Therefore there can no longer be any doubt: The war — an unprovoked, unnecessary and unlawful invasion that has turned into a colonial-style occupation — is a moral and political catastrophe. As such it is a growing stain on the honor of every American who acquiesces, actively or passively, in its conduct and continuation.
…In short, ending the Iraq War is the most pressing issue facing America today.…
The Nation therefore takes the following stand: We will not support any candidate for national office who does not make a speedy end to the war in Iraq a major issue of his or her campaign. We urge all voters to join us in adopting this position.…
We firmly believe that antiwar candidates, with the other requisite credentials, can win the 2006 Congressional elections, the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries and the subsequent national election. But this fight, and our stand, must begin now [now? —  ♇ ].
…There is no other way to save America's security and honor. And to those Democratic "leaders" who continue to insist that the safer, more electable course is to remain openly or silently complicit in the war, we say, paraphrasing the moral philosopher Hillel: If not now, when? If not you, who?
It seems like it was only a year ago (oh… it was) when The Nation would "not only recommend a vote for [John Kerry] but do so with fervor" — a fervor accompanied, in the familiar liberal way, with impotent complaints:
This magazine's disagreements with Kerry are deep and touch on fundamental matters. We believed that the invasion of Iraq was "the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time" (as he now describes it) before the war was ever launched; he has come to that conclusion only recently, having voted to authorize the war. We believe the United States should withdraw from Iraq; he wants to "win" the war there. We think the military budget should be cut; he plans to increase it, adding 40,000 troops. (For what, exactly? to fight another wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time?) We reject pre-emptive war; he embraces it.
It will be another full year before The Nation will have a chance to make its next endorsements. I fear that their new policy will prove to be a tidal one, ebbing in election years only to come back in strong waves of proud and stern prose in the years in-between.
Why it is your duty to stop supporting the government → the danger of "feel-good" protests → liberals can be infuriating → supporting the Democratic Party in spite of its policies
The gargantuan U.S. military, the one that costs as much money as the combined militaries of the rest of the world, is too small and needs more funding, say 21 U.S. senators, including John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Hilary Clinton, and Joe Lieberman.
Adding insult to the biggest military budget America has ever seen, the Dubya Squad request another $82 billion in supplemental war funding. Oh, if only Kerry had won in November! (Well, you try saying it with a straight face.)
How did the Amish manage to get themselves exempted from the U.S. Social Security system? Also: Crispin Sartwell gives a conference of young Democrats a good talking to, and that's not all he's got to say.
A 1948 edition of the journal MANAS gives a peek at the birth of the modern American war tax resistance movement. Also: Wendy McElroy on Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience." And: Democrats like Lieberman and Clinton think what this country needs is a bigger military.
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejects withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Also: an I.R.S. lawyer takes an interest in The Picket Line.
I report back from the NWTRCC conference in Eugene, Oregon. Lots of news about frivolous filing penalties, the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act debate, the aftermath of the recent election, the future of the War Tax Boycott, and much more.
Two "frivolous filing" fine victims get a break from the I.R.S. Also: wartime pro-tax government propaganda helped insinuate the income tax in the U.S. And: one former war tax resister goes back to taxpaying now that Obama has won. Also: the more, the merrier — tax resistance starts to spread in the gay rights and pro-life movements.
Before communism, Leo Tolstoy helped the pacifist Doukhobors flee the Czar's persecution. Before communism's demise, the Doukhobors helped the future father of glasnost find a model for a thriving, non-authoritarian Russia. Also: what the next vice president, Joe Biden, said when he urged his colleagues to authorize the Iraq War. Comedy gold, people.
The people have spoken. If the people had any sense of shame or any self-awareness, they'd shut the fuck up. They've been speaking for a long time now and casting terrible, hateful imprecations that have called forth demons that they refuse to accept responsibility for or attempt to control. Also: Cindy Sheehan on the relation between dissident protest and mainstream political power.
U.S. military spending has about doubled in real terms over the last ten years. Obama's budget calls for even more military spending — the highest Pentagon price tag yet. So, of course, the American Friends Service Committee and other liberal groups are all for it.
A new "International People's Declaration of Peace" being developed by Cindy Sheehan and other members of an anti-war coalition includes a pledge not to "allow the fruits of our labor to be used by our governments to finance wars." Also: Aristotle is skeptical that there is such a thing as a Platonic Good.


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INDIE Live Expo Letter vol.7 is now available for the public
The INDIE Live Expo Board has released "INDIE Live Expo Letter" vol. 7, a newsletter for indie game developers to promote and deliver information useful for game development which has just been distributed in September, on the official website.
We will continue to deliver useful information for indie game development to our newsletter subscribers.
Please take this opportunity to register for the "INDIE Live Expo Letter".
Register for INDIE Live Expo here
<INDIE Live Expo Letter vol.7>
Thank you for subscribing to the INDIE Live Expo Letter.
This newsletter was created to provide useful information for developers on how to utilize INDIE Live Expo and tips that will benefit game developers.
For INDIE Live Expo Letter Vol.7, we would like to talk about the new segment「Game Pick-up」while going over the show.
The new segment was added to the show for extra promotion and using information we have gathered from the participants, we want to evaluate the effectiveness.
■INDIE Live Expo 2022 Show recap
The show was streamed over 2 days for the first time with different themes for each day.
【DAY1:Let's Play】Alongside showcasing「Indie games you can enjoy NOW」featuring released games, we put a big focus on content creation.
【DAY2 : Premiere】Focusing on world premiere news, we showcased「Indie games you can enjoy SOON」
Official stream was done in 3 languages: Japanese, Chinese and English
(YouTube Live, Twitch, Twitter Live, Nico Nico Live, bilibili, Steam)
And reached more than 15 million views, surpassing the previous event.
The number of views set a new record for the show, and the total number of chats/comments posted on each platform during the broadcast was over 40,000, making it a highly engaging and successful event.
The number of games introduced for both days came to a total of 488, with many titles making world first announcements during the show.
The number of posts using hashtag #INDIELiveExpo on Twitter surpassed 8,000 in the two days of the show, with viewers posting support for the cast members, games introduced, and their impressions of the program. There were game developers saying that the event motivated them showing the broad viewership of the show.
Sales held in conjunction with the show included Steam as well as the Xbox platform. A total of more than 250 games joined the sale.
The archive of the event is available at the INDIE Live Expo's YouTube channel.
INDIE Live Expo 2022 DAY1 : Let's Play (English)
INDIE Live Expo 2022 DAY2 : Premiere (English)
▼Effectiveness evaluation of Game Pick-up
Game Pick-up is a segment created specifically for game title promotion.
Showcasing up to 90 seconds of gameplay footage and introduction of the game during the program, as well as exposure in all media coverage related to INDIE Live Expo. We will present data provided by those who have actually used our product to verify the effectiveness of the segment.
・Game A(Unreleased / Announced)
The already announced Game A
garnered over 6,500 wishlists on Steam through INDIE Live Expo 2022
Being one of the games featured on the INDIE Live Expo 2022 Steam Sale page,
not only did it have a high wishlist count on the days of the event,
it continued to increase throughout the sale.
・Game B(Released)
The already released Game B
updated their game on the day of the event and joined the Steam Sale.
Compared to the 2 days right before,
there was a 600 times increase in the number of purchases and access.
This is likely to have been achieved by simultaneously implementing action points or reasons to visit the platform, in this case an update.
INDIE Live Expo offers a variety of sponsorship plans.
The "Game Pick-up" plan, which focuses on the promotion and sales increase of individual games, was designed based on data analysis from past events.
As a promotional indicator for individual titles, we have obtained significant data, and we plan to continue the sale of this product.
If you are interested in promoting specific games, please consider "Game Pick-up".
▼Advice on participating in INDIE Live Expo
INDIE Live Expo 2022 has achieved a high advertising effect, consistent with the results of Winter 2021 in the Letter Vol. 5.
We would, therefore, like to re-published our advice on exhibiting at INDIE Live Expo from Vol. 5.
We hope you will find it useful as you utilize INDIE Live Expo.
○Prepare a landing page for the viewers to visit
There is a high possibility the number of access to web pages, wishlist registrations, and sales will increase after the day of the show.
When participating in the event, we strongly recommended that you set up some sort of web-accessible-page before the announcement of any information regarding your game.
○Align important milestones (such as new releases) with INDIE Live Expo
It is also effective to make important announcements at the INDIE Live Expo, as in the case of Game B, where an update and sale were held in conjunction with the event, resulting in a significant increase in traffic and sales.
We hope INDIE Live Expo can help you as the perfect time to announce important milestones, such as new releases, major updates, and demo versions.
○Participate in the sale when it is held
INDIE Live Expo has organized and is preparing to hold more sales in conjunction with the event, with the help from various distributors.
We have held a sale on Steam & the Xbox Store, but we are aiming to increase the number of platforms to have sales on.
Participating in a sale is not only an opportunity for exposure, it is also a great way to promote sales.
We hope you will consider participating in the sale.
▼Closing
Thank you for registering to the INDIE Live Expo Letter.
We will continue to bring you more information on an irregular basis, so please look forward to updates.