text:
Danny Cornish Charity Golf Tournament Cancer Fundraiser Davenport Move Announced
The Danny Joe Memorial Golf Tournament has been Relocated to Davenport, Iowa as the Cornish Family Seek to Make it the Biggest Year Yet. It will be a Day of Festivities to Raise Money for Fighting Cancer and Remembering Danny Joe Cornish.
DAVENPORT, IA / ACCESSWIRE / June 12, 2019 / A long-running golf tournament charity fundraiser has been relocated to Davenport, Iowa, where the memory of Danny Joe Cornish will be celebrated. Called the Danny Joe Memorial Golf Tournament, it began over 22 years ago and has grown steadily since its inception.
More information can be found at: https://gokeymortgage.com/community-involvement
Danny Joe Cornish, the son of Kelly and Billie Cornish, passed away at just six years old after a long battle with cancer. He is remembered by his family and friends, who Danny - a compassionate, fun loving boy - loved dearly.
Danny inspired the world around him to understand the true value of love and the importance of spending time with loved ones. During the summer months, one of his favorite things to do was attend a popular summer camp that was run by a group known as The Heart Connection at the time.
The Cornish family was one of the founding families of the group, which has since been rebranded as the Children's Cancer Connection. It is an Iowa based non-profit organization that offers care, connection and support for families battling cancer. More information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/john.cornish.391.
The CCC sponsors two weeks of camps each summer with the aim of providing attendees an exciting and fun time, while raising money for families in need. One week is run for children with cancer, and a second week hosts the siblings of those patients.
Originally, the Danny Joe Memorial Golf Tournament was created by his family as a way to raise money for the camp that gave him so much enjoyment during those summer months.
All of Danny's siblings attended the sibling camp, with Matt and Kelli returning as volunteers. Until recently it has been held in Oskaloosa, Iowa, but this year it will be held in Davenport.
Attendees will be able to enjoy a variety of games with the aim of making it a fun-filled day for all the family. The tournament will provide a small breakfast, snacks, lunch and a prize ceremony after the completion of the event.
The popular event regularly raised between $8,000 - $10,000 per year, and the family is looking to make this year bigger than ever.
Full details can be found at https://www.djcgolf.com or on the URL above.
Name: John Cornish
Organization: Key Mortgage Group
Address: 5189 Utica Ridge Rd, Davenport, IA 52807, United States
Website: https://gokeymortgage.com
SOURCE: Key Mortgage Group
https://www.accesswire.com/548641/Danny-Cornish-Charity-Golf-Tournament-Cancer-Fundraiser-Davenport-Move-Announced
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Ask an Advisor: We Are 70 Years Old, Have $99K in Retirement Income, a $1.4M IRA and Other Investments. Is It Too Late to Convert to a Roth?
My wife and I are 70 years old. We've paid off everything, including the house. Between my pension of $29,000 and Social Security, we're getting a gross of $99,000 a year in income, which is more than enough. Our current … Continue reading → The post Ask an Advisor: We Are 70 Years Old, Have $99K in Retirement Income, a $1.4M IRA and Other Investments. Is It Too Late to Convert to a Roth? appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.
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Down 30% in a Day, Is Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Doomed?
Shareholders of Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CPRX) got a nasty shock on Jan. 23 when the company reported that a competitor, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE: TEVA), was planning to make a generic version of its only marketed drug, Firdapse. With Catalyst's shares falling 30% in a day before slightly recovering, it's clear that the market is interpreting Teva's actions as severely threatening, and it's reasonable for investors to wonder if it's time to start looking for the door. First, let's take a moment to understand what Firdapse means for Catalyst Pharmaceuticals.


(1/x) + (1/y) = 1/N!
Print a single integer which is the no of positive integral solutions modulo 1000007.
Solution: Posted by JDGM (James D G Miles) in comments!
0 = xy - N!x - N!y = (x-N!)(y-N!) - N!N!
Both factors on the left are positive as x, y > 0 and hence x, y > N! otherwise the product would be non-positive or too small.
The problem is now how many distinct ways the factors of N!N! may be shared between (x-N!) and (y-N!). We may consider just the possible factors in (x-N!) because whatever is left over will be in (y-N!).
Decompose N! into prime powers p₁ᵅ¹p₂ᵅ²...pᵢᵅⁱ then we may have between zero and the full 2α₁ of N!N!'s p₁ powers in the (x-N!) factor and the rest in the (y-N!) factor.
And so on, for p₂, p₃, ..., pᵢ.
The number of solutions is therefore (2α₁+1)(2α₂+1)...(2αᵢ+1) because for each power p we have 2α+1 choices available to us as to how it shall be split between (x-N!) and (y-N!).
It is straightforward to write an algorithm to find the α values of N!'s prime factorisation for given N, and hence calculate the answer using the preceding formula.
For the second part, are we to similarly take arbitrary N, or is the solution to be taken across all values of x, y, N in Z₁₀₀₀₀₀₇? There can only be at most a finite 1000007³ such combinations of x, y, N so the solution in the latter case would be defined.
Anyway, choose arbitrary M = 1/N! mod 1000007 and we require the number of solutions to 1/x + 1/y = M mod 1000007.
My algorithm here is to tally ab=1 mod 1000007 for 0<a≤b<1000007 then build an array of that size and fill it with the a values for which ab=1 mod 1000007 through all compliant b. These are the possible 1/x and 1/y values - crucially note that 1/x or 1/y is not necessarily defined for all x, y in Z₁₀₀₀₀₀₇ which is why this step is necessary. The algorithm has effectively calculated just over half of the Z₁₀₀₀₀₀₇ multiplication table (includes diagonal) and stored the inverses where they exist, by picking out the corresponding factor where the entry in a row is 1. The next step of my algorithm is to go through this array, looking for values also in the array which add to the current value to make M mod 1000007. For each it finds, it adds 2 to the total number of solutions (because there is also a solution in the table on the other side of the diagonal - the table is symmetric), except in the case where the value lies on the diagonal when it adds only 1 to the total number of solutions (1000007 is odd, so the diagonal is its own reflection).
If the question requires the number of all solutions over all x, y, N then we may repeat for all 0 < 1/N! < 1000007 and sum them. If not, and there is a single solution for all N then one calculation will suffice, though one may wish to calculate them all anyway to prove that they are the same.
I believe Interview Street does not wish its answers publicly published so let's leave it there.
y = 2 * N!
Then for any N greater than 2 it will be an equality.
As many N, those many solutions.
That's fair Vivek, but I believe the convention with this type of question is that capital-letter N is an arbitrary input for an algorithm, and not a variable of the problem in the same sense as x and y.
And so, answer will be a function of N.
Solving for a fixed N.
Therefore in this case, we are looking for all k such that N!(N!+k)/k is an integer.
So we need the number of divisors of N!^2.


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text:
Q: .gitignore is ignoring all files in subdirectories I added my composer vendor folder in gitignore using the lines below:
application/cache/*
public/uploads/*
application/config/credentials.php
application/logs/*
vendor/
.env
.DS_STORE
temp/
composer.lock

Thus it is excluding the vendor folder in the root of my application (same directory as .gitignore file)
However, it is also ignoring all files located at /public/resources/member/js/vendor.
How do I ensure that .gitignore only ignores the vendor folder at the root of the application ?

A: You must change vendor/ to /vendor/ so git will ignore only the root vendor folder.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Calif. task force takes up question of whether docs on probation must tell patients
William Heisel's Antidote: Investigating Untold Health Stories
By William Heisel
If you have ever worked in California, you have probably seen a sign somewhere in your office or a place you visited warning you that the building may contain chemicals that cause cancer.
The warnings are everywhere and have been for decades following a law passed in 1986.
Last month, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a new law requiring crisis pregnancy centers to post signs that say, according to the law, "that California has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services, prenatal care, and abortion, for eligible women."
And California — both at the state level and at the local level — has long been a leader in requiring detailed food labels, nutritional information on restaurant menus, and health inspection ratings on licensed facilities.
So when I heard that Consumers Union was making a push to require physicians to tell their patients when they are on probation with the Medical Board of California, I thought that this was an idea that might ultimately have some legs.
The day before Halloween, Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project, led by Lisa McGiffert, presented a petition to the Medical Board of California at a meeting in San Diego. The effort marshaled six activists and patient advocates to testify.
Here is the case they made: They noted that there are nearly 500 doctors in California on probation for repeated gross negligence, substance abuse, sexual misconduct, among other infractions. Consumers Union put together a handy list that you can see online.
As the law stands now, doctors on probation have to tell hospitals where they practice and the insurance companies that provide them malpractice coverage about the fact that they are on probation.
But they don't have to tell their patients.
Unless a patient happens to read a news story about a doctor who has done something wrong or frequently checks the medical board's website to see if their doctor has a disciplinary record, the typical patient would have no idea that the person prescribing them medicine, performing an operation on them, or treating their children has a disciplinary history.
By telling doctors that they have to tell their patients, the Medical Board would be ensuring that everyone who deserves to know actually does know that a physician has acted in such a way as to put their license in jeopardy. It would prompt an open dialogue between patients and physicians about the nature of the violation and what it means — or doesn't mean — for the patient's ongoing care and treatment. For example, a patient may not care that a doctor had been caught fudging the facts in an insurance claim. Other patients may care a great deal, however, when hearing that a doctor took photographs of patients without their knowledge.
This wasn't the first time the Medical Board of California had heard about this issue. As Consumers Union noted in its briefing, the board's own staff recommended in 2012 that doctors on probation be required to inform their patients. The Board — dominated by physicians — rejected the recommendation.
This October, the Board did a little better. It formed a task force, which would include members of Consumers Union, to study the issue.
"Californians deserve to know when their doctor is on probation for a serious offense that could put their health at risk," McGiffert of Consumers Union said in a prepared statement. "Today's hearing made clear that the Medical Board is taking this issue seriously and understands that it needs to do more to ensure Californians aren't left in the dark. We look forward to working with the Board so that patients are properly informed when their doctor has a history of serious misconduct."
The statement also provides more evidence for why this matters:
The Medical Board's own research … found that 17 percent of the 444 doctors who were actively practicing while on probation during FY 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 required additional discipline or surrendered their licenses while on probation. By comparison, similar research has found that less than 1 percent of doctors who were unsanctioned were subsequently disciplined during a follow-up period studied.
To understand where the task force might take the issue and how it might navigate a middle passage between what Consumers Union wants and what the Medical Board of California undoubtedly wants, it helps to understand why the Board rejected the petition. McGiffert later told me the Board provided several reasons:
The petition was too prescriptive.
We should make all boards do this and not just pick on the Medical Board of California.
Concern that it will harm the patient-doctor relationship.
And doctors on probation due to minor transgressions shouldn't have to inform patients.
On that last point, McGiffert noted to me: "None of us have read an order so far that put a doctor on probation for a minor transgression."
Nor have I.
Momentum is starting to build for this idea. You can read passionate takes on the issue from Michele Monserratt-Ramos, Rae Greulich, and others.
A story in the San Diego Union-Tribune by Paul Sisson nailed it:
The debate over patient notification of doctors' violations is probably news to most people. Health experts said the public likely assumes that regulators have long required physicians to tell their patients about disciplinary measures taken against them. In reality, a survey conducted by the medical board's staff found no states that compel routine disclosure of such information by physicians to their patients.
California could be the first, as it has been on so many other public safety issues.
(Modified image/original by Ibai via Flickr.)
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100% wool batts are enclosed in a 50% polyester/50% cotton cover. Because of wool's excellent insulating properties, it keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. Pure wool "breathes", drawing moisture away from the body. Care instructions included.


Set a year after Charlie Asher has died (to the world – to close friends, he is actually trapped in a the body of a 14 inch meat suit by his Buddhist nun girlfriend Audrey), San Francisco is starting to feel a shift in the balance. Souls are mysteriously disappearing, and it's not because the Death Merchants are collecting them. Someone or something is stealing them, and the only clue involves the Golden Gate Bridge. The group from A Dirty Job must get together and figure out what's going on, before the Underworld tries to come topside again.
THERE ARE SO MANY CHARACTERS. Let me see if I can organize this.
Charlie Asher – A former Death Merchant, beta-male, who is trapped in a 14 inch meat suit with a ten inch dong. Father of Sophie, the big D Death. He is trying to find a human body to move back to.
Minty Fresh – A seven foot tall death merchant. Owns a record store and a failed Pizza/jazz store. Probably the closest thing to a best friend that Charlie has, begrudgingly.
Alphonse Rivera – A newer death merchant and a semi-retired cop. Starts to realize something is wrong in San Fran, especially when the Emperor comes in looking to write down all the information of the dead who haven't moved on.
Lily – A former goth who worked with Charlie and dated Minty. Had dreams of being a chef, but currently works at a suicide crisis center. She is grumpy and angry, especially since she has nothing magical or special about her.
Audrey- Charlie's Buddhist nun girlfriend who trapped him in his current meat suit. She is in charge of the Book of the Dead, which is how she creates all the meat people.
Sophie Asher – Depressingly not a main character, despite being the Big Actual Death at the age of 7. Can kill any living thing by pointing at it and saying "kitty." She is followed by two hellhounds (goggies) who have gone missing at the beginning of the book.
Jane and Cassie – Jane is Charlie's sister, and Cassie is her wife. They are Sophie's legal guardians.
Wiggly Charlie/Bob/Meat People – The group Audrey created to save souls. Wiggly Charlie and Bob are the only ones who can speak.
The Man in Yellow – Also know as Lemon Fresh, who is Minty's cousin. He's the avatar for an underworld god. He's also helping the Morrigan try to get back topside.
Mike – A Golden Gate Bridge painter who can see ghosts.
I am actually not a Christopher Moore fan. I've tried a few of his other books, but I haven't finished any of them but this one and A Dirty Job. Unfortunately, this book seems to fall more in the "why I'm not a Christopher Moore fan" than "YAY CHRISTOPHER MOORE" category. I need to also realize that if a book takes me longer than 4 days to read, I probably don't like it too much.
Yeah, the book would have been better if Sophie had been the main character. It wasn't terrible, but very slow moving. I listened to a ton of Read It and Weep instead of reading this book, which serious makes me sad. The actual story – who is stealing the ghosts and why – is just very meh and kind of forgotten. I actually had to skim over parts – like the ghosts telling the stories of how they died – because I just didn't care.
If you've read A Dirty Job and need to know what happened to Charlie and the gang, read this book. It's not a terrible continuation, and it doesn't set up for a third book, though if there's one about Sophie, I'll totally read it.


Six years ago, Paris welcomed a new luxury five star hotel to the City's tree-lined avenues, the first European property for Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts.
Joining some illustrious, and well established, names on the hotel scene of France's capital, the property would see the merger of French 'art de vive' with Shangri-La's legendary Asian 'hospitality from the heart' in a seamless blend across cultures & continents.
Shangri-La's investment in, and commitment to, Paris saw their purchase of the palatial residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, the great grandnephew of Napoleon himself. The new owners registered the property as a Monument Historique and thereafter commenced a four-year renovation; a period equal to that of its original construction. During the painstaking restoration, exceptional attention to detail ensued, overseen by architects & artisans of their craft from marble to marquetry.
Originally built in 1896 in the elegant 16 arrondissement (between the statue of George Washington and the Eiffel Tower, a district with a high concentration of galleries & museums), respected botanist, Prince Roland, used his palace to entertain the elite of Parisian society. Today's modern travellers and locals alike are afforded the opportunity to relax, lounge, dine and sleep amongst the original rooms of the palace, making the property a truly unique & intimate place to stay in the City.
In addition to closely maintaining & preserving the historical importance of the property, Shangri-La's investment saw the creation of the three distinctly different restaurants, (two of which have been awarded Michelin Stars), the 'Botaniste' bar (named after Prince Rolland's passion) & the installation of a stunning 16 square metre swimming pool; bathed in natural light where the stables once stood and forming the centrepiece of the Chi, The Spa, another signature facility of Shangri-La properties.
Many of the 101 rooms, which include 36 suites, have commanding views across the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. Each guest room & suite is designed & decorated in traditional French style & colours, with subtle Asian touches – your stay feels more akin to that of residing in a luxury private Parisian home than that of an hotel, yet with all the full-service benefits the latter provides.
For exploring Paris, there is so much to see and do on the doorstep (on foot) from the Trocadero to the Champs Elysee, the world class boutiques on nearby Ave de Montaigne, to a boat trip on the Seine…and of course the iconic Eiffel Tour which is under a 10 mins walk. The nearest Metro station, around the corner from the Hotel, takes you to the Blvd. Haussmann and beyond, and even the Louvre, Notre Dame and Opera Garnier are within a brisk walk or an inexpensive taxi ride away.
As one expects of a five-star property, the guest amenities and facilities throughout are superb; however, in addition to the uniqueness of the fabric of the building in which you are staying, two elements are a real stand-out. Firstly, and the cornerstone of Shangri-La's philosophy towards service excellence, the staff themselves who embody the ethos of 'hospitality from the heart' – this shines through, from arrival to departure, with a genuine care in the wellbeing, comfort and enjoyment of the guest, no matter whom you encounter from a manager to a housekeeper. Secondly, the attention to detail displayed at every level, be this the newly published book of '10 Parisian Walks' to the research undertaken to produce botanical cocktails in the bar – this is above and beyond five-star, however it comes naturally to Shangri-La.
We have been fortunate in our travels to have stayed at eight Shangri-La properties in Europe, Asia & Australia. Inspired by the legendary land featured in James Hilton's 1933 novel "Lost Horizons", the name Shangri-La encapsulates serenity & hospitality and, as I sip a G&T in Le Bar Bontaniste during our stay in Paris, I could easily imagine that if the author had joined me for a drink he may well have felt the fictitious land of his novel had since become a reality.


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Interactive animated tutorials and quizzes on the bones of the human skeleton and their anatomical markings.
... information will help you find out how the skeletal system supports ... You can use the diagram to locate many of the bones in your body.
Human body activity to teach k12 students about the types of joints and the skeletal system of the human body.


Bet it tastes as good as it looks, nice job!
She sure is a very good smoke, reminds me a old blueberry knockoff I used to grow.
Quick question... what day do you plan on ending the photo addmissions?
I ask because of the holidays and I'll be near harvest at that time and would like to enter.
Hey, Topheavy! The submission deadline is usually the last day of the month. So Dec 31. But I personally like to photograph plants a week or two before harvest. I just think they are prettier at that point.
Last edited by BRUNEZ; 12-06-2017 at 11:36 PM.
You probably wanna go with either the first mango sapphire pic or the mango haze top bud pic.
Should Broseidon enter this contest for the first time?


text:
New Directions in Cultural Policy Research
Belfiore, E. (Ed)
New Directions in Cultural Policy Research encourages theoretical and empirical contributions which enrich and develop the field of cultural policy studies. Since its emergence in the 1990s in Australia and the United Kingdom and its eventual diffusion in Europe, the academic field of cultural policy studies has expanded globally as the arts and popular culture have been re-positioned by city, regional, and national governments, and international bodies, from the margins to the centre of social and economic development in both rhetoric and practice. The series invites contributions in all of the following: arts policies, the politics of culture, cultural industries policies (the 'traditional' arts such as performing and visual arts, crafts), creative industries policies (digital, social media, broadcasting and film, and advertising), urban regeneration and urban cultural policies, regional cultural policies, the politics of cultural and creative labour, the production and consumption of popular culture, arts education policies, cultural heritage and tourism policies, and the history and politics of media and communications policies. The series will reflect current and emerging concerns of the field such as, for example, cultural value, community cultural development, cultural diversity, cultural sustainability, lifestyle culture and eco-culture, planning for the intercultural city, cultural planning, and cultural citizenship.
Titles in this series
Social Policy 1 Remove
Error[en_EN | Frontend.ProductSearchPage | section.resultlist.coverstyle]
Error[en_EN | Frontend.ProductSearchPage | section.resultlist.facet.HARD] 1
Error[en_EN | Frontend.ProductSearchPage | section.resultlist.facet.NA] 1
Error[en_EN | Frontend.ProductSearchPage | section.resultlist.facet.SOFT] 1
Within Book Social Policy Older
Cultural Policies in East Asia
Lee, H. (Ed), Lim, L. (Ed) (2014)
This book provides a detailed snapshot of cultural policies in China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. In addition to an historical overview of the culture-state …
Available Formats: Hardcover Softcover eBook


text:
Natural variability of lung function in young healthy school children
Jane Kirkby, Vassiliki Bountziouka, Sooky Lum, Angie Wade, Janet Stocks
European Respiratory Journal 2016 48: 411-419; DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01795-2015
Jane Kirkby
Respiratory, Critical Care and Anaesthesia section in Portex Unit, University College London, Institute of Child Health, London, UKGreat Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
For correspondence: J.kirkby@ucl.ac.uk
Vassiliki Bountziouka
Respiratory, Critical Care and Anaesthesia section in Portex Unit, University College London, Institute of Child Health, London, UK
Sooky Lum
Angie Wade
Population, Policy and Practice Programme, University College London, Institute of Child Health, London, UK
Janet Stocks
Knowledge about long-term variability of lung function in healthy children is essential when monitoring and treating those with respiratory disease over time. The aim of this study was to define the natural variability in spirometry in young children after an interval of 12 months.
The Size and Lung function In Children study was a prospective study designed to assess spirometry and body size, shape and composition in a multi-ethnic population of London school children. 14 schools with a wide range of socioeconomic circumstances were recruited. Spirometric and anthropometric assessments and parental questionnaires pertaining to respiratory symptoms, previous medical history, pubertal status and socioeconomic circumstances were completed at baseline and ∼1 year later.
Technically acceptable spirometry data on two occasions ∼1 year apart (range 9–16 months) were available in 758 children (39% boys, mean±sd age 8.1±1.6 years), 593 of whom were classified as "healthy". Mean±sd within-subject between-test variability was 0.05±0.6 z-scores, with 95% of all the children achieving a between-test variability within ±1.2 z-scores (equating to ∼13% predicted).
Natural variations of up to 1.2 z-scores occur in healthy children over ∼1 year. These must be considered when interpreting results from annual reviews in those with lung disease who are otherwise stable, if unnecessary further investigations or changes in treatment are to be avoided.
Spirometry can vary by up to 1.2 z-scores over the course of 1 year in children without any overt lung disease http://ow.ly/YZ7mT
Spirometry assessments are important both for diagnosing lung disease and for monitoring disease progression and/or response to treatment [1–4]. While comparison of an individual spirometry result with an appropriate reference or predicted value may identify abnormal lung function, it is often more clinically valuable to assess changes in an individual's lung function following an intervention or over time [5]. Differentiating true clinical changes in pulmonary status from intrinsic between-test variability can, however, be challenging.
Within-test variability and daily repeatability has been reported to be ∼5% in adults [6] and up to 10% in young children [3], although some studies with careful quality control and trained subjects have reported within-test variability values as low as 2% in school-aged children [7]. While such variability can be controlled to a great extent by using standardised, well calibrated equipment and adhering to published guidelines on data collection, analysis and quality control [3, 4], identification of clinically important changes over time requires knowledge of normal changes in lung function in health, due to growth, development or ageing. The recently published Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) spirometry reference equations adjust for the main determinants of lung function (age, height, sex and ethnicity) and for age-dependent variability [8], as well as incorporating the important changes in the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio that occur during adolescence [9]. These equations, were, however, based on cross-sectional data from 74 187 individuals of different ages, and do not necessarily reflect individual changes over time [8]. Although GLI equations have been shown to be applicable in cross-sectional studies [10–13], their applicability in longitudinal studies has not been investigated.
In contrast to adults, in whom there is a steady age-related decline in lung function [5], which is often accelerated by disease [14], absolute lung function increases during childhood, with substantial changes in the pattern of lung and airway growth during puberty, such that lung disease may present as a reduced rate of lung growth, after allowing for the effects of age and somatic growth, rather than an absolute decline in overall function. Identification of clinically relevant changes over time in children with lung disease is therefore dependent not only on availability of suitable reference equations but on knowing the expected long-term variability of lung function in healthy children of similar age. While many studies have reported longitudinal changes in lung function either in relation to specific diseases [15–17] or when investigating potential impact of early life insults [18–22], there is a relative dearth of information regarding natural variability of lung function over time, especially in young children.
The aim of this study was to define long-term variability in spirometric lung function in a multi-ethnic population of London primary school children (aged 5–11 years) after an interval of ∼12 months, and to investigate whether factors such as age, puberty, prior history of asthma or mild current respiratory symptoms affected such variability. We hypothesised that, while there should be no mean change in spirometry outcomes over this interval when expressed as z-scores using the GLI multi-ethnic reference equations, the long-term variability over 1 year in young children could be at least 10%, as previously reported in adults [5].
The Size and Lung function In Children (SLIC) study was a prospective study designed to assess spirometry and body size, shape and composition in a population of multi-ethnic children (aged 5–11 years) in London schools [12]. The study protocol, methods of recruitment and details of exclusion/inclusion criteria have been published previously [12]. In brief, 14 schools with a wide range of socioeconomic circumstances were recruited. While spirometry and anthropometry were assessed in all children with written parental consent, data from those with current/chronic lung disease, e.g. sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis and current asthma, or with congenital abnormalities likely to have an impact on lung development, were excluded from subsequent analyses [12, 13]. All children were well enough to attend school, but were documented as "symptomatic" if a mild cough or runny nose was observed during the measurements. When possible, both spirometry and anthropometry were repeated ∼12 months after the initial assessments.
The same team of paediatric respiratory physiologists carried out all spirometric assessments on both test occasions using identical equipment (Easy-on-PC; ndd Medical, Zurich, Switzerland) and standardised protocols in accordance with published guidelines [4], with subsequent over-read by a senior respiratory physiologist to ensure appropriate quality control [23]. To facilitate high quality data collection, all operators were trained and assessed to ensure that they would enthusiastically encourage each child to achieve maximal inhalation and exhalation. Furthermore, plenty of time was allowed for a full explanation, practical demonstration and subsequent practice with the child prior to commencing the tests.
Results were expressed as z-scores using the GLI spirometry reference equations, which adjust for sex, age, height and ethnicity [8]. Age was recorded in decimal years [24]. Height and weight were measured without shoes to the nearest 0.1 cm and 0.1 kg, respectively (Harpenden stadiometer (Holtain Ltd, Crosswell, UK) and Tanita BWB600 (Tanita Corporation, Tokyo, Japan)), and, together with body mass index (BMI), were converted to z-scores to adjust for sex and age [25].
A questionnaire pertaining to respiratory symptoms, previous medical history, pubertal status (if aged >8 years) and socioeconomic circumstances (defined using the English Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) score [26] based on home postcode) was administered on both test occasions [27]. Methods of classifying puberty have been described previously [28]. In brief, children were classified as "non-pubertal" if their parents responded negatively to the relevant questions on both test occasions, or as "approaching puberty" if parents responded positively either on both occasions or just the second. Socioeconomic circumstances based on IMD 2010 score were grouped into three categories reflecting high (least deprived areas; first/second quintile), moderate (third/fourth quintile) and low socioeconomic circumstances (most deprived areas; fifth quintile) [26]. Children were broadly categorised as white (European ancestry), black (African or Caribbean descent), South Asian (originating from the Indian subcontinent) or of "other" or "mixed" ethnicities, based on parental report.
The study was guided by a steering committee and approved by the London-Hampstead research ethics committee (approval number 10/H0720/53). Parental written consent and child verbal assent were obtained prior to assessment.
Data management and statistical analysis
Results are presented as mean±sd for continuous variables or frequencies (%) for categorical variables. To adjust for differences in growth and development (age, sex and height), lung function results were expressed as z-scores. Mean differences in lung function z-scores between test occasions were calculated by subtracting values of the second test from those of the first (i.e. T1−T2), with the 95% limits of these differences calculated as meandifference±1.96sddifference. This is termed the "between-test variability". When using the GLI equations in children aged 5–11 years, a difference of 1 z-score in FEV1 or FVC equates to ∼11% predicted [8]. For the purposes of this study, and to aid clinical interpretation, between-test variability was classified as low for those with differences of ≤0.5 z-scores, medium if >0.5 and ≤1 z-score, high if >1 and ≤2 z-scores and extreme if >2 z-scores. The Pearson correlation coefficient (with 95% CI) was used to assess the magnitude of any association between changes in lung function and height z-scores between test occasions. Both linear and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association of growth factors (i.e. age, height, "approaching puberty") and difference in lung function z-scores between tests. Logistic regression models with 95% CI described any increased odds of having a difference in lung function between test occasions that exceeded ±0.5 z-scores, while the linear regression models evaluated the association of growth factors (e.g. time interval between tests, onset of puberty, change in height z-score) with the change in lung function z-scores. Since results were similar using both methods, logistic regression models were presented to aid clinical interpretation.
Analyses were performed using SPSS v.20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).
Of the 1901 subjects assessed in the main study [12], measurements were only possible on a single test occasion in 1120, due to lack of facilities in some schools for repeat testing within a specified time period, children moving to senior schools or lack of parental consent on one or other test occasion. Results from 23 (2.9%) out of 781 children with repeated measurements were excluded due to poor quality spirometry or change in asthma health status between test occasions.
Technically acceptable data on two test occasions 9–16 months apart (mean 11.0 months) were available in 758 children, hereafter referred to as "all subjects", a group which comprised 39% boys, with mean±sd age on first test occasion of 8.1±1.6 years. Of these, 63 (8%) had been born preterm and/or with low birthweight, 37 (5%) had been previously diagnosed with asthma and 65 (8.6%) had mild respiratory symptoms on one or other test occasion (4% on first test and 4.6% on second test). 44% of "all subjects" were white, 23% black, 21% South Asian and 12% of "other/mixed" ethnicities. Apart from an increased proportion of preterm/low birthweight and a reduced proportion of asthma among South Asians, a similar ethnic distribution was observed across all subgroups. With the exception of a small reduction in the proportion of boys, background characteristics of children undergoing repeated measurements were very similar to those observed for the entire SLIC population of 1901 children [12, 27]. Background characteristics of "all subjects" as well as the various subgroups were also very similar to those of the "healthy population", which comprised the 593 (78%) children with repeat measurements who had no significant prior or current medical history (figure 1 and table 1).
Flow chart for subjects included in the study.
Participants' characteristics
Between 14% and 24% of children in the various populations/subgroups were "approaching puberty" by the second test occasion. Socioeconomic circumstances as classified by the IMD 2010 score were consistent between test occasions in all but 4% of children, the latter being classified for the purposes of this study using information recorded on the second test occasion. One third of both "all subjects" and "healthy children", and nearly half of those born preterm or with "previous asthma" were classified within the lower (fifth) quintile according to IMD 2010. There were no significant differences in either anthropometry or lung function between "all subjects" and the healthy population, although those with "prior asthma" tended to have a higher BMI than other groups and, together with those who were symptomatic on the day of test, tended to have slightly lower lung function (table 1).
After an interval of 9–16 months, the mean±sd between-test variability of FEV1 was 0.05±0.6 z-scores for "all subjects". Two-thirds of "all subjects" as well as "healthy" children had low variability (±0.5 z-scores, i.e. <6% predicted), with similar results for children born preterm/low birthweight or with prior asthma, although this proportion was slightly lower (54%) in those who were symptomatic on one or other test occasion (table 2). Between-test variability of ±1.2 z-scores (∼13% predicted) was achieved by 95% of all young children included in the study, with only four children (0.5%) having extreme variability between test occasions (>2 z-scores) (table 2). Although results from children with the "extreme variability" were re-analysed to verify that this was not due to any issues with quality control, this did not lead to any further exclusion. Those with lung function below the fifth centile on the initial visit (less than −1.64 z-scores) tended to have larger increases in lung function when re-tested than those in whom results were within the normal range (figure 2); however, there was only a weak correlation (r2=0.09) between the magnitude of change over time and lung function on the first occasion.
Distribution of children according to the magnitude of between-test variability# in lung function, for each population
Change in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) z-score (visit 2−visit 1) compared with the FEV1 z-score on the initial visit. The dashed line indicates the lower limit of normal (−1.64 z-scores, fifth centile).
There was no association between changes in z-FEV1 and changes in height z-score between test occasions among "all subjects" (rho=0.09, 95% CI 0.02–0.16), suggesting that the more extreme changes in z-FEV1 seen in a few children were not associated with the sudden growth spurts that may occur at the start of puberty (figure 3). Similar results were found across all ethnic groups and for FVC and FEV1/FVC (data not shown).
Between-test (T1−T2) difference in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) z-scores versus change in height z-score (T2−T1), according to pubertal status for the reference population. Dashed lines indicate the 95% limits of agreement (±1.2 z-scores). The lack of association between differences in FEV1 z-scores and height z-scores, and negligible effects of pubertal status, suggest that these factors have a minimal role in explaining the more extreme changes seen in a few children.
Inclusion of children born preterm/low birthweight, previously diagnosed with asthma or symptomatic at test occasion within the "all subjects" population had minimal effect on the distribution of z-score variability over time; mean±sd differences in FEV1 z-scores were 0.07±0.59 in the healthy population and 0.05±0.60 for "all subjects", with similar values for FVC and FEV1/FVC (table 3).
Mean differences between the two test occasions in lung function z-scores for all populations tested
Although children "approaching puberty" had a slightly higher odds of z-FEV1 changing by >0.5 z-scores over the year, this was not statistically significant (odds ratio 1.21, 95% CI 0.76–1.93), with similar results for FVC and FEV1/FVC (table 4). After adjustment for age, time interval, pubertal status, sex and ethnicity, change in height z-score was only associated with an increased odds of z-FVC changing by >0.5 z-scores per unit change in z-height (table 4). Results were similar when analysed as a continuum (data not shown). The magnitude of variability in lung function was independent of socioeconomic circumstances, as measured using IMD 2010 (data not shown) after adjusting for age, sex, height and pubertal status.
Growth factors associated with the adjusted odds of having difference in lung function (T1−T2) >0.5 z-scores between test occasions
In this study we performed repeated assessments of spirometry and anthropometry after an interval of 9–16 months in a large, multi-ethnic population of London primary school children. Although the follow-up for this study was limited to ∼1 year for practical reasons, this represented a clinically meaningful interval, since children with lung disease frequently undergo detailed annual assessment (the "annual review") in addition to more regular assessments throughout the year [29]. Use of the GLI ethnic-specific spirometry reference equations [8] was appropriate for interpreting lung function in this population, with mean±sd results approximating 0±1 z-scores on both test occasions. While two-thirds of the children demonstrated relatively low variability in spirometric z-scores (i.e. values differed by <0.5 z-scores (∼6% predicted) when assessed a year apart), changes of up to 1.2 z-scores (13% predicted) were encountered among 95% of the population. Although neither unusual changes in height nor transition into puberty were predictive of increased variability, there was a very weak inverse correlation between magnitude of change over time and initial lung function, this relationship being influenced primarily by the few children with lung function below the fifth centile on the first occasion. This could reflect either slight underperformance by a few children on the first occasion or undetected respiratory symptoms. However, the inclusion of children with mild current symptoms, prior wheeze or low birthweight did not influence either mean spirometry results [13] or the magnitude of change over time. To avoid potential over-treatment or unnecessary additional investigations in otherwise stable children, the natural year-to-year variability of lung function that can occur in the absence of any overt lung disease needs to be considered when interpreting results from annual reviews in children with lung disease.
Baseline and longitudinal spirometric assessments are an integral part of routine care and clinical decision-making for many respiratory diseases [1–4]. For example, in cystic fibrosis, monitoring disease progression can predict mortality and indicate need for intervention [29]. Liou et al. [29] recently reported relatively large individual annual decreases in FEV1 % predicted, with >20% of patients having decreases ≥5% predicted. They highlight the importance of considering individual annual changes as well as aggregated population changes, appropriate interpretation of which requires knowledge of normal year-to-year variability.
In this study, after an interval of ∼1 year, between-test variability within ±1.2 z-scores (approximately ±13% predicted) was achieved by 95% of young children, with only five children (0.7%) having extreme variability between test occasions (>2 z-scores). This is in keeping with proposals by the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society, which suggested that when interpreting within-subject annual changes, those >15% were indicative of a clinically meaningful change in adults [5]. This study of young school-aged children demonstrates that, provided close attention is paid to quality control, even in large field studies that include some mildly symptomatic subjects, not only are between-test variability scores of FEV1 and FVC similar to each other, but overall variation is similar to that reported in adults. It must, however, be noted that the degree of variability observed in this study, where all assessments were undertaken by specialist staff using a highly standardised protocol, is likely to be considerably less than may occur in primary care, where lung function may be measured under less favourable conditions. Although the magnitude of change by the second test was slightly elevated in the few children whose initial results fell below the normal range, the majority of children in this study had results within the normal range, and among these children there was no relationship between magnitude of change and baseline lung function.
Expressing differences in lung function over time as z-scores as in this study, rather than absolute changes [20, 21], ensured appropriate adjustments were made for growth [8]. Neither change in height z-score nor pubertal status was associated with increased between-test variability of lung function, suggesting that the GLI equations adequately take such factors into account in young children. The current findings are, however, limited to children aged <12 years and, since only a relatively small proportion of these children were "approaching puberty", we were not able to explore the differential effects of puberty on patterns of lung and airway growth, which remain poorly understood. Although the assumption that longitudinal changes in this study follow predicted changes from the cross-sectional GLI data must be applied cautiously, the use of the GLI reference equations appeared to have been appropriate in this longitudinal study, and provided a reliable index that remained constant during growth. The stability of group mean spirometric z-scores over the year in this study is consistent with previous reports [30, 31], although these studies did not report within-subject variability.
A further strength of the study was that all assessments were undertaken by the same specialised team of paediatric respiratory physiologists using identical equipment and standardised protocols, with strict quality control criteria on both test occasions. The use of modern equipment and strict quality control criteria will have facilitated achievement of maximum FVC in these young children. This may have contributed to the slightly higher FVC, and hence a slightly lower FEV1/FVC than predicted by the GLI equations, as well as the similar variability over time of FVC when compared with FEV1. While "learning effects" in repeated assessments cannot be excluded [5], the fact that the group mean lung function remained so stable at follow-up suggests that appropriate training and supervision were provided on both test occasions.
Knowledge of the natural between-test variability of lung function in childhood is essential for appropriate interpretation of longitudinal assessments in both epidemiological studies and when monitoring individual children with lung disease. This study demonstrates that, even under optimal conditions where all assessments are undertaken by highly trained paediatric respiratory physiologists, lung function can vary by up to 1.2 z-scores over the course of 1 year in children without any overt lung disease. Such variability is likely to be even higher in many hospital outpatient clinics or primary care, and must be taken into account when interpreting results from annual reviews in those with lung disease. Appreciation of the normal variability that can occur in health may help reduce anxiety for the child or their family, who are often alarmed at even the smallest reductions in lung function during annual review. Furthermore, although clinical management should always be based on treating the patient, rather than the numerical results of any test, awareness of the intrinsic variability of lung function during annual reviews may help prevent unnecessary further investigations or changes in treatment plans for children with lung disease who are otherwise stable.
We thank Rachel Bonner, Emma Raywood, Sarah Legg, Dave Sears, Simon Lee and Philippa Cottam (all Respiratory, Critical Care and Anaesthesia section, University College London, Institute of Child Health, London, UK) for their help with data collection and data management. We would particularly like to thank the head teachers and staff of participating schools for facilitating the recruitment and school assessments, and last but not least the children and families who participated in the study.
Support statement: This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (WT094129MA), Asthma UK (10/013) and the Child Growth Foundation. The Size and Lung function In Children (SLIC) study team acknowledges the support of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), through the Comprehensive Clinical Research Network and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and University College London. Funding information for this article has been deposited with FundRef.
Conflict of interest: None declared.
Accepted February 25, 2016.
Copyright ©ERS 2016
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Welcome to our bin end section! Here you'll find wines that we are unable to reorder – usually because there is no more available. As we only have a few bottles left of some of these products the vintages may vary by a year or two from that stated below but we'll let you know if this is the case so you can decide if you would still like them. Stock levels are also as live as they can be so we'll let you know if there are any stock discrepancies and endeavor to find a replacement for you.


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Capitol Tracker | Mike McGuire talks wildfire…
Capitol Tracker | Mike McGuire talks wildfire prevention at town hall
North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire spoke to residents during a virtual town hall meeting at noon on Monday about the drought response. (Screenshot)
By Ruth Schneider | rschneider@times-standard.com | Eureka Times-Standard
North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire held a virtual town hall meeting at noon Monday to discuss wildfire prevention measures the state is taking.
"Let's be honest," McGuire said during the town hall meeting. "Northern California, especially the North Coast and the North Bay, have seen some of the most devastating impacts related to wildfire compared to any other region in the United States of America. And what we know is the era of mega-fires is here. Thousands of homes and buildings over the last six years, since 2015, over 2.5 million acres have burned between the Oregon border and the Golden Gate Bridge."
One focus of the discussion between McGuire and California Coastal Conservancy's Mary Small are projects that deal with vegetation management. He noted in April, the Legislature approved $536 million to increase fire response, and projects slated to begin in June and July will improve wildfire prevention. And state lawmakers are aiming to authorize another $500 million by the end of June.
"Vegetation management is making our neighborhoods or cities more fire safe," McGuire said. "It could mean spending funding on removing dead and dying trees. The state believes there are 120 million dead or dying trees. … it's been incredibly scary over the past few years and that's why we're moving this record $1 billion to help make communities more fire safe."
Small said the Coastal Conservancy received $12 million in early action funding.
"We received 80 proposals requesting $40 million worth of funding so there's a lot of work out there," Small said. "We will have a special board meeting on June 7 and we expect to recommend about 33 projects to our board, finding projects from Trinity County to San Diego."
McGuire also said there are additional firefighters who will be working with Cal Fire.
"We're hiring an additional 1,200 seasonal Cal Fire firefighters, just for this fire season," he said. "That's literally going to mean dozens of additional positions on top of what we had in 2020 on the North Coast … dozens of additional positions between Humboldt, Del Norte, Lake, Mendocino, as well as Sonoma County."
McGuire added that state parks will receive funding to combat wildfires as well.
"As we've seen in the past, if a fire gets into the park, what that will do for neighborhoods and communities," he said. "So there will be tens of millions of dollars that will be allocated to state parks for wildfire prevention and vegetation management projects."
McGuire also highlighted some of the legislation he worked on in recent years, including mandating backup power for cell towers and a more coordinated notification system to alert residents to wildfires.
Ruth Schneider | Managing Editor


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What is #PlasticFreeNBV?
Plastic Reduction Ordinances
Plastic Substitutes
Florida Friendly Landscaping
Shop in Style
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Plastic Free NBV
The Problem: Plastic Pollution
Plastic Pollution is a
growing concern
The increasing presence of plastic in our environment is a concern for North Bay Village and other coastal municipalities. Plastic has become a prominent material in our everyday lives due to it's versatility, durability, and low production cost. Although it has provided numerous benefits to the modern world, it is estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean annually and 100 million marine animals are killed every year due to plastic debris. Just as importantly, almost half of the plastic produced is considered to be single-use plastic; meaning that it is only used once and then discarded.
Even though some types of plastic can be recycled, it has been found that only a fifth of the plastic being produced globally is recyclable. This supports the importance of reducing our dependency on single-use plastic by switching to sustainable materials or better yet, opting for reusable products.
Marine Impacts
Plastic comprises up to 97% of marine debris, and its dominance in the environment is explained by its abundance and nearly endless lifecycle. According to a United Nations (UN) over eight million metric tons of plastic are found in our oceans every year, impacting our marine wildlife, fisheries, and tourism, and costing at least $8 billion in damage to marine ecosystems. The remains and broken-down particles of these types of plastic can be ingested by wildlife such as shore birds, sea turtles, and fish. The UN believes it is critical to the public's health, safety, and welfare to reduce litter and pollutants.
Check out the infograph below from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to learn more about the impacts of plastic on our natural environment. According to NOAA, plastic debris are very damaging to the marine environment due to their durability. They usually take longer to biodegrade compared to other materials, and as they get exposed to elements like sun and saltwater, they break into smaller pieces. NOAA explains that once these pieces are less than 5 milliters, they are called "microplastics" and at that point, it's really difficult to remove them from ours waters. More information on NOAA's research on plastic pollution can be found here: https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/plastic.html
Garbage Patches
Single-use plastic and the resulting debris is a global issue. Although action at a local level is important, it's also vital to keep in mind that a worldwide change needs to be made. Debris accumulates in the ocean as a result of many natural factors including ocean currents. Rotating currents, also known as gyres, spiral around a central point. Marine debris gets caught and begins piling up within these gyres which overtime become garbage patches. The most notable of these garbage patches is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which measures approximately 617,763 square miles. The Atlantic Ocean has southern and north gyres which have been discovered to have two separate garbage patches similar to the Pacific.
Learn more about single-use plastics and how you can help protect our environment and marine habitats.
#PlasticFreeNBV: Plastic Reduction Business Program
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Andi Lynn-Meidansen writes on topics such as relationship reconciliation, self-understanding, the natural world, purpose, and The Big Story. She is devoted to listening to and learning about Jesus through reading and writing. Passionate about molecular biology, she appreciates the microscopic perspective of life, in intricate detail and at minute resolution. Andi is also an occasional violinist, water-color painter, and swimmer; a lover of rich conversation and healthy portions of solitude, in turn. As wife, and mother to all boys, home is in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.


Open Heaven 3 December 2018 Monday – WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM GOD?
There are several lessons we can learn from the story narrated in today's Bible reading. Firstly, when we cry to God in the Name of Jesus Christ, we receive divine attention, as this blind man did. I pray that you will receive heaven's attention as you cry to God today in Jesus' Name. Secondly, the blind man knew what he needed, and he got it. Do you really know what you need from God or are an occupied with what you want? These are two different things. For example, the blind man needed his eyesight, though he might have also wanted food.
Moreover, we also learn from this story that Jesus did not assume what the blind man wanted Him to do; instead, He asked and listened to what he had to say. The man might have desired to receive food or money, like the lame man at the gate of the temple in Acts 3:5-6. Another lesson we learn today is that the Father will have us whatever we ask in faith in the Name of Jesus Christ. The question is, do we really know what we need from God, and do we have enough faith to receive it from Him?
I hope you enjoyed the Open Heaven for Today Devotional? If yes Kindly share this devotional to your social media account using the button below, be proud of what you believe and you might be a blessing to others. Open Heaven 3 Saturday 2018 Monday, Also You can Read Yesterdays Open heavens Open Heavens 2 December 2018 Sunday.


text:
Q: How to find possible combinations of a string by substituting characters in the string using a dictionary? I'm trying to find all possible combinations of a string while substituting some characters in the string using a dictionary. I have to accomplish this goal without importing any modules. Here is an example:
myDict = {'R':'AG', 'Y':'CT', 'M':'CA', 'G':'G', 'D':'ATG', 'A':'A'}

myString = "ARD"

So I want to write out all the possible combinations of myString using the above dictionary which should be "AAA","AAT","AAG","AGA","AGT","AGG"
I can't figure out how to iterate for each characters in the string and then put them in a list or something.

A: IMO OP's description is a little bit vague but clear enough.
it sounds like a simple interview question to test the skill of recursion. See the answer (assume no duplication in myDict's values)
results = []
def recr(str, pos):
    for w in myDict[myString[pos]]:
        if len(myString) - 1 == pos:
            results.append(str + w)
        else:
            recr(str + w, pos + 1)
recr('', 0)
print results

Screen output:
['AAA', 'AAT', 'AAG', 'AGA', 'AGT', 'AGG']

A: Thanks to @stanleyli for mind-reading the OP.
>>> map(''.join, itertools.product(*map(myDict.get, myString)))
['AAA', 'AAT', 'AAG', 'AGA', 'AGT', 'AGG']


【ギリシャ・ローマ神話】 ネクター,神酒 (cf. ambrosia 1).
On such a hot day, even water was nectar.
From Latin nectar, from Ancient Greek νέκταρ (néktar, "nourishment of the gods"), from Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- ("perish, disappear") + *-tr̥h₂ ("overcoming"), from *terh₂- ("to overcome, pass through, cross over").
They pourd in soveraine balme and Nectar good, / Good both for erthly med'cine and for hevenly food.
(intransitive) To feed on nectar.
On the lane below, more orangetips nectared on spring beauties and violets.
From Ancient Greek νέκταρ (néktar), from Proto-Indo-European *néḱ-tr̥h₂, derived from the roots *neḱ- ("to perish") and *terh₂- ("to overcome").
Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants. It is produced either by the flowers, in which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists providing anti-herbivore protection. It is produced in glands called nectaries. Common nectar-consuming pollinators include bees, butterflies and moths, hummingbirds and bats.


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This cozy chenille sweater is calling your name! Featuring an oversized fit & the option to wear it on or off the shoulder, this gorgeous chunky knit is is sure to be a quick favorite! Pair it with pops of red, like our red Lovely In Lace Bralette, & a dark skinny for an easy yet put together look.


It's finally active the "we love…fashion" service, available on request for groups of 10 people (minimum).
For people who want to buy Italian articles of clothing and lingerie directly from famous quality brand of Modena, Carpi, Correggio and Reggio Emilia.
The aim is to live a different, relaxing and more efficient experience of buying clothes and accessories.
We will go with you during your shopping time, based on need of the group_classic fashion_sweaters_cashmere_young fashion_curvy fashion_underwear_to pay in the right way with possible collecting and shipping service for what you have bought.
It would be possible to have discounts on the price in some showrooms, to experience an even more unique and special shopping.
Details, times, payment methods and discounts will be decided depending on the chosen outlet.
Next: 3 DONNE 3 STORIE: LO STILE NELLA SFERA PRIVATA.


In his last book, "This Land,'' urban planning expert and former Globe reporter Anthony Flint examined the battles over suburban sprawl and offered an array of possible solutions. Now working at the Cambridge-based Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Flint looks at a seminal struggle of 20th century city planning, one that involved two giants with utterly differing views of how cities should look and develop.
While Jane Jacobs, a Greenwich Village mother without any formal training in architecture or urban planning, would harness the power of grass-roots community activism to turn back the powerful forces of top-down urban renewal, as practiced by Robert Moses, Jacobs's victory was anything but simple, Flint shows. Moses, the subject of Robert Caro's classic biography "The Power Broker,'' got his way by using his political connections, his relationships with real estate developers, and moving aggressively so as to cut off the possibility of community opposition killing his massive projects.
Before Jacobs, Moses literally bulldozed through community opposition. A New York City journalist, Jacobs lived near Washington Square Park and learned of Moses's plans to extend Fifth Avenue right through the middle of the park, a place where she'd take her kids to play. Moses wanted to relieve traffic congestion and renew what he deemed a decaying area. Jacobs, however, viewed the park, and Greenwich Village as a whole, as a vibrant, diverse, and anything-but-decaying area that needed protection from Moses's bulldozers.
While Moses attacked opponents like Jacobs as enemies of urban progress, elitists, and "stupid and selfish people,'' Jacobs worked tirelessly to build a neighborhood coalition to stop Moses. Working the media like the expert insider that she was, attracting big name supporters like Lewis Mumford and Eleanor Roosevelt, and developing solid political relationships with up-and-coming leaders like Ed Koch (who'd become mayor of New York) and John Lindsay (who'd also become mayor), Jacobs was able to stop Moses and preserve the park. But the stubborn Moses just kept coming up with more plans to "renew'' Greenwich Village with massive building projects that would leave countless people homeless.
The battle to save Washington Square Park transformed Jacobs into not just a symbol of effective grass-roots activism but forced her to theorize about what made cities vibrant and sustainable. She would go on to directly attack Moses's vision of urban renewal as clearing slums and then building massive highways and housing projects on top of the rubble. The resulting "renewed'' areas, Jacobs argued, were lifeless zones without any sense of community.
What Jacobs deemed essential for a vibrant city were "short blocks, and a mix of buildings of different sizes, new buildings and old buildings, and, critically, a mix of uses,'' from stores to homes to restaurants and more. For Jacobs, great cities were organic places where people connected. Urban planning was thus a contradiction. Jacobs would successfully assault Moses-style urban planning in her classic 1961 book, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities,'' which has become a textbook among urban planners. Perfectly in step with the 1960s, Jacobs showed that you could indeed fight City Hall and win, because she did.
Today, and largely because of Jacobs, "urban renewal and top-down redevelopment schemes are viewed as the shameful past,'' writes Flint. Jacobs toppled the idea that planners sitting at a drafting table knew what was best for cities. In her struggles against Moses, dramatically described in Flint's winning account, Jacobs showed that communities could come together to stop destructive development in its tracks.


The book that inspired the Academy Award-winning short film, from New York Times bestselling author and beloved visionary William Joyce. Morris Lessmore loved words. He loved stories. He loved books. But every story has its upsets. Everything in Morris Lessmore's life, including his own story, is scattered to the winds. But the power of story will save the day.
Now a major motion picture! TIME Magazine's #1 Fiction Book of the Year! -Millions of copies sold- #1 New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller #1 USA Today Bestseller #1 International Bestseller #1 Indie Bestseller Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars brilliantly explores the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.


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text:
Breaking through in the US
Six years ago, BNP Paribas was the only top five global custodian without a presence in the US. Since then, it has established a New York-based operation. How has the bank approached the challenge of breaking in to such a mature market?
As the crucible of the global custody industry, the US market has long been considered one of the most mature both in terms of infrastructure and operational capability. For institutional investors into the US, sub-custody services have generally been handled by local divisions of the major global custodians. This has been reflected annually in the Global Custodian Agent Banks in Major Markets survey, where the same four institutions – BBH, BNY Mellon, Citi and JP Morgan – have long dominated the respondent pool.
"We used to use a sub-custodian, but you can't really be considered a true global player without a local presence in the US."
Florent Thiry, Americas Head of Financial Intermediaries & Corporates, BNP Paribas Securities Services
In the past two years however, a European global custodian, BNP Paribas, has registered prominently in the survey. Given that the US custody market has been well served by established indigenous providers, why did BNP Paribas feel there was a commercial opportunity for it to join this group as an 'outsider'?
According to Florent Thiry, Director and Americas Head of Financial Intermediaries & Corporates, BNP Paribas Securities Services, the initial trigger was a perceived strategic need to have a local custody offering based in the US. "As the fifth largest custodian in the world, it was obvious to us we needed to have a local presence here. It is, after all, the biggest market in the world," he says. "We used to use a sub-custodian, but you can't really be considered a true global player without a local presence in the US. Today, out of the 90 plus markets in our global custody network, the US is one of the 27 countries in BNP Paribas' proprietary custodial network which accounts for 90% of client assets."
The bank initiated both a global and local custody offering in the US in 2012, which Claudine Gallagher, Head of the Americas, BNP Paribas Securities Services was sent over to establish. Since then, it has expanded its related fund administration business, acquiring the global hedge fund administration business of Credit Suisse in 2015. "Earlier this year, we closed on the acquisition of Janus Henderson [US administration business], which will allow us to offer mutual fund administration in the US. Our goal is to be a full-service provider here," says Thiry.
Rather than attempt to compete head on with incumbent providers from the start, BNP Paribas set out to meet the needs of the broader corporate group. "We first moved all the BNP Paribas branches that had custody elsewhere onto our platform," says Thiry. "The next focus was to attract European clients, where the BNP Paribas name is well known. If you look at our client base now, it basically consists of three groups: clients from within the wider corporate group, European clients and US clients looking for a global custodian."
In addition to mainstream global and local custody, the bank offers broker-to-custody and account operator models. The former is available to clients based in Europe and Asia and offers order entry, routing, monitoring and advanced execution. Under the latter, the client maintains full operational control over its end client's assets, while BNP Paribas operates its DTCC account, handling all custody-related processes such as trade settlement, corporate actions, tax reporting, proxy voting, reconciliation and cash management. "I'd say there's a trend to the account operator model in the US," says Thiry. "The accounts are in the client's name, so they bear the risk, but do not have the burden of connectivity to the CSD or the integration of the data back from the DTCC, which is generally in flat file format. There's an opportunity to help such clients streamline their operations."
All of these services run off the same IT platform. "We have a single system for local and global custody. One advantage of being a recent entrant to the market is having the latest technology, which allows us to be particularly competitive with cut-off times," Thiry explains.
The system is managed centrally. "We have an IT lab in Pantin, France, but also some dedicated IT people here working for the US market with operations based in Jersey City. We also have what we call a 'dual office', based in Lisbon. Staff in Lisbon have the same access to the platform as our people here in New York," says Thiry. "As a French bank, we have a lot of European clients who we can service in European hours, so they don't have to wait till early afternoon their time for answers to questions. They can directly contact our Lisbon hub. In that way, we can provide 16 hours of daily processing and service coverage, including sameday cut-off for voluntary corporate actions in the US."
Thiry estimates that at the moment, some 25% of European clients go via Lisbon. "We are also working to attract the US assets of Asian clients through our Asian offices," he says. "The concept would be that the client could have an account here directly or they could use one of our Asian hubs."
When it comes to attracting US-based clients, Thiry acknowledges that it isn't easy. "The US market is very mature and, as we know, it is something of an operational burden to move from one custodian to another," he says. Nevertheless, he sees the appropriate combination of technology and pricing levels as an attraction. "There's also what I would consider an underserved part of the US market that we can target, including midtier institutions, where we can draw on our global custody experience to explain global market distinctions," he says. One specificity, for example, is the tax side. Others are liquidity and risk management. "Given the experience in the US, it's not always obvious that in some foreign markets, especially in Asia, there can be a huge risk from not settling on time," Thiry notes, adding that cybersecurity is another area that's not really commoditised.
While admitting the bank is not the cheapest available, Thiry suggests that its relatively modest scale in the US means the bank is able to provide tailor-made services. "You're getting the depth and breadth of resources of a major global custodian with a more boutique service experience," he says.
Client requirements
Beyond the core service, which by all accounts is well-handled by all major service providers, Thiry detects a shift in service priorities among potential clients. "When I look at the past two years of RFPs we've received, clients are not really that interested in the way we vault securities, process trades or handle corporate actions.
"One advantage of being a recent entrant to the market is having the latest technology, which allows us to be particularly competitive with cut-off times."
It's taken for granted that we know how to do that," he says. "The shift I see, and this year in particular, is that they are really asking for advice. This year during the RFP process with two of our main prospects, for example, we had to analyse all of their internal systems and were then able to provide the most appropriate offer, which in that case was an account operator facility."
Thiry is also looking at continental opportunities outside the US. "We see some interest from Latin American asset managers and pension funds," he says. "We used to service these clients from Spain, but now they can have a direct relationship with us in New York. To help with that we've put in place a client window in Bogota. We do have a presence in Chile, Colombia and Brazil for local custody in those locations, but global flows can be redirected here."
Article originally published in Global Custodian magazine.
Americas Banks & brokers Custody


Classcraft is an Engagement Management System (EMS) that uses the cultural phenomenon of video games to help educators drive measurable improvements across academic performance, non-cognitive skills development, and school social climate. By blending students' physical and virtual learning, the program reframes their progress in school as a game they play together throughout the year. The ecosystem of tools integrates all aspects of the classroom, from gamified personalized learning to formative assessment and classroom management. The game mechanics encourage students help one another, stay on task, and take an active stance against bullying. This creates a more fun, empathetic classroom culture where students are deeply engaged. Systemically, Classcraft addresses engagement by connecting real-life interventions with engagement data from existing content and platforms. The result is a positive impact on individuals and educational outcomes including school climate, social emotional learning, academic performance, and attendance. School leaders gain greater visibility into the classroom, helping them gauge the effectiveness of interventions and make better-informed, data-driven decisions. Classcraft is used by more than 5 million students and teachers worldwide in 165 countries and is available in 11 languages.
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Sales Representative We're a great team looking for a someone with a solid sales background to join us. This is a unique opportunity for the right individual to bring Classcraft to the US school and district marketplace. Qualified candidates should have a proven track record in business to business or institutional sales. We're all very self driven positive people and as a result, we're seeking someone who's equally down to give themselves to their work and excited to tackle challenges head on.


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text:
Johann Grueber (28 October 1623, Linz – 30 September 1680, Sárospatak, Hungary) was an Austrian Jesuit missionary and astronomer in China, and noted explorer.

Life

He joined the Society of Jesus in 1641 and went to China in 1656, where he was active at the court of Peking as professor of mathematics and assistant to Father Adam Schall von Bell. In 1661 his superiors sent him, together with the Belgian Father Albert Dorville (D'Orville), to Rome in order to defend Schall's work on the Chinese calendar (He was accused of encouraging 'superstitious practices').

As it was impossible to journey by sea on account of the blockade of Macau by the Dutch, they conceived the daring idea of going overland from Peking to Goa (India) by way of Tibet and Nepal. This led to Grueber's memorable journey (Dorville died on the way), which won him fame as one of the most successful explorers of the seventeenth century (Tonnier). They first travelled to Sinning-fu, on the borders of Kan-su; thence through the Kukunor territory and Kalmyk Tartary (Desertum Kalnac) to Lhasa. They crossed the difficult mountain passes of the Himalayas, arrived at Kathmandu, Nepal, and thence descended into the  basin of the Ganges: Patna and Agra, the former capital of the Mughal empire. This journey lasted 214 days.

Dorville died at Agra, a victim of the hardships he had undergone. Jesuit Father Heinrich Roth, a Sanskrit scholar, substituted for Dorville and with Grueber carried on the overland journey through Persia and Turkey, reaching Rome on the 2 February 1664. Their journey showed the possibility of a direct overland connection between China and India, and the value and significance of the Himalayan passes.

Biographer Richard Tronnier says: "It is due to Grueber's energy that Europe received the first correct information concerning Thibet and its inhabitants". Although Oderico of Pordenone had traversed Tibet, in 1327, and visited Lhasa, he had not written any account of this journey. Antonio de Andrada and Manuel Marquez had pushed their explorations as far as Tsaparang on the northern Setledj.

Emperor Leopold I requested that Grueber return to China via Russia in order to explore the possibility of another land route through central Asia, but the journey ended at Constantinople as Grueber fell seriously sick. He was obliged to return. Though in poor health Grueber lived another 14 years as preacher and spiritual guide in the Jesuit schools of Trnava (Slovakia) and Sárospatak (Hungary) where he died in 1680.

Literature on his journey

An account of this first journey through Tibet in modern times by a European was published by Athanasius Kircher to whom Grueber had left his journals and charts, which he had supplemented by numerous verbal and written additions ("China illustrata", Amsterdam, 1667, 64-67). In the French edition of "China" (Amsterdam, 1670) is also incorporated a letter of Grueber written to the Duke of Tuscany.

For letters of Grueber see "Neue Welt-Bott" (Augsburg and Gratz, 1726), no. 34; Thévenot (whose acquaintance Grueber had made in Constantinople), "Divers voyages curieux" (Paris, 1666, 1672, 1692), II; extracts in Ritter, "Asien" (Berlin, 1833), II, 173; III, 453; IV, 88, 183; Anzi, "II genio vagante" (Parma, 1692), III, 331-399.

References

Carlieri, Notizie varie dell' Imperio della China (Florence, 1697)
Ashley, Collection of voyages (London, 1745–47), IV, 651sq

Von Richthofen, China (Berlin, 1877), 761, etc., with routes and plate, the best monograph
Tronnier, Die Durchquerung Tibets seitens der Jesuiten Joh. Grueber und Albert de Dorville im Jahre 1661 in Zeitschr, d. Ges.fur Erdkunde zu Berlin, 1904, pp. 328–361
Wessels, C., Early Jesuit Travellers in Central Asia, The Hague, 1924, pp. 164–203.

External links

1623 births
1665 deaths
17th-century Austrian Jesuits
Jesuit missionaries in China
Austrian Roman Catholic missionaries
Explorers of Asia
Christian missionaries in Central Asia
Explorers of Central Asia
Roman Catholic missionaries in China
Roman Catholic missionaries in Tibet
Austrian astronomers
Jesuit scientists
People from Linz
Jesuit missionaries in India
Explorers of India
Explorers of Nepal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Your yard has been under a lot of stress with the drought, and grasscycling is one way you can help your lawn improve its strength and overall health this fall.
Grasscycling is the practice of leaving grass clippings on your yard to decompose. According to the University of California's statewide integrated pest management program, grasscycling requires you to mow your yard at the right frequency, cut the proper height for the species of grass you have in your yard, and remove no more than one-third of a leaf blade every time you mow.
Why implement grasscycling on your lawn? Your lawn has likely been under a lot of stress with the drought. Grasscycling is an easy way to give your lawn a nutritional boost. The cut grass blades left on the lawn will decompose quickly and return nutrients to the lawn. An added bonus – you save the costs for bagging and lawn removal, and you avoid adding more waste to landfills.
Grasscycling will only be beneficial if you are removing small clippings at a time, so proper mowing and equipment are essential. Grasscycling may slightly increase thatch buildup on your lawn, but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages in most situations.
If your grass is too wet or has not been mowed regularly and is very tall, grasscycling should not be done, as this could lead to thatch buildup.