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Tag: transmissible
Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of March 8
March 14, 2021 October 25, 2022 Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare
The president signed the American Rescue Plan March 11, establishing as law the latest legislation to address the many areas of loss the country has suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes $8.5 billion in funding for eligible rural healthcare providers to offset expenses and lost revenues attributable to the pandemic (see related article). The MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.
Mass Vaccination Site to Open at Ford Field as Vaccination Eligibility Expands
In a March 11 address, President Joe Biden instructed states to open vaccine eligibility to all adults no later than May 1. The federal government expects a significant increase in vaccine doses in the coming weeks and will make a website available to help anyone find a vaccine appointment near them.
In response to the president's directive, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan will open eligibility to adults ages 16 through 49 with certain preexisting conditions March 22 and to any adults 16 and older April 5. This is in addition to all adults ages 50 through 64 becoming eligible March 22. This news is reflected in the state's official Prioritization Guidance document posted on its vaccine webpage. Officials expect weekly allocations to continue to increase to help meet the increased demand. The MHA will keep members apprised of any additional information relating to the expanded eligibility.
Members are encouraged to prepare for increased calls and website traffic as vaccine eligibility broadens and to provide their communities with details on who they will be able to vaccinate and how to make appointments.
The governor also announced that a mass vaccination site will open March 24 at Ford Field in Detroit. It will have the capacity to administer 6,000 vaccine doses each day to serve residents in the broader southeast Michigan region. The Biden administration, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), selected southeast Michigan for this major new community vaccination site.
The site, which was selected according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's priority tool to help those hardest hit and most vulnerable, will operate from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., seven days a week, for eight weeks under the federal government's vaccination pilot program. The facility will be managed by the state of Michigan with support from FEMA, Wayne County, the City of Detroit, Ford Field, Meijer, Henry Ford Health System and the Detroit Lions.
Federal efforts under development also include a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "equity index" that will rank states based on equity of access/administration of the vaccine in addition to the existing rankings that are based on doses given, speed, etc.
In addition, the CDC will be sending allocations directly to a list of federally qualified health centers across the nation, including those in the Michigan cities of Inkster, Pontiac, Brimley, Gladwin, Flint, Saginaw, Cassopolis, Kalamazoo, Centreville, Ann Arbor and Detroit.
CDC Issues COVID-19 Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
The CDC issued new recommendations March 8 for individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The agency considers people to be fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or two weeks after Johnson & Johnson's Janssen single-dose vaccine.
The recommendations state that those meeting the full vaccination parameters may gather indoors with other fully vaccinated individuals without wearing a mask. In addition, they can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Fully vaccinated individuals who have been near someone who has the disease are no longer asked to avoid others or get tested unless they have symptoms. However, vaccinated people who live in a group setting and have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days and get tested, even if they don't have symptoms.
Because authorities do not yet know the extent to which vaccines mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, the CDC continues to recommend precautions that include wearing a mask, staying at least six feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested and stay away from others.
The MHA will keep members apprised of any changes in these recommendations. Questions on the COVID-19 vaccine may be directed to Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.
COVID-19 Variants in Michigan More Transmissible than Original Virus
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Bureau of Laboratories identified on March 8 the first Michigan case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.351 in a male child living in Jackson County. Case investigation is underway to determine close contacts and whether additional cases are associated with this case.
Cases caused by this variant, which originated in South Africa, were first reported in the United States at the end of January. It is believed to be more contagious, but there has been no indication that it affects the clinical outcomes or disease severity compared to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has been circulating across the United States for the past year. Scientists are evaluating how well COVID-19 vaccines work against this newer variant, which has been identified in at least 20 other states and jurisdictions in the U.S.
The MDHHS has also provided information about the characteristics of the B.1.1.7 variant that was first discovered in the United Kingdom. This variant has now been identified in multiple Michigan communities after having first been detected in an isolate from a Washtenaw County case Jan. 16. It is approximately 50 percent more transmissible, leading to faster spread of the virus and potentially increasing numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Members should refer to the MHA's COVID-19 alert sent Friday, March 12, for details and recommendations on managing variants.
The MHA and the MDHHS are closely monitoring case numbers, positivity rates and hospitalizations. The association will keep members apprised of any concerning data trends related to the variants. Members with data questions may contact Jim Lee at the MHA.
New Regulatory Flexibility Approved for Sharps Containers
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy March 9 approved an MHA request to provide regulatory flexibility for hospitals facing a shortage of sharps disposal containers. State regulation currently requires hospitals to replace sharps containers every 90 days or when full, whichever is sooner. Through July 31, 2021, hospitals will now be exempt from the 90-day rule, meaning sharps containers will only be required to be replaced when full. The shortage is due to a production facility fire and increasing demand for the containers due to vaccinations; some MHA members had already received similar exemptions. The MHA will work with state government if additional flexibility is needed. Members with questions may contact Sean Sorenson-Abbott at the MHA.
State Provides Vaccine Communication and Administration Materials
A variety of vaccine materials are available for hospitals and other providers on the MDHHS Provider and Partner webpages for communication and administration purposes. These include toolkits for communicating with patients and communities regarding the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, which are in the "COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Materials" section of the Partner page; Johnson & Johnson materials, including a Standing Order form for this vaccine; and more.
MDHHS Announces 22 Awardees in State's Vaccine Pilot Program
The MDHHS and the Protect Michigan Commission have awarded 35,800 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 22 pilot projects to help enhance the state's vaccine equity strategy. Three of the awards went to Henry Ford Health System, MidMichigan Health and Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, and the remainder went to health departments, community-based clinics, agencies on aging and other vaccinators.
The pilot program is designed to help remove barriers to vaccine access for Michiganders ages 60 and older who live in communities with a high Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and high COVID-19 mortality rates. Participating providers that have additional capacity in their projects may expand vaccination to include people ages 50-59 with disabilities or underlying conditions. The awardees were chosen from more than 70 applications. Additional details on the program are available in the MDHHS news release.
Additional information on the COVID-19 pandemic is available to members on the MHA Community Site and the MHA COVID-19 webpage. Questions on COVID-19 and infectious disease response strategies may be directed to the MDHHS Community Health Emergency Coordination Center (CHECC).
sharps, Ford Field, vaccination, coronovirus, eligibility, COVID-19, CDC recommendations, pandemic, variants, Sudderth, transmissible, FEMA, pilot, American Rescue Plan, Lee

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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As the people of Northern California continue to reel from the massive wildfire that has reportedly led to the death of dozens of people and left hundreds missing, Queen Elizabeth has decided to offer some words of support. Kim Basinger, Liam Hemsworth, Robin Thicke, Miley Cyrus, and Gerard Butler are among those who lost their home to the ordeal.
In a recent statement, Her Majesty offered her sympathy to the people of California, which happens to be the Duchess of Sussex's home state. On behalf of herself and her husband, the Queen expressed compassion for the victims and residents, who are still dealing with the effects of the devastating fires.
In the statement, which was released on November 16, the Queen also offered her thoughts and prayers to the loved ones of those who lost their lives. She also praised the United States emergency services for risking their lives to help those they could and also battle the raging fire.
The Queen's statement has led to an outpouring of appreciation on social media. Some did point out that Queen Elizabeth's message of appreciation and sympathy was a greater effort than the US President Trump has made in showing support for those affected by the fire.
While this point is arguable, we can all agree that it was quite touching that the UK monarch chose to address the US people during this difficult time.
We express our sympathy to those who were affected, and we hope residents remain strong as they get back on their feet.


England, China, France, Russia—buyers from around the world are choosing the market experts at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty to find exceptional homes in outstanding neighborhoods.
Recently, one agent reported that up to a third of her new clients are coming to the area from outside the U.S., and many are seeking homes with plenty of green space that are near recognized schools. The homes here are among those sold by the professionals at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty.
This updated Tudor home on a double lot at 4416 Beverly boasts large room sizes, great flow for entertaining and beautiful outdoor living. SOLD. Listed for $6,499,000.
A Park Cities gem, the 3,600+ square foot home at 4400 Bryn Mawr Drive is close to Hyer Elementary. SOLD. Listed for $ 1,449,000.
The beautiful and timeless home at 2733 Purdue has ane open and airy floor plan for entertaining, spacious kitchen overlooking patio and backyard. SOLD. Listed for $ 1,399,000.
Featuring the best location and floor plan in the Courtyards at Normandy, the home at 4510 Normandy has beautiful upgrades and outstanding location. SOLD. Listed for $ 1,095,000.


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Family Heritage Search
Call me: 01952 413937
Richard Swift 1830 – 1886
Date: 22nd Jun 2016
Posted by: Martin James
Tags: Community History, Local History, Shropshire Archives, St Georges Church, Telford, Walsall
Headstone of Mary Swift and daughter Janetta
We are seeking descendants of Richard SWIFT, son of James and Mary SWIFT who was born in 1830 in Old Park, Dawley, Shropshire and baptised on 14 February 1830 at Holy Trinity Dawley, Shropshire.
The census in 1851 showed he was living at 36 Forge Row and working as a Puddler. Richard married Mary PACE at St Martin's Church, Tipton Staffordshire on 3 July 1853. By the census 1861 the family had moved to West St, St Georges, however in November 1864 Mary died, aged 38 and was buried in St Georges Church as noted on headstone.
Richard married Esther MARTIN on 2 June 1866 in Lilleshall, Shropshire. Between 1871 and his death in June 1886 Richard, Esther and family lived in New St St Georges. He was buried on 24 June 1886 at St Georges Church.
Richard Swift was a member of the Court of "British Workmen", Ancient Order of Forresters, many of who attended who attended his funeral at the church.
Esther SWIFT died in December 1883 and was buried at St George's Church on 31 December.
Richard and Mary SWIFT had the following 3 children:
James SWIFT (1854-1877)
John Swift (1856-1856)
Janetta SWIFT (c. 1858-1863)
Richard and his second wife Esther SWIFT had the following children:
John T SWIFT (1867- )
Janetta SWIFT (1869-1941)
Mary Elizabeth SWIFT (c. 1871-1937)
Joseph William Amos SWIFT (1873-1956)
Esther Annie SWIFT (1875-1948 )
Violet Rose SWIFT (1879-1958)
Children of Richard and Mary Swift
James SWIFT was born in 1854 in Pains Lane, Shropshire and was baptised on 16 July 1854 at the old St Georges Church. James died in March 1877 aged 22 and was buried on 12 March 1877 in St Georges Church.
John SWIFT was born in October 1856 and died a few weeks later and was buried at St George's Church on 23 November.
Janetta SWIFT was born in 1858 in Pains Lane and was baptised on 16 May 1858 at St Georges Church. She died of Scarlet Fever in February 1863 aged 4 years 3 months and was buried on 16 February 1863 at St Georges Church.
Children of Richard and Esther Swift
John Thomas SWIFT was born in 1867 in St Georges and in the 1881 census he was working as a Grocer's Assistant in St Georges.
He is believed to have married Maria DAVIES Q3 1887 in Wellington, Shropshire. By the time of the 1901 census he was a Baker in Walsall, Staffordshire.
John and Maria SWIFT had the following children:
Percy SWIFT (c. 1889- )
Reginald SWIFT (1891- 1949) – Reginald never married
Walter SWIFT (c. 1894- )
Maude SWIFT (1902 – )
Janetta SWIFT, daughter of Richard SWIFT and Esther MARTIN, was born on 18 January 1869 in St Georges and was baptised on 14 February 1869 at St Georges Church. Janetta married Charles KEYWORTH in 1895 in Lincoln. By the time of the 1939 Identity Register they were living at 3 Railway St. Janetta died in 1941 in Bath aged 72.
Following the death of Janetta in 1941, Charles married Violet Rose SWIFT, Janetta's sister, in 1942 in Bath. Charles died 1954 in Bath.
Charles and Janetta KENWORTHY had the following children:
Alfred Henry KEYWORTH (1897- 1861)
Muriel Gwendoline KEYWORTH (1901- 1912 )
Harriet Caroline Martyn KEYWORTH (1903-1908)
Robert Blackford KEYWORTH (1907- )
Mary Elizabeth SWIFT was born in February 1871 in St Georges. She married John William SHOTTON on 25 December 1897 in Lilleshall. Following their marriage they moved to Rugby where she died in 1937.
Charles and Mary Elizabeth SHOTTON had the following children:
Gladys Elizabeth SHOTTON (1899-1986)
Julia Annie SHOTTON (1900-1986)
Joseph William Amos SWIFT was born on 3 July 1873 and was baptised on 19 August 1873 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, The Nabb. Joseph married Ellen Annie CROSS in 1897 in Kings Norton, Worcestershire. At the time the 1939 Register was taken he was a Retired Master Baker living at Lyndhurst in Highley, Shropshire. Joseph died on 16 July 1956 in Bridgnorth.
Joseph William Amos and Ellen SWIFT had the following children:
Clarence Amos SWIFT (1897-1971)
William Bertram SWIFT (1899-1900)
Evelyn Clara SWIFT (1901-1983)
Esther Annie SWIFT was born on 3 September 1875 and baptised on 28 September 1875 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, The Nabb. Esther married Horace Pryce HERBERT in 1901 in Wellington Shropshire by the time of 1911 Census they had moved to Blackburn Lancashire.
Horace Pryce HERBERT and Esther Annie SWIFT had the following children:
Horace Leonard Grant HERBERT (1904-1922)
Arthur Eric HERBERT (1905-1922)
Maud Lilian HERBERT (1908-1992)
Violet Rose SWIFT was born in 1879 in St Georges, she married Charles KEYWORTH in 1942 in Bath. Violet died in 1958 in Bath aged 79.
Grandchildren of Richard and Esther Swift
Percy SWIFT born 1888 in Wellington Shropshire.
Reginald SWIFT born 6 May 1891 in Wellington Shropshire.
Walter SWIFT born c 1894 in Wellington Shropshire.
Maude SWIFT born 1902 in Walsall, Staffordshire.
Arthur Henry KEYWORTH was born 28 July 1897 in Lincoln and died in 1961 in Bath Somerset.
Muriel Gwendoline KEYWORTH was born in 1901 in Lincoln and died in February 1912 also in Lincoln and was buried at Canwick Road Cemetery Lincoln on 27 February 1912.
Robert Blackford KEYWORTH was born on 5 February 1907 in Lincoln, he married Margaret Gladys DANDO in 1936 in Bath Somerset.
Gladys Elizabeth SHOTTON, was born on 24 March 1899 in Rugby, Warwickshire. She married James CURTIS in 1929 in Rugby and is believed to have died in 1986 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
Julia Annie SHOTTON was born on 2 September 1900 in Rugby. She married Frederick D COLLINS in 1936 in Rugby and was believed to have died in 1986 in Newport, Monmouthshire.
Frederick D COLLINS was born on 11 October 1883 and died in 1953 in Newport Monmouthshire.
Clarence Amos SWIFT was born on 16 June 1897 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire and was baptised on 7 July 1897 at St Philip's Church West Bromwich.
Clarence married Kathleen Nodder on 12 September 1922 at St Simon's Church Plymouth. Clarence was believed to have run a bakery in High St, Highley Shropshire.
Clarence died in June 1971 in Torbay, Devon aged 74.
Evelyn Clara SWIFT was born on 18 August 1901 in Brierley Hill, Staffordshire and married Ambrose GOFF in 1939 in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Evelyn died in 1983 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
Horace Leonard Grant HERBERT was born in 1901 in Trench Shropshire, died in 1922 in Blackburn Lancashire.
Arthur Eric HERBERT was born in 1905 in Trench Shropshire, he also died in 1922 in Blackburn, its not known whether 2 deaths are connected as both Arthur & Herbert died in the same quarter of 1922.
Maud Lilian HERBERT was born on 31 March 1908 in Blackburn Lancashire. Maud married Edwin Anderson in 1932 in Blackburn. Maud died in 1992, Edwin two years earlier in 1990, both in Blackburn.
Descendants of Richard SWIFT
The reason for the search for descendants is due to St Georges Church planning to relocate 7 headstones away from the spot marking the graves and to put against a wall elsewhere in the churchyard in order to create a communal area for events, which some local people are finding distasteful.
If you are related to any of the above or know of someone who is related then please get in touch, my contact details can be found here. Contact Me.
Updated 2 April 2017
© 2020 Family Heritage Search
Family Heritage Search is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.
Friend of The Design Frontier


Classic Alco and EMD power, with the 5308 making like a steam engine during the 1991 Reading and Northern Railfan Weekend. No. 5308 was built by Alco in September of 1967 as Reading Class RSA-14; one of five units (5307-5311) with Hi-Adhesion trucks. The 197-ton giant is owned and maintained by the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society.


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Tag Archive: solar investment tax credit
The Solar Lease vs. Buy Debate; A Question of Math
Amy Beaudet August 11, 2015
In an earlier blog, Financing Your Renewable Energy System, we made the statement, "The lure of no money down for leasing is tempting, but the economics show that owning your system offers much better payback over the life of the…
Renewable Energy, Solar Energy Incentives & Rebates, Solar Facts & Figures, Solar Industry News, Solar Panels, Solar Power
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Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC): Tick Tock, Time's Running Out
The 30% Federal Tax Credit, the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), is scheduled to retire on December 31, 2016, dropping commercial incentives to 10%, and residential to zero. The ITC was first enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act…
2016, commercial solar, energy efficiency, energy policy, energy subsidies, investment tax credit, itc, itc extension, renewable energy, residential solar, solar, solar caps, solar energy, solar home systems, solar incentives, solar industry, solar investment tax credit, solar power, solar power system, solar power systems, solar tax incentives, tax incentives


Nearly 100,000 Chicago-area digital cable customers are flocking to Comcast's Real Estate On-Demand channel each month to tour new housing developments and resale home listings using their remote controls, and the viewing numbers are growing.
According to a study by Hyperion/Everstream, Comcast's Real Estate On-Demand viewership skyrocketed 59.3% to 102,118 views in June of 2008 from 60,590 views in the same month a year ago. Average monthly viewing rose 68.3% to 85,146 views per month in the second quarter of 2008, compared with 58,170 views per month in the second quarter of 2007.
Real Estate On Demand was launched in 2007. Real estate brokers, as well as individuals, can create video ads for less than the cost of an average three-line newspaper ad, according to Comcast Spotlight. The company has also created a bundled package that incorporates the Web, which adds to the service's attractiveness, the company said.


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A cynical American tank crew which has survived three years of war against all odds is joined by a young replacement without combat experience as the war nears an end.
El Gringo
A cop crossing into Mexico with a satchel of $2 million and a bloody past, finds himself under sudden attack in the sleepy town of El Fronteras.
As an Orc horde invades the planet Azeroth using a magic portal, a few human heroes and dissenting Orcs must attempt to stop the true evil behind this war.
A Waltz Through the Hills
A touching bush tale of sibling dedication and childhood adventure, two orphans facing an uncertain future set off alone with the hope of reaching a ship to take them to surviving family in England.
Experience the epic ancient Battle of Thermopylae; the titanic clash in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartan warriors fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army.
The Incredible Adventure of Jojo (And His Annoying Little Sister Avila)
Six-year-old Jojo wakes up from a car crash deep in the woods. He reluctantly pulls his baby sister Avila from the wreckage, plops her into his backpack, and together they try to make it home alive.
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale I
This epic film retells an episode of Taiwanese history not known to many. Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a Japanese colony, but small groups of the original indigenous tribes remained scattered around the island. In 1930 Mouna Rudo, the leader of the Seediq tribe, settled around Mount Chilai, forged a coalition with other Seediq tribal leaders and plotted a rebellion against their Japanese colonial masters. Their battle would be initially successful, but how could they match the Japanese military aircraft and poison gas? Original title: Sai De Ke Ba Lai: Tai Yang Gi. In Japanese.
Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. But upon returning home to his wife and children, he finds he can't leave the war behind.
The man of steel returns to Earth after five years away to find Lois Lane married and the psychopath Lex Luthor still intent on world domination.
Get ready for the wildest Night at the Museum ever, as Larry heads to London, uniting favourite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.
Thor battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself.
The powerful, but arrogant god Thor, is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.
As a series of grisly accidents rocks a quiet village, it's time for two small-town cops to break out some big-city justice.
Mise-en-scène in Hot Fuzz
Inspector Frank Butterman shows Sergeant Nick Angel around the Sandford police station, where they visit the Neighbourhood Watch Alliance "command centre".
Eight years after the Joker's reign of anarchy, Batman is forced from his imposed exile to save Gotham City, now on the edge of total annihilation, from the brutal guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Murdered after discovering a corporate conspiracy, mild-mannered graphic artist Patience Phillips washes up on an island, where she's resurrected and endowed with the prowess of a cat.


Bailey Insurance agents are insurance specialists dedicated to treating our customers in a professional manner, while providing the best possible products and services available. What sets us apart from other companies is that we have several carriers we can place you with.
Bailey Insurance is an independent insurance agency committed to maintaining the highest standard of excellence in all of our dealings with our clients and our insurance companies. We will work with you individually to identify the insurance that is right for you and your family.
Locally owned and operated in Phoenix, we represent only the most stable insurance companies available in Arizona. Bailey Insurance invests in all of the latest technology in order to provide our customers with the most affordable and best insurance coverage available.
So whether you need insurance for your auto, home, rental, antique auto, RV, boat, motorcycle, Umbrella, Manufactured home, ATVs, or SR22 we can help. Though we don't provide DMV services, we are close to one of the main departments. We are also just down the road from an emissions testing center, and highly recommended third party DMV.


Private Chinese companies taking part in a scheme to reduce the state's dominance in building infrastructure are finding competition is coming from an unusual place - the government peers they are supposed to replace.
Private Chinese companies taking part in a scheme to reduce the state's dominance in building infrastructure are finding competition is coming from an unusual place – the government peers they are supposed to replace.
Private-sector businessmen say they are losing out in most projects to state firms, which are favoured by local authorities because they are seen as financially stronger and better able to raise capital. State companies are also more likely to bid for projects that private firms consider financially unfeasible.
Finance ministry data shows that 600 public-private partnerships (PPP) have so far found partners, and analysts say that about three quarters of the investment has come from state-owned firms.
"The government is willing to work with government firms, but co-operation with private companies is a shambles," said Yan Jiehe, chairman of China Pacific Construction Group, which grew to become China's largest private builder by revenue over the last 20 years by building roads and bridges for local governments.
Yan has no plans to invest in any of the advertised PPP projects, which range from municipal works to highway schemes.
"None of the projects make financial sense," he said.
The central government is investigating why the private sector is winning so few projects. The central government has promised to reduce the oversized role of state enterprises in the economy, so any failure of the PPP scheme would raise doubts about that goal.
China's Ministry of Finance and the state planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, did not respond to requests for comment.
Government officials are already worried about signs of a rapid slowdown in the private sector. Investment growth slowed to a record low 3.9 percent in January-May from the year-earlier period, which compares with a double-digit pace last year.
Private firms provide the lion's share of overall investment in China and create 90 percent of new urban jobs.
Problems with the PPP scheme may be more fundamental. Local authorities have advertised close to 9,000 PPP projects – worth an estimated 9.8 trillion yuan ($1.47 trillion) – so most have yet to find a partner at all.
While Britain's PPP scheme limits partnerships to a state authority and the private sector, China does not differentiate between government and private firms. At best, government firms are not allowed to bid on projects in their home province but are free to do so elsewhere.
Still, infrastructure projects would not get done without the participation of government firms because the state is so dominant in the economy, said Wang Shouqing, a Tsinghua University professor who advises local authorities across China on the financing of PPP projects.
In 2014, Beijing pledged to give PPP funding more policy support and began offering rewards of up to 8 million yuan to all participating firms.
That prompted local governments across the country to advertise projects as PPP, hoping Beijing's policy focus would lead to faster approvals. State media has reported that the government is seeking views on a draft PPP law.
The finance ministry's database shows just 565 projects out of 8,644 have funding partners. Shanghai-based privately-owned YHX Bank found 73 percent of the investment came from government firms.
"At all the projects we've dealt with, we've been told that what they want is a government or state contractor," said a project manager at a private construction firm in southwestern Sichuan province who only wanted to give his surname as Long.
Water treatment PPP projects have been the most popular among private investors because many have operating agreements that allow firms to collect fees from end-users, unlike other "build-and-transfer" schemes, like roads, that rely on the local authority for payment, analysts said. Agreements with local authorities leave the firms at risk of sudden changes in policy or budget priorities.
Government firms, however, have tended to heavily undercut private companies on bids, said He Yuanping, chief financial officer of water treatment firm Beijing Originwater Technology . The company is involved in close to 80 PPPs and has mostly won projects on the back of its technology, he said.
Other executives said project terms are not always viable. Some offer lengthy repayment periods of up to 30 years, or uncompetitive returns as low as 1-2 percent, they said.


One of the best chefs this town has ever seen is returning!
On Facebook, Serenbe is described as a biophilic, progressive community full of fresh food, fresh air and focused on wellbeing. The neighborhood has a 24-acre farm, 700 preserved acres, 3 farm-to-table restaurants, shops, events + Inn. Serenbe has been featured in Southern Living and Garden & Gun magazine, as well as many other publications.
As of July 25th I am the new VP of F&B at my old home, Serenbe! We have a ton of new projects coming up and I can't wait to make them happen. Looking forward to cooking for you again!
As someone who loves great food, but hates to look all pretty doing it, one of my favorite restaurant trends was around the turn of the century: upscale food in a casual atmosphere. Unfortunately, this was an empty slogan in 90 percent of the cases. However, at Iris, Nicolas perfected the concept. When he made a change of pace at his first stint at Serenbe, his fried yardbird was among the best I've ever had.
From Pinterest when he was at Humphrey's Restaurant in San Diego.


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Theranostics 2016; 6(5):688-697. doi:10.7150/thno.14555
A Phosphorus Phthalocyanine Formulation with Intense Absorbance at 1000 nm for Deep Optical Imaging
Yang Zhou1,2*, Depeng Wang2*, Yumiao Zhang2,3, Upendra Chitgupi2, Jumin Geng2, Yuehang Wang2, Yuzhen Zhang4, Timothy R. Cook4, Jun Xia2 , Jonathan F. Lovell2, 3
1. College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clean Production of Fine Chemicals, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, P.R. China.
2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
3. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
4. Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
* These authors contributed equally.
Zhou Y, Wang D, Zhang Y, Chitgupi U, Geng J, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Cook TR, Xia J, Lovell JF. A Phosphorus Phthalocyanine Formulation with Intense Absorbance at 1000 nm for Deep Optical Imaging. Theranostics 2016; 6(5):688-697. doi:10.7150/thno.14555. Available from http://www.thno.org/v06p0688.htm
Although photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) operates with high spatial resolution in biological tissues deeper than other optical modalities, light scattering is a limiting factor. The use of longer near infrared wavelengths reduces scattering. Recently, the rational design of a stable phosphorus phthalocyanine (P-Pc) with a long wavelength absorption band beyond 1000 nm has been reported. Here, we show that when dissolved in liquid surfactants, P-Pc can give rise to formulations with absorbance of greater than 1000 (calculated for a 1 cm path length) at wavelengths beyond 1000 nm. Using the broadly accessible Nd:YAG pulse laser emission output of 1064 nm, P-Pc could be imaged through 11.6 cm of chicken breast with PACT. P-Pc accumulated passively in tumors following intravenous injection in mice as observed by PACT. Following oral administration, P-Pc passed through the intestine harmlessly, and PACT could be used to non-invasively observe intestine function. When the contrast agent placed under the arm of a healthy adult human, a PACT transducer on the top of the arm could readily detect P-Pc through the entire 5 cm limb. Thus, the approach of using contrast media with extreme absorption at 1064 nm readily enables high quality optical imaging in vitro and in vivo in humans at exceptional depths.
Keywords: photoacoustic computed tomography
Photoacoustic (PA) computed tomography (PACT) has emerged as a promising biomedical imaging modality that combines optical and ultrasound modalities to achieve improved resolution deep in tissues [1]. Based on the endogenous optical contrast of blood, PACT has been demonstrated preclinically for a range of applications including imaging of brain function, tumor vascularization and drug delivery and efficacy [2-5]. Photoacoustic contrast agents have been extensively developed and evaluated, largely in preclinical settings [6, 7]. Amongst others, these include carbon nanotubes [8], gold nanoparticles [9], virus-mimicking particles [10], organic particles [11, 12] and hybrids [13] that enable multimodal imaging [14-16]. Photoacoustic probes capable of molecular imaging of cell-surface receptors [17], proteolytic activity [18], reactive oxygen species [19] and pH have also been developed recently.
However, translating PACT into clinical applications remains challenging, due to limited penetration depth. The deepest PACT depth reported to date was 8.4 cm, as demonstrated in vitro in chicken breast tissue [20]. However, the light intensity used in that experiment was close to the ANSI safety limit, leaving little room for further improvements in penetration depth by simply increasing the light fluence. For human imaging, PACT breast scanners have shown promising vascular images, but penetration depth was limited and not quantified [21]. Compared to other optical tomography modalities, photon-based detectors (as opposed to the ultrasonic transducer detectors used in PACT) have severely impaired light penetration depth due to light scattering and two-way light propagation. For instance, diffuse optical tomography has been reported up to 6 cm in breast, but with poor depth-to-resolution ratio (~5), which corresponds to a 1.2 cm spatial resolution, which is not suitable for imaging applications [22]. In comparison, PACT depth-to-resolution ratio is close to 200 [23].
In highly scattering media such as animal tissue, near infrared (NIR) light exhibits reduced scattering at longer wavelengths [24]. 1064 nm has been proposed as an appealing wavelength for PACT contrast agents since there are few endogenous absorbers in tissue besides water, and this is the output wavelength of the common Nd:YAG laser [25]. Most applications in PACT make use of a Nd:YAG laser coupled with additional photonic crystals or dyes to achieve upconversion to various shorter wavelengths. Direct use of 1064 nm pulses could lead to miniaturized PACT systems with greater power [26]. Additionally, human safety limits for laser outputs at 1064 nm are permissive of higher energies compared to shorter wavelengths. Several photoacoustic contrast agents have been proposed for 1064 nm laser excitation including copper sulfide nanoparticles [27], gold nanorods [28] and nanorod-containing perfluorocarbon droplets [29].
Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are hydrophobic chromophores with delocalized macrocycle electrons, strong NIR absorption, diverse metal coordination capacity and good stability (e.g. some Pcs have been shown to be stable at temperatures as high as 900 °C) [30, 31]. They have a history for use a theranostic agents, dating back over 60 years [32]. Much research emphasis has been placed on their applications in molecular photovoltaics [33], thin-film electronics [34], sensors [35], photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy [36, 37], molecular magnets [38], nonlinear optical materials [39], and catalysts [40]. There have also been several examples of Pcs being used for photoacoustic imaging.[41-43].
We previously reported that functional intestinal imaging and multicolor lymph node mapping is possible using nanoformulated Pcs and naphthalocyanines [44, 45]. Highly hydrophobic dyes induced the formation of frozen micelles which enabled the subsequent removal of unincorporated surfactant, leaving behind a concentrated nanoparticle solution that could achieve absorbance greater than 1000. The longest wavelength dye used had a peak absorption at 860 nm.
Recently, Kobayashi's group has pioneered the rational design of stable, far NIR Pcs with optical absorption bands at wavelengths greater than 1000 nm [46, 47]. These unique Pcs feature a central, chelated, electron deficient Group 15 element (e.g. P, As, Sb) and outer benzene groups functionalized with electron rich Group 16 elements (e.g. S, Se, Te). In this study, we synthesize a phosphorus Pc (P-Pc) that contains a central phosphorus and outer sulfur and demonstrate its potential to enable deep PACT in vitro and in vivo. To show the generalized synergy for P-Pc and PACT applications, tumor-bearing mice were used with intravenously administered P-Pc for tumor imaging, healthy mice were used with orally administered P-Pc for intestinal imaging, and human studies were conducted with external placement of the contrast agent across the arm to show capability for deep imaging in humans.
P-Pc formulation
The phosphorus Phthalocyanine (P-Pc) was prepared as shown in Figure 1, according to recent literature [46]. All steps in the synthesis had very good to excellent yields (83-95 %), with the exception of generating one of the precursors, P2, which was obtained with just 8 % yield. To solubilize the hydrophobic P-Pc product in a biocompatible medium, 20 mg/mL of P-Pc was dissolved in liquid surfactants including Tween 20, Tween 40, Tween 80, Cremophor EL, Pluronic F68, or edible oils including canola, olive and soy oil. Optical absorbance was assessed directly without dilution using a 10 µm path length cuvette, and values are multiplied by 1000 to determine the calculated absorbance in a 1 cm path length cuvette (Figure 2A). P-Pc that was dissolved in Tween and Cremophor EL had the highest absorbance of greater than 800, at a wavelength close to 1000 nm. The solution was centrifuged prior to measurement and was not cloudy, so that any light scattering contribution to the absorbance was minimal. The surfactants themselves had no background absorption at that wavelength. Pluronic F68, oils and water could not dissolve P-Pc well and produced negligible absorbance, showing these were not suitable carriers. Tween 80 (also referred to as Polysorbate 80), was selected for further studies since it has been approved by the FDA for oral consumption and is a common food and cosmetic additive. The absorbance spectrum P-Pc dye in Tween 80 exhibited an absorption peak at 997 nm, which was blue shifted by 45 nm compared to P-Pc in chloroform (Figure 2B). This is likely due to different packing and electron interactions of concentrated P-Pc molecules in the Tween surfactant, and this phenomenon has been shown to affect Pc optical properties [48]. The absorbance of P-Pc at 1000 nm was also measured following dilution into water with a standard 1 cm path length cuvette (Figure S1 in the Supporting Information). The P-Pc absorbance at 1000 nm was approximately linear with increasing P-Pc concentrations in Tween 80.
Synthesis of phosphorus phthalocyanine (P-Pc): [α-(2,6-dimethylphenylthio)8PcP(OMe)2]+[ClO4]-
Absorbance of P-Pc in excipients. (A) Calculated absorbance of P-Pc at 997 nm following dissolution in the indicated liquids at 20 mg/mL P-Pc. Samples were briefly centrifuged prior to measurement in a cuvette with a 10 μm path length. Absorbance was multiplied by 1000 to produce calculated absorbance based on a 1 cm path length (mean ± s.d. for n = 3). (B) Calculated absorbance of 40 mg/mL P-Pc dye in Tween 80 (blue) or 20 mg/mL in chloroform (red). The Tween formulation was measured directly with a 10 μm path length cuvette. Since chloroform was not compatible with the 10 μm path length cuvette, it was diluted 1000 times into a conventional cuvette. Absorbance was multiplied by 1000 for calculated absorbance of the solution, based on a 1 cm path length.
Deep imaging in chicken breast tissue
To assess the penetration depth using PACT and P-Pc, we performed a phantom experiment with chicken breast tissue. The experiment was performed in a similar manner as a previous study [20], which to our knowledge set the current record for the deepest PACT detection depth through 8.4 cm of tissue (detecting methylene blue through chicken breast). Before the experiment, 30 mM of dye was placed in a 35 mm long Tygon tube with a 5 mm inner diameter. This concentration was the same as the one used in the previous depth record [20]. To prevent leakage, both ends of the tube were tied and sealed with epoxy glue. The tube was placed in a 2 L glass breaker whose bottom was covered with 2.5 cm thick chicken breast tissue. As shown in Figure 3A, pieces of chicken breast tissue were consecutively stacked on top of the tube and the photoacoustic signal change was monitored. The tube photoacoustic signal started to be obscured by noise when the tissue thickness reached approximately 12 cm (without any signal averaging). The corresponding light intensity was 56 mJ/cm2 over the 3 cm diameter illumination region. Because averaging can improve the signal to noise ratio (SNR), we acquired 100 images at the same depth. The overlaid averaged photoacoustic and ultrasound images are shown in Figure 3B, where the tube is clearly visible in the color photoacoustic image. The photoacoustic signal outside the dotted frame indicated in the figure is not shown. The SNR was quantified to be 18 dB, which is higher than the 15 dB SNR previously reported with 200 times averaging [20]. The actual imaging depth in PA image was calculated to be 11.6 cm, which is close to the depth measure by a ruler (~12 cm). To ensure that no light leaked to the tube through the bottom of the beaker, we repeated the experiment with ~12 cm of chicken tissue placed both on top and beneath the tube. Again, the tube could be clearly visualized (Figure S2 in the Supporting Information). We also gradually removed the tissue on top and computed the signal to noise ratio of the PA signal at different penetration depths. This data is shown in Figure S3 in the Supporting Information. Thus, the use of P-Pc as a contrast agent with this photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) system improved upon the deepest reported optical imaging depth in tissue by 38%, with only half the amount of averaging. Moreover, the light intensity used was only around half of the ANSI safety limit, whereas the previous example was within 85 % of the safety limit [20]. The deeper penetration depth is mainly attributed to the high absorption of P-Pc formulation at 1064 nm, weak tissue absorption and scatter in the deep NIR, and the higher ANSI safety limit at 1064 nm. We did not perform experiments at the full ANSI safety limit. Although these experiments were in tissue phantoms, the deep detection of P-Pc through over 10 cm of biological tissue shows its potential for clinical applications that require penetration beyond a couple of centimeters.
Detection of P-Pc through 11.6 cm of tissue. (A) Photograph of the sample setup with chicken breast stacked on top of a tube containing the P-Pc formulation. (B) Overlaid photoacoustic (color, within the dashed box) and ultrasound (gray) images of the tube at 11.6 cm depth.
Tumor Imaging
To investigate P-Pc for tumor imaging, nude mice bearing pancreatic MIA PaCa-2 xenografts grown in the left groin were imaged. For all experiments, the light intensity was controlled on the animal skin to be approximately 8.5 mJ/cm2, over a 3 cm diameter region. This energy is less than a tenth of the permissible ANSI safety limit. The scanning geometry is shown in Figure 4A. For each experiment, the animal was scanned over 20 mm along the elevation direction at a step size of 0.1 mm. At each step, one frame of ultrasound and photoacoustic images were captured using the L7-4 transducer array.
Tumors were imaged in mice with or without intravenous administration of P-Pc. To administer P-Pc, the 100 mg/mL P-Pc, Tween 80 stock solution was diluted to 25 mg/mL with pure water and mice were injected via tail vein. Mice were intravenously administered 100 µL of this diluted formulation (with a calculated absorbance at 1002 nm of 200, based on a 1 cm path length; dilution of P-Pc into water shifted peak absorbance wavelength by 5 nm). Imaging was performed 24 hours after P-Pc injection. Because we used the same light intensity for all treated mice, for better comparison, both reconstructed images were normalized with the same values. Figure 4B shows representative cross sections from a control mouse. Because at 1064 nm, the intrinsic optical absorption of biological molecules is negligible and water absorption is low and homogenous, the PA signals were weak and were all below the threshold used to render the superimposed image. For mice treated with P-Pc, an intense PA signal was observed in the tumors, indicating extravasation of P-Pc to the tumor, probably through the enhanced permeability and retention effect. At the 24 hour point, most of the P-Pc accumulated in the liver with modest accumulation in the tumor, but a large amount remained in circulation (Figure S4 in Supporting Information). In the future, exploration of targeted molecular imaging approaches would be useful to possibly improve the tumor specificity of P-Pc. The NIR P-Pc contrast in the tumor could also be explored in the future for photothermal therapy.
PACT tumor imaging using P-Pc. (A) Schematic of the PACT system and imaging geometry. (B) Tumor PACT imaging in untreated or mice intravenously administered P-Pc. The tumor image was obtained 24 hours after tail vein injection. Tumor images are representative for n=3 mice. PA is shown in color and US is shown in gray.
Analysis of PA signal intensities indicated that the PA contrast in the tumor was 1.9 times higher than tissues surrounding the tumor and 2.3 times higher than the signal found in the tumor of untreated control mice. This experiment shows that not only can P-Pc accumulate in tumors for PACT-based imaging, but also that P-Pc was tolerated following systemic administration to mice. In vitro, when U87 glioblastoma cells were incubated with P-Pc for 24 hours, no decrease in viability was observed relative to the Tween 80 carrier itself (Figure S5 in the Supporting Information). However, at higher concentrations, Tween 80 itself strongly inhibited cell viability. Although Tween 80 is used as an excipient in several injectable drugs, further toxicity testing is required to better understand the systemic effects of P-Pc and Tween 80. This underscores the advantages of previously reported approaches such as surfactant-stripping, to minimize the amount of surfactant used to solubilize hydrophobic dyes [44].
Dynamic Intestine Imaging
To assess the suitability of P-Pc as an orally administered PA agent, the stability of the P-Pc in Tween 80 was first tested in vitro in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. The P-Pc formulation was diluted into and then dialyzed against simulated gastric fluid at 37 °C. No appreciable loss of optical absorbance was observed over 8 hours (Figure 5A). When the same procedure was performed using simulated intestinal fluid, less than 10 % absorbance loss was observed in 4 hours and less than 20 % absorbance loss was observed in 8 hours. This demonstrates that P-Pc had good chemical stability under harsh dialysis conditions, and also that the hydrophobic chromophore was able to form supramolecular structures that are not small enough to pass through the dialysis membrane. No change in spectral properties were observed during incubation in these conditions (Figure S6 in the Supporting Information). Following oral administration to mice, P-Pc was excreted and could be fully recovered from feces in less than 24 hours (Figure 5B). Thus, P-Pc was stable throughout the gastrointestinal tract and was not absorbed systemically. This behavior is similar to our recent report of nanoformulated Pc and naphthalocyanine dyes that were fully excreted in feces following oral administration [44]. A contrast agent that is stable in the gut and is not systemically absorbed is advantageous for intestinal imaging applications with respect to safety and signal consistency in the intestinal lumen.
P-Pc was next assessed as an intestinal contrast agent for PACT in vivo in mice. The PA scanning geometry was similar as that shown in Figure 4A. The L7-4 transducer was replaced with the L12-5 (38 mm) transducer, which has more elements (192 vs. 128) and better spatial resolution (axial resolution: 0.83 mm vs. 1.5 mm, lateral resolution: 0.2 mm vs. 0.3 mm). The laser intensity was controlled to be the same as in the tumor imaging experiments. Minimal background PA signals were observed in mice before administration of P-Pc. Half an hour after mice were orally administered 100 µL of 25 mg/mL P-Pc formulation (with calculated absorbance at 1002 nm of 200, based on a 1 cm path length), the mouse was imaged at a rate of 3.33 frames per second. This frame rate is sufficient to track the intestine peristalsis, which occurs approximately every two seconds in mice. To mitigate motion artifacts caused by respiration, we computed the covariance matrix of all image frames, identified ones with the largest body displacement (based on amplitudes of the eigenvector), and replaced these frames with neighboring averages. Representative frames are shown in Figure 5C, in which the transition of the dye within the white grids can be clearly identified. The peristaltic rate was calculated based on the average signal amplitude within a red rectangular area (Figure 5D). Thirty peaks can be identified within a 60 second time window, indicating a peristaltic rate of 30 per minute, which is the expected rate in mice. For better illustration, the peristaltic rate was calculated over time (Figure 5E), showing a peristaltic rate close to 30 contractions per minutes.
Trans-limb Imaging in Humans
To demonstrate the translational potential of deep PACT with highly absorbing contrast at 1064 nm, we attempted imaging through a human arm, something that to our knowledge has not yet been done with optical imaging. As ultrasound cannot propagate through bone well, the transducer and light source were directed towards the space between the ulna and radius bones. A tube containing the P-Pc formulation was placed beneath the arm of a healthy and conscious adult human, as shown in Figure 6A. When the arm was first imaged with the hybrid photoacoustic and PACT system, ultrasound could visualize the whole arm and no photoacoustic signal was present (Figure 6B). The ultrasound signal visible at the bottom of the arm corresponded to ultrasound reflection from the supporting agar gel under the arm. However, when a small tube containing P-Pc was placed under the arm, its complete shape could be unambiguously visualized with PACT through the 3.1 cm arm. The established ANSI safety limit for human exposure to the Nd:YAG laser pulse is 100 mJ/cm2, and this pilot study a pulse of just 14 mJ/cm2 was applied. Another volunteer with a larger arm was also imaged (Figure 6C). For this arm, pulse fluence was increased to 23 mJ/cm2, which is less than a quarter of the well-established safety energy limit. The P-Pc tube was clearly detectable through the 5 cm arm. There was no bone visible in the imaging plane, because the transducer imaged in between the gap between the ulna and radius bones. Skin was not easily observed either, likely because the transducer was placed directly against it.
These data suggest that clinically relevant PACT applications such as sentinel lymph node mapping for cancer staging in deep tissues could be enabled using appropriate contrast agents with absorption beyond 1000 nm. Eventually, by localizing lymph nodes with PACT, a minimally-invasive fine needle aspiration biopsy could be performed to determine whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes, and this information could be used to guide surgical decisions whether or not to resect lymph nodes. Previously, using a shorter wavelength (667 nm), sentinel lymph node imaging in humans was reported at just over 2 cm in depth with an optimized system that was operating at 50% of the ANSI safety limit [49]. Although we did not involve injection of P-Pc into patients, contrast imaging was readily achieved through 5 cm of arm tissue, which corresponds to a less fatty and more scattering media compared to breast tissue, and at less than 25% of the ANSI safety limit.
Suitability of P-Pc as a lumen-confined intestinal contrast agent. (A) Retained absorbance of P-Pc during dialysis against simulated gastric fluid (SGF, blue) or simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, red) at 37 °C (mean ± s.d. for n = 3). (B) Excretion of P-Pc in feces. Mice were gavaged with 100 µL of dye (with a calculated absorbance of 200 at 1002 nm, based on a 1 cm path length) and feces were collected and analyzed over time (mean ± s.d. for n = 3 mice). (C) Dye movement in the intestine. The white reference grid clearly demonstrates the movement of P-Pc in the intestine and the red box is the selected area for motion rate calculation. (D) Variation of photoacoustic signal within the region of interest (marked red box in C), plotted over time. (E) Rate of contractile motion from the same region of interest, plotted over time.
Trans-limb PACT of a human arm. (A) Experimental PACT setup. (B, C) Representative trans-limb PACT for 2 different adult human volunteers. Overlaid photoacoustic (color, within the dashed boxes) and ultrasound (gray) images. The PA signal of the tube was clearly visible under the arm. The signal to noise ratio was 37 dB and 32 dB in the 3.1 cm and 5.0 cm arm experiments, respectively. This distance was between the tube and the skin at the top of the arm, which was in direct contact with the transducer.
P-Pc is a small molecule that could readily be formulated in commonly used surfactants to produce solutions with extreme absorption beyond 1000 nm. P-Pc was used for optical imaging through 11.6 cm of chicken breast tissue, which to our knowledge represents the deepest optical biological imaging reported to date. P-Pc was tolerated in mice and proved suitable for tumor imaging following intravenous administration. Further work is required to characterize the toxicity profile of P-Pc and the Tween 80 carrier. Following oral administration, P-Pc passed harmlessly through the GI tract without entering into systemic circulation and could be used for intestinal imaging. P-Pc was imaged through an entire 5 cm arm of a healthy human adult, using an imaging geometry with both light source and detector on the top of the arm. These data show that P-Pc and other agents that are highly absorbing beyond 1000 nm can enable optical imaging with good resolution at unprecedented depths.
Materials were purchased from Sigma unless otherwise noted.
Synthesis of the Phosphorus Phthalocyanine
The phosphorus phthalocyanine (P-Pc) was prepared according to the literature as shown in Figure 1 [46].
3,6-Bis(4'-methylphenylsulfonyloxy)phthalonitrile (P1): Precursor P1 was prepared according reported methods [50]. In brief, p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride (5.20 g, 27 mmol) was added to a mixture of 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone (2.00 g, 12.5 mmol) and potassium carbonate (6.90 g, 50 mmol) in acetone (15 mL). The mixture was heated to reflux for 2 h, cooled to room temperature, poured into water (40 mL) and stirred for 1 h. The light brown product was filtered and oven dried to get P1 5.60 g (Yield 95.7 %). IR [υmax / cm-1]: 3432, 3239, 3085, 2243, 2226(CN), 1504, 1449, 1315, 1279, 1204, 1174, 1142, 1021, 1004, 979, 934, 847, 749, 694, 638, 614.
3,6-Bis(2,6-dimethylphenylthio)phthalonitrile (P2): P1 (2.34 g, 5 mmol) and potassium carbonate (2.80 g, 20 mmol) were added to a solution of 2,6-dimethylthiophenol (4.40 g, 30 mmol) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). After stirring for 14 h at room temperature, the reaction was quenched with water. The mixture was extracted with chloroform and washed with 5 % sodium carbonate (w/v) in water. The organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. The product was purified by silica gel column chromatography (CHCl3) followed by recrystallization with methanol. P2 was obtained (160 mg, 8.0 %) as a pale yellow powder. 500 MHz 1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.25 (d, 2H), 7.17 (d, 4H), 6.40 (s, 2H), 2.36 (s, 12H).
α-(2,6-dimethylphenylthio)8PcH2: P2 (160 mg, 0.4 mmol) was added to a solution of lithium (28 mg, 4.0 mmol) in 2 mL of n-butanol and heated under reflux for 2 h. The mixture was purified by alumina gel column chromatography (CHCl3). The free-base phthalocyanines α-(2,6-dimethylphenylthio)8PcH2 was obtained (133 mg, 83 %) as a dark red powder. ESI mass calculated for C96H82N8S8 [M]+: 1602.4, Found: 1603.7
[α-(2,6-dimethylphenylthio)8PcP(OMe)2]+[ClO4]- (P-Pc): Phosphorus oxybromide (1.5 g, excess) was added a solution of α-(2,6-dimethylphenylthio)8PcH2 (133 mg, 83 μmol) in 2 mL of pyridine and stirred for 30 min at room temperature. After the solvent was removed in vacuo, the residue was dissolved in a solution of dichloromethane / methanol (50/50, v/v) and stirred for 30 min at room temperature. The organic layer was collected, washed with water, and solvent was removed to yield a dark green product (phosphorus Pc). The resulting solid was dissolved in dichloromethane, then sodium perclorate (41.5 mg, 340 µmol) was added. After the mixture was stirred for 12 h at room temperature, solvent was removed, and the residue was recrystallized from dichloromethane / n-hexane. P-Pc was obtained (120 mg, 85 %) as a dark green powder. 400 MHz 1H NMR (CD2Cl2): δ = 7.35-7.33 (m, 8H), 7.30-7.28 (m, 16H), 6.88 (s, 8H), 2.52 (s, 48H), 0.31 (d, 6H, 3JPH = 26.8 Hz). ESI mass calculated for C98H86N8O2PS8[M-ClO4]+: 1693.4, Found: 1693.7. Extinction coefficients (M-1cm-1) were measured in various solvents at the following peak absorption wavelengths: (chloroform: 1.1×105 at 1042 nm); (methylene chloride: 1.1×105 at 1029 nm); (dimethyl sulfoxide: 6.4×104 at 998 nm); (tetrahydrofuran: 9.7×104 at 1011 nm).
P-Pc formulation and characterization
10 mg P-Pc was weighed and dissolved in 100 µL of liquid surfactant, followed by sonication for 30 minutes. For oil-based dissolution, olive, canola and soy oils were obtained from a local grocery store. Samples were briefly centrifuged prior to absorbance measurement with a Lambda 35 UV/VIS spectrophotometer (Perkin Elmer) using cuvettes with a 10 μm path length (Starna # 20/O-Q-0.01). For further studies, the surfactant-dissolved P-Pc was then diluted 1:4 in water with vortexing and sonication to get the P-Pc formulation. Following dilution, absorbance was measured with cuvettes with 1 cm path length. To assess the stability of the P-Pc dye in simulated gastric fluid or simulated intestinal fluid, concentrated P-Pc in surfactant (Tween 80) was diluted into the fluids so that the absorbance was close to 1, then dialysed at 37°C against simulated gastric fluid (Ricca, #7108-32) with added pepsin and pancreatin-containing simulated intestinal fluid (Ricca #7109-32). The retention of the P-Pc dye was calculated by the ratio of absorbance to the original value.
For cell viability, U87 cells (ATTC) cells were grown in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 1% penicillin-streptomycin at 5% CO2 in a humidified atmosphere. Cells were seeded at a density of 1×104/well and incubated at 37 °C in for 24 hours. Cells were rinsed with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and P-Pc or the Tween 80 carrier alone was added to the wells containing DMEM with serum and incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours. P-Pc containing media was replaced fresh media after washing the cells with PBS. 24 hours later the XTT assay was performed. 100 μL of PBS containing 50 μg/mL of XTT (2,3-Bis(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5-Carboxanilide) and 60 μg/mL of PMS (N-methyl dibenzopyrazine methyl sulfate) was added to each well and incubated for 2 hours. Background (read at 630 nm) was subtracted from the absorbance read at 450 nm. Cell viability was determined by comparing the absorbance of the wells treated with dye to untreated wells. All measurements were made in triplicate.
Linear-array-based Photoacoustic Computed Tomography (PACT)
The 1064 nm output from an Nd:YAG laser was routed to the imaging region through a 1.4 cm diameter fiber bundle. The maximum light intensities at the skin surface varied from 8.5 mJ/cm2 to 56 mJ/cm2 in different experiments, but were all below the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety limit (100 mJ/cm2) at 1064 nm. Photoacoutic (PA) signals were detected either with a 128-element linear transducer array (5 MHz central frequency ATL/Philips L7-4) for chicken tissue and tumor targeting experiments, or with a 192 element linear transducer array (9 MHz central frequency, ATL/Philips L12-5 38mm width) for intestine experiments. PA signals received by the transducer array were multiplexed and digitized by a 64-channel ultrasound data acquisition system (Vantage, Verasonics). The raw channel data were reconstructed and displayed in real-time using the universal back-projection algorithm [51].
Animal experiments were performed in accordance with the University at Buffalo Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. For tumor imaging studies, 5×106 MIA Paca-2 cells (obtained from ATCC) were injected in female nude mice mice (5 weeks, Jackson Labs, #007850) and were allowed to grow. The P-Pc formulation (25 mg/mL in 25% Tween 80), was intravenously administered via tail vein (100 µL of solution with an absorption at 1002 nm of 200). For intestinal studies, female BALB/c mice (Harlan) were held without food overnight with free access to water. After gavaging 100 µL of P-Pc (absorption at 1002 nm of 200), mice were transferred to metabolic cages, and feces were collected. Peristaltic rate was calculated by dividing the peak number by the peak time in Fig. 5D. For the determination of recovery, the absorbance of serum samples was measured directly. Feces or tissues were dissolved in 2 ml of chloroform and were disrupted with a Tissue Tearor homogenizer until they were fully homogenized, and then absorbance was assessed. For PACT intestinal imaging, female nude mice were used due to their lack of hair.
Human experiments
Conducted experiments were reviewed by the University at Buffalo IRB committee. The array used in the experiment was a 128-element linear transducer array (5 MHz central frequency ATL/Philips L7-4), which is the same as we used in the tumor and chicken breast tissue experiments. 30 mM of P-Pc was filled in a 35 mm long Tygon tube with a 5.0 mm inner diameter (the same tube was also used in the chicken breast tissue experiment). The tube was placed on top of a piece of intralipid and agar gel mixed phantom (4 cm in thickness), and the arm was put on top of the tube. Ultrasound gel was used in the experiment as a coupling medium. Gel was placed both under (coupling tube and arm) and on top of the arm (coupling arm and transducer). The 1064 nm output from an Nd:YAG laser was routed to the arm through a 1.4 cm diameter fiber bundle. The maximum light intensities at the skin surface was 23 mJ/cm2.
P-Pc: Phosphorus Phthalocyanine; PACT: Photoacoustic computed tomography; US: Ultrasound.
The authors thank the Shandong Provincial Education Association for International Exchanges. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01EB017270, DP5OD017898 and R21EY026411), University at Buffalo Startup Funding, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21401118).
The authors have declared no competing interest.
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8. De La Zerda A, Zavaleta C, Keren S, Vaithilingam S, Bodapati S, Liu Z. et al. Carbon nanotubes as photoacoustic molecular imaging agents in living mice. Nat Nano. 2008;3:557-62
9. Mallidi S, Larson T, Tam J, Joshi PP, Karpiouk A, Sokolov K. et al. Multiwavelength Photoacoustic Imaging and Plasmon Resonance Coupling of Gold Nanoparticles for Selective Detection of Cancer. Nano Lett. 2009;9:2825-31
10. Gupta S, Chatni MR, Rao ALN, Vullev VI, Wang LV, Anvari B. Virus-mimicking nano-constructs as a contrast agent for near infrared photoacoustic imaging. Nanoscale. 2013;5:1772-6
11. Lovell JF, Jin CS, Huynh E, Jin H, Kim C, Rubinstein JL. et al. Porphysome nanovesicles generated by porphyrin bilayers for use as multimodal biophotonic contrast agents. Nat Mater. 2011;10:324-32
12. Huynh E, Lovell JF, Helfield BL, Jeon M, Kim C, Goertz DE. et al. Porphyrin Shell Microbubbles with Intrinsic Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Properties. J Am Chem Soc. 2012;134:16464-7
13. Rieffel J, Chen F, Kim J, Chen G, Shao W, Shao S. et al. Hexamodal Imaging with Porphyrin-Phospholipid-Coated Upconversion Nanoparticles. Adv Mater. 2015;27:1785-90
14. Rieffel J, Chitgupi U, Lovell JF. Recent Advances in Higher-Order, Multimodal, Biomedical Imaging Agents. Small. 2015;11:4445-61
15. Huynh E, Leung BYC, Helfield BL, Shakiba M, Gandier J-A, Jin CS. et al. In situ conversion of porphyrin microbubbles to nanoparticles for multimodality imaging. Nat Nano. 2015;10:325-32
16. Jeon M, Song W, Huynh E, Kim J, Kim J, Helfield BL. et al. Methylene blue microbubbles as a model dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound and activatable photoacoustic imaging. J Biomed Opt. 2014;19:016005-10
17. Luke GP, Myers JN, Emelianov SY, Sokolov KV. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Revisited: Ultrasound-Guided Photoacoustic Detection of Micrometastases Using Molecularly Targeted Plasmonic Nanosensors. Cancer Res. 2014;74:5397-408
18. Yang K, Zhu L, Nie L, Sun X, Cheng L, Wu C. et al. Visualization of protease activity in vivo using an activatable photo-acoustic imaging probe based on CuS nanoparticles. Theranostics. 2014;4:134-41
19. Pu K, Shuhendler AJ, Jokerst JV, Mei J, Gambhir SS, Bao Z. et al. Semiconducting polymer nanoparticles as photoacoustic molecular imaging probes in living mice. Nat Nano. 2014;9:233-9
20. Ke H, Erpelding TN, Jankovic L, Liu C, Wang LV. Performance characterization of an integrated ultrasound, photoacoustic, and thermoacoustic imaging system. J Biomed Opt. 2012;17:056010-6
21. Kruger RA, Kuzmiak CM, Lam RB, Reinecke DR, Del Rio SP, Steed D. Dedicated 3D photoacoustic breast imaging. Med Phys. 2013;40:113301
22. Jiang H. Diffuse optical tomography: principles and applications. CRC press. 2010
23. Wang LV, Gao L. Photoacoustic Microscopy and Computed Tomography: From Bench to Bedside. Annu Rev Biomed Eng. 2014;16:155-85
24. Bashkatov AN, Genina EA, Kochubey VI, Tuchin VV. Optical properties of human skin, subcutaneous and mucous tissues in the wavelength range from 400 to 2000 nm. J Phys D: Appl Phys. 2005;38:2543-55
25. Homan K, Kim S, Chen YS, Wang B, Mallidi S, Emelianov S. Prospects of molecular photoacoustic imaging at 1064 nm wavelength. Opt Lett. 2010;35:2663-5
26. Chen-Wei W, Thu-Mai N, Jinjun X, Arnal B, Wong EY, Pelivanov IM. et al. Real-time integrated photoacoustic and ultrasound (PAUS) imaging system to guide interventional procedures: ex vivo study. Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, IEEE Transactions on. 2015;62:319-28
27. Ku G, Zhou M, Song S, Huang Q, Hazle J, Li C. Copper Sulfide Nanoparticles As a New Class of Photoacoustic Contrast Agent for Deep Tissue Imaging at 1064 nm. ACS Nano. 2012;6:7489-96
28. Chen Y-S, Homan K, Xu D, Frey W, Emelianov S. Feasibility of Contrast-Enhanced Photoacoustic Liver Imaging at a Wavelength of 1064 nm. Biomedical Optics and 3-D Imaging. Miami, Florida: Optical Society of America. 2012 BM2B.7
29. Hannah AS, VanderLaan D, Chen Y-S, Emelianov SY. Photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging using dual contrast perfluorocarbon nanodroplets triggered by laser pulses at 1064 nm. Biomed Opt Express. 2014;5:3042-52
30. Kadish KM, Smith KM, Guilard R. The Porphyrin Handbook: Phthalocyanines: spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization. Elsevier. 2003
31. Jiang J. Functional phthalocyanine molecular materials. Springer. 2010
32. Zhang Y, Lovell JF. Porphyrins as theranostic agents from prehistoric to modern times. Theranostics. 2012;2:905-15
33. Bottari G, de la Torre G, Guldi DM, Torres T. Covalent and noncovalent phthalocyanine- carbon nanostructure systems: synthesis, photoinduced electron transfer, and application to molecular photovoltaics. Chem Rev. 2010;110:6768-816
34. Imahori H, Umeyama T, Kurotobi K, Takano Y. Self-assembling porphyrins and phthalocyanines for photoinduced charge separation and charge transport. Chem Comm. 2012;48:4032-45
35. Bill NL, Trukhina O, Sessler JL, Torres T. Supramolecular electron transfer-based switching involving pyrrolic macrocycles. A new approach to sensor development?. Chem Comm. 2015;51:7781-94
36. Josefsen LB, Boyle RW. Unique diagnostic and therapeutic roles of porphyrins and phthalocyanines in photodynamic therapy, imaging and theranostics. Theranostics. 2012;2:916-66
37. Machacek M, Cidlina A, Novakova V, Svec J, Rudolf E, Miletin M. et al. Far-Red-Absorbing Cationic Phthalocyanine Photosensitizers: Synthesis and Evaluation of the Photodynamic Anticancer Activity and the Mode of Cell Death Induction. J Med Chem. 2015;58:1736-49
38. Komeda T, Katoh K, Yamashita M. Double-decker phthalocyanine complex: Scanning tunneling microscopy study of film formation and spin properties. Prog Surface Sci. 2014;89:127-60
39. Rao SV. Phthalocyanines, Porphycenes, and Corroles: Nonlinear optical properties and ultrafast dynamics. SPIE Photonics Europe: International Society for Optics and Photonics. 2012:84341 B-10
40. Sorokin AB. Phthalocyanine metal complexes in catalysis. Chem Rev. 2013;113:8152-91
41. George NA, Jyotsna R, Lee ST, Aneeshkumar B, Thomas J, Nampoori V. et al. Photoacoustic spectrum of samarium phthalocyanine powder. Opt Mater. 2005;27:1593-5
42. Attia ABE, Balasundaram G, Driessen W, Ntziachristos V, Olivo M. Phthalocyanine photosensitizers as contrast agents for in vivo photoacoustic tumor imaging. Biomed Opt Express. 2015;6:591-8
43. Fukui T, Kishi M, Tomatsu F, Sasaguri D, Yuasa S. Phthalocyanine dye-containing contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging. United States Patent. US 20150037255A1. 2014
44. Zhang Y, Jeon M, Rich LJ, Hong H, Geng J, Zhang Y. et al. Non-invasive multimodal functional imaging of the intestine with frozen micellar naphthalocyanines. Nat Nano. 2014;9:631-8
45. Lee C, Kim J, Zhang Y, Jeon M, Liu C, Song L. et al. Dual-color photoacoustic lymph node imaging using nanoformulated naphthalocyanines. Biomaterials. 2015;73:142-8
46. Furuyama T, Satoh K, Kushiya T, Kobayashi N. Design, synthesis, and properties of phthalocyanine complexes with main-group elements showing main absorption and fluorescence beyond 1000 nm. J Am Chem Soc. 2014;136:765-76
47. Kobayashi N, Furuyama T, Satoh K. Rationally Designed Phthalocyanines Having Their Main Absorption Band beyond 1000 nm. J Am Chem Soc. 2011;133:19642-5
48. Martin PC, Gouterman M, Pepich BV, Renzoni GE, Schindele DC. Effects of ligands, solvent, and variable sulfonation on dimer formation of aluminum and zinc phthalocyaninesulfonates. Inorg Chem. 1991;30:3305-9
49. Erpelding TN, Garcia-Uribe A, Krumholz A, Ke H, Maslov K, Appleton C. et al. A dual-modality photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system for noninvasive sentinel lymph node detection: preliminary clinical results. 2014. 894359.
50. Mbambisa G, Tau P, Antunes E, Nyokong T. Synthesis and electrochemical properties of purple manganese(III) and red titanium(IV) phthalocyanine complexes octa-substituted at non-peripheral positions with pentylthio groups. Polyhedron. 2007;26:5355-64
51. Xu M, Wang LV. Universal back-projection algorithm for photoacoustic computed tomography. Phys Rev E. 2005;71:016706
Corresponding authors: jflovelledu; junxiaedu.


text:
Q: Trying to add active class to menu item I've spent 2 hours trying to create an active menu with no success, so I figured I would ask for help. I have an html menu, some js & css...

$(function() {
  var pgurl = window.location.href.substr(window.location.href
    .lastIndexOf("/") + 1);
  $("#index li a").each(function() {
    if ($(this).attr("href") == pgurl || $(this).attr("href") == '')
      $(this).addClass("active");
  })
});
.active { font-weight:bold;}

The Maths Project

Against the odds.

 → Introduction

 → Deriving functions

 → Exploiting odds

Remembering everything.

black swans

in here it is yesterday

When the user is on a specific page, the "a" link which they have clicked should become bold. However, for whatever reason it's not working.
I would greatly appreciate any help,
Regards,
Jack

A: I am not clear with your question but do you want set active class to menu, so you try the below code

$('#navlist a').click(function(e) {
    e.preventDefault(); //prevent the link from being followed
    $('#navlist a').removeClass('selected');
    $(this).addClass('selected');
});
.nav {
    color: green;
}
.selected {
    color: red;
}
.san ul li{
    float:left;
    margin-right: 25px;
}

Home

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A: Try following and check if it works.
$(function() {
    var pgurl = window.location.href.substr(window.location.href.lastIndexOf("/") + 1);
    $("#index li a").each(function() {
        var href = "";
        if($(this).attr("href") != '')
            href = $(this).attr("href").substr(($(this).attr("href").lastIndexOf("/")+1);
            if (href == pgurl || href  == '')
                  $(this).addClass("active");
      })
  });

A: This line gets the page name:
var pgurl = window.location.href.substr(window.location.href
                  .lastIndexOf("/") + 1);

you need to apply the same logic to each of your links to see if they match:
$("#index li a").each(function() {

  var aurl = $(this).attr("href").substr($(this).attr("href")
                    .lastIndexOf("/")+1);

  if (aurl == pgurl || aurl == '')
    $(this).addClass("active");
})

Snippet below (tweaked to match as location.href won't match)

$(function() {
  //var pgurl = window.location.href.substr(window.location.href
  //                  .lastIndexOf("/") + 1);
  var locationhref = "mysite.com/against-the-odds/introduction"
  var pgurl = locationhref.substr(locationhref.lastIndexOf("/")+1);
  $("#index li a").each(function() {
    var aurl = $(this).attr("href").substr($(this).attr("href")
                      .lastIndexOf("/")+1);
    //console.log(aurl)
    if (aurl == pgurl || aurl == '')
      $(this).addClass("active");
  })
});
.active { font-weight:bold;color:yellow;}

The Maths Project

Against the odds.

 → Introduction

 → Deriving functions

 → Exploiting odds

Remembering everything.

black swans

in here it is yesterday

A: Just traverse the whole links and when any link will clicked then change the font-weight:normal to all links and then apply the font-weight:bold to currently clicked link.
$().ready(function () {
        $("ul>li").click(function () {
            $("ul>li").css("font-weight", "normal");
            $(this).css("font-weight", "bold");
        });
    });

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
What is a trademark policy violation on Disqus?
Using a company or business name, logo, or other trademark-protected materials in a manner that may mislead or confuse others with regard to its brand or business affiliation may be considered a trademark policy violation.
How does Disqus respond to reported trademark policy violations?
When we receive reports of trademark policy violations from holders of federal or international trademark registrations, we review the account and may take the following actions:
When there is a clear intent to mislead others through the unauthorized use of a trademark, Disqus will suspend the account and notify the account holder.
When we determine that an account appears to be confusing users, but is not purposefully passing itself off as the trademarked good or service, we give the account holder an opportunity to clear up any potential confusion. We may also release a username for the trademark holder's active use.
We are responsive to reports about confusing or misleading Promoted Discovery copy or information. When we receive valid reports, we may give the advertiser an opportunity to clear up any potential confusion. We may also remove specific items from Promoted Discovery, or remove the account from our advertising platform.
What is not a trademark policy violation?
Using another's trademark in a way that has nothing to do with the product or service for which the trademark was granted is not a violation of Disqus' trademark policy.
Disqus usernames are provided on a first-come, first-served basis and may not be reserved. For information on why you may not be able to select a certain username, please see What is the difference between my Username and my Display Name?
Guidelines for fan accounts
Disqus users are allowed to create fan accounts. Disqus provides a platform for its users to share and receive a wide range of ideas and content, and we greatly value and respect our users' expression. Because of these principles, we do not actively monitor users' content and will not edit or remove user content, except in cases of violations of our Terms of Service.
An account's profile information should make it clear that the account is not actually the company or business entity that is the subject of the fan account. Here are some suggestions for distinguishing your account:
Username: The username should not be the trademarked name of the subject of the fan account.
Name: The profile name should not be the trademarked name of the company or include the trademarked name in a misleading manner.
Bio: The bio should include a statement to distinguish it from the real company, such as "Unofficial Account," "Fan Account," or "Not affiliated with..."
Profile photo, header photo, or background image: The account should not use another's trademark, logo or other copyright-protected image without express permission.
Communication with other users: The account should not, through private or public communication with other users, try to deceive or mislead others about its identity.
Users may also choose to use different language to indicate that an account is not associated with the actual brand/company/product so long as it is clear and not confusing to others, and does not mislead or deceive.
If an account is reported to be confusing, we may request that the account holder make further changes to bring the account in compliance with these best practices.
How can I make my own account's brand or business affiliation clear?
We strongly recommend that you use all of Disqus' account settings (account name, location, web site, and bio) to make your account's affiliation clear.
Please see the profile and avatar sections of our Updating your Disqus Settings documentation for instructions on customizing your account. In particular, we recommend clearly stating your location, including your website if you have one, and clearly describing your brand or business in the bio, if applicable.
What information is required when reporting trademark policy violations?
In order to investigate trademark policy violations, please provide all of the following information:
Username of the reported account (e.g., cocacola or //disqus.com/cocacola):
Your company Disqus account (if there is one):
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Trademark registration number:
Trademark registration office (e.g., USPTO):
Note: A federal or international trademark registration number is required. If the name you are reporting is not a registered mark (e.g., a government agency or non-profit organization), please let us know:
Email (must be from company domain):
Description of confusion (e.g., passing off as your company, including specific descriptions of content or behavior):
Requested Action (e.g., removal of violating account or transfer of trademarked username to an existing company account):
How do I report a trademark policy violation?
You do not need a Disqus account to submit a trademark report. Holders of registered trademarks can report possible violations to Disqus through our Support Form.
Please submit trademark-related requests from your company email address and follow the format above to help expedite our response. Also, be sure to clearly describe to us why the account or comments posted by it may cause confusion with your mark.


text:
Investing in Space
SpaceX Crew-2 reaches orbit, with Elon Musk's company launching 10 astronauts in under a year
Published Fri, Apr 23 20216:30 AM EDT Updated Fri, Apr 23 202111:41 AM EDT
Michael Sheetz@thesheetztweetz
SpaceX launched a group of astronauts for NASA early Friday, with Elon Musk's company now having sent 10 astronauts to space in under a year.
A Falcon 9 rocket carried the four astronauts to space in the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft named Endeavour.
"It was just spectacular," acting NASA administrator Steve Jurczyk said after the Crew-2 mission launched. "Our partnership with SpaceX has been tremendous."
SpaceX launches more astronauts into space for NASA
SpaceX launched a group of astronauts for NASA early on Friday morning, with Elon Musk's company now having sent 10 astronauts to space in under a year.
The Crew-2 mission, the company's second operational crew launch for NASA and its third to date, reached orbit after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:49 a.m. ET. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried the four astronauts to space in the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft named Endeavour.
The launch marked multiple new firsts for SpaceX, with the company reusing both a rocket and a capsule for the mission, as well as surpassing the total number of astronauts launched to space under the Mercury program that began in 1958.
In this handout provided by NASA, Acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk watches the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the balcony of Operations Support Building II carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft on NASAs SpaceX Crew-2 mission with NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide onboard on April 23, 2021 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
NASA | Getty Images
SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule — carrying NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and Thomas Pesquet of France — is on its way to the International Space Station. The mission is scheduled to dock with the ISS about 24 hours after launch, at around 5:10 a.m. ET on Saturday.
SpaceX launches astronauts using reused rocket, spacecraft
Worldwide Exchange
"We're just glad to be back in space, and we'll send our regards to Crew-1 when we get there," Kimbrough said, speaking from the spacecraft after the launch.
The Crew-2 team will perform a full duration mission on the ISS, spending about six months on board. The four will join the Crew-1 astronauts, who launched in November, before the latter team's Crew Dragon capsule Resilience undocks and returns to Earth.
Acting NASA Adminstrator Steve Jurczyk (L hidden) and SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk (C) speak with NASA astronaut Bob Benkhen (R) before Crew-2 NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A to board the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Crew-2 mission launch, April 23, 2021, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Gianrigo Marletta | AFP | Getty Images
After the launch, SpaceX also landed the booster of its Falcon 9 rocket, which is the large, lower section of the rocket. This Falcon 9 rocket booster previously launched the Crew-1 mission in November, and SpaceX plans to continue using it to launch future missions.
"Thrilled to be part of advancing human spaceflight and looking forward to going beyond Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars, and helping make humanity a spacefaring civilization," Musk said during a post-launch press conference.
VIDEO13:3513:35
How SpaceX beat Boeing in the race to launch NASA astronauts to space
SpaceX developed its Crew Dragon spacecraft and fine-tuned its Falcon 9 rocket under NASA's Commercial Crew program, which provided the company with $3.1 billion to develop the system and launch six operational missions.
Commercial Crew is a competitive program. NASA also awarded Boeing with $4.8 billion in contracts to develop its Starliner spacecraft — but that capsule remains in development due to an uncrewed flight test in December 2019 that experienced significant challenges.
In this handout image provided by NASA, (L-R) ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A to board the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for the SpaceX Crew-2 mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on April 23, 2021, in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Crew-2 represents the second of those six missions for SpaceX, with NASA now benefiting from the investment it made in the company's spacecraft development.
NASA emphasizes that, in addition to giving the U.S. a way to send astronauts to space, SpaceX offers the agency a cost-saving option. The agency expects to pay $55 million per astronaut to fly with Crew Dragon, as opposed to $86 million per astronaut to fly with the Russians. NASA last year estimated that having two private companies compete for contracts saved the agency $20 billion to $30 billion in development costs.


JPRC101 - Coco Indian Stick in green color.
JPRC102 - Coco Indian Stick in pink color.
JPRC103 - Coco Indian Stick in brown color.
JPRC104 - Coco Indian Stick in blue color.
JPRC105 - Coco Indian Stick in red color.
JPRC106 - Coco Indian Stick in yellow color.


text:
Ideas for Community Groups Sustainability
by Peter Croft
Local Government (Councils) are a key place to start when looking at making communities more sustainable.
We know of them as responsible for footpaths, roads, rubbish collection and libraries. However their role has developed into something much broader as the three levels of government (Commonwealth, State and local) try and integrate service delivery.
Take health as an example. At the Commonwealth level: Medicare, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the like. At the State level: hospitals, health care services etc. At the local government level, the previous roles of food safety, immunisation campaigns etc have broadened as the South Australian Public Health Act 2011 has come into force. One of the requirements is for all Councils to develop a Regional Public Health Plan to preserve, protect and promote public health in their areas. This broader understanding provides an entry point for action on topics such as food security and healthy food; and walking and bike-riding as part of a healthy exercise regime.
A similar approach can be used to look at topics such as environmental policy: each level of government has specific responsibilities. At the local level, this can include topics such as: adaptation to climate change; water conservation; waste recycling, reuse and reduction; renewable energy installation; conservation of pre-European vegetation; planning and zoning for developments; greening communities (including Tree Strategies); and promotion of volunteerism and community support.
Most Councils around Adelaide have strategies, plans or policies that cover these Health and environment topics. Many also have community grant schemes that provide seed funding for initiatives that can support those directions.
In our inner-Adelaide Council area, the Grow Grow Grow Your Own group has been granted funds in several funding rounds to help the community grow more of its own food. Although we started out with a food security focus, the group has broadened its connections with Council on many fronts – including its Tree strategy, building community connections, linking with the Active Ageing and Youth strategies of Council, and conservation of pre-European trees.
Our approach has been to develop grant applications that address one or more of Council's strategies that are linked with sustainability. Then, if a grant application is successful, make contact with Council staff and elected members and attempt to discuss and align our mutual understandings, with a focus on sustainability. We have found that Council staff and elected members are interested in engagement with the community and have responded favourably to issues that we have raised. A key element for us has been a commitment to engaging with the people and processes of Council and being prepared to spend time in doing so.
We are happy to talk to others about how to go about connecting up with their Council. It might take some time and be frustrating at times. However, given the direct local impact that Councils have on the quality of our lives, it can be a useful investment.
Happy to chat further.
Email Peter Croft if you would talk more about getting involved in councils.
Sowing the seeds of sustainability
A new sustainable future
Climate change, Sustainability
Networking for sustainability


The Greek government entered a process of arbitration with a Canadian gold mining company on Thursday, days after the company threatened to suspend its investments in the country over what it said were delays in the issuing of permits.
Vancouver-based Eldorado Gold had on Monday threatened to suspend all investments in Greece on Sept. 22 and conduct only maintenance and environmental work in its locations in northern Greece over what it said were delays in receiving permits. The government counters that the company has not provided some required information for the pending permits, and officials accused it of attempting to apply political pressure on the government.
The arbitration is a formal process that is binding on both sides, and will deal with various differences between the company and Greek authorities, Greek officials have said. It is expected to last about three months but can be extended for a further three if necessary.
Eldorado said the arbitration notice they received said the technical study the company submitted regarding the creation of a treatment plant was in violation of the project's environmental terms.
"The company is highly confident that the subject technical study is robust and consistent with the transfer contact, the business plan and the approved environmental terms of the project," it said in a statement.
Eldorado president and CEO George Burns said the company believed "this matter could still be resolved through good faith negotiations" and called on the environment ministry to hold talks.
However, with a formal arbitration process beginning, this appears unlikely.
Burns reiterated that Eldorado would "be in a position to re-assess our investment options in Greece" if it receives all required permits "and a government that engages in good faith with the company."