Moses Ariong shares how he's using his career at One Acre Fund to make an impact in Uganda. Moses is speaking at the World Food Prize 2017 Borlaug Dialog in Des Moines, Iowa.
Growing up in rural Uganda, I had the grim opportunity to witness firsthand how poverty and hunger intersect. As smallholder farmers, my parents did backbreaking labor tilling their fields by hand to provide food and income for our family. In spite of their hard work, the productivity of our farm was low, so that we never had enough food to eat and would often go hungry. Malnutrition and kwashiorkor -- a protein deficiency that manifests as swollen bellies in children -- were common sights in my village. My parents never gave up though, and they sent me to school with the hope that one day, I would return and help transform my family and my community.
Upon completing my education with a degree in agriculture, I became a development worker, joining the ranks with others seeking to reverse the cycle of poverty. Now, as a project specialist at One Acre Fund, I work with farmers to improve food security in Uganda, and I'm advocating on behalf of smallholders across Africa as an Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow.
Starting a career in agricultural development wasn't easy, but I always knew that my expertise and personal experiences growing up in a farming household could help contribute toward ensuring that people across Africa have enough to eat. I have always had the desire to help eliminate hunger and poverty among rural households in Uganda, and that reason drove me to join One Acre Fund.
One Acre Fund is working with more than 600,000 farmers across Eastern and Southern Africa, but its program in Uganda is relatively new — it started as a small pilot project and launched officially in 2016. With a similar mission to eliminate poverty and hunger among smallholder farmers, I soon learned that One Acre Fund was the right place for me. The nonprofit sector in Uganda has been very helpful in nurturing ambitions and talents of young people, and One Acre Fund is no exception — the organization puts a lot of emphasis on staff skills development through training and the delivery of its program to smallholders.
As a project specialist for our team in Uganda, Moses works to ensure that farmers can grow healthy crops to feed their families.
Now, I have spent nearly two years at One Acre Fund, leading various teams and conducting trials on how to control the virulent striga weed, which has attacked many farmers' crops in Uganda. This and many other innovations by One Acre Fund are opening up opportunities for increasing crop production. While we still have a long way to go, I believe that one day, my dream of eliminating hunger will come true.
This belief was affirmed by David Mutakubwa, a farmer participating in one of our trials who this year harvested eight bags of maize on just a quarter of an acre of land — double the amount he used to produce before joining One Acre Fund. David's harvest benefited from a superior seed variety provided by the organization and training that he received on improved farming practices. When I went to visit him earlier this year, the strong, green stalks of maize still growing in his field were an early indicator of what was to come. David could not stop smiling when I asked him how he felt, and whether his harvest would improve from the previous season.
"My son," he said, "I had never imagined that I would even harvest maize again from these lands. Most of us had lost hope of growing maize, but now we feel that there is a future ahead." Maize is a staple food as well as a cash crop in the Busoga region. Due to poor production, David and many other farmers have suffered from food insecurity and very low household incomes. Now, he has a reason to smile because his family will have something to eat.
Although David broke many production records within his community, other farmers were not so lucky. Prossy Nabtanzi of Bukatovu village only harvested 20 kilograms of maize on a quarter of an acre – just about one bag. Her village was hit by severe drought, and she struggled to deal with an outbreak of armyworms. Prossy reminds me of the work that still lies ahead in realizing my dream and the dreams of many Ugandan farmers. Although Prossy is struggling this year, she still believes that the next season will be better, as long as she receives adequate rains. The success of other One Acre Fund farmers has given her courage, and she wants to work with the organization next season.
Nelson Mandela, the apartheid resistance leader and former president of South Africa, once said that "It always seems impossible until it is done." I've learned that it's only those who fall several times but find the courage to rise again that often succeed. With the support of One Acre Fund, Ugandan farmers will soon be liberated from food insecurity and hunger. That is the motivation that keeps me going.
Moses Ariong is a project specialist on One Acre Fund's field operations team in Jinja, Uganda. This year, he's a fellow for the Aspen Institute's New Voices program, which aims to amplify the voices of experts from the developing world. Moses is speaking at the World Food Prize's 2017 Bourlag Dialog in Des Moines, Iowa, on a panel about how young people can get involved in agriculture. To learn more about careers at One Acre Fund, visit our jobs page.


82 WINTER/SPRING 2018 SPACES This Russian Hill condominium is a captain of industry's roost with views of the bay and landmarks such as Coit Tower. By taking away walls, Geddes Ulinskas Architects delivered better sight lines, but project architect Adele Salierno decided to allude to "rooms" with beamed ceiling coffers that link all the spaces. Interior designer Rusty Wadatz designed a wood bar for the corner, right. The Stark carpet forms an island for the living area. BOLD COFFERED CEILINGS AND ECHOES OF TRADITIONAL BOISERIE LIFT A CLASSIC BUT TIMEWORN RUSSIAN HILL PIED-À-TERRE.


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Q: Convergence of sequence and series, follow-up question I completed the first part of this question, which is stated [here] Series convergence for sequence of zeroes and ones
I showed that the sequence of partial sums $S_n$ is bounded $0\le S_n\le1$, so as n goes to infinity, the sequence of partial sums converges to some value between 0 and 1.
This is the second part of the question: Let $x\in[0,1]$. Prove that there exists a sequence $(a_n)_{n\in N}$ such that $$x=\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{a_n}{2^n}$$
This is the binary expansion of $x$.
Isn't this part of the question basically stating what I proved in the first, i.e. I showed that the sequence of partial sums is between 0 and 1. Or am I misunderstanding the question?
Any clarification is appreciated.
Thank you.

A: In this part you are given x and have to show the existence of the sequenced $a_n$.
So this means, for each fixed $x$ in $[0,1]$, you have to do two things:
1) show how to construct the sequence $a_n$ from the number $x$, and
2) show that the resulting sum $\sum a_n/2^n$ actually converges to $x$.
In the previous part of the question you showed such sums converge, but in this latter part of the question you are to show for each $x$ you can find an appropriate sequence which converges with its sum being that particular $x$.
EDIT: The OP Alti has asked for details on the construction of the $a_n$ from the number $x \in [0,1]$. First note that the particular number $x=1$ has the expression in which all $a_n=1$, i.e. $1=1/2+1/4+1/8+...$, so that we may assume in fact that $X \in [0,1)$, the half-open interval where $0 \le x < 1.$
To get the construction started, we use that $[0,1)=[0,1/2) \cup [1/2,1)$ where the union is disjoint. We let $a_1=0$ if $x \in [0,1/2)$ and $a_1=1$ if $x \in [1/2,1)$. Note for this "base case" of the construction that we have $a_1/2 \le x < a_1/2+1/2$, which may be restated as $x \in [a_1/2,a_1/2+1/2)$ To construct the next $a$, which is $a_2$, we use that $$[a_1/2,a_1/2+1/2)=[a_1/2,a_1/2+1/4) \cup [a_1/2+1/4,a_1/2+1/2),$$ the union again being disjoint. We then define $a_2=0$ if $x$ is in the first half of the above disjoint union, and $a_1=1$ if $x lies in the second half of the above union.
For notation of left and right endpoints, let $v_n=a_1/2+a_2/4+...+a_n/2^n$, so that $v_n$ is the $n^{th}$ partial sum of the series we are constructing. Then provided we have inductively constructed each of $a_1,a_2,...,a_n$ we have at that stage that $x \in [v_n,v_n+1/2^n).$ For constructing $a_{n+1}$ we use the disjoint union
$$[v_n,v_n+1/2^n)=[v_n,v_n+1/2^{n+1}) \cup [v_n+1/2^{n+1},v_n+1/2^n).$$ This is another disjoint union, and we let $a_{n+1}=0$ if $x$ lies in the left half and $a_{n+1}=1$ if $x$ lies in the right half.
Convergence of the partial sums to $x$ can be based on the nested interval theorem, or on using the partial sums of the series and also the lengths of the constructed half-open intervals in the proof.

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David Hamlow holds an MFA in painting and drawing from the University of Minnesota (2005). He is the recipient of multiple grants and fellowships and has shown work regionally, nationally, and internationally. Hamlow is the professor of Visual Culture at Minnesota State University Mankato.


The Allied advances of August and September were too much for the Central Powers. Bulgaria accepted defeat on September 29, followed by the Ottoman Empire on October 30. Meanwhile Polish, Czech, and Hungarian populations began to break away from Austria-Hungary, while Germany negotiated an armistice with the Americans.


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Medical Connections Specific to Market Street of Palm Coast PMA … In the past two years, Florida Hospital Flagler has attained physicians in the following fields:.


Dr. Mark Van Stone's 2012 Book For iPad Now Available on the iBookstore!
Joined in bit parts by 14 renowned Maya scholars from around the world and complete with four 3-D animations of ancient Maya and Aztec works, hundreds of photographs, interactive maps and drawings, and even an interactive puzzle of the historic right panel of Tortuguero Monument 6, Dr. Van Stone's 32,000-word book was designed for the iPad(R).
The book, printed in English, can be purchased in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
"It has been a dream come true to see this body of work formatted to work so well on the iPad," said Dr. Van Stone. "Through the magic of technology, we have been able to revive the Maya and pay tribute to the uniqueness and intelligence of this very special people. What did the Maya predict about Dec. 21 or 23, 2012?
"In my book we explore the most up-to-date interpretations and discoveries of the ancient Maya and explain them in a way that will be accessible to all: to an elementary student working on a class report, a layman searching for answers based on the hype surrounding the 2012 meme, and even the college student or scholar on the quest for greater understanding of the Maya," Van Stone said.
Claxton, who met Dr. Van Stone, a speaker, author, Maya expert and professor of art history at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California, online in March via Twitter following an appearance on Ancient Aliens, said his company has worked closely with the professor and other Maya scholars to develop this new form of technologically advanced book, which can only be read on an iPad.
"From the second one opens my book on an iPad, readers are transported into the ancient past by some of the most recognized Maya scholars," Dr. Van Stone said. "Professor John Hoopes from the University of Kansas traces the 2012 meme all the way back to Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World.
"Colgate Professor Anthony Aveni explains his 'what works theory' and how non-scholars 'cherry-pick' information they use to get their personal theories to match their personally desired outcomes while omitting conflicting information. Independent scholar, Austin's Dr. Barb MacLeod, presents the first-of-its-kind interpretation and reading of one of the most important pieces associated with the 2012 meme, among others," Van Stone said.
Claxton and Dr. Van Stone said they are working on a series of promotions in the coming months including an extensive travel schedule that will mean planned public presentations in Atlanta, New York, Washington, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland and on the campus of Princeton University.
2012: Science & Prophecy of the Ancient Maya is $14.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the iBookstore in the Astronomy category. Schedule an interview now about this amazing technological work by calling 972-863-8784.
Copyright 2012 Claxton Creative, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
While we've been working on Dr. Mark Van Stone's 2012 Meme book and the other projects for the Wonders Expedition, I've gotten some never-before-heard of reasons why people have to delay talking to us. I long to be able to experience some of these same reasons.
Don't those two responses make you feel like you're missing out on life, even just a little? This is just the sort of adventure I seek. And I hope this post inspires you as well….
There was no known archeoastronomic calendar date associated with yesterday's release of the Adobe Creative Cloud CS6 Suite of products–May 11, 2012–but after going through clips we recently shot of Dr. Anthony Aveni of Colgate, I'm sure, as he would say, we could find some 2012 enthusiast to "cherry pick" some points of significance to highlight the day.
For our part, we'll just stick to what we know for fact–Using Adobe's Prelude CS6 is making it easier for us to comb through the multiple hours of video we shot at the 2012 Society for American Archaeology meeting in Memphis in mid-March and help us catalog the materials in such a way that it's going to greatly expedite the time we spend actually editing the content for the upcoming release of Dr. Mark Van Stone's interactive book for the iPad–2012: Science and Prophecy of the Ancient Maya.
We also are proud to say that we have video of Dr. Aveni talking about the discovery announced Thursday and the findings being released in Science magazine and National Geographic. When can you see it? When we get the book done and loaded up in iTunes of course! Which thanks to the release of the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite this past weekend, will be very, very soon.
I will say this though–if the Maya had been using these new Adobe Creative Cloud tools to tell their stories, make their glyphs and leave us hints/no hints about Dec. 21, 2012, no one would be worried about it being the end of the world. In fact, they'd be like me and really hoping it doesn't end. I want to be still playing with these programs on Dec. 22nd!
We also have a couple BIG announcements coming about the release of the book. But more about that later.
Prelude has been a great addition to our editing and creative tools. Now we need to get back to using them!


Close on the heels of the launch of Angry Birds for Android, Rovio Mobile has released the full version of Angry Birds for Symbian. Unless you have been living under a rock, you are probably already aware that Angry Birds is a fun little mobile game that took the iTunes App Store (iPod/iPhone/iPad) by storm, and has since then has been busy disrupting numerous other app stores. In fact, Angry Birds has gone on to become the game everyone wants for their own operating system.
Angry Birds for Symbian^3 ships with 105 levels, and Rovio has promised to deliver more content in the future. The gameplay is similar to the other versions, and from what I have heard, is still addictive as hell. The objective of the game is deceptively simple. You have to fling birds using catapult to hit all the pigs present in a level. The pigs are often sheltered by various obstructions, which must be strategically destroyed to succeed.
Angry Birds for Symbian^3 can be downloaded from the Ovi Store.


The Fortress Commentary on the Bible: The New Testament presents a balanced synthesis of current scholarship, enabling readers to interpret Scripture for a complex and pluralistic world.
The contributors bring a rich diversity of perspectives to the task of connecting solid historical critical analysis of Scripture with sensitivity to theological, cultural, and interpretive issues arising in our encounter with the text. The contributors represent a broad array of theological commitment—Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and others.
"Although still a fierce crank about and critic of the commentary as an academic-intellectual genre and religio-cultural-political refraction, I am intrigued by this new project: the editors seem to me—certainly, in the framing material, with its raising of ex-centric and broad problems, questions, and issues—to be working in the direction of destabilization of genre. And so as an effort in destabilization of genre I applaud this 'commentary.'"
"Very impressive—the best one-volume scholarly commentary on the New Testament available today."
"While most biblical commentaries of the past have focused either on the text in its original context or in contemporary interpretation or attempted to combine the two with very little in between, this new approach takes on the three aspects of ancient context, contemporary discussion, and the middle ground of the interpretive tradition. In response to recent interest in the history of interpretation, this represents a welcome new approach that gives readers an introduction to the rich interpretive tradition that has happened over the centuries between the biblical writings and our own interaction with them."
An interview with Professor Paul Kim, Methodist Theological School in Ohio, on why he uses the Fortress Commentary on the Bible for his course!


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Americans and individualizm
December 18, 2018, By admin
The United States of America is the land of the free, the land of
opportunity, and the wealthiest country in the world, a country that half the
modern world is modeled after. Its President is referred to as the Leader
of the free world. Thousands of people come to this country every year,
learning about the country in hopes of becoming citizens. William Hudson in his book American Democracy in Peril talks about the seven biggest
challenges to this democratic nation.
Individualism can be seen as a gift or a curse, depending on the context in
which it occurs. Because modern society finds it important that people think independently, decide autonomously and take personal initiatives, the concept of individualism has acquired a positive connotation. However,
individualism is also linked with the tendency to withdraw from social life
and turn in towards oneself. Alexis de Tocqueville described individualism
as the cool and considered attitude which drives people to withdraw into a
small, enclosed world consisting of their family and a few select friends,
leaving the rest of society to its own devices.
The most obvious problem stemming from the process of individualism is of a socio-economic nature and concerns the problem of solidarity. If the link between the community and the individual becomes less strong, to what extent will an individual experience social problems, in which he or she is not immediately implicated, as his or her problems? To what extent are people in an individualistic society prepared to consider the problems of others as their own? This is a crucial question for society since it places the legitimacy of many social institutions and political structures in question. Whoever accepts that individualism is a fact will consider political life to be an incessant clash of interests on the part of people who are only in it for the sake of personal power or an increase in personal fortune. While they may be fine, responsible people in private life, in their attitude to government they are like infants, interested only in themselves and what they consume, howling for more, and not concerned at all about the morality of using government as a middleman to forcibly take what they desire from their fellow-citizens. Whereas those people who reject individualism and accept that the point of an election is to choose representatives whom the voters can expect will manage the social institutions in a responsible manner, will have a completely different image of politics.
The Founders believed in mens right to choose the government they lived
under, and they believed that to protect the ability to exercise that right,
that particular government could not be allowed such a monopoly of weapons as would enable it to control the majority without their democratic consent. In order to prevent tyranny, then, keeping arms and practicing their use had to be a civic duty and a legally protected individual right. They believed a widely-exercised individual right to keep arms was necessary as a civic function, for the good of society as a whole, and of course believed that
people with arms, like anyone else, were subject to law, to civilization,
and to basic rules of behavior, and had duties as citizens to protect each
others freedom and safety. However, these were obligations whose existence did not depend on the particular government that the people had chosen. In fact, the government was subject to these things just as much as individuals were. Individualism taken too far could undermine democracy and make society vulnerable to despotism.
The passions of men and their intellectual life would be substantially
modified by democracy. Under pressure from individual autonomy, opinions would be related, mores softened. Public opinion becomes the sole authoritative voice. While individual rights govern the lives of men, the
ends of man fall into neglect. The morality of life is emptied from the
democratic vessel. The passion for equality, natural to democracy, trumps
every other concern, and begins its endless struggle to eradicate the
An important aspect of the American Government is its separation of powers and the emphasized equality of the governmental factions. The framers of the constitution saw the conditions in which England existed under the monarchy, and decided to construct a different kind of government in which no one faction could hold too much power. Thus, they developed a system of checks and balances to prevent any one of the three separate branches of the government from becoming dominant. The checks and balances included in the Constitution ensure that the government will never become too centralized. Thus, it is obvious that the very foundation upon which this nation was constructed, the Constitution, blocks any of the three branches from dominating the other two. In addition, while it is true that government has become more centralized than the framers of the Constitution had probably planned, it is still far from the monarchy of England.
The Separation of Powers devised by the framers of the Constitution was designed to do one primary thing: to prevent the majority from ruling with an iron fist. For example, the President appoints judges and departmental secretaries. However, the Senate must approve these appointments. The Congress can pass a law, but the President can veto it. The Supreme Court can rule a law to be unconstitutional, but the Congress, with the States, can amend the Constitution. Individualism breeds fragmentation and brings about disconnectivity and this is in complete contradiction with the connected governmental system in the United States where the governmental divisions are always checking each other.
On one hand, democracys project is unrealizable, because it is contrary to
nature. On the other, it is impossible to stop short of this democracy and
go back to aristocracy. This is because democratic equality also conforms to
nature. It follows that we can only moderate democracy; we cannot stop short of democracy, because it fulfils nature. We cannot attain the end of this movement, for it would mean subjecting nature completely and dehumanizing man. Escaping democracy is not an option. We can never possibly make democracy completely real, and we must not try. We can and must moderate democracy, limit it, sober down its hostility to nature, all the while benefiting from its conformity to nature. To moderate democracy so as it conforms with human nature, to limit it insofar as it is contrary to it, such is the sovereign art on which depend the prosperity and morality of a democracy.
Throwed
Attempts made at peace
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Yellowwood Chapel is nestled amongst the treetops and green surroundings of Bush Hill Estate, Sundowner. The location of our Wedding Venue is perfect! It is just off Beyers Naude Drive within 5 km of the N1 Western Bypass. Even though close by, once at the venue the serene surroundings give the feeling of being out in the country. The chapel provides an intimate and private ceremony that can be enjoyed by up to 250 people. The Auditorium is ideal for wedding receptions of any size or style. For the larger wedding receptions you can comfortably seat up to 600 people with a dance floor. For receptions of a lower number, an intimate atmosphere is created by our partitioning walls and draping.


Looking for a good fishing hole tonight...anyone know of one?
ESPNU? Yuck. Yes I too will have to go fishing.
Does anyone that uses Ustream use anything other than a computer? I'm looking for alternatives to get rid of Comcast cable.
Huh, I guess I ent be needing a fishing hole. Instead of bbqing a steak, drinking quality ncro brew and watching the one game I've actually been excited to watch for a month, I'm going to my mother in laws in spangle to change a light bulb. Not happy.
I think there are apps in Roku, etc. I think a browser plays it back best.


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Russian Federation Economic Development
Russian Federation Economy
MIL-OSI Russia: REC supported exports for $ 6.2 billion in 11 months
The volume of support for exports by the Russian Export Center (REC) in January-November reached $ 6.2 billion, by the end of the year the figure may grow to $ 7.4 billion, the REC says.
"By the end of 11 months of 2020, the volume of exports supported by the Russian Export Center under state support programs reached $ 6.2 billion. The largest contribution to this figure was made by the program to support the transportation of industrial and agricultural products – $ 5.3 billion, competitiveness – $ 0.4 billion and the program to support the certification of agricultural products in foreign markets – $ 0.48 billion, "the report says.
In total, 1,134 thousand companies received state support as of December 1.
Support for the transportation of agricultural products was in the greatest demand during the reporting period – it was provided to 285 exporters, as well as for participation in exhibitions and online business missions – 469 companies. At the same time, despite the cancellation of exhibitions from the second quarter of 2020, exporters continue to send information to REC about successfully concluded export contracts based on the results of events held in 2019 and in the first quarter of 2020. As a result, as of December 1, the volume of exports totaled $ 595 million, the number of contracts amounted to almost 2 thousand.
"We can say with confidence that by the end of this year we will provide support to more than 1.4 thousand exporters as part of the implementation of state support programs. Their timely adjustment, as well as the launch of a number of new programs in the second and third quarters, gave the expected positive effect. exports have already approached the indicators of 2019, when we supported export supplies in the amount of $ 6.5 billion, and we expect that this figure will reach $ 7.4 billion this year, "said Vice-President of REC Sergei Vologodsky, whose words are quoted in the message.
He noted that the coronavirus pandemic, restrictive measures, the complication of product transportation and the cancellation of exhibition events have significantly complicated the foreign economic activity of domestic companies. In response, REC launched a new product – online business missions. In total, by the end of the year, 28 such events will be held with the participation of 600 exporters from 20 industries, for which more than 3.3 thousand targeted meetings with 900 potential foreign buyers from more than 40 countries have been organized.
Support was also provided in other areas: transportation of industrial products – to 161 exporters, certification of agricultural products – to 17 companies, 104 companies signed agreements on the placement of products in REC tasting pavilions for presentation abroad. Agricultural pavilions are represented in Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and Dubai.
New support programs
According to REC, four new support programs were launched in 2020. In particular, we are talking about support for foreign registration of trademarks and patents (supported by 23 companies, 67 applications in work), support for certification and homologation of industrial products (33 companies), support for certification of agricultural products (supported by 17 companies, 40 applications in progress), support for adaptation and certification of cinematography and IT products (ten companies supported, three applications in progress).
"In terms of support for the adaptation and certification of cinematography and IT products, an interesting feature has become a large number of animators who have applied for this support measure. Such cartoons as" Star Patrol "," The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute "," Buka "," Barboskins at the Dacha " , "The Snow Queen" and "Ruslan and Lyudmila" with the help of REC will be able to enter the markets of the USA, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Southeast Asia, "Vologodsky said.
According to REC, the program to support foreign registration of trademarks and patents, resumed this year after a break in 2019, was positively received by the market. Among the supported companies, the organization singles out OOO Soyuzpishcheprom Association, which, thanks to the support of REC, was able to compensate its costs for the registration of the Crown of the East, Elva, Zateinitsa, Zdorovye Menu, Tsar, Dr. Naturi trademarks and Imperial Cuisine in the CIS countries, Israel and China At the same time, REC notes the importance of registering a trademark in China, which allows the company to avoid fraud in the supply of its agricultural products and enter the country's electronic trading platforms.
Also one of the main tasks of REC was the development of electronic commerce. REC, together with partners and export support centers in the regions, in 2020 provided access to international marketplaces for more than 1.7 thousand small and medium-sized businesses. And the national store, focused on retail b2c sales, opened by REC in November 2019 on the Chinese marketplace Tmall.com, allowed 86 companies to place more than 270 types of goods in 2020. At the same time, the sales volume in the store amounted to more than 245 million rubles, with the total number of sales exceeding 600 thousand.
The Russian Export Center continues to work actively on the development of demonstration pavilions in foreign countries, where domestic producers can place their products. This year, the volume of export contracts concluded with visitors to the pavilions amounted to almost 0.5 billion rubles. Among those who placed their products in the UAE pavilion, REC notes the Vladikavkaz company Agrofirma FAT LLC, which, with the support of the pavilion operator, successfully passed certification of its products (mineral water) and concluded an export contract for the supply of bottled water. The organization also singles out the company OOO Nizhnevartovsk Fish Canning Factory Santa Maria, which placed its canned food products in a pavilion in China in August, and has already concluded an export contract for the supply to a network of Chinese supermarkets. This year, major industry players have also used this service, including Miratorg placed its products in pavilions in the UAE and Vietnam, and Makfa – in pavilions in Vietnam and China.
REC has also stepped up its work on corporate programs to improve competitiveness (KPPK). Following the results of 11 months of 2020, 32 financing agreements were concluded, under which companies attracted more than 119 billion rubles for the implementation of projects (the volume of exports by 2024 under current agreements will amount to 262 billion rubles). At the same time, REC has established interaction with both exporters participating and planning to take part in the program, and with leading banks, as direct participants in the support mechanism. The result of this work was a significant increase in interest in the program – the number of applications received by REC from banks increased 5 times over the year (176 applications in 2020, 34 applications in 2019). Currently, 118 applications from banks are pending at the REC and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia.
In addition, on November 26, the information system "One Window" was launched, in which, from 2021, the provision of support for the most demanded state programs of the REC – support for transportation and support for participation in exhibition and fair activities and business missions – will be carried out in electronic form, and all the necessary information from federal executive authorities can be obtained through the system of interdepartmental electronic interaction.
REC plans
As Volodarsky noted, next year REC will continue to fine-tune existing support instruments. Thus, it is planned to launch a compensation model to support the participation of exporters in exhibition activities. Exporters will be able to independently organize individual stands at their chosen exhibitions and receive compensation for the lease of space and payment of the registration fee.
"In addition, as the situation with the coronavirus has shown, more and more emphasis will be placed on the digital interaction of sellers and buyers. Next year we will increase the number of residents of the National Store of Russian Food Products on the Chinese marketplace Tmall.com, which REC opened a year ago, and create new opportunities on other sites, including the Chinese super-application WeChat, "added Volodarsky.
A source: TASS
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Life Safety/Fire Protection Engineering
BIM/CIM
Construction Contract Administration
Security Design Services
Portfolio & Experience
Meet Will...
Civil Director, Mason & Hanger
"The 'it- is-what-it-is' response to the lack of diversity in our industry is no longer accepted. Companies seek, target, and most importantly – value – diversity and inclusion. "
How did you end up in your current position?
I graduated from Virginia Tech in 1993 with BS in Civil Engineering. I worked for about a decade doing mostly private sector land development work in Maryland before joining Mason & Hanger as a Senior Civil Engineer in 2002. I earned my Masters of Business Administration from Virginia Tech in 2008. While working and traveling for work and participating in a full-time MBA program, I truly learned the value of time management and teamwork. I was promoted to Director of Civil Engineering in 2009, and then Vice-President, Director of Civil and Structural Engineering in 2014. After our Civil and Structural Department separated in 2016, I accepted my current role as the Director of Civil Engineering with staff in Glen Allen, VA and Lexington, KY.
I lead a dynamic and engaged team of Civil Engineers and Designers in Glen Allen, VA and Lexington, KY to provide solutions to our clients in all of our markets. Specifically, I develop and mentor staff to ensure we have appropriate personnel, training, and technical skills to always exceed our clients' expectations. I also provide technical review and resource estimates for the statement of works that support our Project Managers and Market Directors during proposal development.
What do you love most about your job?
Helping my team be successful and making the right short- and long-term decisions that help our clients successfully implement their mission.
You never know what you are going to be challenged with on a day-to-day basis, but you are guaranteed the opportunity to make a difference at Mason & Hanger in building a more secure world.
What has changed about your industry over the course of your career?
I believe the industry's overall approach to diversity has changed tremendously since 1993 when I started my career. I think the 'it- is-what-it-is' response to the lack of diversity in our industry is no longer accepted. Companies seek, target, and most importantly – value – diversity and inclusion.
How do you think that the work you do makes the world better?
Our mission at Mason & Hanger is building safe facilities for our clients. I believe my team's work here at Mason & Hanger contributes to our clients' missions and helps them meet their goals - which makes the world better.
©2020 Mason & Hanger. All Rights Reserved.


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Q: What does this env var mean? "_=/usr/bin/kdeinit" cshell> env
...
_=/usr/bin/kdeinit

I suspect this variable slows down vim startup. Now I have to launch 'vim -X', otherwise it takes 6 seconds to start vim.
I cannot google it, since most answers related to "env var underscore' explain  "$_", which is not what I want.

A: Easy answer with csh
If you only worry about C Shell, that's easy. It is the command line of the last command executed. See Variable substitution in the tcsh documentation
Easy answer with bash
In Bash, the documentation in the chapter Special Parameters tell us the following:

At shell startup, set to the absolute pathname used to invoke the shell or shell script being executed as passed in the environment or argument list. Subsequently, expands to the last argument to the previous command, after expansion. Also set to the full pathname used to invoke each command executed and placed in the environment exported to that command. When checking mail, this parameter holds the name of the mail file.

So in bash, it's usually the last argument to the previous command. Usually...
Complex answer with both bash and csh
In your case, the software kdeinit was called from a Bash shell. Before executing kdeinit, the full pathname of the command (/usr/bin/kdeinit) was copied by bash in the underscore environment variable as per the explication below. The software kdeinit initialized your graphical environment, propagating this environment variable to every child processes. Your C Shell terminal therefore inherited that environment variable.
When you're in that C Shell, the confusion is between the shell variable $_ and the environment variable _. In C Shell, when you use the $name construct, it output the the shell variable or the environment variable if the shell variable doesn't exist. In this case, they both exist and are different. The environment variable (as shown by the command env) will always remind the same  /usr/bin/kdeinit value while the shell variable will keep changing to show the last command executed.


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(-) Remove (LS) Life Sciences (31) filter (LS) Life Sciences (31)
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Project acronym aCROBAT
Project Circadian Regulation Of Brown Adipose Thermogenesis
Researcher (PI) Zachary Philip Gerhart-Hines
Host Institution (HI) KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), LS4, ERC-2014-STG
Summary Obesity and diabetes have reached pandemic proportions and new therapeutic strategies are critically needed. Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a major source of heat production, possesses significant energy-dissipating capacity and therefore represents a promising target to use in combating these diseases. Recently, I discovered a novel link between circadian rhythm and thermogenic stress in the control of the conserved, calorie-burning functions of BAT. Circadian and thermogenic signaling to BAT incorporates blood-borne hormonal and nutrient cues with direct neuronal input. Yet how these responses coordinately shape BAT energy-expending potential through the regulation of cell surface receptors, metabolic enzymes, and transcriptional effectors is still not understood. My primary goal is to investigate this previously unappreciated network of crosstalk that allows mammals to effectively orchestrate daily rhythms in BAT metabolism, while maintaining their ability to adapt to abrupt changes in energy demand. My group will address this question using gain and loss-of-function in vitro and in vivo studies, newly-generated mouse models, customized physiological phenotyping, and cutting-edge advances in next generation RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry. Preliminary, small-scale validations of our methodologies have already yielded a number of novel candidates that may drive key facets of BAT metabolism. Additionally, we will extend our circadian and thermogenic studies into humans to evaluate the translational potential. Our results will advance the fundamental understanding of how daily oscillations in bioenergetic networks establish a framework for the anticipation of and adaptation to environmental challenges. Importantly, we expect that these mechanistic insights will reveal pharmacological targets through which we can unlock evolutionary constraints and harness the energy-expending potential of BAT for the prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Obesity and diabetes have reached pandemic proportions and new therapeutic strategies are critically needed. Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a major source of heat production, possesses significant energy-dissipating capacity and therefore represents a promising target to use in combating these diseases. Recently, I discovered a novel link between circadian rhythm and thermogenic stress in the control of the conserved, calorie-burning functions of BAT. Circadian and thermogenic signaling to BAT incorporates blood-borne hormonal and nutrient cues with direct neuronal input. Yet how these responses coordinately shape BAT energy-expending potential through the regulation of cell surface receptors, metabolic enzymes, and transcriptional effectors is still not understood. My primary goal is to investigate this previously unappreciated network of crosstalk that allows mammals to effectively orchestrate daily rhythms in BAT metabolism, while maintaining their ability to adapt to abrupt changes in energy demand. My group will address this question using gain and loss-of-function in vitro and in vivo studies, newly-generated mouse models, customized physiological phenotyping, and cutting-edge advances in next generation RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry. Preliminary, small-scale validations of our methodologies have already yielded a number of novel candidates that may drive key facets of BAT metabolism. Additionally, we will extend our circadian and thermogenic studies into humans to evaluate the translational potential. Our results will advance the fundamental understanding of how daily oscillations in bioenergetic networks establish a framework for the anticipation of and adaptation to environmental challenges. Importantly, we expect that these mechanistic insights will reveal pharmacological targets through which we can unlock evolutionary constraints and harness the energy-expending potential of BAT for the prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Project acronym ADIMMUNE
Project Decoding interactions between adipose tissue immune cells, metabolic function, and the intestinal microbiome in obesity
Researcher (PI) Eran Elinav
Host Institution (HI) WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
Summary Obesity and its metabolic co-morbidities have given rise to a rapidly expanding 'metabolic syndrome' pandemic affecting hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. The integrative genetic and environmental causes of the obesity pandemic remain elusive. White adipose tissue (WAT)-resident immune cells have recently been highlighted as important factors contributing to metabolic complications. However, a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory circuits governing their function and the cell type-specific mechanisms by which they contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome is lacking. Likewise, the gut microbiome has been suggested as a critical regulator of obesity, but the bacterial species and metabolites that influence WAT inflammation are entirely unknown. We propose to use our recently developed high-throughput genomic and gnotobiotic tools, integrated with CRISPR-mediated interrogation of gene function, microbial culturomics, and in-vivo metabolic analysis in newly generated mouse models, in order to achieve a new level of molecular understanding of how WAT immune cells integrate environmental cues into their crosstalk with organismal metabolism, and to explore the microbial contributions to the molecular etiology of WAT inflammation in the pathogenesis of diet-induced obesity. Specifically, we aim to (a) decipher the global regulatory landscape and interaction networks of WAT hematopoietic cells at the single-cell level, (b) identify new mediators of WAT immune cell contributions to metabolic homeostasis, and (c) decode how host-microbiome communication shapes the development of WAT inflammation and obesity. Unraveling the principles of WAT immune cell regulation and their amenability to change by host-microbiota interactions may lead to a conceptual leap forward in our understanding of metabolic physiology and disease. Concomitantly, it may generate a platform for microbiome-based personalized therapy against obesity and its complications.
Obesity and its metabolic co-morbidities have given rise to a rapidly expanding 'metabolic syndrome' pandemic affecting hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. The integrative genetic and environmental causes of the obesity pandemic remain elusive. White adipose tissue (WAT)-resident immune cells have recently been highlighted as important factors contributing to metabolic complications. However, a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory circuits governing their function and the cell type-specific mechanisms by which they contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome is lacking. Likewise, the gut microbiome has been suggested as a critical regulator of obesity, but the bacterial species and metabolites that influence WAT inflammation are entirely unknown. We propose to use our recently developed high-throughput genomic and gnotobiotic tools, integrated with CRISPR-mediated interrogation of gene function, microbial culturomics, and in-vivo metabolic analysis in newly generated mouse models, in order to achieve a new level of molecular understanding of how WAT immune cells integrate environmental cues into their crosstalk with organismal metabolism, and to explore the microbial contributions to the molecular etiology of WAT inflammation in the pathogenesis of diet-induced obesity. Specifically, we aim to (a) decipher the global regulatory landscape and interaction networks of WAT hematopoietic cells at the single-cell level, (b) identify new mediators of WAT immune cell contributions to metabolic homeostasis, and (c) decode how host-microbiome communication shapes the development of WAT inflammation and obesity. Unraveling the principles of WAT immune cell regulation and their amenability to change by host-microbiota interactions may lead to a conceptual leap forward in our understanding of metabolic physiology and disease. Concomitantly, it may generate a platform for microbiome-based personalized therapy against obesity and its complications.
Project acronym AIDA
Project An Illumination of the Dark Ages: modeling reionization and interpreting observations
Researcher (PI) Andrei Albert Mesinger
Host Institution (HI) SCUOLA NORMALE SUPERIORE
Summary "Understanding the dawn of the first galaxies and how their light permeated the early Universe is at the very frontier of modern astrophysical cosmology. Generous resources, including ambitions observational programs, are being devoted to studying these epochs of Cosmic Dawn (CD) and Reionization (EoR). In order to interpret these observations, we propose to build on our widely-used, semi-numeric simulation tool, 21cmFAST, and apply it to observations. Using sub-grid, semi-analytic models, we will incorporate additional physical processes governing the evolution of sources and sinks of ionizing photons. The resulting state-of-the-art simulations will be well poised to interpret topical observations of quasar spectra and the cosmic 21cm signal. They would be both physically-motivated and fast, allowing us to rapidly explore astrophysical parameter space. We will statistically quantify the resulting degeneracies and constraints, providing a robust answer to the question, ""What can we learn from EoR/CD observations?"" As an end goal, these investigations will help us understand when the first generations of galaxies formed, how they drove the EoR, and what are the associated large-scale observational signatures."
"Understanding the dawn of the first galaxies and how their light permeated the early Universe is at the very frontier of modern astrophysical cosmology. Generous resources, including ambitions observational programs, are being devoted to studying these epochs of Cosmic Dawn (CD) and Reionization (EoR). In order to interpret these observations, we propose to build on our widely-used, semi-numeric simulation tool, 21cmFAST, and apply it to observations. Using sub-grid, semi-analytic models, we will incorporate additional physical processes governing the evolution of sources and sinks of ionizing photons. The resulting state-of-the-art simulations will be well poised to interpret topical observations of quasar spectra and the cosmic 21cm signal. They would be both physically-motivated and fast, allowing us to rapidly explore astrophysical parameter space. We will statistically quantify the resulting degeneracies and constraints, providing a robust answer to the question, ""What can we learn from EoR/CD observations?"" As an end goal, these investigations will help us understand when the first generations of galaxies formed, how they drove the EoR, and what are the associated large-scale observational signatures."
Project acronym CaNANObinoids
Project From Peripheralized to Cell- and Organelle-Targeted Medicine: The 3rd Generation of Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Antagonists for the Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease
Researcher (PI) Yossef Tam
Summary Clinical experience with globally-acting cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) antagonists revealed the benefits of blocking CB1Rs for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. However, their use is hampered by increased CNS-mediated side effects. Recently, I have demonstrated that peripherally-restricted CB1R antagonists have the potential to treat the metabolic syndrome without eliciting these adverse effects. While these results are promising and are currently being developed into the clinic, our ability to rationally design CB1R blockers that would target a diseased organ is limited. The current proposal aims to develop and test cell- and organelle-specific CB1R antagonists. To establish this paradigm, I will focus our interest on the kidney, since chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the leading cause of increased morbidity and mortality of patients with diabetes. Our first goal will be to characterize the obligatory role of the renal proximal tubular CB1R in the pathogenesis of diabetic renal complications. Next, we will attempt to link renal proximal CB1R with diabetic mitochondrial dysfunction. Finally, we will develop proximal tubular (cell-specific) and mitochondrial (organelle-specific) CB1R blockers and test their effectiveness in treating CKD. To that end, we will encapsulate CB1R blockers into biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles that will serve as targeted drug delivery systems, via their conjugation to targeting ligands. The implications of this work are far reaching as they will (i) point to renal proximal tubule CB1R as a novel target for CKD; (ii) identify mitochondrial CB1R as a new player in the regulation of proximal tubular cell function, and (iii) eventually become the drug-of-choice in treating diabetic CKD and its comorbidities. Moreover, this work will lead to the development of a novel organ-specific drug delivery system for CB1R blockers, which could be then exploited in other tissues affected by obesity, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.
Clinical experience with globally-acting cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) antagonists revealed the benefits of blocking CB1Rs for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. However, their use is hampered by increased CNS-mediated side effects. Recently, I have demonstrated that peripherally-restricted CB1R antagonists have the potential to treat the metabolic syndrome without eliciting these adverse effects. While these results are promising and are currently being developed into the clinic, our ability to rationally design CB1R blockers that would target a diseased organ is limited. The current proposal aims to develop and test cell- and organelle-specific CB1R antagonists. To establish this paradigm, I will focus our interest on the kidney, since chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the leading cause of increased morbidity and mortality of patients with diabetes. Our first goal will be to characterize the obligatory role of the renal proximal tubular CB1R in the pathogenesis of diabetic renal complications. Next, we will attempt to link renal proximal CB1R with diabetic mitochondrial dysfunction. Finally, we will develop proximal tubular (cell-specific) and mitochondrial (organelle-specific) CB1R blockers and test their effectiveness in treating CKD. To that end, we will encapsulate CB1R blockers into biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles that will serve as targeted drug delivery systems, via their conjugation to targeting ligands. The implications of this work are far reaching as they will (i) point to renal proximal tubule CB1R as a novel target for CKD; (ii) identify mitochondrial CB1R as a new player in the regulation of proximal tubular cell function, and (iii) eventually become the drug-of-choice in treating diabetic CKD and its comorbidities. Moreover, this work will lead to the development of a novel organ-specific drug delivery system for CB1R blockers, which could be then exploited in other tissues affected by obesity, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.
Project acronym CELLNAIVETY
Project Deciphering the Molecular Foundations and Functional Competence of Alternative Human Naïve Pluripotent Stem Cells
Researcher (PI) Yaqub HANNA
Summary An important goal of stem cell therapy is to create "customized" cells that are genetically identical to the patient, which upon transplantation can restore damaged tissues. Such cells can be obtained by in vitro direct reprogramming of somatic cells into embryonic stem (ES)-like cells, termed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). This approach also opens possibilities for modelling human diseases in vitro. However, major hurdles remain that restrain fulfilling conventional human iPSC/ESC potential, as they reside in an advanced primed pluripotent state. Such hurdles include limited differentiation capacity and functional variability. Further, in vitro iPSC based research platforms are simplistic and iPSC based "humanized" chimeric mouse models may be of great benefit. The recent isolation of distinct and new "mouse-like" naive pluripotent states in humans that correspond to earlier embryonic developmental state(s), constitutes a paradigm shift and may alleviate limitations of conventional primed iPSCs/ESCs. Thus, our proposal aims at dissecting the human naïve pluripotent state(s) and to unveil pathways that facilitate their unique identity and flexible programming. Specific goals: 1) Transcriptional and Epigenetic Design Principles of Human Naïve Pluripotency 2) Signalling Principles Governing Human Naïve Pluripotency Maintenance and Differentiation 3) Defining Functional Competence and Safety of Human Naïve Pluripotent Stem Cells in vitro 4) Novel human naïve iPSC based cross-species chimeric mice for studying human differentiation and disease modelling in vivo. These aims will be conducted by utilizing engineered human iPSC/ESC models, CRISPR/Cas9 genome-wide screening, advanced microscopy and ex-vivo whole embryo culture methods. Our goals will synergistically lead to the design of strategies that will accelerate the safe medical application of human naive pluripotent stem cells and their use in disease specific modelling and applied stem cell research.
An important goal of stem cell therapy is to create "customized" cells that are genetically identical to the patient, which upon transplantation can restore damaged tissues. Such cells can be obtained by in vitro direct reprogramming of somatic cells into embryonic stem (ES)-like cells, termed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). This approach also opens possibilities for modelling human diseases in vitro. However, major hurdles remain that restrain fulfilling conventional human iPSC/ESC potential, as they reside in an advanced primed pluripotent state. Such hurdles include limited differentiation capacity and functional variability. Further, in vitro iPSC based research platforms are simplistic and iPSC based "humanized" chimeric mouse models may be of great benefit. The recent isolation of distinct and new "mouse-like" naive pluripotent states in humans that correspond to earlier embryonic developmental state(s), constitutes a paradigm shift and may alleviate limitations of conventional primed iPSCs/ESCs. Thus, our proposal aims at dissecting the human naïve pluripotent state(s) and to unveil pathways that facilitate their unique identity and flexible programming. Specific goals: 1) Transcriptional and Epigenetic Design Principles of Human Naïve Pluripotency 2) Signalling Principles Governing Human Naïve Pluripotency Maintenance and Differentiation 3) Defining Functional Competence and Safety of Human Naïve Pluripotent Stem Cells in vitro 4) Novel human naïve iPSC based cross-species chimeric mice for studying human differentiation and disease modelling in vivo. These aims will be conducted by utilizing engineered human iPSC/ESC models, CRISPR/Cas9 genome-wide screening, advanced microscopy and ex-vivo whole embryo culture methods. Our goals will synergistically lead to the design of strategies that will accelerate the safe medical application of human naive pluripotent stem cells and their use in disease specific modelling and applied stem cell research.
Project acronym CNIDARIAMICRORNA
Project Elucidation of the evolution of post-transcriptional regulation by characterizing the cnidarian microRNA pathway
Researcher (PI) Yehu Moran
Summary Over the past decade small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have been shown to carry pivotal roles in post-transcriptional regulation and genome protection and to play an important part in various physiological processes in animals. miRNAs can be found in a very wide range of animals yet their functions were studied almost exclusively in members of the Bilateria such as insects, nematodes and vertebrates. Hence studying their function in representatives of non-bilaterian phyla such as Cnidaria (sea anemones, corals, hydras and jellyfish) is crucial for understanding the evolution of miRNAs in animals and can provide important insights into their roles in the ancient ancestor of Cnidaria and Bilateria. The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is an excellent model for such a study since it can be grown in large numbers throughout its life cycle in the lab and because well-established genetic manipulation techniques are available for this species. Our preliminary results indicate that miRNAs in Nematostella frequently have a nearly perfect match to their messenger RNA (mRNA) targets, resulting in cleavage of the target. This mode of action is common for plant miRNAs, but is very rare in Bilateria. This finding together with my recent discovery of a Nematostella homolog of HYL1, a protein involved in miRNA biogenesis in plants, raises the exciting possibility that the miRNA pathway existed in the common ancestor of plants and animals. Here I suggest to bring together an array of advanced biochemical and genetic methods such as gene knockdown, transgenesis, high throughput sequencing and immunoprecipitation in order to obtain - for the first time - a deep understanding of the biogenesis and mechanism of action of small RNAs in Cnidaria. This will provide a novel way to understand the evolution of this important molecular pathway and to evaluate its age and ancestral form.
Over the past decade small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have been shown to carry pivotal roles in post-transcriptional regulation and genome protection and to play an important part in various physiological processes in animals. miRNAs can be found in a very wide range of animals yet their functions were studied almost exclusively in members of the Bilateria such as insects, nematodes and vertebrates. Hence studying their function in representatives of non-bilaterian phyla such as Cnidaria (sea anemones, corals, hydras and jellyfish) is crucial for understanding the evolution of miRNAs in animals and can provide important insights into their roles in the ancient ancestor of Cnidaria and Bilateria. The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is an excellent model for such a study since it can be grown in large numbers throughout its life cycle in the lab and because well-established genetic manipulation techniques are available for this species. Our preliminary results indicate that miRNAs in Nematostella frequently have a nearly perfect match to their messenger RNA (mRNA) targets, resulting in cleavage of the target. This mode of action is common for plant miRNAs, but is very rare in Bilateria. This finding together with my recent discovery of a Nematostella homolog of HYL1, a protein involved in miRNA biogenesis in plants, raises the exciting possibility that the miRNA pathway existed in the common ancestor of plants and animals. Here I suggest to bring together an array of advanced biochemical and genetic methods such as gene knockdown, transgenesis, high throughput sequencing and immunoprecipitation in order to obtain - for the first time - a deep understanding of the biogenesis and mechanism of action of small RNAs in Cnidaria. This will provide a novel way to understand the evolution of this important molecular pathway and to evaluate its age and ancestral form.
Project acronym CoPathoPhage
Project Pathogen-phage cooperation during mammalian infection
Researcher (PI) Anat Herskovits
Summary Most bacterial pathogens are lysogens, namely carry DNA of active phages within their genome, referred to as prophages. While these prophages have the potential to turn under stress into infective viruses which kill their host bacterium in a matter of minutes, it is unclear how pathogens manage to survive this internal threat under the stresses imposed by their invasion into mammalian cells. In the proposed project, we will study the hypothesis that a complex bacteria-phage cooperative adaptation supports virulence during mammalian infection while preventing inadvertent killing by phages. Several years ago, we uncovered a novel pathogen-phage interaction, in which an infective prophage promotes the virulence of its host, the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), via adaptive behaviour. More recently, we discovered that the prophage, though fully infective, is non-autonomous- completely dependent on regulatory factors derived from inactive prophage remnants that reside in the Lm chromosome. These findings lead us to propose that the intimate cross-regulatory interactions between all phage elements within the genome (infective and remnant), are crucial in promoting bacteria-phage patho-adaptive behaviours in the mammalian niche and thereby bacterial virulence. In the proposed project, we will investigate specific cross-regulatory and cooperative mechanisms of all the phage elements, study the domestication of phage remnant-derived regulatory factors, and examine the hypothesis that they collectively form an auxiliary phage-control system that tempers infective phages. Finally, we will examine the premise that the mammalian niche drives the evolution of temperate phages into patho-adaptive phages, and that phages that lack this adaptation may kill host pathogens during infection. This work is expected to provide novel insights into bacteria-phage coexistence in mammalian environments and to facilitate the development of innovative phage therapy strategies.
Most bacterial pathogens are lysogens, namely carry DNA of active phages within their genome, referred to as prophages. While these prophages have the potential to turn under stress into infective viruses which kill their host bacterium in a matter of minutes, it is unclear how pathogens manage to survive this internal threat under the stresses imposed by their invasion into mammalian cells. In the proposed project, we will study the hypothesis that a complex bacteria-phage cooperative adaptation supports virulence during mammalian infection while preventing inadvertent killing by phages. Several years ago, we uncovered a novel pathogen-phage interaction, in which an infective prophage promotes the virulence of its host, the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), via adaptive behaviour. More recently, we discovered that the prophage, though fully infective, is non-autonomous- completely dependent on regulatory factors derived from inactive prophage remnants that reside in the Lm chromosome. These findings lead us to propose that the intimate cross-regulatory interactions between all phage elements within the genome (infective and remnant), are crucial in promoting bacteria-phage patho-adaptive behaviours in the mammalian niche and thereby bacterial virulence. In the proposed project, we will investigate specific cross-regulatory and cooperative mechanisms of all the phage elements, study the domestication of phage remnant-derived regulatory factors, and examine the hypothesis that they collectively form an auxiliary phage-control system that tempers infective phages. Finally, we will examine the premise that the mammalian niche drives the evolution of temperate phages into patho-adaptive phages, and that phages that lack this adaptation may kill host pathogens during infection. This work is expected to provide novel insights into bacteria-phage coexistence in mammalian environments and to facilitate the development of innovative phage therapy strategies.
Project acronym CSUMECH
Project Cholesterol and Sugar Uptake Mechanisms
Researcher (PI) Bjørn Pedersen
Host Institution (HI) AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Summary Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer have a dramatic impact on modern society, and in great part are related to uptake of cholesterol and sugar. We still know surprisingly little about the molecular details of the processes that goes on in this essential part of human basic metabolism. This application addresses cholesterol and sugar transport and aim to elucidate the molecular mechanism of cholesterol and sugar uptake in humans. It moves the frontiers of the field by shifting the focus to in vitro work allowing hitherto untried structural and biochemical experiments to be performed. Cholesterol uptake from the intestine is mediated by the membrane protein NPC1L1. Despite extensive research, the molecular mechanism of NPC1L1-dependent cholesterol uptake still remains largely unknown. Facilitated sugar transport in humans is made possible by sugar transporters called GLUTs and SWEETs, and every cell possesses these sugar transport systems. For all these uptake systems structural information is sorely lacking to address important mechanistic questions to help elucidate their molecular mechanism. I will address this using a complementary set of methods founded in macromolecular crystallography and electron microscopy to determine the 3-dimensional structures of key players in these uptake systems. My unpublished preliminary results have established the feasibility of this approach. This will be followed up by biochemical characterization of the molecular mechanism in vitro and in silico. This high risk/high reward membrane protein proposal could lead to a breakthrough in how we approach human biochemical pathways that are linked to trans-membrane transport. An improved understanding of cholesterol and sugar homeostasis has tremendous potential for improving general public health, and furthermore this proposal will help to uncover general principles of endocytotic uptake and facilitated diffusion systems at the molecular level.
Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer have a dramatic impact on modern society, and in great part are related to uptake of cholesterol and sugar. We still know surprisingly little about the molecular details of the processes that goes on in this essential part of human basic metabolism. This application addresses cholesterol and sugar transport and aim to elucidate the molecular mechanism of cholesterol and sugar uptake in humans. It moves the frontiers of the field by shifting the focus to in vitro work allowing hitherto untried structural and biochemical experiments to be performed. Cholesterol uptake from the intestine is mediated by the membrane protein NPC1L1. Despite extensive research, the molecular mechanism of NPC1L1-dependent cholesterol uptake still remains largely unknown. Facilitated sugar transport in humans is made possible by sugar transporters called GLUTs and SWEETs, and every cell possesses these sugar transport systems. For all these uptake systems structural information is sorely lacking to address important mechanistic questions to help elucidate their molecular mechanism. I will address this using a complementary set of methods founded in macromolecular crystallography and electron microscopy to determine the 3-dimensional structures of key players in these uptake systems. My unpublished preliminary results have established the feasibility of this approach. This will be followed up by biochemical characterization of the molecular mechanism in vitro and in silico. This high risk/high reward membrane protein proposal could lead to a breakthrough in how we approach human biochemical pathways that are linked to trans-membrane transport. An improved understanding of cholesterol and sugar homeostasis has tremendous potential for improving general public health, and furthermore this proposal will help to uncover general principles of endocytotic uptake and facilitated diffusion systems at the molecular level.
Project acronym DE-ORPHAN
Project DEtermination of Orphan Receptor PHysiological Agonists and sigNals
Researcher (PI) David Erik Immanuel Gloriam
Summary G protein-coupled receptors make up both the largest membrane protein and drug target families. DE-ORPHAN aims to determine the close functional context; specifically physiological agonists and signaling pathways; and provide the first research tool compounds, of orphan peptide receptors. Determination of physiological agonists (aka de-orphanization), by high-throughput screening has largely failed. We will introduce a new research strategy: 1) developing highly innovative bioinformatics methods for handpicking of all orphan receptor targets and candidate ligand screening libraries; and 2) employing a screening technique that can measure all signaling pathways simultaneously. The first potent and selective pharmacological tool compounds will be identified by chemoinformatic design of focused screening libraries. We will establish the ligands' structure-activity relationships important for biological activity and further optimization towards drugs. The first potent and selective Gs- and G12/13 protein inhibitors will be designed by structure-based re-optimization from a recent crystal structure of a Gq-inhibitor complex, and applied to determine orphan receptor signaling pathways and ligand pathway-bias. They will open up for efficient dissection of important signaling networks and development of drugs with fewer side effects. DE-ORPHANs design hypotheses are based on unique computational methods to analyze protein and ligand similarities and are founded on genomic and protein sequences, structural data and ligands. The interdisciplinary research strategy applies multiple ligands acting independently but in concert to provide complementary receptor characterization. The results will allow the research field to advance into studies of receptor functions and exploitation of druggable targets, ligands and mechanisms. Which physiological insights and therapeutic breakthroughs will we witness when these receptors find their place in human pharmacology and medicine?
G protein-coupled receptors make up both the largest membrane protein and drug target families. DE-ORPHAN aims to determine the close functional context; specifically physiological agonists and signaling pathways; and provide the first research tool compounds, of orphan peptide receptors. Determination of physiological agonists (aka de-orphanization), by high-throughput screening has largely failed. We will introduce a new research strategy: 1) developing highly innovative bioinformatics methods for handpicking of all orphan receptor targets and candidate ligand screening libraries; and 2) employing a screening technique that can measure all signaling pathways simultaneously. The first potent and selective pharmacological tool compounds will be identified by chemoinformatic design of focused screening libraries. We will establish the ligands' structure-activity relationships important for biological activity and further optimization towards drugs. The first potent and selective Gs- and G12/13 protein inhibitors will be designed by structure-based re-optimization from a recent crystal structure of a Gq-inhibitor complex, and applied to determine orphan receptor signaling pathways and ligand pathway-bias. They will open up for efficient dissection of important signaling networks and development of drugs with fewer side effects. DE-ORPHANs design hypotheses are based on unique computational methods to analyze protein and ligand similarities and are founded on genomic and protein sequences, structural data and ligands. The interdisciplinary research strategy applies multiple ligands acting independently but in concert to provide complementary receptor characterization. The results will allow the research field to advance into studies of receptor functions and exploitation of druggable targets, ligands and mechanisms. Which physiological insights and therapeutic breakthroughs will we witness when these receptors find their place in human pharmacology and medicine?
Project acronym EYEGET
Project Gene therapy of inherited retinal diseases
Researcher (PI) Alberto AURICCHIO
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), LS7, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a major cause of blindness worldwide. IRD patients witness inexorable progressive vision loss as no therapy is currently available. In the last decade my group has significantly contributed to a change of this scenario by developing efficient adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for retinal gene therapy that are safe and effective in humans. The objective of EYEGET (EYE GEne Therapy) is to overcome some of the current major limitations in the field of retinal gene therapy to expand initial therapeutic successes to a larger number of IRDs. To achieve this, we propose to use four parallel, highly innovative and complementary approaches: i. expansion of the limited AAV cargo capacity by a novel methodology based on co-administration of multiple AAVs that reassemble in target retinal cells and reconstitute large genes; ii. targeting of frequent dominant gain-of-function mutations that cause RP using state-of-the-art AAV-mediated genome editing technologies; iii. induction of retinal cells clearance of toxic IRD products by AAV-mediated activation of autophagy and lysosomal function; iv. development of methodologies to directly convert fibroblasts to photoreceptors that can be transplanted in retinas from IRD patients with advanced PR loss and for whom in vivo gene therapy is no longer an option. We will use a combination of in vitro and in vivo state-of-the-art technologies including novel AAV vector design, high content screening of drugs that enhance AAV transduction, genome editing, and advanced in vivo retinal phenotyping to obtain proof-of-concept for each of these therapeutic strategies. The results from this study may impact the quality of life of millions of people worldwide by providing a cure based on gene and/or cell therapy for a large group of IRDs.
Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a major cause of blindness worldwide. IRD patients witness inexorable progressive vision loss as no therapy is currently available. In the last decade my group has significantly contributed to a change of this scenario by developing efficient adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for retinal gene therapy that are safe and effective in humans. The objective of EYEGET (EYE GEne Therapy) is to overcome some of the current major limitations in the field of retinal gene therapy to expand initial therapeutic successes to a larger number of IRDs. To achieve this, we propose to use four parallel, highly innovative and complementary approaches: i. expansion of the limited AAV cargo capacity by a novel methodology based on co-administration of multiple AAVs that reassemble in target retinal cells and reconstitute large genes; ii. targeting of frequent dominant gain-of-function mutations that cause RP using state-of-the-art AAV-mediated genome editing technologies; iii. induction of retinal cells clearance of toxic IRD products by AAV-mediated activation of autophagy and lysosomal function; iv. development of methodologies to directly convert fibroblasts to photoreceptors that can be transplanted in retinas from IRD patients with advanced PR loss and for whom in vivo gene therapy is no longer an option. We will use a combination of in vitro and in vivo state-of-the-art technologies including novel AAV vector design, high content screening of drugs that enhance AAV transduction, genome editing, and advanced in vivo retinal phenotyping to obtain proof-of-concept for each of these therapeutic strategies. The results from this study may impact the quality of life of millions of people worldwide by providing a cure based on gene and/or cell therapy for a large group of IRDs.


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El Barraco es un municipio y localidad de España, en la provincia de Ávila, comunidad autónoma de Castilla y León.

Situado a más de 1008 metros de altitud sobre el nivel del mar, el municipio de El Barraco se extiende sobre 153 kilómetros cuadrados aproximadamente, en cuyo territorio se organizan y distribuyen alrededor de 2000 habitantes. Sin embargo, la llegada de familiares y el creciente interés por la naturaleza que atrae el turismo rural acrecientan la cifra durante los meses estivales.

Historia
La historia de los asentamientos humanos en esta zona se dilata largamente en el tiempo. Sus inicios documentados hasta la fecha se establecen durante la "Cultura de los Verracos", característica de los vetones, allá por el siglo VI a. C. Tras la dominación romana de la península, situando a esta zona en la provincia de Lusitania, los musulmanes ocuparon el territorio hasta la llegada de los reinos cristianos del norte que, tras siglos de luchas, establecieron el límite de la Extremadura castellana mucho más al sur y ocupando esta tierra de El Barraco.

Símbolos

El escudo y la bandera que representan al municipio fueron aprobados oficialmente por decreto el . El blasón del escudo heráldico es el siguiente:La descripción de la bandera es la siguiente:

Geografía

Está situado al sureste de la provincia de Ávila, en la comarca natural del Valle del Alberche. Además de El Barraco, en el municipio existen otros tres núcleos de población: Arroyo de la Parra, Las Cruceras y La Rinconada del Valle.

También, al este, se encuentra el embalse de El Burguillo, situado en la subcuenca del río Alberche, en su término municipal y próximo al término El Tiemblo, dentro de la provincia de Ávila.
Es el resultado de la construcción de esta presa (la primera presa que reguló el curso del Alberche) data de 1913. Sus aguas están destinadas al abastecimiento, riego agrícola y generación de electricidad hidráulica. Está gestionada por la Confederación Hidrográfica del Tajo. Se permiten ciertos usos recreativos.

La localidad de El Barraco se encuentra situada a una altitud de 1008 .

Demografía
El municipio tiene una superficie 153,9 km², una población de  habitantes () y una densidad 13,55 hab./km² (2012).

Monumentos y lugares de interés

1 - El arte primitivo rupestre de Escudo El Berraco/El Verraco-Veton. Emblema e imagen de escudo y bandera del pueblo en honor a su pasado celta de origen "vetón".

2 - La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, templo que data del siglo XVI.

3 - Puente Nueva de la localidad de El Barraco, obra realizada por los romanos durante su dominación.

4 - Los núcleos medievales de Avellaneda, Navalmulo o Navacarros, entre otros, hoy deshabitados, son ejemplo del pasado histórico del término.

5 - Rutas y visitas a través del Valle de Iruelas.

6 - La Torre de la Gaznata, obra de principios del siglo XIII.

7 - La románica tardía y católica ermita de la Piedad.

8 - El peculiar edificio de la Casa Consistorial, construcción civil del siglo XVI.

9 - El arte primitivo rupestre de El Piedro Co'Gordo. Así pues, decir que el monumento Piedro Co'Gordo de "El Barraco" más antiguo del pueblo es una arquitectura primitiva de tipo rústico, realizada (o construida de forma natural por obra de la naturaleza, pues es fácil encontrar arquitecturas de piedra con cierta facilidad), está compuesta en piedra de granito (piedra natural en la región y zona), que, además, está decorada en honor del Santísimo Cristo de Gracia, (patrón del pueblo, con una cruz cristiana en su punto más alto.

Los primeros seres humanos que habitaron la región donde se asentó el pueblo de "El Barraco" en la comarca del Alberche, podrían ya haber encontrado esta colosal formación geológica que brinda con piedra granítica la zona sur de la población donde cerca nace el camino al Arrejondo (el viejo arroyo). Así, los lugareños dejaron su impronta imperecedera en la cúspide de una angosta obra formada por dos grandes rocas (una sobre la otra). Sus sorprendentes formas abstractas y amorfas han sobrevivido casi 4000 años.

Estas grandes rocas, a poca distancia desde la plaza del ayuntamiento, en un paraje ligeramente elevado sobre piso de roca igualmente, pertenecen a una finca pública. Es accesible al público y se halla en el área de la calle de la Feria, camino del mercadillo del sábado y de la plaza de toros.

El arte rupestre prehistórico es, esencialmente, una expresión espiritual primitiva; se halla en roca y es la primera manifestación que en la zona, y desde la era prehistórica, ha hecho al hombre a través de su capacidad, antes que comenzase la escritura. Siendo la manifestación artística natural considerada como una de las más antiguas de las que se tiene constancia, en "El Barraco" ya que existen testimonios que se remontan a  los pueblos celtíberos de Iberia, como los Toros de Guisando próximos.

El hombre "Barraqueño" ha ido representando en piedras, paredes rocosas y casas a animales, objetos o plantas, de firma rupestre donde reflejan los sucesos de la vida cotidiana,... con figuras, signos, entre otros. Por ello, se considera "El Piedro Co'Gordo" la obra más antigua que representan el pensamiento y la destreza de la persona que realizó el asentamiento del pueblo (es Dios). Es por ello por lo que se piensa que antes de aparecer la escritura de los lugareños en la vida humana (quizás la más antigua es celtíbera), aparecieron las obras rupestres reflejando los pensamientos, creencias y vivencias.

No había un determinado sitio para emplazar o situar estas piedras y es por eso por lo que ha sido de gran dificultad encontrar alguna de ellas ya que muchas se encontraban lejos de donde ellos habitaban. Lo normal en la piedra era tallar una imagen de algún animal. Por ello el "Piedro Co'Gordo" fue un importante hallazgo frente a lo considerado más común de lo rupestre. Al principio este hallazgo se negó su autenticidad, pensando que la sociedad prehistórica no tenía la capacidad para crear estas representaciones. Pero cuando se encontraron más hallazgos de estas representaciones en Francia y España la opinión cambió. Realmente no tenían una técnica  muy elaborada.

Por  lo que respecta a la motivación nos encontramos con que tienen una fuerte carga mágico-religiosa; así, cuando se trata de este tipo de situación, es común que se hallen en las zonas más recónditas. Todo indica que el monumento es un lugar ritual, tal vez un primitivo templo, ya que hoy lo es cristiano.

Administración y política
El alcalde del municipio es José María Manso González, del Partido Popular. Manso González se hizo con la alcaldía por octava vez consecutiva en las elecciones municipales de 2019.

Cultura

Himno
El himno de El Barraco fue compuesto por el maestro Aúreo Herrero Arranz y estrenado bajo su dirección personal en la plaza de toros municipal, el 13 de septiembre de 1983, con motivo de las Fiestas Patronales en honor del Santísimo Cristo de Gracia.

Fiestas y tradiciones
1 - La fiesta de Las Candelas (o Candelaria) se organiza durante el primer domingo que sigue al día 2 de febrero.

2 - La fiesta de la celebración de Los Carnavales.

3 - La fiesta de la Romería de San Marcos, tiene lugar el domingo siguiente al 25 de abril.

4 - La fiesta del verano (en plural fiestas), a mediados de agosto, tras la festividad de La Paloma (con típica verbena).

5 - Las fiestas patronales en honor al Santísimo Cristo de Gracia son a mediados del mes de septiembre.

6 - También la fiesta de Los Quintos, con sus trajes y avíos así como sus cantos, coplas, poemas y jotas.

Deporte
De la localidad han salido varios ciclistas profesionales de renombre, entre los que se encuentran Ángel Arroyo, el fallecido José María «el Chava» Jiménez o Carlos Sastre—. Principalmente se debe al trabajo de la Fundación Provincial Deportiva Víctor Sastre, que se encuentra en la localidad, de donde han salido grandes ciclistas como los que se citan en el apartado siguiente.

Personas destacadas

Véase también
 Gastronomía de la provincia de Ávila
 Casa tradicional abulense

Referencias

Enlaces externos

 Ayuntamiento de El Barraco

Municipios de la provincia de Ávila
Localidades de la provincia de Ávila

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