Being a non-religious soul I'm not exactly sure about why we celebrate Easter (ouch don't hit me please) but I do know that ever since I was a little kid I loved my Hot Cross Buns toasted and buttered and I now appreciate a really good chocolate Easter egg compared to a cheap and nasty one. My earliest memory of Easter is when my primary school had an Easter hat parade and I dressed up in a hat with a hen and eggs (pictured above) which my mum helped me put together — actually I think she did most of it. I'm not exactly sure why I'm holding a pot plant but I think I must have been proud of perhaps growing a little watermelon seed. Here's some food for thought by The Independent UK about 'Why we celebrate Easter, and where did the bunny come from?'.
So what's the biggest chocolate Easter egg you've seen this season? I spotted a 6 kg Ernest Hillier Chocolate Easter Egg at Georgiou's Confectionery in Petersham for $230 last weekend.
Wishing all my readers a Safe and Happy Easter!
Thanks to Margarita from The Victoria Room for inviting me along to the launch of the new book 'High Tea at The Victoria Room' which is advertised as Australia's first high tea recipe book. After a bit of goggle research it seems it's just beat the release of the Women's Weekly 'High Tea' book which has a published date of 1 April 2010 at Random House, Angus & Robertson and Borders. Tonight's launch was held in the lovely Victoria Room which is fantastic for ambient decor photos and a nightmare for my compact camera food photos but I think you'll get an idea of what was served. For some reason I was really hoping they'd be some classic cucumber sandwiches but instead some tasty mini sandwiches of Chicken with wild herbs, and Smoked Salmon with crème fraiche, lemon, capers and rocket provided some satisfying morsels.
I loved the idea of serving the Cocktail Punch in tea cups — very cool. The Lavender Shortbread had sprinklings of lavender leaves which complemented the taste without being too overpowering. Having sweet and savoury items come out together sure made the stomach confused but through it all the Pork and apple rolls with spicy tomato chutney were my favourite. Tasty filling, flakey pastry and a spicy chutney that delivered just the right amount of kick. The tiny Vanilla bean cupcake (picture above) was also nice. I was looking forward to trying the Salmon cakes with crème fraiche and dill although tonight there seemed to be quite an overpowering taste of salt and pepper in the mix which made it difficult to appreciate the subtle taste of the salmon — I was tempted to double check the recipe for this one.
It was only last week I was reading about Not Quite Nigella's visit to the Wild Foods Festival in New Zealand and freaking out about the Mountain Oysters aka sheep testicles and how grossed out it made me feel about eating them. Well my fears of eating such an acquired dish has now been accomplished and I'm thankful of being challenged to try it — Efendy sure know how to cook them. Tonight was a test dinner with Efendy to discuss the blogging event coming up this Easter Sunday 4 April. Efendy has generously provided a table for 16 food bloggers (including myself) so this means all the available bloggers that commented before the lucky draw deadline will now be on the guest list — I'll be contacting you all individually with final details.
The blogging event dinner will include most of the cold and hot meze dishes I tried except for the rolled chicken and veal dish as we felt they were a bit too substantial in size. Efendy are trying to keep all the samplings more bite sized so you get to try more of them including desserts. There will also be some modifications, extras and vegetarian side dishes to supplement all the meat and seafood mezes. An if you're up for it there'll be the very alcoholic and traditional Raki and of course Lamb Testicles which smell and taste a bit like liver and look and has the texture of a very soft chicken meat — actually quite nice if you don't think about what it is too much. It's worthy of introducing my new label, the SIMON TASTE CHALLENGE :-).
My absolute favourite of the mezes is the Kadayifli Karides (Kataifi pastry wrapped Hervy Bay prawns, walnut capscium muhammara). Decent sized prawns wrapped in a kataifi pastry usually used for desserts. The walnut capscium muhammara had a nice taste bud kick to it — a drizzle of lemon makes it a winner. The Fava (Broad bean puree, sill, extra virgin Ayvalik olive oil) is an interesting dish which has silky smooth consistency and impressively holds it's shape like a frittata. I love the look of the Hamsi Marine (Black Sea sardines with tomato ezme) which aren't too salty like anchovies and go well with the fresh mint. The Kofte was moist and juicy as it should be with the right amount of spice for me. It's hard to resist the crispy shell of the Pacanga Boregi with tasty pastirma and kashar cheese inside. The Kuzu Tandir has some lovely 7 hour brasied Bultarra Saltbush Lamb shoulder — I remember Bultarra had a stand at Taste of Sydney 2010.
Now there always seems to be room for dessert no matter how full you are and the Hand rolled walnut baklava is some of the best I've tried and apparently is made by the owner of Efendy with lots of Turkish love and dedication to following a traditional recipe — not to be missed. The interesting Milky gullach with rose water and pomegranate has pudding like consistency and is very flavoursome with the rose water which I adore. The last time I had Kazandibi (Burnt cinnamon and mastic pudding, marash ice cream) was at Mado Cafe in Auburn which I didn't really enjoy but I found this one much better and palatable. I think this one had firmer consistency and I could appreciate the smokey cinnamon taste better. The Apple tea with cinnamon bark is very sweet which seemed to go well with the desserts. A friend generously provided a bottle of Irongate Estate Sweet Shiraz 2008 to try. It had a lovely bouquet and was very drinkable with hardly any noticeable tannin. The flavour wasn't as robust as your usual Shiraz but it was nevertheless enjoyable to drink.
MUST TRY: Baklava, Kazandibi, Kadayifli Karides (prawns), Kofte, Pacanga Boreg and of course Koc Yumurtasi (lamb testicles) at least once.


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Polaris Ranger EV is Electrifying
on 28 Dec 2009
0 Polaris Ranger EV is Electrifying
Polaris has introduced the world's first 4 x 4 electric utility vehicle, the all-new RANGER EV electric Side-by-Side. Sharing the same chassis as the Ranger 400 it has many of the features of its full size counterparts:
On-Demand True All-Wheel Drive with VersaTrac, Independent Rear Suspension, high ground clearance and the longest suspension travel in its class.
The Ranger EV features the largest battery pack in the industry (11.5kW) and the longest range of any electric midsize. It's built for clean and quiet operation with a 30 hp electric motor , 35-45 mile range, an electrifying 25mph top speed and two hours of riding time between charges.
Perfect for any uses where silent running is a real bonus: estate and Local Authority work, groundscare, horticulture, golf course, equestrian, the list is endless. For sensitive terrain the Ranger EV has Versa Trac turf mode which unlocks the rear differential giving one wheel, rear wheel drive to prevent damage and to better navigate tight areas.
The unit features three modes: High for speed, Low for towing and hauling and Max for maximum range. When the going gets tough the On-Demand All Wheel Drive kicks in for performance you wouldn't expect of an electric vehicle, taking muddy fields and rough terrain in its stride.
There is 567kg (1,250lb) towing capacity and a 226.7 kg (500lb) Lock and Ride cargo box. The 48-volt AC induction motor provides the high performance with low maintenance and is charged using a standard socket.
The Ranger EV comes with a certified Roll-Over Protection Structure and offers 25.4 cm (10 inch) ground clearance. Here is a Side-by- Side All-Wheel Drive vehicle that never needs fuel, requires very little maintenance, works harder and gives a smoother ride than any other in its class. You couldn't ask for more.
www.polarissales.com.au

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Veterans memorial features sculptures of soldiers from every American war since World War I. The ghostly white ones represent the dead.
Coleman Veterans Memorial. East edge of downtown, on the north side of E. Railway St., between 1st and 2nd Sts.
Larger-than-life sculptures of soldiers from every American war since World War I. Excellent display and work of art.
The brown-tinted soldiers (including a dog) represent the living; the ghostly white soldiers the dead.
Pioneer Mother: a Mom-ument, Clare, MI - 10 mi.
Lighthouse, Highway Workers Memorial, Clare, MI - 12 mi.
Tombstone for a Town, St. Louis, MI - 24 mi.
Old Rugged Cross Museum, Reed City, MI - 48 mi.


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Next:NIGERIA: By The Grace Of God We Rape, Pillage, Burn And Kidnap
Electronic Weapons: Israel And Olympic Security
February 25, 2014: Russia spent over $50 billion on the recent Winter Olympics held in southern Russia. One of the biggest concerns was security, as several Russia based Islamic terrorist organizations had openly proclaimed their intention to attack the Olympics. While Russia had plenty of security troops to deploy their security experts also stressed the need for superior communications and real-time intelligence at the Olympic site. Casting about for a system that could provide this they settled on an Israeli firm that had a system that had already been "combat proven" in Israel dealing with over a decade of heavy threat from Palestinian terrorists. The Israeli system has also been deployed for other high security events, like the American Superbowl that took place just before the Winter Olympics opened.
The Israeli system was bought and installed and successfully provided 24/7 monitoring and access to surveillance video, security personnel radio messages, sensors (like fences rigged to alert operators if touched or tampered with) and electronic access control systems. The Israelis also installed a C4I (command, control, communications, computers and intelligence) operations center from which senior Russian security officials could monitor the entire Olympics complex round the clock and in real time.
The computer software running the system gave operators and supervisors instant access to suspicious events and the ability to quickly deploy more security personnel where needed. There were over 1,400 video cameras involved and even more electronic access points installed in the sites where the Olympics were taking place as well as there the athletes and foreign guests were housed. Over a thousand security vehicles or individuals could be monitored and quickly reached to obtain more information or issue orders to move or intervene. During the Olympics most of the alerts were benign; for things like overcrowding, unattended luggage or people who seemed lost or suspicious. If nothing else the Israeli system gave the Russian security officials a sense of being in touch with the security surrounding the Olympics and the ability to quickly act against any potential threat.
MURPHY'S LAW: Swiss Miss
NIGERIA: By The Grace Of God We Rape, Pillage, Burn And Kidnap


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Battery-Sharing Firm Energy Monster Completes $71.5 Million Series C Funding
in Advertising Research
Chinese portable battery-sharing startup Energy Monster has raised 500 million yuan in a series C funding round led by Softbank Ventures Asia, China News Service reported Tuesday.
Other investors include Hillhouse Capital, Shunwei Capital, and BOC International, among others, the report said.
The Shanghai-based firm, which provides table-mounted and take-away chargers at public places including bars, restaurants and convenience stores, will use the newly-raised capital to expand its existing business and explore new opportunities.
Energy Monster has taken five rounds of investment since its establishment in 2017, with the last round taking place in April, when the startup raised $30 million from a group of investors including Hillhouse Capital, Shunwei Capital and Xiaomi.
China had over 300 million power bank rental users in 2019, and research firm Qianzhan estimates the market will expand to be worth 330 million yuan in 2020.
In the first half of 2019, Energy Monster was China's third-largest charger-sharing service provider after Jiedian and Xiaodian, holding 20.9% market share. Jiedian controlled 40.5% of the domestic market during the period with 107 million users, while Xiaodian held 23.6%, according to research firm iiMedia Research.
Contact reporter Ding Yi ([email protected])
The 10 Highest-Grossing Animated Films Of All Time (According To Box Office Mojo)
Consumer Portfolio Services (NASDAQ:CPSS) Rating Lowered to Sell at Zacks Investment Research


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Chapter 15-1: The Public Opinion Survey
Writing > Miscellaneous > Opinion Survey
Preparing for a survey
Planning your questions
Distributing a survey
Useful Words and Phrases
Sample Survey
A survey is a series of questions designed to discover people's opinions, habits, beliefs, awareness, or knowledge. This page discusses how to prepare and distribute a survey.
Goal: What's your goal for this survey? What do you want to discover?
What are the working habits of full-time students?
How does age affect opinions about pregnancy outside of marriage?
Hypothesis: Make at least two guesses of the outcome of the survey.
Most full-time students only have time to work part-time jobs.
Older full-time students tend to work more hours than younger full-time students.
Prepare ten to fifteen questions for your survey. Don't ask essay-style, open-ended questions when you want to be able to easily analyze your survey results. Instead, provide survey takers with a selection of answers.
How many hours do you work during the week?
More than 40 hours
Yes/No/I don't know
Tip: When surveying knowledge, always include an "I don't know" option. This presents answers from being skewed.
How many countries are in the European Union?
Tip: It's important to use the same scale on multiple rating scale questions in order to avoid confusion and distorted answers.
On a scale of 1 to 5, rate your satisfaction with your school's class sizes.
Nominal Choices
Tip: Always include an "Other" option. This allows you to receive answers for items you didn't think of.
Circle all of the fruit juices you drink each week:
Other(s): ______________________
Structuring questions
The beginning questions in the survey should distinguish the groups you're studying. For example, if you're studying how race or ethnicity affects opinions or habits, then your first question should determine race or ethnicity.
Provide clear questions and consistent answers. It's important that questions don't have answers that are too similar to one another. Use the tips above for Yes/No/I Don't Know questions or questions that use a rating scale.
Give clear instructions. At the beginning of the survey, write a short introduction for your survey explaining its purpose. Tell respondents how to complete the survey. See the sample survey below for an example.
Who will you survey? You may decide to survey a wide group of people in order to get a variety of opinions. Or you may want to select a narrower group so you can study the opinions or beliefs of that specific group.
How many people will you distribute the survey to? A larger sample will be more representative of the group at large, but sometimes you may have limited capabilities. If you're working with a group, each person in the group can survey a certain number of people.
How will you distribute the survey? You will also need to decide how to distribute your survey. Some options are:
Satisfied / dissatisfied
Agree / disagree
Positive / negative
In your opinion / In your view
Low / moderate / high
Slightly / somewhat / moderately
Very / extremely / strongly
Do you think...
Do you approve or disapprove of...
Do you consider yourself...
Do you view ________________________ as a problem?
How do you think others view ________________________________?
How important is _______________________?
Question words such as:
Does / Do / Did...
Are / Is...
How often...
How many...
What / Where / When / Who / Why / Which...
Should / Could / Would...
Attribution information for this page: Jamie BridgePage keywords: Image: Canva, under licence


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San Francisco Coordinating Center
Roberta Ballard, MD
Douglas C. Bauer, MD
Dennis M. Black, PhD
Peggy M. Cawthon, PhD, MPH
Steven R. Cummings, MD
Deborah Grady, MD, MPH
Robert A. Hiatt, MD, PhD
Trisha F. Hue, PhD, MPH
Nancy E. Lane, MD
John Lynch, PhD
Charles E. McCulloch, PhD
Michael C. Nevitt, PhD, MPH
Mark J. Pletcher, MD, MPH
Ann V. Schwartz, PhD, MPH
Katie L. Stone, PhD
Gregory J. Tranah, PhD
Study Design and Coordination
Imaging Quality Assurance
Outcome Ascertainment
Data Analysis and Publications
Coordinating Center Studies
Data and Information Management
Surrogate threshold effect: a novel approach for potential approval of new osteoporosis treatments using change in BMD. Study-level analysis from the FNIH Bone Quality Project
Dr. Cawthon's newly awarded grant will leverage the infrastructure and study resources from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study
Dr. Cummings leading a national study to test whether a simple, home-based approach may prevent fractures
Why and How Do We Age?
Accumulation of mutations in Mitochondria with aging decreases strength, cognitive function and increases dementia, stroke, mortality and depression
CPMC Researchers Validate Non-invasive Lab Test as a Lower Cost and More Accurate Way to Assess Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss in Older Men
Treatment-Related Changes in Bone Turnover and Fracture Risk Reduction
San Francisco Cancer Initiative publishes first paper on the project's early progress
The Eureka Research Platform for direct-to-participant longitudinal research
Over 16 years of prospective data on MrOS Online
Can Hip BMD substitute for fractures in clinical trials?
High levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy, a mixture of normal and mutated mtDNA molecules in a cell, lead to inherited mitochondrial diseases
Home > Coordinating Center Studies
Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik-Bone Marrow Adiposity Study
This study is an ongoing population-based study of older men and women in Iceland. It was initiated to examine genetic susceptibility and gene/environment interaction as these contribute to phenotypes common in old age. AGES-Bone Marrow Adiposity Study is sponsored by NIAMS to determine the correlation of marrow adiposity with bone markers and other body composition parameters, such as bone density, body fat mass, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, and fatty muscle infiltration.
Principal Investigator: Ann V. Schwartz, PhD, MPH
Project Director: Trisha F. Hue, PhD, MPH
Research Area: Bone, Adiposity
Atypical Femoral Fractures: A Population-Based Study of Risk Factors and Relationship to Bisphosphonate Exposure and Discontinuation)(AFF)
Dr. Doug Bauer, a UCSF General Internist and SFCC member for over 25 years, recently received an NIH grant to study the long-term effects of bisphosphonates, particularly the occurrence of atypical femoral fractures (AFF) which appear to be more common after prolonged bisphosphonate use. Along with UCSF Biostatistician Dennis Black and a Danish collaborator, he plans to analyse longitudinal pharmacy and fracture data from Denmark dating back to 1995. Dr. Bauer hopes to determine how the duration of bisphosphonate use and other risk factors, and discontinuation of bisphosphonates, relates to the risk of AFF in the Danish population.
Principal Investigator: Douglas C. Bauer, MD
Research Area: Bone
CALERIE
Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy
This study is a multi-center, parallel-group, randomized, controlled trial that's overall aim is to test the hypothesis that two years of sustained caloric restriction will slow aging and protect against age-related disease processes. UCSF is providing DXA Quality Assurance. BMD at the hip, spine and wrist, as well as composition of the total body are measured for the study, and UCSF is centrally analyzing and archiving all scans.
Research Area: Aging/Longevity, Bone
Comprehensive Evaluation of Aging-Related Clinical Outcomes and Geroproteins (CARGO)
Our study harnesses the comprehensive data and statistical power of the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and Dynamics of Health and Body Composition Study (Health ABC) to analyze whether proteins discovered to delay or accelerate aging in the brain, heart, and skeletal muscle are associated with important clinical outcomes: dementia, heart failure, and mobility disability. Data and specimens from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) will enable us to understand how these proteins vary with age and influence the brain,heart and muscle across the life span. This study will provide a comprehensive picture of the potential of these proteins to give rise to new treatments for major causes of aging-related disability and mortality.
Principal Investigator: Steven R.Cummings, MD
Project Director: Robin Collins, MPH
Research Area: Aging/Longevity
Creatine Dilution
Determination of Skeletal Muscle Mass by Creatine Dilution
A novel measure of total body skeletal muscle mass is the creatine dilution method. Briefly, the total creatine pool size, and thus total body skeletal muscle mass, can be estimated by orally dosing individuals with deuterated creatine (d3-creatine) and then subsequently measuring labeled creatinine (d3-creatinine) in a single urine sample. We posit that total body skeletal muscle mass as measured by this method is related to strength and physical performance, and that individuals with decreased total body skeletal muscle mass will have an increased risk of falls, fractures and functional impairments. We use traditional methods such as receiver-operator curves, and newer approaches including the net reclassification index and predictiveness curves, to investigate whether total body skeletal muscle mass as determined by the creatine dilution method is superior to appendicular lean mass (from DXA), age, BMI and strength in predicting the risk of falls, fractures, mortality and mobility limitationin older men. We plan to efficiently test these hypotheses via an ancillary study to the ongoing Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study - a large, well-characterized, prospective, multicenter study. We propose to add this measure to the already funded study Visit 4. Should our hypotheses prove correct, the creatine dilution method for assessing total body skeletal muscle mass would become a critical research tool used to elucidate the pathophysiology of sarcopenia. By providing a highly precise method to monitor response, the creatine dilution method will aid the development of novel agents for reversing age-related muscle loss. This simple test could be used clinically as an alternative to DXA to identify men at risk of physical decline and to refine sarcopenia definitions.
Principal Investigator: Peggy M. Cawthon, PhD
Research Area: Aging Muscle
D3-creatine
Evaluating D3-creatine dilution estimates of muscle mass due to weight loss and exercise in older adults who have obesity
This study will evaluate the impact of weight loss resulting from caloric restriction (with or without exercise) on muscle mass in older adults with obesity. Muscle mass will be measured with the new D3-creatine method. We will also determine whether the change in muscle mass is related to the change in physical performance that accompanies weight change.
FIT Long-Term Extension
This study assesses the effects of continuing alendronate beyond 5 years. Postmenopausal women (N=1,099) who had previously been randomized to alendronate in FIT (Fracture Intervention Trial) were randomized to 5 years of continued alendronate.
Principal Investigator: Dennis M. Black, PhD
Research Area: Osteoporosis
Fracture Reduction and Evaluation of Denosumab in Osteoporosis every 6 Months
In this phase III trial, the Coordinating Center was responsible for adjudication of cardiovascular events and deaths and leadership and management of the Steering and Publication Committees. The trial involved over 7,000 participants at 350 sites.
Principal Investigator: Steven R. Cummings, MD
Project Director: Dana Kriesel, MPH
Research Area: Bone, Osteoporosis
HABC
Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study
This observational study looks at the onset of physical disability in relation to body composition change, particularly loss of muscle mass in old age. The study began in 1996, has two sites, and over 3,000 participants.
Principal Investigators: Steven R. Cummings, MD, Michael C. Nevitt, PhD, MPH
Project Director: Susan M. Rubin, MPH
Research Area: Aging/Longevity, Muscle
HORIZON-PFT/Extension
Health Outcomes & Reduced Incidence with Zoledronic Acid Trial
The initial study was a phase III, 3-year international, multi-center, randomized control trial of over 7,000 postmenopausal women in 27 countries for the treatment of osteoporosis and other health outcomes with yearly zolendronic acid versus placebo. Extension 1 is a 3-year extension to look at outcomes such as fracture, bone mineral density, and other adverse events after 6 years. Extension 2 is a 3-year extension of Extension 2 and includes continued treatment and monitoring of outcomes after 9 years.
Longevity Consortium
The Longevity Consortium (LC) project is rooted in the belief that integrated approaches to the discovery of factors affecting human longevity must be pursued. LC research includes 6 research projects and 3 cores, all focusing on, and leveraging, very complementary high-throughput assays, large cohorts and novel analytic methods. An emphasis is placed on systems biology and chemoinformatics analysis to help place the findings of each project into more coherent views of the molecular pathways and processes affecting longevity and their amenability to pharmacologic manipulation.
Principal Investigators: Steven R. Cummings, MD
Project Director: Dan Evans
Website: https://www.longevityconsortium.org/
Longevity Genomics
Integrative Resource to Develop Translational Strategies to Promote Longevity
Translation of genetic associations into insights that can lead to pharmacological interventions designed to promote healthy aging requires an approach and infrastructure that integrates many sources of information and scientific expertise. We propose the creation of an infrastructure and an integrated data system to enable our team of scientists to develop therapeutic research strategies based on causal connections between molecular traits and healthy aging, and chemicals that target the molecular traits. Therapeutics that can promote healthy aging can have a great impact on the elderly, a rapidly growing subgroup of our population
Project Director: Dan Evans, PhD
Research Area: Aging/Longevity, Genetics
Website: http://www.longevitygenomics.org
Action for Health in Diabetes
This study is a randomized controlled clinical trial that is designed to characterize the impact on several health outcomes of an intervention program designed to produce weight loss. The primary study objective is to determine whether such a program is effective in reducing the number of serious cardiovascular disease events in a cohort of overweight adults with type 2 diabetes. The Coordinating Center serves as the bone density quality assurance group for the study. Hip, spine, and whole body scans are sent to us for quality and technical review and central databasing.
Principal Investigator: Michael C. Nevitt, PhD, MPH
Project Director: Ann V. Schwartz, PhD, MPH
Research Area: Cardiovascular, Diabetes
Multi-center longitudinal, prospective observational cohort study of knee osteoporosis
This study looks at risk factors for the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis and knee pain. A cohort of more than 3,000 women and men, aged 50 and over are participating in follow-up visits to help investigators better understand how to prevent and treat knee osteoarthritis, one of the most common causes of disability in adults.
Project Director: Jean Hietpas, MSW, OTR
Research Area: Osteoarthritis
Website: http://most.ucsf.edu
MrOS
Osteoporotic Fractures in Men
This prospective cohort study is designed to examine the extent to which fracture risk is related to bone mass, bone geometry, lifestyle, anthropometric and neuromuscular measures, and fall propensity, as well as to determine how fractures affect quality of life in older men. A total of 5,995 from six US clinical centers were enrolled between March 2000 and April 2002. Participants have been followed since enrollment for incident fractures, falls, prostate cancers, and death. The MrOS study is funded by NIA and NIAMS, currently through June 2012.
Principal Investigators: Douglas C. Bauer, MD, Steven R. Cummings, MD
Project Director: Robin M. Fullman, MPH
Website: http://mrosdata.sfcc-cpmc.net
MrOS R56
Long-term fracture risk in older men: the MrOS study
Fractures and resulting morbidity, mortality and costs are a large and growing burden among older men.The fracture rate increases exponentially after age 65, and the average age of hip fracture is >80 yrs. Fracture risk in later life is strongly influenced by declines in bone structure and strength. Yet, in older men there are very few studies with longitudinal data concerning these changes in bone structure. Thus, this study will focus on repeating measures of bone structure and strength using HR-pQCT technology in men participating in the MrOS study, all of whom are now aged 84 years and older. This grant is a multi-PI study (Mary L. Bouxsein, PHD, Peggy M. Cawthon, PhD, Eric S. Orwoll, MD ) funded by the NIH, under the "high priority, short term project" (R56) award mechanism. This project will serve as a foundation for future work including identification of predictors of change in bone strength and size at the peripheral skeleton.
MrOS Sleep
Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men
This study is an ancillary study to the MrOS study. From December 2003 through March 2005, 3,135 MrOS participants were enrolled. Comprehensive and objective assessments of sleep (including overnight in-home polysomnography[PSG], 5-day wrist actigraphy and self-reported measures of sleep quality), adjudication of incident cardiovascular (CVD) events, and other measures including neuromuscular function, bone mineral density, and cognitive function were added to the expansive dataset of the MrOS study. The MrOS Sleep Study is funded by NHLBI. Current funding is through April 2014.
Principal Investigator: Katie L. Stone, PhD
Research Area: Aging/Longevity, Cardiovascular, Sleep
Osteoarthritis Initiative
This study is a scientific evaluation of biomarkers for osteoarthritis as potential surrogate endpoints for disease onset and progression.
Website: http://oai.ucsf.edu
PaTH/PaTH II
PTH and Alendronate in Combination for the Treatment of Osteoporosis
Follow-up of PTH and Alendronate in Combination for the Treatment of Osteoporosis PaTH was a 2-year randomized controlled trial of 238 participants at 4 clinical sites to determine if 3 different combination treatments of PTH 1-84 with alendronate increased bone mineral density and bone turnover markers more than alendronate alone. PaTH II was a 1-year observational study designed for a 3rd year of follow-up in women originally randomized into PaTH to assess if MBD continues to increase or is maintained in those treated with PTH followed by a bisphophonate.
PTH and Ipandronate Combination Study
This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in which two combinations of PTH and oral ibandronate (Boniva®) are used to determine the effect on bone markers and bone mass. Forty-four post-menopausal women aged 55+ with low bone density as measured by densitometry were enrolled in this single-center pilot study. Participants will have 24 months of follow-up for clinical exams, imaging, and biomarker measurements. The study includes novel imaging methods including high resolution peripheral CT and MRI X-ray spectroscopy.
Randomized Order Safety Trial Evaluating Resident Schedules
Dr. Katie Stone is serving as the PI of the Data Coordinating Center (DCC) for the ROSTERS Trial (Randomized Order Safety Trial Evaluating Resident Schedules). ROSTERS is a multi-center randomized crossover trial in six pediatric ICUs staffed by PGY2 and PGY3 residents to compare the effectiveness and safety of a sleep and circadian science-based (SCS) intervention schedule with a traditional schedule that includes frequent shifts of 24 hours or longer. The primary outcome is resident-related preventable adverse events and near misses, and the secondary outcomes are ICU-wide preventable adverse events and near misses and resident neurobehavioral performance and predicted driving safety. The study aims to enroll 300 residents over the course of three years. The first wave of two sites began data collection on November 1, 2013.
Research Area: Aging/Longevity, Cognitive function, Sleep
Sleep Cog
Changes in Sleep and Cognition in Older Women
This study is designed to look at the relationship between poor sleep quality and cognitive function and mortality. The study will also explore potential biochemical pathways that may mediate the inter-relationships between sleep conditions, cognition, and mortality.
Studies of Osteoporotic Fractures
At the onset of this study 20 years ago, the main specific aims were to determine risk factors for hip and other osteoporotic fractures. Since then, the aims have expanded to include additional diseases and conditions common in older women, including breast cancer, osteoarthritis, stroke, cognition, vision, and sleep.
Website: http://sof.ucsf.edu
SOMMA
The Study of Muscle Mobility and Aging
In the Study of Muscle Mobility and Aging (SOMMA), a prospective, longitudinal study of men and women age 70 to 90, our team of experts in clinical and laboratory sciences will use innovative and state-of-the-art technologies with rigorous quality control to test these hypotheses and discover new pathways for the loss of mobility with aging. We will measure quadriceps contractile volume by MRI and total muscle mass by d3 creatine dilution. We will use 31PMRS to assess the capacity of the quadriceps to generate ATP (ATPmax). In tissue form muscle biopsies quantify denervation and oxidative damage to contractile proteins. SOMMA will be the first to quantify autophagic flux to assess the role of autophagy in the loss of mobility with aging. We use respirometry on fresh tissue to quantify the contribution of mitochondria to ATPmax and mobility disability. These properties interact: for example, decreased autophagic flux promotes the accumulation of oxidative damage and denervation, and understanding these relationships will guide the analysis and interpretation of our results. Furthermore, we will use unbiased RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to profile the entire transcriptome to discover new associations between clusters of genes and individual variation in rates of loss of fitness (peak VO2), muscle mass, and risk of mobility disability.
SOMMA may identify and prioritize targets for new therapeutics and tailored exercise regimens. We also will create a unique archive of tissue, blood, with longitudinal data about important clinical outcomes that the scientific community can use to efficiently test new hypotheses about muscle and loss of mobility with aging.
Research Area: Aging Muscle, mobility
The STRIVE Study: Breast Cancer Screening Cohort for the Development of Assays for Early Cancer Detection
Detection of early stage cancer may be possible through analysis of circulating cell-free nucleic acids (cfNAs) shed into the blood by tumors. Using high-intensity sequencing (based on broad genomic coverage and deep sequencing) of cfNAs, combined with machine learning, to develop blood tests to detect cancer early. The purpose of this prospective, multi-center, observational cohort study is to train and validate an assay for the early detection of breast cancer. The study will collect blood samples from participants within 28 days of their screening mammogram. Additional blood samples will also be collected for a subset of participants. For participants who receive a cancer diagnosis during the study, tissue samples will be collected.
Research Area: Breast Cancer
Website: http://www.joinstrive.com/
TOLSURF
Trial of Late Surfactant in Premature Babies
This study is a randomized, multi-center, placebo-controlled trial of late surfactant treatment in infants at high risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The primary aim of this nationwide trial, funded by NHBLI, is to assess the effect of late doses of surfactant on the occurrence and severity of BPD in ventilated, extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGAN) receiving inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). A cohort of 524 infants will be enrolled and followed for up to 24 months to help investigators better understand whether surfactant will decrease risk of chronic lung disease and improve pulmonary outcome in the ELGAN population. See also TOLSURF-Pilot.
Principal Investigator, Clinical Coordinating Center: Roberta Ballard, MD
Principal Investigator, Data Coordination Center: Dennis M. Black, PhD
Research Area: Neonatology
Prevention of Fractures in Patients with Parkinson's Disease
Patients with Parkinson's disease have a high risk of falls and fractures but few receive treatment. TOPAZ is a randomized trial testing whether intravenous Zoledronic acid given at home reduces risks of falls and fractures without burdensome clinic visits. TOPAZ addresses all of these barriers:
1) We will test the anti-fracture efficacy of Zoledronic acid (ZA) a very potent bisphosphonate that inhibits bone loss and decreased fracture risk in women with osteoporosis and patients with hip fractures.
2) We will give ZA intravenously at home without clinic visits.
3) ZA inhibits bone loss for at least 2 years overcoming noncompliance with oral drugs. We will enroll 3,500 men and women PD age 65 years or older from large health systems, patient communities, and referrals from neurologists in the Parkinson's Study Group.
A successful result may revolutionize the care of patients with PD. It may lead to guidelines promoting home-based ZA treatment of older PD patients. ZA, rather than oral drugs, would become the 1st line treatment for patients with PD. Thus, a positive result may lead to treatment of many more PD patients and a substantial reduction in the occurrence of disabling fractures in patients with PD.
Research Area: Bone, Osteoporosis, Aging, Parkinson's disease
VEST-PREDICTS
Vest prevention of Early Sudden death Trial (VEST); PREDiction of ICD Therapies Study (PREVENTS)
This study is a multi-center randomized controlled trial and observational follow-up study designed with the goal of improving clinical care for persons at risk of sudden death from heart arrhythmias. Participants include men and women aged 18 years and older with some heart dysfunction after a recent heart attack. The goal of VEST is to determine whether use of a wearable defibrillator vest reduces death in the first 2 months following the heart attack. In PREDICTS, extensive risk stratification testing will be performed and biological samples collected from each study participant with the goal of predicting which persons truly require implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator device (ICD).
Principal Investigators: Stephen B. Hulley, MD, MPH, Mark J. Pletcher, MD, MPH
Research Area: Cardiovascular
Zolpidem and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Older Adults
Planning funding is provided for the development of a large multi-center randomized trial designed to test the comparative effectiveness of zolpidem versus cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in older adults. The trial will be powered to test key outcomes in older adults such as falls, cognitive and physical function, and cardiovascular risk factors.
Research Area: Aging/Longevity, Sleep, Cognitive function
Regulatory qualification for DXA bone mineral density as a surrogate endpoint for fracture risk in osteoporosis trials
The UCSF Bone Quality study have compiled data in over 150,000 patients (including serial DXA bone BMD measurements) and this effort presents a unique opportunity to develop change in BMD as a surrogate measure for fracture risk reduction. This could potentially enable future clinical trials with as few as several hundred patients in as little as 12 to 18 months to assess the relationship of the new agent to fracture risk. Using data from this unique compilation of patients, from up to 59 randomized trials of 17 different osteoporosis treatments, we will explore the relationship of DXA and biomarkers to fracture risk. The overarching goal of this project is to assess how DXA BMD, perhaps in combination with other imaging and biochemical markers, can be qualified as FDA-defined prognostic, predictive and efficacy-response biomarkers for fracture risk and submit a full qualification package to the FDA to qualify DXA-BMD as a surrogate marker for fracture risk.
Project Director: Lucy Wu, MPH
Research Area: DXA-BMD, Biomarkers, Surrogate Measure
All Current Studies


They're filled with the belief of lifestyles because it is, and the fervour for all times because it needs to be, that have made The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire classics of the yank theater.
Only this type of performs (The Purification) is written in verse, yet in them all the method of personality is in terms of poetic revelation. no matter if Williams is writing of derelict roomers in a brand new Orleans boarding residence (The woman of Larkspur Lotion) or the stories of a venerable touring salesman (The final of My reliable Gold Watches) or of antisocial youngsters (This estate is Condemned), his perception into human nature is that of the poet. He can compress the fundamental which means of life—its pathos or its tragedy, its bravery or the standard of its love—into one small scene or a number of moments of dialogue.
Mr. Williams's perspectives at the position of the little theater in American tradition are contained in a stimulating essay, "Something wild...," which serves as an creation to this assortment.
Two performs through the winner of the easiest Fringe construction Award on the 1996 Dublin Festival.
Twins seperated at beginning, Nathaniel Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport were raised in several worlds, and feature either thrived top-of-the-line and brightest in their iteration. In an period of violent swap, freee love, and blind ambition, Nat is going off to battle, whereas Fletcher enters political strive against. With each one selection they make--in love and occupation, via tragedy and triumph--their lives replicate one another...until a high-profile homicide case brings them jointly. till a high-stakes political conflict turns them into competitors. till a decades-old secret's exposed...and robust males needs to confront their bonds of destiny and fortune.
Mostly believed to be the final play written completely through Shakespeare, The Tempest centers on a banished noble who makes use of sorcery to confront his foes. during this play, Shakespeare bargains a few of his so much insightful meditations on subject matters starting from vengeance and forgiveness to nature and nurture.
Under the editorial supervision of Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen, of today's so much finished Shakespearean students, this contemporary Library sequence accommodates definitive texts and authoritative notes from William Shakespeare: entire Works. each one play contains an creation, in addition to an summary of Shakespeare's theatrical profession; remark on prior and present productions according to interviews with prime administrators, actors, and architects; scene-by-scene research; key evidence concerning the paintings; a chronology of Shakespeare's existence and instances; and black-and-white illustrations.
Ideal for college students, theater pros, and common readers, those glossy and available variations set a brand new ordinary in Shakespearean literature for the twenty-first century.
Released to mark Caryl Churchill's 70th birthday, this quantity comprises: Cloud 9, Bliss, inn, it is a Chair, Blue center, far-off, a bunch, under the influence of alcohol adequate to claim i like You?, and A Dream Play.
The nice psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich as soon as wrote, "No President, Academy, court docket of legislation, Congress or Senate in this earth has the information or energy to make your mind up what is going to be the data of tomorrow." In 1957, the govt. of the us of the US jailed Dr. Reich and burned all of his released works. Wilhelm Reich in Hell presents a extraordinary new examine the vilification and destruction of an outstanding guy who refused to bow to Gestapo strategies.
Molière (1622-73) mixed all of the conventional components of comedy—wit, slapstick, spectacle and satire—with a deep knowing of personality to create richly subtle dramas that have continually thrilled audiences. such a lot are equipped round dangerously deluded and obsessive heroes akin to The Would-Be Gentleman and The Misanthrope who threaten to blight the lives of these round them. Such silly Affected women and people discovered women (both newly translated for this variation) reveal the extravagant, stylish fads and snobbery of the Parisian shrewdpermanent set, whereas the tale of the falsely religious Tartuffe and his dedicated disciple Orgon attracted large controversy for its assault on spiritual hypocrisy. ultimately, The physician regardless of Himself kinds a hilarious bankruptcy in Molière's long-standing vendetta opposed to the scientific profession.
Like Shakespeare, Molière was once a real guy of the theatre whose comedies mix sharp perception into human nature with an unerring feel of what might paintings on level and make humans chortle. All his maximum achievements are incorporated right here and within the accompanying Penguin Classics quantity, The Miser and different Plays.
The Discovery of Heaven, Harry Mulisch's magnum opus, is a wealthy mosaic of twentieth-century trauma within which many themes—friendship, loyalty, kin, artwork, know-how, faith, destiny, sturdy, and evil—suffuse a suspenseful and resplendent narrative.
The tale starts off with the assembly of Onno and Max, advanced members whom destiny has mysteriously and magically introduced jointly. They percentage accountability for the delivery of a notable and radiant boy who embarks on a mandated quest that takes the reader in every single place Europe and to the land the place all such quests start and finish. Abounding in philosophical, mental and theological inquiries, but laced with humor that's as infectious because it is willful, the invention of Heaven lingers within the brain lengthy after it's been learn. It not just tells an obtainable tale, but in addition convinces one who it simply can be attainable to carry order into the chaos of the realm via a story.
Residing in Rome below Caligula and later a train to Nero, Seneca witnessed the extremes of human behaviour. His stunning and bloodthirsty performs not just mirror a brutal interval of heritage but in addition exhibit how guilt, sorrow, anger and hope lead members to violence. The hero of Hercules Insane saves his circle of relatives from slaughter, basically to devote additional atrocities while he is going mad. The frightening demise of Astyanax is mentioned in Trojan Women, and Phaedra offers with forbidden love. In Oedipus a fearful guy discovers himself, whereas Thyestes recounts the sour kin fight for a crown. Of doubtful authorship, Octavia dramatizes Nero's divorce from his spouse and her deportation. the single Latin tragedies to have survived whole, those performs are masterpieces of brilliant, muscular language and mental insight.
For greater than seventy years, Penguin has been the major writer of vintage literature within the English-speaking international. With greater than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a world bookshelf of the easiest works all through historical past and throughout genres and disciplines. Readers belief the series to supply authoritative texts stronger by way of introductions and notes through exotic students and modern authors, in addition to up-to-date translations by means of award-winning translators.
Le Vent se déroule tout entier dans une ville du Midi de los angeles France (Perpignan ?). Antoine Montès, 35 ans, vient d'y arriver pour entrer en ownership de l'héritage de son père. Il n'a d'ailleurs jamais connu celui-ci, sa mère, morte aussi, ayant quitté los angeles ville dès avant los angeles naissance de l'enfant. L'héritage se compose principalement de vignes laissées à l'abandon. Le notaire conseille à Montès de vendre ces terres, et lui suggest même des acheteurs. Mais, inexplicablement, Montès refuse. À partir de là, toute son perspective apparaît étrange et même scandaleuse à toute los angeles « bonne société » du cru. Refusant les beaux partis qui s'offrent, il se compromet avec l. a. bonne de l'hôtel minable où il est descendu, et se trouve finalement mêlé à une sombre histoire de vol et de recel, dont il se tirera d'ailleurs sans dommage, mais sans avoir rien fait pour cela, restant d'un bout à l'autre aussi doucement étranger et pur vis-à-vis de ce monde qu'il apparaîtra scandaleux aux yeux des autres.
Le Vent a été publié en 1957.


PORNSTAR JENNA JAMESON GETS HER OWN COMIC!?
Home » ENTERTAINMENT » COMICS » PORNSTAR JENNA JAMESON GETS HER OWN COMIC!?
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Even Courtney Love had one. BUT JENNA JAMESON!?
Jenna Jameson's Shadow Hunter is about a broke tattoo artist named Jezzerie who's been able to see demons ever since she was a child. But when she responds to a classified ad looking for someone just like her (go figure) those visions become real. It's published by Virgin Comics, which is hilarious when you consider Jenna was just in the news for having vaginoplasty (reconstructive surgery to… ahem, plug the hole). Shadow Hunter screams unoriginal. It's: one part The Maxx, one part The Darkness. And despite the protagonist obviously being modeled on Jenna, Jezzerie comes off as an incongruent intellectual, using $10 words like transcendental, opaque, and ennui (ou la la!). Personally, I'd rather read a Stripperella comic.


Virgin Media has appointed Tony Hanway as CEO of its operations in Ireland.
Hanway has held a number of roles with Telefonica across Europe, including CEO of O2 in Ireland, consumer director of O2 in the Czech Republic and, latterly, chief commercial officer of O2 in Germany. Prior to joining O2, he held senior roles at AOL Europe including managing director of AOL Europe operations and vice president of AOL UK. He was chairman of the Irish Telecom and Internet Federation between 2013 and 2014.
Commenting on his appointment as CEO of Virgin Media in Ireland, Tony Hanway said: "I am deeply honoured to be joining the Virgin Media team. These are truly exciting times for our business in Ireland and I look forward to playing my part in delivering a great experience for our customers.
Hanway joins on next week and, following a short transition with Magnus Ternsjo, will take up the role and join the VM executive committee from Monday 2 November. Ternsjö is moving to become the head of UPC Hungary, a sister company within the Liberty Global group. He joined UPC Ireland as chief executive in June 2013 and became a member of the Virgin Media executive committee last December, when John Malone's Liberty Global decided to merge UPC Ireland with its operations in the UK.


Firm-level data on jobs 'churn' among the UK's businesses show early warning signs of an economic slowdown despite the country's record employment, a new study suggests. The newly-available ONS data, analysed by academics at the v, shows that existing employer-enterprises have seen a faster net loss of jobs in the past two years, only offset by stable but flatlining numbers created by new start-ups.
The ERC has warned that, with around half of start-ups failing within their first year, and firm 'deaths' converging with 'births', the UK's record levels of employment mask a more complex picture of business dynamism on the ground which more closely matches pre-recessionary periods.
The researchers looked at data for the period 1998-2018 from the Business Structure Database (BSD) compiled by the ONS.
By totalling new jobs created by start-ups and existing companies as well as jobs lost by firms shedding staff or ceasing to employ workers at all, the researchers established the reallocation rate or 'churn' among firms each year for the past two decades.
In 2018 alone this totalled 4.9m jobs, equivalent to 23% of all private sector employees changing jobs through hiring and firing.
Existing companies created 1.65m jobs in that year, but this was outweighed by the combined 2.25m job losses from established firms and companies that exited, the highest number since 2010. The net loss of 613,000 jobs from pre-existing firms was only compensated for by around 1m new jobs created by start-ups, giving a net positive figure of just under 400,000.
The total number of jobs lost in 2018 was 17% higher than the previous year, when 525,000 were shed.
Looking at overall numbers of individual firms, the data also shows that the rate of firm 'births' has slowed, while 'deaths' have risen since 2016, with the two rates now almost equal. In periods of strong economic growth, the firm 'birthrate' is typically higher than the 'deathrate'. But this relationship is reversed in periods of recession. The last time business deaths exceeded births was in 2010 to 2011, towards the end of the Great Recession triggered by the financial crisis of 2008.
And in some English regions, including Yorkshire and the Humber, the East of England and the South West, firm 'deaths' actually exceeded new 'births' in 2018.
Mark Hart, Professor of entrepreneurship at Aston Business School said, "Firm-level data can be a useful 'canary in the mine' for an impending economic downturn and this is particularly significant in the context of record employment figures which could lull policymakers into a false sense of security.
"There is an underlying level of turbulence in the private sector in periods of growth in the economy and this is an important indicator of business dynamism. So the faltering level of job creation from business entry and the rise in job losses in existing firms and though business-exit should be seen as early signs of concern, especially in the current economic climate.
Case study: Greg McDonald, chief executive of Goodfish Group. The experience of established firms nationwide rings true to Greg McDonald, Chief Executive of injection-moulding firm Goodfish Group, headquartered in Cannock near Birmingham and with other sites in Worcester and Loughborough.
Since founding the company, which makes plastic components for a wide range of sectors including retail, automotive, aerospace and healthcare, in 2010, McDonald has grown the firm's headcount from around 30 to 125 through a string of acquisitions, with a turnover of £11.5m.
But in the past 24 months, despite taking on 56 new employees the firm has seen a net reduction in staff numbers as 65 left the firm.
While part of this stems from the nature of acquiring firms with disproportionately high staff costs, McDonald said, the near full-employment nationally is making it increasingly difficult to hire skilled, motivated workers.
Brexit has also become a factor. Goodfish has established a subsidiary in Slovakia, an emerging centre of automotive production in continental Europe, and is waiting on the outcome of the political deal around the UK's departure from the EU before signing a lease on a new facility, which it hopes to be manufacturing from within six months.
Policymakers could encourage smaller firms to grow staff numbers by reducing the burden of PAYE and national insurance contributions for younger companies, Mr McDonald said – as well as addressing the high up-front rental fees demanded by landlords on leased premises.


Gamification - in the past we've chatted about how it's a valuable tool for engaging and motivating users of your product. It taps into our love of achievement and a sense of progression.
This is particularly true of eLearning, as gamification mechanics help keep a learner progressing through their training. Although gamification has many benefits, it's important that we don't overestimate its impact. It is an amazing tool for you to use, but it shouldn't replace one key element - quality course content.
Let's start by asking a question: If you were hiring someone to create eLearning courses for your organization, would you choose a person who's an expert in the content or an expert in gamification mechanics? Logically, you'd start with the content as the foundation of your learning strategy, right? In other words, your content is your cake and gamification is the cherry on top!
Game mechanics can add another layer of engagement and achievement. You can award badges for each course that a learner completes. However, just because the course has been gamified doesn't mean, the learner is getting a better understanding of the material compared to a non-gamified course of the same material.
Gamification shouldn't be used to usurp the primary goal - to boost a learner's understanding of a particular topic.
The question that I keep coming back to is whether the game mechanics can actually help me as a learner because it helps me to focus the activity - and in turn improve concentration and retention. The reality is, we do not have enough data or research to say for sure.
Experts like Kevin Werbach are right now completing research to see the results of gamification on end user benefits - as opposed to administrator-centric benefits such as uptake and completion.
Some people perform activities with the goal of completing the activity itself. In this case, the person in question launches and completes a course in order to learn from the content. This is an Intrinsic motivation. Others may complete the exact same activity for very different, more external motivations.
They perhaps want to complete the courses so they can gain recognition within their workplace. This is an Extrinsic motivation.
Robson plays squash twice a week. His motivation? - the enjoyment of playing squash. He is intrinsically motivated by the activity of squash.
Jerome also plays squash twice a week. Jerome however, is motivated to play squash because it gives him the opportunity to network with business colleagues and build relationships. This is an extrinsic motivation.
Now let's map this type of behavior to eLearning. Robson completes the assigned courses the way it was designed and for the purpose intended. His focus is on the content.
Jerome however simply wants to top the leaderboard. Both will hopefully achieve a passing grade. But is Jerome placing greater emphasis on the path to the badge instead of the information he can glean from the content? As the one designing and administering courses, you have to decide if this is a concern for your organization.
So, how do the two types of motivations come into play in relation to eLearning? In order for these motivations to work in unison, the quality of both has to be high. Your courses are the primary motivation. The quality of the courses has to be high for you to even have the option of introducing the secondary motivation.
The learner must enjoy a heightened understanding of the topic, an opportunity to ask questions, a means to assess themselves and a way to receive feedback. If the content is poor, the intrinsic motivation is removed - "I can't learn from this".
We can play devil's advocate here and argue that our fictional squash player Jerome is likely to proceed through a really poorly designed course simply for the recognition of completion rather than the potential knowledge that's extracted. But that hypothesis forgets about an important factor - Your overall eLearning strategy.
Your strategy is to educate, to train - to create experts. So, you should be dictating that the quality of the content is high. Why? If Jerome does pursue his Machiavellian tactics - he will hopefully be well trained in the process!!
As you can see, you have two parts to consider when creating a gamified eLearning strategy. At LearnUpon, we suggest that your primary goal should be to create great content and then think about how to encourage uptake and completion through game mechanics.
To paraphrase Kevin Costner in a Field of Dreams - if you build it (great course content), they will come!!


English. Circa 1785. This elegant cabinet, which retains its original painted decoration, is a rare survival of the Etruscan taste introduced into England in the late 1760s. The black and terracotta decoration to the ovals and the stylized frieze, set against a light-blue ground, are much in the manner of the Etruscan style of Robert Adam (1728-1792), the most celebrated architect and designer of the day. The present cabinet also draws on the conventional classical vocabulary, with a fan motif to the doors and sides and anthemion arcading to the frieze, but renders them in Etruscan colours. The 'Etruscan Dressing Room' was executed by Adam's decorative artist Pietro Mario Borgnis (1743-1801). The decoration was first painted onto paper that was then pasted onto canvas which was attached to the walls of the room. Much the same technique is employed in the present cabinet, where the black and red Etruscan work is painted onto paper and then laid down onto the painted pale blue ground.


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Santar
Civil architecture
Santars Gardens
Casa das Fidalgas Garden
The whole farmhouse is surrounded by walls, with an approximate area of 3 ha. Located next to Casa de Santar e Magalhães the access is made by a square with an imposing baroque fountain, dated 1789, known as the Fonte da Torre, toponymy allusive to the existence of an old medieval tower. The irregular configuration of the house, of great extension and denoting successive reforms, surrounds the square, placing on one side the main house and on another one the old stables, the cellar and warehouse. The house was built in the 17th century by Domingos de Sampaio do Amaral on the occasion of the marriage of his daughter D. Joana de Sampaio with João de Almeida Castelo Branco who would become the guardians of the main captaincy of the county of Senhorim and the founders of the morgado of Santar. It was passed down from generation to generation until, in 1975, Pedro Brum da Silveira Pinto donated it to the representative of the Portuguese royal house, D. Duarte Pio, and to his brother, D. Miguel de Bragança, Duke of Viseu.
The visitor, passing the gate to the bottom of the fountain, finds a large yard, which connects to an enormous avenue with remarkable examples of American oak trees, liquidambars, Indian chestnut trees, cedars, ash trees, false plantains and olive trees. To the left side of the gate, the yard still leads the visitor to the area of gardens, vegetable gardens and orchards, developed on the side of the main house, in terrain of smooth slope, with roads of carved boxwood, the so-called carreiras, flanking the fields destined for vegetable gardens and orchard. The garden develops in steps, with access by stairs in the walls, marked by large paths, partially covered by pergola of rose bushes, which passes next to two large tanks, whose water descends by gravity. Curiously, the vegetable garden mixes with the garden, with remarkable examples of camellias and magnolias on the upper level, vegetable garden in the middle and finally next to the house with a large balcony, there is a formal garden with a central lake, surrounded by boxwood, punctuated by numerous species such as yew trees, lagerstroemia, camellias and many more species that were planted by the Duke of Viseu. Next to the vegetable gardens, always with boxwood paths to delimit the blocks, there is a cherry orchard and a walnut grove.
The fields to the west, crossed by the avenue, are today an immense vineyard planted and designed by Fernando Caruncho and Pedro Vasconcelos e Sousa within the framework of the Santar Vila Jardim project. At the highest point, a large panoramic kiosk was built. In the foreground, the new vine is seen, with Casa das Fidalgas and the village of Santar in the background and, at the bottom, an immense plateau of Beira, at the foot of the Serra da Estrela.
Next Garden
T: +351 232 942 937 | M: +351 911 161 587 |
T: +351 232 942 937 |
RNAAT - SANTAR VILA JARDIM, LDA - NIF. 513068619 - REGISTO Nº: 412/2020


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Ekonomika poljoprivrede
2020, vol. 67, br. 4, str. 1141-1154
How the type of ownership affects capital budgeting practice in the Serbian agribusiness industry?
(naslov ne postoji na srpskom)
Barjaktarović Lidijaa , Pindžo Renatab , Konjikušić Snežanac
aUniverzitet Singidunum, Beograd
bUniverzitet Metropolitan, Beograd + Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Belgrade
cUniverzitet Metropolitan, Beograd
e-adresa: lbarjaktarovic@singidunum.ac.rs, renata.pindzo@mtt.gov.rs, skonjikusic@fefa.edu.rs
Ključne reči: capital budgeting; CEO; CFO; ownership structure; treasury; and enterprise risk management
(ne postoji na srpskom)
The subject of the research is capital budgeting practices in Serbian agribusiness companies. The research aim is to determine whether there are differences in decision-making regarding capital budgeting depending on the ownership structure in those industries. The research was conducted in the first half of 2019, on a sample of 76 companies (from 122 targeted/i.e. 62.33% respondent rate) operating in the Republic of Serbia. Descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used in the data analysis. IBM SPSS 20.0 statistical package was used for data processing. Research results confirmed that capital budgeting practices in the Serbian agribusiness companies can be considered as developed. Furthermore, there is a difference in the capital budgeting practices in the Republic of Serbia depending on the ownership of the analyzed sampled companies.
Naknadno pridodat članak: provera, normiranje i linkovanje referenci u toku.
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O članku
jezik rada: engleski
vrsta rada: izvorni naučni članak
DOI: 10.5937/ekoPolj2004141B
primljen: 21.09.2020.
prihvaćen: 20.11.2020.
objavljen u SCIndeksu: 06.01.2021.
metod recenzije: dvostruko anoniman
Nema povezanih članaka
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text:
Home Pakistan National Uncertain political situation in coming days
Uncertain political situation in coming days
By Faisal Farooq -
Pakistan is going through a making or breaking situation and the ongoing week could be crucial for the democratic process.
The last week concluded on a comparatively peaceful note with civil-military leadership sitting together at the same place in front of cameras. They were got together at the Defence Committee of the Cabinet meeting in which the premier extended full support for the military forces.
He, at the same time, stated that all institutions should respect the limits of one another. However, he made the situation once again severe on Sunday when he stated that he was only answerable to parliament rather than a solo person.
This remark sidestepped a series of queries about a media report, which the presidency had already denied, that the military chief asked the premier to either clarify his remarks or completely retract it against the army leadership.
However, it does not mean that the juncture in civil-military relations is set to collapse. The crisis can be ended at such an advanced stage into the ties between the two mainly state organs.
Among the slanted civil-military relationships, the inglorious memogate is one of the key reasons in this regard. In the ongoing week, much of the concentration will be on the judicial commission formed by the Supreme Court to probe the controversial memogate.
At the same time, the NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) implementation case also moved ahead in which the Supreme Court had issued a contempt of court notice to Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.
Some leaders of the PPP showed consent to write the letter to Swiss authorities in the case pertaining to money hoarded in Swiss banks that allegedly belong to President Asif Ali Zardari. However, Prime Minister can also resign to gain political scores in the history of politics.
The country may start new journey if the apex court shows flexibility that is exhibited on numerous occasions. Hitherto, Pakistan has observed amount to one step forward, two steps back and two steps ahead, one back.
All in all, the country is near to become politically paralyze in the coming days. At the present scenario, all stakeholders should come forward towards a permanent resolution of the crises to get democracy back on track.
yousaf raza gilani
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Faisal Farooq
http://www.newspakistan.pk


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