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Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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ePub 16
Volume 2015, Article ID 893215, 10 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/893215
Qualitative Evaluation of Baduanjin (Traditional Chinese Qigong) on Health Promotion among an Elderly Community Population at Risk for Ischemic Stroke
Guohua Zheng,1 Qianying Fang,1 Bai Chen,1 Hongmei Yi,2 Qiu Lin,2 and Lidian Chen3
1College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
2Department of Physical Education, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
3Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
Received 2 May 2015; Revised 28 August 2015; Accepted 6 September 2015
Academic Editor: Arndt Büssing
Copyright © 2015 Guohua Zheng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Background. Baduanjin is a traditional Chinese qigong that has been practiced for a long time in China as a mind-body exercise in community elderly populations. The objective of this study was to qualitatively evaluate the perceived benefit of regular Baduanjin qigong in community elders. Methods. A total of 20 participants who had completed the 12-week Baduanjin qigong training were interviewed regarding their perceived effect on physical and psychological health and whether Baduanjin qigong was suitable for the elderly. Results. Almost all participants agreed that Baduanjin qigong could promote their multisystem or organ functions (e.g., digestive and circulatory systems), increase their immunity, make their bodies relax, and improve their mood and confidence. Most of the participants also agreed that Baduanjin qigong was appropriate for elderly individuals. Few individuals felt bored because of an hour Baduanjin training each day. Conclusions. The findings suggest that regular Baduanjin qigong may be potentially helpful to promote the overall physical and psychological health of elderly community populations and may be useful and feasible as a body-mind exercise in the health promotion in the elderly community populations.
Baduanjin qigong has a long history in China as a comprehensive mind-body practice that involves physical postures and movement, breathing exercise, and relaxation, and it has been recommended for general use in the community by the Chinese Health Qigong Association [1, 2]. Its scientific and medical merits have received particular attention in recent decades. An increasing number of studies have investigated the sustained benefits of regular Baduanjin practice in preventing bone loss, reducing oxidative stress, and increasing antioxidant enzymes in middle-aged women, as well as increasing the quality of life and sleep quality in elderly community adults [3–5]. Additionally, effective improvement has also been demonstrated in balance and strength and in promoting physical flexibility in healthy adults [2, 6]. In recent years, more studies have focused on whether Baduanjin is effective in controlling the risk factors of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as reducing blood pressure, insulin resistance, glycosylated haemoglobin, and blood glucose levels [7–12]. However, the positive effects of Baduanjin qigong have not been sufficiently confirmed by rigorous prospective trials.
Moreover, the majority of previous studies have only considered the variation between Baduanjin qigong and physical or psychological outcomes by quantitative measurement. Little information is available on the relationship between Baduanjin qigong and the practitioner's subjective experiences, which might present new outcomes. As a complex holistic "mind-body exercise" with the obvious characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine [13–15], Baduanjin qigong may be related to more health potential. Qualitative research, which collects data on the lived experiences of participants, is the perfect tool for exploring such complex experiences; it can not only help to improve our understanding of its benefits but also provide further knowledge about the phenomenon being studied [16]. In addition, such methods may detail experiences that are difficult to be captured through quantitative research and enrich our scientific knowledge beyond what can be gained quantitatively [17]. Therefore, based on a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with the aim of systematically evaluating the preventive effect of Baduanjin qigong on risk factors of ischemic stroke in an elderly community population (ChiCTR-TRC-13003588) [18], we performed a qualitative investigation to gain a deeper understanding of individual perspectives of participants after undergoing 12 weeks of Baduanjin training, to provide valuable supplementary information to evaluate the effect of Baduanjin qigong on an elderly community population.
2.1. Participants
Participants in the current qualitative study were recruited from those who had completed the Baduanjin qigong training program that took part in a RCT [18]. In the RCT, a total of 170 elders aged 50 to 70 years with risk factors of ischemic stroke were recruited from three communities (Wufeng, Fengdanbailu, and Chuntian) in Fuzhou city and randomly allocated into the Baduanjin qigong group and the usual physical activity group. The elders in the Baduanjin qigong group received a 12-week Baduanjin qigong training with a frequency of 40 minutes each time and 5 times per week. The training scheme of Baduanjin qigong complied with the "Health Qigong Baduanjin Standard" enacted by the State Sports General Administration in 2003 [19]. Two senior coaches who had engaged in teaching of Baduanjin qigong for at least five years were assigned to instruct their training. The coaches would interpret the inner connotations of each posture in detail before training until each elder could comprehend them. The elders in the usual physical activity group maintained their routine habit of physical activity. The quantitative measurements including cerebrovascular function, cardiopulmonary function, and physical parameters were measured at baseline and after the 12-week intervention duration.
Because of personal and time constraints, purposive samples of twenty participants (9 women, 11 men) with median age of 60 years and range from 50 to 69 years from Baduanjin qigong group were selected to participate in the semistructured interviews by using convenient sampling method. Seventeen of them had low levels of education (i.e., a high school education), and three participants had a college or higher level of education. Most of them had hypertension (15/20) or dyslipidemia (17/20); 13 participants were overweight. The participant characteristics were shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Participants' characteristics.
2.2. Data Collection
Data were collected from August 1 to September 30, 2014, after the 12-week Baduanjin qigong training program. Two of the authors (Qianying Fang and Bai Chen) created an interview agenda mainly designed to explore subjective experiences of Baduanjin qigong for body-mind health, including experiences with Baduanjin qigong training, body and mind changes associated with Baduanjin qigong, and suitability of Baduanjin qigong for elders in community (Appendix). Each individual interview was conducted face to face by the authors (Qianying Fang and Bai Chen) at a quiet room of the participant's home. The interview scope gradually extended to focus on two main topics: (1) body and mind changes of the individual after the Baduanjin qigong training and (2) whether Baduanjin qigong is suitable for the elderly and why. The participants were encouraged to speak freely and to express their own views. Each interview was audio-recorded with participant permission and took at least 40 minutes. Additional data were also collected after each interview in the form of interviews' written notes and personal observations. The tape-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim into Chinese, and the transcribed text was randomly double-checked.
2.3. Data Analysis
According to the qualitative content analysis, as described by Graneheim and Lundman (2004) [20], the data analysis was performed as follows. First, all transcribed words were read several times to obtain a sense of the entire meaning. Then, the participants' subjective experiences after the Baduanjin qigong training were extracted and combined. Third, the text was condensed and divided into different meaning units. The meaning units were further condensed and labelled with codes. Examples of the meaning units, condensed meaning units, and codes are shown in Table 2. Next, the various codes with similar content were sorted into categories. Then, the categories were sorted and formulated as subthemes. Finally, the subthemes were abstracted into themes. Examples of codes, subcategories, categories, and themes are provided in Table 3. The meaning units, categories, subthemes, and themes were checked and rechecked to ensure their stringent and trustworthy interpretations. All authors reflected on and discussed the codes, subthemes, and themes during the data analysis until a consensus was reached.
Table 2: An example of meaning units, condensed meaning units, and codes.
Table 3: An example of codes, subcategories, categories, and a theme from qualitative content analysis about the experiences of practicing Baduanjin.
2.4. Ethical Considerations
The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee at the Affiliated People's Hospital, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval number: 2013-021-02). The participants received both verbal and written information about the study and provided informed consent prior to study participation.
The participants expressed their experiences on Baduanjin qigong in terms of "being sceptical," "being suited for the elderly," "harmonizing body and soul," and "feeling bored." The themes and subthemes are summarized in Table 4. The themes demonstrated an experiential process in which the participants' view changed after the Baduanjin qigong training. In the beginning, seven participants were sceptical whether Baduanjin qigong was effective and suitable for the elderly. However, as the Baduanjin qigong training scheme progressed, they gradually experienced the benefit of Baduanjin training for their mind-body health. All participants were surprised that Baduanjin qigong was easy to learn and had fewer environmental constraints. All participants agreed that Baduanjin qigong was suitable for elderly people to promote their whole health. Only one participant thought that Baduanjin training for 40 minutes each day was unacceptable and joyless. No participant experienced discomfort from the Baduanjin qigong. The themes are reported in the following headings with the subthemes in italics.
Table 4: Overview of subthemes and themes.
3.1. Being Sceptical at First
At the beginning of training, seven participants were sceptical about the efficacy or suitability of Baduanjin qigong in terms of health promotion. These participants talked about "doubting the efficacy" and "doubting the suitability" of Baduanjin qigong. However, with progression of the Baduanjin training program, they gradually experienced its benefit, which dispelled their doubts.
3.1.1. Doubting the Efficacy
Three participants doubted whether the Baduanjin qigong could truly benefit their physical and mental health because they thought that the exercise intensity of Baduanjin might be lower than that of other physical exercises, such as jogging, brisk walking, and square dancing. The effects of Baduanjin qigong on health promotion in elderly adults were slight; there was no effect in some cases. One participant had previously learned Baduanjin qigong by watching a TV program and practiced it intermittently for a longer period, but this participant did not experience any obvious health benefit.
Is it really effective for my health? (ID 12, male, 67 years old, with dyslipidemia, hypertension and overweight)
It is composed of eight movements and appears to be simpler than other exercises. (ID 3, male, 60 years old, with hypertension)
I know that Baduanjin qigong is good for my health, I learned it from TV, but I did not experience any benefit. (ID 9, male, 61 years old, with dyslipidemia)
3.1.2. Doubting the Suitability
Four participants did not have the confidence to learn Baduanjin qigong because of their bad memories and learning abilities. Most of them felt that it would take a long time to grasp the connotation of Baduanjin qigong, although it only consisted of eight postures.
Maybe I cannot grasp it. (ID 19, male, 62 years old, with dyslipidemia, overweight, smoker and a family history of stroke)
I don't think it's suitable for me even though Baduanjin has only eight postures. I can never remember things because of my bad memory. (ID 16, female, 57 years old, with dyslipidemia, overweight)
3.2. Being Suited for the Elderly
Most of the participants found that Baduanjin qigong was suitable for elderly people after the Baduanjin qigong training protocol was completed. They said that Baduanjin qigong was a "moderate amount of exercise," was "simple and easy to learn," and had "fewer environmental constraints."
3.2.1. Moderate Amount of Exercise
Seventeen participants said that the level of usual exercises, such as square dancing, swimming, and softball, was too high for elderly people to adhere to practicing for 45–60 minutes each day; in addition, the movements of Baduanjin qigong were gentle and slow and provided low-moderate intensity exercise. Most of participants were able to practice Baduanjin qigong for one hour each day.
In the past, I square-danced, I found that it was difficult for me to continue, maybe it was a problem because of my weight. I can't catch the rhythm of dance music. I felt uncomfortable and tired. I hated my fat body…However, now, I am so happy to exercise. The most mysterious part of Baduanjin qigong is that you soon get warm, but you may never get tired. (ID 2, female, 50 years old, with hypertension, overweight and family history of stroke)
Five years ago, swimming was my favourite sport. After I got stomach cancer, I often felt weak, and swimming no longer fit me. The level of Baduanjin qigong is lower than swimming, it provides a moderate amount of exercise, and I can practice Baduanjin qigong every day. (ID 5, male, 64 years old, with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and overweight)
There was no way to exercise with my waist pain, but I can perform Baduanjin qigong. It eased my pain. It is a gentle movement. (ID 14, female, 57 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia, overweight and a family history of stroke)
3.2.2. Simple and Easy to Learn
All participants were surprised that it was easy for elderly adults to learn Baduanjin qigong training. They said that Baduanjin qigong was only composed of eight postures involving movement of the arms, legs, and waist and that it was simple and did not require many skills.
It only has eight movements! It is easy for us to accept and learn. You know, our memory is poor, it's difficult for us to learn a new exercise, but Baduanjin qigong is simple, slow, and relaxing. It only took me one week to master it. (ID 13, female, 65 years old, with hypertension and dyslipidemia; uses amlodipine tablets)
3.2.3. Less Environmental Constraint
Twelve participants reported that they could practice Baduanjin qigong at home at any time because a large training space or other auxiliary apparatuses were unnecessary. They said that they could not find, thus far, another exercise that was more convenient than Baduanjin qigong.
I like to exercise, but it is always trouble for me. A sunny day and an exercise space area are necessary to practice, but it is difficult to get both at the same time. Now all problems are solved, I can perform Baduanjin qigong on my balcony without any equipment once I am free. (ID 17, female, 60 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and overweight)
Today is a busy day for my kids, I will perform Baduanjin qigong at home. I do it at home on rainy days. I think Baduanjin qigong is convenient, and only two things are needed: a place to stand and background music for the Baduanjin qigong. (ID 14, female, 57 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia, overweight and a family history of stroke)
At first, I practice this exercise following the background music and a coach. Now I can do it at home without the music; the background music seems to be played in my mind. (ID 7, male, 63 years old, with dyslipidemia, overweight and a family history of stroke)
3.3. Harmonizing Body and Soul
All participants described the experiential process of Baduanjin qigong harmonizing their body and mind. They talked about how Baduanjin qigong "improved physiological health" and "improved psychoemotional state" after the training.
3.3.1. Improving Physiological Health
With the progression of Baduanjin qigong training, all participants became more aware of their bodies and how their bodies felt. They perceived improvements in their bodies and changed in various ways, including "relieving pain," "enhancing digestion," "relieving polyuria," "strengthening immunity," "improving the function of circulatory system," and "improving sleep quality."
Relieving Pain. Five participants found that Baduanjin qigong could relieve pain. After they had practiced Baduanjin qigong for a few days, they found their muscular soreness, headache, or low back pain relieved gradually and even vanished later. Four participants described that they could feel the effect of qi (i.e., a vital energy within the body according to traditional Chinese medicine theory) after Baduanjin qigong training for several weeks.
The coach told us to adjust breathing to make the process of breathing smooth, then felt qi went up from the Dantian (i.e. a focal point for qigong exercise technique as well as the centre of balance and gravity). At first, I couldn't understand, but after a few days, I really felt it. It was unbelievable; I felt that the qi went up to my chest, my nose and my head, then my stuffy nose gradually improved, and my headache was disappeared. (ID 2, female, 50 years old, with hypertension, overweight and a family history of stroke)
Baduanjin qigong is very good at helping me to exercise. Because of taking care of my grandchildren, I had suffered from low back pain for quite a long time. My low back pain has been alleviated more and more after practicing Baduanjin qigong. It has not occurred again. It's really benefit to me. (ID 13, female, 65 years old, with hypertension and dyslipidemia; uses amlodipine tablets)
I had a headache and back pain before, but now I do not. When my headache or back pain attacked previously, I always used massager, but now the massager is fired. (ID 11, female, 69 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia, overweight, diabetes mellitus and a family history of stroke; uses amlodipine tablets)
When I came here to participate in the Baduanjin qigong training, I could not raise and stretch my arms because of shoulder periarthritis. However, now look me, I can raise my arm easily without any pain. It is marvellous. (ID 8, male, 69 years old, with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and smoking; uses amlodipine, metformin, and acarbose tablets)
Enhancing Digestion. Eight participants reported that their digestion gradually improved. They described having better appetites after participating in the Baduanjin qigong training and that these changes gradually developed, even if they were not aware of the changes taking place. Six participants also reported that their flatus and distension issues disappeared after they practiced Baduanjin qigong. Three participants had suffered from intractable constipation or flatulence for several years. Now, after practicing Baduanjin qigong for several weeks, they have regular defecation without constipation or flatulence.
I benefit from Baduanjin qigong; otherwise I would not have participated for so long time. Recently my daughter told me that I eat more than I have in the past. At that time, I realized that my good appetite had returned. I used to not eat dinner because had no appetite. Now I have a good appetite. (ID 13, female, 65 years old, with hypertension and dyslipidemia; uses amlodipine tablets)
I had intractable constipation for several years. Currently, I have a bowel movement every morning after breakfast. I don't need to sit on the night stool in agony for hours. I no longer endure constipation for several days; now I have more regular bowel movements than before. (ID 16, female, 57 years old, with dyslipidemia, overweight)
I used to have uncomfortable flatulence after meal. The foods always made my stomach bloated, so I only ate a little. However, it's much better now. When I do the first or third posture of Baduanjin qigong, in which two hands reach up to the heavens to regulate San Jiao, and raise my hands on each side to adjust the spleen and stomach, I have the hiccups or fart. I feel very comfortable. (ID 10, male, 69 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and smoking; uses benazepril tablets)
Relieving Polyuria. Two participants with polyuria reported that the frequency of their polyuria or nocturia was obviously decreased after they practiced Baduanjin qigong for several weeks. Both participants were surprised at the efficacy of Baduanjin qigong on their polyuria.
I went to the toilet approximately once an hour, but the volume of urine was small every time. However, I could not tolerate it if I didn't go to the toilet. After I practiced Baduanjin qigong each day for one month, the frequency of urinating decreased. Now I have control of the situation, and I have few nocturnal urination. (ID 1, female, 58 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and overweight)
Strengthening Immunity. Two participants reported their experiences related to immunity. One female participant said that her friends were surprised at her good complexion, but the best result was that she had more physical strength than ever, and now she could perform some housework. A participant who smoked felt that his ability to resist disease was much better after performing Baduanjin qigong for several weeks.
One day, my friend stared at me in amazement. She told me that I look so good after the Baduanjin qigong. My feeling is that I am not easily fatigued, it seems that I have more physical strength. …I can travel with my family and go hiking with my friends. (ID 6, female, 61 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus and overweight, uses amlodipine, metformin tablets)
I have smoked for a long time, and I used to be susceptible to catching colds, but now I feel much better. Now I practice Baduanjin qigong every day, and I seem to get more strength. (ID 15, male, 66 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia, overweight and smoking; uses nitrendipine tablets)
Improving the Circulatory System Function. Three participants reported that their blood pressure had gradually decreased after Baduanjin qigong. One participant with hypertension described the changes to his blood pressure. He has taken hypotensive drugs for 10 years. After training in Baduanjin qigong for two months, he found that his blood pressure had returned to normal.
I have hypertension. I previously took hypotensive drugs every day. However, my blood pressure was gradually lowered when I performed Baduanjin qigong for two months. Now my blood pressure is almost normal, and I have stopped taking the hypotensive drugs. …I measure my blood pressure every day. In the past, my blood pressure had large fluctuations within one day. The systolic blood pressure was approximately 150 mmHg, 130 mmHg and 150 mmHg in the morning, noon and night. Recently, my systolic blood pressure stabilized to 130 mmHg, 125 mmHg and 130 mmHg in the morning, noon and night. It's more normal and stable than before. (ID 10, male, 69 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and smoking; uses benazepril tablets)
Improving Sleep Quality. Seven participants described that the quality of their sleep became better during practicing Baduanjin qigong. It was difficult for them to fall asleep before; furthermore, they experienced insomnia and dreamful sleep and were easily awoken. After they began practicing Baduanjin qigong, they noticed that their sleep had improved, their sleep time was extended, and they fell asleep quickly.
In the past, although I lay down on my bed with eyes closed, the messy thinking in my brain was still working. You know, the more I want to sleep quickly, the more I cannot sleep. I was scared to sleep. …After a few weeks of training Baduanjin qigong, I can fall asleep as soon as I lied down. It's unbelievable! I never had such a good sleep quality. (ID 2, female, 50 years old, with hypertension, overweight and a family history of stroke)
3.3.2. Improving Psychoemotional State
All participants reported that the changes in their mind-body connectedness resulted in a sense of wholeness. Sixteen participants felt comfortable and relaxed after the Baduanjin qigong. One participant shared her artistic conception of Baduanjin qigong training: she imaged herself as a tree in the nature when she was practicing Baduanjin qigong; then she could soon feel relaxed and understand the key purpose of the movements. Eight participants reported that Baduanjin qigong made them calm, pleasurable, and anxiety-free. They said that they enjoyed their exercise and seemed to obtain more vigour from it. Four participants also said that they obtained positive psychological energy and felt full hopeful about their lives.
When I raise one hand while pressing the other hand downward (the second posture of Baduanjin qigong), my abdominal cavity was extended along with this movement. I felt comfortable. (ID 1, female, 58 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and overweight)
The coach told us try to melt our body into the nature. When I stood here to practice Baduanjin qigong, I image myself as a tree. I breathed slowly along with the movement spreading slowly. …It makes me relax quickly. I think it would help me in a relaxed nature sense. My body needs it. (ID 13, female, 65 years old, with hypertension and dyslipidemia; uses amlodipine tablets)
I'm in a good mood after Baduanjin qigong. My daughter always complained she had a dad with bad temper. When I met someone I didn't like, I would angry with him or her. Now I become more clam and patient, and my family relationship is more harmonious. That's all because of Baduanjin qigong. (ID 10, male, 69 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking; uses benazepril tablets)
It's a positive energy! All is developing toward a good direction. I'm a post-operative gastric cancer patient, but now I feel hopeful about my life. My blood pressure is stable, and my hands feel more powerful. (ID 5, male, 64 years old, with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and overweight)
3.4. Feeling Bored
One participant described that she felt that Baduanjin qigong was boring and monotonous because of its eight simple movements. She said it was difficult to maintain Baduanjin qigong training for 40 minutes every day for 12 weeks.
It seems boring and monotonous if I perform Baduanjin qigong for 40 minutes, I cannot concentrate my attention on one thing. (ID 18, female, 50 years old, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and atrial fibrillation)
This qualitative investigation first explored the experience and subjective feelings of elderly community adults for 12 weeks of Baduanjin qigong training. Four likely interconnected themes emerged from data analysis. The first theme: the effect of Baduanjin qigong is "being sceptical at first." In the regimen of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), qigong is a form of "mind-body" exercises, which simultaneously harmonize the "mind" and the "body." "Qi" in TCM refers to vital energy within the body. Free flow of "qi" within the meridian system is essential for good health, whereas illness would occur if qi was blocked. "Gong" means training and practice. Qigong can promote the healthy life through strengthening or balancing free flow of internal qi during consistent practice [21]. Current evidences have demonstrated that qigong has positive effects on physical and psychological health [22, 23]. Baduanjin (also translated as eight pieces of brocade, eight silken movements, or eight silk weaving movements in English) is a complete set of qigong exercises based on TCM theory, containing meditation, breathing, body posture, and gentle movement. It has been practiced for more than one thousand years as a typical exercise to promote health in China [1]. In practicing, the mind, body, and breath are required to be smooth and unstrained. Only together breathing, body, and mind are trained to work in harmony by practicing Baduanjin, practitioner can obtain positive effect of Baduanjin qigong [24]. However, this effect is difficult to be achieved in case of failure to be correctly practiced. In this study, some participants doubted the effect of Baduanjin qigong for their health at the beginning of training. It is reasonable for them because they did not understand and master the training process of Baduanjin qigong at beginning of training. Similarly, for the fourth theme ("feeling bored"), it also is possible to feel bored and monotonous if practitioner does not correctly master the inner essence of Baduanjin qigong at practicing. These findings suggest that it is key how to harmonize breathing, posture, and mind when practicing Baduanjin qigong. It also implies that it needs more guidance and explanation on the inner connotation of Baduanjin to practitioners in the future study.
The second theme: Baduanjin qigong can harmonize practitioner's body and soul ("harmonizing body and soul"). Baduanjin improved physical function and capacity, being reasonable in terms of the physiological effect of Baduanjin qigong. Though Baduanjin is only composed of eight separate postures (i.e., Liangshou tuo tian li sanjiao, Zuoyou kai gong si she diao, Tiaoli piwei xu dan ju, Wulao qishang xiang houqiao, Yaotou baiwei qu xinhuo, Shangshou pan zu gu shen yao, Zan quan numu zeng liqi, and Beihou qidian baibing xiao), each of them focuses on a different physical area (particular organ or system) and meridian which is a traditional Chinese medicine belief about a path through qi flows [25]. It satisfies its goal of balancing yin and yang by regulating qi, strengthening tendons, and improving bone strength. For instance, the third posture of Baduanjin qigong, which is called "Tiaoli piwei xu dan ju," helps regulate the spleen and stomach through moving hands up and down over the head. The spleen (pi) and stomach (wei) are vital in the digestion and absorption processes, which are a main energy source of the human body, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) [26]. The sixth posture is called "Shangshou pan zu gu shen yao" in which the practitioner uses both hands to grasp the toes along the legs. This motion can strengthen the kidneys and the waist and benefit to increase function of urinary and immune systems [27]. Therefore, when Baduanjin is practiced, the practitioner's body maintains a steady centre of gravity that drives the movement of the four limbs using the lumbar spine as the axis. Meanwhile, the muscle tension and relaxation alternate at different parts of the body, and the breathing is smooth and unstrained [28, 29]. With regular practice and rehearsal of the gentle movement as well as the atonement of breath, practitioners may achieve greater improvement in strength, physical fitness, and function of multiorgans and systems. A recent quantitative RCT also reported that the 16-week Baduanjin training could significantly improve some physical fitness indices including physical flexibility, subcutaneous adipose accumulation, and muscles strength in healthy adults, but the significant variations were not detected in blood pressure and cardiorespiratory capacity indices [30]. With regard to psychology and mind, Baduanjin qigong could make practitioners' mind relaxed, calm, and pleased and therefore is beneficial to improve the psychological and mental health. Different from other aerobic exercises, Baduanjin can coordinate the mind and body by controlling the flow of qi in the body, which is called vital energy to maintain the healthy body [27]. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, the circulation of qi is closely related to psychological and mental health. The negative psychology such as angry, depressive, irritable, and restless mood may cause the stagnation of qi. On the other hand, the normal circulation of qi is also helpful to regulate the passive emotions [31]. Baduanjin qigong focuses on the mobilization of functional potentialities, makes the process of breathing smoother, and unifies the mind and body by regulating breathing, thereby promoting the normal circulation of qi. In this interview, participants felt their body relax, mood calm, even better their bad temper after regular Baduanjin training for several weeks. The findings indicate Baduanjin qigong's potential to improve practitioners' physical function and its benefit to promote their psychological and mental health. Consistent with the current study's findings, many quantitative studies found that regular practicing of Baduanjin qigong could promote the physical and mental health in the general population and for those with specific health challenges. For example, practicing Baduanjin could increase the capacity for physical activity and physical fitness in adults [32, 33], enhance cardiopulmonary function [34], relieve anxiety and stress [35, 36], and improve sleep quality [37].
The third theme: Baduanjin qigong is suitable for elderly populations ("being suited for the elderly"). Baduanjin is one of the more common forms of qigong, which is a relatively simple set of exercises (only eight movements) that can be completed in 20 min or less [29]. Previous studies have suggested that Baduanjin had few physical and cognitive demands and was easy to practice [9]. Furthermore Baduanjin provides low-moderate exercise intensity [5]. All participants in the current study reported that Baduanjin qigong was simple and easy to learn and had no environment constraints. It therefore is suitable for elderly populations.
This study has several strengths and potential limitations. A strength of the current study was that this qualitative investigation was based on a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the complex efficacy of Baduanjin qigong intervention for which the protocol of this RCT has been published in Trials [38]. Current qualitative study should help to enhance the evidence of effectiveness produced by the RCT or facilitate the feasibility of the RCT itself [39]. A possible limitation of this study was that all interviewees were drawn from a community RCT; representatives from that trial population are likely to differ in some respects from the whole population. Thus, it is possible that the generalization of these study results is limited. In addition, this study used the purposive sampling only from the Baduanjin qigong group rather than random sampling method to select samples from all participants, and the present sample size represented a relatively small proportion () of the total RCT participants (). A potential selective bias may have resulted from the selection of samples for this qualitative study. However, all participants were encouraged to talk in depth about their perspectives of the research topic. Furthermore, when we found parts of interviews that required modification, we visited the same participants for a second time.
The results of present study suggest that the practice of regular Baduanjin qigong training provides a number of benefits that promote the body and mind health among community elderly population. Participants reported a wide range of benefits, including promoted digestive function, circulatory system function, immunity and sleep quality, relaxed body and moods, and enhanced self-tranquility, pleasure, and symptom relief. Meanwhile they also thought that Baduanjin qigong was a suitable exercise for elderly community adults. These results indicate that Baduanjin qigong is a potentially helpful and feasible mind-body exercise that promotes the body-mind health of elderly community populations.
The Outlines of Interview
Date of interview: … Interviewer: … Subject initials: …
Introduction(i)Thank you for coming in for this interview.(ii)Purpose: To explore how you think about Baduanjin exercise. Hear your experiences of the program. Learn more about your experience that we may have missed on the physical measurements.(iii)Confidentiality: Your answers will never be linked to your name. You will remain anonymous. Only study staff will have access to the recordings and transcripts.(iv)These interviews usually take about 40 minutes.(v)If there are any questions that you do not want to answer. Please let me know.(vi)Do you mind if we tape the interview? Yes/No (turn on recorder).
(1) Experience-Narrative of Baduanjin Exercise(i)Please tell me how Baduanjin exercise program were for you? (if no spontaneous narrative: Please tell me any stories from the exercise program.)(ii)Can you tell me how you feel after the Baduanjin exercise?(iii)What do you think about Baduanjin exercise?
(2) Have You See Any Changes in Your Body or Mind because of the Baduanjin Exercise?(i)Have you noticed any changes in your health?(ii)Can you narrate the changes in detail?(iii)Do you think these changes in your health result from Baduanjin exercise?(iv)How about your sleep and mood?(v)How do you think Baduanjin exercise work?
(3) Is Baduanjin Exercise Suitable for Elderly?(i)Do you feel the difficulty to learn the postures of Baduanjin exercise?(ii)Can you understand the relationship the postures of Baduanjin exercise and your breath?(iii)Have you used any of the tools when you learned or practiced Baduanjin exercise?(iv)Do you feel tired after completed the Baduanjin exercise each day?(v)Can you continue to practice Baduanjin exercise in your future life?
(4) Closure(i)Do you have any questions about Baduanjin exercise program?(ii)How was this interview for you?
(5) Observational Notes (Interviewer: Please Record Any Body Language, Other Cues)
Lidian Chen and Guohua Zheng conceived and designed the study protocol. The individual interviews were conducted by Qianying Fang. Qianying Fang and Bai Chen performed the translation and analysed the data. Lidian Chen, Guohua Zheng, Qianying Fang, Bai Chen, Hongmei Yi, and Qiu Lin contributed to writing and reading the paper. All authors approved the final paper. Guohua Zheng and Qianying Fang are equal contributors.
This study is supported by the Program for Fostering Middle-Aged and Young Key Talent at Fujian Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission (2014-ZQN-ZD-27) and the Center of Cooperative Innovation for Rehabilitation Technology (X2012002-Xietong).
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Лу́ис Уо́лтер А́льварес (; 13 июня 1911, Сан-Франциско — 1 сентября 1988, Беркли) — американский физик-экспериментатор. Член НАН США (1947). Нобелевский лауреат (1968).

Биография
Родился Луис Альварес в Сан-Франциско в семье профессора Калифорнийского университета, врача и журналиста в области медицины, Уолтера Клемента Альвареса. Учился в Чикагском университете, который окончил в 1932 году. С 1936 года работал в Калифорнийском университете, с 1945 года в должности профессора. Одновременно в 1954—1959 и 1976—1978 занимал должность заместителя директора Радиационной лаборатории имени Э. О. Лоуренса в Беркли. В 1969 году Альварес был избран президентом Американского физического общества.

Научная деятельность в области физики
Научные работы Альвареса посвящены атомной и ядерной физике, ускорительной технике, физике элементарных частиц и космических лучей, оптике, радиолокации. В 1937 году им был открыт новый тип радиоактивного превращения — явление К-захвата (захват ядром электрона из К-слоя). В 1939 году, воспользовавшись циклотроном как высокочастотным масс-спектрометром, он обнаружил изотоп гелия He-3. Совместно с Ф. Блохом в 1940 году Альварес определил магнитный момент свободного нейтрона. В том же году ему впервые удалось ускорить ионы углерода, одновременно предложив оригинальный селектор скоростей по времени пролёта.

Во время Второй мировой войны он участвовал в разработке атомной бомбы («Манхэттенский проект»), а позже исследовал последствия её применения в Хиросиме. После окончания войны, в 1946 году, им был построен первый линейный ускоритель протонов с трубками дрейфа. Позже Альварес создал первую большую пузырьковую камеру и разработал современную методику работы с такими устройствами, что сделало их пригодными для количественного исследования элементарных частиц. В частности, под его руководством была реализована водородная пузырьковая камера и получены миллионы снимков взаимодействий частиц. Что касается методики, то на её основе, начиная с 1955 года, был осуществлен большой цикл исследований, приведший к открытию в 1960 году короткоживущих нестабильных частиц — так называемых резонансов. Эта работа в 1968 году была удостоена Нобелевской премии по физике («За открытие множества резонансных состояний, ставшее возможным благодаря использованию водородных пузырьковых камер и анализу данных»).

Вместе с большим коллективом исследователей в 1956 году Альварес обнаружил новую элементарную частицу — сигма-нуль-гиперон. В 1955—1956 годах им было экспериментально доказано, что тау- и тета-мезоны имеют приблизительно равные массы и времена жизни, что говорит об идентичности этих частиц. В 1956 Альварес открыл важное явление мюонного катализа, а в 1961 году ещё одну частицу — омега-мезон.

Деятельность в других областях
Луис Альварес выделялся многогранностью своих интересов. Так, в 1965 году он возглавил экспедицию в Египет, которая при помощи космических лучей попыталась выяснить, существуют ли ещё не найденные (потайные) комнаты в пирамиде Хефрена в Гизе. В 1980 году он вместе со своим сыном Уолтером Альваресом, геологом по специальности, предложил метеоритную гипотезу поздне-мелового вымирания (см. Кратер Чиксулуб, а также Вымирание динозавров). Основой гипотезы послужили открытые ими в морских отложениях иридиевые аномалии (мел-палеогеновой границы).

Кроме всего прочего, Альварес предложил оригинальную теорию убийства Джона Кеннеди.

Публикации
 Л. Альварец. Современное состояние физики элементарных частиц (Нобелевская лекция). — УФН, 1970, Т. 100, № 1.

Примечания

Литература

Ссылки
 Информация с сайта Нобелевского комитета
 Биография Луиса Альвареса на сайте n-t.ru

Физики по алфавиту
Физики США
Физики XX века
Физики-ускорительщики
Геологи США
Лауреаты Нобелевской премии по физике
Лауреаты Нобелевской премии из США
Лауреаты премии Энрико Ферми
Награждённые Национальной медалью науки США
Члены Национальной академии наук США
Члены Национального зала славы изобретателей
Персонал Лос-Аламосской национальной лаборатории
Почётные доктора Мадридского автономного университета
Участники Манхэттенского проекта
Лауреаты премии Эйнштейна
Выпускники Чикагского университета
Профессора Калифорнийского университета в Беркли
Президенты Американского физического общества
Члены JASON
Почётные доктора Чикагского университета

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


obesity, hypertension, and elevated glucose (pre-diabetes).
given continuing economic instability in this country and abroad, concerns about money, work, and the economy rank as the top sources of stress for Americans.
chasing by a saber tooth tiger).
contributes to the buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain.
the sympathetic response mode, the better. Anything we can do to keep ourselves in the "rest and digest" mode as much as possible is worth the effort, since our long-term health may depend on it.


text:
Q: DIV tag inside of P looking weird in the DOM tree Looking at any web inspector, the following markup is outputting unexpected (at least to me) results:

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Using Chrome's Dev Tools, I'm seeing the DOM tree look like this:

Maybe I'm having a brain fart, but shouldn't the DIV be inside of the P tag?

A: It is not valid html to put a
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Chrome will sometimes rewrite bad HTML to be valid.
Here is a related/duplicate question.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Champaign Personal Injury Lawyers, Personal Injury Attorney | Spiros Law, P.C.
Accidents can disrupt every part of your life. They can endanger your health and well-being with serious injuries, long-term disabilities, and psychological consequences. They can drain your finances with sky-high medical bills and time lost from work. They can even put a strain on your personal relationships as your family and friends struggle to help you through such a difficult time. On each of these fronts, the road to true recovery from your accident can seem like an uphill battle.
Spiros Law, P.C. wants you to know that you do not have to face these trying times alone. If your accident was caused by another person's negligence or malicious intent, you have legal options. Our Champaign personal injury attorneys can help you hold the person who was responsible for your injury financially accountable. We will handle your case with compassion and care, and we will work tirelessly to increase your chances of winning the compensation you deserve.
Dog bites and animal attacks: Whether you were bitten by a domestic pet, a farm animal, or something more exotic, a bite can be a very serious injury, especially if it becomes infected or the creature was venomous in the first place. If the owner of the animal failed to take reasonable steps to keep it from causing you harm, you may be entitled to damages.
Brain injuries: The brain is one of the most important organs in the human body. Brain injuries can have devastating consequences, from short-term cognitive issues to lifelong loss of functionality, even if the injury is not apparent from the outside. Whether you've suffered a concussion, a contusion, or any other type of brain injury, we can help you hold the person who caused it accountable.
Broken bones and scarring: Broken bones can put you out of commission for months. Scars can last a lifetime. Suits for either of these can reach beyond immediate medical expenses and seek damages for the long-term pain, suffering, and inconvenience they cause you.
Burn injuries: Whether caused by fire, hot surfaces, or chemicals, burns can cause immense pain, infection, and severe scarring. If your burns were the consequence of another party's actions, we can help you fight them for damages for the immediate and long-term consequences.
Car Accidents: With 296,049 vehicle accidents in Illinois in 2014 alone, a car accident is one of the most common ways to be injured by another person. There are many different factors in determining who caused an accident, and our attorneys can help you find those responsible.
Nursing Home Abuse: It takes a lot of trust to leave your loved ones in the care of a nursing home and when you find out that your elderly relative has been abused, it's more than heartbreaking—it's infuriating. Our attorneys have no tolerance for the kind of injuries that are caused by the negligence or outright malicious intent of nursing home staff members.
Any of these types of injuries can take a serious toll on your health and finances. Whatever type of injury you have experienced, you can trust Spiros Law, P.C. to help you through the process and represent you with care and professionalism.
Medical costs: An accident can cause you to incur serious medical costs, both in the short-term and in the long-term. You can sue to recover damages for the immediate medical care you received after the accident and any ongoing treatment you require because of it.
The cost of lost property: If your accident caused serious damage to a valuable piece of property, such as your car, you can sue for the cost of replacing that property.
Lost wages: Recovering from an injury can require time off work. If you had to forego wages you would have earned during the time following your injury, you can sue for the value of those wages.
Future lost income: Serious injuries can sometimes result in long-term disabilities. If you are unable to return to work after your injury due to a disability, you can sue to hold the responsible party accountable for your inability to work.
Other recovery-related costs: Recovery can impose costs on you and your family beyond medical bills. For instance, if you had to travel out of town to receive the medical care you needed, you can add the travel expenses to your suit.
Emotional pain and suffering: Sometimes the pain of an injury reaches beyond the physical and into the emotional. You can sue to recover damages for emotional pain you suffered as a result of your accident, from the personal stress of the process to strain on relationships with family and friends.
Depending on the circumstances of your accident and the nature of your injury, you may be entitled so some or all of these damages. We will carefully review your case to decide which damages we can seek in a personal injury suit.
James Spiros explains pain and suffering as legal terms.
Spiros Law, P.C., are personal injury lawyers representing clients in central Illinois.
The party had a duty to do something.
They committed a breach of that duty.
The breach caused the accident to occur.
The accident caused some form of damage to you.
Take a dog bite case for example. Dog owners have a responsibility, or duty, to keep their pets under control. If an owner lets an aggressive dog loose around you and fails to warn you, they have breached this duty. You were unaware of the dog, and it would not have been able to bite you had it been restrained, so letting it loose caused the accident. If the dog proceeds to bite you, the breach caused you harm. In such a case, you could prove the owner acted negligently and was therefore at fault for your injury. The specifics look different in each type of case but proving some form of negligence will likely be an important part of your case.
Another way to prove fault is to prove that the other party intended to cause you harm. These kinds of cases are called intentional torts, of which there are several categories. For instance, if another person intentionally hit you, you could sue for assault and battery. Intentional torts are not the most common personal injury cases, but if you believe another party may have intentionally caused you harm, we may pursue that option in our lawsuit.
Under Illinois law, the statute of limitations on personal injury suits is two years, which means that you must file a lawsuit within two years of the accident occurring. After a certain point, you will never be able to file. When considering this statute, keep in mind that some time will pass between your first contact with a lawyer and filing your lawsuit. Additionally, certain elements of your case may be easier to prove shortly after the accident occurred, when you have readier access to evidence and witnesses. If you have been injured by another party and want to take legal action, you should start the process as soon as possible. Do not hesitate to call Spiros Law, P.C..
Real results: We have recovered millions of dollars in damages for personal injury victims across Central Illinois, including the largest settlement ever reported in Ford County and the second-largest verdict in the history of Vermilion County.
The client relationship: We develop close, personal relationships with each of our clients through in-person meetings and electronic communication in between.
Other lawyers refer to us: We have built such a reputation for smart, aggressive advocacy that many of our cases are referred to us by lawyers outside our firm.
If you are looking for a personal injury lawyer in the Champaign area, Spiros Law, P.C. should be at the top of your list. We will handle your case with care and fight the party who injured you for every cent you deserve.
Dealing with the consequences of an accident can be a trying time for you and for your family. From medical ordeals to financial troubles, the road to recovery can be bumpy, and it may feel as if there is no end in sight. Spiros Law, P.C. wants to help you through this process. Our experience with personal injury cases in the Champaign area, as well as in Kankakee and Danville, has prepared us to navigate the twists and turns of personal injury suits and to aggressively advocate for our clients. We will give your case the attention it needs and deserves, work closely with you throughout the process, and increase your chances of success in court or through a settlement. If you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident, call the Champaign personal injury lawyers of Spiros Law, P.C. today at (217) 328-2828.


text:
Local Telephone Competition: Unbundling the FCC's Rules
Rules that force firms to share every resource or element of a business would create, not competition, but pervasive regulation, for the regulators, not the marketplace, would set the relevant terms.
Justice Stephen Breyer
AT&T v. Iowa Utilities Board
To the average consumer, the debate over new rules governing competition for local telephone service probably seems obscure and impenetrable–filled with technical jargon and acronyms. Yet the consequences of this decision may determine not just the future of competition in this market, but prospects for new technology and for the U.S. economy as a whole.
At its core, the issue presents a stark choice between two very different visions of competitive markets. The first–embodied in the current Clinton-era rules–relies on regulations to require incumbent providers to share parts of their network with potential competitors. The second approach would encourage the development of competing networks with a minimum of regulation. Despite loud protests by many firms that now benefit from the current, regulation-based policies, the second path offers consumers better prospects for real choice and greater availability of advanced telecommunications services.
The current rules actually could hinder competition. The availability of UNEs from incumbent carriers at low regulated prices distorts the "make vs. buy" trade-off for competitors, making it more likely that they will lease vital equipment rather than make the expensive–and risky–investment necessary to develop their own facilities.
The rules also can discourage investment by incumbent providers. Quantifying the effects is difficult, but a recent study conducted by the Cambridge Strategic Management Group (CSMG) and commissioned by Corning, Inc., concluded that UNE rules have reduced the availability of high-speed fiber optics. The authors of the study calculate that while 5 percent of homes would have a fiber connection by 2013, 31 percent would have one if UNE rules did not interfere. Overall incumbent investment, CSMG calculates, would be some $39 billion less than it would be without the rules.
The harm caused by the current rules, however, goes well beyond competition for traditional telephone service connections. The greatest danger may be to the development of tomorrow's high-speed Internet connections. The potential impact of broadband technologies is huge. By speeding up the rate at which users can transmit information, a host of new applications and services, ranging from high-definition video to Internet-assisted medical care, become practical.
Aside from the qualitative consumer benefits involved, many observers see broadband as a critical catalyst for reviving the Internet economy, and perhaps the U.S. economy as a whole. The numbers could be large. One study estimated that the total potential benefits to the economy from universal diffusion of broadband service could be nearly $400 billion.
Broadband service is growing rapidly. An estimated 15 million Americans subscribe to some form of broadband. Cable firms are the leader in broadband service with 9.4 million subscribers, and LECs are a distant second with 5.4 million. Yet there are reasons for concern. One is that the relatively inexpensive places to deploy broadband are becoming harder to find, making future growth more difficult. Another is that today's version of broadband is only a start; the real benefits of broadband may come when speeds hit much higher levels.
Finally, there are competitive concerns. Although broadband promises to be a competitive service, with multiple facilities-based rivals already in the market, the networks (particularly the telephone networks) are not yet able to offer broadband everywhere. As a result, many consumers today can get broadband from only one source–typically, their local cable companies.
Building a broadband network is expensive. Deploying current technology nationwide and upgrading to higher-speed systems could demand investment in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Yet, for DSL service by telephone companies, much of the resulting infrastructure will be subject to the same unbundling rules that apply to traditional telephone service. The result is discouraged investment. In fact, because the potential harm from such rules increases with the riskiness of investment and complexity of the technology, the disincentive to broadband may be even greater than to traditional telephone service.
Consistent with the remand order from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the FCC must significantly rewrite its rules on the unbundling of network elements. Unlike last time, however, these changes should not just tinker at the margins. Major change is needed not just to satisfy the courts, but also to provide competitive, advanced telecommunications services to American consumers.
James L. Gattuso ([email protected]) is research fellow in regulatory policy in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Carriera
Cresciuto nel settore giovanile del , ha esordito in prima squadra il 1º dicembre 2021, disputando l'incontro della Coppa del Re vinto per 0-2 contro il . Un mese dopo ha anche esordito in Primera División, giocando l'incontro perso per 0-1 contro il .

Statistiche

Presenze e reti nei club
Statistiche aggiornate al 12 maggio 2022.

Collegamenti esterni


This fundraising Campaign is our winter season reach to help us continue the important work of providing care for the injured and rehabilitating animals in our care. Shelter and feed is always in need and if the Farmer's Almanac is correct its going to be a long, cold, snowy winter this year. We are part of the greater community of rescue organizations in Ontario called Ontario Wildlife Rescue and together we continue to provide sanctuary for local wildlife and farm animals. You can learn more about us on our Website or our facebook page.
Your donations will go directly toward purchasing feed and shelter enclosure building materials along with the the much needed care to rehabilitate animals in our care.
Thank you so much for your contribution. Together we can all make a difference and have a greater impact. Please consider sharing this Campaign in your circle and on social media.


The Australian Labor Party faces the real prospect of losing the support of Australian workers ahead of the next election if they fail to reverse a decision to blindly support the deeply-flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The Electrical Trades Union has slammed Labor's failure to demand amendments to the worst aspects of the deal, despite having a casting vote on enabling legislation for the TPP following a commitment by the majority of the Senate crossbench to vote against it.
The union also accused Labor of jumping the gun with their offer of support given two Senate inquiries into the TPP by the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee and the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee were due to table their final reports in the coming weeks.
The union said the TPP would allow temporary workers to be brought into Australia without those jobs being advertised locally first, would not require robust skills assessments to ensure these workers met Australian standards, and would allow multinational corporations to sue the Australian Government if future policies or laws impacted on their profits.
"The TPP is all about looking after the big end of town, maximising profits for multinational corporations at the expense of what is best for the Australian public," Mr Hicks said.
"These big businesses will be able to bring temporary workers into the country without even advertising those jobs locally, taking away training and employment opportunities for young Australians.
The union said workers took no comfort from Labor trade spokesman Jason Clare's claim the ALP would push for changes to the TPP if elected to Government.
"Labor claims they wouldn't have negotiated this deal, that they don't agree with its exemptions from labour market testing or ability for foreign companies to sue the Australian Government, but in the next breath they have announced they will vote for this terrible deal," Mr Hicks said.
"The Senate crossbench supports action to fix this dodgy deal, but Labor is failing to take this unique opportunity to get it right.
"This dodgy free trade deal is a direct attack on our nation's sovereignty, it diminishes job opportunities for young Australians, and raises real concerns about worker safety through the lack of appropriate skills assessments.
"The Australian Labor Party has a very real opportunity to get changes to this deal, but it needs to stand up to the Government and demand them.


WASHINGTON DC (Kurdistan 24) – The US State Department issued a statement on Friday, rebutting charges made by Moscow and Damascus that Syrian rebels had used chemical weapons against civilians in Aleppo.
"The United States strongly refutes this narrative," he continued, and "has credible information that pro-regime forces likely used teargas against civilians" in Aleppo, on that day.
On November 24, Syria's official news agency, SANA, reported that an extremist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Organization for the Liberation of Syria), had launched a chemical attack, with chlorine-filled mortar shells, in an area of Aleppo under regime control.
SANA claimed that over one hundred people were injured and that the shells were fired from areas of the Idlib de-escalation zone, which Turkey is responsible for policing.
Russian war planes, which have been actively supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad since the autumn of 2015, responded to the alleged assault by bombing the "militants who had staged the chemical attack," Moscow said.
The Syrian regime has repeatedly used chemical weapons, including sarin gas, in the country's seven year-long civil war, as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has determined.
The Islamic State (IS) has also used chemical weapons, including chlorine and sulphur mustard, in both Iraq and Syria. A senior IS figure, a Saddam Hussein-era intelligence officer, who was recently captured in Baghdad, confessed to involvement in the March 2016 chemical attack on Taza, a Turkmen Shiite town, south of Kirkuk.
Chlorine and sulphur mustard were used in that assault, according to a West Point study.
Peshmerga forces fighting IS were poorly equipped to deal with the chemical threat from IS, and the US-led, anti-IS Coalition is now providing the Kurdish forces with training in defense against such weapons.
Paul Davis, who, in the 1980s, trained US troops on protection against chemical and biological agents and is now a Senior Fellow at Soran University, welcomed the US statement.
Gen. Larry Welch, who was close to then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and who had served as Chief of Staff of the US Air Force in the 1980s, spoke similarly to a Pentagon study group in which this reporter participated, following the 9/11 attacks.


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IT Management Features
Hosting GOV.UK in the cloud to cost GDS record-breaking £600,000
The Government Digital Service's (GDS) infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) deal with Skyscape to host single domain website GOV.UK, which was procured through the G-Cloud, is worth an estimated £600,000.
Derek du Preez October 10, 2012
Denise McDonagh, G-Cloud programme director, revealed the figure in an article for the Financial Times, where she said that the deal is the biggest sale to date from CloudStore and is "an important milestone for G-Cloud, showing that the public sector is ready to embrace low-cost utility cloud services".
The Ministry of Justice secured the second largest deal to be procured through CloudStore, where it agreed to spend £251,000 with enterprise collaboration company Huddle.
GDS announced the IaaS deal last month, where Mark O'Neill, head of service delivery and innovation at the department, explained the benefits of using cloud computing over hosting the service within the four walls of government.
"In the past, we might have looked at dedicated servers or possibly even our own rack in a data centre somewhere. We would then have had to decide if we wanted to own the servers or if we should rent them some time to break out amortisation tables and spreadsheets," said O'Neill.
"We would have to make sure that we were not locked in if we needed to move servers, so it would be necessary to negotiate break clauses in contracts; we would need to arrange access to server rooms for security accreditation; we would need to… well, the list goes on and on."
He added: "The cloud has transformed all of this. Through the G-Cloud framework we are able to simply and rapidly buy highly reliable, highly cost-effective hosting services."
GOV.UK is currently running in beta, where new features are being added to the site every week or two, and will act as a single domain website for citizens accessing services and information across government. It is due to launch on 17 October.
The government launched its CloudStore in February, which saw 257 suppliers signed up to the G-Cloud framework and catalogued within an online portal. The government plans to accredit each service offered only once and then any government body can reuse that service without going through the accreditation process again.
Government to save £1.7bn a year by digitising transactions Departmental websites begin move to GOV.UK


I'm in china as an english teacher and also learn chinese language.my family is made up of four people, my parents and a sister.i have first degree in biomedical engineering and minor in english.i'm very calm person who normally stay indoors.
Life's too short. Gotta work hard and play hard.
One love, keep us together..
Energetic, like to do new things. Looking for someone that i can look after and they can look after me. Enjoy keeping fit and eating good food. Occasional night out on th e town is good. Work as an Athletic Director at an International school.
am cool headed guy am good at giving arms to people that merit it i searching for the love of my life to become my wife th fear God is the beggining of wisdom and he that findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour from God almighty.


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Marketplace Art Sculptures
Dennis Rodman 1/8 Standing Figure
Dennis was nicknamed "The Worm" and was known for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice. He also led the NBA in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and won five NBA championships.
3.18 x 10.1 x 2.98 inches


Four of five mining and metals companies expect to increase their spending on digital technologies over the next three years, with more than one-quarter (28 percent) planning significant investments and almost half (46 percent) citing digital as the biggest contributor to innovation, according to new research from Accenture.
Based on a survey of approximately 200 mining and metals executives and functional leaders worldwide, the Digital Technology in Mining report shows that the convergence of information and operational technologies (IT/OT) and adoption of cloud computing are advancing the digital agenda, prompting the need for more-stringent cybersecurity measures.
Mining and metals executives said their companies have applied and will continue to apply digital technology over the next three to five years predominantly in mine operations, but also in exploration, mine development and other areas. Most of the investments in mining operations target robotics and automation, named by 54 percent as a top spending area, along with remote operating centers, drones and wearable technologies, each at 41 percent.
"Our research confirms that mining and metals companies are investing in digital led innovation to help them improve operational efficiency, and address issues such as rising capital as well as compliance costs,' said Sandeep Dutta, Managing Director and Lead, Resources, Accenture in India.
Organization-wide, the most often cited benefit from current digital technology investments was improved workforce productivity, driven most by mobile/tablet devices (32 percent), automation of mobile and/or fixed assets (30 percent) and simulating physical environments (30 percent). Cost savings across the organization ranked lower as a benefit than improved workforce productivity in general.
Asked to identify the top three barriers to gaining more business value from digital technologies, executives most often cited cybersecurity concerns (37 percent), followed by volatile commodity prices (29 percent), internal data management capability (27 percent) and lack of funding (27 percent).
However, executives cited cybersecurity as the most-widely adopted technology across the organization-wide (32 percent). In addition, 25 percent said they are testing pilot programs for cyber security, and 33 percent have developed or are defining strategies for it.
Regarding IT/OT integration, more than half of the respondents (56 percent) reported that their organizations are considering merging their IT and OT departments in the next 12 months, which would advance this trend.
Mining and metals companies are also continuing to adopt cloud computing technologies broadly. Four in five respondents (81 percent) said their companies have implemented some form of public, private or hybrid cloud, and another 17 percent said their company is exploring the use of cloud technology.
Accenture conducted an online survey of 201 C-level and top management executives and functional leaders in the mining and metals industry. The survey was fielded in mid-October through mid-November 2016 and included respondents from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China/Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Singapore, South Africa, the United States and United Kingdom. The companies represented have annual revenues ranging from USD $500 million to more than USD $20 billion.


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Next Speeding up the front-end of the Tpay platform
MVP creation and platform extension
To create a platform that makes it possible to track the statistics from the social media channels of artists and influencers.
Project maintenance and development
We've developed and launched a worldwide successful platform monitoring the activity of thousands of profiles in social media and the reactions to and comments posted under videos.
The platform got an honorable mention on AppSumo, with as many as 286 highest ratings!
"It was the second project that we worked on together, so the level of Webini's skill, professionalism, and engagement was not something we weren't aware of. What impressed us most was that their dedication and persistence were exactly the same as in the case of our first project. Nothing changed in this respect. Webini consistently prove their worth at every stage."
Gabriela Dudkiewicz
Patrnership Manager
Our other implementations
Speeding up the front-end of Helikon-Tex.com eCommerce platform
Reducing the loading time of the home page from 4 to less than 2 seconds and subpages of categories and products from 7 to 2.5 seconds.
63% faster
timing of running DOMContentLoaded event
Development of a marketing platform
Creating a fully functional marketing platform with dynamic adaptation of content to the behaviour and needs of its users.
thousands of B2B leads
the solutions implemented into the platform translated into new clients
Feature migration to version 2.0 of the system
Moving the existing platform to a new, clear structure 2.0. Complete elimination of technical debt, paving the way for scalability and arranging for an option to develop the system without limits.
nearly 500 features
were migrated in the course of the development of a new system
DESIGNING NEW PLATFORMS
BUILDING NEW PLATFORMS
SUPPORTING EXISTING PLATFORMS
AUDITING & ENHANCING PLATFORMS
AUDITING & ENHANCING INFRASTRUCTURE
WEBINI
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Does your diet need a springtime renovation? Are you confused by conflicting advice on how to do it? Finding practical strategies for healthy eating just got easier with the revamped and research-backed tools recently unveiled by Health Canada. Learn about the highlights and how you can integrate these into your daily routine.
Food: Lunch is provided for the first 20 people or so.
Since January 2017, the Writing and Communication Centre has been hosting a weekly writing café for faculty. Every Wednesday afternoon, we offer a dedicated writing space (with coffee, tea, and treats!) for faculty to write together.
Learn the basics of self-care, mindfulness, meditation, and useful strategies for coping with anxiety and stress in our 1-hour Coping Skills Seminars.
This training consists of a facilitated discussion of the online More Feet on the Ground mental health education program. This program uses those online materials, as well as vignettes to teach students, staff, and faculty how to Recognize, Respond, and Refer individuals experiencing mental health concerns on campus.


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Africa, Agarwood, Agents, Agroforestry Group, Alphonso Mango, Aquilaria, avacados, Bamboo, Biodisel, Biofuels, Brazil, Broccoli, Cauliflower, china, Durian, Durian Investment, Events, farming, Fruits, Gaharu, Garlic, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mango, Mangoes, Market Report, Monsanto, Musang King Durian, Nam Dok Mai, Newa, News, Oud, Palm Oil, papaya, Plantations International, PT Gaharu Kapita Indonesia, Seeds, SFS, Soybean, Tanzania, Thailand, Uncategorized, United Tropical Fruit, vegetables
The Plantations International Group of Companies is very pleased to announce that is been accepted into the prestigious United Nations Global Compact. Plantations International pledges to support the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact on human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. With this communication, we express our intent to implement those principles. We are committed to making the UN Global Compact and its principles part of the strategy, culture, and day-to-day operations of our group, and to engaging in collaborative projects which advance the broader development goals of the United Nations, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals. Plantations International has [...]
The Philippines Entering Lucrative Agarwood Industry
A DRAFT administrative order that may pave the way for the commercial propagation of the agarwood-producing Aquilaria tree species in the Philippines amid the pandemic is now being reviewed by a technical working group of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Office. Once it passes the crucial assessment, the draft administrative order will be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of the DENR for signing, finally putting in place guidelines for the establishment of commercial or backyard tree farms for the purpose of producing agarwood. A DRAFT administrative order that may pave the way for the commercial [...]
February 2021 News Update
Agarwood, Durian, Durian Investment, Malaysia, Mango, Mangoes, Musang King Durian, Nam Dok Mai, Newa, News, Plantations International, United Tropical Fruit
Welcome to our February 2021 Plantations International update. In this issue... We have some very exciting news! New Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam New Plantation Management Company in Malaysia Mango Plantation in Thailand on Schedule Clients Harvests Proceeds Can Now be Paid Directly into a Visa Debit Card New Tahitian Vanilla bean grow-house in Cambodia New Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ~ Plantations International is very pleased to announce the opening of a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The new representative office trades under the name of Royal Plantations Co. Limited and [...]
European Association for Business and Commerce
Agarwood, Alphonso Mango, Aquilaria, avacados, Durian, Durian Investment, farming, Fruits, Mango, Mangoes, Musang King Durian, Nam Dok Mai, Newa, News, Plantations International, Thailand
January 29, 2021 - Plantations International Co. Limited in Bangkok, Thailand which is a part of the Plantations International group of companies, is very pleased to announce that it has been inducted into the European Association for Business and Commerce. The European Association for Business and Commerce (EABC), established in 2011, aims to be the unified voice of the European business community in Thailand. EABC's objectives are to advocate member interests, to support European business in Thailand and to promote Thailand as an attractive partner for European foreign investment and trade. EABC acts as the European chamber of commerce in Thailand, covering [...]
Precision Farming is the Future of Food Production
Agarwood, Alphonso Mango, Aquilaria, avacados, Bamboo, Durian, Durian Investment, Gaharu, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mango, Mangoes, Musang King Durian, Newa, News, Plantations International, Thailand
We are all familiar with rice, oil palm, rubber and durian. Rubber is grown for rubber latex, which finds wide use in thousands of products that have served us all well. Lately, rubber gloves, in high demand due to the pandemic, have emerged as a big money-maker. The export of rubberwood furniture has earned big bucks for the country. One estimate has put the income from rubberwood furniture as more than RM10 billion. The oil palm is the nation's golden crop, bringing in around RM80 billion each year. Although about 80 per cent of palm oil end up as food, a [...]
The Health Benefits of Drinking Agarwood Tea
Agarwood, Newa, News, Plantations International, Thailand
It seems that the famous celebrity, Doctor Oz, got us all thinking about the benefits drinking of green tea, and so, a ton of little-known herbal teas were brought into the forefront of the media, due to their slimming and detox properties. Some of these natural loose leaf teas may be new to us in North America, but they are not new, in any sense of word, to the world around us. One such herbal tea is the virtually unheard of agarwood tea leaves. While it is a predominant force in Asian medicinal and spiritual practices, not too many of us [...]
Why is Agarwood so expensive?
Agarwood, Newa, News, Plantations International
First-grade agarwood can cost as much as $100,000 per kilogram. Why is Agarwood so expensive? First-grade agarwood can cost as much as $100,000 per kilogram. In order for the aquilaria tree to produce any agarwood, it must first become infected. Agarwood chips also known as oud are carved out by hand. Narrator: For thousands of years, agarwood has been known as "The Wood of the Gods." First-grade agarwood can cost as much as $100,000 per kilogram, making it one of the most expensive raw materials in the world. But for this tree to produce any agarwood, it must first become infected with [...]


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The Impact of Influenza in High-Risk Groups & The Value of Vaccination
Infectious DiseasesEmergency MedicineRespiratory Medicine
Cat 3B: 1 Point | 1 hour | 01 Jul 2022
The global threat of respiratory viruses has been underscored by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The human influenza ('the flu') is a highly infectious respiratory viral illness affecting approximately 5% to 20% of the global population annually. The World Health Organization estimates that about 650,000 people worldwide die from seasonal flu each year.
This online course reviews the basic virology of influenza and how to differentiate it from other respiratory illnesses such as the common cold. Important variations in the patterns of peak influenza activity across the globe are also presented. The clinical course of influenza, including complications among high-risk groups will be reviewed. Global and local guidelines on influenza immunization will be presented, including the latest recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Ministry of Health Singapore. Finally, the importance of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic will be discussed.
Differentiate influenza epidemiology between the tropics and other regions of the world
Compare local and international guidelines on influenza vaccination
Identify groups at most risk for influenza and the impact of vaccination
Discuss the importance of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic
Short bio of Reviewer
DR. LEONG HOE NAM,
MBBS (S'pore) MRCP (UK)
MMed (Intern Med, S'pore) FAMS (Infect Dis)
Senior Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician
Rophi Clinic, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Singapore
Visiting Consultant, National Cancer Centre Singapore
Visiting Consultant, Dover Park Hospice, Singapore
Dr Leong Hoe Nam is an Infectious Diseases Physician.
Dr Leong was previously a consultant in the Department of Infectious Disease in Singapore General Hospital (SGH). Having left SGH, he continued his practice in Infectious Diseases at the private Raffles Hospital before setting up his own clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.
He had first-hand experience in managing outbreak situations including SARS and H1N1 pandemic infection. He has also published several research papers on virology.
Dr Leong has been frequently interviewed by live tv, radio presenters and various print journalists. He is frequently sought for an opinion on various infectious diseases.
Dr Leong was a clinical tutor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. He was a faculty member at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and still maintains his adjunct position as assistant professor while working at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital. He remains a visiting consultant at the National Cancer Centre Singapore and the Dover Park Hospice Hospital.
Score at least 80% in the multiple-choice quiz.
Download a certificate upon successful completion of the quiz. Please use the information on the certificate to claim your CME point.