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Pharnext Announces PXT3003 for the Treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A has Been Granted Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) Designation
Pharnext Announces PXT3003 for the Treatment of CharcotMarie-Tooth Disease Type 1A has Been Granted Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) Designation by UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
PARIS, France, 8:30 a.m., March 18, 2020 (CET) – Pharnext SA (FR0011191287 – ALPHA), a biopharmaceutical company pioneering a new approach to developing innovative drug combinations based on big genomics data and artificial intelligence, today announced that the United Kingdom's Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) designation to its lead drug candidate, PXT3003, for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A (CMT1A) in patients 16 years and older.
A PIM designation is an early indication that a medicinal product is a promising candidate for the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) in the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of life-threatening or seriously debilitating conditions with unmet need.
"We are delighted by the MHRA's decision to award the PIM designation to PXT3003 as it further validates the potential of our lead drug candidate as an innovative treatment approach to address the high unmet medical need in patients with CMT1A," said Daniel Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pharnext. "All existing data indicate that PXT3003 is a safe and well tolerated drug combination. We look forward to continuing our discussions with U.S. and European regulatory authorities to advance the clinical development of PXT3003 and initiate as quickly as possible an additional pivotal Phase 3 trial in the U.S. and Europe."
PXT3003 has also been granted Orphan Drug status in the U.S. and Europe and has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
About Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A (CMT1A) Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease encompasses a heterogeneous group of inherited, progressive, chronic peripheral neuropathies. CMT type 1A (CMT1A), the most common type of CMT, is an orphan disease affecting more than 100,000 people in the U.S. and E.U. The genetic mutation responsible for CMT1A is a duplication of the PMP22 gene coding for a peripheral myelin protein. Overexpression of this gene causes degradation of the neuronal sheath (myelin) and nerve dysfunction. As a result, patients have a significantly altered quality of life, suffering from progressive muscle atrophy of the limbs causing problems with walking, running balance and hand function. They may have loss of sensation, pain and cramps, and at least 5% need wheelchairs. First symptoms usually appear during childhood and progressively evolve throughout patients' lives. To date, no curative or symptomatic medications have been approved and treatment consists of supportive care such as orthotics, leg braces, physical and occupational therapy or surgery.
About PXT3003 Pharnext's first-in-class PLEODRUG™ PXT3003, developed using Pharnext's R&D platform, PLEOTHERAPY™, is a novel oral fixed-dose combination of baclofen, naltrexone and sorbitol, with Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and E.U. PXT3003, Pharnext's lead PLEODRUG™, has shown positive results both in non-clinical
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pharmacology and clinical studies for the treatment of CMT1A. In non-clinical pharmacology studies, PXT3003 inhibited the overexpression of the PMP22 gene, improved myelination of peripheral nerves and motor / sensory impairments. In a Phase 2 clinical study in 80 adult patients with CMT1A, PXT3003 was safe and well tolerated. In addition, PXT3003 showed trends in multiple efficacy endpoints beyond stabilization, particularly the ONLS scale. These results were published in the Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases (OJRD) in December 2014. In October 2018, PXT3003 completed an international Phase 3 trial in 323 patients 16 years and older for the treatment of CMT1A, confirming the excellent safety profile of the combination and demonstrating an encouraging efficacy profile. The Phase 3 extension study is currently ongoing.
About the UK Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) designation and Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) The UK's industry-sponsored EAMS aims to give patients with life threatening or seriously debilitating conditions access to medicines that do not yet have a marketing authorization when there is a clear unmet medical need. The EAMS is a two-step process: Step I is the Designation as a Promising Innovation Medicine (PIM). The PIM designation is an early indication that a medicinal product is a promising candidate for EAMS and gives reassurance that its clinical development is on track by having an early review of its data by the medicines regulator. Step II is the Scientific Opinion by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA, UK regulatory agency). The Scientific Opinion describes the benefits and risks of the medicine and supports the prescriber and patient to make a decision on using the medicine before its license is approved.
About Pharnext Pharnext is an advanced clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for orphan and common neurodegenerative diseases that currently lack curative and/or disease-modifying treatments. Pharnext has two lead products in clinical development. PXT3003 completed an international Phase 3 trial with positive topline results for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A and benefits from orphan drug status in Europe and the United States. PXT864 has generated encouraging Phase 2 results in Alzheimer's disease. Pharnext has developed a new drug discovery paradigm based on big genomics data and artificial intelligence: PLEOTHERAPY™. Pharnext identifies and develops synergic combinations of drugs called PLEODRUG™. The Company was founded by renowned scientists and entrepreneurs including Professor Daniel Cohen, a pioneer in modern genomics, and is supported by a world-class scientific team. More information at www.pharnext.com. Pharnext is listed on the Euronext Growth Stock Exchange in Paris (ISIN code: FR0011191287).
Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Pharnext and its business. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Pharnext considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which estimates are subject to numerous risks including the risks set forth in Pharnext's document de base filed with the AMF on June 2, 2016 under number I.016-0050 as well as in its annual periodic management reports and press releases (copies of which are available on www.pharnext.com) and to the development of economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Pharnext operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Pharnext or not currently considered material by Pharnext. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of Pharnext to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. Pharnext disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. This press release and the information that it contains do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe for, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for, Pharnext shares in any country.
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Looking for an international phone card for overseas calling from USA to French Polynesia? Comfi sells the best international calling cards that will make your connection with friends, family or co-workers cost-effective and high quality.
We provide a lot of international phone cards to call from USA to French Polynesia.
Comfi.com calling card is a invulnerable, comfortable and easy way to contact recipient abroad. The key trait is the option to top up it. That means, you can put funds to the account without purchasing a new calling card.


SE 3054-3154 LEEDS ROAD (east side) 700-/27/10000 St Mark's Church II Parish church c1898 completed c1920. Designed by J Oldrid Scott. Nave with aisles and south porch, chancel with south chapel and vestry, plus organ chamber to north. Original plans included a tall western tower which was never built. Coursed rubble with ashlar dressings and plain tile roofs. Raised coped gables with kneelers and finials. Chamfered plinth and red sandstone bands. West front to nave completed c1920 has slightly projecting central porch with pointed arch doorway and flanking buttresses, above 2 moulded bands and then a circular window, in the gable a blind triangular window. Eitherside large buttresses, gabled with octagonal ashlar tops with blind arcading and octagonal stone spires. Each aisle has a 2-light pointed arch window with reticulated tracery. The aisles have 2-light flat headed panel tracery windows alternating with buttresses, under a deep parapet with blind tracery panels, 5 to the north and 4 to the south plus a projecting porch. This porch has diagonal buttresses, and a deep parapet with checkerboard sides and a blind tracery gable, pointed arched opening flanked by small lancets. Circular windows to the sides. Above the nave, has 5 tall clerestorey windows each a 3- light pointed arch window with reticulated tracery. The chancel has to the east an elaborate 5-light pointed arch window with reticulated tracery, below and in the gable panels of checkerboard, eitherside are 2 tall 2-light pointed arch windows with similar plainer tracery. To the north the organ chamber with a single tall pointed arch window with checkerboard bonding. To the south the chapel and vestry have 3 3-light windows, one triangular headed, one segmental headed and the other pointed arched, all with checkerboard gables. Interior: 5 bay nave arcades with moulded arches which die into the circular piers. Tall chancel arch with chancel steps and very low ashlar screen wall. Fittings include good quality wooden roofs throughout. Coloured marble pulpit reredos and War Memorial, and carved stone octagonal font. C19 wooden choir stalls, screens, panelling and organ case.


Question in study: How integrated in pandemic planning within the Business Continuity Management Program?
42.52% of all study respondents indicated "Completely Integrated"
33.95% of study respondents with "Immature" programs indicated "Completely Integrated"
54.74% of study respondents with "Mature" programs indicated "Completely Integrated"
Site BC Management as the source of the information when sharing or referencing. Customized BCM data research based on industry, revenue, size of company and scope of program is available upon request – info@bcmanagement.com.
Everyone gets a complimentary report for participating. The more you participate - the better the report! Study Open Until 12/15/10.
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The Virtual Paintout: Greenland | Oh Sarah O !
In March, The Virtual Paintout explored Greenland- which is surprisingly less green than the name suggests. Since Greenland is sparsely populated, there were only a few areas available to explore via Google Maps, and I decided to draw a Street View of Hvalsey Church. According to Wikipedia, Hvalsey Church was a church in the abandoned Greenlandic Norse settlement of Hvalsey. The best preserved Norse ruins in Greenland, the Church was also the location of the last written record of the Greenlandic Norse, a wedding in September 1408. I took my time with this drawing and didn't finish it until the beginning of April, so it doesn't appear on the official website.


A few years ago MSD rolled out its original Atomic EFI system for LS enthusiasts at SEMA, changing the way many of us viewed and used fuel injection on our LS engine swaps. At the 2015 SEMA Show, MSD is at it again, this time with its new Atomic Stage 1 EFI for LS engines.
There are a handful of primary hurdles to overcome when installing an aftermarket EFI system. The first is the wiring harness. Adding sensors, splicing wires, assembling connectors, and routing a harness can all seem like a daunting task. The second hurdle is tuning. Having not only a compatible laptop, but the skill and knowledge to get the car started creates another major hurdle for many enthusiasts. Lastly is the cost. With a price tag that is often much higher than a good carburetor and intake manifold, or a repurposed OEM harness, an aftermarket EFI can appear to be an expensive alternative.
The Atomic Stage 1 is designed to change all of this. "This is a standalone that will perform on any LS engine with a wiring harness, and is non-PC programmable. It will do the same as the atomic series. It is designed for the novice, and will get any LS engine running for under $1,000," says MSD's Joe Pando.
There is an optional drive-by-wire harness for $85 as a plug-in harness upgrade. Pando says this system will work with any engine in the LS family. Designed for the DIY enthusiast the Atomic Stage 1 will also support boosted applications.
The system is non-PC programmable and works via a handheld programmer similar to other versions of Atomic EFI. It is not without some limitations, however. "Because it is self-tuning, it does have some cam-based limitations. Camshafts larger than 240 duration at .050 are going to be limited because the MAP sensor can't tune the system when it sees erratic pulses caused by this type of camshaft," Pando says.
The Billet 93 mm throttle body utilizes the OEM IAC and TPS sensors, and fits just about any LS specific intake manifold on the market.
The aftermarket has been quick to latch onto GM's new LT1 engine, recognizing it as the future of GM-based performance. At SEMA, GM was showing off its new Atomic intake for the LT1 engine. "This design is based on what we learned for the LS1, LS2, LS6, and LS7 engines. This intake on a stock 2015 Corvette picks up 17 hp on the dyno," Pando says. Like the LS-designed intakes, this one is also constructed of lightweight composite materials and features the MSD Atomic logos prominently.
The LT1 introduced direct injection (DI) to the GM V8 family for the first time. DI has been the major hurdle in making additional power once the fuel system reaches its limits. This new intake can help resolve that issue since, as Pando points out, it has ports for additional injectors to make more power. "If you have an ECU that will control additional injectors you can add more fuel to make more power," Pando says.
Getting more fuel in to the LT1 is key when making big power with these engines. With more airflow potential from the new atomic intake, and the provisions for adding additional injectors, MSD is making the option to gain increased power that much easier.


Warrington & Halton NHS Foundation Trust provides a comprehensive multi-disciplinary Trauma and Orthopaedic service to the population of Mid Mersey, which includes fracture clinics and orthopaedic clinics, day case surgery, trauma and inpatient surgery.
The Cheshire and Merseyside Treatment Centre is a purpose built orthopaedic hospital centre with 44 inpatient beds, four operating theatres, dedicated day ward, physiotherapy gym, outpatient and full CT, MRI, x-ray and ultrasound scanning facilities. Our trauma (emergency) orthopaedic surgery work, children's orthopaedic surgery and more complex cases are carried out at Warrington Hospital.
The department is fully recognised for the training of specialists in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Our consultants also participate as examiners for The Royal College of Surgeons and Liverpool Medical School.
In Respond- Arthritis UK sponsored study run by Research in Osteoarthritis Manchester (ROAM) (University of Salford and University of Manchester), into the role of insoles in the management of OA knee by assessing whether we can stratify patients into responders or non-responders before prescribing the insoles.
For queries relating to outpatient appointments please ring 01925 662003.
For queries relating to pre-operative assessments please ring 01925 662301 (Warrington) or 01928 793764 (Halton).


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Hidan (, also Romanized as Hīdān; also known as Hīvān) is a village in Hudian Rural District, in the Central District of Dalgan County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 457, in 94 families.

References

Populated places in Dalgan County

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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'Desperate' gambler blamed toddler for phone theft
Thief said sleeping toddler in pushchair must have taken the mobile phone from a member of staff at BHS in Staines
Russell Butt
North Surrey Magistrates' Court in Staines
A gambling addict caught stealing a mobile phone from a shop assistant blamed a sleeping toddler for the theft, a court has heard.
North Surrey Magistrates' Court in Staines was told Glen Healy stole from shops two days in a row to feed his gambling habit in the hope a big win would provide for his family.
However the bench was told on Tuesday that down-on-his-luck Healy lost more than he won, leading him to the thefts on June 13 and 14 in Staines.
Healy, 26, of London Road, Ashford, admitted a charge of theft, two charges of theft from a shop and a charge of receiving stolen goods.
Prosecutor, Darren Matravers, told the court: "He was in BHS in Staines, while inside he took two pairs of trousers. He also stole a mobile phone belonging to a staff member.
"She was serving a customer on the ground floor, the defendant was looking through items on the stand, he was pushing a child in a pushchair.
"She later noticed her mobile phone was missing.
"She got to the second floor and saw the defendant. As she approached she saw the mobile phone fall to the floor.
"The defendant said 'she must have taken it', referring to the child who was aged about two and was fast asleep in the pushchair."
The court was told Healy was arrested and bailed by police, but was re-offending just a day later, while still on bail.
Mr Matravers told the court he was seen on CCTV in Debenhams on June 14 pocketing three bottles of aftershave and was detained outside the shop. When apprehended by police he directed them to a bag stashed in an alley next to the shop which contained two pairs of jeans from Matalan, also believed to be stolen as the security tags were still attached.
Defending, Kieron McHale, said: "These offences all seem to relate to a gambling problem and a gambling debt.
"It is out of character in terms of his antecedents, he only has one conviction as an adult which was a drug offence."
The court was told Healy lives with his partner and her two young children.
Mr McHale added: "On this occasion he spent all his money and went into the store to try and make up the money he lost gambling. He is very ashamed. It was stupid decision that he made when he was desperate."
The court was told Healy was unable to work after an assault left him with a shoulder and wrist injury. The gambling problem had developed over a number of years.
Mr McHale added: "Rather foolishly he sees gambling as a way to make extra money for his family, but unfortunately he loses more than he wins."
Healy will be sentenced on July 24.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Risk Factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Following the Prevention Campaign in New Zealand: A Prospective Study
Edwin A. Mitchell, Patrick G. Tuohy, Jan M. Brunt, John M. D. Thompson, Mark S. Clements, Alistair W. Stewart, Rodney P. K. Ford and Barry J. Taylor
Pediatrics November 1997, 100 (5) 835-840; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.100.5.835
Edwin A. Mitchell
Patrick G. Tuohy
Jan M. Brunt
John M. D. Thompson
Mark S. Clements
Alistair W. Stewart
Rodney P. K. Ford
Barry J. Taylor
Objectives. To identify the risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) following a national campaign to prevent SIDS.
Methods. For 2 years (October 1, 1991 through September 30, 1993) data were collected by community child health nurses on all infants born in New Zealand at initial contact and at 2 months.
Results. There were 232 SIDS cases in the postneonatal age group (2.0/1000 live births) and these were compared with 1200 randomly selected control subjects. Information was available for 127 cases (54.7%) and 922 (76.8%) of controls.
The previously identified modifiable risk factors were examined. The prevalence of prone sleeping position of the infant was very low (0.7% at initial contact and 3.0% at 2 months), but was still associated with an increased risk of SIDS. In addition, the side sleeping position was also found to have an increased risk of SIDS compared with the supine sleeping position (at 2 months: adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 6.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.71, 25.23). Maternal smoking was found to be the major risk factor for SIDS. Bed sharing was also associated with an increased risk of SIDS. There was an interaction between maternal smoking and bed sharing on the risk of SIDS. Compared with infants not exposed to either bed sharing or maternal smoking, the adjusted OR for infants of mothers who smoked was 5.01 (95% CI = 2.01, 12.46) for bed sharing at the initial contact and 5.02 (95% CI = 1.05, 24.05) for bed sharing at 2 months. In this study breastfeeding was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of SIDS.
The other risk factors for SIDS identified were: unmarried mother, leaving school at a younger age, young mother, greater number of previous pregnancies, late attendance for antenatal care, smoking in pregnancy, male infant, Maori ethnicity, low birth weight, and shorter gestation.
Conclusions. After adjustment for potential confounders, prone and side sleeping positions, maternal smoking, and the joint exposure to bed sharing and maternal smoking were associated with statistically significant increased risk of SIDS. A change from the side to the supine sleeping position could result in a substantial reduction in SIDS. Maternal smoking is common in New Zealand and with the reduction in the prevalence of prone sleeping position is now the major risk factor in this country. However, smoking behavior has been difficult to change. Bed sharing is also a major factor but appears only to be a risk to infants of mothers who smoke. Addressing bed sharing among mothers who smoke could reduce SIDS by at least one third. Breastfeeding did not appear to offer a statistically significant reduction in SIDS risk after adjustment of potential confounders, but as breastfeeding rates are comparatively good in New Zealand, this result should be interpreted with caution as the power of this study to detect a benefit is small.
case-cohort study
maternal smoking
M;-2qortality from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, or cot death) dropped dramatically in New Zealand in 1990 (1989: 4.1/1000 live births; 1990: 2.9/1000). This reduction was not attributable to diagnostic transfer as deaths from all causes in the postneonatal period also decreased (1989/1000; 1990: 4.2/1000).1Since then SIDS and postneonatal mortality has declined further (1993: 2.1/1000 and 3.5/1000, respectively).2 This reduction in mortality has been attributed to the decline in numbers of infants placed prone to sleep.3
The New Zealand Cot Death Study, a large 3-year (November 1, 1987 to October 31, 1990) nationwide case-control study, identified an increased risk of SIDS with prone sleeping position, maternal smoking, and not being breastfed.4,5 A national cot death prevention programme was formally launched in New Zealand in early 1991,6 although the prevalence of infants sleeping prone had begun to decline at the end of 1989.7 The campaign initially recommended that infants should be placed on their side or back, that infants should not be exposed to tobacco smoke either during pregnancy or for the first year of life, and mothers should breastfeed if at all possible. At the end of 1991 parents were also advised not to sleep with their infants. Further analysis of the New Zealand Cot Death Study found that the increased risk of SIDS from bed sharing was substantial if the infant had been exposed to maternal smoking.8,9
We have previously reported changes in SIDS and total postneonatal mortality.1 This current study was established to monitor changes in the prevalence of the modifiable risk factors targeted by the prevention campaign and other risk factors and to ascertain if the risk factors or their magnitude changed as the prevalence of other risk factors changed. This article reports the risk factors for SIDS following a prevention programme that has substantially reduced the number of infants sleeping prone.
In outline, the study design was a case-cohort. Data were recorded routinely on every infant by Plunket nurses (community child health nurses) for all live births between October 1, 1991 and September 30, 1993. The data from SIDS cases plus a random sample of control infants were extracted and examined in the usual case-control method.
Data on infant care practices were recorded by the nurse at two points in time, at the first contact (initial) and at approximately 2 months of age. These data were recorded in the nursing record. The dates of the visits were also recorded. Information on the following infant care practices in the previous 24 hours were recorded at initial contact and at 2 months: main type of infant feeding, maternal and paternal smoking, the positions infants were placed to sleep, and whether the mother fell asleep with the infant in bed.
Additional data recorded at the initial contact included (a) sociodemographic variables: marital status, age mother left school, age of mother, self-reported ethnicity of mother and father; (b) pregnancy factors: number of previous pregnancies, when antenatal care began (months) and maternal smoking in pregnancy; (c) infant variables: infant's date of birth, reported ethnicity of infant, sex, birth weight and gestation; and (d) the type of infant feeding at discharge from the obstetric hospital. At this contact the nurse explained the study and the mother signed a consent to participate in the study, which was printed in the nursing record.
All deaths registered by the New Zealand Health Information Service as attributable to SIDS in the postneonatal age group (dying after 28 completed days and within the first year of life) form the cases of this study. This takes into account the findings at autopsy, if performed. Although autopsy was not an essential component of the definition, but we have previously reported that almost all (98%) of deaths classified as SIDS have had an autopsy.5
Although data were prospectively collected on all births in the 2-year period, it was not economic or logistically feasible to process all the data. Accordingly, a sample of infants was obtained that was representative of all births within New Zealand. The method for sampling was: (a) a date of birth was randomly selected from all the days in the study period; (b) an obstetric hospital was randomly chosen in proportion to the number of births; (c) in the obstetric hospital with multiple births on nominated date of birth random numbers were used to select a particular infant from among those born on that day; and (d) a direction variable, which indicates to either go forward or back in looking for a birth in the situation where the hospital did not have one on the nominated day, was also randomly chosen. This results in a sample that is representative of all infants born in New Zealand.
The data from SIDS cases and the selected controls were transcribed from the nursing record to a data sheet only if consent had been signed prospectively. The data sheet was then sent to the study center.
The number of live births for years 1992 and 1993 was 59 266 and 58 866, respectively. The distribution of the mothers' age and marital status and the infants' birth weight and gestation for all live births in New Zealand in 1993 were obtained from official publications.2,10 The expected distribution of the infants' ethnicity and maternal smoking in pregnancy were estimated from a representative sample of all live births in New Zealand in a previous study.5
Although this was a case-cohort study it was analyzed in the usual case-control method. This results in confidence intervals (CIs) that are slightly conservative.11 Relative risks were estimated by calculation of odds ratios (OR). The univariate ORs have CIs calculated by the method of Cornfield, except for when the cell numbers were small and the exact method was used.12 The multivariate ORs are obtained from unconditional logistic regression modelling as are their CIs.
Population-attributable risks (PARs) were calculated to estimate the proportion of deaths explained by exposure to particular risk factors.13
Ethical permission for this study was obtained from the University of Auckland Human Subjects Research Ethics Committee, the Plunket Ethics Committee, and the ethics committees in each region.
In the 2-year cohort there were 429 (3/1000) postneonatal deaths (Table 1). There were 232 SIDS deaths (2/1000) in the postneonatal age group (Table 1). In addition there were 26 SIDS deaths in the neonatal age group and 2 deaths after the first year of life. For this case-control study only SIDS deaths occurring in the postneonatal age group were considered. A total of 1200 controls were selected. There was a significant difference in the proportion of data sheets returned for cases and controls (cases: 127 (54.7%) returned; controls: 922 (76.8%) returned; χ2 = 48.8, df = 1, P< .001). The reasons data sheets were not returned were: families who refused to participate (cases: 15.9%; controls: 10.8%); not supervised by Plunket nurses (cases: 7.8%; controls: 4.9%); and other reasons, such as: families moved without leaving forwarding address; families not invited to participate in the study; and records lost (cases: 21.6%; controls: 7.5%). Control participants in the study were compared with all live births in New Zealand. Mothers in the study were more likely to be married (71.0% vs 63.3%, respectively, χ2 = 17.6, df = 1, P < .001) and not to have smoked in pregnancy (75.1% vs 69.0%, χ2 = 10.3, df = 1, P < .001), but their ages did not differ (χ2 = 5.4,df = 3, P = .145). Infants participating in the study did not differ from all live births in regards to birth weight (χ2 = 2.2, df = 3, P = .527), gestation (χ2 = 0.8,df = 1, P = .366) and ethnicity (χ2 = 2.6, df = 2, P = .276).
Number of Postneonatal Deaths in Infants Born Between October 1, 1991 and September 31, 1993 by Cause of Death
The ages of the cases and controls were not significantly different at the initial visit (cases: mean = 2.6 weeks, standard deviation [SD] = 1.7; controls: mean = 2.4 weeks, SD = 1.2) and at the 2 months contact (cases: mean = 9.1 weeks, SD = 1.9; controls: mean = 9.2 weeks, SD = 2.2).
Univariate relative risks of SIDS associated with variables are shown in Tables 2-6. For variables related to socioeconomic status, infants of mothers in de facto relationships or single had an increased risk of SIDS compared with infants of married mothers; the risk of SIDS was inversely related to the age of mother and the age she left school (Table 2).
Number (and Percentage) and Univariate Odds Ratios of Variables Related to Sociodemography
Number (and Percentage) and Univariate Odds Ratios of Variables Related to Pregnancy
Number (and Percentage) and Univariate Odds Ratios of Variables Related to the Infant
Number (and Percentage) and Univariate Odds Ratios of Variables Related to Postnatal Factors
Number (and Percentage) and Univariate Odds Ratios for Infant Subgroups Classified by Bed Sharing and Maternal Smoking
For variables related to the pregnancy, there was a positive association between the risk of SIDS and the number of previous pregnancies, smoking in pregnancy, and late attendance at antenatal clinic (after 3 months of pregnancy) (Table3).
With regard to the infants, male infants had an increased risk of SIDS compared with female infants; Maori infants were more likely to die from SIDS than non-Maori infants; birth weight and gestation were inversely associated with the risk of SIDS (Table4).
For factors after birth, the three measures of breastfeeding (exclusive breastfeeding at discharge from the obstetric hospital, any breastfeeding at initial contact, and any breastfeeding at 2 months) were not associated with a statistically significant reduction in risk of SIDS; the risk of SIDS became greater with increasing levels of maternal smoking in the previous 24 hours; the risk of SIDS increased if the father smoked; the prone sleeping position in the previous 24 hours and the side sleeping position (at 2 months) increased the risk of SIDS compared with the supine position; and falling asleep with the infant in bed was associated with an increased risk of SIDS compared with infants not bed sharing (Table 5).
We have previously shown an interaction between bed sharing and maternal smoking.8 In this study there was a substantial increase in the risk of SIDS where the mother both smoked and fell asleep with the infant in the same bed compared with infants not exposed to either risk factor (Table 6). Infants exposed to maternal smoking but not bed sharing had an increased risk of SIDS; however, there was no statistically significant increase in risk of SIDS from bed sharing if the mother was a nonsmoker.
The effect of smoking by either parent was examined (Table7). The relative risk of SIDS for infants of parents who both smoked was substantial (OR = 10.27; 95% CI = 6.17, 17.08) compared with infants whose parents did not smoke. The risk was increased when only the mother smoked, but there was no significant increased risk if only the father smoked.
Univariate Odds Ratios (95% Confidence Interval) for Maternal Smoking by Smoking Status of the Father
The modifiable risk factors (sleep position, breastfeeding, maternal smoking, and bed sharing) were examined after controlling for potential confounders (Table 8). The prone and side sleeping positions were significantly associated with an increased risk compared with the supine sleeping position. Bed sharing was a significant risk factor for infants of mothers who smoked, but not for infants of mothers who did not smoke.
Adjusted Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Intervals) for Modifiable Risk Factors
PAR provides an estimate of the proportion of cases that can be attributed to the risk factor, assuming there is a causal relationship between the putative risk factor and the death. The PAR estimates for selected variables are shown in Table 9. The estimates are similar for the initial and 2-month contacts. A substantial reduction in SIDS might be achieved if infants were placed supine instead of on their side. Almost 50% of SIDS cases can be attributed to maternal smoking only and a third to the joint exposure to bed sharing and maternal smoking. In contrast, improving breastfeeding rates further will have little impact on SIDS mortality in New Zealand.
Prevalence, Odds Ratio, and Population-attributable Risk (PAR) for Selected Variables
Ninety-two percent of newborn infants are seen by Plunket nurses in New Zealand (unpublished data), and 77% of all children born in the 2-year cohort participated in the study. However, the response rate of SIDS cases was significantly lower than that of controls. Indeed refusal to participate in the study or lack of supervision by community child health nurses were significantly associated with an increased risk of SIDS. A previous report from the Christchurch region of the study also found that nonparticipants were more likely to smoke than participants.14 In this national study those who did participate differed from all live births in New Zealand. Mothers in participating families were more likely to be married and not to have smoked in pregnancy than expected. However, mothers' age and the infants' birth weight, gestation, and ethnicity did not differ. This means that caution is required to extrapolate the results to the whole community. However, as measurements were made before the categorization into case and control, there is no differential selection bias; hence, the results are valid within this sample.
New Zealand was the first country to formally launch a national SIDS prevention campaign, although earlier work from Holland had suggested that SIDS mortality might be reduced by the recommendation to avoid placing the infant prone to sleep.15,16 This campaign resulted in a rapid decline in the prevalence of the prone position and an associated decrease in SIDS mortality.1,7
Recall bias is a potential problem with retrospective studies. In view of the publicity surrounding the prevention campaign, recall bias might be expected to be a major problem. Collecting data prospectively, as in this study, avoids this problem. This report is the first national study of risk factors for SIDS following a national SIDS prevention campaign. The previously identified major sociodemographic, pregnancy, and infant risk factors were significantly associated with an increased risk of SIDS.
Despite the fact that the prevalence of prone sleeping position has fallen to a low level (0.7% and 3.0% at initial and 2 months, respectively), it continues to be a significant risk factor for SIDS. We previously calculated that prone sleeping position was causally associated with 52% of SIDS cases in New Zealand in 1987/88.4 We now estimate that prone sleeping position is associated with 10% of SIDS cases. This indicates the importance of maintaining the advice on infants' sleeping position in the national SIDS education program.
Most infants are now placed to sleep on their sides in New Zealand. We have previously reported that the risk of SIDS is greater in the side sleeping position compared with the supine position; however, the result was not statistically significant after controlling for potential confounders.5 This study found a statistically significant increased risk for SIDS with the side sleeping position after adjustment. A similar finding has recently been reported from the United Kingdom.17 A further substantial reduction in SIDS may occur with a change to the supine sleeping position. It now seems appropriate to advise the back sleeping position rather than the side or back sleeping positions.
We previously reported that breastfeeding was associated with a reduced risk of SIDS.18 Although breastfeeding was not found to be protective in this study, this result should be interpreted with caution as breastfeeding rates are high in New Zealand and this study might lack the power to detect a benefit. Furthermore, in countries with a low breastfeeding rate the potential benefit on SIDS mortality will be much greater.
Bed sharing was again identified as a risk factor for SIDS. There are now 10 studies that have examined the association between bed sharing and SIDS.5,17,19-25 As our data were recorded prospectively, recall bias cannot be an explanation for this result. We have previously reported that the increased risk of SIDS with bed sharing was predominantly for infants of mothers who smoked.8,9 This study and two other studies confirm that finding.17,25 No statistically significant increased risk with bed sharing was seen for infants of mothers who did not smoke. As the bed sharing measure referred to a practice that occurred previously (sometimes months before), we cannot exclude the possibility that bed sharing on the night of death is a risk factor. Mothers of infants should be advised that bed sharing substantially increases the risk of SIDS if she smokes. For mothers who do not smoke the evidence is inconclusive; however, there is no evidence that bed sharing in any group is protective.
PAR calculations for the joint exposure to bed sharing and smoking indicates that approximately 30% of SIDS cases might be prevented if either bed sharing or maternal smoking was avoided. This proportion may be even greater than 30% as a higher proportion of nonparticipants in the study are likely to have been bed sharing smokers.
There have been many studies showing an increased risk of SIDS associated with maternal smoking and we have argued that maternal smoking is causally related to SIDS.26 We and others have shown fathers who smoke also increase the risk of SIDS, however, this increased risk is predominantly for infants of mothers who smoke.27-29 Maternal smoking either alone or in combination with bed sharing is the major risk factor for SIDS in New Zealand. Smoking behavior has proved difficult to change. Indeed the prevalence of smoking in pregnancy does not appear to have changed in New Zealand.30 This suggests the need for other strategies, including enforcing laws that prohibit the sale of tobacco to minors, minimum package size, restricting smoking in public places, plain packaging, stronger health warnings, and banning advertising and sport sponsorship.
Although SIDS mortality rates have declined in many countries with the reduction in the prevalence of the prone sleeping position,1,15,31-34 this study indicates that further substantial reductions in SIDS mortality might be achieved with a change to back sleeping position, a reduction in maternal and paternal smoking, and a reduction in the joint exposure to bed sharing and maternal smoking.
This study was funded by the Cot Death Association and the Public Health Commission. They also funded Mrs C. Everard and Mr Clements. Mr Stewart is funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Mrs C. Everard coordinated the study. We sincerely thank the Plunket nurses who collected the data. We thank Dr D. Geddis, Dr R. Scragg, Ms N. Taylor, Ms A. Counsell, and Ms D. Saunders who helped develop the study. We also thank the staff of the New Zealand Health Information Service for assistance in the production and provision of infant mortality data.
Received December 6, 1996.
Accepted April 15, 1997.
Address correspondence to: Dr Edwin A. Mitchell, Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
Reprints not available.
SIDS =
sudden infant death syndrome •
odds ratio •
PAR =
population-attributable risk •
CI =
confidence interval •
SD =
Mitchell EA,
Brunt JM,
Everard C
(1994) Reduction in mortality from sudden infant death syndrome in New Zealand: 1986–1992. Arch Dis Child. 70:291–294.
New Zealand Health Information Service. Fetal and Infant Deaths, 1993. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health; 1996
Ford RPK,
Taylor BJ,
(1992) Further evidence supporting a causal relationship between prone sleeping position and SIDS. J Paediatr Child Health. 28(suppl 1) S9–S12.
Scragg R,
Stewart AW,
(1991) Results from the first year of the New Zealand cot death study. N Z Med J. 104:71–76.
(1992) Four modifiable and other major risk factors for cot death: the New Zealand Study. J Paediatr Child Health. 28(suppl 1) S3–S8.
Aley P,
Eastwood J
(1992) The National Cot Death Prevention Programme in New Zealand. Aust J Public Health. 16:158–161.
Tonkin S
(1993) Publicity and infants' sleeping position. Br Med J. 306:858. Letter.
(1993) Bed spring, smoking and alcohol in the sudden infant death syndrome: results from the New Zealand cot death study. Br Med J. 307:1312–1318.
Thompson JMD
(1995) Public health policy on bed sharing and smoking in the sudden infant death syndrome. N Z Med J. 108:218–222.
Department of Statistics. Demographic Trends, 1993. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Statistics; 1995
Schouten EG,
Dekker JM,
Kok FJ,
(1993) Risk ratio and rate estimation in case-cohort designs: hypertension and cardiovascular mortality. Stat Med. 12:1733–1745.
Mehta CR,
Patel VR,
Grey R
(1985) Computing an exact confidence interval for the common odds ratio in several 2x2 contingency tables. J Am Stat Assoc. 80:969–973.
Whittemore AS
(1983) Estimating attributable risk for case-control studies. Am J Epidemiol. 117:76–85.
Wild CJ,
Tuohy P
(1995) Infant feeding patterns in Canterbury. N Z Med J. 108:59–61.
de Jonge GA,
Burgmeijer RJF,
Engelberts AC,
Hoogenboezem J,
Kostense PJ,
Sprij AJ
(1993) Sleeping position for infants and cot death in the Netherlands 1985–1991. Arch Dis Child. 69:660–663.
Kostense PJ
(1991) An analysis of trends in the incidence of sudden infant death in the Netherlands 1969–1989. J Paediatr Child Health. 27:329–333.
Fleming PJ,
Blair PS,
Bacon C,
(1996) Environment of infants during sleep and risk of the sudden infant death syndrome: results from 1993–1995 case-control study for confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy. Br Med J. 313:191–195.
(1993) Breast feeding and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Int J Epidemiol. 22:885–890.
Carpenter RG. Sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy (cot death). In: Camps FE, Carpenter RG, eds. Sudden and Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (Cot Death). Bristol, England: John Wright; 1972:7–15
Luke JL
(1977) Sleeping arrangements of sudden infant death syndrome victims in the District of Columbia–a preliminary report. J Forensic Sci. 23:379–383.
Lee NNY,
Chan YF,
Davies DP,
Lau E,
Yip DCP
(1989) Sudden infant death syndrome in Hong Kong: confirmation of low incidence. Br Med J. 298:721.
Kelmanson IA
(1993) An assessment of the microsocial environment of children diagnosed as "sudden infant death" using the "process" inventory. Eur J Pediatr. 152:686–690.
Mitchell EA, Thompson JMD. Co-sleeping increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, but sleeping in the parent's bedroom lowers it. In: Rognum TO, ed. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. New Trends for the Nineties. Oslo, Norway: Scandinavian University Press; 1995:266–269; chap 50
Klonoff-Cohen H,
Edelstein SL
(1995) Bed sharing and the sudden infant death syndrome. Br Med J. 311:1269–1272.
Willinger M, Hoffman HJ, Wu K-T, Gloekner CK, Hillman LS. Sleep environment: the NICHD SIDS Cooperative Epidemiological Study (Abstract). Presented at the Fourth SIDS International Conference; Washington, DC; June 23–26, 1996
Mitchell EA. Smoking: the next major and modifiable risk factor. In: Rognum TO, ed. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. New Trends for the Nineties. Oslo, Norway: Scandinavian University Press; 1995;114–118: chap 21
Department of Health. Report of the Chief Medical officer's expert Group on the Sleeping Position of Infants and Cot Death. London, England: Her Majesty's Stationery Office; 1993
(1993) Smoking and the sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatrics. 91:893–896.
Bensley D,
(1996) Smoking and the sudden infant death syndrome: results from 1993–1995 case-control study for confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy. Br Med J. 313:195–198.
Mitchell EA. Monitoring of the New Zealand SIDS Prevention Programme: Final Report to the Public Health Commission. Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland Uniservices; 1994
Gilbert R
(1994) The changing epidemiology of SIDS. Arch Dis Child. 70:445–449.
Helweg-Larsen K,
Lundemose JB,
Bille H
(1994) Overheating and sudden infant death. Temperature regulation in relation to the prone position, the possible pathogenesis of sudden infant death. Ugeskr Laeger. 156:7193–7196.
Forsdahl A,
Andersen F
(1995) Crib death and infant mortality in the Nordic countries 1988–1993. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 115:3482–3484.
Dwyer T,
Ponsonby AL,
Blizzard L,
Newman NM,
Cochrane JA
(1995) The contribution of changes in the prevalence of prone sleeping position to the decline in sudden infant death syndrome in Tasmania. JAMA. 273:783–789.
Copyright © 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
You are going to email the following Risk Factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Following the Prevention Campaign in New Zealand: A Prospective Study
Edwin A. Mitchell, Patrick G. Tuohy, Jan M. Brunt, John M. D. Thompson, Mark S. Clements, Alistair W. Stewart, Rodney P. K. Ford, Barry J. Taylor
Pediatrics Nov 1997, 100 (5) 835-840; DOI: 10.1542/peds.100.5.835
Maternal Smoking Before and During Pregnancy and the Risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death
SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Evidence Base for 2016 Updated Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment
Effectiveness of the 'Back-to-Sleep campaigns among healthcare professionals in the past 20 years: a systematic review
Sudden Infant Death: QT or Not QT? That Is No Longer the Question
Antenatal substance misuse and smoking and newborn hypoxic challenge response
Sudden infant death syndrome and advice for safe sleeping
Risk Factor Changes for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome After Initiation of Back-to-Sleep Campaign
Bed- and Sofa-Sharing Practices in a UK Biethnic Population
SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Expansion of Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment
Breastfeeding and Reduced Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Meta-analysis
Managing gastro-oesophageal reflux in infancy
A preliminary report on the efficacy of the Multicare AR-Bed in 3-week-3-month-old infants on regurgitation, associated symptoms and acid reflux
Does Breastfeeding Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?
International Trends in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Stabilization of Rates Requires Further Action
Effect of parental smoking on cotinine levels in newborns
The continuing decline in SIDS mortality
Differences in Infant and Parent Behaviors During Routine Bed Sharing Compared With Cot Sleeping in the Home Setting
Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure: Prevalence and Mechanisms of Causation of Infections in Children
Are the risk factors for SIDS different for preterm and term infants?
The Changing Concept of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Diagnostic Coding Shifts, Controversies Regarding the Sleeping Environment, and New Variables to Consider in Reducing Risk
Bedsharing and Maternal Smoking in a Population-Based Survey of New Mothers
Sleeping position and electrocortical activity in low birthweight infants
Dampened ventilatory response to added dead space in newborns of smoking mothers
Sleep {middle dot} 8: Paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea
Is there a relation between SIDS and long QT syndrome?
Prenatal and Postnatal Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Children's Health
Back to Sleep: An Educational Intervention With Women, Infants, and Children Program Clients
A multivariate "time based" analysis of SIDS risk factors
Factors relating to the infant's last sleep environment in sudden infant death syndrome in the Republic of Ireland
Determinants of Nonsynostotic Plagiocephaly: A Case-Control Study
Sleep Environment and the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in an Urban Population: The Chicago Infant Mortality Study
Sudden infant death syndrome: bed sharing with mothers who smoke
The Contribution of Prone Sleeping Position to the Racial Disparity in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The Chicago Infant Mortality Study
SIDS, ALTE, Apnea, and the Use of Home Monitors
How many deaths are caused by second hand cigarette smoke?
Changes in the epidemiological pattern of sudden infant death syndrome in southeast Norway, 1984-1998: implications for future prevention and research
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Bedsharing, Parental Weight, and Age at Death
Circumstances Leading to a Change to Prone Sleeping in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Victims
Maternity advice survey: sleeping position in Eastern Europe
Child Care Practices in Nonindustrialized Societies
Changing Concepts of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Implications for Infant Sleeping Environment and Sleep Position
Scopus (230)
Differences in the Receipt of Low-Value Services Between Publicly and Privately Insured Children
Show more Article
Fetus/Newborn Infant


text:
Seabra Foods is a privately held, family-owned U.S. supermarket chain based in Newark, New Jersey. Established in 1982, Seabra operates 16 locations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Florida.

Overview
Seabra Foods sells ethnic food products from Portugal, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Spain and other countries.

History
Seabra Foods was founded in 1967 by Americo Nunes Seabra, an immigrant from Portugal. In 2018, the chain acquired two Lucky's Market locations, effectively entering the Southern Florida market.

References

External links
 Seabra Foods website

American companies established in 1982
Retail companies established in 1982
Companies based in Newark, New Jersey
Supermarkets of the United States
Family-owned companies of the United States
1982 establishments in New Jersey


text:
Oti Valley Faunal Reserve
Current view: Text account
Year of compilation: 2001
The site consists of an extensive area of savanna and seasonally flooded grassland on either side of the Oti river, stretching from the north-east corner of the country, against the international frontiers with Benin and Burkina Faso, south to adjoin Kéran National Park (IBA TG002), immediately east of the town of Sansanné-Mango. The main habitats include riverine woodland with Diospyros mespiliformis and Anogeissus leiocarpus, riverine scrub with Mimosa pigra and Mitragyna inermis and grasslands of Andropogon spp., Hyparrhenia spp. and Heteropogon spp. with scattered Borassus aethiopum palms. Some isolated patches of Sudan savanna also occur, with Acacia spp., Combretum spp., Tamarindus indica and Balanites aegyptiaca. The site is immediately adjacent to both Pendjari National Park (IBA BJ002) in Benin and the Arli–W–Singou complex (IBA BF008) in Burkina Faso.
See Box and Table 2 for key species. In addition, Circus macrourus and Gallinago media have been recorded, including a count of 20 of the latter on one occasion, thought to have been birds on passage. One species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome has also been recorded; see Table 2. The Oti valley is also nationally important for concentrations of wetland species e.g., up to 250 Balearica pavonina, 250 Ardea cinerea, 200 Ciconia ciconia, 300 Plectropterus gambensis and 100 Glareola pratincola. Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis breeds and Gorsachius leuconotus has been collected.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals of global conservation concern include Gazella rufifrons (VU).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Encroachment of land settlements, gathering of firewood, poaching and possible alterations to the Oti river's flow patterns caused by the construction of the Kompienga dam in Burkina Faso on the Oualé river, one of the tributaries of the Oti, are the main threats.
BirdLife International (2020) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Oti Valley Faunal Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/01/2020.


text:
using System;
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using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Routing;
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using System.Web.UI.WebControls;

namespace EasyUKRaine.Pages
{
    public partial class Games : System.Web.UI.Page
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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The recent Phoenix Symphony Orchestra performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, was an important reminder for everyone present of the value and beauty of contrast. While the entire symphony presents an array of contrasting material, the famous fourth movement is, in and of itself, a celebration of the balance of contrast and transformation. The contrasting expressions—from a feeling of gentleness to peace to strength to jubilation and triumph—lead you through an emotional journey of joy. But there's also the obvious contrast between a deaf composer and the glorious music he wrote for all of us to hear.
While the contrast of dynamics, rhythmic fluctuation, and emphasis in the expression of joy creates variety, there is a sense of unity that comes from all the elements merging together as a whole expression. You often experience contrast in a work of art by perceiving these elements in relationship with one another.
Different elements work together in a way that creates interest and variety. The contrast can sometimes come from elements used in direct opposition with one another, yet they balance beautifully. In fact, the beauty often comes from the deliberate use of opposites in a way that offsets one another and creates a sense of balance. Throughout his Ninth Symphony, Beethoven effectively balanced the contrasting elements of joy, even though he created the work while enduring the trauma of growing deafness. His efforts enriched the experience for all of us.
it's to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.
Guest Speaking: Corporate, Education, or Arts Events—that provides motivation for launching a project, keynote theme inspiration, or setting the foundation for a goal to be achieved.
Customized Consulting: In-Service Workshops; On-Site Training Institutes; Conference Sessions; Seminars; and Round Tables—all specially designed for Businesses, Companies, Educational Institutions, Organizations, or Arts Groups.


text:
Houseflags of Norwegian maritime companies (L)
Last modified: 2016-03-14 by zoltán horváth
Keywords: house flag | shipping: norway |
L. Gill-Johannessen & Co.
L.W. Hansen
Larvik Line A/S
Larvik Shipping A/S
Leif Høegh & Co.
Lorentz S. Lyngaas
Ludv. G. Braathens Rederi
Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi
Lys-Line AS
Houseflags of Norwegian maritime companies
House flags of shipping companies
image by Ivan Sache, 17 December 2013
Josef Nuesse's "Ships and Flags" website shows the house flag of L. Gill-Johannessen & Co., an Oslo-based company, as a white swallow-tailed flag with a light blue horizontal line and a disk the middle.
http://www.flagpole.de/reedereiflaggen/europa/nordeuropa/
Ivan Sache, 17 December 2013
L.W. Hansen, Bergen
image by Jarig Bakker
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, 1926 [9]
White flag, blue "LWH".
Jarig Bakker, 18 December 2004
The Larvik Line, operating ferries between Larvik and Frederikshavn - the company was known until 1988 as Larvik-Fredrikshavnferjen -, was taken over in 1997 by the Color Line.
Josef Nuesse's "Ships and Flags" website shows the house flag of Larvik-Line A/S, an Oslo-based company, as quartered per saltire white-blue-white-red, with a blue "L" in the left white quarter and a red "F" in the right white quarter.
Source: http://www.flagpole.de/reedereiflaggen/europa/nordeuropa/
image by Ivan Sache
Source: http://www.larvik-shipping.no/
The company was founded in 1988 in Narvik by John Tollevik. The flag is swallow-tailed, blue with two thin white stripes near the top and bottom of the flag and the white letter LS in the middle.
Ivan Sache, 1 December 2003
image by Jorge Candeias
The "H" should be centred and so should the horizontal arm. See the flag on the Josef Nüsse site which has been confirmed by an actual sighting 14.11.2003 on the "Hual Trekker".
Neale Rosanoski, 11 December 2003
From the The National Maritime Museum:
The house flag of Hoegh, Leif, & Co. A/S, Oslo. A white rectangular flag bearing a blue letter 'H'. The flag is made of cotton fabric and is machine sewn. A rope and clip are attached.
Jarig Bakker, 19 Augutst 2004
Josef Nuesse's "Ships and Flags" website shows the house flag of Lorentz S. Lyngaas, a Tønsberg-based company, as white with a red border and a black "L" in the middle.
image by Miles Li, 17 March 2015
This is house flag of Ludv. G. Braathens Rederi A/S. While this shipping company no longer exists, its parent company, Braganza AB, continues to use this flag as its logo today.
Miles Li, 17 March 2015
image by Jarig Bakker, 23 January 2006
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [4]
Bergen - horizontal Red-White-Red flag; blue "M".
Jarig Bakker, 23 January 2006
A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi was established in 1898 by Johan Ludwig Mowinckel.
Today's fleet consists of dynamic positioned shuttle tankers, Aframax crude oil tankers and product carrier on long term time charters to first class charterers: ExxonMobil, TotalFinaElf and Teekay.
The vessels are registered in Bahamas, Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS) and Norwegian Ordinary Ship Register (NOR) and are mainly trading in international waters.
All vessels are managed by Vista Ship Management AS. The company is certified according to ISO 91: 2000 and ISO 14001: 1996.
Source: http://www.lysline.no/
The company has offices in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden. The flag is white with two blue diagonal stripes in lower left and upper right corner and the blue S-like monogram of the company in the middle.
Formed as Simonsen & Slang hence the emblem, changing name in 1997 to the name under which their shipping operations had originally been made. Although the flag is shown like the logo on the company website, the Josef Nüsse site, under the old name, shows a flag with the diagonal bands going per bend sinister and it is possible to make out that the emblem is placed separately on both sides so as to look the same to the viewer. Why the bands are different is a mystery as Brown 1982 was showing the version shown here, unless it was changed early in the company's history. The blue shade would also appear to be dark.
Neale Rosanoski, 16 August 2004


all the sweetness of sparkle in (1) amazing 6″ x 6″ pack for FREE!
Don't we love that about Stampin'Up! ?
takes the gift to the next level ~It's all about the presentation right ?
These are so cute. I have some little pieces of red glimmer paper – I can do this for a couple of valentines card. Thanks for a great idea!


text:
import scrapy
from scrapy.loader import ItemLoader
from scrapy.loader.processors import TakeFirst

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    pub_date = scrapy.Field()
    src_url = scrapy.Field()
    dest_url = scrapy.Field()

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# loader.add_css('subhead', 'h2.subhead::text')
# loader.add_css('author', 'p.author a.author::text')
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# loader.add_value('dest_url', response.url)
# loader.add_value('dest_url')


Here are 3 simple thing you may not have expected to help you along your weight loss journey. These tips to help you lose weight are just some of the ones we swear by!
Diet drinks, no-sugar that. Just because it's 0 calories, doesn't mean it's necessarily good for you. It's full of chemicals and fake stuff that your body doesn't recognize. Plus, it gets you used to eating (and craving) super sweet things. Artificial sweeteners are 200-700 times sweeter than sugar.
To be fair, the jury is still out on how artificial sweeteners affect weight.
Regardless, losing weight healthfully (and keeping it off) has less to do with how low calorie can you go and more to do with nourishing your body with real whole foods and honoring your hunger and fullness.
When you let how you think you're supposed to look go and focus on what you like about your body + what you can DO to move you forward along your weight loss journey – you shift into a better space that allows for momentum to grow.
It's a practice. Try it. It really works.
You know what happens when you want something, but then you cant' have it? You obsess. You eventually eat it – way to much of it – and you feel guilty. Like really guilty.
My suggestion? Eat the food! Enjoy, savor it, be in the moment with it and appreciate your hunger cues telling you when you've had enough. Don't let food have that much power over you. Trust me, it's not worth it.
Corinne Dobbas, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian and Wellness Coach with a Masters in Nutrition. Specializing in coaching, weight loss, and behavior change, Corinne has helped hundreds of women develop a healthy positive relationship with food, their body, and themselves. She helps women do this by showing them how to create a healthy lifestyle (they love) using a holistic approach. She believes lasting change starts from the inside out. Visit her at CorinneDobbas.com or say, "HI" on facebook!


text:
Q: Solving a two variable integration I was going through the solid state book by Philip Phillips. I came across an integral similar to:
$$\int_{0}^{\beta}d\tau d\tau^{'}e^{-E_c|\tau-\tau^{'}|}$$
where $\beta E_c >> 1$.
I am not able to solve this integral. I am not sure how to deal with the |  | sign occurring in the exponent of e. Can anyone please help?

A: Divide the region of integration into two triangular regions I and II. The diagonal is $\tau=\tau'$. The original integral is the sum of these two sub-integrals.

In region I
here $\tau\gt\tau'$, therefore
$$
\begin{align}
I_I &=\int_{0}^{\beta}d\tau\int_{0}^{\tau} d\tau^{'}e^{-E_c(\tau-\tau^{'})}\\
 &=\frac{e^{-E_c \beta}+\beta E_c-1}{E_c^2}
\end{align}
$$
In region 2
here $\tau\lt\tau'$, therefore
$$
\begin{align}
I_{II} &=\int_{0}^{\beta}d\tau\int_{\tau}^{\beta} d\tau^{'}e^{+E_c(\tau-\tau^{'})}\\
 &=\frac{e^{-E_c \beta}+\beta E_c-1}{E_c^2}\\
&=I_I
\end{align}
$$
therefore the original integral
$$I=I_I+I_{II}=\frac{2(e^{-E_c \beta}+\beta E_c-1)}{E_c^2}$$
which under $E_c\beta \gg 1$ reduces to
$$2\frac{\beta}{E_c}$$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
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Congenital torticollis (wry neck)
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What is congenital torticollis?
Torticollis, also known as wry neck, is a condition in which the patient's neck is abnormally twisted, leaving the head at an asymmetrical angle. It is often painful and difficult to turn the head from this position.
There are two categories of torticollis: acquired and congenital. Congenital means the patient was born with the condition. While acquired torticollis can be caused by a number of things, from scarring of the muscle tissue to swollen lymph nodes, congenital torticollis usually occurs because the infant's sternocleidomastoid muscle, which runs down the side of the neck, is too short and tight.
Prognosis of congenital torticollis
In most cases, congenital torticollis can be overcome with time if treated correctly with stretching exercises and simple changes in how the baby is held.
Symptoms of congenital torticollis
The key symptom is the position of the head – tilted to one side with the chin pointing towards the opposite shoulder. In three out of four babies with wry neck, the right side of the neck is affected. Other symptoms include:
Limited range of movement in the head and neck.
A soft lump may be felt in the baby's neck during the first few weeks after birth, which gradually disappears. It does not seem to cause the baby pain.
One side of the face may flatten due to the baby sleeping on the same side all the time.
Congenital muscular torticollis is usually noticed within the first six to eight weeks after birth, as the baby gains more control over its body, but struggles with its head and neck.
A number of infants born with wry neck also have developmental hip dysplasia. This is a condition where the thigh bone fits loosely in the joint and may easily pop out of the hip socket.
What are the causes of congenital torticollis?
The exact cause of wry neck is unclear, but it is thought by some to be related to the baby's position in the uterus or during birth, which injures the neck muscle. Congenital torticollis seems to be more common in first-borns, who have less space in the womb than their later siblings.
Treatments for congenital torticollis
Treatment can depend on the age of the child and the severity of the condition. In most cases, the first line of treatment is a regime of stretching exercises to lengthen the baby's sternocleidomastoid muscle. This generally involves the parent gently turning the baby's head, as instructed by a doctor or physical therapist.
The baby can also be encouraged to practise stretching the muscle by positioning toys so they have to turn their head to see them, or sitting on their limited side so they have to turn to look at you.
In around 10% of cases, these conservative methods are not successful, and surgery may be recommended.
Which type of specialist treats congenital torticollis?
Paediatricians, paediatric physical therapists, and paediatric surgeons may be involved in the treatment of congenital torticollis.
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Fak* Festival is a concept brand identity and web design project created and shared by Alberto Velardi. As the name suggests and Alberto said, Fak* Music Festival is not real, it's fake; however the design that he created is totally real and quite awesome to be honest. I love the typography style and again, that 90s feeling of a skateboarding magazine designed by David Carson. Sometimes it does look hard to understand the hierarchy, but that's the intention for a Fake Music Festival!
I am a fan of concept projects in order to learn and explore different concepts. I do that all the time, especially to learn new tools or practice prototyping new ideas faster. Dmitriy Kozhevnikov and Agima ru did exactly that and reimagined what Wikipedia would look like with a brand new visual language. This time they focused on a minimalist and heavily editorial web design look.
generate returns to the Big Apple between April 24-25 and promises to be bigger and better than even before. Held at the TKP New York Conference Center, the two day conference will feature a packed day of practical workshops followed by an inspirational single-track conference. Here's a preview of some of the world-class names that'll be speaking at Generate New York 2019 – and we'll be updating you with even more conference speakers in the coming days.
Hi! I'm Tobias van Schneider. I'm the co-founder of Semplice, a portfolio tool by designers for designers. We're teaming up with Abduzeedo to share inspiring design portfolios each month. Here we'll curate the best online portfolios from motion designers, artists, illustrators, and more – all created from scratch using Semplice.
It's time for another installment of our series of "That 90s Look is Coming Back". Today we are excited to share a web design project that captures a bit of the essence of the 90s typography. The project was created by Daniel Spatzek and it seems to be for his on portfolio. We have to highlight the typography with that huge contrast of font sizes in addition to deconstructivism look by using masks, the black and white imagery contrasting with some red pop of color.
Concept projects are always fun and give us the opportunity to work on different ideas or solutions for companies we love. I am a believer that any exercise is always worth doing. I would probably not use a concept project in my portfolio, unless it's something that I believe highlights a particular set of skills, let's say, motion design.
More and more designers weighed in on how sites are all looking the same and it's true. UX has been taking such a huge endeavor in our industry and surely becoming a standard in terms of priorities within companies and organizations who are building bigger teams to raise this effort. Providing the best experience is now more important than ever. That's why I truly think the importance of an Art Director will still remain in the design process and act as a key player.
Hi, I'm Tobias, a German designer living in New York. I'm the author of this blog post, nice to meet you! We're teaming up with Semplice, a portfolio tool by designers for designers, to share inspiring design portfolios each month. Here we'll curate the best online portfolios from designers, artists, illustrators, studios and more – all custom designed using Semplice.


As a result of Republicans and their failure refusal to renew the Voting Rights Act of 1965, states have drastically reduced the number of possible locations where people can vote. And no surprise, Texas leads the nation – it has closed over 400 voting locations!
In Brazoria County, a geopolitical area with over 330,000 people, there are only 39 locations where a person can vote on election day. For comparison, in 2008 when the population was around 30,000 less, there were 77!
In order to help illustrate the problem, I made the map directly below. Each "thumbtack" represents a polling location. Notice how many places across the county have no locations and how that major population centers don't have nearly enough.
In Lake Jackson, for example, there used to be many different locations. Now there are only two — two for a city with over 30,000 people. (Early voters had one option in Lake Jackson.) Angleton, the city next door and also a hotbed of conservatism has three locations, despite its having 33% less people than Lake Jackson.
People are less likely to vote if voting requires standing in line for hours (because capitalism!) and if they can't easily get somewhere to vote – this is especially true for people with any kind of disability, job that requires unusual and long hours, or someone taking care of children.
Additionally, seven of the locations in Brazoria County are churches. No one should be required or allowed to vote at any kind of place of worship. We know, for example, that simply asking someone to fill in a "male" or "female" bubble on a questionnaire, prompts all of those participating to alter their answers in different, more gendered ways.
This too is voter suppression.


Dental plaque is invisible, but just because you can't see it doesn't mean that it isn't causing various issues for your teeth and gums. That coating you feel on your teeth when you awaken is the proof of plaque's existence. Here at the office of Steven Marek, DDS, you will find the best strategies for eliminating plaque and preventing it from harming your oral health.
When you brush your teeth in the morning and again at night, you're washing away dental plaque. Flossing at bedtime also loosens up sticky plaque between your teeth, and removes the food particles that help the formation of plaque. Sugar and starch are like fuel for it. All of the above is essential, but the complication is that many times, some of that plaque avoids the reach of your toothbrush and dental floss, where it subsequently turns into hardened tartar, which cannot be effectively eliminated with at-home oral hygiene. It's a big reason why you should come in to our Shorewood dentist office on a twice-yearly schedule in order to have tartar buildup eradicated. There are two major benefits of this simple treatment. First, the chance of future cavities and gum disease are lessened. And second, any current indications of gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, will be addressed and the effects reversed. Our Sherwood dentist office is dedicated to this, because if allowed to reach an advanced stage, gum disease can end up causing the loss of gum and bone tissue, and loose teeth among other alarming outcomes. Symptoms like receding gums, bleeding gums when you brush, persistent bad breath, and infection are all possible.
Book your next visit to our Shorewood dentist office. Reach out to us right now and set up a convenient time to come in. Be proactive about dental plaque.


近年,センシングデバイスの小型化,低価格化により,ウェアラブルセンサを利用して人の行動を取得する事が容易になった.それにより,私達の日々の生活行動を自動的に取得,蓄積するライフログが幅広く研究される様になった.本研究では,自分と他人の一日の行動から二人の似た行動を類似行動として生成するシステム Synchrometer を提案する.生成した類似行動は行動改善や医療,介護,新しいコミュニケーションの生成など,様々な場で利用する事が可能である.Recently, because of miniaturization and low cost of the sensing devices, obtaining human behavior became more easier . Therefore, lifelog, which is getting and storing our daily life activities, became to be studied widely. In this study, we propose the system Synchrometer which create a similarity as similar-activity from two people's daily activity. Similar-activity have a possibility to use to behavioral improvements, medical, nursing, generating new communication and so on.
Recently, because of miniaturization and low cost of the sensing devices, obtaining human behavior became more easier . Therefore, lifelog, which is getting and storing our daily life activities, became to be studied widely. In this study, we propose the system Synchrometer which create a similarity as similar-activity from two people's daily activity. Similar-activity have a possibility to use to behavioral improvements, medical, nursing, generating new communication and so on.


text:
Kazan — The New Direct Flight from Novosibirsk
Tolmachevo's partner S7 Airlines will operate regular flights on Kazan-Novosibirsk-Kazan route from June 3.
The flights will be operated twice a week-on Sundays and Wednesdays on Embraer 170 aircraft, designed to carry 78 passengers in a comfortable economy cabin class.
Photo by Svetlana Balayeva
The flight departs from Novosibirsk at 14:00 and arrives in Kazan at 13:30 on Wednesdays. The return flight from Kazan departs at 14:20 and arrives in Novosibirsk at 21:30.
On Sundays departure from Novosibirsk is at 23:10, arrival in Kazan at 22:40. The return flight from Kazan departs at 23: 30 and arrives at Tolmachevo airport at 06:40 the next day. Each airport has a local time.
The opening of new direct regular flights will allow passengers, following from Novosibirsk to Kazan, and in the opposite direction, to save time on an emergency transfer in Moscow. In addition, passengers from Kazan can take advantage of the transfer capabilities of the Tolmachevo airport for flights to the cities of the Far East, Central Asia, China and Southeast Asia.
citiestips.com
The capital of the Republic of Tatarstan is one of the oldest cities not only in Russia, but also almost the oldest city in Eastern Europe. Kazan is not only a major cultural and industrial center of the country, but also a venue for international sporting events. In 2013, Kazan hosted the XXVII World Summer Universiade, and the upcoming summer matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held in the city.
NOVOSIBIRSK International Airport is the largest air hub in Russia east of the Urals on major transit routes between Europe and Asia. The capacity of domestic terminal makes up to 1,800 passengers per hour, while the international terminal capacity – up to 750 passengers per hour. The airport has two runways of ICAO I and II Categories.
S7 Airlines, oneworld® global aviation alliance member. S7 Airlines (Siberia Airlines brand) has a wide domestic route network, created on the basis of air transport hubs in Moscow (Domodedovo) and Novosibirsk (Tolmachevo). S7 Airlines also performs regular flights to countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Europe, the Near East, Southeast Asia and countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Since 2001 S7 Airlines has been a full-fledged member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Since 2001 S7 Airlines has been a full-fledged member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In 2007, after a successful operational safety audit, the airline was included in the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) register of operators and became the second air carrier in Russia, which successfully passed the full procedure of international audit for compliance with operational safety standards. S7 Airlines is one of the most stable airlines in Russia, using the latest achievements of the global industry in passenger service and actively developing service. All airline flights are operated only on aircraft of the world's leading manufacturers. S7 Airlines is in top 100 of the best airlines of the world and ranks third in the Eastern Europe, as indicated by the authoritative international rating Skytrax. S7 Airlines is among the top 5 of the most reputable Russian companies of 2017 and ranks the fourth among the most desirable Russian employers. S7 Airlines - winner of the Safety Leaders Award in the category "transport Safety: flight safety". S7 Airlines is a multiple winner of the Wings of Russia National Aviation Awards in different categories. S7 Airlines is a multiple winner of the Cannes Lions advertising festival awards for implemented projects, and My Planet National Awards for discoveries in travel sphere. According to the results of 2015 the airline was awarded by the National Geographic Traveller as "The Best Russian airline". S7 Airlines became the winner of the Skyway Service Award 2017 in two categories: the best airline in "Economy Class, Domestic Scheduled Services" and "Best Online Customer Services". Together with other companies involved in the air transportation sphere, S7 Airlines forms the S7 Group of companies.In 2017 Group member airlines carried more than 14.2 million passengers.


I must admit I'm not a big fan of abstract paintings. First of all, I don't really "get" them. What am I supposed to see in a bunch of squares and dots? I think my mind just doesn't know what to make of it. If I can detect a form or something tangible in a piece, then my mind at least has something to grasp. If there's an explanation or a title, that definitely helps. But usually when I'm at a museum or gallery, I hurry through the abstract paintings and head straight for the Impressionists. For me, this style of art is the perfect balance between abstract and realistic imagery.
But recently I had an experience with making abstract art that changed my way of thinking…at least a little bit. A neighbor of mine is also an artist. I admire her because she hangs her art all over her house. You can't help but see it. More than that, you can FEEL it. That's because her style is Expressionistic. She seeks to evoke a feeling or idea more than anything else. She says she hides herself in her work, which is really interesting. She's always asking me what I see in her paintings. Sometimes I have to admit that I don't know. But it isn't as simple as that. I feel something immediately, but I can't conceptualize it right away.
I love a good mystery as much as the next person, but I couldn't let it go at that. The more I didn't get it, the more I wanted to. I'm stubborn like that 😉 I was just going to have to try it out myself.
My neighbor invited me over to paint. Her dining room is her studio. How cool is that? The number one rule: there are no rules (except to wash out the brushes. She was serious about that.) Then she put on some chill country music (because if there is one thing about country singers– they know how to feel!) She told me to pick out a canvas, any shape and size, and motioned to the large tubes of acrylic paint in every color you can imagine. I think she could sense my hesitation. Her only advice: Start with your hands.
I felt a little silly at first, like a kid again finger painting. But you know what? It helped me loosen up. Something about getting your hands in it. Like playing in mud. It was a goopy mess really. But with a little dab here, and a splotch there, I was starting to get into it. I stopped focusing on the end product and started focusing on the process. I was definitely feeling something, although if you asked me about it, I probably couldn't put it into words.
Before I knew it, I was done. Was it a masterpiece? I don't know. But I was proud of it anyway. I'd tried something that scared me. And isn't it the stuff we don't know that scares us the most?
The only thing about it I can tell you for sure is that I was grasping at something. Something a little bit mysterious. Something probably divine.


What's in your kit bag, and why?
On Photocritic, I don't generally bother talking too much about equipment, unless I'm particularly excited about something. My approach towards photography is that a good photographer can take good pictures with bad equipment. A bad photographer can only take mediocre photos with good equipment. In other words: If your technical skills and photographic insight aren't up to scratch, you've already lost the game: No amount of equipment can save you.
Nevertheless, I often get comments and e-mails asking about what type of equipment I use. It's an interesting question, but asked wrongly. My equipment list is boring. The argumentation for choosing each of these pieces of equipment is what is interesting, because it might help you pick which lens or gadget you buy next!
Throughout my photographic history, I've had a lot of different cameras. I started with a Canon A-1 SLR (which I still have!), and then went through a series of exciting cameras. I had a Canon RS, which used to be the fastest camera Canon ever made. I had a Canon EOS 1Nhs, which was pretty damn quick as well. Then I went digital, and had a D60, 10D, 20D, 300D, and now I'm on a 30D. Why such a quick succession? Well, I used to work as a photographer, and cameras get used a lot. They get bumped into things, they get dropped, and the shutter mechanism gets slack after taking tens of thousands of photos. Also, I'm a gadgets nut, and I love playing with a new camera. Sure, there are no massive differences between the D60, 10D, 20D and 30D, but for every upgrade, there was a little bit more speed, a few new toys, and they just got better and better.
So why do I use a 30D now, rather than, say, a 400D or a 5D? The simple answer is cost and timing. I love the fact that Canon brought out the 300/350/400 cameras, because they bring photography to the masses. I genuinely believe that every aspiring photographer should be able to afford a digital SLR, because it's the single best purchase you can make. It doesn't matter if it's Canon, Nikon, or one of the other brands. It doesn't matter if it's the bottom of the line model. By their very nature, dSLR cameras are unlikely to be the bottleneck of your photography skills. Lenses, flash guns, studio equipment, and all that might be, but especially as you're first starting out, it doesn't really matter.
Personally, I'm a right clumsy git, so I decided to invest a little bit more money to get the 30D. When I was in the market for a camera again around the same time as when my book deal came through, the 30D just started to become available. I like its bigger screen than the 20D, and I like the fact that it's sturdy, rugged, and looks like it can take a battering. Because I no longer work as a professional photographer, I take a lot fewer photos (and my stuff is no longer insured against any damage, so I take better care of it too), so in retrospect the 30D is probably a bit over-kill: I could have easily done with a 400D. My main argument for it now isn't that it's stronger and faster, but that it's heavier. I've got huge hands and I'm not very good at holding stuff still, so a heavier camera is rather useful in that respect.
The next lens I bought was a 70-200 f/2.8 EX APO lens from Sigma. It's bloody expensive, but it's also one of the best lenses I own. Because it stays at f/2.8 throughout its zoom range (in general, zoom lenses that have the same aperture throughout their zoom range are of better quality for reasons that are slightly beyond this write-up, I'll do that one as a separate article some day), you get a long lens that's perfect for concert photography. Which, incidentally, is why I bought it. (more about concert photography here and here). The lens is quite heavy, but it's really sharp, handles well, has a fantastic bokeh, and is great for all sorts of sneaky photography.
For work, I started doing a great deal of interior photography, and needed to go wider than the 28mm afforded by my other lenses. With my recent success with the Sigma lens, I decided to go with the Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4.0 lens. It's a peach, what else can I say.
Other stuff in my kit bag is the Lensbaby lens, which I've fallen completely in love with (as explained at great length here), a 50mm f/1.8 mk1 prime (as rambled about here), my home-made macro extension tube, and a Canon 135mm f/2.8 Soft Focus lens, which I to this date haven't quite figured out how to use. Sure, it's a great prime lens, but the soft focus bit is an absolute mystery to me.
For parties, going out, and all that sort of stuff, I keep a nifty little Canon Digital Elph S500 handy, too. The battery life of it is absolutely amazing, and the lens is spot-on. Sharp and reasonably fast. The camera itself is virtually indestructable, too (I've dropped it more often than I care to remember, but its metal casing really holds its own), and it's small enough to carry around everywhere.
My final gadgets are a Slik tripod, a standard Canon Speedlite 420 flash gun (my 550s kept breaking or getting stolen, it seems as if the 420 agrees with me better — knock on wood), and a LowePro Stealth Tracker photography backpack to lug it all around.
So, enough about me. What's in your kit bag? Why? And what is your next purchase?
Older PostEmergency tripod? Piece of string!


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When you're enjoying the sun and warm weather in your pool, you don't want to spend even a minute worrying about the safety of your loved ones or neighbors.
Let us help you find a fence that not only keeps you and others safe, but adds beauty and character to your outdoor retreat. Please read on to determine what type of material will best meet your needs so you can begin enjoying your pool and take in the warm summer weather.