Having moved the sections around how do I reset.
Whilst developing a recent plugin I had moved the meta box sections around. But, of course, I wanted to see the default. As per a fresh installation.
So how do I reset the layout of the displayed WordPress displayed content area sections?
For this approach you'll need access to phpMyAdmin via your hosting control panel.
The relevant saved options in the database table wp_usermeta are to be deleted.
Login to phpMyAdmin to begin.
In the left hand database & table menu click on the database for the WordPress website of interest.
From the top row of tab options click on SQL.
The content entry box can be used to enter the SQL which will be used to show the specific entries in the wp_usermeta table.
Click on Go in the bottom right corner.
Look at the meta_key column to determine which plugin, theme, post or whatever the entry is associated with.
Delete those values which are associated with the item which you are looking to reset, and you will get the original order back.
Easy – I simply deleted the relevant one.
And the user id> Well its a development website on a development computer with the initial user as my admin login. So no problems there with knowing the value.
But this is cumbersome. You need to know the relevant user id. It would be better to use the user name.
This is easier to find and has less chance of making changes to the wrong account.
For this we'll modify the SQL using a join to combine the two tables of usermeta and users.
As previously change the relevant parts.
In this example we'll show all items in the usermeta table, as before. The third row shows the join with the users table. With the linkage by the associated user id.
The last line is the restrictive clause, this time using the displayed name of the user.
With a little SQL and the use of phpMyAdmin we are able to delete entries in a WordPress table, resetting the order of the metaboxes from a plugin, page or post.


The Redmond's Bar and Grill Menu cover.
The bar with big screens above. Our friendly bartender Charlie was good and reportedly heading back to Hawaii. Good luck, Charlie!!!
Behind the stranger's head in the bottom left of the frame you will see "Christmas Lights", which is actually a stage where musical talent can play. Pretty cool. I guess the building that this restaurant is in is 108 years old!!!
The French Prime Dip: French roll, smoked (NICE TOUCH) onions, seared (NICE TOUCH) Prime Rib and Swiss served with au jus and fries or salad. $13. I went with the salad.
Here's the dip and you can see part of the salad. Medium rare Prime Rib, and you can see that the greens are nice and dry.
Another view of the sandwich. Sorry, my other pictures of the plate didn't turn out.
I was a real fan of this pen, BTW. I honestly thought about either stealing it or asking the owners if I could have it. Here they are on Amazon for your enjoyment.
Au jus amount: 5. Very large. They gave me a bowl of it. Great (see Adam's bowl at Gere-a-Deli for comparison's sake.
Salad dressing: Bleu cheese that was really garlicky, great and flavorful.
Salad greens: Very great. Dry greens. Gourmet greens.
Other salad toppings: Cukes and HALF-GRAPES!!
Au jus temp: 2.5. Additional jus was not steaming.
Salad description: 4.5. Sweet good, half-Grapes on salad, nice, dry, fresh, hearty, and CHEWY (which I think is something you want!!!) greens...lots of red (which I think of as nice and fancy/gourmet) greens.
Other sides: A nice Kosher-style pickle spear that was good. I think this is a good addition to every French dip meal is a nice pickle. As if the sandwich and jus weren't salty enough, right?!! But I think because it is cool and crisp, it is very refreshing...as is the salad and that's why I typically choose it instead of fries, BTW.
Other comments: Smoked onions are a nice addition, had to order hot jus, which they brought out rapidly. Jus can be TOO hot, BTW... I burnt my tongue/mouth but it was better hot, so I was grateful.
Overall sandwich comments: 4.5. GREAT flavor, the smokiness is a real winner. Overall it's really good with big, soft, absorbent but not too soft bread. The side-salad also really made this meal with its garlicky, creamy bleu cheese dressing, good greens, and cukes. There were no "crunchies" (like croutons or sunflower seeds) on the salad but they were not needed with such good lettuce and cukes and thin carrots shreds. Oh! and there was just a little bit of feta cheese on top of the salad which made it really good. More salt but hey! Hotter initial jus may have made this a five. Additionally it is not exactly a "fancy" French dip like that at The Keg but it's real good and the smoked onions really make it interesting and unique.
Overall: 4.5. Great experience, pretty crowded in there. Friendly owner Tim and bartender Charlie. Patrons seemed happy to be there and there was good ambiance. It was crowded on a Wednesday night and my date and I had fun.
Editor's note about the score. After later reflection, this sandwich really is as good as the dip at Canyon's restaurant that got a 5, maybe better. We are in the process of recalibrating our scoring system.


ABOARD A US MILITARY PLANE -- The Trump administration is urging Europe to impose tough new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program.
U.S. special envoy for Iran Brian Hook rejected Iran's insistence that its missile program is defensive.
He told reporters traveling with Pompeo that Iran's continued missile development and testing is a threat to the region and beyond and in defiance of U.N. Security Council demands.
Hook said U.S. discussions with the Europeans about missile sanctions are gaining traction. Those talks center on slapping penalties on companies and people involved in Iran's program.
"It is a grave and escalating threat and nations around the world, not just Europe, need to do everything they can to be targeting Iran's missile program," Hook said.
Hook's comments on Monday were the latest salvo in an escalating U.S. campaign against Iran since President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May.
"We are accumulating risk of escalation in the region if we fail to restore deterrence," Pompeo said.


July 1 | Bill H. R. 2847 | FATCA | Is it Bad?
"Why is all of this happening now? Remember, the United States has enormous debts that are growing massively on a daily basis. Also, the tax receipts that the government takes in aren't high enough to meet their outgo.
So what does the government do to help rake in more cash? They go searching for the money abroad.


text:
From Napoleonic battles to Cold War confrontations, the Normandy landings to 9/11, this podcast opens up fascinating new perspectives on how wars have shaped and changed our modern world. Each week, twice a week, war historian, writer, and broadcaster, James Rogers, teams up with fellow historians, veterans, and experts to reveal astonishing new histories of inspirational leadership, breakthrough technologies, and era defining battles. Together they highlight the stark realities and consequences of global warfare. Join us on the front line of military history.
Follow on Twitter @HistoryHitWW2.
Warfare History Hit Network
Munich - The Edge of War: Reappraising Chamberlain
Join James this week for a special episode of Warfare, chatting to the writer and cast of the new film 'Munich - the Edge of War'. Set in 1938, the movie follows Chamberlain's attempts to appease Hitler, desperate to avoid another Great War. Joining James is author Robert Harris, along with lead actors George Mackay and Jannis Niewöhner. Together they discuss the historical significance of Chamberlain and Hitler's relationship, Munich's role in contemporary politics, and the pressures of having to learn German in a week. Munich – The Edge of War is in select cinemas now and on Netflix from January 21st.
If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit
https://access.historyhit.com/?utm_source=audio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Podcast+Campaign&utm_id=PodcastTo download, go to Android or Apple store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.historyhit&hl=en_GB&gl=US
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/history-hit/id1303668247
If you're enjoying this podcast and looking for more fascinating Warfare content then subscribe to our Warfare newsletter. Follow the link here:
https://www.historyhit.com/sign-up-to-history-hit/?utm_source=timelinenewsletter&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Timeline+Podcast+Campaign
The SAS in the Falklands: Part One with Cedric Delves and Danny West
In this episode from the archive, Dan Snow hears the incredible story of the SAS's involvement in the Falklands from the men who were actually there: Sir Cedric Delves and Danny West. Image Credit: Harold Lang/Shutterstock
Tony Blair & the Iraq War
In the 2022 New Year Honours list, alongside the names of Joanna Lumley, Moira Stuart and Emma Raducanu, was that of Tony Blair. Over a million people have since signed a petition opposing his appointment as Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, because of his involvement in the Iraq war. In this episode, we go back to take a look at the decisions that led to Iraq and at the context it occured in. Brigadier (retd) Ben Barry OBE is a former director of the British Army Staff in the UK Ministry of Defence and author of the Army's lessons learned analysis of post-conflict stabilisation of Iraq. He is now Senior Fellow for Land Warfare, International Institute for Strategic Studies, and joins us to share his opinion on the Iraq war. His book is 'Blood, Metal and Dust: How Victory Turned into Defeat in Afghanistan and Iraq'.
If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit
https://access.historyhit.com/?utm_source=audio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Podcast+Campaign&utm_id=Podcast
To download, go to Android or Apple store:
Britain's Only War Crimes Trial
In 1999, the UK's first and only war crimes trial for murder perpetrated during the Holocaust took place. The extraordinary court case brought back together the interwoven lives of two childhood friends from Belarus. Tragically, one would be the main witness to the atrocities that their friend committed, and the other would be the accused war criminal—a man who had worked at a London tube station for decades.
In this episode, James chats to Mike Anderson and Neil Hanson, the authors of an incredible new book on the little-known case—'The Ticket Collector from Belarus: An Extraordinary True Story of Britain's Only War Crimes Trial'. What an astonishing story.
When the British Burnt the Capitol with Peter Snow
In 1814, a British expeditionary force landed in Maryland marched on Washington, brushed aside an American army and stormed into the US capital. The British looted and burnt the Capitol, then moved on to the White House, ate President Madison's dinner and then torched the White House. Even members of the British force described it as 'barbaric.' Two hundred years later Peter Snow, Dan's dad, wrote an account of the raid. He seemed like the obvious guy to talk to when The Capitol was once again attacked in January 2021.
Crisis in Ukraine: From the 18th Century to Today
Since late 2013, Ukraine has been in crisis. But the problems there go much further back. To examine the history of the conflict in Ukraine, we welcome one of our first guests, Professor Chris Bellamy, back to the podcast. Chris takes us right back to the late 18th century to look at the sources and development of the crisis. Chris is Professor Emeritus of Maritime Security at the University of Greenwich and author of a number of books including Absolute War: Soviet Russia in the Second World War.
If you're enjoying this podcast and looking for more fascinating Warfare content then subscribe to our Modern Warfare Wednesdays newsletter here.
If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit.
To download, go to Android or Apple store
© Hit Networks LTD
6+*=6+**+ , 12/04/2021
Always enlightening
The Warfare Podcast covers an incredible amount of ground but James Rogers somehow always manages to bring nuance and insight to each subject. This show is a must listen for those interested in the broad sweep of history.
916Technician , 01/20/2022
The Napoleon episode is a joke
To completely neglect even a single sentence about Toulon in a review of Napoleons life? To not even mention the iconic march through the Alps after being first counsel? This show is British propaganda and bias masquerading as "history". Disappointing.
Ranger Moyer , 01/12/2022
Too woke
When British burned Washington filled with leftist misinformation and opinions instead of history. Comparing the 1-6-21 riot to the British action is stupid and over the line of history.
Top Podcasts In History
The MLK Tapes
iHeartPodcasts and Tenderfoot TV
Grim & Mild Presents
Grim & Mild and iHeartPodcasts
Dark History
American Scandal
Dan Carlin
You're Wrong About
Sarah Marshall
Dan Snow's History Hit
History Hit
We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Goalhanger Films
Channel History Hit
Gone Medieval
The WW2 Podcast
Angus Wallace
More by History Hit Network
How and Why History
Chalke Valley History Hit
Chalke Valley History Festival

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Chinks in the state BJP is coming to open as Senior BJP leader Chandersen Thakur from Kullu has revolted against BJP's official candidate Govind Thakur and announced to contest the Assembly elections against him.
Chandersen Thakur is among founder member of BJP in state and one of the strong leader, who had established BJP in Kullu district. After Maheshwar Singh, who had formed the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), and giving tough time to BJP is assembly poll, revolt of Chandersen Thakur can augment the problem for BJP in Kullu district.


text:
New case study: Using NILE (Blackboard) Rubrics to mark Turnitin assignments LearnTech News May 2013
VLE reviews (Caviar or Red Herring ?)
By robhowe On May 11, 2013 ·
The JISC 2012 paper on Extending the learning environment provides information which assists in informing the review process of VLEs.
Earlier in 2012, Northampton went through a VLE review process and the notes and links below may be of interest to institutions which are going through a similar process. I have sub-titled this post 'Caviar or Red Herring' as the process may be seen as either a quality opportunity to ensure that you have the best product (the Caviar) or an opportunity to spend significant time comparing products with very similar functionality (the Red Herring) – you may not be sure which you have until you get to the end of the process…..and could end up with a mix of the two !
** Please note that the review below was conducted early in 2012 – all products mentioned were reviewed at that time and have changed significantly since in terms of functionality and version. **
We started the review process with a number of key principles:
The institution is committed to reviewing its virtual learning environment to ensure suitability for purpose and cost effectiveness.
Any change must enhance the student experience. Staff and students should evaluate the options and be involved in the change decision. Dedicated and nominated staff within the Schools should be allowed time to review the options with the support of their Dean.
The change process can be disruptive for staff and students due to the migration needed. This can be mitigated though recruitment of dedicated staff to support the process.
Whether we maintain the current platform under the current VLE or move to an alternative platform, the review is an opportunity for staff to fully engage with all students and University stakeholders.
Material and structure should be reviewed and improved where possible. Templates and support will be provided and staff will engage with these. Additional long term support will need to be considered.
All platforms under the VLE should be externally hosted at present to provide maximum uptime.
[The decision to go hosted with the current VLE (Blackboard] was made in 2007 based on the need for high level system availability which could not be guaranteed with internal hosting. This decision was based on Northampton's internal culture and infrastructure. It was decided at the time of the VLE review that the system should be maintained as a hosted operation]
As part of the process we were aware that several other institutions had conducted VLE reviews in the past year and contacted these to obtain a copy of their findings – some were more open than others (for obvious reasons).
This brief report is a summary of the six VLE reviews which we were able to obtain.
Reviews were instigated by either / and:
Issues caused with current internal hosting
An impending significant upgrade to the current system
A perception that a move will save money
Four of the six will continue to use Blackboard; one is moving to Moodle on cost grounds; ** are considering moving to Moodle.
Uptime is considered a key issue for all reviews and most are considering, or have already moved to hosted option regardless of the product chosen.
Functionality reviews have tried to compare the latest features of each system and there is an inevitable cross over between them. Analysis of the reviews seems to indicate that Blackboard currently has a more intuitive structure 'out of the box'. Flexible designs may be achieved in Moodle.
All reviews have noted that there is a 'transition cost' which pushes up the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Moodle options necessitate the need for a developer (or team) in house to make best use of the system and customise the interface.
The majority of academic staff within the reviews noted no pedagogical advantage in moving from Blackboard to Moodle and felt that any such a change would present a significant risk to the current status of the University's core business and its likely future development. Retraining would be needed in any transition.
** noted that staff development and training needs were often overlooked, or severely underestimated in transitions. They had migrated to Moodle as a perceived cost saving.
The TCO of any migration is fully costed
Staff and students need to be fully consulted in current and future needs
Regardless of the option chosen – staff need to be fully supported and encouraged to make best use of it. Some current poor student reviews within the current VLE were prompted by poor academic engagement with the system rather than any lack of functionality.
The review process must review the latest available version of each VLE.
Considering the current IT infrastructure, we need to maintain a hosted solution regardless of the option selected.
The final report which was presented to the University Executive Group summarised the 4 month review process. Please note that some confidential details have been removed for obvious reasons.
The decision to remain with Blackboard for a further three years was based on a wide range of factors and not just the basic cost. The TCO which included price, cultural issues and migration meant that the decision was the best for Northampton at that time. I'm fully aware that other institutions will conduct reviews which will be conducted within a completely culture and with different needs which will lead them down a different path. We will be looking for a formal review again in 2014/15 – let's hope that this is a 'Caviar' experience.
For further details on the review process please contact Rob Howe
Tagged with: NILE


text:
Q: Updating map when external GeoJSON data is modified? We have a Leaflet map embedded into an OLE Browser Control in our client application named [T].
The HTML file we have today loads dynamic data from a local GeoJSON file that is generated on request from [T].
User interaction on the Leaflet map contains a callback to [T] application that regenerates the GeoJSON content and requests the HTML to reload.
We use Google as a Tile provider and since they changed their payment model, we are looking at minimising the amount of requests to their Tile server.
Would there be a way after sending the callback to the application [T] in reloading only the layers derived from data in the GeoJSON file preserving the tile content?
Below is our HTML script.

    'T' - Leaflet

<link rel="stylesheet" href="abc-tankers.css"/>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The United States Dollar is a currency of United States with symbol $. Currency of Canada is Canadian Dollar with symbol Can$. The exchange rate of this pair USD/CAD was last updated on Wed 24th of April 2019. With today rate price for seven hundred US Dollars cost 940.08 Can Dollars.


"Though Christ is now in glory, do not let that discourage you, for he has the heart of a husband towards you, being betrothed to you forever in faithfulness and in loving-kindness. …Take this as one incentive to obedience: that if he retained the same heart of mercy towards you which he had here on earth, then to answer his love, endeavor to have the same heart towards him on earth which you hope to have in heaven."
Having set forth our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all those great and most solemn actions of his—his obedience unto death, his resurrection, ascension into heaven, his sitting at God's right hand, and intercession for us, which of all the other has been more largely insisted on—I shall now annex (as next in order, and homogeneal thereunto) this discourse that follows, which lays open the heart of Christ, as now he is in heaven, sitting at God's right hand and interceding for us; how it is affected and graciously disposed towards sinners on earth that do come to him; how willing to receive them; how ready to entertain them; how tender to pity them in all their infirmities, both sins and miseries. The scope and use whereof will be this, to hearten and encourage believers to come more boldly unto the throne of grace, unto such a Saviour and High Priest, when they shall know how sweetly and tenderly his heart, though he is now in his glory, is inclined towards them; and so to remove that great stone of stumbling which we meet with (and yet lies unseen) in the thoughts of men in the way to faith, that Christ being now absent, and further exalted to so high and infinite a distance of glory, as to "sit at God's right hand," they therefore cannot tell how to come to treat with him about their salvation so freely, and with that hopefulness to obtain, as those poor sinners did, who were here on earth with him. Had our lot been, think they, but to have conversed with him in the days of his flesh, as Mary, and Peter, and his other disciples did here below, we could have thought to have been bold with him, and to have had anything at his hands. For they beheld him before them a man like unto themselves, and he was full of meekness and gentleness, he being then himself made sin, and sensible of all sorts of miseries; but now he is gone into a far country, and has put on glory and immortality, and how his heart may be altered thereby we know not. The drift of this discourse is therefore to ascertain poor souls, that his heart, in respect of pity and compassion, remains the same it was on earth; that he intercedes there with the same heart he did here below; and that he is as meek, as gentle, as easy to be entreated, as tender in his bowels; so that they may deal with him as fairly about the great matter of their salvation, and as hopefully, and upon as easy terms to obtain it of him, as they might if they had been on earth with him, and be as familiar with him in all their needs—than which nothing can be more for the comfort and encouragement of those who have given over all other lives but that of faith, and whose souls pursue after strong and entire communion with their Saviour Christ.
Demonstrations from Passages at and after His Ascension into Heaven.


text:
Sir Roger Allen KCMG (* 17. August 1909; † 9. Februar 1972) war ein britischer Botschafter.

Leben
Roger Allen studierte bis 1937 Rechtswissenschaft und trat 1940 in den auswärtigen Dienst.
Von 1946 bis 1948 war er an der Botschaft in Moskau akkreditiert.
Von 1949 bis 1950 leitete er in Whitehall die Abteilung Vereinte Nationen.
Von 1950 bis 1953 leitete er die Abteilung Afrika.
1953 war er Assistent des Under-Secretary und leitete die Abteilung Naher Osten.
Von 1954 bis 1955 war er Vertreter von Frederick Millar, 1. Baron Inchyra als britischer Hoher Kommissar in Deutschland und Botschafter in Guatemala.
Von 1955 bis 1956 war er Gesandter an der Botschaft in Bonn.
1957 wurde er als Knight Commander des Order of St. Michael and St. George geadelt.
Von 1965 bis 1967 war er stellvertreter als des Under-Secretary des Foreign Office.

Einzelnachweise

Britischer Botschafter in der Türkei
Britischer Botschafter in Guatemala
Britischer Botschafter in Griechenland
Britischer Botschafter im Irak
Knight Commander des Order of St. Michael and St. George
Absolvent der University of Cambridge
Brite
Geboren 1909
Gestorben 1972
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Luxury property for sale in Valle
Spacious villa with a garden, a pool, a garage, a terrace and sea views, San Lorenzo, Spain
Villa-mini hotel with 4 apartments with sea view, near the beach, in a luxury area San Eugenio, Tenerife
Luxury villa with panoramic sea and mountain views in Roque del Conde, Tenerife, Spain
Impressive villa with pools in Playa de las Américas, Tenerife, Spain
Three-storey villa with terraces, a pool, a relaxation area, a garage and a garden, Roque del Conde, Spain
Three-storey villa with terraces, a pool, a jacuzzi, a solarium, a garage and a garden, Costa Adeje, Spain
Three-storey villa with terraces, a solarium, a pool, a barbecue area, a garage and a garden, Roque del Conde, Spain
Three-storey villa with terraces, a backyard, a pool, a jacuzzi, a patio, a barbecue area, a garage and a garden, Costa Adeje, Spain
One-storey villa with terraces, a pool, a jacuzzi, a patio, a barbecue area, a garage and a garden, Chayofa, Spain
Exclusive villa with sea and mountain views in Costa Adeje, Tenerife, Spain
One-storey villa with terraces, a pool, a solarium, a barbecue area, a garage and a garden, Costa Adeje, Spain
Three-storey villa with terraces, a pool, a garage and a garden in a residential complex, Los Cristianos, Spain
Beautiful villa with sea and mountain views in Callao Salvaje, Tenerife, Spain
Total area 960 m²13 bedrooms9 bathrooms
Two-storey villa with a terrace, a backyard, a pool, a patio, a summer kitchen, a garage and a garden, Puerto de Santiago, Spain
Two-storey villa with terraces, a pool, a barbecue area, a garage and a garden, Costa Adeje, Spain
Three-storey villa with a pool, a garage and a terrace, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
One-story villa with terraces, a backyard, a pool, a patio, an outdoor shower, a barbecue area, a garage and a garden, Costa Adeje, Spain
Villa – Costa Adeje, Canary Islands, Spain
Tranio: buy luxury property in Valle. We have best offers 1,570,000 €. Exclusive, premium-segment real estate in Valle for sale. Local prices from developers, property owners and local agencies. Buy and sell high-end properties without the hassle. Get property advice, the latest real estate news and expert opinions. Tranio is an international real estate broker that specializes in helping our clients buy, sell and rent properties around the globe under the most favorable conditions. We offer an unrivaled selection of the most sought after properties around the world. Search our listings in Valle to find your dream property.
How to get a Greek residence permit and citizenship in 2021
Buying property in Germany
UK to reveal property owners registered to offshore companies
'I have achieved my goal': Tranio interviews client 18 months after Budapest investment
Residential real estate in Hungary set to grow
Luxury villa with light rooms and a large open-air swimming pool in San Jaime, Spain
Despite the fact that the villa has recently been newly fully renovated and now has all the amenties for the permanent residence of a large family, the building still keeps its original charm and sty…
5,850,000 € Apartment building with a commercial area, Berlin, Germany
Historical building. Description Total area of the property is 2 119 m2. The commercial area is 361 m2. The house was built in 1909 and now is in a good condition.
Comfortable apartment with a rooftop pool, a terrace and an ocean view in a building with a fitness-center, Aventura, USA
A new apartment with a rooftop pool and ocean view designed by architect Carlo Otto. The five-star facilities of the building include an endless pool on the bay, a 4,000-seat fitness center with a yo…
New stylish villa with a pool, a garden and views of the golf course, Peloponnese, Messinia, Greece
We are offering elite villas with private swimming pools, outdoor showers, several internal and external areas for dining and relaxing, barbecue, covered parking and gardens. The architecture of the …


text:
Our Alliances Require an Update, Not Withdraw
Aaron Korewa
The announcement of the withdraw of up to 1/3 of the almost 35,000 U.S. troops in Germany (on the anniversary of D-Day, nonetheless) has raised some questions on the value, or even the point, of America's alliances.
Thomas Jefferson famously warned against alliances on the grounds that they would entangle America in foreign conflicts that were not in our interest. But he was speaking in a different time, one in which the U.S. was a fairly weak country. None of the Founding Fathers probably imagined that they were founding a nation that would one day be the primary guarantor for a global rules-based order.
The truth is that alliances haven't actually pulled the U.S. into wars. After 1945, we did not decide to oppose communism in various parts of the world mainly out of concern for our allies but rather, our own.
Some of our most consequential military involvements during the Cold War and after it, like Vietnam and Iraq, were strongly opposed by many of our allied countries. Afghanistan was a response to an attack on us, not an ally. We expelled Saddam Hussein from Kuwait in 1991 because we believed his invasion violated the global rules-based order that benefitted us, not because we were bound by some treaty to defend Kuwait (we weren't).
North Korea attacked South Korea in 1950 assuming that the U.S. would not intervene. This actually illuminates another benefit of alliances – if they are credible, they prevent wars, not start them. Russia, for instance, has never attacked a NATO country. As for the talk that NATO expansion triggered Vladimir Putin to invade Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014, this fails to take into account that Russian imperialism against its smaller neighbors goes back for centuries. It did not start in 1949 with the signing of the Atlantic Charter, let alone in 1999 when NATO accepted the first group of former communist countries as member-states.
The U.S. left Europe to its own devices after World War I. We all know how that turned out. Germany was, of course, the old frontline of the Cold War, and so naturally, a large U.S. military presence there was warranted to deter the Soviet Union. The enclave of freedom known as West Berlin was defended by American soldiers. Indeed, Europe and Germany has benefitted so much from U.S. military presence that the announced troop withdraw sparked criticism mostly in Germany itself. It should speak volumes that unlike the Russian military, ours is one whose presence is welcomed by a country that we defeated in a bloody war.
We have reduced troop numbers in Europe before, but since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, that trend was thankfully reversed. The frontline today does not go through Germany but in Baltic Sea region where a modest NATO military presence can deter Russian aggression under the condition that they can be quickly reinforced if needed. West Berlin would have been hard to defend but we never had to fight the Russians for it because our deterrence was credible. Sending mixed signals to Putin about our commitment to European security is probably the last thing we want to do.
Alliances cannot rest on old laurels though. It is understandable that Americans want to know why Europe's largest economy is not paying more for its own defense. A recent poll by Pew Research Center shows that Europeans generally support using military force against Russian aggression towards a NATO country, but tend to believe this means "American military force," not their own. This has to change. U.S. patience with such free riding is not limitless, nor is defending Germany against Russia while they move forward with a project like Nord Stream II that will only fill Putin's pockets.
We should remember, though, that the original purpose of NATO was, according to its first secretary general, "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down." Again, spoken in a different time, this quote by Britain's Hastings Ismay echoed the worry many Europeans had of German re-armament after two world wars. Indeed, many Germans felt the same. Military buildup is problematic in Germany. Current German military uniforms resemble those of bus drivers to show a departure from its martial past. Such profound changes in a country's strategic culture cannot just be flipped.
Senator John McCain liked to remind how President Theodore Roosevelt argued that it went counter to America's character and destiny if we chose to "sit huddled within our own borders." We should not aspire to be "merely an assemblage of well-to-do hucksters who care nothing for what happens beyond."
We stand a better chance of defending our values and interests around the world if we have allies. Yes, these alliances need to be updated to face the realities and challenges of today. As with so many other things, this will require more engagement and leadership. Not less.
DISCLAIMER: McCain Institute for International Leadership is a non-partisan "do-tank" that is part of Arizona State University. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent an opinion of the McCain Institute.


text:
'Wins smile' dentistry at Aussie beauty contest
Home 'Wins smile' dentistry at Aussie beauty contest
AUSTRALIAN women have won a $500,000 beauty contest in New Zealand for their best smile.
Key points:The $500 million beauty contest has attracted a record-breaking 10,000 entries, with winners being announced at a press conference in Auckland this afternoonThe competition will be held at the Royal New Zealand College of DentistryThe winner will be announced in Auckland on August 19The prize of $500 000 was awarded to the winner of the first round of 10,014 entries that were judged by New Zealand's National Centre for Excellence in Beauty.
The beauty contest will be run by the National Centre of Excellence in Cosmetic Dentistry and the Royal Australian College of Dental Medicine.
The winning entry will be presented to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Auckland today, where she will be officially crowned winner.
She will receive $500k and be given the opportunity to be interviewed for her beauty products at the coronavirus conference.
Auckland University's Associate Professor of Dentistry, Professor Peter Stott said the winner would be one of the most talented, and the most popular, women in the country.
"There's a really high demand for cosmetic dentistry, and I think this will give people a chance to get involved," he said.
"The beauty industry, as a whole, is going through a lot of stress."
People don't know what to do with their money, they're finding it increasingly difficult to buy new teeth.
"A new beauty competition will give New Zealanders a chance for self-expressionA recent survey found that New Zealand had the highest proportion of dentists who reported not feeling good about the dental profession."
I think we've always had a really strong sense of what the dental workforce is doing and what the work that they're doing is," Professor Stott told the ABC."
So the fact that we're finally getting some visibility into what's going on is a really good thing.
"New Zealand has a long history of cosmetic dentists, and it has been a success story.
In the 1920s and '30s, a number of dental schools were established across the country to teach people about dental hygiene.
Dr Peter Dolan, professor of dental medicine at New Zealand Medical University, said it was important for New Zealand to have a thriving dental profession, but that it needed to keep improving."
It's really a bit of a sad state of affairs," he told ABC Radio's Today."
New Zealand is doing really well in the world at the moment, but we need to get some new people in the profession.
We're seeing that people are just finding it hard to get into the profession, and people are looking for a change of scenery.
"Dr Dolan said it wasn't just the cost of dental care, but also the pressures that dentists face."
What's happened in the past 20 or 30 years is people have become more aware of the financial pressures of dentistry and are looking to other areas of their life that they feel can help them with their finances," he added."
And this is one of those areas where it's a bit hard to find the money.
"The winning beauty entry will go on display at the Queen Elizabeth II Birthday Ballroom in Wellington at 5:00pm.
Topics:business-economics-and-finance,business-news,health,health-policy,dentistry-and the-medical,healthcare-facilities,community-and
winning smiles dentistry


A long V-neck cardigan in our new, stretchy merino knit. Plush and luxurious to the touch. In our responsible wool.
V-neck, button front, patch pockets with rib trim, 7-inch ribbed cuffs.
Ribbed hem with 7-inch side slits.


Oppo has started teasing the arrival of the F11 Pro in India. The smartphone is confirmed to arrive with a 48-megapixel sensor, a dual camera setup at the back, and a Super Night mode for better low-light photography. The Oppo F11 Pro is the expected successor of the Oppo F9 Pro launched in August last year. Oppo has been releasing new phones in its 'F' and 'R' series every six months, a new trend that has been adopted by several OEMs these days.
Coming to the Oppo F11 Pro, the company has confirmed its arrival in India soon with teasers. The company has tweeted of its arrival in India and has confirmed that the dual camera setup at the back will consist of a 48-megapixel sensor. Whether it will integrate the Sony IMX586 sensor or the Samsung GM1 sensor remains to be seen. The teaser shows that the two sensors at the back will be aligned vertically.
Furthermore, the company also says that the Oppo F11 Pro will support Super Night Mode to enhance low-light photography. "The Super Night Mode of the Oppo F11 Pro functions with Oppo's exclusive AI Ultra-Clear Engine which includes the AI Engine, Ultra-clear Engine, and Color Engine. The AI Engine and Ultra-clear Engine delivers the perfect Super Night Mode which intelligently recognises scenes and optimises the settings. It also helps in optimisation for image-stabilisation during long exposure, low-light performance, and skin brightening," Oppo explains in an emailed statement.
Oppo hasn't revealed the launch date of the Oppo F11 Pro in India, but now that the teasers have started to roll out, we expect it to arrive soon. Oppo recently also launched the Oppo K1 smartphone in India with a waterdrop-shaped display notch, large 6.4-inch display, dual rear camera setup, gradient design rear panel, and a massive 25-megapixel selfie camera. The Oppo K1 price in India is set at Rs. 16,990 for the sole 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage model, and is sold on Flipkart exclusively.


New research by University of Manchester psychologists has revealed that imitation of movement can help people with Parkinson's.
Dr Ellen Poliakoff and Dr Judith Bek, whose paper appears in the print version of the Journal of Neuropsychology on 1st June, are on the team of the pioneering Economic and Social Research Council funded study.
The study compared the reactions of 23 people with mild to moderate Parkinson's and 24 people without the condition. A computer-based task showed that seeing another person's movement on screen influenced the participants' own movements, in a similar way for those with and without Parkinson's.
This response is thought to tap into a process that is involved when we inadvertently mimic other people during social interaction.
Participants pressed a button as quickly as possible after viewing a human finger that moved upward or downward. This meant that it either matched or mismatched the participant's own movement.
Because there was no difference between the two groups, the researchers argue that the results show that movement is still triggered in people with Parkinson's when they see someone else move. This may help them to practice and improve their own movements.
Now the team, in collaboration with Professor Paul Holmes from Manchester Metropolitan University, have developed an app to allow patients to train actions at home.
The app, which is to be trialled shortly, uses videos to help people with Parkinson's improve everyday actions such as fastening buttons, turning pages, and cutting up food.
Dr Matthew Sullivan, a senior lecturer from Manchester Metropolitan University, has Parkinson's has been helping to develop the app. Matthew said: "This app has been co-designed with people with Parkinson's right from the outset to ensure it is very user-friendly and appropriate".
Dr Ellen Poliakoff and Dr Judith Bek would like to hear from people with Parkinson's in the North West region who are interested in taking part in a six week study to try out the app. If you are interested, email Ellen.Poliakoff@manchester.ac.uk.


Please see PCN-201704-1.2 for details.
Please see PCN-201702-1.0 for details.
Firmware upgrade for partial reconfiguration mode.
Please see PCN-201701-1.0 for details.
Firmware change to rectify a rare PCI Express configuration issue.
Please see PCN-201605-1.0 for details.
Please see PCN-201503-1.0 for details.
Please see PCN-201403-1.0 for details.
Firmware change to correct voltage monitors scaling.
Please see PCN-201604-1.0 for details.
Change to Memory Selection Options.
Please see PCN-201603-1.0 for details.
Please see PCN-201602-1.0 for details.
Change to PCI Express redriver settings.
Please see PCN-201601-1.0 for details.
Replacement of Multi-Mode Optics modules.
Please see PCN-201502-1.0 for details.
Replacement of Single-Mode Optics modules.
Please see PCN-201501-1.0 for details.
The ADC-EMC is being discontinued. Please see PDN-2014-1.1 for details.
Alpha Data will be discontinuing this product as a result of Xilinx XCN12026 Please see PDN-alphadata_virtexe_virtex2 for details.
The change notes and product discontinuation notices listed here outline the nature of the product changes and why products are discontinued.
For further details please contact Sales at Alpha Data.


Next Wednesday (19th of August) we are holding a Teddy Bears Picnic. All children bringing a teddy Bear will get a free ride.
Work has now started on the first stage of the extension. This involves remodelling the station layout a new platform has been added and the ballast is being laid.


Detection of Galba truncatula, Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron daubneyi environmental DNA within water sources on pasture land, a future tool for fluke control?
Increasing trematode prevalence and disease occurrence in livestock is a major concern. With the global spread of anthelmintic resistant trematodes, future control strategies must incorporate approaches focusing on avoidance of infection. The reliance of trematodes on intermediate snail hosts to successfully complete their life-cycle means livestock infections are linked to the availability of respective snail populations. By identifying intermediate snail host habitats, infection risk models may be strengthened whilst farmers may confidently apply pasture management strategies to disrupt the trematode life-cycle. However, accurately identifying and mapping these risk areas is challenging.
In this study, environmental DNA (eDNA) assays were designed to reveal Galba truncatula, Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron daubneyi presence within water sources on pasture land. eDNA was captured using a filter-based protocol, with DNA extracted using the DNeasy® PowerSoil® kit and amplified via PCR. In total, 19 potential G. truncatula habitats were analysed on four farms grazed by livestock infected with both F. hepatica and C. daubneyi.
Galba truncatula eDNA was identified in 10/10 habitats where the snail was detected by eye. Galba truncatula eDNA was also identified in four further habitats where the snail was not physically detected. Fasciola hepatica and C. daubneyi eDNA was also identified in 5/19 and 8/19 habitats, respectively.
This study demonstrated that eDNA assays have the capabilities of detecting G. truncatula, F. hepatica and C. daubneyi DNA in the environment. Further assay development will be required for a field test capable of identifying and quantifying F. hepatica and C. daubneyi infection risk areas, to support future control strategies. An eDNA test would also be a powerful new tool for epidemiological investigations of parasite infections on farms.
Trematode parasites are amongst the most important pathogenic organisms of livestock worldwide. Among the trematode family, the liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) infects livestock on six continents, with its disease (fasciolosis) estimated to cost the global livestock production industry €2.5 billion annually . Other trematode parasites such as rumen flukes (Calicophoron daubneyi and Paramphistomum spp.), have emerged as parasites of concern in numerous temperate countries over the past decade [2–4] with climate change likely fuelling increasing trematode prevalence and disease occurrence in livestock worldwide [5, 6]. In the continued absence of vaccines, trematodosis control in livestock is mostly via anthelmintic administration, however the sustainability of this practice is under threat due to the spread of anthelmintic resistance and limited evidence of new flukicide compounds .
Future control for trematodes should incorporate strategies focusing on avoidance of infection [7, 8]. Clearly, as both F. hepatica and C. daubneyi are reliant on the same intermediate snail host, Galba truncatula , infection risk areas for these parasites will be limited to pastures harbouring these snails. Galba truncatula snails are highly dependent on wet climatic and environmental conditions , and their presence and densities will vary within fields and thus, specific fluke infection risk areas will be present on farms . Identifying these risk areas will strengthen trematode infection risk models , and support farmers to implement farm management practices such as drainage, rotational grazing and fencing and thereby reduce contact between vulnerable animals and the infective metacercariae. Obviously, fluke infection risk areas must first be accurately identified to maximise the cost-benefit of these often expensive practises.
The traditional method of physically identifying G. truncatula habitats by eye remains labour intensive, time consuming and is subsequently costly . Novel techniques incorporating satellite imagery and GIS have recently been developed to identify potential G. truncatula habitats [13, 14]. However, these cannot identify the presence or intensity of snails within identified habitats. This is a major issue considering that a high percentage of seemingly suitable G. truncatula habitats may be uninhabited by the snail due to variations in habitat suitability arising due to pasture management or its environmental features [12, 15]. In addition, even in instances where G. truncatula snails are correctly identified within a habitat, their infection status will be unknown and may vary between habitats due to their previous exposure to miracidial stages of the fluke parasites and their susceptibility to parasitic infections .
Considering that G. truncatula snails and external infective stages of F. hepatica and C. daubneyi are predominantly found in aquatic environments, water-based environmental DNA (eDNA) assays may be a valuable tool for identifying the presence of both snail and digenean species, and subsequently to estimate the infection risk for livestock grazing a pasture. New eDNA detection techniques are increasingly being developed, optimized and adopted by researchers across a large array of fields to identify and monitor the presence of animal, plant, fungal, protist and prokaryote organisms in the environment . These techniques seek to detect DNA sourced from excreted cells and tissues including skin, hairs, mucus, faeces and urine in environmental samples such as freshwater, seawater, sediments, soil and ice , and are regarded as having enormous potential for monitoring disease risk . In recent years, eDNA techniques have been successfully developed and optimised to detect the presence of Potamopyrgus antipodarum  and Physa acuta snails among others , which suggests that the technique may be applied for other snail species, including G. truncatula. eDNA techniques have also been used within the field of parasitology, where eDNA originating from the microscopic external stages of trematode species, Ribeiroia ondatrae and Opisthorchis viverrini have been detected in freshwater [18, 21].
In this study, an eDNA assay was developed to detect the presence of G. truncatula snails in areas of pasture land. The assay was further developed to identify the presence of F. hepatica and C. daubneyi larval stages within water sources on pasture land. These assays were tested on commercial livestock farms with the aim of confirming that DNA from these organisms was present and detectable within the environment.
A filter-based eDNA capture and extraction protocol was used throughout this study. Water samples were filtered through glass microfiber filters using a vacuum filtration kit. During this process, a filter was placed in a 5 cm funnel attached to a 500 ml Buchner flask. A brake bleeding pump was used to create a vacuum within the Buchner flask, leading to the flow of water through the filter where DNA strands from the water sample were concentrated. After each filtration, the filter holder, scissors (used to cut the filter) and tweezers (used to handle filters) were soaked in 10% bleach for 5 min to avoid cross-contamination between samples. DNA was extracted from filter samples using the DNeasy® PowerSoil® kit (Qiagen, Venlo, Netherlands). Each filter, including blank controls, was homogenised using a sterile pipette tip and approximately a quarter of the filter was subjected to DNA extraction via the PowerSoil® kit protocol. A quarter of the filter was extracted as this was the maximum that could be processed within a single PowerSoil® kit extraction tube.
Laboratory experiments tested two hypotheses: (i) that G. truncatula and digenean DNA would be detectable in water previously harbouring each organism; and (ii) that eDNA from these organisms could be concentrated on 2.7 μm pore size glass microfiber filters. Five G. truncatula snails, collected from the field, were placed for 12 h in each of four plastic containers. Each container was filled with 1 l of double distilled water. A total of 500 ml of water from each experimental container was filtered through 5 cm 2.7 μm pore size glass microfiber filters (GF/D) (Whatman plc, Maidstone, UK) at day 1, 4, 7 and 14 post-snail removal, respectively. This filtered water was then immediately re-filtered through 5 cm 0.7 μm pore size glass microfiber filters (GF/F) (Whatman plc, Maidstone, UK) to test if target eDNA could escape through the larger pore sized filter. Filters were cut in half with sterile scissors and stored in 2 ml centrifuge tubes at -20 °C prior to DNA extraction.
An almost identical protocol was followed for the digenean eDNA experiment. Here, ten newly hatched C. daubneyi miracidia were placed in 1 l of double distilled water within each of four plastic containers. Water was filtered and re filtered as described above at day 1, 4, 7 and 14 post-miracidial death. Parallel to this experiment, C. daubneyi miracidia were placed in water within a 5 cm Petri dish and their survival and tissue degradation rates at room temperature were monitored during the experimental period.
To validate the success of the eDNA assays in identifying the presence of G. truncatula, C. daubneyi and F. hepatica on pasture land, water samples were taken from habitats identified to be potentially suitable for G. truncatula habitation on four Welsh farms known to have ruminants infected with both C. daubneyi and F. hepatica. These habitats included poached grassland, drainage ditches and ponds, all of which contained standing or slow-moving freshwater. Samples were taken on three visits in June, July/August and September 2017. Galba truncatula snails were collected where present from these habitats following a 10 min search and screened for parasitic infections using microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods as described by Jones et al. . Mob faecal samples from each sheep flock and cattle herd grazing each farm were also collected and subjected to sedimentary FEC to identify if livestock on respective farms were shedding fluke eggs via the methods described by Jones et al. .
A total of 500 ml water from the habitats was filtered through 5 cm 2.7 μm pore size glass microfiber filters (GF/D) from each potential G. truncatula habitat during each visit. This filter pore size was selected after the laboratory testing showed that loss of eDNA through this filter was minimal (see results section) and it afforded the larger water filtering capacity compared to smaller pore size filters . This 500 ml water sample was collected from 10 random locations (50 ml × 10) within the sampled area. Whilst sampling, care was taken to avoid disturbing the sediment in sampled water bodies as excessive humic substances in a sample would rapidly clog the filter. Following filtration, the filter was cut in half with scissors and then submerged in 500 μl of CTAB buffer (10%). The samples were stored at room temperature as described by Renshaw et al. . This storage method has been shown to preserve DNA on polycarbonate track etch (PCTE) filters for 150 days .
Three PCR assays were designed to amplify eDNA extracted from filtered water samples. Each PCR assay was optimised to amplify species-specific G. truncatula, F. hepatica and C. daubneyi DNA sequences, respectively. As DNA is known to degrade rapidly in the environment, only short strands of eDNA may be present in water . Thus, to increase eDNA PCR sensitivity, only primers amplifying DNA strands less than 300 bp in length were used . The ITS2 gene was chosen as the target gene for all eDNA PCR as the ITS2 sequence is known to occur in tandem repeats of often thousands of copies within the ribosomal DNA . Thus, these sequences may be present in larger quantities within the environment compared to sequences from other genes . Primers were designed using the Geneious software . During this process, DNA sequences within a gene of interest from the target species and other related trematode species attained from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database were aligned. Unique DNA sequences within each respective species' selected gene were identified and tested for their suitability as individual and paired primers using Primer3Plus software . Designed primer sequences were cross-referenced with NCBI sequences via primer-BLAST to ensure species specificity to this study's target eDNA. Primers (F: 5'-GTG AGC TCT CAC GCT GCT C-3' and R: 5'-TAG AGC CCC TTG TTC TCC A-3') were designed and used to amplify 288 bp G. truncatula eDNA; primers (F: 5'-CCC CTA GTC GGC ACA CTT A-3'; and R: 5'-TAT GAA ANT AGC ATC AGA CAC ATG A-3') were designed and used to amplify 169 bp F. hepatica eDNA; and primers (F: 5'-GGG TGT GGC GGT AGA GTC-3'; R: 5'-CGG ACR GCA ATA GCA TCT CAA-3') were designed and used to amplify 100 bp rumen fluke species eDNA.
For each PCR reaction, a 25 μl master mix was created containing 12.5 μl of Platinum™ Green Hot Start PCR Master Mix (ThermoFisher, Hayward, USA), 0.5 μl of each 10 μM primer, 2 μl of the extracted DNA and nuclease-free water. Each sample was subjected to PCR amplification consisting of an initial denaturation at 95 °C for 2 min followed by 40 cycles consisting of stages of denaturation (30 s at 95 °C) annealing (30 s at 61 °C) and extension (60 s at 72 °C), before a final 10 min extension phase at 72 °C. PCR products were visualised in 2% agarose gel stained with GelRed (Biotium, Hayward, USA) along with positive and negative controls. Subsets of PCR amplicons were sequenced to validate the specificity of the eDNA identified via PCR. PCR products were subjected to clean up using the PureLink® PCR purification kit (Fisher Scientific, Waltham, USA), prior to sequencing using an ABI Prism® 3100 DNA analyser (Applied Biosystems, Waltham, USA). Sequences were aligned to each specific species' reference sequence on GenBank using Geneious software .
Galba truncatula and C. daubneyi DNA was successfully extracted and amplified from water samples in the laboratory experiments (Table 1) indicating that extracellular DNA from these species may be present and detectable in environmental samples. Calicophoron daubneyi miracidial DNA was detectable in water following full visible degradation, which had occurred within 3 days of death. This eDNA, along with G. truncatula eDNA was shown to be capable of remaining detectable in the water for 7 days after death and removal, respectively. Detectable G. truncatula and C. daubneyi DNA was shown to flow through 2.7 μm pore sized glass microfiber filter, however, in each instance where DNA was amplified from 0.7 μm pore sized filters, eDNA was also amplified from the 2.7 μm pore sized filters.
Nineteen potential G. truncatula habitats were identified and sampled for eDNA on four Welsh farms (Table 2). Galba truncatula snails were identified and collected in ten of these habitats. Galba truncatula eDNA was amplified from water originating from each of these habitats (10/10 habitats) during one or more of the sampling visits. Galba truncatula eDNA was also amplified from water originating from four habitats where no G. truncatula snails were visually recorded. Sequencing of G. truncatula eDNA amplicons from each positive habitat (n = 14) confirmed primer specificity as all amplicons sequenced showed > 99% identity with the ITS2 reference sequence (GenBank: AJ296271.1).
Fasciola hepatica eDNA was amplified from water originating from five habitats, three of which contained G. truncatula snails infected with F. hepatica (Table 3). Sequencing of F. hepatica eDNA amplicons from each positive habitat (n = 5) confirmed primer specificity as all amplicons sequenced showed > 99% identity with the ITS2 reference sequence (GenBank: AJ272053.1).
Rumen fluke eDNA was amplified from water originating from eight habitats, two of which contained G. truncatula snails infected with C. daubneyi (Table 3). Sequencing of each rumen fluke eDNA amplicon (n = 8) confirmed that the eDNA of C. daubneyi was present in each sample as all amplicons sequenced showed > 99% identity with its ITS2 reference sequence (GenBank: AB042188.1).
This paper demonstrates that eDNA assays have the capability of detecting G. truncatula, F. hepatica and C. daubneyi eDNA in water collected from pasture land. Overall, the assay detected G. truncatula DNA in 100% of habitats proven to harbour the snail by eye (n = 10). Galba truncatula eDNA was also identified in four habitats where G. truncatula snails were not physically observed, indicating the assay has the potential to be more sensitive than the traditional method of detecting G. truncatula habitats by eye. Accurately identifying G. truncatula habitats using traditional methods may be difficult due to the variable nature of G. truncatula populations, which lead to short term variations in the snails' visible presence and population size [10, 11]. Specialist training is therefore required to identify potential habitats and to detect and differentiate between G. truncatula and other similar snail species commonly observed in overlapping niches . This process is impractical for farmers, whilst hiring experts in this area may be costly, even if their expertise could be supplemented with novel habitat detection methods such as GIS and satellite technology. With further refinement, an eDNA kit could offer a rapid, cheap and reliable method of identifying G. truncatula habitats in the future. This could help farmers, veterinarians and researchers to identify fluke infection risk areas on pasture land and develop integrated control strategies that are less reliant on anthelmintics.
Fasciola hepatica and C. daubneyi eDNA was also detected in water samples collected from pasture land in this study, however, interpreting digenean eDNA detection in pasture sourced water is complex as various free-living infective and non-infective digenean stages may be the source of eDNA. Both F. hepatica and C. daubneyi eDNA was amplified from habitats where G. truncatula snails were not detected over three visits. In confirmed G. truncatula habitats, F. hepatica and C. daubneyi eDNA was amplified from samples collected in June, a period which is not traditionally associated with large numbers of cercariae and metacercariae being present in the study area . These findings would indicate that the main source of amplified F. hepatica and C. daubneyi eDNA may be miracidia, which would likely have been abundant on sampled farms as liver and rumen fluke eggs were detected in livestock faeces throughout the study period. Laboratory-based experiments demonstrated that the eDNA assay could amplify C. daubneyi DNA from fully degraded miracidia in water. Any miracidia failing to infect an intermediate host, a frequent occurrence , are therefore likely to release DNA into water which may subsequently be detected. It remains unclear whether other digenean stages are major sources of eDNA. Cercariae are a likely source of eDNA, although their transformation into metacercariae may only take a few hours  and thus, the timeframe for their potential capture will be short. However, other sources of cercarial eDNA may include their tail, which is shed during encystment , and dead cercariae, a common occurrence for cercariae shed from snails due to increased risk of tissue rupture . Unhatched eggs and metacercariae are unlikely to release significant amounts of DNA into the environment. Metacercarial DNA is enclosed by a protective layered shell [34, 35] which protects against desiccation, mechanical injury and toxic substances , whilst it has been shown that the shell of Fasciola spp. eggs must be mechanically disturbed for it to release DNA . Further laboratory experiments to quantify the amount of eDNA released by all free-living digenean stages will be needed to be able to fully interpret what stages of digeneans are associated with eDNA being present in pasture water.
The problematic differentiation between the non-infective miracidial and infective cercarial stages may not be a major limitation for application of eDNA assays for fluke control on farms. For example, analysis by Jones et al.  demonstrated that increasing numbers of liver and rumen fluke eggs shed onto a habitat was significantly associated with increasing infection prevalence of each respective fluke within G. truncatula populations. This indicates that in the presence of G. truncatula snails and ruminants, the detection of F. hepatica and C. daubneyi eDNA in pasture water would signal that the life-cycles of each parasite are likely to be active in the area. Further transcriptome analysis of digeneans and developments in environmental RNA (eRNA) detection in the future may enable assays to be created which may differentiate between key parasite stages by amplifying RNA from genes upregulated during a specific stage of a digenean's life-cycle . These developments would allow eRNA assays to monitor levels of cercariae released from snails leading to estimations of short term infection risk on pasture. As of yet, these potential upregulated digenean genes and their associated RNA sequences have not been identified. A further problem that would need to be overcome is the unstable nature of RNA and its tendency to rapidly degrade in the environment . Nevertheless, eRNA assays have been successfully designed to isolate and amplify viral RNA from river and pond water  and in future could be used to identify infective fluke stages in the environment.
A sampling strategy based on collecting one sample per habitat visit will likely require optimisation, as the eDNA assay did not always amplify G. truncatula eDNA during each sampling visit, where habitats were confirmed to be inhabited by G. truncatula. It is suggested that multiple subsampling is needed to increase the sensitivity of eDNA analysis [21, 40], especially when considering that low densities of G. truncatula snails on pasture land can lead to significant disease and associated losses . It is acknowledged that eDNA presence in habitats is also likely to have fluctuated across sampling visits. Galba truncatula population size and behaviour varies throughout the year [10, 41], whilst miracidia and cercariae are known to favour specific environmental conditions to hatch and shed, respectively [32, 42]. These climatic behavioural differences may lead to variations in levels of DNA released into water by these organisms at certain periods. Subsequent studies would be advised to monitor fluctuations in eDNA detection over time and in conjunction with climatic conditions, as has been done for eDNA of other organisms . Changes in climatic conditions could also affect the time window of measurable eDNA signals in the field, as temperature, sunlight and soil composition are known to affects the rate of DNA degradation [44–48], whilst rainfall could contribute to the dilution or the washing away of potential eDNA signals [43, 49]. The latter factor could in theory lead to reduced specificity for this assay as eDNA signals may be washed to areas of pasture land where the snails do not reside. However, floating metacercariae and G. truncatula snails could potentially be washed alongside these eDNA signals and create new fluke infection risk areas [50, 51]. Nevertheless, it would be advisable for future research to screen water sources present on pastures known not to harbour G. truncatula snails and fluke infected livestock to confirm assay specificity.
Further eDNA assay development is needed to increase sensitivity. To this end, filter pore size has a major influence on eDNA extract yields, with smaller pore sized filters associated with larger downstream DNA yields . As eDNA strands are estimated to be between 1–10 μm in length on average  some eDNA is likely to have escaped the 2.7 μm pore sized filters used for sampling in this study. However, in the laboratory experiment, in each instance where DNA was amplified from 0.7 μm pore sized filters, eDNA was also amplified from the 2.7 μm pore sized filters. Thus, it is assumed that a major proportion of amplifiable G. truncatula and digenean eDNA in water will be retained on 2.7 μm pore-sized filters. Using 2.7 μm pore sized filters is advantageous as larger volumes of water can be filtered (prior to clogging), a factor which is associated with increasing eDNA detection probability when species are present in low abundances . As water from typical G. truncatula habitats such as bogs, ruts, drainage ditches and stream/pond edges is likely to be shallow and muddy, there may be increased risk of filter clogging during sampling. Clogging occurred in this study where muddy water meant that filtering the specified 500 ml was challenging on some occasions. Prolonged dry weather could also make sampling impossible at certain times in summer if habitats dried out. Nevertheless, water is a requirement for the survival, development and transmission of these digenean parasites and their intermediate snail host  and thus, water-based eDNA assay should be capable of analysing most G. truncatula habitats during high risk periods for fluke transmission.
Future research is required to realise the promise of eDNA applications. For example, highly sensitive and simple loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays [53–55] should be incorporated into this protocol to detect lower concentrations of target eDNA whilst importantly delivering immediate field relevant data with reduced risk of assay inhibition. LAMP could be used in conjunction with site occupancy models to increase the robustness of presence data further . Furthermore, quantitative PCR assays could be incorporated with the aim of quantifying infection risk if future advancements in measuring eDNA secretion and persistence are achieved . Further transcriptomic and genomic discoveries may further enhance eDNA analysis capabilities allowing for DNA of specific life-cycle stages and genes associated with disease influencing traits (e.g. fluke anthelmintic resistance status, snail infection susceptibility) to be identified in the environment [57–59]. Thus, we propose these technical suggestions as the logical next steps in refining this detection method for supporting fluke control.
This proof of principle study demonstrates that eDNA assays have the capability of detecting G. truncatula, F. hepatica and C. daubneyi DNA in the environment. Further optimisation of this assay could lead to the development of a test capable of identifying and quantifying F. hepatica and C. daubneyi infection risk areas on pasture land. This potential eDNA test can be a powerful tool for epidemiological investigations and to improve control strategies for F. hepatica and C. daubneyi on farms. The general principles of the developed protocols can also be applied to a range of other problematic water inhabiting trematode parasites.
RAJ gratefully acknowledges the Owen Price scholarship for funding his PhD. HE gratefully acknowledges funding from Aberystwyth University's Aber Forward scheme. The project was funded by Farming Connect, Wales and the authors wish to thank Lynfa Davies and all other Farming Connect staff who assisted with the study. We also thank all the participating farmers and Dr Arwyn Edwards for his advice. IBERS receives strategic funding from BBSRC.
The study was partly funded by Farming Connect, Wales.
RAJ, PMB and HWW conceived and designed the study. RAJ and HWW collected the samples. RAJ, CD, TD, HE and PRS analysed the samples. RAJ, PMB and HWW wrote the paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


Want to receive event notifications? Join our mailing list!
Thank you to all the racers who came out Sunday, Nov 4th to race with us!
Final race results are available Here: Trees Trails Race Results.
©Trees Indiana - Acknowledgement: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Community & Urban Forestry and the USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area for program start up funds.


text:
=============================
Rule ``integer_literal_case``
=============================

Integer literals must be in correct case.

Examples
--------

Example #1
~~~~~~~~~~

.. code-block:: diff

   --- Original
   +++ New
    <?php
   -$foo = 0Xff;
   -$bar = 0B11111111;
   +$foo = 0xFF;
   +$bar = 0b11111111;

Rule sets
---------

The rule is part of the following rule sets:

@PhpCsFixer
  Using the `@PhpCsFixer <./../../ruleSets/PhpCsFixer.rst>`_ rule set will enable the ``integer_literal_case`` rule.

@Symfony
  Using the `@Symfony <./../../ruleSets/Symfony.rst>`_ rule set will enable the ``integer_literal_case`` rule.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Met de school van Lausanne, een van de grensnutscholen, begint de versterkte mathematisering van de economie en een intense preoccupatie met de problemen van een algemeen evenwicht in de economische wetenschap.

Belangrijkste leden van de school van Lausanne waren Léon Walras (1834-1910) en Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923). Ook de belangrijkste vertegenwoordigers van de zogenaamde Zweedse school, Knut Wicksell (1851-1926) en Gustav Cassel (1866-1945), kunnen tot de school van Lausanne worden gerekend.

Geschiedenis van het economisch denken


text:
( 1 of 1 )
United States Patent 7,406,907
Goon , et al. August 5, 2008
Coupling for connecting ammunition cartridge loops
An apparatus comprising a cartridge loop, the cartridge loop having a coupling interface with an opening defined in part by a pair of substantially parallel lines separated by a distance; and a coupling comprising first and second ends and a link that connects the first and second ends, the first end connecting with the coupling interface of the cartridge loop wherein a portion of the link adjacent the first end has a first thickness that is greater than the distance between the substantially parallel lines and a second thickness that is less than the distance between the substantially parallel lines.
Goon; Eric (Mountain Lakes, NJ), Kotefski; Stojan (Bloomingdale, NJ), Kowalski; Robert (Verona, NJ)
Family ID: 39670694
Appl. No.:
Filed:
Related U.S. Patent Documents
Patent Number
60522792 Nov 8, 2004
Current U.S. Class: 89/34; 89/35.01
Current CPC Class: F42B 39/08 (20130101)
Current International Class: F41A 9/29 (20060101); F42B 39/08 (20060101)
Field of Search: ;89/34,35.01,35.02 ;42/87-89 ;24/2.5 ;59/2,11
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
3112673 December 1963 Sarvis
3182556 May 1965 Rocha
3190179 June 1965 Benoit
3253512 May 1966 Schallehn
3254565 June 1966 La Fever et al.
3377919 April 1968 Clark
3465640 September 1969 Sarvis
4011788 March 1977 Reed
5398590 March 1995 Snyder, Sr.
5546845 August 1996 Wossner et al.
6430861 August 2002 Ayers et al.
Primary Examiner: Hayes; Bret
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Moran; John F.
Parent Case Text
This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application 60/552,792 filed on Nov. 8, 2004, the entire file wrapper contents of which provisional application are herein incorporated by reference as though fully set forth at length.
1. An apparatus, comprising: a cartridge loop, the cartridge loop having a coupling interface with an opening defined in part by a pair of substantially parallel lines separated by a distance; and a coupling comprising first and second ends and a link that connects the first and second ends, the first end connecting with the coupling interface of the cartridge loop wherein a portion of the link adjacent the first end has a first thickness that is greater than the distance between the substantially parallel lines and the portion having a second thickness that is less than the distance between the substantially parallel lines wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are measured orthogonal to each other.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a cross-section of the portion of the link comprises a second pair of substantially parallel lines separated by the second thickness.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the cross-section of the portion of the link comprises a pair of arcs connected to ends of the second pair of substantially parallel lines, respectively, and further wherein the first thickness corresponds to a longest distance between the pair of arcs.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second cartridge loop having a coupling support that connects with the second end of the coupling.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising cartridges disposed in the cartridge loop and the second cartridge loop.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the cartridges are 40 mm cartridges.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first end of the coupling comprises a locking head with four sides and the coupling interface comprises a front wall and two side walls disposed on opposite sides of the front wall, the opening of the coupling interface being defined in the front wall and the locking head being disposed between the side walls.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a diagonal of the locking head has a length such that the diagonal forms an interference fit with the side walls.
9. A coupling for a cartridge loop having a coupling interface, the coupling interface having an opening defined in part by a pair of substantially parallel lines separated by a distance, comprising: first and second ends and a link that connects the first and second ends, the first end connecting with the coupling interface of the cartridge loop wherein a portion of the link adjacent the first end has a first thickness that is greater than the distance between the substantially parallel lines and the portion having a second thickness that is less than the distance between the substantially parallel lines wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are measured orthogonal to each other.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a cross-section of the portion of the link comprises a second pair of substantially parallel lines separated by the second thickness.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the cross-section of the portion of the link comprises a pair of arcs connected to ends of the second pair of substantially parallel lines, respectively, and further wherein the first thickness corresponds to a longest distance between the pair of arcs.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a cartridge disposed in the cartridge loop.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the cartridge is a 40 mm cartridge.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first end of the coupling comprises a locking head with four sides and the coupling interface comprises a front wall and two side walls disposed on opposite sides of the front wall, the opening of the coupling interface being defined in the front wall and the locking head being disposed between the side walls.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein a diagonal of the locking head has a length such that the diagonal forms an interference fit with the side walls.
The inventions described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the U.S. Government for U.S. Government purposes.
The invention relates in general to apparatus for transporting ammunition cartridges through a gun firing system and, in particular, to a transport apparatus that uses loops and couplings.
To convey ammunition cartridges, for example, 40 mm cartridges, through a weapon, a transport means is necessary to position and guide the cartridges through the gun firing system. The transport means may include couplings and loops. The cartridges are positioned in the loops and the couplings link the loops together. A plurality of cartridges and loops are connected together by the couplings to form an ammunition belt. The couplings and loops are physically shocked, pulled and distorted throughout the firing cycle and, therefore, require a certain strength to function properly.
Known ammunition belts are packaged for the specific end user in belt sizes with typically 32 or 94 rounds. However, there is no means for disconnecting or connecting (or assembling or disassembling) any ammunition cartridges from the original belt. An easy-to-use connect/disconnect feature is needed. For example, splicing partial belts into full belts, switching from one belt type to another (i.e., 32 round belt to 94 round belt) and assembling various size belts at the factory would all be easier with a connect/disconnect feature.
The loading of a new belt onto a weapon is time consuming and exposes the user to hostile fire during the belt re-loading stage. Perhaps the most important advantage of a connect/disconnect feature is the ability to connect additional belts to an already loaded belt of ammunition. It would be much easier and safer for a soldier under fire to simply connect additional belts to an already loaded belt, rather than having to reload each belt onto the weapon. Furthermore, in the past, partially used belts with only a few rounds have been discarded. With a connect/disconnect feature, the partially used belts can be connected together and used, thereby eliminating wasted ammunition and the problem of disposing of live, discarded ammunition.
It is an object of the invention to provide an ammunition belt that is easily connected to and disconnected from other ammunition belts.
Another object of the invention is to provide a loop and coupling type transport apparatus for ammunition cartridges wherein adjacent ammunition cartridges can be easily and quickly connected or disconnected.
A further object of the invention is to provide an ammunition cartridge transport apparatus that saves ammunition by allowing partially used belts of ammunition to be connected together.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a coupling for a loop and coupling type ammunition cartridge transport apparatus wherein the coupling is rotatable from a locked position to an unlocked position.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a coupling that can be used with existing cartridge loops.
One aspect of the invention is an apparatus comprising a cartridge loop, the cartridge loop having a coupling interface with an opening defined in part by a pair of substantially parallel lines separated by a distance; and a coupling comprising first and second ends and a link that connects the first and second ends, the first end connecting with the coupling interface of the cartridge loop wherein a portion of the link adjacent the first end has a first thickness that is greater than the distance between the substantially parallel lines and a second thickness that is less than the distance between the substantially parallel lines.
Preferably, a cross-section of the portion of the link comprises a second pair of substantially parallel lines separated by the second thickness. The apparatus may further comprise a second cartridge loop having a coupling support that connects with the second end of the coupling.
In a preferred embodiment, the first end of the coupling comprises a locking head with four sides and the coupling interface comprises a front wall and two side walls disposed on opposite sides of the front wall, the opening of the coupling interface being defined in the front wall and the locking head being disposed between the side walls. Advantageously, a diagonal of the locking head has a length such that the diagonal forms an interference fit with the side walls.
The invention will be better understood, and further objects, features, and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, like or corresponding parts are denoted by like or corresponding reference numerals.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of cartridges disposed in loops according to the invention.
FIG. 2 shows the loops of FIG. 1 without the cartridges.
FIG. 3A is a top view of a prior art coupling.
FIG. 3B is an end view of FIG. 3A.
FIG. 3C is a sectional view along the line 3C-3C of FIG. 3A.
FIG. 4A is a bottom view of a cartridge loop 12.
FIG. 4B is a side view of FIG. 4A.
FIG. 5A is a detailed top view of one embodiment of a coupling in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 5B is a detailed end view of FIG. 5A.
FIG. 5C is a detailed sectional view along the line 5C-5C of FIG. 5A.
FIG. 1 shows two cartridges 10 disposed in loops 12 that are connected by a coupling 14. Although the detailed geometric shape of coupling 14 is not readily apparent in FIG. 1, it will be fully described later in connection with the discussion of FIGS. 5A-5C. An ammunition belt comprises a plurality of these cartridges 10 disposed in loops 12 that are connected by couplings 14. For example, a 32 round belt will have 32 cartridges disposed in 32 loops that are connected together with couplings.
FIG. 2 shows two loops 12 without the cartridges 10. Locking tabs 16 on the loops 12 help position the cartridges 10 in the loops 12. As shown in FIG. 2, loop 12 includes side members 22, a coupling support 20 on one end and a coupling interface 18 on another end. Coupling 14 connects the coupling support 20 of one loop 12 to the coupling interface 18 of another loop 12.
FIG. 3A is a top view of a prior art coupling 24. FIG. 3B is an end view of FIG. 3A. FIG. 3C is a sectional view along the line 3C-3C of FIG. 3A. With the prior art coupling 24, once the cartridge 10 is loaded into the loop 12, it is not possible to disconnect the known coupling 24 from either the coupling support 20 or the coupling interface 18. In addition, the known coupling 24 cannot be used to connect two loops 12 that are loaded with cartridges 10. The principle problem that the present invention solves is the inability to connect or disconnect loaded loops 12 using the known coupling 24. Thus, the present invention is directed to a novel coupling 14 that can connect two loaded loops 12 or disconnect two loaded loops 12.
FIG. 4A is a bottom view of a cartridge loop 12. FIG. 4B is a side view of FIG. 4A. Cartridge loop 12 has a coupling interface 18 with an opening 36 defined in part by a pair of substantially parallel lines 38 separated by a distance 40. Opening 36 may be further defined by a curved portion 42 connected to one end of the parallel lines 38 and a pair of diverging lines 44 connected to another end of the parallel lines 38. The coupling interface 18 comprises a front wall 46 and two side walls 48 disposed on opposite sides of the front wall 46. The opening 36 of the coupling interface 18 is defined in the front wall 46. A distance 50 separates the side walls 48.
FIG. 5A is a top view of one embodiment of a coupling 14 in accordance with the invention. FIG. 5B is an end view of FIG. 5A. FIG. 5C is a sectional view along the line 5C-5C of FIG. 5A. Coupling 14 comprises first and second ends 54, 56 and a link 58 that connects the first and second ends 54, 56. The first end 54 connects with the coupling interface 18 of the cartridge loop 12. The second end 56 connects with the coupling support 20 of an adjacent loop 12.
A portion 60 (FIG. 5C) of the link 58 adjacent the first end 54 has a thickness 62 that is greater than the distance 40 between the substantially parallel lines 38 (FIG. 4B) and a thickness 64 that is less than the distance 40 between the substantially parallel lines 38. The thickness 62 and the thickness 64 are measured orthogonal to each other. A cross-section (FIG. 5C) of the portion 60 of the link 58 comprises a pair of substantially parallel lines 68 separated by the thickness 64. The cross-section of the portion 60 of the link 58 may also include a pair of arcs 70 connected to ends of the pair of substantially parallel lines 68, respectively. The thickness 62 corresponds to the longest distance between the pair of arcs 70.
The first end 54 of the coupling 14 also comprises a locking head 66 with four sides, as best seen in FIGS. 5B and 5C. The locking head 66 is disposed between the side walls 48 (FIG. 4A) of the coupling interface 18. The diagonal of the locking head 66 has a length 72 such that, when rotated, the locking head 66 forms an interference fit with the side walls 48 that are a distance 50 apart. The interference fit allows a person, by applying a twisting torque to adjacent cartridges 10, to rotate the locking head 66 within the side walls 48, but prevents the locking head 66 from rotating freely within the side walls 48.
During rotation of the locking head 66, a snapping force is generated in the loop 12. As the locking head 66 is rotated within the side walls 48, the locking head 66 interferes with the side walls 48, causing the side walls 48 to deform slightly outwards. As the ninety degree rotation continues and the diagonal of the locking head 66 no longer contacts the side walls 48, the side walls 48 snap back and help lock the locking head 66 in position. This locking action maintains the characteristics of the known ammunition belt when exposed to the weapon firing forces.
Three features of the invention are very important for proper functioning. First, the thickness 62 of the portion 60 (FIG. 5C) of the link 58 adjacent the first end 54 is greater than the distance 40 between the substantially parallel lines 38 (FIG. 4B) of the opening 36 of the coupling interface 18. When the coupling 14 is in a locked position, the thickness 62 prevents the coupling 14 from sliding out of the opening 36.
Second, the thickness 64 of the portion 60 (FIG. 5C) of the link 58 adjacent the first end 54 is less than the distance 40 between the substantially parallel lines 38 of the opening 36. When the coupling 14 is in an unlocked position, the thickness 64 allows the coupling 14 to slide out of the open end of the opening 36 between the diverging lines 72.
Third, the length 72 of the diagonal of the locking head 66 is such that the diagonal forms an interference fit between the side walls 48 (spaced apart by a distance 50) of the coupling interface 18. Thus, the coupling 14 may be rotated ninety degrees from a locked position to an unlocked position and vice versa.
The embodiment of the novel coupling 14 that is shown is the preferred embodiment, because that embodiment can be produced with a minimum of modification to the existing tooling. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. As long as the coupling 14 has the three important features noted above, it should be able to function satisfactorily. Thus, various features of the coupling 14 and the loop 12, such as the opening 36 in the coupling interface 18 and the first end 54, second end 56 and link 58 of the coupling 14 may, in other embodiments of the invention, comprise geometrical shapes that differ from the specific shapes shown.
While the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, numerous changes, alterations and modifications to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, and equivalents thereof.


The doctor is often the first port of call when people are ill. The doctor will try to establish what the problem is and how it should be treated. This may mean writing a prescription for medicine which a chemist will supply. If the doctor is unsure what the problem is, then an appointment may be made with a psychiatrist.
A psychiatrist is a trained doctor who has decided to specialise in the treatment of mental health problems. They are often based at hospitals, and often help to decide what the diagnosis is, what treatment may be required and who needs to go into hospital.
The CPN is a qualified nurse who also has some specialist training in mental health. The CPN is often based in a hospital or mental health centre or works directly with family doctors. The CPN calls on people at home to provide support and advice when one of the family has a mental health problem. They keep an eye on the patient's medication and may give injections. They also check on the general situation of the patient and the family.
The Social Worker provides practical help and support to families who are experiencing problems in their lives. These could be due to many reasons including health problems, a breakdown in family relationships, or money problems. The social worker can explain what services are available (e.g. Home Care to help with cooking, shopping and personal care), may be able to offer counselling, and to check welfare benefits. A social worker can be a great source of information.
The ASW has had some specialist mental health training and becomes involved if someone is mentally ill and putting themselves or others at risk. The ASW helps to admit such a person to hospital.
The OT helps people recovering from illness to regain lost interests and skills. This can help people to regain their confidence, help them to get back to work and perhaps encourage new interests.