text:
\section*{Introduction}

Precise manipulation of the mechanical properties of solids is critical to the design of a wide spectrum of materials.  Auxetic materials, which have a negative Poisson's ratio, $\nu< 0$, represent a promising yet under-exploited class of systems for potential applications in areas such as impact mitigation\cite{alderson1994auxetic, sanami2014auxetic}, filtration \cite{alderson2000auxetic, alderson2001auxetic}, fabric design \cite{alderson2012auxetic, hu2011development}. More generally, technologies in which materials must maintain shape under deformation, including aerospace technologies\cite{liu2006literature, alderson2007auxetic}, provide fertile grounds for the use of auxetic systems.

A variety of auxetic materials have been proposed in recent years; examples range from metamaterials\cite{schwerdtfeger2011design, shan2015design, prall1997properties, larsen1997design, alderson2007auxetic} and foams prepared by special processing techniques\cite{lakes1987foam, friis1988negative, smith2000novel, alderson1994auxetic} to composites\cite{evans1991design}.  The vast majority of these materials are anisotropic, meaning that the Poisson's ratio, $\nu$, depends on the direction of applied strain; this restriction is not desirable for applications.  Of the few materials that are isotropic, all except specially prepared foams, which can reach $\nu=-0.82$\cite{smith2000novel}, are inherently two-dimensional or exceptionally complex\cite{robert1985isotropic}, thereby rendering them difficult, if not impossible to manufacture.  To be widely useful, auxetics should be readily fabricated in three dimensions, and show isotropic Poisson's ratios approaching $\nu=-1$\cite{alderson1994auxetic}. Designing such systems continues to represent a grand challenge for materials research.

Disordered networks derived from jammed packings present an appealing means of designing auxetic materials that satisfy these elusive criteria. Such networks can be viewed as a collection of nodes connected by bonds. Previous work has shown that disordered spring networks, similar to that shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:opt_diagram}a, can be tuned to exhibit an auxetic response through selective pruning of bonds \cite{goodrich2015principle,hexner2018role,reid2018auxetic}.
In two dimensions, $\nu$ is a monotonic function of the ratio of the shear, $G$, to bulk, $B$, modulus:   $\nu=\frac{1-G/B}{1+G/B}$, where $\nu$ and $G$ are both isotropic.

In the simplest crystalline solids, the change in $G$ or $B$ upon removal of a single bond $i$ (termed $\Delta G_{i}$ or $\Delta B_{i}$ respectively) is identical for every bond.  As a consequence, removing any bond does not change $G/B$ significantly.
Disordered networks differ in two essential ways: First, the distributions of $\Delta G_{i}$ and $\Delta B_{i}$ span many orders of magnitude.  Second, these quantities for any specific bond are, to a large extent, uncorrelated with one another \cite{goodrich2015principle,hexner2018role,hexner2017linking,reid2018auxetic}.   Therefore, by iteratively removing the greatest $\Delta B_{i}$ or smallest $\Delta G_{i}$ bond, one can drive $\nu$ to negative values.  In particular, it has been shown that iterative pruning of the smallest $\Delta G_{i}$  from  disordered spring networks leads to materials with $\nu<-0.8$ in both two and three dimensions \cite{hexner2018role}. The networks considered in that work had only harmonic spring interactions between nodes. Experimental realizations, however, typically have angle-bending forces as well. When networks with such angle-bending forces were pruned, the Poisson's ratio reached only $\nu=-0.2$ for isotropic systems \cite{reid2018auxetic}.  Lower values of $\nu$ could only be obtained if the material was allowed to become anisotropic.

The fundamental question that arises then is whether it is possible to create isotropic, perfectly auxetic networks with $\nu$ approaching $-1$ by pruning random networks. In what follows, we show that by removing some of the constraints that were inherent to past design strategies, we show here that one can indeed create isotropic networks with $\nu\approx-0.98$. More specifically, we use materials-optimization techniques to augment the previous bond-removal strategies~\cite{reid2018auxetic,hexner2018role} in two distinct ways: first, we modify node positions, which changes the network geometry and, second, we modify individual bond strengths.

Following this protocol, auxetic networks are created in the laboratory and have the predicted response. These results provide a framework for the production of highly-auxetic isotropic materials that, importantly, can be readily implemented in three dimensions.

During optimization, the network geometry changes to create concave polygons.  We show that these concave polygons correlate well with $\nu$. Auxetic networks also show a high degree of mechanical heterogeneity. Compressive strains on these networks change the area of individual polygons that constitute the network. As $\nu$ becomes more negative, changes in the area of polygons become highly disperse.  In addition, as $\nu \rightarrow -1$, networks show regions of negative moduli, serving to highlight the complex mechanics of these materials.

\section*{Results}

\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{unp_prun_opt_edit}
\caption{Networks at three steps in the materials design process.  In Panel (a), an unpruned network with $Z=5.2$ and $\nu=+0.41$.  In Panel (b), the same network after low-$\Delta G_{i}$ bonds have been pruned, with $\nu=-0.18$. Panel (c) shows the same network after optimization, with $\nu=-0.98$.
The color of a bond near the node represents that bond's relative angular strength, $k_{i}^{ang}/k_{i, 0}^{ang}$, while the color along the remaining length of the bond represents its relative compressive strength, $k_{i}^{comp}/k_{i, 0}^{comp}$.  As can be appreciated, most values of $k_{i}^{comp}$ are increased while those of $k_{i}^{ang}$ are decreased.}
\label{fig:opt_diagram}
\end{figure*}

\subsection*{Disordered networks}
Disordered networks, the starting platform for our materials optimization process, are created from jammed packings as described in detail in previous work \cite{goodrich2015principle,hexner2018role,hexner2017linking,reid2018auxetic}.  Briefly, polydisperse hyperspheres are randomly positioned in any given simulation domain.  Particles interact via a soft-sphere potential:
\begin{equation}
V(r_{ij}) = \frac{V_0}{2} (1-\frac{r_{ij}}{\sigma_{ij}})^{2} \Theta\left(1-\frac{r_{ij}}{\sigma_{ij}}\right).
\label{eqn:softSphere}
\end{equation}
where $r_{ij}$ is the distance between particles $i$ and $j$, $\sigma_{ij}$ sets the length scale of interaction, $\Theta$ is the Heaviside step function and $V_0$ sets the energy scale. The density is chosen to control the average coordination number, $Z$, which has an important effect on network properties \cite{goodrich2015principle,reid2018auxetic}.
The system is allowed to relax to its closest energy minimum and bonds (unstretched springs) are attached between all pairs of particles for which $r<\sigma_{a}+\sigma_{b}$, where $\sigma_{a}$and $\sigma_{b}$ are the radii of particles $a$ and $b$.  The soft-sphere potential is then removed to form the network, consisting of nodes and springs, with no stresses in the system.

\subsection*{Network model}
Having formed a network, the constituent bonds are described by two potentials - harmonic compression along the length of the bond, and harmonic bending about the node.
\begin{equation}
V_{comp}(r_{ab}) = \frac{k^{comp}_{i}}{2r_{ab}^{0}} (r_{ab}-r_{ab}^{0})^{2} \;.
\label{eqn:compression}
\end{equation}

\begin{equation}
V_{bend}(\theta_{ab\vec s_b}) = \frac{k^{ang}_{i}}{2} (\theta _{ab\vec s_b}-\theta_{ab\vec s_b}^{0}) ^{2}
\label{eqn:anglepotential}
\end{equation}

The coefficient associated with bond compression for the $i$th bond is denoted $k_{i}^{comp}$ while that for bond bending is denoted $k_{i}^{ang}$.  The length of bond $i$, that connects nodes $a$ and $b$, is denoted $r_{ab}$, and $r_{ab}^{0}$ represents the unstretched length of that bond.  The bond bending potentials couple to a director on each node, $b$, which is denoted by $\vec s_b$.
These simple potentials have been shown to capture experimental network behavior accurately both in the linear regime and also at high compressive strains \cite{reid2018auxetic}.

\subsection*{Network formation and pruning}
After network formation, two distinct steps are followed to create highly-auxetic isotropic materials:  (i) pruning and (ii) optimization.  An example network after each of these steps is depicted in the three panels of Fig.~\ref{fig:opt_diagram}.
Unpruned periodic networks, as exemplified in Fig.~\ref{fig:opt_diagram}a, are initialized with $Z=5.2$ and show $\overline{\nu}=+0.41$. An initial value of $Z=5.2$ has been shown to produce maximally auxetic pruned networks \cite{reid2018auxetic}.  In two dimensions, there are two independent shear moduli, $G^{p}$ and $G^{s}$: pure and simple shear.  In previous work on networks with angle-bending forces, bonds having the lowest value of $\Delta G^{p}_{i}$ were pruned, while ignoring contributions to $G^{s}$ \cite{reid2018auxetic}. Because the pruning criteria focused only on one modulus, a low value, $\nu=-0.9$, could be achieved anisotropically (auxetic with respect to strain along the principle axes, but not with respect to strain along the diagonals).  In order to form {\em isotropic} networks, the pruning is carried out as in ref.~\cite{hexner2018role} by pruning bonds having the lowest contribution to the average shear modulus $(\Delta G^{p}_{i} + \Delta G^{s}_{i})$.
The process is repeated until $Z$ is reduced to $3.5$ and $\nu=-0.18$, as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:poissons_with_opt}a.  An example of a pruned network is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:opt_diagram}b.  Further pruning does not significantly reduce $\nu$.

\subsection*{Network optimization}
Once networks are pruned, an optimization process is carried out to reduce $\nu$ to a value close to the isotropic mechanical limit $\nu=-1$.  A gradient descent optimization technique is used, which optimizes the compression and angle coefficients of each bond as well as the position of each node.  At each step, $t$, the spring constants are updated according to:
\begin{equation}
k_{i}(t+1) = k_{i}(t)- \Delta_{k}  \frac{\partial \nu}{ \partial k_{i} }
\label{eqn:deltaKEqn}
\end{equation}
where $k_{i}$ is the compression or angle coefficient for the $i^{th}$ bond.
Values of $k_{i}$ are constrained to lie between 0.5 and 5.0 times their initial value, to ensure that their values are not too disperse for experimental realizations. The parameter $\Delta_{k}$ is the step size of the optimization, and is set so that the maximum change of any coefficient is 10\% of the largest value of $k_{i}$ at each step in optimization.

Node positions are also optimized to minimize $\nu$:
\begin{equation}
r_{a}(t+1) = r_{a}(t) - \Delta_{r} \frac{\partial E_{a}}{\partial r_{a}}
\label{eqn:deltaREqn}
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
E_{a} = \nu + \sum_{i \in bonds} \epsilon \Big(\frac{\sigma}{|r_{a}|}\Big)^{6}.
\label{eqn:Eeqn}
\end{equation}
The second term in Eq. \ref{eqn:Eeqn} is a repulsive term that ensures that nodes do not cross bonds.  The quantities $\sigma$ and $\epsilon$ set length and energy scales of the repulsion, and are chosen to be 0.3 length units and 0.05 respectively. As with bond coefficients, $\Delta_{r}$ sets that maximum step size which is chosen such that the maximum node displacement after every iteration is $0.1$, while initial bond lengths range from $1.2$ to $1.6$.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=9cm]{poissons_with_opt}
\caption{Poisson's ratio, $\nu$, over the pruning and optimization process.  Panel a shows $\nu$ as the network is pruned from $Z=5.2$ to $Z=3.5$.  Pruned networks are then optimized as shown in Panel b.  The three data sets show $\nu$ as (i) only bond strengths are optimized, (ii) only node positions are optimized, and (iii) both bond strengths and node positions are optimized.}
\label{fig:poissons_with_opt}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

\subsection*{Optimization results}
Figure~\ref{fig:poissons_with_opt}b shows $\nu$ during three optimization procedures: (i) bond coefficients (Eq.~\ref{eqn:deltaKEqn}), (ii) node positions (Eq.~\ref{eqn:deltaREqn}), and (iii) both bond coefficients and node positions simultaneously.  All optimization algorithms yield isotropically auxetic materials.  Optimizing only bond parameters yields materials with $\overline{\nu}=-0.50$, and optimizing only node positions yields $\overline{\nu}=-0.91$.  Optimizing both quantities simultaneously yields $\overline{\nu}=-0.98$.  An example of a network in which both node positions and bond strengths have been optimized is shown in Fig. \ref{fig:opt_diagram}c. These results demonstrate that node positions play a dominant role in controlling $\nu$, a feature that bodes well for creation of experimental realizations of the networks, where node positions can be more precisely controlled than bond strengths.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=11cm]{exp_compare_2x1_scalebar.jpg}
\caption{Isotropic auxetic networks in simulation and experiment.  (a) Uncompressed simulation of auxetic network predicted to show $\nu = -0.98$.  (b) Simulated network uniaxially strained to $\epsilon_{y}=-3.6\%$ with outline of uncompressed network shown in black.  (c) Uncompressed experimental realization of identical network.  (d) Compressed experimental network at $\epsilon_{y}=-3.6\%$ with outline of uncompressed network shown in black.  (e) Comparison of experimental (red) and simulated (blue) networks at $\epsilon_{y}=-3.6\%$. The network in red is reconstructed from experimental data. (f) Bond-level contributions to $B$ in network under uniform compression, as determined by computing the virial coefficient contributions of each bond.  Contributions are normalized by the largest value of $B_{i}$.}
\label{fig:exp_network}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
\subsection*{Experimental realizations}

Experimental realizations of simulated networks are created by laser-cutting the configurations from sheets of silicone rubber.  A representative network with a simulated value of $\nu \approx -0.98$ is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:exp_network}a.  Upon uniaxial compression in the vertical dimension ($y$), the network behaves auxetically, as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:exp_network}b.

The experimental network, the counterpart to the computer-generated one shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:exp_network}a is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:exp_network}c.  In order to create the  experimental network, the thicknesses and shapes of all the bonds must be carefully controlled since they are the experimental analogues of $k_{i}^{comp}$ and $k_{i}^{ang}$. In experiment, the bond compression strength, $k_{i}^{comp}$, is controlled  by the thickness of the bond along its length.  The angular strength, $k_{i}^{ang}$, on the other, hand is controlled by the thickness of the bond near its end close to a node~\cite{Rocks2017designing}.
The exact protocol adopted here for setting thicknesses and taper of bonds is described in Methods and Materials.

When the experimental network is compressed along the vertical dimension ($y$), it is auxetic as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:exp_network}d. In Fig.~\ref{fig:exp_network}e, the compressed experimental (red) and simulated (blue) networks are superimposed. They overlap extremely well over most of the area. (The solid black outline shows the original outline of the uncompressed network.)

Recent work on atomic glasses has revealed that
regions of negative moduli exist that influence a material's mechanical response and relaxation \cite{yoshimoto2004mechanical}. Regions of negative moduli also appear in our disordered networks.  These local moduli are defined as the virial coefficients associated with individual particles or bonds.  A bond that has a negative contribution to $B$ is under tension while the material is under compression.
Figure \ref{fig:exp_network}f shows the per-bond contribution to $B$ for a network with $\nu=-0.8$.  Interestingly, 34\% of bonds in optimized networks contribute negatively to the bulk modulus, compared to 24\% and 2\% in pruned and unpruned networks, respectively.

To validate that the networks are isotropic, two realizations of a 500 node auxetic network were created in laboratory experiments.  The two networks were cut from the same periodic unit cell of the simulation, one as a square that lies flat along the $x$ axis, and the other lying at $45^{\circ}$ to the $x$ axis (the $xy$ axis).  In the experiment, these two networks can be compressed along the $x$ and $xy$ axes, respectively.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=10cm]{plot_compare_exp_sim.png}
\caption{Response of networks in simulations and experiments. Starting from the same unit cell, two different $2\times1$ tilings were made, one rotated by $45^\circ$ with respect to the other as shown in the inset. Abscissa shows the compressive strain applied along the principal axis of the two networks to determine $\nu_{0}$ (red circles, dotted line) and $\nu_{45}$ (blue squares, dashed line) respectively.  The solid points are from experiment and the lines are from simulations. }
\label{fig:exp_sim_compare}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

Deforming the first network along the $x$ (or $y$) axis probes $\nu$, as it relates to $G^{p}/B$, which we denote $\nu_{0}$.
Deforming the second network along the $xy$ (or $yx $) axis probes $\nu$ as it relates to $G^{s}/B$, which we denote $\nu_{45}$.  A material that shows the same value for $\nu_{0}$ and $\nu_{45}$ is perfectly isotropic.  As shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:exp_sim_compare}, While the networks produced here are not perfectly isotropic, they have the same value of Poisson's ratio within $\pm$ 0.1.  Moreover, they show excellent agreement between simulation and experiment: $\nu_{0}=-0.88, -0.87$ and $\nu_{45}=-0.98, -1.03$, for simulation and experiment, respectively.  The values of $\nu$ are nearly constant up to strains of $-0.04$.

\begin{figure*}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{out_26_EDIT.png}
\caption{Normalized changes in minimal polygon areas, $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ of a single 500 node network at the three stages of preparation: (a) unpruned, (b) pruned, and (c) optimized. $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ was measured after the networks were compressed by $\epsilon=0.01\%$.  More negative values of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ contribute to lowering $\nu$.  As can be observed, networks with lower values of $\nu$ are more mechanically heterogeneous. (d) Probability Distributions of minimal polygon deformations, $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ upon uniaxial compression for unpruned, pruned, and optimized networks. As networks are pruned and then optimized, the distributions becomes increasingly sharp. (e) Probability distribution, $P(\Delta A_{j}^{*})$ weighted by $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$, demonstrates that for pruned and optimized networks, the low probability outliers of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ are responsible for the majority of the material deformation.}
\label{fig:d_areas}
\end{center}
\end{figure*}

\subsection*{Physical understanding of auxetic behavior}

In order to develop an understanding of the structural features that give rise to auxetic behavior, we now examine the properties of the individual polygons (also called minimal cycles) that compose the network. As shown in the Methods Section, the Poisson's ratio can be related to a change in each polygon's area due to a uniaxial compression in the $y$-direction, $\epsilon_{y}$:
\begin{equation}
\nu = \frac{1}{(\epsilon_{y}+1)} \Big(1-\frac{\sum_{j=1}^{N} \Delta A_{j}}{N \epsilon_{y} \overline{A}} \Big) = \frac{1}{(\epsilon_{y}+1)} \Big(1-\frac{1}{N}\sum_{j=1}^{N} \Delta A_{j}^{*}\Big)
\label{eqn:cycleDeform}
\end{equation}

Here, $\Delta A_{j}$ is the change in the area of the $j^{th}$ polygon, $N$ is the total number of polygons, $\overline{A}$ is the average area of all the polygons in the network and
\begin{equation}
\Delta A_{j}^{*} = \frac{\Delta A_{j}}{\epsilon_y\overline{A}}
\label{eqn:deformNormalize}
\end{equation}

Large positive values of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ contribute predominantly to lowering $\nu$.

Fig.~\ref{fig:d_areas}a, b, and c respectively show $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ of each polygon in an example of an unpruned, pruned, and optimized network. In the unpruned system, the values of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ are relatively uniformly distributed in space and have roughly the same magnitude throughout.  The values of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ fluctuate much more and become more heterogeneously distributed as the networks are pruned, and even more so when optimized.  Additionally, it can be observed that all polygons with very high values of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ are concave, consistent with recent predictions \cite{reid2018auxetic}.  It is unclear to what extent these observations apply to other auxetic materials, however many classes of auxetics possess concave structures similar to those seen here \cite{reid2018auxetic, alderson2012auxetic, ravirala2006negative,lakes1987foam}.

Figure~\ref{fig:d_areas}d shows $P(\Delta A_j^*)$, the distributions of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$, taken from $30$ independent networks at the three stages in the formation process.  As networks become more auxetic, a decreasing number of polygons become responsible for the auxetic behavior; most polygons show relatively little change in area when compressed.

As the network is pruned and optimized, the distribution $P(\Delta A_j^*)$ gets sharper. However, the most probable value of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ for unpruned, pruned, and optimized networks decreases from $0.35$, to $0.03$ to $-0.01$. This is unexpected since a more positive value of $\Delta A_j^*$ contributes to lowering the Poisson's ratio.

To understand this, the relevant quantity is the probability distribution weighted by $\Delta A_j^*$, as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:d_areas}e. Unpruned, pruned, and optimized networks respectively have average $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ of $0.55 \pm 0.72$, $1.04\pm 2.38$, and $1.87\pm 3.75$.
A significant contribution to the auxetic response in optimized networks is from the long positive tail of $\Delta A_{j}^{*}$ which goes as high as $25$. Another feature seen in these plots is the growing number of polygons with $\Delta A_j^* < 0$. The fraction of such polygons for unpruned, pruned, and optimized networks is $0.06$, $0.16$, and $0.17$ respectively.

These results paint a picture in which materials become highly heterogeneous as they become auxetic via this pruning and optimization process.  While very positive values of $\Delta A_{i}^{*}$ contribute to lowering $\nu$, most polygons in our auxetic networks are relatively unchanged when the material is compressed. For example, in the optimized case, only $21\%$ of the polygons have $\Delta A_j^* >3$, but they contribute to $77\%$ of the area change when the network is compressed.

The auxetic behavior we have found is largely the result of a relatively small number of highly compliant polygons.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=15cm]{ml_two_panel_huge}
\caption{Probability distributions of network structural features. (a) Probability distributions of angles between adjacent bonds at nodes.  (b) Probability distribution of compressive and angular coefficients for optimized networks.}

\label{fig:ml}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

As networks are pruned and optimized, we note distinct changes in their underlying structure.  Figure~\ref{fig:ml}a shows the probability distributions of angles between adjacent bonds on nodes for unpruned (Z=5.2), fully pruned (Z=3.5), and fully optimized networks.

In the unpruned network, angles are tightly distributed around $1.2$ radians, which corresponds to $2\pi/Z_{0}$ where $Z_{0}=5.2$. In pruned networks, the average angle grows to $1.8$ radians, and the distribution becomes broader.  In optimized networks, small angles become more common and a second peak appears at $\pi$.

The strength of the bonds also varies during pruning and optimization.  We measure the ratio of the spring constants on each bond before and after pruning and optimization, $k_{i}^{comp}/k_{i, 0}^{comp}$ and $k_{i}^{ang}/k_{i, 0}^{ang}$.  Figure~\ref{fig:ml}b shows probability distributions $P(k_{i}^{comp}/k_{i, 0}^{comp})$ and $P(k_{i}^{ang}/k_{i, 0}^{ang})$ for optimized networks; 82\% of the angular coefficients are weakened while a small fraction are unchanged or grow stronger.  The average angle is 0.73 times as strong as its original value.  (Note that the large peak at $0.5$ is due to the imposed minimum angle strength.)  Compressive coefficients, on the other hand, show a broad distribution with 98\% growing stronger.  The average $k_{i}^{comp}$ is 2.6 times stronger than its original value.

\section*{Discussion}
The work presented here lays out a framework for the design of tunable, highly auxetic isotropic materials with unique mechanical properties.  The structures will be auxetic if fabricated at any size, from molecular to architectural-scales.  While fabrication for large-scale devices is relatively straightforward, fabrication at smaller scales presents a greater challenge. For small scales, one option could be to use purposefully assembled DNA-functionalized nanoparticles.  Such assemblies have been shown to have a host of unusual mechanical properties \cite{mirkin1996dna,lequieu2016mechanical} and can be made amorphous, a requirement for these materials.  Glassy materials can also show a host of unusual and tunable properties depending on material processing and formation conditions \cite{antony2017influence, reid2016age, singh2013ultrastable}. With sufficiently high resolution, 3D printing may also provide a feasible path towards material fabrication \cite{sun20133d}.  Now that several possible fabrication routes have become available, the manufacture of micro-scale auxetic networks prepared by pruning should prove a fruitful avenue for materials development.

\subsection*{Methods}
\subsubsection*{Experimental methods}
Experimental systems were laser cut from rubber sheets. These are silicone rubber sheets that are $1.5mm$ thick and have a stiffness value of Shore 70A. Each bond of the network was made to have a specific thickness, depending on its value of $k_{i}^{ang}$ and $k_{i}^{comp}$. Each bond has an optimized $k_{i}^{comp}$ and two $k_{i}^{ang}$'s, one for each end of the bond.
The simulations have upper and lower bounds on the values that $k_{i}^{comp}$ and $k_{i}^{ang}$ can take. In the experimental systems, the width of each bond is kept between $1mm$ and $2mm$ near the nodes and between $2mm$ and $4mm$ at the center of the bonds. The width of bond $i$ goes as $\sqrt{k_{i}^{comp}}$ or $\sqrt{k_{i}^{ang}}$ depending on the part of the bond. In order to prevent bonds from running into each other, as we go from the middle of the bond towards a node, the central part of the bond tapers off and connects smoothly to the thin part near the node. Average bond lengths in the network are $~15mm$ and the system size is around $300mm \times 600mm$ for a $2 \times 1$ tiling of periodic networks.

\subsubsection*{Poisson's ratio as a function of minimal polygon area}
Here we relate the Poisson's ratio of a network to the area of the individual polygons. For a rectangular network, the total change in area of the entire system is a sum over the contributions from all of the polygons:
\begin{equation}
\Sigma \Delta A_j = x_f y_f - x_0 y_0
\end{equation}
where $(x_0,y_0)$ and $(x_f,y_f)$ are respectively the initial and final widths and lengths of the entire network.   For uniaxial compression along $y$ axis, the Poisson's ratio is given by:
\begin{equation}
\nu = -\frac{\epsilon_x}{\epsilon_y} = \Big(\frac{1}{\epsilon_y}\Big)\Big(1-\frac{x_f}{x_0}\Big)
\end{equation}
where $\epsilon_{y} = \frac{y_f - y_0}{y_0}$.
Substituting ${x_f}/{x_0}$ in terms of $\Sigma \Delta A_j$ gives:
\begin{equation}
\nu = \Big(\frac{1}{\epsilon_y}\Big)\Big(1-\frac{\Sigma \Delta A_j}{x_0 y_f} - \frac{y_0}{y_f}\Big) = \frac{1}{(\epsilon_{y}+1)} \Big(1-\frac{\sum_{j=1}^{N} \Delta A_{j}}{N \epsilon_{y} \overline{A}} \Big).
\end{equation}
This is the same as Eq.~\ref{eqn:cycleDeform}.

\section*{Acknowledgments}

We wish to thank Irmgard Bischofberger, Carl Goodrich, Daniel Hexner, Heinrich Jaeger and Andrea Liu for stimulating conversations.
NP was supported by NSF MRSEC DMR-1420709. SRN was supported by DOE DE-FG02-03ER46088 and the Simons Foundation for the collaboration "Cracking the Glass Problem" award $\#$348125.  The development of auxetic systems for impact mitigation applications and the corresponding materials optimization strategies presented here are supported by the Center for Hierarchical Materials Design (CHiMaD), which is supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, US Department of Commerce, under financial assistance award 70NANB14H012.

\bibliographystyle{unsrt}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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The second book in my Vigilati Series comes out tomorrow!There's nothing quite like a release day. Am I nervous, you ask? Oh yeah, totallyNope. Not at all.
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text:
Rehbar Committee decides to give Senate chairmanship to PML-N
Last Updated On 06 July,2019 11:38 pm
Rehbar Committee on Friday held a presser after a meeting.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The 'Rehbar Committee' of the joint opposition has decided to grant the chairmanship of the Senate to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) – the party with the majority of the seats in the opposition in the National Assembly (NA), sources familiar with the matter told Dunya News on Saturday.
According to details, PML-N senators Raja Zafarul Haq, Musadiq Malik, and two others are being considered for the position.
On the other hand, the party will leave the position of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate after getting its senator as the chairman of the Senate.
In this regard, the Rehbar Committee has also begun consultation amongst its members for the designation of the opposition leader in the Senate.
Furthermore, it has been decided that no changes will be made to the position of the deputy chairman of the Senate, which is currently held by Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Saleem Mandviwala.
No-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on July 9
Following a maiden meeting of the 'Rehbar Committee' on Friday, the opposition parties have reached a consensus to bring a no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on July 9 and nominate their joint candidate for the Senate chairmanship on July 11.
Rehbar Committee convener Akram Khan Durrani, the senior leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F (JUI-F), told the media that the joint opposition had unanimously decided to start constitutional process for removal of the chairman of the Senate.
In order to protest against what the joint opposition has been calling as 'rigged' General Elections 2018, the committee also decided a future course-of-action against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led federal government and came on a conclusion to observe July 25 as the 'black day'.
A major public gathering is expected to be staged in Lahore on July 25.
Durrani strongly denounced what he called 'a new political order' was being introduced in the country, and said: "We condemn that order as it will derail democracy."
SBP warns commercial banks on delay in transaction alerts
Former President Asif Ali Zardari condemns La...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Building the Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network: How does it work and what is it achieving?
Jennifer B Leonardo1,
Rebecca S Spicer2,
Maria Katradis1,
Jennifer Allison1,
Rebekah Thomas1
1 Education Development Center, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
2 Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Calverton, Maryland, USA
Correspondence to Dr Jennifer B Leonardo, Education Development Center, Waltham, MA 02453, USA; jleonardo{at}edc.org
Objective This study investigated whether the Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network (CS CoIIN) framework could be applied in the field of injury and violence prevention to reduce fatalities, hospitalizations and emergency department visits among 0–19 year olds.
Sample Twenty-one states/jurisdictions were accepted into cohort 1 of the CS CoIIN, and 14 were engaged from March 2016 through April 2017. A quality improvement framework was used to test, implement and spread evidence-based change ideas (strategies and programs) in child passenger safety, falls prevention, interpersonal violence prevention, suicide and self-harm prevention and teen driver safety.
Procedures Outcome and process measure data were analyzed using run chart rules. Descriptive data were analyzed for participation measures and descriptive statistics were produced. Qualitative data were analyzed to identify key themes.
Results Seventy-six percent of CS CoIIN states/jurisdictions were engaged in activities and used data to inform decision making. Within a year, states/jurisdictions were able to test and implement evidence-based change ideas in pilot sites. A small group showed improvement in process measures and were ready to spread change ideas. Improvement in outcome measures was not achieved; however, 25% of states/jurisdictions identified data sources and reported on real-time outcome measures.
Conclusions Evidence indicates the CS CoIIN framework can be applied to make progress on process measures, but more time is needed to determine if this will result in progress on long-term outcome measures of fatalities, hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Seventeen states/jurisdictions will participate in cohort 2.
This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2017-042367
Despite progress in reducing child injury mortality and morbidity, more children and adolescents aged 1-19 years die from injuries and violence in the USA than from all diseases combined.1 In 2015, 13,300 children and adolescents aged 0-19 years died of an injury, and there were an additional 200,225 injury-related hospitalizations and almost 7.7 million injury-related emergency department (ED) visits.2 Nationwide in 2015, the leading cause of injury deaths among children and adolescents aged 5-19 years was motor vehicle traffic-related injuries. Among children 1-4 the leading cause of injury death was drowning. Homicide is the second leading cause of injury deaths for infants less than one and children 1-9, and the third leading cause for age groups 10-14 and 15-19.2 For children and adolescents aged 10-19 years, suicide is the second leading cause of injury deaths.2 Falls are the leading cause of hospitalized injury among infants and children aged 0-14 years and lead the reasons for treatment in an ED.2 Injuries and violence are often predictable and preventable,3 4 yet reductions have not occurred evenly across populations.5 6 A gap persists in the broad implementation of evidence-based programs,3 7 especially among high-risk populations.
Children's Safety Network
Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA MCHB), the Children's Safety Network (CSN) at Education Development Center worked with 21 state maternal and child health and injury and violence prevention programs to increase uptake of evidence-based strategies for injury and violence prevention. In December 2015, CSN launched the first cohort of a Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network (CS CoIIN) that employed a quality improvement (QI) approach8–10 to improve the translation of science into practice and reduce injury-related deaths, hospitalizations and ED visits. The CS CoIIN focused on five topics, selected by CSN and HRSA MCHB based on a review of injury data and in consultation with the National Coordinated Child Safety Initiative Steering Committee: (1) child passenger safety (CPS), (2) falls prevention (FP), (3) interpersonal violence prevention (IPVP), (4) suicide and self-harm prevention (SSHP) and (5) teen driver safety (TDS). CSN studied:
Can the CS CoIIN framework be applied in injury and violence prevention to achieve population level outcomes?
What results can be expected in injury and violence prevention using a collaborative QI methodology over the course of a year?
CS CoIIN framework
The CS CoIIN leveraged Foundation Strategy Group's collective impact approach, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's (IHI) breakthrough series (BTS) and Associates in Process Improvement's (API) model for improvement (MFI). The Collective Impact approach has been successfully tested for large-scale social change and identifies five components for success: a common agenda, shared measurement, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication and backbone organizations with a structured process and dedicated staff.11 IHI's BTS is a collaborative model, with wide-spread use in healthcare, that provides a structure for achieving breakthrough improvements through an expert meeting, three face-to-face learning sessions and action periods between learning sessions.9 The expert meeting is an in-person meeting of subject matter experts who develop a driver diagram, or theory of change, and accompanying measurement strategy.9 The CS CoIIN framework adapted the BTS expert meeting to include application experts, along with subject matter experts, and the three face-to-face learning sessions to two 4 hour, virtual learning sessions and one face-to-face learning session. Driver diagrams and measurement strategies for each child safety topic were informed by the expert meeting and developed by CSN staff. They were based on API's MFI that asks: 'What are we trying to accomplish (aim statement)? How will we know a change is an improvement (measurement strategy)? What changes can we make that will result in improvement (driver diagram)?'8 12 Driver diagrams contain drivers (eg, norms, systems and processes) necessary to achieve the aim statement and actionable, evidence-based change ideas necessary to achieve the drivers.13 The MFI then applies the Plan, Do, Study, Act Cycle (PDSA) as a framework for testing, implementing, and spreading change ideas.8 14 Change ideas are tested rapidly, on a small scale,8 15 and implemented and spread once teams make necessary adaptations and establish organizational commitment.8 Given the complex environment of reducing injury and violence prevention on a national scale, these models were selected based on promise of large-scale, sustainable change that can be achieved over a year.
CS CoIIN in practice
At the CS CoIIN launch, application experts came together in leadership teams from 21 states/jurisdictions, along with child safety subject matter experts and CSN staff, to provide input on driver diagrams.16–27 Leadership teams included the state/jurisdiction health officer, the maternal and child health director, and the injury and violence prevention director or designees. Strong leadership teams are necessary to align improvement work with organizational initiatives and secure appropriate resources for large-scale spread projects.8 Leadership teams were responsible for composing state/jurisdiction strategy teams that included public health program staff, epidemiologists and staff from partner organizations. Strategy teams participated in monthly topic calls, made day-to-day decisions, submitted data and built the capacity of pilot sites to test, implement and spread change ideas from March 2016 to April 2017 (see figure 1). Strategy teams received technical assistance from CSN on child safety strategies and programs and improvement science throughout this time.
CS CoIIN timeline. CS CoIIN, Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network.
An invitation to participate in cohort 1 of the CS CoIIN was sent to US states/jurisdictions and tribal communities, and 21 states/jurisdictions were accepted. Table 1 indicates the number of participating state/jurisdiction teams per topic.
Number of states/jurisdictions and percent of US population and fatalities by topic
Outcome measures were the number of: (1) ED visits, (2) hospitalizations and (3) deaths due to child injury. These measures reflect the national performance and outcome measures for state maternal and child health programs to reduce severe and fatal injuries among children and adolescents aged 0–19 years.28 Each CS CoIIN topic had these three outcome measures. States/jurisdictions were asked to report on a quarterly or monthly basis from March 2016 to April 2017 using the best real-time data available.
Each CS CoIIN topic had 11–19 process measures. Measures were selected based on expertise from the NCCSI, CSN and states/jurisdictions. Consideration was given to quality of the measures and access to data. States/jurisdictions were asked to report monthly on 5–7 measures, per topic, from March 2016 to April 2017. At times data were available through pilot sites, such as schools or hospitals, and at times states created new surveys and datasets. Table 2 illustrates a sample of process measures.
Sample process measures by topic
Participation measures tracked (1) engagement in CS CoIIN activities, (2) reporting practices, (3) retention and (4) overall progress. CSN tracked data monthly from March 2016 to April 2017, with the exception of overall progress data tracked from March 2016 to November 2016.
Engagement in CS CoIIN activities was measured by percent of states/jurisdictions attending learning sessions and percent participating in topic calls. Reporting practices were measured by percent of states/jurisdictions that submitted driver diagrams, PDSA cycles and monthly reports. Retention was the percent of states/jurisdictions from cohort 1 that continued in cohort 2. Overall progress was measured on a 5.0 IHI Assessment Scale for Collaboratives that ranged from 1.0, forming a team, to 5.0, outstanding sustainable results.29
Outcome and process measure data were plotted monthly on run charts, or time series graphs, and analyzed using run chart rules.30 Run chart rules include identification of trends, five or more consecutive data points heading in the right direction, shifts, six or more consecutive data points all above or below the baseline, and astronomical points.8 30 Trends and shifts signal non-random variation that point to the evidence-based changes having an effect.8 Astronomical points are assessed to understand if something outside the system is acting on process or outcome measures. Astronomical points are data considered outliers, clearly outside common variation, to anyone studying the run chart data.8 30 Descriptive statistics were produced and analyzed monthly for participation measures. Key themes across the CS CoIIN were identified through word repetition analysis of qualitative data made available through monthly reports, PDSA submissions, topic calls and evaluations from March 2016 to April 2017.
Twenty-five percent (n=5) of states/jurisdictions worked with state epidemiologists to identify data sources and report real-time outcome data. One state leveraged an electronic database from its Office of Emergency Medical Services to track suicide-related ED visits. Another worked with the Traumatic Brain Injury Registry to track hospitalizations, and another accessed the state death registration system to track fatalities.
Fifty-seven percent (n=12) of states/jurisdictions submitted process measure data on at least one topic; of these, seven submitted data on at least two topics, and one submitted on three. These 12 states/jurisdictions account for 86% of the states/jurisdictions that were actively engaged throughout cohort 1. Two states/jurisdictions that will continue in cohort 2 were selected to illustrate CS CoIIN progress in more detail.
CPS: state/jurisdiction 1
State/jurisdiction 1 aims to improve CPS by increasing the number of mobile fitting and safety seat inspection sites, the distribution of car seats, and the number of certified CPS technicians. The state/jurisdiction is targeting high-risk populations by increasing fitting stations in areas with the highest incidents of motor vehicle crashes and fatalities, holding booster seat promotional events in rural and low socioeconomic areas, increasing the number of Spanish speaking car seat technicians, and partnering with resettlement agencies to reach refugee populations new to the culture of CPS and with limited English language skills. In January 2016, state/jurisdiction 1 operated 95 mobile fitting and child safety seat inspection sites. By October 2016 that number increased to 116, then dropped to 107 in January 2017. All the stations operated in underserved communities. From January to April 2016, state/jurisdiction 1 distributed an average of 275 free or discounted car seats monthly. This increased to an average of 344 seats between July and October 2016, with 410 seats distributed in October 2016. State/jurisdiction 1 also increased the number of technicians receiving certification from 11 in January 2016 to 34 in November 2016, and the number of universal safety seat inspection forms submitted from 657 in January 2016 to 859 in October 2016. This CPS team also hosted 27 events in a state-wide push to promote safety seat distribution.
TDS: state/jurisdiction 2
State/jurisdiction 2 aims to increase parental and teen understanding of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) requirements and parental enforcement of GDL with teen drivers. The state/jurisdiction created and tested a GDL educational card with parents and teens in five pilot schools that included high performing, low performing, urban and rural schools. Three of the schools are located in the state/jurisdiction's Department of Transportation's priority counties, due to high crash rates related to speed, alcohol, youth drivers and low seat belt use. The card was distributed to 77 parents through five schools and led to increased knowledge for 71% of recipients. When tested with 76 teens across five schools, 80% of teens reported increased knowledge. State/jurisdiction 2 also sought to learn if the card contributed to parental willingness to enforce GDL through a signed parent-teen driver agreement. In a group of 77 parents, 67% reported having a parent-teen driver agreement in place, and among those who did not have an agreement, 79% indicated they would be willing to create one. The state/jurisdiction's Department of Motor Vehicles has begun to distribute the GDL card at 98 sites.
Looking at participation measures, on average, 79% of TDS, 81.7% of CPS, 67.8% of IPVP, 50% of SSHP and 100% of FP states/jurisdictions were engaged in CoIIN activities and reporting data (see table 3).
Number and percent of states/jurisdictions by participation measure and topic team
At least 60% of states/jurisdictions participated in topic calls each month. The percent of respondents who indicated that the topic calls were very good or excellent in terms of usefulness to the participants' work varied by monthly call from 55% of respondents in topic call 6 to 100% of respondents in topic call 10. The reason provided for not attending topic calls was scheduling conflicts. Increased positive responses for the usefulness of topic calls are attributed to states having more work to share with one another and CSN staff over time.
More states submitted or revised PDSAs in the beginning of cohort 1, which tapered off around month 9. This drop off was expected as state/jurisdiction teams built their QI capacity. Thirteen states and one jurisdiction from cohort 1 reapplied to cohort 2, in addition to 3 new states, for a total of 16 states and 1 jurisdiction. For overall CoIIN progress, of the 65% of states/jurisdictions that reported data, 96.9% received a 2.5, testing changes, and 0.3% received a 3.0, or modest improvement, on the IHI assessment scale.29
A key theme that emerged is the CS CoIIN framework is a promising approach to achieve child safety outcomes, with 100% of states/jurisdictions reporting utility of the driver diagrams and measurement strategies during CS CoIIN events and topic calls. States/jurisdictions commented on the comprehensive nature of the driver diagrams, with a variety of evidence-based change ideas, and the flexibility of measurement strategies that allowed for focus on subsets of measures.
Another key theme was that aligning CS CoIIN work with state/jurisdiction strategic initiatives, assessing pilot site needs, building partnerships, and identifying and creating data systems were critical, and often new, efforts for states/jurisdictions that took more time than anticipated. Based on this, the IHI Assessment Scale for Collaboratives was adapted to create the five point CS CoIIN Progress Scale that provides increased sensitivity to (1) early work necessary to focus CoIIN efforts and (2) process measure reporting and analysis (see figure 2). An initial test of the CS CoIIN Progress Scale, using a purposive sample of 33% of CS CoIIN states/jurisdictions in April 2017 (n=7), indicated states/jurisdictions can form partnerships, begin testing and implementing evidence-based changes, and start reporting process measure data within a year, with some states/jurisdictions able to make progress on process measures (median=3.0).
The CS CoIIN Progress Scale note 1. The CS CoIIN Progress Scale was adapted from the IHI BTS model.29
The CS CoIIN aim is to reduce child injury mortality and morbidity by spreading evidence-based prevention strategies across five topics: CPS, FP, IPVP, SSHP and TDS. CSN studied two questions: Can the CS CoIIN framework be applied in injury and violence prevention to achieve population level outcomes? What results can be expected in injury and violence prevention using a collaborative QI methodology over the course of a year?
Preliminary results demonstrate that the CS CoIIN framework is a promising approach, with states/jurisdictions increasing uptake of evidence-based practices and reporting on progress along process measures within 1 year. This was achieved through application of the CS CoIIN framework that utilized the collective impact approach,11 BTS,9 and MFI8 with three key adaptations. The first adaptation was to broaden the group of stakeholders who develop the driver diagrams and measurement strategies to include both subject matter and application experts from the National Coordinated Child Safety Initiative Steering Committee, CSN, HRSA and state/jurisdiction practitioners in order to address the challenge of translating research into practice across multiple injury and violence prevention topics. The second adaptation was to use a blended delivery model that replaced two face-to-face learning sessions with 4-hour virtual meetings, to facilitate increased participation. A third adaptation that emerged midway through the CS CoIIN was creation of a CS CoIIN progress scale to reflect working in a complex, multisectoral environment at the population health level. The scale recognizes early work should focus on states/jurisdictions aligning CS CoIIN activities with strategic plans, scanning and assessing their environments and building partnerships.8
Within a year, states/jurisdictions that participate in injury and violence prevention using a collaborative QI methodology can expect to test and implement changes in pilot sites and begin to report data. Some states/jurisdictions can expect to show improvement in process measures and readiness to spread evidence-based practices. Based on CS CoIIN results, improvement in outcome measures is not expected within a year; however, some states/jurisdictions are expected to identify data sources and begin to report on outcome measures in real time.
A key lesson from the CS CoIIN is that development of flexible driver diagrams and measurement strategies was necessary to engage states/jurisdictions. States/jurisdictions were first encouraged to review topic-specific aim statements and make revisions based on the population, geographic region, and changes they selected. Driver diagrams included a range of change ideas, from providing primers to parents to creating coalitions, participating in campaigns, and implementing evidence-based programs. This allowed for testing at the societal, organizational, relationship, and individual levels of the injury and violence prevention system31 and alignment with state/jurisdiction priorities and resources. A robust and flexible range of process measures were used to ease the burden of data collection and test what was feasible for states/jurisdictions to measure. Process measures ranged in the unit of analysis from individuals to organizations, and from measuring implementation of activities (eg, percent of teens educated on GDL) to changed knowledge and behaviors (eg, percent of teens reporting driving during restricted hours).
Working on improvement in complex systems often brings the challenge of delayed response from the time evidence-based changes are tested to observing outcomes.8 Limited access to real-time outcome data is a limitation of the CS CoIIN. The CS CoIIN assumes that progress on intermediate process measures will correlate with progress on long-term outcome measures. The frequency of data collection is another limitation. Working within and across state agencies requires significant time to coordinate efforts and share resources. CS CoIIN data are collected from different agencies and pilot sites and reported monthly, rather than weekly or daily. General QI guidance is to establish baseline data using ≥10 data points.10 Due to monthly data collection and a 1-year cohort, the baseline was established using the first 3–5 available data points.8 10 Therefore, seasonal variation cannot be ruled out as a threat to validity. Additional limitations include the threat of history with time series design, inability to rigorously control for extraneous variables and self-report bias on measures of knowledge and behavior change.32
The CS CoIIN framework begins to close the diffusion gap between research, practice and policy33 in the field of injury and violence prevention. Bringing all stakeholders together in one expert faculty group from conceptualiszation of driver diagrams and measurement strategies through implementation of a step-by-step approach to testing, implementing and spreading evidence-based strategies and programs allowed for top-down and bottom-up evidence from the National Coordinated Child Safety Steering Committee, HRSA, CSN and states/jurisdictions representing over one-third of the nation. The CS CoIIN driver diagrams were revised at the conclusion of cohort 1, based on state/jurisdiction evidence, and reorganized according to the social–ecological model31 to elucidate the overall systems approach to injury and violence prevention. This includes working on policy and practice at all levels of society. Cohort 2 will continue the work of cohort 1, with increased attention to systems mapping and improvement34 35 through QI topic calls.
What is already known on the subject
More children and adolescents aged 1-19 years die from injuries and violence in the USA than from all diseases combined.
During the past three decades, reductions have occurred for some causes of injuries (eg, motor vehicle-related) but not evenly across all causes or populations and a gap persists in the broad implementation of evidence-based programs, especially among high-risk populations.
There is promising evidence that the Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network framework, using a quality improvement (QI) methodology can be applied in the field of injury and violence prevention to achieve reductions in fatalities, hospitalizations and emergency department visits among 0–19 year olds.
Use of a collaborative QI methodology over the course of a year can increase the uptake of evidence-based strategies in injury and violence prevention and lead to wide-scale spread initiatives
The authors would like to thank Jane Taylor, EdD, independent consultant, quality improvement advisor to the Child Safety CoIIN and Jenny Stern-Carusone, MSW, Education Development Center, technology director to the Child Safety CoIIN.
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Contributors JBL and MK: made substantial contributions to the manuscript's conception, design, and writing. RSS: contributed to the study's conception and reviewed and edited the manuscript. JA and RT: contributed to the drafting and editing of the manuscript. All authors: approved this version for publication.
Funding This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Child and Adolescent Injury and Violence Prevention Resource Centers Cooperative Agreement (U49MC28422) for $1,199,683.
Disclaimer The information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by, HRSA, HHS or the US Government.
Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Correction notice This article has been corrected since it was published Online First. In the first paragraph of the Introduction, 'drowning' has replaced 'homicide' as the first cause of injury deaths among children aged 1-4 years old. In the following sentence, 'children 1-9' has replaced 'children 5-9'.


text:
The Life and Career of Kenya Moore
Rachelle Williams
Rachelle is a digital content creator who enjoys playing video games in their spare time.
Who Is Kenya Moore?
You may know her from the hit Bravo TV show The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but unlike many of the other women on the show, Kenya Moore was somebody decades before the show began. Don't get it twisted now...we all are somebody, I just mean that she was somebody famous long before the Bravo TV show began.
Kenya Moore first gained exposure as a model when she was a teenager. She moved on to major success on the pageant circuit, then she slid into acting by guest starring on many 90s TV shows. Kenya appeared in several high profile movies, she produced a work-out DVD, she was a reality TV contestant, and her current role is "twirling" around Atlanta on the super popular Housewives franchise.
The highlights already listed will go a long way towards answering the question of "Who is Kenya Moore?" But, let's dig deeper to get an in-depth view of the beautiful black woman who has managed to build an empire out of her brand.
An Educated Young Lady
Kenya Moore started out in this world in Detroit, Michigan, on January 24, 1971. She was abandoned by her mother when she was only days old. In the interest of being fair, her mother was only 15 years old at the time she gave birth to Kenya, so she might not have felt equipped to raise a child. However, Kenya has stated that her mother refuses to acknowledge her presence, even to this day.
Fortunately for Kenya, she has a paternal grandmother and aunt who stepped in to take care of her. She might have started out on shaky ground, but with the support of her relatives, she pulled it together. Kenya headed down the right path and she eventually graduated from Cass Technical High. She went on to earn a degree in psychology from Wayne State University.
A Bona Fide Beauty Queen
Kenya Moore started modeling when she was 14 years old. She scored big in her early 20s when she obtained the coveted cover girl spot on Ebony Man (EM) magazine in 1992. She moved on to modeling for Fashion Fair cosmetics, and she won the title of Miss Michigan USA in 1993.
She achieved a major milestone by conquering the title of Miss USA (1993), because she was only the second black woman to earn the title in the history of the pageant. Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first black Miss USA, she had won her title just three years prior. Kenya ended her pageant career after she went on to place fifth in the Miss Universe pageant.
A Bona Fide Actress
By the time the 1990s came along, Kenya Moore did a round of guest appearances on popular 90s TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Parent 'Hood, Living Single, and Girlfriends.
Eventually, she moved on to the big screen where she had cameo roles in films like Waiting to Exhale (1995), opposite Angela Basset and the late, great Whitney Houston and Deliver Us from Eva (2003) opposite Gabrielle Union and Terry Crews.
It was also during this time in her career that Kenya Moore caught the attention of music video producers, so she was cast in music videos from Shai's "I Don't Wanna Be Alone" in 1995 to Tupac's "Temptations," also in 1995.
While she was making regular television, film, and music video appearances, Kenya was also still making a living as a model and she appeared on the covers of Glamour, Seventeen, Ebony, and Essence.
A Real Atlanta Housewife
2012 was the year that brought Kenya Moore into the forefront of the consciousness of many people who may not have already been familiar with her, because she signed on as a cast member of the The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
From the moment Kenya first appeared on the show, she's presented herself as a person who could easily stir the pot and cause trouble for others. This is exactly the type of behavior the producers of the Housewives franchise want, because drama is what their viewers crave.
Being a troublemaker, she fits right in with the rest of the group. The latest gossip about Kenya on The Real Housewives of Atlanta is that she and co-cast member Eva Marcille have gotten "into it" and are throwing serious shade toward each other, with Eva attempting to slight Kenya by saying she's over-the-hill. These types of antics are common.
Hopefully, given all she has accomplished in her past, the behavior she displays on the show are mostly for ratings. One positive aspect of her time on the show, besides the fact that she draws a handsome salary, is the fact that during the course of the show we have seen her create a family.
A Wife and Mother
Kenya Moore married restaurant owner Marc Daly in June of 2018. There was an air of mystery surrounding Kenya and Marc's marriage right from the start. Even her Real Housewives bestie, Cynthia Bailey, was in the dark about her relationship status.
Kenya introduced Marc as her husband out of nowhere. No one knew of their nuptials, because the pair had apparently eloped to a beach in St. Lucia.
We later learned that Marc Daly is a restauranter with a Southern fusion restaurant and bar in Brooklyn called SoCo. In the beginning, the handsome couple appeared to be perfectly suited and on November 4, 2018, they welcomed their beautiful daughter Brooklyn into the world. Although Kenya seems to be a happy, dutiful mother, her relationship with her husband was clearly strained.
Kenya's woes with her husband went public during her filmed emotional breakdown to co-cast member Kandi Burruss, where she cited a lack of intimacy as the main issue in her relationship. She further suggested that the issues began when she became pregnant, and she believed Marc had issues with her body when she was pregnant.
Kenya voiced several times that she was more than willing to work on her marriage to make it a success, but Marc wasn't as willing as was she. In the end, the couple decided to separate. Kenya recently announced their pending divorce.
At Last...A Beautiful Family for Kenya
Although Kenya and Marc's marriage probably will not last, she has shown herself to be a loving, caring mother. She has displayed many times her wish for a stable family, especially given the fact that her relationship with her mother is virtually non-existent.
Kenya has also repeatedly stated that Marc is a wonderful father, so there's no doubt that the two of them will be able to successfully co-parent baby Brooklyn in a positive environment.
Kenya Moore is still stirring up trouble on the Housewives, but of course, that's what they pay her to do... Regardless of her antics and her failed marriage, she seems happiest when she's with her child, so we wish her and her little family the very best for the future.
Jacqueline G Rozell on December 06, 2019:
Beautiful women. I hope they get the best out of life. For some reason, though reality shows appear to be one of the most popular genres on the air, people tend to want to tear down those starring in the roles, to take pleasure in their bad and worse days and hardships. Perhaps that is what sells the audience points, but I'm rooting for success.
The Love Life of Meryl Streep
By Rachelle Williams
The Children of Meryl Streep
Amanda Randolph - The First Black TV Star
Whatever Happened to Jayne Kennedy?
What Ever Happened to Pam Grier - The Original Foxy Brown
Carole Anne-Marie Gist, the First Black Miss USA
Whatever Happened to Jean Smart? (Charlene Frazier From "Designing Women")
Whatever Happened to Bern Nadette Stanis? (Thelma from Good Times)
Lillian Randolph - A Prolific Black Actress of the Classic Film and TV Era
Mary Tyler Moore: Death and Diabetes
The Nasty Feud Between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker
Whatever Happened to Aunt Bee? (Frances Bavier)
Whatever Happened to Chip Fields?
Whatever Happened to Phoebe Cates?
The 'Designing Women' Cast: Where Are They Now?


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First voyage
MSC Magnifica is a Musica-class cruise ship operated by MSC Cruises. Constructed by STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire, the ship was launched in January 2009, completed in January 2010, and entered service in March 2010. The cruise ship is initially operating in the western Mediterranean.
The fourth ship to be built to the Musica class design, Magnifica was constructed by STX Europe in their shipyard at Saint-Nazaire,... Read more
Capacity (DO):
32.3 m (106 ft)
First voyage:
The fourth ship to be built to the Musica class design, Magnifica was constructed by STX Europe in their shipyard at Saint-Nazaire, France. She was built at a cost of $547 million.
The vessel is 293.8 metres (964 ft) long, with a beam of 32.2 metres (106 ft). The 93,330-gross ton vessel can reach a maximum speed of 23 knots (43 km/h). Magnifica has 1,259 cabins - 2,550 passengers can be carried at double occupancy, while 3,605 can be carried at full capacity. The ship has 1,027 crew.
Magnifica was identified by the shipyard hull number T32 during construction. In fact, Magnifica's onboard disco is named after her shipyard hull number. The IMO ship identification number 9387085 will remain associated with the ship throughout her life, even if she changes names or operating companies.
Magnifica was floated out of her dry dock in a launching ceremony in January 2009. A 72-hour sea trial period was successfully completed on 17 January 2010, despite poor weather and 50-knot (93 km/h) winds. A flag-changing ceremony was held on 25 February 2010 in Saint-Nazaire. The ship was christened on 6 March 2010 at a ceremony in Hamburg by the godmother to the MSC Cruises fleet, Italian actress Sophia Loren.
The ship has 13 passenger accessible decks, three swimming pools, a gymnasium, spa and wellness centre, a 1,250-seat Art Deco-style theatre, casino, cinema, bowling alley and a number of dining areas and bars.
Operational history
The ships regular itineraries position her in South America during the winter season and Northern Europe in the summer months.
On 5 January 2019, Magnifica started her first World Cruise. It started from Genoa and will be 119 days long. Magnifica will visit 6 continents, 32 countries, 49 destinations. The ship will return to Genoa on 3 May 2019.
She is due into dry dock on December 2, 2019.
Magnifica will be undertaking a second World Cruise leaving in January 2020. The 116-night cruise will start at Genoa on 5 January 2020 and call at 43 ports in 23 countries. She will end her World Cruise in Genoa on 30 April 2020.
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Attractions on MSC Magnifica
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Special room for those who like to risk and make clever steps while playing poker.
MSC doesn't treat youngsters and teens like kids. And we don't lump you together either. We give you a place of your own with fantastic supervised facilities where you can meet up and do your own t...
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Quattro Venti Restaurant
Our restaurant can boast a top gastronomic selection thanks to the variety of dishes and the high quality of the foods, from choice Italian meats, scrupulously controlled, to fresh fruit. Every pro...
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At the end of a wonderful day, what better way to spend time with friends than in the inviting atmosphere of our piano bar. From song and dance to karaoke and performers, everyone is brought togeth...
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Favorite games of all times and generations are collected here - ideal place for spending your free time for children, teens and, of course, for their parents.
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Silk Relaxation Room offers a range of massage services. Massage is used as an effective method of maintaining health.
Our massage therapists can improve wellbeing by promoting blood circulation, relieving stress, as well as keeping muscles and soft tissue elastic.
As massage is of great benefit to one's health, more and more people choose this form of therapy to relax and revitalise themselves.
Silk Relaxation Room offers standard massages, deluxe massages, foot treatment (reflexology), luxurious packages, pregnancy massages, child massages, hot stone massage and ion cleanses. Talk with our staff today to determine which service is right for you.
Our pregnancy massages help improve circulation, cleanse the body of toxins and are beneficial for labour. Talk to one of our friendly, qualified staff members today about the benefits of a pregnancy massage.
Massages for children can help with their growth and body development, improving blood circulation and metabolism. Our staff are trained in child massage therapy so why not book your little ones in for a massage along side you.
Relax and enjoy a soothing thirty minute foot spa treatment that can help you safely remove the toxins accumulated within your body. We recommend this treatment as an effective way to maintain good health and avoid disease.
Silk Relaxation Room has seven locations throughout the Perth metro area from Armadale in the southern suburbs to Joondalup in the northern suburbs. We're open all week and provide a top-class premium massage service with no bookings required. Our friendly, qualified staff members are waiting to help you relax and heal your muscles and body through our wide range of services. You can find us at a shopping centre near you or in our Enex100 store in the heart of Perth city.
Private health fund rebates are available for remedial massage from all major funds. Check with us to see if your fund qualifies and experience a premium remedial massage in one of our comfortable and serene facilities.


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Master and Commander of Sunhaven Drive
By Paul Horton in Nov | Dec 2015, TXEX on October 30, 2015 at 11:31 am | 5 Comments
Growing up with Bill McRaven
My parents were among the first families to build a house on Sunhaven Drive in San Antonio's Windcrest subdivision in 1968. The first kid I met on Sunhaven was Billy McRaven, who lived three houses north on our side of the street. He was a couple of years older than most of us.
Most of the kids on the block were military brats whose parents worked at Randolph Air Force Base a few miles away. Windcrest had become a military retirement community on San Antonio's northeast side. The oldest of the retirees were World War II vets who bought houses near the golf course at the center of the subdivision. Bill's dad was a more established senior officer, and most of the rest of the kids were sons and daughters of captains and majors.
We were all boys who aspired to reach manhood early, and we watched UT grad Walter Cronkite every evening and saw all of the film clips from Vietnam. Our parents were all involved in the war, directly or indirectly. My dad was responsible for writing the medal commendations for Air Force personnel who distinguished themselves in action in Vietnam.
In the fall, winter, spring, and summer of 1968-69, Bill McRaven, your new chancellor, was the master and commander of Sunhaven Drive. Most of you know of Bill's expertise as the commander of U.S. Navy Special Operations, and many have undoubtedly seen the YouTube video of his wildly popular 2014 UT commencement address, but I am here to tell you that Bill was an officer and a gentleman at 13, well before he showed up for SEAL training.
Back then, Bill's soldiers numbered anywhere from 10-25, depending on the time of day or day of the week. We numbered eight-10 for after school football games in the front or backyards of homes where young mothers were too busy with younger children to care much about the damage we did to lawns.
Bill was several inches taller than most of us, and played quarterback and coached most of the time. He would tell us where to go, outline the blocking scheme, and decide who would go over the fence to get the ball next door and distract the scary dog on the other side. He could throw the ball farther, insisting that we had to run faster to catch up to it.
As military brats we were really good at playing war. Indeed, playing war may have also been our way of dealing with the tensions and anxieties that confront all families facing war. After watching Cronkite show clips of tunnel systems, we decided to build tunnels of our own. Our Ho Chi Minh trail was in the as-yet-developed fields surrounding Sunhaven Drive. In the early summer, sunflower plants would grow so tall that our tunnel-building operations were out of sight of our natural enemies: the neighborhood's developer, Mr. Fentress and his army of big-bearded backhoe operators.
We learned to work quickly and work hard. Bill worked with us, not above us, and we all wanted to please him. A great commander does what he expects his soldiers to do. We learned what Central Texas caliche was and we learned that picks and all sorts of shovels, determination, and calluses were required to build adequate defensive positions. We listened to Zager & Evans' No. 1 hit "In the Year 2525" over and over again, running home for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Kool-Aid for lunch, only returning to our positions in the evening when the temperature began to dip below 95.
But progress eventually caught up with us and the backhoes would fill in our forts quicker than Mr. Fentress could scare us away. We then resorted to developing our own special operations activities based on very low intelligence. After dark, we would stage stealthy raids on the golf course, searching water hazards and hedges for lost golf balls, evading detection with coordinated movements, darting from fairways to shrubs.
In the wake of those big July thunderstorms we would grab the unused and folded packing boxes in our garages and body-surf the rising culvert water until the flash flood subsided.
My fellow fifth- and sixth-graders remember Bill and looked up to him, but his leadership of our antics changed once he got into middle school. Something happened, and Bill quickly evolved into a grown-up.
The first sign of this was when he began walking girls home and actually talking to them. The kids on Sunhaven would race to the bike stand immediately after school as though some benevolent force was waving a checkered flag. We would hop onto our coveted banana-seat bikes and streak home (about a mile). I remember when Bill began walking home because I too had a crush—my first—on Lisa Huffaker, the fifth-grade daughter of a furniture storeowner who lived between my house and Bill's.
But, like most 11-year-old boys, I thought that winning the race home would somehow win Lisa's attention. At that time, I also thought that showing attention to a girl meant pushing her on her shoulder. But Bill, the master and commander, knew that actually walking and talking to a girl might be the better way to form a friendship with the object of his affection.
From that point forward, Bill had clearly outgrown us. Just as the people of Koningsberg, Germany would set their watches at 6 p.m. when the philosopher Immanuel Kant began his walk every evening, we would set our internal clocks to 5 p.m., when Bill began his daily run. He was trim, fit, and buff, a possessor of six-pack abs before anybody really cared about them.
Sometimes he would stop by the Odles' carport and play basketball with us after his run, but we didn't see much of him after he started at Theodore Roosevelt High School and entered the ROTC program. He was clearly driven, but we didn't really know what that meant. He was well organized and meticulous—he rose early, and went from school to work to lifting weights to running—and, some would say, anal. He was always very busy, though he possessed a cheerful toughness that none of us quite understood. The rest of the kids had difficultly understanding that what Bill was doing was growing up.
He did, however, completely blow at basketball, the only thing I had over him.*
But what I understand now is that he first demonstrated his leadership qualities on the battlefields adjacent to Sunhaven Drive. As he indicated in his commencement address, SEAL training taught him a lot. But he was our master and commander for one fleeting year, well before he became the master and commander of the covert American war on terror.
He taught us the meaning of hard work, sound tactical planning and organization, and that talking to girls was a better way to get to know them than hitting them on their shoulders.
Whether or not he ordered us to take unlawful actions will remain top-secret, eyes only for the NSA and Bill's frogmen on Sunhaven Drive.
Paul Horton, MS '80, MA '85, is a history teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.
*Editor's note: McRaven confirmed the details of this account, with one exception. "I did not 'blow' at basketball. In fact, modestly speaking, I was pretty damn good."
Tags: Bill McRaven, nostalgia


God can use your weakness. Yes He can!
What is that issue that you struggle with?
What is the burden that hangs over you like a dark cloud?
Do you think there is a way that He can use it for His glory?
"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."
The troubles and suffering we experience in life are not random events without purpose. God works through them for our good (Rom. 8:28). We may not like or understand exactly what He's doing, but knowing some of His general goals helps us trust Him and cooperate so we can reap the benefits of a season of affliction.
After Paul fervently prayed that his thorn in the flesh be removed, God revealed to him that it was a protection from pride. We all have areas of weakness that could lead us into sin, and God in His wisdom knows how to safeguard us. Sometimes pain accomplishes what nothing else can.
Paul's thorn, which made him weak, also taught him to endure by relying on Christ's grace and strength. In the same way, the troubles in our life often bring us to the end of our rope so we'll reach out to the Lord in humble dependence. Then we are positioned to receive the divine strength He promises to provide.
When Paul understood what the Lord was trying to accomplish in his life, he viewed his suffering in a totally different way. He stopped focusing on it as a pain and hindrance and instead became content. Paul could actually rejoice because he recognized that the power of Christ in him was more important than freedom from pain.
Unless we realize that God always prioritizes the eternal things over the temporal things of this life, we won't see the value of pain. According to 2 Corinthians 4:17, "Momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison." Therefore, we don't lose heart.
We don't know what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was.
But can you identify with the experience Paul had?
"When I am weak.. then I am strong".
What weakness and/or struggle has God placed in your life?
How has He used it?
Spend some quiet time asking God to show you "how" your burden can be used.


Some 5.4 Mt or 42% of CCPs produced have been effectively utilised in various value-added products or to some beneficial end over the period. On a per capita basis, this equates to about 250 kg/person recycled or reused.
Approximately 1.9 Mt or 79% of effectively utilised coal ash was used in high value-added applications such as cementitious binders, concrete manufacture or mineral fillers.
About 0.52 Mt or 22% of effectively utilised coal ash was used in non-cementitious applications such as flowable fills, structural fills, road bases, coarse/fine aggregates and mine site remediation.
Some 2.34 Mt or 18% was used in projects offering some beneficial use (e.g. onsite remediation, local haul roads etc.). These uses typically generate no economic return, that is, cost avoidance or recovery only.
Surplus CCPs of 9.8 Mt are typically placed into onsite storage ponds awaiting some future opportunity for economic reuse.
More than 35 Mt of CCPs [fly ash] have been used in cementitious applications or concrete manufacture from 1975 to 2012 [37 years].
Whilst effective utilisation continues to grow, still more than 9 Mt being placed into storage dams or other on-site or nearby facilities, with potential for additional use. It is estimated more than 400 million tonnes of CCPs have been stored in homogeneous ash dams located across Australia. Given the appropriate opportunities these stored materials could be further exploited or mined.


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1.Forms for making a will in Japan
When you make a will, you need to follow a form specified by Japanese Civil Code. If you do not, the will will be invalid. There are seven forms of wills which are specified in the Civil Code, however two of them are commonly used: 'Holograph (Handwritten) will' and 'Notary Deed will'.
i) Handwritten Will (Holograph WILL)
This type of will takes effect when the testator handwrites the full text of the will, the date, and the name all by himself, and stamps the seal (hanko) on it.
The law has changed in 2019, and it is now possible to use PC to create and print some part of the will (specifically, the list of assets).
Advantages of 'Holograph will' are:
— Witnesses and observers are not required
— Easy and economic
However, there are also disadvantages:
— Risk of loss, forgery and falsification
— Risk of being invalid because of mistakes in form
— Risk of family quarrels over the meaning of expressions in the will
— You have to write it by yourself (printed documents are not allowed).
ii) Notary Deed will
A will in which a testator should attend one of the offices of notaries ("Koushounin" in Japanese.). It should be done with two (or more) witnesses, and a notary conducts a hearing and makes a will. A copy of the will is kept in the notary's office, so it is the safest and the most reliable way.
'Notary Deed will' costs several thousand yen or more (not including attorney's fee). However, it poses little risk of family quarrels, and usually the advantage exceeds the disadvantage of the extra cost. In fact, 'Notary Deed will' is used about six times as much as 'handwrittenwill' in Japan. Generally speaking, 'Notary Deed will' is superior to 'Holograph will'.
With the above reasons, we usually recommend to use 'Notary Deed will' to those who consider making a will in Japan.
2. The difference between wills and "statutory inheritance (legal portion)"
We sometimes receive the questions such as
My Japanese husband left a will, and it says that he leaves all of his assets to our first-born son, but I believe that I have the right to get the half of them because I am his wife.
When the deceased person is a Japanese national, it is correct that Article 900 of Civil Code says the wife's share in inheritance shall be one half. However, this article is applied only when there is no will left. Inheritances to which Article 900 applies are called 'statutory inheritance'. In this case, because there is a will, Article 900 is not applied.
However, it may be possible for the wife to receive some share from the husband's assets. The article about "Iryubun" (legally reserved portion) is in the Civil Code. For the case written above, the wife has the right for 1/4, calculated as follows;
1/2 (Statutory inheritance) ×1/2 (Rate of Statutory reserved share) = 1/4 (Statutory reserved share)
3. Will by foreign residents
Foreign residents can also make a will in Japan.
If you are a foreign resident, and have assets (such as bank accounts, real estates) in Japan, it is worth considering leaving a will in Japan. It will be much easier for your heirs to handle Japanese procedures with a Japanese will. If there is no will left, there may be a lot of difficulties, even for just getting money from bank accounts. Also, it is strongly advised to get the will notarized at the public notary office (koushou-yakuba). If the will is not notarized, then the heir will have to bring the will to Japanese family court, to get it checked by a judge.
4. General Costs for making a will
You can write a will by yourself, but it is recommended to make it in Japanese language, in order to let your heirs handle the procedures in Japan smoothly. If you ask the attorney to create the will, the general cost is as follows (The amounts are for reference. It may be different depending on situation).
Simple wills (such as only for bank accounts in Japan)
Value of the property Attorney Fee
Less than 3,000,000 yen 165,000 yen
3,000,000 yen to 30,000,000 yen 220,000 yen
30,000,000 yen to 300,000,000 yen 275,000 yen
Over 300,000,000 yen 330,000 yen
Other wills
3,000,000 yen to 30,000,000 yen 1.1% of the value + 297,000 yen
30,000,000 yen to 300,000,000 yen 0.33% of the value + 528,000 yen
Over 300,000,000 yen 0.11% of the value + 1,188,000 yen
The Japanese Will will be made in Japanese language. If you need English translation, additional fee will be charged.
Cost for Notarization (at the Notary Public office)
Usually between 20,000 yen – 100,000 yen depending on the value of the assets and the number of heirs.
See this page for general information.
Cost for Creating a NOTARY DEED WILL
Legacy Division in Japan (Inheritance)
Legacy Division of a Foreigner in Japan