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When an outstanding talent, an extraordinary voice and an engaging exterior enter into a glorious fusion, it is time to point out this exceptional entity. Russian born vocalist and saxophonist Elena Maque has honed her polished skills in Russia, Europe and America.
Her debut album Feel Again was born out of a collaboration with Los Angeles-based legendary keyboardist and producer Scott Kinsey. The recordings were made in Seattle and Los Angeles. Among them are established session players such as drummer Gary Novak, bass players Hadrien Feraud and Logan Kane, saxophonist Alexey Nikolaev and guitarist Leonardo Amuedo.
The starting track Hey Friend rises all triggers. Trenchantly to the point, Elena gets her message across with an incredible timbre. She skillfully adapts the vocal style of earlier jazz female vocalists such as Billie Holiday. Scott Kinsey on Rhodes and Alexey on sax give the whole thing a perfect setting.
It's no coincidence that Elena picks up the jazz standard from Billie Holiday Lover Man. Without interfering more deeply with the substance of the piece, the modern instrumentation already gives it a modern touch.
We have a fixed image of Carlos Jobim's The Girl From Ipanema, based on many interpretations. Elena's rendition sounds authentic especially due to the use of the Portuguese language. The title song, Feel Again, makes a professional impression without, however, igniting the big fire like the starter piece.
The harmonic introduction to the Beatles track And I Love Her could have been designed by Jacob Collier and makes this cover delightful. After that, though, the song burbles along, relying on the instrumental prowess of the musicians involved. Leonardo Amuedo pulls it all out with his distorted guitar.
Weightless begins with Elena's oriental-like reincarnation on the soprano saxophone, which infuses a lot of melancholy into the album. Autumn Rain is a ballad that revolves around the eternal theme of a relationship between two people, in which the partner behaves ambivalently and thus unsettles his mate. Elena's expressive voice is excellently enhanced by the choral arrangement.
In the song Chance, Elena playfully juggles with different rhythms and styles, without sacrificing the content of the ballad. The album closes with the splashy Like A Song, which leans heavily on the Latin Samba style.
Elena Maque has made a very appealing debut with her album Feel Again. The song Hey Friend could become a hit if it were released as a single. Here Elena shows an approach that is promising and should definitely be pursued further.
Buy the album in all stores
Title: Feel Again
Artist: Elena Maque
Genre: Smooth Jazz
1) Hey Friend (3:29)
2) Lover Man (4:29)
3) The Girl From Ipanema (3:48)
4) Feel Again (3:49)
5) And I Love Her (4:34)
6) Weightless (3:41)
7) Autumn Rain (3:26)
8) Chance (3:53)
9) Like A Song (3:50)


If you're looking for memorable and unique experiences, then you've come to the right place. Celestial Gifts is one of SA's longest standing online experience gift and activity voucher stores. Our ever growing range of experiences features some of what SA's best activity/experience providers have to offer - and all under one roof.
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Gov. Ralph Northam recently announced that the Commonwealth of Virginia has signed agreements with private partner Transurban to deliver critical transportation solutions along I-495 and I-95.
Months of close collaboration and negotiation between the Commonwealth and Transurban have resulted in a deal for four transportation infrastructure projects that will create significant value for citizens and businesses throughout Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg.
Construction of a new southbound Occoquan auxiliary lane on I-95 in Woodbridge to address the traffic bottleneck at the Occoquan Bridge. The Occoquan Auxiliary Lane will connect the southbound Rte. 123 ramp onto I-95 with the off-ramp at westbound Prince William Parkway. The Commonwealth and Transurban have agreed the improvements will not require any compensation payment to Transurban.
In addition, the proposal for the Fredericksburg Extension Project (Fred Ex), a project consisting of a 10-mile extension of the 95 Express Lanes to Fredericksburg, has been finalized and is on track for commercial close this spring. Since the project was initially announced in January 2018, contract negotiations, a competitive design-build procurement, and more favorable financing options have advanced the deal, enabling Transurban to deliver to the Commonwealth a payment of between $54 to $98 million to fund additional transportation improvements depending on final teams of TIFIA, a low interest federal loan. In addition to the existing three general-purpose lanes, Fred Ex will provide two reversible Express Lanes of new capacity, which will be available at no charge to HOV 3+ and transit riders. The project is expected to increase capacity on this section of I-95 by 66% during peak periods. Construction is planned to begin later this year with the facility opening to traffic in the fall of 2022.
In total, Transurban has committed more than $1 billion over the next five years to fund enhancements to the regional transportation network.


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FC Urartu beat FC Ararat
19:52 7 April, 2021
FC Urartu competed with FC Ararat and won 1-0 in the 19th round of the Armenian Premier League.
Haitian striker Jonel Désiré scored the only goal at the 48th minute.
After 15 games, FC Ararat are on top of the championship table with 28 points and are 2 points ahead of FC Alashkert, which are in second place. FC Urartu are in 6th place with 21 points.
Armenian football championship, 19th round
FC Urartu-FC Ararat: 1-0
Jonel Désiré, 48

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Beloved Queens bar Neir's saved from closing
FOX 5 NY
190-year-old Queens bar Neir's saved from closing
With a little help from Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Queens Chamber of Commerce, beloved 190-year-old Queens bar Neir's will not be closing anytime soon.
NEW YORK - Considered by some to be the oldest bar in New York City, Neir's Tavern in Woodhaven, Queens had been facing its final last call due to unaffordable rent and insufficient sales. However, thanks to a new deal struck between the bar's owner, Loycent Gordon, and property owners Ken and Henry Shi, it will remain in business.
Gordon took over the bar 11 years ago, but had been struggling financially to keep it open, operating without a lease and paying just over $2,000 in rent. When he discovered that his landlords wanted to more than double his rent, he thought the worst had finally come.
Gordon placed a call into Mayor Bill de Blasio's radio show Friday morning in a desperate attempt to see if something could be done, and thanks to De Blasio and the Queens Chamber of Commerce, something was.
"We are thrilled to announce a handshake deal has been struck between Loycent Gordon and Ken and Henry Shi," said Thomas J. Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. "Small businesses are the lifeblood of Queens, adding to the unique character of our neighborhoods and creating jobs and opportunity for New Yorkers. It would be a shame to lose an institution with as much history as Neir's, and we're thrilled the bar will continue to serve its patrons for years to come. This would not have been possible without the efforts of New York City Council Member Robert Holden and New York State Assembly Member Michael Miller. The support and intervention from Mayor Bill de Blasio's team was also instrumental in reaching this agreement."
"We are very happy to have Neir's Tavern stay open and continue our 190 years of continuous operation," said Loycent Gordon, owner of Neir's Tavern.
Neir's Taven originally opened in 1829 and is known as "the most famous bar you've never heard of." A neighborhood staple, the bar was a favorite of actress Mae West and scenes for the films Tower Heist and Goodfellas were shot there.
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Massachusetts tops New England in terms of social and economic policies that improve family well-being and prosperity, as well as that of their communities, according to a recently developed index.
The Bay State ranked in the top 20, ahead of New Hampshire, which held the top spot in 2015 rankings in the Family Prosperity Index. Massachusetts moved up five places from 2015, while the Granite State dropped six places. Connecticut fell two places to dead last.
The index provides a guide to government policymakers, analysts and civic organizations and seeks to demonstrate the effects of laws and regulations on families. By improving the understanding of these effects, the initiative from the American Conservative Union Foundation in Washington aims to foster the development of social and economic policies that strengthen the self-sufficiency of families which drive the U.S. economy.
"It will help both citizens and policymakers at all levels better see the cost or benefit of changes in America's social and economic policies and create a path toward real solutions to problems at every level," Matt Schlapp, the American Conservative Union chairman, said in a statement about the index.
The rankings show Massachusetts has outpaced the other New England states and New York in terms of household real income since at least 2000, rising to over $153,000 by 2014. In New Hampshire, the comparable figure was just above $130,000. By this measure, Maine ranked lowest in New England, at just under $95,000. The index doesn't specifically define what's included in the income figures.
Massachusetts also topped the other New England states in terms of entrepreneurship, which measures things like job creation and the establishment of new businesses. But in overall economic terms, which includes the proportion of income from private-sector sources and jobless rates, New Hampshire did better than the Bay State, ranking 12th in the nation compared with 14th for Massachusetts in 2016.
In terms of family issues, the Bay State scores low in the family structure category of the latest index, although it rose from the bottom 10 states in 2015. Massachusetts scores among the top 10 in terms of family self-sufficiency, which measures the extent of dependency on government programs, and culture, which includes rates of teen pregnancy and educational achievement.
All the New England states score in the bottom 10 in terms of demographics, which includes age of the population and population growth. Maine ranks last by this measure, followed by Vermont.


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Home	European Medical Journal	Clustering by Health Professionals in Individually Randomised Controlled Trials
Clustering by Health Professionals in Individually Randomised Controlled Trials
12 December 2019 | Cardiology
*Mohammad Waleed,1 Isma Kazmi,2 Mishah Farooq,3 Abdul Hamid,4 Fazal Karam,5 Victoria Allgar,6 Kenneth Y.K. Wong7
1. Department of Cardiology, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK
2.Department of Renal medicine, St James' University Hospital, Leeds, UK
3. Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK
4. Department of Anaesthesia, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK
5. Department of Orthopedics, Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Saidu Sharif, Pakistan
6. York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
7. Department of Cardiology, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Blackpool Victoria Hospital), Blackpool, UK
*Correspondence to waleed1280@yahoo.com
The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
This research was started as a part of dissertation project while the authors were completing a master's degree in public health from the University of Sheffield. With the author's contributions, the dissertation was reviewed and amended for publication purposes as a review article. This work has not been presented previously in any scientific meeting. The authors confirm that no financial support or grants were received for this work.
EMJ. 2019;4[4]:53-61.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of clustering by health professionals in individually randomised controlled trials (iRCT), and its adjustment in both the sample size calculation estimates and the analysis of the data collected in iRCT (that is, trials that randomise individuals only). As a result, cluster randomised controlled trials will not be the part of this review study. Additionally, the authors aimed to discover the prevalence of the various forms of clustering in iRCT.
Methods: iRCT, in which the intervention was delivered by a health professional, were electronically searched in three medical journals. The dates searched were from 1st January 2000–31st August 2009. The retrieved trials were then screened to exclude those with complex designs and trials with more than two parallel arms. The selected trials were then fully reviewed for the presence of clustering effects and any corresponding adjustment. Data about the sample size calculation in the selected trials were also included. A basic form was generated for the purpose of data extraction from each of the selected trials.
Results: Of the 130 iRCT reviewed, clustering of outcomes was present in 127 (98%) trials. Only 61 trials (47%) had adjusted for the clustering effects in their design and analysis, while 53% of the trials had ignored the clustering effect, and hence no adjustment had been made in the trial design or analysis.
Regarding the various forms of clustering, clustering by centre in multicentre trials was found in 79 trials (60%), followed by natural clustering in 26 trials (20%), and clustering imposed by the design of the study in 23 trials (18%).
Conclusion: Potential clustering of outcomes exists in almost all iRCT; however, this review found that <50% of iRCT took clustering into account and adjusted the sample size calculation and statistical analysis of this data for clustering. Almost half of the reviewed iRCT ignored the clustering effect. As a result, inaccurate and nongeneralisable results could have been generated.
Researchers that individually randomised controlled trials (iRCT) assume that the observed outcomes of participants are independent. In practice, there are a number of situations in which there is some doubt about the validity of this assumption. One example is the correlation, or clustering, of the observed outcomes in participants treated by the same health professional.1 The importance of this issue was emphasised by Lee and Thompson,1 who assessed clustering in 42 iRCT and concluded that clustering of outcomes exists in almost all iRCT, but is usually ignored in the analysis, which leads to underestimates of uncertainty and overly extreme p values.1 In another article, Lee and Thompson proposed random effect models to allow for such clustering and investigated their effect on estimation and interpretation of the treatment effect.2
What Does the Term Clustering Mean?
The term clustering usually diverts the mind of the reader towards the cluster randomised controlled trials, wherein the groups, or clusters, of patients (rather than individuals) are randomised to a treatment either because of the nature of the treatment or to prevent contamination between treatment groups.3 However, in this review, clustering in iRCT will be analysed.
In iRCT, clustering means that the observation(s) about patients and observed outcomes in iRCT may be correlated due to differences in the behaviours of the health professionals actively delivering the intervention, sociodemographic differences between the patients, or the design of the study.1 Observed outcomes clustering can also occur by single centres when participating in larger multicentre randomised controlled trials.2
Why is it Important to Consider the Clustering Effect?
Clustering of outcomes in randomised trials reduces the effective sample size, reducing the power of a trial to detect an intervention effect.4-6
Additionally, clustering also affects the generalisability of the results and conclusions.1 The results obtained and conclusions drawn from a trial cannot be generalised to the whole population if the potential of clustering for outcomes exists in a trial. For example, in therapy trials the sample of therapists in the trial should be representative of those who are going to deliver the intervention in practice,7 otherwise, the results obtained cannot be generalised.
In What Forms Does Clustering Exist in Individually Randomised Controlled Trials?
Clustering may be imposed by the design of the trial; this inherent clustering as a result of trial design has been noted in a trial comparing a new one-stop clinic with a dedicated breast clinic for breast cancer screening.8 In another form, clustering can be natural rather than imposed either because of the sociodemographic differences between patients or because of the general practitioner's or the practice's influence on delivering the intervention, as observed in a trial comparing fusidic acid cream with placebo for the treatment of impetigo.9
Clustering can also appear by centre in a multicentre trial, which was seen in a study comparing the cytological surveillance with immediate referral for colposcopy in management of women with low-grade cervical abnormalities.10 Observations from the same centre were similar and therefore more correlated and clustered than those from different centres: this phenomenon defines the centre effect.11
How Can Clustering Effects Be Adjusted?
In iRCT the clustering effects can be accounted for by anticipating them at the time of trial design and increasing the sample size accordingly.12
Adjustment for the clustering effects in iRCT can also be conducted during the statistical analysis of a trial by using various statistical models.4 When analysing data from a multicentre trial, the estimation of the main treatment effect must take into account the differences seen between each centre.13-15 This statistical method to limit the effect of clustering is widely accepted, but there is no real consensus on the statistical model to use.16-20 However, the selected method depends on the application of the trial's conclusion.11 If conclusions apply across the participating centres or if the centres cannot be considered as a random sample from a population, the analysis of data will involve a fixed effects regression model. On the contrary, if one wants to extend the results to all the centres that could be concerned by the experimental treatment, the analysis of data will involve a mixed effects model.11
Time Trend of Clustering in Individually Randomised Controlled Trials
At present, there is no obvious trend of clustering prevalence and its accommodation in iRCT. One of the objectives of this review is to identify the time trend of clustering prevalence in iRCT and the according adjustments in such trials. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic analysis of the iRCT for the potential effects of clustering by health professionals.
Objectives of this study
To identify the prevalence of clustering in iRCT.
To identify whether the researchers have allowed for clustering effects or ignored clustering effects in the selected iRCT.
To explore the different ways used to accommodate for clustering effects in the selected iRCT.
Analyse the time trend analysis of the presence of clustering in iRCT and any according adjustment.
Trials to be Included in This Study
Only iRCT conducted by healthcare professionals have been included in this study. The term healthcare professional encompasses doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and acupuncturists. iRCT involving a pharmaceutical and/or health technology have not been included in the final selection of the studies that were reviewed. Likewise, cluster randomised controlled trials were excluded during the final selection of the articles.
This study is a systematic review of iRCT published in three selected journals from 1st January 2000–31st August 2009. The journals were selected for this study due to their diverse impact factors (at the time of the study) and the ease of access to the fully published articles from the university portal of the University of Sheffield. The retrieved articles were fully reviewed for the presence of various forms of clustering, relevance of the assumptions made while calculating sample size, and adjustment made for the effect of clustering during statistical analyses.
Strategic Plan for the Search
Basic literature search
The electronic databases searched for relevant literature were Medline® via OVIDSP online, the university portal/OVID online, and Google scholar. The database was searched from 1950 to date. The keywords used for electronic searching were "clustering", "clustering effects", "statistical models", "randomised controlled trials", "randomized controlled trials", "natural clustering", "multicentre trial", "adjustment for clustering", "health professional", "individual randomized trials", "individual randomized trials", "sample size", "sample size calculation", and "random effect model".
The keyword "clustering" yielded 27,084 papers, while the terms "randomized controlled trials" and "randomized controlled trials" yielded 286,121 and 6,006 papers, respectively. The search was narrowed on the basis the of forms of clustering, models to allow for clustering, adjustment methods, sample size, and sample size calculation. The search was further narrowed by only selecting iRCT and excluding cluster randomised trials. Finally, iRCT conducted by pharmacists and those with technological subjects, such as Helicobacter pylori, cardiac markers, and other tests were also excluded as these studies did not meet the inclusion criteria.
Individual journal search
A separate search strategy was used for accessing and scrutinising each of the three journals. The portal and search strategy used for each of the journals is briefly discussed below.
The yearly archives of the online issue of BMJ were accessed via the HighWire Press Free line using the university library electronic journal database. Within each year, the full reports of the articles regarding the primary care/general practice were accessed, and the retrieved articles were categorically arranged on the basis of their study design. The articles in the education and debate portion of the archives were not accessed.
The electronic search was made using ScienceDirect via the university library electronic journals database. The terms "randomized controlled trials" and "randomised controlled trials" were searched via ScienceDirect.
Articles were then selected or excluded by applying the limitations of the iRCT in the specified time period (1st January 2000–31st August 2009), which reduced the number of the articles to 82.
Journal of Psychiatry and Neurosciences
PubMed Central, accessed via the electronic journal database of the university library portal, was used to search for JPN articles. The volumes of the JPN were scrutinised in detail from January 2000–July 2009. This search yielded 30 randomised controlled trials.
Screening of the titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles
The full literature search yielded 381 relevant articles. Two independent researchers screened the titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles, and, as a result, 160 articles were excluded.
Full text review of the retrieved articles
A review of the full text of the selected articles was conducted, and, as a result, 91 articles were excluded on the basis of full text review because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Among these, trials with the factorial, crossover, and/or cluster design were excluded. Additionally, the follow-up studies were excluded from the retrieved articles (Figure 1).
Figure 1: The identification, screening, and selection of the studies detailing individually randomised controlled trials included in this investigation.
The iRCT selected for the final analysis were thoroughly reviewed for data extraction. A form was generated and used for the data extraction during the analysis of the selected iRCT. Data was extracted both from full text published iRCT and online extra material and registration websites.
Data extraction from the full text of the articles
The full text articles were studied and data regarding the general characteristics of the iRCT, sample size calculation, and statistical adjustments made for clustering were recorded.
General characteristics of the selected studies
The journal of publication, the year of publication, the type of intervention, number of multicentre trials, the health professionals conducting the trial, and the presence of clustering were recorded.
The methodology sections of the selected articles were studied in full detail, with particular focus placed on sample size calculation. All of the parameters used for the calculation of the sample size were collected. Any assumptions made and justification for the assumptions were also recorded. These parameters included Type I error, Type II error or power, one or two tailed tests, type of test, assumptions made in the control group, and predicted treatment effect.
Adjustment during statistical analysis
The results of the trials were studied and analysed for cluster effect adjustments, especially during statistical analysis of the results. Various models used for the statistical adjustment were also recorded.
Data extraction from the online extra material and trial registration websites
The trial registration websites were accessed and the target sample size and all the parameters used for the sample size calculation for the retrieved articles were recorded. Additionally, the extra materials related to the selected articles which were available online were also accessed and searched for the target sample size calculation and the parameters used for the sample size calculation.
Description of the 130 Included Articles
Table 1 describes the characteristics of the 130 selected articles. In 60 trials (46%), the intervention was delivered by the doctors, including general practitioners, physicians, psychiatrists, and surgeons. In the remaining included studies, the intervention was delivered by nurses in 43 trials (33%), physiotherapists in 16 trials (12%), and acupuncturists in the remaining 11 trials (9%). In half of the selected trials, the intervention was pharmacological, with a nonpharmacological intervention used in 45 (35%) trials. In the remaining 20 trials (15%), mixed method interventions were evaluated.
Table 1: Baseline characteristics of the articles and details of sample size calculation.
Types and Prevalence of Clustering
Clustering by centre in multicentre trials was found in 79 trials (60%), followed by natural clustering, which was found in 26 trials (20%). Clustering imposed by the design of the study was noticed in 23 trials (18%), while the form of clustering was not clear in 2 trials (2%).
Allowance for Clustering in the 130 Selected Articles
Table 2 shows the frequency of the trials that corrected for the clustering effect in their study either by making adjustments while calculating the sample sizes or during the statistical analysis. Out of the 130 selected articles, 13 were published during the year 2000. Among these 13 trials, only 2 trials (15%) had adjusted for the clustering effect.
Table 2: Frequency of article allowing and/or ignoring for clustering effect.
iRCT: individually randomised controlled trials.
Likewise, among the 10 trials published during 2001, only 2 trials (20%) had made allowances for the clustering effect. In 2002, 7 articles out of the 130 selected articles were published, and among these 7, only 2 articles (29%) had taken the clustering effect into account. The percentage of trials that took various forms of clustering into account and had made adjustments in their study increased to 45% in 2005 and reached the maximum percentage recorded of 67% during the year 2007. During the year 2008, 12 trials out of 19 (63%) had taken the clustering effect into account. In 2009, of all the trials published up to the search end date, 31st August 2009, 8 trials (62%) showed proper adjustments for various forms of the clustering effect.
Ignoring the Clustering Effects in the 130 Selected Articles
Table 2 summarises the frequency of articles that ignored the clustering effect and made no allowance in their design and analysis. Overall, 69 articles (53%) made no adjustment for the clustering effect in their design and analysis.
Reporting sample size calculations
Table 1 summarises the data about sample size calculation; 16 articles (12%) did not report the sample size calculation, while 9 trials (7%) did not mention the target sample size, neither in the full text report nor on the trial registration database. Even though a sample size calculation was reported by the majority of articles (88%), some of the required parameters for sample size calculation were frequently absent in reports.
In total, 61 articles (47%) included the required parameters for sample size calculations, including the assumptions made for the treatment effect and the control group. Moreover, 110 trials (85%) reported the power of the study. Finally, the α risk was mentioned by 90 trials (82%), which mostly mentioned the two-tailed test.
In this study of 130 iRCT published in three medical journals during the 10-year period from 1st January 2000–31st August 2009, the potential for clustering was found to be very common (98%) and only 47% (61/130) of trials studied in this time period have made allowances and adjustments for the clustering effect in their study design and analysis. The time trend analysis showed that the trend of taking clustering into account in iRCT has increased over recent years, from 15% of studies implementing anticlustering measures in 2000 to 67% in 2007, and 63% in 2008. This trend still remains high (62%) for the selected trials published up to the 31st August 2009 in the three selected medical journals.
A plateau in the time trend analysis graph during the years 2008 and 2009 warrants further investigation into the importance of clustering adjustment to further increase the percentage of iRCT that adjust for clustering.
Sample size calculations were reported in 88% (114/130) of articles. Reporting of the sample size calculation has greatly increased in the past decades, from 4% of reports describing a calculation in 1980 to 83% of reports in 2002.21,22 However, some of the required parameters for replication of the sample size calculation are frequently absent in reports.
STRENGTHS OF THE STUDY
Familiarity with the data
Unlike secondary data analysis, in which the data is collected by others and a period of familiarisation is necessary, in this study, the data has been extracted and collected by the researcher, and the data set is self-generated so there is marked familiarity with the structure and contours of the data.
Presence of key variables
Secondary analysis entails the analysis of data collected by others for their own purposes, so one or more key variables may not be present.23 In this study the data has been collected by the researcher, so the data about the key variables (potential clustering effect, sample size, accommodation for clustering) was collected with special attention.
Long study span and multiple medical journals reviewed
In this study, all the papers published in the three medical journals within the 10 years has been reviewed. Two of them are general medical journals with high impact factors: BMJ and The Lancet, while JPN is a specialist medical journal with a low impact factor.
Time trend analysis
It was difficult to have a long enough study span to analyse the change in trend with time on the potential clustering and its accommodation in the trials.
It is difficult to assess whether the assumptions made in the iRCT during the sample size calculation to adjust for the clustering effect had been manipulated or not, as only the published data about the sample size has been used for the study. To obtain feasible sample sizes, the assumptions could be manipulated during the study.24 Additionally, the sample size calculations can be manipulated after the completion of the study, as recently shown by Chan et al.25 by comparing protocols to final articles.
The trials with complex designs, such as factorial designs, crossover trials, and trials with >2 parallel arms, were excluded during the screening process to obtain a homogeneous sample of articles. Therefore, the clustering effect and its adjustment in trials with more complex trials have not been assessed. This may limit the generalisability of the results.
Another limitation is that the treatment-by-centre interaction is not considered. However, as the main objective of a trial is often to assess the overall treatment effect, it is recommended to investigate the treatment effect using a model that only contains the centre effect.14,26
The issue of clustering by health professionals in iRCT has gained attention in the last few years, and there is need for further research in this field to elicit some more facts about this matter and to provide further guidelines about the anticipation of, and accommodation for, potential clustering. A simulation study will be helpful to demonstrate the clustering affect on the results of an iRCT. Although each and every form of the clustering may not need to be accounted for at the analysis stage,27 this paper highlights the existence of this issue to the readers and reviewers and the need for analysis adjustment in certain cases.
Lee K, Thompson SG. Clustering by health professional in individually randomized trials. BMJ. 2005;330:142-4. Lee K, Thompson SG. The use of random effect models to allow for clustering in individually randomized trials. Clinical Trial. 2005;2(2):12. Donner A, Klar N, Design and analysis of cluster randomization trials in health research (2000), London: Arnold. Roberts C. The implications of variation in outcome between health professionals for the design and analysis of randomized control trials. Stat Med. 1999;18(19):2605-15. Martindale C. The therapist as fixed effect fallacy in psychotherapy research. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1978;46:1526-30. Greenfield S et al. Profiling care provided by different groups of physicians: Effects of patient case-mix (bias) and physician-level clustering on quality assessment results. Ann Int Med. 2002;136:1(2)11-21. Crits-Christoph P, Mintz J. Implications of therapists effect for the design and analysis of comparative studies of psychotherapies. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1991;59(1):20-6. Dey P et al. Costs and benefits of a one stop clinic compared with a dedicated breast clinic: randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2002;324:507-11. Koning S et al. Fusidic acid cream in the treatment of impetigo in general practice: Double blind randomized placebo controlled trial. BMJ. 2002;324:203-6. TAMBOLA Group. Cytological surveillance compared with immediate referral for colposcopy in management of women with low grade cervical abnormalities: Multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2009;339:b2546. Vierron E, Giraudeau B. Sample size calculation for multicenter randomized trial: Taking the center effect into account. Contemp Clin Trials. 2007;28(4):451-8. Hoover DR. Clinical trials of behavioral interventions with heterogeneous teaching subgroup effects. Stat Med. 2002;21:1351-64. Anello C et al. Multicentre trials: A US regulatory perspective. Stat Methods Med Res. 2005;14(3):303-18. European Medicines Agency. ICH Topic E 9. Note for guidance on statistical principles for clinical trials (CPMP/ICH/363/96) (1998). Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/documents/scientific-guideline/ich-e-9-statistical-principles-clinical-trials-step-5_en.pdf. Last accessed: 23 January 2019. Localio AR et al. Adjustments for center in multicenter studies: An overview. Ann Intern Med. 2001;135(2):112-23. Fedorov V et al. Estimation of the treatment difference in multicenter trials. J Biopharm Stat. 2004;14(4):1037-63. Jones B et al. A comparison of various estimators of a treatment difference for a multi-centre clinical trial. Stat Med. 1998;17:1767-77 [discussion 1799-800]. Moerbeek M et al. A comparison between traditional methods and multilevel regression for the analysis of multicenter intervention studies. J Clin Epidemiol. 2003;56(4):341-50. Permutt T. Probability models and computational models for ANOVA in multicenter clinical trials. J Biopharm Stat. 2003;13(3):495-505. Senn S. Some controversies in planning and analysing multi-centre trials. Stat Med. 1998;17(15-16):1753-65 [discussion 1799-800]. Mills EJ et al. The quality of randomized trial reporting in leading medical journals since the revised CONSORT statement. Contemp Clin Trials. 2005;26(4):480-7. Meinert CL et al. Content of reports on clinical trials: A critical review. Control Clin Trials. 1984;5(4 Suppl 1):328-47. Bryman A, Bell A, Social Research Methods (Fourth Canadian Editition, 2008), Oxford: Oxford University Press. Charles P et al. Reporting of sample size calculations in randomized controlled trials: Review. BMJ. 2009;338:b1732. Chan AW et al. Discrepancies in sample size calculations and data analyses reported in randomised trials: Comparison of publications with protocols. BMJ. 2008;337:a2299. Brown H, Prescott R, Applied mixed models in medicine, 3rd edition (1999), Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. Kahan BC, Morris TP. Improper analysis of trials randomised using stratified blocks or minimisation. Stat Med. 2011;31(4):328-40.
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Interview: Dr Rasha Al-Lamee
Editor's Pick: Artificial Intelligence in Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: Where Do We Stand?
EMJ Cardiology 8 [Supplement 4] 2020
EMJ Cardiology 8.1 2020


If your total level of effort on all projects will exceed 100 percent if we fund all your applications, explain how you will bring your total effort down to 100 percent when you apply.
We regularly receive questions about managing your level of effort. The following advice will help clarify NIH policies on calculating and justifying your level of effort in your application.
In the context of your grant application, "effort" refers to the amount of time your principal investigator (PI) activities will take.
Reviewers use this figure to assess whether you can complete your research with the amount of effort you plan to commit to a proposed project.
NIH uses this figure to calculate how much of your PI salary it will pay.
For example, if you estimate you'll spend 50 percent of your professional time on your grant, NIH will pay for 50 percent of your salary, up to the federal limit.
Always check whether your funding opportunity announcement (FOA) has special rules about effort.
Certain types of awards—mentored career development and small business awards, among others—require a minimum level of effort.
Additionally, some requests for applications have their own instructions about effort.
Our advice is written for FOAs that do not have unique requirements (e.g., investigator-initiated R01s, R21s, and P01s).
Consult with your institution's business office before you apply.
Calculating effort isn't an exact science, but you need to make an appropriate estimate.
Make sure your effort falls in line with what a competent researcher would need to manage the work you propose in your application.
Request a level of effort that fits your actual needs.
If your effort is too high, reviewers may recommend cutting your budget.
If it's too low, reviewers may question your commitment to the project.
If your request is way out of step with what reviewers would expect, they'll question your competence and may factor that into your overall impact/priority score.
Include only your own work as PI. Calculate the effort of your key personnel separately.
Never ask for more than 100 percent effort on a single grant. You cannot include overtime or claim you're efficient enough to do more than one year's worth of work over the course of a year.
If you're submitting more than one application, you may ask for a combined level of effort that exceeds 100 percent (e.g., 60 percent on one application and 60 percent on another). If both applications are funded, we'll adjust your effort to be no more than 100 percent when we negotiate your award.
Keep in mind that when you take this route, you risk having to cut your Specific Aims, reduce your effort on one of your other awards, or decline your award.
If you're submitting a multiproject application that requires your effort on an administrative core, include this in your effort calculation.
As a rule of thumb, put in at least 25 percent effort on each application you submit.
Reviewers may accept lower levels of effort from well-established, high-performing PIs who have demonstrated stellar research performance over an extended period of time.
Since you don't yet have a comparable track record, they'll likely raise concerns over a low level of effort.
Don't worry if your effort changes over the course of your grant. Reviewers know that can happen, and NIAID allows you to change your effort as your work progresses (with some limitations we'll discuss in a future issue).
Make sure your budget justification includes enough information for reviewers to understand why you need the time you request and what you'll do with it.
Detail the work you'll have to do as PI.
Include time you'll spend collaborating with other investigators, training your team, and building your infrastructure.
Note work that others will do, but don't apply this toward your level of effort as PI.
Estimate how much time your PI activities will take, in person months.
To calculate person months, multiply the percentage of your time associated with the project by the number of months of your appointment. Refer to NIH's Percent of Time and Effort to Person Months Calculator (link is external)xls.
Your institution's business office may also have guidelines to help you calculate this.
Include all this information in the personnel section of your budget justification. Make sure you describe effort for each key personnel as well as yourself.
If your total level of effort on all projects will exceed 100 percent if we fund all your applications, explain how you will bring your total effort down to 100 percent.
For example, let's say you've already committed 60 percent effort to other research projects.
You then apply for two new grants at 25 percent effort each.
In this case, you may want to state that you will reduce the level of effort so that your overall effort is 100 percent if both are selected for funding.
If your level of effort will change over the course of your grant, indicate this in your justification.
However, if you're not certain your effort will change, don't mention anything. You can change your level of effort later, when preparing your just-in-time request and during award negotiation.


text:
Magnetic shield may refer to:
Magnetic shielding, material that blocks magnetic fields
Earth's magnetosphere

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Political victory speeches are usually tame and boring things. Even if you hate your opponent, graciousness is the order of the day. Ronald Reagan declared it so when he created the 11th Commandment.
Not in Michigan last night, and not for Rep. Justin Amash, the Republican who won his primary battle.
One can hardly blame Amash, though, considering his opponent's dirty ads.
"I'm an Arab-American, and he has the audacity to say I'm Al Qaeda's best friend in Congress. That's pretty disgusting," Amash said in an interview after his speech.
His opponent, Brian Ellis, wasn't just taking on Amash. He was also taking on the Club for Growth, the well-financed Republican king-maker that endorsed Amash, who also got the endorsement of Texas' Ted Cruz.
Ellis said he called Amash to congratulate him on the win. Amash didn't take the call.
Amash hasn't exactly been known for his emotional maturity thus far in his political career. I grew up in that district. I now lean Democrat, but my first time voting was for a Republican for that seat–Paul Henry. Amash is nowhere close in reputation to either Henry or another predecessor–Jerry Ford.
I grew up there too when Vern Ehlers was the representative. It's a different acting district now.


As the name implies, a Health Savings Account (HSA) is not traditional medical coverage, where you purchase an insurance policy by paying a premium and renewing it periodically. Instead, it enables consumers to set aside funds for potential future health expenses on a pre-tax basis. The amount you set aside for medical expenses reduces your taxable income, bringing down your tax burden.


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text:
Марова Галина Васильевна  (1935-2013) — диктор радио и телевидения, первый диктор Ярославского областного радио и телевидения.

Биография
Родилась в городе Ярославль в 1935 году в небогатой многодетной семье. Отец её, Василий Николаевич, работал на железной дороге, и увлекался литературой, поэтому в дальнейшем Марова собрала собственную большую коллекцию книг.

Деятельность
После школы Марова поступила в пединститут, но из-за плохого материального положения родителей решила пойти на завод. По окончании школы прошла отбор в студию телевидения. После войны, Марова начала выступать в коллективе художественной самодеятельности. Потом в начале шестидесятых вела на телевидении творческий вечер народного артиста Юрия Караева.

Караев посоветовал начитать различные материалы, стихи, рассказы и прислать запись в Москву, в квалификационную комиссию.

У диктора в жизни было много значимых встреч. На телевидении Галина представляла вологодского писателя Василия Белова, молодого поэта Николая Рубцова, клоуна Олега Попова. За жизнь Маровой приходилось встречаться со многими известными людьми. Она работала со знаменитыми дикторами Центрального радио, телевидения — с Валентиной Леонтьевой, с Анной Шиловой, Нонной Бодровой. Марову приглашали работать в Москву. Ей было присвоено звание «Заслуженного работника культуры», награждена медалью, орденом «Знак Почета».

В 1957 году стала первым диктором Ярославского телевидения (вместе с Иваном Акимовым).

Семья
Муж Галины - Виктор Маров являлся главным архитектором проектов, главным специалистом и начальником архитектурно-планировочной мастерской института «Ярославгражданпроект». Он создал чертеж Успенского собора. Виктор Фёдорович — автор путеводителя по Ярославлю. А в 2000 году вышла его книга «Ярославль. Архитектура и градостроительство», в которой подробно представлена история застройки Ярославля и описаны все значимые памятники архитектуры XVI — начала XX веков, сохранившиеся в Ярославле. В 2001 за эту работу  был посмертно удостоен звания лауреата. Именно поэтому Марова была известна и в кругу ярославских архитекторов.

Умерла 27 августа 2013 года.

Публикации

Награды
 1998 — Орден Почёта

Примечания

Литература

Ссылки

Дикторы радио


text:
R. Kelly has $27,828 in his commissary account but hasn't paid any of his court fees.
R. Kelly has $27,828.24 in his jail commissary but hasn't paid any of his court fees. Judge, order the funds be seized, the prosecutors asked. Kelly has been given a 30-year sentence for racketeering and trafficking in women. Join our weekday newsletter list to receive original analysis, news, and trends in your inbox. According to federal court records, R. Kelly has $27,828 in his jail commissary but hasn't made any payments for his penalties and court costs.
According to court filings, New York Federal federal prosecutors requested on Thursday that a judge order the Bureau of Prisons to take the money from his inmate trust account and cut a check for that amount to the clerk of courts.
Kelly, whose actual name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was found guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking in September. These charges arose from Kelly's decades-long practice of enlisting and grooming girls and young women for illicit sex. He is currently serving a 30-year jail sentence.
Next month's restitution hearing will determine how much Kelly must reimburse the victims of his crimes, and New York Federal Judge Ann Donnelly will make that decision.
Kelly owes approximately $140,000 in fees and fines in addition to reparations. Based on the conviction and the statutory $40,000 human trafficking fine, Donnelly imposed a $100,000 fine.
Kelly is "very near to indigent," according to attorney Jennifer Bonjean, who is the disgraced Randamp;B star's representative, because he has no consistent source of income and certain radio stations won't play his music.
However, according to the prosecution, Kelly transferred millions of dollars from song royalties through a boyhood buddy just before he was found guilty of sex trafficking.
Kelly, an reportedly singing behind bars. prisoner who is now serving a sentence at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, has become friends with alleged subway gunman Frank James.
On August 15 in Chicago, Kelly is scheduled to go on trial for new federal accusations of producing child pornography and sexually abusing juveniles. He entered a not-guilty plea to the accusations.
He was previously cleared of 14 child pornography-related charges in Illinois in 2008, which was 14 years ago.
PrevPREVIOUS POSTIn the Alex Jones trial, a defense attorney for two Sandy Hook parents commanded the jury to "Take him out." The lawyer declared, "Alex Jones is patient zero for our society's inability to talk without lying." Punitive damages against Jones are being considered by the jury in his defamation case. Join our weekday newsletter list to receive original analysis, news, and trends in your inbox. "Get rid of him."
NEXT POSTJennette McCurdy said that Nickelodeon offered her $300,000 in "hush money" in her brand-new memoir. McCurdy claimed that in return, she was required to keep her opinions about her time at the network to herself. The celebrity claimed that she "quickly and instinctively" declined the offer. Morning Brew is read by more than 3 million people; you should too! According to Jennette McCurdy, Nickelodeon offered her $300,000 in "hush money" if she promised to keep her experiences at the network a secret.Next


GLENDALE–The Western Regional Executive of Homenetmen announced this week that Ashkhen Pilvajian has been named as Honorary Chairwoman of the upcoming 25th Navasartian Games. Pilavjian–who is the widow of veteran Homenetmen member Alexan Pilvajian–made a generous donation of $25,000 on this occasion.
Pilvajian becomes the first woman to occupy this honorary coveted position.
During a recent visit with Pilvajian at her residence–she expressed that she had accepted the Regional Executive's offer of the chairwomanship with great pleasure–thus honoring the memory of her late husband who was an active and important member of the Homenetmen.
Ashkhen Pilvajian was born in Aleppo–Syria. She attended the "Cilician" school and later graduated from the Armenian Sisters' Academy of Aleppo. For six years she taught at a local kindergarten.
In 1955–she married Alexan Pilavjian–who was the most valuable player of the Homenetmen Syria soccer team.
In 1968–the Pilavjians–with their sons Vahridj and Peglar moved to Lebanon–where they led a very active life in the Homenetmen community. Following the civil war–the Pilvajian family moved to Los Angeles in 1977–becoming active members of the Homenetmen Los Angeles chapter.
Alexan Pilavjian has been able to instill in his family the values–traditions and goals of the Homenetmen. Today–both sons are active members of that organization–serving in leadership capacities on both regional and local levels.
At the conclusion of the meeting–Ashkhen Pilvajian expressed her gratitude to the 25th Navasartian Games organizing committee–the Western Regional Executive of Homenetmen all the volunteers who devote their time and energy to ensuring the Navasartian Games are a success.


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text:
using System;

namespace CodingMonkeyNet.SumpPumpMonitor.Data.Utilities
{
    public static class TableEntityExtensions
    {
        public static string ToRowKey(this DateTime dt)
        {
            return string.Format("{0:D19}", DateTime.MaxValue.Ticks - dt.Ticks);
        }

        public static DateTime FromRowKey(this string rowKey)
        {
            return new DateTime(DateTime.MaxValue.Ticks - Int64.Parse(rowKey));
        }

        public static double TotalSeconds(this TimeSpan timeSpan)
        {
            return timeSpan.Ticks * 1E-07;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Media Matters exposes the homophobia that hate group Alliance Defending Freedom is hiding
Reading and sharing information like this about hate group Alliance Defending Freedom is vital for the LGBTQ community to win this so-called culture war.
The LGBTQ community will never make any definitive steps in attaining equality unless we publicly acknowledge to that there is a deliberate effort to undermine our safety and dignity as American citizens. And this effort is being undertaken by several religious right groups with deep pockets and very little scruples for being honest.
Our battle is not with religious beliefs in general nor ordinary individuals. Our battles are with groups and personalities who work diligently undermine our equality. Enough pussyfooting. Enough nonsensical discussions about Gays vs. Christianity. That was never the argument.
It was always:
Gays vs. The Family Research Council
Gays vs. the American Family Assocation
Gays vs. the Liberty Counsel.
Gays vs. the Alliance Defending Freedom.
Gays vs. every group, organization, paid personality, pundit, and talking head who claimS to be "pro-family," "pro-Christian," or "pro-morality."
For over 11 years, I have, via this blog, one failed self-published book, and one online booklet, tried to expose these folks myself in my own inimitable fashion AND get our community and our leadership to step up in calling these folks out.
I've succeeded a lot in the former more than I have in the latter. But I am also glad to note that I have not been alone. Other blogs, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and organizations such as Media Matters did a lot to focus on this situation. And granted, it may not be as popular as internal arguments, cute little academic terms and esoteric language, and other ways some of us in the LGBTQ community have wasted time, this work is very necessary.
And that's why I am thrilled at the new project published by Media Matters.
An interactive research book on the anti-LGBTQ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom
"The extremism of anti-LGBTQ powerhouse Alliance Defending Freedom" is an interactive research book outlining the anti-LGBTQ positions of the influential legal powerhouse Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). These positions were identified through extensive review of public statements by ADF and its representatives, reports on the group's legal and political activities, and publicly available materials created by the group. Information regarding significant portions of ADF's legal and political advocacy work is not publicly available; the group may hold additional positions or engage in additional activity that it refrains from commenting on publicly.
Click here to download the interactive PDF version of this report.
The following below is a smaller facsimile of the report:
'Transgender students gain huge court victory, opposition to trans troop ban marks full year' & other Thur midday news briefs
Today marks a year since Trump announced his trans troop ban. It has been a disaster for him.
Full Page USA Today Ad Features Bipartisan Opposition To Trump's Transgender Military Ban - It's been a full year since Trump announced his ridiculous ban of trans men and women from serving in the military. Since then, the announcement backfired on him to become one of the many embarrassing missteps of his administration.
Judge's ruling supports Dallas School District's transgender policy - An Oregon school district policy which protects transgender students has been upheld by the courts. Sharing space with transgender students doesn't violate anyone's rights.
This bisexual Russian man could be killed if he's deported — but an Oregon judge won't let him stay - The struggle is real and it is worldwide, y'all.
Bryan Fischer's Answer To Global AIDS Crisis: No Sex For Gay Men - Ah yes. The man who almost singularly got the American Family Association designated as a hate group.
America's most self-loathing homosexual blasts 'the gaying of Fox News' - Oh for crying out loud . . .
Media Matters exposes the homophobia that hate gro...
'Transgender students gain huge court victory, opp...


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text:
Springbuk aims to uncover $4 Billion in potential healthcare cost savings by 2020 as a result of this investment.
INDIANAPOLIS – January 22, 2018 – Springbuk, the nation's leading employer-facing health intelligence software, has announced a $20 Million Series B round of financing. This financing round was led by California-based HealthQuest Capital and Echo Health Ventures, a strategic collaboration of Cambia Health Solutions and Mosaic Health Solutions. St. Louis-based Lewis & Clark Ventures and Indianapolis-based Elevate Ventures also participated in this financing round.
Springbuk was founded in 2015 by Rod Reasen and Phil Daniels, co-founders of the Healthiest Employers awards program, with the mission to empower employers to lower their healthcare costs by harnessing their health data. Today, over 1,000 employers use Springbuk's software to glean actionable insights to improve their population's health.
With this capital investment, the health analytics software company aims to identify $4 Billion in potential health cost savings by the end of 2020. To date, their software has analyzed over $7 Billion in health claims and identified over $250 Million in potential cost savings for employers. The growth and expansion include a heavy emphasis on product innovation, data operations, and investments in customer success initiatives.
The software, which has already been heralded by clients as "extremely important" and "an absolute game changer," offers industry-leading functionality and is poised for continued enhancements in the coming year.
"The Springbuk platform has been built to solve a very large problem—the rising costs of healthcare—and this round of financing is representative of the scope of the challenge that we've undertaken," said Reasen. "As someone who has spent over 20 years in the health insurance space, I believe that this platform will truly revolutionize the industry."
Springbuk evaluated several venture capital firms, with the goal of finding strategic partners who could help realize meaningful growth and provide best-in-class thought leadership on product and infrastructure development and market characteristics.
"We had conversations with over 75 venture capital firms nationally. For us, it was all about finding partners who could help us execute our vision," Reasen said. "By partnering with HealthQuest Capital and Echo Health Ventures, we are one step closer to accomplishing our ultimate goal of preventing disease with data."
Springbuk's new partners were equally complimentary. "Springbuk has proven that employers play an increasingly critical role in reducing healthcare costs. The software goes beyond historic reporting to provide HR leaders and benefit consultants with the intelligence and direction needed to tackle rising costs and improve compliance of care for today's workforce," commented Dr. Garheng Kong, Founder and General Partner at HealthQuest Capital.
"Every employer strives for a culture of wellness," said Echo Health Ventures Partner, Anisha Sood. "Springbuk synthesizes massive amounts of health data generated by a company's workforce and translates it into simple, actionable insights. Echo Health Ventures is excited to partner with Springbuk's passionate leadership team and offer our expertise, network and scale to help accelerate their growth."
Brian Hopcraft, Managing Director of Lewis and Clark Ventures added, "With Springbuk continuing to outperform, we are delighted to contribute to this round. The company's vision, team, and relentless focus on their customers have made them industry leaders. We're excited about their next phase of growth."
Chris LaMothe, CEO of Elevate Ventures added "Elevate Ventures is enthused to be a part of this important step for Springbuk. As one of Springbuk's early investors, Elevate was attracted to the market potential as well as the founding team's passion and commitment to building a first-class company culture and a high-growth venture. We continue to believe Springbuk has an exciting future ahead."
"This investment, which is among the largest that our city has seen, sends a loud, clear message to the rest of the country: We build high-value technology in Indianapolis," said Phil Daniels. "This city is the perfect hotbed of both healthcare and tech talent for us to build a company that can help save billions of dollars in healthcare costs."
They are currently estimating that this expansion will add over 100 high-tech jobs to the Indianapolis area by 2020. This expansion was lauded by Indianapolis Mayor, Joe Hogsett.
"This investment in Springbuk is one that truly makes our city proud, as a homegrown company harnesses technology to improve lives and bottom lines," said Hogsett. "We look forward to the continued expansion of Springbuk and the 100 new high-tech jobs that are now on our horizon."
About Springbuk
Springbuk is the nation's leading employer-facing health analytics software solution. The software is leveraged by employers, benefits consultants, onsite clinics, TPAs, and wellness vendors to identify what claims are driving costs within populations. This allows Springbuk to provide all stakeholders with actionable insights to improve employee health and drive down healthcare costs over time. Learn more at www.springbuk.com.
About HealthQuest Capital
HealthQuest Capital makes early growth investments in innovative commercial-stage healthcare companies that are improving both patient outcomes and healthcare economics. Investments focus on medical products, diagnostics, healthcare IT and technology-enabled healthcare services. The HealthQuest investing team includes deep operational, clinical and scientific expertise and worldwide relationships throughout the healthcare industry that can be leveraged to add value to its portfolio companies. HealthQuest Capital is headquartered in Belmont, CA with west coast and east coast offices. Learn more at www.healthquestcapital.com.
About Echo Health Ventures
Echo Health Ventures LLC invests to build and grow tomorrow's great health care companies. We invest across every stage and work with our portfolio companies to challenge and transform the health care system. As a strategic collaboration of Cambia Health Solutions and Mosaic Health Solutions, we work closely with our Parents to catalyze the development of our portfolio companies' and accelerate their innovations to scale nationally. Echo Health Ventures operates nationwide with offices in Seattle, Durham, N.C., and Portland, Ore. Follow us on Twitter @healthecho.


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It really is crucial to take note to begin with that locksmith task must in no way be considered to be a do-it-yourself undertaking. For that enterprising people today, it may well be desirable to aim undertaking the locksmith job on their own, but this typically ends up in haphazard moves that will even harm the home. Giving the work to a specialist locksmith is undoubtedly a greater concept. Quite a few locksmiths say, trying to interrupt into your home or automobile oneself could prove futile and pricey as greater harm may perhaps outcome, therefore you turn out paying out more dollars than providing the chore to your qualified locksmith in the first place Locksmith.
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text:
Microsoft Outlines New Policies To Tackle Terrorist Content
Quek Chuan Rui May 23, 2016 0 0	579 reads
In what could be viewed as a preemptive measure, Microsoft has outlined new policies to crack down on the posting of "terrorist content" on some of its consumer services. This includes the gaming service Xbox Live, the consumer version of Outlook and its consumer document-sharing service.
Microsoft however has excluded its search engine Bing from the new policy, citing "free expression". The company said in a blog post: "In the context of a tool for accessing information, we believe that societies, acting through their governments, ought to draw the line between free speech and limitations relating to particular types of content". Instead, the company will only remove links when required by local law. Search engines don't host content after all, and Microsoft has to respect the rights of its users.
As to what exactly constitutes "terrorist content", the Redmond based company said: "We will consider terrorist content to be material posted by or in support of organisations included on the Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List that depicts graphic violence, encourages violent action, endorses a terrorist organization or its acts, or encourages people to join such groups".
Besides updating its terms of service, Microsoft is also continuing its reliance on consumers to report objectionable content. The company has launched a page along with its new policy and any terrorist content can be brought to their attention via the online form. Microsoft also said they are funding the development of a technology that can scan and flag known terrorist images, video and audio.
(Source: Microsoft via Reuters)
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Why all football managers will be hoping Newcastle United are relegated
It didn't take long, in the wake of Newcastle United's shocking decision to sack manager Chris Hughton, for Bradford City's own managerial situation to be brought up in comparison. Looking ahead to a big month which could determine the Bantams' season, one message board commenter declared that the club should sack Peter Taylor if results go badly, because (paraphrasing) "If Newcastle are going to sack a manager when 11th in the league, why shouldn't we also take decisive action?"
And that, above everything, is the real damage of Hughton's departure.
The world of football is looking at the Newcastle situation with despair. Ever since the knee-jerk decision to sack Sir Bobby Robson just four games into the 2004/05 season, the Magpies have been on a downwards spiral that surely required a revolving door to be installed on the manager's office – to keep up with the huge turnaround. Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear and Alan Shearer all arrived and quickly left.
Goodbye Champions League hopes. Hello Championship.
Then by luck rather than judgement, it seemed, the rolling of the dice proved successful for once and the unassuming Houghton led Newcastle to an instant return to the Premier League. And what's more, they've been doing rather well for a newly-promoted side which has barely had any money to spend. Thrashing rivals Sunderland and winning at Arsenal in recent weeks. Hughton's last home game in charge was a credible 1-1 draw with Champions Chelsea, for goodness sake.
Media rumours of Hughton's departure have circled for weeks, and the club did a poor job of dismissing those stories. It would seem owner Mike Ashley was simply waiting for an excuse and a run of five games without a win proved to be that window of opportunity. And so the club which seemed to have found stability and prospered is thrown back into turmoil.
But as the outrage and ridicule dies down, it is the ramifications of this sacking to the rest of football that carries the greatest concern. History tells us that – unless Ashley was holding out on Hughton and will give his replacement millions to spend in January – Newcastle will do no better for changing managers mid-season. Those same players will remain good on their day but lacking in other games; those inconsistent results will continue. Newcastle will not be ending the season back up to the late Sir Bobby's Champions League standards.
Yet even in the high likelihood of this compelling evidence, other managers will find themselves under pressure and their Chairman compared unfavourably to Ashley for not having the balls to get rid of them. That Newcastle can sack a manager when the club are 11th surely means West Ham should dismiss Avram Grant for being bottom, that Wolves should fire Mick McCarthy as the club has been overtaken by the likes of Newcastle, and – yes – that City should ditch Taylor because recent results aren't good enough for an ambitious club like us.
Because in time some will argue Ashley's actions in sacking Hughton were not ridiculous, but the mark of an ambitious club owner.
Managers up and down the land must surely now hope that Newcastle are relegated from the Premier League this season, so that the folly of sacking the gaffer on the back of a couple of poor results can be emphatically rammed home. A Newcastle relegation won't bring an end to unfair managerial sackings, but they could at least lead to a great deal more thought being applied than is often the case now.
Newcastle have raised (or perhaps lowered) the bar for the patience afforded to managers and lack of sentiment over any previous success they may have delivered. Taylor and co will have their own personal reasons for hoping it proves to be a monumental mistake.
Written by Jason Mckeown
Date Tuesday December 7th, 2010
More about Bradford City, Newcastle United, Peter Taylor.


Sophisticated luxury. Caribbean charm. Contemporary architecture. Welcome to Park Hyatt St. Kitts, where everything you could ever want is at your fingertips. Surround yourself with gorgeous sparkling waters and bathe yourself in the warm Caribbean sun. This is St. Kitts at its finest  a tropical oasis that transcends your wildest dreams.
With 78 rooms and 48 suites, you will see stunning views of Banana Bay from your private balcony or terrace. Rain showers, soaking tubs, cozy linens, and only the finest in-room amenities guarantee a peaceful respite, whether you are relaxing before a night out or turning in after a day full of excitement.
Swim in one of two beautiful pools or lounge on a sun-soaked Caribbean beach. Prefer to spend some time at the on-site spa ($)? Pamper yourself with an indulgent facial or body treatment and feel stress simply melt away. Private yoga and meditation are also available, so you can continue you release tension throughout the day.
A vacation is never complete without delicious dining options! Indulge your palate with three signature restaurants, offering local and traditional cuisine. The Fishermans Village and the Great House are perfect for families, while Stone Bar is an ideal dining destination for adults. Snacks are also available by the pools and on the beach!
Luxury hotel set on nearly-untouched Caribbean island within Christophe Harbour development on Banana Bay, offering golden sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, overlooking The Narrows, a strait separating St. Kitts and the volcanic island of Nevis.
527 square feet room facing towards the beach and sea with resort views. Private terrace, spa inspired bathroom and options to connect king and double queen rooms.
527 square feet room located on the ground floor closest to the beach with views of Bay. Each room has a private terrace, spa inspired bathroom and walk in closet. These rooms can connect to each other or to a Beachside Suite.
678 sq. ft. king bedded suite located on ground floor with divided sleeping & relaxation areas. These suites enjoy views of beach & each has private terrace, separate tub & walk in shower. These suites can connect to a Beachside king or double queen room.
678 square feet, king bedded suite with private plunge pool, relaxation terrace & spa inspired bathrooms. The top floor Nevis Peak Suites are flooded with sunlight & boast breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea and neighboring cloud capped Nevis island.
527 sq. ft. room located on 2nd floor of accommodation dwellings. Sea View rooms boasts views of Caribbean Sea & Banana Bay. Each room has private balcony, spa inspired bathroom with separate tub & walk in closet.These rooms can connect to Sea View Suite.
527 sq. ft. room located on 2nd floor of accommodation dwellings. Sea View rooms boasts views of Caribbean Sea & Banana Bay. Each room has private balcony, spa inspired bathroom with separate tub & walk in closet. Rooms can connect to Sea View Suite.
678 sq.ft. king bedded suite offering both lounge & sleeping areas. Sea View Suites have views over Banana Bay & Caribbean Sea. Suite has private balcony, spa inspired bathroom with oversized tub, rain shower & walk in closet. Connect to Sea View king.
775 square feet, king bedded suite with private plunge pool, sun terrace and spa inspired bathrooms. Each suite has separate sleeping and lounge areas and enjoy views over the narrow straits between St. Kitts and Nevis.
Stone Barn - Adults only restaurant, food is "from the hearth". Open daily, dinner-6:00pm-10:00pm.
The Great House - Indoor and outdoor dining serving plantation afternoon tea. Open daily, breakfast-7:00am-1:00am, lunch-12:00pm-2:30pm, afternoon tea-3:00pm-5:00pm dinner-6:00pm-10:00pm.
Fisherman's Village - Ocean to table cuisine. Open daily, lunch-12:00pm-3:00pm, dinner-6:00pm-10:00pm.
I am not a resort person at all. While I do enjoy trip to the Caribbean, I usually opt for a boutique hotel because I like privacy above all else when choosing a relaxing vacation. I really enjoyed this resort because it definitely provided the privacy I sought while also having access to 5 star amenities. The hotel is lovely, the staff is wonderful, the rooms are clean, the pools/gym/beach/spa are all perfectly staffed and maintained and the views of Nevis can't be beat. We opted for the Park Executive Suite, which included a large plunge pool and massive private deck. I think it's a good idea to choose a room with a pool if you possibly can, especially if you are craving solitude. I also loved the enormous living space and exceptional bathroom. The Le Labo products were a very welcome touch. I can also say that the room was spotless and very clean. While at the hotel we really enjoyed the food and beverage options. We had an afternoon tea, which was probably the highlight of dining at the resort and was on par with a London hotel tea. We also loved having delicious cocktails in the main bar every evening where we never felt rushed. They were even made to our specifications depending on our moods and tastes each evening. We also enjoyed the proximity to Nevis and visited the small island at least 3 times. Though a bit pricey, the convenience of the Hyatt's dock makes going back and forth incredibly easy. Though I imagine plenty of guests do not wish to leave the resort, there are lots of interesting things to see on both islands. For us the highlights were the Scenic Railroad, Brimstone Hill Fortress and the Romney Manor.
New resort - very well appointed and wonderful staff. Rooms and amenities are beautiful. Pool staff is great and attentive. Breakfast buffet is very well done. Few dining options in the area so after a 5 day stay we grew tired of the dining options. Beach is very very small and the wind blows constantly. Not the resorts fault but a consideration when going to St Kitts.
My family of four spent five nights at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts during our children's spring break. The resort is beautiful. Rooms are well appointed with lots of thoughtful details and amenities (the beds are firm, as noted in other reviews, but not uncomfortably so). The food at all three restaurants was excellent. Service was attentive with the exception of one dinner at the Fisherman's Village, and the staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful. The beach exceeded expectations based on previous reviews - the sand and water were clean, although the water was rougher than beaches on the western side of St. Kitts and Nevis. The views across to Nevis are priceless. The only thing keeping me from a 5-star review is the lack of suite options for families of four. The suites accommodate a maximum of 3 people, so we stayed in a standard room with two queen beds. While the space was sufficient, we would have gladly paid more money for a suite in order to have more space. Two recommendations if you stay here. First, go sailing with Captain Coconut. We had a fantastic experience - see my other review for details. Second, when you are done sailing, go to Salt Plage (Catain Coconut sails from their pier, which is just 5 minutes away) for dinner and watch sunset. The views are exceptional and the food and drink are very good.
We went there for the Valentine's day weekend, my husband and kids arrived first and I came after another work trip to join them. The hotel staff knew I was coming and they showed me to my room very promptly. My husband texted me some pictures of them in the hotel and I was thinking "boy...why is he waving about this place?" but when I got there, I understood. He booked us a suite with living room and outdoor swimming pool and place to relax. My kids were there all the time and I was just sun-baking. Loving it. Our suite was very close to the beach and we were just there hanging out. My 5 years old saw some jet ski and wanted to try, so we went jet skiing 3 times this trip and we all had a great time. Food is pretty decent, all the hotel staff were beyond hospitable and just really really helpful and friendly. Clean water, calm beach, fine sand. One thing that was bothering me and my husband was that, the temperature in the pool was cold. I did not dip into the pool at all and my husband has been researching to see if it is just like that the whole time. It seems like it is, and it is a common problem with pools that are not heated. We always try to get rooms that have an indoor/ in suite pool and when it is not heated, I won't be touching the water at all. I think so far only in Dubai where we have an outdoor pool that is temperature regulated, and a thermal spa pool in that is always heated with thermal water, the rest of the pools are just cold. Otherwise, nothing to say about this place. Loved it.
Food and Beverage are very pricey, however Reggae Beach Bar and the Spice mill are right around the corner as options. Water sports are included and the staff are great. The resort layout is very well thought out.


LONDON, Nov 17 (IFR) - Turkey opened books on a US dollar benchmark 10-year sukuk trade this morning, in what is becoming an annual excursion into the Islamic bond market.
The sovereign, rated Baa3/BBB- by Moody's/Fitch, set initial profit thoughts of 220bp area over mid-swaps on the note.
It is the sovereign's first 10-year tenor in the sukuk market, having issued a 2.803% 5.5-year note in its debut transaction in 2012 and a 4.557% five-year Islamic bond last year.
"Two years ago, Islamic investors were not comfortable with going far beyond the five-year mark, but this market has been maturing rapidly as you saw with Indonesia," said a banker familiar with the transaction.
Indonesia issued a US$1bn 4.35% 10-year sukuk in September, a deal that recorded an order book of US$10bn.
Initial profit thoughts on Turkey's sukuk appear to offer only a small premium to the sovereign's curve.
Both outstanding sukuk are trading at a Z-spread of around +174bp, according to Tradeweb. This is about 9bp wide of Turkey's conventional 6.75% April 2018 bond, which was trading at a Z-spread of 165bp pre-announcement.
Turkey also has a 5.75% March 2024 note, which is trading at plus 199bp, according to Tradeweb.
Applying a similar differential, fair value would be 208bp over, suggesting that Turkey is offering a 12bp premium at the IPT stage.
"That is super tight, but this is a perfect time for Turkey to come to market when oil prices are so low and Turkey being a net importer of oil," said one bond trader who covers Middle East and Turkey.
"Everyone wants to get a bit of Turkey at the moment," he added, pointing to recent trading in the sovereign's conventional curve.
For example, Turkey's long-dated 6.625% 2045 has risen 10 points to 121.1 since the start of September, according to Tradeweb data.
The new Reg S/144A deal is expected to price on Tuesday.


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