Rice genetically engineered to be resistant to glufosinate (developed by Bayer CropScience) has been approved (deregulated) in the US but is not yet for sale commercially as the company attempts to get approval in countries which import rice from the US as well.
As far as I know, no company in the US has produced bt rice, which has less to do with consumer fears than with the small amount of rice production in the US rather than consumer rejection, but that's just a guess. The Chinese government has developed breeds of bt rice, but doesn't grow them commercially because of the risk to their export markets, which is primarily to countries that reject genetic engineering (although Chinese rice exports are declining drastically as more and more of their production is needed to feed their own people).
Golden rice, which has betacarotene, which human bodies need to make vitamin A, was developed by in Swizerland in the 1990s. Almost all plants produce carotenoids like betacarotene in their leaves as part of the biological machinery that makes photosynthesis possible. Breeders can sometimes identify and propogate natural mutations which lead to the expression of carotenoids in other parts of the plant, two key examples are orange carrots* and orange cauliflower. Vitamin A deficiency is a major issue** in many countries were rice is the primary crop, so breeders have searched for decades for natural mutations at would create orange rice, without success.*** The initial breed of golden rice which used two genes, one from daffodile to promote the expression of carotenoids in the grains of rice was attacked as requiring people to eat more than a dozen bowls of rice a day to get their daily recommended vitamin A intake, new versions that replaced the gene taken from daffodil with a version of the same gene taken from corn have more than twenty times as much beta carotene. Golden rice is also not currently grown commercially as it, like ringspot resistant papaya, doesn't have a powerful for-profit corporation to shepherd it through the complex approval processes of various nations.
Where to begin. Of the crops that feed the world, rice is indisputably first. Cultivated for more than 10,000 years, toay more than 1/5 of all calories consumed by humans across the world come from rice. In my one year studying Hindi, I remember the fact that the word same word meant "rice" or "food", stuck in my head. That's how important rice can be.
Rice actually falls into two subspecies, indica and japonica, grown in different parts of Asia, and I'm told people can actually taste the difference. Beyond that primary distinction there are thousands of individual cultivars of rice with their own distinctive shapes, scents and flavors. In the right store you can even find red and black rices. I personally want to find some of the black kind (actually really dark purple), both because it gets its coloration from anthocyanin, my favorite plant pigment, and because who doesn't want to try something marketed as "Forbidden rice"?
*The first carrots domesticated from the wild plant Queen Ann's Lace were white, and you can still find such carrots. Breeding created the orange carrots we enjoy today (which I'm told have gotten noticiably darker as breeders continue to improve their betacarotene content), as well as purple carrots (anthocyanin) and red carrots (lycopene).
**A quarter to a half a million children around the world go blind from lack of vitamin A every year. Many die soon-after.
***When I mention breeding was unable to accomplished one thing or another, that's not a dig at plant breeders. They have and continue to work miracles every year. The point I'm trying to make is that genetic engineering is a tool that we can turn to when we face those few situations where conventional (and marker assisted) breeding is ineffective.
Posted in: agriculture, Crop Profiles.


Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is an endogenous neuropeptide with a wide array of immunomodulatory properties. VIP has shown beneficial effects in managing multiple inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD includes chronic disorders of the gastro intestinal tract, namely Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The usage of VIP is hindered by its short biological half-life and off target effects (hypotension). To overcome these delivery challenges, we have developed a biocompatible nano-carrier (SSM), which can successfully deliver active VIP to the target tissue to treat IBD. The studies herein were designed to determine the therapeutic benefit of intra peritoneally (ip) administered VIP nanomedicine, VIP-SSM in managing IBD, utilizing mouse models of colitis resembling both CD (2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid/TNBS induced colitis) and UC (dextran sulfate sodium/DSS induced colitis). Since IBD is an intestinal disease, delivering VIP-SSM via oral route would be more beneficial. To this end, we have tested the effectiveness of administering the nanomedicine intra luminally to the colon. Finally, we tested the prospects of scaling up the nanomedicine for clinical use via oral formulation by incorporating the nanomedicine into enteric-coated capsules. Our results demonstrate that ip administered VIP-SSM is effective in alleviating inflammation associated with both DSS and TNBS colitis. VIP-SSM significantly reduced the inflammation and associated diarrhea in colitis by affecting pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression, histology, tight junction proteins, secreted mucus and ion transporter expression in the distal colon. These beneficial effects were also apparent when the nanomedicine was administered intra rectally to the colonic lumen, showing potential for oral delivery. Furthermore, in vitro studies show that freeze-dried powder of the nanomedicine gives rise to micelles with active VIP, released from capsules in solution. Together, our data indicate the effectiveness of VIP-SSM as a therapeutic agent in managing IBD, and shows proof of concept of its use as a novel oral product.


This furnished 18 m² apartment is located on Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau, in a animated and prestigious section of Paris 1st district. This charming furnished studio rental can accommodate up to 2 people. This very bright and peaceful apartment is located on the 3 floor (no lift). It is also equiped with all you need to feel like a parisian including Internet included, Vacuum cleaner, Iron, etc. The apartment is accessible by Paris public transportation (Louvre - Rivoli/M 1), and nearby you can find many businesses and services (like a Butcher/Delicatessen, Bakery, Bar, Movie theater, grocery store, Newsstand, Laundromat nearby, pharmacy, Restaurant, Supermarket, etc. ). The residence offers a Quartier parisien.
This apartment consists of a beautiful living room with wooden floor view on road. This quiet living room is furnished and equipped for a comfortable stay: tv, linen, quilt, coffee table, cupboard, bedside table, 1 sofabed(s) of 140cm.
This apartment consists of great kitchen with tile floor and all the necessary equipment for your daily life: hob, refrigerator, microwave oven, freezer, kettle, shelves, cupboard, crockery.
This apartment is equipped with a great bathroom and bright. This bathroom is furnished with all the equipment you need for a comfortable stay: bath towels, shelves, cupboard, separate shower, sink. The toilets are located in the bathroom.
Located on the right bank of the Seine River in the 1st arrondissement (district), the Louvre – Palais Royal neighborhood is known for its historical monuments, museums, green spaces and high end shops. Characterized by the Palais Royal (royal palace) and the Louvre museum which it draws its name from and crossed from east to west by Rue de Rivoli and Rue Saint Honoré, this neighborhood is one of the less populated in Paris and also one of the best place to live in whether it be for a short stay or a whole year!


Mathew Sweezey is Principal of Marketing Insights for Salesforce, a pioneer of the marketing automation space, and respected as one of the top minds on the future of Marketing. A consummate thinker and writer, Mathew's work has been featured in Forbes, The Guardian, AdAge, The Economist and numerous other publications. Mathew's second Book "The Context Revolution" is due in 2019, being published by the Harvard Business Press.
/ / What are the technologies/trends driving customer onboarding today?
The major underlying trend driving onboarding today is customer experience. Brands are realizing that the initial sale is only one part of the customer experience, and by optimizing all parts of the customer journey they are able to increase revenues by a significant margin. A Harvard study (https://hbr.org/2014/10/the-value-of-keeping-the-right-customers) found a 5% increase in customer retention equates an increase anywhere from 25%-95% in bottom line revenue. Onboarding is one of the easiest ways for brands to increase lifetime customer value. At Salesforce, we think of onboarding as welcoming someone to our family through a personalized customer journey.
/ / Do you have a standalone customer onboarding team? If yes, under which vertical (sales, marketing or customer success) does it function? If no, is the onboarding function outsourced?
All onboarding is conducted by internal teams who onboard thousands of customers each month. To manage such a large program we use our own Success Cloud - which offers resources, services, and trusted experts - to help customers achieve their goals.
/ / Do you provide onboarding services to all your customers or only to select customers? If the latter, how do you select these customers?
All customers are onboarded, yet each product or solution has a unique onboarding program created and managed by the team. For larger customers we may also deploy an onsite team to assist the onboarding process.
/ / What are the channels of communication you use for onboarding customers (video call, phone call, email, chat or on-premise)?
Currently, we use email, webinars, our customer community, our interactive learning platform (Trailhead), and phone calls.
/ / What types of content assets does your organization use for customer onboarding?
We use a wide range of assets, but in general, we rely heavily on digital assets. Of course, we have an array of automated tools and personalized journeys to get customers up and running. Webinars are effective at showing customers how to get started and the basics of how to set up their software. We also introduce customers to our customer community, and connect them to our learning platform Trailhead. Connecting customers with each other is imperative to onboarding and Forrester research found that customers who join a community (https://a.sfdcstatic.com/content/dam/www/ocms/assets/pdf/communities/Forrester-TEI-Customer-Community-Case-Study.pdf) create 50% fewer support cases and have an increased net promoter score by 39%. Onboarding is more than just teaching someone how to use your tool, it's about helping them find a community as well.
This wide range of digital assets allows us to use email as the central delivery method for introducing the customer to the many assets they have access to, ensuring they know where to find answers, teaching them how to use their software, and setting them up for success.
/ / What are the top challenges you face in onboarding your customers?
Top challenges for all marketers is keeping a consistent communication and not letting customers fall off a cliff. A customer may be in conversation with several team members, such as sales and support. We must coordinate how we reach out to the customer in a day, so not to burden or confuse them. We try to automate the process as much as possible allowing us to scale our success teams one-to-one efforts with customers.
/ / What are the top benefits that you derive out of your customer onboarding program (increased CSAT, increased loyalty, positive publicity, or higher renewals)?
The largest benefit we receive from onboarding is greater lifetime customer value. The more a customer is able to leverage our products, the more they use it. The more they use it the longer they stay a customer. It's a pretty simple value proposition. Our customers aren't just buying a tool, they are acquiring a relationship. Onboarding is symbiotic, producing better outcomes for both the brand and the customer.
/ / On average, how long does your company spend on onboarding each customer?
Time spent onboarding customers varies by solution and the customers' engagement with the program. The program will evolve depending on the customers' needs.
/ / Do you customize onboarding programs for different customers?
Yes, onboarding programs differ based on the solution and customer.
/ / How is resource allocation for onboarding programs done in your organization? Are there dedicated account managers for each program?
Each onboarding program is specific to a solution and customer. Onboarding generally isn't owned by a single person since it often involves lots of moving parts, and in some cases a dedicated team for larger customers. The resources needed for onboarding vary based on the program but generally require content to be created, emails need to be drafted, programs set up, and the entire effort needs to be curated and monitored to ensure the customer is staying on track.
/ / What are the tools you use for customer onboarding?
From a marketing perspective, we have a series of tools and automated processes to create a customer journey. When a sale occurs it is reflected on the customer record stored in our CRM, which can trigger marketing automation tools that execute an onboarding program that directs customers to different assets. Each customer onboarding journey can be unique, and we use Salesforce to track different assets and manage the customer journey.
/ / Have you invested in advanced analytics to track the performance of your onboarding programs?
We use our Einstein analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to track performance, personalize the customer onboarding journey and automate processes.
/ / What are the trends/technologies that you think will drive customer onboarding in the future? How should businesses gear up for this?
One of the biggest drivers of onboarding in the future will be learning platforms. Customer onboarding via email is just the delivery method, the real power of onboarding is continuous education. At Salesforce we use Trailhead, an interactive, gamified learning platform we developed to help customers learn how to use our tools and improve their careers. We have over one million Trailblazers and 500 modules on Trailhead spanning Salesforce skills, tech skills like AI and mobile app dev, soft skills and content from companies including Google and AWS. Customers who use Trailhead average purchase 2X more, and they remain customers 4X longer than customers who are not active in Trailhead.
/ / In which areas of customer onboarding does your organization plan to invest over the coming years (scaling team, technology or any other)?
We'll continue to invest in creating better and more intelligent experiences at every step of the customer journey.
Customer onboarding is one area where improvements made could tangibly affect business metrics positively.


NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - North Charleston police are investigating after a car was reportedly shot several times overnight while the victim attempted to drive away from an apartment complex.
Police say the shooting took place late Wednesday night in the area of 4939 Ozark Street, but no victims or suspects were present.
Officers were called out to I-26, 526 interchange 25 minutes later to meet with the victim who said he was shot at earlier in the evening.
According to the victim, a female drove him in his car to an apartment complex on Ozark Street, parked the car, and then walked around to the back of the building leaving the victim in the car.
The victim claims he began to feel like something was wrong, so he got into the driver's seat just in time to see the suspect walking towards the car with a hoodie pulled over his face.
When the victim put the car in reverse, he says the suspect began firing shots at the vehicle.
Police say the vehicle was shot multiple times, but no one was injured.


text:
Danish investors accumulate arable land in eastern Romania
Romania Insider | 5 January 2021
by Andrei Chirileasa
Agriculture group FirstFarms, controlled by Danish investors, has consolidated its position in the eastern part of Romania, where it owns silos with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes, by taking over lease contracts for 400 hectares of arable land, Economica.net reported.
The company thus reached a cultivated area of 21,000 hectares of arable land in Romania, of which it owns 10,000 hectares.
The new leases are concluded for ten years, and the value of the transaction amounts to DKK 2.5 million (EUR 336,200).
The company estimates that the investment will have a positive EBIT contribution of DKK 0.5 million (per year) with full effect from 2021.
Romanian authorities disburse EUR 180 mln EU grants to crisis-hit farmers
"Increasing the value of our land portfolio is a big part of our business model. With this acquisition, we will create synergies in our current areas of operation. FirstFarms has an in-depth knowledge of how land works and develops along with the purchase, storage and sale of crops. With this agreement, we further strengthen our platform, especially in eastern Romania, where FirstFarms has the silo capacity for 20,000 tons of crops," said Anders H. Nørgaard, the company's CEO.
This year, First Farms partially withdrew from the west of the country, where its business did not perform as expected.
The Danish investors have entered into a sale agreement for 1,675 hectares that they purchased between 2007 and 2008 and already sold 800 hectares in two stages.
Instead, they took over (paying with own shares) the company AIC thus getting 2,430 hectares and a silo of 6,000 tonnes. In 2019, FirstFarms reported a turnover of DKK 50.4 mln (EUR 6.7 mln) in Romania derived from cultivating approximately 7,600 hectares, of which 1400 hectares are leased.
Thus, 15% of the group's total turnover was generated by the lands in Romania, FirstFarms also operating in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.
Source: Romania Insider
https://www.romania-insider.com/danish-investors-arable-land-ro-jan-2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The properties of virtually all real-world materials change with time, causing their BRDFs to be time-varying. However, none of the existing BRDF models and databases take time variation into consideration; they represent the appearance of a material at a single time instance. In this work, we address the acquisition, analysis, modeling and rendering of a wide range of time-varying BRDFs. We have developed an acquisition system that is capable of sampling a material's BRDF at multiple time instances, with each time sample acquired within 36 seconds. We have used this acquisition system to measure the BRDFs of a wide range of time-varying phenomena which include the drying of various types of paints (watercolor, spray, and oil), the drying of wet rough surfaces (cement, plaster, and fabrics), the accumulation of dusts (household and joint compound) on surfaces, and the melting of materials (chocolate). Analytic BRDF functions are fit to these measurements and the model parameters variations with time are analyzed. Each category exhibits interesting and sometimes non-intuitive parameter trends. These parameter trends are then used to develop analytic time-varying BRDF (TVBRDF) models. The analytic TVBRDF models enable us to apply effects such as paint drying and dust accumulation to arbitrary surfaces and novel materials.
Objects painted with watercolors dry over time. The dragon is rendered with our acquired blue watercolor on white paper. The bunny is rendered with a synthesized green watercolor on white paper. The bird is rendered with the blue watercolor on synthesized pink paper. The white sphere suspended in the corner represents a heat source.
This video clip shows the acquisition, analysis, modeling and rendering of a wide range of time-varying BRDFs. It demonstrates a simple acquisition robotic rig that is capable of sampling a material's BRDF at multiple time instances, with each time sample acquired within 36 seconds. We also show the developed analytic Time-Varying BRDF functions for a number of interesting natural phenomena including the drying of various paints (watercolor, spray, and oil), the drying of wet rough surfaces (cement, plaster, and fabric), and the accumulation of dusts (household and joint compound).
We have acquired a variety of samples including watercolors, spray paints, oil paints, fabrics, cement, clay, plaster, joint compound dust, household dust and chocolate. A complete list of our 41 samples and the models used to fit their data can be found on the project page.
Our goal is to use this database to first identify temporal trends in the estimated parameter values that are associated with each type of time-varying phenomenon (drying paint, drying wet surface, dust accumulation). Next, we propose analytic functions that model these temporal trends in parameter values. These models enable us to apply several of the above physical processes to novel materials.


I am working on the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine with a focus on stem cells and biocompatible scaffolds combination for the human disorders. We established differentiation process of the stem cells on 2D and 3D culture systems. Our motivation is use a multi-disciplinary approach in the scaffold fabrication process by applying micro- and nano-scale technologies to controlling cell behavior.
Promoting osteogenic differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells by releasing Wnt/β-catenin signaling activator from the nanofibers.
J Cell Biochem 2019 Apr 15;120(4):6339-6346. Epub 2018 Oct 15.
Synergism of Electrospun Nanofibers and Pulsed Electromagnetic Field on Osteogenic Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.
From the Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Substrate topography interacts with substrate stiffness and culture time to regulate mechanical properties and smooth muscle differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2019 Jan 28;173:194-201. Epub 2018 Sep 28.
Biomimetic scaffold containing PVDF nanofibers with sustained TGF-β release in combination with AT-MSCs for bladder tissue engineering.
Gene 2018 Nov 18;676:195-201. Epub 2018 Jul 18.
Bone tissue engineering: Adult stem cells in combination with electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds.
J Cell Physiol 2018 Oct 2;233(10):6509-6522. Epub 2018 May 2.
Collagen coated electrospun polyethersulfon nanofibers improved insulin producing cells differentiation potential of human induced pluripotent stem cells.
Artif Cells Nanomed Biotechnol 2018 4;46(sup3):S734-S739. Epub 2018 Oct 4.
a Stem Cell Technology Research Center , Tehran , Iran.
The effects of short-term uniaxial strain on the mechanical properties of mesenchymal stem cells upon TGF-β stimulation.
In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2018 Oct 3;54(9):677-686. Epub 2018 Sep 3.
Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Gene 2018 Jul 2;665:105-110. Epub 2018 May 2.
The exosomes released from different cell types and their effects in wound healing.
J Cell Biochem 2018 07 14;119(7):5043-5052. Epub 2018 Mar 14.
Artif Cells Nanomed Biotechnol 2018 Jun 11;46(4):853-860. Epub 2017 Jul 11.
a Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology , National Institute of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (NIGEB) , Tehran , Iran.
Osteogenic Differentiation of MSCs on Fibronectin-Coated and nHA-Modified Scaffolds.
From the *Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; †Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran; ‡Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; and §Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Enhanced chondrogenesis differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells by MicroRNA-140 and transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGFβ3).
Biologicals 2018 Mar 16;52:30-36. Epub 2018 Feb 16.
Investigation of Osteoinductive Effects of Different Compositions of Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles for Bone Tissue Engineering.
From the *Biomaterials Research Group, Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran; †Materials Department, Engineering Faculty, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran; ‡Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; and §Department of Tissue engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, ShahidBeheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
J Cell Physiol 2018 Feb 6;233(2):1061-1070. Epub 2017 Jun 6.
Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
Different Porosities of Chitosan Can Influence the Osteogenic Differentiation Potential of Stem Cells.
J Cell Biochem 2018 01 17;119(1):625-633. Epub 2017 Jul 17.
Renal Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Seeded on Nanofibrous Scaffolds Improved by Human Renal Tubular Cell Lines-Conditioned Medium.
From the *Department of Tissue engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; †Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran; and ‡Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Hepatogenic Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem cells on Collagen-Coated Polyethersulfone Nanofibers.
From the *Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran; †Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran; ‡Department of Hematology, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; and §Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
Adapted dexamethasone delivery polyethylene oxide and poly(ɛ-caprolactone) construct promote mesenchymal stem cells chondrogenesis.
Artif Cells Nanomed Biotechnol 2017 Dec 12;45(8):1640-1648. Epub 2017 Jan 12.
d Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine , School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Enhanced Skin Regeneration by Herbal Extract-Coated Poly-L-Lactic Acid Nanofibrous Scaffold.
Artif Organs 2017 Nov 16;41(11):E296-E307. Epub 2017 Jun 16.
Department of Anatomy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Applied Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Combination With Biomaterials in Bone Tissue Engineering.
J Cell Biochem 2017 10 3;118(10):3034-3042. Epub 2017 May 3.
Bioactive glass ceramic nanoparticles-coated poly(l-lactic acid) scaffold improved osteogenic differentiation of adipose stem cells in equine.
Tissue Cell 2017 Oct 20;49(5):565-572. Epub 2017 Jul 20.
Enhanced chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells using an optimized electrospun nanofibrous PLLA/PEG scaffolds loaded with glucosamine.
J Biomed Mater Res A 2017 Sep 6;105(9):2461-2474. Epub 2017 Jun 6.
Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, 1997775555, Iran.
Study on Physio-chemical Properties of plasma polymerization in CH/N plasma and Their Impact on COL X.
Sci Rep 2017 08 22;7(1):9149. Epub 2017 Aug 22.
Laser-Plasma Research Institute, University of Shahid Beheshti,G.C, Tehran, Iran.
Collagen-alginate microspheres as a 3D culture system for mouse embryonic stem cells differentiation to primordial germ cells.
Biologicals 2017 Jul 5;48:114-120. Epub 2017 May 5.
Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Primordial germ cell differentiation of nuclear transfer embryonic stem cells using surface modified electroconductive scaffolds.
In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2017 Apr 30;53(4):371-380. Epub 2016 Dec 30.
Insulin producing cells generation by overexpression of miR-375 in adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells from diabetic patients.
Biologicals 2017 Mar 22;46:23-28. Epub 2016 Dec 22.
Evaluation of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha gene expression in colorectal cancer stages of Iranian patients.
National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran.
Improved proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on polyaniline composited by polyethersulfone nanofibers.
Biologicals 2017 Jan 14;45:78-84. Epub 2016 Oct 14.
Occupancy of human EPCR by protein C induces β-arrestin-2 biased PAR1 signaling by both APC and thrombin.
Blood 2016 10 25;128(14):1884-1893. Epub 2016 Aug 25.
Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO.
Collagen-graft mixed cellulose esters membrane maintains undifferentiated morphology and markers of potential pluripotency in feeder-free culture of induced pluripotent stem cells.
Biologicals 2016 Sep 20;44(5):387-93. Epub 2016 Jul 20.
The synergistic effect of surface topography and sustained release of TGF-β1 on myogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells.
J Biomed Mater Res A 2016 07 11;104(7):1610-21. Epub 2016 Mar 11.
Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, 14115-111, Iran.
Biomimetic scaffolds containing nanofibers coated with willemite nanoparticles for improvement of stem cell osteogenesis.
Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 2016 May 1;62:398-406. Epub 2016 Feb 1.
Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Tumour Biol 2016 Mar 7;37(3):3371-8. Epub 2015 Oct 7.
Department of Stem Cell Biology, Stem Cell Technology Research Center, 1997775555, No. 9, East 2 nd, St., Farhang Blvd., Saadat Abad St., Tehran, Iran.
Fat harvesting site is an important determinant of proliferation and pluripotency of adipose-derived stem cells.
Biologicals 2016 Jan 7;44(1):12-8. Epub 2015 Dec 7.
Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA.
Lymphoid lineage differentiation potential of mouse nuclear transfer embryonic stem cells.
Biologicals 2015 Sep 1;43(5):349-54. Epub 2015 Aug 1.
Department of Transgenic Animal Sciences, Stem Cells Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
In Vitro and In Vivo investigations on fibronectin coated and hydroxyapatite incorporated scaffolds.
Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2015 Aug 5;61(4):1-7. Epub 2015 Aug 5.
Stem Cell Technology Research Center Tehran Iran.
Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells differentiation of nuclear transferred mouse embryonic stem cells.
Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2015 May 16;61(2):56-9. Epub 2015 May 16.
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Neurosience Research Center Tehran Iran.
PCL/chitosan/Zn-doped nHA electrospun nanocomposite scaffold promotes adipose derived stem cells adhesion and proliferation.
Carbohydr Polym 2015 Mar 20;118:133-42. Epub 2014 Nov 20.
Enhanced growth and osteogenic differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem cells by Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Field.
Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2015 Mar 9;61(1):36-41. Epub 2015 Mar 9.
Tarbiat Modares University Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Science Tehran Iran.
A comparative study of osteogenic differentiation human induced pluripotent stem cells and adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells.
Cell J 2014 4;16(3):235-44. Epub 2014 Oct 4.
Pluripotency properties of embryonic stem cells isolated from stage X blastoderm of Mazandaran native chicken.
Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2014 Dec 30;60(6):8-15. Epub 2014 Dec 30.
Stem Cell Technology Research Center Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Tehran Iran.
Comparison of random and aligned PCL nanofibrous electrospun scaffolds on cardiomyocyte differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells.
Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ; Stem Cell Biology Department, Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
Cell Biol Int 2014 Nov 6;38(11):1271-9. Epub 2014 Jun 6.
Tumour Biol 2014 Jul 5;35(7):6657-64. Epub 2014 Apr 5.
Department of Molecular Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran.
Bioceramic-collagen scaffolds loaded with human adipose-tissue derived stem cells for bone tissue engineering.
Mol Biol Rep 2014 Feb 21;41(2):741-9. Epub 2013 Dec 21.
Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Cell Tissue Res 2013 Dec 18;354(3):849-60. Epub 2013 Aug 18.
Nanofiber-based polyethersulfone scaffold and efficient differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into osteoblastic lineage.
Mol Biol Rep 2013 Jul 9;40(7):4287-94. Epub 2013 May 9.


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text:
Schweigaard är ett efternamn, som burits av bland andra:

 Anton Martin Schweigaard (1808–1870), norsk jurist och politiker
 Christian Homann Schweigaard (1838–1899), norsk jurist, ekonom och politiker

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When I first began dabbling in fiction, I would read my pitiful drafts out loud to my partner, Jon. "Can I read you this line? I think something's wonky here." He would say sure, and I would start to read my draft, voice wavering, blush rising, and I would hear that wrong word, that errant grammar, the same second he did.
After awhile, it became habit for me to read him finished scenes aloud. I am a terrible copy editor left to my own devices, and I found reading the draft out loud to him helped me suss out nearly all the typos and grammar errors. It also helped me work out the flow of the scene: this sentence is too long and complicated; this sentence is too short and choppy. This paragraph drags on forever. The dialogue here flowed way better in theory than in practice. Reading the written words aloud–while always a touch awkward–helped highlight weak spots I missed just by reading through the draft on my own. Often Jon wasn't even paying attention. He was watching court TV or folding laundry or cooking dinner and murmuring sweet, supportive words of encouragement at neat, repetitive intervals. But it was good practice. I still do it with final drafts of short stories*, or with particularly difficult scenes in novels, only this time alone in my bedroom in a whisper.
The reason this trick works is because written language and spoken language are tied together. When people read, they do this thing called subvocalization: because we associate words with sounds so strongly, we mentally "speak" the words as we read them. People vary along the degree to which they are aware of which they do this, and apparently a big part of speed reading is investing in techniques to minimize one's reliance on subvocalization to comprehend and process what you're reading. Anyway, the gist of it is that when we talk about a writer's 'voice' we are, to some extent, talking about a literal voice–so reading a draft of your work out loud to work out the kinks and zero in on what your writerly voice is when you're getting started is not as kooky as it sounds.
Also, then, when you make it big you'll totally have it down for your book readings.
*I'm not as confident with short fiction as I am with long form fiction, so I tend to run the final draft through every test I can before sending it out for submissions. I trust my gut a bit more by now with novels because I've written more of them and have a better sense of what works with them.
This entry was posted in Writing is a Process and tagged #amwriting, am writing, subvocalization, writing, writing advice by brsanders. Bookmark the permalink.


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Over two-fifths UK workers not 'adequately' saving
By Nyree Stewart2009-04-14T16:00:00+01:00
UK - Just over 40% of the total workforce in the UK is failing to make "adequate" provision for retirement, yet almost a fifth claim nothing could persuade them to either start or increase their pension saving, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned.
Figures from its Savings and Protection Survey for the first quarter of 2009 showed that while 54% of working people are "adequate savers", 13% - considered to be the equivalent of 3.7 million people - are "under saving" - contributing to a pension at rates "unlikely to provide an adequate retirement income" - while the equivalent 8.3 million people, or 29%, are not saving into a pension at all.
The report revealed of the 15.6 million 'adequate' savers 76% are members of a defined benefit (DB) scheme - and 51% of these are in a public sector DB scheme - while 15% of these savers are in an employer-sponsored defined contribution (DC) scheme and 8% are in a personal pension.
Findings from the survey of 3,000 adults questioned also showed while 32% would be more likely to either start or increase their pension saving if the government replaced tax relief with a contribution of 50p (€0.56) for every £1 saved, 17% claimed "nothing would persuade them to start saving (or to save more) in a pension".
In addition, the idea of guaranteed returns on pension investments would only act as an incentive to 18% of respondents, while the possibility of 'early access' to pension saving - proposed by some as a way to address the issue of inflexibility - would only encourage 26% to improve their pension saving habits.
In contrast, 50% said early access would make no difference to their pension saving intentions, and 4% suggested increased accessibility would actually make them less likely to save in a pension.
Of the possible options for gaining early access to pension saving, the most popular - with 19% each - were being able to access the 25% tax-free lump sum before retiring and having a pension scheme split so that some of it acts like a savings account and some is locked away. Only 4% supported the idea of a loan from their pension and 30% found none of the options appealing.
Despite the financial crisis and the impact of falling equity prices and bond yields, figures indicated almost 80% of pension members questioned believe the current economic climate "would make no difference" to the amount they contribute towards their pension, although 44% of those without a pension admitted it would make them less likely to start saving in one.
Dr Rebecca Driver, director of research and chief economist at the ABI, claimed the government needs to encourage households to make a conscious decision to increase long-term savings and suggested "the forthcoming Budget is one opportunity to do so".
She said: "That is why the ABI is calling for an increase in the equity ISA limit to £10,800, and allowing employers to automatically enrol employees into workplace pensions before 2012. Over the next few months the ABI will be unveiling further proposals to boost the popularity of saving."
If you have any comments you would like to add to this or any other story, contact Nyree Stewart on + 44 (0)20 7261 4618 or email nyree.stewart@ipe.com
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Romania's second pillar pension returns at nine-year high
The capital increases have been scrapped, and the system has once again become compulsory
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Stability report shows growth of non-bank financial activity braked in 2018


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Copper Mill Gets Creative With Limited Driving Range
When the luxury of a full-length practice range is cut away, it's time to resort to unusual measures.
Copper Mill Golf Club's original owner reclaimed the driving range area for development, leaving the course searching for a way to let players warm up without a full-scale driving range. That's when the idea of Birdie Balls — the limited range balls that simulate real contact — took flight.
"The club needed to think outside the box in order to deal with this rather challenging circumstance," General Manager Brian Jones said. "With limited property and a tight budget, the club decided to be creative."
On January 28th, Copper Mill introduced a new warm up area that was made by mowing out a temporary practice tee in an area adjacent to the putting green and parallel to the 9th hole.
"The limited flight balls are perfect for the space the club currently has at its disposal for a practice area," says Jones. "Management admits that it is not the perfect solution to this unusual problem, but feels that in the interim, the new warm up area and Birdie Balls offer their players a way to at least get a few swings in, before hitting the course."


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Once Protective Of Their Data, Retailers Are Now Eager To Share It
by AdExchanger // Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020 – 12:04 am
"The Sell Sider" is a column written by the sell side of the digital media community.
Today's column is written by Corbin de Rubertis, head of innovation at Meredith Corp.
Retailers once operated as walled gardens and were deeply unwilling to share their data. But a shift in marketplace conditions and their own priorities has caused retailers to now view data integrations with publishing partners as a competitive advantage.
A decade ago, retailers fixated on the possibility that sharing real-time pricing data with publishers would lead to comparison shopping and lost sales. But that concern abated as retailers began exposing pricing information on their own sites, creating a cottage industry of third-party aggregators to monitor price fluctuations.
Retailers were also once laser-focused on margins, but they are now more concerned with customer "lock-in" and repeat business. This new focus has deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic, as shoppers migrated online to purchase everything from groceries to exercise equipment from fewer retailers to streamline deliveries. A big-box store such as Walmart or Target knows people will come to buy certain "value" items, for example, and wants to get them buying across multiple categories.
Increasing loyalty and basket size is the name of the game and can be achieved by letting publishers integrate real-time pricing and availability information directly into native content. New click-to-cart capabilities let customers complete nearly the entire path to purchase within a display ad, article or video. That requires a much greater openness with data.
The interplay between content and commerce has grown more sophisticated over the past decade, bringing retailers and publishers much closer together. In the days of affiliate marketing, only a single product could be offered through a single link. Then a crop of shopping cart vendors that integrated with retailers on the back end emerged, letting publishers promote multiple items at a time while sparing them the hassle of tech integrations.
This was a big step forward, but it was also a black box: Publishers didn't know what people clicked on within the cart experience or what they ended up purchasing. It was difficult to close the loop and impossible to optimize for intent. Now we have entered a new age in which large retailers are building their own APIs, enabling publishers to promote thousands of SKUs based on each shopper's intent.
When implemented thoughtfully, real-time data integrations can result in powerful full-funnel marketing activations, often within a single ad unit. Retailers have long relied on publishers for storytelling; editorial teams are better equipped to explain the benefits of organic produce or hormone-free meat, for example, than in-store shopping marketing programs. Now, via a pipeline of real-time data, publishers can also inform customers about pricing, availability and options for delivery or pickup. Take, for instance, a campaign from a CPG or large retailer that invites home cooks to plan their holiday meals within an interactive ad unit and then click to add all the necessary ingredients, decorations and gifts in a single cart.
For retailers, the rise of real-time data integrations brings them one step closer to realizing the dream of closed-loop attribution, since more data about what people browse and buy will be readily available. With native data integrations, there are no more black boxes.
For publishers, the benefit of these integrations is both monetary and philosophical: It increases business with retailers while expanding the service provided to users. With real-time integrations, content can be more personalized and relevant, driving deeper engagement and better outcomes for marketers.
The downside for publishers is the required investment in labor, time and technology. Publishers need to integrate with a variety of retailers, whose APIs often vary significantly, and must perform ongoing maintenance, which are both costly uses of engineering resources. And although initial click-to-cart integration can take months to establish, integrating retailer data across multiple touchpoints to make articles, videos, social posts and other content types "shoppable" can take much longer.
The phenomenon of large retailers investing heavily in APIs to share pricing and availability data externally is a paradigm shift, but the genie is out of the bottle and there's no going back. Smaller D2C retailers built on Shopify will be able to follow suit, leveraging that platform's APIs to accelerate integration, but mid-tier retailers that don't have the margins to build APIs may see themselves further squeezed as integrations become table stakes.
We may see a tech "arms race" in which publishers with the most options for retail partners win and ironically begin competing for shopper marketing ad dollars with the in-house media businesses those large retailers have recently launched.
Follow Meredith Corp. (@MeredithCorp) and AdExchanger (@adexchanger) on Twitter.
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Harvey was a category 4 hurricane when it reached the Texas coast, between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor. That was around 10:00 p.m. Friday.
Harvey's a tropical storm now, shedding water on Texas.
Folks between Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Houston will probably get over 20 inches of rain in the next few days.
My guess is that most Texans are better able to deal with Harvey than many folks in the smaller Caribbean nations.
This storm won't be easy on anyone who gets in its way.
Texas authorities confirmed that one person is dead. A man in Rockport, Texas, was not able to leave his house. It burned during the storm.
Other deaths may be confirmed, as teams sift through debris. Many folks survived, but have no place to live.
'Lost everything' is serious, no matter how much or how little someone has.
No pressure, but some will need help.
That's true even in nice weather, and even in America.
There are a great many outfits working with folks who need help. And a few, sadly, out to make a quick buck from folks who feel charitable but aren't careful.
Most of American 'storm' news focuses on the Texas coast. That's understandable. Texas is closer to home than Barbados or Suriname for most Americans. It's home for a fair number of us.
Editorial styles vary, of course, since news outlets cater to a broad range of tastes. So does what they cover.
Some of storm-related entertainment news was remarkably trivial: for folks who aren't "Game of Thrones" fans.
Atkin's op-ed had another headline in New Republic. The N.R. headline Harvey "Scary and Unprecedented." The Mother Jones headline is not entirely hyperbole.
Each tropical storm in the Atlantic has a unique history: just like Harvey. Atkin discusses some of Harvey's highlights before approaching Texas.
A few tropical storms form in the southern Atlantic. Strong wind shear almost always keeps them from developing into hurricanes. There's been one exception since we started keeping records of that area: Catrina in 2004.
The United States is a big country, with quite a few states bordering the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic. Hurricanes affect at least a few Americans every year. What's unusual about Harvey is that it's among the stronger hurricanes we've dealt with.
This isn't a 'political' blog, so I won't say that he shouldn't have asked for help. Or shouldn't have sent the letter yet. Or didn't send it soon enough. Or that he did the right thing, and anyone who says otherwise is stupid. Or worse.
I figure maybe he's right. It's a hard decision.
Ideally, every state would have funds and equipment ready for every possible disaster. We don't live in an ideal world. That, I think, is why the Texan governor asked for help.
I'm glad that America is big enough so that if a disaster hits one area, the rest will probably be able to pitch in. Very ideally, we'd have a system like that in place globally.
Meanwhile, like I said, there are outfits like Catholic Relief Services.
Katrina wasn't the worse in terms of death and destruction, though. That was the 1900 Galveston hurricane.
We don't know how many Americans died because of the September, 1900, hurricane.
What we call the Great Galveston Hurricane was a tropical storm when the National Weather Service heard that a tropical storm was over Cuba and heading north. That was September 4, 1900.
The Washington, D.C., office told their Galveston office. The Galveston office didn't issue a hurricane warning.
Washington officials figured it'd probably do what many storms do: head northeast, along the east coast. Cuban forecasters emphatically said their predictions showed the storm heading west.
A few folks in Galveston headed inland. Maybe they'd learned about the Cuban forecast, or had noticed growing swells. Or maybe they'd talked to sailors whose ships had weathered the storm. Rain clouds reached Galveston mid-morning, September 5.
Galveston's weather office raised their Hurricane Flag on the morning of September 7.
The storm hit about 24 hours later.
The storm's surge reached 15 feet, 4.6 meters. Galveston was built on an island that was at most 8 feet, 2.4 meters, tall.
We don't know what the maximum wind speed was. The Weather Bureau's anemometer in Galveston recorded 100 mile an hour winds just before it was destroyed.
Survivors rebuilt Galveston: raising the island by 17 feet, 5.2 meters. With a seawall.
But I'm a Christian, a Catholic. I recognize Danae's theology as a facet of American culture, viewed in a fun house mirror.
It lampoons a sort of religious belief that many still cherish.
My guess is that someone who feels that sinners should be smited regularly — or is that smitten? Never mind.
Anyway, someone will likely claim that Harvey is a judgement of God upon sinful folks who aren't like the speaker.
That happened back in 2005. "Katrina: God's Judgment on America" was an anonymous bit of preaching on beliefnet.
The 2005 writer had a point, sort of. Gulf Coast America wasn't what it had been in 1955.
The notion that disaster and disease happen because God is upset with someone else works for some propaganda.
The notion that God is upset at something the audience likes probably lacks appeal, and that's yet another topic.
I don't know. I don't have inside information from God.
The 'angry God' scenario seems dubious, though.
Getting back to Hurricane Harvey, I don't think folks living between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor were particularly wicked sinners.
On the other hand, pirates used the Port Aransas area in the early 1800s. I suppose someone could claim that God is finally getting around to punishing them — by hurting folks living in the same area, nearly two centuries later.
Or maybe they're being whacked for something the Karankawa Indians did, before the pirates came.
No, I do not think so. The notion that God hold grudges, but procrastinates, is — silly, putting it mildly.
Maybe I shouldn't joke about this. A fellow who's been famous for being a particular sort of Christian made a similar claim about Haiti a few years back.
That sort of thing leaves an impression. Not a peasant one, I think.
I see Katrina, and Harvey, as natural disasters. I think folks affected by them need help. Or at least respectful sympathy. Not 'judgment of God' preaching.
Don't misunderstand me. I take God quite seriously. Folks who seem convinced that God promotes their personal views, not so much.
I think sin exists, which does not mean that I think folks who do things I don't enjoy are dreadful sinners.
I think sin is a bad idea, and that I should keep learning to avoid it.
This entry was posted in being Catholic and tagged America, authority, disasters, faith, history, weather. Bookmark the permalink.


NetSafe routinely receives reports from New Zealand companies about fake or spoofed email requests for payments to be made to bank accounts or via money transfer services. Often these requests can be accompanied by fake or modified invoices from known suppliers.
The volume of these business email scam reports has increased over the last 18 months with three different common formats becoming known as 'Business Email Compromise' (BEC).
The scam can affect any size business that handles ordering, invoicing and payment requests via email and where staff may make assumptions about the identity and authenticity of requests received.
Messages can be of a random nature, sent out en masse as part of a large spam mailing or can form part of a well crafted social engineering campaign to extract money after attackers have 'footprinted' an organisation, gleaning useful information from websites, compromised email accounts or from social media sites including staff profiles on LinkedIn.
A determined attacker may also attempt to identify staff by phone, asking to speak with an individual or attempting to confirm name, email address or sometimes job title claiming that they are working for an IT support business or another well known company. When asked what the purpose is, they won't give any information such as their own phone number, name or where they are ringing from.
How does business email compromise work?
In some cases, cybercriminals may target an organisation and look for information that identifies accounts staff and business executives, perhaps on a public website. They may send messages pretending to be a manager and demanding an urgent payment be sent whilst they are overseas or requesting a transaction be kept confidential.
the scammers register the new domain name bestkiwi-widgets-nz.co.nz and send Steve emails that appear to come from Bob.
A business has existing relationships with trusted overseas suppliers and arranges the purchase of goods and services over email with invoices being sent as attachments. The company finds the bank account details have changed on the latest invoice and pays funds across to this new bank account only to discover days or weeks later that the account was set up by a criminal after emails were intercepted.
The email with the invoice often looks legitimate and may even have been sent from the supplier's genuine email domain (@overseas-kiwi-supplier.com). The scammer may have copied previous emails and used similar language and names to reassure the customer that nothing is up.
In this version of the scam, an executive's email account is hacked or their account spoofed (as per the new domain name example above) and used to send requests direct to an employee in charge of payments or accounts. The email may request an urgent payment is made to an NZ or international account or for funds to be sent via money transfer.
Again, if the legitimate email account has been compromised, the scammer may take steps to make the email match with past requests and use similar nicknames or greetings.
In this version of the scam – the reverse of type 1 – a business's email account is hacked and used to send fake invoices out to customers urging payments are to now be sent sent to a new bank account, usually set up overseas. Once the account has been comprised, the attackers may target contact lists or trawl through the sent box to find documents to modify and send out.
These kinds of scams can cause financial harm to companies both within New Zealand and overseas and may result in lost orders and damaged business relationships where customers and suppliers struggle to confirm where systems have been compromised and who is to blame.
Attackers may monitor hacked email accounts and wait until a staff member is away on holiday or overseas on business before sending fake payment requests. This can make it harder to confirm if a payment request is genuine if an executive cannot be reached by phone or txt.
It is essential that any new bank account information is confirmed through a different communication channel, i.e. if the request comes through email, confirm the transaction and payment details via phone or text message with the staff member or supplier.
Putting good payment handling policies in place and taking the time to confirm any request makes it more likely that fraudulent transfer attempts will be spotted.
If a customer contacts your business about an invoice sent with new bank details, take the time to gather information that may identify a hacked account and alert other customers as soon as you can if you believe a scammer is sending out modified invoices.
Take steps to validate the identity and legitimacy of the sender of any new or suspicious payment request – it's believed that fraudsters rely on human flaws such as the desire to help or a lack of awareness, training and proper internal systems and policies to succeed.
Businesses should also build good cyber security practices into their day to day operations to protect email accounts from hacking and to prevent malicious attachments and ransomware from comprising computers.
If you find a business email account has been hacked look for hidden folders and filters set up to auto-forward messages out to another email address still operated by a scammer. Messages sent whilst the account was compromised may have been deleted from sent folders and trash.
These kinds of attacks can be difficult to trace as the scammers can hide their activity or be based overseas making investigation by NZ Police complex and time consuming.
If you or your company have paid money following receipt of a fake or spoofed invoice then contact your bank immediately for assistance.
Where payments have been sent to an NZ bank account, it is possible that the person receiving the funds has been recruited as a'money mule' and is unwittingly transferring funds offshore.
If you or your customers are receiving spoofed emails or if your company has paid money following receipt of a fake invoice you can report a computer systems attack to NetSafe online.
Reporting incidents means NetSafe can spot patterns and take steps to warn government and law enforcement partners and other companies via the media.
There is more information and advice on mitigating email scam risks published by the US Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (PDF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This UK article on business email compromise suggests companies avoid free email services and look for an email platform or provider that offers email authentication options – such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) – to reduce email spoofing or alternatively use digital certificates to sign communications with key contacts.


by Kristi Patrice Carter, J.D.
If you are currently receiving student loans, paying rent, making car payments, and/or just living from day to day, don't be fooled into thinking that you should wait until you graduate to establish financial security. The time is now to live your dreams. What are you waiting for? Are you hoping that you'll discover a new invention, inherit a million dollars, or win the lottery? Well, if you do then more power to you! You need to take control of your life. Maybe you won't get rich over night, but you will feel better about yourself, and can prepare for the future if you act now.
It wasn't until recently that I got myself out of financial debt. In law school, there was a time when I dreaded the mail woman and hoped that my creditors had lost my address. I even played the lottery and told myself that I would pay off my debts when I won. Unfortunately, I never won the lottery and if I had saved the money I spent on lottery tickets, then I would have been able to pay off my credit cards quicker. It wasn't until I began reading investment newsletters and magazines that I realized that I could take control of my spending habits.
In this article, we'll discuss ten steps to help you eliminate the credit card blues. If you follow these steps, you are well on your way to establishing financial independence. Believe me, with the right attitude and guidance, you can do it. I did it and I feel 100% better. Let's get started!!!!!
The first step is to get a copy of your credit report and see how much debt you are in. Most credit bureaus charge a nominal fee for a report, but by law, they must provide you one free copy if you have recently been turned down for credit. You can obtain a copy of your credit history from one of the three national credit bureaus: Trans Union (800/888-4213), Experian, which used to be TRW (www.experian.com), or CBI Equifax (800/685-1111). Write a letter to Experian; P.O. Box 9600; Allen, Texas 75013. Include your full name (with middle initial and generation-Jr., II, III, etc.), address, city, state and ZIP codes for your current residences and other residences during the last five years, social security number, date of birth, and spouse's name.
The second step is to get rid of high interest credit cards. The next time someone sets up a credit card booth at school and offers you a free pen, plastic drinking bottle, pair of sunglasses or candy bar to sign up for three or more credit cards, DO NOT DO IT. In fact, don't even sign up for one. Those credit cards have an interest rate of at least 19.8%. You are probably eligible for a 9.9% card. By switching to a lower interest rate, you can save yourself at least $125.00 if you carry at least a $1,000 balance. Your best bet is to trash department store cards and all high interest rate cards.
If you carry a balance, like most students, you should request an application from one of the following credit card companies: Capital One interest rate: 9.9%, grace period: 25 days, no annual fee. First USA (student titanium visa) interest rate 9.9%, grace period: 25 days, no annual fee. Huntington National Bank (Ohio) interest rate: 11.49%, grace period: 22 days, no annual fee, number: 800-480-2265, Pulaski bank and Trust (Arkansas - www.Pulaskibank.com) interest rate: 6.5%, annual fee: $35, grace period: 25days, number: 800-980-2265, Simmons First National Bank (Arkansas) interest rate: 8.95%, annual fee: $35, grace period: 25 days, number: 800-636-5151. Nevertheless, if you absolutely refuse to pay an annual fee, there are still credit cards for you. If you use the card at least once a year, you can apply for a card from USAA Federal Saving Bank, interest rate: 9.99%, grace period: 25 days, number: 800-922-9092.
For those of you who pay off your balance monthly, there are cards for you: Five Star Bank (Colorado Springs), interest rate: 4.9%, grace period: 25 days, number: 800-776-2265, Security Savings Bank (Kansas), interest rate: 9.9%, grace period: 25 days, number: 888-329-6559, Metropolitan Bank & Trust (Mayfield Hts.) interest rate: 13.90%, grace period: 25 days, phone: 800-837-6058.
The third step is to apply for an American Express "blue" card for students by calling 800-258-3741. With the American Express card, you'll never be in debt because you'll be forced to pay off your balance every month. If you don't, American Express will freeze your account. By paying off your balance, you won't have to pay any interest charges, and you, in turn, save money. If you were once turned down for the card, reapply or get someone to co-sign for you. You could ask your mom or dad, it worked for me. Now, I even have my very own gold card. American Express is an excellent card and you should rely on it. Another advantage of being an American Express student member is that you get discounted airline tickets for signing up. Come on, what do you have to lose?
The fourth step is to only use one credit card (Visa or Master card) in addition to your American Express card. It makes no sense to have several credit cards and pay several annual fees to utilize them. This, in itself can add up to over $200 in annual fees per year.
The fifth step is to know your credit card balance, and don't go over it. Banks and credit card companies love to charge their customers extra fees. Therefore, if you go over your balance, you won't only have to pay more interest, but you'll be forced to pay an "over the limit" fee.
The sixth step is to be careful with cash advances. Some students take out cash advances and pay other credit card bills with them. This is extremely dangerous and can get you into a lot of trouble. They usually charge a much higher interest rate for cash advances, so you'll pay for it in the long run. If you need extra money to pay off your balances, look for a part time job and put that extra money directly towards your credit card balances. Don't spend it. If the money is in the form of a personal check, you can probably sign the check over to the company and they'll credit it to your account.
The seventh step is to always pay more than the minimum balance. Even if you can only afford to double your payments and pay $40.00 instead of $20.00, this will allow you to pay off your balance quicker. And remember, once you pay off the balance, try not to use the card. Stick to your American Express Card, it will pay off in the long run.
The eighth step is to ask your bank if they offer a debit card. If so, make sure you get one. A debit card allows you to use your cash card like a credit card but you never pay interest on your purchases. Instead of receiving a bill every month and paying interest on it, the bank automatically deducts the money from your checking account. Therefore, you save money.
The ninth step is to find your credit card's closing date. By charging purchases after the closing date, you'll have additional time to pay your bills. So, it's like getting an interest free month of credit. For example, if your closing date is January 13th and you make a purchase on the 14th or 15th, then you probably won't see that charge on your bill until February 13th, or in some cases, until March 13th.
The tenth step is to seek free financial counseling if you feel that you're in way over your head. Remember that bad credit can affect you the rest of your life. It might keep you from getting a personal, student, home equity, or car loan. And, bad credit might ruin your chances of getting that prestigious job you're interested in. Yes, some employers look at prospective employees' credit records before they hire them, and if you have bad credit, it's very likely that you won't be hired. Nevertheless, help is available. Contact Consumer Credit Counseling Services at 1-800-873-2227 or Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Chicago at 312-527-3328. A counselor will analyze your monthly income, spending and savings patterns, and then recommend management methods. The counselor will help you deal with your creditors and will assist you into developing a plan to help you pay off your bills slowly and in full. Whammo, like magic, you'll gain financial security and learn to stay debt free.
Kirsti Patrice Carter is an experienced copywriter, a published author, and she owns three successful online writing businesses (kpcresumes.com, kpcmarketing, and kpcwriting.com). Her book, Fire Your Boss and Hire Yourself, is being featured on freelanceyourway.com.


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Birmingham 54°
Your Voice Your Station
Inside this Day with Scott Richards
Weather Lessons With Ashley
What's on CBS 42?
CBS 42 News
Breaking & Live Events
Coronavirus House Calls
Getting Warmer: Heating up Alabama's Cold Cases
CBS 42 Cares
One Class at a Time
CBS 42's Holiday Toy Drive
Work with CBS 42
CBS 42 One Class At A Time $1,000 Grant
Alabama Splash Adventure adds extra staff to ensure cleanliness amid pandemic
by: Lillian Lalo
Posted: Jul 14, 2020 / 09:34 PM CDT / Updated: Dec 3, 2020 / 09:47 AM CST
This Living Local segment is sponsored by Alabama Splash Adventure
BESSEMER, Ala. (CBS 42 Living Local) – Alabama Splash Adventure's 2020 summer season is underway. Owner Dan Koch says he is especially thankful to see people enjoying the park.
"After a tough 2020 Spring for all, its a pleasure and a delight to be able to open. Of course, we opened late, and we had to take extra (safety) measures, but it's been a wonderful 2020 season so far," Koch said.
Park management is working closely with the Jefferson County Department of Health to ensure the park is exceeding all health regulations, recommendations, and guidelines for operating during a pandemic.
While some businesses have been forced to cut back operating expenses, Alabama Splash Adventure has added additional employees. In fact, there is an entire team devoted solely to check the safety and cleanliness of the water, on a continuous rotation throughout the day.
"We have added extra team members because (the pandemic) does require extra cleaning, extra sanitation. We had to add to our payroll. But whatever we need to do, we will do it to keep our park safe," said Koch. "We spray all the chairs, wipe down all the inner tubes, the jackets, everything. So we are very proud of our team and what we've accomplished here in terms of safety this year.
Traditionally, the park is open for 100 days. This year the open days were cut by a few weeks.
"It hurts, you know. But the good news is that there is still plenty of Summer left! We go through Labor Day, so there's plenty of time to visit us," said Koch. "We knew we would open in 2020… somehow, someway, safely and correctly. The future must be bright. And it's bright here, and it's bright in our community."
Koch invites everyone in Alabama to support his family-owned business! When you do, you are also giving yourself a treat.
"They can support themselves by supporting us. Come out and have fun! We are an outdoor experience! Visit us Sunday through Friday when crowds are small, and you'll have a great time. People need to go outdoors, breathe, relax, interact with your family! So come visit! You'll have a great time, and we would love to see you," Koch said.
Purchase tickets online at AlabamaSplash.com, where everyone pays the kids price. Parking, drinks, and sunscreen are always free when you visit Alabama Splash Adventure for safe, clean, friendly, fun.
Birmingham civil rights leader reflects on life, legacy of Martin Luther King
by Autumn Bracey / Jan 15, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.(WIAT) -- Celebrations in remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day have begun in Alabama and nationwide.
Many people remember King for the legacy he left on the Civil Rights era, but only a select few had the privilege of working directly alongside him. Bishop Calvin Woods Sr. of Shiloh Baptist Church marched alongside King in Birmingham in 1963 and said he played a pivotal role in advancing the desegregation movement underway in Birmingham that was led by Fred Shuttlesworth at the time.
Following ALDOT study, there will be no red light at dangerous Kimberly intersection
by Jake Chapman / Jan 15, 2021
KIMBERLY, Ala. (WIAT) -- The intersection of Highway 31 and Stouts Road in the Kimberly community will not receive a red light after a study conducted by the Alabama Department of Transportation deemed no need for it.
Alabama Sen. Shay Shelnutt confirmed the news late Thursday afternoon.
The WellHouse in Birmingham speaks out on Human Trafficking Prevention Month
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)-- The WellHouse in Birmingham serves as a place of restoration and recovery for women survivors of sex trafficking.
Although the program's main purpose is to repair the detrimental effects that sex trafficking has already made on woman, they also strive to educate and prevent.
Police conduct death investigation on Troy University campus
Alabama sending Guard for inauguration security
Prosecutors seek death penalty against Birmingham woman charged with killing 5-year-old
Colorado political leaders request Biden to review Space Command HQ decision
'Amen and awoman': Congressman receives backlash for opening prayer
Central Alabama Weather
CBS 42 News Livestream
CBS 42 Living Local
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Home » Blogs » nandi's blog » Were Dinosaurs Warm-Blooded? Research Team Discovers Arctic Dinosaur Nursery
Were Dinosaurs Warm-Blooded? Research Team Discovers Arctic Dinosaur Nursery
Images of dinosaurs as cold-blooded creatures needing tropical temperatures could be a relic of the past.
University of Alaska Fairbanks and Florida State University scientists have found that nearly all types of Arctic dinosaurs, from small bird-like animals to giant tyrannosaurs, reproduced in the region and likely remained there year-round.
Their findings are detailed in a new paper published in the journal Current Biology.
"It wasn't long ago that people were pretty shocked to find out that dinosaurs lived up in the Arctic 70 million years ago," said Pat Druckenmiller, the paper's lead author and director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North. "We now have unequivocal evidence they were nesting up there as well. This is the first time that anyone has ever demonstrated that dinosaurs could reproduce at these high latitudes."
The findings counter previous hypotheses that the animals migrated to lower latitudes for the winter and laid their eggs in those warmer regions. It's also compelling evidence that they were warm-blooded.
For more than a decade, Druckenmiller and Gregory Erickson, a Florida State University professor of biological science, have conducted fieldwork in the Prince Creek Formation in northern Alaska. They have unearthed many dinosaur species, most of them new to science, from the bluffs above the Colville River.
Their latest discoveries are tiny teeth and bones from seven species of perinatal dinosaurs, a term that describes baby dinosaurs that are either just about to hatch or have just hatched.
"One of the biggest mysteries about Arctic dinosaurs was whether they seasonally migrated up to the North or were year-round denizens," said Erickson, a co-author of the paper. "We unexpectedly found remains of perinates representing almost every kind of dinosaur in the formation. It was like a prehistoric maternity ward."
Recovering the bones and teeth, some no larger than the head of a pin, requires perseverance and a sharp eye. In the field, the scientists hauled buckets of sediment from the face of the bluffs down to the river's edge, where they washed the material through smaller and smaller screens to remove large rocks and soil.
Once back at their labs, Druckenmiller, Erickson and co-author Jaelyn Eberle from the University of Colorado, Boulder, screened the material further. Then, teaspoon by teaspoon, the team, which included graduate and undergraduate students, examined the remaining sandy particles under microscopes to find the bones and teeth.
"Recovering these tiny fossils is like panning for gold," Druckenmiller said. "It requires a great amount of time and effort to sort through tons of sediment grain-by-grain under a microscope. The fossils we found are rare but are scientifically rich in information."
Next, the scientists worked with Caleb Brown and Don Brinkman from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta, Canada, to compare the fossils to those from other sites at lower latitudes. Those comparisons helped them conclude that the bones and teeth were from perinatal dinosaurs.
Once they knew the dinosaurs were nesting in the Arctic, they realized the animals lived their entire lives in the region.
Erickson's previous research revealed that the incubation period for these types of dinosaurs ranges from three to six months. Because Arctic summers are short, even if the dinosaurs laid their eggs in the spring, their offspring would be too young to migrate in the fall.
Global temperatures were much warmer during the Cretaceous, but the Arctic winters still would have included four months of darkness, freezing temperatures, snow and little fresh vegetation for food.
"As dark and bleak as the winters would have been, the summers would have had 24-hour sunlight, great conditions for a growing dinosaur if it could grow quickly enough before winter set in," said Brown, a paleontologist at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
Year-round Arctic residency provides a natural test of the animals' physiology, Erickson added.
"We solved several long-standing mysteries about the dinosaur reign, but opened up a new can of worms," he said. "How did they survive Arctic winters?"
"Perhaps the smaller ones hibernated through the winter," Druckenmiller said. "Perhaps others lived off poor-quality forage, much like today's moose, until the spring."
Scientists have found warm-blooded animal fossils in the region, but no snakes, frogs or turtles, which were common at lower latitudes. That suggests the cold-blooded animals were poorly suited for survival in the cold temperatures of the region.
"This study goes to the heart of one of the longest-standing questions among paleontologists: Were dinosaurs warm-blooded?" Druckenmiller said. "We think that endothermy was probably an important part of their survival."
Reference: "Nesting at Extreme Polar Latitudes by Non-Avian Dinosaurs" by Patrick S. Druckenmiller, Gregory M. Erickson, Donald Brinkman, Caleb M. Brown and Jaelyn J. Eberle, 24 June 2021, Current Biology.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.05.041
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/
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Moffen Island is located north of Wijdefjorden's mouth, off the northern coast of Spitsbergen Island (Svalbard's largest). The island has become a popular cruise itinerary stop for ships touring the Svalbard archipelago. However, landing or entering inner waters is strictly forbidden due to fear of disturbing wildlife. Moffen Island is an important location for walrus and seabirds nesting site.
Moffen is within Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park. Most of the island is gravel and sand, without solid bedrock.
Travel on the island and its surrounding sea zone of 300 m (984 ft) is prohibited in the period May 15 through September 15.
The island was first mapped in 1655. Dutch whalers knew the island in the 17th century, and it soon became slaughtering site for walrus.
Despite its small size ( 2x3 km / 1x2 ml), the island features interesting wildlife, though observation opportunities are not great due to legally required mininum distance. There are large numbers of breeding Arctic terns and Sabine's gulls (both extremely rare in Svalbard).
Cruise ships to Moffen island dock (anchor) at Longyearbyen, on the western coast of Spitsbergen Island.
Port Moffen Island cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Moffen Island, Svalbard Norway. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.
The Moffen Island cruise port map is interactive. It shows the port's exact location, along with the real-time cruise ship traffic (if any) in its vicinity - today, and right now. By zooming-out you can see other cruise ship ports located near Moffen Island, Svalbard Norway.
If you lose the Moffen Island location on the map, simply reload the page (also with F5 button). This feature is integrated with the CruiseMapper's cruise ship tracker tracking the vessels' current positions at sea and in ports.


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Contributing
============

The `go-qemu` project makes use of the [GitHub Flow](https://guides.github.com/introduction/flow/)
for contributions.

If you'd like to contribute to the project, please
[open an issue](https://github.com/digitalocean/go-qemu/issues/new) or find an
[existing issue](https://github.com/digitalocean/go-qemu/issues) that you'd like
to take on.  This ensures that efforts are not duplicated, and that a new feature
aligns with the focus of the rest of the repository.

Once your suggestion has been submitted and discussed, please be sure that your
code meets the following criteria:
  - code is completely `gofmt`'d
  - new features or codepaths have appropriate test coverage
  - `go test ./...` passes
  - `go vet ./...` passes
  - `golint ./...` returns no warnings, including documentation comment warnings

In addition, if this is your first time contributing to the `go-qemu` project,
add your name and email address to the
[AUTHORS](https://github.com/digitalocean/go-qemu/blob/master/AUTHORS) file
under the "Contributors" section using the format:
`First Last <email@example.com>`.

Finally, submit a pull request for review!

Questions?  Feel free to join us in [`#go-qemu` on freenode](https://webchat.freenode.net/)
if you'd like to discuss the project.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Barlow/Max Bell station is a CTrain light rail station in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It serves the Northeast Line (Route 202). It opened on April 27, 1985, as part of the original Northeast line.

The station is located in the median of Memorial Drive Southeast, near the intersection with 19 Street Northeast. The station is 3.9 km from the City Hall Interlocking.

The station serves areas located along Barlow Trail, such as Mayland with a 50 space parking lot available for commuters and  near the Max Bell Centre arena.

The station's centre-loading (island) platform is accessed via ramps from a pedestrian tunnel under Memorial Drive. Barlow/Max Bell and Zoo are the only stations in the system that are constructed this way.

As part of Calgary Transit's plan to operate 4-car trains by the end of 2014, all 3-car platforms were extended, and Barlow/Max Bell station also received new furnishings in addition to a platform extension. Construction took place in 2014.

In 2005, the station registered an average transit of 1,600 boardings per weekday.

References

External links
City of Calgary. Barlow/Max Bell LRT Station - information brochure

CTrain stations
Railway stations in Canada opened in 1985
1985 establishments in Alberta