text:
Is this an acceptable risk?
The essence of the automation of the risk simulation model is the creation of an Excel macro written in VBA. The macro will perform three tasks:
The VBA code is simplified if one first uses the 'Name' facility to name ranges of cells:
The range named Bins houses the values used by the function FREQUENCY() to process the results. The Frequencies range will house the frequencies that are generated. The Results range is where the simulation results (values for NPV) are stored.
Table 4: Simulation Macro
Sub Simulation()'' Simulation Macro'Macro recorded 15/01/00 by D.Smith'' For counter = 3 To 502 Range("NPV").Select Calculate Cells(counter, 7).Value = ActiveCell.Value Next counter Range("frequencies").Select Selection.FormulaArray = ("=Frequency(Results, bins)") Calculate End Sub
The macro (table 4) is created as a module using the Visual Basic Editor. There are two components to the single subroutine within the macro. The first component is a For..Next loop. This selects the cell named NPV (E24), recalculates the model and places the resulting value in the NPV cell at the top of the range named Results. On the next circuit of the loop the model is again recalculated and because the counter has been incremented the new value for NPV goes into the next cell in the Results range. This continues until the counter gets to the last cell in the Results range, which in this instance is G502. The counter can be set with different values to undertake more or less simulations.
|Bins||Frequency||Cumulative Frequency||Relative Frequency||Cumulative Relative Frequency|
Table 5: Results Table
The second part of the macro involves the use of Excel's FREQUENCY() function. To enable this function to sort the simulation results effectively, the values stored in the Results range have to be placed in the cells designated as 'Bins' (I6:I26). This range of cells will form the right hand column (table 5) of the Results Table (I2:M29). To sort the results likely to be obtained with the investment model specified, the values range from + 60,000 to - 40,000 with intervals of 5,000. The frequency produced by executing the FREQUENCY() function appears in the second column of the Results Table (J6:J27). To produce appropriate graphs of the risk simulation results, three further columns need to be designated at this stage for Cumulative Frequency (K6:K27), Relative Frequency (L6:L27) and Cumulative Relative Frequency (M6:M27). For each of these ranges of cells a formula is required. Cumulative Frequency requires the formula +J6 in the first cell followed by +K6+J7 in the next cell down. This formula can then be copied into the remaining cells in the column. The fourth and fifth columns in the Results Table require the number of simulation results as a denominator. This is obtained by placing the formula +SUM (Frequencies) in cell J28. The formula for the relative frequency column is +K6/$J$28. In both instances the formula can be copied down into the remaining cells in the column. As a check to ensure that all the results have been processed cell L28 contains the formula +SUM(L6:L27).
Having set up the Results Table, graphs can be specified based on the figures in the results table. A bar chart will produce a graph of the relative frequency. With probability on the Y axis and the values shown in the Bins range on the X axis, it will show the distribution of project NPVs. A line graph based on the cumulative relative frequency with similar axes will show the cumulative distribution of project NPVs.
The final step is to complete the summary section (B27:E32) on the spreadsheet (Table 6). Using the COUNT() function in C29 will maintain a tally of the number of simulations. The use of MAX(Results) in E28 and MIN(Results) in E29 will capture the highest and lowest observations for project NPV. The function AVERAGE() and STDEV() in E30 and E31 will provide the mean and standard deviation.
Having set up the spreadsheet in this way, lines six to eight of the macro select the range of cells containing the frequencies generated by successive executions of the simulation loop and apply the FREQUENCY() function using the Results and Bins ranges as arguments. Finally the macro recalculates the Results Table in order to generate the relative frequency and cumulative relative frequency figures.
To run the risk simulation model one simply selects the SIMULATION macro via the TOOLS bar. One of the benefits of the model is that values in the NPV cell (E24) change as the simulations are executed. The simulation results are recorded in the Results range. This facility can be particularly useful if it is necessary to de-bug the model. Upon completion the simulation results are summarised in the Results Table. Selecting the graph tabs should produce figures 1 and 2. Finally the Summary section will provide an overview of results.
Once the model is running it is important that a process of validation is undertaken to ensure that it is working as intended. This needs to be nothing more than checking that the results are comparable to those shown in the Results Table.
Having confirmed that the model is working correctly students should be encouraged to analyse the results. This could involve answering questions such as those set out below:
Important though it is to get students using the risk simulation model and analysing the results, this is really only the beginning. One of the biggest benefits to be gained from using a risk simulation model without the aid of add-in packages like _USER_ is the scope for further model development.
Modifications to the model could take the form of modifications to both the macro and the spreadsheet model. Changes to the macro that could be explored include aspects such as increasing the number of simulations carried out. 500 simulations were used in this instance but it is a simple matter to increase this to 2,000 or 5,000.
Changes to the model could include the incorporation of some of the following:
Various versions of this application have been used on a variety of Managerial Economics and Business Strategy modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students have not been Economics majors rather they have been Business Studies majors or DMS/MBA students. During the course of their managerial careers such students will encounter investment projects. An understanding of risk analysis in general and risk simulation in particular is likely to be very useful. Although a self-constructed risk simulation, such as the one presented in this instance, has limitations compared to those developed using the resources of an add-in package like _USER_, this is offset by the depth of understanding of risk simulation and associated concepts gained by business and management students.
Barlow, T. F. (1999) Excel Models for Business and Operations Management, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester.


text:
If you download the latest installer and run it, you'll see an example labelled touch_mp3_with_leds in the Touch Board Examples folder. This sets up 12 pins (detailed in the code) as digital outputs, and keeps those pins high while the track associated with that electrode is playing.
Electrode E5 is linked to digital pin 13, which is connected to the onboard LED, so you can easily see the code's behaviour by uploading the code with a microSD card filled with tracks appropriately named for Touch_MP3 and observing the onboard L LED.
With this code, you can run one normal LED per pin, by connecting the anode (positive leg) of the LED to the appropriate output pin and the cathode (negative leg) to ground. If you want to run many LEDs from a pin you'll have to use a transistor driver circuit - you can learn more about them here.

source: m-a-p/FineFineWeb


text:
This infra-red digital thermometer is useful in many ways but specifically to bonsai, it allows you to measure the temperature of the bonsai pot and soil.
A bonsai tree will become more active in terms of growing new roots and taking up of fertiliser, when the temperature within the pot is stable above 16C. Measuring and monitoring the soil temperature can tell you when best to repot and to start feeding.
This thermometer features a laser-IR pointer for accurate target aiming and can switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit. It requires 2x AAA batteries (supplied) and has a low battery indication showing when to change them.
Do not look directly at the laser or point the digital thermometer at people, the laser can damage eyes.


text:
This example shows how to construct an automated parking valet system in Simulink® with Automated Driving Toolbox™. It closely follows the Automated Parking Valet MATLAB® example.
Automatically parking a car that is left in front of a parking lot is a challenging problem. The vehicle's automated systems are expected to take over and steer the vehicle to an available parking spot. This example focuses on planning a feasible path through the environment, generating a trajectory from this path, and using a feasible controller to execute the trajectory. Map creation and dynamic obstacle avoidance are excluded from this example.
Before simulation, the
helperSLCreateCostmap function is called within the
PreLoadFcn callback function of the model. For details on using callback functions, see Model Callbacks (Simulink). The
helperSLCreateCostmap function creates a static map of the parking lot that contains information about stationary obstacles, road markings, and parked cars. The map is represented as a
To use the
object in Simulink®, the
helperSLCreateUtilityStruct function converts the
into a struct array in the block's mask initialization. For more details, see Initialize Mask (Simulink).
The global route plan is described as a sequence of lane segments to traverse to reach a parking spot. Before simulation, the
PreLoadFcn callback function of the model loads a route plan, which is stored as a table. The table specifies the start and end poses of the segment, as well as properties of the segment, such as the speed limit.
routePlan = 5×3 table StartPose EndPose Attributes ________________ ____________________ ____________ 4 12 0 56 11 0 [1×1 struct] 56 11 0 70 19 90 [1×1 struct] 70 19 90 70 32 90 [1×1 struct] 70 32 90 52 38 180 [1×1 struct] 53 38 180 36.3 44 90 [1×1 struct]
The inputs and outputs of many blocks in this example are Simulink buses (
classes). In the
PreLoadFcn callback function of the model, the
helperSLCreateUtilityBus function creates these buses.
Planning is a hierarchical process, with each successive layer responsible for a more fine-grained task. The behavior layer sits at the top of this stack. The Behavior Planner block triggers a sequence of navigation tasks based on the global route plan by providing an intermediate goal and configuration for the Motion Planning and Trajectory Generation blocks. Each path segment is navigated using these steps:
Motion Planning: Plan a feasible path through the environment map using the optimal rapidly exploring random tree (RRT*) algorithm (
Trajectory Generation: Smooth the reference path by fitting splines to it using the Path Smoother Spline block. Then convert the smoothed path into a trajectory by generating a speed profile using the Velocity Profiler block.
Vehicle Control: The
HelperPathAnalyzer provides the reference signal for the Vehicle Controller subsystem that controls the steering and the velocity of the vehicle.
Goal Checking: Check if the vehicle has reached the final pose of the segment using
The Vehicle Controller subsystem contains a Lateral Controller Stanley block and a Longitudinal Controller Stanley block to regulate the pose and the velocity of the vehicle, respectively. To handle realistic vehicle dynamics, the Vehicle model parameter in the Lateral Controller Stanley block is set to
Dynamic bicycle model. With this configuration, additional inputs, such as the path curvature, the current yaw rate of the vehicle, and the current steering angle are required to compute the steering command. The Longitudinal Controller Stanley block uses a switching Proportional-Integral controller to calculate the acceleration and the deceleration commands that actuate the brake and throttle in the vehicle.
To demonstrate the performance, the vehicle controller is applied to the Vehicle Model block, which contains a simplified steering system that is modeled as a first-order system and a Vehicle Body 3DOF (Vehicle Dynamics Blockset) block shared between Automated Driving Toolbox™ and Vehicle Dynamics Blockset™. Compared with the kinematic bicycle model used in the Automated Parking Valet MATLAB® example, this Vehicle Model block is more accurate because it considers the inertial effects, such as tire slip and steering servo actuation.
The Visualization block shows how the vehicle tracks the reference path. It also displays vehicle speed and steering command in a scope. The following images are the simulation results for this example:
Simulation stops at about 45 seconds, which is when the vehicle reaches the destination.
This example shows how to implement an automated parking valet in Simulink.
 Buehler, Martin, Karl Iagnemma, and Sanjiv Singh. The DARPA Urban Challenge: Autonomous Vehicles in City Traffic (1st ed.). Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated, 2009.
 Lepetic, Marko, Gregor Klancar, Igor Skrjanc, Drago Matko, and Bostjan Potocnik, "Time Optimal Path Planning Considering Acceleration Limits." Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Volume 45, Issues 3-4, 2003, pp. 199-210.
 Hoffmann, Gabriel M., Claire J. Tomlin, Michael Montemerlo, and Sebastian Thrun. "Autonomous Automobile Trajectory Tracking for Off-Road Driving: Controller Design, Experimental Validation and Racing." American Control Conference, 2007, pp. 2296-2301.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
When outdoor enthusiast Gu Yunfeng heard about the appearance of a once submerged island in the Yangtze River, hosting a trio of Buddhist statues, he decided to swim out to see the 600-year-old icons.
Plunging water levels in the Yangtze River in China's southwestern city of Chongqing, have revealed the statues believed to be 600 years old, state media Xinhua has reported.
The three statues were found on the highest part of the island reef called Foyeliang, initially identified as built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. One of the statues depicts a monk sitting on a lotus pedestal.
The Yangtze's water levels have been falling rapidly due to a drought and a heatwave in China's southwestern region.
Unprepared, Gu came to the river bank to visit the statues, but only then found out he had to swim.
"I don't think we will see it again when the water level comes back so I'm here to see it. This is a culture that our ancestors have left us," said Gu.
After around 20 minutes, Gu successfully made it to the shore of the island. He lost his shoes in the strong current, so had to use his shirt to wrap around his feet to walk on the hot stones as the temperature had risen to as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit).
He was exhausted when he swam back to his waiting wife. Gu said that the the decreased water levels made him feel worried, adding "I feel like the environment has just become quite bad. I think this is a warning to us."
As many as 66 rivers across 34 counties in Chongqing have dried up, state broadcaster CCTV said on Friday (August 19).
In Europe weeks of baking drought across the continent have also revealed long-submerged treasures.
In Spain, archaeologists have been delighted by the emergence of a prehistoric stone circle dubbed the "Spanish Stonehenge". Another of Europe's mighty rivers, the Danube, has fallen to one of its lowest levels in almost a century, exposing the hulks of more than 20 German warships sunk during World War Two near Serbia's river port town of Prahovo.


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My Leicester colleague Catherine Pashley has done a lot of work in this area, so I was interested in this recent minireview in PLOS Pathogens.
- What Is Asthma?
- Why Do Fungi Make Spores? And a Guide to Terminology
- Do Fungal Spores Cause Asthma?
- Which Species Are Associated with Asthma?
- If Identification to Species Matters, Will New Tools Provide Needed Data?
Asthma and the Diversity of Fungal Spores in Air. (2013) PLoS Pathog 9(6): e1003371. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat._PHONE_
The diversity of fungal spores in air is vast, but research on asthma focuses on a handful of easily identified, culturable species. Ecologists are developing new tools to probe communities and identify the full complement of fungi in habitats. These tools may enable identification of novel asthma triggers, but scientists involved in public health or medicine rarely interact with mycologists focused on ecology. With this primer, my aim is to facilitate communication by providing doctors with a basic, modern guide to spores, by teaching mycologists the essential facts of asthma, and by providing patients with a succinct summary of what is known about spores and asthma. By highlighting the use of emerging metagenomics technologies in ecology, I intend to illustrate how these tools might be used to more thoroughly understand the potential diversity of fungi involved in asthma.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


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Tag Archives: necessary
Eating cabin-boys and instructing experts
What do eating cabin-boys and instructing experts have in common? Well, it seems that the law frowns on both, and queries whether either was necessary.
The Court of Appeal have given judgment in the much trumpeted issue of what the word 'necessary' means in the context of the new requirement in the Family Procedure Rules that before an expert can be instructed in a family case, the Court must determine that their instruction is necessary.
 Re H-L (A Child) 2013
In the current context and climate, the Court of Appeal were clearly keen to tackle this issue and give a steer on it as soon as possible. This is how the President opened
1. In this appeal we have to decide the point left open in Re TG (Care Proceedings: Case Management: Expert Evidence) [2013] EWCA Civ 5, [2013] 1 FLR 1250.
2. In Re TG, in which judgment was handed down on 22 January 2013, I drew attention to the important change to rule 25.1 of the Family Procedure Rules 2010 due to be implemented with effect from 31 January 2013. Whereas previously the test for permitting expert evidence to be adduced was whether it was "reasonably required to resolve the proceedings", the test now is whether it is "necessary to assist the court to resolve the proceedings." I said (para [30]):
"It is a matter for another day to determine what exactly is meant in this context by the word 'necessary', but clearly the new test is intended to be significantly more stringent than the old. The text of what is 'necessary' sets a hurdle which is, on any view, significantly higher that the old test of what is 'reasonably required'."
We now have to decide what is meant by 'necessary.'
Game on, as they say. So, what does necessary mean?
The short answer is that 'necessary' means necessary.
 If you are thinking, crikey, was there something good on television or for lunch and the Court of Appeal just wanted to get this whole thing done, don't worry, we develop the short answer a bit. (not much, I am trying not to give this a huge build-up)
If elaboration is required, what precisely does it mean? That was a question considered, albeit in a rather different context, in Re P (Placement Orders: Parental Consent) [2008] EWCA Civ 535, [2008] 2 FLR 625, paras [120], [125]. This court said it "has a meaning lying somewhere between 'indispensable' on the one hand and 'useful', 'reasonable' or 'desirable' on the other hand", having "the connotation of the imperative, what is demanded rather than what is merely optional or reasonable or desirable." In my judgment, that is the meaning, the connotation, the word 'necessary' has in rule 25.1.
So a spectrum somewhere between indispensable and useful/desirable, but much more towards the indispensable side of the scale.
The Court allowed the geneticist and upheld the refusal for the other two experts (a paediatrician and a haemologist)
The President also used the case as a reminder that the appellant Court will strive to uphold reasonable and robust case management decisions (no doubt being mindful that a lot of the current problems that are striving to be unpicked are due in part to the Court of Appeal knocking back any Judge who actually tried to follow the principles of the current Public Law Outline)
As this is so short, permit me a digression.
That's rather better than I envisaged, when I mockingly suggested that we would be incorporating the Dudley and Stephens opinion of necessity into care proceedings. For those of you who didn't study law, or did so a long time ago, Dudley and Stephens was the case of shipwrecked sailors who being both marooned and peckish, killed and ate their cabin boy. In mixed blessings for them, they were then rescued (hooray!) but then tried for murder.
The sailors pleaded that they had to kill the boy and eat him or they would all have perished and therefore it was necessary to eat him. This was an attempt to introduce a doctrine of necessity into the criminal law as a defence. The jury could not decide what to do and the case was referred up to the Court of Appeal for guidance.
This doctrine of necessity defence was rejected by the Court, in a lovely passage by Lord Coleridge
From these facts, stated with the cold precision of a special verdict, it appears sufficiently that the prisoners were subject to terrible temptation, to sufferings which might break down the bodily power of the strongest man, and try the conscience of the best. Other details yet more harrowing, facts still more loathsome and appalling, were presented to the jury, and are to be found recorded in my learned Brother's notes. But nevertheless this is clear, that the prisoners put to death a weak and unoffending boy upon the chance of preserving their own lives by feeding upon his flesh and blood after he was killed, and with the certainty of depriving him of any possible chance of survival. The verdict finds in terms that "if the men had not fed upon the body of the boy they would probably not have survived," and that "the boy being in a much weaker condition was likely to have died before them." They might possibly have been picked up next day by a passing ship; they might possibly not have been picked up at all; in either case it is obvious that the killing of the boy would have been an unnecessary and profitless act. It is found by the verdict that the boy was incapable of resistance, and, in fact, made none; and it is not even suggested that his death was due to any violence on his part attempted against, or even so much as feared by, those who killed him
And then
This is a lovely judgment, bringing in all sorts of ideas and references, and interesting to me as a law geek particularly because the Court recognise that the case is a real-life version of a hypothetical example given in legal textbooks of the time of two sailors on a plank and would it be lawful for one to eat the other to prevent them both starving. The authors of the legal textbooks had suggested that it would be, but the Court disagreed.
The sailors were found guilty and hanged. [The whole set up reminds me of those Fortunately-Unfortunately-Fortunately-Unfortunately games/stories we used to tell at school,_Unfortunately ]
[I recall, as I once had to research this, that there is no offence of cannibalism per se in English law – the crime would be either bringing about the death, or if the person had died naturally, a pretty minor Common Law offence of conspiring to prevent a decent and legal burial]
So the lessons for today are – if you are applying for an expert make sure you lay on with a trowel how close to indispensable this instruction is and if you are going to eat a cabin boy, wait till he dies of natural causes. [Which further digresses me to Vic Reeves' sterling words of advice "If you DO get trapped in your flat…try NOT to get trapped in your flat"]


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Santiago de Chile, Chile
Universities are committed to graduating their students with the skills needed to succeed in their future and work life. Today, students need to be skilled in technology use and also be mindful of their digital identity.
In November 2015, Universidad Autónoma de Chile was again accredited for four years, joining a select group of 20 accredited Chilean universities. In addition, the university began offering students free tuition, as part of the tuition-free policy launched in Chile in 2016. Through the policy, lower income families that study at specific institutions can do so completely free of charge for the duration of their studies. This allows a large number of low-income students access to higher education.
In the midst of this series of changes, the university also decided to implement new technological developments. In 2016, the school created a Computer Education Center, with the aim of reinforcing excellence in pedagogical processes. With Open LMS, the university creates virtual spaces where all four of its campuses have the same opportunity to access unified course materials and evaluations. This approach facilitates the student-teacher relationship, and also aids in administrative processes.
As a result of this increase in online learning, the university began to study their students' digital identity. Digital identity is defined as the trace left by each online user. These traces can include images, data, and information that users leave behind when using technological tools. This is explained by Marisol Hernández, professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Chile, also in charge of the Computer Science Department: "That digital identity –a topic that is part of my doctoral thesis– says a lot about students' technological behavior and how they learn. At this moment, we are in the process of validating the tool that will measure and indicate students' digital identity, to later analyze in focus groups whether that digital identity leads us in some particular way to how students learn."
It is key to resignify learning spaces and identify what students use in their day-to-day life.
Understanding digital identity can be useful in teaching, as it can help educators use technology for more precise and personalized purposes. This can be particularly helpful and relevant today, where students are seemingly more critical of traditional teaching and learning methods, and are demanding alternative ways of learning and technology that can truly help them attain skills and competencies.
Redefining education means to give it a comprehensive look, taking into account the new learning tools available, even those that we often don't perceive are being used for learning purposes. "When professors are talked to about technological tools, we often tend to think that learning is only possible through a formal environment and with certain technologies, without thinking that there are other tools that can be of equal or more beneficial value to the educational process", declares Hernández.
- • •
This expert in education and technology refers to tools such as:
1. WhatsApp – WhatsApp is used mainly in Latin American countries as a mobile chat solution. Although many may think it is a communication tool only, the application is used by students as a learning tool. Study groups can be created, support and advice can be exchanged, and exam preparation can also take place, among other things, making it an alternative education space.
2. The same occurs with other technological tools such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, which are usually considered as social networks with no real value in the digital education space. "When someone talks to me about giving tools a positive or negative value, or decide which are formal or informal, it's like someone asking me if technologies have advantages or disadvantages; it has to do with the possibilities that I as a human being can visualize and in fact utilize," explains Hernández. Therefore, redefining learning spaces is necessary, and we need to take a look at the technologies that the student actually uses in his or her day-to-day life.
3. The use of technology goes far beyond student life. Today, technological tools also have an impact on students' work future. Not only due to what is published about them, but also because they are used as tools to make one's career trajectory known to the public, as is the case with LinkedIn, the digital platform used to display one's resume or to look for employment.
- • •
Universidad Autónoma de Chile's has rethought the ways in which we can use the technological tools given to us in order to create opportunities. A cell phone can either be a distractor in class, or it can be a translator, spell checker or query tool. The university is trying to train students and teachers with the skills they need today, and which the world demands of them. This includes technological tools of all kinds that make up their digital identity.
Marisol Hernandez,Teacher and General Coordinator of the Computer Area, Universidad Autónoma de Chile.
AFP Pablo Vera Lisperguer.


st: Increase speed of -replaceFrom "" <>
To "" <>
Subject st: Increase speed of -replaceDate Thu, 8 May 2008 12:31:52 -0700
I am looking for a way to increase the speed of -replace-. I have a
long string variable consisting of several words that should be
reduced to a shorter string, depending on the text in each
observation. The problem can be reproduced with the auto data. Assume
that we want to replace the text in the variable "make" by a single
word. Assume further that the text we are looking for (e.g. "Chev.")
is not necessarily at the beginning of the string but that it can be
anywhere in the variable. My solution is shown below but it is slow
with more than 200 -replacecommands and about 150,000 observations.
Is there a faster solution?
sysuse auto
replace make = "AMC" if strpos(make,"AMC")>0
replace make = "Buick" if strpos(make,"Buick")>0
replace make = "Cadillac" if strpos(make,"Cad.")>0
replace make = "Chevrolet" if strpos(make,"Chev.")>0
replace make = "Dodge" if strpos(make,"Dodge")>0
* For searches and help try:
* For searches and help try:


text:
Reasons Geminis are so blessed...You should feel blessed to be born under the sign of the Twins! Why? Here are just 5 reasons why Geminis are truly blessed.
1. Our dual nature lets us adapt to any situation.
2. We not only know a lot, but are so effective at communicating that we can teach others what we know.
3. We are able to see at least two sides to every story, giving us valuable perspective.
4. We have more energy than the other signs, making us vital and eternally youthful.
5. Our imaginations let us shut out the bad and focus on the positive.


text:
Click Image to Enlarge
PET was invented in 1941 by ICI in the U.K. and played its first role as a fiber, and its second as film with DuPont's introduction of Mylar in 1952. It took more than 20 years for PET molding grades to come onto the scene. When they did, they revolutionized the packaging industry with oriented bottles.
In 1973, DuPont's Nathaniel Wyeth patented the oriented PET beverage bottle. Because DuPont lacked solid-state PET resin production, its initial efforts to produce bottle preforms were unsuccessful, owing to insufficient intrinsic viscosity (I.V., a measure of molecular weight). The first commercial production of PET resin suitable for injection molding preforms came from Goodyear in 1974, which had solid-state capability in place. Between 1976 and 1978, three other suppliers—Celanese, American Hoechst, and Eastman—brought on PET bottle-resin capacity
At NPE 1979, Eastman Chemical introduced "spruce green" bottle-grade PET resins so that plastic bottles could match the color of glass bottles. In the early 1980s, CPET (crystallized PET) arrived as a highly heat-resistant material for thermoformable, dual-ovenable food trays for prepackaged meals and entrees. At NPE 1991, amorphous PET (APET) resins for extrusion blow molding of handleware were introduced by Eastman, DuPont, and Goodyear. APET did not take off, as the market found it too costly because of the thicker walls required. More successful was a glycol-modified amorphous PET, called PETG, introduced by Eastman in 1977. It has been successful in injection and blow molded containers and extruded sheet and profiles.
The current U.S. PET resin market is approaching 7 billion lb/yr. PET dominates the soda and "premium" water bottle market for 2-liter and smaller bottles, where handles are not required.
Glassor mineral-filled PET was introduced by DuPont in 1978. Rynite PET constituted the first "engineering" grade of PET for general-purpose injection molding. It overcame the limitations of previous reinforced PETs, which were difficult to mold and suffered poor surface quality, brittleness, and warpage. Many of the earliest applications were electrical parts, such as coil forms, automotive ignitions, transformer housings, terminal blocks, motor end brackets, fuse caps, and light housings. Some other applications in Rynite's first decade were chair shells and arms, bicycle drive parts, and boat propellers. Within five years, Rynite had at least four domestic competitors and at least 15 by the end of the 1980s.
PBT for injection molding was first brought to the market in 1969 by Celanese, with its Celanex 3300, a 30% glass-filled grade. In 1972, GE introduced both unreinforced Valox PBT and a 30% glass-filled grade. Not long after, GE launched flame-retardant grades. By 1977, Eastman, GAF, LNP, and Thermofil had entered the business, with Fiberfil and Mobay not far behind.
The earliest PBT applications were in the electrical/electronic connectors, switches, controls, and automotive high-energy ignition systems. PBT also played a major part in the development of plastic automotive bumper systems. GE alloyed PBT with PC to produce Xenoy, a material with high impact strength at low temperatures plus heat and chemical resistance that enabled all-plastic auto-bumper systems to replace steel. The 1984 Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable were the first cars to utilizes this system in both front and rear bumpers.
Very few readers of this issue can remember, or even imagine, what it was like when an injection mol...


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1. Go to Settings at the top right corner of your Gmail page
3. Find Signature tweaks feature and enable it by selecting the radio button against Enable button
Opened message would look something like below:-
When you click to Reply or forward the message, you would see your Signature at the top of the original message sent by the sender (in this example Sanjeev)
Note: When this Signature tweaks Gmail Labs feature is enabled, it also removes — appearing before the quoted text in your signature. By default Gmail places two – (–) before the quoted text block of your signature.


text:
Measure the longitudinal strain at two points along the path of the pipe. The flow direction will be from highest to lowest strain.
How to Determine Flow Direction in a Pipe?
Determining the flow direction in a pipe is an important step in any piping system. Knowing the direction of flow can help engineers and technicians troubleshoot any problems, plan maintenance or repairs, and ensure that the system is functioning properly. Here is a guide on how to determine the flow direction in a pipe.
The first step to determining the flow direction in a pipe is to identify the type of pipe you are dealing with. Pipes can be categorized as either high-pressure pipes or low-pressure pipes. Low-pressure pipes typically have a smooth interior surface and are more likely to have a uniform flow. High-pressure pipes usually have a rougher interior surface and a more turbulent flow.
Once you have identified the type of pipe, you can use several methods to determine the flow direction. The first method is to use a flow meter. This device measures the velocity of the flow in the pipe, and the direction of the flow is indicated by the arrows on the meter. Another method is to use a pressure gauge. This device measures the pressure differential throughout the pipe, and the direction of the flow can be determined by the pressure gradient.
The third method is to use a visual inspection. This involves looking inside the pipe


People are placing coins on military tombstones, when you learn why you'll pull out your change
As a nation, Americans show utmost respect for the military men and women who fight for our country and our freedom. The need of paying respect to these service officers grows even bigger on Memorial Day, the day when we remember those who lost their life for the country.
People now found a unique way to pay their tribute to the fallen soldiers by placing coins on their tombstones. So in case you see any, please don't touch them, but put one yourself.
The coins serve the purpose of the soldiers' families to know that someone had visited the grave and is thankful for the sacrifice their loved ones made.
The value of the coins depends on how close the person visiting the grave was to the fallen soldier. Seeing those shiny coins means the world to the families because they know people still remember the brave servicemen and women who we own our freedom to.
This is both emotional and comforting.
If you see a penny, it means the person who placed it only wanted to thank a fallen soldier whom he or she never met. Nickels shows that the deceased person and the one visiting the grave were at boot camp together. Dimes stand for soldiers who worked together, and quarters means the person was present when the soldier died.
From time to time, cemetery workers collect the money which are later used to pay for the burial costs of veterans.
Dave Taylor, a Vietnam War veteran, never misses a chance to place coins on the tombstones of his fellow combat friends. He feels like that way he's keeping the memory of the deceased military members alive.


text:
These calculations are based on the assumption that spectral line data from ALFA are written as binary FITS tables using the SDFITS protocol in a manner similar to current AO line data.
A single dumped spectrum contains N spectral points which are written to column 1 as N elements of 4 byte real.
The remaining columns 2-52 are similar to those of a current AO SDFITS file, occupying at least 396 bytes (might be more if additional informational columns are added).
A single row has a width of at least (N times 4) bytes plus 396 bytes.
Spectra from all 14 ALFA channels (7 beams times 2 polarizations per beam) are dumped to disk every 1 second.
Each of the 14 spectra thus recorded is contained as a separate row within the table.
Thus a single 1 second dump would contain 14 rows of at least (4 N + 396) bytes.
And a single observation lasting T seconds would contain 14 times T rows of at least (4 N + 396) bytes.
Under the above assumptions, the minimum data rate for likely E-ALFA spectral line configurations is:
|Mbytes per sec||# spectral points||configuration||timeframe|
|0.12||2048|| 50 MHz, 2 pols, 9 level||2005|
|0.23||4096||100 MHz, 2 pols, 3 level||2005|
|0.46||8192||200 MHz, 2 pols, 9 level||?|
An E-ALFA program recording 4096 points/spectrum that was allocated 300 hours of telescope time in 2005 would thus generate > 250 GB of raw data.
These are not tremendously high data rates by many standards, but they do present challenges for typical university-based astronomers engaged in data processing tasks.
It would be advantageous to specify the format as soon as possible so that software development can work from a common, established basis.


Talk:Phantom touch
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 Response to Reviewers
 We have included the text and references according to reviewers suggestions. Additionally, we have included classic and modified penfield maps to better illustrate the homunculus organization pre- and post-amputation of the hand.
 Reviewer A
 I like this article and I think that it summarizes a phenomenon of broad interest. Whenever I talk about cortical reorganization, phantoms come up. I think that the level of discussion and the pints covered are appropriate for this level of article.
 I made a few minor changes in the text, in particular I moved a paragraph from the body to the conclusion. I have some specific comments that I didn't address.
 Section on "Remapping"
 1) When describing the organization and reorganization of S1 after amputation, I think that a schematic figure showing the normal Penfield homonculus and the reorganized homunculus would be extremely helpful to readers unfamiliar with S1. I would say insert it as Figure 1, referring to it before the current Figure 1.
 2) Paragraph 5: The authors refer to axon sprouting and unmasking as possible mechanisms and cite a study by ramachadran and azouli as support for unmasking. I don't understand how the experiment on cold caloric irrigation shows evidence for unmasking. Please better describe the experiment and its relevance. Also, there is considerable evidence from animal studies for both sprouting (e.g. Florence et al., 1998 ) and synaptic changes (nicely reviewed in Buonomano and Merzenich, 1998). It might be profitable to cite those here, as well.
 3) paragraph 6: Define the abbreviation "STS"
 References: 4) Provide the full references, including titles, for two abstracts: Ramachandran and Azoulai, 2007 and Ramachandran VS McGeoch D Brang ( 2008).
 Reviewer B
 I liked this article and have only a few minor comments:
 1. Intro, para 2: ambiguous citation to SM Anstis. This sounds like he might be the subject rather than the informant.
 2. Remapping, para 2: explain who Penfield was, perhaps with ref
 3. Remapping, para 2: explain results of MEG study
 4. Remapping, para 5: show cellular evidence for axonal sprouting, or tone down e.g. use possibly rather than probably (have changed this)
 5. Remapping, para 6: cite evidence for mirror neuron system for touch (Keysers et al 2004, Blakemore et al 2005). Latter half of this para is very speculative. Tone down? There is evidence that some people feel observed touch (Blakemore et al. 2005)
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text:
There are few hills or mountains that have been connected by railway lines. Some of the important features of these mountain railways are the following.
Gradients The gradients of mountain tracks are very steep. Normally tracks with gradients of 3% or more are considered mountain tracks.
Gauge Normally narrow gauges with gauge widths of 762 mm or 610 mm are adopted for mountain railways.
Curvature The curvature of mountain tracks is very sharp. Curvatures of up to 40° are normally adopted.
Alignment Mountain alignment is quite zigzag and not straight in order to gain heights easily. The type of alignments normally followed are zigzag, switch-back, and spiral.
Purpose Mountain railways have mostly been constructed for tourist traffic. In some cases, they may be constructed for exploiting hinterland or new areas.
Cost considerations The cost of construction of mountain railways is quite high because of the need for a large number of bridges and heavy earthwork. The cost, however, gets considerably reduced by adopting a smaller gauge, narrow gauge (0.762 m or 0.61 m), and then it is possible to have very steep gradients and sharp curvature.
Some of the important mountain railways existing in India today are: (i) Kalka-Shimla Railway, (ii) Nilgiri Mountain Railway, (iii) Matheran Light Railway,
(iv) Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, (v) The Kangra Valley Railway, and (vi) Haldwani-Kathgodam Railway.


text:
RAILROAD GRADE CROSSING PASSIVE SIGNING STUDY
More than three-fourths of the 219,000 public railroad grade crossings nationwide are equipped with passive warning signs only. A two-phase study is now underway to develop improved passive signing for use at these grade crossings. This study is a pool-funded effort involving 25 states, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. This report describes seven signing configurations (at-crossing sign and advance warning signs) tested in two states during Phase I of the study, the test sites, the types of data collected, the experimental variables, the analysis procedure, and the results of Phase I. Upon completion of Phase II, which involves nationwide testing, a final report will be written making recommendations on what signs should be adopted for driver warning at railroad grade crossings.
- Sponsored in part by Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C., Office of Research. A version of the report, with Janet Coleman (FHWA) as an additional author, is published in Public Roads, v60 n 4 (March 1977), pp 141-144.
Transportation Systems Center55 Broadway, Kendall Square
Cambridge, MA United States 02142
Washington, DC United States 20590
- KOZIOL, J S
- Mengert, P H
- Publication Date: 1977-1
- Pagination: 137 p.
- TRT Terms: Data collection; Field tests; Grade crossing protection systems; Highway safety; Highway traffic control; Highways; Intersections; Measures of effectiveness; Project management; Railroad grade crossings; Railroads; Rural areas; Safety; Traffic control; Traffic safety; Traffic signs; Warning signs; Warning systems
- Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
- Old TRIS Terms: Grade crossing protection; Visual warning systems
- Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;
- Accession Number: 00153966
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
- Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-TSC-FHWA-76-1 Intrm Rpt.
- Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Jun 17 1977 12:00AM


Cyanobacteriochrome
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cyanobacteriochromes are phytochrome-related photoreceptor proteins found only in the cyanobacteria. [1]
Molecular characterization[edit]
Cyanobacteriochrome covalently binds a linear tetrapyrrole molecule in the GAF domain. The A-ring of linear tetrapyrrole molecule is anchored at cysteine residue in the GAF domain via thioethel bond. The GAF domain of cyanobacteriochrome is related to phytochrome GAF, however, These GAF domains are distinct. A second cysteine linkage to the tetrapyrrole is found in some cyanobacteriochrome GAF domains resulting in blue-green photo reversible light sensitivity[2]
Spectral properties[edit]
They perform reversible photoconversion between green(~530 nm)- and red-(~660 nm) absorbing forms or between blue(~430 nm)- and green-absorbing forms. These spectral properties significantly differ from that of phytochrome which photoconverts between red- and far-red(~700 nm)-absorbing forms.
References[edit]
 1. ^ Ikeuchi, M; T Ishizuka (2008-10-07). "Cyanobacteriochromes: a new superfamily of tetrapyrrole-binding photoreceptors in cyanobacteria". Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences. RSC Publishing. 7 (10): 1159–67. doi:10.1039/b802660m.
 2. ^ Rockwell, Nathan C.; Njuguna, Stephanie Lane; Roberts, Laurel; Castillo, Elenor; Parson, Victoria L.; Dwojak, Sunshine; Lagarias, J. Clark; Spiller, Susan C. (2008-07-08). "A second conserved GAF domain cysteine is required for the blue/green photoreversibility of cyanobacteriochrome Tlr0924 from Thermosynechococcus elongatus". Biochemistry. 47 (27): 7304–7316. doi:10.1021/bi800088t. ISSN 0006-2960. PMC _PHONE_. PMID _PHONE_.


text:
Please do not throw any food, grass clippings or garbage over the fence!
Apples… kill horses, donkeys and mules. When you throw out a box of apples and they eat several, the apples can cause painful colic and possibly death. You may not notice because it happens hours later when the apples start to digest. They could colic or die in the middle of the night and you might never know the damage you did. Equine do not have the ability to throw up food once they ate it.
Why grass clippings are bad
But why is cut grass bad for horses? It doesn't seem to make sense, since they eat mostly the same grass on the other side of the fence and the hay we feed is just cut and dried grasses. But even though the grass may technically be the same variety, it's not the same as a fresh mouthful in your pasture or hay that's been properly cured. The issues:
- Grass from your lawn may contain fertilizers or anti-weed (herbicide) or anti-insect (pesticide) chemicals that should not be consumed by horses.
- Recently cut grass doesn't dry uniformly, leaving wet clumps that can ferment and grow mold and mildew. Microbes introduced this way can cause colic in horses. Unlike lawn clippings, hay grass is tetted and sometimes re-tetted (spread out evenly in a thin layer) and dried/cured in the field before baling.
- A mouthful of small cuttings may be quickly consumed by a horse. The small, wet clumps can compact and stick in a horse throat. Hay or fresh grass is chewed in manageable amounts.
- The horse digestive system works best with consistent feeding. It adapts well but not quickly (as in day-to-day). Sudden shifts can lead to digestive problems and laminitis.
Select Equine Dies From Pass Buyer Throwing Food Over The Fence
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Select Our Store to order.
A clean farm creates healthy animals, food and resources for our family and world.
What is farm biosecurity?
Farm biosecurity is a set of measures designed to protect a property from the entry and spread of pests and diseases. Each farm owner is responsible for biosecurity measures and a detailed plan.
Prevention of EPM in Equine
Biosecurity for farms
BIOSCECURITY FOR YOUR FARM
Remember your farm your rules! Learn how to keep your farm clean and your animals healthy and safe.


Convert between ragged arrays and two-dimensional arrays
[example]
Ragged arrays are arrays that hold other arrays, as opposed to two-dimensional arrays. They are called "ragged arrays" because they work like two-dimensional arrays (or higher-dimensional arrays) where each row in the array can hold a different number of elements.
Converting between ragged arrays and two-dimensional arrays isn't too hard, it just requires some bookkeeping. You can also use generic parameters to make a method to convert between ragged arrays and two-dimensional arrays holding any type of objects.
The following extension method converts from a two-dimensional array to a ragged array.
// Convert T[,] to T[][].
public static T[][] ToRagged<T>(this T[,] values)
{
 // Get the number of rows and columns.
 int num_rows = values.GetUpperBound(0) + 1;
 int num_cols = values.GetUpperBound(1) + 1;
 // Make the ragged array.
 T[][] result = new T[num_rows][];
 // Copy values into the ragged array.
 for (int r = 0; r < num_rows; r++)
 {
 result[r] = new T[num_cols];
 for (int c = 0; c < num_cols; c++)
 result[r][c] = values[r, c];
 }
 return result;
}
The method first gets the two-dimensional array's dimensions. It then creates a one-dimensional array to hold the ragged array's rows.
The code then loops through the two-dimensional array's rows. For each row, the method creates a one-dimensional array to hold the row's values and then copies the values into the row.
The following extension method converts a ragged array into a two-dimensional array.
// Convert T[][] to T[,].
public static T[,] To2DArray<T>(this T[][] values)
{
 // Get the number of rows.
 int num_rows = values.GetUpperBound(0) + 1;
 // Get the maximum number of columns in any row.
 int num_cols = 0;
 for (int r = 0; r < num_rows; r++)
 if (num_cols < values[r].Length)
 num_cols = values[r].Length;
 // Make the two-dimensional array.
 T[,] result = new T[num_rows, num_cols];
 // Copy values into the ragged array.
 for (int r = 0; r < num_rows; r++)
 {
 for (int c = 0; c < values[r].Length; c++)
 result[r, c] = values[r][c];
 }
 return result;
}
This method gets the number of rows in the ragged array. It then loops through its rows to see how long its longest row is.
The code then allocates a two-dimensional array with the correct number of rows and columns. It then loops through the ragged array's values adding them to the two-dimensional array.
Note that any entries in the two-dimensional array that do not correspond to entries in the ragged array are left uninitialized. For example, suppose the longest row in the ragged array has 25 entries but the first row has only 10 entries. In that case, the last 15 entries in the first row of the result array will hold only 10 values and the last 15 values will be uninitialized and will holdd the default value for their data type.
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Rod Stephens is a software consultant and author who has written more than 30 books and 250 magazine articles covering C#, Visual Basic, Visual Basic for Applications, Delphi, and Java.
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Oregon State Police HITS Unit
255 Capitol St. NE, 4th Floor
Salem, OR 97310
HITS is a violent crimes investigation system that collects, collates, and analyzes the salient characteristics of all murders. It serves as a support to the field investigators involved in major crimes. The HITS unit enters data from homicides throughout Oregon. This information is used to compare information to other crimes with similar methods of operations, to link crimes, or to identify unknown assailants.
Under ORS 181.580, criminal justice agencies within the State of Oregon are required to provide information relating to any suspected criminal homicide (solved or unsolved) to the HITS Unit. The form contains only information necessary to aid the HITS Unit in comparing homicides and discovering similar characteristics.
The HITS Unit provides a networking connection for Detectives to provide leads of additional suspects, and places the Detectives in contact with each other so they can share information.
 1. Determines case, victim, and offender connections to other violent crimes or offenders.
 2. Provides verification when informants and / or offenders give partial or questionable information relating to an alleged murder.
HITS Information Data Bases:
 1. Murder victims, offenders and M.O.
 2. Missing persons where foul play is suspected.
 3. Unidentified dead persons believed to be murder victims.
 4. Violent crimes reported by teletypes, bulletins and investigator requests.
 5. Oregon liaison to VICAP (FBI's serial murder tracking program).
 6. Oregon liaison to Interpol – point of contact dealing with requests for assistance to and from other countries.
 7. Timeline – Chronological Activities of murderers or other violent offenders.


- Concentrations of Iron, Copper, Nickel, and Zinc in Rae's Creek
 Bridgers, Aerial; Department of Chemistry & Physics; Klug, Christopher; Augusta University (2019-02-13)
 Heavy metals can enter water systems through a variety of methods, such as through soil run-off, rain, or industrial activity near the system. Many of these heavy metals are toxic to both the wildlife and people around the system if present in high enough concentrations. The aim of this research was to create a model for a local water system, Rae's Creek, outlining the concentrations of iron, copper, nickel, and zinc present throughout a seven-month period. Additionally, this research sought to pinpoint any correlation between increases in metal concentrations and outside events, such as rain or the Master's Tournament held yearly in Augusta. Results indicated that copper and zinc concentrations were well above guidelines set for recreational water quality by the Environmental Protection Agency, while iron and nickel concentrations were generally below the limitations set for their concentrations. While rain had no observed effect on the heavy metal concentrations, there are two specific dates where all four metals had a marked increase in concentration. However, it is inconclusive as to what caused this increase.


text:
Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) – Online Course – CPDUK Accredited – UK Core Skills Training Framework (CSTF) Aligned.
Welcome to our Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) online training course for front-line healthcare and social care support workers. All our online training courses, programmes and qualifications are accredited by the CPD Certification Service (CPDUK).
The Care Certificate Standard 4 focuses on the concepts of equality, diversity, inclusion and discrimination. Promoting equality and respecting diversity are central to life today, particularly in the provision of health and social care services.
To provide care and support that meets the needs of everyone, you have to understand what these terms mean and take account of them in your work.
Care Certificate Standard 4 Training Course – CPDUK Accredited E-Learning Course
Study method – Online, self-paced
Estimated duration (Indicative CPD hours) – 2 hours
Course format – Online (24/7 access)
Entry requirements – no prerequisites required
Assessment type – Complete end of course assessment (80% needed to pass and gain CPD certificate)
Certification/Qualification – Downloadable CPD certificate
Cost(s) of assessment and certification – Assessment and certification costs included in the course price
Course accreditation – CPD Certification Service (CPDUK)
Course access – Part-time (1-year access)
Course delivery – via desktop PC/MAC, laptops, tablets or smartphones.
Who is the online Care Certificate Standard 4 training course for?
This Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) e-learning course should be completed by those who work in health and social care services, including:
- New members of staff in Healthcare Support Worker roles,
- New members of staff in Adult Social Care Worker roles, and
- Any staff members who provide direct care to patients or individuals needing support.
This Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) e-learning course will also be useful for:
- Staff moving into new roles within their organisation,
- Refreshing the knowledge of any member of staff,
- NHS nursing, AHP and care staff,
- Agency care workers,
- Healthcare assistants (HCAs),
- Support workers,
- Care assistants, and
- Community services.
Course aims and objectives
This Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) training course helps health and social care workers to understand their legal and professional responsibilities to those they provide care.
The Care Certificate Standard 4 focuses on the concepts of equality, diversity, inclusion and discrimination. Promoting equality and respecting diversity are central to life today, particularly in the provision of health and social care services. To provide care and support that meets the needs of everyone, you have to understand what these terms mean and take account of them in your work.
On completion of this Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) training course, you will have a better understanding of:
- The importance of equality, diversity, inclusion, discrimination human rights,
- The meaning of key terms such as equality, diversity and inclusion,
- How can health and social care organisations promote an inclusive approach?
- The Human Rights Act (1998),
- Human Rights-Based Approach (F.R.E.D.A),
- Discrimination and the law,
- Main forms of discrimination?
- Bullying and harassment,
- Challenging discrimination and prejudice, and
- Individual and organisational responsibilities.
What is covered in this online care certificate standard 4 training course?
This online Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) training course covers the following:
- Understand the importance of equality and inclusion
- Explain what is meant by:
- Human Rights,
- Inclusion, and
- Describe ways in which discrimination may deliberately or inadvertently occur in the work setting,
- Explain how practices that support equality and inclusion reduce the likelihood of discrimination,
- Explain what is meant by:
- Work in an inclusive way:
- Identify which legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and discrimination apply to their role,
- Demonstrate interaction with individuals that respects their beliefs, culture, values and preferences, and
- Describe how to challenge discrimination in a way that encourages positive change.
- Access information, advice and support about diversity, equality and inclusion:
- Identify a range of sources of information, advice and support about diversity, equality and inclusion,
- Describe how and when to access information, advice and support about diversity, equality and inclusion, and
- Explain who to ask for help and support about equality and inclusion.
What is covered the care certificate standard 4?
The care certificate standard 4 covers the concepts of equality, diversity, inclusion and discrimination in the provision of health and social care services.
What is equality?
Equality is about treating people alike according to their needs. You should make sure that everyone is given equality of opportunity. For example, you may need to provide information in different formats (for example, Braille) or make sure there is access to a building for an individual in a wheelchair.
What is diversity?
Diversity can be described as 'difference'. All individuals are different, and the many different parts of a person's character and identity make them unique.
What is inclusion?
Inclusion is 'being included within either a group or society as a whole'. Inclusion links with diversity and equality. It is important to understand someone's differences so that you can include them and treat them equally and fairly. People can feel excluded if they are not able to join in with activities.
Excluding people because of their differences is known as 'discrimination'. All workers in health and social care must make sure that they work inclusively to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part when they want to. This is especially true about people taking part in their care and support so that it is truly centred on them as a person.
What is discrimination?
Discrimination broadly refers to actions that are often based on a person's negative attitude towards others. In human social affairs, discrimination is treatment or consideration of or making a distinction in favour of or against, a person based on the group, class, or category to which the person is perceived to belong rather than on individual attributes.
This includes treatment of an individual or group, based on their actual or perceived membership in a certain group or social category, "in a way that is worse than the way people are usually treated". It involves the group's initial reaction or interaction going on to influence the individual's actual behaviour towards the group leader or the group, restricting members of one group from opportunities or privileges that are available to another group, leading to the exclusion of the individual or entities based on logical or irrational decision making.
Why is this care certificate standard 4 training course important?
Equality and diversity are essential components of health and social care. Good equality and diversity practices make sure that the services provided to people are fair and accessible to everyone. They ensure that people are treated as equals, that people get the dignity and respect they deserve and that their differences are celebrated. Equality and diversity shouldn't be seen as bonus benefits to your health or social care setting but more as integral constituents.
In a health and social care environment, equality and diversity must be at the heart of what we do. Our patients and service users are individual people, and we should always strive to ensure that their diverse needs are met and ensure that they have equal access to the services we provide. This is particularly important for adults in need who, because of a disability, illness or their age, are unable to take adequate care of themselves and keep themselves from harm.
How do I book for the online Care Certificate Standard 4 training course?
You can book for Care Certificate Standard 4 (Equality and Diversity) training course online. Just click 'Buy Now' in the top right-hand corner of this page to order the Care Certificate Standard 4 training course online. Follow the instructions to complete the order for your Care Certificate Standard 4 training course.
Once you complete your Care Certificate Standard 4 online order, you will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes. You will also receive a separate email providing you with the link to the Care Certificate Standard 4 training course online and login details. You should then be able to access the online Care Certificate Standard 4 training course portal immediately and complete your online training modules.
Certification and Accreditation
On successful completion of the online Care Certificate Standard 4 training course, you will be able to download, save and/or print a quality assured CPD certificate. Our CPD certificate can be used to provide evidence for compliance and audit (recognised internationally).
All learning materials are designed in collaboration with The Mandatory Training Group, the leading UK providers of workforce development solutions for all sectors.
LearnPac Systems and The Mandatory Training Group have worked with a range of subject matter experts to develop high-quality online training courses and programmes. The CPD Certification Service (CPDUK) has peer-reviewed independently and accredited our online Care Certificate Standard 4 training course as conforming to universally accepted Continuous Professional Development (CPD) guidelines.
On completion of the online Care Certificate Standard 4 training course, you will be required to complete an online assessment (pass mark of 80%).
If you don't pass the first, don't worry! You can take the online test as many times as you need with no extra charge.
Why choose LearnPac Systems' E-Learning courses?
LearnPac Systems is a leading UK provider of accredited online training courses, programmes and qualifications including the following categories:
- Business Administration and Entrepreneurship
- Health, Safety and Welfare at Work
- Health and Social Care
- IT and Cyber Security
- Leadership and Management
- Mental Health Awareness
- Microsoft Office Applications
- Personal and Professional Development
- Statutory and Mandatory Training
- Soft Skills Development
- Train the Trainer
- Workplace Diversity.
LearnPac Systems


text:
part of its mission to provide leadership in historic buildings technology, the TCX announces a major revision of its specification, "Restoration and Cleaning of Masonry in Historic Structures." The spec now reflects state-of-the-industry guidance for the treatment of historic masonry and mortar, and surpasses existing preservation guidance provided by other federal agencies.
Property managers and cultural resource specialists are encouraged to use the spec in contract documents to ensure that masonry work is performed appropriately to prolong the life of historic buildings. See Unified Facilities Guide Specification 04 01 00.91
Speweik: What is the official title of the specification?
McCroskey: The title is the UNIFIED FACILITIES GUIDE SPECIFICATIONS
DIVISION 04 – MASONRY SECTION 04 01 00.91
RESTORATION AND CLEANING OF MASONRY IN HISTORIC STRUCTURES
Speweik: Who originally authored it?
McCroskey: The Corps was the preparing agent and performed the processing. The exact author(s) are unknown, though Corps staff would have prepared it.
Speweik: How long has it been in use/circulation?
McCroskey: It's been available since 1991.
Speweik: Who is authorized to use it?
McCroskey: The Guide is to be used by the Military Departments (Army, Navy, Air Force, etc.), the Defense Agencies and the DoD Field Activities for planning, design, construction, sustainment, restoration and modernization of facilities, regardless of funding source. But anyone can use the guide to adapt to a particular masonry project.
Speweik: What government agency owns it?
McCroskey: The Architectural Discipline Working Group are the owners of the Section; Scott Wick is the Corps representative of that group.
Speweik: What is your position with the USACE and what specific responsibilities do you have regarding historic preservation?
McCroskey: I manage the Technical Center of Expertise for the Preservation of Historic Structures and Buildings, a program of nationwide service. The program provides technical assistance and preservation planning for Corps Districts, DoD, and other federal agencies to ensure facility and property managers apply the best practices to historic structures. We try to set the highest standards of preservation practice through quality project work, training, and by developing technical information.
Speweik: What prompted you to request an update to the Historic Masonry Division Section this past year?
McCroskey: For several years I've had an awareness that the Corps' existing standards and guidance for the treatment of historic masonry has lagged behind newer developments and technological advancements for treating historic brick, stone, and mortar. I receive inquiries from Corps Districts and other agencies asking for specific guidance to address deteriorated stone or brick. Property managers rarely know how to approach these issues from a historic preservation perspective, and often have maintenance and field crews tackle masonry problems. While their intent is good, the methods, materials, and applications are often not appropriate for historic structures, and can lead to further harm and long-term costly repairs. That's why it's essential for us to be able to pass along the most appropriate, state-of-the-industry techniques and standards.
Speweik: What do you believe to be one of the most significant changes to the specification?
McCroskey: There are many improvements, but one of the most important is the depth of information, which is far more educational for the user than the old spec. There is much to be learned from this document. Another key improvement is that materials application is not just described, but preceded by a thoughtful examination of building and masonry conditions. There is extensive information about how to investigate existing conditions so that the best decisions can be made about materials, conditions, and methods.
Speweik: How do you see this change making a positive difference for the quality-level of Historic Preservation Projects in the United States?
McCroskey: I believe the TCX is obligated to provide the best guidance regarding the treatment of historic structures and buildings. By encouraging the use of this guide, the rehabilitation of historic masonry should be performed in a manner that is appropriate, efficient, and prolongs the life of historic materials.
Speweik: How do you envision the revised specification affecting the work you do at the USACE?
McCroskey: The spec will be the only guidance we provide to customers, or when advising others on the best standards for masonry. Since this spec now surpasses all other historic masonry guidance, we now consider this document the "gold standard." Of course, there are sub categories of masonry, such as terra cotta and concrete, which may require other technical information. But where brick, stone, and mortar are concerned, this is our "go to" standard.
Speweik: Did you consider the possible additional costs to Historic Preservation Projects as a result of some of the changes? And, if so, do you believe the additional cost is a significant percentage of overall project costs?
McCroskey: When good preservation practices are used, the life and performance of historic materials is extended. When improper practices are applied, greater costs can be incurred when the wrong treatment or method causes damage that requires repair. Taking short cuts by using commercial products that are not suited to historic stone or brick, or using techniques that are not consistent with historic methods can cost more long-term, and rarely satisfy the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and treatment of historic structures that all federal agencies must follow.
Speweik: How do architects, owners, consultants and contractors find out more about this important specification document?
McCroskey: The guide is now available on-line at the TCX web page: _URL_
For additional information or clarification regarding the spec's application, your readers may contact me at:
Technical Center of Expertise
Preservation of Historic Structures & Buildings
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Welcome 2013!…. Here we are a new year. Again, we enter the next twelve months wondering, wishing, hoping, dreaming, and encouraged by the possibilities of making a difference in the world with our professional experience in the preservation of important historic architecture. We each bring to the table a skill set that can, and will, make a difference – if, or course, we are given the chance and awarded the projects we seek to secure in the new year.
Many of you may not know about my background and experience in masonry preservation – so I will provide you with just a brief overview of how I ended up where I am today with the title of: "Historic Masonry Preservation Specialist". I grew up in the masonry construction business working for my father, uncles, and grandfather in a family owned business located in Toledo, Ohio. This opportunity to be birthed into a family of working brick and stonemasons was not by choice but to keep me out of trouble in my teenage years. And yes, it did work. There is something about carrying brick and stone, building scaffolding, mixing mortar, and cleaning out the toolbox that keeps one honest. I think I was just to tired after working all day to have the energy to get into trouble as I learned the trade of masonry construction is most demanding on the body.
As it turns out I developed a lower back injury that kept me from working in the trade actively – so I decided to go back to school and study architecture. It was in college that I began to appreciate the art of design and the process of construction as it related to historic and traditional masonry architecture. If I could no longer lift and set the stone – I could learn about how to preserve its original condition – and more importantly to do this in the means and methods of the original builders. This meant I needed to be willing to learn about traditional masonry construction tools, methods and materials. It also meant I needed to find other masons that understood these aspects of my new desire. The year was 1990 – 23 years ago. I researched my own family of origin in the masonry trade which dates back to 1870 in Posen, Prussia. So I was the 5th generation in my family to be involved in the masonry business. The problem; however, was that the oldest living relative that would had known about traditional masonry construction methods, workmanship, and materials was my great grandfather and he died in 1951. My grandfather died in 1979; my father in 1985.
As luck would have it I secured a job at a lime manufacturing company in 1991. It was during my employment I discovered an enthusiasm for historic mortar materials, which of course are based upon lime, and have been for thousands of years. Working with several conservators, architects, and a masonry contractor based in Toronto, Canada I began offering lime putty for use as a binder (without Portland cement) combined with sand at the jobsite. It was not long after; however, that I realized the need to train masons on the jobsite to use the Portland-free mix design and assist them in delivering the best quality possible. I traveled to England, Ireland, and Scotland over the next several years to work alongside other masons preserving historic masonry using lime mortars and traditional methods on castles – then brought that information back to the United States to assist in our training efforts here.
We made mistakes; we learned from our mistakes, we improved our methods, tools, equipment and materials. We did not give up. Encouraged from the masons that went before us – we completed one project after another across the United States monitoring our progress as we went along. Writing, speaking and communicating with industry professionals we stayed focused. I wish to gratefully thank the pioneers in the m


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Extended Air Defense Task Force
Definition/Scope: The Headquarters Extended Air Defense Task Force (EADTF) was developed in order to strengthen common security and air defense goals and to promote standardization within the respective ground-based air defense forces. Therefore, it was determined that a tri-national (United States/ Netherlands/Germany) Extended Air Defense Task Force organization would be established. The initial headquarters was activated at Siegerland - Kaserne, Burbach, Germany on 2 August 1999. The official inauguration ceremony took place on 3 December 1999. The HQ EADTF relocated to Campbell Barracks, Heidelberg, Germany, in July 2004, due to the restructuring of the German ground-based air defense forces and the subsequent closure of the facilities in Burbach. The mission of the EADTF is to Plan, coordinate and provide liaison for US/NL/GE combined air defense activities, training, exercises, and interoperability tests. On order, assume mission related command and control functions or augment an Extended Air Defense organization. The Uited States terminated its membership in July of 2008.
Broader Terms:Strategic Defense
Narrower Terms:ballistic missile defense


Editor's Note:
At the time, Harris said his purpose was not ethnology, or folklore analysis, but simply documentation. He doubted that his stories and character sketches would have any lasting historical value. He was wrong.
Uncle Remus: Social Context and Ramifications is an attempt to reintroduce Harris' tales, and his legendary narrator, while placing them in a historical context. The primary sources and commentaries we offer hopefully will shed light on Harris' purpose in publishing his stories and the public response to both his Remus tales and his other works. They will make observations about post-Civil War black culture, and Southern society in general, using the stories and the reactions they engendered as points of reference.
Hopefully, this collection will offer other students of the South one or two new insights into the region's endlessly complex myths and meanings.
Melissa Murray
Dominic Perella
 - Notes on Project Navigation
 - Table of Contents


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Case study summary
A £2.5 million saving has been achieved in Camden as local services have joined forces to form a Rapid Response Team. Made up of senior nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, a therapy practitioner and pharmacy provision, the team work to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions while enabling vulnerable residents to receive care closer to home.
The Rapid Response Team is another example of integrated care in action with NHS and social care staff working in a joined-up way to make a real difference to those most at need.
They do this by taking the lead from GPs, healthcare professionals and paramedics who after assessing a patient explore whether further treatment can be provided at home rather than hospital. Successful referral to the Rapid Response Team then sees them on scene within 2 hours.
One such referral was Mr Patel. Paramedics arrived to assess Mr Patel, aged 89, following a 999 call from his wife explaining he had been unwell for several days. Deciding he might better benefit from treatment at home rather than hospital paramedics referred Mr Patel to the Rapid Response Team. An occupational therapist arrived within thirty-five minutes organising ongoing support in the shape of afternoon and evening care, with a nurse arriving soon after to assess any underlying issues. With the right support in place Mr Patel was now already in a better position to start rehabilitation and get moving around his own home.
The implementation of this specialist team has seen GPs, paramedics and other healthcare professionals feeling they can confidently get in touch with the team to see if their patient can be treated well in the community rather than hospital. It has resulted in a 44% increase in year on year referrals to the service.
Patrick Hunter, senior clinical lead at the London Ambulance Service agrees, saying: "Training alongside the team has given our crews the confidence and professional trust to make this referral. Our referral rates have grown exponentially since we started this programme of joint training."
And Dr Lyann Gross, a GP from North London who works closely with the team, says: "I always feel reassured to know I can speak to a senior nurse at the end of the phone and work with my Allied Health Professional colleagues to provide the best care possible for our patients.
"I have become amazed at the complexity of medical problems that the team can work with to help support the patient remaining in their own home."
There are many reasons to keep people with frailty closer to home and out of hospital as Thomas Dowle, who leads the team as part of Camden Rapid Access Services, explains: "Older patients are at an increased risk of hospital acquired infections and falls due to an unfamiliar environment. These risks could result in the patient being unable to function as before the admission, resulting in them not returning home.
"Many admissions to hospital such as chest infections, urinary tract infections or mobility decline, are easily preventable. These conditions do, however, require prompt assessment and intervention, with this being achieved by community services such as a Rapid Response Team."
Since 2013, the team has evolved to make huge savings, reduce hospital admissions and treat vulnerable people, such as the elderly, in their home. This patient group is most likely to be admitted to hospital due to a greater number of long-term conditions, alongside cognitive and functional decline.
The support the team can give primary care and the ambulance service has positive implications for the NHS and its patients. Patients treated out of a hospital setting frees up capacity for urgent care services to provide emergency treatment to those that need it. And patients treated at home, such as Mr Patel, can look forward to a complete and personalised care package.
It's this integrated way of working that is at the heart of the NHS Long Term Plan, where health service providers are being supported to provide such care closer to home. The benefits of this being better care for patients, a visible reduction in cost and a reduction in unnecessary admissions. And Camden's local care strategy is doing exactly that – providing a system wide approach to admission avoidance.
This smarter way of working is part of North London Partners in Health and Care's quest to improve health and care for their residents. It also forms part of their journey to becoming an integrated care system to ensure the NHS can help people to live healthier lives for longer, and to stay out of hospital when they do not need to be there.


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Ever-increasing computational power, along with ever-more sophisticated statistical computing techniques, is making it possible to fit ever-more complex statistical models. Among the more computationally intensive methods, the Gibbs sampler is popular because of its simplicity and power to effectively generate samples from a high-dimensional probability distribution. Despite its simple implementation and description, however, the Gibbs sampler is criticized for its sometimes slow convergence, especially when it is used to fit highly structured complex models. Here we present partially collapsed Gibbs sampling strategies that improve the convergence by capitalizing on a set of functionally incompatible conditional distributions. Such incompatibility generally is avoided in the construction of a Gibbs sampler, because the resulting convergence properties are not well understood. We introduce three basic tools (marginalization, permutation, and trimming) that allow us to transform a Gibbs sampler into a partially collapsed Gibbs sampler with known stationary distribution and faster convergence.
Bibliographical noteFunding Information:
David A. van Dyk is Professor, Department of Statistics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697 (E-mail: _EMAIL_). Taeyoung Park is Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (E-mail: _EMAIL_). This project was supported in part by National Science Foundation grant DMS-01-04129, DMS-04-38240, and DMS-04-06085 and by National Aeronautic and Space Administration contracts NAS8-39073 and NAS8-03060 (CXC).
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Statistics and Probability
- Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty


Lime trees not responsible for bumblebee deaths
The story of dead bumblebees at the Botanics that had apparently been killed by the toxic effect of nectar from silver lime (Tilia tomentosa) has taken a new twist thanks to the experts at Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Anthony McCluskey at Bumblebee Conservation Trust has explained that the observed mass deaths may just reflect aspects of bee biology and behaviour and be nothing to do with toxic nectar. According to Anthony…
"Older papers on this subject suggest that it might be toxic nectar killing the bees, but the latest research suggests that it's because of the bees' behaviour when feeding from certain plants. Lime trees produce lots of nectar, but at times when the nectar is low (e.g. warm days, and at the end of the flowering period) the bumblebees continue to try to feed. So they waste a lot of energy doing this, and eventually become lethargic and die. For some reason, honeybees don't die like this (despite feeding on the same flowers), so it's a bit of a mystery as to why bumblebees behave this way."
 "It's hard to know whether lime trees do more harm than good. I certainly wouldn't recommend cutting them down (as some have demanded), and there is a fair chance that the bees being found dead under them are those which are prone to dying at this time of year – the older workers and males."
This agrees with my observation yesterday that a large Eucryphia 'Nymansay' near Inverleith House in the Garden was also surrounded by dead bumblebees. I find it hard to believe that two trees so attractive to bees that they can literally sound like buzzing high voltage power lines are both producing toxic nectar! It's much more plausible that dead bees are most often seen around plants that are highly attractive to bees. See the webpage at Bumblebee Conservation Trust for more information.
So the worries about silver lime seem to be unfounded and anyone with a silver lime in their garden can be proud of the service their tree is doing for local bees.
A big thank you to everyone who passed on their concern and comments via Facebook and Twitter.
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 1. Kathleen Watson
 About two/three weeks ago I came across a mass bumble bee death under a flowering hedge (privot) on Rodney Street in Edinburgh. It was the first time I had ever seen such a thing. Another lady, who was passing, said they she came across a lot of dead bumble bees just a few days earlier. Again they were found under a flowering privot hedge, this time near Meadowbank in Edinburgh. Then a few days later I read the article about the "toxic" nectar of the lime trees! I wonder if it has been worse this year or are we just noticing it because of being out and about more in the nice weather?
 2. Max Coleman
 I think this just adds further evidence to the idea that plants that attract bees are more likely to have dead bees nearby. Privet is nectar rich and sweet smelling and I would imagine highly attractive to bees.
 3. Elaine Whiteley
 I too have seen a heavy sprinkling of dead bees under what I think are silver lime trees. I could not believe that this was just a statistic of bumble bee frequency. I was so unconvinced I went looking for more information; and it seems that the chemical mechanism of bee death is already known to science and that someone has also done the statistics, counting the number of bees visiting and the number of bees dying, suggesting strongly that tilia tomentosa is not benign.
 The article I found is in the Journal of Apicultural Science, Vol. 54, No. 2, 2010 by Tadeusz Pawlikowski.
 - Max Coleman
 Elaine, many thanks for your comment and interesting you have seen the same sort of mass bumblebee death that we see here in the Garden each year. The reason I am sceptical about the poison nectar theory is that a number of plant species that are highly attractive to bumblebees have been noted as having large numbers of dead bumblebees below them in this late summer period. The ones I know of are privet and Eucryphia. I can't discount the possibility that all these unrelated plants have toxic nectar, but it would seem unlikely. It strikes me as very odd that any plant which displays insect pollination syndromes should actually poison insect pollinators. This maladapted situation would quickly be prevented by natural selection. I would not take publication in a scientific journal as evidence of proof of the toxicity theory. The biggest problem for the theory is that bumblebee life cycles are very different to honeybees. It just so happens that silver lime (Tilia tomentosa), the lime that seems to be involved in these mass deaths of bumblebees, has a flowering time that coincides with the time of year when bumblebee workers are at the end of their natural lives. Only a new generation of queen bumblebees survive the winter (in hibernation underground in most cases). All the workers of the relatively small bumblebee colonies will perish during late summer/early autumn. I think that any plant that is highly attractive to bumblebees at this time will have a disproportionate number of dead bumblebees below it, and this seems to be exactly what we observe. On that basis I would regard what has been said about silver lime nectar with great scepticism.
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; i.e., t6 also results in 6 invariant pcs).
As another example, consider set 6-7*, 012678, with iv=420243. The iv tells us that there will be 4 pcs invariant when t=1 (or t11), 2pcs invariant when t=2 (or t10), no pcs invariant when t=3 (or t9), 2 pcs invariant when t=4 (or t8), 4 pcs invariant when t=5 (or t7), and 6 pcs invariant when t=6.
Inversion can and often does lead to pc invariance. But, this operation needs to be considered in combination with transposition, i.e., TnI, representing a transposition n of the inversion. The easiest way to determine this type of pc invariance is to form an addition table with the set represented horizontally and vertically. Let us take 2478 as an example.
Notice that the set is placed at the top, horizontally, and down the left side, vertically. The numbers within the table are the sums at the intersections of the pins. By tallying these numbers we can ascertain the invariant pcs under TnI. For example, the two 9s reveal that there are 2 common pcs at T9I. Further, the table tells us which pcs are invariant under this T, namely those that create the intersection: 2 and 7. The two 4s indicate 2 common pcs at T4I, and they are 2 and 8, etc.