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Did the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees, Superintendent find the "road to Damascus"? Board approves tax reappraisals for Harvey flood victims
By admin on October 18, 2017 No Comment
Image: Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees President Melanie Pryor Bush presided over a somber meeting of the District on October 17, 2017. The two ultra-liberal Board members, Datren Williams and Skeeter Hubert, were absent from the meeting.
Conroe, October 18 – After the Chairman of the Montgomery County Young Republicans, Jason Millsaps, who also happens to be State Representative Mark Keough's Chief of Staff, read a resolution calling for tax reappraisals in the Conroe Independent School District of Harvey-flood-damaged homes, the CISD Board of Trustees must have found the "road to Damascus" and reversed their vote from the last meeting on the reappraisal issue. The Board, with ultra-liberal Datren Williams and Skeeter Hubert absent, voted 5 to 0 in favor of the reappraisals.
The entire tone of the meaning was more serious than the September meeting of the CISD Board. Don Stockton, CISD Superintendent, was more somber and respectful of the serious matters which the Board heard last evening. Several residents spoke about concerns arising from an incident involving racism at one of the CISD schools. Matt Beasley of The Woodlands provided a citizen comment with respect to his concerns about CISD bus transportation issues.
Millsaps read the Young Republicans resolution. He added that the reappraisals are "the right thing to do for our community for both business owners and homeowners. Nothing's like kicking a man while he's down by sending him a tax bill for a house he can't live in."
Millsaps further noted that the CISD has accumulated $166 million in its cash reserves. Later in the meeting, the CISD's Chief Financial Officer Darren Rice actually admitted that the cash reserves have reached in excess of $175 million. "Those affected by the Harvey storm deserve some relief," Millsaps concluded.
Rice explained to the Board that 2,278 properties within the CISD's taxing jurisdiction suffered damage from Tropical Storm Harvey. Rice noted that the total tax savings to residents from reappraisals would be approximately $1.3 million or an average of $540 per household.
During the September Board meeting, Bush's proposal to reappraise flood-damaged homes to provide tax relief lost on a 2 to 5 vote with Bush and Board member Ray Sanders as the only Board members to vote in favor of the flood relief. Bush later severely criticized her Board colleagues for their failure to support the measure.
On September 30, 2017, this newspaper published a story revealing the behind-the-scenes lobbying by Superintendent Stockton against even including property tax reappraisals for Harvey storm victims on the agenda. Please see "Secret Documents Reveal CISD Anti-Citizen Thugs Williams, Kidd, Hubert, Husbands, Stockton took aim at flood victims, taxpayers, fellow Board member Bush," The Golden Hammer, September 30, 2017. The documents, which CISD only partially provided, revealed that Board member Datren Williams had planned to kill the reappraisal measure in advance and argued in public at the meeting that the CISD did not have the legal authority to allow the reappraisals, even though the CISD's General Counsel had shared written information with the Board prior to that meeting that showed the Board could permit reappraisals.
The ultimate vote last night was unanimous in favor of giving flood relief to Harvey victims in the CISD taxing jurisdiction.
Bush, Conroe Independent School District, Millsaps, Reappraisals, Rice, Stockton
Did the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees, Superintendent find the "road to Damascus"? Board approves tax reappraisals for Harvey flood victims added by admin on October 18, 2017


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Sunil Gulati considering supporting SUM Kathy Carter for U.S. Soccer President
Gulati may not run, but his hand picked successor is less than ideal.
By Parker Cleveland@AekprrAcdeellnv Dec 3, 2017, 7:29am PST
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Photo by Daniel Smith/Getty Images for Soccerex
As the December 12 deadline looms for candidates to seek nominations for U.S. Soccer Federation President, there has been a surprising amount of silence coming from Sunil Gulati. The sitting USSF President has been heavily criticized after the United States Men's National Team failed to reach the World Cup and, while its been expected that he would still run, so far Gulati hasn't officially announced he would seek re-election. It now seems like there may be a reason for that. Grant Wahl is reporting a rumor that Gulati is thinking of ending his tenure as USSF President, but he has an idea for a candidate to support.
Hearing from several sources tonight that US Soccer president Sunil Gulati is strongly considering not running for re-election and may support Soccer United Marketing president Kathy Carter for the position instead.
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) December 3, 2017
Putting aside Carter's ability to run the federation, picking the President of SUM looks fairly problematic on first glance. There is the obvious risk of conflict of interest and regulatory capture. One way that SUM makes money is by selling the marketing rights for the Men's and Women's National Teams and having the former president of the company running USSF would be problematic to say the least. The lawsuit brought against the federation by NASL illustrates this. While the league might not be able to prove it in court, their argument that the federation, SUM, and MLS have interests so neatly intertwined raise questions about whether the would-be former president of SUM would be making decisions in the interests of that relationship or following what would be best for soccer in the country.
The conflict of interest topic also points to issues of transparency that come along with those conflicts. For example, last year the U.S. Senate requested that SUM provide documentation breaking down the revenue generated by the MNT and WNT during the WNT's pay dispute with the federation. SUM is obviously a private company and is under no obligation to publicly release details of how it is run or where it draws revenue from. However, the most information that has come out about the company came thanks to the lawsuit filed against USSF by the NASL. There is an obvious need for the federation to be run transparently and someone from the private sector may not hold those values as deeply as would be needed to ensure that the federation is run in a more open manner.
The aforementioned request from the U.S. Senate also points to the issue of gender equity in the national teams and the role of SUM in treating the WNT as second class players. Sunil Gulati's contention throughout the equal play for equal pay dispute was that the women deserved less money because, as employees of a non-profit, their pay should be determined by revenue. Although SUM was not party to those negotiations, the organization generates a huge amount of revenue from the sale of WNT marketing and television rights. That revenue goes to the pockets of MLS owners while the women who make it possible are told that it isn't enough to justify paying them the same as the male players who can't qualify for the World Cup.
As the USSF presidential race continues to take shape, the platforms of the candidates have established several categories of candidates. Paul Caligiuri, Paul Lapointe, Steve Gans, Michael Winograd, Eric Wynalda, and Kyle Martino have been voices loudly calling for change on a variety of issues with various plans to make it possible. Within that there are degrees of commitment to implementing promotion and relegation, expanding diversity, making equality between the WNT and MNT a reality, and changing the youth set-up in the U.S. Those candidates have taken parts in forums, given lengthy interviews and are traveling the country to meet with stakeholders about their platforms.
On the other side, there is Sunil Gulati who hasn't given public indication of his plans to run or not and though he says he's taking responsibility for the USMNT missing the World Cup, doesn't think that the failure to do so should disqualify him from running the federation.
Then, there is Carlos Cordeiro, who has 16 tweets and basically hasn't been heard from at all since announcing his candidacy on November 2nd outside of a couple of interviews. He hasn't participated in any of the forums and his absence is noticeable compared to the public appearances and engagement from the others who are running. So far, the forums and other public events with the candidates mentioned above have been very critical of the USSF. Cordeiro appearing at these events would starkly contrast his positions, which are cast as being reform oriented, as light changes in a broken system rather than advocating for change that is needed and that the federation is unable to provide with its current leadership.
Kathy Carter hasn't announced she is running and obviously doesn't have a platform, but it is fair to assume that she would be among the silent insiders looking to protect the status quo, and possibly the revenue of a billion dollar company that has its interests above that of what is best for soccer in the U.S., rather than bring about the difficult changes needed to improve soccer in this country.
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Montmorillon is a quiet town of around 7,500 people located in the Vienne departement of Poitou-Charentes
In Montmorillon there are the usual run of services and shops, but this ancient town has an important added attraction - the literary quarter, known as the Cité de l'Écrit. It is this beautiful section which is increasingly attracting tourists in their thousands.
Situated on the left bank of the River Gartempe which winds through the town, the Cité is full of brightly signed literary shops, workshops, bars, cafes and restaurants which line the narrow cobbled streets of this renovated medieval artisan quarter. There is even a theatre, one that hosts just some of the events arranged throughout the year. Last but not least there's the thriving International Arts Centre, with a Tea Room ('out of this world scones') and English book Exchange, which arranges a variety of art and creative writing courses, residential and day, for the local English, French and German, and those from abroad.
Within a stone's throw is La Valle des Singes, which is a monkey sanctuary where you are allowed to feed the monkeys on their own islands.
L'ille aux Serpants at La Trimouille is an amazing introduction to all manner of reptiles.
Futuroscope is not to be missed, with its salute to our technological age, evening firework display and incredible laser show.
At Limoges, with its porcelain shops and museum, there is a delightful shopping area and an 18-hole golf course.
At Poitiers, with its link to Joan of Arc is a pedestrianised shopping district in the old town, and numerous DIY, lighting, and furniture shops on the outskirts, not forgetting the 18 hole golf course.
Accessibility, despite its favoured climate, Montmorillon is only a 6-7 hour drive from the Channel Ports.
Ryanair have frequent and regular flights from Stansted to Poitiers and Limoges, both of which are sixty minutes drive from Montmorillon, though there are also trains from these towns to Montmorillon.
The only thing that Montmorillon is short of is accommodation for tourists, which is why property here is ideal for investment and capital growth.
In the area surrounding Montmorillon there are opportunities for horse riding, canoeing, rock climbing, micro-lighting, walking, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, or just relaxing on the sandy beach front of one of many of the fresh water lakes. There is windsurfing, tennis and cycling and the wild flowers are extraordinary, with orchids commonplace.
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Bringing Down the Cost of Growing Up!
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Tee It Up for the Troops® selects first Operation HeartFirst™ recipients.
Hastings, Minn. – Tee It Up for the Troops, a national non-profit organization, has selected the first recipients of a grant designed to help military veterans open their own gyms and provide additional employment opportunities for fellow veterans.
Hannah and Tristan Ambrozewski, both of whom served in Iraq, will use a $125,000 grant and an additional $125,000 loan as start-up capital to open an Anytime Fitness gym near Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, NC. The Ambrozewskis, who signed a franchise agreement at the Anytime Fitness corporate headquarters in Hastings, MN this morning (August 5th), hope to open their gym in early 2016.
"We're incredibly excited to help veterans and non-veteran alike in our community learn how to lead healthier lifestyles," said Hannah Ambrozewski, who served as an intelligence analyst with the U.S. Army from 2005 to 2012.
"We also love the idea of being able to provide jobs to other military veterans," said Tristan Ambrozewski, who likewise served as an intelligence analyst in the Army, and now performs similar duties as a Department of Defense (DOD) contractor.
https://youtu.be/Sf3VNN2wTyk
Anytime Fitness' Heartfirst Charitable Foundation provided a grant to Tee It Up for the Troops, which then selected the Ambrozewskis as recipients from a pool of dozens of outstanding candidates.
"Operation Heartfirst™ is our way of saying thank you to all of the fine service men and women who've made tremendous sacrifices for our country," said Dave Mortensen, President of Anytime Fitness, LLC. "We couldn't be happier with the selection of the Ambrozewskis as the first recipients. They each have a long history of advocating physical fitness and serving not only their countries, but others in their community as well.
"We were looking for candidates with distinguished records of military service, who are eager to help others lead healthier lifestyles and who continue to serve and support the U.S. military and its veterans," said Tim Wegscheid, President of Tee It Up for the Troops. "We also looked for candidates with a passion for fitness and community engagement. The Ambrozewskis fit that description exactly."
Anytime Fitness, LLC has agreed to waive its initial franchise fee and ongoing royalty payments related to this opportunity.
"The unemployment rate for military veterans is significantly higher than the national average," said Chuck Runyon, CEO of Anytime Fitness, LLC. "That's just not right. Our hope is that Operation Heartfirst™ will not only help veterans operate their own businesses, but also provide jobs for other vets as club managers and personal trainers – for many years to come."
About Anytime Fitness
Ranked #1 on Entrepreneur magazine's prestigious "Top Global Franchise" list, Anytime Fitness is the fastest-growing gym franchise in the world, with nearly 3,000 gyms serving more than 2,600,000 members on five continents. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness prides itself on providing its members with convenient fitness options and friendly, personal service in well-maintained facilities which feature top-quality exercise equipment. Gyms are now open in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Grand Cayman, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Qatar, India, Chile, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Belgium and the Philippines. All franchised gyms are individually owned and operated. Join one gym and use them all.
View Other Recent Anytime Fitness News
About Tee It Up for the Troops
Tee It Up for the Troops, Inc, is a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves U.S. military veterans and their families. Based in Minnesota, Tee it Up for the Troops inspires communities across the country to organize golf events to raise funds for partnering veterans service organizations who deliver critically needed services to military families. These locally-supported events greatly assist returning service members to successfully reintegrate into their communities. Established in 2005, Tee It Up for the Troops has hosted over 300 events in more than 30 states and has donated over $5 million to more than 200 various organizations serving veterans across the country. In addition, through their REUNION initiative, Tee It Up for the Troops has reunited more than 125 combat altered veterans who were separated due to battlefield injuries or changes in rehabilitation status. Through these reunions, participating veterans enhance their transition process into productive and fulfilling civilian lifestyles.
Mark Daly, National Media Director for Anytime Fitness: mark.daly@anytimefitness.com
Tim Wegscheid, President of Tee It Up for the Troops: tim@teeitupforthetroops.org
Photos available upon request.


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Volume 101, Issue 12
Season and region of birth as risk factors for coeliac disease a key to the aetiology?
Fredinah Namatovu1,
Marie Lindkvist1,
Cecilia Olsson2,
Anneli Ivarsson1,
Olof Sandström1,3
1Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
2Department of Food and Nutrition, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
3Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Correspondence to Fredinah Namatovu, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå SE-901 87, Sweden; fredinah.namatovu{at}epiph.umu.se
Background Coeliac disease (CD) incidence has increased in recent decades, characterised by variations according to sex, age at diagnosis, year of birth, month of birth and region of birth. Genetic susceptibility and exposure to gluten are the necessary factors in CD aetiology, although several environmental factors are considered.
Methods A nationwide prospective cohort longitudinal study was conducted consisting of 1 912 204 children aged 0–14.9 years born in Sweden from 1991 to 2009. A total of 6569 children were diagnosed with biopsy-verified CD from 47 paediatric departments. Using Cox regression, we examined the association between CD diagnosis and season of birth, region of birth and year of birth.
Results Overall, CD risk was higher for children born during spring, summer and autumn as compared with children born during winter: adjusted HR for spring 1.08 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.16), summer 1.10 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.18) and autumn 1.10 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.18). Increased CD risk was highest if born in the south, followed by central Sweden when compared with children born in northern Sweden. Children diagnosed at <2 years had an increased CD risk if born in spring while those diagnosed at 2–14.9 years the risk was increased for summer and autumn births. The birth cohort of 1991–1996 had increased CD risk if born during spring, for the 1997–2002 birth cohort the risk increased for summer and autumn births, while for the birth cohort of 2003–2009 the risk was increased if born during autumn.
Conclusions Season of birth and region of birth are independently and jointly associated with increased risk of developing CD during the first 15 years of life. Seasonal variation in infectious load is the likely explanation.
General Paediatrics
This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2015-310122
What is already known on this topic?
Coeliac disease (CD) is increasing worldwide suggesting environmental factors in the aetiology.
CD incidence varies with sex, age at diagnosis, year of birth, month of birth and by geographical location.
What this study adds?
Spring births was associated with increased coeliac disease (CD) risk if diagnosed before 2 years of age while summer and autumn births were associated with high risk if diagnosed after 2 years of age.
CD risk is higher in southern Sweden compared with the north with differences in seasonal incidence pattern.
Seasonal viral infections during a vulnerable period of immune development are the likely explanation to observed seasonality but does not explain geographical differences.
Coeliac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated enteropathy with a multifactorial aetiology.1 Only persons ingesting gluten and expressing human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DQ2 or DQ8 can develop CD.1 Apart from gluten other environmental factors have been suggested including: mode of delivery, infant feeding, gut microbiota, infections, socioeconomic status and season of birth, though evidence is contradictory.2–7 Several studies have shown that spring/summer birth is more common in patients with CD compared with their healthy counterparts8–11 suggesting a role of seasonal exposures. A seasonal pattern has also been shown for type 1 diabetes,12 in children with a double diagnosis of CD and type 1 diabetes6 and, in other immune-mediated diseases.13 Viral infections have a seasonal pattern and have also been associated with increased CD5–14 ,15 and type 1 diabetes risk.16
In areas of high latitude such as Sweden, a seasonal pattern in exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation is an exposure of interest. UV-B is needed for the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin yet in higher latitudes little vitamin D is synthesised during winter thus populations depend on dietary vitamin D or supplementation. Vitamin D deficiency might be associated to seasonal variations in birth seen in autoimmune diseases including CD. It has also been suggested that vitamin D supplementation could contribute to increased CD risk.17 Geographically, Sweden stretches about 1570 km from north to south, lying between latitudes 55° and 69° North. Southern Sweden is characterised by intense sunlight in spring and summer, while in northern Sweden spring is generally colder and summer is shorter.18
We have reported geographical variation in CD both in clinical and screening studies.19–21 Pronounced variations in CD incidence was observed between birth cohorts during the CD epidemic (1985–1995) and postepidemic years, possibly related to variations in environmental exposures.22 The objective of this study was to explore the effects of season of birth on the risk of CD comparing different areas and time-periods in order to generate hypotheses about environmental factors associated with CD seasonality.
The study used a prospective cohort longitudinal design with data obtained through the Swedish national registers, accessed through the Umeå SIMSAM Lab (SIMSAM: Swedish Initiative for Research on Microdata in the Medical and Social Sciences).23 Individual data obtained from Statistics Sweden and the Swedish National Childhood CD Incidence Register was linked using the Swedish personal identity number.24
The study consisted all children aged 0–14.9 years, born between 1991 and 2009. A total of 1 912 204 children were identified of which 6596 were diagnosed with CD, from 47 paediatric departments. CD diagnostic criteria were a small intestinal mucosa with villous atrophy, according to the 1990 European Society for Paediatric Gastroentology, Hepatology and Nutrition criteria.25
Definition of explanatory variables
Season of birth was classified according to four seasons: winter (December, January, February), spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August) and autumn (September, October, November). Region of birth was classified according to the Swedish national areas of the nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS 1), a geocode standard developed by the European Union for referencing administrative divisions of countries for statistical purposes. Age at diagnosis was defined as age when the first positive small intestinal biopsy was obtained and was estimated in years, divided into two categories: 0–1.9 (children <2 years) and 2–14.9 years (children between 2 and <15 years of age). Year of birth was categorised into four birth cohorts; the cohort of 1991–1996 represented children born during CD epidemic, 1997–2002 included children born immediately after the epidemic and 2003–2009 were born after the epidemic had abated.
Average CD incidence rates were calculated per month of birth and region of birth by dividing the number of cases diagnosed by the number of person years of follow-up, and reported per 100 000 person years. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the HR for CD diagnosis. For CD cases we considered age at diagnosis, while non-cases were considered censored at 15 years of age (the highest age included) or age at the end of the study follow-up (31 December 2009). The proportional hazards assumption for the independent variables was tested graphically with Kaplan–Meier curves. Bivariable (unadjusted) analyses were performed to explore the associations between CD and each of the explanatory variables. In the multivariable analysis (adjusted), each variable was adjusted for other studied factors. Both analyses were repeated while stratifying for age, region and birth cohort. Interaction was investigated for independent variables as cross terms pairwise in the adjusted model and checked for significance. Incidence rates were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2008 (V.12.3.2) and Cox proportional hazard was done using SPSS V.22.0 for Windows (SPSS, Chicago, Illinois, USA).
The Regional Ethical Vetting Board in Umeå approved research based on data obtained from the Umeå SIMSAM Lab.
Study findings
Characteristics of the study population
The total number of children, irrespective of their CD status is given in relation to season and region of birth and sex in table 1. The proportional hazards assumption was fulfilled for all studied variables and no significant interaction between independent variables and CD was found (results not shown). CD risk was higher for children born during spring, summer and autumn as compared with children born during winter. After adjusting for region of birth and sex, the effect of season of birth remained the same as observed in the unadjusted model, except for minor changes. In the unadjusted and the adjusted analyses, the risk of developing CD was lowest in northern region compared with southern and central Sweden. CD risk was more pronounced in girls in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses (table 1).
Descriptive results for the child population, the HRs show the relationship between the studied risk factors and coeliac disease risk for the period of 1991–2009
CD incidence rate in relation to region and season of birth
The incidence rate pattern for the NUTS regions differed by month of birth as shown in figure 1. In northern Sweden, the incidence rate was low throughout the year except for an increase in April and May. In central Sweden, an increase in CD incidence began in February to May. In the remaining months of June to November, the incidence rate appeared to drop aside from an increase in August. In southern Sweden, December to May were marked by a gradual increase, except for a decrease from June to November.
Coeliac disease incidence rate by month of birth in children aged 0–14.9 years during the period from 1991 to 2009 for the three nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS 1) regions in Sweden.
CD risk in relation to region and season of birth stratified for age
Among children below 2 years of age, CD risk was higher when born during spring compared with winter, no major differences were observed for other seasons, region of birth was not associated with CD risk (table 2). Children 2–14.9 years born during summer and autumn had an increased CD risk compared with those born during winter. This age group had the highest risk if born in southern Sweden, followed by central Sweden. This effect remained after adjusting for season and sex (table 2). CD risk was higher in girls than in boys regardless of age, although children aged 2–14.9 years had higher OR (table 2).
The entire child population stratified in two age groups, the HRs show the relationship between the studied risk factors and coeliac disease risk for 1991–2009 period
CD risk in relation to region and season of birth stratified by birth cohort
Among children born 1991–1996 the risk of developing CD was significantly increased if born during spring compared with winter. In the 1997–2002 birth cohort, CD risk was increased if born during summer and autumn. In the 2003–2009 cohort, CD risk was increased if born in autumn compared with winter (table 3). For children born between 1991 and 1996, the risk was increased for central and southern Sweden compared with northern Sweden. For children born in 1997–2002, increased CD risk was associated to being born in southern Sweden compared with the north, no association was observed for those born in central Sweden. Among children born between 2003 and 2009, the risk was increased for both central and south births compared with northern births (table 3). Girls had higher risk compared with boys in all years. The risk was highest among girls in the 2003–2009 birth cohort, followed by the birth cohort of 1997–2002 (table 3).
Results for the entire child population stratified by birth cohort, HRs show the adjusted association between the studied risk factors and coeliac disease risk for the period of 1991–2009
Spring birth was associated with increased CD risk in children diagnosed before 2 years of age while summer and autumn births were associated with high risk in children diagnosed after 2 years of age with noticeable changes over time. Seasonal pattern differed between regions, with increased CD incidence rates in southern Sweden from December to May. In central Sweden the increase started in February, while in north this started later and was more pronounced than in other regions. Stratification by age at diagnosis showed spring births to be associated with increased CD risk in children diagnosed before 2 years of age while summer and autumn births were associated with high CD risk in children diagnosed after 2 years.
One of the limitations of this study is lack of data on infections and vitamin D level, thus at the moment inference on how these might influence seasonality and subsequently CD risk remains speculative and calls for further investigation. CD risk may have been underestimated because CD cases without a PIN code were excluded. Lacking a PIN code was mainly due to not seeking parental consent, also a few declined to participate. Underestimation of CD risk is also possible since Marsh 3 was the standard for CD diagnosis; by implication potential cases, that is, with Marsh 1–2 or with elevated serological markers were excluded.
This is the first Swedish study investigating CD risk while taking into account four seasons and looking at geographical variations. The association between season of birth and CD has been the subject of several studies from Sweden. The first study followed children up to 1997, and found summer to be associated with increased risk in children diagnosed before the age of 2 years.8 Lebwohl et al using Swedish pathology data showed a slightly increased risk in adults born during summer.9 Lewy et al reported increased CD risk in girls born during summer and in children diagnosed before 2 years of age but not in boys or in older children.10 A US study reported spring birth to be associated with increased CD risk in boys younger than 15 years of age at diagnosis.11 All evidence supports a seasonal environmental exposure in CD aetiology except for one Finnish study.26
Children born in southern Sweden had the highest CD risk, followed by central and the lowest in northern Sweden. The Swedish population is considered genetically homogenous with >50% prevalence of HLA risk genes.27 Consequently, geographical differences in CD risk are not fully explained by genetic clustering, suggesting the role of other environmental factors. Interestingly, CD is associated with acute viral infections like rotavirus, astrovirus and adenovirus and other viral infections.5 ,14 ,15 ,28 One hypothesis for increased CD risk and spring/summer birth is that, those infants are more likely to be weaned and introduced to gluten during autumn/winter, a time characterised by exposure to seasonal viral infections. Some studies suggested breast feeding to be protective against CD3 and there are several possible mechanisms for this including a modulatory effect on gut microbiota and its direct effect on the immune system.29 However, more recent studies could not confirm breast feeding's protective effect.4 ,30–33 Viral infections influence the intestinal microbiota, the barrier function and increase mucosal permeability, which might be the mechanism of action in CD pathogenesis; however, this requires further investigation.34
In the north, the high incidence period started later compared with the south and central parts of Sweden. Geographical difference in awareness is a possible explanation, though it cannot fully explain these variations since our previous screening studies reported a similar pattern between north and south as reported in this paper with a 1/3 prescreening detection rate in all regions.20 Among Swedish physicians, it is known that the yearly epidemics of respiratory syncytial virus, rotavirus and influenza start in southern Sweden and spread northwards over a couple of months,35 which supports our findings. Moreover, there is a difference in distribution of rotavirus genotypes between Swedish regions.35
Another suggested mechanism for seasonal variation in CD risk is vitamin D deficiency due to differences in sunlight and UV-B exposure.36 Suboptimal levels of vitamin D during early childhood are a risk factor for immune-mediated diseases including multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes mellitus.13 ,37 Sweden has large regional differences in sunlight and UV-B exposure,38 thus the low CD risk in the north does not support this hypothesis as this region receives few hours of sun exposure throughout the year. Moreover, in Sweden every child is recommended and offered government-funded vitamin D supplementation from 1 week to 2 years of age, ensuring adequate levels. A remaining possible link to sunlight and vitamin D is that pregnant women who give birth in spring have the lowest levels of vitamin D during late gestation when important programming and development of the fetal immune system takes place.39 Another hypothesis suggests increased CD risk due to high levels of vitamin D; this fits the situation in south Sweden.17 This hypothesis is still new and is based on comparisons between countries. Tanpowpong and Camargo suggested a model where introduction of gluten, low levels of vitamin D and exposure to viral infections are responsible for the seasonal effect;36 whether this model is plausible remains to be confirmed.
We have confirmed a statistically significant effect of season of birth on the risk of being diagnosed with CD during childhood with the highest CD risk if born in south Sweden. Viral infections are the strongest possible risk factor in favour of our findings, although the role of vitamin D during pregnancy is still plausible. Whatever exposures are important in explaining seasonality, they have to work in a well-defined period, that is, during early life when the immune system is in an important developmental phase, otherwise there would be no seasonal pattern.
The authors would like to thank Susanne Walther for her administrative support. The study was undertaken within the Centre for Global Health Research at Umeå University with support from the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, FAS.
Ludvigsson JF,
Leffler DA,
Bai JC, et al
. The Oslo definitions for coeliac disease and related terms. Gut 2013;62:43–52. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2011-301346
Mårild K,
Stephansson O,
Montgomery S, et al
. Pregnancy outcome and risk of celiac disease in offspring: a nationwide case-control study. Gastroenterology 2012;142:39–45. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2011.09.047
Akobeng AK,
Ramanan AV,
Buchan I, et al
. Effect of breast feeding on risk of coeliac disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Arch Dis Child 2006;91:39–43. doi:10.1136/adc.2005.082016
Szajewska H,
Shamir R,
Chmielewska A, et al
. Systematic review with meta-analysis: early infant feeding and coeliac disease–update 2015. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2015;41:1038–54. doi:10.1111/apt.13163
Myléus A,
Hernell O,
Gothefors L, et al
. Early infections are associated with increased risk for celiac disease: an incident case-referent study. BMC Pediatr 2012;12:194. doi:10.1186/1471-2431-12-194
Adlercreutz EH,
Wingren CJ,
Vincente RP, et al
. Perinatal risk factors increase the risk of being affected by both type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease. Acta Paediatr 2015;104:178–84. doi:10.1111/apa.12836
Olén O,
Bihagen E,
Rasmussen F, et al
. Socioeconomic position and education in patients with coeliac disease. Dig Liver Dis 2012;44:471–6. doi:10.1016/j.dld.2012.01.006
Ivarsson A,
Nyström L, et al
. Children born in the summer have increased risk for coeliac disease. J Epidemiol Community Health 2003;57:36–9. doi:10.1136/jech.57.1.36
Lebwohl B,
Green PH,
Murray JA, et al
. Season of birth in a nationwide cohort of coeliac disease patients. Arch Dis Child 2013;98:48–51. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2012-302360
Lewy H,
Meirson H,
Laron Z
. Seasonality of birth month of children with celiac disease differs from that in the general population and between sexes and is linked to family history and environmental factors. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2009;48:181–5. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181709530
Tanpowpong P,
Obuch JC,
Jiang H, et al
. Multicenter study on season of birth and celiac disease: evidence for a new theoretical model of pathogenesis. J Pediatr 2013;162:501–4. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.08.056
Kahn HS,
Morgan TM,
Case LD, et al
. Association of type 1 diabetes with month of birth among U.S. youth: the SEARCH for diabetes in youth study. Diabetes Care 2009;32:2010–15. doi:10.2337/dc09-0891
Disanto G,
Chaplin G,
Morahan JM, et al
. Month of birth, vitamin D and risk of immune-mediated disease: a case control study. BMC Med 2012;10:69. doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-69
Stene LC,
Honeyman MC,
Hoffenberg EJ, et al
. Rotavirus infection frequency and risk of celiac disease autoimmunity in early childhood: a longitudinal study. Am J Gastroenterol 2006;101:2333–40. doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00741.x
Shulman LM,
Hampe CS,
Ben-Haroush A, et al
. Antibodies to islet cell autoantigens, rotaviruses and/or enteroviruses in cord blood and healthy mothers in relation to the 2010–2011 winter viral seasons in Israel: a pilot study. Diabet Med 2014;31:681–5. doi:10.1111/dme.12404
McKinney PA,
Grp ESB
. Seasonality of birth in patients with childhood Type I diabetes in 19 European regions. Diabetologia 2001;44(Suppl 3):B67–74. doi:10.1007/PL00002957
Bittker S
. Exposure to excessive oral vitamin D in youth: a risk factor for celiac disease in later life? J Allergy and Asthma 2015;2. http://www.hoajonline.com/journals/pdf/2054-9873-2-2.pdf
Odén A,
Kanis JA,
McCloskey EV, et al
. The effect of latitude on the risk and seasonal variation in hip fracture in Sweden. J Bone Miner Res 2014;29:2217–23. doi:10.1002/jbmr.2250
Olsson C,
Stenlund H,
Hörnell A, et al
. Regional variation in celiac disease risk within Sweden revealed by the nationwide prospective incidence register. Acta Paediatr 2009;98:337–42. doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.01086.x
Webb C, et al
. Celiac disease revealed in 3% of Swedish 12-year-olds born during an epidemic. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2009;49:170–6. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e31818c52cc
Namatovu F,
Strömgren M,
Ivarsson A, et al
. Neighborhood conditions and celiac disease risk among children in Sweden. Scand J Public Health 2014;42:572–80. doi:10.1177/1403494814550173
Sandström O,
Olsson C, et al
. Celiac disease risk varies between birth cohorts, generating hypotheses about causality: evidence from 36 years of population-based follow-up. BMC Gastroenterol 2014;14:59. doi:10.1186/1471-230X-14-59
Lindgren U,
Nilsson K,
de Luna X, et al
. Data resource profile: Swedish microdata research from childhood into lifelong health and welfare (Umeå SIMSAM Lab). Int J Epidemiol 2016. http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/05/10/ije.dyv358.short
Persson LÅ,
. Epidemic of coeliac disease in Swedish children. Acta Paediatr 2000;89:165–71. doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2000.tb01210.x
Walkersmith JA,
Guandalini S,
Schmitz J, et al
. Revised criteria for diagnosis of coeliac disease. Report of working group of European society of paediatric gastroentology and nutrition. Arch Dis Child 1990;65:909–11.
Kokkonen J,
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. The incidence of coeliac disease and pyloric stenosis in children in Northern Finland. Ann Clin Res 1982;14:123–8.
Rosén A,
Lagerqvist C, et al
. Transglutaminase IgA antibodies in a celiac disease mass screening and the role of HLA-DQ genotyping and endomysial antibodies in sequential testing. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2013;57:472–6. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e31829ef65d
Troncone R,
Auricchio S
. Rotavirus and celiac disease: clues to the pathogenesis and perspectives on prevention. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2007;44:527–8. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e31804ca0ec
Andreas NJ,
Kampmann B,
Mehring Le-Doare K
. Human breast milk: a review on its composition and bioactivity. Early Hum Dev 2015;91:629–35. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2015.08.013
Aronsson CA,
Lee HS,
Liu E, et al
. Age at gluten introduction and risk of celiac disease. Pediatrics 2015;135:239–45. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-1787
Lionetti E,
Castellaneta S,
Francavilla R, et al
. Introduction of gluten, HLA status, and the risk of celiac disease in children. N Engl J Med 2014;371:1295–303. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1400697
Vriezinga SL,
Auricchio R,
Bravi E, et al
. Randomized feeding intervention in infants at high risk for celiac disease. N Engl J Med 2014;371:1304–15. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1404172
Størdal K,
White RA,
Eggesbø M
. Early feeding and risk of celiac disease in a prospective birth cohort. Pediatrics 2013;132:e1202–9. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-1752
Sanz Y,
De Pama G,
Laparra M
. Unraveling the ties between celiac disease and intestinal microbiota. Int Rev Immunol 2011;30:207–18. doi:10.3109/08830185.2011.599084
Rinder M,
Tran AN,
Bennet R, et al
. Burden of severe rotavirus disease leading to hospitalization assessed in a prospective cohort study in Sweden. Scand J Infect Dis 2014;46:294–302. doi:10.3109/00365548.2013.876511
Camargo CA
. Early-life vitamin D deficiency and childhood-onset coeliac disease. Public Health Nutr 2014;17:823–6. doi:10.1017/S1368980013003510
Schwalfenberg GK
. Solar radiation and vitamin D: mitigating environmental factors in autoimmune disease. J Environ Public Health 2012;2012:619381. doi:10.1155/2012/619381
Klingberg E,
Oleröd G,
Konar J, et al
. Seasonal variations in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in a Swedish cohort. Endocrine 2015;49:800–8. doi:10.1007/s12020-015-0548-3
Marques AH,
O'Connor TG,
Roth C, et al
. The influence of maternal prenatal and early childhood nutrition and maternal prenatal stress on offspring immune system development and neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Neurosci 2013;7:120. doi:10.3389/fnins.2013.00120
Contributors All authors contributed equally to the conceptualisation of the study, data collection, selection of the study variables, study design, interpretation of study findings and revision of the manuscript, and have approved the submitted versions of the manuscript. FN performed the statistical analyses and wrote the manuscript. ML supervised the analysis, ensured quality of data and the study results. AI and OS provided clinical insights and interpretation of the study variables and findings.
Funding The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council, through the SIMSAM programme [839-2008-7491] and by the Swedish coeliac disease association, funders played no other role.
Ethics approval Swedish research ethical review board.
Data sharing statement All data used were obtained from Sweden's national registers. These are open and data can be obtained upon request from Swedish data management agencies.
Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/ This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/


After such a nice, l-o-n-g and l-a-z-y winter break, my first week back was devoted to getting back into the swing of things. While I may not have been all that overjoyed to be waking up at 6:30 in the morning (as opposed to 10ish), nothing beats having a set routine. On the bright side of things, this semester I have no Monday or Friday classes so I'll be able to devote more time to blogging! I hope everyone has a great MLK Day – here's my latest installment of "monday favorites." Enjoy!
2. [these. flats.] Why am I not surprised that these sparkly lovelies have already become a daily staple in my wardrobe. Sparkles are a neutral, right?
3. [ksny. agenda.] How many planners is too many? #seriousquestion Since I now already have two, I'm going to have to refrain myself from buying one by Moleskine. I can't make any promises though… As for my new Kate Spade agenda, it's more perfect than I could have imagined. The watercolor images by New York City-based artist Bruno Grizzo are oh-so-charming and the entire agenda is simply delightful. Not to mention the twelve destinations that are handpicked for each month. January is devoted to Brighton and the location for February is spot-on...any ideas where?
4. [sweater. stack.] Appreciate the small things – always. While I normally prefer to hang all of my sweaters, I noticed that I had a few that were especially delicate and deserved to be folded with care. I found a cozy compartment in my desk to be the perfect spot. I love it.
5. [pantone. wall. decor.] I made these DIY Pantone-inspired wall canvas paint swatches a while ago (see instructions here), but just recently located a spot on my wall for them. So far I have Tangerine Tango and Emerald in my "Pantone Wall of Fame"...you can bet that Radiant Orchid will be next!


text:
Transkei Camping
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Dump your plans and get into the Wild Coast groove. Bulungula is an opportunity for intrepid travellers to experience real paradise. It is about immersing yourself in new experiences and being open to the possibility that you'll click with this place and even stay for a week or more.
the best river rafting experiences in South Africa! From our amazing 1-day trip on the Ash River outside Clarens, to lazy days on the Orange.
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But in 1976, when they were touring South Africa with the two plays, they were arrested and imprisoned for about three weeks after a performance of "Sizwe Banzi" in Butterworth, a town in the South.
Beaumont was also drawn to the lodge's location — Hogsback is a wooded wonderland of artists, hippies and hermits wedged between the economically depressed apartheid-era "homelands" of Transkei and.
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Cederberg 4×4. invites you to join us on amazing, guided, self-drive, 4×4 adventure tours/safaris throughout. South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. We also offer 4×4 Driver Training and T ailor-made Corporate Events. Our family oriented trips are guided by seasoned guides, ensuring maximum enjoyment for all, with the minimum negative impact on the.
Born to a royal tribal family in the rural Transkei, the young Mandela had always been a charmer. He exuded confidence, perhaps as a result of his regal blood, and he even admitted to being a little.
Jeremy Brookes was killed by a gang who broke into the home where he was staying with friends in the Transkei region of eastern South Africa. He was shot in the neck and chest, and despite being taken.
Strongest on details about Mandela's childhood in the rural Transkei and his relationship with wife and children, Meer's account shows the man quite fully but blurs the political role. What comes.
Nelson Mandela was a master of forgiveness. has one of the world's biggest gaps between rich and poor. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born July 18, 1918, the son of a tribal chief in Transkei, a.
This family hotel maintains its old-world charm and unique South African hospitality, while satisfying the wild at heart… Set in idyllic Transkei surroundings, views from the hotel range from the stunning Wild Coast beaches to the green, lush, tropical vegetation.
Hole in the Wall Hotel and Holiday village offers self-catering accommodation on the Transkei Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape South Africa.
In KwaZulu Natal, with the Drakensberg and the coastline on your doorstep, camping is something of a no-brainer. And whilst the popular Campsites in KwaZulu-Natal like the Dolphin Holiday Resort in Ballito, Mahai in Bergville and Richards Bay Caravan Park.
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text:
package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.io.hfile;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FSDataOutputStream;
import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HBaseTestingUtility;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.SmallTests;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Bytes;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.junit.experimental.categories.Category;

import static org.junit.Assert.*;

/**
 * Test {@link HFileScanner#reseekTo(byte[])}
 */
@Category(SmallTests.class)
public class TestReseekTo {

  private final static HBaseTestingUtility TEST_UTIL = new HBaseTestingUtility();

  @Test
  public void testReseekTo() throws Exception {

    Path ncTFile = new Path(TEST_UTIL.getDataTestDir(), "basic.hfile");
    FSDataOutputStream fout = TEST_UTIL.getTestFileSystem().create(ncTFile);
    CacheConfig cacheConf = new CacheConfig(TEST_UTIL.getConfiguration());
    HFile.Writer writer = HFile.getWriterFactory(
        TEST_UTIL.getConfiguration(), cacheConf)
            .withOutputStream(fout)
            .withBlockSize(4000)
            .create();
    int numberOfKeys = 1000;

    String valueString = "Value";

    List<Integer> keyList = new ArrayList<Integer>();
    List<String> valueList = new ArrayList<String>();

    for (int key = 0; key < numberOfKeys; key++) {
      String value = valueString + key;
      keyList.add(key);
      valueList.add(value);
      writer.append(Bytes.toBytes(key), Bytes.toBytes(value));
    }
    writer.close();
    fout.close();

    HFile.Reader reader = HFile.createReader(TEST_UTIL.getTestFileSystem(),
        ncTFile, cacheConf);
    reader.loadFileInfo();
    HFileScanner scanner = reader.getScanner(false, true);

    scanner.seekTo();
    for (int i = 0; i < keyList.size(); i++) {
      Integer key = keyList.get(i);
      String value = valueList.get(i);
      long start = System.nanoTime();
      scanner.seekTo(Bytes.toBytes(key));
      assertEquals(value, scanner.getValueString());
    }

    scanner.seekTo();
    for (int i = 0; i < keyList.size(); i += 10) {
      Integer key = keyList.get(i);
      String value = valueList.get(i);
      long start = System.nanoTime();
      scanner.reseekTo(Bytes.toBytes(key));
      assertEquals(value, scanner.getValueString());
    }

    reader.close();
  }

  @org.junit.Rule
  public org.apache.hadoop.hbase.ResourceCheckerJUnitRule cu =
    new org.apache.hadoop.hbase.ResourceCheckerJUnitRule();
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Definition - What does Dual-Homed Host mean?
A dual-homed host is an application-based firewall and first line of defense/protection technology between a trusted network, such as a corporate network, and an untrusted network, such as the Internet. Dual-homed host is a common term used to describe any gateways, firewalls or proxies that directly provide secure applications and services to any untrusted network.
A dual-homed host may be considered a unique type of bastion host, a network computer designed to withstand attacks from hackers, viruses and any other type of interference from those with malicious intentions. It may also be considered a special type of multi-homed host, a host with multiple interfaces and one or more addresses. In either case, this host prevents any direct IP traffic between the trusted and untrusted network.


Make your very own Valentine's Day Cards for School this year with your own children or class – or simply make them for anyone you please! These 6 designs are hand drawn by us, and nothing else like it can be found on the web. A super easy Valentine's Day card idea that anyone can do – these are printed in black and white to save ink, and for you to add your own designs and personalisations. When the front is nicely coloured, simply write your loving message inside, then you're done!
Fancy a coloured Valentine's Day Cards for School – we've got you covered!


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We enforce internal security measures to safeguard your data from unauthorized access, use, alteration, disclosure or transfer. Your personal data is only accessible to employees and partners who have a need to know such information, on a case by case basis. We limit processing of your personal information to only take place when required and to to be kept in the strictest confidentiality.
We have established procedures for dealing with suspected data breaches, and will notify you or any applicable agency or regulator as required by law.
We retain your personal data only as long as necessary to support the purposes it was originally collected for, including delivery of products, services or communications, as well as for legal or record-keeping requirements.
We may also anonymize your personal data for the purposes of statistics, research or aggregate data reporting; such data is no longer personalized and may be retained indefinitely without notice to you.
Your specific legal rights regarding your personal data can be found here.
Should you wish to exercise any of your rights, including but not limited to: access, deletion, restriction, correction, updating, or to withdraw consent, you may email [email protected] with your request.
We may require verification of your identity before allowing you to access your personal data or to request actions to be performed upon such data, as a security procedure to prevent fraudulent access to your personal information.
This website may contain links to third-party websites, services, applications, plug-ins or products. Clicking those links or using those services, applications or plug-ins may allow third parties to collect and process personal data from you. We do not and can not control the policies and processes of third-parties, and are not responsible for personal data submitted to them, or their privacy policies.


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On your website there are several different ways for website visitors to email you through widgets you add to pages. Here are a few different ways you can accomplish this through TruVisibility website editor.
Drag and drop form on the page and place it where you would like it to go.
Click on the Settings. For more help on "Adding Form Collection to Website" click here.
When visitor fill out the form and submits it, an email will be sent to you with all the information the visitor filled in. A copy of this email will also be stored in the Leads Channel of TruVisibility.
Drag and Drop a button on the page and place it where you would like it to go.
Click on the Settings. For more help on "Adding Buttons" to your website click here to watch the tutorial.
In the Settings, under the "Action Will Jump To", change this to "Email".
In the default email address, add your email address and create a default subject that you want to be included when the visitor clicks on the button.
When a visitor clicks on this button, this will open a new email on their computer with their default email program. When the email appears it will be pre-filled with the email address and subject you created.
Drag and drop a text widget on the page and place it where you would like it to go.
In the text area, enter text, that when clicked on, will let the visitor know an email will be generated. For example, you can enter you email address or you can enter the words "Email me".
Click on the link icon in the text editor.
In the Link Info, change Link Type to E-mail.
Fill in the default E-mail address, Message Subject and Body of the email.
Click OK on the Link Window. When the text editor appears, the text should now be underlined and look like a link.
Click Save on the text editor.
When a visitor clicks on this link, this will work similar to the button feature. It will open a pre-filled email on the visitor computer so they can email to you.


This notice discusses how Kansas sales, use and transient guest taxes apply when the buyer presents a Kansas retailer with a Tax Exemption Card issued by the Office of Foreign Missions ("OFM") of the U.S. Department of State.
The Diplomatic Tax Exemption Program.
The Diplomatic Tax Exemption Program provides an exemption from state and local sales and use tax, occupancy (transient guest taxes), and other similar taxes normally charged when the sale is to eligible foreign missions and foreign officials on assignment in the United States. This tax exemption program is based on reciprocal treaty agreements authorized by Article VI of the U.S. Constitution between the United States and certain foreign countries. The United States does not grant a tax exemption to foreign missions and officials here unless United States Embassy and Consular personnel receive the equivalent tax exemption while stationed in that country. Therefore, not all foreign missions and officials are entitled to tax exemption.
Pursuant to U.S. law, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), the Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (TECOs), their designated employees, and their qualifying dependents are also entitled to tax exemptions privileges. Accordingly, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has now issued tax exemptions cards to TECRO, TECOs, and their eligible personnel and dependents that incorporate the same features and design elements as the OFM's tax exemption cards. Such privileges are authorized by AIT, not the Department of State. Therefore, these cards read "American Institute in Taiwan" on the front and include AIT's contact information on the reverse.
The diplomatic Tax Exemption Cards are valid nationwide and are required to be honored by all state and local taxing jurisdictions. However, the Tax Exemption Cards are not valid for exemption from Kansas sales or use taxes on vehicles, gasoline, telephones and other utilities. The procedure that must be followed to obtain tax exemption on these purchases is explained in the following sections.
A gasoline tax exemption is extended to missions and officials using tax-exempt oil company credit card accounts. Gasoline purchased with cash is not tax exempt. Sales tax exemption cards may not be used to purchase gasoline tax-free. Eligible diplomats must submit a completed oil company credit card application and OFM form DS-99 (Application for Diplomatic Exemption from Taxes on Gasoline) to OFM for processing and approval.
The Office of Foreign Missions administers the utility tax exemption program. Utility tax exemption (e.g. electricity, natural gas, cellular phones, and telephone) is based on reciprocity. To obtain the exemption, eligible diplomats must submit a completed OFM form DS-98 (Application for Diplomatic Exemption from Taxes on Utilities) to OFM for approval.
Retailers should read and honor the level of exemption printed on the card. Some exemptions have a minimum purchase requirement and some do not allow exemption from hotel or lodging taxes (Kansas Transient Guest Tax). A Mission exemption card, issued to consulate, embassy or international organization employees, is only for mission purchases paid for by mission check or credit card (no cash or personal check). Retailers may use a tax-exempt card database on OFM's web site to verify that the card is an active diplomatic tax exemption. The database provides a card's identification number, expiration date and level of exemption.
To document a diplomatic sales tax exemption for your records, you must make a copy of the Tax Exemption Card and keep it with your other sales and use tax records. In the case of a vehicle sale or lease, you must also obtain a tax-exempt status determination letter from the OFM (procedure outlined above) in addition to a copy of the card, and retain both in your sales tax records.


The only winners in the financial crisis that brought Detroit to the brink of state takeover are Wall Street bankers who reaped more than $474 million from a city too poor to keep street lights working.
The city started borrowing to plug budget holes in 2005 under former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was convicted this week on corruption charges. That year, it issued $1.4 billion in securities to fund pension payments. Last year, it added $129.5 million in debt, 9.3 percent of its general-fund budget, in part to repay loans taken to service other bonds.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announces appointment of Kevyn Orr as Detroit EM March 14, 2013.
Detroit, which is trying to avoid becoming the largest U.S. municipal bankruptcy, struggles to serve residents after revenue declined when the auto industry collapsed and the city began to empty. Michigan 's Republican governor, Rick Snyder, [has named] an emergency manager, who will have to address debt and derivatives taken on in the last eight years.
Dave Sole of Moratoriun Now! speaks at rally against EM March 6, 2013.
The city, which peaked at 1.85 million residents in 1950, has lost more than a quarter of its population since 2000. The 700,000 inhabitants who remain endure unreliable buses, inadequate police and fire protection and broken street lights that have darkened entire blocks.
Banks including UBS AG (UBS), Bank of America Corp.'s Merrill Lynch and JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) have enabled about $3.7 billion of bond issues to cover deficits, pension shortfalls and debt payments since 2005, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Liabilities rose to almost $15 billion, including money owed retirees, according to a state treasurer's review.
The debt sales cost Detroit $474 million, including underwriting expenses, bond-insurance premiums and fees for wrong-way bets on swaps, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That almost equals the city's 2013 budget for police and fire protection.
Protesters rally outside CAYMC in Detroit as EM takes office March 25, 2013.
The largest part is $350 million owed for derivatives meant to lower borrowing costs on variable-rate debt.
Municipal borrowers from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have paid billions to banks to end interest-rate swaps that didn't protect them. In the bets, a municipal issuer and another party exchange payments tied to interest-rate indexes.
Moratoriun Now and Occupy Detroit protect the home of a Detroiter facing foreclosure.
As banks were collecting fees from bonds, some targeted city homeowners with subprime loans that led to foreclosures, depressing real-estate values and tax revenue, Sole said. About one-quarter of Detroit's housing units are vacant, according to Detroit Future City, a 50-year blueprint for recovery. In some areas, entire blocks are deserted. Properties have been stripped of plumbing, wiring and whatever can be sold.
The home town of General Motors Co. (GM) has been running general-fund deficits of $155.4 million to $331.9 million since 2005, when Kilpatrick was mayor, and has been firing workers to save money.
Last year, it cut police staffing by 11.6 percent to 2,836, according to budget documents. Killings spiked. Detroit had 411 homicides last year, up 9 percent from 2011.
Stephen Murphy of Standard and Poor's (r) and Joe O'Keefe of Fitch Ratings sell Detroit City Council on %1.5 billion UBS AG loan in 2004.
On March 11, Kilpatrick, a Democrat, was convicted on corruption and fraud charges. He and co-conspirators executed a "wide-ranging racketeering conspiracy involving extortion, bribery and fraud," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said in a statement.
Kilpatrick's attorney, James Thomas of Detroit, declined to comment.
While his client ran Detroit, the city embarked on two of its most expensive bond issues, first paying $46.4 million in fees to UBS and others to borrow $1.4 billion for pension obligations.
A year later, the city paid $61.8 million, including insurance costs, for UBS to sell $948.5 million in bonds, replacing two-thirds of the debt sold the previous year.
Some pension debt traded at about 65 cents on the dollar in the most recent trade Feb. 12, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Detroit also entered into swaps contracts with UBS and SBS Financial Products Co., which serves as a counterparty on swaps transactions.
The arrangements are a bet on the direction of interest rates and can raise costs if they move unexpectedly.
Detroit CFO Jack Martin Aug. , 2012.
Rates fell, leaving a liability of $439 million on June 30, 2012, according to a city report. That has fallen to about $350 million as rates went back up, said Jack Martin, Detroit's chief financial officer.
The city makes periodic swap payments from money generated by casinos.
Wall Street firms could end the deals and call for full payment because Moody's Investors Service last March cut unlimited general-obligation bond ratings to B2, five levels below investment grade, according to the city's 2012 financial statement. In November, Moody's cut the rating again, sending it down two levels to Caa1.
The cuts mean there is "significant risk in connection with the city's ability to meet the cash demands" under the swap, according to Detroit's financial report.
The city has been talking with holders of its swaps, the report said. Martin said no negotiations are occurring.
Banks have been reluctant to negotiate lower termination payments for many municipal governments. Last year, Detroit's water and sewer utility borrowed to pay more than $300 million to unwind swaps.
Karina Byrne, a spokeswoman for Zurich-based UBS, declined to comment on the deals. Elizabeth Seymour, a spokeswoman for New York-based JPMorgan, also declined to comment on them, as did Thomas Butler, an SBS spokesman who works for New York-based Butler Associates LLC.
After the pension bonds, the city continued to issue general-obligation bonds and short-term debt totaling about $1.3 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The city ran into "liquidity problems," according to the 2012 financial statement. Because of low ratings and deficits, it was unable to borrow and turned to the Michigan Finance Authority, which arranged a $129.5 million bond issue underwritten by a Bank of America unit.
Costing $1.6 million in fees, part of the proceeds went to repay the unit for an earlier $80 million loan — and part of that loan had been used to service other debt, according to the financial statement.
William Halldin, a spokesman for Charlotte, North Carolina- based Bank of America, declined to comment on the deal.
An emergency financial manager will have to handle the legacy of Detroit's borrowing. Snyder said March 1 that the official would try to restructure long-term debt and renegotiate payments.
Striking new terms would be difficult, said Rick Frimmer, a corporate and municipal restructuring specialist with Schiff Hardin LLP in Chicago who represents some of the debt holders. Temporary changes may be possible, he said, such as waiving payments or default terms.
The city has advisers working on a plan to deal with the debt, in part by reducing retiree health-care liabilities, said Martin. He declined to comment on fees negotiated before he joined the administration.
"I'm sure the fees and interest rate are what most other local units or school districts would have to pay," Martin said.


It'll be a rainy weekend but we can't really complain with the summer weather we've experienced this week! We are coming up on the end of Black History so don't forget to check out some of many free events happening. As always, check with the event site for updated information.
Become a mad scientist by conducting hands-on fun science experiments using basic scientific principles.
Explore science, technology, engineering and math. Drop in for hands-on experiments and activities.
Customize sparkly slime and decorate a container for it, or customize a glue-and-water mix to create a soothing, swirly glitter jar. Buy the jar and the rest of your supplies will be provided, including pre-made slime.
Fun, interactive seasonal puppet show with opportunities to meet one of the live animals.
Enjoy an African dance class; watch a movie; and stop by for various workshops, performances, storytellers, food, crafts, and more!
Original fulldome show, hands-on flight activities, and Richard Baugh, son of Original Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Howard Baugh. Mr. Baugh will spend some time talking to the audience and taking questions. An information table and time to speak one on one with Mr. Baugh will also be available.
Use library resources to test your knowledge of African-American history & culture!
Black History Live with Culture Queen!
Culture Queen engages your royal children in motivating music, marvelous movement and super storytelling activities inspired by the Kings and Queens of Black History!
The B&O Railroad Museum celebrates the contributions of African-Americans to the railroad industry. Learn about these men and women who filled vital jobs along the B&O Railroad's line and understand how significant social issues, such as segregation, affected railroading.
Retrace the footsteps of Reverend Josiah Henson from his enslavement to escape on the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada. Learn about his extraordinary life, which inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe's Landmark novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Screenings of the Time Team America documentary: The Search for Josiah Henson at Noon, 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 pm.
Adam Francis Plummer, the patriarch of the African-American Plummer family, lived at Riversdale. In this exhibit, we recognize the 20th anniversary of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 by recounting how some members of his family successfully escaped to freedom, while others waited for legal emancipation. We continue the family's stories after freedom and into the 20th century.
Join a ranger for a unique look at sub-Saharan Africa's night sky and star stories in honor of Black History Month. The African-American "Night Sky to Freedom" will also be discussed.
Know if any events coming up? Send them momstotsmd@gmail.com or comment below!
Follow on Moms with Tots Social Media, we're always up to something!


The O2goesWILD show was held at the Glypthothek - a major museum in Copenhagen, Denmark - on September 9th 1989. The show was the end of a conference and event called "Environmental Design & Product Development - a competition parameter for danish industry".
This specific page is dedicated to the show materials of various kinds from the event / conference and the O2goesWILD fashion show. You will be able to read, see and hear much more by clicking around on the various videos and links.
All these activities demanded a lot of people involved - some might not be mentioned - but none forgotten - and everyone I hope you can see on the original lists which I have copied and posted here (click here to see). And please remember that EVERYONE from the stars to the photographer, the dancers - everyone worked for free - so if I did not say it enough that time Ill say it again THANKS A MILLION TO EVERYONE THAT TOOK PART IN THIS UNIQUE HAPPENING IN 1989.
Below you have a series of clips from the O2goesWILD show. The show was performed by a whole big group of famous as well as less famous actors, models, artists, journalists and politicians. To name some of the more famous ones was Mads Mikkelsen who is now a world known actor - he was a dancer in 1989 and performed in the show. Søs Egelind is a very known danish actor and comedian - She was the "mother" of the show of the show and actually was announcing the various models on stage.
The O2goesWILD show was presenting the O2goesWILD collection, which was a very unique and different collection of clothing entirely based on GREEN COTTON but also had a lot of funky and new concepts build into the garments. The collection was designed by Erna Olsen, Keld Rex Holm, Claus Mohr .... and myself. You can see and hear more about the O2goesWILD collection by clicking here.
Also before the show a kind of catalogue was made. To make this another series of celebrities were asked to model - please click at their names to see who they are today. You can see further down all the amazing images taken by Per Morten Abramsen - one of Denmarks top photographers. You can see and hear more about the O2goesWILD catalogue by clicking here.
Ib Jensen - environmental journalist at one of the biggest danish newspapers Politiken.
There were so many individuals who helped with the show and the event - the preparation of the event, the making of the entire clothing collection, the show itself, the catering (organic of course, which at that time was very rare), the back stage, the make up etc....and to be honest it has not been possible to trace everyone. At the last page you (click here) you will find a list of hopefully almost everyone - if you were part of the show / event and are not on the list please contact me directly and I will add you and your eventual web link to these pages.
Enjoy the videos - unfortunately the material is a bit shaky - there is not that much material left, but no matter what these videos give an impression of the show and all the work put into setting this event up - THE FIRST GREEN COTTON FASHION SHOW IN THE UNIVERSE.
The O2goesWILD show - the EARTHY DUO & The GODDESS GALS - GREEN COTTON leisure wear clothing for women.
The below video is an interview with me Niels Peter Flint from 1989 made for a local TV station right after the show. See it by clicking here and go directly to Vimeo or click below to remain here - it´s in danish.


Velva Jean Learns To Drive and Velva Jean Learns To Fly by Jennifer Niven are two fine modern literary works that I have just completed reading. I am a big fan of fiction and tend toward mysteries but find a lot of pleasure in reading more literary works and non-fiction at times. Niven's novels were an incredible treat!
Her theme is largely sexist, and I say that with the utmost respect in a positive way. She chronicles the life of a young girl living in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina in the Great Depression era. Life in Alluvial is confined by the ring of mountains surrounding her, by the superstitions of the mountain folk, and by the assumptions of a culture that dictates what a woman's role in life should be. Velva Jean is just ten when she finds Jesus and is baptized in the Three Gum River. Her dreams and her feisty nature are at war with God and with the limitation of life laid out before her.
I guarantee you that you will get a lump in your throat as often reading these books as you will get angry at the abuses perpetrated and stereotypes that are manifested in the characters. For a true learning experience about what the women's lib movement of the 60s really was about when it began in the 40s, take the time to read these novels. You won't regret it. I can't wait to read her latest in the Velva Jean series called Becoming Clementine.
Amy Tan, in her first book The Joy Luck Club, explores something we can all relate to: parent-child relationships...specifically those between mothers and daughters. In interviews she shares how influential her mother and Chinese heritage has been for her writing, but, when reading this book, it is clear that Tan is speaking to the issues faced by all mothers and daughters across ethnic lines. These characters are real and relatable. I see myself in the anguish of Jing-Mei and Lena, and I see my own mother in Suyuan or Ying-Ying. Worse yet, now with daughters of my own, I see myself mirrored in those over-protective mothers as well! This book speaks profoundly of a culture clash as well, in this case the Chinese vs. the American worldview. While that is accessible by many readers who share a similar ethnic disconnect, it is equally relevant to the inevitable divide between the generations, which can sometimes make children feel as though their parents are 'from another country'.
As a writer, this book speaks to me profoundly. My identity is largely tied to being either a daughter or a mother, both of which tend to be emotionally charged roles. Writing through these experiences is cathartic, but also helps keep vitality and realism in my characters. Like Tan, my work tends to draw from life and model characters after aspects of real people...often people I am close to. This is writing what you know in the most visceral sense, and is clearly something Tan has taken honed to an art form.
A year ago my wife and I were team teaching a class on Paradise Lost by John Milton. This is a piece of literature that at one time was a mainstay in American schools, but today is sadly neglected. I have to admit that the first time I approached Paradise Lost, it seemed a little daunting. After all, I was a scientist. What could I possibly gain from reading "ancient" poetry? I was sadly mistaken. It is an amazingly beautiful piece of artistry, and I am ashamed to think I may have never had the joy pouring over its pages, finding myself completely absorbed and in awe of Milton's genius.
One of the most fascinating parts that captivated my attention was when Michael, the archangel, takes Adam on a journey into the future to see the consequences of his sin. One is left completely caught up in the emotional tension as Adam must come to grips with the consequences of his choice. It left me wrestling with the question of what if Adam had only known the actual consequences before he had actually sinned, what then?
This work affected me deeply as a writer. My most recent work, Justice, is a series of three novellas. The first one, Knowing, was influenced in part by Paradise Lost. The second, Providence, deals with the sovereignty of an all knowing God, and the third, Guardian, examines the human need for meaning and purpose. Although interconnected by the characters, each novella takes place at a different time and each can stand on its own story.
It is a work of science fiction, suggesting the possibility of time travel and the ability to see into the future. It is wrought with paradoxes which is a little ironic. Although I always map out my writing before I begin, this work began as nothing more than a sketch. I found myself in wonder as I encountered surprising discoveries on each successive page.


text:
The Hull Note: The Final Piece Leading to War
by Mark LoProto | Jun 7, 2017 | Before The Attack, Japanese Forces, U.S. Leaders
Prior to the events of December 7th, 1941, the casual observer may have assumed that the United States was simply minding its own business when Japan conceived its malicious plan to send a strike force to Pearl Harbor. Initially, it seemed as if Japan struck without...
Three Key Players of Pearl Harbor
by Mark LoProto | Apr 20, 2017 | Attack of Pearl Harbor, Japanese Leaders, U.S. Leaders
For the attack on Pearl Harbor to be orchestrated, Japan needed somebody at the helm. For the United States to react, a government official would need to step forward. To justify how the US completely missed the signs that Japan was planning an attack, there needed to...
The Accountability of Admiral Husband E. Kimmel
by Mark LoProto | Mar 17, 2017 | Attack of Pearl Harbor, U.S. Leaders
As you learn more about the history of the United States, you often find yourself hearing different versions of how major events unfolded. The attack on Pearl Harbor is no exception, especially since the soldiers who fought there are growing older and passing on,...
FDR's Day of Infamy
by Andrew McKinley | Jul 4, 2016 | Before The Attack, U.S. Leaders
24 hours with the President As far as President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew when he woke up on December 7, 1941, the negotiations between the United States and the Empire of Japan still held a hope of averting war between the nations. The talks were beginning to...
President Roosevelt's Letter to Emperor Hirohito
by Alison | Apr 5, 2016 | History, Leaders, U.S. Leaders
Not many people know this, but the day before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote to Japanese Emperor Hirohito. Roosevelt's letter attempted to reason with Hirohito, citing the decades of peace between the two nations, and...


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In vitro bioequivalence studies for oral solid dose products
contributed by Malvern Panalytical | 10/01/2018
In vitro bioequivalence studies for oral solid dose products using the Morphologi ID
Comparing Innovator and Generic Formulations
The Morphologi® ID can be used to compare material and chemical properties of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in a drug product using Morphologically-Directed Raman Spectroscopy (MDRS®). Here, we apply this technology to a comparison of innovator and generic versions of an oral solid dose pharmaceutical product containing two APIs.
A generic drug is defined as being "identical or bioequivalent to a brand name drug"1. Generic is also a term applied to a drug marketed under its chemical name alone without any advertising, such as when a patent expires but a drug company wishes to continue to sell a product as a generic version. Generic drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) need to meet the same rigid standards as the innovator drug. It must:
Contain the same active ingredients as the innovator.
Be identical in strength.
Have the same use indications.
Be bioequivalent.
Meet the same batch requirements for identity, strength, purity and quality.
Be manufactured under the same standards of FDA good manufacturing practice regulations.
In 1984 the U.S. Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act standardized the procedure for generic drug recognition. An applicant files an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) and has to demonstrate to a specified, previously approved "reference listed drug"2. Once an ANDA is approved, the FDA adds the drug to the Approved Drug Products list also known as the "Orange Book" which shows the link between the generic and the reference listed drug (innovator).
In order to show that a generic drug is bioequivalent to an innovator drug it must display comparable bioavailability when studied under similar experimental conditions3. Bioavailability is the rate and extent to which the active ingredient is absorbed from a drug product and become available at the site of drug action and bioequivalence refers to equivalent release of the same drug substance from two or more drug products or formulations4.
The premise underlying this 1984 law is that bioequivalent products are therapeutically equivalent and, therefore, interchangeable.
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