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text:
Chattenden and Lodge Hill Military Camps were British Army training camps in Chattenden and Hoo St Werburgh in Kent. They were built as ordnance depots and functioned as such through to the second half of the twentieth century.

Origins
After 1667 gunpowder began to be stored in Upnor Castle on the north/west bank of the River Medway. During the Napoleonic Wars a gunpowder magazine was built alongside the castle at Lower Upnor designed to store a further 10,000 barrels of gunpowder, followed in 1857 by another, larger magazine which could hold up to 23,000 barrels. Over the next fifty years a series of buildings were built along the riverside designed for filling and storing explosive shells, naval mines and torpedoes - all for use in Her Majesty's Ships and in the extensive fortifications surrounding Chatham and Sheerness Naval Dockyards.

Chattenden

When it was realised that there was no room for further expansion of the storage facilities at Upnor, a nearby site inland at Chattenden was purchased, and in 1875 five magazines were built on a hillside (the contours of which helped provide a natural traverse for security and protection). Between them, the magazines were designed to hold 40,000 barrels of gunpowder (with space for more in times of war). Chattenden Barracks (completed 1872) was also built, a little to the south, to accommodate the eight officers and 120 men detailed to guard the site. The magazine compound and barracks were linked to Upnor by a narrow-gauge railway.

Lodge Hill
In 1891 the decision was taken to apportion Britain's ordnance depots (which were all at that time overseen by the War Office) either to the Navy or to the Army. Under the new arrangements Upnor was given to the Navy and Chattenden to the Army. Without Chattenden the Navy lacked sufficient storage space; this led to the development of the adjacent Lodge Hill site, opened in 1899, to provided space for a further dozen small magazines for storing cordite, dry guncotton and other highly explosive materials. Each magazine was surrounded by an earth mound (traverse) and all the individual buildings were linked by sidings connected to the aforementioned narrow-gauge railway line which also had an interchange at the eastern end of the new depot with a new standard-gauge railway (known as the Chattenden Naval Tramway) from here to Sharnal Street station on the South Eastern Railway (the first time a Naval Ordnance Depot had been connected to the main line railway network). For safety the structures were set apart from one another, and the intervening space was planted with dense woodland. Lodge Hill was initially known as Chattenden Royal Naval Ordnance Depot; but in 1903 the Navy took over the older Chattenden magazines as well, whereupon Upnor, Chattenden and Lodge Hill were each named Royal Naval Ordnance Depots.

Later history

As early as 1912 it was realised that the Lodge Hill and Chattenden Magazines were vulnerable to air attack. A surviving First World War anti-aircraft emplacement on Chattenden Ridge is of historic importance: it may have been the first anti-aircraft emplacement in the world, and was almost certainly the first in Britain. Nevertheless, Chattenden and Lodge Hill continued to be used for ammunition storage through both World Wars, until 1961. Thereafter, the site was used as extensive barracks and training facilities for the Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME). The Joint Service Bomb Disposal School moved here from Broadbridge Heath in 1966.

The 1870s magazines at Chattenden remain in situ (though vulnerable to subsidence - a problem first identified soon after their completion); they were latterly used for general storage. Several magazines and other structures also survive at Lodge Hill. The 1872 Barracks quadrangle, with its central clock tower, was vacated in 1961 and demolished; (the clock itself was moved to Portsmouth Royal Dockyard and not long afterwards was installed in the pediment of No. 11 Storehouse alongside HMS Victory). The following year a new barracks for RSME was built on the site; this remained in use until the 1990s and was itself demolished in 2005. The Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal School was housed in a separate complex (Lodge Hill Camp) along with the National Search Centre (a joint Ministry of Defence / Home Office facility providing training in Explosive Ordnance Disposal and search training for the police and other civilian agencies). The surrounding landscape provided training areas for these institutions; a pair of Victorian terraces, which once housed the on-site police force, were used for explosives search training and other structures were built expressly for this purpose. Bridge-building and other engineering training also took place on the site, and there was a specialist diver training facility in Lodge Hill Camp.

Present day

Chattenden and Lodge Hill Training Areas continued to be used into the 21st century, preparing personnel for active service in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2007 the Ministry of Defence designated the Military Land as a brownfield area for redevelopment for residential and light industrial use. The RSME continues to operate a training facility in nearby Upper Upnor, and the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal School has relocated to a new facility, which opened in 2013, on the former St George's Barracks site in Bicester.

A plan had been worked up for 5000 houses on the site in a £1bn scheme. The Lodge Hill camp however is home to 85 singing male nightingales, which is over 1% of the entire UK population which stands at 6000. Natural England have declared this an SSSI. Nightingales migrate several thousand miles to West Africa and then return to the same tree, making biodiversity offsetting inappropriate for the species.

In 2016 the MOD put the Lodge Hill and Chattenden site up for sale.

Notes

References

Sources

Installations of the British Army
Buildings and structures in Kent
Barracks in England

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Tag: LGBTQ+
Abortion storytelling as artivism
by Molly Burchins, 2017-2018 Campus Leader at NC State University
This November, as a Campus Leader at NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, I received an incredible opportunity to work with Poppy Liu, founder of Collective Sex, and Amelia Bonow, co-founder of #ShoutYourAbortion, on bringing their abortion storytelling program to NC State. This program was brought to communities and campuses across North Carolina in order to bring abortion out of the political realm by starting a new conversation. These two organizations have both done incredibly important work around destigmatizing abortion, and empowering people to tell their own stories.
#ShoutYourAbortion was founded in 2015 after the hashtag went viral and enabled thousands of people to share their abortion stories. SYA empowers people to tell their own stories on their own terms, and aims to humanize and normalize the experience of abortion. Collective Sex is a storytelling initiative and an all-femme production company that aims to "decolonize storytelling" by destigmatizing stories about sex, body, intimacy and identity. Their project, the short film Names of Women, depicts a first person account of an abortion experience, produced through the lens of healing and spirituality.
Their idea for this program was to give people a chance to hear and share abortion stories, and to discuss the complexities around abortion access in a way that increases compassion and empathy. Along with their program, I also had the idea to bring Poppy and Amelia to my campus for an afternoon discussion with a smaller group of students. Because my awesome professor let me hijack our class for the day, this discussion ended up taking place in my Feminist Theories class, and allowed students who were studying the theory behind this kind of advocacy work to see the theory in action. This was a really exciting opportunity for my classmates, because they were able to talk to Poppy and Amelia about their work in a more intimate setting. I couldn't have asked for a better discussion, and everyone was able to walk away with a new perspective on this work.
Later that evening, we hosted their 90-minute program, in which Poppy and Amelia discussed their respective approaches to creative abortion storytelling as a form of activism. This program included a showing of the short film Names of Women, which was produced by Collective Sex, and a few of SYA's digital abortion stories, and aimed to enhance creative storytelling as a form of "artivism" (art as activism) that helps to depoliticize and re-humanize discussions around abortion. Because the program was about abortion, there was a lot of hesitation from university staff members to advertise this program to their students, and this really affected the program's attendance. Regardless of the small audience, we were able to modify the program and still create incredibly meaningful conversations around abortion.
This program, along with the two incredible people who created it, will be returning for another Bible Belt tour in the spring. I'm really looking forward to hosting this program again and making sure that these conversations reach more and more students!
Reproductive Justice Week at UNC Wilmington!
by Becki Fernandez, 2017 Campus Leader at UNC Wilmington
This November, I organized and implemented a week of programming surrounding the theme of reproductive justice as part of my position with the NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina Campus Leader program, aptly called "Reproductive Justice Week." I have been organizing for years with the UNCW Feminist Student Alliance around several feminist, social justice issues, but this was the first time that I organized a full week of programs coinciding with a week of awareness.
The climate surrounding talking about reproductive justice in Wilmington, NC, is an interesting one, particularly around the subject of abortion. I have noticed during my time in Wilmington that abortion rights is one of the few angles of modern, progressive social justice that the community has some trouble rallying around. Just look at what we saw happening with the Democratic Party this year with the debate surrounding a litmus test on support of abortion rights. In Wilmington, we have more fake clinic crisis pregnancy centers than actual medical clinics that offer abortion services. In fact, our one clinic that does offer abortion services can only bring in an abortion provider 4 times a month. I am genuinely fearful of wearing any of my pro-abortion t-shirts in public here because of how antagonistic the community seems to be. I know that I am far from the only person in Wilmington, NC, that is passionate about abortion rights and reproductive justice. But, I am still aware that the community has a sizable, adamantly anti-choice community that will protest along the sides of busy roads and intersections to try and deny people access to their constitutional right to an abortion. So at the very least, I set out to get a conversation started on abortion rights in southeastern North Carolina.
I also wanted to try and focus on a few reproductive justice issues that go beyond abortion rights. While abortion rights are an important battle in the reproductive justice framework, they are not the only pressing issue in today's world. The right to have children is also an important reproductive right, and the right to parent and raise these children in safe communities is also an important reproductive right. Essentially, the right for you and your possible family to exist and live healthy, dignified lives regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, immigration status, ability, income, or any aspect of your identity is the ultimate reproductive right that should always be fought for.
I started off my week of action with a "How to Get an Abortion in North Carolina" toolkit presentation with Carolina Abortion Fund. The presentation was very informative and went well. Representatives from Carolina Abortion Fund came in and talked about the current state of abortion rights and access in North Carolina. I am sure this is not exactly news for anyone reading anything off of NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina's website, but the current state of abortion rights and access in North Carolina is pretty grim. So "Reproductive Justice Week" might not have started off on a happy note, but it definitely started on a call-to-action to help provide abortion funds, at the very least, to people in need in North Carolina.
The next event of Reproductive Justice Week was a discussion on LGBTQIA reproductive health and rights hosted with a fellow student organization on campus, Pride. I felt it was dire to include a program about queer reproductive health because as many folks doing this work are aware of already, the reproductive rights of the LGBTQIA community is oftentimes left out of the reproductive rights narrative even though these rights are just as important. Cisgender, heterosexual individuals are not the only individuals in need of abortion access. Furthermore, LGBTQIA folk face larger disparities than some of their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts in finding access to general and reproductive healthcare, which goes far beyond abortion rights. Not to mention the struggles LGBTQIA parents face in fighting for their basic right to parent, on top of fighting for basic rights to employment, housing, and freedom from violence and discrimination. During our discussion, we made sure to touch on many of these issues, as well as take audience feedback on LGBTQIA reproductive justice issues that are important to them.
Next, we hosted a small lunch and chat with representatives from NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina where we also talked about the current state of reproductive rights in NC, with a focus on fake clinic crisis pregnancy centers and all the legislative barriers that have been created for people trying to seek out an abortion in NC. The discussion was vibrant, lively, and had great involvement from UNCW faculty and staff.
Our next event of Reproductive Justice Week was a screening of the documentary No Más Bebés. This is a documentary about a group of immigrant women in Los Angeles suing county doctors, the state of California, and the U.S. government for coercing and at times even tricking these young, immigrant mothers into getting their tubes tied and becoming sterilized. This was one of the most powerful events of the week of action for me, personally, as a Latina and child of immigrants. I have witnessed firsthand what it is like for non-Latinx people to think your family is dirty because it is large and Latinx. It was a profound, impactful documentary that was also deeply resonating. The film also serves as a reminder to the reproductive justice community that this is a movement founded for and by women of color, and the specific needs of people of color that are found in the intersections of the reproductive justice framework need to be prioritized because they are the needs that have been constantly looked over for most of the reproductive rights movement. The bodies of people of color have been used for centuries for experiments and torture to advance the reproductive rights narrative and that must be recognized in order for us to move forward.
After that, I, along with the Feminist Student Alliance, hosted a discussion on the Hyde Amendment and why it is our duty to support low-income folks' access to abortion care. A lot of people in the room for this event were not even aware of the current implications of the Hyde Amendment, which is great in a sense because I feel the entire purpose of holding events like these are to educate people who do not know as much about these issues as I might, as opposed to preaching to a choir of established reproductive rights activists. The Hyde Amendment infamously prohibits federal funding from covering abortion. This means that low-income people who may be relying on Medicaid/Medicare for healthcare coverage cannot use this coverage for abortion services unless they live in a state that explicitly allows it. Making abortion care only readily available to people with middle and upper class incomes goes against the whole point of legal and safe access to abortion. Access to abortion has to be affordable, too, in order for it to be a genuine right. Sadly, this does not stop legislators from slashing funding for abortion care left and right, and there are even a few people who say they are "pro-choice" who agree that federal funding should not go towards abortion. However, abortion is healthcare, plain and simple. Placing insurance bans against covering the costs of abortion care should not be the one facet of healthcare that we won't fight to gain coverage for.
Our last event of "Reproductive Justice Week" was "Storytelling as Activism" with Collective Sex and Shout Your Abortion. Activists Poppy and Amelia shared their own personal abortion stories and emphasized how important storytelling is in activism. Storytelling is what breaks barriers and stigma because it goes beyond the 24-hour news pundits, beyond the internet thinkpieces, beyond the debates on legislation. Storytelling shows how even the most stigmatized of social issues affects real people and their real lives. And that is just what Poppy and Amelia did with their presentation. The entire room of people was deeply moved by what these two abortion storytelling activists had to say. Additionally, I think it is safe to say that not just through the entire week of events but with this program in particular, I started an honest conversation about abortion in my community which is exactly what I set out to do.
Overall, I was impressed with the outcome of my "Reproductive Justice Week." Despite a few concerns of ours, no one came out to harass me, members of my student organization, or any of the presenters I had visiting during the week of programming. Furthermore, we had great attendance from Wilmington community members, which is fantastic considering all the events happened on UNCW's campus. In this day and age, discussions about reproductive justice can be exhausting and tiring. It is definitely an uphill battle to fight for these rights and have our voices be heard. Nevertheless, we cannot stop until all of our rights are guaranteed!
Reproductive Justice 101 with SisterSong
by Marie-Antoinette Sintim, 2017-2018 Campus Leader at UNC Chapel Hill
I've been learning about Reproductive Justice for a while and I've learned a lot. You know when you feel confident about something that you forget that there're still a million things to know? Well, November 12, 2017, was that day for me. Kate, my badass feminist friend, had worked really hard for there to be a Reproductive Justice training on UNC-Chapel Hill's campus, and as the Campus Leader at NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, I worked with her to get SisterSong to come and conduct this training. It had been advertised not just to the UNC community, but to nearby communities, as well. We had pizza and cookies! I was very excited (I believe in food always).
Would we have students? Faculty? Neighbors? A random protestor? Luckily for us, the people that showed up were students, friends, and neighbors who were eager to learn about reproductive Justice.
Apart from a great crowd, Ash of SisterSong expanded the narrative of Reproductive Justice, choosing not to focus on just cisgender white women, but on trans people, non- binary people, and People of Color. Attendees shared stories about their reproductive lives, in all forms. The more I do this work, the more I am reminded that for many people these are stories that are hard to tell no matter how many times they are shared. And that to be trusted with such a story is a privilege and should be respected. There are never enough spaces to tell those things that we are afraid to utter ,but we had that space during this training (and because of the sacredness I won't share other people's stories here, but I'm sure we all have our stories or know those of our loved ones).
While teaching us about the Reproductive Justice framework, Ash allowed for questions, no matter how uncomfortable. I learned that I won't always be prepared for uncomfortable questions! In my discomfort, I decided not to lead with my exasperation and anger with attendees who didn't understand the importance of Reproductive Justice…maybe today I would lead with some compassion instead. I started talking to myself like you do before you're about to say something you don't quite know how to say and told myself: "There are things that these people don't know about Reproductive Justice and I don't know everything, either, and I'm not right always and don't always use the right language or phrase everything correctly. I'm still learning, too." The mere fact that these folks had come to a teach in about Reproductive Justice meant something!
So, today I learned something new and so did they!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has revealed that terrorist group, Boko Haram, wanted him to ditch his Christian faith and accept Islam while he was president.
"At this juncture, it may be prudent to state that one of their demands was that I abandon my Christian faith and accept Islam. In other words, they wanted a Muslim President for Nigeria amongst others," he wrote.
Since Boko Haram's insurgency escalated in 2009, the group has killed tens of thousands of Nigerians as well as displaced millions who are scattered in internally displaced person's camps.
Even though President Muhammadu Buhari declared in 2015 that Boko Haram had been technically defeated, the group has carried out several deadly attacks since then, with an increase in the number of attacks on troops happening in 2018.
According to a report by a United States-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Nigeria belongs in the group of countries experiencing a significantly high amount of violence due to terrorist activities, most notably from Boko Haram and its faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The report constructed a data set of terrorist groups and fighters from 1980 to 2018 and estimated Nigeria's number of terrorist fighters to be between 3,450 and 6,900.
The report noted that most countries, including Nigeria, who are most impacted by terrorist activities are at or near the bottom 10% of countries worldwide in terms of government effectiveness.
"Most are also in the bottom 10% of countries worldwide in other governance indicators, such as control of corruption," the report read.
The report concluded that poor governance indicators make it difficult to be confident that terrorism and insurgency will end in the foreseeable future.


text:
namespace DensePoints {
  namespace PMVS {
    class OptimizationOpenCV : public Optimization {
    public:
      using Optimization::Optimization;
      bool Optimize();
    };
  }
}

#endif // DENSEPOINTS_PMVS_OPTIMIZATION_OPENCV

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Mayor Ravenstahl has been re-elected, and now he wants Carnegie Mellon students to pay more than $400 extra each year because the city of Pittsburgh needs to balance its budget.
This one percent tax targets "post-secondary tuition," which is basically any college student in Pittsburgh, and because Carnegie Mellon students already have high tuition costs, under this budget measure, we'd be paying the highest tax.
A large portion of the funds would help cover higher pension costs — costs that college students do not benefit from — and a little of it would help keep neighborhood branches of the Carnegie Libraries from closing. To justify this tax, the mayor has said that "the city can no longer provide city services to those who are not paying their fair share." However, we students do contribute to Pittsburgh's economy — we go out to eat at restaurants and we spend money at local and chain retailers.
Mayor Ravenstahl also said that "this is a fair way to share the burden of paying for public services." Clearly something isn't fair. Why should the tax be based on the tuition of an institution; are Carnegie Mellon students the biggest freeloaders of the city? Carnegie Mellon students are already burdened with the large amount of tuition we pay, and this only adds to our troubles. This added price could prevent prospective students from coming to Carnegie Mellon and Pittsburgh would be missing out on some of the best talent from around the world. Carnegie Mellon University was just named a "Best Neighbor" to the city of Pittsburgh because of our "positive impact" on the community, including "commercial and residential activities." Maybe the mayor missed that issue of The Tartan.
Instead of taxing our education, perhaps the mayor should embark on a plan to bring more people to the city, and encourage college students to stay after graduating. Creating more taxes on the population of college students will only drive people away.


text:
Q: Doctrine migrations: how to retrieve value right after insert I have a doctrine migration class with standard up method, like this:
$this->addSql("INSERT INTO `mytable` (`name`) VALUES ('myvalue')");

        $res = $this->em->createQueryBuilder()
            ->select('a')
            ->from(MyEntityClass::class, 'a')
            ->where("a.name = :name")
            ->setParameter('name', 'myvalue')
            ->getQuery()
            ->getResult();
        $id = $res[0]->getId();

        //some other operation using $id...

running this code I got an error: Notice: Undefined offset: 0
if I manually check the db, the value was not inserted.
However, if I commented out the block with the select query, the value is correctly saved to the table.
Looks to me the query in addSql are all executed at the end of the script, is there a way to retrieve a value right after it was saved on the db?

A: This is because addSql is not executed immediately.
Try to do the following:
$this->connection->executeUpdate("INSERT INTO `mytable` (`name`) VALUES ('myvalue')");
// and then
$lastId = $this->connection->fetchColumn('SELECT LAST_INSERT_ID()');

P.S. And don't use query builder inside migrations(it's a bad practice). Because your entity can be changed in the future(or even removed).

A: As you can see in the source code of addSql, it does not execute any statement, but puts it into an array of statements that are executed later. That's why you cannot access the ID directly.
You could read that ID within any other statement through a subquery, like:
$this->addSql('INSERT INTO otherTable(x,y)
    VALUES(1, (SELECT id from mytable WHERE `name` = "myvalue"))'
);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Joint Press Conference with Minister for Defence Marise Payne and Singapore Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, Townsville, 14 October 2016
E&EO
Minister Payne:
Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and thank you very much for joining us here. It's been a great pleasure this morning to meet with some of the key stakeholders in the Townsville community with my Singaporean colleague, Dr Ng, particularly the Mayor Jenny Hill, representatives of the chamber of commerce and Townsville enterprise and port authority and have the chance to discuss some of the key issues in relation to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with them and particularly the MoU in relation to military training.
I'm going to ask Dr Ng if he'd like to say a few words and then I might make a few other observations and we'll go to questions.
Dr Ng:
(Inaudible) By any reckoning the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership I think is historical. It means very close ties, even closer ties between Defence establishments as you know we've been training at Shoalwater Bay for the last twenty five years. The scale of this agreement both in duration and size will mean more SAF troops training here and (inaudible) the people of Australia as well as the people here in Townsville will plan for this next twenty five years, but as we know the devil is always in the details and I want to make sure it's a good start, and I want to emphasise the message to the SAF is that you have to have respect for the people here, have respect for their rights and respect of land and you have to give back to the community, you have to engage the community. We've met with some of the business leaders and town leaders and I think it's a very good start. We understand this is a long road but nevertheless I think there is enormous good will and I hope that this will continue and again I want to just thank everyone for taking the time for us to be able to start this journey together.
Thank you very much Dr Ng and the doctor is right – this is an unprecedented agreement between our nations. It underpins the extraordinarily strong Defence relationship which we already have which extends of course over many decades. Dr Ng and I have been reflecting that next year is the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore and so much of our history in the region has grown from that extraordinary point in Singaporean history. In Townsville itself we know that we're in a garrison city. We know that Defence has a long and proud presence in this city, both in terms of current serving members and those who choose to leave the defence force and make their lives here. I think the opportunity to develop the Townsville Field Training Area as we also develop the Shoalwater Bay Training Area as part of the defence agreement as under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is a very, very important one. It's not often in 2016 that you find yourself making a 25 year agreement. It's a really strong foundation for the development of the training area, for the development of training activities for the Singapore Armed Forces. It's an opportunity for us to reinforce, as I said, the importance of that defence relationship. It will see the change in numbers grow from 6,600 members of the Singapore Armed Forces who train each year in Australia at the moment to 14,000 personnel. It will see the time increase from six weeks per year to 18 weeks per year and that is going to be a considerable presence of young Singapore soldiers visiting beautiful parts of Australia like Townsville and Shoalwater bay.
I know that they will form a firm relationship and liking for the country, the country-side and the Australian people. We have the great reputation of being equally welcoming nations. Warm, informal, friendly and ready to embrace newcomers, ready to embrace new opportunities and this is a very good example of that. So thank you very much for your interest today and I look forward to answering some questions on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and perhaps we might start with some of our Singapore representatives and I can't see where you all are because of the lights.
Minister, you've just met the Townsville leaders. What is the mood like (inaudible)?
Minister Ng:
Very warm and very good and some of them are here today. I think it reflects again the shared perspective, the reasons for this Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This shared partnership I believe is what is good, what is right. What is good for Australia, what is good for Singapore, what is good for the region. I am very happy that the town leaders also share the commitment. You mentioned that it's an agreement, but we're very clear even though there is agreement we are here as guests and I remind my soldiers that you are here as well behaved guests.
Dr Ng, you said the devil is in the detail. Were you able to share any of the details how that spend, that's more than a billion Australian dollars in investment about where that might go and how it will benefit this community?
We've committed to $2.25 billion Australian dollars for the life-cycle costs for the next 25 years. But I think as the Minister will elaborate, there will be a master plan stage which the Department of Defence, the Australian Department of Defence will drive. We'll work together with them, as well as the ADF. So perhaps I'll leave that.
So we have some of our senior defence officials with us today and we will be making sure that we brief local media in both areas as this progresses. We have to start with an initial development of a business plan and a detailed business plan, concurrently with that we'll be developing master plans for both of the locations. As you can imagine when you're developing training areas the physical size of these, they have to be properly master planned. The Shoalwater Bay training area enables training across the three services, air, land and water, Townsville more land focussed and air, perhaps. But that master planning process will take probably 2017 and 2018 and we expect construction to begin in 2019. But as I said, we are at the very beginning of this. We will be working closely with the local government and one of the reasons that it was great to have an opportunity to introduce the minister to the mayor today is the commencement of that relationship as well. We're working closely with local government, closely with state government, in putting those processes together. This is something which we intend to do properly. There's no point in not planning it properly if it's going to need to last 25 years.
Prime Minister Turnbull said that priority will be given to local content, if that's the right term, how do you define that?
So the MoU determines or indicates that the priority will be given to Australian businesses in the locality of the training areas for both phases of the activity, to the development activity and the ongoing training activity. So businesses in the Townsville area, and that is as broad as businesses who have skills in strategic planning, skills in development and those sorts of things; to trades, to food preparation, food provision and so on; construction and all the things that are aligned with that.
So are they businesses that are based in this area?
Minister Payne
Only businesses that are based in this area will get priority to these contracts?
That's exactly right. Well not only businesses, I think that's point of the priority, it is businesses based in the Townsville area, for the Townsville Field Training Area, businesses based in the Central Queensland, Shoalwater Bay area for that training area.
Let me just add one point, in terms of the master planning and the aspirations for the collaboration of the Australian Defence Force and the Singapore Armed Forces. What we hope to build is a state-of-the-art combined arms firing range. I think it's timely because the platforms are new to build a range, a modern range. The second thing we have been trying to look at is the urban training live-fire training area. Many of the missions that we foresee will be in the urban space and this gives us a new start and if we can achieve that, that could be very good for both armed forces.
Minister, is there any scope to extend partnerships like this to other countries? Is this the way Australia's diplomacy is heading in the future?
This is a very special Memorandum of Understanding; the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been a number of years in the making, one of my former Ministerial colleagues, Andrew Robb who is well-known in Singapore, is largely responsible for the development of this, and its implementation is now with the Minister for Trade, Steven Ciobo. What it indicates is a reinforcement of the initiatives we made in relation to international relation engagement in the Defence White Paper which was released in February this year. This is the first time for example, Defence is funding as a core focus of our Defence International Engagement. This is a reflection of that but I don't think I would say that we would replicate this in this sort of form across the board of our international engagement. This is a very specific and special activity. But that's not to say regionally we won't be working closely with all of our colleagues and making sure we have a sort of defence presence which gives us familiarity, gives us the opportunity to get together, to understand each other better and to make sure that we are all contributing to the security and stability of our region.
Minister, can I ask a question about Federal Politics to get that out of the way?
Well let's see if there are any more questions about the CSP first and we may have some questions from Singapore.
Twenty five years ago the two countries produced an agreement. What is it about Singapore that gives Australia the confidence to invest in a partnership?
I think it's a both a history, a shared history and experiences. Shoalwater Bay has been (inaudible) for twenty five years already. And throughout that period we've gotten to know the people better and we have had a very positive experience, I hope we have been good guests. Feedback I get from the leaders is that we are welcome and I believe we can do this for Townsville as well. With the ADF, as Minister Payne said, we have been on missions together – Timor-Leste, Afghanistan. We are very comfortable with one another. This is a partnership that will last, that will strengthen our understanding.
How can this and having troops on the ground ensure that we manage to strengthen the relationship between Australia and Singapore?
First of all, Soldiers please behave. Treat this as your own home, treat these people as your relatives and your friends. Respect them and if there is anything that is damaged repair it. That's the first start, respect. And also, grow friendships with the people here with the ADF, both their leaders and the soldiers but from a training point of you, if we can build those facilities then we will build the capabilities on both sides.
Anything else you'd like to ask?
Minister, conservationists say that the increased activity at Townsville and Shoalwater Bay will harm the environment. How is the Government planning on minimising the impact to the environment?
We are always very mindful about our responsibilities in that regard and we will continue to be so and part of the master planning process of course is to be cognisant of that and to work with the local authorities to make sure that we are within the requirements of minimising the impact on the environment. I've seen some of those comments and I think the advantage of master planning, gives us a great opportunity to manage that.
Minister, I just wanted to get your thoughts on the future of Lavarack Barracks, will it expand greatly over the next five to ten years in Townsville?
Well, Lavarack Barracks already has an extremely strong presence here in Townsville. It's slated for $600m worth of investment in the White Paper's Integrated Investment Program. That's a pretty strong investment and indication of the government's commitment to its foundational importance. One of the things the White Paper did was to turn to the basics that we call enablers of the Defence Estate, that support the operation of our solders, our sailors and our Air Force in the work they do. They have not had the attention they have deserved over the previous years, so we have funded them specifically in the White Paper. That $600m investment in Lavarack and also a similar amount of money in RAAF Townsville in the White Paper Integrated Investment Program, I think, indicates for the community here and for the serving men and women who support the ADF here in this community, that we are very determined to make these solid, state-of-the-arts, well supported, well-prepared facilities. I think speaking to Brigadier Field on this visit, he reminded me that next year for the Brigade is both Exercise Hamill and Exercise Talisman Sabre focussed. That's pretty high tempo in terms of their engagement and we will support them as much as we can. I've had the chance to visit Lavarack myself, the Minister will have the chance later this morning and you'll meet as many of the enthusiastic soldiers there and I am incredibly proud of the work that they do.
It's been said that Singaporean's need to be good guests, would you encourage the Townsville Community to really get behind this and be good hosts and please welcome them?
One hundred per cent. This is an amazing opportunity. This is a great chance for the Townsville Community to engage in the future of the Memorandum of Understanding, this Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Defence for us is the basis of it but there is so much more happening around it, whether it is in the education space, the service space, the legal space, there is so much opportunity and I think what we have signed over the past two days across the three portfolios; foreign affairs, defence and trade, what we have signed in the last three days is really a seminal change. We've had a Singapore-Australia Trade Agreement for a number of years now but this is the next step and our communities; whether it's Townsville, whether it's Rockhampton and Yeppoon, whether it's James Cook University, or the ADF and the Singapore-Armed Forces, we've got such a fabulous opportunity. I know that you have the air show that will show what's possible. Ladies and Gentleman I really do have to make a move but we have time for one more question.
Just quickly the allegations of war crimes, do you think they should automatically be referred to the AFP?
I think the matter to which you are referring to has already been referred to the Inspector-General of the ADF.
George Brandis misleading Parliament? Should he stand down?
There's no suggestion that the Attorney-General has misled the Parliament, I have the utmost respect for my colleague, my leader of the Government in the Senate and in his role as the Attorney General. Thanks Everyone.
Minister for Defence
Henry Budd (Minister Payne's office) 0429 531 143
Defence Media (02) 6127 1999
Biography | Media releases | Speeches | Statements | Transcripts
Doorstop: Introduction of the Defence Amendment (Call Out of the Australian Defence Force) Bill 2018, Canberra
2+2 Press conference with Defence Minister Marise Payne, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu
Land 400, Singapore Military Training Initiative
Interview with Minister for Defence Maries Payne - ABC Capricornia
LAND 400 Announcement


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Amy J. Jak, Ph.D., Associate Director, Clinical Research Unit
3350 La Jolla Village Drive
ajak@ucsd.edu
CV-AJak.pdf
Dr. Jak received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in neuropsychology, from the University of Cincinnati (2004). She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at the VA San Diego Healthcare System/Veteran's Medical Research Foundation from 2004-2007. Currently, she is an Associate Professor (In Residence) of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and a Staff Neuropsychologist and Director of the TBI Cognitive Rehabilitation Clinic at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.
Dr. Jak's research focuses on neuropsychology and neuroimaging in normal aging and mild cognitive impairment as well as in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Specifically, her current research in aging examines diagnostic approaches to MCI and how protective behavioral factors (e.g., physically and mentally active lifestyles) impact cognition and brain structural integrity. Her research in TBI investigates neuropsychological presentations in TBI as well as novel treatments for comorbid mild TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Jak's current research studies are funded by the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Alzheimer's Association, and the National Institute on Aging.
Dr. Jak is the Director of Traumatic Brain Injury Cognitive Rehabilitation at the VA San Diego Healthcare system and she provides psychoeducation and training in compensatory strategies to Veterans with mild to moderate TBI.
To participate in current research studies, please visit VASDHS and VMRF.
Jurick, S. M., Crocker, L. D., Sanderson-Cimino, M., Keller, A.V., Trenova, L. S., Boyd, B., Twamley, E. W., Rodgers, C. S., Schiehser D. M., Aupperle, R. L., & Jak, A. J. (2018). Contributions to Executive Dysfunction in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 33, E41-52. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000313
Jak, A.J. (2017). The Primary Role of Mental Health Treatment in Resolution of Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 4, 231-40.
Jak, A.J., Crocker, L., Aupperle, R., Clausen, A., & Bomyea, J. (2016). Neurocognition in PTSD: Treatment Insights and Implications. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences: Behavioral Neurobiology of PTSD. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. doi.org/10.1007/7854_2016_62
Jurick, S.M., Bangen, K., Evangelista, N., Sanderson-Cimino, M., Delano-Wood, L., & Jak, A.J. (2016). Advanced Neuroimaging to Quantify Myelin in vivo – Application to TBI. Brain Injury, 30, 1452-57.
Boyd, B., Rodgers, C., Aupperle, R., & Jak, A.J. (2016). Case Report on the effects of Cognitive Processing Therapy on Psychological, Neuropsychological and Speech Disturbances in Comorbid PTSD and TBI. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 23, 178-83. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2015.10.001
Jak, A.J., Aupperle, R., Rodgers, C., Lang, A.J., Schiehser, D., Norman, S.B., & Twamley, E.W. (2015). Evaluation of a hybrid treatment for veterans with comorbid traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 45, 210-216.
Jak AJ, Gregory A, Orff HJ, Colón C, Steele N, Schiehser DM, Delano-Wood L, Jurick SM, Twamley EW. (2015). Neuropsychological performance in treatment-seeking Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 37(4), 379-88.
Jurick, S.M., Twamley, E.W., Hays, C.C., Orff, H.J., & Jak, A.J. (2016). Post-concussive Symptom Over-reporting in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 53, 571-584.
Twamley, E.W., Thomas, K.R., Gregory, A.M., Jak, A.J., Bondi, M.W., Delis, D.C., & Lohr, J.B. (2015). CogSMART compensatory cognitive training for traumatic brain injury: effects over 1 year. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 30(6), 391-401.
Twamley, E.W., Jak, A.J., Delis, D. C, Bondi, M.W., & Lohr, J.B. (2014). Cognitive Symptom Management and Rehabilitation Therapy (CogSMART) for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 51(1), 59-70.


text:
Our Voices Too (2016-2019)
Being Heard Project (2016-2018)
RISE Learning Network (2015-2018)
LEAP Against Sexual Violence (2015-2017)
Our Voices (2013-2016)
Last updated: Fri 03, 2018
Aim: To help establish a European network of children and young people who are active in influencing policy and practice on preventing and responding to sexual violence and; to improve understanding amongst professionals of the need for a strengths-based approach to working with young people affected by sexual violence.
Countries: TBC
Partners: TBC
Main funder: The Oak Foundation
Project lead: Claire Cody
Project activities include:
Carrying out a situational analysis to understand the feasibility of working with partner organisations to support the development of a youth network.
Supporting partners to apply and adapt the training, tools, processes and resources developed through the LEAP project in different European countries.
Building a European research network on ethical engagement of children and young people affected by sexual violence.
Coordinating a series of learning activities for the network including workshops and webinars.
Building the evidence base through carrying out research on the use and impact of participatory and peer support models for young people affected by sexual violence in Europe.
See more about the project in our News section.
Aim: To promote and facilitate learning on the recovery and (re)integration of children and adolescents affected by sexual exploitation.
Countries: Three focus regions, Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa and South and Central Asia.
Partners: Family For Every Child and Retrak
Developing the RISE Learning Network online platform
Developing and implementing three learning projects that capture local learning to influence policy and practice around recovery and reintegration. Learning project two will focus on 'survivors' voice'.
Advocating to improve policy and practice on recovery and reintegration by collecting and disseminating the learning from the project.
See more about this project on the RISE Learning Network.
Aim: Support children and young people affected by sexual violence in Europe
by strengthening and facilitating participatory practice.
Countries: Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Romania and the UK
Partners: Barnardo's, Pulse Foundation, Terre des hommes Romania, Stichting Alexander, Terre des hommes Regional Office for South Eastern Europe and Eurochild.
Main funder: Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC) Programme of the European Union
Project lead: Kate D'Arcy
Developing a training programme for sexual violence specialist support services to promote participatory practice with children and young people affected by sexual violence.
Building capacity and sustainable professional support networks to promote participatory practice through facilitating communities of practice.
Developing a 12 week life skills and leadership programme toolkit for children and young people affected by sexual violence.
Training Youth Facilitators to co-deliver the programme with partner organisations.
Supporting children and young people to develop youth-led projects through creative tools such as film and art which will help protect other children and young people and challenge stigma.
Building the evidence-base through research and evaluation.
Facilitating European knowledge exchange through the dissemination of freely accessible tools and resources.
See more about the project in our News and Publications sections.
Aim: To build to the knowledge and develop the skills of the Sexual Violence Research Initiative's (SVRI) members and affiliates to undertake participatory research on sexual violence against children.
Countries: Global
Partners: SVRI
Project lead: Helen Veitch
Reviewing and scoping participatory research on sexual violence against children.
Delivering webinars and attending the SVRI Forum in Brazil 2017 to share the findings from the scoping.
Developing tools to enable researchers to engage children and young people affected by sexual violence in research activities on the issue.
Aim: To engage with children and young people in safe and supported settings to raise attention to their work on preventing sexual violence and to support projects in Europe to develop participatory work with children who have experienced sexual violence.
Countries: Albania, Bulgaria and the UK
Partners: Barnardo's, Engage!, ISIS, Gavroche Association, Pulse Foundation, Different and Equal and Terre des hommes Albania.
Project activities included:
Coordinating a pan-European 'call for information' where services across Europe were asked to share their participatory practice with young people around the issue of sexual violence.
Developing a series of consultation workshops exploring young people's role in sexual violence prevention activities facilitated by seven partners with forty-seven young people from Albania, Bulgaria and England.
Organising a series of webinars on young people and participation.
Hosting a roundtable event bringing together service-providers, young people and policy makers from across Europe.
Organising a conference entitled 'young people affected by sexual violence as change makers in prevention efforts: what are the opportunities and what are the risks?'
Hosting a workshop with conference participants to discuss participatory practice.
Supporting four small scale prevention projects designed and delivered by young people in Albania, Bulgaria and England.
Read reports and view presentations and webinars in our Publications section.


Try looking here about half way down #4. To Delete a Custom Power Plan.
I said on the post that the Delete this Plan button wasn't appearing. But I did a CMD fix, by typing powerplan- defaultrestore or something like that. Then what it did was delete all customs and leave the defaults, Dell, High Performance, Power Saver, etc.


If you're considering car finance, a car finance broker can save you time and money by helping you access and choose an appropriate finance option for your circumstances, and by assisting you before, during and after the application process. That being said, not all car finance brokers are created equal. You've probably double-checked the numbers, but have you sorted the wheat from the chaff?
Finance brokers receive "accreditations" from lenders, which are official agreements between lenders and the broker that enable the broker to access each lender's services. The range of accreditations held by a broker govern the range of options they can offer to their clients.
The accreditation process varies from lender to lender, with some requiring very little to provide an accreditation, whilst others insist on a shopping-list of items including probity and solvency checks, established trading history, Professional Indemnity insurance cover, trade and customer references and more. Some lenders are so selective that they only deal with one or two of brokers across the whole of Australia!
Tip: When choosing a car finance broker, find out about their range of lender accreditations. Your brokers' accreditations not only affect the range of finance options available to you, but also the quality of those options - the more selective lenders often provide the most attractive finance products. Remember that when it comes to lender accreditations, quantity does not equal quality!
Choose a broker that recruits and retains professional, honest and experienced staff.
Your finance consultant should be an experienced professional who can demonstrate, in writing if requested, why a particular product is recommended for your specific circumstance. You are entitled to ask for testimonials from previous clients and confirmation of their experience if you wish.
Tip: See if your consultant can provide testimonials from their own customers and/or customers of their employer. If your consultant is a contractor rather than an employee, check that they have sufficient Professional Indemnity insurance coverage.
Prompt, personal service should be a given, but you should also expect your finance consultant to provide clear information about timeframes, why they have made their recommendations, and any fees and charges associated with your finance.
A good finance consultant should also be able to explain the comparison rate (if applicable) of your recommended vehicle finance and the total cost of your finance package, including any hidden fees or charges.
Tip: Try our comparison rate calculator to make sure you're comparing apples with apples.
The Finance Brokers' Association of Australia Ltd. (FBAA) is Australia's leading membership body for finance broking professionals. The FBAA believe that the promotion of measurable professional practice standards in sourcing domestic and commercial funding is in the best interests of its customers/consumers and vital to the integrity and future well being of the finance/mortgage broking industry. These standards are published within an industry recognised Code of Practice, and must be adhered to as a condition of membership.
Complaints about finance brokers may also be handled by the Credit and Investment Ombudsman (CIO), an independent, ASIC-approved alternative to legal proceedings for the resolution of complaints with member organisations.
Additionally, finance brokers serving clients based in Western Australia face an extra requirement: they must hold a WA Finance Broker Licence, which requires the licensee to pass a comprehensive range of checks, educational requirements and operational requirements.
Tip: For peace of mind in the event of any dispute, check that your finance consultant, or their employer, is a member of one or both of these industry associations by searching their member lists. If you are a resident of WA - or even the other states of Australia - make sure that your car finance broker holds a WA Finance Broker Licence for maximum peace of mind.
In a filing cabinet or behind a firewall - where is your personal information being stored?
Throughout the process of applying for and finalising your finance, your consultant will need access to your personal information, including copies of drivers licences, home address details, employment and income information. This information and more is required by all reputable lenders.
We're proud to say that stratton meets and exceeds all of these factors, which is why we have grown to become one of Australia's largest car finance brokers.
For expert advice and access to a range of car finance options from Australia's best lenders, contact us today - call 1300 STRATTON (1300 787 288).


Nightstand With Marble Top Lovely Mid Century Drawer In Walnut And Carrara For 6 | Pedileacarol.com nightstand with marble top. nightstand with white marble top. jessica mcclitock nightstand with marble top.


The Opera Division's fall production this year is Mozart's Don Giovanni in a production by Marilyn Gronsdal. Let's start with the production. The sets are all paper and boxes with a few props and the costuming is 1940s. The aesthetic is film noir. There are trilbies and Don Ottavio is packing a piece in a shoulder holster. It set, for me and my companion at least, an expectation that this would be a "film noir production" but although there were nods in that direction; Leporello as the comic sidekick, statuette of the Commendatore as the murder weapon for example, the idea wasn't really developed at all. Instead we got a very straightforward narrative with the a few twists. Gronsdal included a chorus of silent women who comment on the action (didn't she do this in Saskatoon as well?) and Don Giovanni isn't dragged down to Hell.


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Dr Rajarshi Banerjee, Perspectum Diagnostics Ltd, Oxford
Principal Investigator: Dr Rajarshi Banerjee
Department: Oxford Centre for Innovation
Perspectum Diagnostics Ltd, Oxford Centre for Innovation, New Road, Oxford, OX1 1BY, United Kingdom
Tags: 9914, disease, Fat, Fibrosis, inflammation, Iron, Liver
Lead Collaborators: 1) Professor Jimmy Bell
Collaborating Institutions and Addresses: 1) University of Westminster, Department of Life Sciences, Room N3.11of, Clipstone Building, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, United Kingdom
Funding body: Perspectum Diagnostics Ltd
1a: Perspectum Diagnostics has developed a method of analysing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data that gives an accurate estimate of the amount of liver fat, the amount of liver iron, and the extent of inflammation and scarring in the liver. These three characteristics of the liver are also the most important in the diagnosis of liver disease. By analysing the abdominal MR images from all UK Biobank participants, we can determine approximately how many have abnormal liver composition, and the distribution of each of these measures in the population. Finally, and most importantly, we can examine the outcomes of the participants with liver disease, and determine which biomarkers are predictive of these outcomes.
1b: New, clinically meaningful data will be generated from the existing DICOM images, and fed back in to the UK Biobank data repository. These data will be directly relevant to future health outcomes and of use to other researchers. Excess liver fat is associated with coronary artery atheroma and metabolic syndrome, and is strongly associated with obesity-related disease. Liver fibrosis and inflammation are both associated with adverse outcomes, which is especially relevant in those with fatty liver disease. We will be able to show which patients have liver disease, and future researchers can link these findings to specific outcomes.
1c: The MRI scans from the imaging enhancement study will be analysed by LiverMultiScan to determine liver fat, iron, inflammation and fibrosis (LIF score). These measures have separately been validated against liver biopsies from patients.
These data will then be compared to measures of body composition, serum markers (lipid profile, iron stores, CRP and others) and habits associated with liver disease (eg alcohol intake, exercise and diet).
We will follow up all patients and identify those with a liver-related clinical outcome (eg liver failure, hepatic encephalopathy), and determine which prognostic factors best predict these outcomes in this population.
1d: All 100,000 participants from the UK Biobank imaging enhancement study (ie the full cohort from the imaging enhancement study) will be analysed to determine the baseline liver health profiles of the population.
Clinical outcomes data will be collected, with the aim of capturing
– every liver-related death
– every episode of oesophageal variceal bleeding
– every new diagnosis of cirrhosis
– every new diagnosis of liver failure or gross ascites due to liver disease (excluding malignant ascites)
– every new primary hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma
– every new pancreatic carcinoma
Application Number / Title: 9914 – Determining the Outcomes of People with Liver Disease
Applicant PI: Dr Rajarshi Banerjee
Applicant Institution: Perspectum Diagnostics Ltd
PROJECT EXTENSION – APPROVED BY UK BIOBANK 01.12.2016:
"We would like to further request the fields within categories 10060 (Mental Health) and 125 (Bone size, mineral and density by DXA). These would be in relation to work to establish the effect of iron overload on various outcomes at a population level. On the latter category, 125, EASL 2010 guidelines state a link – referencing papers stating a link, though none with a potential sample size of that now available in biobank (i.e Guggenbuhl et al 2005).
In relation to category 10060 – interest is two-fold. Firstly, reports from patient surveys from major patient groups like the Haemochromatosis Society indicate a link between poor mental health and iron overload (Haemochromatosis Society 2016). Other reports indicate a link with conditions such as bipolar disorder (Serata et al 2012, Feifel et al 1997) – but state further study is required. On another level, links between mental and physical health, and separate mental health burdens, have often been ignored by societal norms in the past – and warrant further investigation as a matter of course.
Furthermore, haemochromatosis, and hepatic iron overload in general, have been shown to predispose people to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Given this, early symptom detection would be useful to aid the identification of at risk populations.
Liver disease has been cited as a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the UK and across the globe. The Chief Medical Officer has named liver disease as one of her prime targets (CMO reports 2012 and 2013). Imaging methodologies have the unique capability of providing information about internal structures without being invasive, therefore such an approach enables the potential of advanced image phenotyping to be explored.
There is an increasing awareness that excessive liver fat (termed steatosis), is a precursor for insulin resistance and type II diabetes (Roden, 2006; Stefan, Kantartzis, & Haring, 2008), as well as to liver inflammation (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis – NASH) and cirrhosis. The recent rise in obesity and insulin resistance (Anstee et al. 2013), has contributed to an increase in the occurrence and changes in the progression of excess liver fat into liver inflammation and cirrhosis (Hart et al. 2010, Liu et al. 2010). Additionally, liver inflammation and cirrhosis are associated with cardiovascular disease (Hu, et al., 2014; Targher, Day, & Bonora, 2010; Adams, et al., 2005). Moreover, NASH and fibrosis predispose individuals to hepatocellular carcinoma (Lade, Noon, & Friedman, 2014; Oda, Uto, Mwatari, & Ido, 2015).
While there are some known genetic factors for liver disease (e.g. PNPLA3 and TM6SF2) the mechanism of action is not fully understood, and there are many more factors that merit further investigation (Anstee et al., 2016). Many of these genetic factors have a role in cardiovascular disease, inflammation and lipid metabolism.
Several blood biomarkers, including platelets and white blood cell counts, are correlated with liver disease (Vallet-Pichard et al., 2007, Miyake 2013). So too are they explanatory variables for cardiovascular disease.
Using genotypes, phenotypes (including our MR derived phenotypes), and lifestyle choices we would like to develop accurate risk profiling for fatty liver disease, fibrosis, and HCC. Initially, this will be with principal components analyses, genetic association studies, and multivariable analyses. Further work will involve building more complex models to handle the complex interactions between liver disease, metabolism and genetics.
Perspectum Diagnostics has developed a method of analysing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data that gives an accurate estimate of the amount of liver fat, the amount of liver iron, and the extent of inflammation and scarring in the liver. These three characteristics of the liver are also the most important in the diagnosis of liver disease. By analysing the abdominal MR images from all UK Biobank participants, we can determine approximately how many have abnormal liver composition, and the distribution of each of these measures in the population. Finally, and most importantly, we can examine the outcomes of the participants with liver disease, and determine which biomarkers are predictive of these outcomes.
In addition, as part of this Research Project the Applicant will use the Data to develop and validate semi-automated and automated methods for calculating fat, iron, and corrected T1 in both the liver and the pancreas. This will include the development of semi-automated and automated methods to assess data quality, identify image artefacts, and identify biological features within the liver and pancreas.


text:
Why Did Stegosaurus Have Plates on Its Back?
Paleontologists
Dinosaurs & Birds
Marine Reptiles
Elena Duvernay/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images
by Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss is a freelance writer and editor with over 25 years of experience in print and online media. He is the author of three books.
If it weren't for its pointed, symmetrical, vaguely threatening-looking plates, Stegosaurus would be a completely unremarkable dinosaur — a bland, small-brained, second-tier plant eater like Iguanodon. Fortunately for its place in the popular imagination, though, the late Jurassic Stegosaurus possessed one of the most distinctive "do"'s in the animal kingdom, those double rows of tough, bony, roughly triangular plates that lined this dinosaur's back and neck.
It has taken a long time, though, for these plates to be assigned their proper position and function--or, at least, to what most modern dinosaur experts today believe to be their proper position and function. In 1877, the famous American paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh coined the name Stegosaurus, Greek for "roof lizard," because he believed that this dinosaur's plates lay flat along the top of its torso, much like the armor of a crocodile. (In fact, Marsh was initially under the impression that he was dealing with a giant prehistoric turtle!)
A few years after this blunder — upon realizing that Stegosaurus was, in fact, a dinosaur and not a turtle — Marsh speculated that its triangular plates lined up sequentially, one after the other, across its back. It wasn't until the 1960's and 1970's that further fossil evidence was uncovered indicating that the plates of Stegosaurus were actually arranged in two alternating, offset rows. Today, virtually all modern reconstructions use this arrangement, with some variation in how far the plates are tilted toward one side or another.
What Was the Purpose of Stegosaurus' Plates?
Unless further evidence comes to light — and Stegosaurus is already extremely well-represented in the fossil record, so any surprises seem unlikely — paleontologists agree about how Stegosaurus "wore" its plates. The structure of these plates is also uncontroversial; basically, they were giant-sized versions of the "osteoderms" (protrusions of bony skin) that are found on modern crocodiles, and may (or may not) have been covered in a layer of sensitive skin. Crucially, the plates of Stegosaurus weren't directly attached to this dinosaur's backbone, but rather to its thick epidermis, which afforded them more flexibility and a wider range of motion.
So what was the function of Stegosaurus' plates? There are a few current theories:
1) The plates were a sexually selected characteristic — that is, males with bigger, pointier plates were more attractive to females during mating season, or vice versa. In other words, the plates of a male Stegosaurus were roughly analogous to the tail of a male peacock! (To date, unfortunately, we have no evidence that the size of Stegosaurus plates varied among individuals or between sexes.)
2) The plates were a temperature-regulation device. If Stegosaurus was, in fact, cold-blooded (as most plant-eating dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era presumably were), it might have used its plates to soak up light from the sun during the day and dissipate extra body heat at night. A 1986 study concluded that the outer layers of Stegosaurus' plates were thickly lined with blood vessels, which helps support this theory.
3) The plates made Stegosaurus appear bigger to (presumably near-sighted) meat-eating dinosaurs like the contemporary Allosaurus. Stegosaurus adults with bigger plates would have been particularly unattractive to predators, and thus this trait was passed on to successive generations. This may have been an especially important consideration for newborns and juveniles, as an adult Stegosaurus would have been quite a mouthful, with or without plates!
4) The plates served an active defensive function, especially since they were only loosely anchored to this dinosaur's skin. When Stegosaurus listed to one side in response to an attack, the sharp edges of the plates would tilt toward its antagonist, which would presumably look for a more tractable meal elsewhere. Not many scientists subscribe to this theory, which has been advanced by the maverick paleontologist Robert Bakker.
5) The plates were covered with a thin membrane of skin and were capable of changing color (say, to bright pink or red). This Stegosaurus "blush" might have served a sexual function, or it may have been used to signal other members of the herd about approaching danger or nearby food sources. The plates' high degree of vascularization, mentioned above in reference to temperature regulation, also supports this theory.
Stegosaurus Plates - The Mystery Persists
So what is the most likely answer? The fact is that evolution has a way of adapting specific anatomical features to multiple functions, so it may well be that the plates of Stegosaurus were literally all of the above: a sexually selected characteristic, a means to intimidate or defend against predators, and a temperature-regulation device. On the whole, though, the bulk of the evidence points primarily to a sexual/signaling function, as is the case with many otherwise puzzling dinosaur features, such as the long necks of sauropods, the huge frills of ceratopsians, and the elaborate crests of hadrosaurs.
How Was Stegosaurus Discovered?
Like Stegosaurus? Get to Know its Less-Famous Cousins
How Much Do You Really Know About Stegosaurus?
Ouranosaurus Facts
Why Did Spinosaurus Have a Sail?
Why Did Dinosaurs Have Feathers?
Allosaurus vs. Stegosaurus - Who Wins?
Meet Sarcosuchus, the 10-Ton SuperCroc
How Much Do You Know About Dimetrodon?
How Much Do You Know About Parasaurolophus?
Fascinating Amargasaurus Facts
The Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals of Wyoming
Hesperosaurus Facts
The Thigh Bone's Connected to the Hip Bone: The 10 Most Important Dinosaur Bones
These Dinosaurs Were the Top 10 Weirdest Creatures of the Mesozoic Era
Find Out Why the Ceratosaurus Gives Paleontologists Fits


Fold a square to perfection.
Adding a pocket square lifts a suit to new heights. Stylish since the '20s, and they've been the dapper gents' favorite ever since.
Pocket squares don't have to be worn with a top hat and tails. Even a casual blazer can be brightened by a pocket square. Use your pocket square to stand out from the crowd at smart casual functions. Pick the right color and pattern, and you're good to go.
Going formal? Avoid matching up your pocket square with your tie color. Pick a hue that works for you and complements the rest of your suit.
However you wear your square, keep it clean. A fresh square perfects the look, a dull one kinda ruins it.
Lay your pocket square out flat on a hard, even surface (like a table).
Pinch it in the center and let the corners hang down.
Hold the middle of your pocket square between your thumb and index finger.
Gracefully flip the points upwards. Keep this shape and carefully pocket your square.
Ironing pants is a talent everyone possesses: you just need to unlock your inner ironing potential.


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Jan 6, 2023 | Reports
About Us About Us 10 Essential Public Health Services Leadership Mission, Vision and Values Privacy Policy Public Health Accreditation Annual Report Awards Annual Report Northern Kentucky Health Department's fiscal year 2020-2021 annual report, which highlights...
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Alton Towers Deals Wowcher Review
4 June 2021 by Cliff
Are you looking for Alton Towers Deals Wowcher?
High Street TV is a multi-channel retail business that claims to offer unique and inventive products for consumers. It offers both online and offline shopping options, and ships to 69 countries. The company also has a good direct-to-website conversion rate. In this High Street TV review, we'll look at the company's products, their return policies, and whether or not the company is worth signing up for.
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High Street TV offers a wide range of products through its four 24-hour shopping channels. These channels offer online shopping, in-store purchase, customer service, and a product range that is available at over 5,000 retail outlets. High Street TV relies on a multi-channel eCommerce platform called Magento 2 to support its retail operation in the UK and overseas. The platform's new version includes many new features and performance enhancements. Alton Towers Deals Wowcher.
Known as the UK's largest Omnichannel retailer, High Street TV has four 24-hour shopping channels where consumers can shop for a wide range of products. The company's products are available in over 5,000 retail locations and can be purchased online or in-store. Magento 2 is the latest release from the company and includes a wide range of new features, performance enhancements, and security enhancements.
With the ability to scale up and down, High Street TV is able to support seasonal demands. The platform automatically scales virtual instances up during high traffic periods, and down during slower periods. The High Street TV Support Service is on-hand around the clock to ensure that the site remains up and running. The company's cloud-based, scalable hosting solution eliminates the need to migrate complex databases.
High Street TV is a multichannel retail business that has over 9,000 locations in the UK and abroad. High Street TV broadcasts over 200 hours of television advertising per day. It offers a wide product range, including the best-selling lifestyle brands and TV products. Customers can shop online for their favourite products or visit a retail outlet to purchase them. High Street TV has been providing customers with the most recent fashion trends and homewares for over 69 years. Alton Towers Deals Wowcher.
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In addition to the prepared text, Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia gave his comments on resource sharing as a value of the Cambodian culture in an apparent implementation for the sake of sharing between the rich and the poor, urban and rural, while shedding light on experiences drawn from the Khmer Rouge's genocide.
… Today, I wish to share with you a few remarks on what we call community spirit or sharing value, for which I am glad to see that the Pannhasastra University has taken its effort to promote for the sake of our nation. In my prepared text I have listed out the Cambodian long lasting tradition of sharing or helping each other. The sharing effort or community spirit has brought about a good solidarity. Take for example, in assembling a house, usually owners would prepare every utensils needed, while putting them together would be assisted by villagers. The owner would have to treat them a feast and that is all. It is indeed a respectable community spirit.
… To narrow the gap between urban and rural areas bears a great significance not only on socioeconomics of the country but its political life as well. I came across a paper while I was preparing my thesis. It was written in 1966 by Pol Pot entitled "the class distinction and its struggle in the Cambodian society." The paper stratified the Cambodian bourgeois into two main classes – reactionary capitalists and national capitalists. I studied the paper to find out if there were any clues as to how come Pol Pot became so barbarous? The author emphasized the fact that at that stage, the revolution has to attract support from national capitalists as a strategy to reach out to eliminate the reactionary ones. The paper also listed out petty bourgeois as another class, in which it classifies various other sub strata ranging from monks, students, intellectuals… etc. which it compared them to parasites.
… The peasant class was also stratified to group farmers into rich, upper, middle, lower and poor ones. Applying the concept of dialectical relationship, they had to eliminate not one but every one in any particular strata. They tended to think if father betrayed, so did his children. This was the origin of a policy which is known widely as "to clear the grass, one has to uproot it." This is a very dangerous concept. The situation became worse at the time when our country was divided into different regions for control. To give an example of how this could be dangerous, after April 1975, people who are blood-related could kill one another because of living in a different region.
… As this is said, I would reaffirm my appreciation of such a great significance in raising community awareness service in the curriculum of the University. In narrowing down the gap between urban and rural areas, the value of sharing from the old days seemed to have re-emerged. I am glad to have noticed that in its first intake of 436 students, including 146 female and 22 monk students, are permitted to attend class free of charge. It is indeed a great sharing value to be taken into appreciation. I think the country should go on doing things like this in the hope of boosting development in accordance with promoting economic growth. The Royal Government and the legislative institutions should continue to give their emphasis on equitable re-distribution of the growth.
… That has been a very important point as we achieved in 2004 the economic growth at the rate of 7.7%. What we aim to achieve in the coming years is a long-term economic development in a span of 6% to 7%. Since the growth of one year varies from another, the average achievement should be around 6.8%. How have we distributed the growth? We have made equitable distribution into education, health, agriculture, rural development,… for development of urban and rural areas. If we were to focus the distribution into the urban development alone, neglecting rural needs would indeed create a serious political problem. It is no doubt why the Government apparently directs its main efforts to rural areas.
… I read yesterday newspaper and I learned that Samdech Krom Preah urged FUNCINPEC officials to get down to the people in the rural area. This is what the CPP's officials have been doing. Now they could work in partnership. I would in this case offer more pumps to Samdech Krom Preah so that his team has the capability to collaborate in this matter. Let's care to none on what they may comment… I would expect that a gap between urban and rural could be acceptable despite the fact that urban roads are asphalted, while those in the countryside are coarse soil-covered. However, what could not be acceptable would be the urban negligence towards rural areas.
… Our students should look at the countryside as a resourceful place, because experiences could never be drawn by sitting only in air-conditioned room. Our rural area is vast where there are growing needs for roads, water ponds, reservoirs, damns, schools, etc. We must go to them and not to wait for them to come to us. I am glad to see that today we have a University that is closely binding itself with the community. Let's not wait until one moth before elections to go see them, and be absent for the next five years. Having done this no one would ever like to believe you. It would be a good thing if you take your two weekend days to visit them, and if necessary you may have to take workday to help them deal with their problem.


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Every windows user face at list ones in a lifetime, the problem like " System Corrupted " the reason can be whatever.
When you got the message like BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) it can probably due to your Corrupted Windows or your windows be corrupt soon.
Now, most of you think, you have to Re-install the windows copy and have to install all your application software again, it's such a boring thing to do.
But you have another options to fix this problem, namely SFC(System File Checker).
SFC do the scan for repairing damaged file in windows system drive after found it and will try to fix them up, if the tool can't fix the corrupted files then you have to reinstall the windows copy again.
In order to execute SFC you need to go to the command line you can choose PowerShell or Command Prompt its depending on your windows version, but both must run in Administrator mode. After opening command line type sfc/scannow and press the Enter key.
It will start scanning for corrupted files and after completing the scan it will inform you that your system has any Corrupted file or not. If it found any corrupted file it will try to fix them up.
If your windows cannot boot up to the OS then it is impossible to run CMD or PowerShell. But you still have other methods to run command line, Here we tell you about two methods.
You can run SFC on other working Windows Machine and make it your one working too. For this, you need to connect the hard drive to other working Computer and run SFC command into it.
Here the command you need to type in command prompt sfc/scannow/offbootdir=e:\/offwindir=e:\windows here "e" stands for the corrupted drive you just replace "e" with your drive letter.
If this is not working then you have to reinstall windows again or repair it via windows operation disk.
For more Subscribe, Like & Share.
If you have any commands let us know in comment section.


A pure ambient mix wouldn't do justice to the diversity of the Recyclopedia. So, in the end, the project became more of a [R]adiophonic [R]emix collage, a bit of a [R]oller Coaster [R]ide in itself.
Not all of the Recyclopedia CD's are included, by the way, because I wanted to keep the mix length to an hour and some of the work did not really fit the direction of the mix.
When all goes well and as planned, this mix will be released as Recyclopedia [R] (Radiophonic Remix) somewhere in 2010.
More info about the Recyclopedia project (including extensive liner notes for each single CD) can be found [here].
(Unfortunaly for foreign visitors: the website is in dutch only but if you want more information you can of course contact Frans Friederich by mail).
Thanks Peter. I'm learning a lot thanks to you.


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!This Jaguar XKE Series II & Series III got away, but there are more like it here.
1971 Jaguar XKE Series II Roadster 4-Speed
Seller: sailor289
Location: Los Angeles, California 90049
Chassis: P2R14189
81k Miles Shown, TMU
Numbers-Matching 4.2-Liter Inline-Six
Silver Paint
Dark Blue Leather Upholstery
Knock-Off 15" Wire Wheels
Chrome Luggage Rack
Owner's Handbook
Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate
Model Page: Jaguar XKE Series II & Series III
Sold by sailor289 to markvans for $91,200
This 1971 Jaguar XKE is a Series II roadster that was produced in June 1970 and originally distributed in the US by British Leyland of New York. The car is finished in silver over blue leather upholstery and powered by a numbers-matching 4.2-liter inline-six paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Additional equipment includes a black soft top, air conditioning, an AM/FM radio, a chrome luggage rack, and knock-off 15″ wire wheels. Acquired by the seller in August 2020, work performed under current ownership has included replacing the primary clutch hydraulic cylinder in May 2021. This Series II XKE roadster is now offered with a Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate, an owner's handbook, a tool kit, a battery tender, and a clean California title in the name of the seller's trust.
Finished from the factory in silver, the car is believed to have been repainted under previous ownership. Features include a black soft top along with a chrome-finished luggage rack, driver-side mirror, and bumpers with overriders.
Chrome-finished 15″ knock-off wire wheels are wrapped in 205/70 Bridgestone Turanza narrow-whitewall tires. The car is equipped with power steering, and stopping power is provided by four-wheel discs with inboard rear units. The ball joints are noted to be due for replacement.
The cabin features bucket seats upholstered in dark blue leather with a matching center console and carpets. Amenities include air conditioning, an AM/FM radio, a center console armrest, three-point seatbelts, and Jaguar-branded rubber floor mats.
A wood-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel fronts Smiths instrumentation including a 160-mph speedometer, a tachometer with a 5k-rpm redline, and centrally-mounted auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 81k miles, approximately 700 of which were added by the seller. True mileage is unknown.
The 4.2-liter inline-six is equipped with dual Zenith-Stromberg carburetors and produced 246 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque when new.
Engine block stamping 7R13406-9 matches the number shown on the data plate provided in the gallery below.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. The primary clutch hydraulic cylinder was replaced in May 2021. Corrosion is visible on exhaust system components, and additional underside photos are available in the gallery below.
The Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate indicates a manufacture date of June 18, 1970, along with original distribution through British Leyland of New York, serial numbers, and factory colors.
Filed under: e type, e-type
Winning Bid USD $91,200	by markvans


The purpose of this workshop is to assist participants, in their various roles, to bring balanced crop nutrition to smallholder farmers. Participants will have many opportunities to interact with and understand the added value of the multiple stakeholders working together to bring balanced crop nutrition to farmers.
For decades, fertilizers available to African smallholder farmers have concentrated on the NPK macro-nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Over the past ten years, however, the importance of micronutrients has come to prominence. In this context, micronutrients also include the secondary nutrients calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), which are required by plants in the range of 5-40 kg/ha, and the true micronutrients zinc (Zn), boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and molybdenum (Mo), which are required in much smaller quantities of usually less than 1 kg/ha. When micronutrients are lacking, response to the NPKs can be severely restricted. In some cases, yields can be doubled by micronutrient additions. Crops, like humans, need a full range of nutrients for healthy growth.
Balanced crop nutrition refers to feeding crops with a balanced suite of nutrients that are lacking in the soil. If more than one is in short supply, growth is limited by the nutrient which is in lowest supply. If several nutrients are deficient, all must be applied to obtain optimal yields. Soil acidity constraints may also need to be simultaneously addressed.
Soil analyses from several African countries indicates multiple micronutrient deficiencies appear to be common. Trial results from many countries confirm significant and widespread response to micronutrients. In response, fertilizer manufacturers and blenders are bringing a host of new fertilizer products to Africa. However, challenges still remain in developing and delivering balanced fertilizers to smallholders at the massive scale required.
Government officials in ministries in charge of establishing and implementing fertilizer policy, regulations, and quality control systems.
Soil scientists and agronomists from national and international research systems.
Those involved in soil and plant analysis from both the public and private sector.
Fertilizer manufacturers, blenders, and representatives of the fertilizer private sector.
Donors interested in investments in increased crop productivity.
The program will address the below topics through a series of interactive presentations and panels, and a field trip to a fertilizer blending facility.
Soil-SMaRT: An overview of the step-wise pathway to bringing balanced fertilizers to smallholder farmers: Soil analysis, Mapping, Recommendations Development, and Transfer to Farmers.
Soil analysis and mapping: Knowing the extent of nutrient deficiencies is crucial to informing blenders as to what products to produce and where to target. Progress of mapping efforts in sub-Saharan Africa, and limitations to map accuracy will be discussed.
Recommendations development: Developing knowledge regarding which nutrients belong in specific fertilizers, and which do not; different nutrient sources available; nutrient rates appropriate for compounds and blends; using trials and demonstrations to develop and evaluate better fertilizers.
Getting to the market quickly: Fertilizers based on crop demand.
Policy and regulations: Policies and fertilizer regulations need to be adapted to a dynamic and evolving fertilizer market. How fertilizer registration, subsidy policy, and regulations can facilitate or hinder the process of bringing balanced fertilizers to farmers; implications for monitoring fertilizer quality. Creating a facilitating environment for new fertilizer products.
The fertilizer industry: Learn about the processes for producing fertilizers, including manufacture and blending, the difference between compounds and blends, and which is best placed for specific circumstances.
The fertilizer market: The market has changed in the past 5 years, with many new international and domestic manufacturers and blenders participating. How do we create the enabling environment and leverage their expertise to realize rapid transition to balanced fertilizers?
The business of blending: Characteristics of the market and its impact on blender decisions. Feasibility studies, ingredients procurement, developing markets and brand recognition, what to blend.
Fertilizer platforms: The importance of national public-private sector platforms to developing and navigating roadmaps to appropriate fertilizer use.
The donor community: Investing in country-specific contexts.
The program will begin Monday morning, May 27, 2019, in Accra, Ghana. Participants should arrive on Sunday, May 26, 2019. The program will conclude on Friday, May 31, 2019, at approximately 5:00 p.m. It is up to the participants to select their departure date, bearing in mind that the negotiated room rate in Accra may not be available for extended stays past May 26.
Boldly contemporary, yet inspired by elements of traditional African design, the stunning African themed decor and professional staff make the African Regent as much a place to stay and relax as a prime destination to entertain and socialise.
The African Regent Hotel is situated in one of the plushest suburban areas in the city, less than 5 minutes from the Kotoka International Airport, the Accra Polo Club, and the Accra Mall, the hotel provides every traveller into the city, be it, business or pleasure, the opportunity to explore and experience Accra in the most convenient way possible.
Please book your room as soon as possible, as space will fill up quickly. Contact the hotel no later than April 27, 2019 to reserve your room. After this date, reservations will be subject to hotel room availability and at the best available rate.
IFDC is offering a group discount rate for organizations wishing to enroll multiple participants. For one through four participants, there will be no discount. For five through 10 participants, we're offering a 10 percent discount. For more than 10 participants, we're offering a 20 percent discount. Discounts apply only to program fees and do not include a wire fee.
The program fee, less the non-refundable deposit and, if applicable, the wire fee, will be refunded for cancellations made two (2) weeks before the commencement of the program. Ninety percent of the paid fee will be returned and 10 percent, in addition to the deposit, will be charged to cover administrative costs for cancellations made between two (2) weeks and one (1) week before the commencement of the program. Cancellations made less than one (1) week before the commencement of the program will receive no refund.
APPLICATIONS FOR NECESSARY VISAS SHOULD BE MADE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. A visa is required for entry into the United States. Each participant must obtain a visa from the Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence. Participants should fulfill all required immunizations and health formalities before departing their country of residence. Medical insurance should be obtained by participants. The program fee does not cover any medical insurance or expenses.