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Subjective visual vertical perception and sense of smell in Parkinson disease.
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The clinical diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) relies heavily on the presence of akinesia or bradykinesia, plus one or more of the other core features such as tremor, rigidity, and postural instability [1]. It is, however, widely recognized now that PD involves nonmotor, as well as the typical motor, features [2]. These nonmotor features may include visual, olfactory, autonomic, cognitive, and affective function. However, whether all of these nonmotor features are affected in all patients with PD and at what stage is not fully understood.
In addition to impaired sense of smell, which is usually affected at an early stage [3--4], subtle visual dysfunction is common in PD. Patients with PD were reported to have reduced visual acuity [5], color vision [6], and contrast sensitivity [7]. It has also been reported that there is an increased visual dependence perceptually in patients with PD [8]. Interest in visual dysfunction is enhanced by the possible relationships between gait disorders and visual perception [9]. Gait problems such as festination and freezing are thought to be strongly influenced by visual stimulation [10]. The increased visual dependence may also limit a patient's ability to compensate fully for gait disorders, particularly in situations involving sensory conflict caused by excessive visual motion [11]. Further studies suggest that visual dysfunction may also contribute to PD disability through influences on cognition and locomotion [12]. A better understanding of these events and their interrelationships will provide the underpinning for efforts to improve rehabilitation.
Existing computer software programs currently being used in rehabilitation are very limited, and those that do exist are either restricted to very specific tasks or are complex and not user friendly. The rod and frame test (RFT) is one of the key measures of the cognitive style construct of field-dependence-independence [13-14]. During the RFT, patients view a tilted square frame and an adjustable rod that tilts on the same center as the frame. They are asked to adjust the rod to the gravitational vertical, and these adjustments vary greatly. Over the years, the RFT has been used in many areas of psychology, education, interpersonal behavior, and musculoskeletal disorders [15-16]. Until recently, all published research has employed mechanical rod and frame systems that require specialized facilities and would not be easy to use in a field setting. This article describes a computerized rod and frame (CRAF) test that is portable and easy to use and will run on a standard office computer.
We investigated visual perception using the CRAF test and its relationship with sense of smell in patients with PD with a view to identifying a simple test that can be used as a marker when considering rehabilitation programs. The question was prompted by the observation that patients with balance disorders often report worsening of symptoms in complex visual environments [1718]. No study has yet linked subjective visual vertical (SVV) perception with olfactory perception in patients with PD. Our aim, therefore, was to determine the profiles of SVV (as measured by the CRAF test) and sense of smell perception (as measured by the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test [UPSIT]) in patients with PD and compare them with age- and sex-matched nondisabled controls.
This was an open cross-sectional observational study involving 47 participants with PD and 47 age- and sex-matched nondisabled controls. We recruited participants with PD from patients attending a movement disorders clinic at a local hospital. All patients fulfilled the UK Brain Bank diagnosis criteria for idiopathic PD [19]. Those willing to take part were seen for an assessment visit to ensure that they fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. We tested those who fulfilled the criteria during the "on" state (i.e., the state in PD when symptoms "such as tremor and bradykinesia" have responded to anti-PD medications [1]).
We recruited participants without PD (controls) from among partners and caretakers of patients with PD and volunteers working at the same hospital. They were selected so that the distribution of sex and age (in 10-year bands, i.e., 50-59, 60-69, 70-80) was as close as possible to the PD group in order to make it easier to match the two groups. All participants had a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score greater than 26 (out of 30), and their vision was normal or corrected to normal.
We used the motor section of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale part III (UPDRS-III) to quantitatively evaluate motor function in the PD group. UPDRSIII scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating greater motor impairment.
Olfactory Perception
We investigated olfactory perception using the 12item UPSIT, which is the abbreviated version of the 40item UPSIT. During testing, an examiner scratched the impregnated card and asked the participant to identify the smell from the four choices provided. We scored participants based on the number of correctly identified odors.
Perception of Subjective Visual Vertical
We used the CRAF test to examine perception of SVV. The test consists of a series of 12 presentations of a white square frame surrounding a white line, which represents the rod, on a homogenous black background (Figure 1). There were three possible frame alignments: untilted (or neutral), tilted 18[degrees] clockwise, or tilted 18[degrees] counterclockwise. The starting position of the rod was 20[degrees] from gravitational vertical in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. We presented each frame orientation four times with an even distribution of the two rod positions. The computer randomly assigned the order of presentation during the test. Each test began with two practice presentations (one untilted and the other tilted) that we used as examples to explain the procedure. In some cases, participants misunderstood the task and began aligning the rod with the frame rather than gravitational vertical. In this situation, we reminded them once that the task was to move the rod to the vertical position.
We carried out all testing in a room with natural lighting. Participants viewed the images not directly from the computer screen but through a pair of video eyeglasses [15,20]. Participants used a switch adapted BIGtrack Trackball (Infogrip Inc; Ventura, California) instead of a regular computer mouse to move the rod during the test (Figure 1). The left button rotated the rod counterclockwise, and the right button rotated the rod clockwise about its center. When the participant was satisfied with the rod alignment, he or she pressed the space bar on the keyboard, prompting the computer to record any error from the vertical to 0.5[degrees] accuracy and display the next presentation.
The UPSIT scores used for analysis were the number of correctly identified odors (from a possible 12). For the CRAF test, values used represent the unsigned mean of four presentations (in the case of the untilted frame condition) and eight presentations for frame tilted, where the results for clockwise and counterclockwise tilted frame have been combined. We tested data for normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and found it to be not normally distributed. Consequently, the data are represented by box plots (SPSS version 17.0, IBM Corporation; Armonk, New York) in which the median is identified by a line inside the box and the length of the box is the interquartile range. We used nonparametric statistics for the analysis. We used Mann-Whitney U tests to investigate differences between groups and Wilcoxon signed rank tests for testing within groups.
Demographics and Clinical Characteristics
A total of 94 subjects agreed to participate in the study: 47 patients with PD (27 male and 20 female) with a mean [+ or -] standard deviation age of 69.35 [+ or -] 7.70 years and 47 nondisabled controls (27 male and 20 female) aged 68.89 [+ or -] 8.40 years. However, one female patient with PD withdrew during testing. The MMSE score for the PD group was 28.59 [+ or -] 1.40, whereas the MMSE score for the controls was 29.40 [+ or -] 1.00. We found no statistically significant difference in age or in MMSE score between patients with PD and controls.
All patients were diagnosed as having idiopathic PD according to the UK Brain Bank diagnostic criteria [1]. The duration of the disease was 4.71 [+ or -] 3.30 years, with a UPDRS-III motor score of 15.72 [+ or -] 6.90. We tested all participants with PD during the on state.
Sense of Smell Test
Figure 2(a) shows a marked difference between patients with PD and controls in their performance on the abbreviated UPSIT test. Controls were more likely to correctly identify the odor with a median score of 10 out of 12 (range: 5-12) compared with 6.5 out of 12 (range: 0-12) for patients with PD. This difference was highly significant (U = 388.50, p < 0.001). Figure 2(b) shows the pattern of distribution and the difference in the profile of loss of sense of smell between the two groups. Most people could identify chocolate. Pineapple had the greatest difference between the two groups.
Subjective Visual Vertical
Frame Untilted (Neutral)
Both groups showed a similar pattern of distribution of SVV errors when the CRAF test frame was untilted or neutral (Figure 3(a)). For the PD group, the median SVV error for the untilted frame condition was 0.75[degrees] (range: 0.13[degrees]-6.63[degrees]) compared with 0.50[degrees] (range: 0.00[degrees]--4.00[degrees]) for controls. This difference between patients with PD and controls was statistically significant (U = 786.00, p = 0.02; Figure 3(b)).
Frame Tilted
Both groups showed a similar (but wider than the untilted) pattern of distribution of unsigned SVV errors when the CRAF test frame was tilted (Figure 4(a)). For the PD group, the median unsigned SVV error for the tilted frame condition was 2.53[degrees] (range: 0.56[degrees]-16.81[degrees]) while the median for the control group was 2.06[degrees] (range: 0.50[degrees]-18.5[degrees]). However, we found no statistically significant difference between these results (U = 987.00, p = 0.47; Figure 4(b)). Figure 4(a) also highlights the errors (around 18[degrees]) of those individuals who misunderstood the task and aligned the rod to the frame angle rather than to gravitational vertical.
Correlation Studies
We found no correlation between the number of correctly identified odors and an individual's mean unsigned SVV error in patients with PD (Spearman p = 0.13, p = 0.39, n = 46). Only two of the age bands contained sufficient participants to do a meaningful statistical analysis (n = 17 for 60-69 and n = 22 for 70-79, while n = 5 for 50-59 and n = 2 for >80). Within these, we found no significant correlation between SVV and UPSIT score.
We found no correlation between SVV errors and duration of disease in the PD group, nor did we find a correlation between SVV errors and UPDRS-III motor score. In addition, we found no correlation between the UPDRS-III motor score and the UPSIT score for the PD group (Spearman [rho] = -0.185, p = 0.45, n = 46).
However, we found a medium but negative correlation that was statistically significant (Spearman [rho] = -0.45, p = 0.01, n = 46) between the MMSE score and the mean time taken by each participant to complete each CRAF test in the PD group (Figure 5), although we found no similar correlation in the control group. Note that we found no correlation between the UPDRS-III motor score and the mean time taken to complete each CRAF test in the PD group (Spearman [rho] = 0.18, p = 0.24, n = 46).
Sensory deficits have been documented in PD, particularly in the olfactory and visual domains [5-7,21-22]. Visual deficits in PD are subtle and not likely to be discovered during routine neurological examination. They can only be detected with more specific psychophysical or electrophysiological tests. Nonetheless, these subtle visual deficits probably contribute to some of the disabilities that are commonly encountered in PD, such as gait freezing, falls, and visual hallucinations. The CRAF test might help identify patients who have visual perception problems and are at risk of falls and will allow us to tailor a rehabilitation program accordingly. The exact etiology of visual dysfunction in PD is not fully understood; it may be related to retinal dopamine deficiency or higher order visual cortical dysfunction [12,23].
The RFT provides a quantitative measure of errors in vertical perception. Although the test is simple, a number of different systems have been used, all of which require specialized facilities and would not be easy to use in a clinical setting [20]. This article describes a CRAF test that is portable and easy to use in an outpatient or rehabilitation setting and runs on a standard office computer.
Is There Any Difference in Subjective Visual Vertical Score Between PD and Control Groups?
One of the aims of this article is to document whether patients with PD have an objectively different response to visually disorienting stimuli (using the CRAF test) than a control group. The results show that when the frame was neutral (i.e., untilted), the PD group's ability to estimate visual vertical was slightly different from an age- and sex-matched control group. These findings agree with Proctor et al. [24], who suggested that there is a slight difference in SVV between PD and control groups. Our findings are also consistent with Metzel et al. [25], who concluded that there are marked differences between PD and controls for SVV and subjective visual horizontal. However, both studies were undertaken more than 40 years ago and the resolution of the equipment used in these studies cannot be established [24-25]. Most RFT equipment used at that time was manual and heavily reliant on the experience of the operator. Furthermore, although the difference we found was statistically significant (U = 703.00, p = 0.02; Figure 3(b)), it was very small (0.25[degrees]). It could therefore be argued that its value in a clinical setting as an early test for assessing people with PD is questionable.
The results also show that when the frame was tilted (either 18[degrees] clockwise or 18[degrees] counterclockwise), both groups showed a similar pattern of distribution of unsigned SVV errors (Figure 4(a)). This means that the PD group's ability to estimate visual vertical did not differ significantly from the control group (Figure 4(b)). This suggests that patients of mild to moderate PD severity (with normal cognitive function) do not have any increased impairment in perception of SVV. These findings are different from a similar study by Azulay et al. [8], who reported that patients with PD made significantly more errors on the RFT than nondisabled controls. These contrasting results between us and Azulay et al. might be caused by a number of factors, including:
* Different equipment to assess visual perception. We used a CRAF test software package, whereas other studies used a wide range of manual equipment with huge variation in precision.
* Intact cognitive function of PD group. All participants had an MMSE score greater than 26, and their vision was normal or corrected to normal. It was not clear whether the cognitive function of patients with PD in Azulay et al. was tested or not [8]. However, it could be argued that the MMSE score has limited value in detecting subtle cognitive impairment in patients with PD [26].
* Difference in sample size. Our sample size was double that used in Azulay et al., which might, in part, be responsible for these differences in results [8].
* High degree of SVV errors reported in most studies using manual RFT techniques. This might be caused by the fact that they did not exclude SVV results that were around 18[degrees]. The software program we used is capable of identifying people who misunderstood the task and ended up aligning the rod with one arm of the frame, thereby recording SVV errors between 15[degrees] and 18[degrees]. Note that a number of participants (2 in control group and 2 in PD group) performed the task incorrectly despite being reminded that they should align the rod to vertical and ignore the frame. Figure 4(a) highlights the errors (around 18[degrees]) of those individuals who aligned the rod to that frame angle rather than gravitational vertical.
Although we tested all participants with PD during the on state, it could be argued that the patient's medication profile could potentially affect the result. Barnett-Cowan et al. recently suggested that patients with PD have increased SVV dependence when taking dopaminergic medications [27]. However, they acknowledge that their study involved a very small number of participants and they proposed that future studies use large numbers of patients with PD in order to characterize the effect of medication on the individual performance using SVV. In our PD group, 44 participants were on anti-PD medications and 2 were on no prescribed medications; our future work will explore the possible link between the medication profile of our participants with PD and their performance on the CRAF test.
In summary, the finding that patients with PD had slightly higher SVV errors than controls has no clinical significance despite the fact that this difference was statistically significant (when the frame was in neutral position). It could be argued that the two parts of the test (i.e., neutral and tilted) require different visual and cognitive skills and could therefore be relying on different neuronal pathways. For example, when the frame is tilted and participants are required to factor out this element, they rely more on maintaining attention and concentration. Because all patients with PD have a globally intact cognitive function, this meant that their attention and concentration power were intact as well. On the other hand, it could also be argued that since the perception of relative orientation of a stimulus in the environment requires integration of visual, vestibular, and internal representation of body orientation, objective assessments of vestibular problems within the study population need to be taken into account when comparing the PD group with nondisabled controls. Although we did ask questions (in the medical history of each participant) about balance problems and dizziness, we did not specifically assess participants for vestibular problems.
Is There Any Correlation Between Subjective Visual Vertical Score and Loss of Sense of Smell in Patients with PD?
Although our results confirmed that patients with PD exhibited an olfactory deficit significantly different from the control group (Figure 2(a) and 2(b)), we found no significant correlation between visual dysfunction (measured by SVV score) and loss sense of smell (number of odors correctly identified) in the PD group. This suggests that the loss of olfactory ability in these patients is not part of a generalized disturbance of perceptual ability. Note that loss of sense of smell in patients with PD usually occurs very early during the natural history of PD, whereas visual perception might be affected later on or even not at all. It could, therefore, be argued that as most of our PD patients' conditions were diagnosed less than 5 years ago and are of mild to moderate severity as evidenced by UPDRS-III score, we understandably did not find any correlation between visual dysfunction and loss of sense of smell in the PD group.
Furthermore, the CRAF test used in our study can provide not only static data (namely the degree of SVV errors), but also dynamic data (such as the time taken to finish each task). We found a statistically significant negative correlation between the MMSE score and the mean time taken by each participant to complete each CRAF test in the PD group (Figure 5). On the other hand, we found no similar correlation in the control group. This means patients with PD with a lower MMSE score took, on average, a longer time to complete each task (i.e., CRAF test) than those patients with PD with a higher MMSE score, suggesting that SVV errors correlate more with cognitive function than with loss of sense of smell.
Meanwhile, we found no correlation between the UPDRS-III score and the mean time taken to complete each CRAF test in the PD group. Note that UPDRS-III is a PD-specific instrument and that we tested all participants with PD in this study during the on state.
The concept of visual dependence derives from the fact that spatial orientation is based on both vestibule-proprioceptive and visual cues and that nondisabled people make variable and idiosyncratic use of such cues for spatial orientation [11,14,28] and postural control [29]. It has been suggested that such perceptual preferences observed in nondisabled people are also present, if not enhanced, in patients with a balance disorder [11] and in patients with PD. However, our findings did not confirm this assumption. It could therefore be argued that SVV score is more correlated with cognitive function than with loss of sense of smell. This was supported by Uc et al. [12], who suggested that patients with mild to moderate PD showed impaired visual perception and cognition compared with elderly control subjects [12]. Although patients with PD exhibited an olfactory deficit, there was no correlation between visual and olfactory dysfunction. Patients with PD (of mild to moderate severity who are cognitively intact) do not have any increased impairment in perception of SVV, and their ability to estimate SVV did not differ significantly from an age- and sex-matched control group. Therefore, further research is planned in which SVV scores for patients with PD and cognitive impairment will be compared with SVV scores for patients with PD without cognitive impairment. Furthermore, future studies should include objective measures such as electrophysiological testing (e.g., visual evoked potential) to support subjective findings, since it is not clear whether vision problems are the result of the degeneration in the brain or whether some may be caused by lowered dopamine levels in certain cells of the retina. In the meantime, research exploring the use of the CRAF test in assessing patients with neurological conditions as an aid in planning their rehabilitation programs should continue.
JRRD at a Glance
Impaired sense of smell is present in most patients with Parkinson disease (PD) at an early stage. This article aims to explore the relationship between smell and perception of vertical in PD. Smell was tested by scratch cards with different odors. Subjective visual vertical was assessed by a computerized rod and frame (CRAF) test (similar to a computer game). Nondisabled controls were more likely to correctly identify odors than were patients with PD. There were minor differences between the two groups in their visual perception, but patients with PD and a lower cognitive score took more time to complete the subjective visual vertical test. More research is needed in using the CRAF test in rehabilitation.
Author Contributions:
Study concept and design: A. Khattab, S. Docherty, J. Bagust, P. Thomas, K. Amar.
Acquisition of data: A. Khattab, S. Docherty, J. Bagust, R. Willington, K. Amar.
Analysis and interpretation of data: A. Khattab, S. Docherty, J. Bagust, P. Thomas, K. Amar.
Drafting of manuscript: A. Khattab, S. Docherty, J. Bagust, K. Amar.
Critical revision of manuscript for intellectual content: A. Khattab, S. Docherty, J. Bagust, R. Willington, P. Thomas, K. Amar.
Statistical analysis: A. Khattab, S. Docherty, J. Bagust, P. Thomas.
Study supervision: A. Khattab, J. Bagust, K. Amar.
Administrative, technical, or material support: A. Khattab, S. Docherty, J. Bagust, R. Willington, K. Amar.
Financial Disclosures: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Funding/Support: This article was unfunded at the time of manuscript preparation.
Additional Contributions: The authors would like to thank Professor Jenni Bolton, Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, and Anne Martin for their help with the organization of the study.
Institutional Review: The protocol for the research project has been approved by the National Health Service local research ethics committee, Dorset, UK. Informed written consent was obtained from all participants.
Participant Follow-Up: The authors will inform participants of the publication of this study in one of the PD support group meetings held each month.
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Submitted for publication May 16, 2011. Accepted in revised form December 30, 2011.
This article and any supplementary material should be cited as follows:
Khattab A, Docherty S, Bagust J, Willington R, Thomas P, Amar K. Subjective visual vertical perception and sense of smell in Parkinson disease. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2012;49(6):961-70.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2011.05.0090
Ahmed Khattab, PhD; (1) * Sharon Docherty, PhD; (2) Jeff Bagust, PhD; (2) Robert Willington, MBBS; (3) Peter Thomas, PhD; (1) Khaled Amar, FRCP (3)
(1) School of Health & Social Care, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, UK; (2) Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK; (3) Medicine for the Elderly Department, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK
Abbreviations: CRAF = computerized rod and frame, MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination, PD = Parkinson disease, RFT = rod and frame test, SVV = subjective visual vertical, UPDRS-III = Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale part III, UPSIT = University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test.
* Address all correspondence to Ahmed Khattab, PhD; School of Health & Social Care, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth House, 17 Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 3LG, UK; 0044(0)1202-967281; fax: 0044(0)1202-962131.
Email: akhattab@bournemouth.ac.uk
COPYRIGHT 2012 Department of Veterans Affairs
Khattab, Ahmed; Docherty, Sharon; Bagust, Jeff; Willington, Robert; Thomas, Peter; Amar, Khaled
Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development
An ergonomic modular foot platform for isometric force/torque measurements in poststroke functional assessment: a pilot study.
Sensory and communication disorders in traumatic brain injury.
Medicine, Experimental
Care and treatment
Complications and side effects
Physiological aspects


Method isEqualToNode Compare this element to other. If the nodeName, namespace, attributes, and childNodes are all the same, return True, otherwise return False.
Compare this element to other. If the nodeName, namespace, attributes, and childNodes are all the same, return True, otherwise return False.


Spring Snack Mix | Mary Duke Cooks!
Just in time for your Easter egg hunt.
Try this Spring Snack Mix as a special treat for your children and their friends.
Cover a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil. In a very large bowl place the pretzels, rice Chex, and popcorn (If your bowl is not large enough you may have to divide the mix in half and make half at a time). Melt the white Wilton melting candies in the microwave according to package directions. Pour melted candies over the pretzels, rice Chex and popcorn; stirring to coat the mix evenly.
Pour mix onto rimmed baking sheet and spread out. Sprinkle the pastel sprinkles and M&M's on top. Do not mix after you have sprinkled the sprinkles and M&M's on or the white chocolate will cover the candies! Once the mixture is set (it takes about 30 minutes) break up and package in clear or decorative Wilton party bags. Makes 8 party bags. Enjoy!


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Amid growth, Superior trustees grapple with…
Amid growth, Superior trustees grapple with transparency
Daily Camera file photo
A bulldozer works on the slope on the southwest corner of the Superior Town Center at the corner of McCaslin Boulevard and U.S. 36 in November.
By Anthony Hahn | Colorado Hometown Weekly
May 29, 2016 at 5:03 p.m.
As communities throughout east Boulder County continue to see rapid growth — Superior's population has grown 38 percent since 2000, while Erie's has grown 100 percent — officials have been forced to adapt to the boom.
Now, as Superior's Board of Trustees begins to put in motion plans to transform the town and accommodate the influx of residents, concern regarding transparency and the disclosure of information to the public has risen, including among officials.
As plans begin to take shape, officials have started to argue amongst themselves over disagreements regarding conduct.
Earlier this month, Trustee Chris Hanson took aim at Mayor Pro Tem Debra Williams for criticism she had levied against him for meeting privately with developer Bill Jenks of Ranch Capital.
"This puts myself and the rest of the board in a very awkward position," said Hanson at the beginning of the meeting. "Trustees should really know what they are saying, and understand the law before they make comments about other trustees. I would ask for a public apology and I would ask for a retraction of that comment."
Comments from Williams addressed whether or not Hanson had violated the public's trust and disclosure rules when he met with developers privately.
"It needed to be discussed at that time," said Williams in response. "I'm sorry you were offended but it was a necessary discussion. This is about transparency, and when you meet with the developer one-on-one you are not able to include the public and that is important and we are held to a higher standard. That's a choice we all have to make. That's it."
At the conclusion of the discussion, Hanson added that the use of his name in the context of unethical behavior was unacceptable.
"You don't see any issue at all with mentioning my name at the same time as mentioning the words 'unethical and unlawful?' I felt I was attacked in an incorrect way, I took the comments as insulting — they weren't factual, they were reckless, and they were slanderous," Hanson concluded.
In addition to the fighting in-house, Superior residents earlier this month began to express frustration with officials regarding the flow of information about the upcoming Town Hall expansion.
"The lack of public process and public input regarding this expansion is a real problem," said resident Daryl McCool earlier this month. "No developer would be able to push a project like this through in such a short time frame without public input — why can the town? They haven't even notified residents who live within 500 feet of their plan."
While objection to the plan is still felt by many in the public, Mayor Clint Folsom — citing a lack of communication from himself as a cause for residents' concerns — has remained confident in the expansion.
"The biggest problem we face is that we didn't let residents see the need for this expansion," Folsom said. "We have town employees spread all around, different departments in various places. It just creates inefficiencies. There is no motive on our part to rush anything through or to lack transparency."
Superior officials will hold a Community Open House at Town Hall this week for residents to review concept plans for the building's addition and to discuss the need and siting of the expansion plans.
The open house comes in the wake of public outcry regarding the proposed expansion. While some cite officials' lack of transparency as the reason for opposition to expansion, other residents have felt that the plans fail to address the most important issues currently facing the growing town.
Development set aside for future growth is not unusual in towns that have transformed over the last decade, especially in Superior, where mass redevelopment in the form of a controversial Town Center and revitalized Calmente housing have come in a flash.
To the west, Erie is currently underway with its own town hall expansion. It's a decision in the same vein of Superior's recent attempts to get ahead of a population boom that continually derails long-term plans.
Anthony Hahn: 303-473-1422, hahna@coloradohometownweekly.com or twitter.com/_anthonyhahn
Anthony Hahn | Reporter
Anthony Hahn covers eastern Boulder County, including Erie, Lafayette, Louisville and Superior.
Follow Anthony Hahn @_anthonyhahn

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Ruben Babayna, director of Yerevan State Puppet Theatre named after Hovhannes Tumanyan, is excited about the modern generation and sure that the newly forming young society is trying to become the owner of this country and take responsibility for their actions. However, to win the battle they need to work out the way. Mr. Babayan stresses, it is time to give up the moralizing speeches addressed to the authorities. Participants of yesterday's movement repeatedly noted that the citizens demand to revoke the decision on raising the electricity tariff. The citizens don't want to discuss this issue.
"As far as people apply such measures, it means evidently they are left alone and don't see any other way out," actress Lala Mnatsakanyan says.
Mr. Babayan and Mrs. Mnatsakanyan believe that we need highly qualified lawyers, specialists who will deal with this issue moving it into a legal ground. Mr. Babayan states, there are numerous documents, materials and facts proving that the raise of electricity tariff is unjustified and there are people who are guilty for this. We need to find those responsible, apply the facts and punish them according to the law, no matter they are citizens of Armenia or other states.


Once you have chosen facilitator for your bets, you have to determine the budget for Domino 99. Never bet more than you can afford to lose, so you will avoid unpleasant moments of betting. Play with a predetermined amount. Once you have defined the bookie and your bank, it came the most important question.


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GEF funds are available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet the objectives of the international environmental conventions and agreements.
GEF support is provided to government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector companies, research institutions, among the broad diversity of potential partners, to implement projects and programs in recipient countries.
CEO Official Portrait
GEF Secretariat - List of Staff
Conflict Resolution Commissioner
The GEF administers several trust funds and provides secretariat services, on an interim basis, for the Adaptation Fund.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, to help tackle our planet's most pressing environmental problems. GEF funding to support the projects is contributed by donor countries. These financial contributions are replenished every four years (see GEF Replenishment documents) by the GEF 39 donor countries.
The World Bank serves as the GEF Trustee, administering the GEF Trust Fund (contributions by donors). The Trustee helps mobilize GEF resources; disburses funds to GEF Agencies; prepares financial reports on investments and use of resources; and monitors application of budgetary and project funds. The Trustee creates periodic reports that contain an array of fund-specific financial in formation.
GEF Financial Reports (Summaries of financial Information)
GEF Independent Auditors' Report and Financial Statements
GEF Funding Availability
Other Trust Funds:
Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF)
The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) supports adaptation and technology transfer in all developing country parties to the UNFCCC, supporting both long-term and short-term adaptation activities in water resources management, land management, agriculture, health, infrastructure development, fragile ecosystems, including mountainous ecosystems, and integrated coastal zone management.
Accessing Resources under the SCCF
Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)
The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), established under the UNFCCC, addresses the special needs of the 51 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) that are especially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
The LDCF reduces the vulnerability of sectors and resources that are central to development and livelihoods, such as water, agriculture and food security, health, disaster risk management and prevention, infrastructure, and fragile ecosystems.
Tasked with financing the preparation and implementation of National Adaptation Programs of Action (NAPAs). NAPAs use existing information to identify a country's priorities for adaptation actions. The LDCF is the only existing fund whose mandate is to finance the preparation and implementation of the NAPAs.
Accessing Resources under the LDCF
Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT)
As part of the Paris Agreement, Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed to establish a Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT). The goal of the CBIT is to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of developing countries to meet the enhanced transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement. These enhanced transparency requirements are defined in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement.
Accessing Resources under the CBIT
Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPFI)
The Nagoya Protocol Fund supports signatory countries, as well as those in the process of signing The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (the Nagoya Protocol) and that intend to ratify the Protocol in order to accelerate the ratification and implementation of the Protocol.
The fund encourages engagement with private sector entities interested in exploring the economic potential of genetic resources and facilitate the transfer of appropriate technologies. Through the implementation of this type of project, countries should be generating additional information that can help to understand their capacities and needs on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), with focus on the provisions from existing policies, laws and regulations affecting genetic resources.
The governments of Japan, Switzerland, Norway, France, and the United Kingdom have committed approximately US$ 14.85 million in contributions to the NPIF.
Brochure on the NPIF: English, Japanese
Adaptation Fund
The Adaptation Fund (AF) was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. It was established under the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and since 2010 has committed funds for localized climate adaptation and resilience activities. Initiatives are based on country needs and priorities.
AF is one of the most innovative and unique climate funds, and has achieved impressive progress in just a few short years. It has proven its effectiveness as a highly efficient and transparent Fund for channeling adaptation finance to developing countries by pioneering Direct Access, in which accredited National Implementing Entities (NIEs) can directly access climate finance and manage projects from design through implementation while building the country's own local and national adaptive capacity. AF-funded projects are implemented around the world through accredited National Implementing Entities, Multilateral Implementing Entities and Regional Implementing Entities. The Fund also has a growing Readiness Programme that provides capacity building workshops, small technical assistance grants and south to south cooperation to facilitate accreditation of new implementing entities and reach more vulnerable communities with urgently needed climate adaptation solutions.
The original primary source of revenue for the Fund – the sale of Certified Emission Reduction credits through a 2% levy on UN Clean Development Mechanism projects that help meet Kyoto's emission reduction targets – has drastically diminished due to market forces. The Fund is increasingly attracting funds through developed country and private donations by delivering concrete, effective and localized projects and continuing to innovate through pioneering programs like Direct Access, human-rights-based social and environmental risk management policies, a gender policy and action plan, and flexible finance modalities. The Fund is also in high demand, receiving record numbers of project proposals in 2015. Projects are country-driven, replicable and scalable.
Further, the Paris Climate Agreement included adaptation as a key component in the global response to climate change and recognized that the AF may serve the Agreement, subject to a process that has already started. The Adaptation Fund is overseen by the Adaptation Fund Board, which has a majority of members that represent developing countries and meets in person twice a year to review policy and project proposals. Read more
In most cases, the GEF provides funding to support government projects and programs. Governments decide on the executing agency (among others governmental institutions, civil society organizations, private sector companies, research institutions).
There are many issues to consider when seeking GEF funding. Who should I contact? Is my country/organization eligible for funding? Who will implement the project? What type of project should I consider? To help with these and other questions, please expand each of the sections below.
All projects or programs must fulfill the following criteria to be eligible for GEF funding.
Eligible country: Countries may be eligible for GEF funding in one of two ways: a) if the country has ratified the conventions the GEF serves and conforms with the eligibility criteria decided by the Conference of the Parties of each convention; or b) if the country is eligible to receive World Bank (IBRD and/or IDA) financing or if it is an eligible recipient of UNDP technical assistance through its target for resource assignments from the core (specifically TRAC-1 and/or TRAC-2).
National priority: The project must be driven by the country (rather than by an external partner) and be consistent with national priorities that support sustainable development.
GEF priorities: to achieve the objectives of multilateral environmental agreements, it is required that the GEF support country priorities that are ultimately aimed at tackling the drivers of environmental degradation in an integrated fashion. For this reason, the focal areas (Biodiversity, Climate Change Mitigation, Land Degradation, International Waters and Chemicals and Waste), which remain the central organizing feature in the GEF-7 Programming Directions, provide countries with the opportunity to participate in selected "Impact Programs" focusing on 1) Food systems, Land Use and Restoration; 2) Sustainable Cities; and 3) Sustainable Forest Management (for more details, see annex A of the GEF-7 Programming Directions Documents).
Financing: The project must seek GEF financing only for the agreed incremental costs on measures to achieve global environmental benefits.
Participation: The project must involve the public in project design and implementation, following the Policy on Public Involvement in GEF-Financed Projects and the respective guidelines.
Choice of GEF Agency
The GEF has 18 Partner Agencies. The Operational Focal Point decides which Agency would be best suited to develop and implement the project idea. This is an important decision since the Agency will be the partner at all stages of the project or program.
The GEF provides funding through four modalities: full-sized projects, medium-sized projects, enabling activities and programmatic approaches. The selected modality should be the one that best supports the project objectives. Each modality requires completion of a different template.
Full-sized Project (FSP): means a GEF Project Financing of more than two million US dollars.
Medium-sized Project (MSP): means a GEF Project Financing of less than or equivalent to two million US dollars.
Enabling Activity (EA): means a project for the preparation of a plan, strategy or report to fulfill commitments under a Convention.
Program: means a longer-term and strategic arrangement of individual yet interlinked projects that aim at achieving large-scale impacts on the global environment.
See GEF Policy and Program Cycle Policy for additional details.
Operational Focal Points
The GEF Operational Focal Point (OFP) coordinates all GEF-related activities within a country. The OFP reviews project ideas, checks against eligibility criteria and ensures that new project ideas will not duplicate an existing project. Any project to be submitted for approval requires a Letter of Endorsement signed by the GEF OFP.


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WOMEN CHIEF JUSTICES ACROSS AFRICA
Click below to read our background paper:
Her Ladyship Chief Justice: The Rise of Female Leadership in the Judiciary in Africa
Elisabeth Pognon
President, Constitutional Court, 1993-1998.
Elisabeth Pognon was born in 1937 in the South of Togo. As a child, she attended secondary school in Senegal. From there, Pognon was educated at the University of Poitiers in France and Paris University. Within her university, she studied the Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences. Immediately following her graduation from college, Pognon became a jurist. With her experience as a jurist, she leveraged her knowledge to rise from the court of first instance of Cotonou to a counselor at the appeals court to the Supreme Court and finally the Constitutional Court. She was Benin's first woman judge.
In the interim of these positions, she also taught as a lecturer at 'Centre des Formations Admistrative et Professionelle'. Pognon was originally nominated by the National Assembly for a position at the Constitutional Court. Amongst a candidate pool of four, Pognon, was elected as President for the Constitutional Court by her fellow members of the court. She served as President from 1993-1998 as the first female lead of a national Constitutional Court both in Africa and worldwide.
The Constitutional Court has more power than the Supreme Court, which in Benin is the highest court for administrative matters. The Constitutional Court is considered to have the greatest powers for a high court in a country surpassing the powers granted to France and Germany's high courts. In this position, Pognon functioned as a mediator during the tumultuous political environment. The Constitutional Court was originally created in a democratic transition of power in Benin in 1990. Thus, Pognon utilized her position to uphold democratic government from her position of neutrality within the court system.
During her tenure as President, Elisabeth Pognon was gifted the Africa Award of the Africa Foundation of the German Parliament. Upon her leave from the Constitutional Court, Pognon was appointed as a distinguished African citizen for the inaugural 'Panel of the Wise' created by the African Union. She filled this position until 2014 upon her retirement.


Jammu : Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan.
During the meeting, Mufti discussed the law and order situation and election-related issues with the Governor.
The Governor and the Chief Minister also discussed the implementation of major development projects and the delays occurring on account of frequent closure of the Udhampur-Banihal sector of the national highway.


Gauri is the livewire of the Alumni Association, a movie buff, travel aficionado, an entrepreneur, a cooking aficionado and dedicated Mom.
Actively involved with the MSVVAA for well over a decade, Gauri is currently a key member of Sponsorship and Career Counselling Committees. She is another Alumni member whose contribution is seen, not heard.


5. The basic training courses take the form of private study directed and actively supported by local "tutors", all experienced specialists in European patent law, who, according to a schedule published before the start of the course, discuss topics and cases previously prepared by participants, answer questions and set further topics for study. The success of the "tutorial" depends on the active co-operation of the trainees through their own presentations and case studies.
Several courses offer complementary activities such as a visit to the Federal Court in Karlsruhe, participation in oral proceedings at the European Patent Office, mock trials, etc.
7. Tutors' meetings take place over two days every year at the University of Strasbourg to discuss in the light of experience how best to structure the courses.
10. Several courses start in September or October each year at various centres in the contracting states if there is a minimum of six participants in each case and suitable tutors available. The courses organised in Barcelona, Milan, London, Manchester, Basel, Zurich, Berlin, Ludwigshafen, Stuttgart, Vienna, Lyon, Lisbon, Bucharest, and Riga start at the beginning of the year, between January and April. For further information please contact the CEIPI office.
For 2015/16, the fee is EUR 1 500 per year of studies (EUR 3 000 for the one-year intensive courses in Paris, Riga and Cracow).
11. To enable the next round of courses to be organised in good time, those interested are asked to contact the CEIPI as soon as possible and in any event not later than 20 July 2015 for enrolments regarding the courses starting in autumn.


Good Girl Gone Redneck: Pinterest Inspired Lasagna!
I started this post a few weeks ago and dropped it. Then I tried again the other night and failed, as Pinterest was flailing and wouldn't let me click through to any links.
So what perfect timing to try again as Sarah at My Own Beeswax has a Pinteresting linky up today!
I posted once about the Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole I found on Pinterest, tried and LOVED. You can find that here. It's yum, so if you make it be sure to let me know. I love hearing about people trying stuff I've pinned.
Now, I don't know if this counts, because I found a ton of crockpot lasagna recipes on Pinterest, and then I combined them and created my very own. And I pinned it.
So, here it is. A delicious crockpot lasagna recipe even YOU can make!
Brown your ground turkey and add jar sauce to the pan.
Cook on low for 5-6 hrs til noodles are soft. With 30 minutes left before serving cover w. 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese until melted.
As you can tell, it gets gobbled up pretty quickly around here.
Love simple creations! Looks so yummy. I pinned it ;) Seems to be healthier than a lot of lasagna recipes, too. Bonus!
This really looks great! I love the idea of making it in a crockpot.
That sounds great. I just started on Pinterest. I'm still undecided about it. I'll have to check out recipes too.
Sounds yummy... I'll have to try it!
I just had lasagna today too. Making it in the crockpot sounds like a win!
Yum! Thanks so much for sharing this- I'm *always* looking for the easy and delish combo!
Oy! Totally making this recipe this week. How perfect!
Oh yes...this looks easy and awesome. My kind of cooking.
You are literally a life saver. I am now in charge of meal plans it's hard to find things I can make easy and fast. Especially with school now. Plus I am big pasta lover. Thank you for sharing. I shall pin it.


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Morocco Employment Lab
JPAL_MENA
https://www.facebook.com/JPAL.Mena
J-PAL Middle East and North Africa (MENA), based at the American University in Cairo, leads J-PAL's work in the Middle East and North Africa region. J-PAL MENA conducts randomized evaluations, builds partnerships for evidence-informed policymaking, and helps partners scale up effective programs.
Our research team evaluates the impact of social programs and policies in MENA, covering a wide range of sectors including social protection, employment, education, and gender. Through online and in-person courses, we train implementers, policymakers, donors, and advocates on how to generate and use rigorous evidence. Our policy team works to institutionalize learning from evidence and disseminate research results to governments and other partners.
More about J-PAL Middle East and North Africa
Explore the J-PAL website to learn more about who we are, what we do, where we work, and how to engage with the J-PAL Middle East and North Africa team.
J-PAL affiliated researchers have 31 completed and ongoing randomized evaluations in the Middle East and North Africa.
Introducing J-PAL Middle East & North Africa: Building Partnerships to Accelerate Poverty Reduction and Foster Evidence-Informed Policy in MENA
J-PAL is proud to announce the launch of its newest regional office, J-PAL Middle East and North Africa, based at the American University in Cairo's School of Business and launching in collaboration with Community Jameel.
Launching J-PAL's newest regional office in the Middle East and North Africa
J-PAL MENA will support the region's development priorities, including COVID-19 response and recovery. J-PAL MENA's Scientific Directors and Interim Executive Director lay out their vision for the office in this letter.
Egyptian rug firms weave their way into foreign markets
From 2011 to 2014, J-PAL affiliates David Atkin and Adam Osman, with co-author Amit K. Khandelwal, evaluated small rug producers in Egypt to understand how exporting affects firms' profits and productivity.
Affiliate spotlight: Adam Osman on expanding opportunities for evaluation in the MENA region
Adam Osman is an assistant professor of economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and co-Scientific Director of J-PAL's Middle East and North Africa initiative. He has been a J-PAL affiliate since 2016.
Tweets by @JPAL_MENA
J-PAL was not immune to the many downsides of the Great Lockdown, but continued working with many new and existing partners in creative ways to meet the needs of a changing world. Our Global Executive Director Iqbal Dhaliwal reflects on 2020 and how we will continue to build on lessons learned during this challenging year in his annual letter. Read it here: https://j-p.al/2020annual-letter
New case study! Read how Precision Agriculture for Development leveraged findings from two randomized evaluations to create and diffuse a new mobile-phone based model to spread agricultural information that could increase smallholder farmers' yields & incomes. https://j-p.al/pad_e2p
As COVID-19 infection rates soar in many parts of the world, prevention remains essential. What behavioral interventions can help people continue to adhere to guidelines like social distancing and mask wearing? From leveraging celebrity voices to providing cash transfers, J-PAL affiliates have identified a number of effective policies. https://j-p.al/covid-health-brief
Are you passionate about poverty alleviation and looking for challenging and engaging work? We're recruiting across our research, policy, training, and operations teams. Apply by the January 11 deadline: https://j-p.al/careers2020 #EconJobs
J-PAL North America is hiring! Development Coordinator: This person will conduct prospect research, analyze and manage data, and provide logistical and operation support for a broad range of fundraising and operations management activities. Operations & IT Associate: This person will help to ensure the smooth implementation of operations by providing complex administrative and technology support. Please find the job description below and apply soon! https://www.povertyactionlab.org/careers/development-coordinator-j-pal-north-america-103444 https://www.povertyactionlab.org/careers/operations-it-associate-j-pal-north-america-103446
Improving female labor force participation in MENA
Female labor force participation in MENA is the lowest globally. Evidence from recent randomized evaluations conducted in MENA help shed light on some reasons why participation rates are so low and...
Designing adaptive social assistance during COVID-19: A recap from the Evidence for Egypt Spotlight Webinar
To address how existing social assistance programs in Egypt could be enhanced in response to COVID-19 and large external shocks in general, J-PAL MENA and UNICEF Egypt held a webinar on "Social...
Announcing joint partnership to launch the Morocco Employment Lab
J-PAL and Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) at Harvard are partnering with the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Morocco Agency to launch the Morocco Employment Lab.
J-PAL MENA will support the region's development priorities, including COVID-19 response and recovery. J-PAL MENA's Scientific Directors and Interim Executive Director lay out their vision for the...
Strengthening the Egyptian education system: A recap from the Global Evidence for Egypt spotlight seminar on education
The J-PAL Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Initiative, housed within the American University in Cairo (AUC) School of Business, hosted a seminar on "Strengthening the Egyptian Education System to...
10 months 3 weeks ago
The American University in Cairo
AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74
New Cairo, 11835, Egypt


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La communauté de communes de la Station des Rousses-Haut-Jura est une communauté de communes française, située dans le département du Jura et la région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

Elle regroupe les communes de la station des Rousses, un domaine de ski alpin important composé des Rousses, de Bois-d'Amont, de Lamoura et de Prémanon.

Historique
En 1975, un Syndicat mixte réunissant Bois d'Amont, les Rousses, Prémanon et Lamoura prend en charge la gestion et l'aménagement des activités de ski de fond. Avec le développement touristique chacun perçoit la nécessité d'un outil de promotion commun, qui prend alors la forme d'un Office de tourisme de la Station des Rousses. En 1989, la commune des Rousses crée sous forme associative un club des sports, chargé de l'ensemble de la gestion de l'animation touristique sportive des quatre communes. La communauté de communes est créée en 1993.

Composition
La communauté de communes est composée des  suivantes :

Compétences
 Aménagement de l'espace
 Développement économique : élaboration, suivi et mise en œuvre du contrat de station
 Définition et mise en œuvre de la politique touristique de la Station des Rousses
 Transports collectifs sur le territoire de la Communauté de communes en liaison avec les territoires limitrophes
 Aide à l'implantation d'une maison médicale sur le territoire de la Communauté de communes
 Protection et mise en valeur de l'environnement
 Politique du logement et cadre de vie
 Étude, conception et travaux de mise en valeur des musées
 Étude de faisabilité pour l'aménagement d'un parc polaire.

Administration

Démographie

Notes et références

Voir aussi

Articles connexes
 Intercommunalités du département du Jura
 Station des Rousses

Liens externes

 Station des Rousses

Station des Rousses-Haut-Jura
Les Rousses

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Check appliances properly before plugging in and turning back on.
If it's flooded - forget it.
Make a plan with your neighbour (Think about people in your neighbourhood who may need your help).
Prepare your home (Taking steps now can improve the safety of your home during an emergency).
So many questions & no motive over senseless shooting of a Doctor.


text:
Eugene Egan (Owen McEgan and other variants) (died 1603) was a Catholic apostolic vicar in Ireland, designated bishop of Ross, County Cork, closely involved with the uprising of the Nine Years' War.

Life
Egan obtained the degrees of Master of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity from a Spanish university. In 1600 he was in Ireland actively encouraging rebellion, meeting Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone in February at Tipperary, and co-operating with Florence MacCarthy Reagh.

Tyrone and Florence MacCarthy sent Egan to Rome in quest of an excommunication for all that did not rebel. One result was that the Jesuit Luigi Mansoni was appointed papal nuncio to Ireland. Egan then gained access to the Spanish court at Valladolid, travelling there with Mansoni, and influenced Philip III of Spain, in the direction of sending men and money to Kinsale in 1601, to support the rebellion which Tyrone had raised in the south of Ireland. Pope Clement VIII summoned Egan back to Rome, appointed him apostolic vicar, created him D.D., and conferred on him livings in Munster.

Egan arrived at Kilmakilloge in Kenmare Bay in June 1602, in a ship bringing troops and finance from Spain. Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy had enjoyed success in the field against Tyrone's rebellion, and Kinsale was closely invested. The rebel forces grew.

Egan's career ended in an encounter with English soldiers under William Taaffe in Carberry on 5 January 1603, where he was killed. He was buried in the convent of Timoleague, in the diocese of Ross, and a small cross was placed above his tomb.

See also
Catholic Church in Ireland

Notes

Attribution

Year of birth missing
1603 deaths
16th-century Irish Roman Catholic priests
Apostolic vicars
17th-century Irish Roman Catholic priests


Two roofing crews re-roof 19 of the buildings with Bellaforté Shake composite tiles at Denver West Office Park.
Featuring 22 office buildings, fitness, conference and training centers, plus a hotel, the Denver West Office Park is an impressive complex. So when it came time to re-roof 19 of the buildings with Bellaforté Shake composite tiles, it took two roofing crews to handle the project.
The true challenges for Denver West started when a massive hailstorm caused extensive damage to the existing real cedar roofs on all the structures. The National Weather Service reported hail that day ranging in sizes from golf balls to large eggs. One of the largest pieces of hail was recorded at 2.75 inches in diameter.
With the idea that the complex needed more durable roofing in case of future hail storms, the search was on. The result was the selection of composite shake tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes. The Bellaforté Shake tiles chosen for the complex are Class 4 impact resistant and Class A fire rated. The tiles also resist high winds (up to 110 mph), curling, cracking, insects and algae.
Once the roofing was selected, the clock was ticking. The property owners started the project in October 2017 and set a deadline of April 2018 for completion of the roofing. Arapahoe Roofing and Gen 3 Roofing were brought in to tackle the project, which went right through the bitterly cold winter months in Denver.
The Denver West project uses 5,600 squares of DaVinci composite shake tiles.
"We immediately started removing the damaged cedar shake roofing, but then discovered asbestos felt problems in some buildings," says Cameron Hummel, CEO of Gen 3 Roofing Corp. "After dealing with those issues we went on full-push to meet the deadline.
Winter weather was top-of-mind for the installers of the project. When the first freeze in the Denver area arrived, it made for a cold installation. Fortunately DaVinci products are made of an engineered resin system designed so that tiles remain flexible for installation in colder weather. While many manufacturers won't allow their roofing materials to be installed when outdoor temperatures fall below 40 F, DaVinci composite tiles can be installed in temperatures as cold as 20 F.
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Asbestos Exposure Hazards Endanger Workers
By Forest Horne on April 13, 2017
Asbestos exposure in the workplace continues to be a problem for tens of thousands of American workers. Two U.S. senators from Montana, Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Steve Daines passed Senate Resolution 98 designating April as National Asbestos Awareness Month.
Each year an estimated 15,000 American workers die from preventable asbestos-caused diseases and the resolution was passed in advance of a forthcoming United States surgeon general warning that will hopefully raise awareness about asbestos hazards and save lives.
The Centers for Disease Control published a study in March 2017, which concluded that there were more than 45,000 deaths in the United States in the last 15 years, from 1999 through 2015 due to the asbestos caused cancer malignant mesothelioma. Deaths from mesothelioma increased from fewer than 2,500 in 1999 to nearly 2,600 in 2015, going as high in 2012 as almost 2,900. The CDC report can be read at https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/pdfs/mm6608a3.pdf.
Senators Tester and Daines urged the U.S. Surgeon General to warn and educate the public about asbestos exposure hazards.
"Too many folks have suffered and lost their lives to asbestos poisoning," said Tester. "By making education and awareness a priority, we can protect our families from these life-threatening diseases."
Asbestos-containing materials from decades ago are still being found inside and outside of industrial buildings, offices, and homes. As the asbestos-containing materials age and become "friable," they can release airborne asbestos dust that can be a health hazard. Anytime asbestos-containing material is disturbed during work, repairs, or demolition workers are at risk of inhaling hazardous asbestos fibers that may cause lung disease.


So elegant, yet so simple to make. The shortening keeps the chocolate just a bit soft, so when you bite into it, the whole chocolate coating doesn't break off into pieces.
Melt and temper (optional) chocolate with shortening and stir until smooth.
Hold strawberry gently by the stem (or use a toothpick), and dip into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Lay onto a lined baking sheet, or if using a toothpick place it stuck upside down into a piece of Styrofoam (then you won't get a flat edge).
Refrigerate for 10 minutes, just until chocolate is set, then remove.
If desired, melt white chocolate, place in a piping bag (or plastic baggie with tip snipped off), and drizzle across berries. Refrigerate for 5 minutes until set.
Best if made and served in the same day, and stored at room temperature (if refrigerated, condensation will form on the berries/chocolate).


By Kelly C. Heim, Ph.D.
Probiotics are living cells that are sensitive to any environment outside of the body. During manufacturing, systematic control of two familiar variables, temperature and moisture, helps to ensure survival. However, optimal protection demands attention to a third variable—timing. Reducing the time required to execute each step in handling and manufacturing abbreviates any incidental contact with ambient moisture. Therefore, in addition to temperature and moisture control, Pure Encapsulations incorporates time limits into the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the most sensitive steps to maximally protect these delicate organisms.
Attention to timing begins when raw material is purchased. Ordering small volumes minimizes the time required to adjust the material from storage conditions to manufacturing temperature. Upon arrival, the stock is entered into the system within 20 minutes. Samples are collected for independent purity and potency testing, and the material is placed in cold storage within 90 minutes. With temporal precision specified by SOPs, each step is executed to minimize contact with the air and expedite transfer to storage.
Timing becomes an imperative consideration when raw material is removed from cold storage prior to manufacturing. Opening the package immediately would expose cold material to moisture in the air, resulting in lethal condensation. This is a common cause of potency reductions during typical manufacturing processes. Conversely, Pure Encapsulations gradually adjusts of the material to the manufacturing temperature. This process, known as tempering, effectively minimizes condensation and improves survival. Tempering protocols are tailored to the weight of the package and the stage of manufacturing.
Adherence to time limits is particularly important at stages prior to encapsulation, such as weighing, blending and encapsulation. These operations expose a large surface area of powdered material to air without the protection afforded by capsules and bottles. These sensitive steps must be regulated such that the powder remains as cool and dry as possible. At Pure Encapsulations, the blending process is performed in less than 90 minutes. Although the timing of encapsulation and bottling procedures vary, small volumes reduce the total time required.
Strategic integration of timing into sensitive steps is one of many innovations reflecting Pure Encapsulations' long-standing dedication to excellence in probiotic manufacturing and quality assurance. As part of a comprehensive program of sourcing, formulation, handling and manufacturing, these procedural developments ensure full label claim potency and clinical reliability of each finished probiotic product.