Monthly Archives: July 2017

UN moves one step closer to convening high seas treaty negotiations – Mongabay.com

Posted: July 26, 2017 at 1:40 am

The fourth and final meeting of a United Nations Preparatory Committee ended last week with a recommendation that the UN General Assembly convene treaty negotiations aimed at protecting the high seas.

The so-called high seas comprise more than 40 percent of Earths surface and about two-thirds of the oceans. They are vast areas that lie 200 nautical miles or more from shore in other words, beyond any national jurisdiction. That means that, while the high seas can be said to belong to everyone, no one body or agency is tasked with their governance and there is no comprehensive management structure in place that is capable of protecting the marine life that relies on them.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2015 calling for a preparatory committee to explore the feasibility of an international treaty designed to protect high seas biodiversity and report back by the end of 2017.

Environmentalists applauded the outcome of last weeks meeting: We are pleased that the UN Preparatory Committee has completed its mandate and agreed by consensus to recommendations that will move this issue to the next phase of high seas conservation, Liz Karan, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts campaign to protect ocean life on the high seas, said in a statement.

While the Preparatory Committees report includes substantive recommendations on elements to be included in any eventual high seas agreement, there are some crucial issues that still must be hammered out through international treaty negotiations, such as determining exactly how marine protected areas (MPAs) and marine reserves could be created and managed on the high seas.

A patchwork of governance and management mechanisms regulate human activities like fishing, seabed mining, and shipping on the high seas, but there is little coordination between them, which has left marine ecosystems in the open ocean highly vulnerable. While protected areas cover 13.2 percent of marine environments in countries territorial waters, just 0.25 percent of marine environments beyond national jurisdiction are afforded some kind of protected status, according to the UN.

There would seem to be momentum building towards a treaty to address the lack of protections for marine environments in the open ocean. In addition to the recommendation made by the UN Preparatory Committee, world leaders meeting at the first-ever UN Ocean Conference in New York City last month issued a call for action to affirm our strong commitment to conserve and sustainably use our oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

The purpose of the UN Ocean Conference was for governmental representatives to come together and strategize around the implementation of the UNs Sustainable Development Goal 14, which aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. Delegates to the conference specifically mentioned MPAs in their call to action as management tools that can enhance ocean resilience and better conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity.

The impacts of climate change on both the open ocean and coastal areas is of particular concern. But, according to Pews Karan, even the countries that affirmed their support of Sustainable Development Goal 14 are unlikely to be able to meet their sustainability goals without an overarching governance framework for the high seas.

The ocean doesnt respect political boundaries, Karan told Mongabay. Whats happening within countries national waters affects what happens on the high seas and will be affected by what happens on the high seas. Making sure that theres proper governance on the high seas will allow for the establishment of marine protected areas, and ensure that robust environmental impact assessments are being conducted for any activities on the high seas. That will ultimately help benefit countries national waters and enable them to meet the sustainable development goals.

Research has shown that marine protected areas and reserves could play a crucial role in ocean conservation efforts in an era of rising global temperatures. An international team of researchers published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences (PNAS) earlier this year, for instance, that concluded that well-managed marine reserves may help marine ecosystems and people adapt to five prominent impacts of climate change: acidification, sea-level rise, intensification of storms, shifts in species distribution, and decreased productivity and oxygen availability, as well as their cumulative effects.

The authors of the PNAS study add that marine reserves are a viable low-tech, cost-effective adaptation strategy that would yield multiple cobenefits from local to global scales, improving the outlook for the environment and people into the future.

Its important to note that, while the Preparatory Committee recommended that high seas treaty negotiations be convened, the responsibility for actually launching an intergovernmental conference to hold those negotiations ultimately lies with the UN General Assembly.

Karan called for the General Assembly to move the process along quickly: After two years of meetings, the General Assembly must now decide to launch formal diplomatic negotiations as soon as possible so that countries can work towards finalizing a treaty that would protect the high seas starting in 2018.

CITATION

Article published by Mike Gaworecki on 2017-07-25.

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Oak Park leaders urged to reach out to black, LGBT communities – Chicago Tribune

Posted: at 1:38 am

Oak Park, a village that prides itself on its diversity, has found itself in unfamiliar territory in the months following the April 4 election.

Former Oak Park village board members, African-American incumbents Peter Barber and Glenn Brewer, lost their bids for re-election. Former trustee Colette Lueck, an openly gay board member, chose not to run for another term.

The results left the Oak Park board with no African-American or lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender representation.

Some in Oak Park, a village with a diversity statement posted on its website, say current board members will have to make a significant effort to be sure local voices from those communities are heard. Lueck said it's likely been at least 20 years since the board has had no such representation.

Reesheda Washington, owner of the L!VE Cafe at 163 Oak Park Ave., said having a village board without members of color "is a collective loss" for the entire community.

"I think, oftentimes, we perceive that it is the black community who is missing something or lacking something if we don't have a black voice at the table," Washington said. "The reality is, we all suffer and miss nuancing that we all need, and that our lives would collectively be enriched by if we have more diversity present in conversations and decision making."

"It's not just the black community that suffers when black voices are not present, but that all of us really miss out on the beauty that happens when there is diversity available in the strategic planning and implementation in the village," she added.

Barber said it will be up to those now on the board to reach out to all of the village's 50,000-plus residents. Brewer noted that a "significant" portion of Oak Park's population now will no longer directly be represented on the village board. According to the village's website, Oak Park's population is made up of 67.7 percent white residents, 21.7 percent black residents, 5.8 percent Hispanic and about 5 percent Asian and American and Alaskan Indian.

"That includes getting out more into the community and talking with folks who probably aren't their close friends and neighbors," Barber said. "One of the things I was always sensitive [about] is we have a very large population of lower-income folks in Oak Park. They're influenced by the policies the board would put forth. A good example of this would be the parking sticker fees. Not everyone in Oak Park can afford to shrug off a $5 increase here or a $10 increase there."

Barber said a goal of his, and one he hopes the new trustees share, is to keep the village not only diverse, but accessible to everyone.

"It's something that's easily forgotten if you're not careful," Barber said.

Former trustee Brewer echoed those sentiments.

"As much as people would like to think they, and believe they can, represent everyone, I think they're going to have to be purposeful and intentional to make sure that all voices are heard and included," Brewer said. "They have to go above and beyond to be inclusive."

Brewer cited Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb's monthly forums at the Oak Park Public Library as one way village officials can stay connected to their constituents, but said such events are not the only way to reach out community members.

"All of the board members seem relatively adept at using social media," Brewer said. "I would advise them not to rely strictly on social media. There's a whole web of people young and old who do not use social media for expounding on their views. I think they have to be intentional in trying to have public forums or learn where there may be groups of people that meet and how you can become part of that group."

In her final board meeting in May, Lueck urged new board members to keep all of Oak Park in mind when making decisions at the board table.

"This is the first time in probably 20 years that I can remember there are no African-American or LGBT representation on this board," Lueck said. "I think the board has to create some ways of making sure they engage those voices in a very formal way. To say you're keeping them in your head is not good enough for me. You can say you're going to do it, but the reality is you cannot talk for them. If they don't have a way of expressing what they want here, it won't be heard."

Lueck, who had served two full terms as a trustee, said she believed it was time for someone new to sit on the village board, which was why she chose not to seek re-election.

Activist Anthony Clark, founder of the Suburban Unity Alliance who is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, said while having minority representation is important, he felt the election results were more about the village board's "perceived inability to listen to and speak for the public, and not because of their race."

"I believe that, moving forward, Oak Park will definitely see more minorities of all backgrounds stepping up and vying for leadership roles, which is important to me," Clark said. "But, in the meantime, current leadership should learn from the past election and recognize that simply being a minority isn't enough. You have to truly listen to and speak for your constituents, minorities and all."

Deno Andrews, who was one of the three new board members, along with Dan Moroney and Simone Boutet, voted in during the April election, said he has made time to speak with residents since his election, and encouraged interested residents to continue to reach out to him at his Felony Franks restaurant or through Facebook.

"I am confident I will be an effective leader in advancing equitable legislation and initiatives for all groups," Andrews said. "While Oak Park is certainly ahead of the curve in terms of diversity, we still have progress to make. I am motivated to work with every group that seeks equitable representation in our community."

Andrews pointed out the village recently flying the Pride Flag at Village Hall in honor of Pride Month as a way of showing how that population is valued in the village.

"While there is nobody from the LGBTQ community serving on the board at this time, the LGBTQ community is still valued, celebrated and served by this entire board," Andrews said.

Trustee Bob Tucker spoke on the matter in May, and pledged to keep the views and perspectives of his former colleagues in the council chambers while making future decisions.

"Those experiences and perspectives continue to be crucially important to our community," Tucker said. "That means in the months and years ahead, we at the table and you in the community need to be diligent that those perspectives and insights find their way to this table. Oak Park has always prided itself on diversity, and it's our responsibility to think about diverse options and perspectives as we conduct the village's business."

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Providence St. Joseph Health selects Venkat Bhamidipati as Chief Financial Officer – State of Reform

Posted: at 1:38 am

Providence St. Joseph Health today announced the selection of Venkat Bhamidipati as executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective July 31. Reporting to CEO Rod Hochman, MD, Bhamidipati will oversee finance, revenue diversification, accounting, tax and reimbursement, as well as real estate, supply chain, growth and revenue cycle. Bhamidipati previously served as managing director for business development and growth strategy at Microsoft.

Bhamidipati joins Providence St. Joseph Health at a time when technology and innovation are fundamentally changing how health care is delivered and the way patients interact with their caregivers. Providence St. Joseph Health has emerged as a leader in pioneering new technologies, fostering startups through investments and incubators, and integrating care in ways that address the underlying health needs of its communities to improve health outcomes. Bhamidipatis focus will be to maintain the highest level of financial and compliance integrity for the AA-rated $21 billion health system, as well as to assist PSJH in making solid investments to ensure it continues as an outstanding and innovative health care provider.

By selecting Venkat, we are making an intentional pivot for our organization that will support the intersection between technology and health care, ultimately leading to better patient care, says Hochman. With his depth of experience, Venkat will help guide us as we pursue innovative new offerings that will make our services more convenient and affordable while also generating new revenue streams to support our mission.

Bhamidipati has spent the last 13 years at Microsoft, where he has held executive positions including CFO of operations and technology and CFO of the organizations Worldwide Enterprise Group. Throughout his career, he has garnered a reputation for customer-centric decision-making and growth. For example, he was instrumental in strategically investing in cloud transformation that helped Microsoft accelerate growth while at the same time helping its customers become more productive. He also established a proven track record for balancing todays needs while planning for and investing in the future.

No sector of the American economy is more dynamic or integral to peoples lives as health care. And no single health care organization is more embracing of the role of technology in health than Providence St. Joseph Health, says Bhamidipati. I was attracted to Providence St. Joseph Health because of its mission and dedication to the physical, spiritual and social needs of its communities. I am also excited to use my experience at one of the worlds leading technology companies to help Providence accelerate health care innovation.

Jo Ann Escasa-Haigh, who has served as interim CFO since last year, will transition to a new role as chief financial officer of operations, reporting to Mike Butler, president of operations. Jo Ann will have direct oversight for the health systems team of regional, medical group and home health chief financial officers.

About Providence St. Joseph HealthProvidence St. Joseph Health is committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. With 50 hospitals, 829 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing and many other health and educational services, the health system and its partners employ more than 111,000 caregivers (employees) serving communities across seven states Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Formed in 2016, the Providence St. Joseph Health family includes the founding organizations, and in: Texas, Covenant Health and Covenant Medical Group; California, Facey Medical Group, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare; Washington, Kadlec Regional Medical Center, Pacific Medical Centers and Swedish Health Services.

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Winyah grad tackles space in first novel – South Strand news

Posted: at 1:36 am

Georgetown native Gray Rineharts first novel, Walking on the Sea of Clouds, a science fiction story about asteroid miners, just hit book store shelves.

Rinehart has some experience with space travel after spending 20 years in the Air Force working in space systems operations and support.

Growing up on Screven Street in Georgetown, Rinehart watched Star Trek reruns and read Omni and Analog magazines. After graduating from Winyah High School in 1982, Rinehart joined the Air Force.

His love of science fiction sparked his interest in working in space systems for the Air Force. While serving, however, Rinehart said he stopped reading science fiction, although he did enjoy watching sci-fi movies.

The 1985 Orson Scott Card novel Enders Game got Rinehart reading science fiction again. It also inspired him to starting writing science fiction.

Walking on the Sea of Clouds follows the exploits of two couples struggling to establish the first commercial lunar colony for asteroid miners, and the sacrifices they have to make. The couples take care of everything to keep the colony running and the colonists alive.

Survival requires a certain amount of sacrifice, Rinehart said. The question is what sacrifices are people willing to make in order to survive and succeed in this endeavor.

Rinehart said he liked the idea of writing about the early days of space colonies because he didnt find a lot of stories about the topic.

What I wanted to do is explore some of the stories about the people who would be involved in building the (colonies) from the ground up, he added.

Rinehart started writing the book around 2008 after retiring from the Air Force. It took about 18 months to complete.

There was immense relief in having actually gotten to the end of a novel-length manuscript, he said.

Rinehart said he had a general idea of the plot of the book and how it was going to end, but didnt outline a lot of the details in advance. He compared it to episodes of a television series, where he came up with the major events of the story and then put them all together.

Because of his military background, Rinehart said he was careful about what he wrote because hes aware of how things actually work.

It certainly makes me a better writer than I would be otherwise, but not a better writer than anybody else, he said.

At the time he finished the book, Rinehart was working for Baen Books, evaluating unsolicited manuscripts that the company received. He would read the submissions and decide whether they company should consider publishing them. So he knew what the process of shopping a book around to publishers was like.

He submitted his book to Baen, but I knew in my heart it wasnt quite right for our publishing house, he said.

It took several years, and a lot of rejections, before he eventually sold the book to WordFire Press in Monument, Colorado.

It was very much a marathon not a sprint, Rinehart said. Like a steeplechase with things to dodge.

Rinehart plans on writing more books, although probably not sequels to Walking on the Sea of Clouds. Hes already started a fantasy novel and has some short stories that will be published within the next year or so.

He prefers writing short stories.

It allows me to get to the point where I type The End faster, he said.

Rinehart said it has become more difficult for authors to keep up with the science fiction as the science has advanced.

He said science fiction in the 1950s and 1960s had a hopefulness about the future, where people would overcome difficulties and make things better.

In Rineharts opinion, science fiction then took a turn toward the dystopic with worlds that are fraught with difficulties. He said hed like see more hopeful, forward-looking science fiction.

After retiring from the Air Force, Rinehart settled in Cary, North Carolina. But he plans to return to his hometown for the solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

He said he is still in touch with his Winyah classmates, although he missed a recent 35-year anniversary gathering.

We still are in pretty close touch with one another, Rinehart said.

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Melissa McCarthy Will Challenge The Singularity In Super-Intelligence – Screen Rant

Posted: at 1:36 am

Melissa McCarthy has boarded her next project, working once again with husband and frequent director Ben Falcone on science-fiction comedySuper-Intelligencefor New Line Cinema.

McCarthy is one of the biggest names in modern comedy, and she works primarily with two directors for her various projects. When shes not re-teaming withBridesmaidsdirector Paul Feig (they collaborated onThe Heat, SpyandGhostbusters since then), shes working with husband and creative partner Ben Falcone. McCarthy andFalcone are one of the premier power couples working in comedy, writing scripts together as vehicles for McCarthyto headline to boost her stardom and for her husband to direct. Theyve worked on three projects together to date, to varying degrees of success, and theyve officially announced their fourth collaboration today.

According toVariety,the duo will nextpartner with writerSteve Mallory onSuper-Intelligence,a science-fiction comedy described as a buddy comedy set against the phenomenon of technological singularity, a high concept hypothesis that says humans will one day create artificial intelligence that will change the progress of the human species as we know it.Mallory worked with Falcone and McCarthy onThe Boss,working once again on the script with them as McCarthy stars and Falcone directs. The duo will also produce the film under theirOn the Day production heading.

This looks to be the most ambitious collaboration for the McCarthy/Falcone combo yet, as their other works are much simpler in concept with somewhat progressive payoff. Tammy,starring McCarthy as an abrasive fast food employee who goes on a cross-country road trip with her grandmother (Susan Sarandon), grossed $100 million worldwide on just a $20 million budget, but received mixed to negative reviews from critics. The story was mostly same for The Boss,featuring McCarthy as a wealthy businesswoman who goes to jail for insider training and must regain her mojo by heading a Girl Scout troop. Little is known about the couples third film, a comedy titledLife of the Party,other than itwill be released next summer the weekend afterAvengers: Infinity War.

As with most stars of the comedy genre, its all about finding McCarthy the right project that will maximize her talents and not reduce her down to the most basic and restrictingforms of humor. Falcone has sometimes struggled with avoiding the common denominator of pratfalls and lowbrow comedy in his previous works.Super-Intelligenceis at the very least a fascinating idea, but that fascination means nothing if the film cant deliver on the clever laughs that audiences hope to get from a McCarthy comedy. One hopes that Super-Intelligence,which has no current release date, will be the gem that the combo needs to certify their working relationship to the critical world.

Source: Variety

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Blog – Tau Station

Posted: at 1:35 am

A very wise and gifted old man once stated:

Mutation: it is the key to our evolution. It has enabled us to evolve from a single-celled organism into the dominant species on the planet. Its process is slow, and normally taking thousands and thousands of years. But every few hundred millennia, evolution leaps forward.

While we do have the utmost respect for the afore-quoted gentleman, the denizens of Tau Stations verse have taken a slightly more extropian approach. Born of necessity and the need to survive in the new situations that arise when one seeks to colonize new star systems with their own idiosyncratic gravities, atmospheres, and a whole host of new dangers, humanity bio-engineered its own evolution.

Read on below to discover Tau Stations Genotypes!

Continue reading "Genotypes: Evolution by Design"

We love great stories! Its something we simply cannot overstate. A couple of months ago we brought you our first batch of Mission Dispatches. Our narrative designers have been busy crafting tales and stations, and while we sometimes find ourselves wondering about the worrying giggles emanating from their brainstorming sessions, we feel its time to bring you another glimpse into some of Tau Stations upcoming stories!

Continue reading "Mission Dispatches : Chapter Two"

Founded by wealthy Gaule philanthropists looking to fashion a station devoted to the arts, Nouveau Limoges has long existed as a haven for artists, poets, musicians, and idealists. With its reputation for independent thinking and a resistance to authority, the station has always been seen as somewhat of an eccentric anomaly to the Gaule administration. With its large population of free thinkers, devoted to creative pursuits, the government was often at odds with the non-conformity of its citizens. The imposition of tighter control was met by increasing civil disobedience and the threat of outright rebellion.

Continue reading "Nouveau Limoges: Sanctuary of the Arts"

June has drawn to a close Tau Station has continued to grow and evolve. There is, of course, still much to do but seeing progress taking shape fuels our passion to soldier on!

Each week brings more results, and the Universe of Tau Station is taking shape day after day. Its a beautiful feeling that we love to share with you!

Continue reading "Tau Station Status Report: June"

Kbenhavn, once a beacon of industry, a station of shipwrights and world class engineers known far and wide as the very best in the building of spacefaring vessels. Now, after the Catastrophe, this station is a husk of its former self. When the Catastrophe struck here, it struck hard. Hundreds of gargantuan ships moored above the station, some for repairs, others being built outright, came slowly but inexorably crashing down upon the luckless denizens below. Cruiseliners, built to ferry thousands of passengers across the solar system disintegrated entire city blocks, other buildings exploded into fiery balls of deadly plasma as fuel tanks ignited or dangerous payloads caught a spark. In the aftermath, Kbenhavns people crawled out of the wreckage and, those that did, marvelled at their survival.

Continue reading "Kbenhavn The Shipwrights Shipwreck"

When reading through the literature of how games are built, we find that a common pattern for many games is the Entity-Component-System (ECS) pattern, first used in one of our favorite games Thief: The Dark Project. Tau Station uses ECS for items the characters can find and its proven very flexible and since were not a traditional graphic game, some of the known drawbacks of ECS dont apply to us. However, we also make use of traditional object-oriented programming (OOP) and thats where we wish to avoid a common trap that many software developers fall into: multiple inheritance.

Continue reading "Avoiding Multiple Inheritance with Traits"

Within the Universe of Tau Station there are two great superpowers that have been rivals for centuries. Though the Consortium and the Gaule Protectorate have reached agreements on numerous mutually beneficial economic, military, and scientific policies, their basic ideological and cultural differences have always been major points of contention. In an earlier blog we discussed the Consortium; here we take a look at the Gaule Protectorate.

Continue reading "The Gaule Protectorate"

May is almost over and this month brought us many ups and downs but only regarding the temperatures here in Western Europe. Our international development team is weather-proof and is moving steadily forward to Closed Alpharegardless of the circumstances beyond our windows. This month we were also able to set up important internal processes and tools which will help us to work more efficiently in the weeks to come. Read on below to see what our team has accomplished for Tau Station in the last weeks.

Continue reading "Tau Station Status Report: May"

What was once violent and rough, volatile, and explosive has calmed like the stars from which our bodies were fed our first ancient form. The old ones give us the origin tales of our promise land: Daedalus, our home and we, The Promethean Sect, have claimed it as our own. We thrive on our home station. The time for destruction and disorder has come and gone. Our bounty is won: Daedalus Station is our haven. From this we vow peace. Sated, we vow calm.

Continue, that you may know more.

Continue reading "Daedalus Station. Your True One Life awaits."

Clones and cloning are unique elements found in Tau Station. They are an integral part of our universe, serving as both interesting plot devices and essential parts of game play. Knowing how important they are to your experience, weve also had our art team craft visuals that help illustrate the cloning process in details that go beyond imagination.

Continue reading "A Visual Visit to Your Local Clone Center"

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Senate bill finds middle ground for NASA funding – SpaceNews

Posted: at 1:33 am

The Senate appropriations bill increases funds for the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, matching the companion House bill. Credit: NASA

WASHINGTON A Senate appropriations subcommittee approved a spending bill July 25 that would provide NASA with $19.5 billion, striking a middle ground between the administrations original request and a more generous House bill.

The commerce, justice and science subcommittee (CJS) approved the bill in a brief markup session, delayed by more than an hour due to a procedural vote on the Senate floor about healthcare legislation. The full Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up the bill July 27.

While the committee has yet to release the bill, the summary of the bill notes it provides $19.53 billion for NASA, $437 million above the administrations request for fiscal year 2018. That amount, though, is about $340 million less than whats offered the House version of the CJS bill, passed by House appropriators July 13 and pending consideration by the full House.

This committee remains supportive of science and innovation by preserving a balanced space program with NASA, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman of the CJS subcommittee, said in his opening remarks at the markup. The White House proposal, he said, would erode ongoing science missions, jeopardize core operations, eliminate the entire education directorate and delay exploration launches.

The bill summary addresses some of those issues. The bill provides $2.15 billion for the Space Launch System, $212 million above the request and identical to the amount in the House bill. It also provides $1.35 billion for the Orion crew vehicle, $164 million above the request and again identical to the House bill.

The bill also provides $100 million for NASAs Office of Education, which the administration sought to close in the request despite bipartisan criticism. The House offered $90 million for the office, also rejecting the administrations plans.

Few other details about the budget were included in the summary. NASAs science programs would receive $5.57 billion, $140 million below the request and nearly $290 million less than the House bill. The summary did not break down how that funding would be allocated among NASAs various science divisions and the development of the James Webb Space Telescope.

NASAs commercial crew program would get $732 million in the bill, identical with the administrations request and past planning for the multi-year development effort. NASAs space technology program would get $700 million, an increase of $21 million over the White House proposal. The summary did not specify what programs within space technology would benefit from the increase, but the summary did note that it includes funds to advance projects in early stages of development that are expected to eventually demonstrate capabilities needed for future space exploration.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations two major programs, the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R (GOES-R) and Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), would receive full funding. The White House requested $518.5 million for the GOES-R program and $775.9 million for JPSS.

That full funding, Shelby said in his statement, extended to the Polar Follow-On program, which supports development of the third and fourth JPSS satellites. It wasnt clear what constituted full funding for that program, which received $328.9 million in 2017 and was previously planned to get $586 million in 2018. The White House request sought only $180 million for the program, which it plans to delay and restructure. The House bill provided only $50 million for Polar Follow-On, citing a lack of details about that proposed restructuring.

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Takeda taps nanotech player BioSurfaces for GI disease device … – FierceBiotech

Posted: at 1:32 am

Takeda and BioSurfaces have signed an agreement to develop medical devices for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The Japanese pharma will contribute its gastroenterology know-how, while the devicemaker will bring its nanomaterial technology to the table.

We are excited to partner with BioSurfaces, whose pioneering technology aids our strategy of applying novel biomaterials to treat gastrointestinal diseases, said Vincent Ling, senior director of materials and innovation at Takeda Pharmaceutical Sciences, in a statement. Our research collaboration will lead to the development of cutting-edge use of biopolymers and device fabrication technology.

The technology could potentially help prevent stricturesnarrowing of the gastrointestinal tract caused by inflammationand encourage the healing of fistulas, abnormal openings in the GI tract that allow its contents to leak, Ling said.

RELATED: Takeda teams up with Koneksa to integrate remote data capture into clinical trials

BioSurfaces tech is based on what it calls electrospinning, which applies a high voltage to a liquid polymer solution to place polymer nanofibers onto an object. The method can be used to deposit the nanofibers onto a medical deviceor onto a mold to create a standalone material or device.

In addition to enabling the formation of difficult-to-manufacture shapes, Biosurfaces process results in materials that are more biocompatible than currently available textile-based implants, which include vascular grafts and hernia-repair mesh.

Various devices using our technology have been shown to fully integrate with the bodys own tissue in preclinical studies, which is a major differentiator from current woven and knitted textile materials, said Matthew Phaneuf, president and chief technical officer of BioSurfaces. In addition to improved healing, our technology is designed to deliver drugs and/or bioactive agents directly to the disease area, putting the treatment right where it should be and not throughout the whole body, thereby reducing possible complications.

In September last year, Takeda joined forces with Vanderbilt University and Texas Digestive Disease Consultants on a digital program to help patients and physicians manage inflammatory bowel disease. The pilot program involves 100 patients who are tracking their disease using a wearable device.

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Nanotech Schedules Third Quarter Fiscal 2017 Earnings … – Benzinga – Benzinga

Posted: at 1:32 am

5:00pm EDT on Thursday, August 3, 2017

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 25, 2017) - Nanotech Security Corp. (TSX:NTS) (OTCQX:NTSFF) today announced the Company will release financial results for its third quarter fiscal 2017 after the market closes on Thursday, August 3, 2017. The Chairman and CEO, Doug Blakeway and President and CFO, Troy Bullock will host a conference call at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time the same day. All interested parties are invited to participate in this conference call and should dial the following number approximately 10 minutes prior to the starting time.

Conference Call Details:

About Nanotech Security

Nanotech designs, manufactures and markets nano-optic OVDs and OTF products. These products have brand protection and enhancement applications across a wide range of markets including banknotes, secure government documents, commercial branding, and the pharmaceutical industry. The Company is initially focusing its efforts on the banknote market due to its high margins and its established customer base.

The Company's nano-optic technology employs arrays of billions of nano-indentations that are impressed or embossed onto a substrate material such as polymer, paper, metal, or fabric. By using sophisticated algorithms to direct an electron beam, the Company creates visual images with colour shifting effects such as 3D, perceived movement, and can also display high-definition colours including skin tones, and whites and blacks, which are not possible using traditional holographic technology.

Additional information about Nanotech can be found at the Company's website http://www.nanosecurity.ca, the Canadian disclosure filings website http://www.sedar.com or the OTCMarkets disclosure filings website http://www.otcmarkets.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Nanotech Schedules Third Quarter Fiscal 2017 Earnings ... - Benzinga - Benzinga

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Poised For a Move? Nanotech Security Corp (NTS.V) Technicals at a Glance – Stock Rover

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Shares ofNanotech Security Corp (NTS.V) aremoving on volatility today0.00% or 0.00 from the open.TheTSXV listed companysaw a recent bid of 1.24 and14400shares have traded hands in the session.

There are some that swear by the technical analysis. Many investors will opt to employ a research strategy that involves pieces of the two approaches. Knowing every little detail about a company may not be overly necessary, but it may help provide a bit more direction when navigating the stock market maze. Investors who put in the time to study all the fundamentals may want to also start watching the charts on stock that they are thinking about adding to the portfolio. Making sure that no stone is left unturned when examining a stock may end up being the difference between a big winner and a big loser.

Now letstake a look at how the fundamentals are stacking up for Nanotech Security Corp (NTS.V). Fundamental analysis takes into consideration market, industry and stock conditions to help determine if the shares are correctly valued. Nanotech Security Corp currently has a yearly EPS of -0.13. This number is derived from the total net income divided by shares outstanding. In other words, EPS reveals how profitable a company is on a share owner basis.

Another key indicator that can help investors determine if a stock might be a quality investment is the Return on Equity or ROE. Nanotech Security Corp (NTS.V) currently has Return on Equity of -43.71. ROE is a ratio that measures profits generated from the investments received from shareholders.

In other words, the ratio reveals how effective the firm is at turning shareholder investment into company profits. A company with high ROE typically reflects well on management and how well a company is run at a high level. A firm with a lower ROE might encourage potential investors to dig further to see why profits arent being generated from shareholder money.

Another ratio we can look at is the Return on Invested Capital or more commonly referred to as ROIC. Nanotech Security Corp (NTS.V) has a current ROIC of -36.08. ROIC is calculated by dividing Net Income Dividends by Total Capital Invested.

Similar to ROE, ROIC measures how effectively company management is using invested capital to generate company income. A high ROIC number typically reflects positively on company management while a low number typically reflects the opposite.

Turning to Return on Assets or ROA, Nanotech Security Corp (NTS.V) has a current ROA of -31.16. This is a profitability ratio that measures net income generated from total company assets during a given period. This ratio reveals how quick a company can turn its assets into profits. In other words, the ratio provides insight into the profitability of a firms assets. The ratio is calculated by dividing total net income by the average total assets.

A higher ROA compared to peers in the same industry, would suggest that company management is able to effectively generate profits from their assets. Similar to the other ratios, a lower number might raise red flags about managements ability when compared to other companies in a similar sector.

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Poised For a Move? Nanotech Security Corp (NTS.V) Technicals at a Glance - Stock Rover

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