CQ is an old antimalarial drug with limited use due to its resistance as well while poisoning risk (rhythm disturbance, QT interval prolongation) [98]

CQ is an old antimalarial drug with limited use due to its resistance as well while poisoning risk (rhythm disturbance, QT interval prolongation) [98]. electron microscope [6]. All CoVs are pleomorphic viruses that usually create 80C160?nm and 27C32?kb positive polarity of Aceneuramic acid hydrate crown-shaped peplomers [7]. Aceneuramic acid hydrate CoV recombinations are very large as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) jumps, and transcription errors are continuously increasing, which might lead to genetic drifting within the same strain [8]. With their quick mutation rates, CoVs are zoonotic viruses found in humans as well as other animal species, with a broad array of clinical symptoms from asymptomatic to the hospitalization in an intensive-care facility [3]. CoVs were not known to be highly pathogenic in humans until they were 1st recognized in Guangdong in 2002 and 2003 with the Aceneuramic acid hydrate severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) [9]. There were two more common types of CoVs, CoV-OC43, and CoV-229E, that result in moderate infections in people with an adequate immune system, before these outbreaks. About 10?years ago, since SARS appeared, MERS-CoV in the Middle East countries, another extremely pathogenic CoV disease offers evolved [9,10]. In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (nCoV) was founded in Wuhan, Huanan, province of Hubei, and has become a significant global priority because of the outbreak of pneumonia, where livestock was exchanged (traded) [11]. The novel fresh virus SARS-CoV-2 is the seventh known CoV to infect humans from this viral family. At first, on 12?December 2019, an unexplained case of pneumonia was identified in Wuhan. Laboratory tests eliminated suspected influenza and additional CoVs. On 7 January 2020, the government bodies in China declared the isolation of the new CoV type [12]. On 12th January, 2019-nCoV was designated by WHO, and on 11?February 2020 was assigned COVID-19 name. A total of 2,355,853 recorded cases were authorized, with 164,656 fatalities as of the 20?April 2020 [13]. On 29?January 2020, Li bat, is definitely approximately 96% identical to SARS-CoV-2, indicating that it cannot effectively bind to human being ACE2 [27]. Furthermore, illegally smuggled infected animals into Guangdong province, such as Malayan pangolins (and medical studies are intensively carried out throughout the world, especially in China and USA. For example, molecular modeling studies are using docking software to determine the binding effectiveness of these compounds to SARS-CoV-2. These studies are aiming to validate the repurposing of the use of different medicines such HIV protease inhibitors, nucleoside analogs for SARS-CoV-2?and other existing drugs with antiviral activity [79]. Antiviral providers Lopinavir (LPV) is definitely a HIV type 1 aspartate protease inhibitor while ritonavir (RTV) is usually combined to it to increase the plasma half-life of LPV by inhibiting CYP450 enzyme [14]. Since the outbreak, several clinical trials have been investigated within the potentials of this combination (LPV/RTV) on SARS-CoV-2 individuals outcomes. A medical trial was carried out in Jin Yin-Tan Hospital, Wuhan, on 199 seriously ill individuals of SARS-CoV-2 illness [80]. Male and nonpregnant individuals of 18?years or older were included. The individuals have an oxygen saturation of 94% or less with pneumonia confirmed by chest imagining. They were divided into two organizations: a control group received the standard care in hospital, and the additional treatment group received a combination of LPV/RTV (400 and 100?mg, respectively) twice daily plus the standard hospital care for 14?days. The treatment group showed no improvement in survival compared Aceneuramic acid hydrate with control individuals. The mortality percentage in LPV/RTV individuals was not significantly different from control 19.2, and 25%, respectively [81]. No variations in the percentages of viral RNA detection was found at different times points in the users of the two organizations [72]. Another medical trial was carried out at the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen to measure the performance of favipiravir (FPV) compared with LPV/RTV combination as control. FPV is definitely a novel RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor that showed promising results on SARS-CoV-2 [82]. Rabbit Polyclonal to BAIAP2L1 It blocks the replication of several viruses other than influenza. The included individuals have an age range of 16C75. Individuals with severe conditions, including RR.

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President asks insurance company to pay Rs 1.2 million to the widow of policyholder

PR No. 54/2022

Islamabad, 06 April 2022: President Dr Arif Alvi has asked Jubilee Life Insurance Co. Ltd to pay Rs 1.2 million to the widow of a deceased policyholder. The company had ignored the payment of Rs 1.2 million as the unit price of the policy and simply returned an amount of Rs. 4.5 million, deposited by her late husband as premium, to the widow.

            Mst. Iffat Naheed (the complainant) had filed a representation with the President against the order of the Federal Insurance Ombudsman (FIO) which had ordered the case to be closed as the insurance company had refunded Rs 4.5 million in an alleged amicable settlement to the widow. While accepting the widow’s plea, the President held that the company after having invested the money of the policyholder in business must have earned considerable profits and it would be unjust to deprive the complainant of his contribution to the earned profits as per the principle of economic and distributive justice enshrined in the preamble of Pakistan’s Constitution, 1973.

            As per details, Mr Muhammad Shafique had obtained a life insurance policy from Jubilee Life Insurance Co Ltd in 2016 and deposited Rs 4.5 million with the company. Mr Shafique died on 08.12.2018 and his widow filed the death insurance claim after which the company refunded her the Rs 4.5 million, paid by her late husband, as ex-gratia payment. Feeling aggrieved, the complainant approached FIO to seek justice which passed the impugned order. Subsequently, Mst Iffat Naheed filed a representation with the President for the redressal of her complaint.

            After investigating the matter, President Dr Arif Alvi accepted the representation of the complainant and ordered the company to pay an amount of Rs 1,235,339 to the complainant within 30 days. He observed that FIO had failed to notice that the amount of Rs 4.5 million refunded to the complainant under the garb of ex-gratia amount was the actual amount that was deposited by the deceased policyholder. The President termed the alleged amicable settlement of Rs 4.5 million as against all norms of justice and fairness and stated that the complainant on account of acute financial hardships had accepted whatever was being paid by the company and it was not an act of free will and volition. Referring to Article 3 of the Constitution of Pakistan which provides that the State shall ensure the elimination of all forms of exploitation, the President underlined that Insurance Ordinance, 2000 had been promulgated to regulate the business of the insurance industry and to ensure the protection of the interests of the insurance policyholders. He emphasised that it was incumbent upon the State to ensure that people are not exploited because of their wants, needs and economic compulsions. The President stated that since the payable amount of Rs 1.2 million of the unit price of the policy had been totally ignored by FIO before disposing of the matter, therefore, the representation of the widow is accepted and the company is directed to pay Rs 1.2 million to the complainant within 30 days.

President house


What effect might misdiagnosis’s have on children lives?

What effect might misdiagnosis’s have on children lives?

Without any test for mental health disorders, the gateway to a missed diagnosis is left to perception when the underlining problem isn’t found (CCHR, 2007). When it comes to the effects of misdiagnoses, children with mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, manic depression, and schizophrenia disorders can have devastating consequences on their life.  When a child is miss diagnosed, he or she will probably be prescribed certain medications that may not solve or help the issues.  In addition to being wrongfully medicated, experts can also refer the child to therapies that he or she may not need, which can make matters worse.  Therefore, misdiagnoses can be like placing the wrong permanent labels on children that may bare devastating lifelong consequences.

Why should or should not we diagnose young children?

According to the American Psychology Association (n.d.) there are approximately 15 million children and adolescents in our nation currently diagnosed with a mental disorder.  Wow! That is a scary amount in my opinion.  Being diagnosed with a mental health disorder is a very sensitive matter because a child’s mental and physical health is at risk.  Not only is the child affected by many mental issues, so are the families.  Being properly diagnosed is important and should be done adequately and over a period. Especially before labeling a child with a mental disorder.  However, I do think that many mental disorders can be misconstrued with a little more than typical behaviors.  For instance, a 2-year-old can show more aggression than a “typical” toddler would and that raise concern for some parents.  Even though the child may just be acting out a little more.  Therefore, I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer to should or should we not diagnose young children.  If the child is diagnosed with a mental disability, he or she deserves the best medical treatment to address the issue.  Just make sure to proceed with caution with any medications that have not yet been approved by the FDA.

What age is “too young” to diagnoses, or is there no age limit?

According to Briggs, (a Psychologist who works in a healthcare center based in the South Bronx) screaming babies as early as six months for any signs of mental issues is important.  Briggs agrees with many other experts that say waiting until Kindergarten is too late for diagnosing a child (Cardoza, 2016).  Which sounds too young in my opinion, although I’m not an expert.  Young children are still developing and trying to find themselves (in terms of behaviors), therefore, I do think many children are being diagnosed too young.  It seems to be an issue affecting their overall development.

What are the cons to giving diagnoses too young to children?

The cons to diagnosing too young are the classification that is put on the child.  Classifying a child with a mental disorder can make the child feel that he or she is broken, different, or not normal.  Which comes with its own set of problems.  To also allocating mental health drugs, that are meant for adults who suffer from mental health issues and not yet approved for a child’s consumption.  Which is scary and can also have negative consequences for children.  Children who have been diagnosed too young can isolate themselves and become depressed, worsening their condition.

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Emotional Rescue: Using Mindfulness to Reset Your Reactions

When something goes wrong, do you have the urge to ignore your emotions or react to them? Your response might tell you something about your habits of mind.

mariko_s/Adobe Stock

The idea of emotional awareness can seem almost mundane. Most of us recognize the benefits of being conscious of our emotions on some level. Yet, being skillful with our emotions isn’t just about recognizing when we feel happy, angry, or sad. Awareness means noticing all of our emotions, and then making active choices about whether we need to take action or whether it’s best to leave things alone.

As with body sensations, being mindful of emotions creates practical awareness of something that profoundly impacts our lives. It’s not a cliché that bottling up emotions creates internal pressure, much like shaking a bottle of carbonated soda. And it’s not a platitude that simply describing and labeling how we feel can decrease the hold some emotions have over us. But those ideas only scratch the surface. Without greater awareness, unattended emotions may steer us away from longer term happiness and well-being.

Seeing Emotion as It Really Is

All emotions have a reason to exist, a point made resoundingly well in the hit movie Inside Out. There’s no point suppressing how we feel or being annoyed at anything in particular. Joy is great, but anger, sadness, fear, disgust—they all play a role and give us an opportunity to peek inside our minds. A negative emotion shows up to signal that something needs addressing. I’m sad because I’m grieving and need my friends. I’m fearful because this project is a challenge and I need to spend more time on it. Recognizing emotions and what they reflect in our lives has value in and of itself in keeping us on the right path for ourselves.

But not every mood shows up because of real life experience. We all have ups and downs. Moods can be fleeting. Some arrive driven by our own inner chemistry. Yet we often reach for outside causes to these haphazard states of mind. We attribute a mental downturn to our work, our partner, or some other external experience—someone or something must be responsible. Needing comfort, we accidentally push aside people who might provide it. I haven’t asked and I’ve been prickly like a cactus to him, but still, if he really cared he’d come sit with me. In our minds, someone has become part of the problem and then our behavior leads them to confirm our fears.

Sometimes our mood is just our mood. We may seek solace in a reactive habit, such as withdrawing from or lashing out at people; either can be useful when done intentionally, not so much when reflexive and without forethought. They often offer temporary relief without fixing an underlying cause, particularly when there isn’t a fixable one to begin with. We can also fixate on keeping everything the same, such as getting caught up in the end to an idyllic vacation while still on the beach.

Sometimes there’s nothing more to notice but how we’re feeling and, for a stretch, let life be. I’m rattled and there’s nothing useful to do about it at the moment. A mood showed up and will leave of its own accord, awful or as wonderful as it feels, and the healthiest thing for us to do or think about it may be nothing at all.

You Can’t Change What You Can’t See: How Thoughts and Emotions Interact

When we fail to pay attention to emotion, we tend to skew how we perceive the world, which magnifies unpleasantness even further. When angry, we are more likely to see others as angry. When sad or anxious or whatever else, those states affect our perceptions. Our emotions then change how we think, and those thoughts in turn undermine our emotions again. Both thoughts and emotions affect how we physically feel, which in and of itself influences our emotional state. That cycle continues unabated if we don’t take effort to steer it somewhere healthier.

When we build awareness, we notice our emotions more clearly and with less resistance. We recognize our mental habits and actively choose to leave things alone for a moment instead.

Negative feelings in particular, more than the good ones, grab our attention and won’t let go. They trigger patterns that pull us further into mental rabbit holes. Oh no, here I go again, I’m not capable of taking caring of myself, or similar ideas exacerbate already challenging states of mind. What was going to be a short downturn becomes a crisis because of a mental cyclone triggered by fear, remorse, and self-doubt. That mental storm swamps us, and we end up avoiding activities, people, and even ways of thinking we have at our disposal that would otherwise help us feel better.

When we build awareness, such as through the practice of mindfulness, we notice our emotions more clearly and with less resistance. We recognize our mental habits and actively choose to leave things alone for a moment instead. I’m in a bad mood, it’s not my fault or anyone else’s, and it will pass. Whatever our urge—to ignore emotion or to react to it—we work on something new. If something useful and healthy can relieve an intense emotion, we go for it… and for much of the rest we can observe, seek comfort when we can, and then define the next solid step forward on a stressful day.

Mindfulness Practice: Emotional Awareness

Awareness of emotions starts with just that—paying attention more often to how we feel. From there, slowly and over time, we can set new intentions for ourselves. For the next few days, aim to*:

  1. Recognize emotions more often as they arise. Label briefly, if you like, whatever emotion you notice.
  2. Refrain, for a moment, from doing whatever you typically do with that emotion. Pause, take a few breaths, and let things alone before taking a next step.
  3. Relax if you can, letting go of any sense of constriction or tension the emotion causes you. If you see something useful to be done about how you feel—go for it. If not, practice letting things be, instead of falling back on reactive, less productive habits.
  4. Resolve to keep working on emotional awareness and reactivity.  Old habits change slowly, not all at once.
* Adapted from the writings of Pema Chodron


Top exam preparation tips

School tests and exams are provided to students to assess their skills in a subject or course and to determine their level of learning. Exams are compulsory, which means that every student must pass in order to receive the assessment and approval of the school. Here are some proven tips that each student should follow to maximize their learning abilities in preparation for the exam:

Find a quiet place

This is the first thing to do, and the most important part of the study. Repetition and learning in a quiet place is necessary so that the student is not distracted by anything and helps him to focus on what he needs to learn. There should be no distractions in this place, such as loud music, television and noisy people, or any other elements that may disturb the student’s concentration.

Keep the learning area simple

Sit at a table, in a room, or somewhere in an uncluttered place, because cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind. If the place of study is clean and uncluttered, it is recorded visually, which affects the sharpness of the student’s mind and can strengthen the brain so that he can think clearly and concentratedly.

Organize a survey and prioritize the list

Creating a simple schedule is the best way to organize your studies and make it easier to do everyday tasks. Parents should help their children choose the subjects or courses they prefer. It is better to spend a little more time on subjects that the student finds more difficult, and less on items in which he is already well versed.

Stay motivated

The parent or guardian must set the right expectations and make the motivation for learning clear and definite. The student must understand that passing and passing exams will improve their grades and ultimately increase their chances of reaching the highest level, which in turn will give them a better chance of finding a job and retaining a career that is paid better than most.

Eat and drink healthy food

Healthy food rich in vitamins and minerals can feed the brain, such as nuts, sandwiches, fruits and fish. Always remember that you can’t overeat because it can make a student lazy and sleepy. Drinking water is a healthier choice than using stimulants such as caffeine. Eat and drink natural foods as much as possible.

Take breaks

Fast breaks after 15 minutes of exercise can be beneficial to the brain. It animates and refreshes the general state of the student’s soul. This break includes walks, stretching, pet games and fresh air.

Rest and sleep

A rested brain learns better than a tense brain. Always encourage the student to sleep for 8 hours a day, if possible, trying to sleep during the day. This allows the brain and body to rest and recuperate.

Make plans for each topic and review

Describing and writing down all the important things and words, it will be easier for the student to remember all the important things on the topic under study. It also makes learning more intuitive and easy to remember.

Attend check-up courses

Repetition lessons give students every opportunity to ask teachers questions about things they don’t fully understand. Some areas of missed topics may also be affected again.

Avoid toppings

Convulsions during tests give a strain on the brain and body. Studies show that learning gradually contributes to memory retention, while padding can affect students’ memory. It is better to study a little each day than to stay awake all night, preparing for exams.

Following these learning tips, it will be easy to learn everything at school. In fact, studying can be a fun and very fun habit. Preparing for exams will help your child better prepare their time and strength for the exam. The better you learn, the faster you can do everything in one day.

Each student has different abilities and learning abilities, and it is through the study and implementation of advanced teaching methods that can achieve great academic results in many ways. There are a lot of learning tips available on the Internet, but the most reliable are on the Hiring a professional tutor can help the student achieve his goals while studying.


Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, the epochs have been moving at the pace of innovations in science and technology: from the industrial revolution to the computer revolution, from the atomic age to the age of networks. These innovations are becoming ever more deeply intertwined with the texture of our world and our lives, but the results are far from emancipatory. Rather, they express a conflict between actors, powers and rationalities in continuous opposition: capital and life, corporations and movements, instrumental rationality and critical rationality. Cases ranging from Cambridge Analytica and Trump to the disputes around the climate emergency are examples of this. Today, technoscience is the battlefront of civilizational change; technopolitics, the form in which the battle is fought*.

Despite this conflicting reality, the predominant public discourse on technology and science is optimistic, technocratic or merely informative. On the other hand, as a reaction, there is a proliferation of both catastrophist approaches, which only see the negative aspects of these advances (e.g., automation and unemployment, anti-5G), and pseudo-alternative discourses (e.g., homeopathy), which aspire to replace them or occupy, on dubious grounds, the blind spaces of technological and scientific development.

It is necessary, therefore, to incorporate frameworks and narratives in public opinion for imaginative and transformative reflection, combining critical and rigorous discourse with a proactive attitude, helping to unweave the warp of technoscience and technopolitics in order to imagine other possibilities, from alternative experiences and critical perspectives. It is about rethinking our time from technopolitics and technoscience, from its root, and this root, from new practical and imaginative territories, that is to say, from other possible worlds and lives.

Tecnopolítica.cc is a project promoted by Tecnopolítica-IN3 together with a wider community of researchers and activists. Its central purpose is to constitute a network of critical discourse, a collective space from which to promote transformative narratives on technology, society and science at the local, national and international levels.

*By technoscience we mean the scientific institutions, disciplines, networks and practices that, from the 20th century onwards, increasingly rely on technology, both materially (instruments, practices, knowledge, economies) and conceptually (with the transformation of the real--and not its mere explanation--as a key objective). By technopolitics we mean the strategic practice of designing or using technologies to constitute, embody, or advance political objectives.


the photoshooter's journey from taking to making

Posts tagged “Natural Light

THE WORD “PHOTOGRAPHY” OFTEN SUGGESTS THE IDEA OF MERELY RECORDING SOMETHING, of using a machine to arrest time in its flight and imprison it forever. That, to me suggests a very passive act, that of merely opening the shutter and harvesting whatever comes along, much in the way one might cast a fishing net. You might haul in a marlin, but you will also snag the occasional boot.

So, for me, the term photography is often misinterpreted, as if the shooter has little choice in the process, a concept I absolutely reject. The word itself basically translates as “writing with light”, and, in that interpretation, the act of making a picture is an active one, with light not merely being a component but the prime determinant, Shaper #1 in that process. George Eastman himself said it first, and best:

So now, we have an art form, because, in this mindset, one can begin with accidents and end up with mastery, merely by using light purposefully and with a kind of earnest literacy.

Entrance Marine HDR Fake

The first thing the study of light teaches is how fleeting its effects are. Many people who have shot the Grand Canyon have experienced the incredible minute-to-minute changes in the gorge as shadows shift, dance and crawl across the terrain. Many others, working in the transient light of shifting weather patterns, or the sudden remapping of illumination at sunrise or sunset, know the importance of getting the shot the very moment it presents itself, all delays changing your results measurably, even drastically.

These two images of Vancouver’s glorious Marine building, one of the most amazing examples of Art Deco in North America, were taken just twenty-nine minutes apart from each other. The earlier shot, taken at about 10:45 in the morning, presents the elaborate entrance with a kind of even, flat value, while the second shot is a crazy quilt of a million tiny bounces and reflections, as well as a dramatic increase in contrast. I was merely lucky in being able to get two very different impressions of the same building, even though a clearer knowledge of the local light conditions in the area might have allowed me to create two greatly more nuanced pictures. As it is, I got an object lesson on how to do things better the next time, and clear illustration that Eastman was right. Know the light, Shaper #1 in a picture, for all you are worth, and you have the biggest riddle solved.

PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE FREQUENTLY ASKED to define a “bad” picture, or, more specifically, the worst picture they themselves ever shot. The question is a bit of a logic trap, though, since it typically tricks us into naming something that failed because the subject was moribund, or because we mis-read the light, the aperture, the composition. The trap further reasons that, if you have checked off all those boxes, you should end up with a great picture.

But all of that is bug wash. What makes a picture bad is when you were not ready to take it….. but you took it anyway.

Sometimes the problem is ignorance:  you simply aren’t old or wise enough to know what to do with the subject. Other times, you have substantial barriers between you and an effective story, but you try to drill past what you can’t fix. And, you can no doubt add your own list of things that, ahead of the shutter click, should scream, “not now”. Try to make the picture before either the conditions or you (usually you) are right, and you lose. Just as I lost, in great big neon letters, with the mess you at above left.

In 2016, I visited the Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, a venerable colonial-era home which sits right next to the small footbridge that served as the site of the first major battle of the Revolutionary War. What excited me most, however, was that it had served as a temporary home for the young Ralph Waldo Emerson, and that he had written Nature, the first of his great works, while living there. And to really put the cherry on the sundae, the house still contains the small writing desk he used to do it.

The house is lit only with indirect window light during the day, but with a fast prime lens and a decent eye, there’s more than enough soft illumination to work with to produce decent results (see left). In fact, just before my tour was to head into the room containing the desk, I had already harvested quite a few usable shots…so many, in fact, that I was getting teased by the others in the group…the usual “oh, another picture?” stuff. Uncharacteristically, I began to worry about whether I was holding everyone else up, and thus started to hurry myself, to shoot not as I intended, but in deference to what I thought others would like. By the time I got to Emerson’s chair, the light, my lens, even my own experience were all useless to me….because I wasn’t ready to shoot….but did anyway.

And so you behold the unholy mess that resulted: lousy contrast, uneven exposure, muddy texture (is the chair made out of wood or Play-Doh?), tons of noise, indifferent angle, and, oh yeah, garbage focus. Worse yet, the psyche I’d put upon myself was so severe that I didn’t slow down for a more considered re-do. No, I rejoined the group like a polite little camper, and left without what I had come for.

And that is all on me, and thus an important entry in The Normal Eye, an ongoing chronicle which is designed to emphasize personal choice and responsibility in photography, versus just hoping well-designed machines will compensate for our lack of concept or intention. This is not easy. This is ha It’s no fun realizing that what went wrong with an image was us.

But it’s a valuable thing to own. And to act upon.

I photograph late in the day, the time Rembrandt favored for painting, so that the subtlest tones surface. ———Marie Cosindas

ONE OF THE GREATEST SIDE EFFECTS OF MY HAVING LIVED IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST over the past eighteen years has been its impact on how I harness light in my photography. The word harness conjures the act of getting a bit and bridle on a wild stallion, and so is extremely apt in reference to how you have to manage and predict illumination here in the land of So Much Damn Sun. It’s not enough here to decide what or how to shoot. You must factor in the When as well.

To see this idea in stark terms, study the work of photogs who have shot all day long from a stationary position along the rim of the Grand Canyon. The hourly, and sometimes minute-to-minute shift of shadows and tones illustrates what variety you can achieve in the outcome of a picture, if you consciously factor in the time of day. After a while, you can glance at a subject or site and predict pretty accurately how light will paint it at different times, meaning that many a session can produce a wild variance in results.

I scouted this location when sunlight was coming from the front of the court, then returned in the late afternoon to shoot it with the sun entering from the back to snag the shadow pattern I preferred.

The late photographer Marie Cosindas, whose miraculous early-1960’s work with the then-new Polacolor film helped change the world’s attitude toward color imaging, didn’t just load her film into a standard Polaroid instant camera. She shot it in her large format Linhof, experimenting with exposure times, filters and development techniques, and, above all, with the careful selection of natural light. She didn’t just wait for her subject; she waited on the exact light that would make it, and all its colors, sing. As a result, the art world began to rethink its opinion about color just being for advertising, or as somehow less “real” than black & white.

In my own work, I take the time, whenever feasible, to “case” locations a while before I shoot them, taking note over days, even weeks, to see what light does to them at specific times of day. As I mentioned, the West suffers from an overabundance of light, mostly the harsh, tone-bleaching kind that is the enemy of warm tone. In the above image, I scouted the location in the early morning, when the eastern sun was drenching the front end of the court, but waited about eight hours to return and get the precise projection of shadow grids that only occurred once the sun was in its western descent, about two hours before dusk. My test shots from the morning told me that the picture I wanted would simply not exist until ’round about suppertime. And that’s when I stole my moment.

There are three legs to the basic photographic tripod: What, How, and When. Over the years, paying greatest attention to that third leg has often given me one to stand on.

IN EARLIER OUTINGS, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE VALUE of knowing how sunlight enters your house at all times of the day. Knowing where bright spots and slatted beams hit the interior of your home in different hours gives you a complete map of “sweet spots” where natural light will temporarily isolate and flatter certain objects, giving you at least several optimized minutes for prime shooting each day.

Keeping this little time-table in your head allows you to move your subjects to those places in the house where, say, the daily 10 a.m. sun shaft through the family room window will give you a predictably golden glow. For me, that location is my living room window, across which the southwestern sun tracks east/west, and the object is my white baby grand piano.

Cordophone Chroma (2017).

Pianos, to me, are divinely complex gadgets, creations of the first great industrial age, their impossibly intricate mechanics offering thousands of possibilities for macro shots, fisheye explosions, abstract compositions, shadow studies, and delicate ballets of reflections as the morning sun dances across harp, strings, and hammers in an endless kaleidoscope of radiance. I have long since tracked how the sun showcases different parts of the piano as the day progresses, and how that corresponds to the instrument’s various sections and subsections.

Hard-wiring that schedule into my skull over the years  means I know when a shot will work and when it won’t, making the object more than just something to shoot. It becomes, in effect, an active kind of photo laboratory, a way of teaching and re-teaching myself about the limits of both light and my own abilities. Better still, the innate intricacy of the piano as an object guarantees that I can never really get “done” with the project, or that something that was a mystery in January will become a revelation by June.

What gives this process a special lure to me is my endless effort to exploit natural light to the full, believing, as I do, that nearly every other less organic form of illumination is measurably poorer and less satisfactory than that which comes plentifully, and for free. The house I live in has thus become, over the years, a kind of greenhouse for the management of light, an active farm for harvesting the sun.

THE ETERNAL TUG OF WAR IN PHOTOGRAPHY SEEMS TO BE the pull between extremes of revelation and concealment. Toggling between the strategies of showing almost everything and showing nearly nothing, most shooters arrive at some negotiated mid-point which describes their own voice as a visual narrator. Shuttling between the two extremes, shooters have to decide how much information is appropriate not only for their overall style, but in each specific shooting situation.

Managing light in the moment, rather than trying to re-balance values after the picture is made, affords the most crucial control you will ever exercise over your subject. We tend, as beginners, to shoot things where there is “enough light”, growing ever more discriminating about the kind of light we prefer as we mature in our approach.

Down Into (2016).

Down Into (2016). 1/40 sec., f/5.6, ISO 500, 24mm.

One of the most fruitful exercises for me has been those rare occasions in which I have had the luxury to remain in one area over a span of several hours, discovering the nuanced variations that prevail from minute to minute in a single setting. Many times, I have begun this process with an initial concept of the “ideal” lighting for a shot, then, through comparison, rejected that in favor of a completely different strategy. It’s strangely thrilling to come home completely satisfied with an image, even though it’s the dead opposite of the way you originally conceived it.

Waiting for the right light may be more time-consuming, but it is the cheapest, easiest, and surest way to control composition. If one particular lighting situation reveals too much in the shot, diluting the impact of your visual message, waiting for shadows to deepen and for bright spots to shift can make your photograph urge the eye more effectively toward the center of your “argument”. In the image seen above, I could not have sold the idea of a gradual walk from high left to lower right without the light actually working as a kind of directional arrow. A fully lit forest might have been lovely, and was, in fact, available to me just an hour earlier. But by the late afternoon, however, the partial dark helped me edit excess information out of the shot, and, in comparing the two approaches, I like the “less” version better.

Part of getting the shot you want is often learning to see, and edit out, the parts you don’t want, a process which is better when you wait for the “best”, rather than the “correct” light for right here, right now.

THE GLIB REMARK THAT YOU HAVE TO LEARN ALL THE RULES IN LIFE BEFORE YOU CAN BREAK THEM is maddeningly true, at least for me. Early on in my foto-fiddling, I was eager to commit all the world’s accumulated photographic do’s and don’ts to memory, like a biblical scholar nailing scripture passages, and shooting as if to enshrine those stone-written truths in art. I used words like always and never to describe how to make pictures in a given situation. I kept the faith.

And then, when I suddenly didn’t, my stuff stopped being pictures and started being photographs. Absolutes of technique are good starting places but they usually aren’t the best places to stick and stay for life. And at this point in my personal trek (seventh-inning stretch), I feel the shadow of all those do’s and don’ts swirling about like little guardian angels, but I worry first and foremost about what makes a given image work.

North Market, 2016. Straight out of the camera at

North Market, 2016. Straight out of the camera at 1/40 sec., f/5.6, ISO 200, 24mm.

You no doubt have many pictures you’ve made which you simply like, despite the fact that they flaut, or even fracture, the rules. The above image, shot earlier this week at a multi-floor urban marketplace/eatery, struck me for two reasons. First, because of how many basic rules of “proper” composition it clearly violates; and secondly, just how much I don’t care, because I like what it does. To illustrate my point, I’ve provided citations from an article titled Principles Of Composition to cite specific ways that the photo is, well, wrong.

Have A Strong point of interest. Well, there isn’t any particular one, is there? Lots of conflicting stuff going on, but that’s the natural rhythm of this place. It’s a beehive. One man’s clutter is another man’s full “pulse of life”, and all that.

Don’t place the horizon line, or any strong vertical or horizontal lines, right in the middle of a picture. And make sure the lines aren’t tilted. Okay, well, since there is a distinct difference between the “level-ness” of the crossbeams over the lower floor and the slanted lines of the skylight above, there really isn’t a way to make the entire picture adhere to the same horizontal plane. However, the off-kilter sagginess of the old building actually lends it a little charm , unless I’m just drunk.

Keep compositions simple, avoiding busy backgrounds that distract from your subject. Granted, there are about five different sub-pictures I could have made into separate framings within this larger one, but that would defeat the object of overall bustle and sprawl that I experienced looking out over the entire scene. Sure, some compositions get so busy that they look like a page out of Where’s Waldo?, but certain chaotic scenes, from Grand Central Terminal to Picadilly, actually reward longer, deeper viewing.

Place a subject slightly off-center rather than in the middle of a photo. Yeah, well, that’s where that “strong point of interest” rule might have helped. Sorry.

Do these deviations mean the image was wrong, or wrong for certain circumstances? Every viewer has to call that one as he sees it. Me, I am glad I decided to shoot this scene largely as I found it. It needed to work with natural light, it needed to be shot wide and deep, and it needed to show a lot of dispirate activity. Done done and done. I heard all the rules in my head and chose the road not taken.

Or taken. I forget which.

Learning to make the maximum use of light means you can leave your flash off more often. 1/60 f/5.6, ISO 100, 18mm.

PHOTOGRAPHY HAS NEVER SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSED ITS BIGGEST, AND MOST LONG-STANDING WEAKNESS, that of providing natural illumination in all shooting situations. Worse, it has generated tons of tweaks and workarounds to compensate for this weakness, instead of solving the central problem. As a result, we have limped our way through nearly two centuries of devices and processes designed to create momentary fake lighting…the lame legacy of flash.

Instead of finding recording media that absorbs and spreads light adequately, from salt paper prints to roll film to pixels, we have invented one torchy crutch after another, each adding expense, bulk and even greater uncertainty to our results. The ignition of aluminum powder may have given way to pop-ups with red-eye protection, but the essential error in our thinking persists. We don’t need better flash: we need cameras good enough for there to be no flash.

Flash is like a bratty kid in a restaurant. He won’t sit up straight, spits his chewed broccoli back into his napkin, splashes water on everyone, talks with his mouth full, and eats his dessert first. And his mother dresses him funny. And yet we can’t rub this punk out, no matter how we try.

Testify: a recent B&H Photo catalogue boasts eight pages of flash equipment, most of it aftermarket gear designed to muffle, bounce,, amplify, soften or re-direct flashes that are too harsh, too faint, too in-line with the “optical axis”, or otherwise inefficient. Many manufacturers of DSLRs practically admit that their on-camera units are too limited for custom lighting, selling you their costly, brand-related off-camera units, cables, transmitters and widgets. Ca-ching. Photographically speaking, this is like telling you that the house on which you just took  a 30-year mortgage is really a dump, but the place down the street is divine.

It was decades before film was fast enough to be used in more than a few specific situations, so flash. It’s still too expensive for most people to get lenses that are speedy enough to keep from blasting bleachingly hard light in people’s faces, so flash. And, sadly, many of us still believe that popping that little beast up in a 50,000-seat concert hall will magically help us counter the 300,000 square feet of darkness between us and the stage, so…flash.

Digital image sensors might eventually evolve sufficiently for different parts of them to register light individually, eliminating the need for extra bursts of artificial light, and our own best practices in the use of natural light can all but eliminate the need to pop up the pop-up. But we are farther away than we should be from a flashless world. It’s not that we don’t all know that the way we currently use it is idiotic. But for now, we have to keep promising that bratty kid that if he takes just one more bite of spinach, we’ll get him ice cream. Jeez.

Light can set the mood for an individual object or an entire room.

Light can set the mood for an individual object or an entire room. 1/40 sec., f/5.6, ISO 100, 35mm.

THE WORLD’S FIRST MOVIE STUDIO WAS A TARPAPER SHACK ON A TURNTABLE. Dubbed by Thomas Edison’s techies as “The Black Maria” (as ambulances were grimly named back at the time), the structure rotated to take advantage of wherever sunlight was available in the California sky, thus allowing the film crew to extend its daily shooting schedule by more than half in the era of extremely slow film stocks. Eventually artificial light of sufficient strength was developed for the movies, and actors no longer had to brave motion sickness just to rescue fair damsels. So it goes.

More than a century hence, some photographers actually have to be reminded to use natural light, specifically window light, as a better alternative to studio lights or flash units. Certainly anyone who has shot portraits for a while has already learned that window light is softer and more diffuse than anything you can plug in, thus making it far more flattering to faces (as well as forgiving of , er, flaws). It’s also good to remember that it can lend a warming effect to an entire room, on those occasions where the room itself is a kind of still life subject.

Your window light source can be harsher if the sun is arching over the roof of your building toward the window (east to west), so a window that receives light at a right angle from the crossing sun is better, since it’s already been buffered a bit. This also allows you to expose so that the details outside the window (trees, scenery, etc.) aren’t blown out, assuming that you want them to be prominent in the picture. For inside the window, set your initial exposure for the brightest objects inside the room. If they aren’t white-hot, there is less severe contrast between light and dark objects, and the shot looks more balanced.

I like a look that suggests that just enough light has crept into the room to gently illuminate everything in it from front to back. You’ll have to arrive at your own preferred look, deciding how much, if any, of the light you want to “drop off” to drape selective parts of the frame in shadow. Your vision, your choice. Point is, natural light is so wonderfully workable for a variety of looks that, once you start to develop your use of it, you might reach for artificial light less and less.

Turns out, that Edison guy was pretty clever.


TSE Patent Assessments: a summary?

The purpose of this data-file is to aggregate all of our patent assessments in a single reference file, so different companies’ scores can be compared and contrasted.

In each case, we have tabulated the scores we ascribed each company on our five different screening criteria, mectrics on the companies’ size and technical readiness and a short descripton of our conclusion.

Albemarle: lithium, bromine, catalyst improvements?

Albemarle is a specialty chemicals company, headquartered in North Carolina, with 6,000 global employees and over $3bn pa of revenues. It derives 40% of its business from producing lithium, 35% from bromine-based flame retardants, and c25% from catalysts, especially for FCC and cleaner-burning fuels.

Overall, our patent screen de-risks the idea that Albemarle is continuing to improve its product offering, by developing an array of novel fire-proofing bromine compositions, further and better lithium pathways, and longer-lasting catalysts. But the patents are more for incremental improvements than world-changing new technologies.

We think 70% of the patents are for technologies that will advance the energy transition in some way, as discussed in the data-file.

General Fusion: magnetized target fusion breakthrough?

General Fusion is developing a magnetized target fusion reactor, to fuse heavy isotopes of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium). It confines 100MºC plasma within a vortex of liquid lithium/lead, then compresses the plasma via hundreds of high-pressure pistons (effectively a modern-day update of the Linus concept).

It is currently working towards building a 70%-scale demonstration plant by 2025 in Oxfordshire; and ultimately hopes to build a $4bn order book by 2027-30, commercializing a 100-200MWe fusion reactor with 5-6.5c/kWh levelized costs of electricity.

Our patent review allows us to de-risk the idea that General Fusion has made genuine, specific and practical innovations towards development of a magnetized target fusion reactor.

The downside of such a candid patent library is that it also highlights the complexity of its ambitions. There are four focus areas which we would highlight.

Tricoya: engineered wood breakthrough?

Tricoya is an engineered wood product like MDF, but it has been “acetylated”, in order to confer >50-year longevity, even when exposed to the elements. This could make it one of the most ‘sustainable’ construction materials and wood uses, on a full life cycle CO2 basis, per our recent research here.

Accsys Technologies is the parent company commercializing acetylated wood products such as Accoya and Tricoya. It was founded in 2005, is headquartered in the UK, and is listed on AIM and Euronext Amsterdam. The company generated €100M revenues in FY 2021 and 50,000 tons of CO2 were sequestered in the products that it sold.

This data-file reviews its technology and patent library on our usual framework. It is one of the “highest scoring” that we have reviewed to date.  Key details on the production process, technology “moat” and challenges are outlined in the work.

CATL: sodium ion battery breakthrough?

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) is a Chinese battery manufacturer, HQ’ed in Fusian, founded in 2011, with >30,000 employees. It may produce as many as one-third of all the lithium ion batteries in the world.

Lithium shortages. Our review finds that CATL has been vocally warning of lithium shortages since 2016.

However sodium comprises 2.7% of the Earth’s crust, versus Lithium’s 0.006%. In principle, sodium ion batteries can achieve comparable energy densities than lithium ion batteries, c80-90% round-trip efficiencies, similar temperature ranges and better safety. Hence in 2021, CATL announced it would be bringing a sodium-ion battery to market by 2023.

Technical challenges for sodium ion batteries are nicely illustrated in this data-file, which has simply reviewed a subset of CATL’s sodium ion battery patents.

There are undoubtedly some exciting innovations in this patent library, especially around cathode materials. However, if this was a standalone patent library, we might not be able to de-risk CATL’s 2023 target to produce sodium ion batteries at commercial scale.

First Solar: thin film solar breakthrough?

First Solar is a solar panel manufacturer, listed in the US, founded in 1999, employing 6,400 people. It has capacity to manufacture 8GW of solar panels per year, using CdTe thin film technology.

Things to like about its technology are that they use about 60% less energy and emit about 60% less CO2 than photovoltaic silicon. First Solar also has manufacturing facilities in Ohio, satisfying the growing desire to re-shore the supply chain.

Efficiency is usually lower for CdTe solar, stated “up to 18.6%” for First Solar’s Series 6 cells, whereas we generally assume 20-25% for PV silicon. However, 70% of the patents in our review were focused on improving efficiency, and thus we might speculate whether improvements lie ahead.

There are also drawbacks to the technology and issues highlighted in the patent screen.

Stora Enso: next-generation packaging breakthrough?

Stora Enso is a pulp, paper and forestry products business, headquartered in Finland, with €10bn per year of revenues. Its shares are listed in Helsinki and Stockholm, and traded as ADRs in the US.

The company aspires to be a leading provider of renewable products: packaging materials (43% of 2021 revenues), wooden construction materials (17%), paper (16%), biomaterials (15%) and it is also one of the largest private forest owners in the World (8%). It argues “everything made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow”.

This data-file assesses whether the claim above is realistic. We can de-risk the idea that Stora Enso is developing more sustainable packaging solutions for the energy transition. Particular progress is seen around Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC) which accounted for c30% of patents in 2020-22.

Svante: CCS breakthrough?

Svante is suggesting its technology can absorb 90% of CO2 in a 60-second cycle, that lasts 450,000 cycles, is not contaminated by water-vapor, and costs 50% less than conventional CCS. This would be a CCS game-changer.

Hence it has attracted an amazing list of investors and partners, since building a 30Tpd pilot plant in 2019, and announcing further pilots with TOTAL/Lafarge and Chevron.

Agonizingly we could not de-risk the technology based on our usual patent review. Reasons are elaborated in the data-file. So we will await further progress before de-risking a CCS game-changer.

Commonwealth Fusion: nuclear fusion breakthrough?

Commonwealth Fusion Systems spun out of MIT in 2018. The company is based in Massachusetts, has 165 employees and made headlines in November-2021 as it raised $1.8bn in Series B funding, which we think is the largest capital raise of any private fusion company to-date.

CFS aims to be the “fastest and lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy” by creating a commercial nuclear fusion reactor, the SPARC tokamak, which could be around 98% smaller than ITER. A single test magnet using 267km of its HTS tape sustained 20 Tesla magnetic fields in 2021.

Our patent review found CFS to have a high-quality patent library, of specific, intelligible, practical and commercially-minded innovations to densify the magnets that would confine plasma in a Tokamak. Specific details, and minor hesitations are in the data-file.

ESS: redox flow battery breakthrough?

ESS was established in 2011, incorporated in Oregon, and has c150 employees. The company went public in October-2021, via SPAC, raising $500M in new funds, valued at $1.1bn, and listing on NYSE.

It aims to be the leader in medium-duration energy storage (4-12 hours), with an iron flow battery costing 2-5c/kWh (assuming >daily cycling) and practically unlimited cycle life without degrading (>20,000 cycles). The first units have shipped and the company is now in the scale-up phase.

This is one of the highest-quality patent libraries that has crossed our screens, with excellent, specific and clear details; which have clearly locked up ESS’s implementation of an iron-based redox flow battery.

Five key challenges are identified in the file, along with helpful technical details of ESS’s innovations, all gleaned from reviewing its patents. In our view, the main bottleneck is round-trip efficiency, which may be dented by the electro-chemistry ESS uses to avoid side-reactions.

Copyright: Thunder Said Energy, 2022.


The National Neurology Patient Experience Survey 2018/19 results have been released.

The report produced by Quality Health shows the percentage of patients by condition.

Reading the columns of figures
The results are shown firstly in absolute numbers, then as percentage responses for both Essential tremor and Nationally¹.

The percentages are calculated after excluding those patients that did not answer that particular question. All percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. When added together, the percentages for all answers to a particular question may not total 100% because of this rounding. The number of patients that did not answer a particular question is shown as the ‘missing’ figure at the bottom of the actual number of responses. On some questions there are figures which are italicised. These figures have been recalculated to exclude responses where the question was not applicable to the respondent’s circumstances. For example, question 3 regarding quality of life where those not answering (“Missing”) and those answering "Don't know" have been excluded.


Sharing your experience can help others like you.

Vascular Cures is inviting vascular patients, advocates, families, and/or caregivers impacted by vascular disease to become our partner in improving vascular health for all. Our “Patients as Partners” program is designed to ensure the patient voice is included everywhere decisions about improving healthcare are being made. Participating in the Patients as Partners program will be based on your schedule and personal interests. There is no set time commitment. You decide how you’d like to participate.

Patients as Partners Interest Form

The information on this page does not take the place of professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always ask your medical provider any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 right away

Some ways that our Partners share their experiences and perspectives to improve vascular healthcare include:

  • Taking surveys to share their opinions
  • Reviewing educational materials
  • Advising researchers on how to design projects to better meet patient needs
  • Participating in projects with other non-profits and healthcare organizations
  • Sharing their healthcare journey through videos or writing (blogposts, newsletter, etc.)

If you are interested in learning more, we invite you to contact us.

Meet Some of our
Patient Partners

Steve is the Chief Marketing Officer for a Commercial Credit Education company. He is a dedicated Oregon Ducks football fan, tennis player, and proud grandfather. Steve is passionate about spreading the word about the importance of walking for patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

He was diagnosed with the disease twelve years ago. Steve started having pain in his lower calves that affected his ability to walk. Due to a totally blocked artery in his right leg and a partially occluded main artery in his left leg, his vascular surgeon recommended bypass surgery. Steve discussed his options with another vascular surgeon. He told him, ‘I really can’t improve your quality of life with surgery. What you need to do is start walking.’ Steve started walking regularly. The blood flow in his legs improved enough that he was able to avoid surgery. He continues to walk daily. He sticks to a regular workout routine and gets in a game of doubles tennis three times a week. He balances his exercise with a proper diet and prescribed medications. In addition to serving as a Patient Partner, Steve is a member of the Vascular Cures Advisory Board.

Julie is a member of the Vascular Cures Advisory Board. She is dedicated to encouraging patients to educate themselves about their vascular health conditions. She wants to help others to be better equipped at being their own advocate. Julie is not a typical PAD patient. She started to have claudication symptoms (pain while walking) when she was a teenager. Sadly, her symptoms were ignored by doctors until her mid-forties.

After undergoing several leg bypass surgeries, Julie was finally diagnosed with a new and rare genetic condition called ACDC, or Arterial Calcification due to Deficiency in CD73. Julie is an active mother of three grown children. She continues to hike or bike every day.

Elizabeth worked for a major health insurance company for over 19 years. She is a mother of four with one grandchild. She and her husband are big Texas Ranger baseball fans. They love to fish and take road trips across America. In her 40’s she suffered a cryptogenic stroke and multiple Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA). Elizabeth was a smoker for 35 years. She learned that the main cause of her health issues was related to her smoking habit and family history of heart disease. She quit smoking and became a passionate advocate for smoking cessation. She started to walk regularly but soon began to experience pain in her calves when walking. Elizabeth was diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and Severe Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease, a type of vein condition in the leg. She had immediate bypass surgery to save her legs.

After recovery, Elizabeth became a dedicated patient advocate. She promotes self-education, lifestyle/behavior changes. Elizabeth volunteers for the American Heart Association (AHA). She is also a National Spokeswomen for Go Red.


CVM GRAS Notification Finally Arrives

On Friday, June 4, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) published an announcement regarding a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notification program (Substances Generally Recognized as Safe Added to Food for Animals; Notice of Pilot Program).[1]  However, while the announcement is a good start and pledges fidelity to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition’s (CFSAN) 1997 “Substances Generally Recognized as Safe; Proposed Rule[2], there are some inconsistencies with the CFSAN Proposed Rule and some issues left unaddressed that have been foci of concern for both CVM and the stakeholders.

Early in the announcement, there appears to be an incongruity regarding eligibility for participation, in that at the header titled “DATES” the following language is used: “Submit written requests to participate in the pilot program”.  However, the first line in Section III of the announcement indicates that “Any person may notify FDA of a claim [for GRAS exemption]…”  Presumably, this is not an inconsistency, but an encouragement to prospective Notifiers for a pre-Notification meeting with CVM. However, does this pre-Notification meeting represent an opportunity for CVM to head off a potential Notification of a substance CVM has decided embodies too much “risk”? In the past (as recent as September, 2009), FDA personnel described GRAS as a pathway for substances of low priority for regulation (much akin to those currently eligible for “regulatory discretion” letters). Does this mean that those substances with potentially higher “risk” would be forced into the food additive petition queue?  Presumably, heading a GRAS determination off at the pass before it is declared GRAS and subsequently Notified, would prevent a potentially embarrassing high rejection rate as is seen with CFSAN’s New Dietary Ingredient Notification program (~70% rejection rate).  But, such a pre-GRAS determination selection process infringes on the entitlement of any manufacturer to determine the statutory route by which his substance may become compliant i.e., GRAS or Food Additive Petition.  Judgment of a Notification or validity of a GRAS determination solely on the basis of CVM’s determination of potential “risk” is not a call CVM is empowered to make; this is a GRAS Notification process (proposed 21CFR170.36), not a GRAS Affirmation process (21CFR170.35 or 570.35).

The announcement also engages in some redefining the working practices at CFSAN in section I.B. “Elements of the GRAS Standard”.  First, the announcement declares that “…use of a substance that is GRAS requires both technical evidence of safety and a basis to conclude that this technical element of safety is generally recognized.”  The “technical element” refers to the rigor of test data supporting the determination and the cases cited are generally rooted in the Weinberger v. Hynson et al.[3] decision, wherein the “substantial evidence” doctrine is applied:

However, when referring to Weinberger v. Hynson et al., CVM must realize this is not a license for the Agency to solely determine what constitutes “substantial evidence,” as “substantial evidence” is (according to the decision) determined by “experts qualified by scientific training and experience” and not necessarily only those experts working at CVM.  As if to ensure primacy over any expert panel in a determination of safety, the following statement is also made:

(2) there must be a basis to conclude that there is consensus among qualified experts about the safety of the substance for its intended use.

That is, this statement makes it clear there must be a “consensus” regarding safety and that an independent expert panel’s opinion may not represent a consensus.  Further, this statement is followed by citations of cases in which FDA’s assertion prevailed that there was not a consensus among experts. Together, these statements and citations indicate that the Agency will reserve the right to overrule the finding of GRAS by an independent panel of experts on the basis that a “consensus” was not achieved. To reinforce this assertion, a subsequent section of the announcement discusses the term “consensus” as follows:

In this document, FDA is using the term “consensus”’ in discussing the common knowledge element of the GRAS standard. Such consensus does not require unanimity among qualified experts.

Ordinarily, the reader would expect that this statement would be a defense of the panel of “experts qualified by scientific training and experience” as representing mainstream scientific thought, although acknowledging the possibility of a minority opinion.  However, in the cases cited (US v. Articles of Drug***5,906 Boxes, et al.), again all cases are those in which FDA prevailed in its claim that a substance was not GRAS.  Therefore, this statement is a tad counter-intuitive as it does not reinforce an expert panel in its ability to voice a consensus and reject a minority opinion, but just the opposite, as it illustrates circumstances in which an expert panel opinion did not constitute a “consensus” and was refuted by the Agency.

Other items which may represent a deviation from the CFSAN proposed rule, include:

  1. Allowing publication of data in the “secondary scientific literature such as review articles, textbooks and compendia” – CFSAN has historically shied away from “secondary literature” preferring to see original papers. However, while CFSAN may see this as an issue related to the “common knowledge threshold”, CVM may regard secondary references as evidence of consensus among experts.

  2. A requirement(?) for publication of supporting science in “peer-reviewed scientific journal(s)” – a requirement not demanded by CFSAN, the latter of whom has allowed publication in non-peer reviewed journals or disclosure of reports on a private website. However, in light of the above, CVM may have a different purpose with the demand for peer-reviewed publication, as this could be argued as meeting both the “common knowledge threshold” as well as “evidence of consensus” if the peer reviewers represent a “consensus”.  Interestingly, the announcement indicates “documentation of the opinion of an ‘expert panel’ that is specifically convened for this purpose” may partially suffice as meeting the common knowledge element, but could arguably be in pursuit of “expert consensus” as well.  Does this imply that publication of the expert panel consensus statement would be adequate to meet the consensus doctrine discussed above and, if so, does this circumvent the peer-reviewed journal requirement?

In sum, it appears that “consensus” has assumed primacy over the “common knowledge” element for a GRAS determination.

Not fully discussed in the article were the more frequently discussed points, including the following:

  1. Utility. CVM has historically promoted a very narrow definition (near Procrustean for food source animals) of utility that divides all food ingredients into those providing “nutrition, aroma and taste” and, all others as drugs. A few exceptions included feed enzymes, which may work in the gut of the ruminant to make nutrition more available. Such a strict division of uses overlooks all the “technical function” substances provided in 21 CFR 170.3(o) such as preservatives, texturizers, buffering agents, etc.  However, because it appears that CVM may be abandoning the long held position that even probiotics were drugs, it could be that CVM is reconsidering how it defines “utility.”

  2. Target species. Nothing more specific on this issue in the announcement, other than the statement that target species data must be submitted. The possible contentious issue here is the quality and quantity of safety data specifically developed in target species versus how much extrapolation from non-related species is allowed or what sort of bridging data would be satisfactory. To be fair, this will have to be worked out on a case-by-case basis, but a mention of acceptance of non-target species data would apply a measure of comfort, especially among companion animal food manufacturers.

  3. Time frame. The announcement indicates “…FDA would make a good faith effort to respond within the proposed 90-day timeframe [of the original CFSAN proposed rule], the agency would not be bound…” The timeframe for CFSAN responses is now 180 days, although either is preferable to the 270 day timeframe mentioned by Dr. Benz in July, 2009.

Hopefully, as the GRAS Notification team gets more experience under its belt, pragmatic solutions will be worked out to the satisfaction of everyone.

Also, in the announcement (Section B “Elements of the GRAS Standard”), CVM is following through on previous warnings from the Agency regarding what is meant by GRAS: “…it is the use of the substance, rather than the substance itself, that is eligible for the GRAS exemption…”  This statement is consistent with recent statements by the Agency, notably in December of 2009, when CFSAN offered some “Guidance for Industry”.[4]  That is, FDA sees the use of an ingredient as being very specific, including concentration in food and for specific food groups (humans) or for a particular named species. A circumstance of use other than what was approved is justifiably regarded as violative and disregards the regulatory process.  Further to this issue, FDA has announced it will be taking a bare-knuckled approach, applying the “Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO) doctrine” that allows for civil and criminal prosecution of corporate officers of violative companies; further, for a person to become eligible for prosecution, it is not necessary to prove the person knew they violated the law, only that they violated the law (i.e., ignorance of the law is no excuse). FDA has made it very plain in several venues (See also the Tan Sheet, April 26, 2010 pp. 9 & 11) that manufacturers who do not comply with the regulations do so at their own peril.  Given the repetition and frequency of these warnings, we can expect enforcement actions soon.

The announcement also includes a request that the Notifier provide a basis for the determination of GRAS. This is an eminently defensible request. Any successful GRAS determination should be more than a collation of documents. For a successful submission, the petitioner must meet not only the “burden of proof” for the technical element, but the “burden of persuasion” as well.  Especially because the cases cited in the announcement all relate to reasons for rejection of a GRAS determination, the need for a persuasive argument of the facts supporting safety-in-use and the presumed consensus of safety, reaches a new level of priority.

As mentioned earlier, the announcement refers to a “pilot program” and is a good start at addressing the long overdue process for addressing GRAS determinations for animal feed ingredients. Our hope is that while the program is here to stay, it is referred to as a “pilot” only because CVM is aware that this is far from a seamless process and considerable fine tuning is needed.  However, despite the points raised here, our congratulations to CVM for making this stride forward and our best wishes to Geoff Wong and his team in devising some pragmatic ways for dealing with the inevitable problems that will arise.

[1] Fed. Reg. 75:31800-31803, 2010

[2] Fed. Reg. 62:18937-18964, 1997

[3] Weinberger v. Hynson, Westcott & Dunning, Inc., 412 U.S. 609, 629, 93 S.Ct. 2469, 2483, 37 L.Ed.2d 207 (1973).

[4] FDA.gov. http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/


The Right Intensity

Hey folk’s today we talk about intensity. So, if you think you’re not getting that much out of your workout, then increase your intensity, or if your feeling muscle soreness then decrease the intensity.

Depending how you feel the day after your workout, you can make adjustments to intensity. Keep in mind to use proper form to prevent injury. If you missed the discussion on quantity vs. quality then jump back to part 5.

Scott: This person kind of had a question about cravings. They’re trying to limit their grains in order to lose weight.

I find that occasionally I get ravenously hungry for grains, like chips, popcorn, etcetera, then I pig out on them, especially late in the day. Or if I try to avoid sugar, particularly ice cream, that makes me  want it more and eventually pig out on it, often at night. How can I deal with these cravings?

Craig: Well, that’s honestly a tough question. You’re going to have to take a look at the triggers, what triggers you to eat these foods. Is there stuff that you can do in place of, whether it’s going for a walk, whether it’s calling someone on the phone and talking to someone instead of eating? Do you do this only when you watch TV? Maybe there’s something you can do instead of watching TV.

Going back to the grain’s stuff, if you’re stopping yourself from eating things like high fiber bread, and you end up binging on chips, the best thing to do is just allow yourself the high fiber bread. It makes more sense to do that than not to eat the high fiber bread during the day and then eat the chips at night.

You can also take a look at trying to get alternatives to the ice cream stuff. You can get protein powder, chocolate protein powder like Prograde and then mix it with vanilla yogurt and hopefully that will help satisfy somebody’s sweet tooth. Obviously, you’ll be looking at half the calories if you do that. It’s clearly not ice cream, but it’s a whole lot better than if you eat ice cream.

There’s stuff like that you can do that should be able to replace the problem foods, but you really have to go back and see if there’s something that you can replace the problem foods with something that is a calorie free, like the walking or talking to someone on the phone, chewing gum, anything that will help you get through that.

Scott: Craig, let’s finish with this question. It’s somebody who hit a plateau.

I’m an active 33 year old mom of five very energetic children. I don’t have the means or time to go to a gym, but we are always doing something, three mile bike rides every other day. Three miles walk on the other days, etcetera. I’m trying to do 100 jumping jacks daily and some planks, but I can’t really get rid of my belly fat.

I eat very sensibly, salads, vegetables, lean meats, if at all, beans, fruits, low fat milk, tons of water. I will do extreme yoga once a month as well.

My question is. Why is the fat no going away? I’m to the point that I feel like starving myself just to lose the weight.

Craig: Well, I think that there’s just a lack of proper training intensity. It’s great that they’re active, but if you’re not training with the intensity that you find in my programs. What probably is even better than my program for her is Holly Rigsby’s program and the DVDs that she can get that she can do at home just by following along with Holly at her own intensity.

I understand that she’s doing jumping jacks and planks, but those are obvious not working because she needs to jack up the intensity. Again, going back to what somebody else asked me before, if you’re looking for advanced results you must take advanced measures. I don’t want her to take the advanced measure of starving herself, but if she can go back and do what we talked about before with the nutrition stuff, find out how much she’s eating, see if she can improve the quality of it, and if it’s above 1,500 calories she can probably cut back on her calories a bit.

Then from there she needs to add in Holly’s workouts, higher intensity workouts she can do at home in 10 to 15 or 20 minutes a couple of times per week, and she’s going to get the results there. So, she really does need to increase the intensity, because a three mile walk and a three mile bike ride are not going to do it.

Scott: Yes, I agree. It sounds like she’s not putting enough strength training in her workouts, and that’s so important. That should be kind of the staple of your workouts is to get that strength training in order to help you with muscle growth and to lose more fat calories even when you’re not working out.

It’s great that with both your programs and Holly’s she won’t have to go to a gym, because you can do those types of workouts at home. So, I would recommend to her, like you were saying, get that intensity and make sure you get the strength training in.

A lot of people say they eat sensibly. They eat pretty healthy. That is kind of some terms that they use, maybe like you suggested with somebody at the beginning of a program to keep that food log for three, five, or seven days. Sometimes it’s an enlightening experience, because you don’t really realize what you’re putting in your body.

Sometimes what you think is sensible eating, like with cereals and frozen dinners, aren’t really sensible. So, maybe examine that, keep a food log and really examine the diet as well. I think that would help.

Craig: Great point, Scott.

Scott: Very cool. Craig, I just want to thank you once more for being here and being a guest on this fundraiser teleseminar series. Again, it means a lot to me to have you as a guest. I know you’re really busy, but to share your knowledge freely. I really appreciate it.

If you go to or you can find out more information about Craig’s work out programs.

Craig: Great stuff, Scott, thank you.

Scott: You’re welcome. Thanks everybody. Have a good one.


Hotels have been opening their doors to the wrong kind of guest lately: hackers, and a lot of them. In the past few months, Hyatt, Hilton, Trump Hotel Collection, Starwood and White Lodging Services properties have all announced data breaches that compromised customers’ payment card information.

In most of these cases, the malware used to steal the payment data lived on the hotel systems for weeks, months and even up to a year at a time. Seemingly no one saw it happening, and no guests had a weapon held up to them, but affected customers were essentially robbed. A hotel would never stand for a physical burglary, nor should it ever tolerate a virtual one.

Cybersecurity should not be treated as an afterthought. Here are three ways hotels can make it more top of mind:

1. Immediately adopt EMV card readers

All the aforementioned incidents impacted the point of sale. Payment systems at boutiques, restaurants and bars were the primary attack points. To the credit of some of these hotels, many of the breaches occurred prior to the Oct. 1, 2015, liability shift that holds merchants responsible for credit card theft. But if the deadline was not enough to spark quick and immediate adoption of EMV card reading technology, hopefully the flurry of recent breaches will be.

The key to EMV chip cards is that they leverage several layers of authentication that make it harder for thieves to commit credit card fraud. To defend against memory-scraping malware – which has been the bane of so many hotels recently – EMV chip cards generate a unique transaction code for each purchase. Like a one time password, any hacker that manages to steal this information can’t actually do anything with it.

As anyone who has already used an EMV card reader knows, the process involves the insertion of the card into a little slot. The process takes a few more seconds than the standard swipe, but it can save hours of frustration down the road for businesses and customers alike. A lot of merchants still have not made the switch, but the majority are expected to have EMV card readers by the end of the year, according to The Chicago Tribune.

2FA can prevent unauthorized access of POS systems. 2FA can prevent unauthorized access of POS systems.

2. Authenticate the POS and other key systems

Just because EMV chip cards make it difficult for skimmers and memory-scraping malware to steal anything useful doesn’t mean that the problem is solved. As long as there are dishonest people in the world, the risk of internal theft can never be negated.

That’s not to suggest that it can’t be mitigated, however. Traditionally, organizations have used a password with a number and special-character requirement to prevent unauthorized users from accessing important systems. But one password isn’t enough anymore. It’s time to tighten the reins on access at the POS and other critical systems in hotels. Two-factor authentication can help with this by creating a second checkpoint that’s more difficult to bypass. This reduces the risk of internal theft from staff that may be attempting to access information they aren’t authorized to see.

“MDM can ensure the safety of smartphones used by hotel staff.”

Furthermore, as mobile devices become a mainstay in a variety of industries, they too will have to be properly secured. A lost or stolen mobile device used by staff in a hotel has the potential to result in compromised data, especially if the device is being used as a mobile POS. Mobile device management is therefore just as vital to the hospitality industry as any enterprise or office. Combined with fingerprint scanning technology, MDM can ensure the safety of smartphones used by hotel staff.

3. Use mobile devices as authentication tools

Cybersecurity is a blanket term, and the assumption is often that it pertains mainly to computers. But digitally-based security systems that prevent unauthorized access are also a form of cybersecurity. In hotels, this entails the use of key cards to keep guests and their belongings safe. The use of eIDs in this format has become the norm.

Staff also rely on them to gain access to certain areas of a hotel that are off limits to guests. For example, an office behind the front desk may lead to computers that store a lot of personal information including payment cards, addresses and other data that hackers and fraudsters might find useful for on the Dark Web. An eID is one way to safeguard these off-limits rooms. But if this ID is lost and ends up in the wrong hands, there’s really nothing to stop a thief from tapping it against a reader and walking in like they own the place.

This is where hotel staff get to be a little bit more creative. Imagine, for example, that a computer will not turn on unless an authorized user’s mobile device is in the direct vicinity of the system. A one time password would then be sent to the mobile user, who only then would be able to log in. Even if an unauthorized person somehow managed to procure an eID, they would also need the right mobile device for authentication, and even then, they would require the password, or fingerprint, to log into that mobile device.

This is exactly the type of multifactor authentication that hotels are need of in the neat future. Combined with EMV card readers, hackers and other criminals will hardly stand a chance. Hotel systems will be safer and guests will be much more inclined to make themselves feel at home.

Entrust Datacard


News Release

Hugging a “breathing” cushion to ease anxiety

Novel device shows promise in reducing anxiety for stressed students

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Diagram and photos of the final haptic interface

image: Panel A: Diagram of the mechanism driving the haptic sensation; E) Arduino, F) cooling fan, G) transistor, H) power cable to motor, I) motor (hidden) to drive crank, J) crank and slider, K) syringe pump that drives the inflation and deflation of the interface. Panel B: Photos of the interface front and back. Panel C: Inner parts of the interface; L) access zip, M) delrin casing for pneumatic chamber, N) smooth fabric to reduce audible friction, O) pneumatic chamber. Panel D: Photo of the interface being held in a home environment. view more

Credit: Haynes et al., 2022, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0 ( /

Researchers have developed a huggable, cushion-like device that mechanically simulates breathing, and preliminary evidence suggests it could help reduce students’ pre-test anxiety. Alice Haynes of the University of Bristol, U.K., and colleagues present the device and findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on March 9, 2022.

Treatments for anxiety disorders primarily include therapy and medications. However, these can be costly, and medications may have unwanted side effects. At-home anxiety aids could complement treatments for anxiety disorders and also benefit people experiencing temporary anxiety. Within this category, a small but growing body of research highlights the anxiety-reducing potential of touch-based devices, such as TouchPoints wearables and Paro the seal, an interactive therapeutic robot.

Now, Haynes and colleagues have developed a new, touch-based device that could ease anxiety. They initially built several prototype devices that simulated different sensations, such as breathing, purring, and a heartbeat. Each prototype took the form of a soft, huggable cushion that was meant to be intuitive and inviting. Focus group testing identified the “breathing” cushion as being the most pleasant and calming, so the researchers further developed it into a larger, mechanical cushion.

To test the new device, the research team recruited 129 volunteers for an experiment involving a group mathematics test. Using pre- and post-test questionnaires, the researchers found that students who used the device were less anxious pre-test than those who did not. The experiment also compared the breathing cushion to a guided meditation, and found that both were equally effective at easing anxiety.

These findings suggest that the breathing cushion could be used to reduce anxiety, for example for students who are anticipating exams. The researchers now hope to further refine the cushion for testing in people’s homes. They also plan to investigate people’s physiological response to the device—for instance, changes in heart rate or breathing patterns—in order to elucidate the particular mechanisms by which the device might ease anxiety.

The authors add: "We were excited to find that holding the breathing cushion, without any guidance, produced a similar effect on anxiety in students as a meditation practice. This ability of the device to be used intuitively opens it up to providing wider audiences with accessible anxiety relief."


sunflower man.jpg
Flora Dorian is an artist based in London who works across multiple disciplines, including painting, drawing and installation. Her work addresses nature and humanity, exploring the questions raised by an often complicated relationship between the two. She maintains a strong focus on materiality, speaking to the place of plants in an urban setting through a considered medium use.


Whats Wrong With Better Help 2022

Six methods to deal with attachment stress and anxiety …Whats Wrong With Better Help… establishing healthy relationships with people is important for your total wellness from birth we develop connections to others through a design of accessory as we go through various phases in life the relationships created through the accessory style we’ve established play a role in how we select to live and individuals we associate with sadly when anxiety is in the picture it may cause unhealthy behaviors such as managing displaying emotional outbursts and continuously looking for approval from others such modifications can be an indication of attachment stress and anxiety many people can relate to the signs but may have a hard time to manage the

What is BetterHelp and how does it work?

emotions that follow here are 6 methods to help you move past the stress and anxiety one find out more about how attachment stress and anxiety impacts you research different types and their patterns to comprehend how they affect relationships find out the indications you might have and consider your alternatives for resolving them 2. resolve concerns affecting your anxiety with a therapist it might feel uncomfortable sharing your feelings but you find out more about how stress and anxiety impacts your relationships and get personalized guidance on what to do about it in a personal setting talk therapy helps recognize thought patterns associated with accessory anxiety you’ll acquire tools to help you face your feelings while learning how to move your practices 3. practice meditation and mindfulness strategies these techniques help the mind focus while getting awareness and approval of self mindfulness encourages healthy ideas while breaking the routine of fretting

pondering and obsessive ideas 4. challenge distressing moments from your past often anxiety is a result of unsettled psychological issues from youth or a previous relationship as you mature you develop even more as a specific so the lessons learned then might not be as valuable now 5. find out how to control your feelings take a deep breath and discover a main indicate collect and calm yourself handling your sensations assists avoid nervous ideas while allowing you to focus on what matters most 6. recognize and prevent mind traps consist of presuming you know things without proof believing the worst case circumstance and taking things too personally such thoughts can make you feel worse while adding to relationship difficulties as you learn more about how accessory stress and anxiety impacts you and the assistance readily available to assist you manage it healthy relationships with individuals you appreciate will reinforce guidance from a licensed therapist through online counseling alternatives such as better aid might introduce you to brand-new and useful resources to enhance yourself while confronting your psychological difficulties a lot of us have experienced seasons of life when we seem like we just don’t want to do anything at all we feel exhausted all the time even if we get 8 hours of sleep at night we do not wish to rise to deal with the day’s obstacles and we do not wish to handle our day-to-day responsibilities there are lots of coping mechanisms to assist increase inspiration for example you might try a new hobby set a timer or discover a responsibility partner while often an absence of inspiration is simply a phase that will pass in due time you may be stressed that it is because of something larger like depression feeling uninspired is regular and everyone struggles with this from time to time but if you discover this season of no motivation is lasting for longer than typical and you can’t overcome it alone it might be time to look for aid if you believe

you may be experiencing a season of anxiety there is assistance offered for you understand that you are worthy of to live a happy and satisfied life our online counselors at betterhelp can help you overcome your absence of motivation and your sensations of depression [Music] if you are experiencing anxiety you will likely also come across other signs these signs can range from person to person however they typically include feelings like sadness irritation and maybe even ideas of self-harm if you are considering self-harm please right away call the Whats Wrong With Better Help.

national suicide avoidance lifeline where someone is waiting to talk with you free of charge treatment is understood to be commonly beneficial to the many people who experience lack of inspiration due to depression better help uses reliable high quality treatment sessions through online therapy you can recover your motivation to do the important things you like resulting in a more satisfying life start today at www.betterhelp.com


Proving Will Fraud or Forgery: Is There Evidence?

10 February 2022

When a family member or loved one dies, sometimes the terms of their will, if they made one during their lifetime, can come as a surprise to those who survive them. For example the will might include unexpected beneficiaries, or certain beneficiaries might receive a greater or lesser share of the estate than others. Under the laws of England and Wales, a person has the freedom to leave their estate to whoever they choose and there is no legal obligation to provide for any particular family member or other individual. Therefore, whilst family members or individuals might regard the terms of the will as unfair or unexpected, the law will generally uphold the wishes of a testator set out in their will, if it has been validly made.

However, sometimes surprise about the contents of a person’s will goes hand in hand with a concern that the will might not be valid as a result of either fraud or forgery. If it turns out that a will has been forged or has been obtained by fraud, then it will be declared invalid. Examples of this might include where the will has not been signed by the testator and someone else has forged their signature on the will (forgery), or where the testator has signed the document but does not know it is a will and believes it to be something else (fraud).

Will forgery and fraud are criminal offences, as well as civil offences. In civil cases, the claimant must convince the court on the balance of probabilities that it is more likely than not that forgery or fraud has taken place (that is, more than 50% likely). In criminal cases the standard of proof is higher; the court must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that forgery or fraud has taken place. This higher burden reflects the more serious consequences of a criminal conviction against a defendant.

However, whether civil or criminal proceedings are contemplated (or both), the evidence relied on by a claimant will often be the same and expert evidence will most likely be a central part of any case. Obtaining the opinion of an independent forensic document examination expert early on in a case is crucial to determining whether or not there is evidence to support a claim that a will is invalid due to fraud or forgery.

There are a large number of techniques available to forensic document examination experts which are used to look for evidence that a will has been forged or obtained by fraud:

Signature analysis

Where there are concerns that the signature on the will is not the genuine signature of the testator, experts will look for evidence of signature tracing, simulation (copying) or transposing. They will need to look at as many examples of genuine signatures as possible, in comparison to the questioned signature, and take into account variation of signature over time (no signature is exactly the same as the next) or due to poor health.

Handwriting analysis

Experts can examine handwriting for clues as to whether the handwriting is genuine, or has been written in a way as to disguise the writer’s usual writing style, or to simulate someone else’s handwriting.

Paper examination

This can be used to identify whether multiple pages of a document have been printed or written at different times, or on different printers, and whether document pages have been substituted or replaced.

Forensic ink analysis

Used to identify different inks on a document and which can show whether a document has been edited or altered  and can identify if text has been altered (for example where an alteration or addition has been made in the same colour ink, which is invisible to the naked eye, but identifiable under forensic inspection as having been made using a different ink).

ESDA (an electrostatic detection device)

A technique used to help identify indentations or impressions on a document, which can appear when the document has been rested on, underneath another document. The writing on the top document appears as an impression on the document underneath, which can give valuable information about the timing and creation of the underlying document.

In addition to the expert evidence, the witness evidence about relevant issues will also be important. This will often include information about (i) the circumstances and timing of the discovery of a will, (ii) what the testator might have told others about making their will, (iii) the testator’s will-making history and (iv) the conduct of the alleged defendants. In cases involving allegations of fraud (for example where the signature on a will is genuine but the person signing it didn’t know what they were signing) the evidence of those allegedly involved in the fraud will be particularly important.

Whilst the key evidence will often be the same, the burden of proof will differ depending on whether forgery or fraud is alleged. In Face v Cunningham [2020], the court drew a distinction between a case where a will is challenged on the grounds of fraud and a case where a will is challenged on the grounds of forgery. The judge in Face v Cunningham held that the ultimate burden of proving that a will is not a forgery must lie with the party who seeks to propound and rely on the will. This is a direct contrast to an allegation of fraud (or undue influence); in those circumstances the burden of proof lay with the party making the allegation. In this case, having found that the testator’s will had been forged, the Judge directed that the transcript of his judgment should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service to determine if criminal proceedings should be brought. If criminal proceedings are pursued in cases like these the stakes are high, as a conviction can result in a custodial sentence.

Early gathering and preservation of documents is crucial in cases involving fraud and forgery, particularly documents which feature the testator’s handwriting and signatures, as well as communications with professionals or individuals believed to have been involved in the relevant matters. Contemporaneous evidence is extremely important, as the court will want to see this alongside the expert and witness evidence. Allegations of fraud or forgery are serious and so making sure you have identified and preserved the best evidence as soon as possible will have a direct impact on whether the claim is capable of being proven or not.

If you have concerns that a will may have been obtained by fraud or forgery, or is invalid for any other reason, contact a member of our team or see further information on our website.

Further information regarding wills, trusts and inheritance disputes and regarding professional negligence is available on our website.

Kate Salter is an Senior Associate in the Dispute Resolution team with a wide range of litigation experience, and with particular expertise in Wills, Trusts and Inheritance Disputes.

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