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Administrative data is often used to identify patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet the validity of this approach is unclear. We sought to develop a predictive model utilizing administrative data to accurately identify patients with COPD.
Sequential logistic regression models were constructed using 9573 patients with postbronchodilator spirometry at two Veterans Affairs medical centers (2003-2007). COPD was defined as: 1) FEV1/FVC <0.70, and 2) FEV1/FVC < lower limits of normal. Model inputs included age, outpatient or inpatient COPD-related ICD-9 codes, and the number of metered does inhalers (MDI) prescribed over the one year prior to and one year post spirometry. Model performance was assessed using standard criteria.
4564 of 9573 patients (47.7%) had an FEV1/FVC < 0.70. The presence of ≥1 outpatient COPD visit had a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 67%; the AUC was 0.75 (95% CI 0.74-0.76). Adding the use of albuterol MDI increased the AUC of this model to 0.76 (95% CI 0.75-0.77) while the addition of ipratropium bromide MDI increased the AUC to 0.77 (95% CI 0.76-0.78). The best performing model included: ≥6 albuterol MDI, ≥3 ipratropium MDI, ≥1 outpatient ICD-9 code, ≥1 inpatient ICD-9 code, and age, achieving an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI 0.78-0.80).
Commonly used definitions of COPD in observational studies misclassify the majority of patients as having COPD. Using multiple diagnostic codes in combination with pharmacy data improves the ability to accurately identify patients with COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and throughout the world [1]. COPD consumes substantial healthcare resources and is among the most expensive medical conditions in the United States [2,3]. Due to the magnitude of the public health and economic burden of COPD, investigators are actively researching all aspects of the genetics, biology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, pharmacotherapy, and healthcare delivery of COPD [4].
The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), a partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, define COPD as the presence of postbronchodilator airflow limitation documented as a fixed ratio FEV1/FVC < 0.7 on spirometry [5]. However, there continues to be disagreement among professional societies as to the optimal physiologic criteria to define COPD [6]. While investigators have performed spirometry in population samples quantify the prevalence of COPD throughout the world, such studies are expensive and time consuming to conduct [7-9]. The challenges of obtaining spirometry limit the ability of investigators to identify patients with COPD and investigate differences in COPD care practice across broad geographic regions within the United States.
Many investigators combat these issues by utilizing administrative databases to provide information about the epidemiology of and the care delivered to patients with COPD [10]. The literature is replete with examples of the use of COPD International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9) diagnosis codes to identify COPD cases[10-15] and COPD exacerbations [16-18]. Despite the common use of ICD-9 codes to define COPD in the literature, there is limited data on the validity of such codes [16,19-21]. Prior studies examining the validity of ICD-9 codes utilize medical record review[20,21] or physician diagnosis[16] as the gold standard for COPD. There is limited data characterizing the performance of ICD-9 codes when spirometry is used as the gold standard [22].
We sought to develop a predictive model that would best identify COPD patients using administrative data when spirometry was the gold standard. We focused on determining the performance of outpatient and inpatient ICD-9 codes, but evaluated the ability of additional information, such as age, pharmacy records, and smoking status, to improve the performance of ICD-9 codes in identifying patients with COPD.
We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected as part of an observational study of medication adherence among patients with COPD.
We utilized the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatient and outpatient databases to screen all patients receiving any inpatient or outpatient care at two VA medical centers in the Pacific Northwest between January, 2003 and December, 2007. We defined the index date when patients entered the sample as the date on which the first pulmonary function test (PFT) including spirometry was performed. We excluded all patients who did not receive postbronchodilator spirometry from our analysis. We also excluded patients with a past or current diagnosis of lung cancer and patients with a BMI < 15 or ≥55 as these patients may have evidence of airflow obstruction for reasons other COPD.
We collected demographic data, pharmacy records and the primary ICD-9 code for all outpatient and inpatient visits during the exact calendar date one year pre- and one year post the index date utilizing the VA computerized medical record system.
Patients with any of the following primary ICD-9 codes were considered to have a COPD-related visit: 491.xx - chronic bronchitis, 492.xx - emphysema, 493.2 - chronic obstructive asthma, 496.xx - chronic airway obstruction, not elsewhere classified. We did not include 490 - Bronchitis, not specified as acute or chronic in our administrative definition of COPD because the definition itself lacks specificity which increases the concern about misclassification [23,24]. Outpatient primary and secondary ICD-9 codes were those recorded during a patient encounter in any outpatient clinic while inpatient primary ICD-9 codes were those recorded during an admission to the hospital. ICD-9 codes generated during visits to the pulmonary function laboratory were not considered in this analysis. Although secondary ICD-9 codes were considered for defining a COPD-related visit these were uncommonly (<7% of visits) coded by providers. Comorbid conditions relevant to patients with COPD were determined using ICD-9 codes for all previous outpatient visits in the one year period prior to the index date. These included a diagnosis of lung cancer (162.x, 163.x), acute coronary syndrome (410.xx, 411.xx), congestive heart failure (398.91,415.xx, 416.xx,425.x, 428.x), diabetes (250.x), hypertension (401.xx-405.xx), atrial fibrillation (427.xx), depression (311, 300.4, 296.2x, 296.3x), and schizophrenia (295.xx).
Smoking was assessed at the time of spirometry; patients were classified as never/former or current based upon self report. We determined the total number of metered dose inhaler (MDI) canisters prescribed over the two year period to each patient for both albuterol and ipratropium bromide (categorized as: albuterol - 0, 1-5, 6+ MDI; ipratropium - 0, 1-2, 3+) using the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) data warehouse. The VISN data warehouse contains the complete pharmacy records for patients who filled prescriptions within the VISN region. These data include the drug name, class, prescription identification number, prescription fill dates (primary and refills), number of allowable refills, date of next allowable refill, amount dispensed, day supply, unit price of the medication and directions for use. Nebulized medications were not included in the calculation of these totals. Tiotropium was not included in our analysis as it was adopted slowly in the VA because of formulary restriction.
First, we categorized patients using the GOLD criterion: postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC < 0.70 to define COPD. Although experts are actively debating which COPD criterion standard is optimal, GOLD is criticized for identifying false positives among older patients [25,26]. The second definition used a postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC < lower limit of normal (LLN), where the LLN is defined by the referent equations of Hankinson, et al [27]. At both centers, spirometry was performed in accordance with the ATS guidelines for reproducibility [28].
Bivariate comparisons utilized the t-test or Χ2 test as appropriate for the distribution of the variable. We considered a p-value < 0.05 statistically significant.
We pre-specified an approach involving the sequential addition of variables to a multiple logistic regression model for each standard. We considered alternative approaches to model development including classification and regression tress (CART) and neural networks, but neither of these approaches has been consistently shown to outperform logistic regression for most classification problems in medicine [29-31]. We first assessed a model containing a single variable representing the presence/absence of ≥1 outpatient COPD-related ICD-9 code. We then increased the number of codes represented by the indicator variable to ≥3 codes. We then evaluated the performance of ≥1 inpatient COPD-related ICD-9 code. Next, we added pharmacy variables and age to the prior models to characterize changes in the performance of the model after such additions. Because smoking status was assessed by interviewing the patient at the time of spirometry, it is not considered an administrative variable. Nevertheless, this variable may be available to investigators when identifying cohorts of patients with COPD so we added it at the last stage of model development.
We stratified all models by age ≥ 65 years by interacting age (≥65 years) with all variables in each model. This approach allowed separate coefficient estimates for patients ≥ 65 and <65 years of age allowing one to apply the model to Medicare and non-Medicare patients, but provides one number for each estimate of model performance (e.g AUC, Hosmer-Lemeshow, etc).
Model performance was assessed by evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of each model (cut point for the predicted probability of COPD = 0.5), and the discrimination and calibration of each model. Discrimination was determined by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC or C-statistic). Calibration was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit statistic. We calculated the Brier score for each model as an alternative measure of accuracy that incorporates features of discrimination and calibration as a single measure. The Brier score is calculated as the mean squared error of the model and describes the magnitude by which the predicted probability of COPD generated by the model deviates from the true COPD status of the patient. Because model performance rather than parsimony was our primary concern, we did not employ measures such as the Akaike information criteria during the model building process [32].
For the best performing model containing only administrative variables we determined the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for three cut points (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) in the model-based predicted probability of COPD. These cut points illustrate the tradeoff in sensitivity and specificity of the model over the range of predicted values. Patients with a model-based probability of COPD greater than the cut point were classified as having COPD. Because the prevalence of COPD in our cohort was high, we also estimated the positive and negative predictive values for the best performing model using prevalence estimates closer to that experienced in the general population (10-20%) [7,9,25].
We utilized the bootstrap (2000 iterations) to internally validate the best performing model. We selected this previously described approach[33] instead of split sample internal validation because it provides an more accurate, unbiased estimate of performance in external cohorts. No external validation was performed.
Finally, we performed two sensitivity analyses to assess the impact of our cohort definition on the results. Because BMI is not captured in most administrative data sources, we re-fit all models after including all patients regardless of BMI. Since the specificity of ICD-9 codes for COPD in younger patients may be low, we also re-fit each model after excluding patients who were < 40 years-old (n = 552).
All analyses were performed using Stata 10.0 (Statacorp, College Station, TX). The institutional review boards for the University of Washington and the participating Veterans Affairs centers approved of the study.
We identified 12,205 patients referred for spirometry during the study period. We excluded patients who had a past or current history of lung cancer (n = 330), a BMI < 15 or ≥55 (n = 68), or no assessment of bronchodilator response (n = 2234). After these exclusions, the cohort contained 9573 (78.4%) patients with at least one postbronchodilator assessment (Additional file 1). Among patients assessed, 4564 (47.7%) had fixed airflow obstruction (FEV1/FVC <0.70). Patient demographics, comorbidities, and disease severity are shown in Table Table1.1. Compared to patients with airflow obstruction, patients without airflow obstruction were younger, more often female, and had greater prevalence of diabetes and depression. Patients with obstruction were more likely to be current smokers at the time of PFTs. Patients with fixed airflow obstruction had a lower FEV1 compared to patients without obstruction (1.74 vs. 2.74 L, p < 0.001) respectively. The most common degree of obstruction among patients with obstruction was moderate (48%). Patients with fixed airflow obstruction were also more likely to be prescribed a greater number of MDIs for both albuterol and iprotropium bromide than patients without airflow obstruction.
The performance characteristics of the series of models we developed utilizing ICD-9 codes, pharmacy data, age, and smoking status are presented for each reference standard in Table Table2.2. In general, ICD-9 codes by themselves exhibited a modest ability to classify a patient as having airflow obstruction, regardless of the standard (models 1-3), with outpatient codes providing better discriminative ability than inpatient codes (model 1 vs. model 4). Increasing the minimum necessary number of outpatient visits with a primary ICD-9 code for COPD to define airflow obstruction resulted in minimal impact on the AUC beyond that provided by the presence of one or more outpatient diagnostic codes (models 1-3). However, specificity of the model improved when more outpatient ICD-9 codes were required to define obstruction. When added to a model with ≥1 outpatient ICD-9 code, MDI canister counts improved the discriminative ability of the model (models 5, 6). Ipratropium bromide (model 5) appeared to improve the AUC to a slightly greater extent than albuterol (model 6) MDI canisters (AUC 0.77 vs 0.76, respectively). The best performing model utilizing only administrative data (model 8) included the following variables: ≥6 albuterol MDI, ≥3 ipratropium MDI, ≥1 outpatient ICD-9 code, ≥1 inpatient ICD-9 code, and age (model 8, AUC = 0.79, 95% CI 0.78-0.80, Table Table2).2). The overall AUC was qualitatively larger for GOLD standard than for the LLN standard, although changes in the AUC were of similar magnitude when variables were entered into the model. The addition of self reported smoking collected at the time of PFT assessment minimally changed the AUCs and Brier scores for both standards.
The best performing model incorporating only administrative data (model 8) for both standards was well calibrated (Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic [GOLD p = 0.86; LLN p = 0.50]). The Brier score was lowest for these models as well (GOLD 0.187; LLN 0.187).
Coefficients for the best performing model utilizing administrative data are shown in Table Table3.3. These coefficients are presented for both airflow obstruction standards (GOLD, LLN) and are stratified by age ≥65 years. Table Table44 presents the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for various cut points in the model-based predicted probability of COPD generated by model 8 for each diagnostic standard. Utilizing the GOLD standard, setting the cut point in the model-based predicted probability of COPD at 0.25 resulted in a sensitivity (95% CI) of 91% (90-92%), specificity of 41% (39-42%), and positive and negative predictive values of 58% (57-59%) and 83% (81-85%) respectively. Setting the cut point higher in the model-based predicted probability of COPD resulted in greater positive predictive values for both airflow obstruction standards. Estimated PPV and NPV when the prevalence of COPD is closer to population-based estimates (10 or 20%) are presented in the Additional File 2.
Bootstrap internal validations of all models resulted in insignificant changes in the AUC and are therefore not reported. Inclusion of all patients regardless of BMI resulted in no substantive changes in all models (data not shown). There were no substantive changes in the models' performance when we limited the cohort to patients over 40 years-old (Additional File 3).
Utilizing over 9500 VA patients with postbronchodilator spirometry we determined that ICD-9 codes have a moderate to good ability to discriminate patients who have fixed airflow obstruction from those who do not with outpatient codes offering better performance than inpatient codes. The addition of a patient's age and pharmacy data including the number of MDIs of albuterol and ipratropium bromide to outpatient and inpatient ICD-9 codes improves the sensitivity and specificity and the overall discriminative performance of a model used to identify patients with airflow obstruction. These variables showed similar performance when utilizing GOLD criteria for airflow obstruction compared to the LLN standard for airflow obstruction.
The use of ICD-9 codes to identify cohorts of patient with COPD using administrative data is common [11-18]. Investigators and payers have utilized these codes to describe the epidemiology of COPD[12,14,15,17,24,34-36], to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of treatments in COPD[11,13,18,37,38], and more recently, as a means to assess the quality of care provided to patients with COPD [16]. In fact, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) both advocate for use of quality measures relying on ICD-9 code-based COPD case-identification [39,40]. It is therefore surprising that the validity of both outpatient and inpatient ICD-9 codes for identifying patients with COPD has not been rigorously studied in large populations.
Most prior efforts to establish the validity of ICD-9 codes for COPD utilize chart review or physician consensus as the gold standard. One of the most widely referenced studies, conducted by Rawson and colleagues, utilized the 1987 Saskatchewan health care data files to assess the validity of inpatient COPD ICD-9 codes compared to both the patient's inpatient medical chart and provider service data [20]. Two hundred patient charts were randomly selected from the 4613 hospitalized patients with a primary ICD-9 code for COPD (n = 496). The charted discharge diagnosis from the patient's medical record showed exact agreement for 94.2% of these patients. However, overall concordance between physician documentation of COPD related care and hospital discharge COPD-related ICD-9 codes (490-493, 496) was 68%. An analysis by Ginde and colleagues utilized a similar approach to determine the positive predictive value for principle ICD-9 codes to identify acute exacerbations of COPD in the emergency department [16]. A random sample of 200 patients was taken from all 644 patients with a code for COPD (491.2x, 492.8, 496) at two academic medical centers between 2005 and 2006. Chart review for these patients was used to establish the gold standard for COPD exacerbation which was defined as: 1) the presence of a respiratory infection, 2) change in cough or 3) change in sputum with known physician diagnosed COPD. The overall positive predictive value for the presence of any of the specified codes was 97%. The positive predictive value for a code of 496 alone was 60% (95% CI 32-84%).
Finally, a more recent study using claims in Ontario, Canada examined the combination of ICD-9 outpatient codes and ICD-10 inpatient codes to identify patients with COPD cared for by community providers [19]. The combination of one or more outpatient ICD-9 codes (491.xx, 492.xx, 496.xx) or one or more inpatient ICD-10 codes (J41, J43, J44) had a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 78.4% among 113 patients with COPD and 329 patients without COPD. An expert panel reviewed each patient's medical record to determine the gold standard for COPD. Spirometry was available in only 180 patients and details about its collection were not reported in the study. The study was further limited by employing ICD-10 codes which have yet to be universally adopted by many countries around the world.
While these studies outlined above suggest that ICD-9 codes can be used to accurately identify physician defined COPD, none universally employed spirometry to define the criterion standard for COPD. Physician diagnosed COPD may not be the optimal gold standard to define COPD. A number of previous studies highlight the difficulty physicians have in correctly indentifying COPD in the absence of spirometry. In North America only 20-30% of patients billed for a COPD-related visit have had spirometry to confirm or refute the diagnosis of COPD [12,41-43]. Up to 20% of physicians confronted with a standardized patient in a COPD exacerbation fail to correctly identify COPD as the cause of respiratory complaints [44]. These data raise concerns about the validity of the COPD gold standard used in prior studies examining the use of ICD-9 codes to identify patients.
The only study utilizing primarily spirometry to define COPD compared discrimination between patients with asthma versus patients with COPD. The accuracy of ICD-9 codes demonstrated excellent performance (AUC 0.98) for the calculated ratio of total COPD ICD-9 codes to total respiratory ICD-9 codes to differentiate patients with asthma from patients with COPD; however, this comparison cannot develop models to predict patients with COPD as the comparator was patients with asthma. Finally, unlike our study, which included over 9500 patients, this study was limited by its inclusion of only 151 patients with COPD [22].
Our study has several strengths. Our gold standard for COPD used the most rigorous definition possible - fixed airflow obstruction on spirometry and captures a large number of patients who had clinical indication for spirometry. This is contrast to many of the previous studies highlighted above.
Our results also have important implications for clinical investigators and health services and health policy analysts. We present the coefficients for a model incorporating administrative variables that can be used to accurately identify patients with COPD. This equation can be used by investigators to calculate the predicted probability of airflow obstruction within novel cohorts. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for cut points in the model-based predicted probability of airflow obstruction will allow an investigator to maximize sensitivity or specificity depending on the needs of the study practice. For example, one might select a lower cut point (0.25) in the model-based predicted probability of airflow obstruction if utilizing this model to screen a clinical database to identify candidates for a COPD clinical trial. In this situation, maximizing sensitivity would capture the majority of patients with true COPD but at the cost of a large number of false positives. Study staff could access the medical records of these patients to eliminate people without airflow obstruction on spirometry.
We recognize several limitations to our analysis. First, we did not externally validate our model in alternative cohorts of patients. Model performance will likely drop when our model is applied to different patients as a result of geographic and temporal changes, differences in data definitions and case-mix. We assessed the optimism in the estimated AUC for our model utilizing the bootstrap which resulted in no appreciable change in the AUC, but recognize that external validation is a necessary step prior to widespread use [45]. Second, our model was derived on US veterans that were mostly older white men. This may limit the generalizability of our models if applied outside of the VA. In addition, the primary reason for collection of ICD-9 codes in VA patients is not for billing purposes. Differences in coding practice between the VA and other organizations capturing ICD-9 codes primarily for billing purposes may alter the performance of our models if applied outside the VA. Third, some degree of ascertainment bias is likely present, as we were unable to assess clinic visits and hospital admissions to non-VA facilities. Fourth, we collected ICD-9 codes from the one year pre- and one year post the date of spirometry, a time interval that may have reduced the sensitivity and specificity of the codes for COPD. For example, a provider may provide a COPD code on initial evaluation only to learn that spirometry rules out the diagnosis of COPD. Nevertheless, we believe the time interval we used is appropriate because it approximates how ICD-9 codes are screened in observational research and provides a conservative estimate of their performance.
Finally, we limited our cohort to patients referred for spirometry who received a bronchodilator during their test. This was done to ensure that we had a rigorous gold standard by which we defined COPD, but may limit the applicability of our model to only patients who are clinically referred for spirometry. Given the high prevalence of COPD in this population, and the VA more generally [46], the positive predictive value of our model will decrease if applied to a broader population. Several studies suggest that the prevalence of physiologically determined COPD is closer to 10-20%[7,9,25], which is considerably lower than the 48% prevalence observed in our sample. By limiting our analysis to only patients referred to spirometry we provide a conservative estimate of the models performance if applied to a general population. Discriminating patients with COPD from those without COPD among patients who are ill enough to be referred to spirometry is likely a more difficult task than discriminating COPD patients from those without COPD among all patients in a general population. Nevertheless, the estimates of the positive and negative predictive values will change when applying our model to cohorts with different COPD prevalence. Additional testing of our model in broader populations should be done prior to widespread use.
Administrative data are ubiquitous, are employed in all aspects of healthcare, and are frequently being used to understand the health and healthcare of patients with COPD. Healthcare payers, policy makers, and investigators using administrative data to study COPD rely upon valid assessment of disease status when conducting analyses. Currently used definitions of COPD in observational studies misclassify the majority of patients as having COPD. We determined that ICD-9 codes in combination with pharmacy data can accurately identify patients with COPD. Further validation of our model is required prior to its widespread application.
AHRQ: Agency for health research and quality; ATS: American thoracic society; AUC: Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve; BMI: Body mass index; CART: Classification and regression trees; CI: Confidence interval; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ERS: European respiratory society; FEV1: Forced expiratory volume in one second; FVC: Forced vital capacity; GOLD: Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease; ICD-9: International classification of disease, 9th revision; IQR: Interquartile range; LLN: Lower limit of normal; MDI: Metered dose inhaler; NCQA: National committee for quality assurance; PFT: Pulmonary function test: VA: Veterans affairs;
Dr. Au is a consultant for Nexura, LLC. All other authors have no competing interests to disclose.
CRC designed the study, participated in the analysis interpretation of the data, and drafted the manuscript. MJJ, SMA, and TAL participated in the interpretation of the data and revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content. EMU and EJ conducted the data analysis, participated in interpretation of the data and revision of the manuscript. DHA received funding for the study, designed the study, participated in the analysis and interpretation of the data, and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved of the final manuscript.
The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:
Study cohort flow diagram. This figure presents a flow diagram describing the exclusion criteria for the primary analysis.
Simulated positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for Model 88, by prevalence of COPD. This table describes how PPV and NPV for Model 8 vary depending on the prevalence of COPD in the population studied. Because the prevalence of COPD in our study population was higher than that in the general population, we simulated what the PPV and NPV would be if the COPD prevalence were 10% to 20%.
Discriminative performance (AUC) for original models compared to models when cohort limited to patients greater than 40 years-old. This table illustrates the changes to each model's performance when the cohort excluded all patients <40 years-old.
This study was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research and Development (DHA), American Lung Association (CI-51755-N) awarded to DHA, the American Thoracic Society Fellow Career Development Award (CRC), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar's Program (CRC). The funding bodies had no role in study design analysis, interpretation and writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The authors would also like to acknowledge the referees for their thoughtful contributions to the manuscript.
This article was made available as Open Access with the support of the University of Michigan COPE Fund, http://lib.umich.edu/cope
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government.
PubMed Central Canada is a service of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) working in partnership with the National Research Council's national science library in cooperation with the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine(NCBI/NLM). It includes content provided to the PubMed Central International archive by participating publishers.


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Pesto Sutton Coldfield Easter Egg-Stravaganza
Italian restaurant Pesto Sutton Coldfield is to host a complimentary Easter egg-stravaganza on Sunday 16th April.
The free to attend Easter egg hunt will take place in the restaurant's private garden between 11:30am – 2:30pm and sees over 600 chocolate eggs hidden and ready to be discovered.
To register for the exclusive event, guests are to say the secret code 'Pesto Bunny' to a member of the Pesto team upon arrival at the restaurant.
The fun doesn't stop there however; back in the restaurant children can delight in an Easter activity sheet while the whole family enjoy a delicious lunch with an exclusive children's menu for the little ones.
Speaking on the Easter egg hunt, general manager of Pesto Sutton Coldfield, Russell Bennett said:
"We love hosting events at the restaurant and Easter is really a time for the whole family to come together and have some fun. We look forward to welcoming families on Easter Sunday for an exciting Easter egg hunt."
Renowned for its Italian small plates or 'piatinni', Pesto boasts over 40 dishes full of big flavours. Giving a true taste of little Italy, dishes include Pizzetta picante con salsiccia with spicy Italian sausage and Penne con pollo al dragoncello with chicken breast, fresh tarragon, mascarpone and pecorino cheese.
Offering a main, day time and afternoon tea menu, the restaurant is an ideal location for all occasions. To find further information on restaurant events, please visit www.pestorestaurants.co.uk

subset: commoncrawl


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By: Alex King and Mac Irwin. The Reproduction System. The Reproductive System.
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The reproductive role of the man is to manufacture male gametes called sperm and deliver them to the woman's reproductive tract. The woman, produces female gametes, called ova, or eggs. Although the male and female reproductive systems are different, their purpose is to produce an offspring.
The primary reproductive organ of a male are the testes (male gonads) . Each plum-sized testis is approximately 4 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. The primary functions of the testes are to produce sperm and testosterone.
The accessory organs forming the male duct system, which transports sperm from the body are the epididymis, which provides a temporary site for the immature sperm, the ductus deferens which propels live sperm from their storage sites, into the urethra. Then the urethra carries both urine and sperm to the body exterior.
Spermatogenesis- sperm production
The penis is designed to deliver sperm into the female reproductive tract.
Ovaries make the hormones . One of the ovaries releases and egg which travels down the fallopian tube to the Uterus.
Fallopian tubes- they receive the ovulated oocyte and provide a site where fertilization can occur.
Uterus- receives, retains and nourishes a fertilized egg
Oocyte- the egg


text: history Museum Opens At "Cuckoo's Nest" Film Site By Chris Lehman • Oct 2, 2012 Photo by Chris Lehman / Northwest News Network A 130-year-old mental institution might seem like an odd place for a museum. But historians and mental health advocates have fought to preserve and tell the Oregon State Hospital's long and sordid history. University Of Idaho Gets Big Collection Of Opium-Smoking Paraphernalia By Tom Banse • Sep 26, 2012 Photo by Tom Banse / Northwest News Network The "world's most comprehensive collection" of opium smoking paraphernalia has a new home; it's at the University of Idaho. A writer and collector, originally from San Diego, donated the exquisite antiques. Correspondent Tom Banse has the intriguing back story of how these so-called "instruments of self-destruction" came to a small Northwest town. Washington Veteran Having Difficulty Repatriating Captured War Flag By Tom Banse • Aug 13, 2012 Photo by Tom Banse / Northwest News Network Wednesday will mark the 67th anniversary of the Japanese surrender to end World War Two. With each passing anniversary, there are fewer and fewer living witnesses to the event. Correspondent Tom Banse reports time is also running low for an aging U.S. Marine veteran who wants to return a captured Japanese war flag. Hanford's B Reactor Could Help Remember History, Spur Economy By Anna King • Jul 9, 2012 Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell made a visit to Richland, Washington Friday to highlight how creating a B Reactor National Historical Park would create jobs and spur tourism in southeast Washington. The B Reactor at Hanford was the world's first full-scale plutonium production facility. Correspondent Anna King has more. Senator Maria Cantwell believes despite its dark history, Hanford has an important lesson to share. Historic Southeast Washington Ranch Goes Up For Sale By Anna King • Jun 1, 2012 A sprawling, historic ranch in southeast Washington goes up for sale Friday. Conservationists and the state of Washington are hoping to keep the 14,000 acre property out of the hands of developers. University Of Idaho Scholar Is Consultant On New HBO Hemingway Film By Glenn Mosley • May 28, 2012 HBO is premiering a new film Monday on the love affair between Ernest Hemingway and his third wife, journalist Martha Gellhorn. A University of Idaho Hemingway scholar served as a consultant to the filmmakers. Northwest Public Radio's Glenn Mosley reports. Drake Landmark Designation Sparks Debate By Colin Fogarty • May 23, 2012 Photo by Colin Fogarty / Northwest News Network Oregon and California are locked in a dispute over something that happened 433 years ago. That's when Sir Francis Drake became the first British explorer to make contact with Native Americans. It happened on what is now the American West Coast. The question is where. Oregon or California? The National Park Service is poised to officially recognize one state's claim and not the other's. Chopper Delivers Memorial Marker To Massacre Site By Tom Banse • May 9, 2012 Photo by Lyle Wirtanen / Northwest News Network A granite memorial arrived by helicopter Tuesday at a remote cove in Hells Canyon on the Idaho-Oregon border. The stone will mark the site where a large group of Chinese gold miners was massacred way back in 1887. Correspondent Tom Banse reports. Private contributions paid for the engraving and transportation of the 1,100 pound granite marker. Memorial project treasurer Lyle Wirtanen says the stone was inscribed in English, Chinese and the native Nez Perce language. Rare, Once-Lost Pioneer Chinese Immigrant Docs Go Online By Tom Banse • Apr 30, 2012 Image courtesy Oregon State University Rare, once-lost historic records about pioneer Chinese immigrants to the Northwest have found a new life online. The digital archive is hosted by Oregon State University. A Chinese-American civic group hopes the document trove can help families locate ancestors gone missing early in the last century. Correspondent Tom Banse reports. Tribe Seeks To Correct Jazz History On Native Singer's Heritage By Jessica Robinson • Mar 16, 2012 Photo courtesy of the William P. Gottlieb Collection PLUMMER, Idaho - Jazz aficionados know Mildred Bailey as the legendary singer who cleared the way for female jazz greats like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Less well known is the fact that Bailey was Native American. Now, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe in Idaho has launched a campaign to bring the singer -- and her heritage -- into the spotlight. Jessica Robinson tells the story. Increasing Visibility of Female American Roots Musicians By Tom Banse • Jan 25, 2012 Tom Banse / N3 PORTLAND - Quick, think of any famous female musicians in the American roots genre. Sure, today there's Allison Krauss and Gillian Welch. But for the most part, history remembers a lot of men in old-time country, blues and folk music... names like Lead Belly, Muddy Waters or Doc Watson. Not a lot of women in American roots music are getting their due. That's according to a folklorist from near Seattle. She and her husband have made it their mission to change that. The Library of Congress has taken notice. Correspondent Tom Banse reports. Pages« first ‹ previous 1 2


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Founded in 1976, Travelex are the UK's leading travel money supplier. Exchange rates online with Travelex are far cheaper than showing up last minute at the airport bureau. Travelex Price Promise offer to refund the difference if you find a cheaper overall price elsewhere. Orders are subject to a maximum value of £2,500
Founded in 1979, there are now over 1,500 Travelex stores across the globe, including those in over 115 international airports.


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WEF meeting on India begins in on Nov 6
Corporate honchos, policy-makers along with civil society members will participate in a three-day summit on India organised by World Economic Forum (WEF) at Gurgaon from November 6.
New Delhi: Corporate honchos, policy-makers along with civil society members will participate in a three-day summit on India organised by World Economic Forum (WEF) at Gurgaon from November 6.
The summit, also to be attended by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, will discuss the state of affairs of the economy.
"Increasing predictability and complexity in global markets as well as in India, signal the urgency for moving from deliberation to dialogue and decision-making," the WEF Asia Head and Senior Director Sushant Palakurthi Rao said here today.
"It is important that we should bring all the leaders together (like members from civil society and politicians) and not just economic leaders to address the most critical economic and social challenges," he said.
The theme for this year's event, to be held between Nov 6-8 is titled ?From Deliberation to Transformation?.
About 600 participants including big corporate leaders Sunil Bharti Mittal, Rahul Bajaj, Tulsi Tanti, Adi Godrej and Kris Gopalakrishnan are expected to participate. However, last year, over 700 participants were registered at the event held in Mumbai.
Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shivappa Shettar are scheduled to deliberate on various political and economic issues.
Besides, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Department of Economic Affairs secretary Arvind Mayaram would also take part of the event.
The focus of the summit would be mainly on issues related to governance, corruption, economic growth and building investors' confidence, Rao said.
"Besides, we would discuss food security issues as we are embarking on some significant projects in India in this area," he added.
Asked about the reason to chose Gurgaon as the venue this year, Rao said, Haryana is ideal as it is close to the Centre and is an industrial hub.
Rao said well-known Pakistan's Federal Minister of Parliament and Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Farzana Raja ,and former cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan are expected to participate along with political and business leaders from across the world.


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Here is what greets me and several close friends many times a year upon entry into Malaysia.
I love that view! An always welcoming view to the other half of the family!
hi there. i was wondering what you were doing in Kuala Lumpur. your pictures really kick some butt!
Thanks! I work with our game company there in KL – John Galt Games.
I want to get the name of their interior designer, seriously.
i really admire your work but sometimes the thing that i'm most in awe of is how you find so many empty places. do you use ND filters to help with this?
Thanks! No…. I am just patient until people get out of the way…. I don't like tourists in my shots! A pet peeve…
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i really like this pic…..it's like heaven,and it's in my hometown kuala lumpur.actually i'm using this pic as my backgroud desktop.and i wanna show it in my blog later.would u mind if i'm using this pic as my subject of next entry.it's not for commercial use.i'll link it to your page.
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|80 m²
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|7 nights
Two Minute walk to two sandy beaches - Swim or walk on the sand bars at low tide from this newly remodeled home located in a private beach association. Large open but covered front porch lets you enjoy the summer breeze and the water view. There is a rear deck for barbeque and outdoor entertaining with privacy. All new furniture with modern, tastefully decorated interior offering the charm of the beach lifestyle with all the comforts of home. The kitchen boasts cherry cabinets with new appliances (including dishwasher) as well as a stackable washer and dryer for your added convenience. There is a separate dining area with a large table that has six chairs. The dining room and kitchen have cathedral ceilings, and are open to the living room. Two separate bedrooms each with a large closet. Great restaurants, outlet shopping and other area attractions all very close by.
Further details : Fully furnished: electricity, water, heat, cable, internet service, lawn service and garbage pick-up is included.
Other Activities: sandy beaches, great restaurants, 2 shopping outlets nearby.
Many fine and casual restaurants are only a few minutes drive away with everything from seafood to steaks as well as Mexican, Chinese and an Italian Pizzeria. For shopping, there is a large outlet shopping plaza in town, Clinton Crossing, which is less than five minutes drive, and offers over 70 premium outlet shops. Additionally, in the next town over, Westbrook, there is a second outlet shopping center called Tanger Outlets, which features 65 premium factory outlet shops. On the entertainment front, if you tire of the sand and sun, both Mohegan Sun Casino and Foxwoods Resort and Casino are less than an hour away, and a bit further is Mystic Seaport and Museum. Closer by is the Essex Steam Train Museum where you can view and ride historic steam trains, which is great fun with the kids. There are public golf courses in nearby Guilford, Deep River, Old Saybrook, North Branford and East Haddam as well as the 36 hole Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield, where the kids can also pick fresh apples and watch cider being made. The two towns on either side of Clinton, beautiful Madison and Westbrook, each have movie theatres - the Madison Art Cinema, and the Westbrook Marquee 12 theatre multiplex. For more adult fare, Clinton is home to the Chamard Vineyard which is open for tours and visits and features a nice wine bar. Clinton is also home to High Seas Charters if fishing is more your speed. There is so much to explore, see and do - for both adults and children. Come visit and experience it!
|Rate Period
|Weekend Night
My Standard Rate
7 night minimum stay
|Property Damage Protection
Notes: Electric, water, cable, Internet, garbage pick-up, lawn service are included for summer rental season.


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Your weekly roundup of wildlife news from across the country.
Wild stories from the Week:
Devil rays are harvested by the thousands for their gill plates – the part of the body they use to filter food from the water. At last year's CITES CoP meeting, Defenders and other organizations joined with nations from around the world to advocate for this species' survival. Now, as of April 4th, devil rays are protected under CITES strict trade controls. This is an important victory for the endangered species! Learn more about the importance of CITES: http://dfnd.us/1QbVIA7
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America's last truly wild places. Now is the time to protect it from destructive oil drilling once and for all. Congress should support newly introduced legislation to designate the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge as wilderness! Click here to learn more about this iconic place and to sign up to take action: http://dfnd.us/1TaOn1Q
A major win for this fierce little bird gives it a new chance for endangered species protection. This decision marks not only an important victory for pygmy-owls, but for the Endangered Species Act as well: http://dfnd.us/2p2dwUI
Our Defenders in Action:
In the Southeast:An important part of Defenders' outreach work involves connecting with future generations of wildlife advocates! Heather Clarkson, Southeast Program Outreach Representative, joined a team of educators, attorneys, and conservationists at the University of North Carolina School of Law's Student Animal Legal Defense Symposium to present and discuss with students how organizations like Defenders use the law to advocate for wildlife and wildlife habitat.
In the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains:Our Rockies and Plains Field Conservation Associate, Russ Talmo, spent a day in the field with our partner, the Tom Miner Basic Association (TMBA), to install turbo-fladry around calving grounds, one of the simplest yet effective coexistence tools. These flapping flags are a novel scare device that deter wolves from approaching. Though these flags seem more like something you would expect at a used car lot, they are very effective at keeping wolves out of vulnerable areas for short periods of time, like at night or during birthing season. This installation project welcomed an impressive cast of characters to assist with the installation. In addition to TMBA staff, we had the local Wildlife Services agent, the regional Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Wolf Specialist, and a youth group from 2 local chapters of Future Farmers of America all pitching in. For more information on fladry, visit http://dfnd.us/2nltSeI
In the Southeast:Through his local Chamber of Commerce, Michael Adams, our Florida Senior Representative, hosted a two-day Environmental Leadership academy on his own private conservation area outside of St. Augustine, FL. The first day was tailored for high school students and more than a dozen attended to discuss imperiled wildlife, environmental and conservation education as well as career opportunities within the conservation field. The second day was geared for adult environmental leadership topics such as wildlife corridors, habitat conservation, longleaf pine and wetlands restoration, which were presented and discussed on site to the large group of participants.


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PV Sindhu thrashes Marin to win India Open Super Series, avenges Rio Olympic loss
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Ace Indian shutler PV Sindhu thrashes Spain's Carolina Marin in straight sets to win her maiden India Open Super Series title. Sindhu who lost in the Olympic final to Carolina to settle for a Silver medal takes revenge of her defeat from the Olympic champion. The title match was played at New Delhi's Siri Fort Sports Complex and this was their 10th clash at an international event. Sindhu drubs her in straight sets of 21-19, 21-16 to clinch this title.
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text: I've been looking pretty heavily at switching to all John Deere equipment purely because the service from them is awesome. I am thinking about a 777 with the 60" deck and the 3 bag bagger. My question is have any of you seen this setup? If any of you have pics could you please post them.


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Lord Dixon-Smith: My Lords, to a degree we are raking over hot ashes and they are now being fanned. The noble Lord, Lord Stoddart of Swindon, gave the precise reason why that is so. We are not discussing business costs, although it is possible that they will be affected as a result of this Bill. But businesses are businesses and they are there to survive and make an honest living. If their costs increase they are passed on to the consumer. Ultimately they become costs to the whole of society. That is why this matter is important.
This particular amendment is directed at protecting or excluding, as far as possible, the smaller business sector insofar as it is protected at the present time and not
The noble Duke also raised the question of conventions on secondary legislation. I have spoken about that already in connection with this Bill. I may have something further to say on that later in the proceedings. It is a very difficult matter for the whole House. The Bill is much improved. For that thanks are due to the Minister for his work in persuading the Government to change the Bill. However, it is still a Bill which is wholly dependent for its implementation on regulations, the vast bulk of which have not been seen even in consultation form. Therefore, everything has to be taken on trust. I know the Minister well enough to believe that I can trust him. But the discussion at this stage would not have taken place had we been dealing with a more conventional Bill.
Lord Whitty: My Lords, I can assure noble Lords that I am not rejecting this amendment because it has a minor drafting flaw or because it is advocated by my noble friend Lord Stoddart of Swindon. I hope I have displayed that when good ideas come from the House I consider them and act on them. However, this amendment is a thoroughly bad idea. So much that is misleading has been said in this debate that I do not know quite where to start. Perhaps I should begin where the noble Lord, Lord Dixon-Smith, ended and on the point which the noble Duke raised; namely, that we were creating a new regulatory power which somehow went beyond what already exists.
The 1990 Act already allows regulations setting out the sectors and the activities which are to be covered. We are not creating a new power in that sense. We are not changing the regime so that we do not specify in advance the levels of pollution. The British system of pollution control has always been site specific. By definition, the harm will always vary according to the location. We are not altering the practice.
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, on the point made by the noble Lord about secondary legislation, perhaps I may point out that much of the 1990 Act has been removed. Secondary legislation has as its source clauses in an Act. If those are removed the power to make secondary legislation may exist but it cannot be implemented.
Lord Whitty: My Lords, the powers are there in the Act. They are specified in regulations, which are very much in the same terms as the 1990 Act. We have no
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, I am not arguing about the powers. They are there, but the clauses on which to build the secondary legislation will not exist.
Lord Whitty: My Lords, the powers are defined in the purposes of the Act.
Perhaps I may now turn to the effect of this amendment. On the one hand it would create an incoherent system and on the other it would be deeply detrimental to the small firms about which noble Lords have expressed concern. I, too, am particularly concerned about them. The amendment would introduce two parallel systems, one based on BAT and the other on BATNEEC. The objective of this Bill is to create one coherent regime, which is based on BAT, to which I shall return in a moment, and clearly understandable by the whole of industry. That is supported by the vast majority of spokespeople from industry whom we have consulted.
The problem with the noble Lord's amendment is that not only would it introduce an incoherent two-tier regime in the sense of having two different techniques, but the threshold for those two techniques would also be defined by size of firm; whereas the whole threshold in the directive is determined by size of installation. Let us imagine, for example, a business which owns two installations, both producing the same product via the same processes. One would be covered by the directive's terms and the other by the BATNEEC terms. That company would just have to struggle in an effort to understand which technique to apply in each different situation. The two concepts are very similar, but they are not identical in law. Therefore, the noble Lord's amendment would clearly be counterproductive for the very industrial interests that he seeks to protect.
Perhaps I may clarify one matter, because I believe that the noble Lord probably had a point in referring back to the statements that I made on the last occasion. There may not have been total clarity there, but I think that the noble Lord made it slightly worse by quoting my words in the wrong order. Nevertheless, I shall try to clarify the position in the hope that it will satisfy the noble Lord.
There will be 7,000 IPPC installations which will be subject to integrated control--that is to say, emissions by air, land and water. Those are the large installations to which I referred. There are approximately 12,000 LAPC installations already regulated under earlier legislation, which relates to emissions by air. It is true that all will be subject to BAT, but it is not true that, for the first time, regulations will apply to them.
I turn now to the difference between BAT and BATNEEC. The amendment seems to keep alive the canard which has clearly gained a lot of force in your Lordships' House; namely, that BAT is somehow a stricter version of BATNEEC, without considering the flexibility and the viability of the corporation concerned. I shall not spell out everything that I said at an earlier
Contrary to the impression that has been conveyed in that respect, both BAT and BATNEEC have similar regard to costs. Indeed, it is absolutely explicit in the directive. BAT is about technology which is economically viable. The economics of a small firm and indeed of large firms are, therefore, taken into account. Indeed, that is something that the directive states very explicitly. Therefore, I do not believe that noble Lords should go down the road of regarding this as being an unrealistic, "ultra-green" definition bearing no relationship to the costs facing the management of small firms.
However, the real damage that would fall on small firms is, I believe, unintended by the noble Lord. I said on Report that lines 7 and 8 of his amendment, which was very similar, would require integrated permitting of emissions to the environment as a whole to be extended to all installations; in other words, it would have to be extended to those smaller installations mainly owned by smaller firms, though not entirely, which are covered by the local air pollution control system. That would be burdensome to small firms. It would not be a relief for them and would in fact prove to be the opposite. I do not honestly think that the noble Lord's colleagues in the Federation of Small Businesses would, in reality, thank him were he to pursue his amendment. It would be an additional burdensome amendment to extend this beyond the air emissions control which exists at present and which everyone understands. It would saddle small businesses with integrated permitting.
In these provisions we are not gold-plating; we are seeking to provide a coherent system which will protect the environment and which can be understood by industry. Indeed, most of industry welcomes it. The amendment would defeat the purpose of the Bill which is to maintain coherence in our pollution control in the face of the need to implement the directive. If implemented as drafted, the provision would be seriously burdensome to smaller firms. Therefore, I hope the noble Lord will feel able to withdraw his amendment.
The Duke of Montrose: My Lords, before the Minister sits down, can he say whether the other countries within the European Union will be asked to set specific levels of pollution under the directive and whether the UK will be allowed to keep a flexible level based on site-specific circumstances? Is that what the noble Lord is saying?
Lord Whitty: My Lords, the pollution control relates to the final output. All member states will be transposing the directive with regard to their own traditional systems
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Cute 1950's Betsy Wetsy with Original Romper - Darling!
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This little Betsy Wetsy is very cute and appears to be in very good condition but does need a bath as she is dirty but does not have stains or odors. Her eyes look pretty good, but they need wiped down as well. Her eyes still appear to be clear, they seem to function well and she has all her lashes. Her face paint and overall coloring are in very good condition with no marks or stains or fades that I can detect. Her hair is also in very nice shape - it just needs to be fluffed up a bit. Her little romper is in very good shape as well, but will need to be washed. The elastic along the back waist is all tired out and will need to be replaced. There is a tiny pin dot sized hole in the back of the romper on the area between the shoulder and the waist on one side. There is also an approximately 1/2" long area along one side on the front leg area where the lace needs to be restitched to the romper. There is no other damage that I can see. The romper has the swirly Ideal buttons and the teal color is still bright. The lacey trim will look much better after being washed. This girl is about 15" tall. This generation of Betsy Wetsy is not real familiar to me, so p le ase feel free to email with questions.We have a smoke free home, but there are cats who live here. They are not kept near the dolls, but just want to mention for those ... read more


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[mi-met-ik, mahy-] /mɪˈmɛt ɪk, maɪ-/
characterized by, exhibiting, or of the nature of imitation or mimicry:
mimetic gestures.
mimic or make-believe.
of, resembling, or relating to mimesis or imitation, as in art, etc
(biology) of or exhibiting mimicry
1630s, "having an aptitude for mimicry," from Greek mimetikos "imitative, good at imitating," from mimetos, verbal adjective of mimeisthai "to imitate." Originally of persons, attested of animals or plants from 1851. Related: Mimetical (1610s); mimetically.
mimetic mi·met·ic (mĭ-mět'ĭk, mī-)
mi·met'i·cal·ly adv.
Tagged: n
Read Also:
- Non-mineral
[min-er-uh l, min-ruh l] /ˈmɪn ər əl, ˈmɪn rəl/ noun 1. any of a class of substances occurring in nature, usually comprising inorganic substances, as quartz or feldspar, of definite chemical composition and usually of definite crystal structure, but sometimes also including rocks formed by these substances as well as certain natural products of organic […]
- Non-ministerial
[min-uh-steer-ee-uh l] /ˌmɪn əˈstɪər i əl/ adjective 1. pertaining to the ministry of religion, or to a or other member of the clergy. 2. pertaining to a ministry or of state. 3. pertaining to or invested with delegated executive authority. 4. of ministry or service. 5. serving as an instrument or means; instrumental. /ˌmɪnɪˈstɪərɪəl/ adjective […]
- Non-minority
[mi-nawr-i-tee, -nor, -mahy-] /mɪˈnɔr ɪ ti, -ˈnɒr, -maɪ-/ noun, plural minorities. 1. the smaller part or number; a number, part, or amount forming less than half of the whole. 2. a smaller party or group opposed to a majority, as in voting or other action. 3. a group in society distinguished from, and less dominant […]
- Nonmiscible
[non-mis-uh-buh l] /nɒnˈmɪs ə bəl/ adjective 1. not capable of being mixed.


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trademark lawyers in Loudon, TN
Kulaga Law Office9111 Cross Park Dr Ste D244, Knoxville, TN map
Merchant & Gould9717 Cogdill Rd, Knoxville, TN map
Glenna W Overton ATT9111 Cross Park Dr, Knoxville, TN map
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Jason Hardy-Smith, Vice President of Product Management at Brightidea, Identifies Best Practices For Sourcing New Product Ideas And Managing Innovation.
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Personal health tracking devices have become a billion-dollar industry, with big names like Google, Apple, Blackberry, Microsoft among many others providing the newest gadgets and attractive toys for self-monitoring.
The Jawbone UP, Misfit or SwarovskiShine, Fuelband, Garmin Vivoactive, and of course the original Fitbit with the latest Blaze, are only a few of the spectacular models. Fitness enthusiast or not, they never fail to entice people on getting themselves on towards a state-of-the-art stylish way to better health. These wearable tools go beyond than beautiful accessories, but has a myriad of functions that holds the potential to change lives!
Functionalities of a Fitness Tracker
Some of these intelligent sensors are coupled with mobile apps to fit the modern, fast-paced and busy lifestyle. They act as high-tech pedometers built to accurately count the number of steps you take based on almost your every move. On top of that, this device presents a wealth of personal data to effectively monitor and manage all aspects that affect your overall health.
There are trackers that measure sleep and display fascinating details about your body's unconscious activity which you've never thought of before. Some even show a graph or tabulate metrics such as your heart rate, skin temperature, perspiration, blood oxygen level, body weight and mass.
With all these information readily available to an individual, he or she is empowered over monitoring measurements which only doctors were able to provide in the past. The huge difference is that you get to do it everyday, day or night, awake or not, at work or at home, when walking or doing routine daily activities, rather than merely once or twice a year at an annual physical checkup.
This results to self awareness and consciousness that leads a person to take responsibility for his or her own actions. The more you get to know yourself and familiarize with your body's processes through the various functions of your tracker, the better decisions you can make to achieve your goals.
The Key Role of Fitness Bands
Today's cool gadgets like the fitness tracker make getting in your best shape and maintaining good health a lot of fun. The best ones around add a splash of color, quirky, rugged, athletic, classy and sophisticated designs that allow you to stay healthy in style.
Do you know what the best part is? The key role of personal health tracking devices that may have a life-changing impact? It's the motivation you get out of it. This small, portable, wearable tracker encourages you to move around, sleep better, and wake up ready for another exciting day of discovering new things about your body on the road to better health!


text: You are here: HomePhoto Club YOU ARE HERE: HOME > COMMUNITY > ART & CULTURE > PHOTO CLUB Photo Club The Quairading Photo Club meet one evening a month at the Quairading CRC. The photo club have a theme to photograph each month and produce a stunning annual calendar. For more information contact Secretary Peter West 0427 454 204 .


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The Ultrasound DI Plus Active Direct Box is a powerful tool for any acoustic musician.
This is not only a DI but a full featured preamp designed after the famous Ultrasound AG-series amps. Whether at a local open mic night or at a major concert venue, you will be able to dial in the clear natural acoustic sound that Ultrasound amplifiers are known for, and route it to the stage PA through a balanced XLR output. Sound engineers will appreciate the versatile controls and the optional 48-volt phantom power operation. Therefore, no more wall warts or batteries if your mixer has phantom power.
Ultrasound DI Plus Features
What started as a simple string and pedal sales catalog has grown exponentially over the past thirty years. The early days were a time where catalogs didn't have much of a presence in the industry, but what began as a college dorm room operation grew rapidly. In 1986 we moved to a full product offering and 64-page catalog, which over the years has grown to 162 pages. Join the AMS family and get your free catalog now!
Copyright © 1996-2017 American Musical Supply, Inc. All rights reserved. American Musical Supply reserves the right to correct pricing and/or product specifications in the event of typographical errors found in our print catalog or on our website. If a product is listed at an incorrect price due to such errors or because of inaccurate information received from a supplier, American Musical Supply shall have the right to refuse or cancel any orders placed, whether or not the order has been confirmed and your credit card charged. If your credit card has already been charged for the purchase and your order is canceled, American Musical Supply will issue a credit to your credit card account in the amount of the charge.


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This device allows you to run our USB Hubs from a cigarette lighter or 12 volt power source in your car.
By running a USB Hub you can power a portable hard drive and Raspberry Pi from the Hub for a full in-car PC.
This 4.8 x 3.8 x 2.2cm board takes an input voltage of 8 to 40 volts, and converts it to an output of 5 volts, 5 Amps. It has 4 USB ports, so it is ideal for powering a Raspberry Pi and USB peripherals from a car or other DC power supply.
This is an in-car USB power supply that plugs into your cigarette lighter. It is Suitable for powering the Raspberry Pi in the car.
Carberry aims to be a shield for Raspberry Pi microcomputers. Carberry represents the link between car electronics and Raspberry Pi, which allows the development of end-user applications, such as media centers, vehicle diagnostics, data logging, fleet management, tracking, blackboxes, burglar alarms, carputing, internet, and much more.
MICROSTACK is a framework of cross platform accessories that add functions to your designs through the use of cross platform module boards and platform specific adapter boards. Adapters to various platforms, starting with Raspberry Pi, add a common physical interface for connecting Microstack accessory module boards that are reuseable between designs and platforms.
MICROSTACK GPS features the L80 ultra slim POT(Patch on Top) module with an embedded 15x15mm patch antenna, this MICROSTACK module adds GPS positioning functions to all platforms compatible with the Microstack framework. This space-saving design makes L80 become the perpect module for the miniature devices. Adopted by LCC package and integrated with patch antenna, L80 has exceptional performance both in acquisition and tracking.
MICROSTACK is a family of reusable accessory boards with a common framework consisting of form factor and interface connections that work across various different single board computer(SBC) platforms through the use of platform specific base boards (adapter boards) starting with Raspberry Pi.
MICROSTACK ADAPTER BOARD works with the Raspberry Pi to allow for two Microstack module boards to connect and work with Raspberry Pi in a easy and quick manner. Microstck boards do not interface directly with a SBC platform but through a base board like the MICROSTACK adapter board.
At the highest level, FPGAs are reprogrammable silicon chips. Using prebuilt logic blocks and programmable routing resources, you can configure these chips to implement custom hardware functionality without ever having to pick up a breadboard or soldering iron. FPGAs have gone from being simple glue logic chips to actually replacing custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and processors for signal processing and control applications. The LOGi-Pi is a FPGA platform for your Raspberry Pi. The LOGi Ecosystem of FPGA hardware, software, drivers and applications mitigates the sharp learning curve associated with FPGA development while unifying existing hardware interfaces and platforms. FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) development is an invaluable technology that allows a single board/device to morph in functionality to fit the needs of changing environments and application requirements.
All versions of the RaspberryOverview
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Go Speed Racer Movie, Go!
by Alex Billington
November 1, 2006
Sorry, I just had to use that line! The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Larry and Andy Wachowski are finally teaming up for the feature film version of Speed Racer. Produced by Joel Silver and written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the movie has plans to film in the summer of 2007 for a 2008 release. Not many details have been stated in regards to the story, beyond that it will focus on Speed Racer's adventures and his family and his archrival Racer X. In the same way the Wachowski's revolutionized filmmaking with the Matrix series, they're looking to do so again with Speed Racer:
Silver has been trying to get the film version off the ground since the early 1990s; in 2004, Vince Vaughn even pitched a take that cast him as Racer X. When Silver worked on "V for Vendetta" with the Wachowskis, he approached them about tackling the project. The duo were reluctant to do it unless they could figure out a way to bring something new to the table.
"They are approaching these racing scenes in a way you've never seen before," said Silver, adding that the brothers are designing the movie's look as they write. Silver also said that unlike the more adult-oriented material of the Wachowskis' past -- "Vendetta," the "Matrix" movies and "Bound" were all rated R -- "Speed" will be family-friendly.
"They wanted to do something that could appeal to everybody," Silver said.
Although I may be one of the four people out there who really liked the last two films in the Matrix trilogy, this is seriously good news. Just look at what the Wachowski's did with V for Vendetta and what they've done overall, and now imagine what they'll be capable of creating this. It won't be a cheesy family film rip off Disney creation or awful Dukes of Hazard adaptation, it will be pure excellence. Go Wachowskis, go!
Editor's Note: I hope they cast Hugo Weaving as Racer X!
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Healthier Diet for Young Children. Overweight and Obesity in Children. Since 1980 the rates of obesity have doubled for children & tripled for teenagers. More than 15% of all children 6 to 9 years of age are overweight. Reasons for Increased Obesity Rates.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Involve you child
Grow a garden and allow your child to plant the seeds and attend to the plants as they grow.
Typical daily meals
Healthy daily meals
Whole grain cereal, skim milk, juice.
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, baked chips and juice.
Baked chicken, brown rice, steamed broccoli and unsweetened tea with lemon.
2187 Calories, 131 grams of fat
1480 Calories, 17.5 grams of fat
Cereals Made From Whole Grains
All Bran or High Bran Cereals
Wheat Chex
Grape Nuts
Healthy Choice Toasted Brown Sugar Squares
Just Right with Fruit and Nuts
Raisin Squares Mini-Wheats
Frosted Mini-Wheats (Reg. and Bite Size)
Golden Wheat Nutri-Grain
Almond-Raisin Nutri-Grain
Almond Oatmeal Crisp
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Crisp
Raisin Oatmeal Crisp
Oatmeal Squares
Puffed Wheat
Shredded Wheat
Shredded Wheat and Bran
Frosted Shredded Wheat (reg. and spoon size)
Crispy 'n' Raisins Wheaties
100% Bran
Bran Buds All-Bran
Extra Fiber All-Bran
Original All-Bran
Bran Flakes
Multi-Bran Chex
Complete Wheat Bran Flakes
Complete Oat Bran Flakes
Fiber One
Oat Bran
Oat Bran Flakes
Oat Bran Flakes with Raisins
Organic Bran with Raisins
Raisin Bran
Raisin Bran Flakes
Whole Grain Wheat Raisin Bran
Raisin Bran Total
To promote healthier lives through research and education in nutrition and preventive medicine.
The Pennington Center has several research areas, including:
Clinical Obesity Research
Experimental Obesity
Functional Foods
Health and Performance Enhancement
Nutrition and Chronic Diseases
Nutrition and the Brain
Dementia, Alzheimer's and healthy aging
Diet, exercise, weight loss and weight loss maintenance
The research fostered in these areas can have a profound impact on healthy living and on the prevention of common chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis.
The Division of Education provides education and information to the scientific community and the public about research findings, training programs and research areas, and coordinates educational events for the public on various health issues.
We invite people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the exciting research studies being conducted at the Pennington Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you would like to learn more, visit the clinical trials web page at www.pbrc.edu or call (225) 763-3000.
Beth Kalicki
Heli Roy, PhD, RD
Division of EducationPennington Biomedical Research Center


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Are you an HR expert? Capitalise on your expertise and add value for your clients and associates by recommending our game-changing software.
People® was built by HR experts, and helps companies to use HR as a platform for business growth. So it makes sense to have independent HR experts like you recommending our software! We're happy to work with you to help you succeed, and will help you to understand our software in no time at all. So if you want to start earning a fantastic residual income stream, then join the People® Partner Program as an HR Expert today.
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We're also interested in integrating our HRIS core with strategic, best-in-class technology solutions in the HR and business services fields. It's a win-win for all – our clients our freed from the pain of incompatible software solutions, and you sell more software!


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Scrap FITs and CRC trading, says thinktank
A report by Policy Exchange and economist Dieter Helm favours a carbon tax over trading. It also wants feed-in tariffs axed and renewables policies reviewed
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Views: 3558
Jason Wong
Architecture Prototype Services
Studio with a branch in Kowloon
Hong Kong
none Kowloon
Hong Kong
We use Rapid Prototyping machines ti make quality prototypes in a few days.
Completed projects
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel tower is create in 3DS Max, it takes a round 2 days to create the 3D data, then takes another 4 days to create the 1 meter height prototype by Rapid Prototyping machine.
What I like
No favourite project
No favourite product
No favourite designer


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Providence's grand historic hotel
A storied hotel located in the center of Providence, Providence Biltmore occupies a historic brick tower that was built in 1922 by Warren and Wetmore, the same architectural firm that designed Grand Central Station. Upon its opening, the 18-story Providence Biltmore was the only hotel of its kind in the area, and as such, it helped put Providence on the map as a destination for wealthy visitors from New York and beyond. Two of the most celebrated symbols of the hotel — the glass-enclosed elevator and the large letters that spell out "Biltmore" atop the building — were only added within the last few decades. Nearly a century later, the building's magnificence has been restored, while modern amenities added to the mix, such as a full-service spa and an onsite McCormick & Schmick's steakhouse.
Most of the rooms at this city hotel are spacious (the traditional kings being the smallest with more historic hotel proportions), and have a classic design style that relies on neutral tones and little luxuries like pillowtop beds and upscale bath products to give the space a residential feel. Opt for a suite and you'll find more than 600 square feet of space to spread out in, with separate living and sleeping areas and complimentary wireless access.


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Jackson River Enterprises is a non-profit recycling organization that employs individuals with disabilities. Each year they recycle about 1.7 million pounds of goods in the Alleghany Highlands. There are two recycling events, offered at no charge, that area residents and business look forward each year. Large boxes are provided for individuals to drop off used electronics, which are kept out of area landfills by transporting them to a recycling facility. Funds provided by Keep Virginia Beautiful from this 30 in Thirty grant will be used for supplies, transporting fees, promotion, and other expenses involved in the two E-cycle events. Jackson River Enterprises in Covington has been awarded a grant of $750 in the Recycling category.
Government, non-profit, civic and service organizations in Virginia were invited to apply for 30 in Thirty grants for $500 to $1,000 telling how they are addressing these pressing issues: Litter Prevention, Recycling, Cigarette Litter Prevention, and Community Beautification. Since 2011, Keep Virginia Beautiful has provided over $110,000 to 140 organizations throughout the state. This year, for the first time, we are awarding 45 grants because of the generosity of our partners at Altria, Keep America Beautiful, WestRock Foundation and Trex.


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Herbert Smith's advocacy unit head Murray Rosen QC is facing a Bar Council disciplinary hearing over alleged conflicts of interest.
Press reports today (Monday 13 February) claim that two former clients have lodged a complaint against Rosen alleging that he was in the midst of negotations with Herbert Smith while acting against the firm on litigation in 2004, and was therefore conflicted.
Tom Crema and John Moreland-Lynn, directors of private equity firm Compere Associates, instructed Rosen on litigation against businessmen Keith Halsey and Andreas Heeschen.
In 2001 the four were involved in bidding for arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, but Halsey and Heeschen later submitted a successful rival bid.
Crema and Moreland-Lynn sued Halsey and Heeschen for breach of fiduciary duty and misuse of confidentiality agreements and the case went to trial in 2004. Herbert Smith acted for Halsey and Heeschen in the litigation.
The disciplinary hearing is due to take place next month.
Herbert Smith and the Bar Council declined to comment, saying the matter was confidential.
Compere could not be reached for comment.


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Michigan has developed its own electrical installations standard for construction operations.
The state's construction rule for electrical installations applies to the installation and use of temporary and permanent electrical systems for construction operations.
Michigan employers are required to make certain that all electrical wiring, apparatuses, and equipment are manufactured, installed, and maintained in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard No. 70-1975, National Electric Code, which Michigan has incorporated by reference (MAC r. 408.41719(1)).
The state did not include section 210-8 in subrule (1) of the NFPA code (No.70-1975). Michigan employers must instead comply with one of following:
Michigan Electrical Safety (Construction) Resources


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1H 2014 Highlights
- Net Profits were AED 2.8Billion, up 7.9% y-o-y
- Revenues wereAED 5.1 Billion, up 4.4% y-o-y
- Total Assets grew to AED 348.5Billion, up 6.7% y-o-y
- Loans were AED 181.7Billion, up 4.8% y-o-y
- Customer Deposits increased to AED 237.4 Billion, up 8.2% y-o-y
- Trade contingencies were AED 95.1 Billion, up 21.8% y-o-y
- Strong capital position with CAR at 16.2% and Tier-I ratio at 14.7%
2Q 2014 Highlights
- Net Profits were AED 1.4Billion, up1.3% sequentially (q-o-q) and 17.5% y-o-y
- Revenues were AED 2.6 Billion, up 2.8% q-o-q and 9.2% y-o-y
- Total Assets at AED 348.5Billion, down 3.5% q-o-q
- Loans at AED 181.7Billion, up 1.8% q-o-q
- Customer Deposits AED 237.4 Billion, up 1.0% q-o-q
- Trade contingencies AED 95.1 Billion, flat q-o-q
Abu Dhabi- (July 22nd, 2014)- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) earned AED 2.829billion for the half ended30 June 2014, up 7.9% over first half of 2013. In 2Q 2014, net profits were AED 1.424 billion, up 1.3% sequentially and 17.5%year-over-year. Results for both periods reflect improvement inunderlying fee income and continued expense discipline.Diluted EPS was AED 0.56 for 1H 2014, up 6.8%.
The annualised return on average equity for 1H 2014was 16.0%, down from16.6% in 1H 2013.
H.E. Nasser Alsowaidi, Chairman of NBAD said, "In the second quarter of 2014, NBAD continued to generate solid momentum across business lines. The Bank's results reflect continued strength in underlying revenue and earnings growth. As we enter the second half of 2014, NBAD will continue to focus on generating long-term growth whilst maintaining its strong balance sheet and solid capital position."
Mr. Alex Thursby, Group Chief Executive said, "Our results in the second quarter of 2014provide further evidence that our strategy is working. We are seeing positive underlying trends across our businesses, particularly our fee generating businesses. I expect these trends to continue in the second half of the year and in the years to come. Every day, we are executing against our strategy and becoming more 'core to our chosen customers', generating significant wins and building substantial pipelineswith clients in both the private and public sectors. At the same time, the strength of our balance sheet remains at the top of our priority list, and we are focused on maintaining strong liquidity and capital positions.
I am very pleased with the progress we have made over the past year since I joined the bank. We have made a number of transformational changes in our organisational structure and our strategic approach, and we are just starting to see the impact of these changes flow through in our results. We are beginning to work as one team in major transactions and significant deals, we are establishing stronger government relations in areas such as cash management services, and we are in the process of expanding in the UK and Asia. I expect the improvements we are beginning to see will continue to drive long-term business momentum and increases in revenue and profitability going forward.
As we enter the second half of the year, I am confident that we will continue to execute against our strategy and achieve sustainable growth over time,"Mr. Thursby concluded.
The first half of 2014 has generally been positive and supported by strong economic data as stock markets have reached record levels. However, the Eurozone is slowly approaching worryingly low levels of inflation as producer prices fell consecutively during 2Q 2014, and ECB is considering buying assets if low inflation persists. IMF director summarises the current situation as "Cautious Optimism" and believes the global economy will maintain its slow recovery trajectory, supported by accommodative monetary policy. Financial reforms have been initiated but not fully implemented.
While risks to growth are still present, they seem to be diminishing. Looking forward, emerging markets are expected by many economists to register stronger growth performance in comparison to advanced economies in the coming years. The UAE, which has the 2nd largest economy in the Arab world and 29th largest GDP in the world, recently became part of the MSCI Emerging Market Index in June 2014, and has continued to benefit from its safe haven status during periods of instability in the region. The economy has shown signs of resilience amidst global and regional uncertainty and is beginning to generate returns from its diversification efforts. Last year, the non-oil sector constituted 61% of nominal GDP, with strength coming from real estate and transport/communication. Over time, the objective is to continue to increase the contribution from the non-oil sector to the overall UAE economy.
In 2014, UAE's recovery will gain momentum throughhigher levels of investment, increasing population and a stablepolitical environment. With Expo 2020 and projects like KIZAD (Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi) underway, the non-oil sector is expected to drive the economic growth.
Net interest income (including income from Islamic financing) (NII) was up 3.7% in 1H 2014. In 2Q, NII was up 10.8% sequentially and up 4.6% year-over-year. Net interest margin for the first half of 2014 was 1.98%, down 7 bps compared to first half of 2013. Second quarter NIM was 1.97%, up 13 bps sequentially and down 9 bps year-over-year. NIM grew sequentially as the bank optimised excess liquidity investmentsand increased its lending book. Although NIM was up sequentially in 2Q, there still remains abundant liquidity, re-pricing of risk as the economy recovers and increased deposits placed across highly liquid but lower-yielding asset classes.
Net fees and commissions were up 26.8% in the first half of 2014, driven by increases in trade finance, retail, brokerage and lending related fees. In 2Q, they were up 12.1% sequentially and 25.2% year-over-year. Net FX income was down in 1H 2014 while 2Q results were up both sequentially and year-over-year. Investment gains were up in the first half but down sequentially in 2Q.Other operating incomewas down significantly in 1H 2014 and 2Q 2014, largely due to exceptional gains from hedging strategies in 1H 2013 which did not repeat in the 1H 2014.
Operating expenses for 1H 2014 were AED 1.664 billion, up 9.3%, reflecting continued investment in the business offset somewhat by the benefit of efficiencies generated from restructuring costs.
The cost to income ratio was 32.7% in 1H 2014, reflecting an increase from 31.2% in 1H 2013.
Our continuing investments in our franchise, network and systems, products and people are in line with our vision to be recognised as the World's Best Arab Bank and our mission to be 'core to our chosen customers'.
Operating profits in the first half grew to 3.4 billion, up 2.2%.Operating profits by segment in 1H 2014were AED 2,010million (59%)in Global Wholesale Banking, AED 401million (12%) in Global Wealth and AED 858million (25%) in Global Retail and Commercial. Head Office had a net contribution of AED 155million (4.5%).
1H 2014 Revenues & Operating Profit by Segment
Net impairment charges in the first half of 2014 were AED 465million, down AED 157 million and reflecting continued improvement in asset quality and recovery in collateral values. Specific provision charges also reflected significant improvement and were lower by AED 350 million in 1H 2014.
The Bank continues to be fully compliant with the Central Bank of UAE's minimum requirement of 1.5% for collective provisions since the end of 2011 and ahead of the effective date (year end 2014).
Non-performing loans increased by AED 63million in 2Q to AED 6.186 billionby the end of first half of 2014.As of 30 June 2014, NPL ratio stood at 3.29% of the loan book and has gradually come down from a high of 3.55% recorded in 1Q 2013. Total provisions represented 106.1% of non-performing loans.
Assets were up 6.7% year-over-year and down 3.5% sequentially,primarily due to fluctuations in liquidity.
Net Loans and advancesincreased 4.8% year-over-year and 1.8% sequentially, driven primarily by international loan growth.
Customer deposits grew 8.2% year-over-year and 1.0% sequentially.The Bank continues to experience a strong and encouraging buildup of CASA (Current accounts and savings deposits) with growth of 28.9% year-over-year and 1.4% sequentially.
Trade contingencies were AED 95.1 billion, up 21.8% year-over-year and flat sequentially as the Bank continues to gain momentum and execute against its growth strategy of generating more non-funded revenue from the flow of trade across the West-East corridor.
Equity, consisting of shareholders' funds of AED 32.0 billion and GoAD Tier-I capital notes of AED 4.0 billion, was up 11.8% year-over-year and 4.1% sequentially.
Basle-II ratiosremain strong and well above the minimum 12% and 8% (Tier-I) as required by the UAE Central Bank, with a capital adequacy ratio of 16.2% and a Tier-I ratio of 14.7% as of 30June2014.As a result of regulatory changes to the treatment of risk-weighted assets, the CAR and Tier-I ratios were impacted by approximately 95bps and 85bps, respectively during the quarter. These changes were not in effect in 1Q, and both the CAR and Tier-1 ratios experienced growth on an underlying basis during the 2nd quarter. The Bank maintains its target Tier-1 ratio of approximately 15%.
NBAD's long term ratings are now amongst the strongest combined ratings of any global financial institution with ratings from Moody's Aa3, Standard & Poor's (S&P) AA-, Fitch AA-, RAM (Malaysia) AAA, R&I's (Japan) rating of A+, and ranked among the World's 50 Safest Banks by Global Finance.
- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has been named the Best Bank in the UAE by the prestigious international publication Euromoney, making it the fourth time in six years that NBAD has won this important award. Euromoney, which covers international banking, finance and global markets, has named NBAD the Best Bank in the UAE in 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, and now 2014.
- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has successfully executed the UK government's debut Sukukissue in its capacity as Joint Lead Manager and Joint Bookrunner. This groundbreaking Sukuk is the first-ever sovereign Sukuk by a non-Islamic country and the first ever public sterling Sukuk. The deal is for GBP200 million and has a maturity of 5 years. The Sukuk offering was 11.5 times oversubscribed and was very well received by the investor community, and in particular by major Institutional and Islamic accounts.
- The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has issued the first license for practicing of Market-Making activity to the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) following NBAD's fulfillment of all regulatory requirements. NBAD is expected to start practicing this activity during the third quarter of this year after finalising some technical requirements in collaboration with UAE markets.Rollup Image
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- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) participated in "Careers UAE 2014" from 22nd to 24th April at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, as part of its Emiratisation drive to attract and develop the skills of UAE nationals. H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and H.E. Abdulla Ghobash, Minister of State, inaugurated the career fair and visited NBAD stand.
- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi's NBAD Stars Prepaid Card has won a prominent recognition as the best prepaid gift card at a recent industry awards event. The NBAD Stars Prepaid Card, a loyalty redemption card, was named the Best Gift/Incentive Program Open and Closed Loop of the Year at the prestigious Prepaid Middle East Summit and Awards 2014, sponsored by Visa Inc., one of the world's largest retail electronic payments networks.
- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has celebrated 120 employees who earned professional qualifications in various professional development programmes. The ceremony, which was attended by Alex Thursby, NBAD Group Chief Executive Officer, reflects NBAD's commitment and investment to ensure continuous development of employees' skills, and to ensure they possess the most up-to-date knowledge of professional bankers. It also ensures each employee has the chance to develop and achieve career growth.
- Page ContentThe National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has won three prestigious awards: Best Cash Management, Best Corporate Advisory, and Best GCC Equity Fund at the Banker Middle East Product Awards 2014. This independent recognition reflects NBAD's excellence across different products and businesses. CPI Financial, the publisher of Banker Middle East, organised the Awards.
- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi's (NBAD) Group Chief Executive Officer, Alex Thursby presented Abu Dhabi's strategic advantages as a conduit and enabler of trade and commerce across a rising 'Super Region' stretching from West Africa to East Asia at the 5th Abu Dhabi Investment Forum (ADIF), which took place in London. The event is organised by Institutional Investor in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and supported by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), the government department that helps UK-based companies in the global economy.
- The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) Middle East Awards named the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) as the BCM Team of the Year 2014. BCI Middle East Awards recognises outstanding contribution of business continuity professionals and organisations in the Middle East. As the winner of the BCM Team of the Year 2014, NBAD automatically entered into the BCI Global Awards, which will take place in London in November.


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Dogs With A Cause: 'Birthday Presence Foundation Night'
August 30th is Dogs for a Cause Night @ the Charleston Riverdogs!
The RiverDogs will be partnering with local non-profit organization, the Birthday Presence Foundation, to generate exposure and funds for our cause presented by 98X & 105.5 FM The Bridge.
Proceeds benefit programs assisting children and families in need in the Lowcountry. Visit www.birthdaypresencefoundation.org to buy tickets, learn more about the foundation and our programs, and for ways to get involved.
It will also be Hair of the Dog Monday, which features $1 beers in the Ashley View Pub to shake off the rust from the weekend.