health blog

Tuesday, May 3, 2005

CLIMsystems Works with the Nauru Government in its Second National Communication for the United Nations

The Environment Division of the Department of Commerce, Industry and Environment of the Republic of Nauru in collaboration with CLIMsystems Ltd. of New Zealand have generated a range of climate change and sea level rise results that will form the background for the country’s SNC reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Through the acquisition of a number of difficult to access data sets such as monthly time series, data, high resolution minute by minute data generated by the very important United States Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) research station on Nauru and the application of the newly released daily NCAR/NCEP reanalysis data some important aspects of Nauru’s historic climatology were examined and future climate change-related trends were modeled. Another important activity completed during this visit enabled sea level data to be analysed using NauruCLIM while also exploring sea surface temperature changes, wind patterns and solar radiation. The customised NauruCLIM and PlantGro software packages remain with the Government of Nauru for their continued application in climate change risk and adaptation studies.

Yarren District, Nauru and Hamilton, New Zealand (PRWEB) August 26, 2010

Last week the Environment Division of the Department of Commerce, Industry and Environment sponsored the second workshop in a series that has linked Nauru with CLIMsystems, the developer and service provider, for a customized version of SimCLIM called NauruCLIM. The software has been customised for use by Nauru with a local very high resolution (5 metre) digital elevation model for the island of Nauru and climate and other data specifically designed for application in the Pacific Island nation. The island and its inhabitants are acknowledged as being on the front line in terms of effects due to climate change and, in particular, its placement in the path of the ever shifting ENSO (El Niño/La Niña-Southern Oscillation) made for an especially interesting set of analyses. The combination of rising sea levels, ocean acidification, sea surface temperature changes and exacerbated extreme events such as droughts and heavy localized rainfall events are just some of the more visible examples of global environmental change occurring across the region. Smaller, incremental changes in the underlying climate also impact on day-to-day activities such as implementing the well-known rehabilitation programme for the extensively mined island. Salt water intrusions, degradation of the fringing reef, problems of freshwater supply during extended droughts, vector borne disease outbreaks during extended periods of wet weather and flooding during extreme rainfall events have already occurred and could become more prevalent. Both can be linked to increasing temperatures and shifts in precipitation regimes that now exceed very sensitive thresholds. Under the auspices of the UNFCCC and with funding from GEF through UNDP, Nauru and all the other nations of the Pacific are required to complete their Second National Communication. This document should express the underlying risk and vulnerability of the nation to climate change and define priority areas and adaptation activities so as to reduce climate impacts.

Nauru’s Environment Division of the Department of Commerce, Industry and Environment of, contracted CLIMsystems to provide not only a customised modeling system for the island nation but also technical backstopping in implementing its application. An enduring relationship has been formed and is based on excellent communication between the full membership of the Second National Communication Team in Nauru headed by Nodel Neneiya but with representatives from Agriculture, Water, Forestry, Fisheries, Quarantine, Lands, Tourism, Energy, and other specialist areas as required to complete the assessment. The Workshop of August 2010 saw the handing over of several new tools and specific training in a range of applications. One of the most helpful developments for the Nauru team was the turning over of a high resolution NauruCLIM that included 21 general circulation models, tools for generating ensembles, running rainwater tank simulations which include the application of climate change scenarios and also the consideration of reverse osmosis technology and tanker deliveries. Also included in the turnover was a customized version of PlantGro so that the Agriculture and Rehabilitation groups can explore possible alternative crops and trees for the fragile island nation.

Using the wide array of digitised site-specific time series data at one minute, daily and monthly resolutions a range of analyses were done using the extreme event tool in NauruCLIM for direct application in Nauru’s Second National Communication. For example, through analysis in NauruCLIM we were quickly able to assess trends in precipitation for the island nation. While precipitation is well known to be variable and reflects various cyclical climate phenomena that pertain to the Pacific, the general trend is toward a wetter Nauru. However, there are years when the annual precipitation has not and, may not, exceed that which is received in a single month during a wet phase. The driest year on record for Nauru was only 278 mm in 1950 and the wettest was 4588 mm in 1930. The wettest month was in January 1932 with 866 mm. The island nation’s rainfall is very closely correlated with the ENSO phase with heavier than average annual rainfall clearly related to mild to strong La Niña events and drought related to similar magnitude El Niño events. This year while wet in the first half is trending toward being dry to very dry in the second half as the current El Niño evolves and strengthens into early next year.

Another important activity completed during this visit enabled sea level data to be analysed using NauruCLIM and other software products developed by CLIMsystems. The NauruCLIM sea level rise scenario generator is one of the more powerful climate impact assessment tools in that it considers local tidal trends and land movements, over time, in its computation of potential sea level rise scenarios. During the August workshop Nauru data from Australia’s National Tidal Centre for the past 17 years was analysed for tidal extremes and trends using tools developed by CLIMsystems. The data was then entered into Excel so that a trend line could be constructed of the tidal change and vertical land movement. The derived figure of 4.85 mm a year was then entered into the NauruCLIM sea level rise scenario generator.

By 2100 a possible sea level rise of 470 mms for Nauru was found when a high climate sensitivity was applied to a worse case story line for global greenhouse gas emissions within the global climate system. The worst case from the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the world was 590 mms. Geographically, Nauru and the tide gauge are located in a relatively seismically stable zone of the Pacific and, is in fact, very slowly rising, which lessens the real rate of sea level rise. It is important to note that this is just one scenario of possible sea level change and the data record is modest. However, this analysis points to the possibility that sea level rise is not the most critical concern for the reefs of Nauru. On a much shorter time period, sea surface temperatures and, especially ocean acidification, will further impact on the health of vitality of the fringing reef. This has implications for the adaptation planning that Nauru must consider.

The strength behind the NauruCLIM modeling system is the inherent ability for the generator to quickly and efficiently construct alternative scenarios based on different assumptions about the future. The range of possibilities and the uncertainty that they represent forms the basis for a high quality risk and enhanced adaptation option assessment.

Nauru’s Second National Communication team will conduct stakeholder interviews during the remainder of 2010. They plan to complete their SNC document by early 2011. The document will include Nauru’s greenhouse gas inventory which is currently underway.

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Candy, Cake, and Confection Website Announces Addition of Informational Blog

CandysCandy. com, a website dedicated to the sale of various boxed candies, cakes, and other gourmet desserts, announced that the site has added a company blog, found at www. CandiesCane. com. This blog made its online debut in October 2008.

Lewistown, IL (PRWEB) November 23, 2008

CandysCandy. com, an online retailer of various desserts ranging from boxed candy to cake, has announced that the most recent site update includes the addition of a company blog. Entitled www. CandiesCane. com, this blog debuted in October 2008.

Founded by husband and wife William and Agnes Bath, CandysCandy. com was launched on March 31, 2007. Intending to make the site a provider of gourmet chocolate, cakes, and other desserts, the inventory spans a wide selection of traditional and non-traditional candy varieties.

"We wanted to make sure we had something for everyone," said Agnes. "So we put a lot of variety and selection on the site. For people who are diabetic or watching their figures, we even have dessert options without any added sugar."

Providing a place to learn more about the products on the site, the company blog serves as that informational venue. It will also provide a host of information about candy and sweets in general.

"There's a lot of information and discussion surrounding candy, especially in terms of health," said William. "The blog will offer information about these kinds of issues. For example, there is currently a post about the various health benefits of chocolate."

Wanting the blog and the site to work together in providing the best customer experience, Agnes elaborated on the topics discussed on the blog.

"We know everyone is busy nowadays. So we really want the blog to be a place to find timesaving tips," said Agnes. "There will be information about candy making shortcuts and recipes for easy, microwave candy. All of these kinds of things will be made available to our customers through the blog."

For more information about the site, any of their products, or the blog, please visit www. CandysCandy. com.

About A&B Merchandizing Incorporated

A&B Merchandizing Incorporated is the parent company of CandysCandy. com. Founded by husband and wife William and Agnes Bath, the site went live on March 31, 2007. Its inventory contains an array of candies and cakes, including boxed chocolates and cheesecakes.

Agnes Bath and William L. Bath
Www. CandysCandy. com
(877) 661-0919

IePlexus, Inc.
Www. iePlexus. com

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Monday, May 2, 2005

Jackson &amp; Coker Executives Offer Instruction on Physician Staffing

Jackson & Coker Executives Offer Instruction on Physician Staffing

Three VP’s Participate in Symposium for Physician Recruiters

Alpharetta, GA (Vocus) August 4, 2010

The National Institute of Physician Recruitment and Retention convened in Atlanta, July 19-20, and three senior managers associated with Jackson & Coker participated as faculty members addressing in-house physician recruiters from around the country.

Roger Bonds is Executive Director of the American Academy of Medical Management, which sponsors training symposia in conjunction with the National Institute of Physician Recruitment and Retention.

He commented on the success of the Atlanta convocation: “The interest in the topics offered to in-house recruiters was intense and very gratifying. In particular, the presentations by Jackson & Coker representatives certainly contributed to the rapport and synergy created among all the participants.”

The symposium featured multi-media presentations on various topics related to effective physician recruitment and retention:
Sourcing candidates Strategic networking “Engaging” prospects through social media Credentialing doctors Retaining top performers Achieving a good return on investment.

Randy Weikle, Vice President of Government for Jackson & Coker, presented a session on “Understanding Locum Tenens.” It covered facets of locum tenens contracting as part of a multi-pronged staffing plan suited to both large hospitals as well as small practice groups. Explaining how to utilize locum tenens providers most effectively for planned or emergency staffing requirements was the focal point of his presentation.

Mr. Weikle mentioned, “The use of locum tenens physicians is often misunderstood by institutional recruiters. They tend to think of LT doctors as emergency ‘fill-in’ specialists. While that is one aspect of what locum tenens firms offer, they also provide upfront contract physicians who can help a facility maintain revenue while a permanent FTE employee is recruited as part of planned growth.”

A good staffing plan, he pointed out, allows hospitals or medical groups to prepare for anticipated vacancies like vacations, maternity leave and sabbaticals -- as well as easing the call schedule around holidays, which is something the permanent staff always appreciates.

“Finally, using the temp-to-perm hiring option allows for a trial period before the employer offers a candidate a permanent contract. It provides peace of mind, knowing that they’re taking on board a physician who is competent and comfortable practicing in the clinical environment that he has become familiar with,” Mr. Weikle noted.

Edward McEachern, Jackson & Coker Vice President of Marketing, discussed the importance of having a multi-faceted marketing approach to promote the medical facility, as well as creative means to source candidates, including innovative use of social media networking. As a point of illustration, he mentioned the ten social media sites that Jackson & Coker manages, including nine Twitter sites devoted to the main medical specialties that the firm recruits for currently.

“One of the keys to successful physician recruitment is effective networking. Social media offers doctors an opportunity to connect with one another in online communities that reflect their professional goals and concerns,” Mr. McEachern explained.

“Smart use of social media allows recruiters to informally network with providers who are actively or passively exploring career opportunities. Social media is one of the many useful tools that busy recruiters can avail themselves of to complete challenging search assignments,” he added.

Tim Sheley serves as Executive Vice President of Jackson & Coker’s Permanent Placement Division. He also advised participants to consider a multi-pronged recruitment strategy to source highly qualified candidates, especially considering the current physician shortage.

“With the advancement of technology, physician search has reached the information ‘super highway.’ Recruiters who are not prepared to meet the communication needs of today’s doctors will begin to feel more and more frustrated by the dwindling physician market place,” Mr. Sheley said.

“These are no longer the days when direct mail or even postings on job boards are considered ‘cutting edge.’ If you don’t want to get left behind, it pays to take advantage of all communication media at one’s disposal,” he emphasized.

Mr. Sheley’s presentation also explained ways to determine the Return on Investment (ROI) associated with filling vacancies and maintaining revenue. He demonstrated Jackson & Coker’s 2010-2011 “Return on Investment” calculator that administrators can use to calculate average hourly and yearly compensation of providers -- matched against their financial contribution to organizational revenue.

“This is a valuable tool for administrators in determining what a doctor is worth -- both in terms of revenue lost when a position is vacant and the financial contribution sustained when a provider is brought on board,” he told the audience.

The National Institute of Physician Recruitment and Retention holds training sessions across the United States. Its mission is to offer an educational platform to experienced professionals who have direct involvement in some facet of physician recruitment and can offer fresh insights beneficial to in-house staff recruiters.

Upcoming symposia are scheduled for Chicago (September 20-24) and Las Vegas (November 8-12). Online registration is available at http://www. AAMMweb. org].

“Certainly we look forward to future participation from Jackson & Coker’s management staff -- based upon their availability -- and attendance by others in the physician recruitment field,” Mr. Bonds mentioned.

About Jackson & Coker

Begun over three decades ago, Jackson & Coker has been a leader in physician recruitment through the placement of physicians in both permanent placement and locum tenens physician jobs. The firm specializes in anesthesiology jobs, CRNA jobs, neurology jobs, psychiatry jobs, surgery jobs, primary care jobs as well as emergency medicine jobs. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, the firm has earned a reputation for providing cost-effective, time-sensitive solutions to both government and commercial health care organizations. The recruitment staff works in two divisions of the company: Retained Search, which places physicians in over 150 medical specialties and subspecialties in permanent staff positions, and locum tenens, a staffing model that recruits medical providers (physicians and CRNAs) for temporary vacancies.

Jackson & Coker has earned a “Gold Seal” designation as a “Certified Health Care Staffing Service” by the Joint Commission and is affiliated with a credentials verification organization (JH CVO) that has received certification by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) in ten out of ten credentialing elements.

Jackson & Coker participates in social media networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter -- including managing separate Twitter sites aligned with major medical specialties.

The firm is a member of a “family of companies” known as Jackson Healthcare, also headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

About Jackson Healthcare

Founded by the healthcare innovator Richard Jackson, Jackson Healthcare serves more than two million patients in nearly one thousand hospitals each year. The Jackson family of companies provides physician and clinician staffing, anesthesia management, hospital management and healthcare information technology solutions proven to improve clinical and financial outcomes, as well as increase operational efficiency. Jackson Healthcare has earned national media coverage for its physician polls and champions local and international charitable work. In addition, Jackson has been recognized as one of the fastest growing staffing companies in the country by the Inc. Magazine, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Georgia Trend and Staffing Industry Analysts. For more information about Jackson and its companies, visit Jacksonhealthcare. com. Jackson’s research reports are available in the “Market Research” section under the upper tab “Media Room” on the home page.

Media Contact:
Danise Stewart
Information(at)jacksoncoker(dot)com
770-643-5711

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'Absolutely Incredible Kids' Across The Nation Receive Special Letters Of Recognition

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, on March 18th, is Camp Fire USA's call-to-action to write letters of support to America's children.

Kansas City, Missouri (PRWEB) March 13, 2010

On March18, thousands of children across the nation will receive very special letters. The letters tell the boys and girls that they are absolutely incredible, and that the adults in their community care about them.

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® is Camp Fire USA’s national call to action for adults to write letters of love and support to America’s children. Since 1997, Camp Fire has sponsored this annual letter-writing campaign that has gained the praise of family care experts, educators, celebrities, and most importantly, parents and children.

Along with the letter writing campaign, Camp Fire USA councils hold different events to support the day. Some partner with local businesses to “adopt” entire schools. Others include award ceremonies recognizing incredible kids. Still others, like the Orca Council in Tacoma Washington, partner with local hospitals. This year, as in the past, Orca council volunteers will set up tables at the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Health Center and engage hospital staff and visitors in writing letters to children in the hospital needing a special kind of love.

At the end of the day, it’s all about building positive adult-child relationships,” states Linda Hamilton, Director of Council Services for Camp Fire USA. “What we ask is pretty simple to do – write a letter to a child.”

Trishia Creamer from Tulsa Oklahoma has been doing just that for ten years. Every year since third grade, her daughter Phylicia Walker, now eighteen years old, has received a letter from her mom. "Even though I see her every day, it's nice to know she's proud of me and she's happy to be my mom," Walker said. "It's nice to know you're appreciated.”

“Kids need our love, attention and recognition every day. It doesn’t take an expert to tell you that the right words can make a huge impact on a child. But how often do we really let children know that we’re here and that we understand what they’re going through?” says Hamilton. “This is the perfect opportunity to let the children in our community know how much we really care.”

This year, on March 17th, Camp Fire USA is also celebrating its 100th birthday. Many Camp Fire councils will combine the birthday celebration with Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. A nationwide Centennial event is planned on July 31st. On that date, across the nation, a special lighting of commemorative campfires will be held at precisely 7:30 p. m. in each time zone at a place to be announced by each local Camp Fire USA council.

“We are so proud of our 100 years of service to youth in America. Absolutely Incredible Kid Day is just one of hundreds of programs that we offer to fulfill our mission of building caring, confident youth and future leaders,” concludes Hamilton.

Camp Fire USA is celebrating 100 years of building caring, confident youth and future leaders. We do this by providing quality programs nationwide for children, youth and families that reflect our “Four Cs”: We care for children with after school programs, offer camps where kids can explore and learn respect for the environment, inspire youth to contribute to their communities with service projects, and connect children, adults, and families together in small groups. Camp Fire USA, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, has 84 councils in 31 states. Last year Camp Fire USA provided nearly 30 million program hours, to over 300,000 youth, in hundreds of communities across the United States. For more information, visit www. campfireusa. org.

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Analysis of the worldwide LCD TV market for the years 2004-2008

Research and Markets (http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/c11088) has announced the addition of Worldwide LCD TV 2004-2008 Forecast and Analysis: Thin Is In to their offering

(PRWEB) December 13, 2004

This study examines the worldwide LCD TV market for the years 2004-2008. Healthy supply and aggressive brand competition in the LCD TV market will lead to mass-market prices, which in turn will lead to the selling of these products within mass-market channels such as Wal-Mart and Costco along with traditional computer and audiovisual establishments. Following the well-charted path laid forth by LCD monitors, LCD TV performance will become commoditized, unit growth for certain size segments will depend entirely on price, brand loyalty will fade, and healthy Internet sales will follow? markedly different from traditional face-to-face TV-buying habits.

"The emergence and maturation of the LCD TV market will impose slow but inevitable downward pricing pressure on all television technologies in the near term. LCD TVs, of course, need to come down in price, come up in size, and then exhibit both trends at the same time to be a legitimate threat against direct-view CRT and RPTV. As such, the demise of the CRT-based television is not slated to happen until well after the end of our forecast period." ? Eric Haruki, research manager, Displays and Projectors research.

For more information visit http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/c11088 (http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/c11088)

Laura Wood

Senior Manager

Research and Markets

Press@researchandmarkets. com

Fax: +353 1 4100 980

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The Caregivers Marketplace™ Cash Rebates Now Include Kaopectate&#174;, Balmex&#174; and Benzodent&#174

The Caregivers Marketplace™ Cash Rebates Now Include Kaopectate®, Balmex® and Benzodent®

The Caregivers Marketplace has added three new brands to its cash back program. Unlimited rebates are available to all US consumers for a variety of popular healthcare brands including Huggies®, Nature Made®, Cortizone-10®, Depend®, Ensure®, Kaopectate® and more. The rebates can be combined with in-store sales, 2-for-1 offers and coupons, providing welcome relief in tight economic times.

Milwaukee, WI (PRWEB) February 25, 2009

This year, The Caregivers Marketplace expanded its partnership with Chattem® to add three new eligible brands to its popular cash back program - Kaopectate®, Balmex® and Benzodent®. Caregivers Marketplace makes unlimited rebates available for a growing list of popular national brands which includes Huggies®, Nature Made®, Cortizone-10®, Depend®, Ensure® and many more. When combined with in-store sales, 2-for-1 offers and coupons, consumer savings grow even larger.

The program is easy and free for all U. S. consumers; the product selection is designed with family caregivers in mind. To get involved, shoppers download and print a cash back form directly from the Caregivers Marketplace Web site or pick up a form from an official retail outlet. They can then shop for a minimum of five eligible products at the store of their choice and send in the form with their original cash register receipts. Caregivers Marketplace mails a check to the consumer's home within four to six weeks. There is no limit to the number of products that may be purchased or the number of rebates received.

"The addition of the new Chattem brands to Caregivers Marketplace helps us expand our rebate offerings to help more segments of the population," said Dave Wendland, vice president of Hamacher Resource Group, Inc., of which Caregivers Marketplace is a featured service. "In 2009, more than ever, consumers are watching where their money goes and every dollar we can put back in their pockets makes a huge difference."

"We are pleased to work with Caregivers Marketplace to offer family caregivers and other consumers this financial benefit," said Tom Holloway, group director of field sales with Chattem, Inc. "We know that consumers are having to make tough choices in this economy and we are happy to offer these rebates so that they can continue to use brands they trust."

About The Caregivers Marketplace
The Caregivers Marketplace is a completely free and confidential service for family caregivers that offers cash back rebates and information on essential products used routinely by those who care for a loved one at home. Brands eligible for cash back include Aspercreme®, Balmex®, Benzodent®, Citrucel®, Comfort Personal Cleansing®, Cortizone-10®, Cottonelle®, Depend®, Ecotrin®, Ensure®, Glucerna®, Gold Bond®, GoodNites®, Huggies®, Icy Hot®, Kaopectate®, Nature Made®, Oscal®, Poise®, Polident®, Pull-Ups® and Super Poligrip®. New brands are added to the program on a regular basis. Program information and cash back forms, resources for caregivers and more can be found at www. caregiversmarketplace. com.

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Free Curriculum Created to Help Educators Teach the Science of Vision to Children Age 10-14

Teacher Workbooks Available Free Online for Download

San Francisco, CA (Vocus) August 18, 2010

For 30 years, the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Museum of Vision has provided educational material for physicians, teachers and parents interested in teaching children about the eye, vision and ophthalmology. The museum has created an entire curriculum to teach children about the fascinating and spectacular science of vision. The museum’s materials are suitable for ages 10-14, but can be adapted for other age groups. The guides are available for free online at http://www. museumofvision. org/education.

"I am VERY appreciative of the (educational) materials...I know that they would be very helpful for me in teaching my students about the eye and its wonders." - Scott A. Blanchard, Biscotti Educational Center, Macomb MI

The free teacher workbooks created by the museum focus on the human eye, the differences between human and animal vision, perspective and how the brain processes images like optical illusions and 3D. The guides are filled with discussion points and fun interactive activities.
Eye Openers: Exploring Optical Illusions is designed to help educators teach basic concepts of vision including binocular vision, persistence of vision, and eye-brain connection. It includes activities for youngsters and provides appropriate handouts. Suitable for audiences ages 11 and up.

Animal Eyes® describes the basic concepts of vision and explores the amazing eyes of the animal kingdom. The booklet teaches about the human visual system, how human eyes differ from animal eyes, seeing in the dark, and color vision.

Art and Vision: Seeing in 3D® describes the concepts of vision and special visual techniques that help to create the illusion of depth. It includes sections on size scaling, overlapping, atmospheric perspective, and linear perspective.

How to get the curriculum guides
Those interested can download the free PDF version of the guides online by visiting http://www. museumofvision. org/education. Once there, click on the link “Read More” found under any of the three booklets. A new page will open with the appropriate booklet information. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find a free downloadable version of the booklet.

About the Museum of Vision
The Museum of Vision is an educational program of The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It is the only institution in the United States whose sole purpose is to preserve the history of ophthalmology and celebrate its unique contributions to science and health. The Museum of Vision is dedicated to preserving ophthalmic history and translating it into an educational resource for use by Academy members, medical historians, researchers and the public as they seek to understand ophthalmology's contributions to society and address similar challenges today and in the future. For more information on the Museum of Vision, visit: http://www. museumofvision. org

NOTE to Media: High-resolution images are available upon request.
Media contact: Allison Neves, Director of Public Relations – 415-447-0385

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