CT Dose Modulation

Many of the dose-reduction strategies described previously result in a trade-off of image quality. For example, if tube current or voltage is reduced, the radiation dose is reduced, but so is image quality. CT manufacturers have tried to come up with new technologies that can reduce dose without significantly compromising imaging quality. One of these techniques is dose modulation.

Dose modulation is a technique by which the CT scanner modifies the tube current in response to the patient's attenuation, to maintain the same image quality for the least possible tube current. Dose modulation can be performed in the z-axis where tube current changes along the length of the patient, in the xy-plane (angular modification), or can be a combination of the 2 (xyz–dose modulation). Recent studies demonstrated that dose modulation is capable of providing a reduction in radiation dose without significant image compromise, including for neuroradiology CT protocols, where up to 60% dose reduction was achieved for noncontrast CT of the brain in adult and pediatric patients; for CT studies of the cervical spine; and for CTA studies.

Implementation of dose modulation requires a team effort between radiologists, technicians, and physicists, who have to select a preset noise index (NI) that describes the level of noise acceptable to the radiologist for a given CT examination. The CT scanner then automatically selects, within a preset range, the tube current (milliampere) required to maintain the level of noise under the noise index, taking into consideration the patient's attenuation. Identification of optimal signal intensity-to-noise ratio for each type of CT protocol requires fine-tuning to lower the milliamperes as much as possible while preserving image quality. When we transitioned to dose modulation, we initially set the NI at a low value (as recommended by the manufacturer) and progressively increased it until the image quality was deemed insufficient. This decision was a consensus decision by the 9 faculty members of our neuroradiology section.

Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle 

9th century Monastery of Tatev in southeastern Armenia

9th century Monastery of Tatev in southeastern Armenia

Automatic Savings Plans: Retirement Planning

Another disciplined approach to savings that reduces the temptation to spend your entire paycheck is the automatic savings plan. If your tendency is to spend whatever you have then these programs are a must. Again, the money is deducted from your pay before you ever see it making the whole process of saving a lot less painful. The key principle is the money is saved automatically. The only decision you have to make is to start the process – after that, it is on auto-pilot.

Office Furnishings

Fortune 500 execs do not worry about mundane affairs such as furniture and general ambiance. They have staff that will take care of all that. But small company owners do have to make these decisions. Here are some pointers culled from professionals who make it their business to get offices up and running.

• Make a list of exactly what the office needs to be safe and relaxed, as well as functional. Consult employees about their preferences.
• Budget wisely. Decide how much you can afford to spend for office furniture. Keep in mind that buying on the cheap is not the same as sticking to a reasonable budget. If you lease or have delayed payment/no interest programs, do make monthly payments when due.
• Go ergonomic. Since the office can be a second home, you would be wise to invest in an ergonomic desk and chair, which may save you aches, pains and future doctor visits.
• Consider file cabinets, computer stations and storage units, as well as desks, lamps and chairs. Always take into account space limitations as office furniture can be multifunctional, or vertically "build-able."
• Shop for light fixtures that provide moderately bright, uniform illumination. Likewise, consider lamps with focused or "task" lighting, rather than fluorescent bulbs, which can increase stress levels. Once lighting is installed, make sure work areas and computer monitors are well-lit and glare-free.
• Check out estate auctions and university liquidation sales. Businesses that are closing or relocating may be looking for buyers for their used furniture.
• Consult colleagues who have furnished their offices to glean information regarding the vendors they used.
• It's a good idea to research retail and wholesale houses before making a purchase. Go online, or check with the local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce.
• Comparison shop. Visit discount outlets and department stores, in addition to retail establishments. Furniture refinishers and resale shops also may offer good deals. Online purchases are an option as well, although high shipping costs may negate any savings.
• Negotiate. Ask vendors if they are willing to come down on prices, particularly if the purchase is large. Suggest that a sweet deal may result in repeat business for them.

Borrow Money For Investments - Never to Finance a Lifestyle

As mentioned before with the Joneses, you should never borrow to finance a lifestyle you cannot afford. Using credit for a life you feel entitled to is a losing proposition when it comes to building wealth. The constant borrowing will assure that there is no money available for investing, and the added interest expense of borrowing further increases the cost of the lifestyle. 
Borrowing money should be used only for investing - where your gain will outrun your borrowing costs. This might mean investing in the literal sense (for stocks, bonds, etc.) or it might mean investing in yourself for your education, extra training, to start a business or to buy a house. In these cases, borrowing can provide the leverage you need to a reach your financial goals faster. Borrowing to meet short-term desires is counterproductive. 

How are financial professionals paid?

Financial professionals are paid in a variety of ways. When you are looking for a financial professional, you definitely want to know how they will be paid.

Many financial planners are paid a flat fee for their service. This flat fee may be determined by the size of the financial plan, by the hour, or by a percent of the assets you give them to manage.

Financial professionals who are paid by commission receive income based upon what you choose to buy. Some financial planners may charge a fee AND receive commissions. Terms such as “fee based,” “fee plus commission,” and “fee offset” describe this payment method. With a fee offset method, some of your fees may be reduced if the financial professional receives commissions when making purchases for you.


Key Concept:
You should know how a financial professional is paid and whether this might cause a conflict of interest.
The advantage of fee only planners is that there is less potential for a conflict of interest than with a commission paid planner.

Money isn't everything, but goals are important

Simon Nixon, founder of MoneySupermarket.com, one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs reputedly worth around £400m, says: "Read the papers, watch the news and follow some of the great money pundits on Twitter and online. Whether it is getting into the habit of saving regularly with the goal of helping pay for further education, the deposit for a new home, or buying your first car, having a goal can keep you focused when the urge to spend creeps in. If you are planning on using credit, do so wisely – remember, it is not free money and it does need to be repaid. Getting it wrong can have an impact for the rest of your life. But money isn't everything – making a lot of money shouldn't be the sole motivation you have, or you'll miss out on a lot of the best experiences along the way."

Never stop learning

 We live and work in a world that is constantly changing. If you stop learning, you will soon fall behind. Learn new skills, a new language, or take vocational or online courses. Only learning will keep you ahead of your coworkers. Learning not only helps us do things in efficient ways but also motivates and stimulates you to continue to work. Nowadays, everybody works hard – it’s the level of skill that differentiates. Read books regularly, take classes and trainings, read my blog regularly  and learn newer things. Be careful in what you are learning and from whom. The wrong advice can have a miserable impact on your life and others who will be dependent on you in the future.

Be a valuable employee

 Nothing increases your earning potential more than your hard work and increasing value to your employer. Wherever you work and whatever you do, unless you go up in the corporate hierarchy, your salary will not go up. With saving money alone you can only increase your savings to a limited extent. Switch jobs to maximize income, or apply for internal postings within your job to go up the ladder, as sometime an incompetent boss can ruin your career along with his/her own.

Place a value on money

It doesn't buy happiness, but it can certainly make you comfortable. Just understand what it's worth. Money is what you earn in exchange for your time in some productive pursuit. Let's say you earn $20 an hour at your job, and you're considering purchasing a TV for $500. You may calculate that you spend 25 hours, or about three days, earning that money. It's worth it, you may think. But that's not an accurate value estimate. If you're single, you're in the 25-percent tax bracket, so you actually spend about 33 hours earning the net income required to make the purchase. It still may be worth it, but there may be competing demands for that money, such as rent and car payments, not to mention your retirement fund. Each purchase represents a trade-off. Make these decisions wisely.

Marry someone you deeply love and stay married for secure your investment future

 Obviously no one goes into a marriage planning on getting a divorce but nearly 50% of marriages end in divorce. Divorce has an extremely negative impact on finances.  Just the legal cost of a divorce itself runs about $20,000 per couple, which instead could have grown to just over $64k in retirement savings if invested at 6% over 20 years instead.

There are other hidden costs.  Splitting assets may have tax implications with an investment sale triggering capital gains taxes.  Selling property may also result in a “fire sale” at an inopportune time in order to dissolve the financial union, resulting in thousands of dollars in losses. When the going gets tough in a marriage, I would like to tell my twenty year old self that 86% of married couples who reported being unhappy in their marriage reported that things had improved within a few years.  Though this is not true for all marriages and some couples aren’t meant to be together, being happily married can be a great boost to your financial health.

Start Saving for Retirement Now

Just as you headed off to kindergarten with your parents' hope to prepare you for success in a world that seemed eons away, you need to prepare for your retirement well in advance. Because of the way compound interest works, the sooner you start saving, the less principal you'll have to invest to end up with the amount you need to retire, and the sooner you'll be able to call working an "option" rather than a "necessity".

Company-sponsored retirement plans are a particularly great choice because you get to put in pretax dollars and the contribution limits tend to be high (much more than you can contribute to an individual retirement plan). Also, companies will often match part of your contribution, which is like getting free money. 

Pay Off Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt is the number one obstacle to getting ahead financially. Those little pieces of plastic are so easy to use, and it's so easy to forget that it's real money we're dealing with when we whip them out to pay for a purchase, large or small. Despite our good resolves to pay the balance off quickly, the reality is that we often don't, and end up paying far more for things than we would have paid if we had used cash.

Tacquarussu's Falls: Waterfall in Brazil

Tacquarussu (tacquarussu.com) is a town located about 19 miles southeast of Palmas in the midst of the local rain forest. The area is host to a number of waterfalls, the tallest of which are the 230-foot Cachoeira de Roncadeira, followed by Cachoiera Escorrega Macao, whose waters plummet almost 200 feet. Travelers can swim in the pools at the bases of both waterfalls, and adventurous guests can rappel down Roncadeira's face. The town maintains a trail leading to both falls and visitors can hire local guides to escort them to the region's other waterfalls and lagoons.

Serra do Cipo's Falls: Waterfall in Brazil

Parque Nacional Serra do Cipo (icmbio.gov.br) hosts dozens of waterfalls over its 210 square miles, and its most easily accessible ones include Veu di Noiva, a 224-foot waterfall along one of the park's gentlest hiking trails, and the Sobrado Waterfall, which is five miles from the park's base camp. Park officials recommend visitors hire guides to visit its more remote waterfalls, such as Sobrado de Cima and Traverse Tombador, as the park doesn't have clearly marked routes to these destinations. The park allows guests to swim in the waterfalls' basins, but doesn't permit camping within the park.

Iguacu River Falls : Waterfall in Brazil

Brazil's Iguacu National Park (cataratasgoiguacu.com.br) shares a 1.5 mile long stretch of the Iguacu River, which features a host of rapids and waterfalls, with Argentina's Iguazu National Park. The river's waters plunge over a series of falls as they flow along their course, including Floriano and Deodoro falls on the Brazilian side. The rapids terminate in Devil's Gorge after a final plunge down a 278-foot horseshoe-shaped waterfall. Iguacu National Park also provides a sanctuary for Brazilian wildlife, and visitors to the falls may glimpse jaguars, ocelots and giant anteaters. 

Cascata do Caracol Waterfall in Brazil

Cascata do Caracol is within Brazil's Parque Estadual do Caracol, (canela.tur.br) and plunges 400 feet over its basalt rock face. Guests can climb the park's 100-foot observation tower for a view overlooking the falls, or travel directly over the cascading waters in one of the park's cable cars. The park also provides a gazebo 150 feet from Caracol's basin. Visitors can also stroll along trails that wind through the park's 50 acres of forests, and children can participate in environmental education activities.

Waihilau Falls

In Hawaii’s large Waimanu Valley, the Waihilau Falls are the second tallest in the world, with an estimated drop of 2,600 feet (792m). For hikers, the valley is extremely fascinating: the whole area was abandoned in 1940 and it has become one of the few unaltered and unspoiled locations in Hawaii. And if you get to see a "monstrous" rainbow, the word “beautiful” will not adequately describe what you’ll see.

Ramnefjells Walls (Ramnefjellsfossen)

Located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane in the township of Stryn, Nesdalen in Norway, the Ramnefjellsfossen waterfall is a series of horsetail cascades with the tallest single drop measuring 1,968 feet (600 meters). However, the total height, if we include all the smaller cascades from the end of the Ramnefjellsbreen Glacier and those below the main point, is 2,685 feet (818 meters). Because of the small flow of water coming from the Jostedal Glacier, it was never used for hydroelectric purposes, unlike other waterfalls in Norway.

Alfred Creek Falls

Alfred Creek is one of the tallest waterfalls in North America. It runs off of the Alfred Glacier and cascades down a solid bedrock wall for 700 meters before slamming onto a large alluvial fan. Located in the Sunshine Coast in Canada, the estimated height of the waterfall is 2,296 feet (700 meters).

Wet n' Wild Water World

Australia

Part of the Wet 'n Wild family, this is the largest water park in Australia. Unlike many parks, it is open all year. The newest addition to the park was constructed just for those who like something exciting and even a bit thrilling. Among the most exciting rides are the Tornado, a four person funnel slide, and the Blackhole.

Noah's Ark WaterPark

Wisconsin

Easily one of the largest water parks in the U.S., Noah's Ark contains more than 60 water slides. The park spans some 70 acres and offers anything you might want on a hot summer day including two wave pools, four children's play areas, two rivers and a lagoon pool. The most popular water slide at the park is the Time Warp, which features a complete drop of 70 feet.

L’Aquatic de Sitges, Catalonia, Spain

Just half-an-hour’s drive from Barcelona is a water park that’s probably more famous in its derelict state than it ever was while still in use. Built in the early ‘90s, the park is said to have lasted only two seasons before it had to close its doors because of a cash crunch – and, urban legend has it, due to a fatal accident. According to one rumor, the wave machine sucked a child under! We shudder to think!

Wettest place in the world

Mawsynram, Assam, India ( Wettest place )

 

is a small village in the Khasi Hills about 56 kilometers from Shillong.

 It has an annual average rainfall ( 11,873 mm, 467.4" ) .

 

Opening a Bank account in DUBAI

The process here is similar to most other countries. It is a wise idea to phone around and compare rates. Although interest rates on typical savings accounts are not high – usually only between 0.5 and 1.5 per cent, there are options for building your nest egg.

Most banks expect a minimum monthly balance of Dhs5,000, and you will be charged Dhs50-75 per month if you go below this. However, it is worth checking who your employer banks with, as some banks may be willing to lower or wave the limit altogether for an employee of one of its clients. Once you have made your decision, it is worth notifying the bank in advance rather than just turning up, as many will send a representative to meet you at your workplace and go through the paperwork there.

You must have your original passport plus copies (complete with residency visa), along with a letter from your employer confirming that you are employed, and a salary certificate. An account with a chequebook and an ATM card will be yours within a couple of weeks. Be warned that in Dubai, bouncing a cheque can lead to heavy fines or even a prison sentence.

When you leave Dubai, or switch employment, your bank account may be temporarily frozen, because your account is dependant upon the visa provided by your employer. The bank will then consolidate any outstanding loans. Although the process shouldn’t take longer than a week, it can drag on, particularly if you leave in less than amicable circumstances. It’s worth maintaining a small sum of easily accessible cash if you foresee a change of visa on the horizon.

Opening hours
Banking hours are generally Sat-Wed 8am-1pm; Thu 8am-noon. Many banks also open in the afternoons from around 4pm-6.30pm. Banks are closed on Fridays and public holidays.

Dubai Investments

Dubai Investments (DI) is a world-class company that invests in viable and profitable entities. The Company has an enviable track record and has shown leadership in all fields of investment activities in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East. With over 20,800 shareholders, and paid-up capital of AED 3.5 billion, it is the largest investment company listed on Dubai Financial Market. Its prudent use of capital and sound management skills enables DI to establish, acquire, or strategically participate in successful corporate ventures throughout the region.
www.dubaiinvestments.com

Emirates NBD

Emirates NBD, the leading banking group in the region was formed on 16th of October 2007 when the shares of Emirates NBD were officially listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). The Emirates NBD 2007 merger between Emirates Bank International (EBI) and the National Bank of Dubai (NBD), became a regional consolidation blueprint for the banking and finance sector as it combined the second and fourth largest banks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to form a banking champion with the largest asset base in the UAE and capable of delivering enhanced value across corporate, retail, private, Islamic and investment banking throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
www.emiratesbank.ae