Since the 1980s, liver cancer rates have been on the rise and the overall death rate has doubled. However, despite this increase, liver cancer remains a relatively uncommon cancer type, ranking thirteenth in the United States, even when bile duct cancers are included in the statistics. Another distinctive characteristic of liver cancer is that it has a narrow set of risks – specifically chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Though individuals without chronic hepatitis can develop liver cancer, they represent only a small percentage of overall cases.

Chronic Hepatitis – A Key Concern

Why are HBV and HCV and HCV such significant risk factors for liver cancer? The main reason is that these infections increase the likelihood that an individual will develop cirrhosis, which creates long-term liver function problems. In the United States, however, these infections are so treatable that they don’t often become chronic, while elsewhere in the world, liver cancer is the most common type of cancer because there are fewer measures for preventing and treating HBV and HCV infections.

Non-Hepatitis Risk Factors

Chronic hepatitis may be the most significant risk factor for liver cancer, but it isn’t the only one. Besides hepatitis, liver cancer may stem from excessive alcohol use – another major cause of cirrhosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, certain genetic conditions like Wilson’s disease, and exposure to aflatoxins, a carcinogen produced by certain molds. Some of these issues are preventable, such as by limiting alcohol use, while others may occur in the background, without a patient’s knowledge.

Types Of Liver Cancer

Liver cancer statistics typically focus on two major types of cancer: hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, which is actually cancer of the bile duct. However, these are not the only types of liver cancer. Other types of liver cancer include a rare blood vessel cancer known as liver angiosarcoma and hepatoblastoma, a cancer found almost exclusively in children under age 3. Like hepatocellular carcinomas, liver angiosarcomas tend to be diagnosed later in their progression and have a high mortality rate, whereas the survival rate for hepatoblastoma is over 90% with appropriate treatment.

Spot The Symptoms

The survival rate for liver cancer has improved significantly over the last 40 years, but even so it stands at 18% over 5 years. One reason for this is that people don’t always recognize the signs of the disease, leading to a delayed diagnosis. That’s why one of the best ways to fight this disease is by improving the diagnostic process, starting with patient awareness. So, what should patients be on the lookout for?

One of the most common symptoms of liver cancer is right-sided abdominal pain, a symptom which is generally caused by a liver tumor pressing on other internal structures. This pain may worsen when you take a deep breath, and it may even be possible to feel an enlarged liver in the lower abdomen. For the same reasons, individuals with liver cancer may experience right-sided shoulder pain due to pressure on the nerves in the area.

Another common symptom of liver cancer is jaundice, which presents as yellowing of the skin and the sclera (whites) of the eyes. Jaundice is a sign of poor liver function and, while it can be a sign of other types of liver disease, including non-cancerous cirrhosis, it is a fairly universal indicator that something is wrong with the liver. Additionally, it’s important to note that doctors should be attentive to potential indicators of jaundice in patients with darker skin, since they may not be well-trained to identify its presentation.

In coming years, oncologists and researchers should prioritize work to identify why liver cancer rates have increased so much over the last 40 years, as well as how diagnosis and treatment can be improved. Given today’s numbers, there’s a lot of room to increase even five-year survival rates, and liver cancer patients and their families deserve better.

Managing properties under a normal economy is challenging enough. Managing properties during a financial crisis adds a new level of uncertainty to the mix. In fact, owning investment property during a financial crisis will force you to rethink your strategies, at least temporarily.

The current financial crisis is tied to the COVID-19 pandemic

The world has seen several major financial crises, but the current coronavirus pandemic is about to take an exceptional toll on the housing market. While millions of unemployed tenants are struggling to pay rent, landlords are also struggling to pay their mortgages. Property owners who rely on rental payments for income are in the same situation as their tenants.

If you own rental property, here are several tips for managing your properties and tenants during a financial crisis.

Hire a property management company

If you’re still managing the day-to-day of your landlord duties, it’s time to hand it off to the pros. Investors who employ property management services have the advantage during a financial crisis. They don’t need to manage the daily grind of being a landlord, which makes property management hands-off. 

Landlord duties are tedious. If you’re a serious investor, you don’t have time for tedium. You need to focus all of your time and energy on tasks that increase your ROI. You don’t need to be doing things like calling in repairs and chasing late rent. Or worse, filing evictions with the court.

Not looking forward to serving evictions? 

Although a financial crisis isn’t new, the current crisis presents new challenges for investors. Many will have no choice but to evict some or all of their tenants to keep themselves afloat. People who have nowhere to go will inevitably end up homeless. That’s a tough situation all around.

The U.S. enacted a moratorium on evictions that will last until January 31, 2021, but that won’t help renters get caught up with missed rent. When the moratorium is over, all past-due rent will become due in full. At that point, you’ll need to decide to evict tenants for unpaid rent or continue allowing them to live rent-free.

Handling evictions is perhaps the strongest way a property management company will support you during a financial crisis. The last thing you want to deal with is an eviction, let alone several at once. Depending on how many properties you own and how many units you rent, you could potentially need to file hundreds of evictions at once. When you have a property management company working for you, they’ll handle it all.

Offer resources and help

While you’re definitely not obligated to take care of your tenants, gather a little compassion and try to see if you can help in some way. Ask struggling tenants if they’re able to pay partial rent. Some tenants might be withholding full rent because they don’t believe you’ll be open to working out a deal. 

If you mail out any kind of notice to your tenants, include a list of resources that might be applicable to their situation. For instance, there might be local rent relief programs or state-wide programs they may not know about.

Stay in communication with your tenants

Communicating with tenants is critical during a financial crisis. Tenants who can’t make the rent are probably not at fault for losing their jobs, so remember to treat them with respect and understanding rather than anger and frustration.

Staying in communication with your tenants can greatly reduce the stress and frustration caused by a financial crisis. When tenants are more relaxed and don’t feel threatened by their landlord, they’re more likely to be easy going and cooperative. A relaxed tenant might even come up with partial rent when they previously thought they couldn’t afford to pay anything. That’s the power of positive communication.

The key to obtaining, and maintaining, a good paying job is all about more than just required professional development training. It’s also about how you handle conflict, work in an organization, handle conflict professionally and display a professional demeanor. All of these are considered important soft-skills and companies in virtually every area look for these traits in prospective job candidates as well. A good manager must have the ability to delegate tasks and obligations, apply policies and procedures, and effectively lead a team. At exactly the exact same time, they should understand that employees need to feel like they are valued and needed – even if those employees aren’t performing as well as promised. A good supervisor can go a long way toward ensuring that employees feel valued.

There are lots of career and technical education professional development training classes which are available for both fresh graduates and older workers with experience in similar areas. Career development training helps employees acquire skills and knowledge that will enhance their livelihood. In today s job market, there’s an increasing demand for workers with particular knowledge sets who can perform specialized tasks. Career development trainees gain skills that let them get promoted or create new career opportunities. This allows job candidates to increase their earnings and proceed through the ranks.

A number of studies have shown that professional development training can positively impact the lives of workers and employers. A trained and experienced worker can help cut costs and save time and money. In addition, professionals who possess new skills tend to perform better and produce better results than those with no new abilities. People who possess new skills may even find new opportunities that weren’t previously accessible.

Employees who possess the capability to build on soft skills, such as communication, interpersonal, decision making, teamwork, and problem solving, are more likely to be able to keep up with the pace of their ever-changing workplace environment. Moreover, employees who possess the ability to contribute to the organization in a positive way are more likely to be recognized for their efforts. Having the right skill set will make job candidates seem appealing to companies. An employee with the power to contribute to the organization is also more likely to stay in that same position in the long run. Having ongoing professional development training will also help job candidates identify areas in which they need improvement. Additionally, a trained candidate is also less likely to experience expert failure, which is a frequent issue for many job candidates.

The majority of workers believe that they already possess all the necessary skills to get promotions or advancement in their current positions. However, there are times when it’s necessary for job candidates to acquire additional skills and knowledge to enhance their career opportunities. Through professional development training classes, job candidates are able to acquire new skills and knowledge that can only be gained through specialized training. Not only do these courses give job candidates the skills they need to perform their job responsibilities, but they also open up new career options for those who might have previously considered retiring from their current positions.

As business professionals continue to look to find ways to increase the overall productivity of their business, they are increasingly recognizing the value of lifelong learning. In today’s competitive world, company owners are competing against one another to retain top talent. In order to attract and keep tomorrow’s most promising team members, today’s business leaders must provide high levels of ongoing professional development training. Employees who are properly trained in their area are able to stay competitive in their jobs. Moreover, future leaders are able to make informed decisions concerning the most appropriate course of action for their company.

For individuals looking to boost their career potential, career transition coaching can provide valuable aid. This service allows those who are unsure about the direction in which their career is headed to understand how to maximize their earning potential. Soft skills and career development classes teach employees the skills they need to succeed in today’s highly competitive job market. These soft skills include multi-tasking, creativity, delegation, organization, adaptability, delegation, prioritization, communication skills and team building.

For people who may not yet be aware of all the opportunities that are available to them, career transition coach services might help. While many professionals know they want to pursue a career in one specific area, they might not be sure precisely what that career path should be. For those professionals interested in increasing their earning potential, soft skills, career development training courses and the help provided by a professional development trainer can help them make a smart decision about where to go next. When choosing the suitable career path for a specific individual, these professionals are there to supply an unbiased and objective opinion which may help guide the way.

How online marriage counseling helps distressed marriages survive and thrive

All brides dream of a perfect white wedding. They focus on many things – the venue, the décor, the cake, the guest list, the bridesmaids, and of course, the wedding dress. In fact, they pay more attention to the wedding than to the marriage that follows the wedding.

And therein lies the mistake, as marriage is not about the wedding. As romance writer, Kate Stewart said, “A perfect marriage is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other.”

Although couples, on their wedding day, vow to be together “for better or for worse,” many abandon the relationship when challenges arise in daily life. A recent study shows, the marriage rate in the U.S. is 6.8 per 1000 of total population, and the divorce rate is 3.2 per 1000 of total population. Research also shows 41% of first marriages end in divorce, while 60% of second marriages and 73% of third marriages end in divorce.

Nearly half of marriages in the U.S.do not survive because of diverse marital issues that arise. For instance,

* Trust issues

* Infidelity

* Poor communication

* Inability to resolve conflict

* Infertility

* Sexual issues

*Addiction

* Individual problems that hurt the relationship

Despite this, a little over half the couples who get married in the U.S. push themselves to be in the relationship. They seek marriage counseling, especially, online therapy, which is a form of psychotherapy focusing on the conflicts that are negatively affecting the relationship. In fact, couples in distress who have chosen to be counseled, urgently look up “marriage counselor near me.” Many couples reach out to marriage counselling at Naya Clinics.

A recent study of couples who opt for online marriage counseling revealed that many initially have misgivings, but subsequently find the experience positive and beneficial. One notable point is the physical distancing of online therapy makes couples feel more comfortable and in control of relationship issues.

Among the various therapies, the most studied and effective treatment form is seen as the Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), which was developed by Dr. Sue Johnson and Dr. Les Greenberg in the 1980s. Studies of the effect of the therapy find that results are lasting and effective over diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

The Gottman Method of counselling, on the other hand, has been developed after 40 years of researching couples. A recent study shows this method could help in problem-solving, emotional stability and intimacy issues.

Marriage counselors also use Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), which focuses on solutions rather than issues; some couples respond well to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying negative thought patterns influencing behavior, and then changing them for a more positive relationship. Another therapy method, Imago Relationship Therapy, uses conflict as a growth opportunity.

Whatever the method, effective counseling helps troubled couples understand a good marriage consists of not taking each other for granted. Life coach, Anthony Robbins, said, “Do what you did in the beginning of a relationship, and there won’t be an end.”

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What Is Video Compression?

The majority of websites need to deliver many media files to user browsers, including videos. To ensure the files load quickly and efficiently, without causing loading delays or consuming too much storage and bandwidth resources, site developers and admins often apply various video optimization techniques, such as video compression.

Video compression techniques enable you to reduce the size of your video files. 

To compress a file, you typically need to perform a process called video encoding, during which you convert your video files into a smaller format. 

Video encoding is implemented through the use of video codecs, which can be a piece of software, an algorithm, or a device. The codec can perform two functions: 

• Encoding—converting the original format of your video into another one.
• Decoding—converting the video file back to the original format, thus reversing the process of encoding.

The process ends with a different format.

The goal of video compression is to reduce storage usage and costs while delivering an optimal video loading time. Smaller files take less storage space, cost less, and can be transferred quickly between locations.

Video Compression Concepts

There are many concepts utilized in video compression. Below are the most basic concepts everyone should know.

Compression techniques—lossy vs lossless

Traditionally, video compression techniques are split between two main categories: lossy compression and lossless compression. Each technique leverages different conversion types and delivers different results.

Lossy compression removes data redundancies from your file, providing a compression ratio of maximum 300:1 for each video file. However, while lossy compression can significantly reduce file size, the process cannot be reversed, and file quality degrades more when additional compressions are performed. 

Lossless compression removes data redundancies without degrading video quality. This algorithm builds bit sequences based on statistical models. Each bit sequence rate specifies the amount of data needed by each second of the video. The rest of the data is deemed redundant, and subsequently eliminated. This technique provides a max 8:1 compression ratio, which preserves the quality but the file size still remains relatively large.

Encoding

Video encoding processes format your files for output. This is when files are compressed, but you can also add information to the file during this process, such as chapters and subtitles.

Transcoding

Transcoding processes convert one encoding format to another, usually applied using lossy compression. You can start, for example, with H.264 and then convert the format to MPEG4. Transcoding is performed typically when you prepare your video for web distribution.

Codec

A codec compresses or decompresses a video file, using a wide range of compression algorithms. The codec determines the ratio of quality and file size. 

Resolution

The term “resolution” specifies the number of horizontal lines the video file contains in each frame, and expressed in width by height. When the resolution is low, the file size is small. 

Frame Rate (FPS)

FPS determines the frequency at which separate frames (images) are displayed, expressed in frames per second (FPS).

Bitrate

Bitrate, which is also called “data rate,” controls the size of the file. Files with higher quality have a higher bitrate, while lower bitrates translate into lower file sizes. This is expressed in kilobytes per second (Kbps).

Video Compression Tips: 7 Quick Techniques

Video files are composed of many different elements, any of which can contribute to a higher file size. Here are key methods you can use to quickly compress the size of your video files:

• Film in slow motion—helps reduce drastic changes made from one image frame to the following one. The slow movement enables the compression codec to recycle additional pixels from one image to another, and the result is better quality. Quick motion, on the other hand, can turn video files into a blurry mesh which is far more difficult for codecs to analyze frame by frame.

• Do not upload flat footage—when looking for redundant data to remove, compression codecs look for details in each scene. When there is clear contrast and saturation, the codec can detect and preserve different elements in the frame. However, if there is not enough contrast and saturation, the codec cannot make this separation. This is why nighttime and flat footage often look blurry.

• Convert video files to formats that support HTML5—HTML5 is the standard language used in web design. Previous versions of HTML required Flash plugins for video viewing. However, HTML5 does not require Flash at all. You can convert your files to MP4 or WebM and achieve smooth video uploads. 

• Upload video files with high bitrate—you can avoid unnecessary quality degradation by uploading high bitrate video files, between 20Mbps and 50Mbps. It might take longer to load, but the transcoding process will take care of that after the initial upload. Try using codecs like Photo-JPEG or ProRes.

• Backup your master files—video compression involves conversion. During the conversion process, your video loses quality. To ensure you always have a high quality video to use, keep a master copy in a backup repository. This way, if your file was too degraded, you can fall back to the original version. Never convert your master file.

• Remove the audio from muted video files—if your video is only shown and isn’t heard, then there is no need to keep the audio data. For videos you created, you can easily remove the audio. There are also editing tools you can use to remove audio from files you have not created.

• Do not loop your video endlessly—because endless loops use a lot of central processing unit (CPU) resources. This can quickly slow down your page. Instead, you can configure your video to stop playing after one loop or pause after a number of seconds.

Conclusion

Video files take up a lot of space and resources. Heavy video files can slow down your site, creating a poor user experience. Additionally, high demands on resource and storage usage often result in high billing. You can optimize your video files to avoid these issues. Typically, you do this by removing data redundancies. However, since this process degrades your video, you should always keep a master copy of your video.