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The one-two punch: combination treatment in chronic myeloid leukemia.
Despite the success of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), minimal residual disease persists, requiring indefinite treatment. Accumulated evidence has shown that leukemic stem cells (LSCs) in the bone marrow can survive TKI treatment via downstream BCR-ABL1-independent signaling pathways that are activated by soluble growth factors and interactions with the extracellular matrix in the bone marrow microenvironment. Research efforts have therefore turned to the identification and development of agents that target LSCs, and together with TKIs, have the potential to eradicate CML. A number of such agents are now under clinical investigation, and others are soon to enter early-phase studies. This review examines the pathways, molecular targets, and potential new therapeutics that, with TKIs, may provide an effective "one-two punch" to cure CML. |
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
We're getting closer to Spring, and Revolve has a ton of new fabulous arrivals to help you get ready for the new season. Whether your shopping for a dress for work, party, wedding, Revolve has so many new options, including this stunning FREE PEOPLE MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS MAXI DRESS in pink, shown above. Shop more fab finds below. Simply click on the image or the description below for more details.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
"Welcome to an invitation to adventure Billionaire – a mind-blowing voyage of all your senses, simply the best new and innovative contemporary estate in the world!!!"
Bruce Makowsky
Introducing 924 Bel Air Road...currently the most expensive home in the United States, located in where else, but in the hills of Bel Air, in sunny California! The home was built by luxury developer Bruce Makowsky. The developer stated the home was, "Built upon the single most spectacular view in California, this property has an unrivaled 270˚ view that extends from the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains to the sun-drenched shores of Malibu." This spectacular masterpiece is 38,000 square feet, with 21 bathrooms, 10 VIP guest suites, a 40-seat Dolby Atmos Theater, and a private bowling alley. There is 17,000 square feet of entertainment decks, 6 bars, 2 wine cellars (stocked with wine and champagne), a spa and massage room, and an 85 foot infinity pool with glass tiles and swim up bar! Did I mention a helicopter pad and car gallery? With a price tag of $250 million, the home “comes with everything,” owner-developer Bruce Makowsky said. “You don’t even need a toothbrush.” This includes a $30 million fleet of cars, (including a Rolls Royce, Bugatti, and vintage Allard), and millions of dollars of fine art. (check out this piece of art below in the dining area-a $1 million Leica camera sculpture by artist Liao Yibai-all I can say is WOW!). This luxurious modern masterpiece is nothing short of amazing. The pictures don't really show just how jaw dropping and fabulous this home really is. There is a video on the 924 Bel Air Road website that is worth watching! Click HERE, to view the video...it's so worth the watch! When I watched this, I was just in awe with just how spectacular this home really is. By far the most stunning residential home that I've ever seen! Please enjoy! We can all dream, right?!!
(images and information via 924 Bel Air Road)CLICK ON READ MORE BELOW FOR CROPPED IMAGES FOR PINTEREST
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Spring is not so far away, and if you want to be boho chic, Free People is the place to be. Festival season is quickly approaching, with Coachella 2017 coming up in April. If you want to be festival ready, Free People has everything you could possibly need, with so many fabulous bohemian dresses, tops, jumpsuits, and accessories. Folky fashion, 70's retro, and bohemian chic inspired influences were seen on the Spring 2017 runways, so this free-spirited trend is here to stay.Above, from Free People, is the Jen's Pirate Booty Mandala Mykonos Kaftan. The oversized crochet lace kaftan has a plunging neckline with lace-up detailing and a scalloped trim. Pair it up with the leather, Chelsea style ankle Understated Biker Boot, and you are Coachella ready! Shop more boho chic fashion below. Simply click on the image, or the description below, for more information. Go boho and be beautiful! |
package ca.uhn.fhir.fhirpath;
/*
* #%L
* HAPI FHIR - Core Library
* %%
* Copyright (C) 2014 - 2020 University Health Network
* %%
* Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
* you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
* You may obtain a copy of the License at
*
* http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
*
* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
* distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
* WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
* See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
* limitations under the License.
* #L%
*/
import org.hl7.fhir.instance.model.api.IBase;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Optional;
public interface IFhirPath {
/**
* Apply the given FhirPath expression against the given input and return
* all results in a list
*
* @param theInput The input object (generally a resource or datatype)
* @param thePath The fluent path expression
* @param theReturnType The type to return (in order to avoid casting)
*/
<T extends IBase> List<T> evaluate(IBase theInput, String thePath, Class<T> theReturnType);
/**
* Apply the given FhirPath expression against the given input and return
* the first match (if any)
*
* @param theInput The input object (generally a resource or datatype)
* @param thePath The fluent path expression
* @param theReturnType The type to return (in order to avoid casting)
*/
<T extends IBase> Optional<T> evaluateFirst(IBase theInput, String thePath, Class<T> theReturnType);
/**
* Parses the expression and throws an exception if it can not parse correctly
*/
void parse(String theExpression) throws Exception;
}
|
Transcatheter mitral "valve-in-ring" implantation: a word of caution.
Transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve and valve-in-ring procedures have emerged as a potential alternative for patients with failed mitral bioprosthesis or mitral valve repair who are at very high or prohibitive surgical risk. However, transcatheter mitral valve-in-ring implantation (TMViRI) remains a challenging procedure, partially because of the oval shape of mitral rings, which may lead to prosthesis dysfunction when the ring is not able to adopt the circular shape of the transcatheter valve. We present a case of failed TMViRI in a dysfunctional mitral homograft. The potential factors leading to procedural failure are discussed. |
Aliskiren reduces home blood pressure and albuminuria in patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis.
The aim of this study was to investigate the antialbuminuric and antihypertensive effects of aliskiren by monitoring home blood pressure (BP) in comparison with the effects of the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) valsartan in patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis and albuminuria. We conducted an open-label, randomized trial to compare the effects of aliskiren with those of valsartan. Patients with BP <150/90 mmHg, an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 90-30 mL/min/1.73 m(2), and albuminuria >30 mg/g, despite treatment with a 160 mg daily dose of valsartan, were randomly assigned to the following two groups: the aliskiren group, who switched from 160 mg/day valsartan to 150 mg/day aliskiren, which was later increased to 300 mg/day (n = 20); and the valsartan group, who continued with 160 mg/day valsartan (n = 20). After 12 weeks of treatment, although there was no significant difference in clinic BP between groups, a significant reduction in morning and evening systolic BP was observed in the aliskiren group. The decrease in albuminuria in the aliskiren group was significantly better than that in the valsartan group, and a significant correlation was noted between the change in morning systolic BP and the change in albuminuria in the aliskiren group (r = 0.564, P = 0.0084). We showed that aliskiren treatment leads to a greater reduction in albuminuria and home systolic BP values than valsartan in patients with nephrosclerosis. We propose that aliskiren therapy should be considered as a therapeutic modality to complement ARBs in hypertensive patients with nephrosclerosis. |
Reserve Bank of India - Master CircularsANNEX 2 FAQs Issues and Clarifications with regard to Applicability of Section 20 of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (Paragraph 2 1 2 1) Query Can a foreign bank sanction loan or advance to firms and companies in India when one of the Directors, whether a foreign or an Indian national, on the foreign bank's Board of Directors abroad has an interest in said firms or companies in India or are on |
Asparagus Crowns
Asparagus Crowns
Enjoy delicious, fresh homegrown asparagus!
Our Asparagus Crowns
A hardy perennial, asparagus tends to grow well in most areas. Plant in a permanent location since beds can be productive for 15–20 years. Needs loose, compost–rich soil. Plant crowns 18" apart in a trench 12–15” deep. As shoots emerge, cover with 2" of soil, continuing as the plants grow, until soil reaches the top of the trench. Trenches should be 4’ apart. Plant in spring or fall/winter in mild climates. Harvest a few shoots the 1st year, allowing most spears to set ferns and direct energy back into becoming stronger plants. In the 2nd year, begin regular harvesting of the spears. Sold in bundles of 12 bare–root crown divisions. Shipping weight 2 lb/bundle.
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Our Promise
As a company, we strive to bring you the best selection of organic and/or natural gardening supplies available. While many of our products are either Certified Organic, or approved for Certified Organic Production, we also offer a variety of products that do not qualify for this classification. But rest assured, everything we offer must live up to our strict, planet-friendly standards. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (888) 784-1722 and we'd be happy to answer them!
We strive as a company to bring you the best selection of Certified Organic farm & garden products available. While many of our products are either Certified Organic, or approved for organic gardening/production use, we do offer a variety of products that do not qualify for this classification, such as garden tools, apparel, and kitchen accessories. But rest assured, everything we offer must live up to our strict, planet-friendly standards. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (888) 784-1722 and we'd be happy to answer them! |
Automated updates ensure your online store is safe, secure, and always running the latest version of the application.
E-Commerce Hosting Features
Easily review and download an e-commerce application for your website using Softaculous. We offer the highest quality and best spported e-commerce apps too such as PrestaShop, Magento, OpenCart, and WooCommerce. With M2 Hosting, you can choose an e-commerce application that's the right fit for your business and we will help you every step along the way. |
Q:
Simplify one line if statement
I have a one liner if statement that looks like this:
var = var if var < 1. else 1.
The first part var = var looks a bit ugly and I'd bet there's a more pythonic way to say this.
A:
The following is 39% shorter and in my opinion is simpler and more pythonic than other answers. But we should note that sometimes people get it wrong thinking that 1 is a lower bound being confused by min function when actually 1 is an upper bound for var.
var = min(var, 1.0)
A:
if var >= 1.:
var = 1
or if you like one liners
if var >= 1.: var = 1
A:
Doesn't eliminate the var = var but it's shorter and one could argue, more pythonic:
var = min(var, 1.0)
|
Amplification and expression of heterologous oncostatin M in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
A stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line producing high levels of human oncostatin M (OM) was generated by transfecting a heterologous gene coding for the protein. This novel construct was comprised of the gene for the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) signal peptide fused to the gene for mature human OM. Amplification with methotrexate produced milligram quantities of this recombinant OM, which was processed correctly, glycosylated, and found to have biological functions similar to those of natural OM. |
---
abstract: 'We construct a generalization of the multiplicative product of distributions presented by L. Hörmander in \[L. Hörmander, [*The analysis of linear partial differential operators I*]{} (Springer-Verlag, 1983)\]. The new product is defined in the vector space ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ of piecewise smooth functions $f: \bkR \to \bkC$ and all their (distributional) derivatives. It is associative, satisfies the Leibniz rule and reproduces the usual pointwise product of functions for regular distributions in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. Endowed with this product, the space ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ becomes a differential associative algebra of generalized functions. By working in the new ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$-setting we determine a method for transforming an ordinary linear differential equation with general solution $\psi$ into another, ordinary linear differential equation, with general solution $\chi_{\Omega} \psi$, where $\chi_{\Omega}$ is the characteristic function of some prescribed interval $\Omega \subset \bkR$.'
address: 'Departamento de Matemática, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Av. Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal and Grupo de Física Matemática, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto 2, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal'
author:
- Nuno Costa Dias and João Nuno Prata
title: A multiplicative product of distributions and a class of ordinary differential equations with distributional coefficients
---
[^1]
Introduction
============
Two of the most interesting properties of the space of Schwartz distributions ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$ over $\bkR^n$ are that the space of continuous functions $C^{0}(\bkR^n)$ is a subspace of ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$ and that differentiation is an internal operation in ${\mathcal
D}'(\bkR^n)$ [@Schwartz1; @Zemanian; @Hormander]. On the other hand, its major limitation is that it only displays the structure of a vector space and not that of an algebra. This has been known since 1954 when L. Schwartz proved that there is [*no*]{} associative and commutative algebra of generalized functions $({\mathcal A}(\bkR^n),+,\circ)$ satisfying the three following properties:\
\
(1) The space of distributions ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$ over $\bkR^n$ is linearly embedded into ${\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)$ and $f(x)\equiv 1$ is the identity in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)$.\
\
(2) The restriction of the product $\circ$ to the set of continuous functions $C^0(\bkR^n)$ reproduces the pointwise product of functions.\
\
(3) There exist linear derivative operators $\frac{\partial}{\partial {x_i}}:{\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)\to {\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)$, $(i=1,..,n)$ that: (a) Satisfy the Leibniz rule and (b) Their restrictions to ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$ coincide with the usual distributional derivatives.\
This theorem became known as the Schwartz impossibility result [@Schwartz2]. In spite of it, certain products of distributions emerge rather naturally in several fields of research in both mathematics and physics. Common examples can be found in quantum electrodynamics and particle physics when dealing with self interacting terms; in hydrodynamics in the formulation of the dynamics of shock waves; and, more generally, whenever one wants to consider differential equations where either the coefficients or the prospective solutions are non-smooth.
These issues motivated several proposals towards a precise construction of a multiplicative product of distributions. Among these, the most famous example is due to J. Colombeau [@Colombeau0; @Colombeau; @Colombeau2], who constructed differential algebras of generalized functions ${\mathcal G}(\bkR^n)$ satisfying conditions (1) and (3) with (2) holding only in $C^{\infty}(\bkR^n)$ (another proposal of a globally defined product of distributions can be found in [@Sarrico1; @Sarrico2]). Colombeau algebras are a fine solution for the problem of constructing associative and commutative algebras ${\mathcal G}(\bkR^n)$ in the situation: $$C^{\infty}(\bkR^n) \subset C^0(\bkR^n) \subset {\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n) \subset {\mathcal G}(\bkR^n)$$ and satisfying the maximal number of properties stated in the Schwartz impossibility result. Its main disadvantage might be that, in practical applications, one is required to leave the simpler distributional framework and work in the more involved setting ${\mathcal G}(\bkR^n)$. This is because, in general, the Colombeau product of two distributions is no longer a distribution. Moreover, $C^0(\bkR^n)$ is not a subalgebra of ${\mathcal G}(\bkR^n)$.
In this paper we want to consider the following problem: Since it is not possible to construct a superspace of ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$ satisfying the properties (1) to (3) stated in the Schwartz impossibility result, one could, at least, try to construct (the largest possible) subspace of ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$ that satisfies properties (2) and (3). More precisely:\
[**Problem 1**]{}\
Determine associative (possible non-commutative) algebras $({\mathcal A}(\bkR^n),+,\star)$ satisfying $$C^{\infty}(\bkR^n) \subset {\mathcal A}(\bkR^n) \subseteq {\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$$ and such that:\
\
(i) The restriction of the product $\star$ to the set ${\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)\cap C^0(\bkR^n)$ coincides with the usual pointwise product of functions, i.e. $f\star g= f g$, for all $f,g \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)\cap C^0(\bkR^n)$.\
\
(ii) There exist derivative operators in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)$, which are of the form $\frac{\partial}{\partial {x_i}} :{\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)
\to {\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)$ and:
(ii-1) coincide with the restrictions to ${\mathcal A}(\bkR^n)$ of the usual distributional derivatives in ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR^n)$,
(ii-2) satisfy the Leibniz rule.\
In this paper we will address this problem in one dimension. We will take ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ to be the space $C^{\infty}_p(\bkR)$ of piecewise smooth functions together with their (distributional) derivatives to all orders, and define a new product $\star$ such that $({\mathcal
A}(\bkR),+,\star)$ becomes an associative (but noncommutative) algebra satisfying properties (i) and (ii) above. The new product $\star$ is a generalization of the product of distributions with non-intersecting singular supports that was proposed by L. Hörmander in \[pag. 55 of ref.[@Hormander]\]. Our task here will consist of extending the domain of Hörmander’s product to include the case of distributions with intersecting singular supports. Clearly, this is not possible for the entire set ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR)$, but we will prove that it is possible in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$.
It is important to remark that:\
(a) ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is not a subalgebra of ${\mathcal G}(\bkR)$ because the product $\star$ is not the restriction of the Colombeau product $\circ$ to ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. In fact, Colombeau’s product is not an inner operation in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and it does not even satisfy $f\circ g \in {\mathcal D}'(\bkR)$ for all $f,g \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$.\
(b) In many specific problems, where products of distributions are present, what is at stake are products involving piecewise $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$-functions and distributional derivatives of these functions. This is the typical case when considering differential equations with distributional coefficients or non-linear terms. For these cases, the algebra ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ displays almost optimal properties. It provides a sufficiently general setting without ever leaving the space ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR)$.\
(c) The main limitation of ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is that it is defined over $\bkR$, only. Moreover, the details of the derivation of the product $\star$ indicate that the extension of its domain to functionals of several variables might not be easy. We hope to study this issue in a forthcoming paper.\
In the second part of this paper, we use our product of distributions to address the following problem:\
[**Problem 2**]{}\
Let $\Omega \subset \bkR$ be an open interval and let $\chi_{\Omega}$ be the characteristic function of $\Omega$ (i.e. $\chi_{\Omega}(x)=1$ for $x\in \Omega$ and zero otherwise).\
Let us consider a generic, linear and ordinary differential equation and let $\psi \in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ be its general solution on $\bkR$.\
The problem we want to address is that of deriving a new, also linear and ordinary differential equation, but displaying the general solution $\chi_{\Omega}\psi$.\
The crux of the matter here is that it is the [*general solution*]{} (i.e. irrespectively of the boundary conditions) that has to be confined to the interval $\Omega$. The case where we only impose the confinement of a particular solution can be solved by adding to the original differential equation a suitable non-homogenous distributional term. Differential equations of this type and their relation with the Green’s function theory and with functions with jump discontinuities have been investigated in [@Kanwal; @Estrada; @Pan; @Stakgold]. In general the distributional term produces a jump discontinuity of fixed strength that is able to confine a particular, but not all solutions [@Kanwal]. In several cases this is an important limitation. For instance, if we want to construct a (version of a given) differential operator whose eigenfunctions are all confined to an interval $\Omega$ (a relevant problem, for example, for the global formulation of quantum systems with boundaries [@Isham]) the “distributional non-homogeneous term” method is useless.
By working in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ we will provide a general method for constructing the differential equations, solutions of Problem 2. Their most interesting feature is that they display an extra term written in terms of a distributional coefficient. This is why they require the use of a product of distributions. The new differential equations yield a global formulation for a class of differential problems defined on bounded domains and may find interesting applications in those fields of mathematical physics and dynamical systems where global analysis is required [@Isham]. An example of such applications is the derivation of a [*globally defined*]{} time independent Schrödinger equation for systems with boundaries [@Isham; @Dias1; @Piotr; @Dias2] and the related issue of quantum confinement in several non-local formulations of quantum mechanics, such as the deformation and the De Broglie-Bohm formulations [@Walton; @Dias3; @Dias4]. These problems were studied in [@Dias1; @Dias2; @Dias3] using an approach related to the results that will be presented here.
This paper is organized as follows: In section 2 we introduce the notation, provide a concise review of some relevant results on Schwartz’s distributions and define the space ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. In section 3 we define a product in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and study its main properties. In section 4 we address the problem of constructing globally defined differential equations displaying solutions of confined support.
Schwartz distributions and the space ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$
=========================================================
In this section we introduce the notation, review some classical results in the theory of distributions and define the space ${\mathcal
A}(\bkR)$ (in the next section we will prove that ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is an algebra). Let $\Omega \subseteq \bkR$ be an open interval, $C^m(\Omega)$ the vector space of complex functions on $\Omega$ which are $m$-times continuously differentiable, and let $C^m_p(\Omega)$ be the vector space of piecewise $C^m$-functions on $\Omega$, i.e. of functions that are $m$-times continuously differentiable, except on a finite set, where they and all their derivatives up to order $m$ have finite left and right limits. Let also $\D(\Omega )$ be the vector space of infinitely smooth, complex valued functions with support on a compact subset of $\Omega$. The set $\D(\Omega)$ is usually named the set of test functions. The set of Schwartz distributions $\D'(\Omega )$ is the topological dual of $\D(\Omega)$. Its elements are linear and continuous functionals $F$ acting on $\D(\Omega)$ [@Zemanian]: $$F:\D(\Omega ) \to {\bkC}; \quad t \to F(t) \equiv <F,t>$$ where $F(t)$ and $<F,t>$ are two alternative notations for the action of $F$ on $t$.
In our notation the lowercase roman letters from the middle of the alphabet ($f,g,h...$) will be used for arbitrary functions, those from the end of the alphabet ($t,s,r,...$) will be reserved for test functions and the upper case roman letters from the middle of the alphabet ($F,G,J,K$) will be used for distributions. $H$ is the Heaviside step function. By $\frac{d^n}{dx^n} f$ and $f^{(n)}$ we denote the $n$th-order distributional derivative of $f$. The notation $f',f''$ will also be used for the first and second order derivatives.
A distribution $F$ is regular if it acts as $<F,t>=\int \, f(x)t(x)dx$ for some locally integrable function $f$. If $f$ is continuous we shall make the identification $F=f$ because $f$ is determined by $F$ uniquely. Furthermore, the restriction of a distribution $F:\D (\Omega)\to \bkC$ to an open set $\Xi \subset \Omega$ is the distribution $F_{\Xi}:\, \D(\Xi) \to \bkC ; \, t\to <F_{\Xi},t>=<F,t>$. Two distributions $F,G \in \D'(\Omega )$ are identical on some open set $\Xi \subset \Omega$ iff $F_{\Xi}=G_{\Xi}$. The null set of $F$ (denoted null $F$) is the largest open set ${\Xi }$ where $F_{\Xi }=0$. The complement of this set is the support of $F$, denoted supp $F$. The singular support of $F$ is defined as the complement of the largest open set ${\Xi }$ where $F=f$ for some $f\in C^{\infty}({\Xi })$. The standard notation for this set is sing supp $F$. Another important notion is that of (weak) convergence in $\D'(\Omega)$. A sequence of distributions $(F_n)_{1\le n <\infty }$ is said to converge (weakly) to $F\in \D'(\Omega)$ iff $\lim_{n \to \infty} <F_n,t>=<F,t>$ for all $t\in \D(\Omega)$.
The following definition is very important for the sequel:\
\
[**Definition 2.1: The space ${\mathcal A}(\Omega)$**]{}\
[*The space of special distributions ${\mathcal A}(\Omega)$ on $\Omega$ is the space of piecewise smooth functions $C^{\infty}_p(\Omega)$ (regarded as distributions) together with their distributional derivatives to all orders.*]{}\
\
[**Remark 2.2.**]{} All functions $f \in C_p^{\infty}(\Omega)$ can be associated with a distribution through the prescription $<f,t>= \int \, f(x)t(x)dx$. In this sense, $C^{\infty}_p(\Omega)\subset \D'(\Omega)$ and so ${\mathcal A}(\Omega)$ is a subset of $\D'(\Omega)$. One easily realizes that ${\mathcal A}(\Omega)$ is, in fact, a linear subspace of $\D'(\Omega)$. It also follows from its definition that ${\mathcal A}(\Omega)$ is closed under differentiation. In the next section we will define a product $\star$ in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and prove that $({\mathcal A}(\bkR),+,\star)$ is an associative, differential algebra.\
\
[**Remark 2.3.**]{} For each $f\in C_p^{\infty}(\Omega)$ there is a finite set $V_f=\{x_1 < x_2 <...<x_N\} \subset \Omega$ such that $f \in C^{\infty}(\Omega \backslash V_f)$. Let $I_i=]x_i,x_{i+1}[$, $i=1,..,N-1$; $I_0=]-\infty,x_1[ \cap \Omega$ and $I_N=]x_N, +\infty[ \cap \Omega$. Since $f$ and all its derivatives display finite limits at $x_i$, $i=1,..,N$ there is (by Whitney’s extension theorem [@Whitney; @Fleming]) a collection of functions $f_i \in C^{\infty}(\Omega)$, $i=0,..,N$ such that their restrictions to $I_i$ coincide with those of $f$, i.e: $$f(x)= f_i(x)\quad \mbox{if}\quad x\in I_i \quad ;\quad i=0,...,N$$ Hence, on $\Omega \backslash V_f$ we have: $$f= \sum_{i=0}^N \chi_i f_i$$ where $\chi_i(x)=1$ if $x\in I_i$ and $\chi_i(x)=0$ if $x\notin I_i$ is the characteristic function of $I_i$. Conversely, if $f$ is of the form (5) then $f \in C_p^{\infty}(\Omega)$. These statements are also valid in distributional sense, i.e. $f\in C_p^{\infty}(\Omega)$ (regarded as a subset of ${\mathcal D}'(\Omega)$ - Remark 2.2) iff there is a finite set $V_f \subset \Omega$ and a collection of functions $f_i \in C^{\infty}(\Omega)$, $i=0,..,N=\sharp V_f$ such that, in the sense of distributions, $f$ can be written in the form (5).\
\
[**Remark 2.4.**]{} It is clear that $C^{\infty}(\Omega) $ is a subspace of ${\mathcal A}(\Omega)$, but $C^0(\Omega)$ is not. For instance $f(x)=\sqrt{|x|} \notin {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. The Dirac delta distribution $\delta$ and all its derivatives are elements of ${\mathcal
A}(\Omega)$.\
Lastly, we review the content of two well-known theorems, which will be important in the sequel. Proofs may be found in [@Zemanian]. The first one concerns the (re)construction of a global distribution from a set of local ones:\
\
[**Lemma 2.5.**]{} [*Let $N\in \bkN$ and let $\Omega_k \subset \Omega ,\, k=1,..,N$ be a finite collection of open sets covering $\Omega$. Let $F_k \in \D'(\Omega_k)$, $k=1,..,N$ be a collection of distributions such that $F_i=F_j$ in $\Omega_i\cap \Omega_j$ for all $i,j=1,..,N$. Then there is one and only one $F\in \D'(\Omega)$ such that $F_{\Omega_k}=F_k$ for all $k=1,..,N$.*]{}\
The second one is a consequence of the completeness of $\D'(\Omega)$ with respect to the weak convergence:\
\
[**Lemma 2.6.**]{} [*Let $F_{\epsilon}\in \D'(\Omega)$ be a one parameter family of distributions with $\epsilon >0 $. If $\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <F_{\epsilon},t>$ exists for every $t\in \D(\Omega)$ then: $$F:\D(\Omega) \longrightarrow \bkC,\, t \longrightarrow <F,t>\equiv \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+}<F_{\epsilon},t>$$ is an element of $\D'(\Omega)$.*]{}
The algebra of special Distributions and multiplicative products
================================================================
In this section we will provide two alternative characterizations of the space ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ (Theorems 3.1 and 3.2), study Hörmander’s product of distributions with non intersecting singular supports (Definition 3.4 to Theorem 3.7) and make the proposal of the new product $\star$ (Definition 3.10 and Theorems 3.13 to 3.16). These results prove that $({\mathcal A}(\bkR),+,\star )$ is indeed a differential associative algebra and a solution of [*Problem 1*]{}. To make the presentation simpler, we will assume that $\Omega = \bkR$, but our results are still valid for an arbitrary open interval $\Omega \subset \bkR$.
The next theorem follows from Remark 2.3 and provides an important characterization of ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$:\
\
[**Theorem 3.1.**]{} [*$F\in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ iff there is a finite set of real numbers $V_F\subset \bkR$ and two Schwartz distributions $f$ and $\Delta^{(F)}$, such that: $$F=f+\Delta^{(F)}$$ where $f\in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR) \cap C^{\infty}(\bkR \backslash V_F) $, and $\Delta^{(F)}$ is of the form: $$\Delta^{(F)}=\sum_{w\in V_F} \Delta^{(F)}_w =
\sum_{w\in V_F} \sum_{k=0}^N C_k(w) \delta^{(k)}(x-w)$$ for some $N\in \bkN_0$ and $C_k(w) \in \bkC$.*]{}\
\
[**Proof.**]{} If $F\in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$, then $F$ is a $n$th-order (distributional) derivative of some function $g \in C^{\infty}_p(\bkR)$ (cf. Definition 2.1). It follows from Remark 2.3 that, in the sense of distributions, $g$ can be written as: $$g=g_0 + \sum_{w\in V_g} H(x-w) g_w$$ where $H$ is the Heaviside step function, $g_0,g_w \in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ and $V_g$ is a finite set of real numbers. We then have: $$F = \frac{d^n}{dx^n} g = g_0^{(n)} + \sum _{w \in V_g} \sum_{p=0}^n \left(^n_p \right) H^{(n-p)}(x-w) g_w^{(p)}$$ where $(^n_p)= \frac{n!}{(n-p)!p!}$ is the binomial coefficient. It is easy to realize that $F$ can be cast in the form (7) by setting: $$\begin{aligned}
f & = & g_0^{(n)} + \sum _{w \in V_g} H(x-w) g_w^{(n)} \\
\Delta^{(F)} & = & \sum_{w\in V_g} \sum_{p=0}^{n-1} \left(^n_p \right) g_w^{(p)}(x) \delta^{(n-1-p)}(x-w) \nonumber \\
& = & \sum_{w \in V_g} \sum_{p=0}^{n-1} g_w^{(p)} (w) \delta^{(n-1-p)}(x-w) \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ and it is clear that i) $f\in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR) \cap C^{\infty}(\bkR\backslash V_g)$ and that ii) $\Delta^{(F)}$ is of the form (8)).\
Conversely, if $F$ is given by eqs.(7,8) then $F$ is the $(N+1)$th-order derivative of: $$g=g_0+ \sum _{w \in V_F} \sum_{k=0}^N \frac{C_k(w)}{(N-k)!} H(x-w) (x-w)^{N-k}$$ where: $$g_0(x) = \left\{ \begin{array}{l}
\int_a^{x} dx_0 \, f(x_0) \quad , \quad N = 0 \\
\\
\int_a^{x} dx_0 \int_a^{x_0} dx_1 \int_a^{x_1} dx_2 .... \int_a^{x_{N-1}} dx_N \, f(x_N) \quad , \quad N \ge 1
\end{array} \right.$$ for some $a \in \bkR$. Since $g \in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR)$ we have $F \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ which concludes the proof.$_{\Box}$\
The next theorem characterizes ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ as the set of Schwartz distributions with finite singular support which, in addition, are identical to a $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ function on every open interval not intersecting its singular support. The theorem is not essential for the sequel and can be skipped.\
\
[**Theorem 3.2.**]{} [*A distribution $F\in \D'(\bkR)$ belongs to ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ iff:\
(a) The singular support of $F$ is a finite set, and\
(b) If ${\Xi }\subset \bkR$ is an open interval satisfying ${\Xi } \cap \,$*]{}sing supp $F = {\emptyset } $[*, then there is a function $g\in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ such that the identity “$F=g$ on ${\Xi }$” is valid in the distributional sense.*]{}\
\
[**Proof.**]{} We will prove this result by using the definition of ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ that follows from Theorem 3.1. If $F\in \D'(\bkR)$ satisfies the condition (a) above, we may set $V_F=$sing supp $F$ which is then a finite set. Moreover, the restriction $F_{\bkR \backslash
V_F}=f_{\bkR \backslash V_F}$ for some $f \in C^{\infty}(\bkR \backslash V_F)$. We then have $(F-f)_{\bkR \backslash V_F}=0$ and so supp$(F-f)
\subseteq V_F$. Let $\Delta^{(F)}=F-f$. Since $\Delta^{(F)}$ is supported on the finite set $V_F$ then (by a well-known textbook result [@Zemanian]) $\Delta^{(F)}$ is a finite linear combination of Dirac deltas and their derivatives, i.e.: $$\Delta^{(F)}=\sum_{w\in V_F} \Delta^{(F)}_w \quad \mbox{where} \quad \Delta^{(F)}_w(x)=\sum_{k=0}^N C_k(w) \delta^{(k)}(x-w), \quad N\in
\bkN_0,\, C_k(w) \in \bkC$$ in agreement with eq.(8). Hence, $F=f+\Delta^{(F)}$ with $\Delta^{(F)}$ given by (8) and $f \in C^{\infty}(\bkR \backslash V_F)$. To prove that $F\in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$, by Theorem 3.1, we still have to prove that $f \in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR)$. Let ${\Xi }=]x_0,y_0[$ where $x_0,y_0$ are two arbitrary consecutive elements of $V_F$. Then $\Xi \cap V_F=\emptyset $ and from condition (b) above $F_{\Xi }=g_{\Xi }$ for some $g \in
C^{\infty}(\bkR )$. Since it is also true that $F_{\Xi }=f_{\Xi }$ it follows that $f_{\Xi }=g_{\Xi }$ and so $\lim_{x \to x_0^+}f^{(k)}=\lim_{x
\to x_0^+}g^{(k)}$ and $\lim_{x \to y_0^-}f^{(k)}=\lim_{x \to y_0^-}g^{(k)}$ exist and are finite for all $k\in \bkN _0$. This proves that $f\in
C_p^{\infty}(\bkR)$ and so, by Theorem 3.1, that $F \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$.\
Conversely, if $F\in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ then $F$ is given by eqs.(7,8) for some finite set $V_F$ and some $f\in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR)$. Hence, sing supp $F$ is a finite set. Moreover, on an arbitrary open interval ${\Xi }\subset \bkR$ satisfying ${\Xi } \cap \,$sing supp $F= {\emptyset
}$, we have $F_{\Xi }=f_{\Xi }$. Since $f$ is infinitely smooth on ${\Xi }$ and $f^{(k)}$ displays finite lateral limits at the boundaries of ${\Xi }$ (for all $k\in \bkN_0$), there is (by Whitney’s extension theorem [@Whitney]) a function $g\in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ such that $f_{\Xi
}=g_{\Xi }$ and so also $F_{\Xi }=g_{\Xi }$. This proves that $F$ also satisfies condition (b) above.$_{\Box}$\
Before proceeding, let us make the following remark concerning the relation between $V_F$ and sing supp $F$:\
\
[**Remark 3.3.**]{} We will always assume that $V_F$ is a finite superset of sing supp $F$ (but not necessarily identical to sing supp $F$). This is not contradictory with Theorems 3.1 and 3.2 (since sing supp $F$ is always a finite set and we may always set $\Delta^{(F)}_w=0$ for some $w \in V_F$). The reason why we do not simply make $V_F=$sing supp $F$ (although, most of the time, we assume this to be the case) is that the extra freedom will allow us to simplify the notation when deriving the explicit expression for the new product of distributions.\
The aim now is to introduce a multiplicative product in the space ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. We start by considering the (restriction to ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ of the) product of distributions with [*non intersecting singular supports*]{} that was proposed by L. Hörmander in \[pag. 55, [@Hormander]\].\
\
[**Definition 3.4: The Hörmander product $\cdot$** ]{}\
[*Let $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ be such that $V_F \cap V_G= {\emptyset } $. Let $\{\Omega_w \subset \bkR, w\in V_F \cup V_G\}$ be a finite covering of $\bkR$ by open sets satisfying $w'\notin \Omega_w$, $\forall w\not=w' \in V_F \cup V_G$. Let us also introduce the compact notation $F_w=F_{\Omega_w}$, $G_w=G_{\Omega_w}$ to designate the restrictions of $F$ and $G$ to the set $\Omega_w$. Then $F\cdot G$ is defined by: $$F\cdot G: \quad (F\cdot G)_{\Omega_w}=F_wG_w$$ where $F_wG_w$ denotes the usual product of a distribution by an infinitely smooth function.*]{}\
The Remarks 3.5 and 3.6 will show that the Definition 3.4 is consistent. They are included for completion. Remark 3.5 also provides the explicit form of $F_wG_w$. This result will be used in Theorem 3.7 to obtain an explicit expression for $F\cdot G$.\
\
[**Remark 3.5.**]{} The product $F_wG_w$ in eq.(15) is well defined. Indeed, let us write $F,G\in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ in the form given by eq.(7), i.e. $F=f+\Delta^{(F)}$ and $G=g+\Delta^{(G)}$. For each $w \in V_F \cup V_G $ either $F_w$ or $G_w$ is a regular distribution associated to a function in $C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)$: $$\begin{aligned}
w\in V_F &\Longrightarrow &\left\{
\begin{array}{l}
F_w = \Delta^{(F)}_w+f_w ; \\
f_w \in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w \backslash \{ w\} ) \cap C^p (\Omega_w)\\
\\
G_w = g_w \in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)
\end{array} \right. \qquad \mbox{and} \\
w\in V_G &\Longrightarrow & \left\{
\begin{array}{l}
F_w = f_w \in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)\\
\\
G_w = \Delta^{(G)}_w+g_w ;\\
g_w \in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w \backslash \{ w\} ) \cap C^p (\Omega_w)
\end{array} \right. \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ where $g_w=g_{\Omega_w}$ and $f_w=f_{\Omega_w}$ are the restrictions of $g$ and $f$ to the open set ${\Omega_w}$. It follows that the product $F_wG_w$ is well defined in the usual sense of a product of a distribution by an infinitely smooth function. We have: $$F_wG_w= \left\{
\begin{array}{l}
g_w\Delta^{(F)}_w+g_wf_w, \quad w\in V_F \\
\\
f_w\Delta^{(G)}_w+g_wf_w, \quad w\in V_G \\
\end{array} \right.$$ and so $F_wG_w \in \D'(\Omega_w)$.\
\
[**Remark 3.6.**]{} The definition of $F\cdot G$ satisfies the prerequisites of Lemma 2.5. Indeed, on an arbitrary open set ${\Xi }_{ww'}=\Omega_w \cap \Omega_{w'}$ (with $w\not=w'$) we have $(F_wG_w)_{{\Xi }_{ww'}}=(fg)_{{\Xi }_{ww'}}=(F_{w'}G_{w'})_{{\Xi }_{ww'}}$. This is because ${{\Xi }_{ww'}}\cap (V_F\cup V_G)= {\emptyset } $. Lemma 2.5 then implies that $F \cdot G$ is a Schwartz distribution, uniquely defined by eq.(15).\
We have not yet proved that $F\cdot G$ is independent of the particular covering $\{\Omega_w, \, w \in V_F \cup V_G \}$ used to define it. This result will be a corollary of the next theorem where we obtain an explicit expression for $F \cdot G$:\
\
[**Theorem 3.7.**]{} [*Let $F,G\in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ (such that $V_F \cap V_G =\emptyset$) be written in the form (7,8), i.e. $F=f + \sum_{w
\in V_F} \Delta^{(F)}_w$ and $G=g + \sum_{w \in V_G} \Delta^{(G)}_w$. Then $F\cdot G$ is given by: $$F\cdot G= fg + \sum_{w \in V_F} \tilde g_w\Delta^{(F)}_w+\sum_{w \in V_G} \tilde f_w\Delta^{(G)}_w$$ where $\tilde g_w$ and $\tilde f_w$ are $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$-extensions of the restrictions $g_w=g_{\Omega_w}$ and $f_w=f_{\Omega_w}$, respectively; and $\{\Omega_w \subset \bkR, \, w\in V_F \cup V_G \}$ is a finite covering of $\bkR$ satisfying the requisites of Definition 3.4.*]{}\
\
[**Remark 3.8.**]{} The extensions $\tilde g_w$ and $\tilde f_w$ are $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$-functions such that, for each $w\in V_F$ we have $\tilde g_w(x)=g(x)$ if $x\in \Omega_w$; and for each $w\in V_G$, $\tilde f_w(x)=f(x)$ if $x\in \Omega_w$. That these functions exist follows from Whitney’s extension theorem [@Whitney; @Fleming] and the fact that $f,g \in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR)$ and so, for each $w\in V_F$ (respectively $w\in V_G$), the restrictions $g_w \in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)$ -cf. eq.(16)- (respectively $f_w \in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)$) and all its derivatives display finite limits at the boundaries of $\Omega_w$. Hence, the right hand side of eq.(18) is a well defined Schwartz distribution. Let us denote it by $J$.\
\
[**Remark 3.9.**]{} We now prove that $J$ is independent of the particular finite covering of $\bkR$ (satisfying the conditions in Definition 3.4) and of the particular extensions of $g_w$ and $f_w$ that were used to define it. Indeed, if $\{\Omega_w, \, w\in V_F \cup V_G\}$ and $\{\Omega'_w\, w\in V_F \cup V_G\}$ are two such coverings and $\tilde g_w,\tilde f_w$ and $\tilde g'_w,\tilde f'_w$ the associated functions then $w
\notin $ supp$(\tilde f'_w-\tilde f_w)$, $\forall w \in V_G$ and $w \notin $ supp$(\tilde g'_w-\tilde g_w)$, $\forall w\in V_F$. Hence: $$\mbox{supp} \, (\tilde g'_w-\tilde g_w) \cap \,\mbox{supp} \, \Delta^{(F)}_w= {\emptyset } , \quad \forall w \in V_F$$ and $$\mbox{supp} \, (\tilde f'_w-\tilde f_w) \cap \,\mbox{supp} \, \Delta^{(G)}_w= {\emptyset } , \quad \forall w \in V_G$$ and so $$\sum_{w \in V_F} \tilde g_w\Delta^{(F)}_w+\sum_{w \in V_G} \tilde f_w\Delta^{(G)}_w- \left[\sum_{w \in V_F}
\tilde g'_w\Delta^{(F)}_w+\sum_{w \in V_G} \tilde f'_w\Delta^{(G)}_w \right]=0$$ Therefore $J$ is a well defined distribution that only depends of $F$ and $G$.\
\
[**Proof of Theorem 3.7.**]{} It is straightforward to realize that the restriction of $J$ to $\Omega_w$ is $F_wG_w$ (given by eq.(17)). Since the restrictions to the open covering $\{\Omega_w,\, w\in V_F\cup V_G\}$ define a unique global distribution (Lemma 2.5) which, by definition, is $F\cdot G$ (cf. eq.(15)) the identity $F\cdot G=J$ holds.$_{\Box}$\
Two simple corollaries follow directly from the theorem:\
\
[**Corollary 3.10.**]{} $F \cdot G$ is independent of the particular open covering (Definition 3.4) used to define it.\
\
[**Corollary 3.11.**]{} If $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ (such that $V_F \cap V_G =\emptyset $) then $F\cdot G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and sing supp $({F\cdot G}) \subseteq (V_F \cup V_G)$.\
This concludes the study of Hörmander’s product. The next definition introduces the new product $\star$, extending Hörmander’s product to the case of distributions with intersecting singular supports.\
\
[**Definition 3.12: The product $\star$**]{}\
[*Let $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. The multiplicative product $\star$ in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is defined by: $$F\star G= \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+}F \cdot G^{\epsilon}$$ where $G^{\epsilon}(x)=G(x+\epsilon)$ is the translation of $G$ by $\epsilon $ and the limit is taken in the weak sense.*]{}\
The two following Remarks discuss the consistency of Definition 3.12. Then, in Theorem 3.15 we will prove that $\star$ is an internal operation in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and determine the explicit form of $F\star G$ for general $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$.\
\
[**Remark 3.13.**]{} Since $V_F$ and $V_G$ are finite sets of real numbers there is always a real number $\sigma >0$ such that $V_{F}\cap V_{G^{\epsilon}}= {\emptyset } $, $\forall \epsilon \in ]0,\sigma[$; notice that $V_{G^{\epsilon}}=\{x-\epsilon, \, x\in V_G \}$ and so we may set, for instance, $\sigma = \mbox{min} \left(\{|y-x|, x \in V_F, y \in V_G \} \backslash \{0\} \right)$ if this minimum exists and $\sigma=1$ if this is not the case (because $V_F=V_G$ and $\sharp V_F=1$). Hence the product $F \cdot G^{\epsilon}$ is well defined for $\epsilon \in ]0,\sigma[$.\
Notice that, in general, $F\cdot G$ is not well defined since sing supp $F\cap $ sing supp $G\not=\emptyset$. However, when that is the case, we will easily find (from Theorem 3.15) that $F \star G=F\cdot G$.\
\
[**Remark 3.14.**]{} The functional $F\star G$ acts as: $$<F\star G,t>=\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <F\cdot G^{\epsilon},t>$$ and if its domain is $\D(\bkR)$ - i.e. if the limit on the right hand side exists for all $t\in \D(\bkR)$ - then $F\star G$ is a Schwartz distribution (cf. Lemma 2.6). The next theorem will prove that this is the case for general $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and furthermore that $F\star G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$.\
Before we proceed we need to introduce some notation. Let $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and (for notational convenience) let us set $V_F=V_G=$sing supp $F \, \cup \,$sing supp $G$. Let also $N=\sharp (V_F)$ and $x_k\in V_F$, $k=1,..,N$, $x_{k+1}>x_k$ be the array of elements of $V_F$ (or $V_G$). Hence, $V_F=V_G=\{x_1,...,x_N\}$ and the distributions $F$ and $G$ can then be written in the form (cf. eqs(7,8)): $$\left\{ \begin{array}{l}
F= f+\sum_{k=1}^N \Delta^{(F)}_{x_k} \\
\\
G=g+\sum_{k=1}^N \Delta^{(G)}_{x_k}
\end{array}
\right.$$ where we set $\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k}=0$ for $x_k\in V_F {\backslash }\, $sing supp $F$ and $\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k}=0$ for $x_k\in V_G {\backslash } \,
$sing supp $G$. Moreover, $f,g \in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR) \cap C^{\infty}(\bkR \backslash V_F)$ and so (cf. Remark 2.3) they can be written in terms of a set of $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$-functions $f_k,g_k$; $k=0,..,N$: $$\begin{aligned}
f(x) & = & H(x_1-x)f_0(x) + \sum_{k=1}^{N-1} H(x-x_k) H(x_{k+1}-x) f_k(x) + H(x-x_N)f_N(x) \nonumber \\
\\
g(x) & = & H(x_1-x)g_0(x) + \sum_{k=1}^{N-1} H(x-x_k) H(x_{k+1}-x) g_k(x) + H(x-x_N)g_N(x).\nonumber\end{aligned}$$ We can now state the new theorem:\
\
[**Theorem 3.15.**]{} [*Let $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. Then $F\star G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and its explicit expression is given by: $$F\star G= fg + \sum_{k=1}^N \left[ g_k
\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k} +f_{k-1} \Delta^{(G)}_{x_k} \right]$$*]{} for $F,G$ written in the form (22,23).\
\
[**Proof.**]{} The first step is to obtain an explicit expression for $F\cdot G^{\epsilon}$ (cf. Definition 3.12). Let then $F,G$ be written in the form (22,23). It follows from eq.(22) that $G^{\epsilon}(x) =G(x+\epsilon)$ is given by: $$G^{\epsilon}=g^{\epsilon} + \sum_{k=1}^N \Delta^{(G)}_{x_k-\epsilon}$$ where $g^{\epsilon}(x)=g(x+\epsilon)$ and $\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k-\epsilon}(x)=\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k}(x+\epsilon)$ is a singular distribution with support on $\{x_k-\epsilon\}$. We also have $V_F=V_G=\{x_k, k=1,..,N\}$ and so $V_{G^{\epsilon}}=\{x_k-\epsilon, \, k=1,..,N\}$. Since there is a $\sigma >0$ such that $V_F \cap V_{G^{\epsilon}}= {\emptyset } $ for $0<\epsilon <\sigma $ (cf. Remark 3.13), we can use eq.(18) to calculate $F\cdot G^{\epsilon}$ explicitly for all $\epsilon \in ]0,\sigma[$: $$\begin{aligned}
F\cdot G^{\epsilon} &= & fg^{\epsilon} + \sum_{w \in V_F} \tilde{(g^{\epsilon})}_w \Delta^{(F)}_w+\sum_{w \in V_{G^{\epsilon}}} \tilde
f_w\Delta^{(G)}_w \\
&= & fg^{\epsilon} + \sum_{k=1}^N \tilde{(g^{\epsilon})}_{x_k} \Delta^{(F)}_{x_k}+\sum_{k=1}^N \tilde
f_{(x_k-\epsilon)}\Delta^{(G)}_{(x_k-\epsilon)} \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ where $\tilde{(g^{\epsilon})}_{x_k}$ and $\tilde f_{(x_k-\epsilon)}$ are the $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$-extensions of the restrictions ${(g^{\epsilon})}_{x_k}={(g^{\epsilon})}_{\Omega_{x_k}}$ and $ f_{(x_k-\epsilon)}=f_{\Omega_{(x_k-\epsilon)}}$, respectively. As usual the open sets $\Omega_{x_k}$ and $\Omega_{(x_k-\epsilon)}$ belong to a finite covering $\{\Omega_w \subset \bkR; \, w \in V_F \cup V_{G^{\epsilon}} \}$ of $\bkR$, satisfying the conditions stated in Definition 3.4. That is: i) $\cup_{k=1}^N (\Omega_{x_k} \cup \Omega_{(x_k-\epsilon)})=\bkR$ and ii) $w' \notin \Omega_w $, $\forall w\not=w' \in (V_F\cup V_{G^{\epsilon}})$. There are, of course, many possible coverings of this sort but the expression (26) is independent of the particular one used to define it (cf. Remark 3.9). One possibility is (let $x_0=-\infty$ and $x_{N+1}=+\infty$): $$\Omega_{x_k} = ]x_k-\epsilon,x_{k+1}-\epsilon[ \quad \mbox{and} \quad
\Omega_{x_k-\epsilon} = ]x_{k-1},x_{k}[,\quad ,k=1,..,N$$ It then follows from eq.(23) that: $$(g^{\epsilon})_{\Omega_{x_k}}=(g^{\epsilon}_k)_{\Omega_{x_k}} \quad \mbox{and} \quad
(f)_{\Omega_{(x_k-\epsilon)}}=(f_{k-1})_{\Omega_{(x_k-\epsilon)}}\quad , \quad k=1,..,N$$ where $g^{\epsilon}_k$ is defined by $g^{\epsilon}_k(x)=g_k(x+\epsilon)$ and $g_k,\, f_k$ were introduced in eq.(23). Since $g_k$ and $f_k$ belong to $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ for all $k=0,..,N$ we may set (cf. eq.(26)): $$\tilde{(g^{\epsilon})}_{\Omega_{x_k}}=g_k^{\epsilon} \qquad \mbox{and} \qquad \tilde{(f)}_{\Omega_{(x_k-\epsilon)}}=f_{k-1} \quad , \quad k=1,..,N$$ Substituting this in eq.(26) we finally get an explicit expression for $F\cdot G^{\epsilon}$: $$F\cdot G^{\epsilon}= fg^{\epsilon} + \sum_{k=1}^N \left[ g_k^{\epsilon}\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k}+ f_{k-1}\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k-\epsilon} \right]$$ To obtain an explicit expression for $F\star G$ we still need to calculate the limit in eq.(21). Using eq.(29) we get for every $t \in \D(\bkR)$: $$\begin{aligned}
\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <F \cdot G^{\epsilon},t> &=& \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+}\left\{ <f\cdot g^{\epsilon},t> +
\sum_{k=1}^N <g_k^{\epsilon}\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k},t>+ \sum_{k=1}^N <f_{k-1}\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k-\epsilon},t> \right\}\nonumber\\
&=& \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+}\int \, f(x)g(x+\epsilon) t(x) \, dx +\sum_{k=1}^N
\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+}<\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k},tg_k^{\epsilon}> \nonumber \\
&& +\sum_{k=1}^N \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+}<\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k},t^{-\epsilon}f_{k-1}^{-\epsilon}> \\
&=& \int \, f(x)g(x) t(x) \, dx +\sum_{k=1}^N
<\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k},tg_k> +\sum_{k=1}^N <\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k},tf_{k-1}>
\nonumber \\
&=&<fg+\sum_{k=1}^N \left[ g_k \Delta^{(F)}_{x_k} +f_{k-1} \Delta^{(G)}_{x_k} \right] ,t> \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ where we defined $t^{\epsilon}(x)=t(x+\epsilon)$, $f_k^{\epsilon}(x)=f_k(x+\epsilon)$ and used the fact that $t,g_k,f_k \in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ and so they are uniformly continuous on an arbitrary compact interval. We conclude from eqs.(21,30) that $F\star G \in {\mathcal D}'(\bkR)$ and is indeed given by eq.(24). Moreover, (24) is obviously of the form (7,8) and so $F\star G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)._{\Box}$\
We proceed by studying some of the properties of the new product:\
\
[**Theorem 3.16.**]{} [*The $\star$-product is (i) distributive, (ii) associative but (iii) non-commutative, (iv) it reduces to the standard product of an infinitely smooth function by a distribution if either $F$ or $G$ belong to $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ and (v) it reproduces the standard product of continuous functions.*]{}\
\
[**Proof.**]{}\
(i) Let us prove that the product is left distributive. Let $F,G,J \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. We have: $$(F+G)\star J= \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} (F+G) \cdot J^{\epsilon}$$ We now prove that if $K\in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and $V_{F+G}=V_F\cup V_G$ is such that $V_{F+G} \cap V_K= {\emptyset } $ then: $$(F+G)\cdot K=F\cdot K+G\cdot K$$ This identity is valid globally if it is valid locally. Let $\{\Omega_w, w\in V_{F+G}\cup V_K\}$ be an open covering of $\bkR$ satisfying the conditions of Definition 3.4 for the $\cdot$ product of $F+G$ by $K$. Then eq.(32) is equivalent to: $$[(F+G)\cdot K]_{\Omega_w}=[F\cdot K+G \cdot K]_{\Omega_w},\quad \forall w\in V_{F+G}\cup V_K$$ which, in turn, follows from: $$\begin{aligned}
[(F+G)\cdot K]_{\Omega_w} & = & (F+G)_w K_w=F_wK_w+G_wK_w \\
& = & [F\cdot K]_{\Omega_w}+[G\cdot K]_{\Omega_w}=[F\cdot K+G\cdot K]_{\Omega_w} \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ where we used the definition of the $\cdot$ product (eq.(15)) and the fact that for each $w$ either $F_w,G_w\in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)$ or $K_w\in C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)$. Making $K=J^{\epsilon}$ in eq.(32) and substituting in eq.(31), we get: $$(F+G)\star J= \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} F \cdot J^{\epsilon} +\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} G \cdot J^{\epsilon}=F\star J +G\star J$$ which proves that the product is left distributive. Equivalently, one may prove that it is also right distributive.\
(ii) Let $F,G,J \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. Then: $$F= f+\sum_{w\in V_F} \Delta^{(F)}_{w} \quad ,\quad
G= g+\sum_{w\in V_G} \Delta^{(G)}_{w} \quad \mbox{and} \quad
J= j+\sum_{w\in V_J} \Delta^{(J)}_{w}$$ where $f,g,j \in C_p^{\infty}(\bkR)$. To keep the notation simple let us redefine $V_F=V_G=V_J=$sing supp$\,F \,\cup \, $sing supp$\, G\, \cup \, $sing supp$\, J$. Let $N=\sharp V_F$ and let $V_F=\{x_1,...,x_N\}$ where $x_i<x_k$ for $i<k$. Then $F,G$ can be written as in eq.(22) with $f,g$ given by (23) and: $$J= j+\sum_{k=1}^N \Delta^{(J)}_{x_k}$$ (notice that $\Delta_{x_k}^{(F)}=0$ if $x_k \in V_F {\backslash } \, $sing supp$\, F$ and equivalently for the other distributions) where $j$ can be written in terms of $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$-functions $j_k;\, k=0,..,N$, as: $$j(x) = H(x_1-x)j_0(x) + \sum_{k=1}^{N-1} H(x-x_k) H(x_{k+1}-x) j_k(x) + H(x-x_N)j_N(x)$$ A trivial calculation using eq.(24) shows that: $$\begin{aligned}
&&(F\star G)\star J = \left[ fg +\sum_{k=1}^N \left( g_k\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k}
+f_{k-1}\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k} \right) \right] \star J \\
&=& fgj + \sum_{k=1}^N \left( g_kj_k\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k}
+f_{k-1}j_k\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k} +g_{k-1}f_{k-1}\Delta^{(J)}_{x_k} \right)
\nonumber\end{aligned}$$ and also: $$\begin{aligned}
&&F\star (G\star J) = F\star \left[ gj +\sum_{k=1}^N \left( j_k\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k}+g_{k-1}\Delta^{(J)}_{x_k} \right) \right] \\
&=& fgj + \sum_{k=1}^N \left( g_kj_k\Delta^{(F)}_{x_k}
+f_{k-1}j_k\Delta^{(G)}_{x_k} +g_{k-1}f_{k-1}\Delta^{(J)}_{x_k} \right)
\nonumber\end{aligned}$$ Hence, the $\star$-product is associative.\
(iii) Let $F,G$ be given by eq.(22,23). We have from eq.(24) that: $$F\star G-G\star F= \sum_{k=1}^N \left[ \left( g_k -g_{k-1}\right) \Delta^{(F)}_{x_k}+\left( f_{k-1}-f_k \right) \Delta^{(G)}_{x_k} \right]$$ and thus the $\star $-product is non-commutative. Notice nevertheless, that supp $(F\star G-G\star F) \subseteq V_F \cup V_G$, is a finite set.\
(iv) It follows directly from eq.(24) that if $F=f$ (or $G=f$) for some $f \in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ then $F \star G=f G$ (respectively, $F \star G=f F$).\
(v) If $F,G \in ({\mathcal A}(\bkR) \cap C^0(\bkR))$ then, in the notation of eq.(22), $F=f$ and $G=g$. Hence, from eq.(24) $F\star G=fg$ thus concluding the proof. $_{\Box}$\
Hence ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is an associative algebra. To proceed we may endow ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ with the following bracket structure: $$[F,G]=F\star G-G\star F$$ the explicit form of the bracket being given by eq.(41).\
\
[**Theorem 3.17.**]{} [*The bracket (42) is a Lie bracket.*]{}\
\
[**Proof.**]{} The antisymmetric property of the bracket follows by construction while the linearity and the Jacobi identity are inherited from the left and right distributive and associative properties of the $\star$-product, respectively. It is also easy to check that the bracket satisfies the Leibniz rule with respect to the $\star$-product.$_{\Box}$\
Finally we prove that:\
\
[**Theorem 3.18.**]{} [*Let $\frac{d}{dx}$ be the usual distributional derivative in ${\mathcal D}'(\bkR)$. The restriction $\frac{d}{dx}: {\mathcal A}(\bkR) \to {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ satisfies the Leibniz rule with respect to the $\star$-product.*]{}\
\
[**Proof.**]{} Let $F,G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. Then $F\star G \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ and its derivative acts as ($F'=\frac{d}{dx} F$): $$<(F\star G)',t>=-<F\star G,t'>=-\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <F\cdot G^{\epsilon},t'> =\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <(F\cdot G^{\epsilon})',t>$$ Let us then prove that the product $\cdot$ satisfies the Leibniz rule. Let $F,J \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ be such that $V_F\cap V_J= {\emptyset }
$. Let $\{\Omega_w,\, w\in V_F\cup V_J \}$ be an open covering of $\bkR$ satisfying the conditions of Definition 3.4. Locally we have: $$\begin{aligned}
& & \left[ (F\cdot J)'\right]_{\Omega_w}=\left[ F'\cdot J+F\cdot J' \right]_{\Omega_w} \\
& \Longleftrightarrow &\left[ (F\cdot J)_{\Omega_w}\right]'=\left[ F'\cdot J \right]_{\Omega_w}+\left[F\cdot J' \right]_{\Omega_w} \nonumber \\
&\Longleftrightarrow & (F_w J_w)' = F_w' J_w+F_w J_w' \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ which is true because either $F_w$ or $J_w$ belongs to $C^{\infty}(\Omega_w)$. Hence the $\cdot$ product satisfies the Leibniz rule locally and thus also globally.\
Substituting this result in eq.(43) we get: $$\begin{aligned}
<(F\star G)',t>& = & \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <F\cdot \left(G^{\epsilon}\right)'+F'\cdot G^{\epsilon},t> \\
& = & \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <F\cdot \left(G'\right)^{\epsilon},t>+\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} <F'\cdot G^{\epsilon},t> \nonumber \\
&=& <F\star G',t>+<F'\star G,t> \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ where we took into account that the translation and the derivative operators commute in $\D'(\bkR )$. Hence, $(F\star G)'=F\star G'+F'\star G$, which concludes the proof.$_{\Box}$\
\
[**Corollary 3.19.**]{} The algebra $({\mathcal A}(\bkR),+,\star)$ is an associative (but non-commutative) differential algebra of generalized functions.\
This concludes the study of the properties of the $\star$-product and of the associated algebra ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. As a simple example, let us calculate the derivative of $H(x) \star H (x)$. We have: $$\frac{d}{dx} (H(x) \star H (x))= \delta(x) \star H(x) + H(x) \star \delta(x) = \delta(x) \star H (x) = \delta(x).$$ which of course, is consistent with the fact that $H(x) \star H(x)= H(x)$. Notice that multiple products of the Heaviside step function are sometimes used to exemplify a simpler version of the Schwartz impossibility result [@Colombeau3]. One typically finds that differentiating the equation $H^n(x)=H(x)$ for different values of $n$ leads to contradictory results. This is not the case if $H^n(x)$ is calculated using the product $\star$. The key point, as one can easily check, is that the $\star$ product is non-commutative.
To finish this section, let us point out that there are other associative but non-commutative products, related to the one introduced in eq.(20), and also yielding a Lie bracket structure in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$. For instance: $$\begin{aligned}
F\star_2 G & \equiv & \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} F\cdot G^{-\epsilon} \nonumber \\
F\star _3 G & \equiv & \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} F^{\epsilon}\cdot G \\
F\star_4 G & \equiv & \lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+} F^{-\epsilon} \cdot G \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ which are all related to the original product introduced in (20): $$F\star_ 2G = F\star_3 G= G\star_4 F = G\star F$$
Finally, we can also define a commutative product (or symmetric bracket) through the prescription: $$F\star_5 G= \frac{1}{2} (F\star G+G\star F)$$ which however is not associative.
Linear differential equations with distributional coefficients
==============================================================
In this section we consider the second problem presented in the Introduction. Let: $$\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i \psi^{(i)} = f,$$ be an ordinary, linear differential equation defined on $\bkR$. The coefficients are the complex valued functions $a_i \in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ and $a_n (x) \not=0$, $\forall x \in \bkR$, and the non-homogeneous term is $f\in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$. As usual, $\psi^{(i)}$ denotes the $i$-th order derivative of $\psi$. Let $\psi_U$ be the general solution of eq.(49). The subscript $U$ stands for [*unconfined*]{} (meaning the $\psi_U$ is the solution of (49) on the entire real line). The generalized solution of eq.(49) (i.e. the solution in $\D'(\bkR)$) coincides with its classical solution (i.e. the one in $C^{\infty}(\bkR)$) [@Kanwal]. The designation $\psi_U$ will be used to denote both the distribution in $\D'(\bkR)$ as well as the associated infinitely smooth function.
Let us also consider an object of the form $\psi_C=H(x) \psi_U$ “confined” to the positive axis and reproducing the “unconfined” general solution for $x>0$. Such a function is not a generalized (nor classical) solution of eq.(49). The aim of this section is to derive a new differential equation that displays the generalized solution (and only the generalized solution) $\psi_C$.
Notice that we are focusing on the particular case of Problem 2 (stated in the Introduction) where $\Omega=\bkR^+$. This is to keep the formulation as simple as possible. The extension to the general case where $\Omega =]a,b[$, $a<b \in \bkR \cup\{-\infty , +\infty \}$ is straightforward.
Let us then proceed. As a first step we substitute $\psi_C$ in eq.(49) and find the correction terms: $$\begin{aligned}
\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i \psi_C^{(i)} & = & \sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i \left\{
\sum_{j=0}^i (^i_j) H^{(j)} \psi_U^{(i-j)} \right\} \\
&=& \sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i H \psi_U^{(i)} +
\sum_{i=1}^{n} a_i
\sum_{j=1}^i (^i_j) H^{(j)} \psi_U^{(i-j)} \nonumber \\
&=& H f + \sum_{i \ge j =1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H^{(j)} \psi_U^{(i-j)} \nonumber\end{aligned}$$\
[**Remark 4.1.**]{} Equation (50) is not a closed equation for $\psi_C$, because it displays a distributional non-homogenous term which is dependent on the particular solution of eq.(49). For each solution of eq.(49) (associated to a complete set of boundary conditions $\psi_U^{(i)}(x_0), i=0,...,n-1$ given at some $x_0 \in \bkR^+$), this term can be re-written as a combination of Dirac deltas and their derivatives: $$\sum_{i \ge j =1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i(x) H^{(j)}(x) \psi_U^{(i-j)}(x)= \sum_{i =1}^{n} \sum_{k=0}^{i-1} a_i(x) \psi_U^{(k)} (0) \delta^{(i-1-k)}(x)$$ and upon substitution in (50) we obtain a linear and ordinary differential equation, with a distributional non-homogenous term, that for a particular set of boundary conditions, displays a confined solution. However, the general solution of this equation is still not confined to $\bkR^+$, but exhibits instead a jump discontinuity at $x=0$ [@Kanwal]. More details about ordinary differential equations with distributional non-homogeneous terms can be found in [@Estrada; @Pan; @Stakgold]. The related issue of distributional solutions of ordinary differential equations is studied in [@Littlejohn; @Krall; @Wiener]\
\
Our task here will be to re-write eq.(50) exclusively in terms of $\psi_C$ so that its general solution (and not only a particular solution) is of the form $H \psi_U$. With this in mind, we prove the following theorem:\
\
[**Theorem 4.2.**]{} [*If $\psi_U \in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ and $\psi_C \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is such that $\psi_C=\psi_U$ on $\bkR^+$ then, in the distributional sense: $$\sum_{i\ge j=1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H^{(j)} \psi_U^{(i-j)} =
\sum_{i\ge j=1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H^{(j)} \star \psi_C^{(i-j)}.$$*]{}\
[**Proof.**]{} The most general distribution $\psi_C \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ satisfying $\psi_C=\psi_U$ on $\bkR^+$ is given by: $$\psi_C=H \psi_U +F$$ where $F \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is such that supp $F \subseteq \bkR^-\cup \{0\}$. Hence we have (for all $i \ge j=1,...,n$): $$\begin{aligned}
<H^{(j)} \star {\psi}_C^{(i-j)} , t> &=& <H^{(j)} \star \left[H {\psi}_U+F \right]^{(i-j)},t> \nonumber\\
&=&<H^{(j)} \star \left[H \star {\psi}_U \right]^{(i-j)},t>+<H^{(j)} \star F^{(i-j)},t> \nonumber \\
&=& <H^{(j)} \star {\psi}_U^{(i-j)},t>+\lim_{\epsilon \to 0^+}<H^{(j)} \cdot (F^{\epsilon})^{(i-j)},t> \nonumber \\
&=& <H^{(j)} {\psi}_U^{(i-j)} , t>\end{aligned}$$ where in the last step we took into account that for $j\ge 1$, the sets supp $H^{(j)}=\{0\}$ and supp $(F^{\epsilon})^{(i-j)} \subseteq ]-\infty,-\epsilon]$ are disjoint. The result (53) is valid for all $i\ge j=1,..,n$ and so eq.(51) holds.$_{\Box}$\
We can now re-write eq.(50) exclusive in terms of $\psi_C$: $$\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i \psi_C^{(i)} = H f+
\sum_{i\ge j=1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H^{(j)} \star {\psi}_C^{(i-j)}$$ which seems to be a suitable candidate for the differential equation we are looking for. That $\psi_C=H \psi_U$ is a solution of eq.(54) is obvious by construction. However, we still have to show that is its [*only*]{} solution:\
\
[**Theorem 4.3.**]{} [*Let $\psi_U$ be the general solution of eq.(49). Then, the general solution of eq.(54) in ${\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ is given by $\psi_C=H \psi_U$.*]{}\
\
[**Proof.**]{} For a generic $\psi_C \in {\mathcal A}(\bkR)$ the support of the second term on the right hand side of eq.(54) is $\{0\}$. Hence, on $\bkR^+$ and $\bkR^-$, eq.(54) reduces to eq.(49) and to the homogeneous equation associated to eq.(49), respectively. We conclude that any solution of eq.(54) will be of the form: $$\psi_C=\Delta +H _- \psi_{-} +H \psi_{+}$$ where supp $\Delta \subseteq \{0\}$ (i.e $\Delta$ is a linear combination of the Dirac measure and its derivatives), $H_-(x)=H (-x)$ is the reversed Heaviside step function $H$ and $\psi_{-},\psi_{+} \in C^{\infty}(\bkR)$ are the distributional (which coincide with the classical [@Kanwal]) solutions of $\sum_{i=0}^n a_i \psi^{(i)}=0$ and of eq.(49), respectively. Substituting (55) in eq.(54) we get: $$\begin{aligned}
&& \sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i\Delta ^{(i)} +
\sum_{i=0}^{n} \sum_{j=0}^{i} (^i_j) a_i \left( H_-^{(j)} \psi_{-}^{(i-j)} +H^{(j)} \psi_{+}^{(i-j)} \right) \\
&& = H f + \sum_{i \ge j =1}^n (^i_j) a_i H^{(j)} \psi_{+}^{(i-j)} \nonumber \\
&\Longleftrightarrow &
\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i\Delta ^{(i)} +
\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i \left( H_- \psi_{-}^{(i)}(x) +H \psi_{+}^{(i)} \right) \nonumber \\
&& +\sum_{i \ge j=1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i \left( H^{(j)} \psi_{+}^{(i-j)} -H^{(j)} \psi_{-}^{(i-j)} \right) = H f + \sum_{i \ge j =1}^n (^i_j) a_i
H^{(j)} \psi_{+}^{(i-j)} \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ Separating the terms that involve the delta distribution or its derivatives from those that do not, we get: $$\begin{aligned}
&& \sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i \left( H_- \psi_{-}^{(i)} +H \psi_{+}^{(i)} \right) =H f \\
& \Longleftrightarrow & \qquad \left\{ \begin{array}{lll}
\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i(x) \psi_{+}^{(i)}(x) & = & f(x) , \quad x > 0 \\
\\
\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i(x) \psi_{-}^{(i)}(x) & = & 0 \quad , \quad x<0
\end{array} \right. \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ (confirming what we already knew about $\psi_-,\psi_+$) and: $$\sum_{i=0}^{n} a_i\Delta ^{(i)} -
\sum_{i \ge j=1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H^{(j)} \psi_{-}^{(i-j)} =0$$ In eq.(58) the term proportional to the highest order derivative of $\delta$ is given by $ a_n \Delta^{(n)}$ (if not zero, $a_n \Delta^{(n)}$ is proportional to at least $\delta^{(n)}$). This term cannot be cancelled by a combination of lower order derivatives of $\delta$. Since $a_n \not=0$ we get $\Delta^{(n)} =0$ and so $\Delta=0$. Hence, eq.(58) reduces to: $$\sum_{i \ge j=1}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H^{(j)} \psi_{-}^{(i-j)} =0 \Longleftrightarrow \sum_{j=1}^n \sum_{i=j}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H_-^{(j)} \psi_{-}^{(i-j)} =0$$ From eq.(57) we find that $\sum_{i=0}^n a_i H_-\psi_-^{(i)}=0 $, $\forall x\in \bkR$ and by adding this last equation to eq.(59) we finally get: $$\sum_{j=0}^n \sum_{i=j}^{n} (^i_j) a_i H_-^{(j)} \psi_{-}^{(i-j)} =0 \Longleftrightarrow \sum_{i=0}^n a_i \frac{d^i}{dx^i} \left(
H_-\psi_{-} \right)=0 \Longleftrightarrow
\sum_{i=0}^n a_i \phi^{(i)}=0$$ where $\phi=H_- \psi_- $ satisfies (by construction) the boundary conditions $\phi^{(i)}(z_0)=0$, $i=0,...n-1$ at an arbitrary $z_0>0$. For these boundary conditions the unique solution is $\phi =0$, which implies that $\psi_-(x<0)=0$.
Assembling all these results, we finally get: $\psi_C =H \psi_+$, where $\psi_+$ satisfies eq.(57) (or equivalently eq.(49)), which proves the theorem.$_{\Box}$\
\
We conclude that eq.(54) provides a global formulation for the differential problem described by eq.(49) and confined to the positive axis, i.e. it yields a solution of Problem 2 for the case where $\Omega=\bkR^+$. The extension to the more general case where $\Omega$ is an arbitrary interval is straightforward.
Acknowledgement {#acknowledgement .unnumbered}
===============
We would like to thank Carlos Sarrico for useful comments and insights into the subject. Research was supported by the grants POCTI/0208/2003 and PTDC/MAT/69635/2006 of the Portuguese Science Foundation.
[99]{}
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J.F. Colombeau, [*Generalized functions and infinitesimals*]{}, Written version of the talk presented at the meeting of Nonstandard Analysis, (Pisa, June 2006), Arxiv: math.FA/0610264 (2006).
N.C. Dias, J.N. Prata, [*Wigner functions with boundaries*]{}, J. Math. Phys. [**43**]{} (2002) 4602.
N.C. Dias, J.N. Prata, [*Comment on “On infinite walls in deformation quantization”*]{}, Ann. Phys. [**321**]{} (2006) 495.
N.C. Dias, A. Posilicano, J.N. Prata, [*Globally defined self-adjoint Hamiltonians for systems with boundaries*]{}, Arxiv: 0707.0948 (math-ph, 2007).
N.C. Dias, J.N. Prata, [*A multiplicative product of distributions and a global formulation of the confined Schrödinger equation*]{}, Journal of Generalized Lie Theory and Applications [**2**]{} (2008) No.3, 137.
R. Estrada and R.P. Kanwal, [*Applications of distributional derivatives to wave propagation*]{}, J. Inst. Math. Appl. [**26**]{} (1980) 39.
W. Fleming, [*Functions of several variables*]{}, 2nd Edition (Springer-Verlag, 1977).
P. Garbaczewski, W. Karwowski, [*Impenetrable barriers and canonical quantization*]{}, Am. J. Phys. [**72**]{} (2004) 924.
L. Hörmander, [*The analysis of linear partial differential operators I*]{} (Springer-Verlag, 1983).
C. Isham, [*Topological and global aspects of quantum theory*]{}, in: Les Houches, Session XL, eds. B.S. DeWitt and R. Stora (Elsevier, 1984).
R.P. Kanwal, [*Generalized Functions: Theory and Technique*]{}, 2nd Edition (Birkhäuser, Boston, 1998).
A.M. Krall, R.P. Kanwal and L.L. Littlejohn, [*Distributional solutions of ordinary differential equations*]{}, Canadian Math. Soc. Conference Proc. [**8**]{} (1987) 227.
S.Kryukov, M.A.Walton, [*On infinite walls in deformation quantization*]{}, Ann. Phys. 317 (2005) 474.
L.L. Littlejohn and R.P. Kanwal, [*Distributional solutions of the hypergeometric differential equations*]{}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. [**122**]{} (1980) 325.
H.H. Pan and R.M. Hohenstein, [*A method of solution for an ordinary differential equation containing symbolic functions*]{}, Quart. Appl. Math. [**39**]{} (1980) 131.
C. Sarrico, [*About a family of distributional products important in the applications*]{}, Portugaliae Math. [**45**]{} (1988) 295.
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[^1]: [*Mathematics Subject Classification (2000).*]{} 46F10; 46F30; 46N20; 34B05
|
Op/Ed: Removing Confederate Statues
By John O. Sullivan
That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.
–Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World
This past weekend, a series of events in Charlottesville, Virginia resparked a national conversation about our race in America, symbology, and our collective history. This is a conversation that has stretched into this week.
It all started months ago, when the Charlottesville City Council voted to rename several parks named after Confederate generals and tear down a statue of Robert E. Lee. That action was stayed by the courts for 6 months when a citizen group sued to prevent the statue from being taken down
Fast forward to this weekend. Jason Kessler, a known White Nationalist, organized a rally entitled “Unite the Right,” which was to be held in Emancipation Park in Charlottesville this past Saturday. The night before, a group of White Nationalists carrying torches marched through the University of Virginia campus, and the march concluded by encircling a group of counter-protesters, at which point the first violence of the weekend erupted.
On Saturday, the day of the planned rally, protesters and counter protesters arrived in droves hours before the planned start of the rally. The so called “Unite The Right” rally never got off the ground however, as police intervened shortly before the scheduled start when violent clashes broke out. The “Unite The RIght” attendees reneged on a plan that would have largely kept them separated from the counter-protestors, and the police declared the event an “unlawful assembly” and dispersed the crowds.
The events, as well as the attendance list, throw a bright light onto remaining Confederate statues and memorials. They beg us to ask core, fundamental questions about ourselves and our society. The defenders of these monuments claim that their removal and/or destruction is tantamount to erasing history. That is simply not true. Humans have always built monuments to celebrate, honor, and venerate the people, things, and events that are most treasured and idolized in our society. The pyramids of Egypt were built to enshrine the pharos. The Sistine Chapel, the Great Mosque of Djenne, and Hagia Sophia were all built to honor God. The Statue of Liberty was built to celebrate the very idea of Freedom.
The memorials in question were also built to honor and celebrate. But the people and ideals they celebrate are not deserving of our veneration. The men and women that these monuments memorialize were traitors who fought to continue the forced bondage of blacks. The Confederates betrayed our nation and fought against it. After all, we do not memorialize Benedict Arnold.
We should not forget that the Civil War was, in fact, fought over slavery. Some 45% of Americans do not think slavery was the main reason for the Civil War.
Common non-slavery “explanations” for that war include “economics” and “states rights,” but make no mistake, the Civil War was about slavery. The war was fought over the right of the states to maintain slavery over the wishes of the Federal government. The war was fought due to the economic ramifications of abolishing slavery in the South. Slavery and human bondage was the root cause of the war.
It is no coincidence that these confederate statues and memorials were almost entirely constructed in two waves. The first coming at the turn of the 20th century, in the same era of the Plessy v. Ferguson (Separate but Equal) decision and the formation of the NAACP, and then the second wave in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. Many argue (and I believe rightly so) that given the historical context of these statues, they symbolize not a celebration of states rights or benign history, but rather they are celebrations of the ideals of white supremacy.
The Spanish have not forgotten Francisco Franco. Nor have the Germans forgotten Hitler. It is possible to continue to remember even the worst parts of our history, to learn from it, without idolizing it. These statues and monuments memorialize people and ideas which have no place in our society. While I think their outright destruction of these fixtures, such as Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott has suggested is a step too far, neither does that mean they belong in prominent public places.\
After the events in Charlottesville, it is patently clear that these statues are rallying points for the worst elements of our society, they are touch-points for ideas that do not belong in America. The remaining statues should be moved to genuine and appropriate historical sites, museums, and confederate cemeteries. To smelt the statues down and recast them as other political figures only plays into the narrative of the far right. But to allow these monuments to stand where they are condones and endorses the views not only of those memorialized, but those who rally around them. |
# coding: utf-8
# https://forum.omz-software.com/topic/2744/pythonista-hung-can-t-stop-program-stop-x-button-was-disabled/7
from __future__ import print_function
import threading
import time
import Queue
import random
import collections
import console
class WorkerCounterThread(threading.Thread):
def __init__(self, stopnum, outputQueue, delay_val):
threading.Thread.__init__(self)
print("\nThread delay = %1.2f\n" % delay_val)
self.count = 1
self.finished = False
self.stopnum = stopnum
self.output = outputQueue
self.delay_val = delay_val
def run(self):
while not self.finished:
self.output.put(self.count)
if self.count == self.stopnum:
#print"Stop count is %d" % self.count
self.stop()
else:
self.count += 1
time.sleep(self.delay_val)
def stop(self):
self.finished = True
#################################################
def main():
console.clear()
results = Queue.Queue()
thread_delay = random.choice([.2, .4, .1, .19, .26, .3])
wc_thread = WorkerCounterThread(20, results, thread_delay)
wc_thread.start()
loops = 0
accum =[]
accum_loops = 0
count_stats = collections.Counter()
while 1:
while not results.empty():
accum.append(results.get())
if accum:
accum_len = len(accum)
for count in accum:
print("Count=%2d, len(accum) = %d" % (count, accum_len))
count_stats[accum_len] += 1
accum_loops += 1
accum = []
if not wc_thread.isAlive():
break
time.sleep(random.random())
loops += 1
print("\nDONE: mainloops= {:,},accum_loops=%d\n".format(loops) % accum_loops)
for val, count in count_stats.iteritems():
print("Val = %2d, count = %2d" %(val, count))
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()
|
The footage that followed was heavy on Johnson's charm and muscle, introducing him as a skipper who takes tourists down a jungle cruise, giving them manufactured thrills. Money woes force him to team up with Blunt's character, who is looking to go deep into the jungle. Much action and adventure, with quips galore, ensues.
"I made a movie about heroic men like me and saving the girl," he said.
Just then, from the opposing side of the stage, Blunt rolled up in the back of a Model T-style automobile to provide a counterpoint to his raging ego. "This is a two-hander," she admonished him. "Did you cut that yourself?!" She then introduced another reel, "Forget what you saw, we're going to take a real look at Jungle Cruise."
Then a reel featuring Blunt's scientist in escapades in turn-of-the-century London, meeting the skipper from her point of view. In various jungle settings she needed no help at all, which thrilled the crowd.
The banter continued after the footage. "I'm trying to give people what they want. Me," Johnson said, adding, "The last time I was here [at D23], I was a demi-god, literally." (Johnson was a voice star in Moana.)
Blunt shut him down with her line: "Last time I was here, I was Mary Poppins."
The crowd cheered, loving every minute of it.
The duo became a little more serious later, saying they were aware of the responsibility of the beloved ride and its place in Disneyland history.
Jungle Cruise is directed by The Shallows filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra, and takes place in the early 20th century in the Amazonian jungle. Johnson plays a boat captain who takes a pair of siblings (Blunt and Jack Whitehall) to find a tree purported to have healing powers. Along the way, they must face wild animals as well as a German expedition also seeking the tree. Paul Giamatti is also among the cast.
Jungle Cruise opens July 24, 2020. |
4
Keyboard input using the Scanner Class import java.util.Scanner; /* The package java.util contains the class java.util.Scanner. A package is a collection of classes with a related purpose. The import statement is typed in as the first line of the program before the definition of the class which uses java.util.Scanner. */ Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in); /* new is used to create a new object of type Scanner. The name of the new object is called in to read keyboard input. Note that new is a reserved word, and Scanner on the left acts like a type declaration. System. in identifies the keyboard as the source of input. */ 4 |
Nagasaki cops open murder case after elderly man found dead in home
Investigators are seen working outside the home of Shinichi Hotta in Shimabara City
NAGASAKI (TR) – Nagasaki Prefectural Police have launched a murder investigation following the discovery of the body of an elderly man inside his residence in Shimabara City, reports NHK (Aug. 29).
At around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, the body of Shinichi Horita, 81, was found collapsed in the bathroom on the first floor of the residence, located in the Ariakecho area, by a male and female relative. The body, which was fully clothed, had several stab wounds.
Officers from the Shimabara Police Station arriving at the scene noted that the interior of the residence had not been ransacked. A murder weapon has not yet been located.
Previously, Horita had been living with his older sister and her husband. However, after they moved to a rest home he had been living with their son. |
A secluded country estate near the Massachusetts border is this week's selection. The house, built 10 years ago by the current owners, is more than 4,000 square feet, including a furnished basement. It is on 25 acres in the hamlet of Cherry Plain, Rensselaer County, a 35-minute drive from Albany. It has three bedrooms, three full bathrooms and two half-baths, including one in the basement. Highlights include solar panels on the roof, two office spaces, a screened porch, a first-floor master bedroom and a living room overlooking the in-ground, saltwater pool. There is a formal dining room, eat-in kitchen and an attached, four-car garage. Berlin schools, liquid propane zoned heat, central air, private well and septic system. The exterior is stone and vinyl. |
Toronto dollar
The Toronto dollar was a paper local currency used in Toronto, Ontario from 1998-2013. It had fixed exchange rates with the Canadian dollar. A lower exchange rate was used when trading Toronto dollars for Canadian dollars than vice versa, and the income from this disparity was used to fund social benefit programs.
Description
The Toronto dollar, founded in December 1998, is a paper local currency used in Ontario. It has a fixed exchange rate with the Canadian dollar. The Family Life Foundation of Willowdale—a registered Canadian charity—then chaired by the Rev. Lindsay G. King (Minister of Willowdale United Church) was one of the sponsors of the Toronto dollar system. The Rev. King was present at the founding of the TD, at which the Toronto Mayor, Mel Lastman, bought the first Toronto dollar.
The currency is administered by Toronto Dollar Community Projects Inc., a not-for-profit community group, and is a project of St. Lawrence Works.
The currency can be purchased by anyone at a number of locations at a 1-for-1 rate. Local businesses can agree to accept the currency at par with the Canadian dollar. Merchants are free to exchange Toronto dollars for Canadian dollars twice a month, at the rate of 90 cents to the dollar.
As of 2008, a little under 150 businesses accepted the Toronto dollar; most of these were in the St. Lawrence Market and at Gerrard Square.
Charity and poverty reduction
The Toronto dollar varies from most local currencies in that 10% of the funds used when purchasing or redeeming the currency are allocated to benefit community initiatives and groups, particularly those who are on low incomes, unemployed or homeless. As of 2008, the Toronto dollar has helped to raise and donate over $110,000 for local charities, and has given grants to at least 35 different organizations.
The Toronto dollar also provides an incentive for productivity for welfare recipients: Toronto dollars can be given as gifts to welfare recipients who perform volunteer work for charitable and non-profit organizations, and such gifts do not affect welfare benefits.
Discontinuation
In 2012/2013 the group announced that the "Toronto Dollar organization has had to suspend sales of Toronto Dollars due to lack of volunteers and the lack of infrastructure to support the work."
A current lack of an online presence of the Toronto dollar and its program indicates that the currency is most likely not poised for a revival. Several articles from various periods, as late as the 2013 downturn in the issuing and usage of the currency, seemingly confirm this theory. No update to the status of the program or the currency seems to be available via the internet at this time.
See also
List of Canadian community currencies
References
External links
Toronto dollar
Category:Private currencies
Category:Local currencies of Canada
Category:Culture of Toronto |
542 F.2d 1116
SDC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Plaintiff-Appellant,v.F. David MATHEWS, Secretary of Health, Education andWelfare, et al., Defendants-Appellees.
No. 75-3717.
United States Court of Appeals,Ninth Circuit.
Sept. 29, 1976.Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc Denied Nov. 17, 1976.
J. D. Frascella (argued), Santa Monica, Cal., for plaintiff-appellant.
Michael Kimmel, Atty. (argued), of Civil Div., Appellate Sec., U.S. Dept. of Justice, Washington, D.C., for defendants-appellees.
Before TRASK, GOODWIN and KENNEDY, Circuit Judges.
ANTHONY M. KENNEDY, Circuit Judge:
1
In this case of first impression we consider whether a complete reference library of medical writings and publications, accumulated and stored in a computer data bank by an agency of the federal government, constitutes "agency records" for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, and must therefore be made available to the public for a nominal charge limited to the direct costs of search and duplication, id. § 552(a)(4)(A). We hold that it does not and affirm the judgment of the district court.
2
In 1944 Congress established the National Library of Medicine "(i)n order to assist the advancement of medical and related sciences, and to aid the dissemination and exchange of scientific and other information important to the progress of medicine and to the public health . . . ." 42 U.S.C. § 275. The functions of the library are to acquire and preserve medical publications, index and catalogue the materials, make the indexes and catalogues available to the public, and provide such other research assistance as furthers the purposes of the statute. Id. § 276. The statute authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, with the advice and recommendation of the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine, to charge the public for using the services and materials. § 276(c)(2).
3
One of the services provided by the library pursuant to its statutory mandate is the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (MEDLARS), a computerized system for storing, indexing, and retrieving medical bibliographical data. The core of the system consists of the MEDLARS tapes, on which are stored citations and abstracts of two million articles from approximately 3000 medical and scientific journals published throughout the world. The National Library continually updates these tapes.
4
The MEDLARS system is used in various ways by the library. Some of the stored information is printed in various medical bibliographies, e.g., Index Medicus, which are distributed worldwide. Direct access to the MEDLARS data bank is available on a subscription basis through MEDLINE, the National Library's on-line terminal reference retrieval system.1 A user desiring to require and copy the MEDLARS tapes may purchase the complete data bank through the National Technical Information Service;2 the current charge for the tapes is $50,000.3 The district court found that this charge was established in an attempt to recover some of the $10 million, which to date is the cost of preparing the MEDLARS data base.4
5
Appellant, SDC Development Corporation, neither subscribed to the MEDLINE system nor offered to purchase the MEDLARS tapes through the National Technical Information Service. It sought access to the tapes, rather, in a third and novel manner, which is the subject of this action. In a letter dated March 6, 1975, appellant requested that the library furnish, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, "a current and complete set of MEDLARS tapes, in the format in which they are currently stored in NLM's operational disc files." Appellant also requested "a complete copy of each and every updating tape as soon as each is prepared." It enclosed $500, an amount it estimated to be in excess of the cost of search and duplication of the first set of tapes.
6
The Freedom of Information officer of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare denied appellant's request for the MEDLARS tapes. An appeal to the Assistant Secretary for Health, Education and Welfare proved fruitless. Appellant filed suit in the district court, which entered summary judgment in favor of Government. This appeal followed.
7
Appellant's argument, both here and below, has the straight-forward appeal of a simple syllogism: The Freedom of Information Act requires reproduction, at nominal cost, of all agency records not falling within one of the listed exemptions. The MEDLARS tapes are agency records, not specifically exempted. Therefore, the MEDLARS tapes must be reproduced at nominal cost upon appellant's request. We cannot, however, accept appellant's minor premise and must therefore reject its conclusion.
8
The words "records" and "agency records" are key terms in the operation of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 552(a)(3), (a)(4)(A), but are not specifically defined by the statute. We note that to read these terms in the broad manner suggested by appellant would result in the obliteration of that portion of the National Library of Medicine Act, 42 U.S.C. § 276(c)(2), which gives the Secretary and the Board of Regents wide discretion in setting charges for use of library material. The Supreme Court, however, has held that the FOIA must be read in a manner consistent with previously existing statutes, insofar as such reading is compatible with the Act's purposes. FAA Administrator v. Robertson, 422 U.S. 255, 95 S.Ct. 2140, 45 L.Ed.2d 164 (1975).5 It is therefore necessary to examine the legislative purpose of the Act, as well as its structure, to determine whether the terms "records" or "agency records" can be defined in a manner that will leave the operation of both statutes unimpaired.
9
The legislative history of the Freedom of Information Act6 discloses deep congressional concern with the ability of the American people to obtain information about the internal workings of their government. Such information, Congress found, is vital in a democracy, for government by the people can be a reality only where the electorate can oversee the activities and decisions of public officials and agencies. The following excerpts from the Report of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on S. 1160 underscore this purpose:
10
In introducing S. 1666, the predecessor of the present bill, Senator Long quoted the words of Madison, who was chairman of the committee which drafted the first amendment to the Constitution:
11
Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both.
12
Today the very vastness of our Government and its myriad of agencies makes it difficult for the electorate to obtain that "popular information" of which Madison spoke. But it is only when one further considers the hundreds of departments, branches, and agencies which are not directly responsible to the people, that one begins to understand the great importance of having an information policy of full disclosure.
13
Although the theory of an informed electorate is vital to the proper operation of a democracy, there is nowhere in our present law a statute which affirmatively provides for that information.
14
S.Rep. No. 813, 89th Cong., 1st Sess. 2-3 (1965). In explaining the broad access provisions of the proposed legislation, the report elsewhere states quite simply: "(T)he public as a whole has a right to know what its Government is doing." Id. at 5. This sentiment was echoed in the House Report: "The right of the individual to be able to find out how his Government is operating can be just as important to him as his right to privacy and his right to confide in his Government." H.R.Rep. No. 1497, 89th Cong., 2d Sess. 6 (1966), U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 1966, p. 2423. See also id. at 2-3, 12.
15
The legislative reports, as shown by the quoted excerpts, support the conclusion that the type of documents Congress was seeking to include in the public disclosure provision of the Freedom of Information Act were primarily those which dealt with the structure, operation, and decision-making procedure of the various governmental agencies.7
16
An examination of the other provisions contained in the Freedom of Information Act confirms this view. Rules of procedure and methods of organization of the various agencies, including amendments and repeals, must be published in the Federal Register. § 552(a)(1). Opinions (including concurrences and dissents), statements of policy and interpretations adopted by the agency, and administrative staff manuals which affect members of the public must be made available for copying. § 552(a)(2). Votes of each member of the agency in every agency proceeding must be recorded and made publicly available. § 552(a) (5). The foregoing are the types of information the public requires to keep track of governmental activities. See H.R.Rep. No. 1497, 89th Cong., 2d Sess. 6, 7-8 (1966).
17
Here the agency is not seeking to mask its processes or functions from public scrutiny. Indeed, its principal mission is the orderly dissemination of material it has collected. The agency is seeking to protect not its information, but rather its system for delivering that information. Congress specifically mandated the agency to prepare this system and hold it as its stock in trade for sale to the public. As such the system constitutes a highly valuable commodity. Requiring the agency to make its delivery system available to the appellants at nominal charge would not enhance the information gathering and dissemination function of the agency, but rather would hamper it substantially. Contractual relationships with various organizations, designed to increase the agency's ability to acquire and catalog medical information, would be destroyed if the tapes could be obtained essentially for free. See note 4 supra. It is also likely that the current charge system for MEDLINE, as well as various publications of the National Library, would be adversely affected.
18
There is, then, a qualitative difference between the types of records Congress sought to make available to the public by passing the Freedom of Information Act and the library reference system sought to be obtained here. The library material does not directly reflect the structure, operation, or decision-making functions of the agency, and where, as here, the materials are readily disseminated to the public by the agency, the danger of agency secrecy which Congress sought to alleviate is not a consideration.
19
As already noted, moreover, the statutory mandate of the National Library may be substantially impaired if it is not permitted to charge for use of its retrieval system as expressly authorized by the National Library of Medicine Act. The Supreme Court only recently reiterated that "when two statutes are capable of co-existence, it is the duty of the courts, absent a clearly expressed congressional intention to the contrary, to regard each as effective." Radzanower v. Touche Ross & Co., --- U.S. ----, ----, 96 S.Ct. 1989, 1994, 48 L.Ed.2d 540 (1976), quoting Morton v. Mancari, 417 U.S. 535, 551, 94 S.Ct. 2474, 41 L.Ed.2d 290 (1974). We conclude, therefore, that library reference materials for which charges are specifically authorized, such as the MEDLARS tapes sought in this case, are not "records" or "agency records" which must be made available at nominal charges pursuant to 5 U.S.C. §§ 552(a)(3) & (a)(4)(A).8
20
Appellant cites only one circuit court case in support of its interpretation of the term "records." Soucie v. David, 145 U.S.App.D.C. 144, 448 F.2d 1067 (1971). In that case plaintiffs had sought disclosure of the Garwin Report, prepared by the Office of Science and Technology, which evaluated the federal government's program for development of supersonic transport aircraft. One argument made against disclosure was that OST was not an agency, but merely part of the presidential staff, and hence the report could not be an agency record. In addressing that argument the circuit court focused primarily on the question whether OST was an agency for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, id. at 1072-1075, and concluded that it was. It then stated:
21
Having concluded that the OST is an agency, we think it clear that the Garwin Report is a record of that agency for purposes of a suit under the Freedom of Information Act. The function of the OST is to evaluate federal scientific programs. Consequently, any report prepared by the agency or its consultants in fulfillment of that function must be regarded as a record of the agency.
22
Id. at 1075-76 (footnote omitted). Appellant would argue based on this passage that any time an agency prepares a document "in fulfillment of its function," that document becomes an agency record and falls within the ambit of the FOIA.
23
We do not read Soucie so broadly. The subject matter of the OST report was the deliberative product of the agency. The content of the report reflected not only the evaluative processes of the OST, but also novel facts about the operation of another governmental agency. To that extent the report is similar to the type of materials required disclosed by the FOIA, § 552(a)(2) (opinions, statements of policy, and interpretations of the agency). The Soucie court did not purport to address the situation where the material prepared by the agency was primarily of a reference nature, and its value lay not in the substance of its content, which after all is freely available in various publications throughout the world, but rather in the effort of accumulation, organization, and abstraction. In short, the Soucie court did not address the question of agency materials which are primarily of library reference nature, and our conclusion today is not inconsistent with that holding.
24
For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the National Library of Medicine was not required to provide a copy of the MEDLARS tapes for the nominal cost of duplication, and that the district court properly granted appellee's motion for summary judgment.
25
AFFIRMED.
1
Currently, approximately 350 institutions subscribe to the MEDLINE service. Subscribers are generally required to provide members of the public with access to MEDLINE at a set hourly rate. Any individual or organization may subscribe to MEDLINE, and the current hourly cost is $15 during peak hours and $8 at other times
2
The Technical Information Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1151-57 directs the Secretary of Commerce "to establish and maintain within the Department of Commerce a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of scientific, technical, and engineering information" and to make such available to industry, business, government, and the general public. Id. § 1152. The act specifies that "to the fullest extent feasible . . . each of the services and functions provided shall be self-sustaining or self-liquidating and that the general public shall not bear the cost of publications and other services which are for the special use and benefit of private groups and individuals." Id. at 1153
3
The $50,000 fee, however, assures accuracy of information for only one year. Since the tapes are updated on a yearly basis, $50,000 must be paid each year to obtain a current set of tapes
4
At oral argument counsel informed the court that no individual or institution had as yet paid the $50,000 for a set of tapes. However, the National Library has entered into profitable contractual agreements with universities and foreign governments whereby tapes are furnished in exchange for valuable assistance in the cataloguing, indexing, and abstracting of medical publications to update the data base
5
The Court has stated even more recently that "(i)t is, of course, a cardinal principle of statutory construction that repeals by implication are not favored." United States v. United Continental Tuna Corp., 425 U.S. 164, 168, 96 S.Ct. 1319, 1323, 47 L.Ed.2d 653 (1976)
6
The pertinent legislative history, of course, is that of the 1966 revision of section 3 of the Administrative Procedure Act. While the original section 3 contained a public disclosure provision, that provision was found to be totally inadequate and was frequently used as a means for withholding, rather than disclosing information. S.Rep. No. 813, 89th Cong., 1st Sess. 5 (1965). The 1966 amendment so completely overhauled section 3 of the APA that it bears little or no resemblance to its predecessor
7
Particularly enlightening in this respect are the examples of abuses occurring under prior legislation enumerated in the House Report. H.R.Rep. No. 1497, 89th Cong., 2d Sess. 5-6 (1966)
8
We note that the term "records" is defined in 44 U.S.C. §§ 2901, 3301, specifically to exclude "(l)ibrary and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes . . . ." While the definition is not expressly made applicable to the FOIA, we find it persuasive authority in support of the conclusion we reach today
|
!
! $id: paw_basis.fh,v 1.4 2002/07/15 20:26:25 bylaska exp $
!
integer paw_basis_max_i_cut
external paw_basis_max_i_cut
integer paw_basis_ngrid
external paw_basis_ngrid
integer paw_basis_i_cut
external paw_basis_i_cut
integer paw_basis_orb_l
external paw_basis_orb_l
integer paw_basis_nbasis
external paw_basis_nbasis
integer paw_nlm_nbasis
external paw_nlm_nbasis
integer paw_tot_nlm_nbasis
external paw_tot_nlm_nbasis
integer paw_basis_tot_ntype
external paw_basis_tot_ntype
integer paw_basis_tot_nbasis
external paw_basis_tot_nbasis
integer paw_basis_tot_ngrid
external paw_basis_tot_ngrid
integer paw_basis_tot_ngridbasis
external paw_basis_tot_ngridbasis
double precision paw_basis_ion_charge
external paw_basis_ion_charge
double precision paw_basis_log_amesh
external paw_basis_log_amesh
double precision paw_basis_core_kin_energy
external paw_basis_core_kin_energy
double precision paw_basis_sigma
external paw_basis_sigma
double precision paw_basis_sphere_radius
external paw_basis_sphere_radius
double precision paw_basis_eig
external paw_basis_eig
double precision paw_basis_core_charge
external paw_basis_core_charge
integer paw_basis_n_ps
external paw_basis_n_ps
integer paw_basis_n
external paw_basis_n
integer paw_basis_mult_l
external paw_basis_mult_l
integer paw_basis_i_orb_l
external paw_basis_i_orb_l
integer paw_basis_i_pr_n
integer paw_basis_i_pr_n_ps
integer paw_basis_i_eig
integer paw_basis_i_core_density
integer paw_basis_i_ps_core_density
integer paw_basis_i_core_density_prime
integer paw_basis_i_ps_core_density_prime
integer paw_basis_i_v_ps
integer paw_basis_i_phi_ae
integer paw_basis_i_phi_ps
integer paw_basis_i_phi_ae_prime
integer paw_basis_i_phi_ps_prime
integer paw_basis_i_prj_ps
integer paw_basis_i_prj_ps0
integer paw_basis_i_nbasis
integer paw_basis_i_ngrid
integer paw_basis_i_mult_l
integer paw_basis_i_r1
integer paw_basis_i_rmax
integer paw_basis_i_i_cut
integer paw_basis_i_sigma
integer paw_basis_i_log_amesh
integer paw_basis_i_ion_charge
integer paw_basis_i_core_charge
integer paw_basis_i_core_kin_energy
integer paw_basis_i_rgrid
integer paw_basis_max_mult_l
integer paw_basis_i_i_start
integer paw_basis_i_i_end
integer paw_basis_i_npoints
integer paw_basis_i_start
integer paw_basis_i_end
integer paw_basis_npoints
external paw_basis_i_pr_n
external paw_basis_i_pr_n_ps
external paw_basis_i_eig
external paw_basis_i_core_density
external paw_basis_i_ps_core_density
external paw_basis_i_core_density_prime
external paw_basis_i_ps_core_density_prime
external paw_basis_i_v_ps
external paw_basis_i_phi_ae
external paw_basis_i_phi_ps
external paw_basis_i_phi_ae_prime
external paw_basis_i_phi_ps_prime
external paw_basis_i_prj_ps
external paw_basis_i_prj_ps0
external paw_basis_i_nbasis
external paw_basis_i_ngrid
external paw_basis_i_mult_l
external paw_basis_i_r1
external paw_basis_i_rmax
external paw_basis_i_i_cut
external paw_basis_i_sigma
external paw_basis_i_log_amesh
external paw_basis_i_ion_charge
external paw_basis_i_core_charge
external paw_basis_i_core_kin_energy
external paw_basis_i_rgrid
external paw_basis_max_mult_l
external paw_basis_i_i_start
external paw_basis_i_i_end
external paw_basis_i_npoints
external paw_basis_i_start
external paw_basis_i_end
external paw_basis_npoints
c double precision dabsmax
c external dabsamx
c $Id$
|
Expert Private Detectives in Bristol
25 Years Experience With Male & Female Private Detectives Available
Tips For Surveillance
Private investigators and private detectives call for knowledge in the different places of investigation; 1 main area where a private investigator or a private detective should be quite well versed on is the location of surveillance. Surveillance is actually a procedure that is crucial to the method of investigation. It truly is important due to the fact it helps investigators observe target individuals or suspects on their day-to-day routine, which may possibly give clues crucial to the investigation. Surveillance can be a quite dangerous field. If the surveillance method is compromised, it may possibly then result to a legal battle or worst a physical altercation, which could result in injury or even death of either the suspect or the private investigator.
Because of the harmful nature of surveillance that private investigators and private detectives are usually encouraged to practice correct surveillance technique so as not to compromise their position and ultimately not to jeopardise their investigation and their life. Here are some fundamental guidelines in surveillance that might prove to be beneficial for private detectives and private investigators.
1. When tailing a car at close distance in an area where there is heavy visitors, you need to remain calm and inconspicuous. Remaining calm and unsuspecting is important, just act like any other motorist. Acting like will make it less likely to shed the suspects’ vehicle especially in locations exactly where you will find plenty of visitors lights.
three. Usually have your recording materials at hand for example your audio recorder or pen and paper as you only have a few minutes to record any observations that you simply think is vital to the investigation. It's also a superb notion to record events, as they happen to avoid either forgetting times or missing out important information.
4. Be cautious in utilizing the video recorders, do not be too obvious when you utilise a video recorder. If the suspect gets a glimpse of you making use of a video camera suspicions may possibly quickly arise and that could compromise your position or your investigation. Care is needed when performing surveillance on a suspect, keep in mind that above all of your life is of paramount importance, never ever do anything that would compromise your position, your investigation and most of all of your life.
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Bristol
Bristol is located in South West England and it has the status of a city and a county as well. The population of this city is around 456,000. It is one of the highly populated districts in England. With the cities of Gloucester and Bath, the city borders South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. In the 18th century, this city obtained the status of the county. And it has grown a lot since then.
Bristol
Bristol city council is one of the highly established councils in the UK. The administration is providing all the essential facilities to the residents. They are even making it easier for the visitors to take a visit to several visitor attractions. The residents can enjoy an ideal lifestyle here. There are many top class schools providing services in this city. Similarly, the health and safety measures are also addressed widely in this city.
Visit Bristol
The Bristol has a lot of things for you to discover. The story of this city is really interesting. So, you must come here to experience the story yourself. No one can deny the popularity of this incredible city. You can go there and see the most interesting and attractive places of the world. This city has a wide range of artwork displayed in it. So, you must take a visit to have a great experience.
SS Great Britain
Brunel's SS Great Britain is one of the greatest attractions of Bristol. There are many incredible things displayed here especially the ship that changed the world. The best thing about this museum is that you can visit at night on Thursdays. It provides you access to a wide variety of unique things. You may come here and expand your knowledge about the old things. You can even become a member of this museum if you are interested.
Clifton Suspension Bridge
One of the world's great bridges is Clifton Suspension Bridge and you must take a visit to this bridge when visiting Bristol. You can either plan a visit or book a tour before you even go there. You can learn many interesting things about the history of this incredible bridge. The Clifton Suspension trust owns and operates this bridge and it joins North Somerset and Bristol. You can come to visit the bridge anytime you want.
Kennet and Avon Canal
The London is linked with the Bristol Channel with the help of the Kennet & Avon Canal. There are thousands of people that come to visit this canal from around the world. Walking, boating and cycling are some incredible activities that people like to perform here in order to enjoy the peace and comfort of this beautiful place. The locals always come here when they are looking to spend a peaceful weekend with their family. |
Compliance Blog - R.J. Hedges & Associates
Pharmacists are becoming increasingly involved as healthcare providers. Every pharmacist in the United States can provide some type of immunization given that they are properly licensed. States have finally started recognizing pharmacists as key members of the immunization community.
A large part of implementing a successful immunization program is understanding all the components needed in order to offer the best services to your patients, while protecting your pharmacy. However, we have found that some pharmacists do not want to offer immunizations because it can be overwhelming when getting started. In this post we break down a big part of running an immunization business... understanding standing orders.
Written Prescriptions
A written prescription is the easiest type of order when administering a vaccine. The patient will bring in a prescription for a vaccine and give it to the pharmacist. The pharmacy may administer the vaccine from the written order to the patient and it allows you to immediately let you take care of the patient.
Standing Orders
A standing order is like a blanket order. These documents are a baseline template started at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and work in conjunction with the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) in St. Paul Minnesota. The IAC creates the template for all the standing orders. These documents can be amended but it is recommended that you stay with the standards. Standing Orders are signed by a local physician within your state. Once signed it then gives you permission to inoculate anyone with that particular vaccine.
Pharmacist tend to assume that the standing orders they have signed should be good for years. However, vaccines change and so does the treatment, take note of these two simple recommendations:
It is best that you get your standing orders renewed annually
Talk to the physician and create a good working relationship
There are currently eight states in which State Legislators and State Board of Pharmacy have granted pharmacists the ability to sign their own standing orders. Pharmacists are finally being recognized as a vital part of the healthcare structure.
Emergency Protocols
Another document you need to have in place is an emergency protocol. This document is used when a patient has an adverse reaction to a vaccine. An adverse reaction can vary from something minor to anaphylactic shock. In any case, you need to have emergency protocols in place and get them signed by a doctor. (If you are in a state that does not require a doctor to sign a standing order it is still highly recommended that a physician signs your emergency protocols). Having a physician date and sign the protocol gives the pharmacist more protection.
However, an emergency protocol is an ever-changing treatment procedure for a patient who has gone into distress from a vaccine. It is extremely important that you have this procedure in play and that you are prepared for an adverse reaction. Adverse reactions do happen, and the more vaccines you administer the higher the chance that you are going to have a patient that experiences one. If you do have a patient that does have an adverse reaction you will need to contact your liability insurance carrier and submit a claim. When you submit the claim to your insurance carrier they will ask you to send them your policy & procedure manual.
Immunization Policies & Procedures - Why are they important?
Currently, there is no federal mandate for pharmacies to have policies & procedures for immunizations. However, the American Pharmacists Association’s training program strongly recommends that you have a set of policies and procedures in place. Now is the time to start educating yourself on adverse reactions. Call your insurance company and make sure that you’re covered in case you have a patient that has an adverse reaction. It’s better to find out today what you need, rather than later.
If you need help with your immunization program, R.J. Hedges & Associates has a complete, turn-key Immunization Compliance Program. We work closely with the CDC and IAC and our program will show you how to get started and set up your pharmacy to do vaccines from start to finish.
Our program includes:
All your policies & procedures
Storage requirements
Customized standing orders
State specific requirements
Bloodborne Pathogen plan
We will also provide you with:
Screening questionnaires
Vaccine immunizations sheets
Many other resources for offering vaccines including worldwide travel vaccines
Jenny is a Board Certified DME Specialist and for the last 8 years has assisted independent pharmacies, home health care facilities, medical supply companies, physicians and small healthcare practices in choosing the best comprehensive customized healthcare compliance and consulting services they require. |
November 28, 2012 (Wed)
from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Hans Fritsch, President of Schlossadler International Wines
in Oceanside is pleased to host Michele Graber CSW of ‘M’ Wine Education &
Consulting, for their premiere wine education event on Wednesday,
November 28th at Schlossadler International located at 1625 Ord Way, Oceanside, CA
www.schlossadler.com.
For $30 you can join them on “A Red Wine Euro Adventure to Austria, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain…”
You don't have to be a jet-setter to enjoy this event, but if you are, at
the very least, somewhat enthralled by Europe's profound wine culture, then
this class is for you! After all, the 'Old World' is the birthplace of the
noble grape varieties we know today. In this escape to Europe you will,
however, be introduced to a diverse assortment of "not so familiar"
red grape varieties and their respective growing regions. These will include
the relatively familiar Tempranillo from Spain, and the not so familiar Dornfelder
from Germany. Serving, storage temperatures and "decoding" the label
will be covered. You will also learn the "pro" way to taste, along
with a few other tricks of the trade. Most importantly, 'M' hopes you find new
styles of wine to bring to your table.8
far from ordinary wines will be tasted. The event will begin at 6:00pm with welcome bubbly and light appetizers,
followed by a fun and educational seminar and tasting from 6:30-8:00pm. Don’t
miss out on this amazing opportunity for an evening of in-depth but fun wine
education.
Schlossadler has also
worked with Michele to offer promotional pricing on the evening’s wines and
their International Wine Club that will be available to purchase this night
only! To reserve your spot please contact Michele at [email protected] or purchase your
tickets through listing on Local Wine Events. |
846 F.Supp. 738 (1994)
Steve STONER, Plaintiff,
v.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Trade and Consumer Protection, Elizabeth Kohl, and Steve Steinhoff, Defendants.
No. 93-C-626-C.
United States District Court, W.D. Wisconsin.
March 17, 1994.
Robert J. Gingras, Gingras Law Office, Madison, WI, for Steve Stoner.
Richard Moriarty, Asst. Atty. Gen., Madison, WI, for Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Elizabeth Kohl, Steve Steinhoff.
OPINION AND ORDER
CRABB, Chief Judge.
In this civil action for monetary and injunctive relief, plaintiff is contending that defendants discriminated against him on the basis of his sex by failing to promote him to a new position in state government. He brings his suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Defendants have moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of jurisdiction. They contend that the recent amendments to the 1991 Civil Rights Act demonstrate a congressional intent to make Title VII the exclusive remedy for claims of employment discrimination brought by public employees and that plaintiff cannot utilize Title VII because he has not exhausted the administrative remedies that are a prerequisite to bringing a Title VII suit in federal court.
The only issue before the court is whether the 1991 Civil Rights Act precludes state and local government employees from suing under § 1983. Plaintiff has not alleged a violation of Title VII and has not evinced any apparent interest in doing so, making it a moot point whether he has met the statutory prerequisites for such a suit. I conclude that nothing in the 1991 Civil Rights Act demonstrates *739 that Congress intended to do away with the remedies available to public employees under § 1983. Accordingly, the motion to dismiss will be denied.
Plaintiff alleges that he applied for the position of Agricultural Supervisor 2-Food, Wisconsin State Department of Agriculture; that he scored higher on the qualification exam and in the scored interview than a female who applied for the same job, but that the female was hired. For the purpose only of deciding this motion, I assume that these allegations are true and that they support a claim of discrimination based on sex.
OPINION
Defendants admit that the 1991 Civil Rights Act contains no express statement revealing Congress's intent that the amended Title VII would occupy the field of employment discrimination and thereby preempt all claims brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for discrimination in public employment, but they argue that such intent can be inferred from a review of the statute's omissions, the act's structure and the enhanced remedies added to Title VII.
As an initial matter, defendants argue that plaintiff must bear the burden of proving that jurisdiction exists and must establish that Congress did not intend to bar actions under § 1983 to public employees. Although it is true that a plaintiff must establish jurisdiction, defendants are arguing that long settled law in this circuit has changed. On that issue, they bear the burden of persuasion. See, e.g., Green v. Bock Laundry Machine Co., 490 U.S. 504, 521, 109 S.Ct. 1981, 1991, 104 L.Ed.2d 557 (1989) "[a] party contending that legislative action changed settled law has the burden of showing that the legislature intended such a change." See also Wright v. Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Auth., 479 U.S. 418, 423, 107 S.Ct. 766, 770, 93 L.Ed.2d 781 (1987):
[I]f there is a state deprivation of a "right" secured by a federal statute, § 1983 provides a remedial cause of action unless the state actor demonstrates by express provision or other specific evidence from the statute itself that Congress intended to foreclose such private enforcement.
The passage of a comprehensive remedial scheme may signal congressional intent to foreclose other remedies. See, e.g., Middlesex County Sewerage Auth. v. National Sea Clammers Ass'n, 453 U.S. 1, 101 S.Ct. 2615, 69 L.Ed.2d 435 (1981) (elaborate provisions in Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 authorizing enforcement suits by government officials and private citizens indicate congressional intent that such remedies would be exclusive ones for violations of these acts). However, the Supreme Court has cautioned against reliance on the existence of a comprehensive administrative scheme as the sole basis for concluding that Congress wished to preempt constitutional claims based on 42 U.S.C. § 1983:
We do not lightly conclude that Congress intended to preclude reliance on 42 U.S.C. § 1983 as a remedy for a substantial equal protection claim. Since 1871, when it was passed by Congress, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 has stood as an independent safeguard against deprivations of federal constitutional and statutory rights.
Smith v. Robinson, 468 U.S. 992, 1012, 104 S.Ct. 3457, 3468, 82 L.Ed.2d 746 (1984). In Smith, the Supreme Court concluded that the Education of the Handicapped Act preempted a constitutional claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Id. at 1009, 104 S.Ct. at 3466-67. In reaching this conclusion, the Court reasoned that
Both the provisions of the statute and its legislative history indicate that Congress intended handicapped children with constitutional claims to a free appropriate public education to pursue those claims through the carefully tailored administrative and judicial mechanism set out in the statute.
Id. In Brown v. General Services Administration, 425 U.S. 820, 96 S.Ct. 1961, 48 L.Ed.2d 402, (1976), the Supreme Court held that federal employees could not maintain suits under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 against the United States in light of the 1972 amendments to Title VII. Although the amendments themselves did not make express Congress's intent to "create an exclusive, *740 preemptive administrative and judicial scheme for the redress of federal employment discrimination," the Court derived this intent from the Senate and House Reports and the floor debates. Id. at 828-29, 96 S.Ct. at 1966. Both the legislative history and the comprehensiveness of the scheme laid out in Title VII supported the inference that Congress had intended that Title VII function as the sole remedy for intentional employment discrimination in federal employment. Id. at 829, 96 S.Ct. at 1966. The question of implied repeal was not significant in Brown; before 1972, it was highly questionable whether federal employees had any right to bring suit under § 1981. Id. at 825-28, 96 S.Ct. at 1964-66.
In both Brown, 425 U.S. 820, 96 S.Ct. 1961, and Smith, 468 U.S. 992, 104 S.Ct. 3457, the Supreme Court held that implied preclusion can be found only if there is some other evidence of congressional intent such as legislative history, in addition to the existence of a comprehensive scheme. The Court has stated that it is
disinclined, in the face of congressional emphasis upon the existence and independence of the two remedies [Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1981], to infer any positive preference for one over the other, without a more definite expression in the legislation Congress has enacted, as for example, a proscription of an § 1981 action while an EEOC claim is pending.
Johnson v. Railway Express Agency, 421 U.S. 454, 461, 95 S.Ct. 1716, 1720-21, 44 L.Ed.2d 295 (1975).
The legislative history accompanying the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-16, expressed Congress's intent that the provisions extending equal employment opportunities to state and local employees were not to displace existing rights of action under § 1983. Although Title VII did not then contain the remedies and procedural rights that were added in the 1991 Civil Rights Act, it was considered a comprehensive remedial scheme. Trigg v. Fort Wayne Community Schools, 766 F.2d 299 (7th Cir.1985) (rejecting argument that merely because Title VII was a comprehensive remedial scheme, legislative history made it clear that 1972 amendments extending statute to state and local employees did not reflect congressional intent to make Title VII exclusive remedy for public employees). Defendants contend that the 1991 amendments to Title VII are significantly different from the 1972 amendments because they omit any similar expression of congressional intent to maintain existing § 1983 remedies. Defendants argue that the only basis for the result in Trigg (that Title VII did not extend to state employees) was the language in the legislative history of the 1972 legislation and that when such explicit language is missing, as it is from the 1991 Civil Rights Act, there is no longer any basis on which to conclude that the comprehensiveness of the scheme is not intended to make Title VII an exclusive remedy. Defendants place more weight on the omission of specific legislative history than is warranted. When Congress passed the 1991 Act, it did so against the backdrop of the 1972 Act. It had no reason to reiterate its prior position that Title VII was not intended as a replacement for § 1983.
Defendants argue the importance of two other omissions from the act. They contend that the conspicuous omission of any reference in the act to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 provides evidence of a congressional intent to allow preemption. It is true that in the act, Congress provided expressly for the preservation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981, but made no similar reference to § 1983. In a section intended to overturn the result in Patterson v. McLean Credit Union, 491 U.S. 164, 109 S.Ct. 2363, 105 L.Ed.2d 132 (1989), Congress provided that
[n]othing in this section shall be considered to limit the scope of, or the relief available under, section 1977 or the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. § 1981).
Civil Rights Act of 1991, Pub.L. No. 102-166, 105 Stat. 1073 (1991). However, the legislative history shows that Congress was concerned only with the scope of § 1981 when it enacted this section in an effort to counteract the effects of the Patterson decision. The House Committee on Education and Labor reported that
[t]he Committee finds that the Supreme Court's ruling in Patterson conflicts with a *741 substantial body of case law defining the scope of section 1981 .... As a consequence, the Committee concludes that there is a compelling need for legislation to overrule the Patterson decision and ensure that federal law prohibits all race discrimination in all phases of the contractual relationship.
H.R.Rep. No. 102-40(I), 102nd Cong., 1st Sess., reprinted in 1991 U.S.C.C.A.N. 549, 630. Given the very narrow purpose underlying the adoption of the § 1981 savings clause, it is not possible to draw any clear inference from that clause about Congress's intent for § 1983 causes of action.
A second omission provides more grist for defendants' mill. They suggest that the failure to adopt proposed § 209 of H.R. 102-40(I) in the final language of the 1991 Civil Rights Act confirms that Congress did not intend to preserve other civil rights laws. As drafted, § 209 provided, in pertinent part:
Long-standing rules of statutory construction are codified to provide that civil rights statutes should be interpreted broadly to effectuate their remedial purposes. Courts have to select the construction which most effectively advances the underlying congressional purposes of such laws, such as providing equal opportunity and effective remedies for victims of discrimination.
Also codified is the well-established rule that in construing one federal law protecting civil rights, the courts are not to infer that other federal laws protecting civil rights have implicitly repealed or amended such laws. That same principle is applied to the amendments made by this legislation.
1991 U.S.C.C.A.N. 651. The history does not reveal why § 209 was rejected. It could be that the drafters rejected the concept expressed in the provision; it could just as easily be that the drafters thought the provision unnecessary. Congress's failure to enact this provision sheds little light on its intent to preserve or to preclude § 1983 remedies for public employees.
Finally, defendants argue that the purpose underlying the 1991 Civil Rights Act is to provide adequate protection to the victims of discrimination and that once Congress chose to bring Title VII up to remedial parity with 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for public sector employees, § 1983 is no longer necessary. Two purposes inform the 1991 Civil Rights Act. The legislation serves as a congressional response to the Supreme Court's recent decisions by restoring civil rights protections, 1992 U.S.C.C.A.N. 556, and represents an attempt to strengthen existing remedies to provide more effective deterrence and ensure compensation equal to the harm suffered by victims of intentional discrimination. Id. Congress has made it clear that no single approach to the problem of employment discrimination can be a panacea. See Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co., 415 U.S. 36, 94 S.Ct. 1011, 39 L.Ed.2d 147 (1974). All of this makes it unlikely that when Congress enacted the 1991 Civil Rights Act, it intended to eliminate a constitutional cause of action that had been available for over one hundred years.
Defendants place weight on Marrero-Rivera v. Dept. of Justice, 800 F.Supp. 1024 (D.P.R.1992), in which the district court found that Congress had intended to make Title VII the exclusive remedy for victims of discrimination in public employment when it enhanced the remedies available under Title VII. The court reached this conclusion because it found no logical reason to believe that Congress would preserve a cause of action that allows plaintiffs to bypass Title VII now that Title VII contains all of the remedial advantages that were formerly available only under § 1983. With respect, I do not find the opinion in Marrero-Rivera convincing. The court did not take into account the power of the legislature to provide overlapping and duplicative remedial schemes if it chooses to do so. See, e.g., Storey v. Board of Regents, 600 F.Supp. 838, 839 (W.D.Wis.1985). In addition, the court does not explain why, if the comprehensiveness of the remedial scheme of Title VII was not considered sufficient to bar the use of § 1983 before the passage of the 1991 Civil Rights Act, see, e.g., Lipsett v. University of Puerto Rico, 864 F.2d 881, 896 (1st Cir.1988), a mere change in the remedies available under the act would bar the use of § 1983 now. *742 Ordinarily, in analyzing whether Congress intended a particular remedial scheme to be an exclusive remedy, it is not determinative whether the scheme provides all of the remedies it could. See, e.g., Smith v. Robinson, 468 U.S. 992, 104 S.Ct. 3457, 82 L.Ed.2d 746 (statutory remedy under Education of the Handicapped Act is a comprehensive one intended to preclude resort to other remedies although it does not include right to attorney's fees); Middlesex County Sewerage Auth., 453 U.S. 1, 101 S.Ct. 2615, 69 L.Ed.2d 435 (comprehensive statutory schemes of pollution act and marine protection act do not include private right of action); Brown, 425 U.S. 820, 96 S.Ct. 1961 (Title VII is comprehensive remedial scheme for federal employees although it lacks remedies available to private employees).
As a general rule, civil rights legislation is to be construed liberally to effectuate the statute's remedial purpose. See, e.g., Keller v. Prince George's County, 827 F.2d 952 (4th Cir.1987) (implicit repeal of earlier civil rights statutes is problematic since such repeal would ignore the social malady Title VII was intended to help eradicate). It is a well settled canon of statutory construction that remedial statutes, such as civil rights laws, are to be broadly construed. See Norman J. Singer, Sutherland, Statutory Construction, § 60.01 (5th ed. 1992). Nothing in the purposes of the 1991 Civil Rights Act supports a finding that Congress intended to bar public employees from using 42 U.S.C. § 1983. In the absence of any evidence beyond the strengthening of an already comprehensive administrative scheme to suggest that Congress intended to preclude the use of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for claims of discrimination in public employment, I am unwilling to read such an intent into the 1991 Civil Rights Act.
ORDER
IT IS ORDERED that the motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction filed by defendants Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Elizabeth Kohl and Steve Steinhoff is DENIED.
|
-28 - -22. Let l = 5.5 + d. What is the closest to 0.1 in -4, l, 4?
l
Let u = -0.0284 - -0.0284. What is the closest to u in 0.2, -2/9, -1/9?
-1/9
Let v be (-3 + 2)/(5 + -4). Let t(y) = -2*y + 1. Let z be t(v). Which is the nearest to -2? (a) 0 (b) z (c) 4
a
Let p be (-108)/20 + (-4)/(-10). Which is the nearest to 0.1? (a) -0.04 (b) p (c) 5 (d) -3
a
Let i = 1/38 - 5/38. Which is the nearest to 1? (a) i (b) 0.12 (c) 1 (d) -5
c
Let t = -0.02066 + 1.02066. Let v = -0.01 + 2.01. Which is the nearest to v? (a) t (b) -2/7 (c) 0.1
a
Let f be (0 - -2)/((-2)/(-4)). Which is the nearest to -1? (a) -2/7 (b) f (c) -0.3 (d) -18
c
Let h = -0.198 - -0.198. Which is the nearest to -0.1? (a) -2/9 (b) h (c) 2
b
Let j be (0/1)/(-2 - 0). Let c = -32.76 - -33. Let b = -0.34 + c. What is the nearest to b in 4, j, -2/7?
j
Let a = -993 + 990. What is the closest to -1/2 in 5, a, 1, -4/5?
-4/5
Let b = 1730/7 + -248. What is the closest to 1/3 in b, 5, -2, 1?
1
Let k = -6.15 - -1.15. Let h = -1/34 + -31/102. Let s = 0.11 - 0.11. What is the closest to s in k, -2, h?
h
Let j = -4.59 + 4.39. Which is the nearest to 1/14? (a) j (b) 0.4 (c) 0.3
c
Suppose a - 8 = -3*a. Let o be (((-220)/135)/22)/(2/12). What is the nearest to a in 1/8, o, 0.3?
0.3
Let c = 122.05 - 125. Let k = c - -3. Let x = -4.05 + k. What is the nearest to 0 in x, 2/9, -1?
2/9
Let x = 226.1 - 226. What is the closest to x in -1/3, 0.6, 0.4?
0.4
Let d = -0.313 - -0.213. Which is the closest to d? (a) -2/3 (b) -0.3 (c) 0
c
Let v = -307.8 - -307. What is the nearest to v in -0.4, 5, -0.5?
-0.5
Let a = 0.2892 + 0.0108. What is the nearest to -0.4 in 2, a, -4, 0.04?
0.04
Let b(k) = k**2 - 6*k - 4. Let t be b(5). Let x be ((-9)/351*13)/(2*1). What is the closest to -1 in 0.4, x, t?
x
Let p = -161 + 160. Which is the closest to -4/13? (a) -2 (b) p (c) -0.5
c
Let z = 0.0348 + 0.2652. Which is the nearest to -24? (a) -1/9 (b) 0 (c) z (d) -0.3
d
Let q = -114 + 113.058. Let j = q - 0.058. Which is the closest to j? (a) -1 (b) 0.1 (c) 3
a
Let p be (1/2)/(19/(-4)). Suppose 5*q - 1043 = -530 - 538. Which is the closest to 2? (a) q (b) 4/7 (c) p
b
Let j be 2 + 78/63*12/(-8). Suppose 15 = -5*x - y, 5*y + 32 = -5*x - 3. Which is the nearest to -2? (a) x (b) j (c) -3
a
Let t = 0.85 + -2.53. Let m = t - -4.84. Let b = -0.16 + m. What is the closest to -2 in 0.4, b, 0?
0
Let s(r) = 2*r + 1. Let h be s(0). Let k = 7 - 4. Which is the nearest to h? (a) 2/15 (b) k (c) -5
a
Let q be (-1)/(-2)*(-6)/(-9). Suppose -i + 12 = 3*c, 4*i + 3*c - 6 = 5*c. What is the nearest to q in 0, i, 2?
0
Let r = 52 + -43. Let o be (14/r)/1 + -2. Which is the nearest to 0.1? (a) 2 (b) -1/6 (c) o
b
Suppose 6*y - 2*y = -8. Let u(q) = -q**3 + 2*q - 1. Let o be u(1). Let w = -2/173 - -396/4325. Which is the nearest to o? (a) y (b) w (c) 0.5
b
Let i = 71 - 71.22. Let f = -0.02 - i. Let o = -2.94 + -0.06. Which is the nearest to f? (a) o (b) 0.4 (c) 2/15
c
Let j = -532/55 + 102/11. Suppose 0 = 2*z + 4*y + 18, -3*z + 34*y - 38*y - 19 = 0. Which is the nearest to j? (a) -3 (b) -9 (c) z
c
Let y = -84 + 82. Which is the closest to 3? (a) y (b) 4 (c) -2/9 (d) -3
b
Let c = -14/5 - -37/15. Let k = 0.04 - 2.04. Let n = k - -2.2. What is the closest to c in 1, 0, n?
0
Let t = -146 + 146.241. Let f = t - 0.141. Which is the nearest to f? (a) 1/4 (b) 1 (c) 0
c
Let q = -206 - -208. What is the closest to -0.2 in -0.2, q, 0.3, 0.23?
-0.2
Let d = 137.1 - 137.6. What is the nearest to 18 in -2, 8, -0.1, d?
8
Let p = 57.3 + -62. Let r = 1.7 + p. Which is the nearest to 4? (a) r (b) 0.1 (c) -0.3
b
Let w = -16 + 34. Let z = w - 32. Let y = z + 14.1. Which is the nearest to y? (a) 1/2 (b) 0.3 (c) 0.1
c
Let h be ((-4 + 2)/(-9 - -10))/5. Which is the nearest to 2? (a) h (b) -5 (c) -1
a
Let p = 1.8 + -2. Let v be ((-8)/4)/(-18 - 2). Let x = 7/5 + v. What is the closest to 2 in x, -2/13, p?
x
Let d = -1 + 0.8. Let v(x) = -x**3 + x**2 + 2*x + 1. Let n be v(2). Which is the nearest to 0? (a) 2/13 (b) d (c) n
a
Let u = -16 + 16. Let c = -72848/57 - -1278. What is the nearest to c in 2/7, u, -3?
u
Let r = 31/12 + -11/4. Let t = 4.34 - -0.46. Let n = t + -5.1. What is the closest to -1 in n, 3, r?
n
Let k = -1 - -2. Let o = 0.323 - 0.523. Let h = -48.9 + 49. What is the nearest to 0.04 in o, k, h?
h
Let i = 961 - 961.4. What is the nearest to 8/13 in -4, -1, i, -1/3?
-1/3
Let g(a) = -2*a**2 + 14*a + 287. Let j be g(16). Let i = -80/3 + 27. What is the closest to j in i, 1/2, 6?
i
Let x be 3*1/(21/2). Let k be (-24)/12 + -5 - -7. Which is the closest to 0? (a) k (b) -0.2 (c) x
a
Let r = -425242/7 + 60919. Let x = -171 + r. Which is the nearest to 0.1? (a) 0 (b) -1/4 (c) x
a
Let g = 486/1265 - -4/253. What is the nearest to -17 in g, -2/7, 0.3, 0.5?
-2/7
Let f be ((-6)/34)/(6/4). Which is the nearest to 2/5? (a) 1/11 (b) -0.3 (c) f
a
Let n = -0.427 - 0.023. Let s = n - -0.85. Which is the closest to -0.1? (a) -1 (b) s (c) 3/14
c
Let u = -11 + 9.8. Let b = -1.8 + u. What is the nearest to b in -4, 4, -3?
-3
Let m = 112 + -79. Let y = 33.4 - m. What is the nearest to 1/4 in y, 3, 2/7?
2/7
Let p = -94.98 + 95.98. Suppose 2*j - 4 = 0, -5*j = -2*k - 5 + 1. Which is the nearest to p? (a) 0.5 (b) -0.37 (c) k
a
Let r = -2.0418 - -0.0418. Which is the closest to -1? (a) r (b) 3 (c) 6
a
Let d = 14 + -14. Which is the closest to -1? (a) 11 (b) -2/9 (c) d
b
Suppose 0 = -5*z + o + 2*o + 58, 4*z = o + 45. Let g(j) = -j**3 + j**2 - j + 5. Let i be g(0). Suppose 0 = i*n + z + 4. What is the closest to 5 in n, -0.4, -4?
-0.4
Let v = 5023 + -1210545/241. Let n = v - -500/2169. Let t(z) = -z**2 - 5*z + 6. Let w be t(-6). What is the nearest to w in n, -0.5, -1/6?
-1/6
Let n = 37 - 36. What is the closest to n in 4, 9/4, 2?
2
Let y be (-2)/(-32)*(10 - 6). What is the nearest to -73 in -0.4, -3/8, y?
-0.4
Let o = 2.2 + -2. Let w = -0.14 - -0.03. Let r = w - 0.19. Which is the closest to o? (a) -0.2 (b) r (c) -2
a
Let h = 0.2 - -0.8. Let g = h + -1.1. Let o = -2.04 + 0.04. Which is the closest to 1/3? (a) g (b) o (c) 2/3
c
Suppose 5*w - 8*w + 3*l = 0, 3*w - 5*l = -10. Let q = -0.053 - 8.147. Let f = 8.5 + q. Which is the closest to -0.1? (a) f (b) w (c) -0.08
c
Let s = 2.63 - 31.73. Let n = s - -29. Which is the nearest to n? (a) -2/5 (b) 0.5 (c) -0.3
c
Suppose l = 0, 5 = -3*k - 2*l - 16. Which is the nearest to k? (a) -4 (b) 2 (c) -14
a
Let y = 1.561 - 0.561. Which is the nearest to y? (a) 5 (b) 39/4 (c) 2
c
Let g = -93 - -56. Let n = -112/3 - g. Which is the closest to -0.1? (a) 0 (b) 0.1 (c) n
a
Let n be ((-6)/(-21))/((-27)/63). Let i = 3 + 1. Which is the nearest to 0? (a) i (b) n (c) 3
b
Let f = 555.5 + -556. Let t = -2 - -3. What is the closest to t in 4/31, 3, f?
4/31
Let d = -10.5 + 14. Let j = 109.9 - 111.9. What is the nearest to -0.1 in -0.2, j, d?
-0.2
Let z = -0.0509 + 0.0109. Which is the closest to 1/2? (a) z (b) -0.3 (c) -7
a
Let j be ((48/(-20))/(-6))/(21/30). What is the closest to -0.16 in -0.2, -1/2, -3, j?
-0.2
Let n be (1022/98 - 2) + -9. What is the nearest to n in 0.2, -0.3, 4?
-0.3
Let r = 6 + -6.1. Let j = 0.07 + r. Let d = 2.97 - j. Which is the closest to -0.1? (a) -5 (b) 0.2 (c) d
b
Let f = -0.01 - 0.09. Let y = -1 + 2. Let a be (4/42)/y*3. What is the closest to f in a, 2/5, 2?
a
Let u = -16.8 - -17.1. Let d = -0.1 + u. Let x = 0.2 + -0.4. Which is the closest to x? (a) 0.1 (b) 4/7 (c) d
a
Let b = 24 + -24. Suppose -20*l + 25*l - 5 = b. What is the nearest to 0 in 1/8, -2/7, l?
1/8
Suppose -h = -5*r, 76*r = -4*h + 74*r + 22. Which is the closest to 1? (a) h (b) -1/2 (c) -2.3 (d) -2
b
Let p = -0.0883 + -0.0117. What is the closest to p in 2/15, 4, -1, 3/28?
3/28
Let k = 3 + -2.9. Let s = -0.4 + k. Let u = -0.04 + -1.96. What is the nearest to -1/2 in s, u, 2?
s
Let h = 0 - 0.5. Let k be -166*(4/(-10) + 9/(-90)). Let j = -88 + k. What is the nearest to 2 in -0.3, h, j?
-0.3
Let c = -0.2 - 0.3. Let u(i) = i**3 - 17*i**2 - 23*i - 289. Let d be u(19). What is the closest to -5 in d, 2/5, c?
d
Let m = 1.4 - -23.6. Let q = 2.6 + 22.6. Let v = q - m. Which is the closest to 1/4? (a) -2/5 (b) v (c) 6
b
Suppose 2*p - p - w - 2 = 0, -5*w = 10. W |
Comparative decorporation efficacy of 3,4,3-LIHOPO, 4,4,4-LIHOPO and DTPA after contamination of rats with soluble forms of 238Pu and 233U.
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of DTPA, 3,4,3-LIHOPO and a newly synthesised molecule, 4,4,4-LIHOPO, in removing 233U and 238Pu after internal contamination by soluble forms of those nuclides. For this purpose, intravenous injections of DTPA (30 micromol kg(-1)) or 3,4,3-LIHOPO or 4,4,4-LIHOPO at dosages of 0.3 or 30 micromol kg(-1) were performed 1, 6 and 24 h after contamination of rats by intravenously injected 238Pu citrate and 1 h after intravenous injection of 233U nitrate. Actinide content in the main retention organs and cumulated excretion were measured 48 h after contamination. These experiments show similar decorporation efficacies of 4,4,4-LIHOPO and 3,4,3-LIHOPO for Pu, which are much higher than that of DTPA. At a dosage of 0.3 micromol kg(-1), the two LIHOPO analogues were as efficient as DTPA at a dosage of 30 micromol kg(-1). After U contamination, a 20% decorporation efficacy was obtained for either 3,4,3-LIHOPO or 4,4,4-LIHOPO at a dosage of 30 micromol kg(-1). |
Development of immunity to lungworm in vaccinated calves treated with an ivermectin sustained release bolus or an oxfendazole pulse release bolus at turnout.
The ivermectin sustained release bolus (IVSRB), when used at turnout as recommended, will provide season-long control of parasitic bronchitis, thus obviating the need for use of a lungworm vaccine. However, some concerns have been expressed that calves treated with an IVSRB will receive so little exposure to Dictyocaulus viviparus that it will compromise their immunity in subsequent grazing seasons, which would be of particular importance in dairy herds. Although there is evidence that IVSRB-treated calves can develop immunity to D. viviparus when exposed to pasture infection, it was considered worthwhile to evaluate the compatibility of the IVSRB and lungworm vaccination to allow veterinary surgeons the option of using these products concurrently when they have particular concerns about the long term immune status of replacement dairy heifers. Thirty-two dairy replacement heifers were vaccinated with two doses of lungworm vaccine and, at turnout, half the calves received an IVSRB and the remainder an oxfendazole pulse release bolus (OPRB). At the end of the grazing season four replicate bolus treated pairs and four parasite-naive calves were challenged with 1000 D. viviparus infective larvae. At slaughter there was a 95% and 93% reduction in D. viviparus burdens in the IVSRB and OPRB treated calves respectively, compared with the unvaccinated, untreated controls. These results indicate that where it is considered necessary to use lungworm vaccination in addition to an IVSRB or an OPRB, the compatibility of these products with lungworm vaccine will allow development of a protective level of immunity to D. viviparus. |
Home cooked meal is always healthy. Although I buy my meat from supermarket, I prefer locally sourced meat when I make my burgers; that way I support my local economy and little people as well. Hope this… - Ridwan Jaafar - Instawell |
However, there is something I really need to be able to do :
- having the board itself on forums .mywebsite.com (as it is now)
- having the IP Content accessible through www .mywebsite.com/URL for news, articles, ... (in order to replace some scripts I coded myself back in the days) |
Q:
Submitting score to GameCenter using RoboVM and libgdx
I am using libgdx and robovm.
I get an error when I try to submit the score to the leaderboard on GameCenter on iOS. I am able to show the leaderboard. This is the error I get:
*** Terminating app due to uncaught exception 'GKInvalidArgumentException', reason: 'A GKScore must specify a leaderboard.'
libc++abi.dylib: terminating with uncaught exception of type NSException
It is similar to this SO-post, but it is objective-c so I dont understand the answer.
This is my code for showing the leaderboard (this works)
public void getLeaderboardGPGS() {
// If player is not authenticated, do nothing
if (!GKLocalPlayer.getLocalPlayer().isAuthenticated()) {
return;
}
GKGameCenterViewController gameCenterView = new GKGameCenterViewController();
gameCenterView.setGameCenterDelegate(new GKGameCenterControllerDelegateAdapter() {
@Override
public void didFinish (GKGameCenterViewController gameCenterViewController) {
dismissViewControllerAndNotifyListener(gameCenterViewController, GKGameCenterViewControllerState.Leaderboards);
}
});
gameCenterView.setViewState(GKGameCenterViewControllerState.Leaderboards);
gameCenterView.setLeaderboardIdentifier(identifier);
keyWindow.getRootViewController().presentViewController(gameCenterView, true, null);
}
This is my code for submiting the score (this does not work)
public void submitScoreGPGS(int score, MyLeaderBoardCallback callback) {
// If player is not authenticated, do nothing
if (!GKLocalPlayer.getLocalPlayer().isAuthenticated()) {
//listener.scoreReportFailed(buildUnauthenticatedPlayerError());
Gdx.app.log("Gamecenter","Notlogedin");
return;
}
GKScore scoreReporter = new GKScore(identifier);
scoreReporter.setValue(score);
scoreReporter.setLeaderboardIdentifier(identifier);
//scoreReporter.setShouldSetDefaultLeaderboard(true);
//scoreReporter.setContext(0);
NSArray<GKScore> scores = new NSArray<GKScore>(scoreReporter);
Gdx.app.log("Gamecenter","Report socre");
GKScore.reportScores(scores, new VoidBlock1<NSError>() {
@Override
public void invoke (NSError error) {
if (error != null) {
Gdx.app.log("Gamecenter","scorereportfailed");
} else {
Gdx.app.log("Gamecenter","scorereportcompleted");
}
}
});
}
Anyone knows what the problem might be? I have tried googleing but there is little information about "robovm and gamekit/gamecenter".
A:
The variable that contained the leaderboard id was garbage collected for some reason. Had to hard-code the string at scoreReporter.setLeaderboardIdentifier("my hard coded id"); . Weird....
|
Charles Adams-Woodbury Locke House
The Charles Adams-Woodbury Locke House is an historic house at 178 Central Street in Somerville, Massachusetts. The Greek Revival house was built about 1840 for a Boston leather merchant and was one of the first residences of a commuter, rather than a farmer, in the Winter Hill neighborhood of the city. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Description and history
The Adams House is located on the west side of Central Street, a short way south of Broadway, the major roadway that passes over Winter Hill. It is a 2-1/2 story wood frame structure, three bays wide, with a front-facing gable roof and clapboard siding. The building has wide corner boards and a broad entablature, and the gable is fully pedimented. A single-story porch extends across the front, supported by Doric columns, with a balustrade above. The main entrance is in the right-most bay, flanked by sidelight windows. The interior has retained much of its original woodwork.
Built about 1840, the house is a fine local example of Greek Revival architecture. Its original parcel of land (now subdivided into residential plots), extended from Broadway to Medford Street. Charles Adams was a farmer, state legislator, and one of the first tenants of Boston's Quincy Market. Adams gave land for a schoolhouse on Broadway (now the site of the Winter Hill Congregational Church). Woodbury Locke, a later resident, was involved in the leather business in Boston.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Somerville, Massachusetts
References
Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Somerville, Massachusetts
Category:Houses completed in 1840
Category:Greek Revival architecture in Massachusetts |
Italia Nostra
Italia Nostra (Our Italy) is an Italian not for profit campaigning organisation, dedicated to the protection and promotion of the country’s historical, artistic and environmental patrimony.
The organisation was founded in 1955 by a small group of people drawn from the Roman intelligentsia with the specific aim of opposing the projected demolition of part of the city’s historic centre. The promotion of an approach to urban planning which preserves sites of historic architecture have remained a focus of the movement; however its interests have expanded over time to include the preservation of all aspects of Italy’s cultural and environmental heritage, and more than 200 branches have been established across the country. Successes have included the campaign that led to the establishment of the Appian Way Regional Park in 1988.
Founding members included Desideria Pasolini dall'Onda, Antonio Cederna and Umberto Zanotti Bianco, the archaeologist and Italian senator for life, who became its first president. Later presidents of the organisation have included the writer Giorgio Bassani, Desideria Pasolini dall'Onda, the politician Carlo Ripa di Meana, and Giovanni Losavio who is the current incumbent.
References
External links
Category:Organizations established in 1955
Category:Conservation in Italy
Category:Environmental organisations based in Italy
Category:Cultural organisations based in Italy
Category:1955 establishments in Italy |
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<div class = "col-md-3 offset-md-1"><h2 class="talk-page">Speaker</h2><img src = "/events/2017-chicago/speakers/joe-nuspl.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="joe-nuspl"/><br /><br /><h4 class="talk-page"><a href = "/events/2017-chicago/speakers/joe-nuspl">
Joe Nuspl
</a></h4><a href = "https://twitter.com/JoeNuspl"><i class="fa fa-twitter fa-2x" aria-hidden="true"></i> </a><a href = "http://nvwls.github.io/"><i class="fa fa-home fa-2x" aria-hidden="true"></i> </a><br />
<span class="talk-page content-text">DevOps Kung-Fu Practitioner. Hiker. Father. Board Gamer. Aspiring Chef. DevOpsDays Portland Organizer. Principal Engineer at Workday.</span>
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This was my first time ever doing MDMA, I took a baloon of Nitrous before I took the pill, to get me in the mood for tripping. I loved the Nitrous, it made buzzing go through my body, and I smiled brightly. I took the pill right after that, I hadn't eaten for about 8 hours, so my stomach was empty. I chewed the pill with my front teeth, cause I was told that it would hit me faster that way, then I chased the nasty taste with cold water. It took only about 15 minutes before I started feeling different from every day reality. I was sitting by my cousin on a couch, then he gave me a back massage, and it send chills through my whole body, then I gave him a back massage.
Then I stood up and made myself feel fear, I usually do this on shrooms to test my ability to pull myself out of a bad trip. It was like a bad trip was almost impossible, the feeling of anxiety was numbed out, all I felt was tingling on my body instead. I than became very happy, I was in heaven, now I see why they call it Ecstasy. I hardly knew any of the people at this party, but they were rolling too, and it was like we already knew each other. I talked with people I didn't know, as if they were great friends of mine, we talked about negativity and why does it exist? What is the purpose of negativity? Why dont we just never feel negative again?
Everyone kept mentioning my pupils to me, so I went into the bathroom to check them out. I looked in the mirror and they were absolutely huge, I had no eye color, it was just one big huge pupil the took up almost my whole eye, it looked so awesome.
Then my cousin gave me two Nitrous wippets, and someone else gave me another one. I agreed to take a tripple nitrous hit, I borrowed this big can from someone, I put all three whippets into the big can thing one by one. Then I put the balloon on it and pulled the lever. This balloon was absolutely huge, I sat back on the couch as everyone gathered around me to give me an E rush, I looked at everyone and realized that I loved them all. Then I said, 'Goodbye everyone' with a smile, and started breathing in and out of the balloon. Next thing I know I'm floating above my body with the greatest feeling of joy, and I looked down, and I could see everyone around me, giving me an E rush, and everything was grey, my surroundings were grey, and all the people giving me an E rush looked grey. Then their seemed to be a moment of nothingness, then I came back to my body, with everyone still giving me an E rush. I was like, 'Holy Shit!, I was floating out of my body!, everything was grey'. Then someone said, 'I know!, it's always grey for me too!'. This experience was absolutely amazing, and I will never forget it.
COPYRIGHTS: All reports are copyright Erowid and you agree not to download or analyze the report data without contacting Erowid Center for permission first.
Experience Reports are the writings and opinions of the individual authors who submit them.
Some of the activities described are dangerous and/or illegal and none are recommended by Erowid Center. |
Black Island, Georgia
Black Island is a tidal island located just East of Darien, Georgia. It currently has a private gated residential community that is surrounded by native woodlands and marshes.
History
The island was once used as a lookout for Fort King George. Later it was used as a hunting preserve for R. J. Reynolds, Jr., who lived at a mansion on Sapelo Island.
References
Category:Barrier islands of Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Islands of McIntosh County, Georgia |
145 F.2d 791 (1944)
W. H. GUNLOCKE CHAIR CO.
v.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE.
No. 62.
Circuit Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.
November 16, 1944.
*792 *793 *794 *795 Goodwin, Nixon, Hargrave, Middleton & Devans, of Rochester, N. Y. (Scott Stewart, Jr., of Rochester, N. Y., of counsel), for petitioner.
*796 Samuel O. Clark, Jr., Asst. Atty. Gen., Sewald Key, J. Louis Monarch, and Robert Koerner, Sp. Assts. to Atty. Gen., for respondent.
Before SWAN, AUGUSTUS N. HAND, and FRANK, Circuit Judges.
FRANK, Circuit Judge.
The Tax Court found that taxpayer's earnings or profits were permitted to accumulate beyond the reasonable needs of the business. Under the express terms of § 102(c), this finding, if valid, created a presumption that the purpose of the accumulation was to avoid surtax upon the shareholders unless the taxpayer proved the contrary by a clear preponderance of the evidence. The Tax Court found that taxpayer had not done so. Both those findings constitute determinations of fact which, under the narrowest interpretation of Dobson v. Commissioner, 320 U.S. 489, 64 S.Ct. 239, we cannot disturb unless we consider them, as we do not, unsupported by substantial evidence. See Helvering v. National Grocery Co., 304 U.S. 282, 294, 58 S.Ct. 932, 82 L.Ed. 1346; Helvering v. Chicago Stockyards Co., 318 U.S. 693, 702, 63 S.Ct. 843, 87 L.Ed. 1086; Trico Products Corp. v. Commissioner, 2 Cir., 137 F. 2d 424, 426, certiorari denied 320 U.S. 799, 64 S.Ct. 369.
Affirmed.
|
A huge pack of ink shapes and textures as PNG files. Painted by inks on paper. Then all of these papers were scanned, edited in photoshop.
36 Unique ink abstract shapes - 3000 pixels size
This shapes are high resolution and could be a great addition to any project. Use them for cards, invitations, banners, templates, flyers, covers, posters, at print, web design, websites, apps, presentations, art, creating patterns, cases.
Some dark and gloomy night mystical elements, mushrooms, strange plants, owls, moths, moon and creepy eyes will help you to create special atmosphere of scary tale. You can easily mixed objects and receive interesting compositions, cards, posters or print for t-shirt or mug.
With this file you will be able to create awesome and unique greeting cards, invitations, logos, posters, baby shower cards, scrapbooking design and any type of designs. Watercolor paintings scanned at high resolution and have transparent background. |
Greetings,
These are the latest events related to the Jose LNG project:
A working group from the Ministry of Energy is furiously working to finish
the Gas Availability Report to be presented to the Ministry of Energy by the
end of this month. The balance of gas is the variable that, according to the
Ministry, will determine the fate of gas export projects. PDVSA-Gas is very
optimistic that the gas will be there (they are participating in the working
group, and pushing for a positive outcome).
The E&P Gas Round bid is proceeding according to schedule. Bids are expected
by the end of June and there seems to be significant interests from
participants. The Gas Availability Report would be made public after the bid
date, sometime in July (we would know before then, however).
Although a successful round will definitively help the project, the threshold
for success seems to be relatively low. If only two or three of the nine
fields are allocated, the round will still be considered successful. Even if
the fields are not allocated in this round, PDVSA-Gas would develop some of
them, and the LNG project would still be approved.
Regards,
ALF |
Breakfast links: Bacteria, weather patterns, and imports
Unleash the nanobots! A Scientific American article chronicles advances in nanotechnology, which allows researchers to harness some of our bacterial buddies and nemeses to deliver useful medication to sick cells. Which bacteria? There’s a ton, but the list includes E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes.
The next chapter in the “pink slime” saga unfolded Friday, with a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, which would require products that contain lean finely textured beef to be labeled. |
FAQ
LaneStarter Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Who should I contact if I have questions, or I want to talk through a LaneStarter idea?
So you have an idea…now what? Here’s a rundown of who to contact for more information:
If you have questions about your budget, or your department’s financial structure, contact the Budget Office: x3005 or [email protected]
If you have administrative questions about deadlines, committee members, or proposal submission, contact Deborah Butler: x5608 or [email protected]
If you have an idea you’d like to submit for LaneStarter consideration, and you’d like to get some feedback or guidance from someone familiar with the process, contact one of our LaneStarter Coaches. Coaches are applicants who have been successful getting funding through the LaneStarter process, and they are great resources if you’re not sure about whether your idea meets the LaneStarter criteria:
Since it’s inception in 2014, Lane Starter has funded several projects. With three opportunities each year to apply, we're adding to this list all the time.
Fitness Connection
This initiative will expand community access to and participation in Lane's Fitness Education Center facilities and programs through increased marketing and promotion efforts and expanded hours. This expansion will bring community members to campus and provide additional learning opportunities for Exercise Movement and Science students.
Training for Specialized Support Services
This program, in collaboration with the 4J School District and Lane ESD, will provide transition services to high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Students will have the opportunity to obtain vocational training and integrated employment, learning side by side with peers and non-disabled students.
Database Leveraging for KLCC:
KLCC raises the majority of its operating expenses through individual donations from community members. This project will enable KLCC to partner with an experienced marketing firm to build a fundraising campaign targeting past-year donors who have not yet renewed their commitment, as well as lapsed or inactive donors. Because this project is anticipated to increase donations within the first year, it will be self-sustaining and can be scaled over time to fit KLCC's needs and its mission of providing accessible, quality, learning-centered educational opportunities to the community.
What is an “entrepreneurial” idea?
Entrepreneurial programs and services have revenue-generating and/or enrollment-generating potential for the college. LaneStarter recognizes that it can be challenging to find funding for innovative ideas and new services when department budgets are already spread thin. The LaneStarter program offers funds that can fill the gap and help transform your great idea into reality.
How much money is available?
LaneStarter can award up to $50,000 per fiscal year, in amounts between $1,000 and $10,000 per proposal. Once funds are approved, you simply provide a FOAP for transfer, and LaneStarter takes care of the rest.
How is LaneStarter different from other one-time funding?
LaneStarter funds are available to all college departments. The funds aren’t restricted in terms of academic/college services/capital expense requirements like most other types of funding. Also, LaneStarter works on a rolling submission schedule, which means that you can submit a proposal at any time, and it will be considered by the committee once the next deadline has passed. Requests are reviewed by the LaneStarter committee in Fall, Winter and Spring terms, and proposals are generally due at the end of the 8th week of the term. For the current term deadline, see the LaneStarter web page.
How do I calculate the total cost of my idea?
You can provide a cost estimate in any format that fits your project needs. If your proposal includes labor or maintenance/facilities expenses outside of the standard budget of your department, make your best estimate of those items or contact the Budget Office for assistance. The Committee will also be look for information about anticipated revenue or enrollment increases associated with your proposal. Provide as much information as you can about how you reached your estimate. The committee may ask additional questions about your proposal if any of the information in your proposal is unclear, or if they’d like to review data used to create your proposal.
How are proposals selected for funding?
Once a deadline for submission has closed, LaneStarter committee members complete a score sheet for each proposal. They meet to discuss and share evaluations, and may request additional information if they have questions about a proposal. Once the committee has come to a decision about each proposal, funding recommendations are made to the Vice President of College Services.
Does my department get to keep any revenue earned by my proposal?
LaneStarter’s primary goal is to create a net-positive impact on the college’s General Fund and/or enrollment numbers. That said, it’s possible that net surplus could be available for reinvestment in your program, depending on your funding structure. If you have questions about how surplus would be treated in your proposal, contact the Budget Office at x3005.
Does it matter how my department is funded?
LaneStarter funds are available to all departments, regardless of funding structure. However, here are a few things to keep in mind:
The committee will assess, in addition to other criteria, whether your proposal is within the scope of your department’s existing funding structure. For example, for a program that operates in Fund 9, the committee might question why a revenue-generating activity hasn’t already been funded with available resources, since those programs are already designed to support entrepreneurship.
The objective of any proposal should be to have a net positive impact on the college’s general fund. If you have questions about your department’s funding structure, contact the Budget Office at x3005. |
The present invention is related to a plaster resistant to high temperatures in the order of 1350.degree. to 1400.degree. C; in other words, the invention is concerned with a refractory plaster material.
The conventional plasters constitute excellent insulating materials, but they are not adapted to be used at elevated temperatures. The CaSO.sub.4,1/2H.sub.2 O semi-hydrate, when hydrated to form plaster, will show cracks when exposed to temperatures of 200.degree. C. This deterioration will be accentuated, and the network formed by the cracks become most important, when the temperature reaches a value of approximately 900.degree. C, the material then losing all of its cohesion. At temperatures of about 1200.degree. C, SO.sub.2 will volatilize and the plaster will be structurally impaired by inflation or swelling due to re-hydration when the lime formed cools.
So-called "fire-retardant plasters" are known which, by dehydratation of the gypsum (CaSO.sub.4,2H.sub.2 O) and by their insulating power due to the presence of a light-weight additive (such as vermiculite, for example) exhibit effective fire-retardant properties. However they undergo rapid destruction when the temperature reaches values over 1000.degree. C.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a material containing plaster, overcomes the above-described drawbacks of the known materials and which exhibit satisfactory properties at temperature of up to 1350.degree.-1400.degree. C.
The material according to the invention retains its dimensional stability and is not altered when subjected to high temperatures, even when the latter reach 1400.degree. C. The novel material further exhibits excellent thermal shock-resisting properties under conditions of sudden temperature rise, and is explosion proof.
The thermically isolating and fire-retarding properties of a plaster according to the present invention are such that the latter is particularly well adapted to be used in the building industry. It may be used for the protection of walls and/or metallic beams, for the manufacture of structural squares or panels, etc.
The material according to the present invention comprises CaSO.sub.4 1/2H.sub.2 O, alumious filler and mineral fibres. Said material is a filler-containing plaster and it can be used in a manner similar to that applied to the known plasters, as far as moulding and the projecting techniques are concerned. The presence of the aluminous filler leads to the formation of stable C.sub.4 A.sub.3 S at temperatures up to 1400.degree. C. When an excess amount of alumina is present and when the temperature rises to values of above 1400.degree. C, formation of CA.sub.2 and CA.sub.6, which are restistant against humidity, is observed after evaporation or volatilization of SO.sub.3.
In the present description, C.sub.3 A.sub.4 S designates anhydrous calcium sulphoaluminate (4CaO, 3Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 SO.sub.3), while CA.sub.2 and CA.sub.6 designate, respectively, calcium dialuminate (CaO, 2Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) and calcium hexa-aluminate (CaO, 6Al.sub.2 0.sub.3).
The proportion of calcium sulfate with respect to the amount of filler material is defined by the ratio "Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CaO" which may vary from 1.20 to 12.
On the other hand, the fibres serve to reinforce the structure of the material and to avoid cracking; the proportion of fibres used can vary between 2 and 15%.
The aluminous filler material may be alumina or bauxite, or a mixture thereof. Preferably the ratio of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /CaO contained in the novel plaster is between 1.2 and 12 (by weight), and more preferably between about 2.5 and 5.
The calcium sulphate utilized in accordance with the present invention is preferably a calcium sulphate of a fine granulometric grade such that on sieving, using 100 micron meshes, the reject does not exceed a proportion of 25%; for example, a semi-hydrated C calcium sulphate or a B calcium sulphate may be used, i.e. a product the granulometric characteristics of which as determined by a method using a laser, correspond to those indicated in Table A herein below:
TABLE A ______________________________________ Passing through 100.mu. Laser granulometry mesh 2.mu. 4.mu. 8.mu. 16.mu. 32.mu. 64.mu. sieve ______________________________________ C 6 14 24 36 53 77 97 B 9 20 32 45 59 80 98 ______________________________________
Said calcium sulphate may also still subsist in the form of phosphogypsum, i.e. in the form of a plaster obtained from phosphogypsum, which is a by-product well-known in the phosphoric acid-producing industry.
The aluminous filler according to the invention can be constituted by any aluminous material having, after calcination of the material considered, an alumina content of more than 80% and preferably at least 85%, this alumina component being more particularly alumina A and/or white bauxite re-crushed to 6000 cm.sup.2 /g Blaine Specific Surface, the reject, when sieving through a 100 micron mesh sieve being less than 10%.
The fibres used in a proportion comprised between 2 and 25% and preferably 2 and 15% by weight of the mixture, and most preferably used in a proportion comprised between 4 and 6% are silicon-containing mineral fibres, silicon-and aluminum containing fibres which are currently used in the technical fields of building and refractory materials. Said fibres may also be constituted by silicon and calcium containing fibres.
Examples of convenient fibres are the fibres marketed under the commerical designations FIBRAL [by the firm named Societe d'Etude de Produits Refractaires (SEPR)], SAFFIL (ICI), KERLANE (SEPR), SEM-FIL (of FIBER GLASS), STRATIFIL (of Saint-Gobain),
Preferably a plaster according to the present invention is prepared by incorporating the various constituents of which it is composed:
-directly in the form of flakes, during mixing the plaster,
-or after de-carding or unballasting of the dry mixture.
The invention will be described in a more detailed manner herein-below with reference to the following Examples which are given by way of illustration, but not of limitation. |
Lily Hendricks lay on the bank of the Susquehanna River watching two small ducks as they swam past a flock of geese.She smiled. It looked as if the ducks were speaking timidly to the larger birds.
“We don’t want trouble, okay? We’re just passing by.”
Throwing her head back, she closed her eyes. The sunlight illuminated her pale, beautiful face. Her delicate nose hosted a tiny galaxy of freckles.Auburn and curly, her long locks absorbed the summer warmth. Lily was naturally beautiful. She didn’t wear makeup. She saw no need to change her appearance to fit in.
It was a hazy summer day and the humidity hovered over the mountains like a mosquito net. Lily was bored. She loved watching the birds on her tranquil river, but she was sixteen, almost seventeen.She wanted adventure, excitement. Central
Pennsylvania was no place for a teenage girl to find thrills. Her little brother, Logan, watched some bugs crawling on a leaf. Again, Lily smiled. Logan was completely immersed in his silent world of amazement. Autistic and non-verbal, he found pleasure in things that others did not even notice. He was six- years-old and very small. His hair was the same color as Lily’s but lacked the curls. His green eyes showed immense peace. He was far more perceptive than most, perhaps due to his autism. He was especially keen at sensing when someone was upset. He also knew when there was danger present. Once, when he and Lily had been walking in the woods, Logan stopped dead in his tracks. Grabbing his big sister’s hand, he pulled her backwards down the path.
“Logan! What are you doing? What is it?”
Lily saw nothing to be afraid of but she relented and let her brother have his way. Maybe, she thought, a bee had stung him. Finally, he pulled her safely onto a porch and held her there.
Within seconds, a mountain lion appeared where they had just walked.Lily gasped. They stood on the porch until the big cat had moved safely away.She thought of that incident now as he watched the bug. He carefully took the leaf on which the bug rested and placed it in a jar in his ever-present backpack. Lily cherished him.He was her rock. They enjoyed a bond that many siblings never developed.
Her gaze returned to the river. The little ducks she had seen earlier now swam happily along side the geese.
“Come on buddy,” she called to Logan. “We’d better get home for dinner.”
They walked along Water Street, where the old mansions from the Lockport lumber heyday remained.Majestic and well-manicured, they were now homes of retired residents in the community. They crossed the railroad tracks and cut through an alley. Their neighbor, Mr. McKinney, sat on his front porch. A man of eighty, he wore a white tank top and blue jeans. His
head still had a crop of beautiful, thick, white hair. He puffed a cigar. McKinney had been a worker at the old airplane factory. The plant closed when he was still a young man. All industry moved out of the area after the great flood of 1972.Like many locals, McKinney stayed in Lock Haven, hopeful that jobs would return, but they never did. Lifeless, he sat most days on the porch of his rundown house, staring at the old Pontiac GTO that was going to be his pride and joy. Like the old man, the car simply sat in the overgrown yard, resembling a dinosaur skeleton.
“Hi Mr. McKinney! Beautiful day!”
Lily’s cheerful greeting was wasted. The old man simply stared at his yard.Lily grabbed Logan’s small hand, half to keep him moving, and half because she felt an awful sadness for old McKinney. It gave her a shiver.
Further up the alley, they were greeted by their dog, Moses. He was a lazy old dog, mostly Labrador.Each day, he stayed
with them, swimming in the river, until the sun grew too hot. Then he would trot home to rest under the porch. As he approached, Lily immediately knelt to offer him a bit of love.
In the kitchen, their mother, Bonnie, busily prepared dinner.
“Hello you two,” she said. “I was about to send the National Guard for you.”
Lily and Logan washed their hands and began helping Bonnie without hesitation. Logan set the table, while his sister chopped vegetables. Lily glanced at her mother.
“Are you going out tonight?”
Bonnie knew what was coming. Her daughter disapproved of her current boyfriend.
“Yes. I’m going out with Dylan.”
“Thought so,” Lily sighed.
Bonnie pondered the right words to say.
“I wish you’d give Dylan a chance. I know he seems a little rough, but I like him.”
Lily said nothing. Logan finished setting the table and they all sat down to eat. Bonnie clasped her hands and nodded at Lily to say grace.
“Heavenly Father, we thank you for this food and for all our blessings. Please protect us all.”
She paused and winked at Logan.
“And please don’t let Dylan show up tonight.”
“Lily!’ Bonnie exclaimed.
She took a playful swipe at her daughter. Logan giggled. Bonnie gave out a deep sigh.
“Just what is it that bothers you so much about Dylan?”
“I just have a bad feeling about him. He’s loud and I don’t like the way he talks down to Logan.”
There was silence as everyone thought about Lily’s comment. Logan carefully smashed a potato on his plate. He liked to crush each one and carefully place butter and salt directly in the center, making a neat little potato pie.
Lily dabbed at her broccoli. She was getting more upset about her mother’s date and it was spoiling her appetite. Finally, she felt guilt. She wanted her mom to be happy.
“Alright. I apologize. I’ll try to be patient, and even nice to him.”
“Thank you, sweetie,” Bonnie returned. “I appreciate it.”
Chapter 4.
In the morning, Lily was up early with Logan. She helped him dress, prepared some breakfast for them both, and fed Moses. As she looked out the back window, her heart jumped into her throat. Dylan’s truck was in the driveway.
“Oh God,” she thought. “He spent the night.”
Within minutes Bonnie appeared. She kissed Logan. She approached Lily to kiss her as well, but Lily pulled away.
“Mom. No! You let him stay here?”
“Now, honey, please. We talked about this.”
Lily fumed. “You can’t do this.”
With that, Lily ran out of the house and down the alley. Logan and Moses ran after her. Lily was sobbing. Logan finally caught her and gently took her by the hand. She stopped and sat on a stump by Mr. McKinney’s place.Always aware of someone’s feelings, Logan looked at her with concern. Moses sat by her side, panting.
“Oh Logan. I’m okay. I’m just worried about mom.”
A voice sounded from behind them.
“What’s wrong young lady? You seem pretty upset.”
Lily whipped around. To her shock, it was Mr. McKinney who spoke. In all the years they had passed his house, he had never uttered a word until now.
“Oh, I’m just a little upset Mr. McKinney. It’s no big deal.”
“Well,” the old-timer answered. “It seems pretty big from where I stand. Why don’t you and your brother come up and sit for a spell, and your dog.”
McKinney led them up on his porch. He got a chair for each of them. After disappearing in the old house, he returned with a
plate of cookies and some tea. He brought Moses a bowl of water, then sat in his old rocking chair and lit a cigar.
“There, that’s better,” he said. “Help yourselves.”
Lily looked at Logan in disbelief. Why had this old zombie of a man come out of his trance? They each took a cookie and sipped at the tea. Moses sat happily knowing that everyone was staying in one place. He laid down in a shady spot, finally flopping on one side.
“Now,” McKinney continued. “Why don’t you tell me what’s got you so worked up Miss Lily?”
“How do you know my name?”
McKinney laughed.
“Oh, I know about just about everyone in this town. I don’t like to talk too much but I listen.”
“Well, it’s my mom. She’s going out with this guy who’s really bad.”
“Uh-oh. I expect it’s that Dylan Gurlach fella.”
“Yeah. How’d you know?”
“I seen his big fancy truck comin’ and goin’ with him and your mom in it. That fella’ makes lots of money doin’ some pretty bad things.”
“I know. My mom gets pretty lonely. I think she’s going out with him out of desperation, but now I’m afraid she’s going to let him move in.”
The old man sat silently for a while, puffing his stogie.
“Well, Lily. It may not mean much to ya’, but if you ever need a safe place to go, you and your brother can come here. Your dog is welcome too.”
Lily wasn’t sure what to say. She watched Logan. He was out in the yard investigating the old Pontiac. McKinney chuckled.
“It’s okay Logan. You can climb inside. She ain’t goin’ nowhere but you can pretend.”
“Mr. McKInney,” Lily said cautiously. “How come you’ve never talked to us before? We must have gone by your place hundreds of times.”
“Well, Lily. There’s a right time for everything. When I seen you this morning, all upset, I knew it was time to speak up.”
“I’m glad you did,” Lily said.
The old man smiled.
“You feelin’ better?”
“Yep. I am.”
Logan was at the wheel of the old car, steering, pushing buttons and flipping switches. McKinney gave out a belly laugh.
“We’d better get going,” Lily said. “Come on, Logan. Let’s go down to the river for a while.”
She turned. Hesitating for just a moment, she gave McKinney a big hug. His eyes warmed as he embraced her. He hadn’t felt the touch of anyone in years. It soothed his sad heart. Lily and Logan headed out of the yard.
“See you later Mr. Mckinney.”
McKinney waved from his chair. His hair blew gently in the morning breeze. A small, warm tear ran down his cheek, just a reminder that he was indeed alive. He thought that this would be a good day to shave and get himself cleaned up. He took a sip of tea and put his feet up. The river looked beautiful this morning. |
When retrying a failed BIO_RW_BARRIER request, we need tokeep the reference in ->nr_pending over the whole retry.Currently, we only hold the reference if the failed request isthe *last* one to finish - which is silly, because it would normally be the first to finish.
So move the rdev_dec_pending call up into the didn't-fail branch.As the rdev isn't used in the later code, calling rdev_dec_pendingearlier doesn't hurt. |
Nurse Kaci Hickox will not comply with the full 21-day, in-home Ebola quarantine imposed by Maine health officials, her lawyer Steve Hyman said Tuesday. Hickox agreed not to go out in public for two days, but will not agree to further isolation.
“She doesn’t want to agree to continue to be confined to a residence beyond the two days,” Steven Hyman of New York law firm McLaughlin & Stern told the Bangor Daily News. Hickox never tested positive for Ebola and remained symptom-free after her release Monday from a similar mandatory quarantine in a tent behind a New Jersey hospital.
Authorities in Maine could seek to impose a court order on Hickox if she refuses to abide by the terms of the quarantine, state health and human services commissioner Mary Mayhew said at a Tuesday press conference. “We do not want to have to legally enforce in-home quarantine,” she said. “We’re confident that selfless health workers who were brave enough to care for Ebola patients in a foreign country will be willing to take reasonable steps to protect residents of their own country. However, we are willing to pursue legal authority if necessary to ensure risk is minimized for Mainers.”
Hyman denied Tuesday that Hickox is currently under quarantine. “She is seeking privacy and a little time to decompress. She is not in quarantine,” he told the Associated Press.
Hickox, who works for Doctors Without Borders, was detained at Newark Liberty International Airport on Oct. 24 after a stint treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone. She was placed in isolation in accordance with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s policy that all medical personnel exposed to the Ebola virus in West Africa would be subject to mandatory quarantine. The 21-day period corresponds with Ebola’s maximum incubation period.
The New Jersey Department of Health said tests revealed Hickox had a fever when she was placed in isolation. She asserts that she never had a fever and that her face was flushed due to outrage at the way she was treated. Hickox claims she was held against her will in a tent without proper garments or care.
Hickox was discharged from the New Jersey quarantine after she was declared symptom-free by the CDC and hospital doctors. She was provided with private transport back to Maine, her home state. |
Q:
and 'string' difference in Kohana
I'm new with Kohana and I've already watched one video tutorial. And just started to read book "Kohana 3.0, Beginner's Guide". In video tutorial tutor uses
View::factory('template_name')
but in the book, author uses
View::factory(<template_name>)
this < template_name > is it PHP feature or Kohana's? And what's the difference between quoted and inequality-ated names?
A:
<template_name> is a convention meaning "insert your template name here." It is not valid PHP code until you insert your template name as a string.
For further information, check the introduction of the book: you will likely find a list of conventions used by the author and an explanation of each.
|
Advertisement Man high on flakka, robs woman, offers her ride afterward, police say Incident occurred in Boca Raton Share Shares Copy Link Copy
A man robbed a woman of her belongings, cash and car while she was at an ATM, then offered her a ride afterward, the Boca Raton Police Department said. Duaine Andrew Knisely, 38, of Vero Beach, faces a charge of robbery with a deadly weapon and carjacking after police say he stole $500 from Shelly Mae Welsh, 45, of Hypoluxo, and took her car. Although the incident occurred Jan. 10, 2015, Knisely's first appearance was scheduled Saturday. He didn't appear in court, authorities said. Police say Welsh was at a Chase Bank ATM to make a deposit when a white man, presumably Knisely, approached her from behind brandishing a large hunting knife. Welsh said the white man demanded that she withdraw $500 from the cash-dispensing machine. She complied, fearing for her life. Then the man told her to go to her vehicle and give him the keys, which she did. Welsh said prior to taking her keys, the armed man became apologetic. "Sorry for doing this but I'm in a really bad spot," the man said. Welsh said the man allowed her to grab some of her belongings before fleeing the scene. "You can grab anything from your car before I take it," he said. Welsh obliged and grabbed her backpack, which held her purse and other items. The man continued his quest in chivalry and offered her a ride home. "If you want I can give you a ride to where you're going. Get in the car," he said. Welsh told him no and ran away from her vehicle. The Martin County Sheriff's Office later found the car with Knisely behind the wheel in Stuart far away from the 3000 block in N. Federal Highway where the theft occurred. Knisely admitted to authorities that he has a severe drug addiction and spent most of the week when Welsh was robbed high on flakka, the police report said. He said that he doesn't remember much of what occurred due to his level of intoxication but he did admit to asking several people for money. He also admitted to stealing Welsh's car. Although Knisely said he doesn't remember brandishing a knife he later showed authorities its location hidden underneath the driver's floor mat. |
1998 Colombian parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in Colombia on 8 March 1998 to elect the Senate and Chamber of Representatives. The result was a victory for the Liberal Party, which won 84 of the 161 seats in the Chamber and 48 of the 102 seats in the Senate.
Results
Senate
Chamber of Representatives
References
Category:Parliamentary elections in Colombia
Category:1998 elections in South America
Category:1998 in Colombia |
Testing facial nerve function.
A variety of facial nerve tests are now available. These tests can aid the clinician in discerning the site of lesion, estimating prognosis, assessing evidence of neoplastic or infectious involvement, and assisting in intraoperative facial monitoring. |
Commander Edward Wodnicki was reassigned pending the Chicago Police Department investigating the allegation that he led Indiana State Police on a 100 mph pursuit. Law&Crime readers might remember him as lead investigator in the Jussie Smollett investigation.
Chicago PD executed over 50 search warrants and subpoenas during investigation of the case, according to Edward Wodnicki https://t.co/MfyQuQi1uf pic.twitter.com/NvPVf59LOP — CBS News (@CBSNews) February 21, 2019
“Based on information received from the Indiana State Police regarding Commander Wodnicki, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has ordered an internal investigation into the entirety of a June 12, 2019 traffic stop,” CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement obtained by The Chicago Tribune.
Wodnicki will work with the Bureau of Technical Services in the meantime. He was on the way to work on a case in Chicago at the time of the June 12 incident, Guglielmi said. It was a death investigation.
“Where he was in Indiana and all that part, the traffic stop itself, all of that will be a focus of the Internal Affairs investigation,” said Guglielmi.
It was unclear why Wodnicki was in Indiana at the time, by Chesterton, about 45 miles away from Chicago. Cops said Wodnicki was speeding at over 100 mph while on a cell phone at a 70 mph zone.
“On his cell phone,” the trooper wrote. “He is not stopping. Passing. Waved at me when I pulled up next to him.”
State police went as far as to put out spike strips, and Wodnicki stopped before running those over, they said.
Porter County Prosecutor Gery Germann said that Wodnicki was issued a ticket for only going 80 mph after investigators determined the commander wasn’t fleeing, just trying to get to work.
“Once we got everything organized, we weren’t overly concerned with it,” he said.
[Image via Scott Olson/Getty Images]
Have a tip we should know? [email protected] |
Q:
SS2008-Express: Would like to add the database engine to an existing installation
The first time around, I only wanted to upgrade my SQL Server Management Studio from 2005 to 2008. So that's what I did, via the Microsoft Web Platform Installer.
Now however, I'd like to install a SQL Server 2008 Express database engine instance.
How do I do this?
When I reach the 'SQL Server Installation Center', it prompts me for a 'SQL Server 2008 Installation Media' folder. I don't know if I have such a directory, and if I do, I don't know where it lives.
Can anyone help?
P.S.: It should be noted that Microsoft Web Platform Installer insists that SQL Server 2008 Express is installed, even though I know that it is only installed partially.
A:
Download the (non-Web Platform) installer and install from there. It should ask you what features you want to add / change.
http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/register/
|
Category: Life Musings
Alright. I know I’ve been absent from this space for a really long time. I’ve been playing in other sandboxes and writing many other things, but I do think I’m finally in a space where I’m ready and willing to come back to this blog and share some of my musings at the intersection of politics and spirituality. For those who are still reading, feel free to check out my recently updated professional website with news and information about my book projects, upcoming talks and so on. In the meantime, stay tuned.. I’ve got more words for you.
I first came to France twelve years ago during my junior year abroad. I was the first person in my family to get a passport and I could barely contain my excitement. In the winter of 2003, two years before the riots that followed the untimely deaths of 15 year old Zyed Benna and 17 year old Bouna Traore, I landed in Paris bright-eyed and bushy tailed, armed with a very shaky grasp of French and a naive fascination with this beautiful country.
As an African-American, I was vaguely aware that France did not deal with issues of race the way we do in the United States. And when I happened to forget, French white people were keen to remind me. In one of the sociology classes I took at a university in the south of France, I hesitantly raised my hand to ask a question. The white French professor had been lecturing on youth and delinquency. I asked, in my broken French, if the dynamics he described had any relation to racial or ethnic belonging. “We don’t have that kind of problem here,” he said, adding: “This isn’t the United States.” Embarrassed and flustered, I nodded and continued taking notes. After class, one of the only other black students pulled me aside: “We do have those kinds of problems here. Hang out with me and I’ll tell you about it.”
My new friend was from Cameroon and had moved to France along with her sister and brother several years prior. Over the course of the semester, her family basically adopted me, inviting me to dinners, showing me the area and telling me about their lives. I learned that despite the fact that each of them had white French partners and white close friends, they nonetheless experienced racism. But, as I learned in that sociology class that day, many French people denied that racism was actually a problem in their supposedly colorblind society.
Zyed Benna and Bouna Traoré, two teenagers who died on October 27th in 2005 after being chased by police officers. Photo courtesy of Le Monde.
Last night, a cab dropped me off at apartment in Paris around 9 PM. I get in, warm up dinner, relax. Two hours later, I’m on the phone with my girlfriend when suddenly — in the middle of our conversation — I realize that I can’t find my wallet.
I spend 10 minutes methodically searching the apartment. Nothing. Another ten minutes unpacking my bags. There is no wallet anywhere to be found. With growing disappointment, I see that I must have left it in the cab. I know that I must cancel my cards. I begin to wonder how I can possibly get new cards while abroad. I take a breath, tell myself to relax. I get the phone and start to look up numbers for my bank. A flood of self-judgment: How could I have left my wallet in a cab? Why didn’t I look down at the seat as I usually do before getting out?Is mercury in retrograde? In my mind, I tried to retrace my steps. Had I taken the wallet out to pay, and then put it down to find my keys?
At this point, something tells me to stop. Something tells me to go to the window. It’s not that I heard a voice or anything like that — it’s that I heard a thought. “Go to the window.” As I stood up and walked toward the window, I realized, inexplicably, that I was hoping the taxi would be there.
Now, understand that it did not make any sense whatsoever to hope or expect the taxi to be there. It had been two hours since I was dropped off.
I go to the window.
There’s a taxi.
I can’t believe it. I think: Well, someone else is being dropped off. But, as I go to close the curtain..
The taxi driver appears. My taxi driver. An Asian, middle-aged man. He’s waving at me. Breathless, I rush to put on my jacket and run outside.
“How long have you been here?” I ask.
“I just arrived — I was getting off of work.”
“How did you know which apartment was mine?”
“I didn’t ..”
I checked my wallet. Everything was inside. I still couldn’t believe it. I walked back into my apartment, in a daze.
* * *
I must have realized I lost my wallet around the same time he began driving to my apt. As he arrived, something within “happened” to tell me to get up and look out the window. I “happened” to listen to this crazy thought. The driver “happened” to actually be there — and find my window right before I closed the curtain. All of this defies any rational explanation. I’d never taken this taxi before. Hadn’t written down his info. I had no way of contacting him. Two hours had passed since he dropped me off. I figured that if I left the wallet in the cab, another passenger might have swiped it. Even if someone turned it into the police, I could not imagine how they would find me. (Though I’m sure they “could” if they wanted to..) So I just wrote the situation off and figured I wouldn’t be seeing my wallet again.
Then the thought: Go to the window.
And he was there.
The driver said that if he couldn’t find me, he would have left a note with his information. But how amazing is it that he didn’t have to? What if I hadn’t listened to the inexplicable thought that said “go to the window”, hours after my taxi drove off? I listened.
He was there.
For me, the gift was not merely getting my wallet back, though that was nice. But the truth is that I would have been fine without the wallet. The cards would have been cancelled, and arrangements made. The gift was being attuned to the synchronicity of the moment. The gift was hearing a message that didn’t make any kind of rational sense, but listening anyway. The gift was seeing that listening confirmed before my unbelieving eyes.
If anyone else told this story, I wouldn’t believe it. It happened to me and I barely believe it. But this kind of thing actually happens to me all the time. I call them “Matrix Moments” and over the years I’ve come to see them as signals to trust the Universe, to trust myself. I also experience these moments as reminders that there’s a side to life that defies conventional explanation, that is magical, mysterious. Moments when everything is so obviously, inexplicably aligned that I’m reminded that every other moment is also aligned. Because if even one moment is “on time”, then every other moment must be on time, too.. as all moments are interconnected and interdependent.
The beautiful alignments remind me to remain calm and grounded during moments that seem misaligned, uncomfortable, undesirable, painful. And what’s interesting is that after all this time, after all these reminders, I still need reminding, because of course, I am consciousness expressing Itself through a limited, human form — and these limitations necessitate faith in the Unlimited, in the Unseen.
* * *
Years ago, when I began intentionally “listening” to the Universe, I had a lot of doubt: How could I trust something that I could not explain? As I prioritized spirituality, Life began to speak to me in ways that seemed increasingly magical. But I had to stop trying to explain it. I’d have a dream that something happened, and would wake to see it actually happen. Or, discover that it happened while I was sleeping. An intuition would compel me in a certain way. I began to listen, without knowing why, but only knowing that it felt “right”.
As a fairly rational person, and an academic, I had to consciously overcome my fear of acknowledging this magical, inexplicable side of life. I had to let go of my fear of being seen (or seing myself) as crazy for embracing things that could not be explained, for having faith in the unseen, for trusting in processes and experiences that did not “make sense” in a conventional way.
But the synchronicities and messages were so direct and obvious that I could not deny them. Over time, my faith and trust began to grow. I began to trust my inner knowing, my intuition — even in moments when it seemed that my intuition was wrong, that I’d been mistaken — I began to see that even these “mistakes” were apart of a purposeful unfolding. The conventional, human part of my identity still doubts on a daily basis. Always stressing about something, fearful and striving. But over time, something more profound has grown within me that allows those human fears to be, but also eclipses them with an inner knowing.
On a conventional level, my ego worries and despairs about many things. But the greater part of me knows that everything is in alignment. Aligned for what? I don’t know. And I don’t need to know. Aligned by whom? Can’t say, exactly. But there’s something mysterious, benevolent and intelligent that I trust.
The idea that everything in life is unfolding as it “should” is not something I would impose on anyone else. It is a difficult notion, one that requires a nuanced understanding of different levels of analysis for taking stock of life in all of its complexities. Because the truth is that lots of awful things happen every moment of every day — across the conscious experience of every living being on the planet, unimaginable levels of suffering coexist with joy, love and feelings of peace. What one person experiences as a “blessing” is another person’s “curse”.
But it seems to me that if anything at all is as it should be, then everything is as as it should be — for everything that has ever been, everything that is now and everything that will be is inextricably interconnected. It may be a stretch for some to say that everything as it should be, given the realities of oppression and suffering. Indeed, it is obnoxious, unhelpful and even abusive to try to make someone else believe that an awful thing that happened was “meant to be”.
But there is part of me that holds space for this paradoxical truth. There is something in me that feels that it must work to change things about myself and about the world, even as there is something more profound that knows that nothing needs me to change anything at all — rather, there are simply changes taking place, changes that are changing me, changes that must take place, changes that are meant to be.
The human concept of a blessing is often very selfish, very confused, dualistic and dependent on a Santa-Claus-like image of “God”. And while it’s fine to feel blessed and acknowledge blessings, I personally feel that accepting all of life as a blessing, as one interconnected and mysterious unfolding is my spiritual work. I’m grateful to the taxi driver, for sure. But I’m even more grateful to the Universe for continuing to wink at me in such a delightful way.
By virtue of my minority status and choices, my life involves a lot of working, talking and loving across different types of racial lines. I’m a East-coast raised, Southern-born, multi-generational, multi-racial black woman of U.S. slave ancestry. Unsubstantiated, but persistent, rumor has it that there’s Irish on both sides of my family tree. My family (biological and chosen) includes a diverse array of beautiful people: loved ones from a variety of diasporas, a Haitian godmother, Jews whose families immigrated from Europe.
I have a lot to learn and much room for growth, but I live a relatively cosmopolitan life. I like the fact that my hapa girlfriend grew up between California and Tokyo, spent years in Africa and speaks French with a Senegalese accent. I’ve visited a dozen countries and spent a significant portion of my twenties living in Paris. In my personal life, I have made it my business to consciously learn and explore what interracial, anti-racist love looks like. My spirituality is deeply influenced by Eastern traditions and philosophies, including Buddhism and Hinduism (Advaita-Vedanta). As an anti-racist educator and a panentheisticnon-dualist, I know that who we are, on an existential level, has absolutely nothing to do with the social fiction of race.
And yet, I’m also intimately familiar with the social reality of our collective fictions. While I teach my students that our ideas about race are socially constructed, I also equip them to recognize and understand the very real consequences of past and present racism.
What I know for sure is that much of what people say about matters of race and love in public contributes to white supremacy.
I want to also take this opportunity to recognize and express gratitude to my mother, Barbara, for encouraging me to take part in the campaign. As I explain in the post, she’s come an incredibly long way toward being a supportive ally as I’ve stepped out in my truth. But, it’s a path that hasn’t been easy. I was unsure about keepin’ it real regarding the difficulties involved in navigating homophobia and biphobia in our family, so having her support in telling my story means a lot to me. Our mother/daughter relationship continues to play an important role in teaching us both about love, and for that, I’m deeply grateful.
I’m an anti-racist scholar and yet, to my shame, I have been resistant to understanding myself as a cis-gender woman. While I’ve publicly embraced the social reality of my cis-gender-ness — and taught my students about the need to be aware of cis privilege — I’ve done these things while feeling resistance. Privately, I concealed the fact that I did not actually want to refer to myself as cis-gender–that I was doing so begrudgingly.
In fact, it was during my first year of teaching a graduate seminar on race three years ago that a (white, male) feminist student pushed me hard on my undertheorization of gender. From that moment on, I began to make a concerted effort to take intersectionality more seriously in my own pedagogy and research.
To that end, I increasingly acknowledged (my) cis privilege in explaining axes of oppression to students, but could not admit to them the discomfort I sometimes felt while doing so.
I knew that this resistance was regressive, that it was grounded in the wrong politics–that it was undeniably ignorant. Yet, knowing all these things, I could still not deny it.
I could not deny that I privately felt attacked when trans activists and educators indirectly reminded me that my claim to womanhood was tenuous. I could not deny that I felt resistance to acknowledging how afraid I’d been of trans people while a student at Wellesley–a “women’s” college whose policy was (and still is) officially transphobic. I was, incidentally, also afraid of openly lesbian and bisexual women on campus as a closeted woman in my early twenties. [Note that Wellesley is only now initiating a campus-wide dialogue on transgender inclusion and Mt. Holyoke just became the first of the ‘Seven Sisters’ colleges to admit trans women].
Rather than ignore, suppress or justify my resistance, I made a conscious decision to regard my own regressive politics with curiosity–even as I sought to unravel them. I also “came out” about this internal work, speaking with others about my desire to more clearly identify and transcend my own transphobia. In so doing, I committed myself to making visible the unexamined assumptions, emotions and thoughts that explained my resistance. Why did being ‘told’ that I was ‘cis’ (a term I did not know until a few years ago) bother me so? Why did I feel uncomfortable being ‘labeled’ as cis? Why did I feel uncomfortable labeling myself in this way? What explained my enduring attachment to the fiction that my physicality – especially my breasts and vagina – somehow made me a woman (and by extension, made all women “women”)–even as I began to teach others that this fiction was untrue and a source of violence? What privilege was I trying to protect? What was it that I could not yet admit about myself? And what was it that I didn’t know about other experiences of womanhood that I needed to know to see my the specificity of my own experience — and my specific role in perpetuating the oppression of trans people?
It was clear to me, as I posed these questions, that I was, in fact, going deeper into the work of challenging my own transphobia. And I was terrified of admitting this–to myself or anyone else. I did not want to acknowledge how ignorant I was of gender, or further probe the hateful ideas I’d absorbed from a society that at once denies the existence and humanity of trans people. I did not want to admit that I was still very much part of the problem.
Looking back, it’s clear to me that I should have contextualized my personal narrative in the data we have on the experiences (and considerable disadvantages) of bisexual people more broadly. While it is indeed true that being open about my sexuality has mostly been met by colleagues with a collective yawn, I also realize that I possess a number of privileges that may protect me from some of the more pernicious dangers and dilemmas that many bisexual people face in coming out in their own work spaces. And even for me, it has not always been easy. I know that acknowledging my sexuality comes with a cost, even within the so-called “liberal” enclaves of academe.
As this informative article published by GLAAD makes clear, bisexual people are not only less likely to be out at work (and to health care providers) than lesbian women and gay men, but they also experience higher rates of poverty and poorer physical and mental health.
“Approximately 25% of bisexual men and 30% of bisexual women live in poverty, compared to 15% and 21% of non-LGB men and women respectively and 20% and 23% of gay man and lesbians”
“Nearly half of bisexual people report that they are not out to any of their coworkers (49%), compared to just 24% of lesbian and gay people.”
“20% of bisexuals report experiencing a negative employment decision based on their identity, and almost 60% of bisexual people report hearing anti-bisexual jokes and comments on the job.”
More than half of the United States 9 million LGBT people identify as bisexual — but many do not feel comfortable or safe acknowledging their sexuality to people in their lives. This discomfort should not be minimized. Many people do not understand bisexuality and bisexual people are often targets of stigma even (and perhaps especially) within the queer “community”. Further, people who are bisexual but in relationships with people of the “opposite” sex are almost always rendered invisible and find it very difficult to challenge that invisibility. It is important that we-individually and collectively-raise awareness about these issues and affirm the moral principle that people should be valued and cared for no matter the gender(s) of the person(s) they love.
In the ten months that have passed since I wrote my post, strangers have written me long emails to thank me for being open about myself and others have sent private messages on social media, admitting how difficult it is being bi. Colleagues have thanked me personally, at conferences, for sharing a story that resonated with them, a story they sometimes do not feel comfortable expressing themselves– for all the reasons I’ve outlined here. I also heard from a group for Bisexual Women of Color who build community on Facebook. I feel honored and grateful that folks have reached out to me in this way, as it allows me to know that I, too, am not alone.
Over the last year, I’ve also had an opportunity to re-think the politics of bisexual identity. Being in my first long term relationship with a lesbian-identified woman — and being perceived as lesbian by people who see us together — means that I have developed a deeper understanding of the fact that bisexuality can co-mingle with queer and lesbian identities. Most people see me as a lesbian because I’m in a visible relationship with a woman — and this has reshaped the contours of my own identity. Sometimes I see my sexual identity as queer, as lesbian and bi-sexual — these things coexist for me — yet I continue to find it politically and personally important to highlight my bisexual identity, if for no other reason than the fact that if I don’t, this important aspect of my identity will be ignored.
But the contextual recognition of my bisexuality has raised odd questions, sometimes from intimates and sometimes from perfect strangers. I usually don’t mind the (earnest, respectfully phrased) questions, as it sort of comes with the territory for one who engages in the politics of identity, but I’ve occasionally been taken aback. There’s the time, for example, that I was queried – by a straight friend – as to why I would ever talk about being bisexual when I’m currently in a serious relationship. Does recognizing my bi-sexuality suggest that I am not really committed to my partner? This question surprised me – although it should not have – because it implied that people’s sexuality in fact depends on their relationship status. The reality, too, is that same sex relationships are very often trivialized and seen as less serious than heterosexual unions–perhaps especially when one or both partners are bi. I asked my friend whether his sexuality changes depending on whether he’s single or partnered. It was in that moment, I think, that he understood that my sexuality is my sexuality no matter who I’m with (or not with), just as his sexuality continues to be his sexuality whether single or partnered. It is obvious to me that my sexuality is not just (or even mainly) about who I relate to in my romantic life. My bi(sexuality) is, in a fundamental way, part of the lens through which I see myself, the world, and my place within it. This more expansive understanding of sexuality (as more than just who you are with at the time) is more or less tacitly accepted for heterosexuals, even if it is not explicitly acknowledged. The truth, however, for people like me is that when we are silent about our sexuality, it is rendered invisible by the assumptions people make regarding the gender of the person we have chosen to love.
As heterosexual wo/men can still appreciate the beauty of the “opposite” sex while partnered, so do bisexual people continue being bisexual when partnered. And there is nothing about this reality that makes it impossible for bisexual people to be committed. It is evidently clear that heterosexuality itself does not imply that people involved in heterosexual relationships are committed to each other.
I love the fact that I am partnered with a woman who is rooted and secure enough in her sexuality to allow me to be who I am without being threatened by my identity. With her, I can laugh and joke about how attractive other people are, regardless of their gender. I can talk about my experiences dating men and women in the past without fear of judgment. It doesn’t mean she always understands those experiences — but she allows them, just as I allow her the integrity of her own reality and her past, even when doing so is challenging or stretches the bounds of what I personally understand. We can do this because we allow each other to be human–and more specifically, to be the kind of humans that we feel we are. Knowing that identities can and do change, it is nonetheless reassuring to know that we can comfortably affirm the identities that feel right for us today.
All of this to say, my relationship to bisexuality — as an identity and social reality — is changing. But what has not changed for me, is the importance of raising awareness that people like me exist and are as valuable and beautiful and lovable and fly as anyone else.
So today, and everyday, show some love to bisexual people — those you know and those you don’t yet know that you know. Do not make assumptions about someone’s sexuality based on the gender of the person they are in a relationship with. Understand that bisexuality is very often hidden — that it is not easy to come out — and that coming out for bi-sexual people is often something that must be repeatedly performed in function of the gender of the person they are dating at the time. Try to compassionately accept, even if you might not personally understand, that some of us love across gender. Having the warm support of friends and family has helped enormously during times when I experienced rejection, judgment and stigmatization from people who could not (yet) and may never accept me as I am. Every bit of compassion we share can and does make a difference.
PS: check out the hashtags #biawarenessday as well as #bilookslike on Twitter .. Here are some of my visual contributions..
I spoke with my father today, for perhaps four and a half minutes. After a bit of courteous small talk that revolved around the weather and summer plans, he rushed to get off the phone. I’m not sure why. I didn’t ask. Perhaps he had company, an appointment or something pressing on his mind. He might have been in physical pain. As a survivor of a traumatic accident, my father has multiple health challenges. Walking is profoundly difficult. Even sitting isn’t easy for him.
I’m not sure what reason he had for getting off the phone so quickly, but I can’t say I was surprised. Our last call – about six months ago – was similarly brief. I felt so many things in those four and a half minutes. Concern about his health. Happiness at hearing the warm, deep tones of his southern drawl. Guilt over waiting so long to call. Anger that he hadn’t called either. And all the while, an anxious awareness of the awkward space between us. Continue reading “The Beauty of Abandonment”→ |
Guanylate cyclase in rod outer segments of the toad retina. Effect of light and Ca2+.
Guanylate cyclase activity was measured in disrupted rod outer segments of the toad retina. The experiments showed that cGMP is synthesized from GTP at a rate of 3 +/- 1 nmol/min per mg protein. In darkness this value is largely independent of the Ca2+ concentration, while it is enhanced by flashes of light of increasing intensity upon lowering Ca from 10-5 to 10-8 M. In view of recent observations that shortly after a flash of light calcium activity inside the photoreceptor cell decreases, it seems likely that calcium plays a regulatory role in cGMP metabolism in visual excitation. |
Malt can cause both occupational asthma and allergic alveolitis.
Specific inhalation challenge can help differentiate occupational asthma from allergic alveolitis caused by malt. |
Q:
Linking errors in OpenSSL library
I am using OpenSSL in my project.library is detecting but getting some errors like below:
Error:(23) undefined reference to 'RSA_generate_key'
Error:(44) undefined reference to 'AES_set_encrypt_key'
Error:(45) undefined reference to 'AES_encrypt'
Error:(49) undefined reference to 'AES_set_decrypt_key'
Error:(50) undefined reference to 'AES_decrypt'
Error:error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)
my simple cpp code is here
native-lib.cpp
#include<jni.h>
#include <string>
#include <android/log.h>
#include <openssl/rsa.h>
#include <openssl/aes.h>
extern "C"
JNIEXPORT jstring JNICALL
Java_com_manvish_bwssb_Activities_MainActivity_stringFromJNI(
JNIEnv *env,
jobject /* this */) {
std::string hello = "Hello from C++";
return env->NewStringUTF(hello.c_str());
}
#define nr_bits 2048
extern "C"
JNIEXPORT int JNICALL
Java_com_manvish_bwssb_Activities_MainActivity_checkRSA(JNIEnv *env, jobject /* this */) {
RSA *rsa = RSA_generate_key(nr_bits, 65537, NULL, NULL);
return 0;
}
static const unsigned char key[] = {
0x00, 0x11, 0x22, 0x33, 0x44, 0x55, 0x66, 0x77,
0x88, 0x99, 0xaa, 0xbb, 0xcc, 0xdd, 0xee, 0xff,
0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07,
0x08, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x0c, 0x0d, 0x0e, 0x0f
};
extern "C"
void
Java_com_manvish_bwssb_Activities_MainActivity_checkAES(JNIEnv *env, jobject /* this */) {
unsigned char text[] = "Kishan of Nanda";
unsigned char out[80];
unsigned char decout[80];
AES_KEY wctx;
AES_set_encrypt_key(key, 128, &wctx);
AES_encrypt(text, out, &wctx);
printf("encryp data = %s\n", out);
__android_log_print(ANDROID_LOG_DEBUG, "Gajanand", "Encrypted data: %s\n", out);
AES_set_decrypt_key(key, 128, &wctx);
AES_decrypt(out, decout, &wctx);
printf(" Decrypted o/p: %s \n", decout);
__android_log_print(ANDROID_LOG_DEBUG, "Gajanand", "Decrypted data: %s\n", decout);
}
and my Android.mk file is here
Android.mk
LOCAL_PATH := $(call my-dir)
include $(CLEAR_VARS)
LOCAL_MODULE := myLibrary
LOCAL_SRC_FILES := native-lib.cpp
LOCAL_C_INCLUDES = $(LOCAL_PATH)/include
LOCAL_SRC_FILES +:= libcrypto.so
LOCAL_SRC_FILES +:= libssl.so
LOCAL_LDLIBS := -llog
include $(BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY)
I included appropriate .so files in appropriate folder. I am not getting reason behind the undefined reference error.please help me to solve this issue.
A:
Your problem stems from these lines in your makefile
LOCAL_SRC_FILES +:= libcrypto.so
LOCAL_SRC_FILES +:= libssl.so
Source (SRC for short) files are used by the compiler; which will generate .a files.
.so files and .a files are used by the linker to generate executables and .so files.
I would suggest removing those 2 lines and then adding
LOCAL_LDLIBS := -llog -lssl -lcrypto
Edit: Seems to not be the complete solution; but leaving here for posterity.
|
Background & Summary {#Sec1}
====================
Among insects, bees are the main pollinators for the majority of plants, being essential in both natural and crop environments for the provision of pollination services and for ensuring global food security to human population^[@CR1],[@CR2]^. Additionally, these insects can be used as a means to improve human livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and scientific, cultural and recreational development in natural, agricultural or urbanized landscapes^[@CR3],[@CR4]^. In fact, the economic value of pollination services can be estimated for agricultural areas^[@CR5],[@CR6]^. When considering natural areas, however, this value may be difficult to estimate, but this ecosystem function does influence local environmental quality, species conservation and the supply of native pollinators to crop fields^[@CR7]--[@CR10]^. Nevertheless, a global pollinator decline has been reported, mainly for managed species (e.g., *Apis mellifera* L.), but also for wild species (e.g., other bees, birds and bats)^[@CR11]^, which directly affects the worldwide provision of pollination services^[@CR12]^.
Planetary decline and non-random loss of biodiversity have been reported in response to anthropogenic-driven actions^[@CR13]^. Factors implicated in bee species decline include habitat loss due to landscape change, competition with invasive species for resources, emergent species (including pathogens), pesticides and climate change^[@CR12],[@CR14]--[@CR16]^. Linking ecosystem functioning to biodiversity conservation is fundamental in determining the aims of policies and strategies for species and ecosystem conservation in the long term^[@CR17]^. In this context, the use of functional traits has arisen as a direct means of addressing the abovementioned link^[@CR18],[@CR19]^ (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}).Fig. 1Graphical abstract showing the importance of the functional traits provided by this work and their relationship with studies on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provisioning.
Pollination success is related to pollinator species occurrence and availability^[@CR16]^, but it also depends on the biological community assembly^[@CR17],[@CR20]--[@CR22]^ and on the relationship between flower traits (e.g., size and morphology) and the body size of its visitors^[@CR23]^. Castilla *et al*.^[@CR24]^ showed that pollinator body size contributes to plant seed viability but is apparently not related to long-distance genetic flow. Furthermore, pollination is a mobile agent-dependent ecosystem function that directly relies on the flight range capability of the pollinator agent^[@CR25]^. For bee species, a positive relationship between body size and flight range has been well documented^[@CR26],[@CR27]^, and foraging distance can determine the spatial scale within the landscapes at which bees are able to visit flowering plants^[@CR28],[@CR29]^ (Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}).Fig. 2Flight range of each body size category with an overview of the main bee-pollinated crops and their main pollinators present in the study sites. (**a**) Carajás National Forest, eastern Amazon; (**b**) Nova Lima municipality, southeastern Atlantic forest.
Ecosystem functioning relies mostly on a species' ability to perform vital ecosystem functions^[@CR30]^, and functional traits are the species characteristics that link them to their ecological function^[@CR31]^. Bees are the major pollinator of plants because they directly depend on the supply of food provided by flowers (pollen and nectar)^[@CR32]^. Floral rewards, however, are not the only requirement of bees to endure in the environment; they also require a nesting substrate and favorable landscape and climatic conditions^[@CR15],[@CR33]^. Thus, our aim is to provide a database of species traits for Brazilian bees that are of significance to ecology and conservation^[@CR29],[@CR34],[@CR35]^. Some important traits that explain bee community structure include body size, flight range, sociality, nesting location, nest behavior and diet^[@CR29],[@CR34],[@CR35]^.
Here, we compiled a dataset of bee species from the Brazilian iron-rich mountains located in the Amazon (Pará State) and Atlantic Forest (Minas Gerais State). The dataset contains records of bees collected from 1983 to 2018 but in disconnected time frames. It represents one of the most comprehensive and robust datasets of bee species from Brazil and a unique dataset of bee species (including functional traits) from the Amazon forest, encompassing nearly 80% of the bee fauna from the eastern Amazon^[@CR36]^. A total of 328 bee species records are provided here^[@CR37]^. For those species, the following ecological traits are presented: body size, flight range, Neotropical distribution, crop pollination records, sociality and nesting substrate (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}).
Methods {#Sec2}
=======
Sites {#Sec3}
-----
### Carajás national forest {#Sec4}
The Carajás National Forest (05°52′S--06°33′S, 49°53′W--50°45′W) is located in the southeastern portion of Pará State, Brazil (Fig. [3a](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}). Carajás is an Amazonian domain area, mainly covered by forest formations^[@CR38],[@CR39]^. It is located at an altitudinal range of 700 to 800 meters above sea level. The climate in this region is characterized as rainy tropical with winter drought (AWi), according to Koppen's classification, with an annual precipitation range of more than 2000 mm and a well-defined drought period from June to September. The average temperature ranges from 25° to 26 °C, but the absolute recorded values range from 15 °C, from July to October, to 38 °C in the remaining months of the year. The predominant vegetation cover is evergreen ombrophilous forests; however, there are also areas of stationary vegetation with different degrees of deciduousness^[@CR39]^. The largest Brazilian mineral extraction project is located in Carajás and deals primarily with the extraction of iron ore but also other minerals. It was initiated in the late 1980s and remains active to the present date.Fig. 3Study sites. (**a**) Serra dos Carajás in Pará State, eastern Amazon, northern Brazil. (**b**) Nova Lima in Minas Gerais State, Iron Quadrangle, Southeastern Brazil.
### Nova lima {#Sec5}
Nova Lima is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Minas Gerais (Fig. [3b](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}). Located in a mountainous landscape surrounded by the Serra do Curral and Serra da Moeda (altitude range: 900 to 1400 m), it is part of the region denominated as the "Plateaus and Mountain ranges of the East-Southern Atlantic" and is mainly composed of metamorphic rocks. The climate is hot and temperate and is classified as Cfa (subtropical humid climate). The average rainfall is 1390 mm per year, with August being the driest month and December the month with the highest precipitation. The average temperature is 23 °C; January is the warmest month of the year, and the lowest temperature occurs in June, i.e., an average temperature of 17.6 °C. The area of the municipality is 430 km^2^, and the population is estimated to be 92,000 inhabitants with a 0.8 HDI (human development index) (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE). The region has intense mineral extraction activities, including the mines of Morro Velho, Mostardas and Rio de Peixe, in addition to the recently closed mine of Águas Claras; the most important minerals are iron and gold. The city of Nova Lima integrates the metropolitan region of the state's capital, Belo Horizonte (with approximately 2.5 billion inhabitants).
Experimental and sampling design {#Sec6}
--------------------------------
The list of bee species names was obtained from two Brazilian entomological collections as the main repositories for specimens collected in both Carajás and Nova Lima, i.e., the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG) entomological collection and the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) entomological collection. Neither of these collections have online databases. Specimens of both collections were validated by specialists (for specimens' IDs see^[@CR37]^). Therefore, our dataset contains those records whose specimens were located and certified by specialists for both collections^[@CR37]^.
At MPEG, we found bees from Carajás that were collected in the Serra Norte area (Fig. [3a](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}) from 1983 to 2018. At UFMG, we found bees from Carajás that were collected in the Serra Norte and Serra Sul areas (Fig. [3a](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}) during the 2008 to 2017 period. Bees from Nova Lima (Fig. [3b](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}), collected from 1998 to 2017, were found only at UFMG. Bees were mainly collected with the use of entomological nets (active search), odoriferous traps (for male orchid bees, tribe Euglossini) and flight interception traps (malaise). Sampling efforts were not standardized, as a number of different researchers conducted their field work at these locations to answer several unrelated questions.
A total of 328 bee species have been recorded in these two areas, corresponding to more than 20% of the estimated 1500 bee species recorded in Brazil^[@CR40]^. A total of 222 species were recorded in Carajás, representing nearly 80% of the bee fauna in Pará State, eastern Amazon (the 2^nd^ largest Brazilian state and the world's 13^th^ largest state)^[@CR36]^. More than 30% of these species are social (mostly the Meliponini tribe, but also the Bombini and Apini tribes), nesting mainly in pre-existing cavities (47%) or in the ground (22%), and 33% of these bees (at least at the generic level) have been identified as crop pollinators. A total of 144 species were recorded in Nova Lima, representing 65% of the bee fauna in Minas Gerais State (the 4^th^ largest Brazilian state)^[@CR36]^. Nearly 80% of these species are solitary, more than 50% nest in the ground and 37% have been reported to be pollinators of Brazilian crops.
Although extensive sampling efforts were previously carried out in these areas, our dataset does not represent a final list but rather the consolidation of past sampling efforts together with species traits that are of great importance for ecological analysis and pollination services valuation^[@CR10]^. New field sampling strategies are currently being carried out, following standardized methodology, to equalize sampling efforts and provide future comparison. Further steps will include a better understanding of the ecological functioning in these areas, with practical implications for the ecological restoration of mine-land rehabilitated areas in the Amazon Forest. Additionally, bee taxonomy for the Neotropical region is not complete, and recent taxonomic reviews continue to reveal new species, mainly from the less studied and most speciose areas, such as tropical rain forests^[@CR36],[@CR41],[@CR42]^.
From this large dataset, it will be possible to answer more complex questions on the functioning of these ecosystems, such as the importance of the bees in each of these environments, the value of the ecosystem services they may provide and how these species will respond to ongoing global changes. Our database adds a robust set of trait-based information for Brazilian wild bees. We apply techniques that were previously reported in the literature^[@CR9],[@CR10],[@CR24],[@CR26],[@CR27]^ and that are necessary for the advancement of functional ecology and the understanding of wild bees and their role in crop pollination and the provision of ecosystem services^[@CR28],[@CR29]^.
Traits acquisition and laboratory research methods {#Sec7}
--------------------------------------------------
### Body size, size classes and flight range {#Sec8}
Bees from the two abovementioned entomological collections were analyzed under a stereomicroscope coupled with a calibrated micrometric ocular. Body size measurements were based on the bees' intertegular distance (hereafter ITD) (Fig. [4i](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}). We measured up to five specimens of each species and the average value was calculated^[@CR37]^. ITD measures represent the mesoscutum width of each bee species, which is the body section where the alary muscles are located. Bees with a larger ITD have been shown to be able to fly longer distances across landscapes^[@CR26]^. The estimation of the flight distance of each bee species was calculated from the ITD measurement and taxonomic position using equations presented in^[@CR27]^. Flight range estimations were based on models generated from previous on-site experiments for both social^[@CR43],[@CR44]^ and solitary bees^[@CR45],[@CR46]^. Recorded flight range experiments used two standard methodologies: (1) the release of marked bees at known distances from their nests and their recapture at the nest entrance (homing distance), considering the maximum homing distance (mhd -- 90% return rate) and typical homing distance (thd -- 50% return rate) and (2) feeder training techniques, which record the maximum energetically profitable foraging distance for a bee to forage at an artificial feeder (maximum foraging distance -- mfd) and the distance to which bees stop recruiting nest mates to an artificial feeder (maximum communication distance -- mcd)^[@CR26]^.Fig. 4Bees body size and their relation to flight range. (**a**) Photos of bees showing their different body size classes. (**a**) Lateral view of *Hylaeus tricolor* (Schrottky, 1906) (**b**) *Augochloropsis callichroa* (Cockerell, 1900) (**c**) *Melipona seminigra* Moure & Kerr, 1950 (**d**) *Megachile orba* Schrottky, 1913 (**e**) *Euglossa amazonica* Dressler, 1982 (**f**) *Bombus transversalis* (Olivier, 1789) (**g**) *Eulaema cingulata* (Fabricius, 1804) (**h**) *Xylocopa frontalis* (Olivier, 1789). Photos by Fernanda Trancoso. (i) Dorsal view of a Euglossini bee with ITD (intertegular distance) measure. Photo by Rafael Borges. (**b**) Non-linear correlation between bees body size and flight range (estimated as the highest measurement obtained), dots represent bees in our data set and colors indicate body size categories (r² = 0.88).
We classified bees into three body size categories according to their ITD measures: small, medium and large (Fig. [4a](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}). As body size and flight range are positively correlated, our body size categories also indicate maximum flight range, being up to 1 km for small bees, up to 5 km for medium bees and up to 30 km for large bees (Fig. [4b](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}). Body size categories were established using the body size of bees in the genus *Melipona* Illiger as a standard for the medium-size class. Thus, ITD measures for the medium-size class ranged from 2.2 to 3.9 mm, with 2.2 mm being the ITD of *Melipona amazonica* Schulz, 1905, the smaller *Melipona* species in our dataset, and 3.9 mm being the ITD of *Melipona fuliginosa* Lepeletier, 1836, the larger *Melipona* species in our dataset. Bees with an ITD smaller than 2.2 mm were classified as small (e.g., *Trigonisca, Plebeia* and *Augochlora*), and bees with an ITD larger than 3.9 mm were classified as large (e.g., *Xylocopa, Centris* and *Eulaema*). Although arbitrary, our body-size classes are related to the fact that *Melipona* bees are commonly known as medium-sized bees.
Additionally, our classes agree with those previously established in other papers^[@CR24],[@CR47]--[@CR50]^ although some of those papers did not include *Melipona* bees. Therefore, we believe our classification is an appropriate standard for size classification of bees worldwide. To date, ours is the most species-rich dataset, which represents five bee families (Apidae, Andrenidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachille) and includes the widest range of body size measurements reported. For example, the dataset includes the very large species *Xylocopa frontalis* (Olivier, 1789) (ITD = 8.4 mm) and also the minute *Trigonisca variegatifrons* Albuquerque and Camargo, 2007 (ITD = 0.6 mm).
### Taxonomic ranks, known distribution, distribution area, new record, locality and location of measured specimens {#Sec9}
Information on the taxonomic ranks (family, tribe, genus, subgenus, specific epithet, scientific name authorship) and known Neotropical distribution of each species were acquired using the online version of Moure's bee catalog (available at <http://moure.cria.org.br>). Additionally, we searched and included updated information from the literature (after 2014, which was the last catalog update) when available. We chose to use Michener's^[@CR32]^ family classification instead of that provided in the catalog, as this classification is mostly used in other regions of the world besides Brazil. We included new occurrence records for all the specimens collected out of the known distribution provided in the Moure's bee catalog.
Locality represents where each species was collected in our study sites. Localities from Carajás National Forest are Bocaina and Canaã dos Carajás from Serra Sul area and Carajás and Parauapebas from Serra Norte area. Remaining bee species were collected in Nova Lima.
Location of measured specimens indicate in which entomological collection (MPEG or UFMG) we found and measured the specimens collected at our study sites. For each of the specimens measured at the entomological collections (MPEG and UFMG) we provide the complete label information as well as specimen ITD measure^[@CR37]^.
### Crop pollination {#Sec10}
Information on crop pollinator species was obtained from the database published by Giannini *et al*.^[@CR51]^, which includes an extensive assessment of crop pollinators in Brazil. This database contains all the published interactions recorded between Brazilian crops and their pollinators, including the information source and the type of interaction recorded (effective, occasional or potential pollinator or simply a visitor).
In our dataset, we specify which species are known crop pollinators and also, for each bee species we specify which crop they were reported to pollinate^[@CR37]^. Knowledge of crop pollinators is of great importance, not only in ecology and ecosystem functioning, but mainly for directing conservation strategies and policy decision making for ensuring food security. This knowledge can also be used as a means to evaluate ecosystem services provided by bees, to understand landscape population structure and to establish management and conservation strategies for individual species.
### Sociality and nest location {#Sec11}
Sociality and nest location data for each species were acquired by consulting previous natural history or review articles on these subjects. Primarily, a search for natural history data was performed for each species. For those species that completely lack natural history information, we searched for subgeneric information (when available), and when this information was not available, we included generic and tribe natural history information for the particular species. In all cases, before using generic, subgeneric and tribe information, a search in the specific literature was performed to verify the variation level in natural history traits for the specific clade.
We found sociality and nesting information for all species except some *Euglossa* Latreille, 1802 species. For 23 of the 43 *Euglossa* species, we did not find natural history data. Natural history traits vary widely within this genus, and the use of subgeneric or generic classification is not applicable for *Euglossa* species.
We provide the accuracy level of the information provided (i.e. tribe, genus, subgenus, species) and the reference papers from which natural history information was gathered for each species. The references are in the following format: authors, year, article title, journal, journal volume and pages^[@CR37]^.
Data Records {#Sec12}
============
The complete database of species records, traits, measured specimen's information and crops pollinated consists of 3 different files with descriptive names (Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}). Files are all in '.csv' (Unicode UTF-8) format and are stored in figshare^[@CR37]^. Rows represent unique species records, and columns represent the variables provided (Online-only Table [1](#Tab2){ref-type="table"}). For the 328 species, we present 438 trait records, 1530 specimens' records and 932 crop pollination records. The dataset includes data for all five extant Neotropical bee families belonging to 77 genera.Table 1Summary information for the three data files compiling the information on the multifunctional ecological traits for Brazilian bees.Data file nameN of bee speciesDescriptionN rowsNcolumnsFile sizeBrazilian_bees_traits.csv328Complete species traits file (body size, flight distance, known distribution, new occurrence records, crop pollination, sociality and nest location)43922224.62 KBBrazilian_bees_specimens_data.csv328Complete measured specimens data (location, label data, specimen collection code new occurrences data and sex information)153119197.27 KBBrazilian_bees_crop_pollinators.csv106Complete list of crops pollinated93311319.82 KB
We measured body size (from ITD, in millimeters) and categorized the mean species data into three body-size classes (small, medium and large).
Flight range, represented as the mhd, thd, mfd and mcd, was calculated from ITD using previously published flight distance estimation formulas^[@CR26],[@CR27]^.
Specimens from two Brazilian entomological collections (MPEG and UFMG) were measured, and their location (Bocaina, Canaã dos Carajás, Carajás, Nova Lima and Parauapebas) was obtained from the specimen labels^[@CR37]^.
The Neotropical distribution was obtained from Moure's bee catalog (moure.cria.org.br). For species not included in the catalogue we used literature data and information from specimen's labels. We provide new occurrence records from the specimens measured.
Crop pollination information was obtained from published plant-pollinator interactions compiled by Giannini *et al*.^[@CR52]^ and is represented as yes (crop pollinator species) or no (not previously reported as a crop pollinator) in the traits file. We provide the reported interactions (each pollinated crop) for 106 bee species that pollinate 64 crops^[@CR37]^.
Sociality and nesting information were obtained from 63 sources. Three categories of sociality were used: Cleptoparasitic; Eusocial; Solitary. Intermediary sociality classifications were not included as they would require further discussion and explanation, and this information is not the focus of this paper. All pillaging solitary bees (optional or obligate) were included as cleptoparasitic. Only eusocial bees (Apini, Bombini and Meliponini tribes that present obligatory cooperative brood care, division of labor, overlapping generations and reproductive castes) were considered Eusocial. The cleptoparasitic stingless bee genus *Lestrimelitta* Friese, 1903, was considered Eusocial. All the remaining species with different degrees of sociality were considered solitary. The level of accuracy for the acquired nesting and sociality information is provided based on the taxonomic rank for which the information was found available, being tribe, when information was found only for the species tribe, genus when information for the species genus was found, subgenus when information for the species subgenus was found and species when information for the species was found. Species with no available information, or when high taxonomic level information is not applied, are marked NA.
Nest location categories were based on the following ten classes:
**1. ant** -- species that nest in association with a pre-existent ant nest;
**2. cavity** -- species that nest in a pre-existent or excavated cavity in tree trunks or branches;
**3. cavity/human-made** -- species that nest in a pre-existent or excavated cavity in human-made structures such as walls, bricks and fences;
**4. exposed** -- species with exposed nests that are constructed around tree trunks or branches or around human-made structures;
**5. exposed/cavity** -- species that nest in exposed areas and in cavities;
**6. soil** -- species with subterranean nests in excavated or pre-existent cavities belowground;
**7. soil/cavity/human-made** -- species that nest belowground and in pre-existent natural or human- made cavities;
**8. soil/cavity/termite** -- species that nest belowground, in pre-existent cavities or in association with termite nests;
**9. soil/termite** -- species that nest belowground, in association with subterranean termite nests;
**10. termite** -- species that nest in association with pre-existent termite nests.
Technical Validation {#Sec13}
====================
In our dataset we provide the list of bees from Carajás and Nova Lima that have been identified to species level by specialist taxonomists at both MPEG and UFMG entomological collections. This dataset is a compilation of the bee species collected in a long time frame in this areas (for sampling data see Borges *et al*.^[@CR37]^). Locality and id (label data and entomological collection IDs) of measured specimens are provided to ensure they can be revisited. All measures were made by the same individual in order to reduce error. Information from literature was double checked and all sources are provided. For all available species we measured the ITD of up to five specimens in order to include intraspecific variation into our species body size measurements.
For estimating error rates, we manually re-collected data of 568 specimens from 122 species of our dataset (Supplementary Table [1](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}). We found ITD measures differences on 26 out of the 568 specimens re-measured, which represents an error rate of about 4.5%. Errors varied from 0.1 to 0.5 mm; however, almost 70% of errors were distributed between 0.1 and 0.2 mm, which did not produced changes on average values. All the data for each specimen is provided (Brazilian_bees_specimens_data.csv^[@CR37]^). We performed automatic and manual corrections and validation procedures for each dataset. All validation files, procedures and scripts are provided in Padovani and Borges^[@CR52]^.
Usage Notes {#Sec14}
===========
Note that ITD measures are presented as a medium value. We did this as a means to provide a representative value for the species, but a small intraspecific variation can also be found (see Brazilian_bees_specimens_data.csv^[@CR37]^). Measured specimens' data is provided ensuring the access to the individuals used in this database.
Traits regarding sociality and nesting location are all based on previously published papers. Note that for some species we rely on generic or subgeneric information in our database, so this can change once specific information are available, information on accuracy level is provided for each species.
Supplementary information {#Sec16}
-------------------------
Supplementary Table 1
Online-only Table {#Sec15}
=================
Online-only Table 1Definition of each variable included in the dataset.Variable nameVariable definitionUnitsStorage typeIdIndividual identification number for each sample.N/ANumericFamilyThe full scientific name of the family in which the taxon is classifiedN/ACharacterTribeThe full scientific name of the tribe in which the taxon is classifiedN/ACharacterGenusThe full scientific name of the genus in which the taxon is classifiedN/ACharacterSubgenusThe full scientific name of the subgenus in which the taxon is classifiedN/ACharacterSpecific epithetThe full scientific name of the specific epithet in which the taxon is classifiedN/ACharacterScientific name authorshipThe person who was responsible for having written the textual scientific content of the original species descriptionN/ACharacterBody size classThree body size classes estimated through ITDmeasured, as follows: large (ITD between 8.74 and 4 mm); medium (3.9 to 2.2 mm); small (2.1 to 0.7 mm)N/ACharacterITDmeasuredMesoscutum width measurement. Species average calculated from measured specimensmillimetersNumericMhdFlight range estimated as the maximum homing distance according to Cariveau *et al*.^[@CR25]^kilometersNumericThdFlight range estimated as the typical homing distance according to Cariveau *et al*.^[@CR25]^kilometersNumericMfdFlight range estimated as the maximum foraging distance according to Cariveau *et al*.^[@CR25]^kilometersNumericMcdFlight range estimated as the maximum communication distance according to Cariveau *et al*.^[@CR25]^kilometersNumericLocation of measured specimenName of entomological collection where the measured specimens are deposited (MPEG stands for Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi and UFMG for Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais)N/ACharacterKnown distributionSpecies distribution known, quoted by Moure's Bee Catalogue (moure.cria.org.br/)N/ACharacterNew recordSpecies for wich our measured specimens represent new occurrence records (yes or no)N/ACharacterLocalityLocality in which the specimen was collected, being in Carajás National Forest (which includes Bocaina, Canaã dos Carajás, Carajás and Parauapebas) or in Nova LimaN/ACharacterCrop pollinatorSpecies was quoted as crop pollinator by Giannini *et al*.^[@CR37]^ (yes or no)N/ACharacterSocialitySpecies social organization as provided in the literature (Cleptoparasite, Eusocial, Solitary)N/ACharacterNest LocationSpecies nesting location in the landscape as provided in the literature (ant, cavity, cavity/human_made, exposed, exposed/cavity, soil, soil/cavity/human_made, soil/cavity/termite, soil/termite, termite)N/ACharacterLevelLevel of accuracy for Sociality and Nesting information (tribe, genus, subgenus, species)N/ACharacterRef.References used to acquire sociality and nest location informationN/ACharacterCountryCountry where the specimen was collectedN/ACharacterStateState where the specimen was collectedN/ACharacterMunicipalityMunicipality where the specimen was collectedN/ACharacterDayDay when the specimen was collectedN/ANumberMonthMonth when the specimen was collected (in Roman numerals)N/ANumberYearYear when the specimen was collectedN/ANumberLocationLocation where the specimen was collectedN/ACharacterSampling pointSampling site where the specimen was collectedN/ACharacterITDSpecimen Intertegular distancemillimetersNumericITD averageAverage ITD calculated from all measured ITDs for each speciesmillimetersNumericSexSex of each measured specimen (Male or Female)N/ACharacterCollectorName of the specimen collectorN/ACharacterCollection IDIndividual collection ID codeN/ANumericScientific nameScientific name of each crop pollinator bee speciesN/ACharacterInteraction TypeType of interaction reported Giannini *et al*.^[@CR37]^N/ACharacterPlantThe full scientific name of the interacting plant taxonN/ACharacterVernacular namePortuguese common name of the cropN/ACharacterEnglish vernacular nameEnglish common name of the cropN/ACharacterPollinators refReferences used to acquire crop pollination informationN/ACharacter
**Publisher's note** Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary information
=========================
is available for this paper at 10.1038/s41597-020-0461-3.
We thank to CNPq (446167/2015-0; 443254/2015-0; 381626/2016-4; 380846/2017-9, 381296/2018-0, 380762/2018-8, 373408/2019-6, 381187/2019-5); to Orlando T. Silveira and Beatriz W.T. Coelho at Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi; to Fernando A. Silveira, Kirsten Lica Follmann Haseyama, Alessandro Lima, José Eustaquio dos Santos Júnior and Fernanda Trancoso of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; to Rafael Melo de Brito, Carlos Eduardo Pinto da Silva, Luciano Costa, Ulysses Maia Madureira, Luiza Romeiro and Eder C. M. Lanes from the Instituto Tecnológico Vale; to Tiago Mahlman e Marcio Oliveira from Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amazônia; and Sergio Dias, Letícia Guimarães and Alexandre Castilho from Vale S.A. We also thank to Rob Lanfear, Veronique van den Berghe and three anonymous reviewers for their comments and contributions for the final version of this manuscript. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior -- Brasil (CAPES - Finance Code 001).
R.C.B. and T.C.G. conceived the idea, compiled the data and wrote the first version of the manuscript. R.C.B. and K.P. revised, corrected and validated all datasets. R.C.B. and T.C.G. wrote the final version of the manuscript. All authors contributed substantially to the revision process and approved the final draft of the submitted manuscript.
All validation files, procedures and scripts are provided in Padovani and Borges^[@CR52]^. All files are available in Unicode (UTF-8) format.
The authors declare no competing interests.
|
Safety and pharmacokinetics of a solid lipid curcumin particle formulation in osteosarcoma patients and healthy volunteers.
Curcumin is the lipid-soluble antioxidant compound obtained from the rhizome of Curcuma longa Linn, also known as turmeric. Curcumin targets multiple chemotherapeutic and inflammatory pathways and has demonstrated safety and tolerability in humans, supporting its potential as a therapeutic agent; however, the clinical literature lacks conclusive evidence supporting its use as a therapeutic agent due to its low bioavailability in humans. The purpose of this study was to quantify plasma levels of free curcumin after dosing of a solid lipid curcumin particle (SLCP) formulation versus unformulated curcumin in healthy volunteers and to determine its tolerability and dose-plasma concentration relationship in late-stage osteosarcoma patients. Doses of 2, 3, and 4 g of SLCP were evaluated in 11 patients with osteosarcoma. Plasma curcumin levels were measured using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method. The limit of detection of the assay was 1 ng/mL of curcumin. In healthy subjects, the mean peak concentration of curcumin achieved from dosing 650 mg of SLCP was 22.43 ng/mL, whereas plasma curcumin from dosing an equal quantity of unformulated 95% curcuminoids extract was not detected. In both healthy individuals and osteosarcoma patients, high interindividual variability in pharmacokinetics and nonlinear dose dependency was observed, suggesting potentially complex absorption kinetics. Overall, good tolerability was noted in both healthy and osteosarcoma groups. |
Opinion: China has no good options for dealing with North Korea
What options does China have when it comes to North Korea? Very few, and none of them very good, according to PhD student Dylan Loh, in an article published in The Conversation.
After North Korea conducted its sixth underground nuclear test, which was 10 times stronger than its last one, the US responded by warning Pyongyang that any threat to the US or its allies would be met with a “massive military response”. Donald Trump himself tweeted that he is considering ceasing trade with any country that does business with the north – and of course, it’s clear which countries he meant.
The United States is considering, in addition to other options, stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.
China is the top destination for North Korean goods, with exports worth US$2.83 billion, dwarfing the US$97.8m that northern products fetch from second-placed India. That leaves China exposed to the US’s unpredictable ire on yet another front, even as it faces off what it regards as hostile moves elsewhere.
Prior to the nuclear test, South Korea had already sought a review of a cap on ballistic missile numbers; Trump approved it, meaning Seoul can now increase the distance and the force of its missiles, an outcome sure to discomfort Beijing. Shortly after the test, South Korea’s defence ministry said that it will deploy four more Terminal High Altitude Defence (THAAD) missile systems. This is bound to further frustrate Beijing, which is still fuming about the systems deployed already.
More worryingly for China, Japan has also taken steps to boost its defence mechanisms, ostensibly to counter the North Korean missile threat but conveniently dovetailing with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s campaign for a normalised and robust military. Abe has proposed a 2.5% increase in Japan’s defence budget, including research into hypersonic missiles and the extension of the range of its missiles.
With China increasingly viewing the South Korean and Japanese moves as hostile, it seems like East Asia’s strategic calculus could be changing. And while China has shown a remarkable amount of patience for North Korea’s military advances, Kim’s apparent disrespect for its president, Xi Jinping, might just tip the scales.
Upstaged!
The latest nuclear test was conducted just as Xi was busy hosting a BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations conference in Xiamen. This was supposed to be the latest feather in Xi’s cap, a chance to show off his diplomatic finesse after resolving the Doklam border dispute with India just before the summit. But then came the nuclear test, and the attention Xi dearly wanted immediately evaporated.
This act of upstaging is a serious matter. The importance of the BRICS summit should not be understated; this was the last major international event for Xi before the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, China’s most important domestic political event, which kicks off on October 18.
Unlike the standard agenda of previous meetings, this year’s national congress is immensely personally important to Xi. He is trying to install allies in the Politburo Standing Committee, to push through wide-ranging social, economic and military reforms, and possibly aiming to stay on in some capacity beyond the normal 10-year term.
Strange that it’s not domestic rivals but Kim Jong-un (mocked by some Chinese as “Kim fatty the third”) that poses the biggest headache for Xi. Still, the latest indications point towards yet another missile test. Xi will certainly not appreciate Pyongyang overshadowing the build-up to the 19th Congress, or worse still, staging a test of some sort on October 18 itself.
So what options does the Chinese leadership have? Very few, and none of them very good.
After the September 3 test, the nationalist Chinese paper Global Times said that China is not prepared to put an oil embargo on North Korea. Some voices are even arguing that it may be better to simply accept the reality that North Korea will soon be fully nuclear-armed, but that would be a huge risk. Trump has stated repeatedly that the US will not accept a nuclear North Korea, and his unpredictability has to be taken into account when gaming out his administration’s possible response.
Alternatively, China could fully abandon North Korea to deal Kim a real blow. But again, this does not seem attractive. If the North Korean regime were really threatened with war or collapse, Kim could turn his weaponry and army towards China with the full rage of the scorned. All things considered, China will most likely stick to the script: asking for all parties to cease provocation while pushing hard for its “suspension for suspension” proposal.
Ultimately, Xi is not prepared to risk worsening the situation in the run up to the 19th Congress. What would be interesting to watch is what China does after the 19th Congress is concluded. If Xi comes out of it with more authority and political capital to spend domestically and abroad, perhaps he will start to take more decisive measures against his troublesome neighbour.
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Some Burmese-American Hypocracy
Not that anyone should ever look to Secretary of State Rice or any of her colleagues for statements that mean anything or consistancy in general – but I noticed she was talking about Burma today.
Yeah, you know, Burma… oh I know.. you still remember the good old days of Myanmar, you’re so old school. Oh and you probably still have fond memories of Rangoon as the capital… well that’s just about over. And if you think extra hard, you might recall companies like Unocal, Halliburton, and Chevron; American oil companies (they’re not alone, plenty of European too), doing lot’s of business with the military Junta over the last 20 years.
But I guess that was before the United States government received a message from god that said they should spread freedom everywhere and stop being friends with their old friends who are possibly genocidal murderous dictators, and generally not nice people.
“So long as the proud people of this great nation remain oppressed, there can be no business as usual in Southeast Asia”
No business as usual? Well Well. What about the usual business and all your friends who profit? Are you going to suddenly turn your back on them? Impressive!
Sorry, suddenly I started talking directly to Condi instead of just, about her. Here’s an interesting related PBS-NOW report as well as an old Nation article that might point out some hope. I mean, besides our champion of global justice secretary of state. |
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
namespace BufferManager {
public class BufferEditor : IBufferEditor {
readonly IBufferManager _bufferManager;
EditMode _editMode;
long _caretOffset, _startOffset;
int _inputBase = 16;
int _wordSize = 1;
ulong _currentValue;
int _currentDigit;
List<byte> _numbers = new List<byte>(64);
Stack<byte> _digitStack = new Stack<byte>();
static byte[,] _digits;
static BufferEditor() {
_digits = new byte[9, 17];
// how many digits in a number of a given base?
// for base 16
_digits[1, 16] = 2; _digits[2, 16] = 4; _digits[4, 16] = 8; _digits[8, 16] = 16;
}
public BufferEditor(IBufferManager bufferManager) {
_bufferManager = bufferManager;
}
public ulong CurrentValue => _currentValue;
public EditMode EditMode {
get => _editMode;
set {
if (_editMode != value) {
Flush();
_editMode = value;
Reset();
}
}
}
public void Flush() {
// flush current numbers
if (EditMode == EditMode.Insert) {
_bufferManager.Insert(_startOffset, _numbers.ToArray());
}
else {
_bufferManager.SetData(_startOffset, _numbers.ToArray());
}
Reset();
}
public long CaretOffset {
get => _caretOffset;
set {
if (value >= _bufferManager.Size)
value = _bufferManager.Size;
if (_caretOffset != value) {
_caretOffset = value;
OnCaretMoved();
}
}
}
private void OnCaretMoved() {
CaretMoved?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
public int WordSize {
get => _wordSize;
set {
if (_wordSize != value) {
Flush();
_wordSize = value;
Reset();
}
}
}
public int InputBase {
get => _inputBase;
set {
if (_inputBase != value) {
Flush();
_inputBase = value;
Reset();
}
}
}
public event EventHandler CaretMoved;
public void UpdateDigit(byte value) {
_currentValue = _currentValue * (uint)InputBase + (uint)value;
_digitStack.Push(value);
if (++_currentDigit == _digits[WordSize, InputBase]) {
if (_numbers.Count == 0)
_startOffset = CaretOffset;
// number end
_numbers.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(_currentValue).Take(WordSize));
CaretOffset += WordSize;
_currentDigit = 0;
_currentValue = 0;
}
}
public void Reset() {
_currentValue = 0;
_currentDigit = 0;
_numbers.Clear();
_digitStack.Clear();
}
public bool Backup() {
if (_currentDigit == 0)
return false;
_currentDigit--;
_currentValue = (_currentValue - _digitStack.Pop()) / (uint)InputBase;
return true;
}
}
}
|
Comparison of three methods for measuring locations of long range base pairing in single-stranded DNA by electron microscopy.
A comparison was made of three procedures used for measuring the locations of long range base pairing in single-stranded DNA. All three procedures gave equivalent results for the location of a transposon, Tn903, and for a loop created by pairing between the nut and operator segments on an EcoRI restriction fragment of lambda DNA. DNA molecules prepared by a T4 gene 32 protein procedure had the best contrast. The highest frequency of measurable loops resulted from a procedure which utilized ammonium acetate/formamide spreading conditions. This procedure also appeared to be the simplest and most satisfactory procedure. Only one procedure revealed the fact that the nutR and oR regions are separated by several hundred bases, but this procedure, which involves crosslinking with trioxsalen, gave generally unsatisfactory DNA morphology. None of the procedures revealed the existence of a short "bulge" loop of single-stranded DNA located between nutL and oL and a longer "bulge" loop located between nutR and oR. |
NATO commander calls for dialogue with Ukraine's military leaders
Source: Reuters - Wed, 19 Feb 2014 19:35 GMT
Author: Reuters
BRUSSELS, Feb 19 (Reuters) - NATO's top military commander appealed to Ukraine's leaders on Wednesday to avoid using military force against their people and called for dialogue with the country's new military leadership.
In Twitter messages, U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, asked that "responsible leaders avoid the use of military force against the people of Ukraine."
"I am calling upon the new military leadership in Ukraine to open a dialogue with us to bring this situation to a peaceful resolution," Breedlove said.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich earlier appointed a new head of the armed forces general staff after street clashes between protesters and police in which at least 26 people have been killed since Tuesday. [ID:nL6N0LO4I} (Reporting by Adrian Croft; editing by Foo Yun Chee)
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. For more information see our Acceptable Use Policy. |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid flowmeter particularly although not exclusively of the ultrasonic axial flow type.
2. Discussion of the Background
Fluid flowmeters of the axial ultrasonic type comprise a conduit through which, in use, a fluid flows by way of inlet means and outlet means for flow rate measurement, a first transducer for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a second transducer by way of the conduit, the second transducer being spaced from the first transducer along the conduit for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the first transducer and means for detecting the time of flight of the signals between the transducers in order to measure the flow rate of fluid along the conduit.
A problem with fluid flowmeters of the above type is that there is a tendency for spurious signal reflections to occur at the walls of the conduit. These interfere with the actual signal or at least provide false or inaccurate time of flight readings and therefore false or inaccurate fluid flow rate measurements.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to alleviate these effects. |
Internet telephony, also known as Voice over IP (Internet Protocol), or VoIP, is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or any other IP network. In VoIP, voice data flows over a general-purpose packet-switched network, instead of the conventional dedicated, circuit switched voice transmission lines used with conventional telephony, also known as plain old telephone service (POTS).
Telephones require electrical power to operate. In POTS, a combined voice signal and power signal is transmitted over twisted pair cable between a telephone and a line card at a public telephone exchange. Unlike POTS, where the voice signal and power signal are combined and require only two wires, Ethernet uses four pairs. In a 10Base-T (10 Mbps) or 100Base-T (100 Mbps) Ethernet system one pair is used for the transmit signal, a second pair carries the receive signal and there are two unused or spare pairs. To provide a similar ease of use for VoIP phones as for conventional phones, configurations have arisen that provide power to a VoIP phone from a power source over an Ethernet connection. Power over Ethernet (PoE), or IEEE standard reference 802.3af, allows the electrical power necessary for the operation of a powered device to be carried by data cables rather than by separate power cords. This minimizes the number of wires that must be used in order to install the network and eliminates the need for AC outlets and AC/DC adapters for each powered device, resulting in lower cost, easier maintenance and greater installation flexibility.
There are two main types of PoE devices: endspan and midspan. An endspan device is generally a network switch that transmits the data signal and provides power. It resides at the end of a link. Endspan devices can provide power in either of two ways: “phantom” feed devices provide power over the active or signal (transmit and receive) wire or line pairs; or power can be sourced on the unused or spare pairs. A midspan device fits in between a switch and a powered device, and can be mounted adjacent to the Ethernet switch in an equipment rack or located near the peripheral end device such as an IP Phone. A midspan device, or power adapter, typically supplies power on the unused wire pairs and simply passes the data signal through without modification—it does not include any transmit or receive functionality. A midspan power adapter is typically a stand-alone device, making it suitable for use with a network switch that does not support PoE. Furthermore, since midspans are less expensive than endspans, midspans are a cost-effective way of adding PoE on a port by port basis to an existing network. As such, IP phones are conventionally powered by a midspan power adapter where adding endspan PoE devices is cost prohibitive.
FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 in which a conventional IP phone 102 is coupled to a known midspan power adapter 104, which is in turn coupled to a network switch 106. The midspan power adapter 104 includes, or is otherwise connected to or in electrical communication with, a power source 108. The power source 108 in FIG. 1 is connected between device connector wire pairs 4,5 and 7,8. The power source 108 is typically 48 volts DC, and can comprise one or more batteries, or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). More typically, and as shown in FIG. 1, the power source comprises an AC adapter which can plug into a typical wall outlet. The AC adapter can include a power supply 110, a transformer 112, and a wall plug 114. Connection between the IP phone 102, the midspan power adapter 104, and the network switch 106 is conventionally enabled by cabling 116, such as Category 5, or CAT5, cabling. Different categories of cabling can be used for different equipment, such as 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet, also known respectively as 10/100/1000 Base-T, with 1000 Mbps Ethernet also being known as Gigabit Ethernet.
Midspan power adapters typically feed the signal wires directly through a first set of wires, identified as wires 1 to 3 and 6 in FIG. 1. Power is injected on the phone (or powered device) side from the power source 108 via spare pairs, shown as pairs 4,5 and 7,8 in FIG. 1. On the switch side, the spare wires are usually unterminated. Cutting the spare pairs to insert power, and not properly terminating the pairs significantly changes the common mode impedance between each pair within the cable. This discontinuity alters the balance and symmetry of the cable, causing an increase in radiated emissions when a midspan power adapter is used with an IP phone. Thus the powered device may exceed emission limits when in operation. The design intent for powered Ethernet devices, such as IP phones, is to have minimal electromagnetic emissions. Discontinuities such as those encountered in midspan PoE adapters can significantly elevate emission levels.
It is possible to provide power to an end device without breaking or cutting the spare pairs inside the midspan power adapter. However, there is no way of knowing what the spare pairs are connected to at the network switch 106. For example, if a resistive load is attached at the network switch 106, placing power on the spare pair could destroy the load. For this reason, a break in the spare pairs is generally provided in a midspan power adapter. Unfortunately, this break also causes an increase in the amount of radiated energy.
Several methods exist for containing unwanted emissions. One approach is to add a common mode filter clamp on an Ethernet cable to be used with a powered device. This involves customers placing chokes on cables which often does not occur, and makes cable management difficult since the chokes can be bulky. Alternatively, a choke could be moulded onto the cable, but this can be costly and standard replacement cables cannot be used. Another approach is to add common mode chokes within the powered device either as discrete parts or embedded into the Ethernet connectors. A further approach is to use shielded cable throughout any links containing a midspan power adapter. Shielded cable, however, is more expensive and not as commonly used as the Unshielded Twisted Pair Category 5 Ethernet cable specified for use with IP Phones today. Rewiring a building tends to be cost prohibitive.
In general, these approaches merely add extra filtering and cost to each IP phone, rather than fixing the source of the problem. The problem lies in the midspan power adapter and the radiated energy it causes.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a midspan power adapter that can power an IP device without adding significant radiated energy to the system. |
Coca-Cola will say goodbye to its famous NYC building
The building will hit the market in 2019
(NEW YORK, NY) — Coca-Cola’s 711 Fifth Ave. property will hit the market in 2019, according to Bloomberg. The company has hired Cushman & Wakefield to sell the 18-story tower that, for decades, has been known as the Coca-Cola Building.
Coca-Cola announced that the company does not need to keep its investment in the building to support its activities in New York.
The 345,000-square-foot building dates back to 1927 and was acquired by Coca-Cola in 1983. The building, a prime location in Manhattan, is filled with mostly office and retail space. In charge of the building’s marketing is Cushman’s institutional capital markets team made up of Doug Harmon, Adam Spies, and Kevin Donner, Bloomberg reported.
Current tenants in the building include Allen & Co., Sandler Capital Management, and The Polo Bar by Ralph Lauren. |
Arnica salve soothes bruises, sprains, and strains. It is a must for your first aid kit, especially if you are active outdoors.
Arnica salve is a must have remedy for your herbal apothecary. It is useful for bruising, muscle strains, sprains, and other injuries where the skin is not broken but there is pain, inflammation, and bruising. Arnica salve reduces shock after injuring and speeds healing. Athletes use it to reduce inflammation and speed recovery after training workouts.
Arnica salve has been used successfully for osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel, and other muscle and joint pain. It is my go-to remedy for bug bites and farm injuries, where the skin is not broken.
My daughter requested a “bruise salve” as she’s taken a few tumbles on her walk to work. Arnica is the best herbal remedy for those injuries that you get when you walk or work a lot outdoors. In this recipe I’ve combined arnica with yarrow leaves. Yarrow is also a great bruise remedy that quickly resolves bleeding, reduces inflammation, and speeds healing to an injury.
What is arnica?
Arnica is a pretty yellow daily-like flower that blooms only for a few weeks in the spring. You’ll find it on the edges of wooded areas. It grows in dappled sunlight and part shade. The plant grows 12 to 18 inches high with opposite leaves. Arnica flowers are bold and 2 to 3 inches across. It’s a perennial. Both flowers and leaves are used medicinally, though I harvest only flowers and leave the plant to grow through the season, ensuring a strong stand for future harvests.
For more about identifying arnica in the wild see this post.
Arnica salve begins with infused oil. If you have fresh arnica blossoms you will make arnica infused oil using the quick method below. If you have dried arnica blossoms you can use either the quick way or the slow way described below.
Arnica infused oil the quick way
Arnica salve begins with arnica infused oil. When using fresh arnica, infuse olive oil with arnica flowers using heat, to inhibit mold. When infusing oil with fresh plant materia, there is the risk of mold developing when the infusions are done at room temperature over several weeks. Instead of infusing at room temperature, heat is used to minimize mold contamination, since fresh plant material is being infused.
Make a double boiler using a saucepan, a canning jar ring and a wide mouth pint mason jar. Fill the jar with 2 cups of fresh arnica flowers. Yarrow leaves may also be added to the oil to increase the potency of the salve.
Place the canning jar ring in the bottom of the sauce pan. Place the open Mason jar on the ring in the saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water so that it comes halfway up the side of the Mason jar.
Simmer the saucepan on medium heat for one hour. Turn off the heat. Allow the Mason jar to come to room temperature.
Strain the infused oil, separating the oil from the plant material. Squeeze the plant material to retain as much of the oil as possible. Add ¼ teaspoon of vitamin E to the infused oil to inhibit rancidity. Label and date the infused oil. It will keep for up to 3 years if kept in a cool, dry place.
Arnica infused oil the slow way
If you are using dried arnica flowers you can proceed with the oil infusion the slow way. Place 1 cup of dried arnica flowers in a pint size Mason jar. Cover the flowers with olive oil or another carrier oil. Ensure that the flowers are fully covered with oil. Cap tightly. Place the jar in a warm cupboard out of direct sunlight.
Shake the jar once a day or as often as you think of it. After 4 to 6 weeks, strain the jar contents, retaining the oil. Squeeze the plant material through a potato ricer or other press to capture as much of the oil as possible.
Add ¼ teaspoon of vitamin E per pint of oil. Label and date the jar. The infused oil will last 3 years if kept out of light and heat.
Arnica Salve
Salves have a soft, spreadable consistency that melts on skin contact. The arnica in this recipe may be combined with yarrow leaves to increase the potency of this salve for bruises, sprains, and injuries.
Yield: 2 ounces
Ingredients:
3 ½ tablespoons arnica infused oil
2 teaspoons beeswax (about 8 grams)
Directions:
Make a double boiler using a glass measuring cup.
Add arnica infused oil and beeswax to the glass measuring cup.
Simmer until the beeswax melts. Remove from heat.
Stir the mixture as it cools to prevent separation.
Spoon the mixture into a 2 ounce salve tin. Cap tightly, label, and date.
To use:
Salve is helpful for bruises, strains, sprains, and sore joints and muscles.
Contraindications:
Avoid using arnica on broken skin or burns. It should not be taken internally. Arnica should not be used by people who are allergic to arnica or by people who may be sensitive to other members of the compositae family.
Where to find arnica flowers?
Make arnica salve to soothe the inflammation, bruises, and strains for your active lifestyle so that you don’t have to quit living life to the fullest. You’ve got the recipe, now go find the flowers.
Find them on Amazon here.
Grow your own with seeds.
Your turn:
What is your go-to natural remedy for soothing bruises, sprains, strains, and sore joints?
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Q:
Samba AD + Windows 10 Smart card Login
I have a Samba4 AD DC running on a VM (Ubuntu server 16.04 64bit on VirtualBox), on a Windows 10 client. Then I try to authenticate users via Windows. I already managed to log in using a smart card on another machine, with Windows 7 using these tutorials mainly:
https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Setting_up_Samba_as_an_Active_Directory_Domain_Controller
https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Samba_AD_Smart_Card_Login
Unfortunatly, this is not working on Windows 10 (I re-did the tutorial entirely on this new machine).
I can log in using users from the Samba domain (Administrator, test_user). But with a smart card, I get a "RPC failure". This is odd, because my VM is on the same machine, I don't see why RPC is involved ? After that, my machine restarts by itself. Events log says "LogonUi.exe" has crashed.
Oddly, my samba log says I successfully logged in the domain with my card ! (PKINIT pre-authentication succeeded, authtime : xxx, just like on my Win7)
A:
Fixed by updating manually (building from sources) the latest version of Samba (4.7.3).
Using a server LTS version of Ubuntu, I didn't have the latest fixes (it was running ver 4.3.11). I compiled the sources and it works fine now.
|
I[NTRODUCTION]{.smallcaps} {#sec1-1}
==========================
Periodontitis is inflammation of the gingiva and periodontal apparatus, which could be caused by microorganisms causing damage of periodontal ligament and alveolar bone.\[[@ref1][@ref2]\] Literature reveals that *Porphyromonas gingivalis*, *Treponema denticola*, and *Treponema forsythia* are the classic organisms related with periodontal pathogenesis.\[[@ref3][@ref4][@ref5]\] Disease progression is further dependent on other aspects such as smoking, genetics, and hormonal imbalances.\[[@ref6]\] The imbalance of one such hormone that has great implications on the integrity of periodontal tissue is insulin.
Compilation of literature from many studies revealed periodontitis as a possible complication (sixth) of diabetes mellitus (DM).\[[@ref7][@ref8]\] Periodontal destruction depends on the microorganisms efficiency to breach the host--epithelial barrier, which is protected by gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) flow and various antimicrobial peptides. Adrenomedullin is one such potent antimicrobial peptide originally identified by Kitamura *et al*. (1993) from the extracts of human pheochromocytoma.\[[@ref9]\] A broad variety of cells and tissues produce adrenomedullin such as adrenal medulla, kidney, lungs, and endothelial cells. Its plasma level is usually elevated in certain conditions such as DM, periodontal disease (PD), and renal diseases.\[[@ref10][@ref11][@ref12][@ref13][@ref14][@ref15]\]
However, whether treatment of PD may cause any alterations in the adrenomedullin value is not known. Therefore, with a hypothesis of altered adrenomedullin levels in diabetes patients, we carried this study to determine adrenomedullin levels in healthy controls, patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) with and without DM, and diabetic subjects without any periodontal involvement and also to tabulate the variation in the adrenomedullin values prior to and after therapy (scaling and root planing).
M[ATERIALS AND]{.smallcaps} M[ETHODS]{.smallcaps} {#sec1-2}
=================================================
Sample selection {#sec2-1}
----------------
Our prospective study included 120 subjects. The study was carried out in the Department of Periodontics, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere (Karnataka state), from January 2015 to December 2015. The sample size was obtained using Cohen effect size "*r*" table developed in 1988 (alpha = 0.05, power of the study = 0.8, effect size "*r*" = 0.6, number of groups = 4, estimated sample size per group will be 28 rounded off to 30).
We obtained ethical committee clearance and written informed consent from all the individuals according to the Declaration of Helsinki. We followed the criteria of 1999 International World Workshop for Classification of Periodontal Diseases and Condition. Subjects without gingivitis and probing depth \<3 mm were listed as controls. HbA1c levels of diabetic subjects were assessed chairside using Chek diagnostics A1CNow® test kit (FDA cleared: Globalmart). Type 2 DM diagnosis was according to the HbA1c level (7%--8%).\[[@ref16][@ref17]\] Individuals with other systemic diseases such as hypertension, subjects on antibiotic therapy in the past 3 months, those who had periodontal treatment in the preceding 6 months, subjects on immunosuppressive therapy, pregnant and lactating mothers, and smokers were excluded.
The selected 120 individuals were made into four groups randomly.
Group 1: (Healthy subjects) Subjects without clinical gingivitis and probing depth of \<3 mm (*n* = 30)Group 2: (CP without DM) Subjects with probing depth \>5 mm in 30% of the sites and presence of bone loss radiographically (*n* = 30)Group 3: (CP with DM) Subjects with probing depth \>5 mm in 30% of the sites, bone loss evident radiographically, and well-controlled type 2 DM (HbA1c level 7%--8%) (*n* = 30)Group 4: (DM without any periodontal involvement) Subjects with \<3 mm probing depth, without clinical inflammation or loss of attachment and well-controlled type 2 DM (HbA1c level 7%--8%).
After taking history, clinical and radiographic evaluation was done. Sterile mouth mirror and UNC-15 graduated periodontal probes were used to clinically examine the periodontal status.
Clinical parameters {#sec2-2}
-------------------
Patient selection, examination, and periodontal treatment were done by single examiner to obtain reproducibility and prevent the examiners bias. Clinical parameters such as gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and probing depth (gingival margin to base of sulcus (healthy) or pockets (CP) were noted for all teeth whereas clinical attachment level (CAL) was also measured. UNC-15 probe was placed along the tooth. To attain a more precise measurement of the preexisting attachment level, a customized acrylic stent was prepared for each subject using self-cure acrylic resin and placed on the study casts to reduce distortion during follow-up measurements.\[[@ref18]\]
Gingival crevicular fluid collection {#sec2-3}
------------------------------------
With cotton rolls, isolation of the selected sites was done, and drying with air, supragingival plaque was removed gently not contacting marginal gingiva to prevent contamination or blockage of the microcapillary pipette. Samples contaminated with blood or saliva were discarded. GCF was collected by placing white color-coded 1--5 μL calibrated microcapillary pipettes (Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Company, St. Louis, USA). Using extracrevicular (unstimulated) method, 1 μL of GCF was collected, which was considered as standard volume \[[Figure 1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}\].
{#F1}
Periodontal treatment {#sec2-4}
---------------------
Nonsurgical periodontal therapy was done for Group 2 and Group 3 subjects after collection of GCF. With ultrasonic scaling machine-driven ultrasonic scalers (Cavitron Bobcat Pro, Dentsply), calculus was thoroughly removed. After a week, hand instruments (Gracey curettes, Hu-Friedy, Chicago, IL, USA) were used to accomplish root planing under local anesthesia to remove subgingival calculus, thereby providing smooth root surface. Root surface smoothness was evaluated using a shepherd hook explorer (Ecolite Manufacturing Company, Spoken Valley, USA).
Postoperatively, all the subjects were instructed to brush daily with fluoridated toothpaste using bass technique. Antibiotics or mouth rinsing products were not prescribed. Subjects with large embrasure spaces were instructed for using dental floss and interdental brushes, to prevent retention of food particles. After 6 weeks, clinical parameters were recorded \[[Figure 2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}\] and GCF collected from the same site in Group 2 and Group 3 subjects and transferred to plastic tube without delay and stored at −80°C till the time of the assay.
{#F2}
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and principle of assay {#sec2-5}
------------------------------------------------------------
The Biolinkk Biosystems Adrenomedullin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (Biolinkk Company, New Delhi, India) for the quantitative measurement of adrenomedullin was used. This uses a double-antibody sandwich ELISA. The procedure followed was based on the manufacturer\'s instructions \[[Figure 3](#F3){ref-type="fig"}\]. The sensitivity was 5.118 ng/L. The amount of adrenomedullin was calculated by measuring the optical density values under 450 nm wavelength by the sample curve.
{#F3}
Statistical analysis {#sec2-6}
--------------------
Statistical Package for the Social Services version 20 (IBM Corp. Released 2011. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. Armonk, NY: USA, IBM Corp) for Windows software was used for analysis.\[[@ref19]\] The mean and standard deviation were calculated for all parameters and GCF adrenomedullin levels. Since GI, PI, probing depth and CAL were not normally distributed, pair-wise comparison of groups was done by Mann--Whitney U test. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used in Group 2 and Group 3 for comparison of values before and following intervention. Clinical correlation among the parameters and GCF adrenomedullin levels was compared by Spearman correlation test. A *P* \< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
R[ESULTS]{.smallcaps} {#sec1-3}
=====================
Our study subjects were aged between 30 and 60 years (mean age of 40.5 ± 2.9). There were 65 males (54%) and 55 females (46%). Age and gender in all the groups did not show any significant difference (*P* = 0.362).
Baseline intergroup comparison of clinical parameters {#sec2-7}
-----------------------------------------------------
Intergroup comparison of clinical parameters was highly significant (*P* \< 0.001). Pair-wise comparison showed that except for Group 1 versus Group 4 and Group 2 versus Group 3, all the other pair-wise comparisons demonstrated significant difference (*P* \< 0.001). All the parameters, i.e., GI, PI, probing depth, and CAL were improved significantly after the nonsurgical intervention in Group 2 and Group 3.(*P* \< 0.001) \[Tables [1](#T1){ref-type="table"} and [2](#T2){ref-type="table"}\].
######
Comparison of clinical parameters that is plaque index gingival index, probing depth, clinical attachment level and adrenomedullin levels compared at baseline and 6 weeks postperiodontal therapy in Group 2
Groups Mean±SD
----------------------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------
Group 2 at baseline 2.19±0.50 2.11±0.47 6.83±1.70 9.67±1.51 522.27±199.5
Group 2 6 weeks posttherapy 1.02±0.018 1.02±0.23 5.06±1.36 7.10±1.21 249.97±68.28
Difference 1.17\*\* 1.09\*\* 1.77\*\* 2.57\*\* 272.3\*\*
Wilcoxon signed-rank test −4.708 −4.788 −4.350^b^ −4.794^b^ −4.782^b^
Values are presented as mean±SD. Wilcoxon signed ranks test: \**P*-value: \**P*\<0.05, (significant), \*\**P*\<0.001, (highly significant). SD=Standard deviation, GI=Gingival index, PI=Plaque index, PD=Probing depth, CAL=Clinical attachment level, GCF=Gingival crevicular fluid, AM=Adrenomedullin, ^b^*P*\<0.001; Significant
######
Comparison of clinical parameters that is plaque index, probing depth, clinical attachment level and adrenomedullin levels compared at baseline and 6 weeks postperiodontal therapy in Group 3
Groups Mean±SD
----------------------------- ----------- ----------- ------------ --------------- -----------
Group 3 at baseline 2.43±0.46 7.3±1.69 10.07±1.63 596.80±112.95 2.40±0.33
Group 3 6 weeks posttherapy 1.31±0.48 5.26±1.18 7.53±1.04 279.13±142.15 1.49±1.8
Difference 1.12\*\* 2.04\*\* 2.54\*\* 317.67\*\* 0.91\*\*
Wilcoxon signed-ranks −4.788 −4.417 −4.65 −4.782 −4.711
Values are presented as mean±SD. Wilcoxon signed ranks test. \**P*-value: \**P*\<0.05, (significant), \*\**P*\<0.001 (highly significant). SD=Standard deviation, GI=Gingival index, PI=Plaque index, PD=Probing depth, CAL=Clinical attachment level, GCF=Gingival crevicular fluid, AM=Adrenomedullin
Clinical correlation {#sec2-8}
--------------------
Clinical correlation was done between adrenomedullin levels and the GI, PI, probing depth, and CAL in Group 2 and Group 3, and a negative association was seen before the periodontal treatment. Overall, there was weak positive association found between probing depth, PI, GI, and adrenomedullin levels, 6 weeks after therapy with the exception of CAL and PI in Group 2; CAL and probing depth in Group 3 had negative correlation after periodontal therapy.
D[ISCUSSION]{.smallcaps} {#sec1-4}
========================
Several investigators\[[@ref20][@ref21]\] have proven that nonsurgical periodontal treatment leads to substantial decrease in inflammation and pocket depth as was seen in our study. On comparing the CAL in these subjects initially and 6 weeks posttherapy, a highly significant gain in the attachment level was seen.
Adrenomedullin is a peptide with multifunctions such as strong antimicrobial effect. In the past, several studies reported its influence on periodontal pathogenesis and glucose metabolism.\[[@ref20][@ref21]\]
We also observed low adrenomedullin values in those without CP (Group 1 and Group 4) when compared to CP subjects. However, the adrenomedullin levels were very high in DM subjects than controls (*P* = 0.001). Wong *et al*.\[[@ref21]\] stated that hyperglycemia augments adrenomedullin release and expression. Hayashi *et al*.\[[@ref22]\] also found increased plasma concentration of adrenomedullin in diabetics, which they stated was due to increase in endothelial damage.\[[@ref21]\] This elevation in diabetics might be due to the combination of both the factors that is hyperglycemia along with endothelial damage.
GCF concentration of adrenomedullin was elevated in CP individuals. Hayashi M *et al*.\[[@ref22]\] had studied the adrenomedullin expression against periodontal bacteria and concluded that the byproducts of periodontal bacteria such as lipopolysaccharides upregulated levels of adrenomedullin. Lundy *et al*.\[[@ref23]\] compared the adrenomedullin levels at diseased and normal sites and found elevated levels at the diseased site. They attributed this to the pro-inflammatory nature of the adrenomedullin. Similarly, when we compared adrenomedullin in CP patients with or without diabetes, we noticed significant rise in adrenomedullin levels. Our hypothesis was further strengthened Hussain *et al*. and Zang *et al*. findings,\[[@ref24][@ref25]\] who established a possible association between elevated adrenomedullin values with different forms and periodontal disease severity. The above findings were also consistent to the findings reported by Suchetha *et al*. and Ertugrul *et al*.\[[@ref14][@ref15]\]
Indeed, dental plaque acts as potent stimulators for adrenomedullin. Plaque control and maintenance aid in substantial decrease in the inflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokines.\[[@ref20]\] Our observations substantiated these facts that bacteria and their toxic products cause inflammation and act as potent stimulators for adrenomedullin and we noticed reduced adrenomedullin 6 weeks after periodontal management in CP subjects. The variation in the mean GCF adrenomedullin concentration in CP after treatment was statistically highly significant. Our observations were in accordance to the observations made by Pawar *et al*.,\[[@ref26]\] who reported decline in MMP-3 and 13 levels after periodontal therapy.
Since this study is first of its nature, to the best of our knowledge, reduced adrenomedullin levels establishes its role as an antimicrobial peptide, but further studies are required to establish its exact role.
A negative correlation was seen among the parameters before the periodontal therapy. Overall, there was weak positive correlation found between probing depth, GI, PI adrenomedullin values, 6 weeks after treatment with the exclusion of negative association between CAL and PI in Group 2 and between CAL and probing depth in Group 3. These different observations might be due subject variation and difference in the stage of disease activity in each individual and also the response of adrenomedullin to increase in disease severity. This further helps us substantiate the point that adrenomedullin might not be the only modifying factor in the PD activity.
Limitations {#sec2-9}
-----------
Limited sample size and hence results may perhaps not be accorded to the entire population. In addition, differing levels of disease activity in each individual can modify the final result. Further, subjects with different blood glucose levels (HbA1c 7%--8%) were chosen, and hence, the pin-point role of adrenomedullin in glycemic control cannot be established.
C[ONCLUSION]{.smallcaps} {#sec1-5}
========================
We found that adrenomedullin is universally present both in healthy and diseased sites, but its presence is higher at the diseased site. We also found increased adrenomedullin levels in diabetic subjects without any periodontal involvement than healthy controls and decline in adrenomedullin levels after treatment in CP subjects. Further, we noticed a decline in the values for all the parameters when evaluated with baseline values 6 weeks after the periodontal treatment, once again substantiating the significance of phase-I therapy.
Financial support and sponsorship {#sec2-10}
---------------------------------
Nil.
Conflicts of interest {#sec2-11}
---------------------
There are no conflicts of interest.
We would like to thank Dr. Kishor Bhat, Professor and Head, and Mrs. Rani, Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Maratha Mandal\'s Dental College, Belgaum, Karnataka, India, for helping us in conducting the ELISA assay. We would also like to thank Dr Vinayaka Kamath for carrying out the statistical analysis.
|
Q:
How do you line-up matching (x,y) coordinates in Matlab?
I have two color map images and I want to find the difference between the colors at each coordinate. I have the data for the maps in an Excel file, which is formatted so that column A is the x coordinates, column B is the y coordinates, and C is linear retardance (my color data) at the respective (x,y). I would like to simply represent the two data tables as matrices and then get the difference between the two C columns and then map out these points, but the problem I have is that the x and y values are different for the two maps; for example, if I have the points (2,1),(2,2),(2,3), and (2,4) for one color map, I have the points (2,-1),(2,0.5),(2,1) and (2,2) for another. It ends up so that one map has about 8300 rows of coordinates and the other has 7500 rows of coordinates. I cannot match up the matrices if I do not have the same dimensions so I was wondering if there would be a function for Matlab that would only take into consideration equivalent coordinates to get the differences for column C.
A:
Once you get it into a matirx (this should be relatively easy), the easy way is to use imresize, otherwise the hard way is to use interp2 to stretch or condense the values to the size of the other one. Then just use subtraction to get the difference between the matrices
|
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HealthNotes
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An extract of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) might act as a natural blood thinner in people with metabolic syndrome, according to a study in the European Journal of Nutrition. People with metabolic syndrome are at high risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. By decreasing blood “stickiness,” it might be possible to prevent heart attacks and strokes in this population.
Thick around the middle
Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, including
People with metabolic syndrome often have higher-than-normal levels of inflammatory markers and blood clotting substances in the body, and are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.
Berry good for your heart
Dark skinned berries are thought to play a role in heart disease prevention through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and vessel-protective actions. Certain berries may also increase the secretion of adiponectin, a substance that helps regulate glucose and fat levels in the body.
The aim of the new study was to investigate the effects of Aronia melanocarpa on blood “stickiness” (platelet aggregation), clot formation, and blood fats in people with metabolic syndrome. Thirty-eight people with metabolic syndrome and 14 healthy volunteers took part in the study. For two months, the people with metabolic syndrome took an extract containing 100 mg of Aronia melanocarpa three times per day.
Supplementing with Aronia melanocarpa significantly reduced total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglyceride levels after one and two months, but these values were still higher in people with metabolic syndrome than in the healthy volunteers. There was no change in heart-healthy HDL cholesterol levels.
After supplementing for one month, platelet aggregation was greatly inhibited in people with metabolic syndrome. It also took a lot longer for the platelets to clump together. “This observed effect may have some positive implications for the prevention of coronary incidents related to platelet hyperactivity frequently observed among patients with metabolic syndrome,” commented lead study author, Joanna Sikora of the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analyses, Medical University of Lodz, Poland. Similarly, there was a substantial decrease in the blood clotting potential after one and two months of Aronia supplementation.
More to learn
While the results of the new study are promising, they are still preliminary and need to be replicated in future trials using a placebo for comparison. For now, it remains important to do what we already know works to help prevent metabolic syndrome. Here are some tips:
Lose weight. Eat a heart-healthy diet—including plenty of brightly colored fruits and vegetables and fiber-rich whole grains and legumes—to help you lose weight and maintain healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Weight loss also helps with insulin resistance and boosts energy levels so you can do the things you want to do.
Eat more blueberries: Recent studies have shown that people who eat blueberries may have less abdominal fat, lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and improved insulin sensitivity. Plus blueberries taste great. Throw a few on your morning oatmeal or blend some up in a smoothie.
(Eur J Nutr 2011;doi:10.1007/s00394-011-0238-8)
Kimberly Beauchamp, ND, received her doctoral degree from Bastyr University, the nation’s premier academic institution for science-based natural medicine. She co-founded South County Naturopaths in Wakefield, RI, where she practiced whole family care with an emphasis on nutritional counseling, herbal medicine, detoxification, and food allergy identification and treatment. Her blog, Eat Happy, helps take the drama out of healthy eating with real food recipes and nutrition news that you can use. Dr. Beauchamp is a regular contributor to Healthnotes Newswire. |
Give prob of picking 3 r and 1 s.
14/323
Two letters picked without replacement from {l: 2, q: 7, t: 3}. Give prob of picking 1 q and 1 t.
7/22
Two letters picked without replacement from {x: 5, n: 3, d: 5, k: 2, w: 5}. Give prob of picking 1 d and 1 w.
5/38
Calculate prob of picking 2 b when two letters picked without replacement from {c: 2, r: 1, b: 3, x: 3, u: 7, j: 1}.
3/136
What is prob of picking 1 a, 1 v, and 1 i when three letters picked without replacement from aqnvivaiavnvaa?
10/91
Two letters picked without replacement from jdxxxxxxxxjdjjxdns. Give prob of picking 2 d.
1/51
Calculate prob of picking 1 n and 1 j when two letters picked without replacement from {n: 2, y: 2, j: 2}.
4/15
Two letters picked without replacement from {f: 3, p: 15}. Give prob of picking 2 p.
35/51
What is prob of picking 4 u when four letters picked without replacement from ggguggugggggggugggug?
1/4845
Two letters picked without replacement from vucup. What is prob of picking 1 p and 1 v?
1/10
Calculate prob of picking 1 m and 3 f when four letters picked without replacement from {f: 3, m: 12}.
4/455
Two letters picked without replacement from gov. Give prob of picking 1 g and 1 v.
1/3
Calculate prob of picking 1 a and 1 v when two letters picked without replacement from ehvqhvhvauhe.
1/22
Calculate prob of picking 2 e when two letters picked without replacement from wee.
1/3
What is prob of picking 1 e and 1 y when two letters picked without replacement from yyeeetateeeee?
8/39
Calculate prob of picking 1 t, 1 k, and 2 e when four letters picked without replacement from tkeetcee.
6/35
What is prob of picking 1 t and 1 q when two letters picked without replacement from {f: 1, z: 1, h: 8, q: 1, n: 1, t: 4}?
1/30
Three letters picked without replacement from doeeyyyeydyyo. What is prob of picking 1 o and 2 e?
3/143
Three letters picked without replacement from {x: 1, e: 3, z: 1, g: 2, u: 7}. What is prob of picking 1 x, 1 u, and 1 e?
3/52
What is prob of picking 2 m and 2 b when four letters picked without replacement from zmrrrzrmbbrm?
1/165
Calculate prob of picking 2 t and 1 j when three letters picked without replacement from {j: 1, s: 5, x: 1, t: 4}.
2/55
What is prob of picking 1 b and 2 c when three letters picked without replacement from {b: 5, q: 1, g: 4, c: 5, e: 5}?
5/114
Three letters picked without replacement from zdxuzxzzuuuuutdu. Give prob of picking 2 x and 1 d.
1/280
What is prob of picking 4 q when four letters picked without replacement from {c: 5, q: 14}?
1001/3876
Calculate prob of picking 3 v when three letters picked without replacement from vvvvvvvvvvuvvvvvvvv.
16/19
Calculate prob of picking 1 g and 2 j when three letters picked without replacement from {g: 6, j: 7, n: 1}.
9/26
Three letters picked without replacement from {y: 2, x: 5}. What is prob of picking 3 x?
2/7
Four letters picked without replacement from {h: 12, u: 7}. Give prob of picking 4 h.
165/1292
What is prob of picking 2 c when two letters picked without replacement from {w: 7, c: 4}?
6/55
What is prob of picking 1 f and 1 b when two letters picked without replacement from fnnb?
1/6
Three letters picked without replacement from ceecccceeece. Give prob of picking 1 c and 2 e.
9/22
Calculate prob of picking 1 a and 1 e when two letters picked without replacement from aeaaeaeeaaeee.
7/13
What is prob of picking 3 l when three letters picked without replacement from {l: 4, f: 14}?
1/204
Three letters picked without replacement from ggfg. What is prob of picking 3 f?
0
What is prob of picking 1 l, 2 a, and 1 k when four letters picked without replacement from kkklllzzklallzllla?
1/85
Three letters picked without replacement from {c: 11, w: 1}. What is prob of picking 2 c and 1 w?
1/4
What is prob of picking 1 j and 1 x when two letters picked without replacement from vxjjkyi?
2/21
Calculate prob of picking 2 s when two letters picked without replacement from ccsccssssccccc.
10/91
Calculate prob of picking 3 c when three letters picked without replacement from {c: 4, a: 9, b: 1}.
1/91
Calculate prob of picking 2 q when two letters picked without replacement from {q: 3, z: 3}.
1/5
Calculate prob of picking 3 p when three letters picked without replacement from {r: 6, p: 3, s: 6}.
1/455
Calculate prob of picking 3 b when three letters picked without replacement from {b: 3, g: 1}.
1/4
Two letters picked without replacement from nkgec. Give prob of picking 1 g and 1 n.
1/10
Four letters picked without replacement from qkrkkrbdqyr. Give prob of picking 3 r and 1 k.
1/110
Calculate prob of picking 2 x when two letters picked without replacement from {q: 2, x: 18}.
153/190
Two letters picked without replacement from gmgggrgrr. Give prob of picking 1 m and 1 r.
1/12
Two letters picked without replacement from {r: 5, u: 2, b: 2, e: 11}. Give prob of picking 1 e and 1 u.
11/95
Four letters picked without replacement from adkoaokooooakkoaoak. What is prob of picking 2 o, 1 a, and 1 k?
175/969
Three letters picked without replacement from rzllrrzrlrz. Give prob of picking 2 z and 1 r.
1/11
What is prob of picking 1 b and 3 o when four letters picked without replacement from obkbookbkkkbbbbbbbko?
8/969
What is prob of picking 2 c and 1 v when three letters picked without replacement from ccvvccccvcccvc?
45/91
Calculate prob of picking 1 m, 1 l, and 1 i when three letters picked without replacement from ilmllmllll.
7/60
What is prob of picking 2 v and 1 u when three letters picked without replacement from {u: 5, v: 3}?
15/56
Two letters picked without replacement from {v: 2, o: 3, b: 1, l: 1}. What is prob of picking 1 o and 1 b?
1/7
What is prob of picking 1 h and 1 x when two letters picked without replacement from {m: 1, a: 1, l: 4, x: 1, h: 6, d: 2}?
2/35
What is prob of picking 3 a and 1 v when four letters picked without replacement from avvavaavaavv?
8/33
Calculate prob of picking 2 w when two letters picked without replacement from cwwc.
1/6
Three letters picked without replacement from mmybmkkmykp. Give prob of picking 1 y, 1 b, and 1 m.
8/165
Three letters picked without replacement from {j: 2, l: 7, x: 8, n: 3}. What is prob of picking 2 l and 1 x?
14/95
Calculate prob of picking 2 m when two letters picked without replacement from tmmbbrmbblm.
6/55
Three letters picked without replacement from baoabmvvmbax. Give prob of picking 2 b and 1 x.
3/220
Three letters picked without replacement from vvvzzzzvdzs. Give prob of picking 2 z and 1 d.
2/33
Four letters picked without replacement from {p: 5, f: 5, s: 3, z: 2}. What is prob of picking 1 p and 3 f?
10/273
Three letters picked without replacement from {u: 7, g: 1, h: 1, w: 4}. What is prob of picking 1 g, 1 h, and 1 w?
2/143
Three letters picked without replacement from jjcccjccjjjjj. Give prob of picking 3 j.
28/143
Calculate prob of picking 2 b when two letters picked without replacement from {g: 1, x: 1, a: 1, b: 2}.
1/10
Three letters picked without replacement from ycyyccy. Give prob of picking 3 y.
4/35
Three letters picked without replacement from {d: 2, i: 7, l: 4, r: 3, x: 3}. What is prob of picking 1 r, 1 i, and 1 d?
14/323
Three letters picked without replacement from {s: 1, l: 1, e: 1, f: 1, g: 1}. What is prob of picking 1 f, 1 g, and 1 s?
1/10
What is prob of picking 3 u when three letters picked without replacement from jduuujdujuddjddjduu?
35/969
What is prob of picking 2 r and 1 i when three letters picked without replacement from {n: 7, i: 4, r: 7}?
7/68
Three letters picked without replacement from webbbebwewbwbjbbbb. What is prob of picking 1 b and 2 w?
5/68
Two letters picked without replacement from {g: 9, l: 6, s: 3, k: 1}. Give prob of picking 1 s and 1 k.
1/57
What is prob of picking 1 x and 1 d when two letters picked without replacement from {z: 1, x: 1, w: 6, d: 6, o: 1, v: 1}?
1/20
Two letters picked without replacement from nnnnqaqqkqq. Give prob of picking 1 n and 1 a.
4/55
Three letters picked without replacement from {z: 1, r: 2, y: 1, k: 6, d: 2, q: 5}. Give prob of picking 2 r and 1 k.
3/340
Three letters picked without replacement from cccccccfccfccfcc. What is prob of picking 2 c and 1 f?
117/280
Calculate prob of picking 2 j when two letters picked without replacement from pjypppjp |
INTRODUCTION {#sec1-1}
============
Respiratory viral infections in adults cause significant morbidity and mortality, especially in high-risk patients.\[[@ref1][@ref2]\] Influenza is considered an important respiratory infection. The influenza syndrome has typically sudden onset and is characterized by fever, headache, sore throat, cough, nasal congestion, myalgia, vomiting, and loss of appetite.\[[@ref3]\] Influenza viruses are recognized as single-stranded, enveloped negative-sense RNA particles, and they belong to the viral family of orthomyxoviridae. Three types of them exist, including influenza A, B, and C. All types can infect humans, but both types A and B are considered human pathogens. Only viruses of the Group A genus have been isolated from birds and termed avian influenza viruses (AIVs).\[[@ref4]\] Influenza type A viruses are divided into subtypes based on genetic and antigenic differences in the two surface spike proteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA).\[[@ref5]\] Most influenza infections are spread by virus-laden respiratory droplets several microns in diameter that are expelled during coughing and sneezing.\[[@ref6]\] Fomites represent another mode of transmission. Influenza has the potential to transmit into human by birds or pigs.\[[@ref6]\] The negative-sense RNA genome of influenza A virus is composed of eight segments; these segments are responsible for encoding 12 proteins. In the last stage of viral assembly, these genomic virion RNAs are incorporated into the virion as it buds from the apical plasma membrane of the cell.\[[@ref7]\] Genome segmentation confers evolutionary advantages for the virus, however also causes a limitation during the virion assembling because at least one copy of each of the eight segments is required to form a fully infectious virus particle.\[[@ref7]\]
The potential of genetic reassortment of influenza A viruses, due to segmented genome of them, from different animal species is thought to be a mechanism for the development of influenza viruses with pandemic potential.\[[@ref8]\]
Avian and animal influenza viruses can sporadically enter to humans, causing outbreaks with different levels of severity. In some cases, the human-to-human virus transmission does not take place. In other cases, the human-to-human transmission can occur, resulting in worldwide influenza pandemics.\[[@ref9]\]
Previous reports\[[@ref10][@ref11]\] showed that the avian to human transmission of two avian viruses including H5N1 and H9N2 is possible. This review focused on H9N2, its infections in human, pandemic potential, surveillance, and prevention of its spread.
AVIAN INFLUENZA H9N2 {#sec1-2}
====================
The type A of influenza viruses is naturally circulating viruses in waterfowls, which does not cause any clear symptoms in them. However, for domestic fowls including chickens, geese, ducks, and turkeys the transmission of influenza A viruses can promote some difficulties. The basis for classification of influenza A viruses is the two glycoproteins of them. HA and NA glycoproteins are expressed on the surface of influenza viruses. Up to now, 15 (or 16)\[[@ref12]\] HA and 9 NA types have been reported in birds worldwide.
The H9N2 subtype was isolated for the first time from turkeys in the Northern state of United States in 1966.\[[@ref13]\] Afterward, this subtype was isolated from wild birds of that area, then detected from domestic poultry of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.\[[@ref4]\] The subtype H9N2 is just limited to the wild birds in North America.\[[@ref14]\] However, H9N2 is endemic in domestic poultry and frequent outbreaks in Asian countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Iraq\[[@ref4]\] have been reported previously. In Iran, an H9N2 outbreak in poultry farms took place in 1998\[[@ref15]\] and now circulates endemically, and vaccination of poultry is a routine program.\[[@ref16]\] Hence, infections with this subtype are often asymptomatic or with mild illness. From deadliness point of view, there are two groups of AIVs high pathogenicity (HP) and low pathogenicity (LP) AIVs. H5 or H7 subtypes are considered HP but H9N2 is an LP one. LP viruses usually cause mild or asymptomatic disease in poultry whereas HPs are associated with severe symptoms and high mortality. H9N2 circulation in domestic birds has both economic and health consequences. Despite the LP nature of H9N2, co-infection of poultry with noninfluenza respiratory pathogens can enhance the severity of the clinical syndrome in poultry, reduction in the yield of products derived from chicken and higher rates of morbidity. On the other hand, lower range of pathogenicity and to some extent mild illness of poultry through infection with this subtype in domestic poultry reinforces the likely hood of being a carrier host for this subtype; consequently, result in raising concerns on crossing the species barrier, contribution in the emergence of novel viruses and causing new pandemics.
AVIAN INFLUENZA H9 AT AVIAN-HUMAN INTERFACE {#sec1-3}
===========================================
The illness of domestic poultry either in asymptomatic or mortal form is public health threat because infected poultry excretes high amounts of flu viruses in nasal fluid, saliva, and other body fluids also via feces. According to Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, one gram of viral contaminated feces has sufficient viruses that potentially can infect 1 million other fowls.\[[@ref17]\] The potential of AIV for transmission into domestic poultry raises great concerns regarding both occupational and public health.
Health and safety executive states that occupational exposure to avian influenza may occur in those who are in close contact with infected birds or humans; work with materials or products from infected birds; or are in contact with waste products from infected birds.\[[@ref7]\] Previous reports\[[@ref8][@ref9]\] showed that the avian to human transmission of two avian viruses including H5N1 and H9N2 is possible. Several reports of seropositivity in occupationally or nonoccupationally exposed people have been documented. [Table 1](#T1){ref-type="table"} summarizes the evidence of seropositivity in poultry workers, slaughterhouse workers, and other handlers of poultry.
######
Seropositivity for H9N2 in occupationally poultry-exposed groups
[Table 1](#T1){ref-type="table"} shows that transmission of H9N2 from poultry to occupationally exposed groups can occur; these workers are more likely to be seropositive for H9N2 than nonexposed persons.
Although the vaccination history of seasonal influenza was reported by exposed workers in a majority of studies. None of them examined the effectiveness of human vaccination on genetic reassortment of AIVs. In a number of studies, a cross-reactivity between avian and human influenza viruses was detected\[[@ref16][@ref20][@ref29]\] which may cause a type of immunity to prevent generation of reassortant novel pandemic viruses. This hypothesis has not been confirmed; however, immunization is highly recommended for poultry exposed workers because of their usual contacts with infected birds. By the way, several studies documented that slaughter-house workers showed a higher percentage of seropositivity than other groups of workers. Because butchers in slaughter-houses are in close contact with visceral parts of chickens, therefore, it will result in more than usual exposure to viral infected material and surfaces.
In 1999, isolation of H9N2 viruses from nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens of two children was confirmed for the first time in Hong Kong.\[[@ref29]\] In fact, the H9N2 viruses had obtained the receptors very close to those of human influenza viruses that had transmitted directly to humans.\[[@ref30]\] The transmission of H9N2 can cause mild respiratory symptoms in human. Freidl *et al*. reported that there have been 15 confirmed human infections with AIV A (H9N2), up to now.\[[@ref31]\] [Table 2](#T2){ref-type="table"} summarizes the cases of human infection with H9N2. According to [Table 2](#T2){ref-type="table"}, only two of 15 cases had not been exposed to birds. The transmissions of H9N2 to human that grow or work with the birds are documented in the literature, but some studying limitations restricted the estimation of real frequency of the cross-species transmission of H9N2. Among AIVs H5N1 has been caused the highest death cases (\~370) since its first emergence in Hong Kong in 1997. In comparison, infections of human with H9N2 were not fatal. Matrosovich *et al*. reported that Asian poultry H9N2 viruses show human virus receptors like specificity.\[[@ref39]\] Therefore, H9N2 has the potential to become human-to-human transmissible, but there is not any report of transmission of it between humans.
######
Reported human infections with H9N2
The genetically reassortment of AIVs from different species is considered to be a mechanism for new influenza virus development having pandemic potential. Each influenza viruses from different animals such as human, avian and swine are capable to circulate particularly within their original species. However, influenza viruses have the ability to transmit to nonnative hosts.
The previous literature emphasized that ideal mixing vessel for the generation of novel AIVs is swine. Peiris *et al*. reported co-circulation of H9N2 and human H3N2 subtypes in pigs that increase the possibility of being an intermediate host for the emergence of new reassortants pandemic subtypes.\[[@ref40]\]
However, recent research archive shows that both swine and human have the potential to act as AIVs re-assortment mixing vessels. A comparison between the receptors of human, swine, and birds clearly reveals that the reverse human to avian transmission of human influenza viruses is less probable. However, mammals including human and swine have closer receptors.\[[@ref41]\] Therefore, human in particular people with occupational close contacts with infected birds may act as mixing host for the emergence of novel reassortants \[[Figure 1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}\]. This reassortment between avian and human viruses is an antigenic shift. In 1999 first human-avian reassortant of H9N2 was isolated from humans in Europe.\[[@ref42]\]
{#F1}
Recently, antigenic and phylogenetic studies of H9N2 viruses isolated from markets in Hong Kong showed that in the H9N2 genome, six segments were originated from Chinese H9N2 virus, but the PB1 and PB2 genes are very near to both the H5N1 viruses and an H9N2 isolated from Hong Kong quail.\[[@ref5]\] These reports highlight the antigenic shifts of H9N2 because of endemic status of this subtype in Asian countries. On the other hand, Liu *et al*.,\[[@ref51]\] showed that the real incubators for human-avian adapted influenza viruses are poultry with H9N2 infection. The emergence of novel reassorted virus emphasizes the potential high risk of, transmission of subtype H9N2 viruses to humans.\[[@ref43]\] Furthermore, according to the WHO report, the genotype of H7N9 viruses which isolated from Chinese infected humans in 2013 possibly have originated by reassortment between H9N2 viruses of poultry and H7 and N9 genes career ducks in China.\[[@ref44]\]
Due to the lack of immunologic memory for newly emerged influenza viruses that earned the capacities of both transmissions to and among humans, will be spread quickly in human populations, consequently will be resulted in pandemic. There have been a period of 10--50 years between the emergence of pandemics since the 16^th^ century.\[[@ref45]\] Therefore, it is not predictable when a new pandemic influenza strain will emerge. There are no reports of human-to-human transmission of H9N2, previously.\[[@ref29]\] Furthermore, there has not observed any cases up to now.
H9N2 VIRUS SURVEILLANCE {#sec1-4}
=======================
Avian influenza is a global threat for public health but sustained, coordinated, and comprehensive global programs to monitor the genetic diversity of AIVs circulating in avian human interfaces are very few.\[[@ref46]\] AIVs surveillance can be directed in three main groups including wild birds, domestic poultry, and also in occupationally exposed populations. The surveillance programs in those groups are critical for awareness of the persistence, intraspecies and interspecies transmission and evolution of AIVs.
In recent literature, H9N2 surveillance was reported from different countries.\[[@ref46][@ref47][@ref48][@ref49]\] However, wild birds which are the main reservoir for all AIV species and key players of evolution and spread, surveillance in wild birds for AIVs is lacking, limited to the last outbreak virus and geographically biased.\[[@ref46]\] In the West Bengal State from India, active AIV surveillance in wild, resident, migratory birds, and domestic poultry was performed from 2009 to 2011.\[[@ref50]\] During aforementioned period, the presence of low pathogenic H9N2 and H4N6 viruses was confirmed in chickens, and domestic ducks by researchers which necessitate implementation of controlling investigations to prevent the spread of AIVs.\[[@ref50]\] Two surveillance program in Egypt performed from 2010 to 2013 and from 2012 to 2013 among various regions and poultry production sectors that showed co-circulation of subtype H9N2 viruses with subtype H5N1 viruses, as well as frequent co-infection of the same avian host. The co-circulation of these two subtypes poses a concern for probable reassortment.\[[@ref47][@ref48]\]
A serosurveillance in occupationally poultry-exposed workers was conducted in Shanghai, China, from 2008 to 2010. Evidence for the presence of anti-H9 antibodies in a high percentage of workers was detected. Furthermore, more than 200 H9N2 AIVs were isolated from cloacal and tracheal swabs collected from the poultry in live poultry, and more than 700 influenza viruses (H3N2, H1N1, B) were isolated from nasal/throat of patients having influenza symptoms.\[[@ref49]\] This co-circulation strengthens the probability of reassortment between avian and human influenza viruses. Therefore, long-term surveillance of AIVs in occupationally exposed workers has great importance.
CONCLUSION {#sec1-5}
==========
The novel avian-human influenza virus that could cause a pandemic is a great concern; H9N2 AIV that has the potential to grow in human is prone to generate it. Liu *et al*. suggested eradication of poultry carrying AIV H9N2 as the incubators for wild AIV by slaughtering them that prevent human infection, elimination of live poultry markets, and disinfection of these places.\[[@ref51]\]
Obtaining enough knowledge on the influenza A H9N2 and other viruses circulating in avian-human interfaces and vaccination against seasonal influenza for occupational groups in direct contact particularly in slaughter-houses and development of effective antiviral agents is recommended. International surveillance programs for managing the future risks of H9N2 circulation at avian-human interface seem necessary.
Financial support and sponsorship {#sec2-1}
---------------------------------
Nil.
Conflicts of interest {#sec2-2}
---------------------
There are no conflicts of interest.
AUTHORS' CONTRIBUTION {#sec1-6}
=====================
ShRR and AA contributed to the conception and design of the work; SMH and EA (guarantor) participated in the acquisition, interpretation of data for the work and final approval; and AA drafted the work and revised/proofed it.
The authors would like to thank Dr. Jahangir for reviewing the manuscript.
|
John,
Thanks for the call this morning, it meant a lot to me. I was hoping to give you a ring at home this weekend and maybe pick up a couple of leads. I hope they made everything right with you, they better or they are going to lose one hell of an options trader. Thanks again...
mrt |
Blog
Dealing with Data about their prospects, Customers, internal business processes, suppliers, partners and competitors has become the norm of Enterprises. Transforming this Data into actionable insights to increase efficiency, and profits is making organizations turn to BI tools. The BI tool market is mature but still constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing analytical needs of Organizations.
How do I choose what tool to suit my organization you may wonder? You should determine which tool enables the types of analysis your users need and will use. Some tools are great at drilling down data and terrible at Visuals others just have fantastic dashboards but rely on another tool for its Data. If you consider the traits below you will have no problems with choosing the right tool for your BI needs
According to a recent survey, many users are still using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to analyze and report on corporate data. These same users also spend much of their data-gathering time correcting out-of-date information in these Excel spreadsheets. So what are the real benefits of using Excel spreadsheets to analyze and report data? What additional benefits do business intelligence (BI) tools offer?
The panel facing the driver of a vehicle or the pilot of an aircraft, containing instruments and controls.
The definition above is what generally comes to mind when thinking about dashboards, because the word was originally used to describe the fascia of vehicles. Looking closely at this definition, a dashboard generally is like an information hub for the Driver of a vehicle, giving key stats of what is happening with the vehicle in real time, and the controls allows him to make fine adjustments and probe further to understand what’s happening to the vehicle.
A ‘data warehouse’ or an ‘enterprise data warehouse’ is a computer-based term that is given to a system. The system is basically used for analysing and reporting data. Data warehouses are central storehouses/ depositories that store data coming from a single or multiple incongruent sources. These warehouses are enterprise strategies that are aimed at solving problems related to fixed data (data silo) or data that is isolated, and which is not accessible and well- integrated to other parts of the firm.
What is big data? We hear this term tossed around the media a lot. Big data is something big and scary. Google and Facebook are gobbling up everyone’s data and turning it into big data. No one really takes the time to explain what it is. Big data isn't hard to understand nor is it scary. So, again, what is big data?
Business Intelligence systems are very complicated. Yet, they are required in today's business world. Managed information systems aren't as relevant as they used to be. Business intelligence is now the tool in which the enterprise competes with. How do you design a BI system or decide what packages you need when you buy one? Here are some key points to consider when designing your new BI system.
Microsoft isn’t the only data warehousing and business intelligence option out there. Another is SAP BI. SAP BI is a fully structured business intelligence system that works best for large organizations and enterprise environments. Is it right for your business though and what features does it offer?
With the changing trends, use of Mobile Business Intelligence applications is growing as well. Some of the applications that have been greatly participating toward the changing trends are QlikView, Microsoft Power BI on Mobile, and Tableau. Why these applications are preferred by businesses at small, medium, and large scales? What are the benefits of Mobile Business Intelligence over other Business Intelligence solutions? Let us have a go through on it.
When Qlik first launch back in 1993 they set in motion the development of QlikView, which arrived three years later. With their flagship Business Intelligence (BI) software, QlikView, they set out to do something different with Business Intelligence. While BI software has tended to be somewhat specialist, Qlik sought to produce BI software that was more intuitive for the user experience than had been previously seen, appealing to quick clicks rather than studious code. A key feature of the software is the easy uptake, to go from utter novice to turning out useful analysis quickly. This rapid deployment of QlikView is one of the drivers that are responsible for the growth of a new product in 1996 to being utilized by over 20,000 organisations now.
Although an increasingly popular and accepted technology for improving business performance, BI - like any other system - must be carefully considered before deciding to implement it. Benefits must be clear and understood and they must justify the investments. |
We just returned home from running the dual tests and wanted to thank both the Mid FL Golden Ret. Club and Central FL HRC club for putting together two awesome tests this weekend, as well as, Wayne & Sharon (the landowners who graciously welcomed us), the judges, marshalls, bird-boys etc. for all their hard work. I wasn't sure how they would handle the various stakes considering all three levels of HRC were offered and Jr and Sr of AKC, but as someone who floated between two stakes, I was rather impressed by the end of the weekend. In conversation, several other handlers noted how smooth it went, even one person who was running dogs in Senior, Seasoned and Finished, so kudos to both clubs for making this weekend a success!
My boy Ryder went 2/2 in both Senior and Seasoned this weekend. He's my first dog training to this level and between the blinds and gun handling, I wasn't sure if entering both (for the exposure) would be beneficial, but we made the most of our experience. Courtesy of Stephen Durrence, I even had a motto for the weekend "Nervousness is a waste of emotion"...ummm about that motto...I was still nervous. A fun weekend nonetheless with a dog who keeps me on my toes.
Congratulations to Chelsey and Ryder!!! Chelsey you should be very proud of yourself and Ryder all the hard work and training you've put in to Ryder is now coming together and you two are a great team.
12-02-2012, 09:46 PM
badbullgator
Excellent! Great job.
12-02-2012, 09:49 PM
MooseGooser
Big congrats to you!!!
Thats a bunch of hard work right there..
I love the picture of the dogs water re-entry return with the bird in its mouth..
I bet that dog is FUN to train and watch run tests.
Great Job!
Gooser
12-02-2012, 10:55 PM
Bill Watson
May I send congratulations as a charter member of Central Florida HRC. I hope Bill and Marylyn Dumas are still doing well also. I have fond memories of that preliminary hunt ( that is where my white boots got spray painted Day Glo Orange, thanks to some members of Old South HRC. Even though I had another pair in the van, I judged all day in those Orange monstrosities. Those were the fun days, bill
12-02-2012, 11:07 PM
Furball
Super job MFGRC & CFHRC! Congrats Chelsea & Ryder!
12-03-2012, 07:40 PM
Margo Ellis
I am glad to hear the tests went off well. And congratulations on all your passes. Well done.
12-03-2012, 08:40 PM
John Lash
Looks like you're both having a good time. Congratulations.
12-04-2012, 10:09 AM
Brian Skibicki
Chelsey:
It was great meeting you and it was a pleasure having a front row seat both days watching you and Ryder work. You have a nice dog and your hard work in training him yourself sure is paying off. Congratulations! - Brian |
Background {#Sec1}
==========
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by progressive airflow limitation and a chronic inflammatory response of the lungs. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and is estimated to be the third leading cause of death worldwide \[[@CR1]\]. Poor lung function, lung function decline \[[@CR2]\], low body mass index (BMI) \[[@CR2]\], a high level of dyspnea \[[@CR3]\], frequent exacerbations \[[@CR4]\], and low levels of physical activity \[[@CR5]\] have all been identified as predictors of mortality in individuals with COPD. Using multidimensional risk scores \[[@CR6]\] or adding markers of systemic inflammation \[[@CR7]\] adds to the predictive value, exceeding the prognostic value of lung function alone. The recent statement from the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society on research questions in COPD encourages the identification of surrogate markers of patient-centered outcomes such as quality of life and mortality \[[@CR8]\]. Being able to further improve prediction of mortality would aid in the selection of patients for specific interventions and clinical trials and would ultimately improve personalized healthcare.
The chronic inflammatory response in the airways of individuals with COPD is associated with increased numbers of inflammatory cells and fibroblasts and the up-regulation of proteases such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) resulting in fibrosis of small airways and destruction of the parenchyma \[[@CR9]\]. The altered microenvironment affects the composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM), mainly comprised of collagens and elastin \[[@CR10]\]. The two main extracellular compartments of the lungs are the basement membrane and the interstitial matrix (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}). The main constituent of the basement membrane is collagen type IV, whereas the interstitial matrix is rich in collagens type I and III and elastin. The chronic inflammatory process in the lungs of individuals with COPD induces the remodeling of the ECM, which includes both degradation of old proteins and synthesis of new ones and occurs in both small airways and alveolar walls. This results in the release of protein fragments or neo-epitopes into the systemic circulation where they can be assessed as biomarkers of lung ECM remodeling (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}). C1M, C3M, C3A, and C6M are biomarkers of collagen type I, III and VI degradation, respectively, whereas Pro-C6 assesses the C5 domain of collagen type VI believed to be released during protein maturation \[[@CR11]--[@CR14]\]. C4M is a biomarker of collagen type IV degradation mediated by MMPs and thus assesses basement membrane destruction \[[@CR15]\]. EL-NE and ELM7 are biomarkers of neutrophil elastase- and MMP-7-mediated degradation of elastin, a protein crucial for the elastic recoil of the lungs \[[@CR16], [@CR17]\]. The proteoglycan biglycan is a key player in the assembly of collagen fibrils and its degradation by MMPs can be assessed by the biomarker BGM \[[@CR18]\]. The biomarker CRPM assesses the local inflammation by measuring MMP-mediated degradation of C-reactive protein (CRP) \[[@CR19]\].Fig. 1Extracellular matrix composition in healthy and COPD lungs. In healthy lungs, the epithelial cells create a tight barrier thereby blocking entry of foreign particles from the inhaled air to the tissue. This is further enforced by the underlying basement membrane (BM) which mainly consists of collagen type IV. The interstitial matrix (IM) is below the BM and consists mainly of fibrillar collagens and elastin. In COPD, the continuous epithelial layer is disrupted and the underlying BM is exposed. The inflammatory response to repetitive tissue injury results in up-regulation of proteases and disruption of the BM, allowing for injury to the underlying IM. In response to this, fibroblasts are activated and converted to pro-fibrotic myofibroblasts that secrete collagens which accumulate in the IM of the airway wall. Both collagens and elastin undergoes proteolytic degradation in the airway and alveolar walls. The processes of synthesis and degradation release extracellular matrix (ECM) fragments which may enter the bloodstream from where they can be assessed as biomarkers of ECM remodeling
As excessive ECM remodeling resulting from repetitive injury is associated with COPD \[[@CR20]\], we hypothesized that measuring serological biomarkers of ECM protein remodeling would be helpful in predicting all-cause mortality in individuals with COPD. We investigated this by assessing biomarkers of ECM degradation and formation in a subpopulation of the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate End-points (ECLIPSE) cohort. We included analyses of the previously studied CRP and fibrinogen \[[@CR7]\] for comparison of prognostic performance.
Methods {#Sec2}
=======
Study design {#Sec3}
------------
The study design of ECLIPSE (clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00292552; GSK study code SCO104960) has been described in detail previously \[[@CR21], [@CR22]\]. Briefly, ECLIPSE is an observational, longitudinal study where participants were evaluated at baseline and at months three and six, and subsequently every six months for three years. For these analyses, we used clinical and biomarker data obtained at baseline, month six and year one. Death was determined up to day 1060 of the study. Cause of death was not available for the present analyses. ECLIPSE complies with the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice Guidelines, and has been approved by the ethics committees of the participating centers. All participants provided written informed consent before the performance of any study-related assessments.
Population {#Sec4}
----------
The full ECLIPSE study included 2164 subjects with COPD based on a post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV~1~) \< 80 % of the reference value, FEV~1~/forced vital capacity (FVC) ≤ 0.7, and a smoking history of greater than or equal to 10 pack-years \[[@CR21]\]. The current analyses were performed on a sub-population of 1000 COPD subjects of the ECLIPSE cohort composed of the 500 subjects that progressed the most and the 500 subjects that progressed the least in terms of FEV~1~ decline over the three year study period. Participants were recruited from the outpatient clinics of the participating centers. Significant emphysema was defined as low attenuation area at −950 Hounsfield Units (%LAA) ≥ 10 % on chest computed tomography (CT) scans. Non-emphysematous COPD was defined as %LAA \< 5 %.
Measurements of serological biomarkers {#Sec5}
--------------------------------------
Whole blood was collected by venipuncture into vacutainer tubes from participants in the fasting state. Serum was prepared by allowing the blood to clot for 30 min at room temperature followed by centrifugation at 1500 g for 10--15 min. Plasma was obtained by centrifugation of vacutainer tubes at 2000 g for 10--15 min. Serum and plasma were stored at −80 °C until analyzed and did not undergo any freeze/thaw cycles prior to measurements of the current biomarkers. C1M, BGM, EL-NE, and Pro-C6 were measured in month six serum samples, while C3A, C3M, C4M, C6M, ELM7, and CRPM were measured in year one plasma (heparin anticoagulant) samples. Details of these biomarkers are presented in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}. Prior to this study, fibrinogen and CRP (high-sensitivity method) were measured in year one plasma (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid anticoagulant) samples as described previously \[[@CR7]\]. All biomarkers were measured by validated competitive ELISAs utilizing monoclonal antibodies targeting specific neo-epitopes (Nordic Bioscience, Herlev, Denmark) \[[@CR11]--[@CR19]\] and measurements were performed in a blinded manner according to the manufacturer's instructions. Analytes detected by these assays are stable in serum/plasma samples that have undergone at least four freeze/thaw cycles \[[@CR11]--[@CR19]\].Table 1Biomarker specificationsBiomarkerSpecificationsMeasureReferencesBGMBiglycan degraded by MMPsIM remodeling\[[@CR18]\]C1MCollagen type I degraded by MMPsIM remodeling\[[@CR11]\]C3ACollagen type III degraded by ADAMTSIM remodelingUnpublished^a^C3MCollagen type III degraded by MMPIM remodeling\[[@CR12]\]C4MCollagen type IV degraded by MMPsBM remodeling\[[@CR15]\]C6MCollagen type VI degraded by MMPsIM remodeling\[[@CR13]\]CRPMCRP degraded by MMPsLocal chronic inflammation\[[@CR19]\]ELM7Elastin degraded by MMP-7IM remodeling\[[@CR17]\]EL-NEElastin degraded by neutrophil elastaseIM remodeling\[[@CR16]\]Pro-C6Collagen type VI C5 domain (released)IM remodeling\[[@CR14]\]*MMP* matrix metalloproteinase, *ADAMTS* a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs, *IM* interstitial matrix, *BM* basement membrane, *CRP* C-reactive protein^a^The C3A assay was validated following a standard protocol as described in \[[@CR11]\]
Statistical analysis {#Sec6}
--------------------
Survivor and non-survivor characteristics were compared using student's *t*-test, chi-squared test, or Mann--Whitney *U* test as appropriate. Serological biomarker data were logarithmically transformed to obtain normality and are shown as geometric mean with standard error of mean (SEM). Biomarker levels were compared between groups with student's *t*-test. Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to assess the prognostic value of each biomarker for all-cause mortality for a one standard deviation increase in biomarker and comparing the upper and lower biomarker quartiles. The risk of death was assessed using crude analyses and analyses adjusted for age, BODE index (added as categorical variable), and number of exacerbations in the year prior to baseline measurements. The discriminative power of each serological biomarker, the clinical model (age, BODE, and previous exacerbations), and the clinical model with additions of one or more serological biomarker were assessed by receiver operating curve (ROC) analyses. Area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the clinical model was compared with that of the clinical model with added serological biomarkers by the method of Delong et al. 1988 \[[@CR23]\]. All tests performed (SAS version 9.3, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA; MedCalc version 14.8.1, MedCalc Software bvba, Ostend, Belgium) were two-sided at the 0.05 level of significance, and all *P* values are nominal as no adjustments were made for multiple comparisons.
Results {#Sec7}
=======
Basic demographics {#Sec8}
------------------
Of the 1000 subjects included, 985 (99 %) were Caucasians, 363 (36 %) were female, and mean age was 63 (SD 7) years. BGM, EL-NE, and ProC6 were significantly related to gender with mean levels in male vs. female of 46.09 (95 % CI 44.52--47.70) ng/mL vs. 42.04 (95 % CI 40.29--43.88) ng/mL (*p* = 0.0013), 8.23 (95 % CI 7.77--8.71) ng/mL vs. 7.15 (95 % CI 6.67--7.67) ng/mL (*p* = 0.0029), and 6.51 (95 % CI 6.35--6.67) ng/mL vs. 6.25 (95 % CI 6.06--6.45) ng/mL (*p* = 0.048), respectively.
Thirty subjects (3.0 %) died during the follow-up period of a minimum of two years from time of blood sampling. Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"} shows the baseline characteristics of survivors and non-survivors. Non-survivors were significantly older, reported more dyspnoea, lower fatigue scores, had reduced 6MWD, and fewer subjects were current smokers. Severity of airflow limitation, comorbidity profile, presence of emphysema on high-resolution computed tomography scan, BODE index, number of exacerbations, and medications were not significantly different between survivors and non-survivors.Table 2Subject characteristics at baselineSurvivorsNon-survivors*P* value(*n* = 970)(*n* = 30)Demographics Age (yrs)\*63 ± 768 ± 6\<0.0001 Female gender^a^352 (36)11 (37)0.97 BMI (kg/m^2^)\*26.8 ± 5.827.3 ± 7.80.78 Current smoker (%)^a^366 (38)3 (10)0.004 Pack years (yrs)\*47 ± 2556 ± 420.27Clinical variables FEV~1~ (L)\*1.42 ± 0.511.27 ± 0.430.11 FEV~1~ (% predicted)\*51 ± 1548 ± 130.44 GOLD Stage^b^ II480 (49)14 (47)0.93 III392 (40)14 (47) IV98 (10)2 (7) Number of previous exacerbations^b^ 0531 (55)20 (67)0.29 1239 (25)5 (17) 2116 (12)2 (7) \> 284 (9)3 (10) 6MWD (meters)\*386 ± 119335 ± 1050.02 mMRC dyspnoea score; median (Q1; Q3) ^b^1 (1;2)2 (1;3)0.02 %LAA (%)\*16.3 ± 11.317.4 ± 10.50.61 BODE index; median (Q1; Q3) ^b^3 (1;4)3.5 (2;5)0.06 SGRQ total score\*46 ± 1850 ± 200.29 FACIT fatigue score\*36 ± 1031 ± 120.01Comorbidities^a^ Cardiovascular history304 (31)12 (40)0.42 Hypertension381 (39)14 (47)0.53 Asthma history225 (23)8 (27)0.82 Diabetes type II82 (8)3 (10)0.97 Osteoarthritis125 (13)3 (10)0.85 Osteoporosis121 (12)6 (20)0.35 Rheumatoid arthritis29 (3)0 (0)0.68 Inflammatory bowel disorder48 (5)1 (3)0.98Interventions^a^ Inhaled corticosteroids140 (14)3 (10)0.68 Systemic corticosteroids8 (0.8)0 (0)0.59 Statins237 (24)6 (20)0.73Data are shown as mean ± SD or n (%) at baseline unless otherwise stated*BMI* body mass index, *FEV* ~*1*~ postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second, *GOLD* global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease, *6MWD* 6-min walk distance, *mMRC* modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale, *%LAA* low attenuation area at −950 Hounsfield Units, *BODE* BMI, airflow obstruction, dyspnea and exercise capacity index, *SGRQ* St George's respiratory questionnaire, *FACIT* functional assessment of chronic illness therapyStatistical significance was determined using student's *t*-test (\*), chi-squared test (^a^), or Mann--Whitney *U* test (^b^)
ECM remodeling related to emphysema {#Sec9}
-----------------------------------
At year one, 624 subjects presented with significant emphysema, defined as a %LAA ≥10 %, while 147 subjects showed no signs of emphysema on chest CT scan, defined as %LAA \<5 %. Mean %LAA for subjects with and without emphysema was 22.8 % (SD 9.9) and 3.1 % (SD 1.3), respectively. CRPM was the only biomarker that differed significantly between emphysematous and non-emphysematous COPD, with levels of 9.37 (95 % CI 9.09--9.65) ng/mL and 10.11 (95 % CI 9.43--10.84) ng/mL, respectively (*p* = 0.032).
Of the subjects with significant emphysema, 550 had data available at year three and had a mean change in %LAA from year one of +5.5 % (SD 22.3). Subjects with increased %LAA (emphysema progressors), had significantly lower levels of C1M, EL-NE, and ProC6 than those with a negative or no change in %LAA (emphysema non-progressors) (C1M: 68.85 ng/mL (95 % CI 64.74--73.21) vs. 77.67 ng/mL (95 % CI 71.31--84.61), *p* = 0.022; EL-NE: 7.34 ng/mL (95 % CI 6.81--7.91) vs. 8.41 ng/mL (95 % CI 7.64--9.25), *p* = 0.028; ProC6: 6.16 ng/mL (95 % CI 5.98--6.34) vs. 6.52 ng/mL (95 % CI 6.25--6.81), *p* = 0.032).
ECM remodeling related to mortality {#Sec10}
-----------------------------------
Eight of the ten serological biomarkers of ECM remodeling (C1M, C3A, C3M, C4M, C6M, ProC6, ELM7, and CRPM, but not EL-NE and BGM) were significantly elevated in subjects who died compared to survivors (Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}). Plasma CRP, but not fibrinogen, was also significantly elevated in non-survivors (Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}).Fig. 2Biomarker levels in survivors versus non-survivors. Biomarker levels were assessed at month six (BGM, C1M, EL-NE, Pro-C6) or year one (C3A, C3M, C4M, C6M, CRPM, ELM7, CRP, fibrinogen) in survivors (*n* = 970) and non-survivors (*n* = 30). All biomarkers, with the exception of BGM, EL-NE, and fibrinogen, were significantly elevated in non-survivors compared to survivors. Data are shown as geometric mean ± SEM. Statistical significance was determined using student's *t*-test: \**p* \< 0.05; \*\**p* \< 0.01; \*\*\**p* \< 0.001; \*\*\*\**p* \< 0.0001
Figure [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"} shows the crude and adjusted (age, BODE, and previous exacerbations) Cox proportional hazards ratios for death within the follow-up period. The ECM remodeling biomarker C6M was most prognostic for all-cause mortality with crude and confounder-adjusted hazard ratios of 6.8 (95 % CI 3.2--14.5, *P* \< 0.0001) and 6.6 (95 % CI 2.9--15.2, *P* \< 0.0001), respectively, for subjects belonging to the upper vs. lower biomarker quartile. CRP performed equally well with hazard ratios of 7.7 (95 % CI 3.4--17.4, *P* \< 0.0001) and 7.0 (95 % CI 2.9--16.8, *P* \< 0.0001), respectively. C1M, C3A, C3M, C4M, CRPM, Pro-C6, and fibrinogen were also prognostic for mortality in both crude and adjusted analyses. Further adjustment for variables that were significantly different between survivors and non-survivors (Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"}) resulted in similar hazard ratios (data not shown).Fig. 3Cox proportional hazards ratios for death. Hazard ratios (HR) for death are shown per one standard deviation increase in biomarker (**a** + **b**) and for subjects in the upper vs. lower quartile (**c** + **d**). Cox proportional HR with 95 % confidence intervals are shown for crude analyses (**a** + **c**) and analyses adjusted for age, BODE, and previous exacerbations (**b** + **d**). All biomarkers, with the exception of BGM, ELM7, and EL-NE, were significantly related to mortality outcome in both crude and adjusted analyses. Statistical significant hazard ratios are indicated as \**p* \< 0.05; \*\**p* \< 0.01; \*\*\**p* \< 0.001; \*\*\*\**p* \< 0.0001
Kaplan-Meier survival curves for the biomarkers with crude hazard ratios above 5.0 (C3A, C3M, C6M, Pro-C6, CRP) are shown in Fig. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}. For all five biomarkers, being in the upper quartile was associated with an increased number of deaths. In the upper quartile of C6M, 16 out of 249 (6.4 %) subjects died, while only 3 of 249 (1.3 %) died in the lower quartile. For Pro-C6, the similar numbers were 17 out of 235 (7.2 %) and 3 out of 223 (1.4 %), respectively. By selecting subjects belonging to the upper quartile of both C6M and Pro-C6, we identified 10 subjects (11.1 %) that died during the follow-up period out of the 90 subjects that were in the upper quartile for C6M and Pro-C6.Fig. 4Kaplan-Meier survival curves for biomarker quartiles. Kaplan-Meier survival curves are shown for the biomarkers with crude hazard ratios for quartile 4 vs. 1 above 5. The relationship of biomarker quartiles with survival time from blood sampling are shown for plasma C3A (year one), plasma C3M (year one), plasma C6M (year one), serum ProC6 (month six), and plasma CRP (year one). Subjects in the upper biomarker quartiles (Q4) showed a higher number of deaths within the study period than the lower quartiles
The discriminatory power for predicting death of the serological biomarkers alone and a clinical model with added serological biomarkers was assessed by ROC analyses (Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"}). The AUC for the clinical model (including age, BODE, and previous exacerbations) was 0.750 (95 % CI 0.721--0.778) and the addition of one or more biomarkers to this model increased the AUC to 0.871 (95 % CI 0.846--0.893, *P* = 0.0004) for the addition of C6M, Pro-C6, and CRP.Table 3Discriminatory power for the prognosis of deathAUC (95 % CI)*P* valueSerological biomarkers C6M0.724 (0.695--0.752)- Pro-C60.722 (0.692--0.751)- CRP0.719 (0.689--0.747)- C6M + Pro-C60.796 (0.769--0.822)- C6M + CRP0.727 (0.697--0.755)- Pro-C6 + CRP0.775 (0.746--0.802)- C6M + Pro-C6 + CRP0.791 (0.762--0.818)-Clinical models Age + BODE + Previous exacerbations0.750 (0.721--0.778) + C3M0.803 (0.776--0.829)0.084 + CRPM0.807 (0.780--0.832)0.044 + C6M0.813 (0.786--0.837)0.038 + Pro-C60.826 (0.799--0.851)0.071 + CRP0.811 (0.783--0.836)0.046 + C6M + Pro-C60.867 (0.843--0.889)0.001 + C6M + CRP0.817 (0.790--0.842)0.023 + C6M + CRPM0.818 (0.791--0.842)0.036 + Pro-C6 + CRP0.863 (0.837--0.886)0.001 + Pro-C6 + CRPM0.864 (0.840--0.886)0.003 + C6M + Pro-C6 + CRP0.871 (0.846--0.893)0.0004 + C6M + Pro-C6 + CRPM0.871 (0.847--0.893)0.001Shown are the single biomarkers with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) \>0.700 and models with AUC \>0.800. P values compare the AUC of the clinical model alone to the clinical model with added biomarker(s)
Discussion {#Sec11}
==========
We have shown for the first time that elevated levels of serological biomarkers of ECM remodeling were associated with increased mortality in subjects with COPD. Several novel biomarkers of collagen degradation were significant predictors of mortality within two years of follow-up in a subpopulation of the ECLIPSE cohort. Results for biomarkers of ECM remodeling (collagen type I (C1M), III (C3A, C3M), IV (C4M), and VI (C6M) degradation and collagen type VI formation (Pro-C6)), strongly suggest that remodeling of the interstitial collagens is of high importance in COPD.
In individuals with COPD, the remodeling of the lung ECM is altered as a consequence of the inflammatory process and the delicate balance between protein formation and degradation is shifted, affecting both the structure and function of the tissue \[[@CR24]\]. In both alveolar and small airway walls of individuals with COPD, fibrillar collagen content, as well as collagen type VI, has been found to be increased while elastin content was decreased, compared to controls \[[@CR25], [@CR26]\]. A preliminary study assessing biomarkers of ECM turnover in ten subjects with mild COPD found elevated levels of collagen neo-epitopes as compared to healthy controls, indicating an excessive ECM remodeling already in mild COPD \[[@CR27]\]. Elevated levels of biomarkers of ECM degradation during exacerbations of COPD as compared to the stable state furthermore indicate a relation of the rate of ECM turnover to disease activity \[[@CR28], [@CR29]\]. However, these smaller studies lack long-term follow-up.
Most likely, initial injury to the airways and lung parenchyma disrupts the continuous epithelial cell layer and exposes the underlying basement membrane, which mainly consists of collagen type IV. The subsequent destruction of the basement membrane by MMPs, up-regulated in response to injury, release fragments of collagen type IV (C4M) to the circulation. Deeper and chronic tissue damage expose the underlying interstitial matrix, consisting mainly of collagen type I and III, to tissue remodeling, resulting in the destruction of the interstitial matrix and the release of fragments of collagen type I (C1M), III (C3A and C3M), and VI (C6M). The repetitive tissue injury is believed to increase ECM remodeling rate and shift the balance of synthesis and degradation, favoring collagen deposition in small airway walls (fibrosis) and destruction of collagens and elastin in alveolar walls (emphysema) \[[@CR10]\] (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}). By measuring MMP-mediated protein degradation, the local inflammatory process is included in the assessments. This is true for the collagen, elastin and CRP biomarkers assessed here. The alterations in lung ECM in relation to COPD lead to the release of specific protein neo-epitopes to the systemic circulation, thus allowing for the assessment of tissue remodeling by use of serological biomarkers \[[@CR30]\] (Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}).
In the present study, we found that biomarkers of the structural changes occurring in both the basement membrane and the interstitial matrix of the lungs were related to mortality in individuals with COPD. In the largest biomarker study in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to date, remodeling of the interstitial matrix and proteolytic degradation of CRP was also shown to be related to disease progression and mortality \[[@CR31]\]. Consequently, the remodeling of the interstitial matrix is of paramount importance for both lung diseases encompassing fibrotic lesions. Our data indicate that collagen remodeling resulting in destruction of alveolar walls and both destruction and thickening of the small airway walls may be assessed by serological biomarkers, the levels of which are associated with mortality in COPD. Interestingly, we found no association of mortality with markers of elastin degradation, although an association to all-cause mortality has previously been reported for desmosine, another marker of elastin degradation \[[@CR32]\]. This difference may be due to the neo-epitope specificity of the present biomarkers, which require specific protease activity in a specific location, or a difference in clearing from the blood for different elastin fragments. Interestingly, especially the remodeling of collagen type VI was shown to be associated with mortality in COPD in the current study. Collagen type VI is a unique beaded filament type of collagen found in the interstitial matrix near the basement membrane. It forms a microfibrillar network believed to anchor basement membranes, collagen fibers and cells to the connective tissue \[[@CR33]--[@CR35]\]. Furthermore, it may act as an early sensor of the injury/repair response as well as a regulator of fibrogenesis by modulating cell-cell interactions, stimulating proliferation of mesenchymal cells, and preventing cell apoptosis \[[@CR36], [@CR37]\]. The expression of collagen type VI has been found increased in fibrotic lungs \[[@CR38]\] and its C5 domain, also known as endotrophin, has been shown to trigger adipose tissue fibrosis \[[@CR39]\]. These functions point to an important role for collagen type VI in the development of fibrosis and may indicate a crucial function of this structural and functionally important collagen type in COPD as well.
Previous studies of serological biomarkers for the prediction of outcomes in individuals with COPD have mainly focused on the systemic inflammatory response by evaluating biomarkers such as interleukin-6, CRP and fibrinogen. However, plasma CRP levels shows a wide variability in individuals with stable COPD \[[@CR40]\], making it less suitable as a prognostic biomarker for individual patients. Several of the biomarkers assessed here have previously been found to have low variability over a six months period in individuals with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis \[[@CR31]\]. Neo-epitopes released in relation to ECM remodeling are the "end products" of the local tissue inflammation and repair processes in the lungs \[[@CR41]\], which might explain the relatively stable measurements of these biomarkers over time. However, ECM neo-epitopes are not exclusively released from lung tissue. A continuous low rate remodeling upholds integrity of all tissues in the body, giving rise to a steady background neo-epitope level in the systemic circulation. Chronic inflammation and fibrosis trigger a significant increase in tissue remodeling resulting in the release of pathology-related neo-epitopes above normal background levels. By assessing neo-epitopes as opposed to full length proteins, the signal-to-noise ratio may be improved by utilizing post-translational modifications, in this case proteolytic cleavage, that are associated with pathology \[[@CR42], [@CR43]\]. As with many systemic biomarkers, these neo-epitopes may originate from other organ systems than the lung, especially in relation to significant comorbidities that may affect tissue turnover. However, as COPD may be viewed as a systemic disease, the possible contribution from other affected organs may provide an assessment of the overall burden of disease.
It is intriguing that emphysema seems to be associated with lower levels of ECM remodeling while mortality is associated with higher levels. These results indicate that different pathological processes are related to distinct processing of the ECM leading to different levels of neo-epitopes. Acute exacerbations of COPD are generally associated with higher levels of remodeling \[[@CR28]\], and individuals with lung cancer also show accelerated remodeling \[[@CR44]\]. Emphysema seems to represent a different pathological process leading to a different pattern of remodeling. Clearly, more research is needed in this area to understand the specific mechanisms involved in pathological tissue turnover.
The recent qualification by the United States Food and Drug Administration of plasma fibrinogen as a drug development tool for enrichment of clinical trials in COPD, using exacerbations or all-cause mortality as endpoints \[[@CR45]--[@CR47]\], has helped pave the way for the use of validated biomarkers in clinical trials of COPD. Interestingly, in the present study several of the novel biomarkers, as well as CRP, performed better than fibrinogen for the prediction of all-cause mortality. The association of plasma fibrinogen with COPD has been seen in several studies \[[@CR48], [@CR49]\]. Although plasma fibrinogen is qualified as a biomarker for mortality in COPD, a recent review by Sin et al. concludes that none of the biomarkers investigated thus far have sufficient performance characteristics or specificity to be a clinically useful biomarker in COPD \[[@CR50]\]. The ideal biomarker is stable over time and is related to the pathological process. As the COPD population is very heterogeneous, it seems likely that biomarkers reflecting different pathological processes may be needed for monitoring progression in different subtypes of COPD. Thus, the need of tools to assess disease activity is still a major limitation to the development of novel therapeutic approaches in COPD, as well as in the management and prognosis of disease \[[@CR30], [@CR50]\]. Biomarkers with these qualities would aid personalized health care and could have the potential to improve patient care tremendously \[[@CR30]\].
Limitations to this study include the low number of deceased subjects, reducing statistical power. In spite of this, we found significant associations with mortality. The individuals included in this study are a subpopulation of the full ECLIPSE study comprising the study participants that progress the least and the most in terms of FEV~1~ decline during the study period. This is not the optimal population to study mortality in, and may explain the low number of events in this population. Furthermore, the present results need to be confirmed in an independent cohort to determine if the associations are applicable to the general COPD population.
Conclusions {#Sec12}
===========
In conclusion, with this study we have demonstrated that mortality in individuals with COPD is associated with elevated levels of serological biomarkers of collagen remodeling. These biomarkers were prognostic for all-cause mortality, suggesting that a high remodeling rate is related to increased risk of mortality. The increased degradation of collagens found in the interstitial matrix of the lungs, indicate that ECM turnover is important in the pathology of COPD.
Additional file {#Sec13}
===============
Additional file 1:Members of the ECLIPSE Steering and Scientific Committees and list of ECLIPSE Investigators. (DOCX 101 kb)
6MWD
: 6-min walking distance
ADAMTS
: A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs
AUC
: Area under the ROC curve
BGM
: Degradation fragment of biglycan generated by MMPs
BM
: Basement membrane
BMI
: Body mass index
BODE
: BMI obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise index
C1M
: Degradation fragment of collagen type I generated by MMPs
C3A
: Degradation fragment of collagen type III generated by ADAMTS
C3M
: Degradation fragment of collagen type III generated by MMPs
C4M
: Degradation fragment of collagen type IV generated by MMPs
C6M
: Degradation fragment of collagen type VI generated by MMPs
CI
: Confidence interval
COPD
: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CRMP
: Degradation fragment of CRP generated by MMPs
CRP
: C-reactive protein
ECLIPSE
: Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate End-points
ECM
: Extracellular matrix
ELM7
: Degradation fragment of elastin generated by MMP-7
EL-NE
: Degradation fragment of elastin generated by neutrophil elastase
FEV~1~
: Forced expiratory volume in 1 second
FVC
: Forced vital capacity
IM
: Interstitial matrix
MMP
: Matrix metalloproteinase
Pro-C6
: C5 domain of collagen type VI released during formation
ROC
: Receiver operating characteristics
SD
: Standard deviation
SEM
: Standard error of mean
The authors acknowledge all participants, medical, nursing, and technical staff involved in the ECLIPSE study, as well as the technical staff responsible for biomarker assessments.
Funding {#FPar1}
=======
The study was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline; the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation; and the Danish Research Foundation. Two representatives of GlaxoSmithKline (RT-S, BEM) and one academic (JV), together representing the ECLIPSE study investigators, developed the current study design and concept in collaboration with representatives of Nordic Bioscience (JMBS, DJL, IB, ARB, MAK), they approved the plan for the current analyses, had full access to the data, and were responsible for the decision to publish. The study sponsor did not place any restrictions with regard to statements made in the final paper.
Availability of data and materials {#FPar2}
==================================
Please contact author for data request.
Authors' contributions {#FPar3}
======================
All authors participated in data analysis and interpretation. JMBS and IB had primary responsibility for statistical analyses. RT-S, BEM, and JV were members of the ECLIPSE Steering/Scientific Committees. JV was also an ECLIPSE study investigator. JMBS drafted the manuscript. All authors read, provided input for, and approved the final manuscript.
Authors' information {#FPar4}
====================
The Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) study investigators: Ruth Tal-Singer, Bruce E. Miller and Jørgen Vestbo. Additional file [1](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}.
Competing interests {#FPar5}
===================
JMBS, DJL, IB, ARB, and MAK are employees and MAK and ARB are shareholders of Nordic Bioscience. RT-S and BEM are employees and shareholders of GSK. PL reports grants and personal fees from Almirall, Astra Zeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, and personal fees from Norpharma, Takeda, Pfizer, and TEVA, outside the submitted work. JV has received honoraria for presenting and advising from Astra Zeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis, outside the submitted work.
Consent for publication {#FPar6}
=======================
Not applicable.
Ethics approval and consent to participate {#FPar7}
==========================================
The ECLIPSE study has the clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00292552 and the GSK study code SCO104960. ECLIPSE complies with the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice Guidelines, and has been approved by the ethics committees of the participating centers. All participants provided written informed consent before the performance of any study-related assessments.
|
[Evaluating work intensity in major and auxiliary occupations of by-product coke industry].
The article covers evaluation of work strain in major and auxiliary occupations of by-product coke industry. The study results conclude that occupational activity of by-product coke industry workers, under exposure to occupational hazards, affects the workers' performance. Major occupations workers demonstrate higher level of functional strain of CNS, poor concentration of attention and lower ability to switch over, decreased general performance, vs. the auxiliary occupations workers who demonstrated increased cardiovascular and neuro-muscular strain due to occupational activity. |
/*
* Copyright 2008 Ayman Al-Sairafi [email protected]
*
* Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
* you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
* You may obtain a copy of the License
* at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
* distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
* WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
* See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
* limitations under the License.
*/
package jsyntaxpane.lexers;
import jsyntaxpane.Token;
import jsyntaxpane.TokenType;
%%
%public
%class XmlLexer
%extends DefaultJFlexLexer
%final
%unicode
%char
%type Token
%{
/**
* Create an empty lexer, yyrset will be called later to reset and assign
* the reader
*/
public XmlLexer() {
super();
}
@Override
public int yychar() {
return yychar;
}
private static final byte TAG_OPEN = 1;
private static final byte TAG_CLOSE = -1;
private static final byte INSTR_OPEN = 2;
private static final byte INSTR_CLOSE = -2;
private static final byte CDATA_OPEN = 3;
private static final byte CDATA_CLOSE = -3;
private static final byte COMMENT_OPEN = 4;
private static final byte COMMENT_CLOSE = -4;
%}
%xstate COMMENT, CDATA, TAG, INSTR
/* main character classes */
/* white space */
S = (\u0020 | \u0009 | \u000D | \u000A)+
/* characters */
Char = \u0009 | \u000A | \u000D | [\u0020-\uD7FF] | [\uE000-\uFFFD] | [\u10000-\u10FFFF]
/* comments */
CommentStart = "<!--"
CommentEnd = "-->"
NameStartChar = ":" | [A-Z] | "_" | [a-z]
NameStartCharUnicode = [\u00C0-\u00D6] |
[\u00D8-\u00F6] |
[\u00F8-\u02FF] |
[\u0370-\u037D] |
[\u037F-\u1FFF] |
[\u200C-\u200D] |
[\u2070-\u218F] |
[\u2C00-\u2FEF] |
[\u3001-\uD7FF] |
[\uF900-\uFDCF] |
[\uFDF0-\uFFFD] |
[\u10000-\uEFFFF]
NameChar = {NameStartChar} | "-" | "." | [0-9] | \u00B7
NameCharUnicode = [\u0300-\u036F] | [\u0203F-\u2040]
Name = {NameStartChar} {NameChar}*
NameUnicode = ({NameStartChar}|{NameStartCharUnicode}) ({NameChar}|{NameCharUnicode})*
/* XML Processing Instructions */
InstrStart = "<?" {Name}
InstrEnd = "?>"
/* CDATA */
CDataStart = "<![CDATA["
CDataEnd = "]]>"
/* Tags */
OpenTagStart = "<" {Name}
OpenTagClose = "/>"
OpenTagEnd = ">"
CloseTag = "</" {Name} {S}* ">"
/* attribute */
Attribute = {Name} "="
/* string and character literals */
DQuoteStringChar = [^\r\n\"]
SQuoteStringChar = [^\r\n\']
%%
<YYINITIAL> {
"&" [a-z]+ ";" |
"&#" [:digit:]+ ";" { return token(TokenType.KEYWORD2); }
{InstrStart} {
yybegin(INSTR);
return token(TokenType.TYPE2, INSTR_OPEN);
}
{OpenTagStart} {
yybegin(TAG);
return token(TokenType.TYPE, TAG_OPEN);
}
{CloseTag} { return token(TokenType.TYPE, TAG_CLOSE); }
{CommentStart} {
yybegin(COMMENT);
return token(TokenType.COMMENT2, COMMENT_OPEN);
}
{CDataStart} {
yybegin(CDATA);
return token(TokenType.COMMENT2, CDATA_OPEN);
}
}
<INSTR> {
{Attribute} { return token(TokenType.IDENTIFIER); }
\"{DQuoteStringChar}*\" |
\'{SQuoteStringChar}*\' { return token(TokenType.STRING); }
{InstrEnd} {
yybegin(YYINITIAL);
return token(TokenType.TYPE2, INSTR_CLOSE);
}
}
<TAG> {
{Attribute} { return token(TokenType.IDENTIFIER); }
\"{DQuoteStringChar}*\" |
\'{SQuoteStringChar}*\' { return token(TokenType.STRING); }
{OpenTagClose} {
yybegin(YYINITIAL);
return token(TokenType.TYPE, TAG_CLOSE);
}
{OpenTagEnd} {
yybegin(YYINITIAL);
return token(TokenType.TYPE);
}
}
<COMMENT> {
{CommentEnd} {
yybegin(YYINITIAL);
return token(TokenType.COMMENT2, COMMENT_CLOSE);
}
~{CommentEnd} {
yypushback(3);
return token(TokenType.COMMENT);
}
}
<CDATA> {
{CDataEnd} {
yybegin(YYINITIAL);
return token(TokenType.COMMENT2, CDATA_CLOSE);
}
~{CDataEnd} {
yypushback(3);
return token(TokenType.COMMENT);
}
}
<YYINITIAL,TAG,INSTR,CDATA,COMMENT> {
/* error fallback */
.|\n { }
<<EOF>> { return null; }
}
|
Imports System
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
' General Information about an assembly is controlled through the following
' set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information
' associated with an assembly.
' Review the values of the assembly attributes
<Assembly: AssemblyTitle("SilverlightApplication1")>
<Assembly: AssemblyDescription("")>
<Assembly: AssemblyCompany("Microsoft")>
<Assembly: AssemblyProduct("SilverlightApplication1")>
<Assembly: AssemblyCopyright("Copyright © Microsoft 2008")>
<Assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")>
<Assembly: ComVisible(False)>
'The following GUID is for the ID of the typelib if this project is exposed to COM
<Assembly: Guid("a733a262-f1f0-4a4d-a58b-70a0ad43bf32")>
' Version information for an assembly consists of the following four values:
'
' Major Version
' Minor Version
' Build Number
' Revision
'
' You can specify all the values or you can default the Build and Revision Numbers
' by using the '*' as shown below:
' <Assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.*")>
<Assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.0.0")>
<Assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("1.0.0.0")>
|
The universal serial bus (USB) provides a low cost solution for attaching peripheral devices to a host, such as a host computer or host server, so that the peripheral devices and the host can communicate with each other. Devices that are attached to a USB bus are automatically detected, and software automatically configures the devices for immediate use typically without user intervention. The USB devices/peripherals may include devices such as printers, scanners, keyboards, a mouse, digital cameras, digital video cameras, data acquisition devices, modems, speakers, telephones or video phones, storage devices such as ZIP drives, or other peripherals or devices. A USB bus can be extended with a hub which permits additions peripherals, or other hubs, to be coupled to a USB bus.
The USB specification entitled “Universal Serial Bus Revision 2.0 Specification” available at www.usb.org, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, dictates various requirements and protocols for devices connected with a USB bus. For example, issues relating to power management are included in the USB specification. In particular, the USB specifications define that devices may be low power devices drawing up to 100 mA of power from the USB connection or high power devices drawing up to 500 mA of power from the USB connection.
Recently, several extensions were added to the USB specification including an “on the go” (OTG) feature. The OTG feature permits two USB devices coupled to one another to communicate without the presence of a host computer. Another extension was added to delineate protocol for dedicated battery chargers, use of USB host as battery chargers, and a “No Dead Battery” provision to allow USB devices to temporarily draw power during connection to each other. Several different configurations have been produced to integrate the aforementioned USB protocol extensions. However, the configurations either introduce additional external hardware, which increases board area, or do not operate independently off of a battery or other external power supply. |
THE HIREE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING:
• Prepares initial drafts of studies, systems and procedures;
• Assists in the provision of technical/instructional service to agency beneficiaries;
• Prepares periodic reports; and
• Performs other related functions.
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS:
• Proficient in the use of database software, email, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.;
• Knowledge in planning, project proposal evaluation and analysis;
• Good written communication skills with the ability to write documents that summarizes and report on outcomes
All interested applicants must submit their application together with the following documents to Human Resource Management Division, AS not later than June 5, 2014:
• Duly Accomplished Personal Data Sheet (CSC Form 212, Revised 2005);
• Service Records;
• List of training programs attended indicating the no. of training hours and photocopies of training certificates ;
• Performance Evaluation System (PES) Ratings for Calendar Year 2013 for outside applicants or Individual Performance Commitment Review (IPCR) rating for Calendar Year 2013 for TESDA applicants or applicants from other government agencies;
• For government employee only: a copy of previous appointment;
• Demonstrated Attitude and Commitment to Work to be accomplished by your Immediate Supervisor;
• Potential Assessment Forms duly accomplished by Immediate Supervisor and One (1) Peer;
• Certified true copy of transcript of records/diploma; and
• Certified true copy of Eligibility by CSC or PRC.
Failure to complete the submission of above documents within the set deadline shall mean disinterest to vie for the position paving the way for non-inclusion in the deliberation process. |
ECB experiments with technology behind bitcoin
The European Central Bank is doing “experimental work” with the same ledger technology that underpins virtual currency bitcoin.
But it needs further research before considering adopting it, an ECB executive board member has said.
Yves Mersch said the ECB would look into whether distributed ledger technology (DLT) could be adopted as the market infrastructure of the euro zone’s system of central banks.
DLT is a shared database that can be used to secure and validate any type of transaction.
“From a central bank perspective, in the context of our strategic reflections on the future of the Eurosystem’s market infrastructures, we are certainly open to new technologies and, like many market players, have launched some experimental work with DLT,” Mersch said.
“It is clear that we have a lot of more thinking to do on DLT-related questions and their policy implications,” he added.
The “blockchain” technology was first used to support virtual currency bitcoin but has since been tested or even adopted by some brokers and banks for other purposes, such as trading or sharing data.
Broker ICAP said earlier this year it had become the first to distribute data on trades to customers using this technology and 40 of the world’s biggest banks, including HSBC and Citi, had also tested a system for trading fixed income based on it.
A report by the Bank for International Settlements published late last year said this technology could reduce the need for intermediaries such as banks and settlement houses and even pose a “hypothetical challenge” to central banks. |
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Designed for many years Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combinat (NMMC) industrial and economic activity is directed on maintenance of steady growth of economic potential and social stability of the Republic of Uzbekistan by means of further increase of raw mineral resources efficiency, increase of highly liquid production and intensive development of new manners of manufacture.
Gold and uranium form the basis NMMC activity as an industrial enterprise is founded on.
Besides the Combinat develops deposits of phosphorites, common salt, facing stone (gabbro, granite, marble), sand for mortar and foundry, chalkstone. The Combinat being a multi-industry mining and processing company, nevertheless, pays main attention to gold production that assists strengthening of economic power of Uzbekistan.
NMMC structure is comprised of five major mining and metallurgical enterprises (Navoi, Uchkuduk, Zarafshan, Nurabad, Zafarabad cities were built on their bases), as well as “Navoi Machine Building Plant” Production Association and Zarafshan Construction Management; the Combinat activity covers four regions in the republic. All the above cities are on balance of the Combinat and are connected among themselves with roads and railways, power lines included in the integrated power grid of the republic. Moreover they have independent life-support systems, including district heating and water supply, modern housing facilities, objects of social sphere. The Combinat has kept its economic relations and gained recognition in the CIS countries and in the world business community.
Thanks to active support and constant attention from the Government and President of Uzbekistan I.A.Karimov personally the Combinat has managed not only to stay in the top ten of the leading world companies in gold and uranium production for the years of independence, but also to secure the status of industrial giant and the unique state company. By the sizes of the territory occupied, level of activity and profitability for the state, producing capacities, broad assortment of production, number of the employees involved, amount of financing of social programs the Combinat is the largest company in the republic and makes the essential contribution to regional development and social stability of Uzbekistan. Today NMMC employs about 65 thousand people, over 58 % of them work in industrial production. The Combinat has rich industrial and social infrastructure which area occupies hundred thousands of square kilometers. ~250 thousand people live and work here and their well-being is connected with the Combinat to some extent. The Combinat activity has a favorable effect on the life of the whole Kizilkum region, all four regions of the republic. Taking care of people is our priority in the field of social policy. Without maintenance of worthy and favorable working and living conditions any conversations about fine future become meaningless.
The President of Uzbekistan I.A.Karimov and Government of the Republic pay great attention to Navoi Combinat, special significance to maintenance of its stable operation, solution of actual problems, increase of production volumes, issues regarding health care of its employees and their families, education and satisfaction of spiritual needs. This circumstance enhances responsibility of the Combinat in the sphere of social policy both before workers and the region in whole. NMMC has not only kept its social traditions but also develops them successfully. Medical sanitary units, boarding houses, holiday and recreation centers, after-work sanatoriums, sports complexes, preschool institutions and summer health camps are financed by the Combinat. Annual social expenses are equal to over 80 million US dollars including ~60 million dollars for maintenance of social objects. NMMC social infrastructure consists of housing stock with 2,7 million m2 of total area, six medical and sanitary facilities providing services for 200 thousand people, educational institutions for 2,6 thousand students, children's city and country summer camps, two sanatoriums, holiday center "Lazurnaya" and boarding house “Gornyak”, sports complexes with swimming pools, sports halls, stadiums, tennis courts and other facilities, 9 palaces of culture, as well as various creative clubs and art workshops, city parks, recreation areas and other objects.
Without purposeful personnel policy it is impossible to solve problems of production volumes and efficiency increase. According to the National program on personnel training the comprehensive program of personnel development and effective involvement, provision of the Combinat with qualified professionals is developed and realized. NMMC has constant monitoring system of current and perspective demands in different specialists on the labour-market.
The educational-scientific-and-production complex of proactive personnel training is formed. A well-composed system of professional training, retraining and improvement of professional skills of specialists and workers allows to satisfy need in specialists in all subdivisions of the enterprise. In the course of a year more than ten thousand employees of various categories from workers to managers study and get advanced training in the training centers. As the head of the state emphasizes there has been formed the system of continuous education in the republic allowing our youth to self-fulfill and find a worthy place in the society. About 2200 new jobs were created last year in the Combinat to go with the times solving problems on modernization, technical and technological updating of mining and processing production. Specialists with higher education are trained for Navoi Combinat in the republican higher educational institutions and those of especially demanded professions study in the near and far abroad. Specialists with secondary special and vocational education are trained in three educational institutions: Navoi, Zarafshan and Uchkuduk colleges. Almost two and a half thousand students are majoring in 22 professions. All colleges are equipped with modern equipment, computer and language classes, multimedia equipment, industrial practice workshops allowing to conduct educational process at high level.
Work on children's sports, health improvement, healthy lifestyle promotion and physical development is actively conducted. Approximately 30 thousand of employees and members of their families participate in sport life of the Combinat. Work on sport and health improvement is conducted in 8 physical training and sports clubs and 96 physical training teams. Modern sports complexes, swimming pools are available to any worker of our Combinat. Sportsmen of the Combinat participate in the championships of international and republican levels in basketball, boxing, volleyball, calisthenics, swimming, weightlifting, fencing, powerlifting, tae kwon do, motor racing, streetball, football, arm wrestling, parachuting, various kinds of wrestling. There are hundreds of gold, silver and bronze medals in the collection of the Combinat sportsmen. Licenses for participation of NMMC sportsmen in XXIX summer Olympic games in Beijing (2008) in swimming, calisthenics, weightlifting, tae kwon do WTF and fencing were obtained. In whole the work on physical training and health improvement promotes healthy lifestyle, development of children's sports, health improvement of the rising generation, harmonious physical development of our Combinat employees and members of their families.
Medical and sanitary department (MSD) with its branched network of medical institutions functions within NMMC structure. МSD out-patient departments and polyclinics provide services in 20 specialties in five adult, three pediatric, three dental polyclinics, five antenatal clinics, two pediatric and two dentist offices in the polyclinics of general profile. The Combinat employees, about fifty thousand of their children, more than eleven thousand pensioners get service here and over twenty thousand people who do not work in the Combinat and live in the nearest settlements also get free medical services annually.
Currently the union of NMMC present is a broad, organizational structure, including a combined trade union committees 7 and 21 trade union committees of the combines subdivisions.
Creative teams are involved in the cultural institutions combine amateur clubs, for 4000 creative and intellectual people, including 2,669 children and adolescents. 30 creative teams have the title of People and Exemplary. In 2014 held more were held in 2014 than 2,600 events, with 650 thousand participants including Plant workers, and their families. Festivals, contests of "Kizilkum sanat gunchalari", "Kizilkum ovozi", "Kizimlkum ohanglari" among dance groups, orchestras, soloists, vocal groups singers of traditional performance in the genre of makom.
There are libraries with a total book fund about 365 thousand books, including more than 182 thousand books published during the years of independence, including about 44 million in the state language in - Navoi, Uchkuduk, Zarafshan, Nurabad. 19 kindergartens for children of employees of the plant, with 4,400 girls and boys are surrounded by care and attention of qualified and professional caregivers and health professionals.
There are 5 suburban and 6 urban children's healths camps are in perfect condition on the balance of NMMC. More than 9,500 boys and girls annually recover their health in the summer children's camps and labor and recreation camps. 600 vouchers are given to children from low-income families from Zarafshan, Uchkuduk and remote desert areas as Tomdi and Konimeha. For the organization of sanatorium treatment in 2014 there were purchased about 10,000 vouchers totaling 3.4 billion soums, 946 permits were issued to pensioners.
Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine has provided trade union committee and its structures with-5 stadiums, 5 swimming pools, a Sports Palace, 2 bases for sailing, 90 gyms and playgrounds. Over the past four years several new facilities commissioned: were built in Zarafshan. Sports hall for the power of martial arts and weightlifting, gyms in Navoi, Zarafshan, Uchkuduk, club Konchi, Zarkent and youth sports complex in Mardjanbulak, Youth House was commissioned in Uchkuduk in 2014 fencing in Navoi. 6400 people are systematically engaged in physical culture and sports on the sports complexes of divisions NMMC 4715 children are also involved in sports and in group’s health.
NMMC sportsmen successfully performed in 2014 both at the international competitions and championships of Uzbekistan and national competitions in 20 sports won 414 awards, including 124 gold, 132silver and 158bronze.
Tagaeva Mahlie received a license to participate in the XXXI Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in weightlifting, Kosimova Zariya master of Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan in tae kwon do became a winner of Zulfiya Award.
The most important condition of the Combinat sustainable development is constant perfection of production management methods meeting the international standards. In this regard the integrated system of quality control, ecology and industrial safety is introduced and certified on its conformity to ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:1999 standard requirements. Certificates for “Precious metals and phosphorite production”, “Manufacture of polyvinylchloride and polyethylene pipes” and “Design and production of jewelry from precious metals alloys” have been received; supervisory audit of the introduced management system has been carried out.
The London Bullion Market Association gave the status of good delivery to Uzbek , refinery in 1994 and in 2006 this status was confirmed. The certificate of Tokyo Commodity Exchange confirming the quality of gold made by NMMC was received.
For the years of Uzbekistan independence the role of the country scientific institutions has greatly increased in the Combinat activity. Besides Uzbek scientific-research and project institute of industrial technology (“Uzgeotehliti”) great volume of scientific research and pilot design works has been done by Uzbek Institute of Nuclear Physics of Academy of Science (AS) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, State Geological Enterprise "Kiziltepageology", Institute of Microbiology of AS, Scientific Production Association “Technologist”, Tashkent State Technical University, Tashkent Motor Road institute, Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of AS, Institute of Fertilizers of AS, Navoi State Mining Institute, etc.
Creating new productions, providing modernization and introduction of competitive goods, we do not forget about the most important value: Man, Worker, Creator, whose hands built our cities, plants, mines in the most difficult desert conditions. We are proud of our collective, again and again we emphasize that people are the main riches of the Kizilkum land, gold reserves of Navoi Combinat. The Combinat social policy is directed on improvement of working and life conditions, living standards of employees that allows to make a considerable contribution to regional development and social stability. |
Relationship between the descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery and the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve applicable to flap surgery.
Flap surgery in the distal part of the gluteal region has to deal with a lack of detailed descriptions of the inferior gluteal artery and the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve. The existing papers are mainly clinical studies, based on low numbers of observations. Our study includes 118 cadaveric gluteal regions. The descending branch was present in 91% and gave rise to a cutaneous branch. When the descending branch was absent, this cutaneous branch came from the medial or lateral femoral circumflex artery or as a perforator of the deep artery of the thigh. The posterior femoral cutaneous nerve was found in a common sheath of connective tissue with the descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery in 72% of cases. Nerve loops around the vessel are present in 29%. Our results show that a cutaneous or fasciocutaneous flap, either local or free, in this region can be reliably lifted on a cutaneous branch of the descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery without loss of sensitivity. However, the close relationship of the artery and nerve limits the arc of rotation in the case of a local flap. |
To Free the Cinema:Jonas Mekas and the New York UndergroundEdited by David E. James
Jonas Mekas, one of the driving forces behind New York's alternative film culture from the 1950s through the 1980s, made for an unlikely counterculture hero: a Lithuanian emigr and fervent nationalist from an agrarian family, he had not grown up with either capitalist commercialism or the postwar rebellion against it. By focusing on his sensitivity to political struggle, however, leading film commentators here offer fascinating insights into Mekas's career as a writer, filmdistributor, and film-maker, while exploring the history of independent cinema in New York since World War II. This collection of essays, interviews, and photographs addresses such topics as Mekas's column in the Village Voice, his foundation and editorship of Film Culture, his role in the establishment of Anthology Film Archives and The Film-Makers Co-op (the major distribution center for independent film), his interaction with other artists, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and finally the critical assessment of his own films, from Guns of the Trees and The Brig in the sixties to the diary films that followed Walden. The contributors to this volume are Paul Arthur, Vyt Bakaitis, Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, Rudy Burckhardt, David Curtis, Richard Foreman, Tom Gunning, Bob Harris, J. Hoberman, David E. James, Marjorie Keller, Peter Kubelka, George Kuchar, Richard Leacock, Barbara Moore, Peter Moore, Scott Nygren, John Pruitt, Lauren Rabinovitz, Michael Renov, Jeffrey K. Ruoff, and Maureen Turim. |
Q:
A single catch all statement for deeply nested functions in c++?
#include<bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
void subtract(int a,int b){
try{
if(b==1)
throw "Subtracting by 1 results in previous number";
cout<<a-b<<endl;
}
catch(const char *e){
cerr<<e<<endl;
}
};
void add(int a,int b){
try{
if(b==1)
throw "Adding with 1 results in next number";
}
catch(const char *e){
cerr<<e<<endl;
subtract(a+b,b);
}
};
void multiply(int a,int b){
try{
if(b==1)
throw "Multiplying with 1 has no effect!";
}
catch(const char *e){
cerr<<e<<endl;
add(a*b,b);
}
};
void divide(int a,int b){
try{
if(b==1)
throw "Dividing with one has no effect!";
}
catch(const char *e){
cerr<<e<<endl;
multiply(a/b,b);
}
};
void bodmas(int a,int b){
divide(a,b);
};
int main(){
int a,b;
cin>>a>>b;
bodmas(a,b);
return 0;
}
So I was trying to understand the concept of deeply nested functions as well as exception handling by writing a small program. But in this function I had to type catch statement seperately for each function. Is there any way to write a common catch all for all these functions maybe in main()? I am thinking suppose each function returns a different data type and a statement would be printed accordingly.
A:
I am thinking suppose each function returns a different data type
If you meant "would throw a different data type" then you can think about a template function that would do the printing job.
template<typename T>
void printException(T exept) {
std::cerr << exept << std::endl;
}
To achieve something better (because one could pass by mistake something that std::cerr cannot print for many reasons), you could simply use std::exception and passing it a message when you construct your exception object so that when you catch it you could simply do:
void printException(const std::exception& e) {
// print some information message if needed then...
std::cerr << e.what() << std::endl;
}
Is there any way to write a common catch all for all these functions may be in main()?
Yes, you simply have to remove all the catch statements in each of your functions and put one in main after a try block that would encompass all your 'risky methods' -- not that they are risky but that they can throw an exeption. Here's an example:
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
try {
riskyMethod1();
riskyMethod2();
riskyMethod3();
}
catch (const std::exception& e) {
printException(e);
}
return 0;
}
To achieve this, once again, I'd recommend dropping throwing strings to the benefit of exception objects. You could have dividing_with_one_exeption, multiplying_with_one_exception just to name a few (this is a suggestion since you can easily use std::exception, giving it your exception message).
|
Bill H.126
188th (2013 - 2014)
An Act relative to mandated reporters
Bill Title: An Act relative to mandated reporters
By Mr. Kuros of Uxbridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 126) of Kevin J. Kuros and others for legislation to expand the Department of Children and Families definition of mandated reporter. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
SECTION 1. Section 21 of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking, in lines 50 and 51, the words “or (vi) the child advocate” and inserting in place thereof the following: (vi) the child advocate; or (vii) a state employee who, in his professional capacity, witnesses child abuse, including sexual abuse.
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
Unsupported Bill Output Format
The document text is in an unsupported format to view in a browser.
Please use the "Download PDF" link if you wish to View/Print this document. |
Without Private Key and Key Phrase it is very difficult to steal Bitcoin. Nevertheless, it is possible to do it through detours. In a medium post, a user named “CryptoNerd” declares that he thinks the Coinbase theory is unlikely. Here you can see that the individual coins have been sent to over 90 different addresses in order to “dilute” them. This serves to cover up the traces in order to sell them bit by bit. According to this theory, there would be no major dump, the Bitcoin price would not be significantly affected.
Fear of loss of Bitcoin profit
This theory follows previous Bitcoin profit theory, also here movements would serve following veiling. In an announcement on December 3, Sigal Madelker announced that the United States Treasury would step up its efforts to combat money laundering and illegal activities in the crypto industry. In the course of an action against Iranian blackmailers, the anti-terror department of the USA had managed for the first time to clearly assign Bitcoin addresses to individuals. This is what it says in detail:
“As Iranian […] players try to abuse the digital currency [Bitcoin] to facilitate illegal activities, financial institutions, including exchanges and other providers of digital currency services, must protect themselves from the risks of supporting these malicious players. With its technical expertise, the digital currency industry must develop its networks and take the necessary steps to prevent illegal operators from using its services. For example, shortly after the appointment last week, we saw at least one compliance company that not only quickly informed its customers about our sanctions, but also sent them additional information related to the due diligence they were carrying out quickly. That’s exactly what we want to see in this and other areas.”
According to this theory, in line with CryptoNerd’s theory, the movement would argue that coins would be moved to disguise their origin. This could lead to an exchange for privacy coins or the use of Bitcoin tumblers.
Miners want to cash out to buy new Bitcoin profit
According to F2pool founder Mao Shixing, between 600,000 and 800,000 miners have been taken off the Bitcoin profit grid since mid-November. Due to the strong price losses of the continuing bear market, Bitcoin profit no longer seemed profitable – we reported. In the same breath, a correspondingly large number of mining equipment was sold. To counter this, Bitmain has announced the Antminer S15 for December. With the reduced difficulty and the new device Bitcoin Mining shall become more profitable again. According to this theory, the large amount of Bitcoin would be used to cash out and buy new miners with the new capital.
Conclusion: No reason for FUD
Probably the most likely theory is that Coinbase is trying to provide more liquidity on its stock market. This would not lead to a bigger dump, as would the theories of concealment. If there were indeed a larger mining pool behind it and Bitcoin were to flood the market soon, there would be a danger. However, given the current market situation, this is unlikely.
What do you think of the theories? Is Satoshi Nakamoto behind the movements and wants to sell all his coins because he suddenly became poor? Or does Craig Wright want to dump the Bitcoin rate so far to push Bitcoin SV up with his profits?
The authors note that most pump-and-dump activities are coordinated via Messenger Telegram. The initiator(s) first found a Telegram Channel and try to attract as many participants as possible. Xu and Livshits name 1,000 members as a typical threshold to reach before a pump starts. Usually the communication goes only in one direction: Only the organizer is allowed to post in the channel. This distinguishes a telegram channel from a telegram group.
Bitcoin formula Announcement
When enough members have gathered in the Bitcoin formula group, the big waiting begins. The pump organizer or channel administrator first announces the exact time when the pump should take place. The administrator does not reveal which coin it is. Instead, he keeps the group members at the bar with countdowns, motivating words and behavioural strategies until the coin is announced. This usually takes a few days.
Announcement of the Bitcoin trader
At the agreed time, the Bitcoin trader then announces the coin to be pumped on onlinebetrug.de. This is usually done using an image file so that no bots can “read along”. This message means for the members of the channel the signal to buy the token. Through the concerted action, the price of the coin usually rises many times over within a few minutes. During this time, the organizer of the pump summons the members of the channel to still hold their coins so that outsiders can still jump on the alleged moon rocket.
Dump
Already after a few minutes, in some cases even seconds, the price of the pumped coin has reached its peak. At the first sign of a sinking price, the wave of panic selling then begins and the price rapidly plunges to the level before the pump. The initiator of a successful pump and dump is the one who benefits most:
PumpOlymp – Knowing where
In order to get an overview of the pumping activities on Telegram, the researchers fished data from the website pumpolymp.com. The site lists telegram channels dedicated to this form of market manipulation. In this way, the authors identified 220 pump-and-dump activities for the period between 19 July and 18 November this year.
Starting today, security researchers from Avast will demonstrate at the Mobile World Congress 2018 how a modern television can be used for monero-cryptomining. Viewers can watch live how the device is infected with malware. All Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including traffic lights, cameras, WLAN routers, loudspeakers, intelligent refrigerators, other modern kitchen appliances, thermostats, regulators and much more are suitable for this purpose.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming more and more extensive for the Bitcoin trader
Worldwide, around 500 million devices and Bitcoin trader services are connected to the Internet, and the number is rising rapidly. Despite all the advantages offered by modern technologies such as Smart TV or Smart Home, it is also important to take a look at the Bitcoin trader risks. Hacking smart devices is no longer something only a few geniuses can do.
Future hackers no longer even have to try out for themselves which devices are susceptible to takeover by third parties. This information can be easily obtained from the Shodan.io website after registration. This is a kind of search engine for hackers. Listed are the security holes or standard passwords of all intelligent devices with Internet connection. Shodan.io searches the Internet daily and analyzes the results to keep the database up to date. For the very lazy hackers there are automatic tools such as AutoSploit. This script takes over the devices at home at the push of a button. Of course, this is not legal.
This accessibility to sensitive information naturally threatens the privacy of people who use modern security cameras or smart speakers at home, for example, to film or listen to those affected. On the multilingual website Insecam.org, the live stream from countless unprotected video cameras is transmitted to the net as a deterrent in order to inform the owners about the threats to their modern devices. Related to Germany, this is a total of 500 IP cameras, whose live images are available there around the clock. Also all morally questionable motives were removed according to own statement from the data base. Since the operators of the cameras have never changed the preset passwords to control the devices, the transmissions can of course also intercept third parties.
Capturing smart TVs for the crypto trader
In addition to such use cases for hacking smart devices, there is now another one that is particularly relevant for crypto trader affine devices: https://www.geldplus.net/en/crypto-trader-review/ Employees of Avast, the manufacturer of antiviruses, want to demonstrate how easy it is to take over a modern television set including an Internet connection at the trade fair currently taking place in Barcelona. In the live experiment, a smart TV is captured in order to dig for Monero. We have already reported several times about JavaScript on web servers and other malware that can be used to abuse PCs, smartphones, SCADA controllers for wind turbines and much more to dig for crypto currencies. Cyber criminals have now targeted the IoT’s hardware in view of the sheer number of devices.
According to the Shodan database, there are over 58,000 smart devices in the network in Barcelona alone that would be suitable for a takeover. Only devices with a fast CPU or graphics card are actually suitable for crypto mining.
Due to the comparatively low margins for the mining of IoT devices, hackers are encouraged to infect even more hardware in order to generate sufficient sales.
For owners, this can result in an excessive electricity bill, increased response times, reduced performance and a shortened lifespan of the affected devices.
Websites such as Insecam or Shodan and projects such as the one presented by Avast impressively show that a more precise knowledge of the security precautions of modern technology should be more closely checked in-house for security. Accordingly, it should be checked where, for example, the standard passwords can be changed.
The price per Bitcoin has reached the expected target of 2,000 US dollars and is not only causing euphoria in the digital currency market. On early Saturday morning, the price broke through the magical 2,000 US dollar mark for the first time with 2,014 US dollars and a market capitalisation of 34 billion US dollars.
There had been speculation for quite some time that the 2000 mark would be reached in a timely manner, and the price stabilised at around 1,800 US dollars.
It was only on Friday that the value of the digital token broke through the 1,900 mark and thus started the rally in the direction of 2,000 US dollars.
What does the strong price increase mean for Bitcoin, the entire community and the ecosystem of the digital currency? The opinions of the experts differ widely here.
No healthy growth according to Bitcoin news
Vinny Ligham was not very pleased with the Bitcoin news about the rapid course of the share price and regards it as detrimental to the Bitcoin news ecosystem: “I don’t think the price increase is healthy, but I’m sure everyone else knows that better. I observe and wait.”
Malcolm Macleod: Problems still persist
Gulden Wallet developer Malcolm Macleod believes that without a fundamental basis, the price has been pushed up too much, ultimately damaging the system. He referred to the continuing scaling problems and the resulting number of unconfirmed transactions in the Bitcoin network. Currently, a maximum of 7 transactions per second can be processed in the network.
“The whole thing is a double-edged sword, it has something good, but also something bad,” says Malcom.
More money inflow via Bitcoin formula
Alexandro Colorado of Bitcoin Mexico thinks differently about the Bitcoin formula scam. Although Bitcoin certainly has a scaling problem, he sees the rising share price as a logical consequence: “It’s logical because more and more money is flowing into the Bitcoin formula system,” Alexandro told Cointelegraph.
Nathan T. Freeman of Cryptopulco says:
“Bitcoin’s value is rising as more and more people agree to part with their Fiat currencies and invest in Bitcoin. If you try to explain why people are already willing to do this, you are projecting a motive for their subjective value and you can’t. Even if the motive may be right, you can’t prove it. It is a sea of individual decisions. It’s all good.”
Will the Bitcoin bubble come in 2019?
Alexandro Colorado:
“A bubble is created by manipulation, but what we are currently seeing is something completely different. Companies also growing by billions a month, why shouldn’t that be possible for a crypto currency? Just because many people don’t yet understand or trust digital currencies doesn’t mean we’re in a bubble.”
Vinny Hingham responded to CoinTelegraph’s question whether we were in a bubble with the following answer:
“Yes, but also the people who screamed in 2011 that we were in a bubble were wrong. It took 2 years until the big bang.”
Malcolm McLeon showed himself insecure about whether it was a bubble. He can’t explain for sure what triggered the recent course rally..:
“I think there’s a big chance we’re in a bubble, but I hope I’m wrong.”
“There is only one big event that will significantly shape Bitcoin’s future and that is the blocksized debate. All other factors are beyond Bitcoin’s control and cannot be influenced. However, we are already talking here about predicting global effects and major political shifts.”
“Predicting a bubble is like throwing a die and anyone who claims they can predict a bubble is a coin thrower.”
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has again postponed a decision on the admission of a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). The proposal submitted by the CBOE was for the introduction of a physically backed Bitcoin ETF called VanEck SolidX Bitcoin Trust. The Commission combines its decision with an appeal to the interested public to comment on individual aspects of the submitted proposal.
And every day the groundhog greets
The decision of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to allow itself even more time with regard to Bitcoin ETF comes as no surprise. The Commission does not want to rush into anything – and that is a good thing. In its opinion on the postponement, the Commission pointed out the argumentation of the applicant CBOE. Subsequently, the SEC encouraged the public to examine whether the arguments of the stock exchange were sufficient “to protect investors and the public interest”. This call has a good chance of falling on fertile ground. After all, the SEC had already received over 1,400 comments on the Causa VanEck SolidX Bitcoin Trust by September 19. An overwhelming number of commentators were in favour of approving the Bitcoin ETF.
21 days
The SEC has set a deadline for filing comments of 21 days from the publication of the report. Those who wish to present their arguments or data to the Commission can either complete the form on the SEC website or write a letter or e-mail to the authority.
Mark Preuss is founder and managing director
After studying economics in the Netherlands and China, he held various positions in finance, first in Switzerland and finally in Düsseldorf. Early on, he became enthusiastic about digital currencies and blockchain technology. In the absence of a contact point in German-speaking countries, Mark finally decided at the end of 2013 to launch BTC-ECHO, his own media platform for digital currencies and blockchain. Since then, he has developed BTC-ECHO into the most widely used German-language platform for crypto currencies. |
A Nxivm cult member who secretly pleaded guilty last week to charges of racketeering conspiracy admitted to keeping her own personal slave locked in a room for two years, newly unsealed court documents reveal.
“I knowingly and intentionally harbored Jane Doe 4, a woman whose identity is known to me, in a room in the home in the Northern District of New York,” said Lauren Salzman to Brooklyn federal court Judge Nicholas Garaufis last week.
Salzman told the judge she held the woman hostage between March 2010 and April 2012 “and threatened to deport Jane Doe 4 back to Mexico if she did not complete labor requested by myself and others,” court transcripts said.
The 42-year-old defendant also admitted during the proceeding to being a member of Nxivm’s secret inner organization, DOS, which prosecutors have accused of starving and branding women.
At least one DOS member was also coerced into having sex with cult leader Keith Raniere, according to the government. |
The Sulwon Award for Scientific Achievement is the Korean Diabetes Association\'s highest scientific award and honors an individual who has excellently contributed to the progress in the field of diabetes and metabolism. Sulwon Award is named after an emeritus professor Eung Jin Kim, who founded Korean Diabetes Association. Prof. Myung-Shik Lee received the fifth Sulwon Award at 2014 International Conference on Diabetes and Metabolism, October 16-18, 2014 at Gyeonggido, Korea.
INTRODUCTION
============
The adult gut microbiota comprises 10 to 100 trillion microorganisms, which is equivalent to ten times the number of our total somatic and germ cells \[[@B1]\]. Further, the collective genomes of gut microbiota (microbiome) contain 100- to 150-fold more genes than our own genome \[[@B2]\]. The gut microbiota has coevolved with humans and has shown profound effects on various host responses. Recent findings have suggested that an altered gut microbial composition is associated with metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These findings have indicated that the gut microbiota should be considered as an important factor to modulate host metabolism and metabolic disorders.
OBESITY-ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF INTESTINAL MICROBIOTA
======================================================================
The gut microbiota plays an important role in the regulation of the host\'s metabolism and the extraction of energy from ingested food. Gut microbiota have not only the beneficial functions for the host but also the pathophysiological interactions with the host, particularly in the case of obesity and related metabolic disorders. Recent studies have shown that changes in the gut microbiota may be related in the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes. For example, germ-free mice are protected from high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction, including glucose intolerance, which is due to derepression of fasting-induced adipose factor (Fiaf), an inhibitor of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) \[[@B1][@B3][@B4]\]. Additionally, the colonization of germ-free animals with gut microbiota isolated from conventionally raised obese donors led to a significant increase in body fat content and insulin resistance in recipient mice \[[@B5][@B6]\]. Most bacterial species in the mouse and human gut belong to the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Compared with their lean counterparts, leptin-deficient *ob/ob* mice showed a decrease in Bacteroidetes and a corresponding increase in Firmicutes \[[@B7]\]. Interestingly, studies with humans also have shown that gut microbiota composition differs between obese and lean subjects \[[@B5][@B7]\]. Recently, two large metagenome-wide association studies reported that subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) had a lower proportion of butyrate-producing *Clostridiales* (*Roseburia* and *Faecalibacterium prausnitzii*) and greater proportions of *Clostridiales* that do not produce butyrate, suggesting a protective role of butyrate-producing bacteria against T2DM \[[@B8][@B9]\].
Currently, it is not known whether these changes in the intestinal microbiota composition are secondary to the altered gastrointestinal motility and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth that are often seen in T2DM. Nevertheless, selected intestinal bacterial strains may function in the clinic as early diagnostic markers to better identify obese subjects who might be prone to develop T2DM, and provide a novel therapeutic modality against obesity or T2DM.
MECHANISMS BY WHICH INTESTINAL MICROBIOTA ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY AND DIABETES
==================================================================================
Short-chain fatty acids
-----------------------
An essential role of gut microbiota is the fermentation of dietary polysaccharides that the host cannot otherwise digest. Dietary fibers constitute the indigestible portion of plant foods containing insoluble and soluble fibers. These soluble fibers are digested by enzymes derived from the gut microbiota into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs (butyrate, acetate, and propionate) are absorbed in the intestines and used as energy by the host. In addition to their role as energy substrates, SCFAs function as regulators of food or energy intake \[[@B10]\] and inflammation \[[@B11]\]. It is well known that SCFAs are associated with increased satiety and reduced food intake \[[@B10]\]. SCFAs bind to G protein-coupled receptors, (GPCRs) such as GPR41 and GPR43, which are expressed in the enteroendocrine cells \[[@B12]\]. This action leads to the secretion of certain peptide hormones, such as peptide YY (PYY), that are released basolaterally into the systemic circulation, enabling a form of communication between the gut milieu and the host. Reduced food intake is, in part, due to the increases in the gut hormones, such as glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and PYY \[[@B13]\] which decrease appetite and energy intake, and due to the decreased release of the gut peptide ghrelin, which increases food intake through effects on the hypothalamic and brainstem reward-related circuits ([Fig. 1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}) \[[@B14]\]. SCFAs-mediated activation of GPR43 resulted in suppression of insulin signaling in the adipose tissue subsequently preventing fat accumulation \[[@B15]\]. Recent study reported that dietary soluble fibers exert their antiobesity and antidiabetic effects via the induction of intestinal gluconeogenesis (IGN), which is contrary to the general idea that gluconeogenesis impairs glucose tolerance \[[@B16]\]. Butyrate activates *IGN* gene expression through a cAMP-dependent mechanism, while propionate, itself a substrate of IGN, activates *IGN* gene expression via a gut-brain neural circuit \[[@B16]\]. Glucose released by IGN is detected by a portal vein glucose sensor that signals to the brain through the peripheral nervous system, thus exerting beneficial effects on food intake and improving glucose tolerance ([Fig. 1](#F1){ref-type="fig"})\[[@B16][@B17]\].
Gut permeability and metabolic endotoxemia
------------------------------------------
Several recent studies have suggested that disruption of the gut barrier function and the gut microbiota-derived endotoxemia could contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and T2DM \[[@B18][@B19]\]. A HFD dramatically increased gut permeability and reduced the expression of tight junction protein, such as zonula occludens-1 and occludin, in the intestinal epithelial cells of mice ([Fig. 2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}) \[[@B20]\]. Disruption of the gut barrier in genetically or HFD-induced obese mice increased gut permeability, resulting in the leakage of lipopolysaccharide into the portal blood circulation ([Fig. 2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}) \[[@B21][@B22][@B23]\]. Consistent with this concept, the modulation of the gut microbiota composition with antibiotics or prebiotics improved gut permeability, reduced metabolic endotoxemia, lowered inflammation, and alleviated glucose intolerance \[[@B24]\].
INTESTINAL MICROBIOTA MODULATION AS NOVEL THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES FOR OBESITY AND DIABETES
=========================================================================================
Prebiotics
----------
Prebiotics are non-digestible but fermentable polysaccharides, such as inulin, fructo-, oligosaccharides, galato-oligosaccharides, or lactulose. Foods artificially enriched with these fibers are defined as prebiotics, which promote SCFA production and the growth of beneficial bacteria, especially *Bifidobacterium* and *Lactobacillus* \[[@B25]\]. Studies in healthy humans and rodents have demonstrated that prebiotic consumption reduces hunger and enhances satiety \[[@B26]\]. As discussed above, this modulation of ingestive behavior is mediated, in part, by SCFA-induced changes in gut peptide secretion. Additionally, by promoting *Bifidobacterium* populations, prebiotics improve gut barrier function \[[@B27]\].
Probiotics
----------
Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that confer a beneficial health effect on the host when administered in proper amounts. Some probiotic strains, especially those of the genera *Lactobacillus* and *Bifidobacterium*, have been shown to ameliorate obesity and metabolic disorders. The suggested mechanisms include inhibition of the pathogen adhesion to gut mucosa, stabilization of the microbial community, or improvement of the mucosal integrity and barrier function \[[@B27][@B28][@B29][@B30][@B31]\]. The improvements of gut barrier function may reflect the actions of the SCFA products of bacterial fermentation. A recent study reported the direct beneficial actions of *Lactobacilli* on the epithelial cells and on the enteric nervous system regulating gut contractility \[[@B32]\].
Drugs
-----
A recent study showed that metformin, widely used for treatment of T2DM, is able to slow aging in *Caenorhabditis elegans* by metabolically altering *Escherichia coli* with which it is cocultured \[[@B33]\]. This effect was found to be due to the alteration of folate and the methionine metabolism of *E. coli* by metformin. Metformin decreased the methionine cycle and increased the levels of both S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and S-adenosylhomocystein. SAMe acts a co-repressor of methionine synthesis genes and also inhibits the folate cycle, resulting in decelerated aging in the worm \[[@B33]\].
Metformin can also affect the intestinal microbiota of mammals. We have demonstrated that metformin is able to affect the mouse microbiota and increase the abundance of *Akkermansia muciniphila*, a mucin-degrading G (-) anaerobes, in the gut of experimental mice fed a HFD ([Fig. 2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}) \[[@B34]\]. We also observed that the administration of *A. muciniphila* had similar beneficial metabolic effects to that of metformin administration: (1) increased the number of mucin-producing goblet cells was similarly found after the administration of metformin or *A. muciniphila*; (2) diminished regulatory T (Treg) cell numbers and elevated interleukin 1β (IL-1β) or IL-6 mRNA expression in the visceral adipose tissue of mice fed a HFD were similarly reversed after the administration of metformin or *A. muciniphila*. Mucin has recently been shown to enhance delivery of tolerogenic immunoregulatory signal to the intestinal epithelium by forming galectin-3-dectin-1-FcγRIIB complex besides its classical role as a physical barrier \[[@B35]\] This study therefore underscores that drugs, such as metformin, might exert therapeutic effects, at least in part by modulating the gut micriobiota.
Fecal microbiota transplantation
--------------------------------
Recently, articles in the literature regarding fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) have aroused strong interest. FMT is reported to be a highly successful therapy for recurrent *Clostridium difficile* infection \[[@B36]\]. These results also suggested a potential therapeutic effect of FMT in metabolic syndrome or T2DM. A recent study showed that FMT via a gastroduodenal tube from lean donors into obese subjects with metabolic syndrome induced a significant improvement of insulin sensitivity in the recipients \[[@B37]\]. FMT resulted in an increase of the microbial diversity and a 2.5-fold increase in the proportion of butyrate producer *Roseburia intestinalis* after 6 weeks of treatment, whereas, fecal SCFA levels were decreased. Despite this first evidence that such as approach could be attractive, more information is needed with larger, well-designed studies to prove whether such approaches are overall beneficial for patients with metabolic syndrome or T2DM.
CONCLUSIONS
===========
Intestinal microbiota may play an important role in the pathogenesis of T2DM by influencing body weight, proinflammatory activity, and insulin resistance ([Fig. 1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). Future studies are required to increase our understanding of the complex interplay between intestinal microbiota and the host with T2DM and to enable the development of innovative and effective treatments for T2DM.
This study was supported by a Global Research Laboratory Grant (K21004000003-12A0500-00310) from the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology Research Fund (2014M3A9D8034459).
**CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:** No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
{#F1}
{#F2}
|
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Pakistan is facing concentrated HIV epidemics among key populations (KPs), specifically people who inject drugs (PWIDs) and sex workers (SWs) \[[@R1]-[@R5]\]. KPs in Pakistan, particularly female, male and transgender sex worker populations (FSWs, MSWs and HSWs), engage in transactional sex underground, limiting their access to services and potentially subjecting them to harassment and violence \[[@R6]-[@R9]\]. The HIV epidemic is well established among PWIDs, and is perhaps expanding among SWs in Pakistan. It has been suggested that the expansion of HIV to SWs may be related to structural and sociocultural aspects of the KPs, such as cultural stigma, poor knowledge about how to prevent HIV, low literacy and inadequate access to services \[[@R10],[@R11]\].
Empirical evidence obtained from integrated biological and behavioural surveillance (IBBS) data suggested that HIV prevalence among PWIDs increased from an estimated (unweighted) 11% in 2005 to 27% by 2011 \[[@R12]-[@R15]\]. Evidence from these IBBS data also indicated that prevalence among HSWs, MSWs and FSWs in 2011 was estimated at 5.2%, 1.6% and 0.6% \[[@R12]-[@R15]\]. Studies have shown that SWs in Pakistan are at a higher risk of HIV exposure due to their interaction with PWIDs through sex and/or needle sharing \[[@R12]-[@R15]\]. Although vulnerability varies by KP and city, there is growing concern that the virus may be expanding to sexual contacts of PWIDs, particularly SWs, as well as to the general population through sexual networks of SWs and their clients \[[@R12],[@R16]-[@R20]\].
Assessing incidence patterns helps to better understand HIV epidemic trends. Monitoring global changes in incidence is no longer sufficient, and more disaggregated and fine-grained assessments have been suggested for improved estimation of HIV epidemics \[[@R21]\]. Incidence as opposed to prevalence may generate insights about potential factors contributing to the epidemics. However, it is prevalence data that is often available and used in Pakistan to inform policy and guide the design of intervention programs. Although prevalence data are currently available in certain cities and years in Pakistan \[[@R12],[@R17],[@R20],[@R22]-[@R25]\], these empirical prevalence estimates are not globally available across all of Pakistan, and are often limited to estimates only among certain higher risk groups \[[@R24]\]. Furthermore, there is limited data on the change in number of new HIV infections over time on a more disaggregate level.
Using mathematical modeling, we examined geographic disparities in the trends and emerging patterns of HIV sub-epidemics using model estimated prevalence and incidence among KPs in Pakistan. This study provides disaggregated assessments of the levels and trends of the HIV epidemics in Pakistan.
METHODS
=======
Study settings
--------------
Between 2005 and 2011, the Canada-Pakistan HIV/AIDS Surveillance Project (HASP) collected four rounds of IBBS data across Pakistan \[[@R12]-[@R15],[@R26]\]. The number of cities (up to 20) and KPs surveyed in each round varied. Details on cities included can be found in previous reports \[[@R12]-[@R15]\]. Maps of cities surveyed in 2005 and 2011, depicting relative prevalence among KPs, can be found elsewhere \[[@R27]\].
Study population
----------------
The KPs surveyed were PWIDs, HSWs, MSWs and FSWS. MSWs and HSWs refer to men aged 13 and 15 or older, respectively, and FSWs refers to women aged 15 or older who sell sex in exchange for money or gifts. Many MSWs start sex work at a younger age than FSWs or HSWs, and therefore the age limit for inclusion in MSWs sample was lower. Most h*ijras* are transgender individuals who are born males and often cross-dress in feminine attire, only a few having been born with intersex variations, and some having undergone surgical sex change \[[@R28]-[@R30]\]. They form a distinct sociocultural group unique to South Asia, and are considered to be a third gender \[[@R28]-[@R30]\]. PWIDs refers to persons aged 18 or older who had injected drugs in the past six months. Because HSWs and MSWs are both biologically males and have overlapping of networks, including client networks, IBBS data among these KPs were collected together except in the fourth round conducted in 2011. The difference age cut-offs in the inclusion criteria is based on anecdotal evidence and age distribution of each KP in subsequent IBBS. It is also important to note that inclusion and exclusion criteria were ascertained through a broad National consultative process in which all stakeholders along with National and Provincial AIDS Control Programs participated.
Data collection
---------------
Each round of IBBS began with an in-depth network mapping exercise to estimate the size, distribution and operational typology of PWIDs and SWs in targeted cities \[[@R12]-[@R15]\], except the third round (in 2008) where the second round mapping (in 2006/7) was used as a basis to recruit study samples \[[@R13]\]. Details of the mapping can be found elsewhere \[[@R12]-[@R15],[@R31]\]. Cities were selected based on anecdotal evidence of high risk activity, the presence of multiple KPs, and the geographical accessibility of the area. Following mapping, a representative sample of each KP was drawn in each city. These cities were identified before the start of each round of surveillance through a broad National consultative process in which all stakeholders along with National/Provincial AIDS Control Programs participated.
Various techniques were utilized to recruit representative KP samples. For instance, MSWs were recruited through respondent driven sampling, while HSWs were recruited through network sampling whereby *gurus*, "retired" HSWs, were selected randomly from a list compiled from the previous mapping results and asked to recruit eligible subjects. Street-based FSWs were recruited using time-location cluster sampling and PWIDs were recruited using multistage cluster sampling. Data was then collected from samples of each KP in each city by trained interviewers using structured questionnaires. Data from FSWs were not collected in the third round (2009) because of low HIV prevalence observed in 2006/7. Stratified by survey round, city, and KP, the sample size was greater than 350 in more than 86% of the strata (average sample size per strata \~ 400). Further details on the methods and techniques of mapping, sampling and data collection have been described previously \[[@R12]-[@R15],[@R31]\].
Data analysis
-------------
### Statistical analysis
Empirical HIV prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in each round, city and KP were computed. Sampling weights based on the respective estimated population sizes of each KP in each city were utilized when appropriate to take into account the stratified sampling design.
Using empirical HIV prevalence estimates from each survey round as inputs, mathematical modeling was performed to estimate and project the prevalence of HIV among each KP in each city and year (even those years not surveyed). Along with estimated HIV prevalence by KP, the model provided estimates of the total number of people living with HIV, the number of people who died from HIV, and the population size of the HIV uninfected people over time. Using these model outputs, we then estimated HIV incidence. The combined data of MSWs and HSWs (abbreviated here as H/MSWs) were used for analysis because they are similar in terms of their behavior and risk to HIV acquisition. Both groups were born as biological males and have male clients; however, HSWs are transgender.
### Mathematical modeling
We used the UNAIDS Estimation and Projection Package model (EPP) to estimate and project HIV prevalence \[[@R32]-[@R34]\]. The EPP model, a deterministic compartmental model which estimates HIV prevalence over time by fitting to empirically estimated HIV prevalence at certain time points, has been described previously \[[@R33]-[@R35]\]. Further details on our modeling using EPP, including sources and method used to compute input parameters to fit the model, model scenarios, plausible estimates of prevalence, and sensitivity analysis has been described previously \[[@R24]\].
EPP allows separate model fitting for different subpopulations of different cities and may combine them for aggregate prevalence estimates. Model estimates of prevalence were assessed by sensitivity analyses. In sensitivity analyses, we ran the model multiple times, fit to lower and upper bounds of the 95% CIs of empirically estimated HIV prevalence of each city. In addition to city-specific HIV prevalence, EPP generates an estimated national prevalence by combining each KP subpopulations' and cities' estimated prevalence. Given that the HIV epidemic in Pakistan is largely concentrated among KPs in urban and semi-urban areas, this study assumed that HIV prevalence in rural Pakistan, while not non-existent, is almost negligible \[[@R36],[@R37]\].
In this study, we used data from all 20 cities surveyed to produce national (among KP) and all-KP estimates of HIV incidence and prevalence. In our disaggregated analyses, however, we focused on the 10 cities that were represented in at least two rounds of the IBBS in each KP: Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Lahore, Larkana, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Sargodha, and Sukkur.
RESULTS
=======
Analysis was based on 43 522 individuals (27.8% FSWs, 33.1% PWIDs, and 39.1% H/MSWs) from 20 Pakistani cities. The mean age of PWIDs, FSWs and H/MSWs was 32.5 (standard deviation, SD = 8.4), 27.3 (SD = 6.6) and 24.5 (SD = 6.4) years, respectively. The average number of years that they had been involved in high-risk activities (ie, in sex work or drug injection) by the time of their interview was 5.1 (PWIDs), 5.4 (FSWs) and 8.3 (H/MSWs) years.
Estimated prevalence of HIV
---------------------------
Model estimates suggest that HIV prevalence in the adult population will continue to rise in Pakistan, increasing from 0.05% (plausible range, 0.04-0.06%) in 2015 to 0.07% (plausible range, 0.06-0.08%) by 2020. Prevalence among all KPs in Pakistan was projected to increase from 16.1% (plausible range, 15.2-16.8%) in 2015 to 20.8% (plausible range, 19.6-21.9%) in 2020, although our results suggest that the burden of the epidemics will vary considerably between KPs ([**Figure 1**](#F1){ref-type="fig"}) and cities ([**Figure 2**](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). More than half of PWIDs (54.7%, plausible range: 52.4-56.9%) and nearly one-fifth of H/MSWs (19.6%, plausible range: 17.7-22.4%) may be living with HIV by 2020. By the same year, HIV prevalence among FSWs may reach 3.5% (plausible range, 2.8-4.3%).
{#F1}
{#F2}
Among FSWs, estimated prevalence in all cities is estimated to rise throughout the projection period ([**Figure 2**](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). Among H/MSWs, estimated prevalence rises throughout the projection period, except in Larkana, where it peaked around 2007, estimated at 10.9%. Estimated HIV prevalence among PWIDs in Quetta might have peaked in the early 2000s, followed by a relatively constant prevalence around 8.1%. In all other cities, prevalence among PWIDs is estimated to continue rising throughout the projection period.
Estimated incidence of HIV
--------------------------
In the adult populations of Pakistan, model-estimated HIV incidence peaked in 2015, at 0.06 per 1000 person-years (plausible range, 0.05-0.07). By contrast, HIV incidence among all KPs combined was projected to increase, rising from 15.8 (plausible range, 15.1-16.9) in 2015 to 16.7 (plausible range, 15.5-17.9) per 1000 person-years by 2020 ([**Figure 3**](#F3){ref-type="fig"}). This increase is a result of rising incidence among H/MSWs and FSWs. In Pakistan, HIV incidence among PWIDs peaked in 2011, estimated at 45.3 new infections per 1000 person-years (range, 42.7-46.8), and is projected to fall to 30.8 (plausible range, 29.7-32.3) by 2020, before stabilizing. By contrast, estimated incidence among H/MSWs has increased from 9.1 new infections per 1000 person-years (plausible range, 8.6-10.0) in 2010 to 18.9 (plausible range, 16.7-22.0) in 2015 and projected to continue rising to 24.3 (plausible range, 20.7-28.3) by 2020. Although incidence among FSWs is lower than among other KPs, it is estimated to increase from 1.4 new infections per 1000 person-years (plausible range, 1.0-1.7) in 2010 to 6.2 (plausible range, 4.6-7.3) by 2020.
{#F3}
Similar to the variation in prevalence trends by city, our modeling suggests three distinctively different incidence patterns among all KPs by city ([**Figure 4**](#F4){ref-type="fig"}). These geographical disparities in the patterns of the HIV epidemic are related to: the timing that the epidemic started, the timing that the epidemic is likely to have peaked, the number of new infections at a given time, and the change in the trajectory of HIV transmission overtime. The HIV incidence among all KPs combined is highest in Karachi and Faisalabad. Incidence peaked early in Hyderabad, Larkana, Sargodha, and Sukkur, but after a period of decline, it began to rise again. In Sukkur in particular, current HIV incidence among all KPs is estimated to be higher than it was at its early peak, and is estimated to continue rising beyond the year 2020. Incidence in Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Quetta is lower and with less pronounced peaks and troughs than in the other cities.
{#F4}
At a further disaggregated level, each KP has geographically different HIV incidence patterns ([**Figure 5**](#F5){ref-type="fig"}). HIV incidence among PWIDs in each city peaked on or before 2015, with peak incidence ranging from 16.2 (plausible range, 7.6-19.8) in 1997 in Quetta to 71.0 (plausible range, 69.1-72.1) in 2010 in Faisalabad (per 1000 person-years). Incidence among H/MSWs was projected to continue to increase through 2020 in all cities, except in Larkana. HIV epidemics began to emerge among FSWs in the past 15 years, and will likely continue rising in most cities. By 2020, incidence among FSWs is estimated at 16.4 (plausible range, 11.6-19.0) in Karachi, 14.9 (10.3-18.7) in Larkana, 4.0 (plausible range, 2.6-5.4) in Sukkur and 2.1 (plausible range, 1.6-2.5) in Lahore (per 1000 person-years) (to better distinguish trends, incidence among FSWs is presented on a different scale in Figure S1 in **Online Supplementary Document[(Online Supplementary Document)](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}**).
{#F5}
DISCUSSION
==========
Pakistan is experiencing an increase in HIV infections among KPs, particularly among H/MSWs and FSWs. The epidemic continues to vary considerably by KP and city, and the time lag in the mergeing trends of the epidemics among KPs perhaps suggesting multiple interconnected sub-epidemics within the country. In addition to heterogenous HIV incidence and prevalence trends, there is also variation in the mean duration that each KP were engaged in high-risk activity. The youngest KP (H/MSWs, mean age 24.5 years) have the longest duration of activity (mean 8.3 years).
PWIDs, followed by H/MSWs, remain most severely affected KPs, with nearly 1 in every 2 PWIDs and 1 in every 5 H/MSWs living with HIV by 2020 ([**Figure 1**](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). Previously estimated rising HIV prevalence among FSWs in Karachi, Larkana and Lahore will likely be seen in most cities across Pakistan \[[@R24]\]. While HIV incidence among all KPs in Pakistan is estimated to increase through 2020, it will vary by KP. HIV incidence among SWs, for example, is estimated to emerge and remain increasing, while incidence among PWIDs possibly peaked in 2011. HIV incidence among H/MSWs may peak in the early 2020s. This highlights public concerns that HIV incidence might be spreading from PWIDs to the rest of the population through sexual networks \[[@R12]-[@R15],[@R26]\].
HIV prevalence and incidence in the general population
------------------------------------------------------
HIV prevalence in the general adult population is estimated to rise from a range of 0.04-0.06% in 2015 to 0.06-0.08% by 2020. Although we only used empirically estimated prevalence from KPs as input for our modeling, our model estimates of HIV prevalence in the adult population of Pakistan in 2011 is similar to the empirical prevalence estimate obtained from a large national population-based Antenatal Care (ANC) study conducted in 2011 \[[@R26]\]. Also, the 2015 model estimates of HIV prevalence in the general population are similar to those reported previously by UNAIDS \[[@R36],[@R37]\].
HIV incidence in the general adult population of Pakistan peaked in 2015, estimated at 0.062 per 1000 person-years. This contrasts with worldwide HIV incidence which peaked around 1997 \[[@R21],[@R38]\]. Our estimate of the number of new infections in 2015 (10,756; plausible range: 8049-14,414) is between the slightly higher estimate reported by UNAIDS (approximately 11 500) \[[@R37]\] and the somewhat lower estimate provided by the Global Burden of Disease Study (8,550) \[[@R21]\]. The difference with the UNAIDS estimate may be partly due to unavailability in our data on HIV prevalence from sex worker clients and low-risk populations such as rural Pakistan, the age and estimated size of key population used, and the lack of data on antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage.
Social and sexual networking patterns and HIV sub-epidemics in Pakistan
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The emerging patterns of HIV epidemics among KPs in Pakistan is consistent with the patterns observed in other Asian countries \[[@R3],[@R39],[@R40]\], whereby HIV transmission begins among PWIDs and subsequently spreads to SWs and their clients. In most cities in Pakistan, rising HIV incidence first occurred among PWIDs before or early in the 1990s, followed by H/MSWs later in the 1990s, and then FSWs early in the 2000s. Following global trends in HIV epidemic, whereby increased migration precedes the spread of HIV infection among PWIDs \[[@R41]\], the HIV epidemic in Pakistan might have been introduced by migrant workers returned from Gulf states \[[@R42],[@R43]\], and then spread to KPs \[[@R44],[@R45]\]. It has been highlighted high prevalence of HIV among returned migrant workers from Gulf countries, with nearly 61-86% of reported HIV cases in any given year during the 1996-1998 period \[[@R42]\], followed by reported outbreaks of HIV infections among PWIDs in subsequent years \[[@R44],[@R45]\].
Though HIV incidence among PWIDs declined after 2011, HIV prevalence continued to rise in most cities. Among all KPs combined in Pakistan, both incidence and prevalence is estimated to continue increasing. This is due to the rapid upsurge of HIV transmission among H/MSWs followed by FSWs. What are the possible mechanisms that explain the emergence of SW epidemics following those of PWIDs in Pakistan? One explanation is the extent to which SW populations mix with PWIDs, which impacts HIV transmission risk vulnerability through overlapping social and sexual networks. The greater the overlap between SWs and PWIDs, the quicker HIV reaches the wider population. Evidence from IBBS data has suggested that there is a significant proportion of KPs with overlapping risk behaviour, also called "bridge" populations -- individuals who in this case engage in multiple risk behaviours (ie, through having sex and/or needle-sharing with a different KP) \[[@R12]-[@R15],[@R24]\]. SWs who interact sexually with PWIDs increase their HIV risk in two ways -- they are having sex with other higher risk populations, and they have higher odds of injecting drugs themselves. Our previous epidemiological study indicated that H/MSWs have higher odds of interacting with PWIDs through sex and/or needle sharing than do FSWs \[[@R46]\]. This implies that H/MSWs are more vulnerable than FSWs to HIV transmission from PWIDs. Furthermore, because male-to-male HIV transmission is more efficient than both male-to-female and female-to-male transmission, H/MSWs are at higher risk of acquiring HIV from their male sexual partners who inject drugs. Therefore, in Pakistan, where the epidemic is predominantly driven by PWIDs, H/MSWs are more vulnerable than FSWs as a result of their interaction with PWIDs \[[@R46]\]. The H/MSWs are presumably at a higher risk of an emergent epidemic, followed by FSWs.
HIV epidemic in Karachi
-----------------------
Karachi is currently experiencing escalated HIV incidence among KPs. Although this is largely due to a rapid upsurge of new infections among both H/MSWs and FSWs, all three KPs might have substantial contributions to sustain steadily increasing incidence in Karachi through at least 2020. HIV incidence among H/MSWs in Karachi likely surpassed that of among PWIDs in 2015, and will remain higher through the early 2020s. Given the increasing trend of HIV incidence among FSWs in Karachi, the epidemic may become as explosive among FSWs as among the other two KPs in the future. This study is consistent with previous work suggesting that HIV incidence among PWIDs in Karachi may have risen rapidly in early 2000s, and perhaps the epidemic subsequently spilled over into H/MSWs followed by FSWs \[[@R17]\].
HIV epidemic in Faisalabad
--------------------------
Faisalabad is similar to Karachi in terms of high HIV prevalence and incidence, which may be largely due to increased incidence among PWIDs followed by H/MSWs ([**Figure 5**](#F5){ref-type="fig"}). Patterns among KPs, however, differ. Unlike in Karachi, the rapidly increasing incidence among H/MSWs in Faisalabad is likely to peak around 2018. New infections among FSWs have negligible effect on the overall incidence among KPs in the Faisalabad.
HIV epidemics in Larkana, Quetta, Sukkur, Hyderabad and Sargodha
----------------------------------------------------------------
Unlike other cities, where PWIDs have been the driving force in HIV incidence, SWs have had a major role in incidence in Larkana, Quetta and Sukkur since 2010. That said, the SW group driving the epidemic varies considerably between these cities. The upsurge of new infections in Larkana remains mostly among FSWs, while the epidemics in Quetta and Sukkur are largely driven by H/MSWs. HIV incidence among FSWs in Larkana, and H/MSWs in Quetta and Sukkur, might have surpassed that of PWIDs in the early 2010s.
The HIV epidemics among PWIDs in these cities (Larkana, Quetta, Sukkur, Sargodha and Hyderabad) peaked early and has remained relatively low and stable since 2005. This may imply that HIV infections among PWIDs are circulating among clusters of individuals, but the epidemic is likely expanding into the SW population through sexual networks. We may speculate that heterosexual networking in Larkana and homosexual networking in the other cities may have played a role in the spread of the epidemics among SWs.
HIV epidemics in Lahore, Multan and Peshawar
--------------------------------------------
HIV incidence in Lahore, Multan and Peshawar is largely driven by PWIDs, followed by H/MSWs. HIV incidence among all KPs in these cities may have started rising more recently than in other cities, and may have reached their peaks later, in the mid-2010s.
Limitations
-----------
EPP is not a perfect model, and we share limitations that were discussed in previous studies \[[@R34],[@R35],[@R47]\]. In addition, the absence of data on ART distribution, data on HIV prevalence among clients of SWs, and data on HIV prevalence among adults with unknown higher risk of HIV transmission, were limitations of this study. Although scenarios were considered to capture potential variations in the estimation and projection of HIV prevalence and incidence that may arise due to variation in duration of time that persons in each KP were engaged in high-risk behaviour, it was difficult to make accurate estimates of these durations. Finally, the range between the minimum and maximum prevalence and incidence consistently increased over time through 2025, which underlines the uncertainty in estimating this far into the future. Thus, it is our results are not definitive, but suggest a good description of the underlying aggregate and disaggregate HIV dynamics in Pakistan. National level estimations and projection based on the assumption of HIV prevalence in rural Pakistan as negligible during surveys may not reflect the true nature of the epidemic in subsequent years, and thus results must be interpreted cautiously.
CONCLUSIONS
===========
The HIV epidemic in Pakistan is comprised of multiple sub-epidemics among KPs, with considerable variations in geographical trends. Both sexual and injection networks in Pakistan may have uniquely contributed to the spread of the epidemic from PWIDs to SWs. The combination of high HIV prevalence among PWIDs along with emerging epidemics among SWs calls for an urgent response and implementation of targeted interventions and service delivery approaches in Pakistan. Attention should be paid to drug injection and sexual mixing patterns of sex workers with PWIDs, largely because sexual networks are a gateway through which HIV could spread to the general population. In order to explore what specific interventions may have the largest impact on mitigating the HIV sub-epidemics in Pakistan, research is warranted for a more in-depth understanding of underlying social and structural factors along the pathway to HIV risk vulnerabilities among SWs, as well as in the general population.
We thank the HASP surveillance team for their efforts in mapping, data collection, specimen collection, data entry, and knowledge translation. We also thank the participants who took part in the surveys for their time and participation. DYM is supported by Research Manitoba through a 2015 PhD Dissertation Award.
**Ethics approval:** The IBBS study received ethical approval from HOPE International in Pakistan and Public Health Agency of Canada.
**Funding:** The Canada-Pakistan HIV/AIDS Surveillance Projected was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (contract number CIDA PK 30849).
**Authorship contributions:** DYM performed the data analyses and mathematical modeling, interpreted results, and drafted, critically reviewed and finalized the manuscript. LAS interpreted results, critically reviewed the manuscript and revised later drafts. FE, TR, BKA, SF, and JFB: contributed in the design of the study, interpreted results, critically reviewed the manuscript and revised later drafts.
**Competing interests:** The authors have completed the Unified Competing Interest form at [www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf](http://www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf) (available on request from the corresponding author), and declare no conflict of interest.
Additional Material
===================
###### Online Supplementary Document
|
Q:
Embed XML in HTML (for Mozilla Nightly)
I've seen that there is another post with a similar name, but it doesn't help me.
I use this:
<embed src="../xml/menu.xml" />
to embed some XML content in a div from an HTML file. It is working (the content is displayed) in Google Chrome and Internet Explorer, but not in Mozilla Nightly.
Do you know how to make it work even for Nightly?
A:
Use <object> instead. Per spec, <embed> will only show content handled via plug-ins and SVG, not random document types like XML.
|
In Freaks of Nature, we welcome you to Dillford, where three days ago, everything was peaceful and business as usual: the vampires were at the top of the social order, the zombies were at the bottom, and the humans were getting along in the middle. But this delicate balance was ripped apart when the alien apocalypse arrived in Dillford and put an end to all the harmony. Now it's humans vs. vampires vs. zombies in all-out, blood-sucking, brain-eating, vamp-staking mortal combat - and all of them are on the run from the aliens. It is up to three teenagers - one human, one vampire, and one zombie - to team up, figure out how to get rid of the interplanetary visitors, and try to restore order to this "normal" little town.
In the town of Dillford, humans, vampires and zombies were all living in peace - until the alien apocalypse arrived. Now three teenagers-one human, one vampire, and one zombie-have to team up to figure out how to get rid of the visitors.
Sometimes you need a cool flick to watch. ;) You start to seek it in google and get tons no good web sites that can not offer you what you want. But today you gonna get it. Freaks of Nature flick was produced in 2015 and it belongs to Horror, Comedy category. Impulsive sence of Freaks of Nature film gonna make you feel good while watching it with your mates. Famous actors as Ed Westwick, Nicholas Braun, Patton Oswalt, Denis Leary, Vanessa Hudgens, Chris Zylka, Joan Cusack, Keegan-Michael Key, Pat Healy, Mackenzie Davis, Mae Whitman, Josh Fadem, Rachael Harris, Bob Odenkirk, Ian Roberts make this Horror film exclusive. And yes, Freaks of Nature is one of the best film to see in Horror genre in 2015. Film duration is 90 minutes. Movie rating is great: 7.0. Watch and download Freaks of Nature film online. |
Plantronics H81N/RL
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With four sizes of user-selectable earbuds and an adjustable receiver arm, the TriStar headset can be custom fitted to just about anyone. Weighing under one-half ounce, this headset is a pleasure to wear. Quick Disconnect lets you walk away from your phone while wearing your headset, voice tube microphone improves clarity of speech. |
Q:
Sinalização rejeitada por moderador - Como entender o motivo?
Não sei se eu deveria colocar isso no Meta, se houver uma maneira mais apropriada, por favor avisem.
Ultimamente algumas sinalizações minhas de "Não é uma resposta" tiveram a seguinte rejeição:
rejeitado - um moderador revisou sua sinalização, mas não achou evidência que a confirme
Bom, eu tento entender para não repetir o erro, mas alguns casos me parecem "estranhos" e não consegui entender exatamente se eu avaliei errado ou se foi o moderador (por mais provável que tenha sido "eu", é importante entender para não cometer o mesmo erro).
Casos
1. O que significa o erro “Execução de scripts foi desabilitada neste sistema”? Resposta:
Eu que não sei oque é cmdlet fico boiando :/
Isso não me parece ser uma resposta, nem uma nova pergunta (talvez pudesse ser, se melhor formulada). Talvez fosse adequado como comentário da resposta marcada como solução, que citou o cmdlet.
2. Como selecionar ultimo registro da tabela MySQL com last ou outro comando? Resposta:
SELECT MAX(id) as maxId FROM table
Acho que este tipo de consulta traz o maior valor e não o último!
Só que isso me parece mais um comentário sobre a outra resposta que colocou exatamente o mesmo código, não uma resposta nova.
3. Como criar um efeito da imagem levantar ao passar o mouse por cima? Resposta deletada, mas minha sinalização havia sido recusada. O usuário havia compartilhado um código diminuindo o height e width no hover (se bem me lembro), o que não responde à pergunta, apenas diminui a imagem.
Perguntas
Minhas sinalizações foram realmente inválidas? Inclusive no terceiro caso, que ficou com 4 votos negativos e foi removida? (não sei se foi removida pelo próprio usuário)
Se eu discordar, como nos casos citados, o que eu posso fazer? Sinalizar novamente, aceitar que existe algo ali que interpretei errado e deixar de lado, sinalizar por outro motivo?
A:
Foi um erro mesmo, tinha uma outra muito ruim junto e a UI que demonstra o conteúdo sinalizado é um pouco confusa e eu achei que a sinalização era na outra resposta, que é muito ruim, mas ainda é uma resposta, então eu aceitei só a sinalização de baixa qualidade que tinha também. mas foi engano, lamento.
Parece uma resposta. Ele não tem certeza, é simples, não diz nada mais que dar o código, mas ainda é uma resposta, inclusive igual a outras que não foram sinalizadas. Talvez de baixa qualidade #Ficaadica para todos :)
Mesmo caso, é um resposta horrível, ele funcionaria pior ainda como comentário, mas ainda é um resposta. Resposta errada é uma resposta.
Sim, ela não deveria ter sido removida porque é uma resposta. Os negativos indicam justamente que ela é de baixa qualidade. Na verdade não entendo porque as pessoas negativam não respostas. Por exemplo spam ou algo que não seja uma pergunta ou resposta, para que negativar, sinalize e ele será apagado.
O negativo serve para algo que ficará no site. Se as pessoas usassem mais o negativo em conteúdos ruins que ficarão no site em vez de gastar nessas coisas teríamos uma classificação melhor. Muita coisa ruim fica sem negativo.
Se discordar pode reclamar no meta, mas dá muito trabalho para pouca coisa. Acho que não consegue sinalizar novamente, pelo menos motivo, quase sempre que o "não é uma resposta" foi recusada o "baixa qualidade" será. Se achar que foi um erro claro como o item 1 e quiser pode sinalizar novamente com motivo personalizado dando um curto argumento ou indicando que considera um erro crasso. Para os outros itens seria rejeitado de novo, só a baixa qualidade caberia.
O meta seria o caso quando precisa discutir o assunto (esta pergunta aqui até é normal porque é mais um suporte). Porém já discutimos isso várias vezes (veja abaixo os links), e raramente valerá a pena discutir de novo postagens individuais. Uma discussão valeria para mudar toda interpretação do que não é resposta, mas duvido que se chegaria a uma mudança.
Eu não lembro se no meta ou no chat eu concordei com o Gabe quando só ele era moderador e CM que as pessoas abusavam de sinalização de não é resposta. Eu postei algo a respeito, mas não acho, vou deixar alguns links que ajudam entender:
Uma resposta curta deve ser apagada?
"Resposta" que levam a resposta, mas não é a resposta, o que fazer?
Respostas apenas com código - O que fazer?
Respostas na linguagem errada devem ser excluídas?
Respostas "Consegui Resolver"
O que fazer com respostas curtas?
Porque esta sinalização foi rejeitada? (quase duplicata)
Motivo e entendimento de sinalização rejeitada
O que se passou aqui?
Eu até acho que algumas respostas ficariam melhor como comentário, mas a filosofia é tentar respeitar a tentativa de responder tanto quanto possível, o que é quase certo que implicará em negativos nela. Eu não me importaria de sair apagando quase tudo que não é ótimo, mas seria bem trabalhoso e acho que a SE não ficaria feliz. De uma forma ou de outra pode ajudar no SEO.
Eu vivo falando que se tivesse mais negativo em conteúdo de baixa qualidade poderíamos fechar menos perguntas. As pessoas gostam de reclamar mas fazer algo para classificar de forma clara que algo é ruim elas não querem, então fechar e remover acaba tendo que ser a solução, mas não deveria, por isso tentamos ao máximo manter conteúdo, com a esperança até que depois de fechado algo seja melhorado e possa reabrir, mas que não seja colocando mais conteúdo ruim. Pergunta ruim tende atrair resposta ruim. Se perguntas ruins, que só servem ao AP fossem sempre negativadas ou pelo menos não recebessem positivo mais ficaria aberto porque um dia o sistema removeria automaticamente. Mas se tiver um positivo na pergunta ou na resposta ela ficará para sempre no site, então precisa ser mais restrito, precisa fechar para indicar claramente que não é um conteúdo bom. As pessoas que positivam ou deixam de negativar postagens ruins são responsáveis por ter que fechar mais que o normal.
Queria fazer uma campanha para negativar e sinalizar como baixa qualidade mais conteúdo, com isso teremos que fechar e remover menos. Eu já propus até aceitar mais coisas, manter o conteúdo e colocar avisos que o conteúdo é ruim (outra).
Sinalizações abusivas podem trazer advertência ou suspensão, mas diferença de interpretação não pode ser considerado abuso. Não lembro que algum usuário que sinalizou abusivamente, teria que ser algo proposital, ou uma quantidade grande de coisas aleatórias. Nós entendemos a boa intenção da pessoa mesmo quando não concordamos.
Espero que isso coloque luz para todos terem suas sinalizações mais aceitas (a esmagadora maioria é).
|
/*
* Phosphorus Five, copyright 2014 - 2017, Thomas Hansen, [email protected]
*
* This file is part of Phosphorus Five.
*
* Phosphorus Five is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
* it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3, as published by
* the Free Software Foundation.
*
*
* Phosphorus Five is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with Phosphorus Five. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
*
* If you cannot for some reasons use the GPL license, Phosphorus
* Five is also commercially available under Quid Pro Quo terms. Check
* out our website at http://gaiasoul.com for more details.
*/
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using p5.core;
namespace p5.exp.iterators
{
/// <summary>
/// Special Iterator for grouping iterators
/// </summary>
[Serializable]
public class IteratorGroup : Iterator
{
/// <summary>
/// Root iterators for nested IteratorGroup iterators
/// </summary>
[Serializable]
class IteratorLeftParent : Iterator
{
readonly Iterator _leftParent;
/// <summary>
/// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="IteratorLeftParent" /> class
/// </summary>
/// <param name="leftParent">The last iterator of the parent group iterator</param>
public IteratorLeftParent (Iterator leftParent)
{
_leftParent = leftParent;
}
public override IEnumerable<Node> Evaluate (ApplicationContext context)
{
return _leftParent.Evaluate (context);
}
}
readonly Iterator _groupRoot;
readonly List<Logical> _logicals = new List<Logical> ();
/// <summary>
/// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="IteratorGroup" /> class
/// </summary>
internal IteratorGroup ()
{
_groupRoot = new IteratorIdentity ();
AddLogical (new Logical (Logical.LogicalType.Or));
}
/// <summary>
/// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="IteratorGroup" /> class
/// </summary>
/// <param name="parent">Parent iterator group</param>
public IteratorGroup (IteratorGroup parent)
{
_groupRoot = new IteratorLeftParent (parent.LastIterator);
AddLogical (new Logical (Logical.LogicalType.Or));
ParentGroup = parent;
ParentGroup.AddIterator (this);
}
/// <summary>
/// Returns the parent group
/// </summary>
/// <value>the parent group</value>
public IteratorGroup ParentGroup {
get;
private set;
}
internal Node GroupRootNode {
get { return ((IteratorIdentity)_groupRoot).RootNode; }
set { ((IteratorIdentity)_groupRoot).RootNode = value; }
}
/// <summary>
/// Gets the last iterator in the group
/// </summary>
/// <value>the last iterator</value>
internal Iterator LastIterator {
get { return _logicals [_logicals.Count - 1].Iterator; }
}
/// <summary>
/// Adds a Logical to the list of logicals in the group
/// </summary>
/// <param name="logical">logical</param>
public void AddLogical (Logical logical)
{
_logicals.Add (logical);
// Making sure "group root iterator" is root iterator for all Logicals
_logicals [_logicals.Count - 1].AddIterator (_groupRoot);
}
/// <summary>
/// Appends a new iterator to the last <see cref="Logical" /> in the group
/// </summary>
/// <param name="iterator">Iterator to append</param>
public void AddIterator (Iterator iterator)
{
_logicals [_logicals.Count - 1].AddIterator (iterator);
}
public override IEnumerable<Node> Evaluate (ApplicationContext context)
{
var nodes = new List<Node> ();
foreach (var idxLogical in _logicals) {
nodes = idxLogical.EvaluateNodes (nodes, context);
}
return nodes;
}
}
}
|
import {connect} from 'react-redux';
import {connectInPage} from 'pages';
import {isEntryReady} from 'entry/selectors';
import {pageIsPrepared} from 'pages/selectors';
import {file, prop} from 'selectors';
import {combineSelectors} from 'utils';
function PagePrintImage({page, isEntryReady}) {
if (!isEntryReady) {
return null;
}
if (page.backgroundType == 'video' || page.type == 'video') {
return (
<PrintVideoPoster videoId={page.videoFileId} posterImageId={page.posterImageId} />
);
}
else {
return (
<PrintImage imageId={page.backgroundImageId} />
);
}
}
export default connect(combineSelectors({
isEntryReady
}))(PagePrintImage);
const PrintVideoPoster = connect(combineSelectors({
videoFile: file('videoFiles', {
id: prop('videoId')
}),
posterImageFile: file('imageFiles', {
id: prop('posterImageId')
})
}))(function({videoFile, posterImageFile}) {
if (posterImageFile) {
return (
<PrintImageTag file={posterImageFile} />
);
}
else {
return (
<PrintImageTag file={videoFile} />
);
}
});
const PrintImage = connectInPage(combineSelectors({
file: file('imageFiles', {
id: prop('imageId')
}),
pageIsPrepared: pageIsPrepared()
}))(PrintImageTag);
function PrintImageTag({file}) {
if (file && file.isReady && pageIsPrepared) {
return (
<img src={file.urls.print}
alt={file.alt}
className="print_image" />
);
}
else {
return <noscript />;
}
}
|
“This is a watershed moment for the Latina/o community as it provides, for the first time, hard data which defies long held stereotypes about Latina/os and reproductive health,” said NLIRH Executive Director Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas. “This poll underscores the important role of Latino/as in the national debate about access to reproductive health care.”
Indeed, the poll is groundbreaking, and the results an important affirmation of Latina/o support for reproductive justice issues. Amongst others, important findings from the poll include:
A strong majority – 74% – of Latina/o registered voters agree that a woman has a right to make her own personal, private decisions about abortion without politicians interfering.
Most Latina/o voters seem willing to disagree with church leaders on the legality of abortion, with nearly seven in ten agreeing that abortion should remain legal despite the position of the church.
A majority of Latina/o voters agree that money should not determine access to abortion
The findings firmly reject stereotypes of Latina/os as anti-choice or unable to distinguish their political beliefs from their religious affiliation, and should be an important consideration to elected officials trying to capture the ever-growing and powerful Latino vote.
Take a look at the rest of the data from the poll and the methodology behind it at NLIRH’s website! |
United States Court of Appeals
FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
___________
No. 01-1591
___________
United States of America, *
*
Appellee, *
*
v. * Appeal from the United States
* District Court for the District
Phillip Anthony Keys, also known * of Nebraska.
as Phillip Keys, also known as *
Anthony Weaver, also known as * [UNPUBLISHED]
Tony Weaver, also known as Tony *
Keys, also known as Tony Keyes, *
*
Appellant. *
___________
Submitted: August 6, 2001
Filed: August 13, 2001
___________
Before McMILLIAN, FAGG, and MORRIS SHEPPARD ARNOLD, Circuit Judges.
___________
PER CURIAM.
Phillip Anthony Keys appeals the sentence the district court imposed following
Keys's guilty plea to a drug-conspiracy charge. Counsel has moved to withdraw and
filed a brief under Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967). In his brief, counsel
notes Keys received a reduction in his sentence for substantially assisting the
government, but argues the government should have allowed Keys more time to
cooperate so Keys could receive an even greater reduction in his sentence. As far as
Keys's reduced sentence is concerned, the extent of the reduction is unreviewable. See
United States v. Coppedge, 135 F.3d 598, 599 (8th Cir. 1998) (per curiam).
Nevertheless, the plea agreement appears to permit Keys to continue to assist the
government and to permit the government to file additional Rule 35(b) motions on his
behalf. Finally, having reviewed the record independently in accordance with Penson
v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75 (1988), and finding no other nonfrivolous issues, we affirm the
district court and grant counsel's motion to withdraw.
A true copy.
Attest:
CLERK, U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, EIGHTH CIRCUIT.
-2-
|
Partition functions of mini-F affect plasmid DNA topology in Escherichia coli.
Efficient segregation of the low copy number plasmid mini-F is dependent on partition functions encoded by the plasmid sopABC genes. The sop region encodes proteins SopA and SopB and a cis-acting element, sopC, which may function as a centromere analog. The SopC segment contains 12 imperfect 43 bp repeats to which the SopB protein binds. We have found that mutations in the sop genes affect superhelicity of isolated plasmid DNA. Plasmids with mutations in sopB or a deletion of the sopC segment were more highly negatively supercoiled than normal. In contrast, a mutation in the autoregulatory SopA protein resulted in plasmid DNA that was more relaxed. The SopAB proteins provided in trans to a pBR322 plasmid carrying sopC resulted in the relaxation of negative supercoils. We suggest that binding of SopB protein to the cis-acting sopC segment in vivo, alone or in conjunction with other proteins, produced a change in DNA topology in which positive superhelical turns were introduced locally. This higher-order nucleoprotein structure may allow interaction of plasmid mini-F with the partition apparatus. |
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