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TVPPA Publications ValleyLine Newsletter Jobline Add a Job Listing Need to post an employment listing? TVPPA offers both members and non-members prominent locations to advertise vacancies. ValleyLine The association’s monthly newsletter, ValleyLine goes out to every member of TVPPA and then some. Listings are free for regular members. Non-members may list for only $50 per ad. Due to space limitations, we request that printed listings be limited to 140 words or less. Ads run in the electric version of ValleyLine at least once. (Note: the printed version of ValleyLine was discontinued in Dec. 2015) JobLine The online location to find new talent. Members and non-members alike may place ads for only $50. Not having space limitations of ValleyLine, we recommend you send a more detailed version. The online version doesn’t have the word limit and can include additional information such as a link to your company site and e-mail contacts. Additionally, JobLine is updated regularly so you know your ad will get published immediately. Listings stay on JobLine for a minimum or three months or upon your expiration request, whichever is shorter. Paste your text into the box. Don't worry about formatting as your ad will be adapted for each publication. (Remember, 140 word limit for ValleyLine!) JobLine Job Description Paste your text into the box. Information will be posted as it is entered so please insure it is correct. Please include the title in all capitals followed by a hyphen to begin your descriptions. As an example, LINEMAN - Then begin your text description. NOTE:Everything below this line is for invoicing purposes only. Please ensure you have valid contact information within the body of your description. TVPPA Login Login Username Password Remember Me Use this form to find out if your membership request has been pre-approved. Email You don't appear to be in the pre-approved list. However, if you think you are properly qualified to register for this site, please contact Tim Daugherty at (423) 480-7930 or email marketing@tvppa.com. .

2.10.2015 Y'all know I have been longing for a writing community for some time now- people to understand my struggles and to guide me in this new arena. I am pleased to share that I found one of the missing pieces on Instagram. I don't remember how I first found her, but ever since I started following Evelyn A. Lauer I have felt we share the same love for love and the same urge to tell a story about our battle to find it and keep it safe. Each time she publishes something new, I am reaffirmed that I know the character in her story. Evelyn earned her MFA in creative writing at Texas State University, is a Huffington Post blogger, and has just recently finished a memoir. This week she is hosting 7 Days of Love Stories written by guest bloggers on her website. The opportunity to share our story came at a perfect time since I'm currently working on our testimony for Re|Engage, the marriage ministry we hold so dear. I am grateful for my words to be included in her series and can't wait for y'all to read it so you can tell me what you think. My story is one fraught with poor decisions. But that's life, isn't it? And, somehow, I found a love that lasts. Here is our love story (in a word count nutshell)... It's Together Ever After The first night we met I was broken.I was still technically married at the time but had recently left my then-husband to chase an old flame, to escape the pain, to make it all clean again.My then-husband was relieved to have the spotlight positioned over my head instead of his and I was questioning why I had never thought of divorce as an option before.I let the old flame blanket me in warmth and I melted into him. Just as soon as I learned to smile again and to eat more calories than I drank each day, I started to see I wouldn’t be able to keep him either.He had just returned from the service overseas.I had just escaped war in my own home.He wanted freedom.I wanted security.Tangling in the sheets kept me entertained, but it wouldn’t make me stay.I could hear the cries and feel the wounds of the past seven years creeping up behind me at night like the clip-clop and clatter of an old horse and buggy chasing me in the dark.Without the warmth of his bed, would I have the strength to flip on the lights and ward off the ghosts? And then we met... 1.17.2015 Last Thursday night I was sitting outside of Little Girl's acrobatics class doing some self-prescribed homework with Baby Girl. She wants so badly to be big and capable and worthy. I can't believe she doesn't already know she is beyond capable and worthy but I let her assign herself some homework anyway. As we sat on our favorite wooden bench, dancers and cheerleaders crisscrossing in front of us and almost tripping over our feet, we pulled out the Kumon workbooks I bought at Costco forever ago. First we worked on uppercase letters, then we moved on to mazes, and finally ended up at connect-the-dots. I began at the number one and ran my forefinger through the white space, encouraging her to follow me and draw a straight, bold line right where I had traced an imaginary one. She drew her marker up in the air and pressed it on the paper. Every few seconds her big brown eyes would glance up from the paper to me for encouragement and I would remind her that she knows what comes after 14. "Keep going baby," I told her. "You're good at this." With each page came new challenges- the lines were on a diagonal, the numbers went into the 20s- and when she started to lose interest or get discouraged, I said, "Don't stop. It's going to look so neat when it's done. Can you tell what it is yet?" The mystery of the end product drew her back in. Eventually, she developed some new strategies, "What if, instead of a straight line, I made a wavy line from seven to eight? What if I drew a circle around fifteen before I draw a line to sixteen?" At this point I was standing at the window, trying to watch Little Girl's dance. She's the youngest and most inexperienced in the class. I have to watch the routines intently so I know the answers to her questions while she practices during the week. Once I brought my attention back to Baby Girl and noticed what she was doing, I tried to steer her back to straight lines. "Honey, if you draw wavy lines between all the numbers, then the picture won't look right. Try the straight lines again." She went back to the straight lines and when she was done with each picture, she'd prance around the halls, holding the workbook open wide with both hands, singing a song about whatever she had just drawn. As we drove home my mind kept wandering to the night before and the decision I need to make. I had attended an information session about creative writing classes. I debated not going in the days prior, but I figured the classes were unimposing. Adult education or continuing education classes are just for fun, right? Nothing to worry about. Wrong. These classes are intense. The Writer's Path seems like it is designed to strip you down and then build you back up. I expected that in this process. But I was pretty good at bringing myself down on my own; I didn't think I needed to pay someone else to do it for me. Daddy issues aside, at sixteen I thrust myself into modeling and spent the first few years making decisions which would reveal, in time, who I could trust and who I could not. I was talking to my mom about all of this yesterday and we were half laughing, half cringing at all the mistakes I made when I first started modeling. The writer's retreats and writing classes I want to do now are very reminiscent of the model camps and model schools I tried when I was younger. I hear that tape playing in my head, chiding me with, "Everyone just wants your money. You're smarter than that." But really, I'm not. I'm not savvy enough in this new industry to know where to put my resources. And the stakes are much higher now with a family that depends on me. My husband, daughters, and I have been discussing this during breakfast, late at night, in the car, in the bath, and now I'm sharing it with you, wherever you are. I think my husband always knew this was coming and is nothing but supportive. The girls just want to know what the book is about. I don't know where this interest in writing will take me but I am going to pursue it regardless, kind of like Baby Girl's connect the dots workbook. I am now aware of the dots that brought me here but I'm a little hesitant to trust in which direction I should go. Maybe all the self-prescribed studying I've been doing these past seven months was just drawing a circle around my spot instead of moving onto the next one. Maybe the writing retreats or the Writer's Path will be wavy lines instead of straight ones. I don't know. But I wouldn't have met the people I needed to meet in the modeling world if I never started to take risks. And I'm never going to prance around the halls, singing and holding my book wide open with both hands, if I don't start taking more risks. If only the path I should take was lined out perfectly in front of me, each step clearly numbered, you know? I plan on making more time to share on the blog this year and I hope you'll stay tuned and let me know what you think. For now, I'll be subtly hinting to my husband by posting on my blog that all he has to say is what I told Baby Girl (and what I'm sure I'll tell Little Girl later when we practice her dance), "Keep going baby. You're good at this." 1.06.2015 December is over. Phew. For me, it is always a test- as if I've been auditing and adjusting skills all year and the considerable demands of the busiest month test my limits. It is the most magical time of the year, right? Yes, only if the matriarchs can keep it together. Let's be honest, ladies. The magic is all up to us, isn't it? I think I fared well this year, better than in the past. Did you survive? December is a glittering mirage that taunts me. "I can't wait until Christmas," I tell myself in July when we're dehydrated and dreading back-to-school. I love decorating with tiny, blinking lights and shimmery ornaments while Bing Crosby sings in the background. I love drinking hot chocolate while oohing and ahhing at Christmas lights in spirited neighborhoods. And I love cozying up under a blanket with my family to watch Home Alone for the umpteenth time. We look forward to it all year. I was proud of myself this fall for making it through the school's fundraiser, the pumpkin parties, the costumes, the candy, and then Thanksgiving in one piece. But as I was doing the last of the dishes at my parents' house, and I saw Christmas on the horizon, the anticipation of glitter and comfort dissipated. I felt the weight of December descend. I resent the weight and the stress of December. How horribly ironic that Christmas is a celebration of the Lord sending us His one and only Son, yet our culture has tortured it and twisted it into a month-long, all-consuming army of monsters. I didn't want my family to duck out of any of the wonderful traditions, but I decided to reject the weight that is so closely associated with Christmas. My children's memories of the holiday season shouldn't be dictated by a mommy teetering on the edge of sanity. The first stop on the normally crazy Christmas train is family drama. I am a relational person by nature. I feel most secure and most loved when surrounded by my family, which is a catch-22 because I come from a broken-three-times-sideways family that has always struggled with mending fences. We fight. But nobody ever wants to clean up. And as soon as we started to coordinate schedules for family meals, church services, and mini-birthday celebrations (one of my sisters and I both have birthdays within the week before Christmas), battle wounds from years ago were suddenly sore again. I even went down the will-he-even-send-a-birthday-card-this-year rabbit hole. Everyone's style varies from issue to issue- some choose to be silent, some choose to be very vocal- but either way, the pain is palpable. This year I chose not to fight the fight. I chose to be respectfully quiet, peaceful, and humble. (Ok, I did freak out twice, but they were short-lived, well-contained, and two is a major improvement.) I smiled. I sent out Christmas cards anyway. And I prayed for them anyway. I heard someone raise the question last week, "How do I know if I have enemies?" If it's difficult for you to pray for them, then they're probably your enemies. And having an enemy within the blood of your own family is excruciating to maneuver well. If blood is thicker than water, it's far more painful to receive a blood transfusion than it is to drink a glass of water. Sending out Christmas cards is, therefore, a major portion of the December Test. And the questions one must answer aren't confined to family. We must answer for our friendships as well. Will you send a card to them despite what has happened? Will you delete their address from your book completely? Will you contact them to get their new address since they moved, or not? Several years ago I decided I needed to make new friends, even reach out to some old ones. I have never trusted more than a handful of people at a time. Unknowingly, I had set the bar pretty high for success in these new relationships. Along the way many have not ended well. Discontinuation of the new friendships were mostly justified- square peg, round hole syndrome. But it still makes me sad when a connection is lost. Addressing Christmas cards has always reminded me of the fragility of the human heart. Things can change so quickly. You never know what the year will bring. This Christmas I decided I would intentionally change my attitude and focus on all the love that exists, instead of the void where it does not. I focused on the miracle of Jesus and the miracle of love and connection, instead of the great divisions. Once I realized I could transform my perspective a bit in terms of my emotions, I was inspired to tackle the staggering logistics of December as well. I wanted to be prepared for surprises. I wanted to make sure I got enough sleep and didn't rely on vices for motivation or escape. And I wasn't going to allow myself to be devoured by worry and stress. So, I did the unthinkable- I quit smoking. (Yes, again.) My close friends and family know I've been struggling with this for years. Each time I was done nursing my daughters, all it took was one date night and I was smoking at home every night after I tucked the girls into bed. It certainly is the dumbest thing I have ever done- to entertain such a ridiculously destructive habit. Yet I indulged over and over again. And I quit over and over again. This time though, I made it through Christmas, my birthday, and New Year's Eve without giving into another monster that used to prop me up during the holidays. More on that later, but I'm pretty proud of myself. And since I wasn't smoking, I hardly drank during the holidays either. Steady as she goes. Ever since we became parents, the Christmas season has felt like an interminable acupuncture session gone horribly wrong. Each event, communication, task on the to-do list, and even our hopes were steadily poked and jabbed until the soft spot was eventually punctured. It almost seemed like that was the goal, to strip me down of all my safety barriers and crutches so that in January I could start rebuilding again. And I think I accepted it these past few years. But that's not what I want for myself. And my children definitely deserve more. We all deserve the best of me. And if I'm going to be the best version of myself, I have to be intentional about which side of the fight I'm entrusting with my energy. January is still a time of rebirth and renewal for me, but on better terms this year. For once, the desperation that drove me to press the reset button was lessened...and lessoned. As I grow each year, I realize it isn't as important to maintain relationships as it is vital to understand each person for their own fears, their own needs. I'm afraid of the haunting pain that comes with losing people, so I grip them tightly. That's exactly why I smoked all those years- to lessen the pain of loss. It's unrealistic to expect life to be painless. It is absolutely possible for me to handle pain, and stress, and worry, and failures differently. I think I passed the December Test this year. So I'm going to stop trying to warm the cold and to melt the ice. It's not my ice to melt. All I can control is what kind of wife I am to my husband, what kind of daughter or sister I am, and what kind of mother I am to my children. And when we have our own ice to deal with I better be ready and willing to stop focusing on the cold, to stop looking for something to lean on, and to just dig in and make the best of it. 9.24.2014 I've spent the past couple months studying the craft, poring over book after book. I desired to return to my story with a fresh set of skills but I needed time to pump myself up. This past summer I realized I shouldn't be desperately seeking writer friends. I needed to be reading their books. So I did. Their impeccable prose and constant encouragement sent me on a literary high. (Stephen King and Dani Shapiro and I have totally bonded. Too bad for them they have no idea.) I neared the end of Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird on the first leg of our family vacation a few days ago. For weeks I had been coasting along on my new-found confidence, itching to get back to my story, when, riding the Magical Express to Disney World, I read Lamott's last chapter. It made me mad- fire-breathing, spitting-dirt, kick-the-wall-even-though-it-hurts mad. I spent the days on our trip in Wonderland, laughing and smiling until my cheeks hurt. Then we'd tuck the girls in, my husband would fall asleep watching the news, and I would lie in bed with my eyebrows all scrunched up and my lower lip stuck out- angry and pouting in one of the most magical places on earth. A wildfire attacked My Galapagos. I stood witness to all of my work going up in flames. Most artists and writers are introverts. We want to have a support system and a critique group to touch base with, but we aren't looking for new friends. I'm allowing my inner hermit to take over in this phase of life. My close friends would be hesitant to believe I'm any sort of a wallflower because they've stood witness to decades of shenanigans. But the ones who really know me have always suspected I would rather stay home, no matter how much fun we would have if they could get me to come out and play. I've been locking myself in myself. In order to tell my story, and hopefully many others, I have to truly know myself. What would your answer be if someone asked you, "Who are you? What is your purpose in life?" Would you even have an answer? I was asked this recently. I told them I would have to get back to them. Even though I know my heart, my habits, and my dreams, I couldn't sum up exactly who I am and had never thought about my purpose in life. The easy answer would've been, "I'm a wife and mother and I like to read and write." But that's just the surface. I don't like living on the surface. It isn't the truth. I have found many answers these past few months in my reading. Every time I read a new book, I learn more about myself. That's what I love about the written word. I love to connect with people, to tear back the façade, and to get a good look at the bones. Maybe this stems from hiding other people's lies; maybe it stems from hiding my own. Either way, all the dishonesty surrounding me left ravines so deep that the ground on which I stood broke away, and decided I would only focus on the truth, the bones from then on. We are all different structures built on the same set of bones. We all have the same problems, same worries, and same insecurities. The manifestations seem incomparable, but the bones are all the same. I just wish everyone wasn't so hell bent on celebrating the surface. Back in April, I wrote here about my fears with this memoir. I'm afraid to include other people in my story- people who indisputably changed my future with their choices. They certainly didn't think that by popping in and out of my life that their actions would someday be immortalized in print. My curiosity on protocol caused me to reach out and ask for advice. Thank y'all for lending me your time, for your thoughtfulness, and for guiding me in a new direction. Hearing your feedback, whether encouraging or not, shapes me as a writer because it helps me discover what you want to read. Writing is all for naught if no one will read it. My heart and mind were full and ready to burst after y'all sent me down a new path and I naively bopped along this glorious trail with a literary companion for the next few months. And then the bomb went off. A monsoon bathed the bus as we headed from the airport to our resort in Disney World. Determined to stay awake and utilize every free moment, I opened my book. I wanted to finish it before we arrived at the hotel and the vacation/marathon began. I had just made it to the last chapter when I read this from Lamott's Bird by Bird, "Libel is defamation by written or printed word. It is knowingly, maliciously saying things about people that cast them in false or damaging light." She went on to explain, "if you lived with a man who had a number of curious personal and professional habits and circumstances that his friends and clients know about, and if these friends can identify this man in your work by these habits and circumstances, you should probably change the details dramatically." I felt robbed. I felt betrayed. I felt angry. Everywhere I turn, authors are inspiring other writers and dreamers to dig deep, to be unafraid, to tell your story, to be transparent, to not leave anything out. Lamott began on page 3, "The very first thing I tell my students on the first day of a workshop is that good writing is about telling the truth," and continued on page 6 with, "Remember that you own what happened to you." Just kidding. Everyone's going to sue you. I chose to keep quiet about my torment until I had enough time to sort it all out. The next few nights I sulked, I cursed, and I plotted. My island became immediately engulfed in flames. All I had built, the sprouts I had planted, the towering palms I had been babying, even my favorite spot where I sat to write, had been devoured by the fire. This is my life, I thought. I would not be kept quiet anymore. That was the whole point in writing a book- to silence and expel my demons. Instead, they were consuming me, once again. Eventually, I wiped the page of my mind clean, lifted my pen of creativity, and sketched an escape hatch smack dab in the middle of the empty white space. Fiction. Write fiction. I stared at the scorched bones left behind, littering my once-beautiful island, and began building again. I have no other choice. This dream won't be joining the rest of my failures in the scrap pile. This dream will be realized. If I have to change all the details, the identifying characteristics, the places, and everything else that lies on the surface, it won't bother me a bit. It won't change my story. The bones are still the same. 8.13.2014 The first day of Kindergarten- it was the moment I had been not-so-secretly looking forward to her entire five years of life. On those endless colicky nights that bled into the mornings, during those chaotic evenings when I wanted to hand everyone a package of Pop-Tarts and send myself to bed at 5:30, after running out of patience and answers when faced with the never-ending list of questions about the world, and especially when she asked me to get out the play-doh or the paints again after I just finished scraping Legos out of the carpet, I held out hope for...the first day of Kindergarten. My parents, my mom friends with older children, her pediatrician, and even her Sunday school teacher all told me, "Just wait. When she's in Kindergarten it'll get easier! You'll have more time to catch up on all those things you've been setting aside." Their words transported me to my go-to fantasy, the one I had been painting in my head ever since her first indiscernible cry, and I smiled. In this future life of mine, I would saunter through the hallway of my clean house, draw in the aromas of the simmering pan, pat the heads of my content children, and go back to my book to sneak in a few pages before dinner. If only for a moment, I smiled. Life was going to be better. I would eventually get my act together. And it would be wonderful. We had been preparing her for Kindergarten at every stage. "Oh, look! She is focusing her eyes on me for the first time! Go get the color blocks!" On her first half-birthday I began reading three books to her every night and never stopped. I let her use scissors way before I was comfortable giving her any sharp object and I tried to always say yes to play-doh because I knew it would strengthen the writing muscles in her hands. We took her to the zoo, the aquarium, the arboretum, the museum, the library. We pointed out every leaf on every tree, corrected every behavior that would be unbecoming to classmates, and cringed at the ones we knew the teacher would discover anyway. Suddenly, we could see kindergarten ahead of us. Teachers were pointing out all the ways our children would be prepared for it at her preschool. Parents were giving us tips through past experiences, blogs, books, and unsolicited advice. Even my Mom's Group brought in speakers with checklists and inside information. Then, the wrench. My husband got cold feet. He started to entertain the idea we keep her home another year. Most of our parent friends in her class had children with late birthdays and it seemed at least half had decided to hold their children back. It was unclear whether their motives were sports or social-skills related, but still, he gave into the pressure. And he tried to convince me. I panicked. I had this all planned out. We had discussed this plan countless times before and he had entirely agreed until now. How on earth was I going to change his mind? As we stood in the hall one morning, watching her class file upstairs to chapel, he whispered to me, "Wow. I never realized how much taller she is than the rest of her class." Bingo. I nodded and gave a little, "Mmm hmmm. She sure is!" Then I waited. I stayed quiet just long enough so he wouldn't see it coming. One night as we laid in bed watching TV, I nudged, "Honey, you know the biggest problem I see with holding her back? If she's a little bit older than everyone else, and even quite a bit taller, she'll probably be the first to...(ahem)...develop." "What? What do you mean?" Then I went for the jugular, "You know, she might be the first one in her class to get boobs. And, trust me, you never want to be the first girl in your class to get boobs." And just like that, it was over. Off to Kindergarten we went. Finally, there we were. It was the first day of Kindergarten. I parallel-parked on the street in front of the school. Her sparkling new shoes led her as she floated out of the car and bounced off the pavement, skipping to the door. I followed closely behind, swallowing and blinking in quick succession. I only had to hold it together a few more minutes. I pumped myself up, "Come on. You can do this." She replied, "I know Mama! Come on!!" I signed my name and reached out for her hand. She was already halfway down the hall. She turned back and looked over her shoulder at me, bubbling over with giggles and anticipation. But she didn't slow down. I ran to catch up with her and scooted in the door behind her. A few fake smiles to the parents and a simple kiss on her cheek later, she was all settled in and ready. It was time for me to leave. Of course I had to pull over and ugly cry on the way home. And of course I walked her to class every day that first week. Every day she smiled and skipped into the classroom. And every day it was time for me to leave. I did really well. She never saw a single tear. She only saw my smile, felt my arms squeezing the air out of her tiny little ribcage, and heard me whisper in her ear the same words I always left her with each morning in preschool, "Good bye. And go fly." But then, that second Monday, I had to drop her off at the door. I turned the steering wheel and curved my car to the back of the building. I slowed up to the curb. A teacher opened my door and I handed her the Merida backpack she had coveted for so long. Be brave. And I let her walk out the door. I didn't move the car until I saw the school door close behind her, not until the teacher gently waved me ahead. And then I lost it. I am not ashamed to say I pretty much lost it each and every morning I dropped her off at school the entire year. No, I didn't ugly cry every single morning. Yes, the teachers instantly knew I was nuts. No, they didn't hold it against me. But my heart did drop every time that glittery backpack bravely forged on and then disappeared through that door. When I had to release the brake and drive away, I clutched my heart. Of course I instantly fell in love with her teacher and knew she was as happy and safe as she could be. Of course she made some incredible friends, blew our minds with her amazing math skills and hunger for science, and took our breaths away each time she finished reading us a new book. Of course she loved every minute of it- story time at the library, field trip to the zoo, field day, crazy hair day, kickball in the gym, tying her shoes for the first time by herself, making her very own fossil in class, singing "Let it Go" the loudest in music class. It was the most magical year. And then, all too quickly, came...the last day of kindergarten. Graduation. Oh. My heart. No one warned me about graduation! I remember thinking how silly a kindergarten graduation sounded when she was a toddler. Really? So everyone gets a trophy, birthday parties are going to put us in the poor house, and they have a graduation ceremony every time they complete something? Isn't that a bit much? Yes. It is. But it's worth it. Preparing for, and entering, kindergarten is such a "thing" nowadays. Kids have to be much more prepared for kindergarten than we ever did, which means us parents do too. Only, no one ever told me to prepare myself for the last day of kindergarten. No one told me she would have a different laugh, one I didn't recognize, within the first month of kindergarten. No one warned me that she may bolt out of the car in the morning and run into other people's arms...people I don't know- older students, classmates, art teachers, the school nurse. It doesn't matter. I don't know them. They aren't me. No one told me what would happen to my heart if I happened to be volunteering in the classroom on the very day the school practiced its lockdown drill. No one prepared me for those five minutes of silence, cornered in the bathroom with her sweet teacher, with her class, with her- sharing her teacher's fear. I never realized all those years I was rushing through our three books before bed, not allowing her to speak whatever was on her mind because I was too tired, that she wouldn't learn to ask questions about the story, the characters, their choices. I wasn't letting her write her own story. I never could have imagined that, after instructing her to return all uneaten food to her lunchbox so I could see how much she ate when she got home, I would be handed a soggy, dripping mess the first week of school because she saved the rest of her ice cream for me. I didn't know how tired she would be after school- too tired to do all the things I had planned to make up for our lost time together. She had already been to PE and recess. She was too tired to go to the park with me. I never thought parents of kindergarteners would be inviting my little girl to sleepovers at five years old. I never thought girl drama would begin in kindergarten. I never thought parents of kindergarteners would drop their kids off at birthday parties. And I forgot how much I hate homework. No. Really. I despise it. Yes, I'm grateful to be involved with her studies and to better prepare her for "the real world" but give me a break. Let them be little. And let them be with their families in the few hours they have between school and bedtime. But what do I know? It's been decades since I was in kindergarten. My little girl is my oldest. This is our first time. We both had a lot to learn. Now she knows how to write her own story, how to add and subtract, that humans and tyrannosaurus rex were never neighbors, that we forgive our friends, that she can do it, that I can do it, that I will always be there for her, and that I will need forgiveness too. And what did kindergarten teach me? It taught me that I have a lot of letting go to do. It taught that me if I do let go, I allow her to fly. Sometimes she will fall, but mostly she will fly higher than I ever imagined. It taught me that she needs to write her own story. But it also taught me that I don't have to let go all at once. I have time. We still have time. Thank God. 7.13.2014 I had always prided myself on being self-made. I had planned, worked, saved, spent, crossed things off lists, worked, risked, failed, worked, saved, worked some more, and finally felt proud, pleased with my accomplishments. The husband? Check. The children? Check. The family? Check. The friends? Check. The house? Check. The vacations? Check. I grabbed the world by the shirt collar and won. I wasn't given special allowances or much of anyone's good graces. Beyond all odds, I had snatched that elusive, dangling carrot and finally sat down to enjoy it, all the while patting myself on the back. Never mind how I arrived here, right? All that mattered was I won. Early in my journey, I was faced with betrayal on all fronts, personal, professional, and intimate. I learned at nineteen, and perhaps much earlier, that I could trust no one. Everything everyone had ever said to me became a lie with one truth. I forgave, continued to love, enjoyed life, and lived my own story, but always with a sideways glance and always on alert. Never would I allow myself to be unaware of my surroundings again. Find me a decade later, and I was relieved to have overcome the most trying years- my twenties. Ah, the gloriously awful twenties that lift you up into the heavens of freedom and slam you back down on the ground of reality, over, and over, and over again until you turn thirty. Then, somehow, you stop taking things so seriously. You stand still, look down at your shoes, and laugh how feverishly you used to click those heels together. I stood at thirty and smiled at the present, laughed at the past, and snorted at the future. Piece of cake. I had things figured out now. I knew men. I knew women. I knew how to work a situation and I knew when to bow out of one. I knew my strengths. I knew my weaknesses. I knew how to get what I desired. Obviously, my thirties had not yet begun to fight. Although, they quickly caught up. My relationships started to crumble. First, it was my circle of friends, then it was my family, and finally, my marriage. Don't you worry. I justified it along the way. "Well, if that's what she thinks about me then I don't have time or energy to spend on her. This is just what happens after you become a parent. Your circle gets smaller. If he thinks I'm going to just lay down and let him get away with that- he's dead wrong. If they don't add anything to my life, then I have no use for them in mine. I'm done putting up with it all." And finally, "I don't care what he does. He could get a girlfriend. He could spend all our money. I'm not leaving. This is just how marriage is- tough." Haven't we all bought into the ridiculous phrase, "Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy"? I had created my own world and was reigning over it with a clenched fist. If someone didn't align themselves with my ideals, they were removed. I judged, rejected, and punished people. Had they done me wrong? Absolutely. Was I hurt? Deeply. Was I any authority? Did I know the secrets of the world and, therefore, possess the knowledge required to reign over a kingdom? Did I know any other way than to answer displeasure with judgment and punishment? No. Absolutely not. And, nope. So why was I in charge? Who put me in power anyway? I did. I had created my own idol- myself. I convinced myself that I knew all before and all future. I knew what he was thinking, knew what she really meant, and knew what would happen if I didn't defend myself. Life was war. Only, I never noticed I was the only one worshipping the idol I had created. I kept waiting for everyone else to get on board. Eventually, if I stuck to my guns, he would change his mind, she would say she's sorry, and then, but only then, would I let them back into my kingdom. But Something had been lingering in the distance. Even when I couldn't, or didn't want to, hear Its footsteps gaining ground, I always knew It was there. I heard It the first time he told me he loved me, I saw It the days my daughters were born, I felt It in the breeze that tickled my neck, and I tasted It in the depths of my defeat. But I wouldn't acknowledge It. No, no, no. Someone or something else is not going to get credit for all I've done, for how far I've come. Then all at once, I gave in. I was desperate for help and tired of clawing for something further. I stopped fighting. I released my fist. I got down on my knees and admitted my inadequacy. How could I have fooled myself into believing that I had it all together without accepting responsibility for the outcome? I had all the answers but I didn't like where my answers had lead me. I had stood up for myself and fought back my whole life. I ended up alone. Yes, I had a wonderful husband and two blossoming little girls, but I was keeping a part of my heart from them. It was time to relinquish control. Suddenly, and I emphasize suddenly, all the things I had yearned for were fulfilled and then trumped with even more incredible gifts than I ever would've thought to ask for. My demons were falling behind. Little treasures revealed themselves to me under rocks I had never imagined turning over before. Now, I was winning. I am not self-made. "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14 7.01.2014 It's no secret that I am passionate about relationships- family, friends, and intimate ones. I've spent the better part of my life asking myself, "Why?", as if I'm any authority. I go 'round and 'round in circles wondering why people make the decisions they do in relationships with me, with others. Do you remember that scene in Sex and the City when Carrie is obsessing about yet another breakup with Big and she's sitting at lunch with the girls reassuring herself that she's got things under control, that she doesn't need to sit on some quack's couch, because she has her girlfriends? To which Samantha replies something like, "Nope. You're too much for us. We've done all we can. You need to get some help." That's me- in a nutshell. I'm obsessive and flawed and hungry to learn more. Well, the other night, in one of my self-imposed Why-fests, I asked myself yet another daunting question, "Why did me marry me?" I mean, really. Why did he marry me? We're such different animals. But in the beginning we only saw our similarities. That's a funny trick life plays on us. You meet someone you can't believe you spent what felt like eternity without and you play up all the things you have in common. "You like Pat Green?! So do I! You have tropical décor in your home? So do I! You workout but won't give up junk food? Me too!! You drive a Jeep Wrangler? No way! I've always wanted one of those!" It's ridiculous really. Like any of those things matter. Another ruse most of us comfortably dysfunctional people fall for is that once you find the man of your dreams, all the hard work is over. No more awkward first dates, no more disaster break-ups. Gone are the days you had to put up with that one creepy best friend. Now you can take your head off a swivel and return your focus to one person, instead of darting your eyes at everyone that crosses your path wondering if they're "the one". Let it out. Release that big sigh you've been holding in all these years. You can finally breathe. When you start to get comfortable- I mean really comfortable, as in muffin-top, clothes on the floor, haven't-cleaned-out-my-car-in-three-weeks, and the-creepy-best-friend-keeps-dropping-in-unannounced comfortable- that's when it all starts. That's when the marriage really begins. Soon enough, you've traveled such a distance, don't quite know how you got there, and you look back over your shoulder. Puzzled, you can't figure out what just happened between point A and B. All you're sure of is the two are nothing alike. And you may ask yourself, "Why did he marry me?" Couldn't he see all the red flags? Of course, I don't consider my need to reorganize the house every two weeks or that nagging feeling I get when I see an unfortunate begging for money as red flags, but I'm pretty sure he does. We do not agree on labeling bins for the kids' toys and he doesn't give me much cash if we're spending a night in the city (I'm a stay-at-home-mom and I'm cool with it). So, why did he marry me?! The truth is, he didn't marry me. He married a picture of me. He married the picture of me I was selling. As if standing on a street corner, amidst a bustling art fair, I spotted him and held a beautiful portrait over my head, vying for his attention. Luckily, his neck turned, his feet stopped, and his chin moved forward, head tilting, intrigued. He was instantly seduced by the lines, the colors, the composition. He thought the only flaws in this work of art must be the freckles, especially that one on her lower lip, and he adored them. I kept pointing out the brush strokes, exaggerating how much time it took me to complete this work, explaining that it really is a bargain, and embellishing a story about the girl in the picture. Not too much time passed and he decided he must have this portrait. Something about it resonated with him and he could picture it hanging on his wall so well that it became a part of him. The poor guy didn't even realize the art he so loved was only a glimmer of the starving, lonely, and slightly unstable artist he hadn't noticed holding up the portrait- me. We are quickly approaching our ten year anniversary. Seven years of marriage, but ten years together. Now I realize the world is all one, big con. Here! Look over here! Buy this! Drink this! Put this on your face! Wear this! Marry this!! But God didn't put us together because we're the same, or even because we're similar in ways. He brought us together with His celestial concoction of magic and logic because we're different. Our differences challenge us both...at all times...in all ways imaginable- at the store, on the phone, in the car, in the bedroom. In areas he would never budge on his own, I am the free-spirited force sent to help release him. Whereas I could blindly follow someone, anyone, into a dark alley trying to help them find their lost kitty cat, he is the one to grab my hand and pull me back, to remind me that I can't trust everyone, and to protect me. The truth? He married me because a Little Voice in the back of his mind told him to marry me. No, he wasn't entirely sure I was the right choice, and I am entirely sure he has questioned this choice on quite a few occasions, but Something in him was telling him to do it. We are together because of our differences, because God wanted to alter certain parts of us to make us better. How are we supposed to spread love when we'd rather be selfish, to open our arms when we want to retreat, to follow God instead of renouncing Him if we're all walking around in our comfort zones/protective bubbles/monotony cages? The truth? We can't. We can't change the world by living within the world's standards. We have to think outside the box. We have to be open to new ideas, new solutions, and even to ideas and solutions depicted as too flawed or too perfect in the past.

/*- * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 David Schultz <das@FreeBSD.ORG> * All rights reserved. * * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions * are met: * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright * notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright * notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the * documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. * * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND * ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE * FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS * OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) * HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT * LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY * OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF * SUCH DAMAGE. * * $FreeBSD: src/lib/msun/arm/fenv.h,v 1.5 2005/03/16 19:03:45 das Exp $ */ /* * Rewritten for Android. * * The ARM FPSCR is described here: * http://infocenter.arm.com/help/index.jsp?topic=/com.arm.doc.ddi0344b/Chdfafia.html */ #ifndef _ARM_FENV_H_ #define _ARM_FENV_H_ #include <sys/types.h> __BEGIN_DECLS typedef __uint32_t fenv_t; typedef __uint32_t fexcept_t; /* Exception flags. */ #define FE_INVALID 0x01 #define FE_DIVBYZERO 0x02 #define FE_OVERFLOW 0x04 #define FE_UNDERFLOW 0x08 #define FE_INEXACT 0x10 #define FE_ALL_EXCEPT (FE_DIVBYZERO | FE_INEXACT | FE_INVALID | \ FE_OVERFLOW | FE_UNDERFLOW) /* Rounding modes. */ #define FE_TONEAREST 0x0 #define FE_UPWARD 0x1 #define FE_DOWNWARD 0x2 #define FE_TOWARDZERO 0x3 __END_DECLS #endif /* !_ARM_FENV_H_ */

Case of aortic endocarditis caused by Lactobacillus casei. A case of Lactobacillus aortic valve endocarditis in a 53-year-old immunocompetent patient with past history of rheumatic fever is reported. Clinical symptoms began after a dental extraction and the patient's diet included several yogurts per day. Blood, bone marrow cultures and the replaced aortic valve were positive for Lactobacillus: The clinical isolate was identified as Lactobacillus casei by 16S rDNA sequencing.

What is the difference between smart and programmable thermostats? Published on August 04, 2017 If you are looking for ways to stay cozy in your Tulsa home while saving on your bills, you might want to consider upgrading your thermostat. Thermostats have updated quite a bit from setting the temperature and walking away and Jack Nelson Service Experts has a number of choices to handle your specific needs. The most widespread styles of thermostats are programmable and smart thermostats, and there are a host of options and features from Jack Nelson Service Experts. What is the difference between programmable and smart thermostats? Programmable thermostats allow you to pre-set temperatures for a variety of times of the day and week. You can setup the thermostat so that it has different temperatures during the day when no one is home, or at night when everyone is snoozing. There’s no need to devote energy and money to keep the house cool or warm when it’s empty, so a programmable thermostat helps you save money by setting the temperature automatically. You can walk out the door with one less thing to be concerned with. Smart thermostats take it a step further and are more intuitive. They follow the temperature alterations that you make and learn from your behavior which permits it to begin adjusting on its own. Quite a few of the newer and more advanced thermostats utilize your home’s Wi-Fi network, permitting you to control your home’s temperature from all over using an app through your phone or computer. These thermostats can often be arranged to compile your energy usage statistics on a website. Whether you pick a programmable thermostat or smart thermostat will be contingent on your unique needs, budget and familiarity with technology. While smart thermostats cost a bit more because of the additional features, both programmable and smart thermostats are great ways to save on your energy costs while ensuring you are comfortable in your Tulsa home. If you have any questions about upgrading your thermostat or other ways to gain efficiencies in your home, give Jack Nelson Service Experts a call at 918-212-8927 or request an appointment online and our experts will be happy to help you. Service Experts Heating and Air Conditioning was built on the basis of delivering customers with the most excellent heating and cooling practices in the industry. Since its inception, Jack Nelson Service Experts in Tulsa has been dedicated to our area, providing the first class HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) products and services in the area. If you are interested in more details about your area HVAC leaders, you can reach us at 918-212-8927 or schedule an appointment with us using our online form. *Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.

Q: When is incorrect pronoun usage likely to offend people based on gender? At this point it is pretty well known that the recent issues are related to changes in the CoC regarding the use of pronouns. While the new Code of Conduct won't be available until the 10th of October, the current Code of Conduct says No bigotry. We don’t tolerate any language likely to offend or alienate people based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion — and those are just a few examples. When in doubt, just don’t. What I am curious about is which, if any, of the following scenarios would be likely to offend or alienate people based on gender (and why) A long time user states in her profile that her pronoun is "she". A new user leaves a comment using "he". A long time user states in her profile that her pronoun is "she". Another long time user repeatedly refers to this user as "he" even after being repeatedly corrected. A long time user states in her profile that her pronoun is "she". Another long time user (userB) refers to this user as "he" and upon being corrected, this user apologizes and says that as a non-native speaker, pronouns cause him difficulty. A long time user states in zir profile that zir pronoun is "ze". Another long time user repeatedly refers to this user as "he" even after being repeatedly corrected. A long time user states in zir profile that zir pronoun is "ze". Another long time user (userB) refers to this user as "he" and upon being corrected, userB claims "ze" is incorrect according to his religious beliefs and that he (userB) will not use it, but to avoid misgendering users he will only use user names from now on for all users regardless of pronouns. A long time user states in zir profile that zir pronoun is "ze". Another long time user (userB) refers to this user as "he" and upon being corrected, userB claims "ze" is incorrect according to his religious beliefs and that he (userB) will not use it, but to avoid misgendering users with a pronoun of "ze", he will only use user names for users with a pronoun of "ze". A long time user states in zir profile that zir pronoun is "ze". Another long time user (userB) refers to this user as "he" and upon being corrected userB claims "ze" is incorrect according to his religious beliefs and that he (userB) will not use it, but to avoid misgendering users with a pronoun of "ze", he will disengage and not respond to comments or provide answers to users with a pronoun of "ze". A long time user states in their profile that their pronoun is "they". Another long time user repeatedly refers to this user as "he" even after being repeatedly corrected. A long time user states in their profile that their pronoun is "they". Another long time user (userB) refers to this user as "he" and upon being corrected userB claims the singular they is not grammatically correct and that he (userB) will not use it, but to avoid misgendering users with a pronoun of "they", he will only use user names for users with a pronoun of "they". A long time user states in their profile that their pronoun is "they". Another long time user (userB) refers to this user as "he" and upon being corrected userB claims the singular they is not grammatically correct and that he (userB) will not use it, but to avoid misgendering users with a pronoun of "they", he will disengage and not respond to comments or provide answers to users with a pronoun of "they". A: I go by the pronoun ‘they’. Here's the gist of how it works: Pronouns serve a function similar to names and titles; they are personal like names, and they carry social associations with them like titles. Let's see how these can all be used disrespectfully: If I tell you my name is ‘Iñigo Montoya’ and you make a habit of calling me ‘that brat I taught a lesson to all those years ago’, that's not cool. If you tell me your pronoun is ‘he’ and I make a habit of calling you ‘she’, that's not cool. By doing that I may be verbally emasculating you and treating you as an effeminate ‘sissy boy’ or implying some other negative connotations about feminine gender roles—which by your pronoun you are clearly not subscribing to. Conversely, if you're a ‘she’ and I call you ‘he’, I may be verbally suggesting you're too ‘bossy’ or gruff or emotionally incompetent or any of various other negative connotations about masculine gender roles. Why negative connotations and not positive connotations? If I'm deliberately using the pronoun you asked people not to use, it's not because I'm demonstrating respect for you. If I'm an attorney in a U.S. court of law, and I keep addressing Judge Amy Berman Jackson by saying ‘But Amy, dude, my client is innocent!’ instead of ‘Your Honor, my client is innocent!’, she's not going to be impressed. She'll be even less impressed if she pokes her head into another courtroom and sees you addressing the judges who present as male with ‘Your Honor’. In fact, while not technically wrong in a broader sense, it is even disrespectful to address her as ‘Judge’ instead of ‘Your Honor’ in U.S. federal court, and this can be exploited to send judges into fits of apoplexy. If you go out of your way to categorically object to using pronouns for a certain class of people because you think the way they present themselves in society doesn't match what you think their chromosomes or genitalia are, then: That's really weird, dude. We're on a forum of pseudonymous strangers on the internet and you're worried about my DNA makeup or thinking about my genitals every time you talk about me? (FOR THE RECORD: As a vulture, I have a cloaca.) That's not cool. If you go out of your way to invent a grammatical rule prohibiting singular ‘they’ (but invariably still allowing singular ‘you’) despite seven centuries of consistent use of the word for singular and plural antecedents since it was introduced into the language—and if you do that just so you can refuse to use my pronoun when referring to me, I have to wonder: wat? I'm also really tired of that debate no matter how many times you've shared a good smirk among your cis friends over a cocktail about your superior command of English prescriptivism to shut down those social justice warriors trying to regulate your use of language…which you're going do by inventing grammatical rules to regulate our use of language. I get that English may not be your first language and you may make mistakes with English pronouns. That's cool; I'm happy to help you learn, because I'm here on a Q&A site to exchange ideas and communicate—I'm not here to trip you up. I understand it's different in every language;* it's no big deal if you slip up with English—I might make gaffes in other languages too. I get that you may not know my pronoun when all you see is my name Squeamish Ossifrage. That's cool; I'm happy to let you know, and it's no big deal if you slip up without knowing. That said, I don't think it's helpful to litigate in advance what the answer to every abstracted scenario is going to be, and I don't think it would be helpful to enshrine that pre-litigation in a code of conduct. You're giving the impression to everyone I may have to deal with now that there's a complicated system of arbitrary rules they will have to memorize and follow (which, in a certain sense, is true anyway, because that's the nature of human interaction, but this isn't making it easier for anyone). I don't know what the updated code of conduct will say, but I hope it doesn't look like your list of abstracted scenarios together with rulings by the court of meta.se opinion. * Some languages like Old English have grammatical gender that carries very little in the way of social implications, with a neuter word wif for woman, a feminine word wiht for any creature including a person, and a masculine word mann for person of any sex or social role. Some languages like Thai have what are to English speakers—and even to European languages like French and Spanish—very complicated systems of formality and familiarity that make pronoun avoidance obligatory in certain scenarios for tactful conversation. Some languages distinguish pronouns by spatial position instead of social role. A: To directly answer the question, it's complicated and there is a growing body of active research related to this question. A 2019 article, found with a very quick Google Scholar search, concluded: Those who advocate greater use of gender-neutral and non-binary language should note that resistance to personal pronouns other than ‘he/him’ and ‘she/her’ appear to be driven not simply by grammatical prescriptivism, but also by more conservative and binary gender role attitudes. Given the divergence between generic and specific use of singular ‘they’, greater acceptance of such language is not driven just by a greater willingness to ignore grammatical conventions. Future research in this area should focus on clarifying the relationship between presciptivist attitudes, personality, and gender ideology, as well as the degree to which speakers attribute their grammatical judgements to these factors. Greater awareness of these factors may inform the strategies adopted by those wishing to influence linguistic style in public and scholarly venues. Bradley, E. D. (2019). Personality, prescriptivism, and pronouns. English Today. doi:10.1017/S0266078419000063 (PDF) In short, simply enumerating a list of options is unlikely to give any insight into the problem. To comment on the structure of the question itself: the list of options is structured a bit more like a push poll than a research instrument. Furthermore, the way it is written is going to lead to respondent fatigue and invalid conclusions since the respondent may end up annoyed at you for asking questions this way (i.e., wall of text, phrasing assumes familiarity with subject, etc.), which will bias their responses. However, this is a really interesting research question; but a survey instrument to examine it will take a lot of work to get right. A: Here's a simple take (which, if I gather correctly, was what Monica got fired but hey I can't be fired): this is a Q&A site which doesn't need pronouns. The only time I feel I need to refer to a person is when I want to specify which answer (or comment) I am reacting to and then I can say "while the answer by @chx(link) is correct, it missed a few points..." and there we go. This entire issue can be sidestepped this easily. To ratchet it up, not much would be lost if we were to remove the username and profile pic from the answers (which "community wiki" actually does) but keep the karma and badges as a sort of "quality stamp" and perhaps link to the user profile page so that an interesting answer can be followed to other answers.

Steve Reeves Stephen Lester Reeves (January 21, 1926 – May 1, 2000) was an American professional bodybuilder, actor, and philanthropist. He was famous in the mid-1950s as a movie star in Italian-made peplum films, playing the protagonist as muscular characters such as Hercules, Goliath, and Sandokan. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. From 1959 through 1964, Reeves appeared in a string of sword and sandal movies shot on relatively small budgets and, although he is best known for his portrayal of Hercules, he played the character only twice: in the 1957 film (released in the US in 1959) and its 1959 sequel Hercules Unchained (released in the US in 1960). By 1960, Reeves was ranked as the number-one box-office draw in twenty-five countries around the world. Early life Born in Glasgow, Montana, in 1926, Reeves moved to California at age 10 with his mother Goldie Reeves after his father Lester Dell Reeves died in a farming accident. Reeves developed an interest in bodybuilding at Castlemont High School and trained at Ed Yarick's gym in Oakland, California. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, and served in the Philippines. After his military service Reeves attended California Chiropractic College in San Francisco. He reigned as Mr. America of 1947, Mr. World of 1948, and Mr. Universe of 1950. He was contacted by an agent who suggested he go into acting. Career Cecil B. de Mille Reeves moved to New York where he studied acting under Stella Adler, but after arguments he was refunded his tuition. He studied instead at the Theodora Irvin School of the Theatre. He began performing a vaudeville act with a comedian named Dick Burney. One of Cecil B. De Mille's talent scouts saw him and had him tested for Samson and Delilah (1949). Reeves received a seven-year contract with Paramount. Reeves says de Mille wanted to cast him in the lead role, but told Reeves he had to lose 15 pounds in order to look convincing on-camera. Reeves says he tried to lose the weight and worked on his acting in preparation for the role over three months. Then De Mille told him he was going to give the role to Victor Mature. Early acting appearances In 1949 he filmed a Tarzan-type television pilot called Kimbar of the Jungle, and in 1950 became Mr. Universe. Reeves appeared on television in Stars Over Hollywood in the episode "Prison Doctor" with Raymond Burr. He was one of the athletes in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and appeared on the TV series Topper ("Reducing"). In 1954, Reeves had a small supporting role as a cop in the Ed Wood film Jail Bait. It was his first film and earned him his Screen Actors Guild card. "I had a suit on at all times," he later recalled. "I even had a tie. Only took my shirt off once. Those were the days, huh?" The same year Reeves was in the MGM musical Athena, playing the boyfriend of Jane Powell's character. These two films are the only ones Reeves made in the United States where his actual voice was used; Reeves acted in Italian-made films for the remainder of his career, where all dialogue and sound effects were added in post-production. Reeves guest-starred on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show as the owner of a gym. On December 17, 1954, Reeves guest-starred in the ABC sitcom Where's Raymond?, starring Ray Bolger as Raymond Wallace, a song-and-dance man. Reeves played a well-built office employee whom Wallace sees in the company of Wallace's girlfriend, Susan. In 1955 Reeves appeared on two Broadway shows, Kismet and The Camp. Pictures of Reeves' costume test for the lead in Li'l Abner (1959) can be easily found on the web. He then decided to quit acting and worked for American Health Studios in public relations, opening up fitness studios. Hercules In Italy, director Pietro Francisci wanted to make a film about Hercules but could not find anyone suitable to play the role. His daughter recommended Reeves on the basis of his appearance in Athena and Francisci offered him the role and a plane ticket to Italy. Reeves at first did not think he was serious but eventually agreed and flew to Italy to make the film. His fee was $10,000. Hercules was a relatively low-budget epic based loosely on the tales of Jason and the Argonauts, though inserting Hercules into the lead role. The film proved popular in Europe. What made it an international sensation was when US distribution rights were bought by Joe E. Levine who spent over $1 million promoting it, turning the film into a major box-office success, grossing $5 million in the United States in 1959. However this did not happen until Reeves had already made four more films in Europe. The first of these was a sequel to Hercules, Hercules Unchained (1959), again directed by Pietro Francisci. Reeves was paid the same fee, although his wage would double from then on. This film was another huge success, being the third most popular film in Britain in 1960. Nonetheless Reeves would not play Hercules again, despite his identification with the role. Reeves' third film as star was The White Warrior (1959), based on Hadji Murat, the novel by Leo Tolstoy. He played Hadji Murad, a 19th-century Chechen chieftain who led his warriors in a fight against the invading Russians. Reeves was then in Terror of the Barbarians playing Emilio, about the Lombard invasion of Italy. American International Pictures bought US rights and retitled it Goliath and the Barbarians (1959), with Reeves' character renamed "Goliath". The film earned $1.6 million in North America during its initial release where it was double billed with Sign of the Gladiator Injury Reeves was Glaucus Leto in The Last Days of Pompeii (1959), based on the novel by Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton. It co-starred Christine Kaufmann and Fernando Rey and was mostly directed by Sergio Leone. During the filming, Reeves had dislocated his shoulder when his chariot slammed into a tree; he re-injured it while swimming in a subsequent underwater escape scene. The injury would be aggravated by his stunt work in each successive film, ultimately leading to his retirement from filmmaking. U.S. directors Reeves followed this with The Giant of Marathon (1959) where he was cast as Pheidippides, the famous wartime messenger of the Battle of Marathon. By now Reeves' success was such that his films would use Hollywood directors: Marathon was directed by Mario Bava and Jacques Tourneur. According to MGM records the film earned $1,335,000 in the US and Canada and $1.4 million elsewhere resulting in a profit of $429,000. Reeves had a change of pace in Morgan, the Pirate (1960) where he played pirate and self-proclaimed governor of Jamaica, Captain Henry Morgan. Andre De Toth and Primo Zeglio directed. He then did an "Eastern", The Thief of Baghdad (1961), playing Karim, directed by Arthur Lubin. In The Wooden Horse of Troy (1961) Reeves played Aeneas of Troy, opposite John Drew Barrymore. He co-starred with fellow body builder Gordon Scott in Duel of the Titans (1961), playing Romulus and Remus respectively. Sergio Corbucci directed. Reeves played Randus, the son of Spartacus in The Slave (1962) then reprised his role as Aeneaus in War of the Trojans (1962) aka The Avenger. Later roles Reeves played Sandokan in two films, both directed by Umberto Lenzi: Sandokan the Great (1963) and Pirates of Malaysia (1964). By this stage Reeves says his fee was $250,000 a film. In 1968, Reeves appeared in his final film, a spaghetti Western he co-wrote, titled I Live For Your Death! (later released as A Long Ride From Hell). "I ended up with an ulcer from that," he said later. "That was my last." Reeves reportedly turned down the James Bond role in Dr. No (1962) because of the low salary the producers offered. Reeves also turned down the role that finally went to Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars (1964) because he did not believe that Italians could make a western out of a Japanese samurai film. George Pal contacted Reeves for the role of Doc Savage in Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, the first of what was meant to be a film series, but when filming was about to begin a Hollywood writers strike put the film on hold with Reeves and the original director replaced. Post-acting career Reeves decided to retire for several reasons: stress, his injury, and the decline in the market for his sort of movies. He had earned enough to retire and moved to his ranch in Oregon, which he purchased from Chandler Knowles. His last screen appearance was in 2000 when he appeared as himself in the made-for-television A&E Biography: Arnold Schwarzenegger Flex Appeal. Other interests A biography, Steve Reeves – One of a Kind, was published in 1983 by Milton T. Moore. In 1991, Chris LeClaire began writing and researching Reeves' life and career. LeClaire lived and worked for Reeves at his Valley Center, California horse ranch during the summers of 1993 and 1994 while writing Worlds To Conquer, The Authorized Biography Of Steve Reeves. LeClaire conducted more than one-hundred hours of taped interviews with Reeves up until the actor's death in the spring of 2000. In 1994, Reeves, with long-time friend and business partner George Helmer, started the Steve Reeves International Society. In 1996, it incorporated to become Steve Reeves International, Inc. In 2003, Helmer co-authored Steve Reeves – His Legacy in Films, and in 2010, Steve Reeves' Hercules Cookbook. In 2014, he published a Reeves biography, A Moment in Time – The Steve Reeves Story. Helmer is also the executor of the Reeves' estate, exclusive owner to the rights of Reeves' name and image, and considered by many as the authority on Reeves. Some doubt exists as to whether Steve Reeves ever gave authorization or approval to any biographer. Reeves wrote the book Powerwalking, and two self-published books, Building the Classic Physique - The Natural Way, and Dynamic Muscle Building. (Note that George Helmer published a revised and updated edition of the Powerwalking book in 2013.) Freelance writer Rod Labbe interviewed Reeves, and the article appeared in Films of the Golden Age magazine, summer 2011. It was conducted in 1997 and was the last extensive interview Steve Reeves did. Personal life Later in his life, Reeves bred horses and promoted drug-free bodybuilding. The last two decades of his life were spent in Valley Center, California. He bought a ranch with savings from his film career and lived there with his second wife, Aline, until her death in 1989. Death On May 1, 2000, Reeves died from a blood clot after having had surgery two days earlier. He died at Palomar Hospital in Escondido, California, where his second wife had also died. In popular culture In the 1973 British musical stage production The Rocky Horror Show, and its 1975 film counterpart The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dr. Frank N. Furter introduces himself to Brad and Janet with the song Sweet Transvestite. The lyrics include, "Or if you want something visual/That's not too absymal/We can take in an old Steve Reeves movie". Filmography (in parentheses the original movie title) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) as Olympic Team Member (uncredited) Jail Bait (1954, Hollywood film directed by Ed Wood Jr.) as Lieutenant Bob Lawrence Athena (1954, Hollywood film directed by Richard Thorpe) as Ed Perkins Hercules (1958, released in Italy in 1958, released in U.S.A. in 1959) (Le fatiche di Ercole / The Labors of Hercules) as Ercole (Hercules) Hercules Unchained (1959, released in USA 1960) (Ercole e la regina di Lidia / Hercules and the Queen of Lydia) as Hercules The White Warrior (1959, directed by Riccardo Freda) (Hadji Murad il Diavolo Bianco / Hadji Murad, The White Devil) as Agi / Hadji Murad, the White Warrior Goliath and the Barbarians (1959) (Il terrore dei barbari / Terror of the Barbarians) as Emiliano (a.k.a. "Goliath") The Last Days of Pompeii (1959) (Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei / The Last Days of Pompeii) as Glaucus Leto The Giant of Marathon (1959) (La battaglia di Maratona / The Battle of Marathon) as Phillipides Morgan, the Pirate (1960) (Morgan, il pirata/ Morgan, the Pirate) as Henry Morgan The Thief of Baghdad (1961) (Il Ladro di Bagdad) as Karim The Trojan Horse (1961) (La guerra di Troia/ The Trojan War) as Aeneas Duel of the Titans (1961) (Romolo e Remo / Romulus and Remus) as Romulus The Slave (1962) (Il Figlio di Spartaco / Son of Spartacus) as Randus – son of Spartacus The Avenger (1962) (La leggenda di Enea / The Legend of Aeneas) (also released as The Last Glory of Troy; it is a sequel to The Trojan Horse) as Enea / Aeneas Sandokan the Great (1963, directed by Umberto Lenzi) (Sandokan, la tigre di Mompracem/ Sandokan, the Tiger of Mompracem) as Sandokan Pirates of Malaysia (1964, directed by Umberto Lenzi) (a.k.a. Sandokan, the Pirate of Malaysia, a.k.a. Pirates of the Seven Seas; this is a sequel to Sandokan the Great) as Sandokan A Long Ride from Hell (1968, spaghetti western directed by Camillo Brazzoni, produced and co-written by Steve Reeves) (I Live for Your Death!) as Mike Sturges (final film role) See also List of male professional bodybuilders References Further reading Chapman, David. "On The Cover: Steve Reeves", Hardgainer, November 1992. Moore, Milton Jr. "STEVE REEVES - One of a Kind (An Authorized and Approved Reeves Biography)", 1983. Helmer, George. "A Moment in Time - The Steve Reeves Story", 2014 Dowling, Dave and Helmer, George. "STEVE REEVES - His Legacy in Films", 2003 LeClaire, Christopher. Steve Reeves Biography "WORLDS TO CONQUER – The Authorized Biography Of Steve Reeves", * , First Edition December 1999, Second Edition 2017. External links Steve Reeves Biography The Authorized Biography of Steve Reeves'' by Chris LeClaire, Paperback 1st Edition 1999, 2nd Edition 2017 Steve Reeves International Society How Steve Reeves Trained by John Grimek, Muscular Development November, 1964 The Many Faces of Hercules at Brian's Drive-In Theater Reeves gallery and Reeves movie related articles Category:1926 births Category:2000 deaths Category:20th-century American male actors Category:American bodybuilders Category:American expatriates in Italy Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:Deaths from cancer in California Category:Deaths from lymphoma Category:Expatriate male actors in Italy Category:Male actors from California Category:Male actors from Montana Category:People associated with physical culture Category:People from Glasgow, Montana Category:Professional bodybuilders

Q: Understandng a mixture of Rails and Bootstrap code - if signed_in? = primary_nav( | title: { text: t('.home_page'), href: root_path }, | links: [ | { active: request.path.starts_with?('/performance/'), text: t('.performance'), href: performance_my_path }, | ] | ) do I am trying to undersntad this code, this is in Rails and this is in application.html.haml My main confusion is where we have those keywords like title, links, active, text What language is it? It isn't Rails? is it ? Or is it Twitter Bootstrap? So If I want to add another link on the same level as performance, I should just add another hash? A: primary_nav is a method defined somewhere in your application, probably in some helper. This method takes a hash as an argument, and 'title' and 'links' are keys of this hash. You should find a definition of primary_nav in your application. It isn't related to twitter-bootstrap in any way.

VAT news Removal of Low Value VAT Exemption for Imports Elizabeth Wilson7 December 2016No comments As part of the European Commission’s measures to improve the VAT environment for e-commerce businesses, the EC has set out their plans to take action against VAT fraud committed by businesses outside the EU by proposing to remove the low value VAT exemption on imports. Currently, small consignments and packages valued at €22 or less can be exempted from VAT on their way in to the EU. The Commission have decided that this low value exemption will be scrapped as the current system “is open to massive fraud and abuse”, and creates “major distortions against EU business”. According to the Commission, under current rules EU businesses are put at a “clear disadvantage since unlike their non-EU competitors, they are liable to apply VAT from the first eurocent sold”, and high-value items such as smartphones and tablets are “consistently undervalued or wrongly described in the importation paperwork”. It is estimated that around 150 million parcels are imported into the EU under this VAT exemption every year, all of which will become liable to VAT following last Thursday’s announcement. The low value consignment concession was originally introduced by the EU in 1983 with the aims of reducing the administrative burden on EU Member States customs authorities as well as speeding up the delivery of lower value goods. The boom in e-commerce over the past 20 years has led to a dramatic increase of imports into the EU, and it is claimed that thousands of smaller non-EU retailers have taken advantage of the VAT exemption by mislabelling or undervaluing higher value goods. In 2014, the EU Commission projected that Member States were missing out on €5 billion of VAT revenues, €1 billion of which was attributed to VAT foregone from the concession. Criticism of the low value exemption on imports is not a recent phenomenon. Almost a decade ago, online retailers such as Amazon and Play.com began to exploit this VAT exemption by shipping lower value items such as CDs and DVDs to the UK from the Channel Islands (a non-EU territory in the English Channel). In the UK, HMRC took action on the Low Value Consignment Relief on goods being shipped from the Channel Islands as it was believed to be costing the UK as much as £110 million per year in tax revenues and was also blamed for the closure of high street retailers such as Virgin Megastore, Woolworths and Zavvi. The UK government came under significant pressure to clamp down on this VAT avoidance and eventually removed the exemption for Channel Islands territories in 2012. According to the Commission’s press release, a recent study based on real purchases has suggested that 65% of all consignments from non-EU countries were non-compliant with EU VAT rules. It is clear that such high levels of non-compliance will have distorted the EU marketplace and given non-EU businesses an advantage over their competitors within the EU. So, going forward import VAT will be applied to all goods reaching EU borders from non-EU territories. EU businesses should therefore benefit from being on a “level playing field” as non-EU businesses will now also have to incorporate import VAT into their pricing. Additionally, registration in the VAT One Stop Shop will be available to ‘trustworthy’ traders from outside the EU. This is predicted to cut VAT compliance costs for non-EU businesses as traders will be able to designate an EU intermediary (such as a market place, courier, postal operator or customs agent) to deal with VAT-related compliance. Non-EU businesses will therefore not have to worry about registering in each Member State where they import as this is prohibitively expensive and understanding all the VAT rules can get extremely complicated. Businesses will also benefit from having an easier way to pay and distribute VAT payments across the various Member States. Clearance of small consignments from trusted non-EU traders who register with the VAT One Stop Shop will benefit from simplified customs procedures. Consignments valued up to €150 will no longer be stopped at customs for VAT clearance and VAT collection for these goods will be managed separately on a self-assessment basis. Non-EU traders or their intermediaries will need to provide advance information on consignments in order to benefit from the simplification of the One Stop Shop. They will also need to keep records of supplies so that tax assessments can take place and if traders abuse the scheme they will be excluded and will need to make customs declarations for each consignment on importation. The European Commission’s aims are indeed a step in the right direction and should be welcomed, however there are perhaps some fundamental issues that scrapping the low value exemption will not fix in one fell swoop. Despite removing the exemption, businesses will still be able to undervalue or wrongly label products in order to pay as little import VAT as possible, thus still undercutting EU businesses. With the removal of the exemption, what is to stop a business still deliberately acting fraudulently? With the removal of the exemption, the importer will always be paying VAT, but an abusive importer may want to minimize his VAT liability. The Commission appear to be replacing one import VAT regime with another that is potentially even more susceptible to VAT fraud as the €150 threshold for small consignments may be even more tempting for non-EU businesses to devalue expensive goods. For example, a smartphone can more conceivably be “under” valued at €149 than €22. It is true that VAT will still be collected and paid to Member States on these items but this new rule presents an opportunity for businesses to pay less VAT by devaluing expensive items to below the €150 threshold. For example, if a business currently sells items to UK consumers for €200 + VAT @ 20%, but decides to devalue his goods to €150 knowing they will not get stopped at customs, there is a potential lost VAT revenue of €10 per item sold. So, under this measure, the VAT gap of lost VAT revenues may actually increase as there is a greater scope for more expensive items to be devalued to around or below the €150. Furthermore, a lot of the Commission’s statement places an emphasis on ‘trust’ and helping ‘trustworthy’ businesses. However, ‘trust’ is a subjective term and it could be argued that these new implementations are not targeting the businesses that are most likely to commit VAT fraud and therefore non-compliance is just as likely to occur. So, how can the European Commission ensure each Member State regulates the new rules to the same strict degree and applies the same principles to ‘trustworthy’ businesses? In order to counter some of these issues outlined above, we believe the Commission could go a step further by introducing measures such as the following: Increasing the pressure on the EU intermediaries (parcel carriers, customs agents, etc.) to make sure their customers are importing correctly: the intermediary is in the EU and can be more easily reprimanded for fraudulent or abusive behaviour of their customers. This could be by way of extension of the fiscal representation schemes currently in operation in a number of EU countries or the introduction of a Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme similar to that being introduced in the UK. Imposing harsher penalties for those caught deliberately abusing the system: this may act as a deterrent for those thinking about acting fraudulently or not complying with the rules. The ultimate deterrent would be barring a business from importing and selling in the EU. A less likely option would be to request from importers, say, a 2-year bond/deposit that is refunded in full at the end of the period, or partially refunded to the trader each quarter after they have filed their One Stop Shop VAT Return. The most obvious measure is to carry out tougher inspections of products and importation paperwork, and encourage better cooperation and coordination between Member States and their governmental agencies. As mentioned above, the EU Commission’s proposal should be welcomed as it does start to address the problems facing EU e-commerce businesses in dealing with the low value consignment exemption. It should also hopefully generate extra tax revenues for EU Member States as well as help improve the competitiveness of EU businesses against non-EU importers. However, there is still some way to go before the problems of VAT fraud, non VAT-compliance and the distortions in competition for EU businesses come close to being completely eradicated.

Pages June 28, 2015 Went to Round 5 of the Dillon’s Cocktail cup at the Home of the Brave. Alex James won people’s choice with his “A Hip Hop, A Rhubarb Delight” while Tyler Newsome won the judges over with his “Cinnamon Toast Punch”. Stay tuned for my recreation of a different cocktail that Alex made for us that night!Also, the buffalo cauliflower at the Home of the Brave is amazing. Probably gonna toss some roasted cauliflower with buffalo sauce tonight and eat with ranch dip. Dinner win!I made gin and tonic popsicles and you should too!Our cilantro has gone out of control and started growing flowers. Apparently this happens when the weather gets too hot. Guess the cilantro is feeling something that I haven’t yet this summer. Made this cake from Sweetapolita except with strawberries for a friend’s birthday. I’ve made it before, so I knew it would be good. Used strawberries and dahlias from our balcony garden to make a simple topper. It was a hit!Definitely going to check out Magic Mike XXL with the girls in the lab. This skit with Channing Tatum from Jimmy Fallon is hilarious. On Friday, a couple of girls and I went to the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies event at The Monarch Tavern. My fave was probably the Belgian IPA from Indie Ale House. Surprise surprise, it was very bitter. Made these strazzate cookies for an Italian afternoon get-together. I loved how complex their flavour was, with a moist inside and a chewy outside. It always amazes me how regional the food in Italy is. Despite there being 4 Italians there, no one had ever heard of these cookies! On any given day, chances are I’m singing this song in my head. And that’s the way the cookie crumbled this week! Have a great Sunday! June 25, 2015 I love popsicles. I can pretty much eat one of those boxes of 30, No Name, orange, purple, and pink popsicles in a couple of days. I have perfected the art of breaking them in half without breaking off the top.

It is known that polymeric materials must be pretreated before chemical and subsequent electrolytic metallizing, for example by etching the polymer surface using chromic acids. The polymer surface is altered during etching in such a way that caverns and vacuoles are formed. This is only possible with certain polymers, for example with 2-phase multi-component graft polymers or copolymers, such as ABS polymers, impact resistant polystyrene or 2-phase homopolymers, such as partially crystalline polypropylene. Moreover, the application of chromic acid or other oxidants is associated with an impairment of the physical properties of the polymeric base material such as notched impact strength and electrical surface resistance. Further, the hexavalent chromium which is drawn into the activation bath and into the metallizing bath causes these baths to be poisoned. The same disadvantages are encountered in processes in which the polymer surface is chemically altered using a strong gaseous oxidant, for example hot SO.sub.3 vapour. The conventional processes for non-electrical metallization of materials usually comprise relatively many process steps and also have the disadvantage that they are limited to substrates which may be chemically or physically roughened due to their physical form or chemical structure. EP-A 0,081,129 further discloses that an activation which produces strongly adhering metallic coatings is achieved by "swelling adhesion nucleation." This elegant process has the disadvantage however that it causes stress cracking in complex shaped polymeric injection mouldings. Further, this process requires a new swelling activation system for each type of plastic and thus is not universally applicable. Finally, US-A 3,560,257 and 4,017,265 and also DE-A 3,627,256 disclose processes for activation, which use activator solutions containing adhesion promoting polymers. The disadvantage of these processes is that they require the use of relatively high concentrations of expensive precious metal activators. An object of the present invention was thus to develop an economic process for chemical metallizing, by which material surfaces based on all commercial plastics can be given a strongly adhering metallic coating deposited by wet chemical methods without previous etching with oxidants. The object can be achieved by coating the substrate surfaces with a primer based on a polymeric organic film former.

"""Unit tests for UTrade CSV importer (using pytest).""" __copyright__ = "Copyright (C) 2018 Martin Blais" __license__ = "GNU GPLv2" import unittest from os import path from beancount.ingest import regression_pytest as regtest from . import utrade_csv # Create an importer instance for running the regression tests. IMPORTER = utrade_csv.Importer( "USD", "Assets:US:UTrade", "Assets:US:UTrade:Cash", "Income:US:UTrade:{}:Dividend", "Income:US:UTrade:{}:Gains", "Expenses:Financial:Fees", "Assets:US:BofA:Checking") @regtest.with_importer(IMPORTER) @regtest.with_testdir(path.dirname(__file__)) class TestImporter(regtest.ImporterTestBase): pass if __name__ == '__main__': unittest.main()

A study of lung function and chest radiographs in men exposed to zirconium compounds. Men working with zirconium compounds at one site in the North of England have been monitored since 1975 to evaluate effects on the lung of exposure (mainly < 10 mg/m3) over many years. Chest radiographs (in 1975, 1978, and 1982) and lung function measurements (from 1975-1988) were carried out on all men (178) known to have worked with the compounds and an estimate of cumulative exposure was computed from job title and likely exposures in each era. No evidence was found that zirconium exposure resulted in abnormal chest radiographs or impaired pulmonary function.

**2 + o + m*w**4 + d*w**3 + c*w and give m. -12 Express ((3*g - 2*g + g)*(-4*g + 4*g - g) + 5 - 5 + g**2)*(6110 + 88*g - 6110) in the form c*g + m*g**3 + r + x*g**2 and give m. -88 Rearrange -161 - 27*o + 161 to y*o + w and give y. -27 Rearrange 2*w + 5*w**4 + w**3 + 3 - 3 to the form j*w**3 + i + h*w**2 + s*w**4 + z*w and give s. 5 Express -2*a - 13*a + a in the form r + v*a and give v. -14 Rearrange -3 + 3 + 63*a - 84*a to o + x*a and give x. -21 Express -46*v + 2*v**4 + v**3 + v**4 + 44*v + 1 - 2*v**4 as y*v + g*v**3 + u*v**4 + h + x*v**2 and give g. 1 Express -31 + 5*j**2 + 8*j**2 - 24*j**2 + 10*j**2 in the form w + g*j**2 + i*j and give g. -1 Express 9*r**4 + 70*r - 141*r + r**4 - 4*r**3 + 73*r + 2 in the form c + a*r**3 + n*r**4 + b*r**2 + o*r and give o. 2 Express (2*j**3 - 2*j**3 + 2*j**3)*(-4*j - j + 0*j + (j + 0*j - 2*j)*(-4 + 4 + 2)) in the form r*j + z*j**2 + b*j**4 + f*j**3 + w and give f. 0 Rearrange 108*z**2 - 109*z**2 + 67*z**2 to the form b + a*z + y*z**2 and give y. 66 Rearrange (1 - 1 + 23*x)*(x + x + 0*x) to g*x**2 + n + o*x and give g. 46 Rearrange -9*c**2 + 6*c**2 - 3 + 9 + 4 to the form d + v*c + n*c**2 and give n. -3 Rearrange 7*i**2 - 9*i**3 + 8*i**3 + 3*i**3 + i + 4*i**2 to the form h*i**2 + v*i + y*i**3 + p and give h. 11 Rearrange 3*h**4 + 2*h**3 - 168 + 81 + 2*h**2 + 85 to q*h**4 + g*h**3 + c*h**2 + r + o*h and give r. -2 Rearrange (m - 2*m - 4*m)*(-3 + 2 - 1) to the form v + f*m and give f. 10 Express (-j + j + 2*j**3)*(-j + 3*j - 3*j) + 3*j - 3*j + 5*j**4 + (0 + 0 + j)*(0 + 2*j**3 + 0) in the form i + k*j**3 + o*j**2 + c*j + m*j**4 and give m. 5 Rearrange -140*d**3 + 0 + 139*d**3 + 19*d**2 + 0 to the form z*d + n + p*d**3 + v*d**2 and give v. 19 Rearrange -2*z**3 + 2*z + 3*z - 8*z to the form a*z**2 + i + p*z**3 + x*z and give p. -2 Rearrange (0*g**2 + 2*g**2 - g**2)*(2 - 3 - 1)*(156*g**2 - 178*g**2 + 104*g**2) to the form a*g + p*g**3 + k + q*g**2 + u*g**4 and give u. -164 Rearrange -23*w**2 + 46*w**2 - 19*w**2 to y*w**2 + a + l*w and give y. 4 Rearrange 5*t**4 - 6*t - 2*t**2 + 2*t**3 - t + 0*t - 2*t**4 to the form a*t**3 + c*t**4 + z*t + f + m*t**2 and give m. -2 Rearrange (3 - 4 + 0)*(3 + 1 - 1)*((7*y - 2*y + y)*(4 - 4 - 2) - 3*y - 2*y + 3*y) to the form t*y + g and give t. 42 Express 52 + 0*m + 11*m - 13*m as v*m + q and give v. -2 Rearrange -6*j + 3*j**3 + 2*j - 2*j**3 to k*j**3 + t*j + d + y*j**2 and give k. 1 Rearrange (-10 - 1 + 1)*(-13*c**2 + 13*c**2 - 7*c**4) to the form l*c + h*c**4 + a*c**2 + y + w*c**3 and give h. 70 Rearrange 16*h + 11*h - 6*h + 1 to the form i + n*h and give n. 21 Rearrange j**3 + 2 + 0*j**4 - 7*j**2 + 11*j**2 + j**4 to f*j**2 + k*j + v + a*j**3 + s*j**4 and give v. 2 Express x**2 - 4*x**2 + 19*x**2 as q + d*x + j*x**2 and give j. 16 Rearrange -2 - b**3 + 2 + (-2*b + 2*b + b**2)*(0 - 2*b + 0) - 2*b**3 - 3*b + 3*b - 205*b**2 + b + 26*b**3 + 205*b**2 to j*b + o*b**3 + h*b**2 + z and give j. 1 Express (-j**2 + 22*j - 22*j + 2)*(6*j**2 - 3*j**2 - 10 + 6) as d*j**3 + m + p*j**4 + k*j + i*j**2 and give i. 10 Express (5*i**2 + 6*i**3 - 5*i**2)*(-9 + 6 + 0) in the form v*i**2 + a + z*i**3 + l*i and give z. -18 Express 2*t + 3 - 2*t + 16*t - 6 in the form w + r*t and give w. -3 Express 15*c + 3 - 1 - 2 in the form y*c + z and give y. 15 Express (-a - a + 0*a)*(7 - 2*a - 7)*(0 - 2 + 0) in the form i + c*a + b*a**2 and give b. -8 Express -16*t**2 - 8*t - 1 + 17*t**2 - 3*t in the form c*t + z + p*t**2 and give z. -1 Rearrange -4*y + 0*y + 5*y + 0*y + y - 2*y - 2 + 2 + 2*y + (3*y + 2*y - 4*y)*(2 - 4 + 3) + 5 - 5 + 5*y to the form i + v*y and give v. 8 Rearrange 22 - 36 + 114*o**3 + 16 to w*o**3 + m*o**2 + j + y*o and give w. 114 Express (6*d**2 - 13*d**2 + 4*d**2)*(1 + 1 - 4 - d**2) as m*d**2 + p*d + c*d**3 + o + y*d**4 and give m. 6 Express -20717*w**3 - 2*w**4 + 3*w**2 + 3*w + 20717*w**3 - 2 in the form b*w**2 + i + s*w + k*w**3 + z*w**4 and give k. 0 Express (-1 + 2*u + 1)*(-u + 2*u + u) + 3 - 2*u**2 - 3 + u**2 - 20*u**2 + u**2 in the form r + p*u + f*u**2 and give f. -16 Rearrange (-3 + 3 + z)*(-6 - 27 - 8)*(-3 + 3 + 2) to the form h + b*z and give b. -82 Rearrange (-3 + 0 + 1)*(-7 + 2 + 3)*(1 + 86*d + 2 - 88*d) to n*d + i and give n. -8 Rearrange -13*u + 24 + 24 - 47 + (2*u - u + 0*u)*(2 + 1 + 0) to the form g + w*u and give w. -10 Rearrange (-2*f - f**3 + 2*f + (-3*f - 3*f + 4*f)*(2*f**2 - 5*f**2 + 2*f**2))*(14 - 1 + 8) to the form d*f + g*f**2 + a + l*f**3 and give l. 21 Rearrange 2*d + d - 2*d + 1 - 1 - 2*d + (-9*d - 6*d + 5*d)*(-4 + 5 - 4) to u*d + g and give u. 29 Rearrange 8*h + 2*h + 0*h - h to p*h + d and give p. 9 Express 14 - 19*d**2 + 1 - 15 as m + g*d**2 + h*d and give g. -19 Express (-1 + 1 - 2)*(-2*j - 3 + 3 + (-10 + 6 - 21)*(-4*j + 4*j + 2*j)) as u*j + r and give u. 104 Rearrange -19 + 54 - u - 23 to p*u + k and give p. -1 Express (w - 2*w - 5*w)*(-2 + 1 - 2) - 2 + 2 - w + (0 + 5 - 3)*(-2*w + 6*w - 2*w) + (7*w - 3*w - 2*w)*(0 + 2 - 3) + 0 - 2*w + 0 in the form f + x*w and give x. 17 Express -8 - 5 + 2 + 33*p - 32*p in the form t*p + z and give t. 1 Rearrange 7 - 7 + 9*h**2 to l*h**2 + j + q*h and give l. 9 Express -6*k**2 + 14 - 14 as g*k + v + w*k**2 and give w. -6 Rearrange (2 - 5 + 4)*(12 - 12 - 4*d)*(-3 - 2 + 11) to the form f + s*d and give s. -24 Rearrange (3 - 4 + 2)*(2*f - 2 + 2)*(-7*f**2 + 5*f**2 - 12 + 3*f**2) to the form x*f + k + l*f**2 + t*f**3 and give t. 2 Express -3*m**2 + m**4 - 8 + m**4 - 4*m**2 + 6 in the form u*m**2 + t*m**3 + f*m + h + c*m**4 and give t. 0 Express ((-2 + 5 - 1)*(-2*o + 6*o - 3*o) - o - 1 + 1)*(-1 - 3 + 3)*(-4*o + 1900*o**2 + o - 1858*o**2) as c*o**3 + d*o + x + z*o**2 and give z. 3 Rearrange -l**4 + l - l + (3*l**3 - l**3 - 4*l**3)*(-4 + 4 + 2*l) - 5*l**4 + 32*l**4 + 19*l**4 to the form q*l + c + p*l**2 + v*l**4 + x*l**3 and give x. 0 Rearrange 9*f**2 - 10*f**2 + 2*f + 2*f**3 - 8*f**3 to the form o*f**3 + i*f + r + x*f**2 and give o. -6 Express -k - 2 + 2 - 4*k as a*k + x and give a. -5 Express (s**3 - 3*s + 3*s)*(-1 + 1 - 2*s) - 9*s**2 + 3*s**2 + 331*s - 332*s - 3*s**4 in the form n*s + j*s**3 + l + y*s**2 + g*s**4 and give y. -6 Rearrange -3*f + 8*f**2 + 4*f + 2*f - f to the form r*f**2 + p*f + s and give p. 2 Rearrange 2*x**2 + x**2 + 2*x**2 + (-x + 3*x - 3*x)*(5*x - 3*x + 5*x) to the form h + q*x + s*x**2 and give s. -2 Express (-4 + 12*r**2 + 4)*(1 + 3 - 3) in the form x*r + n + w*r**2 and give w. 12 Rearrange (8 + 12 - 9)*(-m + m - m)*(0 - 3 + 5)*(-3*m - m**2 + 3*m) to the form l*m + x + a*m**3 + b*m**2 and give l. 0 Rearrange (2 - 2 - 2*k)*(2*k**3 + 0*k + 0*k) - 2*k**2 + k**4 + 3*k**2 - 2*k**4 to the form q*k**2 + j*k**3 + t*k**4 + c*k + d and give q. 1 Express ((6*v - 4*v - v)*(2 + 1 - 5) + (2*v + 0*v - v)*(-2 - 1 + 4) - v + v - 2*v)*(1 - 1 - v**3) as c + f*v**4 + a*v**3 + j*v**2 + h*v and give f. 3 Rearrange (0*f - 2*f + f)*(-12 + 17 + 0) to c + t*f and give c. 0 Rearrange 144 + 148 - 5*n - 301 to the form d*n + g and give g. -9 Express f**2 - 5*f**3 + 0*f**3 + 3*f + 4*f**3 - 2*f**4 in the form s + w*f**4 + u*f**3 + b*f**2 + k*f and give b. 1 Rearrange -6*i + 4 + 5*i + 2*i - 2*i to the form t + d*i and give t. 4 Rearrange 2*z + 2 - 3*z**3 + 0*z**3 - 12*z + 8*z to the form u + m*z**2 + n*z + k*z**3 and give u. 2 Express (-2*b**2 + 5*b**2 - b**2)*(-365 + b + 365 + b**2) in the form s*b**3 + l + r*b + t*b**4 + u*b**2 and give t. 2 Express (-1 + 1 + u**2)*(-u - 14*u - 11*u) - 4*u**3 + 6*u**3 + 0*u**3 + 3*u**3 + u**3 - 2*u**3 in the form h*u**3 + q*u**2 + s + i*u and give h. -22 Express 0*c + c - 4*c + 2*c as w + u*c and give u. -1 Rearrange (-1 + 2 + 0)*(105 - 114 + 2*c**2 - 3*c**2) to the form l*c**2 + t*c + i and give l. -1 Rearrange -9*t - 510 + 510 to p + x*t and give x. -9 Express (-x + 0 + 0)*(-305*x**3 + 610*x**3 - x**2 - 227*x**3) in the form n*x**3 + d*x + g*x**4 + s*x**2 + i and give g. -78 Rearrange (-q**3 + 4*q**3 - 5*q**3)*(-q - q - q) to the form v + g*q**2 + x*q**3 + c*q**4 + f*q and give c. 6 Express (-2 - 2 - 3)*(2*j + 1 - 1) in the form w + o*j and give o. -14 Rearrange 8*o**3 - o**2 - 12*o + o**2 - 6*o**3 to m*o**3 + g*o**2 + i*o + z and give i. -12 Express 17*s**2 - 37*s**2 + 24*s**2 as v + j*s + u*s**2 and give u. 4 Express 9*n + 0*n**2 + 3*n**4 + 69*n**3 - 68*n**3 + n**2 - 2*n**4 in the form g*n**2 + z*n +

Q: discard elements from list recursively r I have a nested list with some NAs, and I want to discard the NAs from the list. purrr::discard does not work recursively: l <- list(a = NA, b = T, c = c(F, F)) purrr::discard(l, is.na) Throws this error: Error: Predicate functions must return a single TRUE or FALSE, not a logical vector of length 2 I would like to end up with the following list in this case: l2 <- list(b = T, c = c(F, F)) (purrr version: 0.3.2) A: is.na(c(T,T,T)) returns c(F,F,F). To use discard, the function needs to return a single value for each list element as the error suggests. This should work. purrr::discard(l,function(x) all(is.na(x))) This will work only if all the elements in an index of the list are NA. To remove all NA elements this should work library(tidyverse) l <- list(a = NA, b = c(T,NA), c = c(F, F)) # Define a list lapply(l,function(x) x[!is.na(x)])%>% # Remove all nested NA's purrr::discard(.,function(x) length(x) == 0) # Remove all empty elements

Rutland, MA Description_Do you have experience with practical home repair issues, general maintenance, and seasonal property maintenance such as landscaping and snow removal?__Are you looking for a new opportunity? Then look no further!_The right person will be part of a team that maintains a safe and homelike environment for clients.Key Words: _maintenance, mechanic, facilities specialist._QualificationsJob Qualifications:+ Previous experience in Maintenance/Repair preferred+ MA License and Vehicle required+ Able to lift 70 lbs required+ Must be available for on-call work+ High School Diploma or equivalent.Company OverviewAbout Devereux Advanced Behavioral HealthDevereux Advanced Behavioral Health is one of the largest and most advanced behavioral healthcare organizations in the country. Informed by the latest advancements in science and medicine, we combine evidence-based interventions with compassionate family engagement to help change lives. We were founded in 1912 by special education pioneer, Helena Devereux. Today, Devereux is a national nonprofit partner for individuals, families, schools and communities, serving many of the most vulnerable members of our society in areas of autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, specialty mental health, and child welfare.Our Mission: Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health changes lives - by unlocking and nurturing human potential for people living with emotional, behavioral or cognitive differences.We employ more than 7,500 staff and operate 15 centers in 13 states. We offer a comprehensive national network of clinical, therapeutic, educational, and employment programs and services that positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of children, adults and their families every year.Our Culture, Our ExpectationsAt Devereux, we strive to incorporate servant leadership into our culture and every aspect of our organizational framework; from the delivery of quality services to individuals served, their families, and other stakeholders to the development and empowerment of our employees. We offer challenging and exciting work, and our supportive team environment creates an empowering and positive atmosphere. To be successful in our work environment, you will put the needs of others first, and will feel called to serve, and called to lead.Competitive Salary and BenefitsIn addition to a competitive salary, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health provides a comprehensive health and welfare program to eligible full-time employees, family members and domestic partners. Our benefit programs include medical (including telemedicine - medical care via phone, web, app), dental, prescription drug, preventative care, mental health services and an employee assistance / work-life balance program. In addition, we offer tuition assistance, generous time-off, a 403(b) retirement plan with matching benefit, and voluntary/employee paid supplemental life and accident coverage.Visit benefits.devereux.org to see why we are a great place to work!The employment policies of Devereux are to recruit and hire qualified employees without discrimination because of race, religion, creed, color, age, sex, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, disability, veteran status, communication ability, gender identity or expression or sexual orientation and to treat them equally with respect to compensation and opportunities for advancement - including upgrading, promotion and transfer - consistent with individual skills and the needs of Devereux.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider applicants for this position without regard to any category protected by applicable federal, state or local law, including but not limited to race, religion, sex, color, age, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, national origin, marital status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or uniform service member status.Devereux is a drug-free workplace, drug screening required. EOERequisition ID _2018-3199_Category _Facilities_Position Type _Full-Time_ The fraudster will send a check to the victim who has accepted a job. The check can be for multiple reasons such as signing bonus, supplies, etc. The victim will be instructed to deposit the check and use the money for any of these reasons and then instructed to send the remaining funds to the fraudster. The check will bounce and the victim is left responsible. We found Medical & Healthcare Jobs and educational opportunities for you. Step 1 of 3: Fill out the form below. First Name: Last Name: Email: Zip: Phone: By clicking 'Continue', I declare that I am a U.S resident over 18, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, I provide my consent and signature to have a representative from Career Advisor contact me regarding career and educational opportunities at the email and phone number provided, including wireless, using automated technology, pre-recorded calls and/or text messages, and my consent is not a condition of purchase. In addition, I agree to receive job alerts and special offers by email from you and your trusted partners. By clicking 'Continue', I consent to be contacted regarding education opportunities at the phone number provided: , using an automated telephone dialing system and/or pre-recorded voice. I may be contacted by Career Advisor. Consent is not required as a condition of using this service.

[Acetylation processes in chronic alcoholics]. The activity of N-acetyltransferase was investigated in chronic alcoholics by the intensity of sulfadimezine acetylation. The activity of the enzyme was shown to vary with the stage of the disease. As compared with control, patients with Stage II disease exhibited the predominance of "rapid" acetylators (60%) whilst a significant fall in the number of "rapid" acetylators (from 60% to 36%) was detected in Stage II disease.

package org.dynmap.bukkit.helper.v116_2; import java.lang.reflect.Field; import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException; import java.lang.reflect.Method; import java.util.ArrayList; import java.util.HashMap; import java.util.IdentityHashMap; import java.util.List; import org.bukkit.Bukkit; import org.bukkit.Chunk; import org.bukkit.ChunkSnapshot; import org.bukkit.Location; import org.bukkit.Server; import org.bukkit.World; import org.bukkit.WorldBorder; import org.bukkit.entity.Player; import org.dynmap.DynmapChunk; import org.dynmap.Log; import org.dynmap.bukkit.helper.BukkitMaterial; import org.dynmap.bukkit.helper.BukkitVersionHelperCB; import org.dynmap.bukkit.helper.BukkitVersionHelperGeneric; import org.dynmap.bukkit.helper.BukkitWorld; import org.dynmap.bukkit.helper.v116_2.MapChunkCache116_2; import org.dynmap.renderer.DynmapBlockState; import org.dynmap.utils.MapChunkCache; import org.dynmap.utils.Polygon; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.BiomeBase; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.BiomeFog; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.Block; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.BlockFluids; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.BlockRotatable; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.IBlockData; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.IRegistry; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.Material; import net.minecraft.server.v1_16_R2.MinecraftServer; /** * Helper for isolation of bukkit version specific issues */ public class BukkitVersionHelperSpigot116_2 extends BukkitVersionHelperGeneric { private Field watercolorfield; public BukkitVersionHelperSpigot116_2() { Class biomefog = getNMSClass("net.minecraft.server.BiomeFog"); watercolorfield = getPrivateField(biomefog, new String[] { "c" }, int.class); } /** * Get block short name list */ @Override public String[] getBlockNames() { int cnt = Block.REGISTRY_ID.a(); String[] names = new String[cnt]; for (int i = 0; i < cnt; i++) { IBlockData bd = Block.getByCombinedId(i); names[i] = IRegistry.BLOCK.getKey(bd.getBlock()).toString(); Log.info(i + ": blk=" + names[i] + ", bd=" + bd.toString()); } return names; } private IRegistry<BiomeBase> reg = null; private IRegistry<BiomeBase> getBiomeReg() { if (reg == null) { reg = MinecraftServer.getServer().aX().b(IRegistry.ay); } return reg; } private Object[] biomelist; /** * Get list of defined biomebase objects */ @Override public Object[] getBiomeBaseList() { if (biomelist == null) { biomelist = new Object[1024]; for (int i = 0; i < 1024; i++) { biomelist[i] = getBiomeReg().fromId(i); } } return biomelist; } /** Get ID from biomebase */ @Override public int getBiomeBaseID(Object bb) { return getBiomeReg().a((BiomeBase)bb); } public static IdentityHashMap<IBlockData, DynmapBlockState> dataToState; /** * Initialize block states (org.dynmap.blockstate.DynmapBlockState) */ @Override public void initializeBlockStates() { dataToState = new IdentityHashMap<IBlockData, DynmapBlockState>(); HashMap<String, DynmapBlockState> lastBlockState = new HashMap<String, DynmapBlockState>(); int cnt = Block.REGISTRY_ID.a(); // Loop through block data states for (int i = 0; i < cnt; i++) { IBlockData bd = Block.getByCombinedId(i); String bname = IRegistry.BLOCK.getKey(bd.getBlock()).toString(); DynmapBlockState lastbs = lastBlockState.get(bname); // See if we have seen this one int idx = 0; if (lastbs != null) { // Yes idx = lastbs.getStateCount(); // Get number of states so far, since this is next } // Build state name String sb = ""; String fname = bd.toString(); int off1 = fname.indexOf('['); if (off1 >= 0) { int off2 = fname.indexOf(']'); sb = fname.substring(off1+1, off2); } Material mat = bd.getMaterial(); DynmapBlockState bs = new DynmapBlockState(lastbs, idx, bname, sb, mat.toString()); if ((!bd.getFluid().isEmpty()) && ((bd.getBlock() instanceof BlockFluids) == false)) { // Test if fluid type for block is not empty bs.setWaterlogged(); } if (mat == Material.AIR) { bs.setAir(); } if (mat == Material.LEAVES) { bs.setLeaves(); } if ((bd.getBlock() instanceof BlockRotatable) && (bd.getMaterial() == Material.WOOD)) { bs.setLog(); } if (mat.isSolid()) { bs.setSolid(); } dataToState.put(bd, bs); lastBlockState.put(bname, (lastbs == null) ? bs : lastbs); Log.verboseinfo(i + ": blk=" + bname + ", idx=" + idx + ", state=" + sb + ", waterlogged=" + bs.isWaterlogged()); } } /** * Create chunk cache for given chunks of given world * @param dw - world * @param chunks - chunk list * @return cache */ @Override public MapChunkCache getChunkCache(BukkitWorld dw, List<DynmapChunk> chunks) { MapChunkCache116_2 c = new MapChunkCache116_2(); c.setChunks(dw, chunks); return c; } /** * Get biome base water multiplier */ @Override public int getBiomeBaseWaterMult(Object bb) { try { return (int) watercolorfield.get(((BiomeBase)bb).l()); } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) { } catch (IllegalAccessException e) { } return 0xFFFFFF; } /** Get temperature from biomebase */ @Override public float getBiomeBaseTemperature(Object bb) { return ((BiomeBase)bb).k(); } /** Get humidity from biomebase */ @Override public float getBiomeBaseHumidity(Object bb) { return ((BiomeBase)bb).getHumidity(); } @Override public Polygon getWorldBorder(World world) { Polygon p = null; WorldBorder wb = world.getWorldBorder(); if (wb != null) { Location c = wb.getCenter(); double size = wb.getSize(); if ((size > 1) && (size < 1E7)) { size = size / 2; p = new Polygon(); p.addVertex(c.getX()-size, c.getZ()-size); p.addVertex(c.getX()+size, c.getZ()-size); p.addVertex(c.getX()+size, c.getZ()+size); p.addVertex(c.getX()-size, c.getZ()+size); } } return p; } // Send title/subtitle to user public void sendTitleText(Player p, String title, String subtitle, int fadeInTicks, int stayTicks, int fadeOutTIcks) { if (p != null) { p.sendTitle(title, subtitle, fadeInTicks, stayTicks, fadeOutTIcks); } } /** * Get material map by block ID */ @Override public BukkitMaterial[] getMaterialList() { return new BukkitMaterial[4096]; // Not used } @Override protected void loadNMS() { // Not needed } @Override protected String getNMSPackage() { Server srv = Bukkit.getServer(); /* Get getHandle() method */ try { Method m = srv.getClass().getMethod("getHandle"); Object scm = m.invoke(srv); /* And use it to get SCM (nms object) */ return scm.getClass().getPackage().getName(); } catch (Exception x) { Log.severe("Error finding net.minecraft.server packages"); return null; } } @Override public void unloadChunkNoSave(World w, Chunk c, int cx, int cz) { Log.severe("unloadChunkNoSave not implemented"); } private String[] biomenames; @Override public String[] getBiomeNames() { if (biomenames == null) { biomenames = new String[1024]; for (int i = 0; i < 1024; i++) { BiomeBase bb = getBiomeReg().fromId(i); if (bb != null) { biomenames[i] = bb.toString(); } } } return biomenames; } @Override public String getStateStringByCombinedId(int blkid, int meta) { Log.severe("getStateStringByCombinedId not implemented"); return null; } @Override /** Get ID string from biomebase */ public String getBiomeBaseIDString(Object bb) { String s = ((BiomeBase)bb).toString(); if (s != null) { String[] ss = s.split("\\."); return ss[ss.length-1]; } return null; } }

Q: Is it possible to print to the Report window in the Info view? I wonder if it is currently possible to print or send messages to the Report window in the Info view? this would be quite useful sometimes. A: We can always use an operator's report method. Running the following operator: class RENDER_OT_test(bpy.types.Operator): bl_idname = 'render.oha_test' bl_label = 'Test' bl_options = {'REGISTER', 'UNDO'} def execute(self, context): self.report({'INFO'}, 'Printing report to Info window.') return {'FINISHED'} prints this in the Info window: The color depends on the type enum: INFO gets green, WARNING light red, and ERROR dark red. I don't see reference to any direct output to Info window, other than this method. A: I needed to display a notification message when running a script in the Text Editor by hitting the 'Run Script' button. None of the above methods worked for this purpose :/ But this worked, even though it's not the preferred way :) That is: import bpy def oops(self, context): self.layout.label("You have done something you shouldn't do!") bpy.context.window_manager.popup_menu(oops, title="Error", icon='ERROR')

Erald Kolasi received his PhD in physics from George Mason University in 2016. People tend to think of capitalism in economic terms. Karl Marx argued that capitalism is a political and economic system that transforms the productivity of human labor into large profits and returns for those who own the means of production.1 Its proponents contend that capitalism is an economic system that promotes free markets and individual liberty.2 And opponents and advocates alike most often measure capitalism’s impact in terms of wealth and income, wages and prices, and supply and demand. However, human economies are complex biophysical systems that interact with the wider natural world, and none can be fully examined apart from their underlying material conditions. By exploring some fundamental concepts in physics, we can develop a better understanding of how all economic systems work, including the ways that the energy-intensive activities of capitalism are changing humanity and the planet. This article will explain how the fundamental features of both our natural and economic existence depend on the principles of thermodynamics, which studies the relationships between quantities such as energy, work, and heat.3 A firm grasp of how capitalism works at a physical level can help us understand why our next economic system should be more ecological, prioritizing long-run stability and compatibility with the global ecosphere that sustains humanity. Such an understanding requires a glance at some central concepts in physics. These include energy, entropy, dissipation, and the various rules of nature that bind them together. The central features of our natural existence, as living organisms and as human beings, emerge from the collective interactions described by these core physical realities. Although these concepts can be difficult to define without reference to specific models and theories, their general features can be outlined and analyzed to reveal the powerful intersection between physics and economics. The exchange of energy between different systems has a decisive influence on the order, phase, and stability of physical matter. Energy can be defined as any conserved physical property that can produce motion, such as work or heat, when exchanged among different systems.4 Kinetic energy and potential energy are two of the most important forms of energy storage. The sum of these two quantities is known as mechanical energy.5 A truck speeding down the highway packs a good amount of kinetic energy—that is, energy associated with motion. A boulder teetering at the edge of a cliff has great potential energy, or energy associated with position. If given a slight push, its potential energy transforms into kinetic energy under the influence of gravity, and off it goes. When physical systems interact, energy is converted into many different forms, but its total quantity always remains constant. The conservation of energy implies that the total output of all energy flows and transformations must equal the total input. Energy flows among different systems represent the engine of the cosmos, and they happen everywhere, so often that we hardly notice them. Heat naturally flows from warmer to colder regions, hence our coffee cools in the morning. Particles move from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas, and so the wind starts to howl. Water travels from regions of high potential energy to regions of low potential energy, making rivers flow. Electric charges journey from regions of high voltage to regions of low voltage, and thus currents are unleashed through conductors. The flow of energy through physical systems is one of the most common features of nature, and as these examples show, energy flows require gradients—differences in temperature, pressure, density, or other factors. Without these gradients, nature would never deliver any net flows, all physical systems would remain in equilibrium, and the world would be inert—and very boring. Energy flows are also important because they can generate mechanical work, which is any macroscopic displacement in response to a force.6 Lifting a weight and kicking a ball are both examples of performing mechanical work on another system. An important result from classical physics equates the quantity of work to the change in the mechanical energy of a physical system, revealing a useful relationship between these two variables.7 Although energy flows can produce work, they rarely do so efficiently. Large macroscopic systems, like trucks or planets, routinely lose or gain mechanical energy through their interactions with the external world. The lead actor in this grand drama is dissipation, defined as any process that partially reduces or entirely eliminates the available mechanical energy of a physical system, converting it into heat or other products.8 As they interact with the external environment, physical systems often lose mechanical energy over time through friction, diffusion, turbulence, vibrations, collisions, and other similar dissipative effects, all of which prevent any energy source from being converted entirely into mechanical work. A simple example of dissipation is the heat produced when we rapidly rub our hands together. In the natural world, macroscopic energy flows are often accompanied by dissipative losses of one kind or another. Physical systems that can dissipate energy are capable of rich and complex interactions, making dissipation a central feature of the natural order. A world without dissipation, and without the interactions that make it possible, is difficult to imagine. If friction suddenly disappeared from the world, people would slip and slide everywhere. Our cars would be useless, as would the very idea of transportation, because wheels and other mechanical devices would lack any traction with the ground and other surfaces. We would never be able to hold hands or rock our babies. Our bodies would rapidly deteriorate and lose their internal structure. The world would be alien and unrecognizable. Dissipation is closely related to entropy, one of the most important concepts in thermodynamics. While energy measures the motion produced by physical systems, entropy tracks the way that energy is distributed in the natural world. Entropy has several standard definitions in physics, all of them essentially equivalent. One popular definition from classical thermodynamics states that entropy is the amount of heat energy per unit of temperature that becomes unavailable for mechanical work during a thermodynamic process.9 Another important definition comes from statistical physics, which looks at how the microscopic parts of nature can join to produce big, macroscopic results. In this statistical version, entropy is a measure of the various ways that the microscopic states of a larger system can be rearranged without changing that system.10 For a concrete example, think of a typical gas and a typical solid at equilibrium. Energy is distributed very differently in these two phases of matter. The gas has a higher entropy than the solid, because the former’s particles have far more possible energy configurations than the fixed atomic sites in solids and crystals, which have only a small range of energy configurations that will preserve their fundamental order.11 We should emphasize that the concept of entropy does not apply to a specific configuration of macroscopic matter, but rather applies as a constraint on the number of possible configurations that a macroscopic system can have at equilibrium. Entropy has a profound connection to dissipation through one of the most important laws of thermodynamics, which states that heat flows can never be fully converted into work.12 Dissipative interactions ensure that physical systems always lose some energy as heat in any natural thermodynamic process, where friction and other similar effects are present. Real-world examples of these thermodynamic losses include emissions from car engines, electric currents encountering resistance, and interacting fluid layers experiencing viscosity. In thermodynamics, these phenomena are often considered irreversible. The continuous production of heat energy from irreversible phenomena gradually depletes the stock of mechanical energy that physical systems can exploit. According to the definition of entropy, depleting useful mechanical energy generally implies that entropy increases. Formally stated, the most important consequence of any irreversible process is to increase the combined entropy of a physical system and its surroundings. For an isolated system, entropy continues to rise until it reaches some maximum value, at which point the system settles into equilibrium. To clarify this last concept, imagine a red gas and a blue gas separated by a partition inside a sealed container. Removing the partition allows the two gases to mix together. The result would be a gas that looks purple, and that equilibrium configuration would represent the state of maximum entropy. We can also relate dissipation to the concept of entropy in statistical physics. The proliferation of heat energy through physical systems changes the motion of their molecules into something more random and dispersed, increasing the number of microstates that can represent the macroscopic properties of the system. In a broad sense, entropy can be seen as the tendency of nature to reconfigure energy states into distributions that dissipate mechanical energy. The traditional description of entropy given above applies in the regime of equilibrium thermodynamics. But in the real world, physical systems rarely exist at fixed temperatures, in perfect states of equilibrium, or in total isolation from the rest of the universe. The field of non-equilibrium thermodynamics examines the properties of thermodynamic systems that operate sufficiently far from equilibrium, such as living organisms or exploding bombs. Non-equilibrium systems are the lifeblood of the universe; they make the world dynamic and unpredictable. Modern thermodynamics remains a work in progress, but it has been used to successfully study a broad spectrum of phenomena, including heat flows, interacting quantum gases, dissipative structures, and even the global climate.13 There is no universally accepted meaning of entropy in non-equilibrium conditions, but physicists have offered several proposals.14 All of them include time when analyzing thermodynamic interactions, allowing us to determine not just whether entropy goes up or down, but also how quickly or slowly physical systems can change on their path to equilibrium. The principles of modern thermodynamics are therefore essential in helping us understand the behavior of real-world systems, including life itself. The central physical objective of all life forms is to avoid thermodynamic equilibrium with the rest of their environment by continuously dissipating energy, as the physicist Erwin Schrödinger suggested in the 1940s, when he used non-equilibrium thermodynamics to study the key features of biology.15 We may call this vital objective the entropic imperative. All living organisms consume energy from an external environment, use it to fuel vital biochemical processes and interactions, and then dissipate most of the energy consumed back to the environment. The dissipation of energy to an external environment allows organisms to conserve the order and stability of their own biochemical systems. The essential functions of life critically depend on this entropic stability, including functions like digestion, respiration, cell division, and protein synthesis. What makes life unique as a physical system is the sheer variety of dissipation methods that it has developed, including the production of heat, the emission of gases, and the expulsion of waste. This sweeping capacity to dissipate energy is what helps life to sustain the entropic imperative. Indeed, physicist Jeremy England has argued that physical systems in a heat bath flooded with large amounts of energy can tend to dissipate more energy.16 This “dissipation-driven adaptation” can lead to the spontaneous emergence of order, replication, and self-assembly among microscopic units of matter, providing a potential clue into the very dynamics of the origin of life. Organisms also use the energy they consume to perform mechanical work by, for example, walking, running, climbing, or typing on a keyboard. Those organisms with access to many energy sources can do more work and dissipate more energy, satisfying the central conditions of life. The thermodynamic relationships among energy, entropy, and dissipation likewise impose powerful constraints on the behavior and evolution of economic systems.17 Economies are dynamical and emergent systems compelled to function in certain ways by their underlying social and ecological conditions. In this context, economies are non-equilibrium systems capable of rapidly dissipating energy to some external environment. All dynamical systems gain strength from some energy reservoir, reach peak intensity by absorbing a regular supply of energy, then unravel from internal and external changes that either disrupt vital energy flows or make it impossible to keep dissipating more energy. They can even experience long-term undulations by growing for some time, then shrinking, then growing again, before finally collapsing. Interactions between dynamical systems can produce highly chaotic results, but energy expansions and contractions are the core features of all dynamical systems. The energy consumed by all economic systems is either converted into mechanical work and the physical products derived from that work, or is simply wasted and dissipated to the environment. We can define the collective efficiency of an economic system as the fraction of all energy consumed that goes into creating mechanical work and electrical energy. Economies that increase the amount of mechanical work they generate can produce more goods and services. But however important it may be, mechanical work represents a relatively small fraction of total energy use in any economy; the vast majority of the energy consumed by all economies is routinely squandered to the environment through waste, dissipation, and other kinds of energy losses. Throughout history, economic growth has depended heavily on people consuming more energy from their natural environments.18 When humans were hunters and foragers, the primary asset that performed mechanical work was the human muscle.19 Our nomadic way of life lasted for some 200,000 years, but underwent significant disruptions after the Ice Age. Over millennia, changing ecological conditions around the world compelled numerous groups to adopt pastoralist and agricultural strategies. Agrarian economies relied heavily on cultivated plants and domesticated animals to help generate surpluses of food and other goods and resources. These agrarian modes of production and consumption dominated human societies for almost ten thousand years, but were eventually replaced by a new economic system. Capitalism emerged and spread through colonial expansion, waves of industrialization, the proliferation of epidemic diseases, genocidal campaigns against indigenous populations, and the discovery of new energy sources. The global economy has since become an interconnected system of finance, computers, factories, vehicles, machines, and much more. Creating and sustaining this system required a major upward transition in the rate of energy throughput from our natural environments. In our nomadic days, the daily rate of per capita energy consumption was around 5,000 kilocalories.20 By 1850, per capita consumption had risen to roughly 80,000 kilocalories per day, and has since ballooned to about 250,000 kilocalories today.21 From a physics perspective, the fundamental feature of all capitalist economies is an excessive rate of energy consumption focused on boosting economic growth and material surpluses. The collective deployment of capital assets can generate incredible levels of mechanical work, allowing people to produce more, travel great distances, and lift heavy objects, among other tasks. Capitalism is far more energy-intensive than any previous economic system, and it has wrought unprecedented ecological consequences that may threaten its very existence. It remains uncertain how long humanity can sustain capitalism’s energy-intensive activities, but there is no doubt that the fantasy of endless growth and easy profits cannot continue. All dynamical systems must eventually come to an end. Over the last two centuries, inefficient capitalist economies have unloaded large amounts of energy losses to their natural environments in the forms of waste, chemicals, pollutants, and greenhouse gases. The aggregate effect of all this waste and dissipation has been fundamentally to alter critical energy flows throughout the ecosphere, triggering a major social and ecological crisis in the natural world. This socioecological crisis is still in its early phases, but has already spawned calamities like deforestation, global warming, ocean acidification, and substantial losses in biodiversity.22 Barring revolutionary changes to our socioeconomic system, this crisis will only continue and intensify. As this occurs, accumulating problems in the natural world will threaten the long-term viability of global civilization. The products we dissipate to the environment may be useless to us, but they often serve as energy reservoirs for other dynamical systems. Energy losses often have an amplifier effect on human civilization, meaning their true costs are far greater than may be visible or superficially understood. Consider the unsanitary conditions in cities throughout much of human history. Cities in pre-modern economies were typically filthy, with trash and waste overwhelming many public spaces. Yet these energy losses were a critical source of food and nourishment for a wide variety of other living organisms, especially insects and other small animals that could survive in the midst of human civilization. When these creatures became hosts to deadly diseases, human waste helped to concentrate their numbers in precisely the worst places: high-density areas like cities. As a consequence, epidemic diseases usually generated far larger death tolls than they would have otherwise, with the unimaginable carnage of the Black Death as a primary example.23 Today we face our own versions of this ancient problem, but on a much bigger scale. There are several kinds of gases in the atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases, able to absorb outgoing heat radiation.24 When these gases in the atmosphere trap and emit radiation back to the surface of the planet, large numbers of photons excite the electrons, atoms, and molecules on the surface to higher energy states, in a process called the greenhouse effect. These additional excitations and fluctuations at the microscopic level collectively represent the warmth we experience at the macroscopic level. The greenhouse effect is critical because it makes the Earth warm enough to be habitable.25 Over the last two centuries, however, wealthy and industrialized nations have been reinforcing this natural process by pumping vast amounts of new greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, in turn causing more global warming. This artificial reinforcement of the greenhouse effect has already had profound consequences for our species and others. Thermal excitations from an amplified greenhouse effect often act as a powerful energy reservoir for other dynamical systems and natural phenomena, including storms, floods, droughts, cyclones, wildfires, insects, viruses, bacteria, and algae blooms.26 A warming planet could also reinforce positive feedback mechanisms in the climate capable of inducing even more warming, beyond that already caused by our greenhouse gas emissions. These mechanisms, such as melting sea ice and thawing permafrost, would allow the planet to absorb more solar energy while naturally emitting vast quantities of greenhouse gases.27 The resulting chaos would render any human attempts to mitigate global warming futile. This is precisely what should worry us: the chaos we are unleashing on the planet through the capitalist system will find a way to produce a new kind of order, one that threatens human civilization itself. As capitalism expands, the ecological crisis will worsen. The intensifying dynamical systems of nature will increasingly interact with our civilizations and could severely disrupt the vital energy flows that support social reproduction and economic activities. Regions with high population densities subject to recurring natural disasters are especially vulnerable. Cyclone Bhola killed about 500,000 people when it struck East Pakistan in 1970, triggering a series of massive riots and protests that culminated in a civil war and contributed to the establishment of a new country, Bangladesh.28 Numerous studies have concluded that the worst drought to strike Syria in almost a thousand years was partly responsible for the social and political tensions that culminated in the current civil war.29 The climate is a resilient dynamical system capable of assimilating many different physical changes, but this resilience has its limits, and humanity will be in deep trouble if it keeps trying to transgress them. These arguments highlight one of the deepest flaws in modern economic theory: it lacks a scientific foundation. Orthodox economic philosophies, from monetarism to the neoclassical synthesis, focus on describing the transient financial features of capitalism, mistaking these for immutable and universal laws of nature. Capitalist economics has largely been transformed into a metaphysical philosophy whose goal is not to provide a scientific foundation for economics, but to produce sophisticated propaganda designed to protect the wealth and power of a global elite. Any scientific explanation of economics must begin with the realization that energy flows and ecological conditions—not any “invisible hand” of the market—dictate the long-term macroscopic parameters of all economies. Important contributions along these lines have come from the field of ecological economics, especially in seminal works by the economists Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen and Herman Daly, but also from the systems ecologist Howard Odum.30 Marx himself incorporated ecological concerns into his economic and political thought.31 The contributions of these and other thinkers revealed that the economic features of the world are emergent properties shaped by underlying physical realities and ecological conditions, making an understanding of these conditions critical to any basic understanding of economics. Ecological thought differs from the orthodox schools of economics in fundamental ways. Most importantly, ecological theory contends that we can no longer treat waste and dissipative losses as “externalities” and “costs of doing business,” given how important these energy losses can be in shaping the dynamical evolution of economic systems. What mainstream economists call “externalities” include the physical products we dump into the environment—everything from pollutants and plastic trash to toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases. The consequences of extreme energy losses can have a profound effect on the future evolution of dynamical systems. As scientists continually stress, the energy losses from our modern economies are so large and intense that they are starting to fundamentally alter the energy flows of the entire ecosphere, from the reinforcement of the greenhouse effect to the changing chemistry of the oceans. Some of these new concentrations of energy then act as reservoirs that power the formation and operation of other dynamical systems, which often disrupt the normal activities of civilization. Hence the fundamental reason our economic actions cannot be decoupled from the natural world: if the effects associated with our energy losses become powerful enough to destroy the normal functions of our civilizations, then no number of ingenious economic policies will save us from the wrath of nature. Most people in power today believe we can carefully manage capitalism and prevent the worst effects of the ecological crisis. A popular strain of technological optimism holds that innovation can solve the fundamental ecological problems that humanity faces. Several different solutions have been proposed to fix our ecological woes, from the adoption of renewable energy sources to more outlandish programs like carbon storage and sequestration. All these ideas share the presumption that capitalism itself does not have to change, because technological solutions will always be available to deliver more economic growth and a healthier environment. From Beijing to Silicon Valley, technocapitalists are fond of arguing that capitalism can keep humming along through gains in energy efficiency.32 The ultimate reason why this strategy will fail over the long run is that nature imposes absolute physical limits on efficiency that no extent of technological progress can overcome. The recent breakdown in Moore’s Law because of quantum effects is a notable example.33 Another is the efficiency barrier that the Carnot cycle poses for all practical heat engines.34 But our most pressing concerns have to do with the underlying relationships between technological innovation and economic growth. Faith in technological solutions helps to foster further technological innovation and economic growth, increasing the overall demands placed on the biophysical world and the dissipation associated with the capitalist system. We can examine these relationships by first looking at how people and economic systems respond to efficiency gains. For a sense of whether capitalism can deliver major improvements in efficiency, we need to develop a general theory that explains how the collective efficiency of our economic systems changes over time. When fuel efficiency improves, we often drive longer distances. When electricity becomes cheaper, we often power more appliances. Even those who proudly save energy at home through recycling, composting, and other activities are more than happy to jump on an airplane and fly halfway around the world for a vacation. People often take savings in one area and exchange them for expenses in another. What we end up doing with efficiency gains can sometimes be just as important as the gains themselves. In ecological studies, this phenomenon is generally known as the Jevons Paradox, which reveals that the intended effects of efficiency improvements do not always materialize.35 First formulated in the mid-nineteenth century by the British economist William Stanley Jevons, the paradox states that increases in energy efficiency are generally used to expand accumulation and production, leading to greater consumption of the very resources that the efficiency improvements were supposed to conserve. Boosting efficiency leads to cheaper goods and services, which encourages more demand and more spending, leading to the consumption of more energy.36 Jevons first described this effect in the context of coal power and steam engines. He observed that efficiency improvements in steam engines had encouraged more consumption of coal in Britain, implying that increased energy efficiency did not actually yield energy savings. Variations of this paradox are known in economics as the rebound effect. Most economists accept that some versions of the effect are real, but disagree over the size and the scope of the problem. Some believe rebound effects are irrelevant, arguing that efficiency improvements do encourage lower levels of energy consumption in the long run.37 In a comprehensive review of the literature on the subject, the UK Energy Research Centre determined that the most extreme versions of the rebound effect probably no longer apply to developed economies. However, they also argued that large rebound effects across our economies can still occur. They reached the following conclusion: “it would be wrong to assume that…rebound effects are so small that they can be disregarded. Under some circumstances (e.g. energy efficient technologies that significantly improve the productivity of energy intensive industries) economy-wide rebound effects may exceed 50% and could potentially increase energy consumption in the long-term.”38 The fact that significant economy-wide rebound effects are possible should give us pause about the utility of efficiency strategies in combating the ecological crisis and climate change. In fact, this entire argument obscures a more important uncertainty: the problem of whether efficiency improvements can come fast enough to alleviate the worst consequences of the ecological crisis, which are still ahead of us. Given the mechanics and incentives of capitalism, we should beware the current infatuation with efficiency optimism. To clarify these arguments, we need a theory that explains the role of efficiency in the wider context of technological progress. The rebound effect and the Jevons Paradox focus on understanding how people and economic systems behave in response to efficiency gains. More fundamental, however, is the task of understanding the general evolution of collective efficiencies over long periods of time. The dominant theme of technological innovation throughout history has been the effort to shift the burden of energy use from human muscles to other physical and biological systems, such as animals, machines, and computers. Consider cars, bicycles, airplanes, microwaves, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, and virtually all the “wonders” of modern life: their central goal is to exploit energy and perform tasks that would normally require the exertion of human muscles. Robots and artificial intelligence have recently become all the rage, ready to swoop in and perform menial tasks that we have no desire to do. The expansion in mechanical output facilitated by technological progress typically leads to more energy-intensive societies where those who control the means of production can generate greater surpluses and profits. Technological innovation under capitalism in particular has boosted the collective amount of mechanical work that economies can generate, and has also ballooned the rate of energy consumption from our natural environments. But it has not fundamentally changed collective efficiencies, implying that higher rates of economic growth have usually been accompanied by larger energy losses. Economic systems typically use new sources of energy to expand production, consumption, and accumulation, not to fundamentally improve efficiency. From the cultivation of plants and the domestication of animals to the burning of fossil fuels and the invention of electricity, the mastery and discovery of new energy sources has generally produced more energy-intensive societies. Although any economic system may make efficiency gains, these are incidental and secondary to the wider goal of accumulation. The overall efficiency of an economic system is highly inertial, changing at a glacial pace. We see this very process playing out now with greenhouse gas emissions, although the ecological crisis extends far beyond this problem. Political and business leaders have hoped for years that technological progress will somehow deliver both higher rates of economic growth and a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Things have not gone according to plan. The year 2017 saw a substantial global rise in harmful emissions, defying even the modest goals of the Paris Agreement.39 Even before that, the United Nations had warned of an “unacceptable” gap between government pledges and the emission reductions needed to prevent some of the worst consequences from climate change.40 The challenges of boosting efficiency are more apparent when we view capitalism on a global scale: although many developed nations have made modest but measurable improvements in their collective efficiencies, these gains have been undercut by developing economies still in the process of industrialization.41 Evidently, substantial changes in the collective efficiency of any economic system rarely materialize in short periods of time. Technological growth under the regime of capitalism will deliver some additional progress on efficiency, but certainly not enough to prevent the worst consequences of the ecological crisis. One of the best ways to understand the inertia of collective efficiencies is to compare energy efficiencies under capitalism with those of humanity’s nomadic days, more than ten thousand years ago. Recall that human muscles performed most of the work in nomadic societies, and the efficiency of our muscles is roughly 20 percent, perhaps much more under special circumstances.42 For comparison, most gasoline-powered combustion engines have an efficiency of roughly 15 percent, coal-fired power plants come in at a global average of about 30 percent, and the vast majority of commercial photovoltaics are somewhere around 15 to 20 percent.43 All these figures vary depending on a wide array of physical conditions, but when it comes to efficiency, we can safely conclude that the dominant assets of capitalism hardly do better than human muscles, even after three centuries of rapid technological progress. Cost and convenience are the main reasons why technological innovation works this way, emphasizing mechanical output and the scale of production at the expense of efficiency. Large gains in efficiency are extremely difficult to achieve, in both physical and economic terms. From time to time, a James Watt or an Elon Musk comes along with an amazing invention, but such products do not represent the entire economy. The Watt steam engine was a major improvement over previous models, but its thermal efficiency was only 5 percent at best.44 And although Musk’s Tesla motors have a phenomenal operating efficiency, the electricity needed to run them often comes from much more inefficient sources, such as coal-fired power plants. If you drive a Tesla in Ohio or West Virginia, the dirty sources of energy powering it mean that your amazing technological product produces roughly the same carbon emissions as a Honda Accord.45 The collective efficiency of capitalist economies remains relatively low because these economies are interested in growing their profits and production levels, not in making the enormous investments needed for significant improvements in efficiency. In November 2017, a group of 15,000 scientists from more than 180 nations signed a letter sounding the alarm on the ecological crisis and what awaits us in the future.46 Their prognosis was grim, and their proposals—intentionally or not—amounted to a wholesale repudiation of modern capitalism. Among their many useful recommendations was a call for “revising our economy to reduce wealth inequality and ensure that prices, taxation, and incentive systems take into account the real costs which consumption patterns impose on our environments.” Our fundamental problem is easy to state: modern civilization uses far too much energy. And the solution to this problem is equally easy to state, but very difficult to implement: humanity must reduce the rate of energy consumption that has prevailed in modern times. The best way to drive down that rate is not through messianic delusions of technological progress, but rather by breaking the structures and incentives of capitalism, with their drive for profits and production, and establishing a new economic system that prioritizes a compatible future with our natural world. Governments and popular movements around the world should develop and implement radical measures that will help to move humanity from capitalism toward ecologism. These measures should include punitive taxes and caps on extreme wealth, the partial nationalization of energy-intensive industries, the vast redistribution of economic goods and resources to poor and oppressed peoples, periodic restrictions on the use of capital assets and technological systems, large public investments in more efficient renewable energy technologies, sharp reductions in work hours, and perhaps even the adoption of mass veganism among industrialized nations that no longer rely on animals for food production. The economic priorities of the ecological project should focus on improving our existing quality of life, not on trying to generate high levels of economic growth to boost capitalist profits. If human civilization is to survive for thousands of years, and not just a few more centuries, then we must drastically scale back our economic ambitions and focus instead on improving the quality of life in our communities, including our community with nature. Rather than trying to dominate the natural world, we should change course and coexist with it. Notes

Changes in ventilatory adaptations associated with long-term intermittent hypoxia across the age spectrum in the rat. Intermittent hypoxia (IH) induces alterations in respiratory control that reflect various types of ventilatory plasticity. In freely behaving rats, acute exposure to IH elicits enhancements in normoxic minute ventilation (VE), termed ventilatory long-term facilitation. Exposure to longer time periods of IH induces unique ventilatory adaptations to intermittent hypoxia (VAIH). We hypothesized that long-term IH-induced ventilatory plasticity may be developmentally regulated and thus, IH exposures at progressively later post-natal ages may elicit differential effects on the magnitude of VAIH. To examine this issue, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 30 continuous days of IH beginning at post-natal ages 1, 10, 30, 60, 180, 360, and 540 days. Control animals were exposed to normoxic conditions with room air. Normoxic VE was significantly higher in IH-exposed rats (p < 0.01) except for the group in which IH was initiated at post-natal age 540 days (p = NS). The magnitude of VAIH was greatest in rats exposed in the immediate post-natal period and gradually diminished with advancing post-natal age. Enhanced normoxic VE was due to significant contributions from both frequency (p < 0.01) and tidal volume (p < 0.01), and could not be accounted for by changes in metabolic rate. We conclude that the magnitude of IH-induced ventilatory plasticity is age-dependent with progressive declines becoming apparent with advancing post-natal age.

Rakudo, a popular Perl 6 compiler, is built on top of a smaller compiler called "NQP", short for Not Quite Perl. Reading through a recent ramble by chromatic, I felt like he said "Rakudo needs NQP to be able to ditch Parrot, once NQP runs on a different platform" (NQP is the "another layer", which sits between Rakudo and Parrot, mentioned in the next-to-final paragraph). I'm sure chromatic knows that VM independence is the least important reason for having NQP at all, but the casual reader might not, so let me explain the real importance of NQP for Rakudo here. The short version is just a single word: bootstrapping. The longer version is that large parts of Rakudo are written in Perl 6 itself (or a subset thereof), and something is needed to break the circularity. In particular the base of the compiler is written in a subset of Perl 6, and NQP compiles those parts to bytecode, which can then compile the rest of the compiler. This is not just because we have a fancy for Perl 6, and thus want to write as much of the code in Perl 6, but there are solid technical reasons for writing the compiler in Perl 6. In Perl 6, the boundary between run time and compile time is blurred, as well as the boundary between the compiler, the run time library and user-space code. For example you alter the grammar with which your source code is parsed, by injecting your own grammar rules. "Your own grammar rules" above refers to user-space code, while the grammar that is being altered is part of the compiler. If we had written the compiler in something else than Perl 6 (for example Java), it would be horribly difficult to inject user-space Perl 6 code into compiled code from a different language. And the code not only needs to be injected, but the data passed back and forth between the compiler and the user space need to be Perl 6 objects, so all important data structures in the compiler need to be Perl 6 based anyway. And it's not just for grammar modifications: At its heart, Perl 6 is an object oriented language. When the compiler sees a class definition, it translates them to a series of method calls on the metaobject, which again needs to be a Perl 6 object, otherwise it wouldn't be easily usable and extensible from the user space. Now you might think that grammar modifications and changes to the Metaobject are pretty obscure features, and you could get along just fine with an incomplete Perl 6 compiler that neglected those two areas. But even then you'd have lots of interactions between run time and compile time. For example consider a numeric literal like 42 . Obviously that needs to be constructed of type Int . What's less obvious is that it needs to be constructed to be of type Int at compile time already, because Perl 6 code can run interleaved with the compilation. So the compiler needs to be able to handle Perl 6 objects in all their generality, which is a huge pain if the compiler is not written in Perl 6. Rakudo has cheated on that front in the past, and consequently has had lots of bugs and limitations due to non-Perl 6 objects leaking out at unexpected ends. If you ever got a "Null PMC Access" from Rakudo, you know what I mean. The lesson we learned was that you need a Perl 6 compiler to implement a Perl 6 compiler, even if that first Perl 6 compiler can handle only a rather limited subset of Perl 6. And there are also quite some benefits to this approach. For example NQP's new regex engine is implemented as a role in NQP. It is mixed into an NQP class which allows us to build Rakudo, but it is also mixed in a Perl 6 class, which allows the generation of Perl 6-level Match objects without any need to create NQP-level match objects first, and then wrap them in Perl 6 Match objects. That's what NQP does for us. It allows us to actually write a Perl 6 compiler.

import { Future } from './Future' import { curry2 } from '@typed/functions' /** * Returns a `Future` that is the result of calling `f` with the resolved * value of another future. Similar to `Promise.then`. * @name chain<A, B, C>(f: (value: B) => Future<A, C>, future: Future<A, B>): Future<A C> */ export const chain: FutureChain = curry2(__chain) function __chain<A, B, C>(f: (value: B) => Future<A, C>, future: Future<A, B>): Future<A, C> { return Future.create((reject, resolve) => future.fork(reject, value => f(value).fork(reject, resolve)) ) } export type FutureChain = { <A, B, C>(f: (value: B) => Future<A, C>, future: Future<A, B>): Future<A, C> <A, B, C>(f: (value: B) => Future<A, C>): (future: Future<A, B>) => Future<A, C> }

/* * Copyright 2016 Red Hat, Inc. and/or its affiliates * and other contributors as indicated by the @author tags. * * 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 org.keycloak.testsuite.exportimport; import org.jboss.arquillian.container.spi.client.container.LifecycleException; import org.junit.After; import org.junit.Test; import org.keycloak.admin.client.resource.RealmResource; import org.keycloak.authentication.requiredactions.WebAuthnRegisterFactory; import org.keycloak.exportimport.ExportImportConfig; import org.keycloak.exportimport.dir.DirExportProvider; import org.keycloak.exportimport.dir.DirExportProviderFactory; import org.keycloak.exportimport.singlefile.SingleFileExportProviderFactory; import org.keycloak.models.UserModel; import org.keycloak.representations.idm.ComponentRepresentation; import org.keycloak.representations.idm.KeysMetadataRepresentation; import org.keycloak.representations.idm.RealmEventsConfigRepresentation; import org.keycloak.representations.idm.RealmRepresentation; import org.keycloak.representations.idm.RequiredActionProviderRepresentation; import org.keycloak.representations.idm.UserRepresentation; import org.keycloak.testsuite.AbstractKeycloakTest; import org.keycloak.testsuite.Assert; import org.keycloak.testsuite.arquillian.annotation.AuthServerContainerExclude; import org.keycloak.testsuite.runonserver.RunHelpers; import org.keycloak.testsuite.util.UserBuilder; import java.io.File; import java.net.URL; import java.util.Arrays; import java.util.HashMap; import java.util.HashSet; import java.util.List; import java.util.Map; import java.util.Properties; import java.util.Set; import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo; import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is; import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals; import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat; import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue; import static org.keycloak.testsuite.admin.AbstractAdminTest.loadJson; import org.keycloak.testsuite.arquillian.annotation.AuthServerContainerExclude.AuthServer; /** * * * @author <a href="mailto:mposolda@redhat.com">Marek Posolda</a> * @author Stan Silvert ssilvert@redhat.com (C) 2016 Red Hat Inc. */ @AuthServerContainerExclude(AuthServer.REMOTE) public class ExportImportTest extends AbstractKeycloakTest { @Override public void addTestRealms(List<RealmRepresentation> testRealms) { RealmRepresentation testRealm1 = loadJson(getClass().getResourceAsStream("/testrealm.json"), RealmRepresentation.class); testRealm1.getUsers().add(makeUser("user1")); testRealm1.getUsers().add(makeUser("user2")); testRealm1.getUsers().add(makeUser("user3")); testRealm1.getUsers().add( UserBuilder.create() .username("user-requiredOTP") .email("User-requiredOTP" + "@test.com") .password("password") .requiredAction(UserModel.RequiredAction.CONFIGURE_TOTP.name()) .build() ); testRealm1.getUsers().add( UserBuilder.create() .username("user-requiredWebAuthn") .email("User-requiredWebAuthn" + "@test.com") .password("password") .requiredAction(WebAuthnRegisterFactory.PROVIDER_ID) .build() ); testRealm1.getSmtpServer().put("password", "secret"); setEventsConfig(testRealm1); testRealms.add(testRealm1); RealmRepresentation testRealm2 = loadJson(getClass().getResourceAsStream("/model/testrealm.json"), RealmRepresentation.class); testRealm2.setId("test-realm"); testRealms.add(testRealm2); } @Override protected boolean isImportAfterEachMethod() { return true; } @Override public void beforeAbstractKeycloakTestRealmImport() { removeAllRealmsDespiteMaster(); } private void setEventsConfig(RealmRepresentation realm) { realm.setEventsEnabled(true); realm.setAdminEventsEnabled(true); realm.setAdminEventsDetailsEnabled(true); realm.setEventsExpiration(600); realm.setEnabledEventTypes(Arrays.asList("REGISTER", "REGISTER_ERROR", "LOGIN", "LOGIN_ERROR", "LOGOUT_ERROR")); } private void checkEventsConfig(RealmEventsConfigRepresentation config) { Assert.assertTrue(config.isEventsEnabled()); Assert.assertTrue(config.isAdminEventsEnabled()); Assert.assertTrue(config.isAdminEventsDetailsEnabled()); Assert.assertEquals((Long) 600L, config.getEventsExpiration()); Assert.assertNames(new HashSet(config.getEnabledEventTypes()),"REGISTER", "REGISTER_ERROR", "LOGIN", "LOGIN_ERROR", "LOGOUT_ERROR"); } private UserRepresentation makeUser(String userName) { return UserBuilder.create() .username(userName) .email(userName + "@test.com") .password("password") .build(); } @After public void clearExportImportProps() throws LifecycleException { clearExportImportProperties(); } @Test public void testDirFullExportImport() throws Throwable { testingClient.testing().exportImport().setProvider(DirExportProviderFactory.PROVIDER_ID); String targetDirPath = testingClient.testing().exportImport().getExportImportTestDirectory()+ File.separator + "dirExport"; DirExportProvider.recursiveDeleteDir(new File(targetDirPath)); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setDir(targetDirPath); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setUsersPerFile(ExportImportConfig.DEFAULT_USERS_PER_FILE); testFullExportImport(); RealmResource testRealmRealm = adminClient.realm("test-realm"); ExportImportUtil.assertDataImportedInRealm(adminClient, testingClient, testRealmRealm.toRepresentation()); // There should be 6 files in target directory (3 realm, 3 user) assertEquals(6, new File(targetDirPath).listFiles().length); } @Test public void testDirRealmExportImport() throws Throwable { testingClient.testing() .exportImport() .setProvider(DirExportProviderFactory.PROVIDER_ID); String targetDirPath = testingClient.testing().exportImport().getExportImportTestDirectory() + File.separator + "dirRealmExport"; DirExportProvider.recursiveDeleteDir(new File(targetDirPath)); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setDir(targetDirPath); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setUsersPerFile(5); testRealmExportImport(); RealmResource testRealmRealm = adminClient.realm("test-realm"); ExportImportUtil.assertDataImportedInRealm(adminClient, testingClient, testRealmRealm.toRepresentation()); // There should be 4 files in target directory (1 realm, 12 users, 5 users per file) // (+ additional user service-account-test-app-authz that should not be there ???) File[] files = new File(targetDirPath).listFiles(); assertEquals(4, files.length); } @Test public void testSingleFileFullExportImport() throws Throwable { testingClient.testing().exportImport().setProvider(SingleFileExportProviderFactory.PROVIDER_ID); String targetFilePath = testingClient.testing().exportImport().getExportImportTestDirectory() + File.separator + "singleFile-full.json"; testingClient.testing().exportImport().setFile(targetFilePath); testFullExportImport(); } @Test public void testSingleFileRealmExportImport() throws Throwable { testingClient.testing().exportImport().setProvider(SingleFileExportProviderFactory.PROVIDER_ID); String targetFilePath = testingClient.testing().exportImport().getExportImportTestDirectory() + File.separator + "singleFile-realm.json"; testingClient.testing().exportImport().setFile(targetFilePath); testRealmExportImport(); } @Test public void testSingleFileRealmWithoutBuiltinsImport() throws Throwable { // Remove test realm removeRealm("test-realm"); // Set the realm, which doesn't have builtin clients/roles inside JSON testingClient.testing().exportImport().setProvider(SingleFileExportProviderFactory.PROVIDER_ID); URL url = ExportImportTest.class.getResource("/model/testrealm.json"); String targetFilePath = new File(url.getFile()).getAbsolutePath(); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setFile(targetFilePath); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setAction(ExportImportConfig.ACTION_IMPORT); testingClient.testing().exportImport().runImport(); RealmResource testRealmRealm = adminClient.realm("test-realm"); ExportImportUtil.assertDataImportedInRealm(adminClient, testingClient, testRealmRealm.toRepresentation()); } @Test public void testImportFromPartialExport() { // import a realm with clients without roles importRealmFromFile("/import/partial-import.json"); Assert.assertTrue("Imported realm hasn't been found!", isRealmPresent("partial-import")); addTestRealmToTestRealmReps("partial-import"); // import a realm with clients without roles importRealmFromFile("/import/import-without-roles.json"); Assert.assertTrue("Imported realm hasn't been found!", isRealmPresent("import-without-roles")); addTestRealmToTestRealmReps("import-without-roles"); // import a realm with roles without clients importRealmFromFile("/import/import-without-clients.json"); Assert.assertTrue("Imported realm hasn't been found!", isRealmPresent("import-without-clients")); addTestRealmToTestRealmReps("import-without-clients"); } private boolean isRealmPresent(String realmId) { return adminClient.realms().findAll().stream().filter(realm -> realmId.equals(realm.getId())).findFirst().isPresent(); } /* * non-JavaDoc * * Adds a testTealm to TestContext.testRealmReps (which are after testClass removed) * * It prevents from affecting other tests. (auth-server-undertow) * */ private void addTestRealmToTestRealmReps(String realm) { testContext.addTestRealmToTestRealmReps(adminClient.realms().realm(realm).toRepresentation()); } private void testFullExportImport() throws LifecycleException { testingClient.testing().exportImport().setAction(ExportImportConfig.ACTION_EXPORT); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setRealmName(""); testingClient.testing().exportImport().runExport(); removeRealm("test"); removeRealm("test-realm"); Assert.assertNames(adminClient.realms().findAll(), "master"); Map<String, RequiredActionProviderRepresentation> requiredActionsBeforeImport = new HashMap<>(); adminClient.realm("master").flows().getRequiredActions().stream() .forEach(action -> { requiredActionsBeforeImport.put(action.getAlias(), action); }); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "test-user@localhost", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user1", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user2", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user3", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredOTP", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredWebAuthn", "password"); // Configure import testingClient.testing().exportImport().setAction(ExportImportConfig.ACTION_IMPORT); testingClient.testing().exportImport().runImport(); // Ensure data are imported back Assert.assertNames(adminClient.realms().findAll(), "master", "test", "test-realm"); assertAuthenticated("test", "test-user@localhost", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user1", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user2", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user3", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredOTP", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredWebAuthn", "password"); RealmResource testRealmRealm = adminClient.realm("test"); assertTrue(testRealmRealm.users().search("user-requiredOTP").get(0) .getRequiredActions().get(0).equals(UserModel.RequiredAction.CONFIGURE_TOTP.name())); assertTrue(testRealmRealm.users().search("user-requiredWebAuthn").get(0) .getRequiredActions().get(0).equals(WebAuthnRegisterFactory.PROVIDER_ID)); // KEYCLOAK-6050 Check SMTP password is exported/imported assertEquals("secret", testingClient.server("test").fetch(RunHelpers.internalRealm()).getSmtpServer().get("password")); // KEYCLOAK-8176 Check required actions are exported/imported properly List<RequiredActionProviderRepresentation> requiredActionsAfterImport = adminClient.realm("master").flows().getRequiredActions(); assertThat(requiredActionsAfterImport.size(), is(equalTo(requiredActionsBeforeImport.size()))); requiredActionsAfterImport.stream() .forEach((action) -> { RequiredActionProviderRepresentation beforeImportAction = requiredActionsBeforeImport.get(action.getAlias()); assertThat(action.getName(), is(equalTo(beforeImportAction.getName()))); assertThat(action.getProviderId(), is(equalTo(beforeImportAction.getProviderId()))); assertThat(action.getPriority(), is(equalTo(beforeImportAction.getPriority()))); }); } private void testRealmExportImport() throws LifecycleException { testingClient.testing().exportImport().setAction(ExportImportConfig.ACTION_EXPORT); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setRealmName("test"); testingClient.testing().exportImport().runExport(); List<ComponentRepresentation> components = adminClient.realm("test").components().query(); KeysMetadataRepresentation keyMetadata = adminClient.realm("test").keys().getKeyMetadata(); String sampleRealmRoleId = adminClient.realm("test").roles().get("sample-realm-role").toRepresentation().getId(); Map<String, List<String>> roleAttributes = adminClient.realm("test").roles().get("attribute-role").toRepresentation().getAttributes(); String testAppId = adminClient.realm("test").clients().findByClientId("test-app").get(0).getId(); String sampleClientRoleId = adminClient.realm("test").clients().get(testAppId).roles().get("sample-client-role").toRepresentation().getId(); String sampleClientRoleAttribute = adminClient.realm("test").clients().get(testAppId).roles().get("sample-client-role").toRepresentation().getAttributes().get("sample-client-role-attribute").get(0); // Delete some realm (and some data in admin realm) adminClient.realm("test").remove(); Assert.assertNames(adminClient.realms().findAll(), "test-realm", "master"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "test-user@localhost", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user1", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user2", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user3", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredOTP", "password"); assertNotAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredWebAuthn", "password"); // Configure import testingClient.testing().exportImport().setAction(ExportImportConfig.ACTION_IMPORT); testingClient.testing().exportImport().runImport(); // Ensure data are imported back, but just for "test" realm Assert.assertNames(adminClient.realms().findAll(), "master", "test", "test-realm"); assertAuthenticated("test", "test-user@localhost", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user1", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user2", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user3", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredOTP", "password"); assertAuthenticated("test", "user-requiredWebAuthn", "password"); RealmResource testRealmRealm = adminClient.realm("test"); assertTrue(testRealmRealm.users().search("user-requiredOTP").get(0) .getRequiredActions().get(0).equals(UserModel.RequiredAction.CONFIGURE_TOTP.name())); assertTrue(testRealmRealm.users().search("user-requiredWebAuthn").get(0) .getRequiredActions().get(0).equals(WebAuthnRegisterFactory.PROVIDER_ID)); List<ComponentRepresentation> componentsImported = adminClient.realm("test").components().query(); assertComponents(components, componentsImported); KeysMetadataRepresentation keyMetadataImported = adminClient.realm("test").keys().getKeyMetadata(); assertEquals(keyMetadata.getActive(), keyMetadataImported.getActive()); String importedSampleRealmRoleId = adminClient.realm("test").roles().get("sample-realm-role").toRepresentation().getId(); assertEquals(sampleRealmRoleId, importedSampleRealmRoleId); Map<String, List<String>> importedRoleAttributes = adminClient.realm("test").roles().get("attribute-role").toRepresentation().getAttributes(); Assert.assertRoleAttributes(roleAttributes, importedRoleAttributes); String importedSampleClientRoleId = adminClient.realm("test").clients().get(testAppId).roles().get("sample-client-role").toRepresentation().getId(); assertEquals(sampleClientRoleId, importedSampleClientRoleId); String importedSampleClientRoleAttribute = adminClient.realm("test").clients().get(testAppId).roles().get("sample-client-role").toRepresentation().getAttributes().get("sample-client-role-attribute").get(0); assertEquals(sampleClientRoleAttribute, importedSampleClientRoleAttribute); checkEventsConfig(adminClient.realm("test").getRealmEventsConfig()); } private void assertAuthenticated(String realmName, String username, String password) { assertAuth(true, realmName, username, password); } private void assertNotAuthenticated(String realmName, String username, String password) { assertAuth(false, realmName, username, password); } private void assertAuth(boolean expectedResult, String realmName, String username, String password) { assertEquals(expectedResult, testingClient.testing().validCredentials(realmName, username, password)); } private void assertComponents(List<ComponentRepresentation> expected, List<ComponentRepresentation> actual) { expected.sort((o1, o2) -> o1.getId().compareTo(o2.getId())); actual.sort((o1, o2) -> o1.getId().compareTo(o2.getId())); assertEquals(expected.size(), actual.size()); for (int i = 0 ; i < expected.size(); i++) { ComponentRepresentation e = expected.get(i); ComponentRepresentation a = actual.get(i); assertEquals(e.getId(), a.getId()); assertEquals(e.getName(), a.getName()); assertEquals(e.getProviderId(), a.getProviderId()); assertEquals(e.getProviderType(), a.getProviderType()); assertEquals(e.getParentId(), a.getParentId()); assertEquals(e.getSubType(), a.getSubType()); Assert.assertNames(e.getConfig().keySet(), a.getConfig().keySet().toArray(new String[] {})); // Compare config values without take order into account for (Map.Entry<String, List<String>> entry : e.getConfig().entrySet()) { List<String> eList = entry.getValue(); List<String> aList = a.getConfig().getList(entry.getKey()); Assert.assertNames(eList, aList.toArray(new String[] {})); } } } private void clearExportImportProperties() { // Clear export/import properties after test Properties systemProps = System.getProperties(); Set<String> propsToRemove = new HashSet<>(); for (Object key : systemProps.keySet()) { if (key.toString().startsWith(ExportImportConfig.PREFIX)) { propsToRemove.add(key.toString()); } } for (String propToRemove : propsToRemove) { systemProps.remove(propToRemove); } } private void importRealmFromFile(String path) { testingClient.testing().exportImport().setProvider(SingleFileExportProviderFactory.PROVIDER_ID); URL url = ExportImportTest.class.getResource(path); String targetFilePath = new File(url.getFile()).getAbsolutePath(); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setFile(targetFilePath); testingClient.testing().exportImport().setAction(ExportImportConfig.ACTION_IMPORT); testingClient.testing().exportImport().runImport(); } }

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a flat panel display which supports a main body of a flat panel display by a support means fixed on a stand. 2. Description of Related Art A flat panel display is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-310,318 gazette. The flat panel display supports a housing by a stand and the housing contains a liquid crystal display panel. The housing of the flat panel display has an opening to insert a pillar of the from bottom side. On the back of the liquid crystal display panel, metal fittings to insert the upper end of the pillar of the stands are equipped. Therefore, the liquid crystal display panel will be fixed on the front side of the pillar of the stand. Another liquid crystal television is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-108,345 gazette. The liquid crystal television supports a main body of a liquid crystal television by a stand and the main body liquid crystal television contains a liquid crystal display panel in a cabinet. The back cabinet comprises two parts. They are a main body of the cabinet with a T-shaped recession at lower back portion, and a closure to close the recession. The pillar of the stands is located behind the closure. Therefore, the liquid crystal display panel will be fixed on the front side of the pillar of the stand. Another liquid crystal display is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-102,286 gazette. The liquid crystal display supports a main body of a liquid crystal display by a stand and the main body of the liquid crystal display contains the liquid crystal display panel in a cabinet. On the lower back portion of the liquid crystal display panel, a bracket made by a metal plate which extends downward is equipped. A support portion is equipped with the stand to insert the bracket which extends downward. Therefore, a liquid crystal display panel will be fixed on the front side of the support portion. A plasma television is disclosed in the 3118275th utility model registration bulletin. The plasma television supports a main body of the plasma television by a pair of twin legs and the main body contains a plasma display panel in a cabinet. A pair of bridge-type flame which is turned its longitudinal direction along vertical direction and connects upper part and lower part are equipped on the back of the plasma display panel. Pillars of each leg are inserted into each of the bridge-type flames. Therefore, the plasma display panel will be fixed on the front side of the pillar of the stand. A flat panel display is required to shorten length in back and forth. In order to shorten the length of the stand in back and forth, it is required to improve stability of the flat display panel.

Q: How to remove the ZK's default pagination and add a vertical scroll bar instead? I need to remove the defualt pagination provided by ZK in one of zul page and add a vertical scroll bar instead. How to achieve this? A: Perhaps you are refering to a listbox or a grid component, in that case you probably have something like this: <listbox id="listbox" mold="paging" pageSize="10"> or <grid id="grid" mold="paging" pageSize="10"> In both cases, the mold property is making that your component do a pagination, and the pageSize property stablish how many item will be show in every page... If the component does not have the mold property, zk will put a scrollbar by default (but it can give you an unexpected visual behavior) If you want to replace the pagination with a scrollbar you can put a css property into your component, like this: <listbox id="listbox" style="overflow:auto"> You can see an example here

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ALARM SYSTEM INCLUDED View additional info Beautifully renovated turnkey ground floor condominium located in the Waters Edge community. Kitchen has following brand new items: high-end Samsung appliances (Fridge, Stove, Range, Dishwasher), tile floor, cabinets, quartz countertops, sink, backsplash, and lighting fixtures. Both full Bathrooms have brand new tile floors, and new vanities/mirrors. Both Bedrooms have brand new carpeting and new bi-fold doors in second bedroom. All Interior doors are brand new (including sliding patio door) and entire condo has brand new floor molding. The dining room and family room have hardwood flooring and a brand new fireplace mantle. Every room has brand new paint job. Community Pool, tennis courts, and childrens play area close to unit. View additional info Saratoga model with sunroom addition in rear. Gas heat. Central Air. Windows were replaced about 5 years ago. Large living/dining room combination. Eat-in-kitchen with side door out to yard. Master bedroom opens to screened room addition that spans the entire width of house. Full bath with shower. Direct entry garage. Front room can be used as TV room and/or den. Close to shopping, public transportation, shopping, dining, the Garden State Parkway, the Jersey Shore and beaches. Very nice house. Low taxes and monthly maintenance fee. Extra insulation in house--gas under $65 per month on budget plan. Per owner, the highest electric bill for the year was $88. View additional info New Construction in Water Front Community! Walk into a two story foyer! Hardwood floors and recessed lighting throughout the first floor! Move on to an open floor plan that leads to your living room - dining room. Then to your gorgeous kitchen with white subway tiled back splash and Quartz counter tops plus huge pantry! Kitchen leads to fenced in yard with stamped concrete patio! Upstairs has 3 nice sized bedrooms! Beautiful family bathroom with subway tile in the shower! Laundry on second floor for convenience! Master has breath taking water views from windows or walk out on your balcony for an even better view! A his and hers closet and a master bath with white subway tile and stone floor in shower! Home is above required level so flood insurance is very reasonable! View additional info I love everything about this house, from the oversized driveway and walkway to the cute front porch. Large living room, huge eat-in kitchen and separate dining room with bonus area. This house sits on a sizable lot with a huge front and back yard with space for all your gardening or fun. Backyard is a private oasis including a raised patio, fenced and tree lined for maximum privacy, an inground pool, plus 2 large storage shed; it is so inviting and has many possibilities. You'll love the Georgetown Section of Toms River close to shopping, schools, the parkway and beach. Great East Toms River Schools! Make an appointment to see this house today. Key Features: Fireplace both gas and wood burning, solar powered hot water heater with electric back-up, master bedroom extends front to back of the house providing views of both front and back yards. View additional info I love everything about this house, from the oversized driveway and walkway to the cute front porch. Large living room, huge eat-in kitchen and separate dining room with bonus area. This house sits on a sizable lot with a huge front and back yard with space for all your gardening or fun. Backyard is a private oasis including a raised patio, fenced and tree lined for maximum privacy, an in-ground pool, plus 2 large storage shed; it is so inviting and has many possibilities. You'll love the Georgetown Section of Toms River close to shopping, schools, the parkway and beach. Great East Toms River Schools! Make an appointment to see this house today. Key Features:Fireplace - gas and wood burning, solar powered hot water heater with electric back-up, master bedroom has views of front & back View additional info THIS IS IT!!! Charming, quaint ranch in desirable Toms River neighborhood. Complete with 3 bedrooms , finished basement, lush rock yard and oversized driveway. The airy bright three seasons room is a must see! Original hardwood floors maintained under carpeting throughout. Come see today!!! Sellers are motivated!!! Close to schools, shopping and the beach. View additional info I love everything about this house, from the oversized driveway and walkway to the cute front porch. Large living room, huge eat-in kitchen and separate dining room with bonus area.This house sits on a sizable lot with a huge front and back yard with space for all your gardening or fun. Backyard is a private oasis including a raised patio, fenced and tree lined for maximum privacy, an in-ground pool, plus 2 large storage shed; it is so inviting and has many possibilities. You'll love the Georgetown Section of Toms River close to shopping, schools, the parkway and beach. Great East Toms River Schools! Make an appointment to see this house today.Key Features: Fireplace both gas and wood burning, solar powered hot water heater with electric back-up, master bedroom extends front to back of the house providing views of both front and back yards.Home Upgrades: Master bath and main bath remodeled in 2018, brand new pool liner, driveway resealed this year, master bedroom carpet and hallway flooring redone in 2018, all window are only 3 years old. View additional info Welcome to the Cedars. This sought after END UNIT Town home is move in ready. Beautiful private park like setting. This home features an updated kitchen with newer cabinets, wood countertop, SS appliances and laminate flooring. Hardwood floors in dining room & living room. Upstairs has newer laminate flooring. Den features slider leading to balcony overlooking a treed back yard. Den can easily converted to a second bedroom. Washer and dry located on 2nd floor for easy access. Furnace and water heater replaced in the last 5 years. Central air replaced last year. Don't miss out. Come take a look. View additional info Live at the Jersey Shore in the desirable Bayshore section of Toms River just minutes from beaches and the boardwalk! Build your dream home or rehab the existing home which is completely gutted waiting for you to fix it up. This home sits on a nice 60x100 lot with bay views, surrounded by gorgeous homes in this wonderful waterfront community. Don't miss this opportunity! View additional info Come see this wonderful, waterfront, beach bungalow! This home has a lovely open floor plan with 3 bedrooms, large living room and garage. Then walk through the French doors to the kitchen and rear den with beautiful water views. Step out the rear slider to an oversized deck View additional info A masterpiece of design and functionality. Newer, 4000 sq. waterfront 5 bed, 3 1/2 bath home with open floor plan and amazing garage/storage space, all on a massive lot (130x140x75x100). Meticulously landscaped including salt water pool surrounded by elegant paver design. Covered patio and open patio with views of 2 wildlife sanctuaries. Two minutes to Silver Bay/Barnegat Bay, This home is a builder's own and is jam packed with amenities. This very unique trophy property has it all... View additional info Great move in conditiion! Open floor plan with great flow, kitchen with granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances. Adjacent dining room with sliding doors to covered deck. Master bedroom with updated full bath finished in ceramic tiling. Downstairs features expansive family room with sliding doors leading to fenced in yard. 1/2 bath and laundry room. New amenities throughout. New central AC. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website appears in part through the BRIGHT Internet Data Exchange program, a voluntary cooperative exchange of property listing data between licensed real estate brokerage firms in which participates, and is provided by BRIGHT through a licensing agreement. The information provided by this website is for the personal, non-commercial use of consumers and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Copyright BRIGHT, All Rights Reserved The data relating to real estate for sale on this web-site comes in part from the Internet Listing Display database of the CENTRAL JERSEY MULTIPLE LISTING SYSTEM, INC. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than this site-owner are marked with the ILD logo. 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Last week, the Parliament of Malawi adopted a law that, for the very first time, sets the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18 years old. The Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill has been hailed as a step forward for Malawi, where 50% of girls are married off before 18. Girls Not Brides spoke to Ephraim Chimwaza, Programme Manager at the Centre for Social Concern and Development (CESOCODE) in Malawi, to find out what needs to happen for this new law to make a real difference on child marriage. The arrest, release and then rearrest of Meriam Ibrahim is not really about visas, exit stamps and plane tickets, writes Harriet Alexander. Instead it's a potent cocktail of political positioning, religious extremism and family feuding - with a young mother at its centre When rumour of her release from prison first surfaced, we didn't dare to believe it. When it was confirmed by the Sudanese authorities, we began to have real hope. Dr Raslan Fadl and father of the 13-year-old girl who died during cutting are the first to be prosecuted in Egypt for practice of FGM. In a landmark case, Dr Raslan Fadl is the first doctor to be prosecuted for FGM in Egypt, where the practice was banned in 2008, but is still widely accepted and carried out by many doctors in private. Sohair al-Bata'a died in Fadl's care in June 2013, and her family admitted that she had been victim to an FGM operation carried out at their request. The case was initially dropped after an official medical report claimed that Sohair had been treated for genital warts, and that she died from an allergic reaction to penicillin. But after a campaign by local rights groups and the international organisation Equality Now, as well as an investigation by Egypt's state-run National Population Council (NPC), the country's chief prosecutor agreed to reopen the case – leading to this week's seminal prosecution of both Fadl and Sohair's father. "It is a very important case," said Hala Youssef, head of the NPC, which had pushed for the case to be reopened. "It's the first time that somebody in Egypt will be prosecuted for this crime, and it should be a lesson for every clinician. The law is there, and it will be implemented." According to Unicef, 91% of married Egyptian women aged between 15 and 49 have been subjected to FGM, 72% of them by doctors. Unicef research suggests that support for the practice is gradually falling: 63% of women in the same age bracket supported it in 2008, compared with 82% in 1995. But according to research, FGM still has high support in areas with a lower standard of education, where proponents claim mutilation makes women less likely to commit adultery. Families living near where Sohair died have not been put off the practice, says Reda Maarouf, a local lawyer involved in the case; they simply go to other doctors. Sohair's family are reported to oppose her father's prosecution. "It's a cultural problem, not religious," said Vivian Foad, an official who led the NPC's investigation. "Both Muslims and Christians do it. They believe it protects a woman's chastity." Some Islamic fundamentalists claim FGM is a religious duty, but it is not nearly as widespread in most other majority-Muslim countries in the Middle East. Suad Abu-Dayyeh, Equality Now's regional representative, said: "It's very much rooted in Egypt, but in other Arab countries – in Jordan, in Palestine, in Syria – we don't have it." There are four main methods of committing FGM, according to theWorld Health Organisation, and Abu-Dayyeh said the practice of removing a girl's clitoris and labia was probably the most common in Egypt. "It's a very painful procedure and I don't know why they do it. It's the worst one," said Abu-Dayyeh, who visited Sohair's grave in Mansoura, northern Egypt, as part of Equality Now's campaign. "Women will really not feel any pleasure when having sex with their husband. It's criminal." Foad hopes Egypt's interim government will be more proactive about FGM than the administration it replaced after Mohamed Morsi's overthrow last year. Officially, Morsi's Muslim Brotherhoodclaimed they opposed FGM, but prominent members and allies of the group expressed support for it. "People are entitled to do what suits them," said Azza al-Garf, a female MP from the Brotherhood's political arm, in 2012. Another ultra-conservative MP, Nasser al-Shaker – a member of a Salafi party that was then an ally of the Brotherhood – called for legalisation of FGM, and said it had a religious mandate. Two years on, Egypt's leadership has been criticised internationally for other human rights abuses, but Foad hopes it will be more progressive than its predecessors on FGM. "Under Morsi, they didn't create a conducive atmosphere through the media, and through education – not only for FGM but all women's issues. Now the government is responding positively, and the media is responding positively." Abu-Dayyeh said Fadl's prosecution was just the start. The case would count for little unless the doctor was jailed and an anti-FGM awareness campaign reached the country's poorest districts, she said. "Now you need much more work. And it has to be done far away from Cairo – in the [rural areas] where the practice is very widespread." GENEVA (6 November 2013) – Flogging women, including for “honour-related offences” amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in international law and must stop, two independent UN human rights experts said Wednesday in the wake of recent cases involving women in Sudan. Egypt is the only country in North Africa where the practise of female genital mutilation remains widespread – despite an official ban and many public information campaigns for women. Anna Kölling reports from Cairo According to estimates, over 90 per cent of all Egyptian women of childbearing age are affected by genital mutilation. The scale of this practice first became apparent in 1994 with a study conducted on population development and health. Activists have been fighting against female circumcision for decades and, after the popular uprising in early 2011, women's rights once again became a prominent topic in the media. Although women and men have fought side by side on the streets, the rights of women are nevertheless becoming increasingly jeopardised. Ultra-conservative groups, for example, are calling for the lifting of the ban on female circumcision, which was enacted into law in 2008. DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania(Thomson Reuters Foundation)--Tanzania is banking on the on-going constitutional review process of marriage laws to stop child marriages, according to a report in the government newspaper Daily News. The marriage Act of 1971 allows girls as young as 14-years-old to marry with parental consent. On average, two out of five girls are married off before their 18th birthday, putting Tanzania among countries with the highest child marriage rates in the world. Three European women went on trial in Tunis on Wednesday for holding a topless anti-Islamic protest, and their French lawyer said he was confident they would escape prison despite the threat of jail sentences. Pauline Hillier and Marguerite Stern from France, and Josephine Markmann from Germany arrived in court around 0930 GMT wearing the traditional Tunisian headscarf, or safsari. Countless Moroccan women, continue to face abuse and sexual violence at the hands of their husbands. About 6 million women in Morocco are victims of violence, or around one in three. Morocco’s Social Development Minister Bassima Hakkaoui, the only female minister in the country, said last week that she would try to push forward a law protecting women that has been stuck in Parliament for 8 years. A secular Egyptian woman outlines the disappointments written into the country's new constitution, passed in late December. Women have had only one legal advance since the revolution: prosecuting sex harassment. The U.S. evangelist and anti-gay crusader's trial begins January 7 in Massachusetts. Lively is being sued for crimes against humanity by the organization Sexual Minorities of Uganda, represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR). n order to shine a spotlight on the work of activists worldwide. Every day, for sixteen days, WLUML shared short stories of and about networkers, brave women and girls who against all odds, survive and carry on with the struggle for social justice and equality. As Mali pursues peace talks and also prepares for war, Malian women insist they should be at the table for both. They argue women are the primary victims of rebel and terrorist groups occupying the north. LET us go back a little, nearly a year ago, to that earlier attempt to interfere in, and legislate on sexual conduct between consenting adults. Profiting from that experience, I would like to caution – yet again - that it is high time we learnt to ignore what we conveniently designate and react to as ‘foreign interference’. By now, we should be able to restrict ourselves to the a priori position that, as rational beings, we make pronouncements on choices of ethical directions from our own collective and/or majority will, independent of what is described as ‘external dictation’. It will pass… a draft of a constitution that doesn’t represent Egyptians or their dreams. A draft that did not engage them in the dialogue for change, which passed just two before the referendum, without giving Egyptians the opportunity to discuss it. When the revolution started, Egyptians looked forward to a time where they could evaluate their beliefs and values, discuss them, even change them and reflect it all in a document that recorded the whole process. But this never happened. On the morning of November 7, 2012, the 5 admins of The Uprising of Women in the Arab World log into Facebook, to find out that one’s account has been blocked for 30 days, another for 3 days, 2 others for 24 hours, and 1 other received a warning notification. JUBA - Cut off from development by five decades of civil war, South Sudan has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world and high levels of infant mortality and morbidity. Large families struggle to get by in the war-ravaged new nation. With the help of aid agencies providing family planning services to bolster a fledgling healthcare system, women and families are starting to choose life for the first time. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), welcomes the vindication of two women humanrights defenders in The Gambia following two years of judicial harassment. A multi-country study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that up to 71 percent of women aged 15 to 49 reported physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lives. Violence against women commonly becomes a vicious cycle in families thus creating generational dysfunction and disease. The complete social framework of society is at risk when we let violence happen in our homes. Women have played an important role in spurring reform throughout the Middle East and North Africa. But as elections take place and constitutions are drafted, their rights are at risk of being sidelined. For the first time, a woman is running for the leadership of the political party of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's most powerful Islamist group. Sabah el-Saqari says she wants to increase female participation in politics and even defends a woman's right to run for president, a stance her organization rejects. But liberals who fear Islamist rule will set back women's rights say her candidacy is just an attempt by the Brotherhood to improve its image. Following publication of Article 36 of the 'Rights and Duties' section of Egypt's draft constitution, a number of political parties, coalitions and public figures have issued a joint statement expressing their "deep concern" for the draft article's wording, which, they say, could compromise women's historical rights. Hard living conditions for Syrian refugees in Libya are forcing some families to marry off their daughters to wealthy local men. Syrians say Libyans often knock at their doors asking for especially underage girls, as BBC Arabic's Ahmed Maher reports from Benghazi. Ahmed Atrash is among hundreds of Syrian refugees in the country's second largest city, Benghazi. He and his family have fled the raging war back home. For the first time in Egyptian history, a female anchor on state television has covered her hair with a head scarf. Under the Mubarak regime, women were forbidden to wear a head scarf on state television in order to depict a more modern appearance; however, current President Mohammed Morsi, who is supported by the Muslim Brotherhood, has lifted the ban. Thus, women are now allowed to wear a head scarf on state television if they chose to do so. Following the Libyan revolution, in which women played a crucial part, and the participation of large numbers of female citizens in the July 2012 elections, Libyan women are now looking forward to a partnership and full equality with their male counterparts."Libyan women were instrumental in the country choosing a liberal and progressive government in the recent elections as many of them voted for the winning National Forces Alliance (NFA) of Mahmoud Jibril," said Nadine Nasrat, from the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). In the run up to next week's Presidential election in Somalia, Zainab M. Hassan writes an open letter to new women parliamentarians asking them to demonstrate collective leadership in their choice of someone to lead a ruined country. Campaigners in Egypt say the problem of sexual harassment is reaching epidemic proportions, with a rise in such incidents over the past three months. For many Egyptian women, sexual harassment - which sometimes turns into violent mob-style attacks - is a daily fact of life, reports the BBC's Bethany Bell in Cairo. Last winter, an Egyptian woman was assaulted by a crowd of men in the city of Alexandria. The Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) program is issuing a series of concept papers that aim to introduce the notion of WHRDs: who they are, what they do, and why they should be considered as a distinct group of human rights defenders. The categories of WHRDs analyzed in the concept papers include: vocational women (doctors, nurses, and teachers); students; political candidates; civil society activists; protesters; and workers (industrial and agrarian sectors). Most Egyptians will come to remember 13 August 2012 as more than just another long hot day of the holy month of Ramadan. Just a few hours before sunset when millions waited eagerly to break their fast, news broke out of a major development in the ongoing power struggle between two main power houses: the generals representing the country's military past, and the political faction seeking to control its future. In recent years, the international community has begun to place increased attention on girls’ education generating a better understanding of the underlying causes and consequences of the disparities, and an international consensus on the need to address the issue. Much has been done to create awareness and demonstrate that change is not only necessary but also possible. Egypt's National Council for Women announced on Tuesday a new hotline dedicated to receiving reports of sexual harassment: 08008883888. The council issued a statement on their Facebook page stating that they are working with the interior ministry to swiftly reinforce the sexual harassment law on thugs and offenders. Ambassador Mervat Talawy, head of the council, stressed on the importance of reinforcing the law, considering the council a representation of all women in Egypt and pointing to its keenness to preserve the dignity of women. As documented in a new report from the Enough Project, which ranks electronics firms on their progress in cleaning up their supply chains of conflict minerals, there are glimmers of hope for eastern Congo despite ongoing violence there, which is driven partly by conflict minerals. "Educate a girl, and you educate a village," an African proverb goes, illustrating the ripple effect of educating women and the role that women play in making a difference in the lives of those around them. The female wing of a civil rights group is urging women in Togo to stage a week-long sex strike to demand the resignation of the country's president. Women are being asked to start withholding sex from their husbands or partners as of Monday, said Isabelle Ameganvi, leader of the women's wing of the group Let's Save Togo. She said the strike will put pressure on Togo's men to take action against President Faure Gnassingbe. Her laugh is infectious, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in a high school drama class or a Hollywood hair salon. But this is the Arab world, not Tinseltown. And Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun is no lightweight. She leads Morocco’s General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), a giant trade association roughly analogous to the U.S. chamber of Commerce. Bensalah is also a licensed pilot, a Harley-Davidson rider, a race car driver, a competitive golfer — and a 49-year-old mother of three. Tunisia has always led gender equality in the Middle East for the past fifty years, with women playing an active role in civil society and enjoying the same legal rights as men. Now, with the old regime overthrown this past spring, many Tunisians are concerned that Al-Nahda, a more conservative Islamic party, will come to power and pull the nation back into the past. Layla’s life is still in danger. We need you to take action to save her. Layla Ibrahim Issa is a 23-year old mother who was sentenced to death by stoning by the Mayo court in Khartoum, Sudan. We put out an action alert to support Layla earlier this month, and we extend our thanks to those of you who raised their voices; but Layla is still in prison with her 6-month old child. The authorities have not yet responded to our demands to immediately repeal the verdict, and stop the planned execution. Merna Thomas, a twenty-four-year-old activist, heads out for another day of revolution. Armed with brushes and small buckets of paint, her goal today is not the overthrow of a regime, but something perhaps even more daring: to change Egyptian attitudes toward women. On the side of a downtown building, she puts her graffiti skills to work with an illustration of Samira Ibrahim—hailed for bravely speaking out after becoming one of the victims of the infamous virginity tests that Egyptian security forces performed on detained female protesters in 2011. Passersby mumble streams of complaints. Some 2,000 years ago, during the Nubian period, North Sudan was ruled by women, including Queen Kandaka, famous for her strength. Today, a new generation of Kandakas is taking back the streets and fighting at the frontline of the revolution. Amnesty International condemns the sentencing of Layla Ibrahim Issa Jumul to death by stoning and calls on the Sudanese government to halt the execution and to reform its criminal law without delay, with the aim to abolish corporal punishment. Layla Ibrahim Issa Jumul, a 23-year old Sudanese woman, was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery on 10 July 2012 by the Criminal Court of Mayo, in Khartoum, under Article 146 of Sudan’s 1991 Criminal Code. RABAT, Morocco — When Rkia Bellot’s family sold their communal land in 2004, each of her eight brothers received a share of the proceeds. But Bellot, a single woman, got nothing. That’s because Bellot’s family land was part of the 37 million acres in Morocco governed by the orf, or tribal law. When this type of family land is sold, the unmarried or widowed women in the family, collectively called the Soulaliyate, often become destitute. When cows are traded for an unwilling bride, rural Zulu women lose their freedom, and more. Called thwala, the practice is often abused, activists say. NORTHWEST OF HOWICK, South Africa — — She was named Democracy in Zulu, at a time when her country had none. A few years later, the constitution born of the historic South African election that ended apartheid made Nonkululeko "free" and "equal." But the eight cows paid for her as a bride price mean that she is neither. Tunisian radio journalist Nadia Heddaoui Mabkhout was denied access to the headquarters of RTCI (Radio Tunis Chaîne Internationale), suspended from work and had her radio show cancelled last Friday. Mabkhout was on her way to host her show Café Noir, recently renamed L’invité du Journal, which is aired on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 to 9am. She was accompanied by her guest, Neziha Rejiba (alias Om Zied), a well-known Tunisian activist and writer. On 17 June, when a number of female students led a peaceful protest marching from the female dormitories to the male ones at the University of Khartoum, they did not know that they would inspire protests across the country. Many inside Sudan are calling the ongoing protests an “Intifada” — an Arabic word for rebellion or resistance — and there is much truth in that. On 9 July 2011, when South Sudan became an independent country, Rose Michael, a South Sudanese woman who had lived most of her life in Khartoum, decided to stay in the city where she had a great job and owned a house. But in April 2012, Rose had to leave for Juba after her employer let her go. She planned to return to Khartoum. But then she lost her Sudanese passport and now she can't return because the war has escalated and flights are cancelled. I write this on the tenth day of the #SudanRevolts tide that has started to sweep Sudan. Sudan is a land of revolutionaries. They started in the 20th century with the Mahdi revolution against the British occupation and the ruling Egyptian government and today Sudan is revolting against militarization, human rights atrocities, poverty, corruption and fundamentalism. The run-off for presidency elections in Egypt are this weekend – the first after the ongoing Egyptian revolution. The two candidates were the least expected to be at this stage: Mohamed Morsi, who represents the “political arm” of a group, the Muslim Brotherhood, that sees “Islam is the Solution,” and the other is Ahmed Shafik, who belongs to the Military that has been running Egypt for the last (60) years and still. Every one who is following the progress of events and incidents in Egypt is curious and everyone inside Egypt is worried, even if their decision is to choose one over the other or to boycott the run-off. In many regards, Safiya Ishaq is an unremarkable 25-year-old. She is excellent at braiding hair but terrible at being on time. She studied fine arts at Khartoum University in Sudan. Not unusual for a student, Ishaq became involved with politics. She joined Girifna, a pro-democracy movement formed in 2009 on the eve of Sudan’s first multiparty elections in more than two decades aimed at mobilizing citizens to vote. Conducting mass voter registration drives, it quickly evolved into a socio-political movement demanding change in Sudan. Land relations are critical for women's right in Ghana. This is because of the centrality of land as a resource for the livelihoods of the majority of our population, food, water, fuel and medical plants. Those who control lands and its resources also gain social and political power and authority. As such, women's unequal land rights affect their access to other resources and their economic, social and political status in society. Now that Algeria has the largest proportion of women lawmakers in the Arab world, workmen at the national assembly building have some urgent modifications to make. While the men's washroom just outside the debating chamber is clearly marked with the silhouette of a man, there are so far no signs for the women's. On the opening session of the new parliament on May 26, two of the newly elected female members had to ask for directions to the rest-room. BAMAKO - Strict Sharia, or Islamic religious laws, imposed by the Islamist rebels controlling vast swathes of northern Mali are driving thousands of students out of schools. Dress codes have been imposed, boys and girls are forced to learn separately, and subjects deemed to promote “infidelity” have been struck off the curriculum. Outraged parents are transferring their children and some students are opting to miss examinations rather than learn under these conditions. Plan is deeply concerned at new proposals by the Egyptian parliament to reduce the legal age for girls to marry to 14 – just 4 years after a successful campaign increased the age limit to 18. Early marriage can have a devastating impact on girls’ lives – they are more likely to be forced out of school, live in poverty, have early pregnancies and endure health complications or die during childbirth. Violence against women demonstrators in Egypt erupted again on Tuesday when a frenzied mob of 200 men sexually assaulted a female protester in Tahrir Square. Then, during a rally on Friday to protest the incident, about 50 women and their male allies were themselves brutalized and chased away by another mob. I’ve been working to defend children’s rights since way back. Growing up in rural Uganda I was always aware that many of my friends were denied the chance to fulfil their potential. Eventually you find that very few friends you started school with complete it with you, and when you look back and think why, you realise it is often because their rights weren’t fulfilled – or protected. Women in remote parts of Morocco are benefiting from a literacy scheme that also teaches civil rights, numeracy and beekeeping. In a tiny classroom at the Maison de Citoyenneté support centre for the education of rural girls and women in Beni Zuli, an isolated village in Zagora, deep in south-eastern Morocco's Draa Valley, Fatima Kadmire is describing how learning to read and write is transforming her life. Egypt’s liberal Free Egyptians Party (FEP) declared its support for the calls by women’s rights organizations and NGOs , which called for anti-harassment laws, an Egyptian online news website reported on Monday. The party said it stands against “the phenomenon of sexual harassment” and called for the passing of a law criminalizing the act, Egypt’s Bikyamasr news website reported. In Sudan’s conservative society where many believe a woman’s reputation and honor doesn’t belong to her alone, young female activists who are increasingly choosing to be on the frontline in the fight for democracy and human rights. But not without a cost! They have faced more direct physical and sexual assault to deter them from standing up for their rights. “The rape of Safia Ishaq made our female members scared and reluctant to work, they are strong, but this crossed a red line,” said Sarah Faisal, who is affiliated with the youth movement, Girifna that is an Arabic word for “We are Fed Up”. She was referring to the rape ordeal of one the movement’s members last year. Girifna aims at using civil resistance to overthrow the current Sudanese government. “Al-Azhar, the country’s highest religious institution, intends to prepare a new document to safeguard women’s rights, as enshrined in the Islamic Sharia,” said Ahmed el-Tayyeb, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar. CAIRO: A number of Egyptian human rights groups have submitted a communication to the Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud against the Muslim Brotherhood`s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) to investigate the complaints of people in the village of Abu Aziz in the Minya governorate, south of Cairo, over the existence of a large medical convoy organized by the party that wanders streets and does medical examination on people, including female circumcision, or female genital mutilation, in violation of Egyptian law, conventions and treaties signed by Egypt. Women protesters and rights groups have accused Egyptian troops and prison authorities of sexual assault during the latest crackdown on demonstrations, reviving allegations they are using abuse to intimidate female detainees and protesters. The charges made on Wednesday added new tension to Egypt's presidential election campaign, just two weeks before the voting. With a progressive Code of Personal Status, Tunisia is commonly regarded as the Arab world’s most advanced country in terms of women’s rights. Yet sexual harassment exists in Tunisia, too. Unlike in Egypt, sexual harassment has not entered the arena of public discourse in Tunisia, and is often dismissed as a non-issue. The two women met for the first time last week at a sleek Georgetown hotel, where they were speakers at a glittering charity dinner. They shook hands and hugged across a vast gulf of culture, geography and faith: one a devout Muslim from West Africa with her hair carefully hidden under a tight scarf, the other a gregarious South Asian in a stylish sari and costume earrings. In many countries of the Middle East, women are wondering what the Arab Spring means for them. Some observers are concerned that the power vacuum will leave the door open for Islamist groups to take power and force changes opposing women’s rights. Zainah Anwar, a leading Malaysian social activist and intellectual, is not one of them. She is even excited about the prospects that the Arab Spring could have for women. In conversation with Jessica Horn, a leading Malian women's rights activist identifies the roots of the crisis in Mali, and the opportunistic use of the crisis by Malian and international Islamic fundamentalists to gain a popular foothold in the north of the country. Join VNC for two events on 21 April 2012, at the AWID Forum in Istanbul, Turkey. We'll be hosting a talk show on "The Nexus between Culture, Gender and Other Identities: Resisting Discrimination and Reclaiming Space", as well as a workshop on "Visioning Cultures Free from Violence: Transnational Advocacy and Communications using Visual Arts and Digital Media". Full details below. A new online lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender magazine in Sudan, north Africa, is a first for the country where homosexuality is still punished by death and an opportunity for gay people to start discussing their lives and hopes for the future. Rainbow Sudan published articles discussing topics including being gay in Sudan, the history of homosexuality in the country, Islam and sexuality, being lesbian and Muslim, poetry and more. RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco on Thursday said it would amend a law allowing rapists to marry their underage female victims after the suicide of a teenage girl raised doubts about the effectiveness of reforms to women's rights in the country. Sixteen-year-old Amina El-Filali killed herself last week near the northern city of Larache by swallowing rat poison after a six-month forced marriage to the man who raped her. Local human rights activists say the law violates women's rights and was created to avoid damage to the reputation of the victim's family. RABAT, Morocco -- The case of a 16-year-old girl who killed herself after she was forced to marry her rapist has spurred outrage among Morocco's internet activists and calls for changes to the country's laws. An online petition, a Facebook page and countless tweets expressed horror over the suicide of Amina Filali, who swallowed rat poison on Saturday to protest her marriage to the man who raped her a year earlier. The 8th of March of every year is a day set aside by the United Nations as International Women’s Day (IWD). It is a day to recognise, celebrate and honour women’s struggles and achievements in the past years and to call attention to other areas of concerns that are critical to women’s life in particular and the society in general. While the Iranian government authorities attempted to appropriate the Arab spring, claiming it was a continuation of the Iranian revolution of 1979, the events revived popular longing for democratic change in Iran. Ziba Mir-Hosseini tells Deniz Kandiyoti that no movement for change in Iran can afford to ignore women’s aspiration for equality – a lesson that some of the successful elements in the Arab spring may yet have to learn. The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) is gravely concerned about the reintroduction of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda's Parliament on February 7th, 2012. At the bill's reintroduction, the Speaker informed the House that the bill will not need to be considered again by the "Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee", thereby making the process faster and raising the possibility of it becoming law. The Voice of Libyan Women unfortunately reports that regardless of the numerous petitions, demonstrations and alternative drafts suggested by Libyan civil society the Electoral Law passed by the National Transitional Council of Libya on Wednesday, February 8th 2012 does not in any way guarantee any seats for women at all. Nor does it guarantee a minimum of 40 parliamentary seats for women, despite several statements. LILONGWE - A campaign to stop people buying merchandise from street vendors is gaining momentum in Malawi’s main cities of Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu after the small-scale traders went on a rampage undressing women and girls wearing trousers, leggings, shorts and mini-skirts. A group of men gathered around Amira El Bakry in Tahrir Square as she brandished a newspaper photo that shocked many Egyptians. It showed troops dragging a female protester along the street, her robe ripped open to reveal a blue bra and bare midriff. DAKAR - Human rights campaigners who have been struggling for years to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) in West Africa got a boost this week as news emerged that a group of Muslim clerics and scholars in Mauritania had declared a fatwa, or religious decree, against the practice. CAIRO — At first Samira Ibrahim was afraid to tell her father that Egyptian soldiers had detained her in Tahrir Square in Cairo, stripped off her clothes, and watched as she was forcibly subjected to a “virginity test.” The Libyan Human Rights Alliance, along with numerous civil society activists and organizations, find the Libyan Draft Election Law released On January 1 2012 by The National Transitional Council to be unreasonable. Within this Draft Law, Article 1 stated that there would in fact be a parliamentary quota for women; however it is quite vague and reads as the quota will be limited to 10%, or 20 out of 200 seats. 26 December 2011 - This year, millions of women have taken to the streets in the Arab world to demand change. “This year has been eventful in terms of democratisation, the recognition of freedom of expression and people’s empowerment,” said UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay. “The courage and determination of women involved in the Arab spring should be a source of inspiration for all of us.” WHEN Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced this month that the United States would use diplomacy to encourage respect for gay rights around the world, my heart leapt. I knew her words — “gay people are born into, and belong to, every society in the world”— to be true, but in my country they are too often ignored. Thousands of women massed in Tahrir Square here on Tuesday afternoon and marched to a journalists’ syndicate and back in a demonstration that grew by the minute into an extraordinary expression of anger at the treatment of women by the military police as they protested against continued military rule. The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Rashida Manjoo spoke to reporters in Nairobi Friday about her just-concluded mission to Somalia, where she examined the occurrence of gender-based violence there. It was Pakpema Bleg’s own family who first accused her of practicing witchcraft. Her nephew had accidentally pricked his finger on a needle, and the finger swelled up with infection. Bleg hadn’t been there. But the next morning, she says, her brother-in-law arrived outside her house. “Witch!” he allegedly bellowed for all her neighbors to hear. “Witch!” Then, her nephew’s older brother began beating her, she says, and soon others in the village joined in. Women's groups in the Somali town of Galkayo are lobbying the authorities in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland to enact a law banning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), saying the practice was becoming widespread. Activists say FGM/C causes serious health problems to the women and is against their religion. Geneva, Switzerland – On Monday, October 31, 2011, in collaboration with an alliance of Moroccan civil society organizations from diverse regions across the country1, Global Rights, and The Advocates for Human Rights will issue a joint statement to the 47th Session of the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT). A moderate Islamist party claimed victory Monday in Tunisia's landmark elections as preliminary results indicated it had won the biggest share of votes, assuring it will have a strong say in the future constitution of the country whose popular revolution led to the Arab Spring. WLUML is deeply concerned that the first public act of the Libya's National Transition Committee has been to proclaim on October 23rd, 2011, that henceforth, a number of laws will be considered annulled and that 'sharia law' is to replace them. Libya’s National Transition Committee is an interim government – what it has responsibility for – and what its first action should have concerned, is to put into place a mechanism for elections for the new government after the fall of the Gaddafi regime. On the eve of the elections in Tunisia that will shape the future of the country and even that of the Arab world as well, Western do-gooders and Islamic fundamentalists hand in hand rejoice in ‘Tunisia’s first free elections’ and its access to ‘ democracy’. The recent history of Iran and Algeria have taught us better… And women in Tunisia watch in horror the rise of Muslim fundamentalists, as a possible replication of the Algerian scenario of 1989 . On the eve of the elections in Tunisia that will shape the future of the country and even that of the Arab world as well, Western do-gooders and Islamic fundamentalists hand in hand rejoice in ‘Tunisia’s first free elections’ and its access to ‘ democracy’. The recent history of Iran and Algeria have taught us better… And women in Tunisia watch in horror the rise of Muslim fundamentalists, as a possible replication of the Algerian scenario of 1989 . SARE HAROUNA, Senegal — When Aissatou Kande was a little girl, her family followed a tradition considered essential to her suitability to marry. Her clitoris was sliced off with nothing to dull the pain. LAI, Chad, 7 September 2011 – A brave mother, Hadjara Oumarou, sat under a tree with her estranged husband, Oumar Sidik, outside their local village courthouse here in Chad’s Tandjilé District. Their 10-year-old daughter Amira (not her real name) sat between them. They were at the courthouse because Mr. Sidik had sold Amira for the equivalent of $120. When the man who ‘bought’ her visited Ms. Oumarou to demand his bride, she refused to give her up, insisting that she attend school before she marries. In the same district, a shocking number of young girls have been raped. (Cairo, 14 September 2011) In its continuing effort to enhance women's role in the Egyptian political sphere and follow the mechanisms and means that guarantee equality in women's representation, ECWR is going to monitor the 2011 Parliamentary and Shoura Elections from a gender perspective. For this purpose, ECWR is preparing its Operation Room that will be in charge of the monitoring and will undertake the following missions: Two clerics yesterday dismissed doctors and religious leaders opposed to safe abortion as enemies of women rights. The christian and muslim clerics said the abortion debate in Kenya was demeaning to women. “In this society we are all at the mercy of men,” said Rev Timothy Njoya. CAIRO, September 13, 2011‑Egyptian women currently face numerous threats that will not only destroy the goals of equality, freedom and change voiced in the January revolution, but the advances women have made over the last century. Because Mrs. Mubarak was extremely active in women’s issues, including the advancement of women’s rights, many Egyptians, especially men, equate women’s rights with the former corrupt dictatorship of Hosni Mubara. Last December, Tunisians rose up against their dictator, triggering a political earthquake that has sent shockwaves through most of the Middle East and north Africa. Now, Tunisia is leading the way once again – this time on the vexed issue of gender equality. Kenya has become the latest African country to ban female genital mutilation, with the passing of a law making it illegal to practice or procure it or take somebody abroad for cutting. The law even prohibits derogatory remarks about women who have not undergone FGM. Offenders may be jailed or fined or both. Members of the Kenyan Women Parliamentary Association said it was a historic day. Linah Kilimo, its chairperson, said the move would improve school attendance. And Sophia Abdi Noor said: (Beirut) September 6, 2011 ─ Tunisia’s lifting of key reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is an important step toward gender equality, Human Rights Watch said today. The Tunisian government should next ensure that all domestic laws conform to international standards and eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, Human Rights Watch said. It’s over four months now since the last general elections, but Nigerian women politicians and even stakeholders are yet to recuperate from the shock of its outcome. Unlike previous elections, women vied enmass for various political offices, but few of them got in! As a response to this fall which has also translated into an abysmal reduction in the representation of women in political offices(apart from the ministerial offices), the question of ‘what went wrong?’ has continued to take centre-stage at most women gatherings. PARIS (TrustLaw) - What links a British-based law firm to an initiative aimed at protecting women in Burkina Faso from accusations of witchcraft? The answer's global pro bono work. Earlier this year, a charity caring for older people, HelpAge International, asked Advocates for International Development (A4ID) to help with its work in, among others, Burkina Faso where it's been trying to raise awareness about the plight of women who've fallen victim to witchcraft allegations. Last year, during the holy month of Ramadan, I was in Tripoli researching the status of women in Libya's society, along with Journalist and Author Natalie Moore. We interviewed women across the spectrum: artists, housewives, teachers, government officials, university students and businesswomen. The stories were later aired on Chicago Public Radio. DAKAR, 27 July 2011 (IRIN) - Health workers say an apparent rise in contraceptive use in Nigeria stems largely from a willingness by traditional and religious leaders in some regions to use their influence in promoting reproductive health. In the predominantly Muslim north, where contraceptive use has historically been far lower than the national average, the support of traditional leaders has helped change attitudes in communities where contraception was long regarded as taboo. The United Nations official leading the fight against sexual violence in times of conflict today voiced concern over reports that women and girls fleeing famine in Somalia were being raped or abducted and forced into marriage by bandits and other armed groups as they tried to reach refugee camps in Kenya. Imagine living in a community your whole life. Then suddenly, you are accused of witchcraft and told to leave. Or you are sent threatening letters saying you have bewitched a neighbour's child. Or you are attacked and slashed with a machete during the night. CAIRO, Egypt (WOMENSENEWS)--Despite the stigma attached to divorce, ending a marriage is still relatively easy for Muslim women in Egypt. All they have to do is file paperwork with a family court and the deed is done, as long as they're not seeking alimony or damages from their husbands. For the country's millions of Orthodox Christians, or Copts, it's been nearly impossible since Pope Shenouda III, the head of one of the most conservative churches in Christianity, forbade divorce except in the case of conversion or adultery three years ago. Dozens of people participated Saturday in a sit-in in the center of Tunis to warn against "fundamentalism, extremism and violence", AFP noted. Gathered on the steps of the City Theatre, the participants came following calls on social networks, waving placards saying "no to violence, yes to tolerance," "against any religious extremism", "No to Algeria of the 90s." The event turned into impromptu happening, dozens of passers-by sit down to discuss the place of Islam in society, freedom of expression or the defense of the Revolution’s gains. CAIRO, May 30, 2009 (IPS) - As night falls over Egypt’s capital, youth gather along the banks of the Nile where a carnivalesque atmosphere prevails. Tamer and Mido have taken up positions on the railing next to the river. As a group of veiled teenage girls approaches, the duo works in tandem. Tamer removes the girls’ headscarves with his eyes, while sexually nuanced words roll off Mido’s tongue. Rape continues to be the most frequently reported serious crime in Liberia. A new multipronged approach is underway to reduce sexual and gender-based violence. MONROVIA, Liberia (WOMENSENEWS)-- Korlu, a young mother of two, lives on the outskirts of Monrovia, the capital here. A high school dropout, Korlu, who declined to give her last name for safety reasons, says when she was a teen, she became pregnant. "My parents put me out of their house because they couldn't bear the shame of me getting pregnant," she says. It's not always easy being a female investigative journalist, even in the west. But imagine going to do an interview and not being able to shake hands with the interviewee or indeed even being able to sit in front of him to ask questions. In Somali culture – I grew up in a Somali family in Kenya – it is wrong to speak and raise an opinion in front of men or even to shake hands with a man of no relation to you. Even travelling for work unaccompanied by a relative is not permitted. The head of Egypt’s military intelligence has promised Amnesty International that the army will no longer carry out forced ‘virginity tests’ after defending their use, during a meeting with the organisation in Cairo on Sunday. Major General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), discussed the issue with Amnesty International’s Secretary General Salil Shetty months after the organisation publicized allegations of the forced ‘tests’. Violence against women still is universal, and while it has many roots, especially in cultural tradition and customs, it is gender inequality that lies at the cross-cultural heart of violent practices. Violence against women is deeply embedded in human history and its universal perpetration through social and cultural norms serves the main purpose of reinforcing male-dominated power structures. UBA (AlertNet) - It took years of pleading before Jane Aketch persuaded her parents to send her to primary school in the dusty bush of South Sudan's Eastern Equatoria state. Although her parents wanted her to learn how to read and write, like most of the communities in Aketch's home county of Magwi, they did not place particular importance in furthering a girl's education. KIGALI, 2 June 2011 (IRIN) - A new report has rekindled debate on whether the Rwandan government "betrayed" women who were raped during the 1994 genocide by letting community-based gacaca courts process their cases. (Cairo, May 10, 2011) A large number of Egyptian women participated in a march entitled "No to sectarian strife" which appeared with its ugly face in the district of Imbaba. They participated in this march to stress the values of citizenship and tolerance and to prevent the strife that has been witnessed in the district and in many different places in Egypt after the revolution. Some cultural practices are progressive. Others are harmful to women and girls and they perpetuate abuse. These practices relegate women to inferior positions with respect to property, inheritance, marriage and decision making. In most cases, culture is used as an excuse to continue various forms of abuse that promote sexual, physical and psychological harm. Article XIX Statement: From Morocco to Bahrain, everyday people have taken on the cast iron hold of dictatorships and absolute monarchies resulting in an extraordinary collective awakening that has paved the way for epochal change in the region. The youth movement, which lies at the core of the uprisings, continues to play a prominent role in the pro-democracy and pro-reform demonstrations, which have swept through the region, unabated by government clampdowns or concessions. In northern Uganda, daughters with limited understanding of HIV/AIDS are married off at young ages into polygamous households still struggling with the legacy of a brutal 16-year civil war. The practice is a recipe for rapid disease transmission. GULU, Uganda (WOMENSENEWS)--After getting married at 18, Alice Ongom, who is now 45, settled down in Gulu, a northern Ugandan city that was a battleground during the country's intermittent civil war from 1986 to 2003. Even as the Arab spring unfolds across the region, I learned with profound astonishment that Mr. Jack Persekian, director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, has been dismissed as “punishment” for allowing an artist invited to the Sharjah Biennial total freedom of expression. I am the artist in question. My installation “Maportaliche/Ecritures sauvages” [It has no importance/Wild Writings] has been censored and removed from the Biennial. In South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa 38% of women marry before they are 18 years old. Child marriages, as defined by UNICEF, the United Nations’ children’s agency, are those undertaken by women under the age of 18 and include unions where a woman and a man live together as if they were married. "I, a girl, am going down to Tahrir Square and I will stand alone." With these words, Asmaa Mahfouz put out a call on YouTube that went viral, helping to ignite Egypt's revolution. A 26-year-old business management graduate, Mahfouz helped rally Egyptians for the initial Jan. 25 protest, to "say no to corruption, no to this regime." But Mahfouz's activism had its roots in another protest led by another woman. NEW YORK — Accusations of witchcraft in Africa have gained increasing attention because of the severe impact they can have on the lives of those accused, including imprisonment, deprivation of property, banishment from villages and in some cases physical violence. The human-rights law program I direct recently partnered with an N.G.O. in Malawi to run a mobile legal-aid clinic focusing on witchcraft cases in two rural communities. February 6 was unanimously adopted at the International Conference on Zero Tolerance to FGM organized by IAC from February 4 to 6, 2003 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Representatives at the Conference came from 49 countries including 4 First Ladies (from Nigeria , Burkina Faso , Guinea Conakry and Mali ), Ministers, and Parliamentarians. Others included Religious, Community and Youth leaders. The Violence is Not out Culture campaign condemns the brutal murder on 26 January 2011 of LGBT human rights defender, David Kato, of Uganda and extends its condolences to his colleagues at Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). David was a long term activist for rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Uganda, and was a highly respected and admired human rights defender within his community and worldwide. A growing movement of African Christians are making waves at home and abroad with their ultra conservative interpretations of scripture. Far from a naïve embrace of conventional norms or a faithful embrace of scripture, these interpretations are emerging as clear political choices and are undermining women's rights struggles across the African continent. (Yaoundé, November 4, 2010) – Cameroonians are attacked by police, politicians, the media, and even their own communities if they are suspected of having sexual relations with a person of the same sex, four human rights organizations said in a joint report released today. MANSA, 20 December 2010 (IRIN) - The minimum legal age for marriage in Zambia is 18, and parental consent is required if a girl or boy is 16-17. Anyone under 16 is a minor, and defilement of a minor is a serious offence, punishable by imprisonment of up to 25 years. Patricia was 12 when she married John, four years her senior. (Nairobi) December 15, 2010 -- The arrest of more than 60 Sudanese women's rights activists on December 14, 2010, for peacefully protesting the lashing of a woman by police shows the urgent need to reform Sudan's public order laws and practices, Human Rights Watch said today. The system imposes illegitimate restrictions on a range of personal behavior and public expression and disproportionately targets women, Human Rights Watch said. LUSAKA (10 December 2010) – In conclusion of her official visit to Zambia the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Ms. Rashida Manjoo, delivered the following preliminary findings: More than 1,000 women accused of witchcraft in northern Ghana live in refuges, where they have to pay for protection from the chief who runs them. Yaba Badoe visits a camp in Gambaga and follows two women as they return to their villages. Watch the video. The most recent report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences on her mission to Ghana, highlights the practice of offering daughters as 'trokosi' to a traditional fetish shrine to ward off the punishment of the gods for crimes or moral wrongdoings committed by a family member. Francine Nijimbere relies entirely on her mother for basic things like bathing and eating. Her husband cut off her arms up to the elbows in 2004, for failing to give birth to a boy. She was pregnant at the time and lost the baby due to her injuries, which included cuts on her stomach. The man - a soldier - was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison but was recently released following a presidential pardon. Sanaa Awadkareem was forced into marriage and then disfigured with acid by her estranged husband. The tragedy of Sanaa Awadalkareem, a victim of a unique case of domestic violence of the worst kind, became a case of public interest when it was highlighted in local and international news articles, first published in Alrayaam newspaper (Sudan) and consequently on Sudanesonline (an electronic news outlet, concerned with issues pertaining to the Sudan; www.sudaneseonline.com). Shame, violence, abuse, shame - the circle is complete for women of the East as they face a recurring nightmare of the denial of rights and justice.In most cases of violence against women, the role of society and how it perceives these unfortunate women is a crucial factor in the kind of justice they ultimately receive.

Israel, PLO, Jordan, EU and UN must agree on boundaries of Palestine Ending the Arab-Jewish conflict over the territory called “historic Palestine” has little chance of success until its territorial boundaries are first agreed between Israel, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Jordan, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN). Rima Najjar – a retired professor of English literature at Al-Quds University – claims in a recent article that the territory of “historic Palestine” has been subdivided into Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip but is effectively controlled by the Jewish State. The following facts contradict her assertions: Jordan comprises 78% of the territory of Palestine under the League of Nations 1922 Mandate for Palestine – and Jews were denied the right to reconstitute the Jewish National Home in any part of that area of Palestine under article 25 of the Mandate The Old Testament records that two and a half of the twelve tribes of Israel settled in Jordan and cities of refuge were established by the Israelites in Golan, Ramoth, and Bosor – on the eastern side of the Jordan River – and Kedesh, Nablus, and Hebron – on the western side. Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza form one indivisible territorial unit under Article 2 of the PLO Charter. Many leading PLO, Jordanian, Arab and Israeli leaders have acknowledged that Jordan formed part of Palestine and that Jordanians and Palestinians are one people – not two. Under the 1993 Oslo Accords and following Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2006 – the PLO effectively controls 40% of the West Bank and Hamas effectively controls all of Gaza. Many leading PLO, Jordanian, Arab and Israeli leaders have acknowledged that Jordan formed part of Palestine and that Jordanians and Palestinians are one people – not two. Israel currently exercises sovereignty in only 17% of historic Palestine whilst Jordan exercises sovereignty in 78% – leaving competing Arab and Jewish claims to sovereignty in the remaining 5% of historic Palestine– the West Bank and Gaza – to be resolved. The Palestinian Arabs already have their own State in 78% of historic Palestine where not one Jew lives. “How deep is the historical illiteracy of Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic Party and Donald Trump and his party? It is so deep, they are even immune to déjà vu, also known as “cryptomnesia”, which is where history is forgotten but nevertheless stored in the brain.” Najjar, the UN, EU, even Mahmoud Abbas, are the historical illiterates suffering from cryptomnesia when it comes to determining the boundaries of historic Palestine– having written off the biblical history of “Eretz Yisrael” and the modern day history of “Palestine” between 1917 and 1947. “I don’t know what it means to be Palestinian Jordanian, which is how I began my life …” Najjar’s identity crisis disappears once she recognises that Jordan is 78% of historic Palestine. Until Israel, the PLO, Jordan, the UN and EU all agree on the boundaries of historic Palestine– any hope for ending the 100-years conflict between Arabs and Jews remains a mirage. Author’s note: The cartoon — commissioned exclusively for this article — is by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones”- one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators — whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades. His cartoons can be viewed at Drybonesblog Comments For goodness sake, why do I need to remind you, yet again, that the international border is the Jordan River. It was created when Trans-Jordan was carved out of the British mandate in 1921. Ignoring legalities for clever politics is wrong and foolish. Borders can be – and have been – redrawn all over the world both by armed force and by agreement. Doing it by agreement only needs a team of negotiators from both sides of the border armed with pencils, rubbers and liquid paper. Israel’s former Foreign Minister the late Moshe Arens presciently stated on January 11, 1989: “Jordan is a Palestinian state. And it is with Jordan that we must decide where the border will run…. Should the border follow the Jordan River, as it does today, or should it be west of the Jordan, as the Jordanians would like?” Why not try to see if the Arens proposal can now be achieved 30 years later – after hundreds of thousands of additional dead, wounded and traumatised Jewish and Arab lives have been lost in a never ending conflict that needs to be resolved after 100 years of failure? This conflict will not be resolved to the complete satifaction of all the concerned parties in the pre Messianic Era. A reduction in the violence coupled with strong economic growth for all citizens is the achiveable goal. A very gloomy prognostication when it comes to dividing up a piece of land once called Palestine – that is about 1.6 times the size of Tasmania – of which 95% has already been done and dusted and renamed Israel and Jordan. One can only shake one’s head in amazement that the UN and EU seem to have had no resolve for the last 25 years to get Israel and Jordan to sit down and try to reach agreement on divvying up the last 5% between their two respective states. They should hang their heads in shame. Speak Your Mind Comments received without a full name will not be consideredEmail addresses are NEVER published! All comments are moderated. J-Wire will publish considered comments by people who provide a real name and email address. Comments that are abusive, rude, defamatory or which contain offensive language will not be published

The present invention relates to a fryer for cooking food, and more particularly to a multipurpose fryer having a auxiliary container provided at a side of the fryer to fill water therein, whereby can supply drinking water or washing water that is heated up by heat release from the fryer, which can be used to boil and to keep boiling the food by utilizing additional a cooking pot, and which may be used for supplier hot water if circumstances require. The fryer for home-life or professional is typically formed cubic or cylindrical, which heated up the oil therein to fry the food by 160 to 220xc2x0 C., using such a method that there is installed gas burner beneath the fryer or installed heater inside it, whereas fragmentary chips of frying food is collected on the bottom of the fryer. The common fryer is simply used to fry the food with hot oil, and therefore the heat release therefrom is wasted without reuse, causing excessive energy consuming. Therefore, the present invention is designed from this viewpoint, it is the object of this invention to provide a multipurpose fryer for saving energy by using heat release from the fryer to heat up contained water in an auxiliary container, which can be used to supply drinking or washing hot water, and be used to boil and keep boiling the food by utilizing an additional cooking pot, and which may be used for supplier hot water if circumstances require. To achieve the above object, there is provided a fryer comprising, a heater arranged in lower portion in the fryer; a net screen arranged over the heater; and a control unit arranged at an upper portion on the fryer, which is connected to both terminals of the heater to control the power supply; characterized by, a space formed on an inclined mid-bottom of the fryer, which has an outlet communicated with a valve provided on an outer side of the fryer; and an auxiliary container defined as space beneath the mid-bottom and upper portion of end-bottom of the fryer and is extended to vertical direction along the side wall of the fryer, wherein its open portion is disjointably fitted by the control unit, its inside is provided with a auxiliary heater connected to the control unit, and a side of its lower portion is communicated with another valve provided on another side of the fryer. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fryer further characterized by being combined fitably an additional cooking pot with its lid to be used to boil and keep boiling the food, as well as the fryer is used to cook the frying food with oil.

Q: How to dynamically build query filters I'm and using Go to setup my own API. I'm kind of stuck right now because of how I wrote the code to dynamically create/apply the query filter. It works but I'm wondering if there is a better way to do the scenario below. For example, I have a search page with check boxes (1 for email and 1 for name) to narrow the search. // If I checked the email, the query would be like this query findOne() { user(func: type(user)) @filter(eq(email, "john.doe@email.com")) { name email age home_address } } // If name checkedbox is also checked, it would be like this query findOne() { user(func: type(user)) @filter(eq(email, "john") OR eq(name, "john")) { name email age home_address } } This is what I got so far and I think there is a better way to do this: func (s *Service) GetUser(email, name string) (*Users, error) { c := db.NewClient() defer db.Close() var u Users var filter string if email != "" && mobileNumber != "" { filter = fmt.Sprintf(`eq(email, "%s") OR eq(mobileNumber, "%s")`, email, mobileNumber) } else if email != "" && mobileNumber == "" { filter = fmt.Sprintf(`eq(email, "%s")`, email) } else if email == "" && mobileNumber != "" { filter = fmt.Sprintf(`eq(mobileNumber, "%s")`, mobileNumber) } q := fmt.Sprintf(`query findOne() { users(func: type("user")) @filter(%s) { name email home_address contact_number } }`, filter) ctx := context.Background() res, err := c.NewTxn().Query(ctx, q) if err != nil { return nil, err } if err = json.Unmarshal(res.Json, &u); err != nil { return nil, err } return &u, nil } Is there a better way to do this instead of creating long condition? A: Here is the reflection version of it. Basically it enumerates fields, gets the value and field names to build an array of string based on them. Please not that i'm not well experienced it might also require some improvements. import ( "fmt" "reflect" "strings" ) type User struct { Id int FullName string Phone string Mail string } func main() { u := &User{Id: 10, FullName: "John", Mail: "john@mail"} u2 := struct { id int name string }{10, "john"}; // inline struct q := getQuery(&u2, "OR") fmt.Println(q) // typed struct q = getQuery(u, "AND") fmt.Println(q) } func getQuery(target interface{}, join string) string { var filters []string val := reflect.ValueOf(target).Elem() for i := 0; i < val.NumField(); i++ { value := val.Field(i) s :=fmt.Sprintf("%v",value); // this little trick is to check if it is an empty value // so don't generate empty condition expressions if s == "" { continue } fieldType := val.Type().Field(i) filters = append(filters, fmt.Sprintf(" eq(%s, %v) ", fieldType.Name, value)) } return strings.Join(filters, join) } Here is the playground

Q: DART post with multipart/form-data in DART lang, how to specify POST request Content-Type to be multipart/form-data My DART code is: sendDatas(dynamic data) { final req = new HttpRequest(); req.onReadyStateChange.listen((Event e) { if (req.readyState == HttpRequest.DONE && (req.status == 200 || req.status == 0)) { window.alert("upload complete"); } }); req.open("POST", "/upload"); req.send(data); } I am doing POST with a file A: I think you should use HttpRequest.postFormData(url, data) here. Then you can use the following: FormData data = new FormData(); // from dart:html data.append(key, value); HttpRequest.request('/upload', method: 'POST', sendData: data).then((HttpRequest r) { // ... }); Regards, Robert

Promotional External Links The content of this page was created directly by users and has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. Since the beliefs that parents want to instill in their children can vary greatly, we ask that, instead of adding your personal opinions about what is right or wrong in a film, you use this feature to help parents make informed viewing decisions by describing the facts of relevant scenes in the title for each one of the different categories: Sex and Nudity, Violence and Gore, Profanity, Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking, and Frightening/Intense Scenes. A woman drives her car on a lawn while chasing a dog that she eventually hits with the car (we hear a yipping, and we hear the dog is in the hospital and we see it later with a wheel device attached to his back and bandages on both rear legs). A woman is struck in the buttocks with a harpoon, and she runs screaming -- we see the harpoon sticking out of her. Three men with BB guns shoot a man (in a carnival game stand). A husband yells at his wife, she yells back, threatens him and chases him running people down and knocking into things along the way. A woman punches a man in the face hard. Two boys bully another boy, they kick sand at him, and they tackle him and punch him repeatedly. A girl picks two boys up in the air, pounds their heads together and throws them to the ground. A woman pushes over a heavy speaker that falls and strikes a man hard on the head (we see him unconscious on the ground and then in the hospital). A man is thrown through a plate glass window and crashes onto the ground. A woman fights two men using a shovel, while the men use a pizza shovel and a prosthetic leg; she then throws a woman through the air and into a pile of flowers. Several children hold a wooden replica of a whale, a man throws a harpoon at the whale piercing the wood and nearly striking a boy who runs and screams. A man with a harpoon threatens three men, and they run away. A woman with a crow bar chases a man. Three men shake down business owners trying to get money from them (one man's head is shoved into a pot of hot pasta sauce). Three men chase a man, one man's fingers are slammed in an organ, one man is tackled hard, and a woman raises a shovel over the man. A woman chases and threatens children who have stolen her hat; she says, "I'll pull your legs off" and "I'll kill you" and she climbs inside an inflated bouncing toy causing several children to bounce out of the confines of the toy and one girl is bounced hard against a wall and falls unconscious. Three men are chased through streets by a large crowd of people. A woman faints while driving and crashes into another car (no one appears injured). A woman yells and drives recklessly. A man threatens another man and says he'll hurt him with a razor blade and lemon juice. Three men and a woman threaten another man, and then lock him in a basement. A woman with a potato that looks like a face pours acid on it, it bubbles and becomes disfigured, and she says that is what she is going to do to another woman. A woman holding defibrillator paddles threatens to use them on a man. A man talks about a boy being bitten on the buttock by a snake and that the man considered briefly sucking out the venom. A boy plays with a duck, a man grabs the duck away from the boy, chops its head off, and tosses the severed head back to the boy to play with. An infant wrapped in a blanket is thrown out of a moving car in front of an orphanage; two coyotes surround it and try to pull at the blanket. A man riding a bike is chased by a truck, a woman inside the truck pulls the man's head into the truck, they nearly hit an oncoming car, the man on the bike rides in front of the truck, and swerves and rides off the road and down a steep hill crashing into a pond at the bottom (he is uninjured). A man riding his bike is nearly struck by a car. A man falls off a bike several times, one time flipping over the handlebars and crashing onto the ground (he is not injured). A woman has a bikini wax (we hear a rip, the woman screams and we see a bit of a cloth briefly, that appears to have a patch of hair on it); when the cloth is pulled away she kicks the woman who is doing the waxing. A man makes racist remarks about an infant being "black and ugly." A man says that he "doesn't like blacks and Jews." A man makes jokes about a woman's weight and calls her names. A man talks about girls being worthless and that he traded his daughter for a yak. An overweight woman slides down a water slide, and she goes so fast that she does not stop at the end but breaks through a wooden wall and crashes into a wading pool where children are playing, and splashes all of the water out. A woman sits in a bathtub pushing out all of the water and flooding the bathroom. A boy and a girl sit on toilets next to each other and we are told that they learned to defecate together.

Menu Tips and tricks for an adventurous adulthood. Monthly Archives: July 2016 The Boston Globe ran an article recently about an incident of sexual misconduct at my high school. This is the latest in a string of stories about sexual abuse, harassment, and assault at private high schools across New England, and several of the events happened at my school. I love my high school and its surrounding community, where I was born and raised. The school is a place where intellect and kindness are both prized, and where reasoned debate is essential. It’s a house of privilege in many ways. Financial privilege, in that many of the kids who go there come from wealthy families. (Many others do not.) Academic privilege, because every student is expected to work hard, and the teachers do as well. Social privilege, because of the powerful connections you build there. I was able to go because I got a full scholarship, since my parents both were employed there. I worked my ass off, and I learned a lot. Way more than I did in college. But while I was growing up in this bastion of fortune—a place where I felt nourished and protected every day—some of my peers were being abused, by each other and by faculty members. I’m lucky that this didn’t happen to me. It shouldn’t happen to anyone. * What’s been striking lately is the flood of reports of sexual assault, harassment, etc.—some of them from 20, 30 years ago or more. I hate the idea of someone carrying that malignant memory inside them, silent, all that time. From my experiences with obsessive compulsive thoughts, I am familiar with the sensation of having a small, dark room in my brain piled to the rafters with shit. For me, therapy and the book Brain Lock helped me open the door to that room, hose it down with warm soapy water, and air it out. Having obsessive thoughts is not the same as living with the memory of sexual assault. Not even close. But I remember how it felt to carry something ugly around inside me. Like having a blighted spot, permanently, in the corner of my vision. These stories about young people in my community getting assaulted and abused fill me with anger and a toxic sense of powerlessness. I’ve written a letter to the school’s administration to ask them to up their game on how they respond to student allegations of sexual misconduct. I signed another letter, along with 900 other alums, putting the same challenge to the trustees. Other than that, not much else I can do. My feelings of insufficiency about that bother me—but they’re really not the point. * I admire everyone who’s coming forward to share your stories. I wonder if it feels like hosing out a roomful of shit in your brain. Probably for some of you, it’s more like ripping a bandage off a wound that’s been festering for years, or for decades. And inviting the whole world to watch you do so. All I can offer is my limited understanding of what you went through, and my desire to understand better. If you were abused, assaulted, molested, raped—at my high school or elsewhere—I’m so sorry that you went through that. In the Buddhist view, speech can be ethical or unethical. “Right speech” is supposed to share truth, be timed appropriately, and be given with a warm intention. This can be hard when we’re telling someone about something they’ve done that upsets us. I struggle with letting small annoyances or minorly hurt feelings accumulate, and then blowing up at someone when the pressure has built up too much. This isn’t healthy, and I’m working on finding better ways to express when I’m feeling frustrated, or when something that someone said or did isn’t sitting right with me. Otherwise, these feelings fester. It’s like carrying a slow-burning acid-filled coal deep in my gut. Eventually it’s going to turn into hot bile and spew out. My cousin, who like me is a Myers-Briggs INFJ, says that those with our personality type are prone to “door-slamming.” We’re mostly serene, let a lot of stuff slide that we don’t like—and then, when someone crosses a line with us, that’s it. Friendship over. I’m not proud of that tendency, but I do see it in myself. A teacher I was working with recently has elements of his instructional style that I take issue with. After several months of being aware of this, I finally broached the subject. The conversation went badly—we were both upset, and I didn’t feel that he heard what I was saying. It’s unclear if I’ll return to his class, even though there was much in it to enjoy and value. At this point, I don’t feel trust or comfort with him, so I’ll probably never go back. I door-slammed. Do you ever slam doors? When it is effective and healthy, and when it is not? There are tons of appealing qualities to look for in the people you’re dating. But two keep standing out to me as essential: kindness and curiosity. These aren’t at the top of most people’s wish list. They tend to get outshone by flashier traits, such as “hotness” (whatever that means). Especially for straight women, unpredictability and even a sense of danger can be enthralling. But kindness is where it’s at. Observe your date’s behavior. How do they treat the bartender, the person making coffee, the police officer who pulls them over for speeding? Is there an innate respect and gentleness there? Or do they get pissy and whiny? Curiosity is also beautiful. Does your date ask you questions? Do they follow up and remember your answers later? If you ask them something, do they reflect before answering? Can you see them thinking? Curiosity can take many forms. It can be intellectual, emotional, sexual, or a range of other things. But beware the lack of it. Steer clear of people who don’t want to expand what they know about the world.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – A bad start turned into a terribly disappointing weekend for the University of Iowa wrestlers. The second-ranked Hawkeyes suffered more losses in a matter of hours than it had the entire season before Saturday. Iowa was derailed with a 22-15 loss to fourth-ranked Minnesota and then dropped an 18-16 defeat to sixth-ranked Missouri to place fourth at the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen National Duals on Saturday at Williams Arena. The Hawkeyes (20-3) lost six matches in both duals, losing back-to-back duals for the first time since falling to Ohio State and Penn State on the same weekend of January 2012. Missouri’s top-ranked heavyweight sealed the Tigers win for third, scoring a takedown :32 into the second sudden victory period for a 4-2 win over Bobby Telford. “We have work to do,” Brands said. “We have to move forward. There are some things that are maybe a little bit bizarre. We need to not go back down that path.” The bizarre came in the form of uncharacteristic performances and losing tight matches. Missouri (15-3) received huge upsets from fourth-ranked Alan Waters (125) and Kyle Bradley (157). The knocked off Iowa’s top-ranked Matt McDonough and Derek St. John, respectively. Waters used a first-period takedown and second-period escape for a 3-0 win. Bradley scored all four points in the final period, including a late takedown and rideout, for a 4-3 victory. "This is the match I've been looking forward to the past three years," said Waters, who is 26-0. "It's a big win for me, but I go out there expecting to win, so it's nothing I didn't expect to happen." Bradley, ranked 19th, handed St. John his first loss of the season. The Hawkeyes too a 10-3 lead with consecutive wins from Tony Ramos and Josh Dziewa. Dziewa got the nod at 141, replacing regular starter Mark Ballweg, and scored a 10-2 major decision, following a forfeit collected by second-ranked Ramos at 133. They were among the positives drawn from Saturday. The individual feats, or lack thereof, is what Brands is focused on, and not necessarily the team setbacks as a whole on the scoreboard. “The way I look at this is we want to win as a team,” Brands said. “That is the goal, but there are also 10 individual matches that you are evaluating. If we win this dual meet, I’m talking the same way I am right now.” Evans found a way to bounce back after a tough loss to top-ranked Logan Storley of Minnesota. He had no choice, because he is determined never to taste the bitterness of losing two straight like he did at last year's NCAA tournament. “You have to bounce back,” Evans said. “This will carry over to Big Ten’s and NCAA’s. I do feel there is a correlation, so if you can’t bounce back after one dual and five hours how are you going to bounce back after a half-hour and a change of rounds.” Evans was asked what the next couple weeks would be like in the room. Changes and strides need to be made by everyone in the lineup for the Hawkeyes to succeed in the postseason. “We have to get our stuff together,” Evans said. “He have to start hammering some stuff out here. You can’t fly into Big Tens or NCAA’s with loose nails on the ship. You have to hammer those things down.” The Tigers won the last three matches. According to the Tigers head coach Brian Smith, this was Missouri first dual win over Iowa. "This is a big win for the program," Smith said. "We believed we could win that match. We have some good people." Minnesota advanced to the finals with its win over Iowa, and then avenged another loss in the finals. The Gophers (16-2) handed top-seeded Oklahoma State its first loss of the season with a 28-9 win in the National Duals championship. Oklahoma State is 17-1. Have you found an error or omission in our reporting? Is there other feedback and/or ideas you want to share with us? Tell us here.

--- abstract: 'In this note, we compute the cobordism map on periodic Floer homology induced by elementary Lefschetz fibration.' author: - '[Guanheng Chen]{}' title: An example of cobordism map on PFH --- Introduction and Main result ============================ Let $\pi: Y \to S^1$ be a surface fibration over a circle and $\omega$ be a closed, fiberwise nondegenerate $2$-form over $Y$. Assume that the fiber of $\pi$ is a connected oriented surface possibly with boundary. The $2$-form $\omega$ gives a splitting of $TY=TY^{vert}\oplus TY^{hor}$, where $TY^{vert}= ker \pi_*$ and $TY^{hor}$ is the orthogonal complement of $TY^{vert}$ with respect to $\omega$. The horizontal lift of the vector field of $\partial_t$ is called Reeb vector field $R$, where $\partial_t$ is coordinate vector field of $S^1$. The periodic orbit of $(Y, \pi, \omega)$ is the closed integral curve of $R$. Fix a homology class $\Gamma \in H_1(Y, \mathbb{Z})$, we can define the periodic Floer homology (abbreviated as PFH) $PFH_*(Y, \omega, \Gamma)$ [@H1]. The definition will be reviewed latter. Given a Lefschetz firbation $\pi_X: X \to B$ together with a closed, fiberwise nondegenerate $2$-form $\omega_X$ such that $\partial X=Y$ and $\omega_X \vert_Y =\omega$, it is expected that there is a cobordism map $PFH(X, \omega_X): PFH(Y, \omega, \Gamma) \to \Lambda$, where $ \Lambda$ is local coefficient. There are some technical problems to define this map directly using holomorphic curve method. (Cf. section 5.5 of [@H3]) But at least the map can be defined via the isomorphism between PFH and Seiberg Witten cohomology [@LT]. In this note, we define and compute the cobordism map on periodic Floer homology induced by elementary Lefschetz fibration, that is the Lefschetz firbation over a disk with only one singular point. The motivation is as follows. Under certain technical assumptions, [@GHC] defines the cobordism maps on PFH induced by Lefschetz fibration using holomorphic curve method. Except the case that $B$ is a disk, we can always perform a $C^0$ perturbation on $\omega_X$ such that the technical assumptions hold. Therefore, if we want to extend the results in [@GHC] to general case, it is natural to consider the simplest case that $X$ is an elementary Lefschetz fibration. This special case is expected to be a building block in defining cobordism maps on PFH. Let us clarify the notation we will be using. We always use $\pi_X: X \to D$ to denote the Lefschetz fibration over a disk with only one singular point at origin and the boundary of $X$ is denoted by $Y$. Throughout this note, we assume that the fiber $F$ of $X$ is a closed surface with genus $g(F) \ge 2$ and the vanishing cycle is non-separated, unless otherwise stated. The main result of this note is as follows. \[thm3\] Fix a degree $Q \ne g(F)-1$, then for a choice of admissible $2$-form $\omega_X$ such that $\int_F \omega_X>Q$ and a generic $\Omega_X$-tame almost complex structure $J$ which is sufficiently close to $ \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$, then the cobordism map $PFH(X, \omega_X): PFH_*(Y, \omega, Q) \to \mathbb{Z}$ is well defined. Moreover, - If $Q > g(F)-1$, then in chain level $$PFC(X, \omega_X)((\Pi_a e_a^{m_a}) e_0^{m_0} e_1^{m_1})=1$$ and $PFC(X, \omega_X)$ maps others else ECH generators to zero. Here $\{a\} $ are refer to critical points of a Morse function $f$ with $\nabla^2 f(a) >0$, $e_a$ is the periodic orbit corresponding to $\{a\}$, and $\{e_i\}_{i=0, 1}$ are the only two degree $1$ periodic orbits of Dehn twist. For the precise definition, please refer to section 4.2. - If $g(F)-1>2Q$, then $$PFH(X, \omega_X)( e^Q)=1$$ and maps others generators of $PFH(Y, \omega, Q)$ to zero. In this case, $e_0$ and $e_1$ are homologous and $e$ is their homology class. Since the cobordism map is invariant under blow-up (Cf. Lemma 5.2 of [@GHC]), we have the following corollary. Let $\{x_i\}_{i=1}^k \subset X$ be finite set of points such that $\pi_X(x_i) \ne \pi_X(x_j)$ for $i \ne j$ and $\pi_X(x_i) \ne 0$ for all $i$. Let $(\pi_X' : X' \to D, \omega_{X'})$ be the blow-up of $X$ at $\{x_i\}_{i=1}^k$. For any $\Gamma_X \in H_2(X, \partial{X}, \mathbb{Z})$, regarded as a homology class in $X'$, then $PFH(X', \omega_{X'}, \Gamma_X) $ satisfies the same conclusion in Theorem \[thm3\]. We have organized the rest of this article in the following way: In section $2$, we review PFH and the definition which will be using. In section $3$, we review the construction of $\pi_X: X \to D$ and compute its singular homology. In section $4$, we describe the periodic orbits on $Y$. In section $5$, a combinatorial formula for ECH index will be deduced. Finally, in section $6$, we show that the cobordism map is well defined and compute it. Review of ECH index and PFH =========================== In this section, we have a quick review of the ECH index and periodic Floer homology. Basic definition ---------------- Let $\pi_W: W \to B$ be a surface fibration over a circle or a Lefschetz fibration. A $2$-form $\omega_W \in \Omega^2(W)$ is called admissible if $d\omega_W=0$ and $\omega_W$ is fiberwise nondegenerate. Let $(Y, \pi, \omega)$ be a surface fibration over a circle together with an admissible $2$-form, the Reeb vector field $R$ is a section of $TY^{hor}$ such that $\pi_*(R)=\partial_t$. A periodic orbit is a smooth map $\gamma: \mathbb{R}_{\tau} / q \mathbb{Z} \to Y $ satisfying the ODE $\partial_{\tau} \gamma =R \circ \gamma$ for some $q>0$. The number $q$ is called period or degree of $\gamma$. An orbit set $\alpha=\sum_i m_i \alpha_i$ is a finite formal sum of periodic orbits, where $\alpha_i's$ are distinct, nondegenerate, irreducible embedded periodic orbits and $m_i$ are positive integer. An orbit set $\alpha$ is called ECH generator if $m_i=1$ whenever $\alpha_i$ is hyperbolic orbit. Usually we write an orbit set using multiplicative notation $\alpha=\Pi_i \alpha_i^{m_i}$ instead of summation notation. The following definition is useful when we define the cobordism map on PFH. (Cf. [@H5]) Let $Q>0$ and $\gamma$ be an embedded elliptic orbit with degree $q \le Q$. - $\gamma$ is called $Q$-positive elliptic if the rotation number $\theta \in (0, \frac{q}{Q}) \mod 1$. - $\gamma$ is called $Q$-negative elliptic if the rotation number $\theta \in ( -\frac{q}{Q},0) \mod 1$. Let $(W , \pi_W, \omega_W)$ be a fibered cobordism from $(Y, \pi, \omega)$ to $(Y', \pi', \omega')$, where $(W, \pi_W)$ is a Lefschetz firbation with boundary $\pi_W^{-1}(\partial B)= Y \cup(-Y')$, and $\omega_W $ is an admissible $2$-form which agrees with $\omega$ and $\omega'$ on $Y$ and $Y'$ respectively. The symplectic form on $W$ is defined by $\Omega_W=\omega_W+\pi_W^*\omega_B$, where $\omega_B$ is a large volume form of $B$. We can define the symplectic completion $(\overline{W}, \omega_W)$ by adding cylindrical ends. (See section 2.3 of [@GHC]). Given orbit sets $\alpha=\Pi_i \alpha_i^{m_i}$ and $\beta=\Pi_j \beta_j^{n_j}$ on $Y$ and $Y'$ respectively, we can define the space of relative homology classes $H_2(W, \alpha ,\beta)$. The typical element is a $2$-chain $Z$ in $W $ such that $\partial Z = \sum_i m_i \alpha_i- \sum_j n_j \beta_j$, modulo the boundary of $3$-chain. $H_2(W, \alpha ,\beta)$ is an affine space over $H_2(W, \mathbb{Z})$. Given $Z \in H_2(W, \alpha ,\beta)$ and fix a trivialization of $\tau$ of $\ker \pi_*$ and $\ker \pi_*'$ over $\alpha $ and $\beta$ respectively, the ECH index is defined by $$I(\alpha, \beta, Z) = c_{\tau}(Z) + Q_{\tau}(Z) + \sum_i \sum\limits_{p=1}^{m_i} CZ_{\tau}(\alpha_i^{p})- \sum_j \sum\limits_{q=1}^{n_j} CZ_{\tau}(\beta_j^{q}),$$ where $c_{\tau}(Z)$ and $Q_{\tau}(Z)$ are respectively the relative Chern number and the relative self-intersection number(Cf. [@H4] and [@H2]), and $CZ_{\tau}$ is Conley-Zehender index. ECH index $I$ only depend on orbit sets $\alpha$, $\beta$ and relative homology class of $Z$. An almost complex structure $J$ on $\overline{W}$ is called $\Omega_W$-tame if $J$ satisfies the following properties: 1. On the cylindrical ends, $J$ is $\mathbb{R}$-invariant, $J(\partial_s)=R$ and $J $ sends $\ker \pi_*$ to itself along periodic orbit with degree less than $Q$, where $R$ is the Reeb vector field. 2. $J$ is $\Omega_W$-tame. 3. Identify a neighborhood of critical point of $\pi_W$ with the local model, then $J$ agrees with the standard complex structure $J_0$ of $\mathbb{C}^2$. The space of $\Omega_W$-tame almost complex structures is denoted by $\mathcal{J}_{tame}(W, \omega_W)$. The admissible $2$-form $\omega_W$ gives a decomposition $TW = TW^{hor} \oplus TW^{vert}$ of tangent bundle of $W$, where $TW^{vert}= \ker \pi_{W*}$ and $TW_{w}^{hor}=\{ a \in TW_w \vert \omega_W(a, b)=0 \mbox{ } \forall b \in TW_w^{vert} \}$. Fix a complex structure $j_B$ over base surface $B$, we define a subspace as follows. $\mathcal{J}_h(W, \omega_W) \subset \mathcal{J}_{tame}(W, \omega_W)$ is the subspace of $\Omega_W$-tame almost complex structures on $\overline{W}$ with the following properties: 1. $J(T\overline{W}^{hor}) \subset T\overline{W}^{hor}$ and $J(T\overline{W}^{vert}) \subset T\overline{W}^{vert}$. 2. Aways from critical points of $\pi_W$, $J \vert_{\ker d\pi_{W}}$ is compatible with $\omega_W$. 3. $(\pi_W)_*$ is complex linear with respect to $J$ and $j_B$. Let $(\overline{W} , \pi_W, \omega_W)$ be the symplectic completion of $(W , \pi_W, \omega_W)$. Fix a $\Omega_W$-tame almost complex structure $J$, the holomorphic current $\mathcal{C}= \sum d_a C_a$ from $\alpha$ to $\beta$ is a finite formal sum of simple holomorphic curves, in addition, $\mathcal{C}$ is asymptotic to $\alpha$ and $\beta$ respectively in current sense, where $\{C_a\}$ are distinct, irreducible, somewhere injective $J$ holomorphic curves with finite energy $\int_{C_a} \omega_W < \infty$ and $\{d_a\}$ are positive integers. A holomorphic current $\mathcal{C}$ is called embedded if $d_a=1$ for any $a$ and $\{C_a\}$ are pairwise disjoint embedded holomorphic curves. The number $E(\mathcal{C})=\int_{\mathcal{C}} \omega_W =\sum_a d_a \int_{C_a} \omega_W$ is called $\omega_W$-energy. Let $\mathcal{M}_i^J(\alpha, \beta, Z)$ be the space of holomorphic currents from $\alpha$ to $\beta$ with ECH index $I=i$ and relative homology class $Z$. \[Cf. [@PS], [@PS1]\] A Lefschetz fibration $(\pi_W: W \to B, \omega_W) $ is called nonnegative if at any point $w $ away from the critical point of $\pi_W$, then $\omega_W \vert_{T W_w^{hor}} = \rho(w) (\pi_W^* \omega_B) \vert_{TW_w^{hor}} $ , where $\omega_B \in \Omega^2(B)$ is a positive volume form $\omega_B \in \Omega^2(B)$ and $\rho$ is a nonnegative function. It is worth noting that if $(\pi_W: W \to B, \omega_W) $ is nonnegative and $J \in\mathcal{J}_h(W, \omega_W) $, then any $J$-holomorphic current $\mathcal{C}$ has nonnegative $\omega_W$-energy. Definition of PFH ------------------ Now let us return to the definition of PFH. Fix a homology class $\Gamma \in H_1(Y, \mathbb{Z})$ with degree $\Gamma \cdot [F]=Q$, the chain complex $PFC(Y, \omega, \Gamma)$ of PFH is a free moduli generated by the ECH generators with homology class $\Gamma$. Consider the special case that $\overline{W}=\mathbb{R} \times Y$ and $J$ is a generic $\mathbb{R}$-invariant $\Omega_W$-tame almost complex structure, the differential of PFH is defined by $$<\partial \alpha, \beta> = \sum_{Z \in H_{2}(Y, \alpha, \beta)} \left(\# {\mathcal{M}}^J_{1}(\alpha, \beta, Z)/\mathbb{R} \right)$$ In general the sum above is not finite, one need the monotone assumption or introduce the local coefficient.(Cf. [@H1]) The homology of $(PFC(Y, \omega, \Gamma), \partial)$ is called PFH, denoted by $PFH_*(Y, \omega, \Gamma)$. [@HT1] and [@HT2] show that $\partial^2=0$, thus PFH is well defined. In our case, $(Y, \pi, \omega)$ is a mapping torus of Dehn twisted. By Lemma 5.1 of [@H1], it satisfies the monotone condition. We use $\mathbb{Z}$ coefficient throughout. Cobordism maps on PFH --------------------- Let $(W , \pi_W, \omega_W)$ be a fibered cobordism from $(Y, \pi, \omega)$ to $(Y', \pi', \omega')$, it is expected to define the cobordism map in chain level by $$\label{eq2} <PFC(W, \omega_W) \alpha, \beta >= \sum_{Z \in H_{2}(W \alpha, \beta)} \left(\# {\mathcal{M}}^J_{0}(\alpha, \beta, Z) \right) .$$ However, above formula doesn’t make sense in general due to appearance of holomorphic current with negative ECH index. The reasons are explained in [@H3]. But in our special case, we show that it works. See Theorem \[thm2\] latter. Elementary Lefschetz fibration ============================== Review of construction of Elementary Lefschetz fibration -------------------------------------------------------- In this subsection, we review the construction of elementary Lefschetz fibration $(X, \pi_X, \omega_X)$. To this end, we need to review the construction of the exact Lefschetz firbation $(E, \theta_E)$ in [@PS]. Let $\pi: \mathbb{C}_{\textbf{x}=(x_1, x_2)}^2 \to \mathbb{C}$ be the local model of Lefschetz fibration and $\Sigma$ be the union of all vanishing cycle (include $(0,0)$), where $\pi(\textbf{x})=x_1^2 +x_2^2$. Let $T=T^*S^1=\{ (u,v) \in \mathbb{R}^2 \times \mathbb{R}^2: <u, v>=0 \ \ |v|=1\}. $ We identify $T$ with cylinder $\mathbb{R}_x \times (\mathbb{R}_y/\mathbb{Z})$ via $$\label{eq7} u=ixe^{i2\pi y}, \ \ v=e^{i2\pi y}.$$ Let $T_{\lambda}=\{(x, y) \in \mathbb{R}\times S^1 \vert |x| \le \lambda\}$. Consider the map $$\label{eq9} \begin{split} &\Phi: \mathbb{C}_{\textbf{x}}^2 -\Sigma \to \mathbb{C} \times (T-T_0)\\ &\Phi(\textbf{x})=(\pi(\textbf{x}), \sigma_{\frac{t}{2}} (-Im(\hat{\textbf{x}}) |Re(\hat{\textbf{x}})|, Re(\hat{\textbf{x}}) |Re(\hat{\textbf{x}})|^{-1} ) )=(\pi(\textbf{x}), \sigma_{\frac{t}{2}}(\Phi_2(\hat{\textbf{x}}))), \end{split}$$ where $\sigma_t$ is the geodesic flow on $T^*S^1$, $\Phi_2$ is the second component of $\Phi$ and $\hat{\textbf{x}}= e^{-i\pi {t} }\textbf{x} $ provided that $\pi(\textbf{x}) =re^{2\pi it}$. $\Phi$ satisfies the following properties: 1. $\Phi$ is a diffeomorphism fibered over $\mathbb{C}$. 2. $(\Phi^{-1})^* \theta_{\mathbb{C}^2}=\theta_T - \tilde{R}_r(|x|) dt,$ where $\theta_{\mathbb{C}^2} =\frac{i}{4}\sum_{k=1}^2 (z_k d\bar{z}_k - \bar{z}_k dz_k )$, $\tilde{R}_r(t)= \frac{t}{2} - \frac{1}{4} \sqrt{r^2 + 4 t^2}$ and $\theta_T = xdy$. Now let us fix a $\lambda >0$ and $\delta>0$, take a cut off function $g$ such that $g(t)=0$ near $t=0$ and $g(t)=1$ where $t \ge \lambda-\delta_0$. Define a 1-form $\mathfrak{r}=\Phi^*(g(|x|) \tilde{R}_r(|x|) dt )$. Define $$E=\Phi^{-1}(D_{\delta} \times (T_{\lambda}-T_0) )\cup (\Sigma \cap \pi^{-1}(D_{\delta})).$$ Alternative, $E=\{ \textbf{x} \in \mathbb{C}^2 \vert |\textbf{x}|^4-|\pi(\textbf{x})|^2 \le 4 \lambda^2, \ \ |\pi(\textbf{x})| \le \delta\}$. $E$ is a manifold with corners, the boundary of $E$ can be divided into vertical boundary $\partial_v E=\pi^{-1}(\partial D_{\delta})$ and horizontal boundary $\partial_h E = \Phi^{-1}(D_{\delta} \times \partial T_{\lambda})$. Let $\theta_E=\theta_{\mathbb{C}^2} + \mathfrak{r}$ and $\omega_E= d\theta_E$ be the admissible $2$-form on $E$. By definition, $\theta_E= \Phi^*( \theta_T + (g(|x| ) -1) \tilde{R}_r(|x|) dt )$. Let $R_r(t) = (1-g(t)) \tilde{R}_r(t)$, then $\theta _E=\Phi^*( \theta_T -R_r(|x|) dt) $. The symplectic monodromy of $(E, \omega_E)$ is a generalized Dehn twisted $\phi: \pi^{-1}(\delta) \to \pi^{-1}(\delta) $ around $T(0)$, that is $\phi(x, y) =\sigma_{ R_{\delta}'(|x|)} (x, y)$ when $x \ne 0$ and $\phi(0, y)=y\pm \frac{1}{2}$. As a consequence, the vertical boundary $\partial_v E$ is a mapping torus of Dehn twisted. Let $N(\partial_h E )= D_{\delta} \times ([-\lambda, -\lambda + \delta_0] \cup [\lambda- \delta_0, \lambda]) \times S^1 $ be a neighborhood of the horizontal boundary. Let $(S, \omega_S)$ be a connected symplectic surface with boundary $\partial S =S_1 \cup (-S_1)$. A collar neighborhood of $\partial S $ is identified with $N(\partial S ) = ([-\lambda, -\lambda + \delta_0] \cup [\lambda- \delta_0, \lambda]) \times S^1$. Choose $\omega_S$ such that $\omega_S \vert_{N(\partial S)} = d \theta_T$. Take a trivial symplectic fibration over a disk $(D_{\delta} \times S, \omega_S)$, then $\pi_X: X \to D$ is obtained by gluing $E$ with $D_{\delta} \times S$ via identify $N(\partial_h E)$ and $D_{\delta} \times N(\partial S)$ and $\omega_X$ is obtained by gluing $\omega_E$ and $\omega_S$. The fiber of $X$ is $F=S \cup T_{\lambda}$ and $Y=\partial_v E\cup( S \times S^1)$. According to the construction, $(\pi_X: X \to D, \omega_X)$ is nonnegative. In the rest of our note, we always assume that $\delta=1$ and denote $R(t)=R_1(t)$. Also, we choose a large $\lambda $ and a suitable cut off function $g$ such that $0 \le R'(|t|)\le \frac{1}{2}$ and $R''(t) \le 0$. \[lem1\] Given $L>0$, we can always find an admissible $2$-form $\omega_X$ such that $\int_F \omega_X>L$. Let $\omega_X$ be the admissible $2$-form constructed before. We modify $\omega_X$ such that $\int_F \omega_X >L$, the modification is as follows. Let $U= ([-\lambda-2\delta_0, -\lambda + \delta_0] \cup [\lambda- \delta_0, \lambda + 2\delta_0]) \times S^1$ be a collar neighborhood of $\partial S $. Take a function $f: S \to \mathbb{R}$ such that only support in $U$ and $f= c_1 $ on $ [\lambda-\delta_0, \lambda+ \delta_0] \times S^1 $ and $f= c_2 $ on $( [ -\lambda-\delta_0, - \lambda +\delta_0] \times S^1 ) $, where $c_1$ and $c_2$ are positive constant. Define $\theta_S' = \theta_S + f dy$, then $\omega_S'=\omega_E$ on $N(\partial S) $ by definition. Thus we can glue $\omega_S'$ with $\omega_E$ as before, the result is still called $\omega'_X$. By Stoke’s Theorem, $$\int_F \omega_X' = \int_F \omega_X + c_1 -c_2.$$ Let take $c_1-c_2>L$, then it suffices for our purpose. Singular homology of $Y$ and $X$ -------------------------------- In this subsection, let us compute the classical invariant of $X$ and $Y$, where $Y=\partial X$ is mapping torus of the Dehn twisted $\phi$, that is $$\begin{aligned} Y= \mathbb{R}\times F /(t+ 2\pi, x) \sim (t, \phi(x)).\end{aligned}$$ $H_1(Y , \mathbb{Z})=\mathbb{Z}^{2g(F)}$. According to the elementary algebraic topology, we have $H_1(Y , \mathbb{Z})= H_0(F , \mathbb{Z}) \oplus Coker\{(1-\phi_*)\vert_{H_1(F, \mathbb{Z})}\}$. Says $\phi$ is a Dehn twisted around curve $a$, then $\phi_*(b)=b+ (a\cdot b) a$ for any $b \in H_1(Y, \mathbb{Z})$. Using this relation, it is easy to check that $ Coker\{(1-\phi_*)\vert_{H_1(F, \mathbb{Z}) }\}=\mathbb{Z}^{2g(F)-1}$. \[lem2\] $H_2(X, \mathbb{Z})=\mathbb{Z}$, $H_2(X, \partial X, \mathbb{Z}) =\mathbb{Z}$ and $H_1(X, \mathbb{Z})=\mathbb{Z}^{2g(F)-1}$. It is worth noting that $E$ is a start-shape domain in $\mathbb{C}^2$, in other words, for any $\textbf{x} \in E=\{ \textbf{x} \in \mathbb{C}^2 \vert |\textbf{x} |^4-|\pi(\textbf{x} )|^2 \le 4 \lambda^2, \ \ |\pi(\textbf{x} )| \le \delta\}$, $t \textbf{x} \in E $ for any $0 \le t \le 1$. As a consequence, $E$ is deformation retract to origin. Hence, $H_*(E, \mathbb{Z})=0$ for any $* \ne0$. Recall that $\partial_h E=D \times \partial T_{\lambda}$ and our $X=E\cup (D \times S)$ is obtained by gluing $E$ and $D \times S$ along $ \partial S$ and $ \partial T_{\lambda}$. By Mayer-Vietoris theorem, we have $$\begin{split} &H_2(E, \mathbb{Z}) \oplus H_2(D \times S, \mathbb{Z}) \to H_2(X, \mathbb{Z}) \xrightarrow{ \partial_*}H_1(\partial_h E, \mathbb{Z}) \xrightarrow{ (i_*, j_*)} H_1(E, \mathbb{Z}) \oplus H_1(D \times S, \mathbb{Z}) \\ &\to H_1(X, \mathbb{Z}) \xrightarrow{ \partial_*}H_0(\partial_h E, \mathbb{Z}) \to H_0(E, \mathbb{Z}) \oplus H_0(D \times S, \mathbb{Z})\cdots \end{split}$$ The first term of above sequence is zero, thus $H_2(X, \mathbb{Z}) = Im \partial_*=Ker(i_*, j_*)$. $i_*=0$ because of the vanishing of $H_1(E, \mathbb{Z})$. $j_*$ is equal to the pull forward of the inclusion $\partial S \to S$, so $\ker j_*=\mathbb{Z}[\partial S]$. Therefore $H_2(X, \mathbb{Z})=Ker(i_*, j_*)=\mathbb{Z}$. Obviously the homology class of fiber $F$ is non-trivial and $H_2(X, \mathbb{Z})$ is generated by $[F]$. By exactness, $H_1(X, \mathbb{Z})=(H_1(S, \mathbb{Z}) / Im(i_*, j_*) ) \oplus Im\partial_*$. By the another short exact sequence $$0 \to Coker \partial_* \to H_0(E, \mathbb{Z}) \oplus H_0(D \times S, \mathbb{Z})\to H_0(X, \mathbb{Z}) \to 0,$$ We know that $Coker \partial_* = \mathbb{Z}$. Hence $Im \partial_*=\mathbb{Z}$. By previous computation, $Ker(i_*, j_*)=\mathbb{Z}$, thus $ Im(i_*, j_*) =\mathbb{Z}$. In conclusion, $H_1(X, \mathbb{Z}) = H_1(S, \mathbb{Z})=\mathbb{Z}^{2g(S)+1} = \mathbb{Z}^{2g(F)-1} $. To compute $H_2(X, \partial X , \mathbb{Z})$, we use exact sequence $$H_2(Y, \mathbb{Z}) \xrightarrow{ i_*} H_2(X, \mathbb{Z}) \to H_2(X, \partial X , \mathbb{Z}) \xrightarrow{ \partial} H_1(Y, \mathbb{Z}) \xrightarrow{ i_*} H_1(X, \mathbb{Z})$$ Note that the map $ i_*: H_2(Y, \mathbb{Z}) \to H_2(X, \mathbb{Z}) $ is surjective since $i_*[F]=[F]$. Thus $ H_2(X, \partial X , \mathbb{Z}) =Ker\{ i_*: H_1(Y, \mathbb{Z}) \to H_1(X, \mathbb{Z}) \}$. This kernel is $\mathbb{Z}$, because, all the generators in $ H_1(Y, \mathbb{Z}) $ survive under $i_*$ except the vanishing cycle. Periodic orbit ============== In this section, we describe the periodic orbits on $Y$. Periodic orbits on $\partial_v E$ --------------------------------- Under the diffeomorphism \[eq9\], the admissible $2$-form over $S^1_t \times (T_{\lambda} -T_0)$ is given by $$\omega_E= dx \wedge dy -R'(x) dx \wedge dt$$ when $x>0$, and $$\omega_E= dx \wedge dy +R'(-x) dx \wedge dt$$ when $x<0$. Therefore, the Reeb vector field is $$R=\partial_t +R'(x) \partial_y$$ when $x>0$ and $$R= \partial_t -R'(-x) \partial_y$$ when $x<0$. At each $x_0$ such that $R'(x_0) = \frac{p}{q}$, the Morse-Bott torus $S_t \times\{x_0\} \times S_y$ is foliated by embedded periodic orbits. Each periodic orbit is of the form $\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}(\tau)=(\tau, x_0, y_0+ R'(x_0) \tau)=(\tau, x_0, y_0+ \frac{p}{q} \tau)$ if $x_0>0$ and $\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}(\tau)=(\tau, x_0, y_0- R'(-x_0) \tau)= (\tau, x_0, y_0 +(\frac{p}{q}-1)\tau)$ if $x_0<0$(When $x_0<0$, we write $R'(-x_0)=1-\frac{p}{q} $.), where $\tau \in \mathbb{R}/( q\mathbb{Z})$. The integers $p, q$ here are relative prime. Given a periodic orbit $\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}$, we want to find the inverse image $\textbf{x}(\tau)=\Phi^{-1}(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}})$. The result is summarized in the following lemma. \[lem16\] Let $x_0 \in [-\lambda, \lambda]$ such that $R'(x_0)=\frac{p}{q}$ and $\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}$ is the periodic orbit at $x_0$. Let $\textbf{x}(\tau)=(x_1(\tau), x_2(\tau))=\Phi^{-1}(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}})$, $\tau \in \mathbb{R} /(q \mathbb{Z})$, we have the following two cases. If $x_0 \ge 0$, then $$\label{eq16} \begin{split} &x_1= \frac{1}{2} e^{h+iy_0} e^{2\pi i \frac{p}{q} \tau} + \frac{1}{2} e^{-h-iy_0} e^{2\pi i \frac{q-p}{q} \tau }\\ &x_2=- \frac{i}{2} e^{h+iy_0} e^{2\pi i \frac{p}{q} \tau}+ \frac{i}{2} e^{-h-iy_0} e^{2\pi i \frac{q-p}{q}\tau} , \end{split}$$ for some constant $h=h(x_0) \ge 0$. If $x_0 \le 0$, then $$\label{eq17} \begin{split} &x_1= \frac{1}{2} e^{h-iy_0} e^{ 2\pi i \frac{q-p}{q} \tau } + \frac{1}{2} e^{-h+iy_0} e^{2 \pi i \frac{p}{q} \tau }\\ &x_2=\frac{i}{2} e^{h-iy_0} e^{ 2\pi i \frac{q-p}{q}\tau} - \frac{i}{2} e^{-h +iy_0} e^{2\pi i \frac{p}{q} \tau}, \end{split}$$ for some constant $h=h(x_0)\ge0$. In both cases, $h=0$ if and only if $x_0=0$. First note that under the identification \[eq7\], the geodesic flow $\sigma_t$ is $\sigma_t(x, y)=(x, y+ t)$ if $x>0$ and $\sigma_t(x, y)=(x, y-t)$ if $x<0$. Let $\textbf{x} \in E$ and $\hat{\textbf{x}}=e^{-i\pi {t}} \textbf{x} =\hat{p} + i\hat{q}$. $\Phi_2(\hat{\textbf{x}})=(u, v) \in T$ can be written as $v= \frac{\hat{p}}{|\hat{p}|} = e^{i2\pi \theta}$ and $u=-\hat{q} |\hat{p}|=\pm |\hat{p}| |\hat{q}| i e^{i 2\pi \theta}$. If $ \gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}(\tau)=(\tau, x_0, y_0+ \frac{p}{q} \tau)$ and $x_0>0$, then under the identification \[eq7\], $$\sigma_{\frac{t}{2}}(\Phi_2(\hat{\textbf{x}})) = \sigma_{\frac{t}{2}}( -\hat{q} |\hat{p}|, \frac{\hat{p}}{|\hat{p}|} ) =(|\hat{p}| |\hat{q}|, \theta + \frac{t}{2} ).$$ Therefore, $t=\tau$, $\theta = y_0+ \frac{p}{q}\tau - \frac{1}{2} t $ and $x_0=|\hat{p}| |\hat{q}|$. Since $|\hat{p}|^2 -|\hat{q}|^2=1$ and $<\hat{p}, \hat{q}>=0$ and $x_0^2=|\hat{p}|^2 |\hat{q}|^2 $, we can solve $$\label{eq5} \begin{split} &|\hat{p}|^2 =\sqrt{x_0^2 + \frac{1}{4}} + \frac{1}{2}\\ &|\hat{q}|^2 =\sqrt{x_0^2 + \frac{1}{4}} - \frac{1}{2}. \end{split}$$ We can write $|\hat{p}|=\frac{e^h+ e^{-h}}{2}$ and $|\hat{q}|=\frac{e^h-e^{-h}}{2}$. Follows from the definition, $$\begin{split} &p=\cos( \pi t) \hat{p} -\sin (\pi t ) \hat{q}\\ &q=\sin (\pi t) \hat{p} + \cos ( \pi t) \hat{q}. \end{split}$$ Using the relation $\frac{\hat{p}}{|\hat{p}|} =e^{i 2\pi\theta}$ and $-\hat{q} |\hat{p}| =i |\hat{q} ||\hat{p}|e^{i2\pi\theta}$, we have $$\begin{split} &p=\cos( \pi t) \hat{p} -\sin (\pi t ) \hat{q} = e^{i2\pi \theta} \left( \frac{e^h+ e^{-h}}{2} \cos (\pi t) + \frac{e^h -e^{-h}}{2}i \sin (\pi t)\right) = \frac{1}{2} e^h e^{i 2\pi(\theta + \frac{t}{2})} + \frac{1}{2} e^{-h} e^{i 2\pi (\theta - \frac{t}{2})}\\ &q=\sin (\pi t) \hat{p} + \cos ( \pi t) \hat{q}= -ie^{i 2\pi\theta} \left( \frac{e^h- e^{-h}}{2} \cos (\pi t) + \frac{e^h +e^{-h}}{2}i \sin (\pi t) \right) = \frac{i}{2} e^{-h} e^{i 2\pi(\theta - \frac{t}{2})} - \frac{i}{2} e^{h} e^{i2\pi(\theta + \frac{t}{2})}\\ \end{split}$$ Then $$\begin{split} &x_1= \frac{1}{2} e^h e^{i 2\pi (\theta + \frac{t}{2})} + \frac{1}{2} e^{-h} e^{-i2\pi(\theta - \frac{t}{2})}\\ &x_2=\frac{i}{2} e^{-h} e^{-i 2\pi (\theta - \frac{t}{2})} - \frac{i}{2} e^{h} e^{i2\pi(\theta + \frac{t}{2})}\\ \end{split}$$ Replace $\theta$ by $y_0+ \frac{p}{q}\tau - \frac{1}{2} t $ and $t=\tau$, then we get the result. For the case that $ \gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}(\tau)=(\tau, x_0, y_0+ (\frac{p}{q}-1) \tau)$ and $x_0<0$, the argument is similar. Under the identification \[eq7\], $$\sigma_{\frac{t}{2}}(\Phi_2(\hat{\textbf{x}})) =\sigma_t( -\hat{q} |\hat{p}|, \frac{\hat{p}}{|\hat{p}|} ) =(-|\hat{p}| |\hat{q}|, \theta -\frac{t}{2} ).$$ Therefore, $t=\tau$, $\theta = y_0+ \frac{p}{q}\tau - \frac{1}{2} t $ and $x_0=-|\hat{p}| |\hat{q}|$. Since $|\hat{p}|^2 -|\hat{q}|^2=1$ and $<\hat{p}, \hat{q}>=0$ and $x_0^2=|\hat{p}|^2 |\hat{q}|^2 $, we can get the same formula (\[eq5\]). We can write $|\hat{p}|=\frac{e^h+ e^{-h}}{2}$ and $|\hat{q}|=\frac{e^h-e^{-h}}{2}$. Using the relation $\frac{\hat{p}}{|\hat{p}|} =e^{i 2\pi \theta}$ and $-\hat{q} |\hat{p}| =-i |\hat{q} ||\hat{p}|e^{i2\pi \theta}$, we have $$\begin{split} &p= \cos( \pi t) \hat{p} -\sin (\pi t ) \hat{q}= e^{i 2\pi \theta} \left( \frac{e^h+ e^{-h}}{2} \cos (\pi t)- \frac{e^h -e^{-h}}{2}i \sin (\pi t)\right) = \frac{1}{2} e^h e^{i 2\pi (\theta - \frac{t}{2})} + \frac{1}{2} e^{-h} e^{i 2\pi (\theta + \frac{t}{2})}\\ &q=\sin (\pi t) \hat{p} + \cos ( \pi t) \hat{q}= ie^{i 2\pi \theta} \left( \frac{e^h- e^{-h}}{2} \cos (\pi t) - \frac{e^h +e^{-h}}{2}i \sin (\pi t)\right) = \frac{i}{2} e^{h} e^{i 2\pi (\theta - \frac{t}{2})} - \frac{i}{2} e^{-h} e^{i 2\pi (\theta + \frac{t}{2})}\\ \end{split}$$ Then $$\begin{split} &x_1= \frac{1}{2} e^h e^{-2\pi i (\theta -\frac{t}{2})} + \frac{1}{2} e^{-h} e^{2\pi i(\theta + \frac{t}{2})}\\ &x_2=\frac{i}{2} e^{h} e^{-2\pi i (\theta - \frac{t}{2})} - \frac{i}{2} e^{-h} e^{2\pi i(\theta + \frac{t}{2})}\\ \end{split}$$ Replace $\theta$ by $y_0+ \frac{p}{q}\tau - \frac{1}{2} t $ and $t=\tau$, then we get the result. We regard the periodic orbit at $x_0=0$ as limit of the periodic orbits at $x \ne 0$ and $x \to 0$, then from \[eq16\] and \[eq17\] , the periodic orbit at $x_0=0$ is $$\begin{split} &x_1= \frac{1}{2} e^{i 2\pi (-y_0+ \frac{1}{2} \tau )} + \frac{1}{2} e^{i 2\pi(y_0 +\frac{1}{2} \tau )}\\ &x_2=\frac{i}{2} e^{i 2\pi (-y_0 + \frac{1}{2}\tau )} - \frac{i}{2} e^{i2\pi (y_0 + \frac{1}{2} \tau)}\\ \end{split}$$ Perturbation ------------ Near a Morse-Bott torus $S_t \times\{x_0\} \times S_y$, we can use small Morse function to perturb the admissible $2$-form so that there are only two periodic orbits at $x_0$ survives, one is elliptic and the other one is positive hyperbolic, denoted by $e_{\frac{p}{q}}$ and $h_{\frac{p}{q}}$ respectively. (Cf. [@FB]) Fix an integer $Q$, we can arrange that all the periodic orbits with degree less than $Q$ are either $e_{\frac{p}{q}}$ or $h_{\frac{p}{q}}$. To see the periodic orbits in the trivial part of $Y$. Let $f: S \to \mathbb{R}$ be a small Morse function such that $\nabla f $ is transversal to $\partial S$ and there are critical points $\{p_i\}_{i=0, 1}$ and $\{q_i\}_{i=0, 1}$ on $N(\partial S) $ satisfying $\nabla^2 f(p_i)>0$ and $tr(\nabla^2 f(q_i)) =0$, in addition, there is no other critical point on $N(\partial S)$. We use $f$ to perturb $\omega_S$ by $\omega_S^f =\omega_S -df \wedge dt $, so that the periodic orbits with degree less than $Q$ over $(S \times D, \omega_S)$ only consists of constant orbits at critical points of $f$. We always use $a \in Crit(f)$ to denote the critical point on $S - N(\partial S )$. If $tr(\nabla^2f (a)) \ne 0$, then the corresponding periodic orbit is elliptic, denoted by $e_a$. Moreover, $e_a$ is either $Q$-positive or $Q$-negative. If $tr(\nabla^2f (a))=0$, then the corresponding periodic orbit is positive hyperbolic, denoted by $h_a$. $\{e_i\}_{i=0, 1}$ and $\{h_i\}_{i=0, 1}$ are respectively elliptic orbits and hyperbolic orbits corresponding to $\{p_i\}_{i=0, 1}$ and $\{q_i\}_{i=0, 1}$. In conclusion, we can arrange that all the periodic orbits with degree less than $Q$ are either $e_{\frac{p}{q}}$ or $h_{\frac{p}{q}}$ or $e_a$ or $h_a$. Keep in mind that the periodic orbits here are either $Q$-positive elliptic or $Q$-negative elliptic or positive hyperbolic. ECH index ========= In this section, we deduce a combinatorial formula for the ECH index as in [@H5]. The result is as follows. \[thm1\] Let $\pi: E \to D$ be the exact Lefschetz fibration defined in section 3.1 and orbits set $\alpha=\Pi_i \gamma_{\frac{p_i}{q_i}}$ satisfying $\frac{p_i}{q_i} \ge \frac{p_j}{q_j}$ for $i \le j$, then the ECH index is $$I(\alpha)= Q+ P(Q-P) - \sum_{i<j} (p_iq_j -p_jq_i) - e(\alpha),$$ where $e(\alpha)$ is the total multilpity of elliptic orbits in $\alpha$, $P=\sum_i p_i$ and $Q=\sum_i q_i$. Since $H_2(E, \mathbb{Z})=0$, there is an unique element in $H_2(E, \alpha)$. The relative Chern number and relative self-intersection number are denoted by $c_{\tau}(\alpha)$ and $Q_{\tau}(\alpha)$ respectively. We compute the quantities $c_{\tau}$, $Q_{\tau}$ and $CZ_{\tau}$ in Lemmas \[lem9\], \[lem10\] and (\[eq6\]) respectively. Their proof will appear in the upcoming subsection. We can rewrite the formula for ECH index in the following way. Let $w_j=\sum_{i=0}^j(p_i, q_i)$, then $\mathcal{P}(\alpha)$ to be the convex path in the plane consisting of straight line segments between the points $w_{j-1}$ and $w_j$, oriented so that the origin is the initial endpoint. (Cf. [@H1]) Let $\Lambda_{\alpha}$ be the region in the plane which is enclosed by $\mathcal{P}(\alpha)$ and line segment from $(0,0) $ to $(P, 0)$ and the line segment from $(P,0) $ to $(P, Q)$. The area of $\Lambda_{\alpha}$ is $$2Area(\Lambda_{\alpha}) =PQ -\sum_{i<j} (p_iq_j -p_jq_i).$$ Therefore, the ECH index can be written as $$I(\alpha)= Q+ 2 Area(\Lambda_{\alpha}) -P^2 - e(\alpha).$$ \[lem12\] $I(\alpha) \ge 0$ and equality holds if and only if $\alpha=e_1^m e_0^n$. Since $0 \le \frac{p_i}{q_i} \le 1$, the triangle determined by $(0, 0)$, $(0, P)$ and $(P, P)$ is inside the region $\Lambda_{\alpha}$. Therefore, $P^2 \le 2 Area(\Lambda_{\alpha})$. By definition, $e(\alpha) \le Q$. Therefore, $I (\alpha) \ge 0$. The equality holds if and only if $Q=e(\alpha)$ and $P^2 = 2 Area(\Lambda_{\alpha})$. The only possibility is that $\alpha=e_1^m e_0^n$. \[lem4\] Let a be a critical point of $f$ and $C_a =\{a\} \times D$ and $m_a$ be nonnegative integer, then there are the following three possibilities. - If $\nabla^2f (a)>0$, then the corresponding periodic orbit $e_a$ is elliptic with Conley Zehender index $CZ_{\tau}(e_a)=-1$. In addition, $I(m_a C_a)=0$. - If $\nabla^2f (a)<0$, then the corresponding periodic orbit $e_a$ is elliptic with Conley Zehender index $CZ_{\tau}(e_a)=1$. In addition, $I(m_a C_a)=2 m_a$. - Finally, $tr(\nabla^2f (a))=0$, then the corresponding periodic orbit $h_a$ is positive hyperbolic with Conley Zehender index $CZ_{\tau}(h_a)=0$. In addition, $I(m_a C_a)= m_a$. Obverse that if $tr(\nabla^2f (a)) \ne 0$, then the sign of rotation number of $e_a$ is equal to $-sign( \nabla^2f (a) )$. In conclusion, $e_a$ is $Q$-negative if $\nabla^2f (a) >0$, and $e_a$ is $Q$-positive if $\nabla^2f (a)<0$. Also, it is easy to check that $c_{\tau}(C_a)=1$ and $Q_{\tau}(C_a)=0$, where $\tau$ is the canonical trivialization on $S^1 \times S$. These two ingredients lead to the statements of the Lemma. Given an orbit set $\alpha=\Pi_i \alpha_i^{m_i}$, we define a reference element ${Z}_{\alpha}=\sum_i m_i[ S_i] \in H_2(X, \alpha)$, where $S_i$ are surfaces defined as follows. If $\alpha_i=\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}$, then we define a surface $S_i $ to be the image of $u$ in (\[eq3\]) or (\[eq4\]) accordingly. If $\alpha_i$ is constant orbit at critical point $a$ of $f$, then we define a surface $S_i= \{a\} \times D$. It is worth noting that $u$ doesn’t intersect $\{a\} \times D$, thus $$\label{eq15} I(Z_{\alpha}) = \sum_a \left(I( e_a^{m_a}) + I(h_a^{n_a} ) \right) + I(\Pi_i \gamma_{\frac{p_i}{q_i}}).$$ Since $ H_2(X, \alpha)$ is an affine space over $H_2(X, \mathbb{Z})$, by lemma \[lem2\], any $Z\in H_2(X, \alpha)$ is of the form $Z=Z_{\alpha} +m [F]$. Let us denote $I_m(\alpha)=I(Z_{\alpha} +m [F])$. Therefore, in general we have $$\label{eq14} I_m(\alpha )= I_0(\alpha)+ 2m(Q+1- g(F)).$$ Trivialization -------------- Restrict $\Phi$ to the boundary $\partial_v E$, we have trivialization $\Phi : \partial_v E -\Sigma \to S^1_t \times (T_{\lambda }-T_0) = S^1_t \times ( [-\lambda,0)\cup (0 , \lambda] ) \times S^1_y $. The tangent bundle of $T_{\lambda}=[-\lambda, \lambda]_x \times S^1_y$ has a canonical trivialization. Using $\Phi$ to pull back this canonical trivialization, we get a trivialization $\tau$ along the periodic orbits at $x \ne 0$. Let us write $\partial_v E - \Sigma= \partial_v E^+ \cup \partial_v E^-$ and $\Phi_{\pm} = \Phi \vert_{ \partial_v E^{\pm}}$. $\Phi_+$ and $\Phi_-$ do not match at $\Sigma$ and thus $\Phi$ cannot be extended to whole $\partial_v E$. But $\Phi_+ $ and $\Phi_-$ can extend to $\overline{\partial_v E^{\pm}} $ and give trivializations $\Phi_{+}: \overline{ \partial_v E^+} \to S^1_t \times [0, \lambda]_x \times S^1_y$ and $\Phi_{-}: \overline{ \partial_v E^- }\to S^1_t \times [-\lambda, 0]_x \times S^1_y$ respectively. Using $\Phi_{\pm}$ to pull back the canonical trivialization, hence there are two trivializations $\tau_{\pm}$ along the periodic orbits at $x_0=0$. But there is no difference between using $\tau_+$ and $\tau_-$ when we compute $c_{\tau}, Q_{\tau}, CZ_{\tau}$. So we just same notation $\tau$ to denote one of them. Conley Zehender index ---------------------- Since $R''(x)<0$, the elliptic orbit $e_{\frac{p}{q}}$ has small negative rotation number with respect to the trivialization $\tau$, i.e. it is $Q$-negative elliptic. As a result, $$\label{eq6} CZ_{\tau}(e^k_{\frac{p}{q}}) = -1, \ \ \ CZ_{\tau}(h_{\frac{p}{q}}) = 0,$$ for any $k \le Q$. Relative intersection number ----------------------------- The main result of this section is the following lemma. \[lem9\] For $0 \le \frac{p}{q}, \frac{p'}{q'} \le 1$, then $Q_{\tau}(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}, \gamma_{\frac{p'}{q'}}) = \min\{ p(q'-p'), p'(q-p)\}$. Assume that $\alpha=\Pi_i \gamma_{\frac{p_i}{q_i}}$ and $\frac{p_i}{q_i} \ge \frac{p_j}{q_j}$ for $i \le j$, then $$Q_{\tau}(\alpha)=P(Q-P) - \sum_{i<j}( p_iq_j -p_jq_i),$$ where $P =\sum_ip_i$ and $Q=\sum_i q_i$. It is worth noting that $Q_{\tau} $ is quadratic in the following sense, $$Q_{\tau}(\alpha)=\sum_i Q_{\tau}(\gamma_\frac{p_i}{q_i}) + 2\sum_{i<j} Q_{\tau}(\gamma_\frac{p_i}{q_i}, \gamma_\frac{p_j}{q_j}).$$ Turn out it suffices to compute $ Q_{\tau}(\gamma_\frac{p_i}{q_i}) $ and $Q_{\tau}(\gamma_\frac{p_i}{q_i}, \gamma_\frac{p_j}{q_j}).$ The idea to compute $ Q_{\tau}(\gamma_\frac{p_i}{q_i}) $ and $Q_{\tau}(\gamma_\frac{p_i}{q_i}, \gamma_\frac{p_j}{q_j})$ is to express them as intersection number of two surfaces. To this ends, let us define a surface $u: D_z \to E$ which is asymptotic to $\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}$ as follows. Let $\epsilon_i(r) : [0 , \infty) \to \mathbb{R}$ be cut-off functions such that - $\epsilon_i(r)$ is support in $r \le 2\delta$. - When $r \le \delta$, $\epsilon_i(r)$ is independent of $r$ and $ \epsilon_i \ll \delta$. If $0\le \frac{p}{q}\le\frac{1}{2}$, we define $$\label{eq3} u(z)=\left( (1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{1}{2}e^{h+iy_0} z^p + (1+ \epsilon_2)\frac{1}{2}e^{-h-iy_0} z^{q-p} + \epsilon_3, -(1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{i}{2}e^{h+iy_0} z^p + (1+ \epsilon_2)\frac{i}{2}e^{-h-iy_0} z^{q-p} \right).$$ If $\frac{1}{2}\le\frac{p}{q} \le 1$, we define $$\label{eq4} u(z)=\left( (1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{1}{2}e^{h-iy_0} z^{q-p} + (1+ \epsilon_2)\frac{1}{2}e^{-h+iy_0} z^{p} + \epsilon_3, (1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{i}{2}e^{h-iy_0} z^{q-p} - (1+ \epsilon_2)\frac{i}{2}e^{-h+iy_0} z^p \right).$$ Note that these two definitions agree when $\frac{p}{q}=\frac{1}{2}$. By construction and Lemma \[lem16\], as $z $ tends to boundary of $D$, $u$ is asymptotic to $\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}(\tau)$. \[lem11\] $u$ satisfies the following properties: 1. For sufficiently small $\epsilon_i$ and $\delta$, then $u$ is embedded except at $z=0$. 2. Let $\frac{p'}{q'} < \frac{p}{q}$ and $v$ be the $\frac{p'}{q'} $-version of \[eq3\] or \[eq4\] accordingly. If $v$ doesn’t involve the zero order term, i.e. $\epsilon_3=0$, then for sufficiently small $\epsilon_i$ and $\delta$, the intersection points of $u$ and $v$ lies in the region $\{0<|z| \le \delta\} \times \{0<|w| \le \delta\} $. 3. The intersection is transversal and the sign of the intersection points are positive. <!-- --> 1. It is straight forward to check that $u$ is immersion except at $z=0$. Moreover, $u$ is 1-1 onto its image for sufficiently small $\epsilon_i$. To see this, note the the unperturbed version of $u$( $\epsilon_i=0$ ) is 1-1 onto its image, because, $p$ and $q$ are relative prime. By using limit argument and $u$ is immersion, we can deduce the same conclusion for sufficiently small $\epsilon_i$. 2. Let us consider the case that $0 \le \frac{p'}{q'} < \frac{p}{q} \le \frac{1}{2}$. W.L.O.G, assume that $y_0=0$. Let $(z, w) $ be the intersection points of $u$ and $v$. They satisfies the equation $$\begin{split} &(1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{1}{2}e^h {z}^p + (1+ \epsilon_2)\frac{1}{2}e^{-h} z^{q-p} + \epsilon_3= (1+ \epsilon_4)\frac{1}{2}e^k {w}^{p'} + (1+ \epsilon_5)\frac{1}{2}e^{-k} w^{q' -p'}\\ & -(1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{i}{2}e^h {z}^p + (1+ \epsilon_2)\frac{i}{2}e^{-h} z^{q-p}= - (1+ \epsilon_4)\frac{i}{2}e^k {w}^{p'} + (1+ \epsilon_5)\frac{i}{2}e^{-k} w^{q'-p'}. \end{split}$$ These are equivalent to $$\label{eq11} \begin{split} &(1+ \epsilon_1)e^h {z}^p + \epsilon_3= (1+ \epsilon_4)e^k {w}^{p'} \\ & (1+ \epsilon_2)e^{-h} z^{q-p} + \epsilon_3= (1+ \epsilon_5)e^{-k} w^{q'-p'}. \end{split}$$ Assume that $0< \epsilon_i \ll \delta \ll1 $, then the solutions to (\[eq11\]) lie inside either $\{|z| , |w| \le \delta\}$ or $\{|z|, |w| \ge c_0^{-1}\}$ for some constant $c_0 \ge 1$ and $c_0^{-1} \gg \delta$. To see this, if $|w| > \delta$, then (\[eq11\]) implies $$\begin{split} & |z|^p \ge \frac{1}{1+\epsilon_1 } \left((1+ \epsilon_4) e^{k-h}|w|^{p'} -\epsilon_3 e^{-h}\right) \ge c_0^{-1}|w|^{p'}\\ & |z|^{q-p} \le \frac{1}{1+\epsilon_2} \left( (1+ \epsilon_5)e^{h-k}|w|^{q'-p'} +\epsilon_3 e^{h}\right) \le c_0|w|^{q'-p'}. \end{split}$$ Therefore, $|w|^{pq'-p'q} \ge c_0^{-q}$. Similarly, if $|z| > \delta$, then we can deduce that $|z| \ge c_0^{-1} $. Note that the cases $\{|z| \le \delta, |w| \ge c_0^{-1}\}$ and $\{|w| \le \delta, |z| \ge c_0^{-1}\}$ cannot happen because of (\[eq11\]). In the case that $|w|, |z| \ge c_0^{-1} >2\delta$, then $\epsilon_i=0$ and (\[eq11\]) become $$\begin{split} &e^h {z}^p = e^k {w}^{p'} \\ & e^{-h} z^{q-p} = e^{-k} w^{q'-p'}. \end{split}$$ Take absolute value both side and one can solve that the norm of $|z|$ and $|w|$ only dependent on $p,q , k ,h$. In fact, $$\log|z|= \frac{k-h}{pq'-p'q}q', \ \ \ \log|w|=\frac{k-h}{pq'-p'q}q.$$ Assume that $R'(x_0)=\frac{p}{q}$ and $R'(x_1)=\frac{p'}{q'}$, then $0<x_0< x_1$ because of $R''<0$. By (\[eq5\]), it is easy to check that $k>h$. Then the norm $|z|, |w|>1$, which is not in our domain. Finally, $(0,0)$, $(z, 0)$ and $(0, w)$ cannot be intersection points for suitable choice of $\epsilon_i$. This can be check directly. For the case that $\frac{1}{2} \le \frac{p'}{q'}< \frac{p}{q} \le1$, we get $$\label{eq12} \begin{split} &(1+ \epsilon_1)e^h {z}^{q-p} + \epsilon_3= (1+ \epsilon_4)e^k {w}^{q'-p'} \\ & (1+ \epsilon_2)e^{-h} z^{p} + \epsilon_3= (1+ \epsilon_5)e^{-k} w^{p'}. \end{split}$$ The same argument can show that the solutions to \[eq12\] lie inside either $\{|z| , |w| \le \delta\}$ or $\{|z|, |w| \ge c_0^{-1}\}$ for some constant $c_0 \ge 1$ and $c_0^{-1} \gg \delta$. If $|w|, |z| \ge c_0^{-1} > 2\delta$, then $\epsilon_i=0$. Take absolute value both side of( \[eq12\]) and one can solve that $$\log|z|= \frac{h-k}{pq'-p'q}(q'), \ \ \ \log|w|=\frac{h-k}{pq'-p'q}(q).$$ Assume that $R'(x_0)=\frac{p}{q}$ and $R'(x_1)=\frac{p'}{q'}$, then $x_0< x_1<0$ because of $R''<0$. By the definition of $h$ and $k$, it is easy to check that $h>k$. Then the norm $|z|, |w|>1$, which is not in our domain. Finally, $(0,0)$, $(z, 0)$ and $(0, w)$ cannot be intersection points for suitable choice of $\epsilon_i$. This can be check directly. For the case that $ \frac{p'}{q'}< \frac{1}{2}< \frac{p}{q} \le1$, we have $$\label{eq13} \begin{split} &(1+ \epsilon_1 )e^h z^{q-p} + \epsilon_3 = (1+ \epsilon_5) e^{-k}w^{q'-p'}\\ & (1+ \epsilon_2 )e^{-h} z^{p} + \epsilon_3 = (1+ \epsilon_4) e^{k}w^{p'}\\ \end{split}$$ The same argument can show that the solutions to (\[eq13\]) lie inside either $\{|z| , |w| \le \delta\}$ or $\{|z|, |w| \ge c_0^{-1}\}$ for some constant $c_0 \ge 1$ and $c_0^{-1} \gg \delta$. If $|w|, |z| \ge c_0^{-1} > 2\delta$, then $\epsilon_i=0$. Take absolute value both side and one can solve that $$\log|z|= \frac{h+k}{pq'-p'q}(q'), \ \ \ \log|w|=\frac{h+k}{pq'-p'q}(q).$$ Again they are not in our domain. Finally, $(0,0)$, $(z, 0)$ and $(0, w)$ cannot be intersection points for suitable choice of $\epsilon_i$. This can be check directly. 3. In the region $\{0<|z| \le \delta\} \times \{0<|w| \le \delta\} $, $\epsilon_i$ are constant. The statement follows from that the coordinate functions $x_1$ and $x_2$ are holomorphic with respect to $z$ and $w$. Finally, we consider the case that $\frac{p}{q} =\frac{p'}{q'}$. W.L.O.G, we only consider the case that $x_0>0 $ and $R'(x_0)=\frac{p}{q}< \frac{1}{2}$. The argument for the other cases are the same. Consider $$u(z)=\left( (1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{1}{2}e^h z^p + \frac{1}{2}e^{-h} z^{q-p} + \epsilon_2, -(1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{i}{2}e^h z^p + \frac{i}{2}e^{-h} z^{q-p} \right)$$ and $$v(z)=\left( \frac{1}{2}e^{h+iy_0} w^p + \frac{1}{2}e^{-h-iy_0} w^{q-p} , -\frac{i}{2}e^{h+iy_0} z^p + \frac{i}{2}e^{-h-iy_0} w^{q-p} \right).$$ $u$ and $v$ satisfies the following properties: 1. For sufficiently small $\epsilon_i$ and $\delta$, then $u$ and $v$ are embedded except at $z=0$. 2. Assume that $\epsilon_1 \gg_{\delta} \epsilon_2$ and $y_0$ is generic, then all the intersection points of $u$ and $v$ lies in the region $\{0<|z| \le \delta\} \times \{0<|w| \le 2\delta\} $. 3. The intersection is transversal and the sign of the intersection points are positive. We only prove the second conclusion. Let $(z, w)$ be the intersection point, then $$\begin{split} &(1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{1}{2}e^h {z}^p + \frac{1}{2}e^{-h} z^{q-p} + \epsilon_2= \frac{1}{2}e^{h+iy_0} {w}^{p} + \frac{1}{2}e^{-h-iy_0} w^{q -p}\\ & -(1+ \epsilon_1)\frac{i}{2}e^h {z}^p + \frac{i}{2}e^{-h} z^{q-p}= - \frac{i}{2}e^{h+iy_0} {w}^{p} + \frac{i}{2}e^{-h-iy_0} w^{q-p}. \end{split}$$ Then $$\label{eq10} \begin{split} &(1+ \epsilon_1)e^h {z}^p + \epsilon_2= e^{h+iy_0}{w}^{p} \\ & e^{-h} z^{q-p} + \epsilon_2= e^{-h-iy_0} w^{q-p}. \end{split}$$ If $|z| \ge 2\delta$, then we have $\epsilon_i=0$, $z^p=e^{iy_0}w^{p}$ and $z^q=w^q$. Using polar coordinate, it is easy to check that $\frac{p}{q}= \frac{y_0+ 2\pi k }{2\pi l} $ for some $k, l \in \mathbb{Z}$. For generic $y_0$, this is impossible. Thus there is no intersection points in the region $|z| \ge 2\delta$. If $\delta \le |z| < 2\delta$, then by (\[eq10\]), we have $$\begin{split} &(1+ \epsilon_1) |z|^p - e^{-h} \epsilon_2 \le |w|^p \\ &|w|^{q-p} \le |z|^{q-p} + e^{h} \epsilon_2. \end{split}$$ Hence, $$\begin{split} (1+ \epsilon_1) |z|^p \le |z|^p \left( 1 + e^h \frac{\epsilon_2}{|z|^{q-p}} \right)^{\frac{p}{q-p}} + e^{-h} \epsilon_2 \le |z|^p + c_0\frac{e^h \epsilon_2}{ |z|^{q-2p} } +e^{-h} \epsilon_2. \end{split}$$ Therefore, $$\delta^p \epsilon_1 \le c_0 \delta^{2p-q} \epsilon_2.$$ This is impossible provided that we choose $\epsilon_1 =100 c_0 \delta^{p-q} \epsilon_2$. In conclusion, the only possibility is that $0 \le |z| \le \delta$. From (\[eq10\]), it is easy to deduce that $0 \le |w| \le 2 \delta$. Finally, it is straightforward to check that $ (0,0)$, $(z, 0)$ and $(0, w)$ cannot be intersection points. For $\frac{p}{q} \ne \frac{p'}{q'}$, then $Q_{\tau}(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}, \gamma_{\frac{p'}{q'}} )$ is equal the intersection number of $u$ and $v$. The number is equal to the number of solutions to equations (\[eq11\]) or( \[eq12\]) or( \[eq13\]) which lie inside the region $\{0<|z|, |w|< \delta\}$. Keep in mind that our $\epsilon_i$ are constant in this region rather than functions. According to the theorem of Bernshtein [@DNB], equations (\[eq11\]) or (\[eq12\]) or (\[eq13\]) have total number of $ \max\{ p(q'-p'), p'(q-p)\}$ solutions in $\mathbb{C}^* \times \mathbb{C}^*$. However, there are $|pq'-qp'|$ solutions outside the region $\{0<|z|, |w|< \delta\}$, in fact, the estimates in the proof of Lemma \[lem11\] implies that these solutions lie in the region $\{1\le |z|, |w|\}$. To see this, note that the unperturbed equations (\[eq11\]) or (\[eq12\]) or (\[eq13\]) ($ \epsilon_i=0$) has exactly $|pq'-qp'|$ solutions in the region $\{1< |z|, |w|\}$. By limit argument, the same conclusion holds provided that $\epsilon_i$ small enough. In conclusion, $$Q_{\tau}(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}, \gamma_{\frac{p'}{q'}}) = \max\{ p(q'-p'), p'(q-p)\} -|pq'-p'q|= \min\{p(q'-p'), p'(q-p)\}.$$ Note that $Q_{\tau}(e_{\frac{p}{q}}) =Q_{\tau}(h_{\frac{p}{q}}) =Q_{\tau}(e_{\frac{p}{q}}, h_{\frac{p}{q}}) $ with respect to our trivialization, so the relative self intersection number is equal to the number of solutions to (\[eq10\]) in the region $\{0<|z|, |w|< \delta\}$. Again, by Bernshtein’ theorem [@DNB] and the same argument as before, $Q_{\tau}(e_{\frac{p}{q}}, h_{\frac{p}{q}}) = p(q-p)$. Relative Chern number ---------------------- The main result of this section is the following lemma: \[lem10\] Let $\alpha =\Pi_i \gamma_{\frac{p_i}{q_i}}$ be an orbit set with $P=\sum_i p_i$ and $Q=\sum_i q_i$, then $c_{\tau} (\alpha)=Q$. First of all, note that the relative Chern number satisfies the additive property $$c_{\tau}(\alpha)=\sum_i c_{\tau}(\gamma_{\frac{p_i}{q_i}}).$$ Thus it suffices to compute $c_{\tau}(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}})$. By definition, $$4x^2=4|\hat{p}|^2|\hat{q}|^2=(|x_1|^2 + |x_2|^2)^2 - |\pi(x_1, x_2)|^2=2|x_1|^2 |x_2|^2 - \bar{x}_1^2 x_2^2 - x_1^2 \bar{x}_2^2.$$ Differentiate both side of above identity, we have $$4xdx=(x_1\bar{x}_2-\bar{x}_1 x_2) (x_2 d \bar{x}_1-\bar{x}_2 dx_1 + \bar{x}_1 dx_2 - x_1d\bar{x}_2).$$ Note that $4x^2 =-(x_1\bar{x}_2-\bar{x}_1 x_2 )^2=4 (Im(x_1 \bar{x}_2))^2$. Along the periodic orbits at $x \ne 0$, we can check that $x=Im(x_1 \bar{x}_2)$. Therefore, $$dx= \frac{i}{2} (x_2 d \bar{x}_1-\bar{x}_2 dx_1 + \bar{x}_1 dx_2 - x_1d\bar{x}_2),$$ along the periodic orbit. In addition, it can be defined along the periodic orbit at $x=0$. Let $J \in \mathcal{J}_h(E, \omega_E)$ be an almost complex structure such that $J(\partial_x) =\partial_y$ near $1-\delta \le r \le 1$ and $J=J_0$ near the critical point. Therefore, $dx + idy= dx + iJdx {\pm} iR_r' ( \pm x) dt$ near $x \ne 0$ and $1- \delta \le r\le 1$. $T^{1, 0}_J E $ is generated by $$\begin{split} ds+ idt, \ \ \ \ dx+iJdx {\pm}\frac{R_r'({\pm}x)}{2}(ds +idt). \end{split}$$ Define a section $\psi= (ds + idt )\wedge ( dx+iJdx \pm \frac{R_r'(\pm x)}{2}(ds +idt)) = \frac{\bar{z}dz}{|z|^2}\wedge ( dx+iJdx )$, where $z = \pi( \textbf{x})$. Near the critical point of $\pi$, $ dx+iJdx = dx+iJ_0dx= -i \bar{x}_2 dx_1 +i \bar{x}_1 dx_2$. Therefore, $$\begin{split} \psi=\frac{2 \bar{z}}{|z|^2}(x_1dx_1 + x_2 dx_2)\wedge (-i \bar{x}_2 dx_1 +i \bar{x}_1 dx_2) = 2i\bar{z} dx_1 \wedge dx_2. \end{split}$$ Therefore, we can extend $\psi$ to a section of $T^{2, 0}_J E$ over the whole $E$. Obviously, $\psi$ is a nowhere vanishing except at $z=0$. Let $u: D \to E$ be the unperturbed version of (\[eq3\]) or (\[eq4\]), $\psi \vert_u$ vanishing at the critical point and the vanishing order is $-q$. Therefore, $c_{\tau}(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}})=- \#\psi^{-1}(0)=q$. Energy ------ In this section, we write down a formula for the $\omega_X$-energy and deduce a constraint on the relative homology class. Let $Z_{\alpha} \in H_2(E, \alpha)$, the energy is denoted by $E(\alpha)$. By Stoke’s theorem, $E(\alpha)=\int_{\alpha} \theta_E$. At $x_0 \ge 0$ and $R'(x_0)=\frac{p}{q}$, $$E(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}) =\int_0^q \left(x_0R'(x_0) - R(x_0) \right)dt =x_0p -R(x_0 )q .$$ At $x_0 \le 0$ and $R'(-x_0)=1-\frac{p}{q}$, $$E(\gamma_{\frac{p}{q}}) =\int_0^q \left(-x_0R'(-x_0) - R(-x_0) \right)dt =-x_0R'(-x_0)q - R(-x_0 )q = x_0(p-q) - R(-x_0)q.$$ Therefore, $$E(\alpha) = \sum_i \left( |x_i| R'(|x_i|) -R(|x_i|) \right) q_i.$$ By our formula of $R$, it is easy to show that $E(\alpha) \le {Q}$. Note that for critical point $a$ of $f $ and $S=\{a\} \times D$, we have $E(S)=0$. Thus for $Z_{\alpha} \in H_2(X, \alpha)$, we still have $E(\alpha) \le {Q}$. As the case for ECH index, for $Z_{\alpha}+ m[F] \in H_2(X, \alpha)$, $$E(\alpha + m[F]) = E(\alpha) + m \int_{F} \omega_X.$$ Combine this formula and (\[eq14\]), they satisfy the relation $I(Z_1)-I(Z_2)= c(E(Z_1) -E(Z_2))$ for some constant $c \ne 0$. Thus the cobordism map can be defined over $\mathbb{Z}$-coefficient. \[lem3\] Given positive integer $Q$, we can choose a suitable symplectic form $\omega_S$ with the following property: For any orbit set $\alpha$ with degree less than $Q$, $J \in \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$ and $m<0$, then there is no holomorphic current $\mathcal{C}$ with relative homology class $Z_{\alpha}+ m[F]$. According to above discussion, $ E(\alpha + m[F]) \le {Q} + m \int_{F} \omega_X. $ By Lemma \[lem1\], we can choose a symplectic form $\omega_S$ such that $\int_{F}\omega_X \gg Q$, then $E(\alpha + m[F]) <0$. However, our $(X, \pi_X, \omega_X )$ is nonnegative, this implies $E(\mathcal{C}) \ge 0 $ for any $J$ holomorphic current. Therefore, the class $Z_{\alpha} + m[F]$ has no holomorphic representative. \[lem8\] Given an orbits set with degree $Q$, for a suitable choice symplectic form $\omega_S$ and for any $\Omega_X$-tame almost complex structure $J$ which is sufficiently close to $ \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$, then the conclusion in Lemma \[lem3\] still holds. Given $\epsilon_0>0$, then for any almost complex structure $J$ which is sufficiently close to $ \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$, we have $E(\mathcal{C}) \ge -\epsilon_0$ for any $J$-holomorphic current. Otherwise, we can find a sequence of $\Omega_X$-tame almost complex structures $\{J_n\}_{n=1}^{\infty}$ and $J_n$-holomorphic currents $\mathcal{C}_n$ such that $J_n \to J_{\infty} \in \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$ and $E(\mathcal{C}_n)< -\epsilon_0$. According to Taubes’ Gromov compactness (Cf. Lemma 9.9 of [@H4]and [@H3]), $\mathcal{C}_n$ converges to a $J_{\infty}$ holomorphic current (possibly broken) $\mathcal{C}_{\infty}$, in addition, $E(\mathcal{C}_{\infty}) \le -\epsilon_0<0$, contradict with $J_{\infty} \in \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$. The rest of the argument is the same as Lemma \[lem3\]. Cobordism map ============= In this section, we show that the definition of \[eq2\] make sense and prove the main theorem. \[lem6\] Let $C \in \mathcal{M}^J(\alpha, Z_{\alpha} + m[F])$ be an irreducible holomorphic curve and $[\alpha] \cdot [F]=q \le Q$, then the Fredholm index of holomorphic curve is $${\rm{ind}} C = 2g(C)-2 + h(C) + 2q + 4m(1-g(F))+ 2 e_+(C),$$ where $e_+(C)$ is the number of ends at $Q$-positive elliptic orbits and $h(C)$ is the number of ends at hyperbolic orbits. By Lemma \[lem10\] and adjunction formula, $c_{\tau}(Z_{\alpha}) = q$ and $$c_{\tau}(Z_{\alpha} + m[F]) = q + mc_{1}([F]) =q+2m(1-g(F)).$$ Given a holomorphic curve $C \in \mathcal{M}^J(\alpha)$, define $e_Q(C)$ to be the total multiplicity of all $Q$-negative elliptic orbits in $\alpha$. \[lem5\] Let $C \in \mathcal{M}^J(Z_{\alpha}+m[F])$ be a simple irreducible holomorphic curve and $[\alpha] \cdot [F]=q \le Q$. Suppose that $g(F)-1>Q $ and $J$ is generic almost complex structure which is sufficiently closed to $\mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$, then $$2C\cdot C = 2g(C)-2 + {\rm{ind} }C+ h(C) + 2e_Q(C) + 4\delta(C) \ge 0.$$ In addition, if $ {\rm{ind}} C =0$, then $C \cdot C =0$ if and only if $C $ is a special holomorphic plane which satisfies $q=e_Q=1$ and $h(C)=e_+(C)=0$. Argue by contradiction, assume that $C \cdot C < 0$, then we must have $g(C)=e_Q(C)=\delta(C)=0$. If $h(C)=0$, then $ {\rm{ind} }C$ is even and hence $ {\rm{ind} }C=0$. According to Lemma \[lem6\], we have $$-1+e_+(C) +q+2m(1-g(F))=0.$$ On the other hand, $e_+(C) +q+2m(1-g(F)) <2q- 2mQ $. Keep in mind that $m \ge 0$ because of Lemma \[lem8\]. As a result, $m=0$. ${\rm{ind} }C= 2q-2 + 2e_+(C) =0$ implies that $e_+(C)=0$ and $q=1$. Therefore, $C$ is closed with degree $1$, this is impossible. If $h(C)=1$, then $ {\rm{ind} }C=0$, otherwise $C \cdot C \ge 0$. However, by Lemma \[lem6\], we know that $ {\rm{ind} }C$ is odd, contradiction. In conclusion, $C \cdot C \ge 0$. Now let us assume that $ {\rm{ind}} C =0$ and $C \cdot C =0$, then we have $\delta(C)=0$ and $$2g(C)-2 + h(C) + 2e_Q(C)=0.$$ If $g(C)=0$, there are two possibilities: $$\begin{split} & h(C)=0 \ \ and \ \ e_Q(C)=1,\\ &or \ \ h(C)=2 \ \ and \ \ e_Q(C)=0. \end{split}$$ On the other hand, $ {\rm{ind}} C =0$ and Lemma \[lem6\] implies that $$h(C)+ 2q+2e_+(C) +4m(1-g(F))=2.$$ It is worth noting that $ 2q+2e_+(C) +4m(1-g(F)) <4q-4mQ$ due to our assumption. In either cases, we have $m=0$, otherwise, the left hand side is strictly less then $2$. In the first case that $h(C)=0$ and $ e_Q(C)=1$, then $2q+2e_+(C) =2$ implies that $q=1$ and $e_+(C)=0$. Consequently, $C$ is a special holomorphic plane with one positive end at a simple $Q$-negative periodic orbit and has no other ends. In the second case, $q+e_+(C) =0 $ implies that $q=0$, this is impossible. If $g(C)=1$, $C\cdot C=0 $ implies that $h(C)=e_Q(C)=0$. By $ {\rm{ind}} C =0$ and Lemma \[lem6\], we have $$2q+2e_+(C) +4m(1-g(F))=0.$$ If $m \ge 1$, then the left hand side is strictly less than zero, contradiction. If $m=0$, then $q=e_+(C)=0$. $C$ is closed curve and $[C]=n[F]$ because of Lemma \[lem2\]. Adjunction formula implies that $C$ cannot have genus $1$, we obtain contradiction too. \[lem13\] Let $\mathcal{C} \in \mathcal{M}^J(\alpha, Z_{\alpha} + m[F])$ be a holomorphic current and $[\alpha] \cdot [F] =Q$. Suppose that $ Q\ne g(F) -1$, then $I(\mathcal{C}) \ge 0$. Moreover, if $Q>g(F)-1$, then $I=0$ if and only if $m=0$ and the orbits set of the form $\alpha=(\Pi_a e_a^{m_a}) e_0^{m_0} e_1^{m_1}$ , where $a $ is critical point of $f$ with $\nabla^2 f(a)>0$. If $ Q< g(F) -1$, then the conclusion follows from corollary \[lem5\], Proposition 4.8 of [@H5] and Theorem 4.15 of [@H2], we have $I(\mathcal{C}) \ge 0$. If $ Q> g(F) -1$, combine (\[eq14\]), ( \[eq15\]), Lemma \[lem4\] and corollary \[lem12\], then we get the result. Let $u: \overline{D} \to \overline{X}$ be a section which is asymptotic to a periodic orbit with degree $1$. $u$ is called horizontal section if $Im(du) \subset T\overline{X}^{hor}$. Note that for any $J \in \mathcal{J}_h (X, \omega_X)$, the horizontal section is $J$-holomorphic. The horizontal section is rigidity in the following sense. Assume that $(X, \pi_X, \omega_X) $ is nonnegative, given an orbit set $\alpha$ with degree $1$ and $ C \in \mathcal{M}^J(\alpha)$, if $E(C)=0$, then $C$ is a horizontal section.(Cf. [@PS1]) \[thm2\] Assume that $Q \ne g(F)-1$, then for generic $\Omega_X$-tame almost complex structure $J$ which is sufficiently close to $ \in \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$, the cobordism map $$PFH(X, \omega_X)_J : \mathds{A}(X) \otimes PFH_*(Y, \omega, Q) \to \mathbb{Z}$$ is well-defined, where $\mathds{A}(X)=[U]\otimes \Lambda^*H_1(X, \mathbb{Z})$ and $U$ is the U-map (Cf. [@H3]). To define the cobordism map, let us consider the moduli space $\mathcal{M}_{0}^J(\alpha + m[F])$ and $\mathcal{C}=\sum_k d_k C_k \in \mathcal{M}_{0}^J(\alpha + m[F])$. Due to lemmas \[lem3\] and \[lem8\], we always assume that $m\ge0 $. Let us firstly consider the case that $Q>g(F)-1$. Choose a generic almost complex structure $J \in \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$. Since $Q>g(F)-1$, the element $\mathcal{C} \in \mathcal{M}_0^J(\alpha, Z_{\alpha} + m[F]) $ cannot contain closed component, otherwise $I\ge 2$. (Cf. Lemma 5.7 of [@GHC]) By corollary \[lem13\], $I(\mathcal{C}) \ge 0$ for any holomorphic current. Moreover, then $I=0$ implies that $m=0$ and the orbits set of the form $\alpha=(\Pi_a e_a^{m_a}) e_0^{m_0} e_1^{m_1}$ , where $a $ is critical point of $f$ with $\nabla^2 f(a)>0$. Thus let us assume $\alpha=(\Pi_a e_a^{m_a}) e_0^{m_0} e_1^{m_1}$ and $m=0$. Since $E(\alpha)=0$, the only element in $\mathcal{M}_0^J(\alpha)$ is of the form $\mathcal{C}=\sum_a m_a C_{e_a} + m_0 C_{e_0} +m_1 C_{e_1}$, where $C_{e_*}$ is horizontal section of $\pi_X: \overline{X} \to \overline{D}$. To see this, first note that $E(C_k)=0$ implies that $TC_k \subset T\overline{X}^{hor}$. Thus the ends of $C_k$ agrees with the trivial cylinders. $C_k$ is embedded, thus the ends of $C_k$ can only asymptotic to a simple orbits, either $e_0$ or $e_1$ or $e_a$. $C_k$ agrees with horizontal sections on the ends. However, the intersection of two different embedded holomorphic curves is isolated. Therefore, $C_k$ must be horizontal section. Therefore, $\mathcal{M}_0^J(\alpha)$ consists of only one element and it automatic compact. Then we define $PFC(X, \omega_X) \alpha=\# \mathcal{M}_0^J(\alpha) $ and $PFC(X, \omega_X) =0 $ otherwise. To show that it is a chain map, i.e. $PFC(X, \omega_X ) \circ \partial =0 $, it suffices to show that $PFC(X, \omega_X ) \circ \partial \beta=0 $ for ECH generator $\beta$ satisfying $<\partial \beta, \alpha > \ne 0$. Consider $\mathcal{C} =\sum_k d_k C_k \in \mathcal{M}_1^J(\beta, Z_{\beta}+ m[F])$, according to Lemma \[lem4\] and Theorem \[thm1\], (\[eq15\]) and (\[eq14\]), $I_m(\beta)=1$ implies that $m=0$ and $\beta$ doesn’t involve $Q$-positive elliptic orbit. In this case, one can show that $C_k \cdot C_k \ge 0$ and $d_k>1$ only when $C_k$ is the special holomorphic plane with ${\rm{ind}} C_k=h(C_k)=e_Q(C_k)-1=0$. (Cf. Prop 3.16 [@CG]) A broken curve arising as a limit of curves in $\mathcal{M}_1^J(\beta)$ consists of holomorphic curve with $I=1$ in the top level, curve with $I=0$ in the cobordism level, and connectors(Branched cover of trivial cylinder) between them. Make use of the gluing analysis in [@HT1] and [@HT2], $PFC(X, \omega_X ) \circ \partial \beta =0 $. (When we glue the copy of horizontal sections and the $I=1$ curve, we don’t need to insert any connector in between, otherwise, the result cannot have Fredholm index $1$. ) If $Q< g(F)-1$, choose a generic $\Omega_X$-tame almost complex structure which is sufficiently closed to $ \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$. By Lemma \[lem2\], we know that closed holomorphic curve has homology class $m[F]$ for $m \ge 0$. However, $I(m[F])<0$, this is impossible for generic $J$. Hence, there is no closed component in $\mathcal{C}.$ According to Prop 4.8 of [@H5] and Corollary \[lem5\], $I(\mathcal{C})=0$ implies that 1. $I(C_k)={\rm{ind}} C_k =0$ and $C_k$ is embedded for each $k$. 2. $C_k \cdot C_l=0$ for each $k \ne l$. 3. 1. If $C_k \cdot C_k >0$, then $d_k=1$. 2. If $C_k \cdot C_k =0$ and $d_k>1$, then $C_k$ is the special holomorphic plane which is asymptotic to a simple $Q$-negative periodic orbit with degree $1$. Therefore, $\mathcal{C} = \mathcal{C}_0+ \sum_a d_a C_{e_a} + d_1C_{e_1} + d_0 C_{e_0}$, where $\mathcal{C}_0$ is embedded holomorphic current with $I=0$, $C_{e_*}$ is holomorphic plane which is asymptotic to $e_*$ and $e_*$ is $Q$-negative elliptic orbit. One can follow the same argument in Prop 3.14 of [@CG] to show that $\mathcal{M}_{0}^J(\alpha )$ is a finite set. As a consequence, the definition \[eq2\] make sense in this case. Again, make use of the gluing analysis in [@HT1] and [@HT2], we have $PFC(X, \omega_X ) \circ \partial =0 $. Finally, in ether cases, it is not difficulty to extend the cobordism map over ring $\mathds{A}(X)$. \[Proof of Theorem \[thm3\]\] - If $Q>g(F)-1$, according to the proof of Theorem \[thm2\], we know that $PFC(X, \omega_X) \alpha=0$ unless that $\alpha=(\Pi_a e_a^{m_a}) e_0^{m_0} e_1^{m_1}$, where $a$ is critical point of $f$ with $\nabla^2 f(a)>0$. Let us assume that this is the case, then there is only one element in $\mathcal{M}_0^J(\alpha)$. According to [@CG], the sign is positive and hence $ \# \mathcal{M}_0^J(\alpha)=1$. - Now let us consider the second case that $2Q+1<g(F)$. Without loss of generality, we may assume that there is no critical point $\{a\}$ such that $\nabla^2f(a)>0$. By Theorem 5.3 of [@H1] and our assumption, the generators of $PFH(Y, \omega, Q)$ are represented by of orbits set $\alpha = (\Pi_a h_a) \alpha_0$, where $\{a\}$ is saddle point of $f$. Let us assume that the degree of $\Pi_a h_a$ are $q_h$. Then $\alpha_0$ is an orbits set of index $0 \le I_0(\alpha_0) \le 2Q'-1$ and $Q'=Q -q_h$. By Lemma \[lem4\] and Theorem \[thm1\] and \[eq14\], $$I_m(\alpha)=q_h + I_0(\alpha_0)+ 2m(Q+1-g(F)).$$ By our assumption, $I_m(\alpha) < q_h +I_0(\alpha_0) -2m Q \le 2Q -2mQ$. According to Lemma \[lem8\], we may assume that $m\ge 0$. Therefore, $I_m(\alpha)<0$ unless $m=0$. When $m=0$, $I_0(\alpha)=0$ if and only if $q_+=q_h=I_0(\alpha_0)=0$, i.e. $\alpha= e_0^{m_0} e_1^{m_1} $. By the automatic transversality theorem [@Wen], for any $J \in \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$, the unbranched cover of holomorphic planes in $\mathcal{M}^J_0(\alpha)$ are regular. Therefore, for $J \in \mathcal{J}_{tame}(X, \omega_X)$ which is sufficiently close to $ \mathcal{J}_h(X, \omega_X)$, $\mathcal{M}_0^J(\alpha, {Z}_{\alpha})$ also consist of one element with positive sign. ` E-mail adress: guanheng.chen@adelaide.edu.au ` [unsrt]{} D. N. 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M.Hutchings, *[The embedded contact homology index revisited]{}, New perspectives and challenges in symplectic field theory, 263V297, CRM Proc. Lecture Notes 49, Amer. Math. Soc., 2009.* M.Hutchings, [*Lecture note on embedding contact homology*]{}, Contact and Symplectic Topology, Bolya Society Mathematical Studies 26 (2014), 389?C484, Springer. M.Hutchings, [*Beyond ECH capacities*]{}, Geometry and Topology 20 (2016) 1085-1126 M. Hutchings and C. H. Taubes, [*Gluing pseudoholomorphic curves along branched covered cylinders I* ]{}, J. Symplectic Geom. 5 (2007), 43?V137. M. Hutchings and C. H. Taubes, [*Gluing pseudoholomorphic curves along branched covered cylinders II*]{} , J. Symplectic Geom. 7 (2009), 29?V133. Y-J. Lee and C.H.Taubes, Periodic Floer homology and Seiberg-Witten-Floer cohomology, J.Symplectic Geom. 10 (2012), no. 1, 81V164 P.Seidel, [*A long exact sequence for symplectic Floer cohomology*]{}, Topology 42 (5) (2003) 1003?C1063. MR1978046 (2004d:53105). 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In an era where more and more people are working remotely, World Health Organization gathered 400 “scientists” together in Geneva for a two-day meeting. Because Skype is so passé and 400 people is too much for a Viber group chat. According to WHO Director-General’s remarks this meeting is about questions and answers, but more about questions:”The main outcome we expect from this meeting is not immediate answers to every question that we have.The main outcome is an agreed roadmap on what questions we need to ask, and how we will go about answering those questions.” But, on the very first day of this meeting WHO came up with a groundbreaking solution for coronavirus. One decision and virus 2019-nCov is no more. It is now called COVID-19. wow such breaking news so much better than 2019-nCoV so much more clear so much more catchy wow — Tokillya (@Tokillya512) February 11, 2020 “We now have a name for the disease and it is covid-19,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told. He explains that “CO” stands for “corona”, “VI” for “virus” and “D” for “disease” and continues that:”…we had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people, and which is also pronounceable and related to the disease.” The virus was discovered in the Wuhan, a city in China in December last year. Tedros says the name selection fell on covid-19 to avoid references to a specific geographical region, animal species or population group. This is in line with international recommendations to avoid stigma. In January, WHO gave the new type of coronavirus the temporary name 2019-nCoV, an abbreviation for “2019 novel coronavirus.” In other news, 365,000 people have already signed a petition for the resignation of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General. And back to our $500K estimate. Have in mind that this is our conservative estimate since we basically only counted in hotels and flights for 400 people (2 nights each). According to Statista average price of a night in Geneva hotels is EUR 270 (which is $295) . Using online calculator we came up with $236,000 for hotel stays if everyone stays 2 nights only. Round trip flights from USA are around $500. That is another $250,000 for flights. We did not count in food, organization, staff costs, bonuses…

The night is dark but the cave yonder is darker. You tremble at the crumbling entrance, holding your flickering lantern out, keenly aware of the shrilling of the wind and the never-ending pattering of thousands and thousands of tiny feet. A voice, <i>her</i> voice, crackling and paper-like, floats from within, "Come in. Douse your lantern. They do not take kindly to the harsh light you bring in so willingly". [[Flee back to safety]] [[Douse your lantern and enter the lair]]It was a mistake to come. You turn and run back along the path by the creek, back to the anxiously waiting village, the worried households, the tearful, the sick, the dying. The villagers ask whether you have brought back a piece of the Spider Mother's magical cloth. [[Lie to them]] [[Tell them the truth]]The last thing you see clearly under the light of the full moon is the Spider Mother's writhing hive of grey hair and millions of black eyes staring, tiny bodies motionless for an instant, tiny legs pointing towards you. Doused into darkness. The horror. [[You take a step forward.]] You attempt to smile and lie. But it is obvious that your hands are empty. Despair crawls into the groaning beds of the infirm. Many villagers turn their heads away. You can hear them weeping desperately as they make their way home. You can also hear...very faintly... [[...the sounds of tiny feet...]]You try to speak of the fear but the words don't come. It doesn't matter. They can see it in your eyes. A young mother wails nearby before dashing back to her sick baby. Everyone begins to shuffle away, hopelessly and silently. Without the cloth's magical healing properties, many will not see the sun rise tomorrow. Perhaps, tomorrow night, they will send someone else, someone brave, to the cave. [[Perhaps you will try again.->Entrance to the lair]] [[No, you will never return to that horror.->...the sounds of tiny feet...]]The shame burns. You turn around and make your way home. It feels like hundreds of eyes watch you all the way. You should never have volunteered to go to the Spider Mother's lair. As you blow out the candle on your bedside table, you notice that very little moonlight is coming through your bedroom window. You squint at the window. [[There seem to be cobwebs.]] Very thick cobwebs. And thousands of very tiny unblinking eyes. They gleam and you know that they have come for you. To take you back to the lair. [[To her.->Entrance to the lair]]In the darkness, you think of the old tales and you pray for her mercy. No comely wench is she who resides in the lair beside the creek. Her eyes are pale, the pupils like golden grit, trapped beneath the hardened wrinkles and withered lips. Her nose is arched, like a cruel bird’s beak, peering imperiously at visitors. They say she has no eyebrows, no eyelashes, the tiny hairs having fallen off, like the years she has fallen from. They say Father Time has no hold of her, that she is a demon with spiders for consorts, a seductress who in her youth would ride upon the back of a colossal arachnid. They speak her name in fear, in awe or in thrall. <i>The Spider Mother.</i> [[You continue to creep forward.]] [[It's not too late to change your mind. Leave the cave.->Flee back to safety]]You can barely make out your boots in the darkness and tread as lightly as you dare. Her light grey hair is her crown, her throne, the carpet on which one walks, upon entering her domain. It is alive, that hair. Thin and silver-grey, forever writhing it is, in this fearsome lair. Because spiders of all sizes and colours live in it, constantly running in and out, scuttling to their webs, dragging their wrapped prey to hidey-holes, all within her mane, so thin yet altogether terribly thick. Unperceivable order within that dark tangled confusion of silvery hair smiles in the darkness. You find it hard to swallow. [[She's no fool, this witch.]]Her spider children whisper everything they learn by windowpanes, wall hangings and fireplaces into her prune-like ears. They bring knowledge of what goes on in the village by the creek, tales of knights and war in distant lands, gossip and intrigue within kings’ courts, secrets Mother Nature makes known only to her miniature offspring. [[Wisdom unimaginable.]]The twisting passage forces you to find your way carefully by what little light comes from fractured skylights created by the ancient roots of trees above. Each time you hear a crunch beneath your feet, you flinch. Tiny feet continue to patter about you. A sea of glittering black eyes reflects the scant moonlight. Eventually, you reach the woman with the medicinal knowledge, the woman with wisdom imparted from the whispering rattles of spiders. [[The Spider Mother.]]You can barely see her. She rests on her throne of hair and skittering arachnids, slowly weaving the mythical blanket of healing properties. Best not to lie for the spiders know everything. You lower your head and beg in the darkness. "Please, oh please, may I have but a snippet of your magical cloth that we may heal the sick child, cure the young dying mother, save the old man who is suffering in his son’s bed, nurse back to health the baby who wastes away in the cradle..." [[Your list goes on and on.]]A long silence seems to follow your plea. And then you realise that the spiders are whispering into her shrunken ears. You strain harder to see in the darkness. The spiders swarm upon her cloth, and <i> click click</i>, they cut away cleanly. [[One final horror follows.]]You stand, paralysed in the darkness, as hundreds of spiders swarm up your body to pass the woven gift into your sweaty hands. As swiftly as they came, the tiny invisible hairy legs make their quiet descent. When you are sure that the last spider has left your legs, you express your thanks and leave as hastily and politely as you dare. But halfway home along the path, you are ambushed and brought to your knees. The highwayman asks you to hand over the Spider Mother's cloth and tells you to get more for yourself later. When you hesitate, he slashes your right forearm. You cry out and drop your lantern. [[You are unarmed. Hand over the cloth.]] [[No, the cloth is priceless. It is worth dying for.]]You choose to live. Perhaps you can brave the cave once more. You hand over the cloth with your left hand and hope that the bandit will be merciful. [[You were wrong.]]You lick your lips and try to think of a way to disarm the bandit. It becomes clear to the bandit that you will not hand over the Spider Mother's blessing. As he raises his blade in anger, you both hear an unearthly roar. [[It all happens so quickly.]]You raise your arms to defend yourself, but the ugly blade comes down again and again. As you fall to the blood-stained ground, you hear an unearthly roar. [[Your vision begins to fade but you try to make sense of what is happening.]]There appears to be a tremendous thrashing, the likes of which you've never seen before, and tree branches are flailing in every direction. You catch a hellish glimpse of eight colossal eyes flashing in anger from up above, before too many leaves obscure your vision. The last thing you hear before lose consciousness is the sound of the screaming highwayman being torn into two. . . . . . [[You feel a strange sensation, as if you were being rocked gently in a cocoon. There are little rattling noises. After a while, you open your eyes and get up and realise that you are no longer bleeding or in pain. You are near the mouth of the lair once more.->You take a step forward.]]It takes a moment for the two of you to realise that you are both under the shadow of a colossal beast. Eight enormous eyes flash in anger, as two hairy gargantuan legs pick up the screaming highwayman. The creature disappears into the forest as quickly as it came with a tremendous thrashing. Tree branches flailing in the trail it leaves behind slowly come to a still. [[You slowly realise that you have been clutching the cloth tightly to your chest all this while and get up.]]Gleaming yellow eyes watch you all the way down to the village by the creek, the silently and fearfully and anxiously and then tearfully waiting village. Wordlessly, you hand over the soft cloth to a village elder, who divides it quickly before handing it out, for it seems to stop thriving upon being separated from its weaver. Glistening silver and thick, the cloth rapidly thins and is wont to vanish into the air so it must be placed onto the skin of sickly ones quickly, where it appears to melt into the flesh. You watch the healing. [[It is both awful and miraculous to behold.]]Like spider legs, the threads come alive and grasp about only to sink their way into the flesh of their patients who are instantly revived. Like corpses saved from the grave, they dance up and rejoice with a most strange agility granted by the spider-blessed cloth. Someone notices your bloody arm and offers to wash and bandage it. You let yourself be taken away, weary from tonight's horror. [[You think back to the warnings of the old tales.]]Those who want the cloth for ill use are warned not to ask for it but still, in they go and never do they come out of the dark lair, their cries echoing into the mountains as they receive their punishment from the spiders. And on her throne of hair, The Spider Mother watches and smiles. . . . . . [[Visit the Spider Mother's lair again, if you dare.->Entrance to the lair]]

Construction & Roofing Manufacturers Roofing materials are only as good as the manufacturers which produce them. The roofing company Ryan Construction Systems, Inc. knows how important using the right roofing manufacturers for Kansas City, MO homes is, and only ever installs reliable products for our clients. Two of the largest construction and roofing manufacturers in North America are GAF and CertainTeed. Both manufacturing companies are well established among licensed professionals across the continent. After more than a century of operation for each company, their studies on long-term effectiveness of their respective roofing materials are comprehensive and extensive. GAF, in particular, has been a leading force in the construction and roofing industry in advancing technology development as well as installation techniques which produce the best results and the safest processes. Thanks to their research, their technological progress, and their commitment to their customers, these two companies offer some of the best warranties in the business. Their warranties tend to provide fuller coverage for much longer than their competitor’s. Knowing that a manufacturer stands by their roofing materials so entirely is a comforting thing for every installer and consumer. Although DaVinci and Timberline are relatively young manufacturing companies, it’s been clear since it first started up how dependable its products are as well as their high performance over a long stretch of time. What Do These Companies Have In Common? Customer care! Each of these manufacturers has total faith in the materials they are producing because they wouldn’t produce them unless they trusted them to reinforce their own roofs! Each manufacturing company also has had enough experience supporting their customers and working towards appealing to their customer base to know that the best material does not need to be the priciest. They also do not sacrifice aesthetic appeal for functionality. Having the sturdiest roof on the block will not have to mean being the neighborhood’s eyesore. In fact, CertainTeed, GAF, and DaVinci carry a clearly wide selection of colors and styles in a variety of different shingle materials. That way your options are never limited and whatever theme or style you like best, you can absolutely stick with it! Your home should be a place you love to be in and love to look at! As a homeowner, you should be proud of how dependable and attractive your property is. The right roofing system installed by skilled roofers with the best roofing products on the market makes your home entirely protected against weather elements, The Importance of Your Roofing Manufacturer Choice When you take into account that your roof is your first line of defense against harsh weather, hail storms, and rain storms with high winds, it’s much easier to understand that the durability of your roofing system matters a great deal to the rest of your residence. A strong roof will keep moisture from penetrating your home’s interior – from ventilation to ceiling and walls to your furniture and valuable electronics – for many years. Not only could a water leak harm the valuables within your home, but constant exposure to moisture can lead to the development of rot, mold, bacteria, and mildew in your walls and ceiling. It can also warp your ventilation system, resulting in rising utility bills and a dangerous exchange of air temperatures which can, in turn, do more harm against what little roof protection you have during both the winter and the summer. Using materials you can count on from fully established manufacturers that care about the reliability of their roofing products can save you a lot of time and trouble while remaining within budget! You can trust in the roofing manufacturers used in Kansas City, MO by Ryan Construction Systems, Inc. for every project! Call (816) 741-1941 to get started.

New video game endurance record set Did you play a lot of games this past weekend? Odds are, a group of six Dutch game enthusiasts have you beat, as the team broke the previously-set 40-hour record by notching over 50 hours with Red Dead Redemption. The team consisted of a half-dozen gamers from throughout the Netherlands, all of whom will share the record as the group decided to finish together. The new Guinness record holders are Sven de Vries, Renzo Bos, Robbie van Eijkeren, Marcel van Waardenburg, as well as brothers Edward and Maykel Leest. The session, which started at 12:55 PM on Friday in the Netherlands, was played completely on the PlayStation 3 version of Red Dead Redemption. Instead of using wired controllers, the team used a charging device called the TwistDock to keep powered controllers at the ready. The event was coordinated by Vogel's, the creators of the TwistDock. What's the longest gameplay session you ever logged? Do you think you could ever play a game for over 50 hours straight? The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located. My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of IDG Communications is prohibited. Copyright 2013 IDG Communications. ABN 14 001 592 650. All rights reserved. Contact Us With over 25 years of brand awareness and credibility, Good Gear Guide (formerly PC World Australia), consistently delivers editorial excellence through award-winning content and trusted product reviews.

NF-κB pathways in the development and progression of colorectal cancer. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has been widely implicated in the development and progression of cancer. In colorectal cancer (CRC), NF-κB has a key role in cancer-related processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The role of NF-κB in CRC is complex, owed to the cross talk with other signaling pathways. Although there is sufficient evidence gained from cell lines and animal models that NF-κB is involved in cancer-related processes, because of a lack of studies in human tissue, the clinical evidence of its importance is limited in patients with CRC. This review summarizes evidence relating to how NF-κB is involved in the development and progression of CRC and comments on future work to be carried out.

I agree with Cole and Ohanian that the NIRA aborted a promising recovery after July 1933. I disagree with Paul Krugman on this issue. And unlike most Keynesians, I don’t think the recovery from the Great Depression under FDR was very impressive. Much of the recovery was due to productivity growth (until 1941.) And yet I find myself once again to be very irritated by an argument against the demand-side view put forward by Cole and Ohanian: The main point of our op-ed, as well as our earlier work, is that most of the increase in per-capita output that occurred after 1933 was due to higher productivity – not higher labor input. The figure [at the link] shows total hours worked per adult for the 1930s. There is little recovery in labor, as hours are about 27 percent down in 1933 relative to 1929, and remain about 21 percent down in 1939. But increasing aggregate demand is supposed to increase output by increasing labor, not by increasing productivity, which is typically considered to be outside the scope of short-run spending/monetary policies. I originally read this quotation over at MR, and immediately thought; “When has a Keynesian ever argued that there was a robust demand-side recovery from 1933 to 1939?” I’ve read just about everything ever written on the subject, and I’ve never heard that argument made. Instead, Keynesians argue that demand stimulus led to a fast recovery during 1933-37, and then tight monetary and fiscal policies caused a severe relapse in 1938. So why would Cole and Ohanian pick those dates? As soon as I clicked over to the Stephen Wiliamson post where Tyler found the argument, I immediately knew the answer. Cole and Ohanian present a graph that strongly supports the AD view of the recovery from the Great Depression. Hours worked went from being 27% below normal in 1933, to only 17% below normal in 1937, the cyclical peak. That means an extra 2.5% per year. Using Okun’s Law, I’d guess that gets you about 5% RGDP growth per year. Now the actual rates were substantially higher during 1933-37, as productivity also grew briskly. But the hours worked finding basically follows the predictions of AD models. Even Keynesians believe the economy was still far from full employment in 1937. Then hours worked plunged between 1937 and 1939, in response to the sharp fall in AD (as measured by NGDP) during 1938. Again, this is perfectly consistent with demand-side explanations of the 1930s. Indeed it’s the standard view. BTW, I happen to think a massive adverse supply-shock also reduced hours worked and output during 1938, so my position is actually intermediate between C&O and the Keynesians. Looking at the entire period from 1929 to 1939, the blue line (hours worked) is highly correlated with changes in AD (i.e. NGDP.) I think aggregate supply mattered a lot in the Great Depression. But none of the data presented by C&O refutes the argument that demand played a major role in the Depression, indeed it strongly supports that view. PS. I’d be interested in whether the C&O data include hours worked on government jobs programs. Official government unemployment data from that period is highly inaccurate, as they treat millions of WPA/CCC workers as “unemployed.” PPS. In case anyone wonders why I view the 1933-37 recovery as disappointing, despite high RGDP growth rates, consider that industrial production grew 57% between March and July 1933, due to dollar devaluation. Then FDR raised nominal wages by 20% in late July, as part of the NIRA. Monthly industrial production data fell immediately, and didn’t regain July 1933 levels until after the NIRA was declared unconstitutional in May 1935. This led to rapid growth in late 1935. Because of the way annual GDP data averages over entire years, the RGDP growth from 1933-35 looks deceptively steady and impressive. It wasn’t. Update: I just noticed that Matt Yglesias is just as puzzled as I am by their chart. I have often thought that, had you been magically transported back to 1935, you would have been a major critic of monetary policy at the time. The reason is FDR and the Fed allowed a huge NGDP level short fall from trend to occur during the 1933-1936 recovery. Even on a trajectory basis, they would not achieve a level target for multiple years. For that reason, you might have argued that efforts to raise NGDP, while welcome, were woefully short of what was necessary. Which begs the question, what is the relationship between an NGDP shortfall and a real recovery? Does a persistent shortfall imply a newly-recessionary or stagnant real economy? Or just one that grows but not at trend? Obviously, 1930’s NGDP growth was above trend, just not at a trajectory that made a level target achievable within a reasonable time frame. Nevertheless, what does that above-trend growth tell us about the meaningfulness of the NGDP level shortfall construct? BTW, by the same token, Japan’s real per capita growth, while not stellar, is arguably at trend given the country’s aging population and well-known structural issues. Certainly, the country’s employment experience is far superior to ours. How could the economy be growing at anything close trend with such a large, persistent NGDP “gap”? How would economists even determine what “trend” is after such an important demographic shift and persistent deviation from the historical trajectory? Is the concept of an “AD shortfall” supposed to explain such a long-run phenomenon? David, Wages fell sharply between 1929-33, and hence I don’t think we needed to get back to 1929 NGDP. Fisher suggested going half way back in price terms, as I recall. In my view there was plenty of NGDP for a fast recovery, and the reason the Depression didn’t end quickly (like 1921) was the NIRA. In my view the natural rate of unemployment in Japan is about 2%, Because of near-zero NGDP growth since 1994 the actual unemployment rate is more like 4% or 5%. That produces a one time reduction in RGDP, but doesn’t affect the long term growth rate–so in that sense I agree with you. But I still think moving up to 2% or 3% trend NGDP growth would give them a one-time boost in jobs, and that this would be quite desirable. I thought NIRA raised nominal wages. That is, by 1935 nominal wages had recovered much of their previous fall. Thus, the NGDP-adjusted nominal wage was still way above its 1929 level in 1935. Maybe this is your point: NIRA was at fault for high unemployment. However, why not equally blame the Fed for “allowing” the NGDP-adjusted wage to be so high? Wasn’t it under their control? When it comes to real wages, what government policy does, the Fed can undo. The above reminds me of today’s debate. The “structuralists” argue part of the reason behind high UE is government-induced uncertainty about total future employment costs (i.e. because of the new health care law). You reply to them, “you have a point, but its still the Fed’s fault for keeping NGDP too low.” “Per capita real GDP was about 27% below trend in 1939, with more than three-quarters of this shortfall due to the continuing depression in labor. Our research indicates that New Deal industrial and labor policies, such as the National Industrial Recovery Act and the Wagner Act (the National Labor Relations Act), were the main reasons. The NIRA, for example, fostered monopoly and raised wages well above underlying worker productivity by a quid pro quo arrangement of relaxing antitrust enforcement in exchange for industry paying substantially higher wages. In the absence of these policies, we estimate that labor input would have been about 20% higher than it was at the end of the 1930s and would have returned the economy to trend by that time.” The SAME thing would happen with my Guaranteed Income plan – which Scott supports. EVERYONE would get a check from the gvt. but they would auctioned off at WHATEVER rate made their labor PROFITABLE to the private sector. This would: 1) reduce prices on all kinds of things like daycare, or yard work / remodeling in poor neighborhoods. Increasing consumption. 2) increase productivity, the human that Scott wants to talk to would speak English as a first language – because all the telemarketers would be mommies working from home, instead of Indians up all night in New Delhi. small fun fact: they teach the girls there to speak with a southern drawl because it best covers up their accent. one of the most surreal experiences of my life (and ther ehave been many) was watching an Englishmen teach a roomful of Indian ladies to to say ya’ll. “I’d be interested in whether the C&O data include hours worked on government jobs programs. Official government unemployment data from that period is highly inaccurate, as they treat millions of WPA/CCC workers as “unemployed.”” It’s a minor point, but I think “officially” they fixed this in the latest Historical Statistics of the U.S. Cole and Ohanian present a graph that strongly supports the AD view of the recovery from the Great Depression. Hours worked went from being 27% below normal in 1933, to only 17% below normal in 1937, the cyclical peak. Scott, I think you are here engaging in the same “very misleading” trick that O&C did in their original op ed, for which Krugman, you, and Glasner sent them to the woodshed. In particular, you are giving us endpoints, when if we look at the graph for the entire period, we see the opposite story. (BTW sorry if I’m missing the whole debate here, but I think this is right…) O&C in their latest graph are trying to show that wages and total labor hours move in opposite directions, right? So that fits their story that unemployment was because of New Deal policies that drove wage rates above market-clearing levels. (As Krugman just recently reminded us, Keynesians do NOT blame unemployment during the 1930s on wages being too high.) That view is supported not only by the endpoints of their chart, but in the middle too. Yes, total hours per worker went up, but not when the gold devaluation occurred. Instead it started in 1934, and that was a period when wages were *falling* not rising. From 1933-1934, wage rates spiked (which I guess shows that a devaluation can turn around prices and wages, just like you tell us), but that period also showed total hours per person continuing its downward trend. And when you get the collapse in hours per worker starting in 1937, that also goes hand in hand with a huge jump in wages. I agree O&C had some misleading stats in their original piece, but I don’t see how your critique here to this later chart works. David, No, it is not my argument that The Fed should try to undo the damage from things like the health care law. I think the Fed should focus on keeping NGDP growing at a constant rate, regardless of the supply-side of the economy. If the government is determined to screw up the economy, the Fed cannot and should not try to stop them–it would merely lead to an inflationary spiral. Morgan, Why link to a misleading article. Charlie, Thanks for the info. Bob, I have no problem with their argument about wages, or their claim that Krugman is wrong. I also think Krugman is wrong. I do have a problem when they present misleading data to try to suggest that the evidence is inconsistent with the AD-view of the Depression. In fact employment and AD are highly correlated throughout the Depression, contrary to what they claim. They are attacking an argument that no Keynesian is making. But they imply Keynesians are making that argument. Their chart has nothing to say about the effect of gold devaluation on hours worked. Nothing. I very much doubt that industrial output could rise 57% in 4 months with no increase in hours–that would be the fastest productivity growth in history. happyjuggler, That’s a complicated question. It depends how you define monetary policy. If you define monetary stimulus as rising NGDP, then one might argue that monetary stimulus did the job. On the other hand perhaps NGDP rose because of wartime spending in 1940-41. More pro-business policies might have also helped a bit. Tommy, That’s right, which is why it bugs me that C&O try to suggest otherwise. Bad AS policies explain the slow recovery, but the Depression itself was caused by a big fall in AD. (And then a smaller fall in 1937.) Their chart has nothing to say about the effect of gold devaluation on hours worked. Nothing. What do you mean by that? The chart (I think) shows that hours per adult continued to fall, even after the gold devaluation occurred. Are you saying I’m reading the chart wrong, or that no matter what the chart showed, we wouldn’t be able to conclude anything about the effect of an event happening at a certain point in the chart? Well, I suppose re-hashing the Great Depression through modern-day ideological lenses is inevitable. I am glad Cole/Ohanian were exposed as near-frauds. (No relation btw). But the example market monetarists should cite is Japan. That way we avoid the ancient battlegrounds and intellectual tugs-of-war over the Great Depression. Which neither side will ever “win” as partisan politics befogs everything. Market monetarists should talk about today, and Japan. Crickey-Almighty, there is plenty to talk about. I have a great idea!…lets pay people not to work at all and if they get a part-time job or entry level job to gain experience in a new field and make the 1st step towards independence then we stop all payments to them…this way we can provide extra incentives not to try some new career. No – because he might just get himself impeached by the wonderful Republican deflationists. Of course – real actual tax reform – fewer deductions and lower rates, and eliminate the corporate tax – along with credible long term spending reform – now that might well do it – with a little cooperation from the Fed. The graph shows M1, M2, and manufacturing hours from 1929-Fall of 1930. During this time period, M1 and M2 were fairly consistent with 1929 values while manufacturing output collapsed. All this happened before the first banking panic. Money supply had nothing to do with the collapse in output! Today we see that the CPI is higher than it was in 2007 or 2008 while manufacturing output hasn’t recovered. The data points to a supply shock, not a fall in AD. Btw, I studied at UCLA and took several classes from Ohanian, so I’d naturally side with him on this one. I don’t have time to listen to the entire Ohanian talk, but in the part you reference he seems to be blaming “Labor Market Failure” starting in late 1929 as the cause of the Great Depression. It wasn’t AD shortfall or money supply decline. He goes on to explain the “Labor Market Failure” was rising REAL wages starting in late 1929 (as other nominal prices started to fall). He blames price collusion and Hoover’s support for trade association for the rising real wages. It sounds like he’s arguing that sticky wages during a deflation caused the depression but he refuses to acknowledge sticky wages as a legitimate economic concept. Instead he calls sticky wages “Labor Market Failure” and blames regulation for exacerbating the stickiness. On your supply shock question: I think there was a supply shock in 2009, but it was caused by the tight money and the subsequent financial crisis. As an example I present into evidence the rig count, which fell almost 60 percent during the financial crisis. This lowered AS, i.e., led to oil shortages early in the recovery at levels of AD lower than the previous peak. Bob, No, the chart doesn’t show what he claims, because it uses annual data, which is very misleading. Hours soared after the dollar devaluation–as industrial production rose 57% between March and July 1933. Then hours fell sharply after wages were raised 20% in late summer–this is why hours fell slightly in 1934. The effect of devaluation on hours was strongly positive, and the effect of the NIRA was strongly negative. Thanks Eric, I’m number three! Ben, Yes, Japan is what we should be worried about. Morgan, There are billions of articles I don’t link to, do you think I am afraid of all of them? Gabe, Yes, it’s called unemployment comp. JimP, Yes, that’s the problem. John, Money was extremely tight in late 1929 and early 1930. Between October 1929 and October 1930 the monetary base fell at one of the sharpest rates of the whole 20th century. If you are going to talk about the money supply that’s the one to pay attention to. But as you may know I think all monetary aggregates, even the base, are unreliable indicators of policy. We know money was tight because NGDP plunged in 1929-30. Unemployment benefits supported household income. Lower household income would mean lower spending and lower investment. Let’s not forget household debt to GDP was not far south of 100% in 2009. Not extending benefits would have been a disaster. Do you really believe that cutting benefits would promote growth and that job openings would magically appear? By the way according to the BEA NGDP rose 17% in 1934, 11% in 35 and 14% in 36. Don’t expect much do you. That sounds so incredibly crazy. What if the government had set the minimum wage to $100 an hour? What if they had made it illegal to produce, distribute, or use oil? NGDP would collapse and it would have nothing to do with money being tight or not. This is basically what Cole & Ohanian are arguing and you’re saying it only comes down to money. It’s absurb. Money is a medium of exchange not the fountainhead of economic growth. I came across this thread a year late while doing some economic history research, and something struck me reading this thread. How does this NGDP macroeconomic mindset deal with the economic growth spurred by marginal tax cuts. The first historical example came from Andrew Mellon’s marginal tax cuts following the First World War. The second example was LBJ’s passage of the Kennedy tax cuts inspired by Robert Mundell. Finally the Reagan marginal tax cuts coupled with Volcker’s sound money interest rate policy. Dave, we allow disinflation to accomodate the RGDP boom. We don’t deviate from the NGDP level target. Supply side issues are important too, more important in the long run. But right now NGDP matters more – a lot of the supply-side problems in the US right now are the consequence of demand-side problems, of tight money. […] and Ohanian are comprehensively defenestrated in this blog. Hannan isn’t interested in reality and like all right-wingers of his ilk, he exists in the […] Leave a Reply Name (required) Mail (will not be published) (required) Website Search About Welcome to a new blog on the endlessly perplexing problem of monetary policy. You’ll quickly notice that I am not a natural blogger, yet I feel compelled by recent events to give it a shot. Read more... Bio My name is Scott Sumner and I have taught economics at Bentley University for the past 27 years. I earned a BA in economics at Wisconsin and a PhD at Chicago. My research has been in the field of monetary economics, particularly the role of the gold standard in the Great Depression. I had just begun research on the relationship between cultural values and neoliberal reforms, when I got pulled back into monetary economics by the current crisis.

Equal Opportunity Math There’re plenty of digital and online curriculum programs for math, but until now nothing aimed at the special needs of students with disabilities. AbleNet’s Equals is a pre-K through 12-th grade math curriculum for kids with a variety of abilities. The site’s lesson topics range from algebra and geometry to estimating and data analysis, and each area has three levels of instructional strategies for those with a variety of disabilities: mild, moderate or even severe disabilities. TrackBack URL for this entry:http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00e54faaf86b88330120a5dd3d58970c

Molecular characterization of the EGF receptor and involvement of glycosyl moieties in the binding of EGF to its receptor on a clonal osteosarcoma cell line, UMR 106-06. The epidermal growth factor receptor in cells of the UMR 106-06 clonal osteoblast line has been shown to be structurally similar to that previously characterized in other cell lines. A specific receptor component of approximately 165,000-185,000 Mr has been identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using the chemical crosslinker disuccinimidyl suberate to crosslink 125I-EGF to its receptor. Tunicamycin treatment of cells resulted in a dose-dependent loss of binding suggesting involvement of glycosyl moieties in EGF binding to its receptor. Competitive binding studies carried out using wheat germ lectin (WGL), concanavalin A (CON.A.), soybean lectin (SBL), and lentil lectin (ILL) to compete for binding of 125I-EGF revealed that CON A, WGL, and to a lesser extent LL could inhibit EGF binding; SBL was without effect. Treatment of the cells with neuraminidase which cleaves terminal sialic acid residues resulted in total loss of binding while alpha-glucosidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and alpha-mannosidase were without effect. These data indicate a specific interaction of EGF with terminal sialic acid residues of the EGF receptor. However, it would seem that the mannose residues which appeared to modify EGF binding were not available for the action of the above enzymes due to the presence of sialic acid.

Illinois State Police News Release IDOT and Illinois Law Enforcement Boost Safety Efforts for Memorial Day Weekend Press Release Date: May 24, 2011 || Archived June 2, 2011 The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois State Police (ISP) today announced their plans to boost enforcement efforts over Memorial Day weekend. Hundreds more safety belt enforcement zones and other patrols are planned over the heavily-traveled holiday weekend. The upcoming Memorial Day weekend also marks the 10 year anniversary of the successful Click It or Ticket program. “Memorial Day is a special time dedicated to the remembrance and reconciliation of those in armed forces who gave their lives to protect our values, freedom and democracy,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “The holiday weekend serves as an historical, symbolic and solemn time, often spent with family and friends, and shouldn’t be tainted by impaired drivers or other law violators. If Illinois motorists plan to travel over Memorial Day weekend, we strongly encourage them to continue to drive sober and buckle up, every trip, every time.” This boost in enforcement has one goal – to save lives during the Memorial Day weekend. Provisional numbers from 2010 data show that from the midnight to 2:59 am timeframe, 96 people died on Illinois roadways and only 21 percent of them were wearing safety belts. Likewise, the 3:00 am to 5:59 am period was the second most deadly time with only 33 percent of those who died in motor vehicle crashes were properly restrained by a safety belt. The Click It or Ticket campaign has helped push safety belt usage to nearly 93 percent across the state and has resulted in more than 4335 lives saved since 2000. Illinois has seen historic lows in traffic fatalities over the last two years; a safe Memorial Day weekend could help that number drop even lower in 2011. "The Illinois State Police is committed to making this summer as safe as possible through directed enforcement initiatives,” said Illinois State Police Director Hiram Grau. “We are encouraged by the increase in the number of motorists who are wearing seat belts, and are optimistic the combination of awareness, seat belt compliance and enforcement will help reduce fatalities on Illinois roadways.” A total of $1.58 million in federal safety dollars has been made available to the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Police and more than 500 local law enforcement agencies to provide additional safety belt and impaired driving patrols during the two-week Click it or Ticket mobilization period. The federal dollars will also fund more than 1,200 safety belt enforcement zones and 1,000 safety belt saturation patrols. Fifty percent or more of these patrols will occur during late-night hours (11 p.m. to 6 a.m.). The mobilization includes impaired driving enforcement and more than 60 roadside safety checks.

Q: live search in 3 rows at the same time I need to know how can I make my live search to work finding the complete name if I have 3 rows for every user..like: table pacientes name, surename, lastname Jhon-----erick--------doe and when I make the search per example jhon doe or erick doe or jhon erick doe show me the results jhon erick doe here is my live search: <? $dbhost = "localhost"; $dbname = ""; $dbuser = ""; $dbpass = ""; global $db; $db = new mysqli(); $db->connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass, $dbname); $db->set_charset("utf8"); if ($db->connect_errno) { printf("Connect failed: %s\n", $db->connect_error); exit(); } $html = ''; $html .= '<li class="result">'; $html .= '<a target="_self" href="urlString">'; $html .= '<h3>nombreString apellidoString de_casadaString</h3>'; $html .= '<h4>Expediente # : id_pacienteString</h4>'; $html .= '</a>'; $html .= '</li>'; $search_string = preg_replace("/[^A-Za-z0-9]/", " ", $_POST['query']); $search_string = $db->real_escape_string($search_string); if (strlen($search_string) >= 1 && $search_string !== ' ') { $query = 'SELECT id_paciente,nombre,apellido,de_casada FROM PACIENTES WHERE id_paciente LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%" OR nombre LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%" OR apellido LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%" OR de_casada LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%"'; $result = $db->query($query); while($results = $result->fetch_array()) { $result_array[] = $results; } if (isset($result_array)) { foreach ($result_array as $result) { $display_id_paciente = preg_replace("/".$search_string."/i", "<b class='highlight'>".$search_string."</b>", $result['id_paciente']); $display_name = preg_replace("/".$search_string."/i", "<b class='highlight'>".$search_string."</b>", $result['nombre']); $display_apell = preg_replace("/".$search_string."/i", "<b class='highlight'>".$search_string."</b>", $result['apellido']); $display_casada = preg_replace("/".$search_string."/i", "<b class='highlight'>".$search_string."</b>", $result['de_casada']); $display_url = 'paciente_personal_profile.php?id_paciente='.urlencode($result['id_paciente']); $output = str_replace('nombreString', $display_name, $html); $output = str_replace('apellidoString', $display_apell, $output); $output = str_replace('de_casadaString', $display_casada, $output); $output = str_replace('id_pacienteString', $display_id_paciente, $output); $output = str_replace('urlString', $display_url, $output); echo($output); } }else{ $output = str_replace('urlString', 'javascript:void(0);', $html); $output = str_replace('nombreString apellidoString de_casadaString', '<b>Sin coincidencias.</b>', $output); $output = str_replace('id_pacienteString', 'No hay expediente', $output); echo($output); } } ?> in the page show the result: <div id="main"> <h4 id="results-text">Mostrando resultados para: <b id="search-string">Array</b></h4> <ul id="results"></ul> </div> A: You can make a view like this: CREATE VIEW MyView as SELECT id_paciente,nombre,apellido,de_casada, nombre+' '+apellido+' '+de_casada as complete_name FROM PACIENTES and then do the query in the view: SELECT id_paciente,nombre,apellido,de_casada,complete_name FROM MyView WHERE id_paciente LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%" OR complete_name LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%" OR nombre LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%" OR apellido LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%" OR de_casada LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%"

Pages Thursday, March 26, 2015 NASHP hosts health equity webinar Health disparities persist in the United States with disadvantaged groups disproportionately bearing the burden of poor health outcomes and shortened lifespans. Policymakers at the federal and state levels are working to develop strategies to address these disparities and promote health equity across geographic, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic divisions. This webinar will discuss how state and federal policymakers can strengthen their efforts to achieve health equity by coordinating with one another to align payment models, create new partnerships, and build infrastructure and data systems to reduce health disparities. Rebekah Gee and Chip Allen will describe several initiatives supporting health equity and the federal programs they are leveraging to support efforts in Louisiana and Ohio. Cara James, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will then describe federal resources available to help states advance health equity and identify opportunities for better alignment of federal and state activities.

--- abstract: 'The effect of proximity to a Mott insulating phase on the charge transport properties of a superconductor is determined.  An action describing the low energy physics is formulated and different scenarios for the approach to the Mott phase are distinguished by different variation with doping of the parameters in the action. A crucial issue is found to be the doping dependence of the *quasiparticle charge* which is defined here and which controls the temperature and field dependence of the electromagnetic response functions. Presently available data on high-T$_{c}$ superconductors are analysed. The data, while neither complete nor entirely consistent, suggest that neither the quasiparticle velocity nor the quasiparticle charge vanish as the Mott phase is approached, in contradiction to the predictions of several widely studied theories of lightly doped Mott insulators. Implications of the results for the structure of vortices in high-T$_{c}$ superconductors are determined.' address: | Center for Materials Theory\ Department of Physics and Astronomy\ Rutgers University\ 136 Frelinghuysen Rd, Piscataway NJ 08854 author: - 'L. B. Ioffe and A. J. Millis' date: 'Dec 21, 2001' title: 'D-wave superconductivity in doped Mott insulators' --- Introduction ============ High-$T_{c}$ superconductors are created by doping an antiferromagnetic ’Mott insulating’ parent material [@Orenstein00]. A Mott insulator is a material which band theory would predict to be metallic but which, because of electron-electron interactions, is insulating [@Imada98]. It is conventional to distinguish the different doping levels as ’overdoped’, ’optimally doped’, and ’underdoped’. Optimal doping is generally defined as the carrier concentration which maximizes the resistively-defined superconducting transition temperature $T_{c}$. Overdoped materials have more added carriers and underdoped materials have fewer. All high-$T_{c}$ materials exhibit behavior which deviates from the ’Fermi-liquid-Migdal-Eliashberg’ theory which describes most metals; however, the deviations grow more pronounced as the doping is reduced towards the Mott insulator, and indeed understanding the physics of the underdoped regime (in other words, of the approach to the Mott insulating phase) has emerged as one of the crucial questions in the high-$T_{c}$ field. High-$T_{c}$ superconductivity remains a controversial subject [@Orenstein00]. However, there is general agreement that one important phase, which may actually be observed in sufficiently clean materials, is a homogeneous superconducting phase characterized by an energy gap vanishing only along the nodal directions ($p_{x}=\pm p_{y}$ in a material with tetragonal symmetry) and possessing conventional quasiparticle and supercurrent excitations. The low temperature behavior of a d-wave superconductor is described by a general action, which depends on four parameters which are defined below. The behavior of the parameters as the Mott phase is approached is seen to reveal information about the underlying physics of the Mott transition and governs the structure of vortices and thereby the doping dependence of such macroscopic quantities as the upper critical field. In this paper (which is largely a review) we describe the information which may in principle be obtained from the low T properties, summarize the present status of the experimental values of the different parameters, and (although the presently available data are neither fully consistent nor complete) outline the apparent physical implications of the results. Two subsequent papers are planned: one presenting the derivation of the general low temperature action from different microscopic theories and one using it to analyse the vortex properties (in particular $H_{c2}(T)$ and paraconductivity) in more detail. Specifically, in this paper we consider a homogeneous d-wave superconducting phase, assuming in particular that there is no spontaneously broken time reversal symmetry and  there are no other relevant excitations apart from the quasiparticle and phase fluctuations. (We also restrict attention to two dimensional models, but this restriction can easily be lifted if desired). We find that a crucial parameter is what we define as the effective charge of the quasiparticles. This can be determined at low $T$ by relating the observed electronic specific heat and photoemission (which essentially measure the number and velocity of quasiparticles) to the temperature dependence of the London penetration depth (which is related to the ability of these states to carry an electrical current). Different scenarios for the approach to the Mott transition produce striking differences in the variation, with doping, of this charge. In particular, theories involving some form of spin charge separation seem to lead to a vanishing of the quasiparticle charge as the Mott phase is approached. We analyze available data to determine which scenario actually occurs. One very important feature of a superconductor is the structure of vortices introduced by thermal fluctuations or via a magnetic field. A vortex is characterized by a core, which may be defined in two ways: either via the density of quasiparticle states, which is higher near the core and drops as one moves away from the core region, or via the supercurrent, which varies as $1/r$ far from the core and drops to zero inside the core. In several of the theoretical approaches to the physics of the lightly doped Mott insulator (including the one which seems to best fit the data discussed below), the core size *as defined from the supercurrent* may become very large. This, combined with the behavior of the quasiparticle charge, has remarkable implications for the size of the critical region, for the behavior of the upper critical field $H_{c2}$ and for the physics of the superconductor-insulator transition which must occur as the doping goes to zero. These implications were pointed out in [@Lee96] and will be further analysed by us in a subsequent paper. The rest of this paper is organized as follows. In section II we present the low energy, long wavelength theory of a d-wave superconductor near a Mott insulator. In Section III we discuss the available experimental evidence concerning the value and doping dependence of the parameters of the theory. Section IV presents the limits of validity of the low energy action we discuss, along with discussion of the physics occurring when these limits are exceeded. A conclusion discusses the physical implications of our formalism and findings. The Appendix gives the details of calculations of the field dependence of the specific heat and superfluid stiffness in the vortex state. Low Energy Theory ================= At low temperatures the state of all (even underdoped) superconducting cuprates seems to be a conventional $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$ superconductor [@Tseui98; @dinunderdoped; @Shen95]: it is described by the usual low energy degrees of freedom, namely a superconducting phase variable $\phi (r,t)$ and, as will be discussed in more detail below, apparently conventional fermionic quasiparticle excitations[@Taillefer]. Gradients of the phase correspond to supercurrents. Longitudinal supercurrents lead to charge fluctuations which are coupled by the long-ranged Coulomb interaction. Transverse supercurrents are described by a *phase stiffness* $\rho _{s}$ whose long-wavelength limit may be deduced from measurements of the London penetration depth. In high-$T_{c}$ materials, the low-$T$ limit of $% \rho _{S}$ is strongly $x$-dependent, vanishing roughly linearly as $% x\rightarrow 0$. This behavior is understood as a consequence of the suppression of charge fluctuations as the Mott insulating phase is approached, and appears to be related to the decrease of the resistively defined $T_{c}$ as $x\rightarrow 0$. Indeed in the very early days of high-$% T_{c}$ Uemura and co-workers showed that in underdoped materials the ratio $% T_{c}(x)/\rho _{s}(T\rightarrow 0,x)$ was essentially $x$-independent [@Uemura89]. At roughly the same time this behavior was shown by a number of workers to follow naturally from theoretical models of superconductivity near a Mott transition [@Kotliar], and later Emery and Kivelson argued that the behavior could be understood in a more model-independent way as a consequence of the unusually small phase stiffness characteristic of high-$% T_{c}$ materials [@Emery95]. Recently  Corson et. al reported direct evidence that in underdoped $Bi_{2}Sr_{2}Cu_{2}O_{8}$ the superconducting transition was indeed of the vortex-unbinding type driven by a small phase stiffness [@Corson98]. At scales less than maximal value of the gap, $\Delta _{0}$, the physics of a two dimensional superconductor with tetragonal symmetry and a $% d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$ gap function is described by an effective Lagrangian density $\mathcal{L}$ involving the phase $\phi $ of the superconductor and quasiparticles excited out of the superconducting condensate: $$\mathcal{L=L}_{\phi }+\mathcal{L}_{F}+\mathcal{L}_{mix} \label{L}$$ Here $\mathcal{L}_{F}=\partial _{\tau }-H_{D}$ is the usual Dirac action describing the ’nodal quasiparticles’ excited in the vicinity of the nodes of the d-wave gap function.  In a superconductor, the fermionic energy spectrum is given by $E_{p}=\pm \sqrt{\varepsilon _{p}^{2}+\Delta _{p}^{2}}$ with $\varepsilon _{p}$ the energy spectrum of the underlying fermions and $% \Delta _{p}$ the gap function. For a $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$ gap function, $\Delta _{p}$ vanishes linearly in the four nodes, i.e. for $\overrightarrow{p}\Vert (\pm \pi ,\pm \pi )$. It is convenient to measure momentum from the fermi point in the nodal direction and to parametrize the fermion dispersion by two velocities:  one, $v_{F}$, of the order of the underlying fermi velocity describing motion perpendicular to the direction in which the gap varies, and one, $v_{\Delta }$, describing the opening of the gap and of order $\Delta _{0}/p_{F}$, obtaining $$E_{p}=\sqrt{(v_{F}p_{1})^{2}+(v_{\Delta }p_{2})^{2}} \label{Edirac}$$ We take the fermions to be normal ordered in the basis which diagonalizes $% H_{D}$ , so the contribution of the negative energy (filled Dirac sea) states is subsumed in the phase Lagrangian density $\mathcal{L}_{\phi }$ which we write as $$\mathcal{L}_{\phi }=\frac{1}{2}\left( \partial _{i}\phi +2ieA_{i}\right) \ast \rho _{s0}^{ij}(r-r^{\prime })\ast \left( \partial _{j}\phi -2ieA_{j}\right) \label{Lphi}$$ Here $i$ is a Cartesian direction, $\mathbf{A}$ is the vector potential and we have allowed for non-locality in space so the $\ast $ represents convolution. The quantity $\rho _{s0}^{ij}$ is a diagonal matrix with dimension of $% energy/length^{2}$.  Its components $\ \rho _{s0}^{xx}(r)=\rho _{s0}^{yy}(r)\equiv \rho _{s0}(r)$ (we assume tetragonal symmetry) are related, in the absence of quasiparticle excitations, to the conventionally defined superfluid stiffness $\rho _{s}$ (measurable, e.g. from the London penetration depth) by $$\rho _{s}(T=0,H=0)=\int d^{2}r\rho _{S0}(r) \label{rhos}$$ Systems near a Mott transition are characterized by a low density of mobile charges, and we therefore expect that $\rho _{S0}(r)$ has a length dependence set by this low density. The term $\mathcal{L}_{mix}$ gives the coupling of the phase fluctuations to the nodal quasiparticles; it may be written $$\mathcal{L}_{mix}=\sum_{\alpha ,\sigma ,p,q}\left( \frac{1}{2}\partial _{\mu }\phi (r)\\ +ieA_{\mu }(r)\right) \cdot e^{iq\cdot r}Z_{p}^{e}\overrightarrow{v}% _{F}\psi _{p+q/2\alpha \sigma }^{+}\psi _{p-q/2,\alpha \sigma } \label{Lmix}$$ Here $\alpha =1...4$ labels the four nodes of the d-wave state and $Z^{e}$ is a phenomenological constant which we will show below may be thought of as the charge of a superconducting quasiparticle. It may depend on position relative to the node and on the proximity to the Mott transition and will be discussed in more detail below. It has been stated in the literature that one generically has $Z^{e}=1$; but this is now known not to be correct. Eq. $% \mathcal{L}_{mix}$ is the long wavelength limit of a more general action involving also ’pairbreaking’ terms such as $\psi ^{+}\psi ^{+}$ with coefficients of order $q$. Physical content ================ The low energy, long wavelength theory is described by four parameters: $% \rho _{S0}$, $v_{F}$, $v_{\Delta }$ and the quasiparticle charge renormalization $Z^{e}$.. To see how these parameters may be determined experimentally, we integrate out the fermions in the presence of static, slowly varying superflow field and vector potential, which enter via the gauge invariant combination $$\overrightarrow{Q}=\left( \overrightarrow{\nabla }\phi (r,t)-2ie% \overrightarrow{A}\right) \label{Qdef}$$ and are taken to be slowly varying on the scales set by $\rho _{S}$ and the fermions. We obtain for the two dimensional free energy density $$F_{static}(\overrightarrow{Q})=\frac{1}{2}\rho _{S}^{0}Q^{2}\\- 2T\sum_{\alpha }\int dEN(E)\ln \left[ 1+\exp [-(E+\frac{1}{2}Z_{p}^{e}\overrightarrow{Q}% \cdot \overrightarrow{v}_{a})/T\right] \label{Fstatic}$$ where the 2 is for spin, the sum $(\alpha )$ is over the four nodes of the Dirac spectrum and we have introduced the single-node single-spin density of states per unit area $$N(E)=\int \frac{d^{2}p}{\left( 2\pi \right) ^{2}}\delta (E-E_{p})=\frac{E}{% 2\pi v_{F}v_{\Delta }} \label{dos}$$ The specific heat may be obtained by differentiating Eq. \[Fstatic\] twice with respect to $T$  and is $$\frac{C}{T}=\frac{T}{4\pi v_{F}v_{\Delta }}\sum_{\alpha }\int_{0}^{\infty }dx% \frac{x(x+\frac{Z_{p}^{e}\overrightarrow{Q}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}_{a}}{2T}% )^{2}}{\cosh ^{2}\left[ \frac{x+\frac{Z_{p}^{e}\overrightarrow{Q}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}_{a}}{2T}}{2}\right] } \label{C/T}$$ The integral may easily be evaluated numerically for given $Q,T$. Analytical results exist in the limits $Q/T\rightarrow 0$ and $Q/T\rightarrow \infty $. The zero-field specific heat coefficient (per unit area) $C(B=0,T)$ is $$\frac{C(B=0)}{T}=\frac{18\zeta (3)T}{\pi v_{F}v_{\Delta }} \label{C(B=0)/T}$$ while in the high field low-T limit we obtain (after symmetrization) $$\frac{C(Z^{e}vQ>>T)}{T}=\sum_{\alpha =1...4}\frac{\pi Z^{e}}{% 12v_{F}v_{\Delta }}\left| \overrightarrow{Q}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}% _{a}\right| \label{highq}$$ Averaging Eq \[highq\] over the $Q$-distribution characteristic of a vortex stateleads to the ’Volovik’ prediction [@Volovik] of a $B^{1/2}$ field dependence of the specific heat if $B_{c2}>>B>>B_{c1}$. In principle the result depends on the nature of the vortex state and on the relative angle between the lattice vectors characterizing the vortex lattice (if any) and  the directions corresponding to the gap nodes in the superconducting state. We have evaluated the averages and find that the dependence is weak: $$\frac{C(B>\Phi _{0}v_{F}^{2}/T^{2})}{T}=\frac{\pi Z^{e}}{3v_{\Delta }}\left( \frac{B}{\Phi _{0}}\right) ^{1/2}A \label{Chigh-field}$$ where $A=\pi /2$ for a square vortex lattice with nodal direction aligned with the vortex lattice vector and $A=1.52$ for $45$ degrees misalignment, similarly for a triangular vortex lattice $A=1.7$ with $5\%$ variations as the angle is varied. Some details of the calculation are presented in the Appendix. Similarly the differential penetration depth is given by differentiating $F$ twice with respect to $Q$ . For an arbitrary current distribution $\rho _{S}$ is a tensor: $$\rho _{S}^{ab}=\rho _{S0}\delta _{ab}-\sum_{\alpha }\frac{TZ^{e2}v_{\alpha }^{a}v_{\alpha }^{b}}{4\pi v_{F}v_{\Delta }}\int_{0}^{\infty }dx\frac{x}{% \cosh ^{2}\left[ x+\frac{Z^{e}\overrightarrow{Q}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}_{a}% }{4T}\right] } \label{rhosgen}$$ where $a,b$ are specific Cartesian directions and $v^{a}$ is the component of $v_{F}$ in the $a$ direction. Eq. (\[rhos(B)\]) describes among other things the nonlinear Meissner effect [@nonlinmeiss]: note however the importance of the charge renormalization factor $Z^{e}$. In the weak field limit, $\rho _{S}^{ab}=\rho _{S}\delta _{ab}$ with $$\rho _{S}(T)=\rho _{S0}-\frac{\ln (2)Z^{e2}v_{F}}{2\pi v_{\Delta }}T=\rho _{S0}-\frac{\ln (2)Z^{e2}v_{F}^{2}}{36\zeta (3)}\frac{C(B=0)}{T} \label{rhos(T)}$$ The factor $Z^{e}$ is essentially the Landau parameter introduced in previous work [@Landaurefs]. Comparison of Eqs. \[C/T\] and \[rhos(T)\] shows why $Z^{e}$ is more appropriately interpreted as the quasiparticle charge renormalization. The usual f-sum-rule (Ferrel-Glover-Tinkham) arguments imply that the change, with temperature, in the condensate fraction is balanced by an increase in the ’normal’ conductivity due to quasiparticles. Now the quasiparticle conductivity is determined by the number of carriers (which follows from the specific heat, which essentially counts excitations) and their velocity, (which may be determined from photoemission). Any remaining discrepancy with the observed $% d\rho _{S}/dT$ must then be due to their charge, i.e. to the factor $Z^{e}$.  . At large $Q$ and low $T$ we find the current-dependence of the superfluid stiffness to be $$\rho _{S}^{ab}(Q,T=0)=\rho _{S0}\delta _{ab}-\frac{Z^{e3}v_{\alpha }^{a}v_{\alpha }^{b}}{16\pi v_{F}v_{\Delta }}\sum_{\alpha }\left| \overrightarrow{Q}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}_{a}\right| \label{rhos(Q)}$$ Calculations similar to those for the specific heat yield, for a vortex lattice with square or triangular symmetry, $\rho _{S}^{ab}=\rho _{S}\delta _{ab}$ with $$\rho _{S}(B,T=0)=\rho _{S0}-A\frac{Z^{e3}v_{F}^{2}}{4\pi v_{\Delta }}\sqrt{% \frac{B}{\Phi _{0}}} \label{rhos(B)}$$ Experimental values =================== Overview -------- The important parameters of the theory, $\rho _{S}$, $Z^{e},v_{F},v_{\Delta } $ may be determined from experiment. Of these, the crucial parameter is $% Z^{e}$. Unfortunately, the present situation is unclear because different determinations do not agree; also most measurements determine only combinations of the fundamental quantities, so that uncertainties in one propagate into uncertainties in another. In the following sub-sections section we discuss the available data for each of the three parameters, and then in a concluding subsection summarize the results and outstanding questions. $\protect\rho _{s}$ ------------------- The $T=0$ superfluid stiffness has been reasonably well determined by muon spin rotation experiments [@Uemura89; @Sonier00] and decreases as the Mott insulator is approached. The decrease is apparently roughly proportional to hole doping. We regard this result as well established and we do not discuss it further. v$_{F}$ ------- Angle-resolved photoemission measurements yield $v_{F}$ [@Damascelli01];. At present the generally accepted value for high-T$_{c}$ materials (both optimal and underdoped) along the zone diagonal and in the superconducting state is[@Schabel98; @Johnson01] $$v_{F}=1.8[eV-A] \label{vf}$$ The velocity apparently increases slightly as doping is decreased. There is general agreement concerning the value and doping independence of the velocity (note that even undoped materials exhibit zone diagonal velocities of approximately this magnitude). We regard this parameter as having been reasonably reliably established. v$_{\Delta }$ ------------- The parameter $v_{\Delta }$ may be obtained in three ways: from photoemission, from zero-field specific heat, and from thermal conductivity. Each method is subject to uncertainties, as outlined below. Photoemission investigations of the form of the superconducting gap near the nodes reveal a broadened structure, with a nonvanishing density of states in a small arc around the zone diagonal [@ARPESUD]. This could be an intrinsic effect, indicating a non-d-wave form of the gap function, or it could be due to pairbreaking or other sample and surface imperfections. However, evidence that the gapless arcs have a non-intrinsic origin is provided by penetration depth and thermal conductivity measurements discussed below, so we take this view here. An estimate of $v_{\Delta }$ from photoemission may be obtained by combining the gap maximum value $% \Delta _{0}$, the standard $\cos (2\theta )$ d-wave form and the arc length from the zone diagonal fermi point to the gap maximum point, which is roughly $\pi /\sqrt{2}b$ with $b$ the lattice constant, leading to $$v_{\Delta }=\frac{2\sqrt{2}b\Delta _{0}}{\pi } \label{vdelta}$$ Estimates for the gap maximum range from $30-40meV$ in optimal $YBCO$ (with the large values in the direction parallel to the chains and the smaller in the direction perpendicular [@Lu01] to $40meV$ in $BSCCO$ [@Mesot99] leading to $$\begin{aligned} v_{\Delta } &=&0.13[eV-A]\;(BSCCO) \label{vdelvalBSCCO} \\ v_{\Delta } &=&0.09-0.12[eV-A]\;(YBCO) \label{vdelvalYBCO}\end{aligned}$$ Available photoemission evidence [@Mesot99] suggests that $\Delta _{0}$ and therefore $v_{\Delta }$ if anything increase with decreasing doping; suggesting (if we interpret the maximal gap observed in the $(\pi ,0)$ direction as superconducting gap) that $v_{\Delta }$ increases with decreasing doping. These estimates rely on the assumption that everywhere in the zone the observed gap has a superconducting origin. While this assumption has been used by many workers, and appears to be supported by the good argeement between the simple d-wave form and the data of [@Mesot99], diffferent interpretations exist in which the gap in underdoped materials has a non-superconducting origin [@DDW; @Varma99]. Eq. (\[C(B=0)/T\]) shows that measurements of the low temperature specific heat yield the product $v_{F}v_{\Delta }$. Because we regard the value of $% v_{F}$ as reliable, these measurements yield a value for $v_{\Delta }$. In optimally doped $YBCO,$ specific heat data [@Wang01] yield (in present notations [@conventions]) $$v_{F}v_{\Delta }=0.06\left[ eV-A\right] ^{2} \label{vfvdeltawang}$$ or $$v_{\Delta }=0.033\left[ eV-A\right] \label{vdeltawang}$$ This value is far outside the range of $v_{\Delta }$ suggested by photoemission. The authors of Ref. [@Wang01] suggest that the discrepancy occurs because there are additional contributions to the measured low-field specific heat (for example from chain states) which should not be included in the comparison between the model and data. This idea is consistent with recent microwave conductivity measurements [@Harris01] which find evidence for a large density of gapless excitations associated with the chains. An alternative possibility is that the gap function does not have the simple $\cos (2\theta )$ form often assumed, but instead is less strongly angle dependent near the nodes, so that $v_{\Delta } $ is not well estimated from the maximum gap value. Reliable measurements of the low temperature specific heat for $BSCCO$ or underdoped $% YBCO$ are not available. Thermal conductivity measurements yield values for $v_{F}/v_{\Delta }$ [@Taillefer; @Chiao00; @Tailleferunpub]. These results rely upon a theoretical ’universal limit’ expression for the low temperature limit of a transport coefficient [@Durst00], and upon the assumption that this low temperature limit  has been experimentally accessed.  Measurements [@Taillefer] yield $v_{F}/v_{\Delta }=19$ for optimally doped BSCCO. For YBCO a strong doping dependence is found. As doping is decreased the ratio drops from about 19 for a presumably slightly overdoped $YBCO_{6.993}$ [@Tailleferunpub]sample to 14 for a putatively optimally doped $YBCO_{6.95}$ [@Chiao00] to 8 for the $60$ phase $YBCO_{6.73}$. [@Tailleferunpub]. These estimates suggest that $v_{\Delta }$ rapidly increases with underdoping. $$\begin{aligned} v_{\Delta } &=&0.095\;(BSCCO,overdopedYBCO) \label{vdelthermbscco} \\ v_{\Delta } &=&0.13\;(optimally\,doped\,YBCO) \label{vdeltermybco} \\ v_{\Delta } &=&0.2(underdoped\,YBCO)\end{aligned}$$ These data are roughly consistent with the $v_{\Delta }$ inferred from the gap maximum found in photoemission; however one should bear in mind that the increase in $v_{\Delta }$ found as doping is decreased corresponds to a decrease in the value of the ’universal limit’ thermal conductivity. This could arise from an inhomogeneous sample (in which not all of the material is superconducting) or possibly from novel physics (not included in the basic action studied here) suppressing the ability of the quasiparticles in a doped Mott insulator to carry heat. Z$^{e}$ ------- The crucial quantity $Z^{e}$ appears in combination with $v_{F},v_{\Delta }$ and so values are subject to uncertainties, particularly in the value of $% v_{\Delta }$. The temperature dependence of the penetration depth yields the combination $% \frac{Z_{e}^{2}v_{F}}{v_{\Delta }}$. In YBCO certainly and in other high-$T_c$ materials, probably, the temperature dependence of the penetration depth in the direction transverse to the chains (if any) is only weakly material-dependent, and is linear at low $T$ with the slope given by [@Bonn96; @BSCCO] $$\begin{aligned} \frac{d\rho _{S}}{d\left( k_{B}T\right) } &\approx &0.7\hspace{0.11in}% (YBCO6.6,6.9) \label{drhosdtYBCO} \\ &\approx &0.9\hspace{0.11in}(BSCCO,optimal) \label{drhosdtbscco}\end{aligned}$$ Note that this linearity is inconsistent with the presence of the ”gapless arcs” [@ARPESUD] in the electronic spectrum. From Eq. \[rhos(T)\] we then obtain $$\frac{Z_{e}^{2}v_{F}}{v_{\Delta }}=6-8 \label{Z2v}$$ The ability to determine $Z^{e}$ by combining penetration depth data with values for $v_{F}$ and $v_{\Delta }$ (obtained for example from thermal conductivity data)  was noted by Chiao, Taillefer and co-workers [@Taillefer]; the values obtained  from the thermal conductivity data discussed above then yield $$\begin{aligned} Z^{e} &=&0.7\;(Optimal\,BSCCO;\,Overdoped\,YBCO)\, \label{zebscco} \\ Z^{e} &=&0.8\;(Opt\,imally\ doped\,YBCO) \label{zeoptybco} \\ Z^{e} &=&1\;(60K\,\ YBCO) \label{zeudybco}\end{aligned}$$ The magnetic field dependence of the specific heat yields $\frac{v_{\Delta }% }{Z_{e}A}$ where $A$ is a constant (discussed above) relating to the current distribution in the vortex lattice. In optimally doped $YBCO,$ high-field specific heat data [@Wang01] yield (in present notations [@conventions]) $$\frac{v_{\Delta }}{Z_{e}A}=0.09\left[ eV-A\right] \label{vdeloverza}$$ Use of our estimate $A\approx 1.7$ [@conventions] and the range quoted above for $v_{\Delta }$ yields $$0.6<Z^{e}<1$$ Recent microwave conductivity measurements [@Harris01] reveal an additional difficulty with the quantitative extraction of $Z^{e}$ in $YBCO$: in this material the deviations from tetragonal symmetry are found to lead to a strong ($\sim 50\%$) variation in the plane conductivity (which can be separated from the chain conductivity) between electric field parallel to the chain direction and antiparallel to it.  This anisotropy has not been taken into account in our analysis. Summary ------- In summary, at present the experimental status of the parameter values characterizing the superconducting state is not completely satisfactory. The specific heat results for optimal $YBCO$ suggest rather smaller $v_{\Delta }$ values than are found by other measurements, and photoemission and some tunnelling data suggest that $v_{\Delta }$ decreases as doping is reduced, while other measurements including thermal conductivity suggest that it increases. The available data suggest however that the crucial parameter $% Z^{e}$ is of order unity and is only weakly dependent on doping. Particularly compelling in this regard is the observed weak doping dependence of $d\rho _{S}/dT$, combined with the doping independence of $% v_{F},$ and the indications that $v_{\Delta }$ increases with decreasing doping. These indications suggest that $Z^{e}$ is of order unity and if anything increases as doping is decreased. Data contradicting this conclusion exist. Further experimental information would be very helpful. Range of applicability of low energy action =========================================== Overview -------- The results presented above constitute the leading temperature and $Q$ dependence about the $T=0,Q=0$ limit because they are nonanalytic in the standard expansion parameters $(T/E_{0})^{2},(v_{F}Q/E_{0})^{2}$ where $% E_{0} $ is a ’microscopic’ energy scale (for example the BCS gap amplitude $% \Delta _{0}$). We expect the expansion ceases to hold when the correction terms are of the order of the leading terms and in particular when the corrections to $\rho _{S0}$ are of the order of $\rho _{S0}$. One source of correction terms are terms of the order of $Q^{4}$ in the phase part of the action. The usual expectation from study of quantum critical points is that these become important when $$\begin{aligned} Q &\sim &Q^{\phi }=\left( \rho _{S0}/E_{\phi }\right) ^{1/2}/\xi _{0} \label{Qphi} \\ T^{\phi } &\sim &\rho _{S0} \label{Tphi}\end{aligned}$$ where $E_{\phi },\xi _{0}$ are ’microscopic’ energy and length scales which do not vanish as the Mott phase or other critical point is approached. Another correction occurs when the fermionic terms become of the order of the leading terms, i.e. when $$T\sim T^{\ast }=\rho _{S0}\left( \frac{v_{\Delta }}{Z_{e}^{2}v_{F}}\right) \label{Tlim}$$ or $$Q\sim Q^{\ast }=\frac{2\rho _{S0}}{v_{F}}\left( \frac{v_{\Delta }}{% Z_{e}^{3}v_{F}}\right) \label{Qlim}$$ Roughly, if the fermionic terms determine the limits of validity of the low $% T,Q$ expansion, then the physics of the nonsuperconducting state is dominated by electrons and is expected to be more or less a conventional metal, whereas if the phase terms set the limits then fermions are irrelevant at the superconducting-non-superconducting critical point and the physics is presumably bosonic. In general, the limit of validity of the low $T$ low $B$ expansion signals the destruction of the superconducting state. We shall discuss the superconducting non-superconducting transition on the assumption that the physics is strictly two dimensional. While this is a reasonable approximation for high-T$_{c}$ materials, it is important to bear in mind that ultimately a crossover to three dimensional critical behavior will occur and that the parameter controlling the crossover is the inverse of the square of the logarithm of the superfluid stiffness anisotropy $1/\ln ^{2}(\rho _{S\Vert }/\rho _{S\bot })$ which is not extremely small in practice, so although the two dimensional arguments provide reasonable estimates of the energy scales controlling $T_{c}$ and (as discussed below) $% H_{c2}$, a quantitative application requires some caution. Thermal fluctuations, zero field -------------------------------- In a two dimensional material the thermally driven zero-field superconducting-non-superconducting transition is a Kosterlitz-Thouless vortex unbinding transition. It occurs at a $T_{KT}$ satisfying $% T_{KT}=2\rho _{S}(T_{KT})/\pi $. Because thermal effects can only decrease $% \rho _{S}$ from its $T=0$ value, the scale $T^{\phi }$ defined in Eq. \[Tphi\] is an upper bound for this transition temperature. Two kinds of thermal effects occur: fluctuations of the superconducting phase, and quasiparticle excitations. In the absence of a high density of quasiparticle excitations, longitudinal (”spin-wave”) phase fluctuations involve unscreened charge fluctuations and are therefore strongly suppressed by the Coulomb interaction. In the absence of a high density of quasiparticles the only important excitations are vortex-antivortex pairs, whose energetics are governed by the scale $\rho _{S0}$. (In this regard we worry that the numerical studies of Ref. [@Carlson00] are not quantitatively relevant to superconductors because these studies were based on the classical $XY$ model, so a large contribution from ’spin-wave’ longitudinal excitations is apparently included, whereas one would expect these to be strongly suppressed in an electronic system in which coulomb forces were important). Quasiparticle excitations will reduce $% \rho _{S}(T)$ from its $T=0$ value. If $\frac{v_{\Delta }}{Z_{e}^{2}v_{F}}<1$ then the limit $T^{\ast }$ set by quasiparticle effects is more stringent. The physics of this limit  (which seems to be favored by the data) is simply that thermal quasiparticle excitations reduce $\rho _{S}$ so that the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition occurs at a temperature lower by a factor of $% F$ than one would guess from $\rho _{S0}$. Field driven effects: low T --------------------------- Application of a magnetic field $B>B_{c1}$ produces vortices in the superconducting order parameter. A superconducting vortex consists of a ”core” and a ”far” region. In the far region superconducting excitation spectrum is only weakly perturbed and there is a circulating supercurrent of a magnitude $j_{S}\rho _{S}/r$. As the core region is approached the supercurrent magnitude exhibits a maximum and then decreases and the quasiparticle excitation spectrum fundamentally changes. These two effects are distinct and define two core sizes, $\xi _{curr}$ at which $dj_{S}/dr=0$ and $\xi _{exc}$ at which the excitation spectrum changes. In a conventional superconductor $\xi _{exc}\approx $ $\xi _{curr}=v_{F}/\Delta $. In the high $T_{c}$ context, substantial attention has focused on $\xi _{exc}$ (which is apparently very short [@Renner98]) and on the possibility that the change of the excitation spectrum is not simply a collapse of the superconducting gap (as in conventional materials) but instead involves the appearance of a new form of long range order, for example antiferromagnetism or staggered flux [@Arovas97; @Han00; @Lee01; @Kishine01]. Here we wish to focus on $\xi _{curr}$ which in a lightly doped Mott insulator may be much greater than $\xi _{exc}$. Writing $j_{S}^{a}=\delta F/\delta Q^{a}$ and using Eq \[Fstatic\] leads to $$j_{S}^{a}=\rho _{s0}Q^{a}-\frac{Z_{e}^{3}}{8\pi v_{F}v_{\Delta }}% \sum_{\alpha }v_{\alpha }^{a}\left( \overrightarrow{v}_{\alpha }\cdot \overrightarrow{Q}\right) ^{2}\Theta \left( \overrightarrow{v}_{\alpha }\cdot \overrightarrow{Q}\right) \label{js}$$ Taking $Q$ to be parallel to a gap node and of magnitude $1/r$ we find that the current is maximal at $\xi _{curr}=\frac{v_{F}^{2}Z^{3}}{4\pi \rho _{S0}v_{\Delta }}$ *provided* that $\xi _{curr}$ is greater than the scale over which $\rho _{S0}$ varies. Eq \[js\] shows again the importance of $\ $ the doping dependence of $Z^{e}$. If (as available data seem to suggest), $Z^{e}$ remains constant and $\rho _{S0}\sim x$ then $\xi _{curr}\sim x^{-1}$, whereas gauge-theory based models [@Ioffe88] (including, we believe, those discussed in [@Lee96; @Wen98]) lead to $% Z^{e}\sim x$ so that $\xi _{curr}$ is controlled by the scale dependence of $% \rho _{S},$ implying $\xi _{curr}\sim x^{-1/2}$. Typical numbers for optimally doped $YBCO$ are $\rho _{S0}\sim 10meV$, $v_{F}/v_{\Delta }\sim 15$, implying $\xi _{curr}[A]\approx 100Z^{3}$, roughly consistent with muon spin rotation data [@Sonier00], although of course uncertainties in $Z$ lead to large uncertainties in the numerical estimates. The magnitude of $\xi _{curr}$ is important because $H_{c2}$ is essentially the field at which the vortex cores overlap, and for the resistive transition it is natural to use the ’current’ definition of the vortex core size. Essentially this argument was given by Lee and Wen [@Lee96] who were among the first to emphasize the importance, in the high-T$_{c}$ context, of the scale over which the supercurrent varied and (on the assumption that $Z^{e}=1$) concluded that $H_{c2}\sim x^{2}$.  Future papers will examine in more detail the assumption that $\xi _{curr}$ is the correct measure of the core size to use in estimating $H_{c2}$, but the plausibility of this claim may be seen for example from Eq. (\[rhos(B)\]) which shows that when field becomes large enough to suppress $\rho _{S}$ by a factor of order unity the intervortex spacing is of the order of $\xi _{curr}$. Conclusions =========== We have presented and compared to data a general theory of low energy properties of a d-wave superconductor. The theory has four parameters: the $% T=0$, $H=0$ superfluid stiffness $\rho _{S0}$, the velocities $v_{F}$ and $% v_{\Delta }$ describing the Dirac spectrum of d-wave quasiparticles, and a quantity $Z^{e}$ which expresses the coupling between quasiparticles and phase fluctuations and which we argued should be interpreted as the charge of the nodal quasiparticle. The behavior of these quantities contains information about the physics of the approach to the Mott transition, because different theoretical treatments of doped Mott insulators predict (or assume) quite different variations of these parameters with doping. The behavior of these quantities controls many aspects of the physics: in particular, the size (as defined from the supercurrent distribution) of superconducting vortices. Two widely discussed theoretical approaches are the Brinkman-Rice-dynamical mean field theory [@Georges96] and the slave boson gauge theory [@Ioffe88] The essential ingredient of the Brinkman-Rice theory is a self-energy $\Sigma $ with a strong frequency dependence and a negligible momentum dependence. This leads to a Mott transition driven by a divergent $% \partial \Sigma /\partial \omega $ implying $Z^{e}$ independent of $x$ and $% v_{F}\sim x$. The latter prediction is in apparent contradiction to photoemission data. The essential assumption of the gauge theory approach is that current is carried by a small density of holes doped into a spin liquid environment. The fermionic excitations of the superconducting state are combinations of hole and spin-liquid states and the low density of holes leads to a small charge $Z^{e}\sim x$. In other words, the quasiparticles become more neutral as the Mott insulating phase is approached. One may think of this as a precursor of the ’nodal liquid’ phase discussed in [@Nodal]. This idea also appears to be inconsistent with the available data, although, as emphasized in Section III the available data are not entirely consistent. Further, and perhaps most important,  complete information is not yet available for underdoped (especially strongly underdoped) materials. We urge the experimental community to settle the issue of the data consistency, in order to finally establish the relevance of the Brinkman-Rice and gauge theory approaches to the physics of high-T$_{c}$. Our understanding of the presently available data favors the hypothesis that $Z^{e}$ and $v_{F}$ remain constant as $\rho _{S}\rightarrow 0$,. This result would appear to rule out both the Brinkman-Rice and gauge theory descriptions of the Mott physics of high $T_{c}$ materials, and it is therefore interesting to understand the origin of the discrepancy. One common feature of the two approaches is that in them the Mott physics affects all of the Fermi surface in the same manner, so the reduction in charge stiffness is described by a reduction in velocity or in quasiparticle charge. If neither of these effects occurs, then the reduction in charge stiffness must be driven by a reduction in ’effective fermi surface area’. In other words, it seems likely that in high $T_{c}$ materials the crucial missing ingredient is a large, doping dependent variation of the parameters around the Fermi surface so that all superfluid properties arise from condensation of fermions in a narrow and doping dependent range around the nodal direction. Consider for example Eq. (\[rhos(Q)\]) which describes the reduction of the $\rho _{S}$ due to depairing of the nodal quasiparticles by a non-zero superflow. A phase gradient of magnitude $Q$ depairs electrons in an angular range $\delta \theta \sim Z^{e}v_{F}Q/v_{\Delta }$. In an underdoped material it seems that $Z^{e}$ remains of order unity while $\rho _{S}$ becomes very small. Eq. (\[rhos(Q)\]) then implies that exciting quasiparticles in a range $\delta \theta \ll \pi /2$ will reduce $\rho _{S}$ to zero, i.e. that all or most of the supercurrent is carried by electrons small patches, of angular size $\delta \theta \sim \rho _{S}v_{\Delta }/Z^{e}v_{F}^{2}$ centered on the nodal points. Within this picture an interesting question is the behavior of $Z$ for angles $\theta >\delta \theta $. Because $\rho _{S}$ cannot become negative, the quasiparticles must in some manner decouple from the superfluid fluctuations (i.e $Z^{e}$ must become small in these regions). There is to our knowledge no microscopic theory of the narrow patch situation described above which is consistent with all data. One possibility is a commensurate long range order which opens a large, doping dependent gap around the antinodal points $(\pi ,0)$ which kills most of the Fermi surface leaving only hole pockets around the diagonals which then acquire a small amplitude superconducting gap. One example of this phenomenon would be the ’d-density wave’ state. Another would be some form of antiferromagnetic or ’stripe’ order. Two crucial consequences of such physics are a broken symmetry (which should be detectable in various spectroscopies) and a small $% v_{\Delta }$ (determined by the observed $T_{c}$). We think that the available data do not favor this proposal. Crucially, the thermal conductivity measurements suggest that $v_{\Delta }$ increases when doping is decreased. An alternative which is at least qualitatively consistent with the data is preformed (d-wave) pairs which are made mostly from the electrons near $(\pi ,0)$ regions and which do not contribute to any transport. For example, [@Geshkenbein96] proposed a theory in which a large mass in the $(\pi ,0)$ region prevented the gap maximum regions from contributing to transport. We see here that an alternative is a small $Z^{e}$. Unfortunately there is no controlled microscopic theory which yield this physics, although uncontrolled but interesting extrapolations of scaling equations have been argued to lead to this physics [@Furukawa98]. To summarize: elucidation of the experimental support (or lack thereof) for the ’patch picture’ and (assuming it is relevant) clarification of its theoretical basis are two important challenges for the future. *Acknowledgements:* We thank D. Bonn, P. A. Lee, M. Chiao and L. Taillefer for very helpful discussions and L. Taillefer for sharing unpublished data. We acknowledge support from NSF-DMR-00081075. Appendix: Current distribution in vortex lattice: H$% _{c1}<<H<<H_{c2}$ ====================================================== Formalism --------- In the limit $H_{c2}>>H>>H_{c1}$ we have, for the supercurrent distribution, $$\overrightarrow{j}_{s}(r)=\rho _{S}\overrightarrow{Q}(r) \label{jbasic}$$ with $\rho _{S}$ the superfluid stiffness and the gradient of the superconducting phase field given by $$\overrightarrow{Q}(r)=\sum_{i}\frac{\widehat{z}\times \left( \overrightarrow{% r}-\overrightarrow{r}_{i}\right) }{\left( \overrightarrow{r}-\overrightarrow{% r}_{i}\right) ^{2}} \label{qvort}$$ The quantity appearing in the expression for the field-induced specific heat for a vortex lattice oriented at angle $\theta $ to the gap node direction is $$C(\theta )=\frac{1}{A_{V}}\int dxdy\left| Q_{x}\cos (\theta )+Q_{y}\sin (\theta )\right| \label{C}$$ where the integral is over the unit cell of the vortex lattice and $A_{V}$ is the area of this cell. The result has dimension of $length^{-1}$. It is convenient to measure lengths in units of the inter-vortex spacing $a$ and to normalize the result to the square root of the vortex density $% n_{V}=B/\Phi _{0}$. Thus we write $$C\left( \theta \right) =n_{v}c(\theta ) \label{c}$$ and compute $c(\theta )$ for square and triangular vortex lattices. Numerical evaluation, square vortex lattice ------------------------------------------- We consider a square vortex lattice of lattice constant $a$, so the vortices sit at positions $na\widehat{x}+ma\widehat{y}.$ $n_{v}=a^{-2}$. Eq \[qvort\] gives $$\begin{aligned} Q_{x} &=&n_{V}^{1/2}\sum_{n,m}\frac{(m-y/a)}{\left( n-x/a\right) ^{2}+\left( m-y/a\right) ^{2}} \label{qxsquare} \\ Q_{y} &=&-Q_{x}(y,x) \label{qysquare}\end{aligned}$$ Consider $Q_{x}$. The sum over $y$ is most conveniently evaluated in Fourier space by writing $\sum_{m}\rightarrow \int du\rho (u)$ with $\rho (u)=a^{-1}\sum_{m}\delta (y-ma)=\sum_{k}e^{i2\pi ky}$ Substitution gives $$Q_{x}(x,y)=\frac{\pi }{2}n_{V}^{1/2}\sum_{n}\frac{\sin (2\pi y/a)}{\sinh ^{2}(\pi \left( n-x/a)\right) +\sin ^{2}\left( \pi y/a\right) } \label{ysum}$$ The sum on $n$ is rapidly convergent and may easily be evaluated numerically.   We wish to evaluate Eq. \[C\] by integrating over the region $-a/2<x,y<a/2$. This is most conveniently evaluated numerically by inscribing a circle in the unit cell, performing the integral over the circle in polar coordinates (to eliminate the divergence at $r\rightarrow 0$) and then integrating over the remaining regions. This latter integral is over the region $-a/2<y<a/2$; $a/2>\left| x\right| >\sqrt{\frac{a^{2}}{4}-y^{2}}.$ We have performed this integral numerically using Mathematica; results are shown in the Table below. Triangular lattice ------------------ Lattice vectors $$\begin{aligned} \mathbf{v}_{1} &=&a\widehat{x} \label{basis1} \\ \mathbf{v}_{2} &=&a\left( \frac{-1}{2}\widehat{x}\mathbf{+}\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}% \widehat{y}\right) \label{basis2}\end{aligned}$$ A general lattice vector is then $n\mathbf{v}_{1}+m\mathbf{v}_{2}$.  The unit cell is a hexagon with area $3\sqrt{3}a^{2}/8$. Eq. \[qvort\] then gives, for the component of $\mathbf{j}$ perpendicular to $\mathbf{v}_{1}$ $$\mathbf{Q}_{y}=-\sum_{m,n}\frac{n-\frac{1}{2}m-x}{\left( n-\frac{1}{2}% m-x\right) ^{2}+\left( \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}ma-y\right) ^{2}} \label{jxtriang}$$ The sum over $n$ may again be performed–it is just the previous result with $y\rightarrow x+m/2$ and $n-x/a\rightarrow \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}ma-y$ so that $$Q_{y}(x,y)=\frac{\pi }{2a}\sum_{m}\frac{\sin (m\pi +2\pi x/a)}{\sinh ^{2}(\pi \left( \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}m-y/a)\right) +\sin ^{2}\left( m\pi /2+\pi x/a\right) } \label{qytriang}$$ $Q_{x}$ is obtained by computing the component perpendicular to a different basic lattice vector and then combining appropriately. For the Volovik effect we require $\int_{hexagon}dxdy\left| \mathbf{v\cdot j}% (x,y)\right| .$ We find this is very well approximated by the integral over the inscribed circle. Results are shown in the Table. 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The big scandal during that hearing? The senators — nearly all of them men — had their pinstripes in a twist because of Ginsburg’s work on cases advocating women’s rights. Kohl said he was “a little bit confused about the tension between the somewhat restrictive role you describe for judges and the much more dynamic role that you adopted as an advocate,” according to the hearing transcripts now catalogued in the Library of Congress. AD Sigh, right? Those were the good old days, when the juiciest mention in the 691 pages of testimony was Ginsburg’s confession that she liked the movie “Sleepless in Seattle.” Especially the soundtrack. AD Before the Devil’s Triangle and beer became the vocabulary of a Supreme Court confirmation hearing thanks to sexual assault allegations against Trump nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh, before the nominee spat questions back at senators so belligerently that it became fodder for a hilarious “Saturday Night Live” skit, before he teared up at the mention of his still-living father’s calendars, there was anxiety about the politicization of these appointments. AD It began with the rejection of Reagan nominee Robert Bork in 1987 and went nuclear four years later when Clarence Thomas was accused of sexual harassment by Anita Hill. Thomas was confirmed anyway. In September, before Kavanaugh’s 1982 “Tobin’s house working out” calendar entry became a topic of discussion, Ginsburg longed for the old days of debating Alexander Hamilton’s intent in the Federalist papers and the death penalty. AD “The way it was, was right,” Ginsburg said in a Sept. 12 speech at George Washington University. “The way it is, is wrong,” she added. Imagine what the women of the Supreme Court — Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — must be thinking as they watch the grueling and intellectually rigorous confirmation process they went through turn into a frat-house circus and Dark Ages debate on a woman’s veracity and virtue. AD It took more than 200 years for the Supreme Court to achieve this paltry level of parity, three out of the current eight justices female. Still, the mightiness of Ginsburg — who surely must be the most publicly celebrated of all the justices to sit on the court — is remarkable. At 85, the 5-foot-1-inch widow is a genuine, homegrown, full-blown Washington celebrity. Monday happened to be the 25th anniversary of her investiture — a judges-only ceremony marking the seating of a new justice. AD “We all look forward to sharing many more years with you in our common calling,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told Ginsburg as the court’s new session began Monday. She smiled, according to The Washington Post’s Robert Barnes, but did not respond. AD Public sightings of Ginsburg, who has her own action figure and nickname, the Notorious RBG, ripple across Twitter. Fans try to take selfies, but her bodyguard usually stops them. There are two — yes, two — biopics about her in theaters across the country this year. She’s on T-shirts, license plates (RBG4ever) and even a popular tattoo. (She said she’s a little wigged out by the tattoo.) But her path to power stands in complete contrast to Kavanaugh and most other men who sit on the federal bench. It’s safe to say that Ginsburg did not play Devil’s Triangle — whether it’s defined as a threesome or a drinking game — in her Brooklyn public high school. AD AD Yes, Ginsburg’s yearbook page has some similarities to Kavanaugh’s. They were both treasurers. He of the “Keg City Club.” She of the “Go-Getters.” Kavanaugh played football at tony Georgetown Prep. Ginsberg twirled a baton at the less-exalted James Madison High School football games. She played cello in the school orchestra, was features editor of the school newspaper, secretary for the English department and a devout Nancy Drew fan. What wasn’t in Ruth Bader’s Class of 1950 yearbook profile? Her mother’s battle with cancer during those high school years and the awful fact that her mother died the day before young Ruth’s graduation. Or that she grew up regularly seeing signs that said “No dogs, No Jews.” AD Those weren’t even Ginsburg’s most extraordinary years. She graduated at the top of her class in Cornell, then took time off to follow her husband for his career and had a child. She returned to school as a mom, one of only nine women enrolled in Harvard Law, all of whom were greeted by a dean who gathered them together to ask how they felt about taking a position from a man. AD She again followed her husband to New York City, continuing law school at Columbia, where she graduated first in her class and couldn’t get a job anywhere because she was a woman. She was told to apply for secretarial jobs. She didn’t, choosing academia instead. This is what “busting my butt” really means, not Kavanaugh’s beer-soaked, beach party version of hard times. AD We haven’t even covered raising two children, helping a husband through his own bout of cancer (writing his papers, her papers, putting the kids to bed), conquering her own cancer twice, and then surviving the death of that loving and supportive husband. Oh yeah, and working on scores of landmark cases for the American Civil Liberties Union, then spending more than a decade being the consensus builder and moderate on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit alongside Bork and Antonin Scalia. AD That is what a Supreme Court justice should look like. Still think we should keep talking about boofing?

This invention relates to apparatus for eliminating time base errors in an information signal and, more particularly, to such apparatus which finds ready application in conjunction with a color video signal which is reproduced from a record medium, whereby time base errors which may be present in the chrominance component of the color video signal are eliminated. Various devices have been developed for the recording and reproduction of signal information, and particularly video signal information which has a composite color video signal. Examples of such devices include the video tape recorder (VTR) wherein one or more rotary heads scan successive parallel skewed tracks across the surface of a magnetic tape for recording and/or reproducing color video signals from such tracks, magnetic sheet recorders wherein a magnetic sheet is used as the record medium upon which color video signals are recorded in parallel record tracks, and a video disc recorder wherein video signals are recorded in a spiral track or in substantially concentric circular tracks and are reproduced from such tracks by magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, optical apparatus, and the like. The problem of time base errors in the video signals which are reproduced by the above-mentioned devices is generally common to all of such devices; and to facilitate an explanation thereof, the following discussion is directed specifically to VTR's. In a typical VTR, the luminance and chrominance components are separated from the color video signal and are processed in separate channels wherein the luminance signal is frequency modulated to a relatively high frequency band while the chrominance component is frequency-converted to a lower frequency band which is below the FM luminance band. These separately processed components then are recombined and recorded simultaneously in successive, skewed record tracks. During a signal reproduction operation, the FM luminance and frequency-converted chrominance components are separated from the reproduced color video signal and are respectively demodulated and frequency reconverted back to their original frequency bands. Then, the recovered luminance and chrominance components are recombined to form the composite color video signal. In general, the reproduced color video signals contain time base errors, so-called jitter, due to mechanical vibrations in the tape transport mechanism, fluctuations in the rotation of the heads, errors in the speed at which the tape is transported, stretching or shrinkage of the tape since the video signals had been recorded thereon, and other parameters and conditions which will cause time base errors. While these errors typically have only a negligible effect upon the luminance component of the reproduced video signal, they have a particularly serious effect upon the chrominance component, whereby the hue of the reproduced color television picture may be distorted. One proposal for eliminating or cancelling such time base errors from the reproduced chrominance component provides an automatic frequency control (AFC) circuit for controlling the frequency of the frequency re-converting carrier which is used in the chrominance channel to reconvert the carrier of the chrominance component back to its original frequency. In this AFC circuit, frequency errors in the reproduced chrominance component are detected, and a variable oscillator, such as a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is adjusted to provide an oscillating signal, from which the frequency re-converting signal is derived, so as to cancel the frequency error. The frequency error is deteched by comparing the frequency of the reproduced horizontal synchronizing signals with the frequency of the VCO output. While this AFC operation generally is effective to eliminate relatively large-scale time base errors, such as those time-base errors which influence the frequency of the reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal, the AFC operation has no effect upon relatively small time base errors which may occur in those line intervals which occur between successive horizontal synchronizing signals. The aforementioned relatively small time base errors appear as fluctuations in the subcarrier of the chrominance component upon which the color information signals are modulated. In one proposal for eliminating such relatively small time base errors, an automatic phase controlled (APC) circuit is used to detect phase errors in the reproduced chrominance subcarrier. In this APC circuit, a highly stable reference carrier is generated and the phase of the reproduced chrominance subcarrier is compared to this reference carrier. In a typical embodiment, the APC circuit is used in conjunction with the AFC circuit, the latter including the aforedescribed VCO circuit, and any phase error which is detected by the APC circuit is used to control the VCO circuit so as to adjust the frequency reconverting signal derived therefrom, whereby such phase errors are eliminated. The reason for providing the APC circuit in conjunction with AFC circuit is to provide adjustments in the frequency reconverting signal in the event that the time base errors which are present in the reproduced color video signal exceed the limited lock-in range of the APC circuit. In one embodiment of a time base error correcting circuit which uses both an AFC circuit and an APC circuit (known as an AFPC circuit), such as the AFPC described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,638, the frequency error control signal which is obtained by detecting the time base frequency error and the phase error control signal which is obtained by detecting the time base phase error are added, and the resultant control signal is used to control the VCO. However, there may be some instances when the frequency and phase error control signals tend to attain opposite adjustments in the frequency reconverting signal. This impedes rapid and satisfactory cancellation or elimination of the time base errors. The problem of oppositely acting control signals in time base error correcting apparatus is addressed in copending application Ser. No. 851,408 entitled "Time Base Error Correcting Apparatus" filed Nov. 14, 1977 by Kuniyoshi et al. In this copending application, the VCO is controlled with the frequency error signal produced by the AFC circuit only when the time base error in the reproduced video signal is beyond the lock-in range of the APC circuit. The present invention is directed to another technique for solving the problem of oppositely acting frequency and phase error signals in an AFPC circuit.

Efficacy of porcine placental extracts with hormone therapy for postmenopausal women with knee pain. Knee pain related to osteoarthritis increases with age and is more common in middle-aged women. Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improves knee pain, women unresponsive to HRT need an effective adjunctive therapy. The aim of this study was to assess whether oral porcine placental extracts (PPE) have an impact on patients with knee pain as an adjunctive therapy combined with HRT. Forty-eight postmenopausal women with knee pain receiving HRT were enrolled into this open-label, randomized, controlled study. Subjects were randomized into Group 1 (n= 24) or Group 2 (n=24). Subjects in Group 1 were given 3 months open treatment with calcium (260 mg/day) as adjunctive therapy combined with HRT. Group 2 received PPE (9 capsules/day) as adjunctive therapy combined with HRT. Changes in the degree of knee pain were evaluated by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Treatment with PPE was significantly effective in reducing the VAS score for knee pain at 4 weeks (p < 0.05), at 8 weeks (p< 0.01) and at 12 weeks (p<0.01), compared with the control group. Interestingly, the effects continued for 4 weeks after cessation of treatment in the PPE group (p< 0.01) compared with the control group. The PPE treatment had no significant adverse effects on blood biochemical and metabolic profiles, especially related to the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. PPE is a possible option as an adjunctive oral supplement in the case of HRT-resistant, long-lasting knee pain.

#ifndef _CANVASCONTEXT_CANVASPATTERN_H_ #define _CANVASCONTEXT_CANVASPATTERN_H_ #include <v8.h> #include <nan.h> #include <defines.h> #include <SkRefCnt.h> #include <SkShader.h> using namespace v8; using namespace node; class CanvasPattern : public ObjectWrap { public: static Local<Object> Initialize(Isolate *isolate); sk_sp<SkShader> getShader() const; protected: CanvasPattern(sk_sp<SkShader> shader); virtual ~CanvasPattern(); static NAN_METHOD(New); sk_sp<SkShader> shader; friend class CanvasRenderingContext2D; }; #include "canvas-context.h" #endif

Geometrical factors in propagation block and spiral wave initiation. Many theoretical and experimental studies indicate that a propagation block represents an important factor in spiral wave initiation in excitable media. The analytical and numerical results we obtained for a generic two-component reaction-diffusion system demonstrate quantitative conditions for the propagation block in a one-dimensional and a two-dimensional medium due to a sharp spatial increase of the medium's excitability or the coupling strength above a certain critical value. Here, we prove that this critical value strongly depends on the medium parameters and the geometry of the inhomogeneity. For an exemplary two-dimensional medium, we show how the propagation block can be used to initiate spiral waves by a specific choice of the size and shape of the medium's inhomogeneity.

Monday, September 29, 2014 We look at the economic background to the rioting and looting in Argentina, and the factors which led to the social crisis there Argentina, the one time darling of the IMF, held up as an example of how a country should stringently adhere to structural adjustment programmes, is presently standing as a shining example of how the capitalist system cannot be made to work in the interest of the majority. When Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo pegged the Argentinean peso to the dollar ten years ago – on a one-to-one basis – he envisaged that this would end hyperinflation. Three years ago, when neighbouring Brazil devalued its real, this seriously began to upset Argentina's foreign investments and exports, as buyers of Argentinian products found they could get the same next door and far cheaper. Argentina is now in debt to the tune of $132 billion – attributable largely to far-reaching borrowing carried out during the second term of the Carlos Menem government, prior to the election of President Fernando de la Rua. The effect of the domestic and foreign borrowing was to send domestic interest rates spiralling upwards. As the debt increased, so did the interest rates, which had a knock on effect for many businesses reliant upon credit. In the 1990s, Menem introduced mass privatisation as a way of increasing economic efficiency. This resulted in many workers being made redundant, with them being surplus to requirements and unprofitable to employ. So, back in 1999, the Argentinean recession began, a product of Argentina's relative economic inefficiency and the measures taken to tackle it. The recession began increasing in ferocity as domestic demand declined and unemployment increased and, because the government's tax revenues started shrinking, Argentina's burden of debt became all the more heavier. In November all of Argentina's economic woes came to a head when people, fearful their pesos would be devalued, began hurrying to the banks to exchange them for dollars whilst the one-to-one rate was still in existence. Cavallo, fearful the banks would be drained of money, issued a decree which limited withdrawals to $1000 per person per month. The effect of this was to create mistrust in the government and widespread uncertainty with people rioting and protesting on the streets, with looting reported in many cities. One week before Christmas the riots had spread to Buenos Aries. The president declared a state of emergency and brought troops onto the streets. But his government offered no remedy for the economic crisis and this only brought larger numbers of protestors back on to the streets within 24 hours, the unemployed being joined by "middle class" professionals – all taking part in the looting. When thousands of protestors congregated in Congress Square, banging pots and pans, the resignation of the president, his economic minister and the entire cabinet was almost immediate. De la Rua was determined to make one impassioned speech before he left, but with an angry crowd having none of it, he was instantly whisked to safety by a helicopter. Tensions rose. People poured in from outlying districts, blockading motorways and erecting barricades, destroying banks and multinationals, looting supermarkets and fighting with almost 40,000 police who had been drafted into the city. When the violence had subdued, 26 had been killed. Many Argentineans blame de la Rua for the crisis, citing the fact that he was the president when the crisis was deteriorating more alarmingly – as if he could control the economy! As the economy was controlling him, he had little option but to cut public spending to service debt repayments. De la Rua, however, did enter office foolishly promising to kick-start the economy and end high level corruption yet by early 2000 he had introduced £650 million worth of spending cuts and forced through eight unpopular austerity plans, which included a 13 percent cut in state workers' wages. Just prior to the unrest, the government planned to further cut public spending from £34 billion to £27 billion in a further attempt to service the crushing loan repayments. The current president is one Eduardo Duhalde, a former left-wing senator and once upon a time investigated for the corruption his predecessor promised to stamp out. At present he plans to freeze the prices charged by foreign-owned utilities companies and put a tax on foreign owned oil companies. To protect the better off from currency devaluation he has offered to convert dollar loans under $100,000 into pesos, at the one-to-one rate – placing a hefty burden on banks, not borrowers – and he has further promised that cash will be set aside for the unemployed. All of which amounts to a timely game plan to placate the more volatile sections of Argentinean society. Meanwhile, IMF top brass are in Argentina demanding, on behalf of the US and Europe, that the country does not default on its loan obligations. Outside markets are watching events carefully aware of the fact that economic crisis have tended in the past to lead to military coups and all their implications and are now mindful of granting further loans to the region. There has been much analysis of recent events in Argentina. The general mood is that the IMF is to blame, that its structural austerity programmes are socially and politically unsustainable and that its rule-book needs tearing up. What has not been said is that, like the Argentinean government, the IMF is simply a body trying to make capitalism work. And in this regard they cannot entirely be faulted, because as events in Argentina have revealed, capitalism is working perfectly well, for this is the only way it can work in an anarchic and chaotic manner, negligent and oblivious to the misery and suffering it creates. If a few get rich while millions lose out big style, then this is capitalism working as it only can work. If there is recession followed by boom followed by recession, then capitalism is working healthily. Argentina, therefore, is another example of capitalism functioning normally. In the April No. of the "Western Clarion," the official organ of the Socialist Party of Canada, the following welcome note occurs : "Our comrades in Great Britain are having a very strenuous time in face of the present crisis ; but they are nobly upholding the WORKING CLASS POSITION in spite of "Prussian Militarism," and jingoistic sneers. It is times like these that draw the revolutionists of every country closer together for united action against the COMMON ENEMY ; and may we, in the near future, be united together with the revolutionists of other lands who have expressed the aims and principles of that part of our class, who, realising that they are slaves, express a desire to be free, in an INTERNATIONAL which, founded on the firm rock of PROLETARIAN SCIENCE, shall withstand all the storms that may assail it.” And in the report of the Dominion Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of Canada, printed in the same journal, the further statement occurs: "We are all heartily in accord with the attitude of the S.P.G.B., and hope that before long we will be affiliated with them in a new "International.''" Comrades, a toast! Here's to the coming Socialist International! ED. COM. Strange ! The heroes of the British capitalist Press are the German Socialists who are opposing the war, while the British Socialists who are taking a similar course of action are traitors and skunks, according to that same Press. It is quite consistent with the hypocrisy that decorates one man for risking his life for a kitten, and another for butchering his fellow-man. o o o o o Two hundred and fifty thousand men must be torn from their homes and families and driven into the Army in order to provide 200,000 officers with servants and grooms. Who said the workers are not slaves ? What, Henderson ? Military necessity ! Ha, ha !

Q: Tor relay loading informations i've recently decided to support Tor throught a new relay, then i taked one of my server with debian 8 and follow the steps on torproject website after installing the most recently tor i've edited the torrc file uncommenting this: ORPort 9001 DirPort 9030 Exitpolicy accept *:* Nickname RELAYNAME ContactInfo INFO@RELAYNAME BandwidthRate 60 MBytes BandwidthBurst 60 MBytes after that i simply restarted the Tor service and checked the log: Oct 18 19:24:12.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 85%: Finishing handshake with first hop Oct 18 19:24:12.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 90%: Establishing a Tor circuit Oct 18 19:24:13.000 [notice] Tor has successfully opened a circuit. Looks like client functionality is working. Oct 18 19:24:13.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 100%: Done Oct 18 19:24:13.000 [notice] Now checking whether ORPort x.x.x.x:9001 and DirPort x.x.x.x:9030 are reachable... (this may take up to 20 minutes -- look for log messages indicating success) Oct 18 19:24:14.000 [notice] Self-testing indicates your ORPort is reachable from the outside. Excellent. Oct 18 19:24:15.000 [notice] Self-testing indicates your DirPort is reachable from the outside. Excellent. Publishing server descriptor. Oct 18 19:24:15.000 [notice] Performing bandwidth self-test...done. And after atleast 45mins my relay appeared on Atlas, now i've tried to connect throught my server to Tor simply addingEntryNodes RELAYNAME, but Tor cannot connect to Tor network and still remain in Loading relay informations.. A: It needs some more time and - if your relay is not having a Guard flag - it's role is not an EntryGuard, so try using UseEntryGuards 0 with EntyNodes {your relay} and StrictNodes 1 - and post a log if you will still have an error

# Product Security Committee Oncall PSC Oncall is a business-hours only oncall. That means you are not expected to respond to issues outside of your normal daily working hours or on weekends or holidays. If you are taking vacation or will be unable to perform your oncall duties, please swap oncalls or find coverage for that week. See [managing oncall rotation](#appendix-managing-oncall-rotation). - [Responsibilities](#responsibilities) - [Triage Workflow](#triage-workflow) - [HackerOne triage details](#hackerone-triage-details) - [Incident Response Workflow](#incident-response-workflow) - [Handoff](#handoff) - [Appendix: Managing Oncall Rotation](#appendix-managing-oncall-rotation) - [Adding the rotation to your calendar](#adding-the-rotation-to-your-calendar) - [Swapping shifts or adding coverage](#swapping-shifts-or-adding-coverage) ## Responsibilities Daily: - Triage HackerOne reports ([query](https://hackerone.com/bugs?subject=kubernetes&view=k8s_triage)) - See [HackerOne Workflow](#hackerone-triage-details) for details - Triage and respond to security@kubernetes.io emails. If needed, create a [security-disclosures issue](https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures/issues). It's a good idea to make sure that someone has responded to all recent threads. Threads are listed on [google groups](https://groups.google.com/a/kubernetes.io/forum/#!forum/security). - Handle incident response for ongoing issues - Drive progress on assigned issues ([query](https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures/issues/assigned/@me)) - See [incident response](#incident-response-workflow) for details - Ping incident commander of critical issues ([query](https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+sort%3Aupdated-asc+label%3Aseverity%2Fcritical)) if last update > 2 days ago Weekly (ideally at the beginning of your shift): - Ping incident commander of high severity issues ([query](https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+sort%3Aupdated-asc+label%3Aseverity%2Fhigh)) if last update was > 7 days ago - Ping incident commander of medium severity issues ([query](https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+sort%3Aupdated-asc+label%3Aseverity%2Fmedium)) if last update was > 1 month ago - Check for new issues in this repository, especially distributor list join requests. Triage, assign or handle new issues, as appropriate. ([query](https://github.com/kubernetes/security/issues)) - Check for new PRs in this repository and address open PRs where possible ([query](https://github.com/kubernetes/security/pulls)) ## Triage Workflow  ### HackerOne triage details **1. Assess assigned issues** The recommended way of reviewing hackerone issues needing triage is to check over the assigned issues daily: https://hackerone.com/bugs?subject=kubernetes&view=k8s\_triage This view tracks issues that are assigned to the Kubernetes Team (PSC), but don't yet have a bounty awarded, which is a heuristic for whether the report needs attention. **1.a. Needs more information or Invalid** If the report needs more information or is invalid, you can either respond directly to the reporter (Add comment > All participants), or respond in a private comment (Team only) and ask (reassign) the H1 Triage team to relay the message.   **2. Set severity & tier** Once you've determined that the report is valid and have an understanding of the impact, set the [severity][] of the issue based on the CVSS score, and set the tier (custom field) based on the [Kubernetes definition of tiers](https://hackerone.com/kubernetes) (under "Rewards"). _TODO: Refine the definition of reward tiers._  [severity]: security-release-process.md#severity-thresholds---how-we-do-vulnerability-scoring **3. File tracking issue** Every non-public issue that we decide to take action on should get filed as a GitHub issue in the https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures repo. From the HackerOne report, you can use the [security-disclosures bookmarklet][bookmarklet] to copy the relevant information into an issue on https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures/issues. Alternatively, or when filing from an email report, you can use the [new issue template][], and fill in the details manually. Fill in the known details of the template, including: - Assignee: yourself, or another PSC member who has volunteered to handle this issue - Severity: according to the assigned severity score - CVE: most code vulnerabilities (not infrastructure vulnerabilities) should have an assigned CVE. - Original report: link back to the HackerOne report or google groups thread. - Current status: one of - planning - preliminary response stages - development - fix in progress - embargo - fix complete, sent to distributors under embargo - released - fix has shipped - published - vulnerability details have been made public - Attribution: the original reporter Once the issue has been created, add the tracking issue as a reference ID on HackerOne.  [bookmarklet]: https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures#hackerone-issue-escalation [new issue template]: https://github.com/kubernetes-security/security-disclosures/issues/new?template=vulnerability.md **4. Award bounty** Once you're confident that we've sufficiently assessed the severity and tier (try to get an approval from someone else on the committee), it's time to award the bounty. Note that you _do not_ need to wait until the issue is resolved before awarding the bounty. Choose the corresponding amount from the tiered bounty tables on https://hackerone.com/kubernetes (under "rewards"). Then, scroll down to the comment box on the report and change the action to "Set award". Enter the amount, leave a comment if you'd like, and click "Set award". Congratulations, you've completed triage on this report (continue on to incident response).  ## Incident Response Workflow  ## Handoff When your shift ends, you may be the incident commander on one or more ongoing incidents. If you are already invested in the incident and have the bandwidth for it, you can continue managing the incident (thanks!), but _you are not obligated to continue managing the incident!_ If you would like to handoff incident command: 1. Start by **ensuring the tracking issue is up to date** - review the information in the issue description, and fill in or correct any missing details. 2. **Leave a comment** to dump any additional context and state you have on the issue. Make sure to list any open questions or decisions and any pending action items. 3. Reassign the issue to the next oncall. Finally, reach out to the next oncall (email, slack, VC, your choice) to make sure they're aware of the handoff and to answer any questions. _Until they've explicitly acknowledged the handoff you are still the incident commander!_ ## Appendix: Managing Oncall Rotation ### Adding the rotation to your calendar 1. Navigate to the PSC oncall rotation: https://kubernetes.app.opsgenie.com/settings/schedule/detail/f835cdef-8df9-4ddc-9a39-911cb9e521b5 2. Click "Open calendar" (appears on hover), add to your calendar.  ### Swapping shifts or adding coverage 0. Find someone to agree to swap shifts or cover for days you will be unavailable. 1. Navigate to the PSC oncall rotation: https://kubernetes.app.opsgenie.com/settings/schedule/detail/f835cdef-8df9-4ddc-9a39-911cb9e521b5 2. Click "Add override", fill in the appropriate details. - Select the user who will be taking the shift - Select the PSC rotation - Enter the dates for the override _Note: If you're swapping shifts, you'll need to do this twice, once for your shift and once for the shift you're swapping for._ 

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting as subdural haematoma. The authors report a 39-year-old woman who presented with intermittent, excruciating nuchal and occipital headache. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography scans showed bilateral subdural haematomas with veno-occlusive disease of the superficial and deep venous systems. There were bridging collaterals with scalp veins, bleeds from which could explain the subdural haematoma. There was acute on chronic veno-occlusive disease with an acute rise in intracranial pressure and a bleed from the vein of Galen.

Q: why my css not finding? I have attached my css file to my html file. And then i run and open page using express in node js. However, the css file does not open when i run the webserver through node js. html(show.ejs) <html> <head> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="assets/css/style.css" media="screen" /> </head> <body> <h1> Value is <%= detail %></h1> </body> </html> node js //required npm var express = require('express');//express 4.* var path = require('path'); // define app var app = express(); // set up template engine app.set('view engine', 'ejs'); //static files //app.use('/static', express.static('/public')); //not working app.use('', express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'public'))); //not working //app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/public')); //not working //app.use('/public/assets', express.static('public/assets')); //not working app.get('/show/:id', function (req, res) { res.render('./panel/show', { detail: req.params.id , }); //port app.listen(3000); my project folder node_modules views panel show.ejs public assets css style.css app.js package.json A: By entering <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="assets/css/style.css" media="screen" /> You are trying to find the assets folder in your out of public directory. So, when you / it will find public directory which is statically defined in express server. <html> <head> <link type="text/css" href="/assets/css/styles.css" rel="stylesheet"> </head> <body> <h1> Value is <%= detail %></h1> </body> </html>

Roy Miki Roy MikiRoy Miki is a writer, poet, and critic who has taught and written about the work of bpNichol for many years. He was the editor of Pacific Windows: Collected Poems of Roy K. Kiyooka which won the 1997 Poetry Award from the Association of Asian American Studies. His major bibliographic study, A Record of Writing: An Annotated and Illustrated Bibliography of George Bowering, won the Gabriel Roy award from the Association for Canadian and Quebec Literatures as the best book on Canadian Literature for 1991. Miki is also the editor of This Is My Own: Letters to Wes and Other Writings on Japanese Canadians (1985); Tracing the Paths: Reading‚ Writing The Martyrology (1988); co-editor with Cassandra Kobayashi of Justice in Our Time: The Japanese Canadian Redress Settlement, and Meanwhile: The Critical Writings of bpNichol. Cassandra KobayashiCassandra Kobayashi helped shape the grass-roots community movement in Vancouver to seek redress for the forced removal, internment, and abrogation of the rights of Canadians of Japanese ancestry. She served on the national Redress Committee that negotiated the historic 1988 settlement with the Government of Canada. The struggle for redress is documented in her book, Justice in Our Time: The Japanese Canadian Redress Settlement, co-authored with Roy Miki.

Are Specific Varieties Of Hearing Loss Hereditary? Can hearing loss be written into your family genes? Without a doubt, the answer is “Yes.” Genetic abnormalities actually lay at the root of most types of hearing loss. Furthermore, developmental experts consider genetic hearing loss to be the most frequently occurring birth defect in developed countries. A primer on genetics. They way your body looks and functions is governed by the genetic code of your DNA – your genes. Researchers have discovered more than 100 genes that can impact hearing. Hearing loss can result from any one of these genes being missing or altered. When an individual having these irregular gene sequences has a child, the abnormal gene or genes can be passed on to the child too. Types of genetic hearing loss. Genetic hearing loss can affect the outer ear, inner ear or both. Depending on the particular cause, the ensuing hearing loss is classified as conductive, senorineural or mixed (which is a combination of the two). Additionally, some genes may cause hearing loss before a child learns to talk (prelingual hearing loss), and other genes cause hearing impairments that show up after speech is learned (postlingual hearing loss). Usher syndrome affects over fifty percent of the deaf-blind population, making it one of the most widespread causes of hearing loss. Waardenburg syndrome is another prevalent disorder that affects hearing in the inner ear but also causes pale skin, a streak of white hair, and light-colored or multi-colored eyes. Is there any good news? While it’s true that parents with hearing loss genes may pass them on to their children, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the children will have a hearing problem. Most genes related to hearing loss are recessive, which means that even when an individual has an irregular gene, that gene will not always cause a problem so long as a normal copy is received from the other parent. Even if both parents have hearing loss, their kids may still not be affected because different genes may be responsible in each parent. Individuals concerned with genetic hearing loss can see a doctor for genetic testing that can help identify potential risks.

Ankara overland transport Menu Ankara overland transport Of home items transportation difficulties and strain it really is we do not have approximately the legislature. transportation from home to home is outlined, the first thing that relates to men and women's thoughts, would be that the family is the syllogism is the house removal corporations. The business considers that it should make the most beneficial of items in the typical syllogism is and has to be so. To put it briefly, it really is home to perform the removals firm. Buyers having a look at to the company prepares a method following executing the inspection of authorized products, the applications necessary by the character of issues he observed in this software, vans, personnel, packaging elements and tools are Prepared for hostility, over the transport of goods intention herein is never to be the smallest issue with The client. Transportation time to go residence On the subject of our consumers. Goods previously collected personalized possessions of the owner and will be organized at your home. Firms that features they can all perform additional snug. Prior to gathering smaller items are packed 1. Appliances have to be dismantled (which include furniture and white items) is going to be disassembled and packaged. Packaging substance needs to be clean and of good quality. A single aspect with the packaging and packaging designed merchandise, is loading commences to load trucks produced last checks following the conclude on the car or truck moves new handle to issue to when the products will start to down load by sifting will make the set up carefully. drain is of objects with one or two of the while continuing to firm members, press insertion opening of the house carrying goods package, the situation as being produced within the assembly of goods by draining the truck proceeds in this manner it is actually done. Now our enterprise in this article would not necessarily mean just about anything to inform enthuse; authorities say All those aspects of our truck, we ambalajlıy say, which might be rapidly and so forth. expression as it really is currently house to a shipping and delivery enterprise in the house here undermines the trustworthiness the organization has currently qualified staff, instruments and resources usually do not currently do this position. It stays only in phrases can not satisfy the guarantees provided to the people today Performing in these buyers are presently pirates. who are intent phase, who is aware us

Apolipoproteins, membrane cholesterol domains, and the regulation of cholesterol efflux. Published data related to both cell membrane biology and apolipoprotein structure are reviewed and used to formulate a new model describing the mechanisms of cholesterol efflux from cell plasma membrane to high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. The central premise of this model is the existence of heterogenous domains of cholesterol within plasma membranes. We propose that cholesterol efflux from cell membranes is influenced by three factors: 1) the distribution of cholesterol between cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-poor membrane domains, 2) the diffusion of cholesterol molecules through the extracellular unstirred water layer, and 3) the transient interaction of segments of the amphipathic helix of the HDL apolipoprotein with cholesterol-poor membrane domains resulting in enhanced cholesterol efflux.

[Cyclic adenosine-3',5-monophosphate in Streptomyces antibioticus and its possible role in regulating oleandomycin biosynthesis and the growth of the culture]. When glucose is substituted for sucrose in the fermentation medium for Streptomyces antibioticus, the pH of the cultural broth becomes more acidic, the rate of protein synthesis in the mycelium rises, and the rate of oleandomycin synthesis decreases abruptly. The dynamics of cAMP (cyclic monophosphate) accumulation was studied in the process of biosynthesis by the culture in different media. Most of the synthesized cAMP (80-90%) was shown to be excreted into the medium. Glucose stimulates cAMP synthesis and excretion from the mycelium by a factor of 1.5-3. No distinct correlation was found between cAMP content in S. antibioticus cells and the level of oleandomycin biosynthesis. A correlation between changes in the concentration of exocellular cAMP and protein synthesis in the mycelium suggests that the excreted cAMP may be involved in regulating the growth of the culture producing the antibiotic.

Q: Oracle stored procedure to generate sequence numbers? I have a employee, product and product odometer tables which looks like below Each employee has a unique emp_code depending on the product he has access to. Each product will have a unique prefix to its identifier. I need to generate a unique alphanumeric identifiers per product and assign it to the employee. This product identifier is going to be 9 characters long including the prefix. Odometer table will store the last emp_code assigned to employees in that particular product. How do I write a stored procedure to generate these alphanumeric emp_codes based on product for each new employee being added in the system? Please help. EDIT 1: Just a small correction in the odometer table, we may not need to store the odometer as A00000001. Instead we could only store 00000001 and then append the prefix. EDIT 2: This is what I have do so far. create or replace PROCEDURE SP_GEN_NEXT_DUMMY_DB_PRISM_ID ( in_product_id number, db_prism_id out varchar2 ) AS BEGIN UPDATE BI_DB_PRISM_ID_ODOMETER SET DB_PRISM_ID = DB_PRISM_ID + 1 WHERE PRODUCT_ID = in_product_id; SELECT to_char(db_prism_id, 'FM00000000') into db_prism_id FROM BI_DB_PRISM_ID_ODOMETER WHERE PRODUCT_ID = in_product_id; END; But how can I make sure that it runs in a transaction and also how do I append the product prefix to the number generated. A: You have two options that I can think of: Create an Oracle sequence for each product, perhaps with some kind of maintenance procedure that would detect new products and create the sequences dynamically. Roll your own sequence code. Store the last value in the Product table. Write a procedure that generates a new value for a given product. The procedure would first obtain a row lock on the product table (so that you don't get two sessions getting the same value at the same time), advance the value, and write the new value to the Product table. You would need this procedure to be an autonomous transaction (otherwise other sessions would just wait if a session doesn't commit or rollback straight away). An advantage of #1 is that it's the fastest. A disadvantage of #1 is you're having to run dynamic DDL, and you'd have to make sure the DDL for a product has been run before trying to insert odometer records for it. You might also need to think about whether to drop a sequence if a product is deleted. Another disadvantage of #1 is that you can only get sequence values with dynamic SQL (you'd have to determine the name of the sequence at runtime). A disadvantage of #2 is that it's easy to get it wrong for a system that allows concurrent DML. You'd want to make sure you get the logic right, and test it under high concurrent load. Also, #2 will perform worse than #1 because it serializes access for each product. Edit "But how can I make sure that it runs in a transaction and also how do I append the product prefix to the number generated." Transactions are automatic in Oracle. In this case, however, what you want is an autonomous transaction. Appending the product prefix is done using the string concatenation function - e.g. ||

The present invention relates generally to a child's book stand, and more particularly to a child's book stand which displays books in a forwardly facing orientation. Children below reading age can often select their own books by looking at descriptive pictures on the front covers of books. Therefore, many children's book stands display books in a forwardly facing orientation, i.e. with the front covers of the books facing the child. Double-sided children's book stands which can display books on either side of the unit are known in the art. However, most conventional children's book stands are not adapted to be easily altered in any significant manner in order to serve a multi-purpose function. Furthermore, children's book stands are generally constructed of a relatively heavy material such as wood and thus are not easily transportable. These conventional book stands can be supplied with caster wheels in order to facilitate moving the book stands short distances, e.g. from room-to-room, but their weight still makes it difficult for these book stands to be transported any significant distance. Such book stands are not adapted to be easily lifted in the air and mounted on a wall. In addition, conventional book stands are typically constructed of several panels of wood which are fitted together. It is not possible for a children's book stand that is constructed of wood to be formed as an integral unit. For example, a standard wood-framed book stand is comprised of at least four separate pieces of wood (two sides, a bottom, and a back) in addition to each shelf. Thus, manufacturing and assembling a wood-framed book stand may be relatively complex and costly. Furthermore, most conventional children's book stands have shelves which are either permanently mounted in set positions relative to one another or may be somewhat adjustable to a very limited number of positions. This restriction, in addition to being inconvenient, may limit the height of books that may be displayed. Furthermore, the depth of shelves (i.e. the approximate distance from the front of the shelf to the book stand) in conventional children's book stands is generally not adjustable in size, which may limit the thickness, as well as the height, of books that may be displayed.

Molecular pathology of invasive carcinoma. Abnormalities of several oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have been identified in carcinomas of the pancreas during the last decade, and multiple genetic changes have been demonstrated in individual carcinomas. The variety of genetic changes suggests that multiple etiologic factors contribute to carcinogenesis in the pancreas. Several of these changes are characteristically found in specific types of tumors, suggesting that different causes and molecular mechanisms are involved. One example is the loss of heterozygosity at the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene locus in both wild type and hereditary serous cystadenomas, and another is the virtual absence of K-ras mutation and p53 abnormalities in acinar cell carcinomas, whereas both are frequently found in ductal adenocarcinomas. Multiple lines of evidence place K-ras mutation very early and loss of p53 and p16 as late events during ductal cell carcinogenesis. The timing and order of other genetic changes such as loss of the DPC4 tumor suppressor function is less certain.

Time to Bid Farewell to Penn Station’s Iconic Amtrak Departures Board The end has arrived for Penn Station’s giant Amtrak departures board, which will soon be replaced by digital displays that promise more convenience and less tripping over people sitting on their suitcases than currently offered by the analog beast that currently occupies the center of the station’s main hall. “Strategic placement of the new displays, along with modification and eventual removal of some existing monitors — including the large train status board in the center of the concourse — provides customers access to the same information in various locations, allowing more efficient use of space in the main hall,” Amtrak said in a statement on Wednesday. The board will be replaced by 40 monitors throughout the station, including two large video walls on either end of the main concourse. Amtrak hopes this will reduce congestion in the center of the room and make the station easier to navigate. The departures board that currently occupies a prime piece of Penn Station real estate was installed in 2000, replacing the click-clacks and flip-flaps of an old Solari board. The board has taken a beating in the past 16 years and is currently hampered by dulled lights and blank spots. Those who are not given to nostalgia will be happy to see it go. Replacing the board is part of a $3 billion Penn Station renovation that will include turning the James A. Farley Post Office, which is across Eighth Avenue from Penn Station, into Moynihan Train Hall. Governor Cuomo has said the new complex should open in 2020 with large glass ceilings, airy concourses, and, yes, digital departure displays.

/* This file is a part of saldl. Copyright (C) 2014-2016 Mohammad AlSaleh <CE.Mohammad.AlSaleh at gmail.com> https://saldl.github.io saldl is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the Affero GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation. This program 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 Affero GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the Affero GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>. */ #include "events.h" static size_t last_chunk_from_last_size(info_s *info_ptr) { size_t rem_last_sz; off_t last_sz_1st = info_ptr->params->last_size_first; if (last_sz_1st >= info_ptr->file_size) { warn_msg(FN, "last_size_first > file_size, disabled."); last_sz_1st = 0; } /* Avoid overflowing size_t */ if (OFF_T_MAX > SIZE_MAX && last_sz_1st >= (off_t)SIZE_MAX) { warn_msg(FN, "lowering last_size_first to %.2lf%s", human_size(SIZE_MAX), human_size_suffix(SIZE_MAX) ); last_sz_1st = (off_t)SIZE_MAX; } SALDL_ASSERT(last_sz_1st >= 0); rem_last_sz = (size_t)last_sz_1st; if (rem_last_sz <= info_ptr->rem_size) { return rem_last_sz ? 1 : 0; } else { size_t chunk_sz = info_ptr->params->chunk_size; rem_last_sz -= info_ptr->rem_size; return (rem_last_sz / chunk_sz) + !!(rem_last_sz % chunk_sz) + !!(info_ptr->rem_size); } } static chunk_s* pick_next_random(info_s *info_ptr) { chunk_s *chunk = NULL; chunk_s *chunks = info_ptr->chunks; if (info_ptr->params->random_order) { size_t r = (double)rand()/RAND_MAX * (info_ptr->chunk_count - 1); /* Pick the 1st and the last chunks first */ if (chunks[0].progress == PRG_NOT_STARTED) return &chunks[0]; if (chunks[info_ptr->chunk_count -1].progress == PRG_NOT_STARTED) return &chunks[info_ptr->chunk_count -1]; /* Pick the random chunk if it's not started already */ if (chunks[r].progress == PRG_NOT_STARTED) return &chunks[r]; /* if the random chunk is already started, pick the 1st one to the left. * if all chunks to the left already started, pick the 1st one to the right */ if (! (chunk = last_prg_with_range(info_ptr, PRG_NOT_STARTED, true, r, 0)) ) { chunk = first_prg_with_range(info_ptr, PRG_NOT_STARTED, true, r, info_ptr->chunk_count -1); } } return chunk; } static chunk_s* pick_next_last_first(info_s *info_ptr) { size_t last_first, start_idx; size_t end_idx = info_ptr->chunk_count - 1; if (!info_ptr->params->last_size_first && !info_ptr->params->last_chunks_first) { return NULL; } if (info_ptr->params->last_size_first) { last_first = last_chunk_from_last_size(info_ptr); } else if (info_ptr->rem_size) { /* last chunk is smaller, so we don't take it into account */ last_first = saldl_min(info_ptr->params->last_chunks_first+1, end_idx); } else { last_first = saldl_min(info_ptr->params->last_chunks_first, end_idx); } /* -1 for indices */ start_idx = last_first ? info_ptr->chunk_count - last_first : 0; debug_msg(FN, "start_idx=%"SAL_ZU", end_idx=%"SAL_ZU"", start_idx, end_idx); /* Pick not-started chunk */ return first_prg_with_range(info_ptr, PRG_NOT_STARTED, true, start_idx, end_idx); } static chunk_s* pick_next(info_s *info_ptr) { chunk_s *chunk = NULL; if (! (chunk = pick_next_last_first(info_ptr)) ) { if (! (chunk = pick_next_random(info_ptr)) ) { chunk = first_prg(info_ptr, PRG_NOT_STARTED, true); } } SALDL_ASSERT(chunk); return chunk; } void prep_next(info_s *info_ptr, thread_s *thread, chunk_s *chunk, int init) { saldl_params *params_ptr = info_ptr->params; file_s *storage_info = &info_ptr->storage_info; thread->chunk = chunk; info_ptr->prepare_storage(thread->chunk, storage_info); if (params_ptr->single_mode) { thread->single = true; } if (init) { thread->ehandle = curl_easy_init() ; if (thread->chunk->from_mirror) { set_params(thread, info_ptr, info_ptr->mirror_remote_info.effective_url); } else { if (info_ptr->remote_info.effective_url) { set_params(thread, info_ptr, info_ptr->remote_info.effective_url); } else { /* --no-remote-info */ set_params(thread, info_ptr, params_ptr->start_url); } } } set_progress_params(thread, info_ptr); set_write_opts(thread->ehandle, thread->chunk->storage, params_ptr, false); /* Don't set ranges for single mode unless we are resuming. * To avoid setting range for naive servers reporting 0 size */ if ( !params_ptr->single_mode || params_ptr->resume ) { curl_set_ranges(thread->ehandle, thread->chunk); } set_chunk_progress(thread->chunk, PRG_QUEUED); } void queue_next_chunk(info_s *info_ptr, size_t thr_idx, int init) { thread_s *thr = &info_ptr->threads[thr_idx]; chunk_s *chunk = pick_next(info_ptr); if (info_ptr->mirror_valid) { chunk->from_mirror = thr_idx % 2; } prep_next(info_ptr, thr, chunk, init); /* Fetch */ saldl_pthread_create(&thr->chunk->thr_id, NULL, thread_func, thr); } static void queue_next_cb(evutil_socket_t fd, short what, void *arg) { info_s *info_ptr = arg; event_s *ev_queue = &info_ptr->ev_queue; debug_event_msg(FN, "callback no. %"SAL_JU" for triggered event %s, with what %d", ++ev_queue->num_of_calls, str_EVENT_FD(fd) , what); if (info_ptr->session_status >= SESSION_QUEUE_INTERRUPTED || !exist_prg(info_ptr, PRG_NOT_STARTED, true) ) { events_deactivate(ev_queue); } for (size_t counter = 0; counter < info_ptr->params->num_connections && exist_prg(info_ptr, PRG_NOT_STARTED, true); counter++) { if (info_ptr->threads[counter].chunk->progress >= PRG_FINISHED) { queue_next_chunk(info_ptr, counter, 0); } } } void* queue_next_thread(void *void_info_ptr) { info_s *info_ptr = (info_s*)void_info_ptr; /* Thread entered */ SALDL_ASSERT(info_ptr->ev_queue.event_status == EVENT_NULL); info_ptr->ev_queue.event_status = EVENT_THREAD_STARTED; /* event loop */ events_init(&info_ptr->ev_queue, queue_next_cb, info_ptr, EVENT_QUEUE); if (info_ptr->session_status < SESSION_QUEUE_INTERRUPTED && exist_prg(info_ptr, PRG_NOT_STARTED, true)) { debug_msg(FN, "Start ev_queue loop."); events_activate(&info_ptr->ev_queue); } /* Event loop exited */ events_deinit(&info_ptr->ev_queue); return info_ptr; } /* vim: set filetype=c ts=2 sw=2 et spell foldmethod=syntax: */

[transforms.remap_nested] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a.b = 123 .x.y = 456 .x.z = 789 """ [[tests]] name = "remap_nested" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_nested" type = "raw" value = "" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_nested" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.b.equals" = 123 "x.y.equals" = 456 "x.z.equals" = 789 [transforms.remap_array] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a[0] = 0 .a[1] = "1" .a[2] = 2.0 .b[2] = "two" .b[0] = 0 """ [[tests]] name = "remap_array" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_array" type = "raw" value = "" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_array" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a[0].equals" = 0 "a[1].equals" = "1" "a[2].equals" = 2.0 "b[0].equals" = 0 "b[1].equals" = "<null>" "b[2].equals" = "two" [transforms.remap_arithmetic] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .result_a = .a * .b + .c - .d .result_b = .a * (.b + .c) - .d .result_c = .a + .b * .c / .d .result_d = (.a + .b) * (.c / .d) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_arithmetic" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_arithmetic" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = 3 b = 7 c = 12 d = 6 [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_arithmetic" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "result_a.equals" = 27 "result_b.equals" = 51 "result_c.equals" = 17 "result_d.equals" = 20 [transforms.remap_boolean_arithmetic] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .result_a = .a + .b > 9 .result_b = .a * .b < 20 .result_c = 1 >= .a / .b .result_d = .a + .b > .c + .d """ [[tests]] name = "remap_boolean_arithmetic" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_boolean_arithmetic" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = 3 b = 7 c = 12 d = 6 [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_boolean_arithmetic" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "result_a.equals" = true "result_b.equals" = false "result_c.equals" = true "result_d.equals" = false [transforms.remap_delete_only_fields] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ only_fields(.foo, .bar, .buz.second) del(.foo.second) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_delete_only_fields" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_delete_only_fields" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] "foo.first" = "foo first value" "foo.second" = "foo second value" bar = "bar value" baz = "baz value" "buz.first" = "buz first value" "buz.second" = "buz second value" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_delete_only_fields" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "foo.first.equals" = "foo first value" "foo.second.exists" = false "bar.equals" = "bar value" "baz.exists" = false "buz.first.exists" = false "buz.second.equals" = "buz second value" [transforms.remap_coercion] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .foo = to_string(.foo) .bar = to_int(.bar) .baz = to_float(.baz) .bev = to_bool(.bev) .a = to_timestamp(.a) .b = to_timestamp(.nope, 10) .c = to_timestamp(.nope, "2020-09-14T12:51:12+02:00") .d = parse_timestamp(.quix, format = "%d/%m/%Y:%H:%M:%S %z") """ [[tests]] name = "remap_coercion" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_coercion" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] foo = 10 bar = "20" baz = "30.3" bev = "true" quix = "19/06/2019:17:20:49 -0400" a = "2020-09-14T12:53:44+03:00" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_coercion" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "foo.equals" = "10" "bar.equals" = 20 "baz.equals" = 30.3 "bev.equals" = true "a.equals" = "2020-09-14T09:53:44Z" "b.equals" = "1970-01-01T00:00:10Z" "c.equals" = "2020-09-14T10:51:12Z" "d.equals" = "2019-06-19T21:20:49Z" [transforms.remap_quoted_path] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a."b.c" = ."d.e" """ [[tests]] name = "remap_quoted_path" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_quoted_path" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] "a.b\\.c" = "bar" "d\\.e" = "baz" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_quoted_path" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.b\\.c.equals" = "baz" [transforms.remap_function_arguments] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = to_string(.in) .b = to_string(value = .in) .c = to_string(.in, 20) .d = to_string(.in, default = 20) .e = to_string(.nope, 20) .f = to_string(.nope, default = 20) .g = to_string(value = .in, default = 20) .h = to_string(value = .in, 20) .i = to_string(default = 20, .in) .j = to_string(default = 20, value = .in) .k = to_string(default = 20, value = .nope) .l = to_string(default = .other, value = .nope) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_arguments" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_arguments" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] in = 10 other = 30 [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_arguments" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = "10" "b.equals" = "10" "c.equals" = "10" "d.equals" = "10" "e.equals" = "20" "f.equals" = "20" "g.equals" = "10" "h.equals" = "10" "i.equals" = "10" "j.equals" = "10" "k.equals" = "20" "l.equals" = "30" [transforms.remap_function_upcase] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = upcase(.a) .b = upcase(.b) .c.c = upcase(.c.c) if upcase(.f) == "F" { .f = "ff" } """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_upcase" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_upcase" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "a" b = "bbb bb" "c.c" = "c.c" f = "f" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_upcase" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = "A" "b.equals" = "BBB BB" "c.c.equals" = "C.C" "f.equals" = "ff" [transforms.remap_function_upcase_error] inputs = [] type = "remap" drop_on_err = true mapping = """ .a = upcase(.a) .b = upcase(.b) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_upcase_error" no_outputs_from = ["remap_function_upcase_error"] [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_upcase_error" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "a" b = true [transforms.remap_function_downcase] inputs = [] type = "remap" drop_on_err = true mapping = """ .a = downcase(.a) .b = downcase(.b) .c.c = downcase(.c.c) if downcase(.f) == "f" { .f = "FF" } """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_downcase" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_downcase" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "A" b = "BBB BB" "c.c" = "C.C" f = "F" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_downcase" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = "a" "b.equals" = "bbb bb" "c.c.equals" = "c.c" "f.equals" = "FF" [transforms.remap_function_downcase_error] inputs = [] type = "remap" drop_on_err = true mapping = """ .a = downcase(.a) .b = downcase(.b) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_downcase_error" no_outputs_from = ["remap_function_downcase_error"] [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_downcase_error" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "A" b = 10 [transforms.remap_function_uuid_v4] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = uuid_v4() if uuid_v4() != "" { .b = "bar" } """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_uuid_v4" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_uuid_v4" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] b = "foo" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_uuid_v4" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.regex" = "(?i)^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-4[0-9a-f]{3}-[89ab][0-9a-f]{3}-[0-9a-f]{12}$" "b.equals" = "bar" [transforms.remap_function_sha1] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = sha1(.a) if sha1(.b) == "62cdb7020ff920e5aa642c3d4066950dd1f01f4d" { .b = sha1(.a + .b + "baz") } """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_sha1" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_sha1" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "foo" b = "bar" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_sha1" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = "0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33" "b.equals" = "6f74c252bb7f19f553115af5e49a733b9ff17138" [transforms.remap_function_sha1_error] inputs = [] type = "remap" drop_on_err = true mapping = """ .a = sha1(.a) .b = sha1(.b) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_sha1_error" no_outputs_from = ["remap_function_sha1_error"] [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_sha1_error" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "foo" b = true [transforms.remap_function_md5] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = md5(.a) if md5(.b) == "37b51d194a7513e45b56f6524f2d51f2" { .b = md5(.a + .b + "baz") } """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_md5" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_md5" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "foo" b = "bar" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_md5" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = "acbd18db4cc2f85cedef654fccc4a4d8" "b.equals" = "223cfa6567e4c0599c9a23628bf7a234" [transforms.remap_function_md5_error] inputs = [] type = "remap" drop_on_err = true mapping = """ .a = md5(.a) .b = md5(.b) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_md5_error" no_outputs_from = ["remap_function_md5_error"] [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_md5_error" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "foo" b = true [transforms.remap_function_now] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = now() """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_now" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_now" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_now" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.ends_with" = "Z" [transforms.remap_function_format_timestamp] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = format_timestamp(to_timestamp(.foo), format = "%+") """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_format_timestamp" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_format_timestamp" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] foo = 10 [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_format_timestamp" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = "1970-01-01T00:00:10+00:00" [transforms.remap_function_contains] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = contains(.foo, substring = .bar) .b = contains(.bar, substring = "bar") .c = contains(.bar, substring = "BAR", case_sensitive = true) .d = contains(.bar, substring = "BAR", case_sensitive = false) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_contains" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_contains" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] foo = "foo" bar = "bar" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_contains" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = false "b.equals" = true "c.equals" = false "d.equals" = true [transforms.remap_function_slice] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = slice(.foo + .bar, 1) .b = slice(.foo + .bar, 0, 1) .c = slice(.foo + .bar, start = -2) .d = slice(.foo + .bar, start = 1, end = -1) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_slice" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_slice" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] foo = "foo" bar = "bar" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_slice" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.equals" = "oobar" "b.equals" = "f" "c.equals" = "ar" "d.equals" = "ooba" [transforms.remap_function_tokenize] inputs = [] type = "remap" mapping = """ .a = tokenize(.a) .b = tokenize(.b) """ [[tests]] name = "remap_function_tokenize" [tests.input] insert_at = "remap_function_tokenize" type = "log" [tests.input.log_fields] a = "217.250.207.207 - - [07/Sep/2020:16:38:00 -0400] \"DELETE /deliverables/next-generation/user-centric HTTP/1.1\" 205 11881" b = "bar" [[tests.outputs]] extract_from = "remap_function_tokenize" [[tests.outputs.conditions]] "a.length_eq" = 7 "a[0].equals" = "217.250.207.207" "a[1].equals" = "<null>" "a[2].equals" = "<null>" "a[3].equals" = "07/Sep/2020:16:38:00 -0400" "a[4].equals" = "DELETE /deliverables/next-generation/user-centric HTTP/1.1" "a[5].equals" = "205" "a[6].equals" = "11881" "b.length_eq" = 1 "b[0].equals" = "bar"

Company Note: Potential Clients and partners leave us a message containing your contact information and a professional will be assigned to you immediately. For New Clients Please Be advised that the minimum investment is 2BTC or its equivalent in any currency. Therefore do not waste our time creating an account if you aren’t a serious investor.Contact us Live Chat admin@cp-x.comPhone: +31 6 35 25 92 50 Legal: Crypto Plus holds a Financial Services Licence which authorizes us to issue and act as a responsible entity to registered managed investment schemes and to act as trustee to wholesale unregistered investment schemes worldwide.Crypto Plus is a member of the National Futures Association.

Pages Monday, 10 March 2014 HBA tile #75 flat-lining Following the high winds of 08-Mar-2013, we carried out a series of remote system tests to verify that KAIRA is still okay and functioning correctly. The best way to do this is to examine the spectrum of every antenna for each polarisation. These are processed by the Receiver Units (RCUs) and there is one for each antenna/polarisation. The first test we did was for the High-Band Array (HBA). The following is the collected set of spectra for the entire HBA. We expect a broad "Saana-shape" spectrum with occasional vertical spikes of radio-frequency interference (RFI). As can be seen, there are a couple of weak channels which show non-typical spectra. The RCUs are 80 and 81, which correspond to tile #75 X-polarisation and Y-polarisation. This indicates that there is a problem with the entire tile, and further investigation is needed. Here is the location of the tile in the array: Given that this is the leading edge against the northwest gales that we have had makes us very nervous.

It is now well established that putting an infant to sleep on his or her back is the single most important step in reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Recent research also suggests that a baby's risk for SIDS can be greatly reduced by using a pacifier. Medical research also shows that babies who can satiate their natural sucking reflex sleep better. Experts recommend giving babies a pacifier every time they are placed to sleep. The exact reason that pacifiers reduce the risk of SIDS is not known. One suggestion is that the presence of a pacifier in the mouth may discourage babies from turning over onto their tummy because turning or moving may dislodge the pacifier. Another suggestion is that pacifier use and/or the sucking reflex helps keep the tongue positioned forward, keeping the airways open. Yet another suggestion is that pacifiers stimulate upper airway muscles and saliva production, so using pacifiers may keep babies from falling into a deep sleep, which is protective against SIDS. One of the factors that has led to a revival in the ancient practice of swaddling is the practice of putting babies to sleep on their backs as this helps to reduce the incidence of SIDS. However, babies tend to sleep better on their tummies than on their backs. Swaddling has been found to assist infants sleep more comfortably on their backs and to assist in easing colic, which also improves sleep. Swaddling is the practice of wrapping infants tightly in a blanket or cloth so that movement of the limbs is restricted. Medical research has shown that swaddling and sleeping supine (on the back) promotes more efficient sleep, with fewer spontaneous awakenings compared with sleeping supine but unswaddled. Swaddling seems to inhibit each step from sighs through startles to full arousal in the arousal pathway. This results in swaddled babies sleeping longer and being more likely to return to sleep on their own: Swaddling: a systematic review, Bregje E. van Sleuwen, et al, Pediatrics vol 120, number 4, October 2007. To achieve the benefits of swaddling, infants need to be wrapped sufficiently tight to restrain the limbs and inhibit the movements associated with a full startle reflex, which can wake babies from sleep. The startle reflex is seen in infants from birth to around 6 months of age (some sources indicate it can occur in infants as old as eight months). The startle reflex is a natural reflex that babies are born with, and can be triggered by loud noise or sudden movement. In response to the trigger, the baby throws back his/her head, extends out the arms and legs, cries, then pulls the arms and legs back in. A baby's own cry can trigger the reflex. It can also be triggered during sleep, causing the baby to wake. Care needs to be taken not to swaddle too tightly because this can compress the chest and make breathing difficult. There is also an increased risk of overheating especially when the head is covered or when there is infection. Improper swaddling can also lead to a risk of hip dysplasia (including hip dislocation) especially when swaddling with the hips and legs in extension and adduction (i.e. drawn toward the midline or sagittal plane of the body). Other risks associated with swaddling babies includes an increased risk of SIDS when a swaddled infant is placed prone (on his or her front) or able to turn to prone position. The SIDS risk seems to be increased by swaddling with the head covered. There is also a slightly increased risk of acute respiratory infections, which seems to be related to the tightness of swaddling. These are discussed in the systematic review of swaddling referred to above. Therefore, to swaddle properly and effectively, and to achieve the desired result, the blanket must be snug enough to immobilise the infant's arms, and to a certain degree its legs, but loose enough that it is still comfortable and not increase the risk of hip dysplasia or suppressed respiration. Many parents and carers experience difficulty with swaddling due to unfamiliarity with swaddling techniques. If not swaddled correctly, the infant often wriggles free of the swaddle thus becoming exposed to a risk of suffocation or SIDS-related issues due to loose bedding and unrestricted positioning of the infant. However, swaddling alone cannot eliminate these risks. This is especially true for infants that are more than around six weeks old, when they are stronger and more active than newborns. Even when swaddled tightly with all limbs securely enclosed, infants can potentially roll, becoming entrapped in the swaddling blanket or trapped face down while still wrapped in the blanket. To overcome the difficulty faced by parents and carers in learning proper swaddling techniques and to address the problems of improper swaddling, various swaddling suits have been developed. Swaddling suits such as the infant safety suit of WO 2007/098558 (the Snuggo), the Ergococcoon and the Woombi address the problems of wrapping too loosely or too tightly since the degree of wrapping is predetermined by the suit. As mentioned above, recent evidence shows that sucking on a pacifier is protective against SIDS. In addition, supplemental non-nutritive sucking (that is, sucking in addition to that required for feeding) is known to help to soothe an infant. Researchers have discovered that there is a clear reflex connection between the hand and mouth of a human fetus as early as 12-14 weeks after conception, and that thumb sucking in utero is common. After birth, many infants continue to soothe themselves by sucking on their thumbs or fingers. A newborn's ability to get the hands up to his or her mouth and suck is seen as a positive ability of the infant to organize him or herself in a self-soothing way. This helps establish an infant's ability to independently cope with stress and frustration. Thus it would be an advantage to have a swaddle suit that overcomes the problems of improper swaddling and also provides an opportunity for non-nutritive sucking. This would improve the calming effect of the swaddling suit, since research that indicates that multiple simultaneous measures such as swaddling and sucking (along with rocking, white noise and other interventions) have an additive calming effect on crying infants: Karp H, Swaddling and excessive crying, Journal of Pediatrics, July 2007, e2. None of the aforementioned swaddling suits facilitates non-nutritive sucking. None of WO 2007/098558 (the Snuggo), the Ergococcoon or the Woombi provide access to the hands while the infant is swaddled. Movement of the infant's arms in all three of these swaddling suits is restricted to 180 degrees below the shoulder line so the hands are restrained near the body but below the shoulder line, out of reach of the mouth. U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,769 is a swaddling article including a blanket formed with opposed arm-receiving sleeves that attempts to facilitate non-nutritive sucking by securing a pacifier to the blanket, thus overcoming the problem of pacifiers falling out of an infant's mouth. The blanket incorporates a pacifier retaining structure to retain a pacifier relative to the blanket so that the pacifier is unable to fall away from the blanket. This keeps the pacifier positioned near the mouth when the blanket is wrapped around an infant so it is available for the infant to suck on at will. The pacifier retaining structure includes a flap of fabric secured to the upper edge of the swaddling blanket. The flap is drawn across the region of the baby's mouth. A disadvantage of the swaddling article of U.S. Pat. No.7,587,769 is that it relies on a pacifier to be secured to the blanket. Another disadvantage is that it essentially extends the blanket across the face (around the mouth region), which can be uncomfortable and covering the face during sleep increases the risk of SIDs. Yet another disadvantage is that the swaddle article is in the form of a modified blanket and so lacks the convenience and advantages of a swaddling suit for example, the risk remains that the swaddle may loosen through movement thus becoming less effective and also posing a suffocation risk. While research indicates that there are benefits associated with non-nutritive sucking (e.g. pacifier use), it also indicates that pacifier use may be associated with problems including: interference with breast feeding, dependence on the pacifier (so the baby cannot sleep without one), an increased risk of middle ear infections, and dental problems associated with prolonged use. Hence, despite the established benefits of pacifier use, many parents choose not to use pacifiers. Further, some infants simply do not take to pacifiers. In any event, so as to minimise interference with breastfeeding, the recommendation is to wait until nursing is going well (usually one month) before offering a pacifier. Thus pacifier use is not suitable for all infants and it would be an advantage to provide a means for non-nutritive sucking that does not rely on pacifier use. Reflexes are set motor responses to specific sensory stimuli. Newborns have a hand-to-mouth reflex that is a natural instinct to get their hands to their mouths. Research indicates that this ability to access the hands for sucking is important for self-soothing. The hand-to-mouth reflex (along with the startle reflex) is one of a number of primitive reflexes present from birth or earlier. Primitive reflexes are thought to have provided evolutionary advantages to humans. The somatosensory system is a complex system of receptors and processing centres that produce the senses including touch, motion perception (proprioception) and balance, and spatial perception of body parts (kinesthesia). The tactile or skin senses (that rely on skin sensors for touch and pressure) appear first during fetal development. The vestibular system, which is responsible for movement and balance perception, and the tactile (touch) sensors are highly developed in newborns. The hand-to-mouth reflex goes with two reflexes that are considered essential to appropriate feeding responses in newborns: the rooting (or search) reflex and the sucking reflex. Both of these reflexes are triggered by a touch (including pressure) stimulus. The rooting reflex occurs when the infant's cheek or corner of the mouth is touched or stroked. The infant's mouth opens to follow and “root” (search) in the direction of stroking or touch. Rooting helps the baby to become ready to suck. The suckling reflex is triggered by touching the mucous membranes on the inside of the mouth with any object. Both reflexes facilitate nursing. In the hand-to-mouth reflex, when an infant's cheek is stroked, his or her mouth roots and the arm flexes. After hand and mouth find each other, the infant may suck energetically on the hands. There is a need for a swaddling suit that does not suffer the disadvantages of a swaddling using a blanket and that effectively swaddles infants by sufficiently restraining movement of the limbs to suppress the startle reflex, yet still affords sufficient movement so that infants can get their hand(s) toward their mouth, so providing the opportunity for non-nutritive sucking without reliance on a pacifier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,353 describes a swaddling garment in which an infant's arms are gently bound in a bent-elbow, hands-up position to inhibit the ability to fling open the arms without restricting arm movement. Binding of the arms in this manner is described as useful for holding a premature infant. The BabySense Cuddlewrap is a blanket shaped to wrap an infant's arms tightly near to the body and face, again as a means for suppressing jerks of the arms and legs. However, neither the manufacturer of the BabySense Cuddlewrap nor the inventor of garment of U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,353 refer to the benefit of providing access to the hands for non-nutritive sucking while swaddled and neither swaddle addresses this need adequately. While the swaddle of U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,353 is referred to as a garment, the part of the garment that is responsible for binding the arms in the manner described is two flaps of sufficient length to wrap around the infant and overlap each other, secured in place either by strips of hook and loop fasteners or simply by relying on the length of the flaps. Thus binding of the arms is achieved by a length of fabric in a manner analogous to a blanket. Loosening of the binding is possible with movement/wriggling of the baby—particularly in the embodiment that relies on the length of the flaps to secure the wrapping around the infant or where the hook and loop fastening is not sufficient to restrain loosening of the flaps through wriggling movement of the infant. Therefore, the risks associated with use of swaddling blankets or cloths remain with both the BabySense Cuddlewrap and the swaddle of U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,353, including: 1. wrapping too tightly so as to suppress respiration; 2. overwrapping the infant in several layers of fabric so as to increase the risk of overheating (particularly as the preferred embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,353 also includes a hood); 3. loosening of the swaddle around the upper body will result in excess fabric around the upper body, posing a suffocation risk to the infant; 4. the arms are only restrained so long as the swaddle remains tightly secured around the infant and loosening allows increasing movement of the arms; 5. the swaddle does not facilitate or maintain access to the hands, although access can initially be provided depending on how the hands are positioned when the infant is first swaddled. Thus both U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,353 and the BabySense Cuddlewrap share many of the disadvantages of swaddling using a blanket, and do not act to secure the hands in position near the face to provide the opportunity for non-nutritive sucking without reliance on a pacifier. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or alternative swaddling suit that swaddles infants by restraining movement of the limbs and which overcomes the disadvantages of other swaddling suits by allowing movement of the hand towards the mouth and maintaining the hand in a position relative to the infant's face thereby facilitating non-nutritive sucking.

I have done my best when putting this website together to try and think of just about any situation people might be in when they’re looking for a water filter. If this isn’t the first page you’ve landed on, you will notice I deal with whole house filters, water softeners, products that will do both and even products that will fit on your countertop or under the sink. What got me thinking was how much more expensive it can be if you want to have the luxury of turning your faucet on regardless of whether you’re in the bathroom or kitchen. However, I think I’ve found the answer and it comes in the form of the Culligan FM-15A Level 3 Faucet Filter (I sense a few puzzled looks here…). I mean how can you have a filter that is not a whole house filter, yet it will still deal with the quality of your water at each faucet you turn on? Easy! You design something that’s relatively cheap to buy and can be fixed to any tap you have, and that’s what Culligan has managed with this filter. So, what can you expect? Take a peek below: Relatively Easy to Install I use the word “relatively” in the sub-heading here because I have seen conflicting reports on how easy this water filter/softener is to attach to your faucet. Of course, the manufacturer does include detailed instructions on how to do this, but I have to say that after researching if you haven’t done anything like this before, it might be worth getting someone to help you. In most cases you won’t need a professional because you don’t need any tools. But, as said it may take a little knowledge about how your taps work. Water Quality This is where it does get exciting. Of course, you won’t get the sort of filtration you would if you were to purchase an advanced under-sink or whole house system, but you will still be able to do away with using bottled water to brush your teeth, and there will be no need to take a trip downstairs in the middle of the night if you get thirsty. This system is NSF certified and will remove contaminants like giardia cysts and cryptosporidium. On top of that, you won’t get any more odor or discoloration because substances like chlorine and lead will be greatly reduced. The Filters Everyone I talk to about water filters always asks me “what about the filter changes”. I can understand why because this can be an expensive addition to your filter. However, the manufacturer has designed the FM-15A so you can easily change from filtered to unfiltered water, and in “filter mode” you can get at least 200 gallons of water through it before the filter needs changing. One word of warning though: If your filter is 6 months old, it’s time to either automatically replace it, or test the water to make sure it’s still working like it should. Overall I just had to add this product to my website because it gives people the freedom to get clean, odorless and tasty water from all faucets in the home without the expense of installing a whole house system. If you want to find out more, why not take a look at the prices Amazon are currently offering. There could be some great savings to be had on the list price. http://www.softwaterfiltration.com/ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Although we love our dogs so dearly, most restaurants aren’t big fans of our beloved pups. Luckily for Los Angeles locals, these restaurants (in no particular order) will happily serve you and your furry friend! The Fat Dog 801 N Fairfax Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90046 | Website If the name didn’t already give it away, The Fat Dog proudly serves up pub grub in their all dog-themed restaurant. The dog friendly patio lets you dine in and enjoy the view, all while having your pooch by your side. The Sycamore Kitchen 143 South La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Website Enjoy savory classics like their short rib sandwich, or take a muffin to go at The Sycamore Kitchen. There’s always dogs on their patio, so your four-legged friend won’t be alone. Grub 911 Seward St, Los Angeles, CA 90038 | Website “Grub” on their famous Mac & Cheese, or their Crack Bacon Quesadillas. Their bold flavors will become your new favorites and go-to spot. Your dog will love the smells here! Home Restaurant 1760 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Website Not only does Home Restaurant provide a patio for you and your pup to relax at, but they’ll gladly bring your furry friend a water bowl and organic dog treats. Watch your dog as they devour these tasty treats, all while you enjoy a juicy burger. Jumpin’ Java 11919 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, Ca 91604 | Website You and your dog can nibble on Mediterranean cuisines at Jumpin’ Java’s European style outside patio. What started out as a coffee house has now turned itself into some of the best homestyle cooking you can find in the heart of Studio City. Alcove Cafe 1929 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Website Enjoy American eats on Alcove Cafe’s adorable patio. You and your pups can catch the perfect breakfast while chilling out, and get a feel for what LA is really all about. Square One Dining 4854 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029 | Website At Square One Dining, they use local ingredients to guarantee some of the freshest food the area has to offer. Lounge at their spacious patio where there’s plenty of room for your dog, and try one of their signature French toasts, all while sipping on a mimosa. You won’t be disappointed. Messhall Kitchen 4500 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Website It’s American favorites x10 at Messhall Kitchen. Their dog-friendly covered patio is your go-to destination to chow down on fresh oysters and corn fritters. Gayle’s Perks 9028 Balboa Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA | Website Gayle’s Perks is a hidden gem tucked away in Northridge, particularly familiar with the locals. Have yourself an iced coffee on the patio, and browse the web with their free WiFi. Oh, so peaceful. Your dog will love it too! Pita Kitchen 14500 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 | Website You won’t find traditional Mediterranean food anywhere else like Pita Kitchen. Their bold and exotic flavors pair perfectly with their sidewalk seating for you and your pooch. Beer Belly 532 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020 | Website Head to Beer Belly in the heart of K-Town and hang out on their dog-friendly patio. Duck French Dip, Duck Fries, and a Duck cheeseburger are some of the fan favorites. Blue Dog Beer Tavern 4524 Saugus Ave, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 | Website Recently voted one of the “Best Sports Bars” in Los Angeles by L.A. Weekly, it’s no surprise that Blue Dog Beer Tavern made the list. The restaurant even serves up some dog-friendly patties, so you and your tail-wagging friend can both devour a burger! La Boheme 8400 California Route 2, West Hollywood, CA 90069 | Website Two words. Yappy Hour. That’s right, La Boheme dishes out specials like their chicken and mashed potatoes and many others, all dedicated to your four-legged friends. It’s the ultimate doggy destination. The Morrison 3179 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 | Website The Morrison also has a full menu completely dedicated to dogs. The both of you can enjoy their signature burgers and daily specials! Lazy Dog Cafe 1623 W Katella Ave, Orange, CA 92867 | Website With an eclectic menu full of hearty American eats, having dog-friendly outdoor seating is a bonus at Lazy Dog Cafe. They’ll bring your pup a water bowl and doggy menu, so they can stay hydrated and stuffed throughout the night too! LA locals love their dogs, but being able to dine out with them is a bonus. Check these places out for yourself!

Death proteases: alive and kicking. Two recent discoveries significantly add to our understanding of plant programmed cell death (PCD). Hatsugai et al. showed that cell death is dependent on proper proteasome functioning. Sundström et al. showed that the in vivo substrate of a type II metacaspase is associated with cell viability. Both findings are major breakthroughs within the plant PCD field and highlight that the plant cell death machinery apparently employs a wide range of structurally unrelated proteases that, surprisingly, show a caspase-like preference for specific (evolutionarily conserved) substrates.

He also attacked the Congress for not raising the alleged wrongdoings of Modi, saying that the two were acting as "business partners" and "partners in loot". Addressing a press conference here with his associate Prashant Bhushan, Kejriwal accused Modi of "buying peace with the Congress and the judiciary" by giving them land at concessional rates. He alleged Modi had showered special favours to the Adani Group and agreed to purchase power from the company at a rate double of what was offered by Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation. Kejriwal alleged Modi had granted land to the Adanis in Kutch area at throwaway prices. "Modi has an image that he is honest. But papers show there is something wrong. It appears that Modi and the Congress are business partners," Kejriwal said. He alleged that Modi had gifted away 20 percent of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation's (GSPC) stake in the Krishna-Godavari Basin to two companies, Geo Global and Jubilant Enpro Private limited. "The first question is: how were these two companies identified? According to records, it was not through any competitive bidding. These two companies were simply given away the participating interests in these gas fields free of cost," he alleged further. Kejriwal added: "Geo Global was incorporated just six days before their agreement with GSPC. On the day of the agreement, its total capital was $64 (Rs.3,200) only. The company is owned by some Jean Paul Roy. So, from a Rs.3,200 worth company, it became a Rs.10,000 crore worth company within six days." "Interestingly, GSPC has spent $3 billion as cost of exploration. Since Geo Global has a 10 per cent stake, 10 per cent of this cost of $300 million (Rs.1,500 crore) should have been borne by Geo Global. However, the Modi government paid this money on their behalf and did not recover it from them. Why did Modi do that? Who is Jean Paul Roy? What is Modi's relationship with Jean Paul Roy?" asked Kejriwal. "Jubilant Energy, a subsidiary of Jubilant Enpro, won the block in international competitive bidding in the third round of New Exploration Licensing Policy of the government of India. Jubilant Energy is a partner in the block and pays fully for its 10 percent share of expenditure," the statement added. Jubilant Energy is the original partner in the block with GSPC as the operator of the block, it said. "The block was awarded to Jubilant Energy by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with 22 other blocks at the same time to various parties," the statement said. Kejriwal also said the Gujarat government had been allotting concessional plots of land to MPs and MLAs in prime areas of Gandhinagar for constructing houses, but most of them have sold these plots at much higher rates. "Why did the Congress, which is the opposition party (in Gujarat), not raise its voice against this scheme? Because MPs and MLAs from Congress also have got plots and they have also benefitted from this scheme," said Kejriwal. "The Gujarat High Court stayed the sale of these plots. In order to keep the judges happy, Modi gave concessional plots to all the sitting, retired and promoted judges of Gujarat High Court in April 2010. Barring a few judges, all the other judges accepted this Modi's offer," he added. "Since then, this petition has not been heard by Gujarat High Court. Has the judiciary been effectively silenced," Kejriwal asked. Kejriwal accuses Modi of favouring companies Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of giving undue favours to some corporate companies and said the impression of him being honest was wrong. He also attacked the Congress for not raising the alleged wrongdoings of Modi, saying that the two were acting as "business partners" and "partners in loot". Addressing a press conference here with his associate Prashant Bhushan, Kejriwal accused Modi of "buying peace with the Congress and the judiciary" by giving them land at concessional rates. He alleged Modi had showered special favours to the Adani Group and agreed to purchase power from the company at a rate double of what was offered by Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation. Kejriwal alleged Modi had granted land to the Adanis in Kutch area at throwaway prices. "Modi has an image that he is honest. But papers show there is something wrong. It appears that Modi and the Congress are business partners," Kejriwal said. He alleged that Modi had gifted away 20 percent of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation's (GSPC) stake in the Krishna-Godavari Basin to two companies, Geo Global and Jubilant Enpro Private limited. "The first question is: how were these two companies identified? According to records, it was not through any competitive bidding. These two companies were simply given away the participating interests in these gas fields free of cost," he alleged further. Kejriwal added: "Geo Global was incorporated just six days before their agreement with GSPC. On the day of the agreement, its total capital was $64 (Rs.3,200) only. The company is owned by some Jean Paul Roy. So, from a Rs.3,200 worth company, it became a Rs.10,000 crore worth company within six days." "Interestingly, GSPC has spent $3 billion as cost of exploration. Since Geo Global has a 10 per cent stake, 10 per cent of this cost of $300 million (Rs.1,500 crore) should have been borne by Geo Global. However, the Modi government paid this money on their behalf and did not recover it from them. Why did Modi do that? Who is Jean Paul Roy? What is Modi's relationship with Jean Paul Roy?" asked Kejriwal. "Jubilant Energy, a subsidiary of Jubilant Enpro, won the block in international competitive bidding in the third round of New Exploration Licensing Policy of the government of India. Jubilant Energy is a partner in the block and pays fully for its 10 percent share of expenditure," the statement added. Jubilant Energy is the original partner in the block with GSPC as the operator of the block, it said. "The block was awarded to Jubilant Energy by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with 22 other blocks at the same time to various parties," the statement said. Kejriwal also said the Gujarat government had been allotting concessional plots of land to MPs and MLAs in prime areas of Gandhinagar for constructing houses, but most of them have sold these plots at much higher rates. "Why did the Congress, which is the opposition party (in Gujarat), not raise its voice against this scheme? Because MPs and MLAs from Congress also have got plots and they have also benefitted from this scheme," said Kejriwal. "The Gujarat High Court stayed the sale of these plots. In order to keep the judges happy, Modi gave concessional plots to all the sitting, retired and promoted judges of Gujarat High Court in April 2010. Barring a few judges, all the other judges accepted this Modi's offer," he added. "Since then, this petition has not been heard by Gujarat High Court. Has the judiciary been effectively silenced," Kejriwal asked.

Horace Vere, 1st Baron Vere of Tilbury Horace Vere, 1st Baron Vere of Tilbury (1565 – 2 May 1635) (also Horatio Vere or Horatio de Vere) was an English military leader during the Eighty Years' War and the Thirty Years' War, a son of Geoffrey Vere and brother of Francis Vere. He was sent to the Palatinate by James I in 1620. He was created Baron Vere of Tilbury, and died without a male heir. Family Horace Vere, born in 1565, was the fourth son of Geoffrey Vere of Crepping Hall, Essex, a younger son of John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford, and Elizabeth Trussell. His mother was Elizabeth Hardekyn (d. December 1615), daughter of Richard Hardekyn (d. 1558) of Wotton House near Castle Hedingham. He had three brothers, John Vere (c. 1558 – 1624) of Kirby Hall near Castle Hedingham, Sir Francis Vere (born c. 1560), and Robert Vere (b. 1562), and a sister, Frances Vere (born 1567), who married, as his second wife, the 'colonial adventurer and author', Sir Robert Harcourt (1574/5 – 1631), of Nuneham on 20 March 1598. Military career Anglo Spanish war Vere left home in 1590 to join his two elder brothers, Robert and Sir Francis, in the Netherlands, commencing his service in the infantry company of the latter during his tenure of office as sergeant-major-general. He was wounded during the assault by English and Dutch soldiers on the fortress of Steenwijk on 5 July 1592, was recommended by his brother for a company at the siege of Groningen in June 1594, and was knighted for his gallantry at the siege of Cadiz in June 1596. The following year Horace in his brothers absence took command in the field (albeit temporarily) of the English forces in the Netherlands. With Maurice of Orange they took Rheinberg, Meurs, Greonlo, Bredevoort, Enschede, Oldenzaal and Lingen; cities of the Eastern Netherlands that created an important barrier. He commanded three hundred foot at the battle of Nieuwport under his brother, after whose retirement from the field he helped Sir John Ogle and Sir Charles Fairfax to rally the English vanguard; and at the Siege of Ostend he took a conspicuous part in the repulse of the Spanish assault on 7 January 1602, being stationed (along with Fairfax) at a vital point in the defenses known as the 'Sandhill,' in command of twelve companies. He was badly hurt in the leg by a splinter. Horace then took to the field under his brother again in the Spring of 1602 with Maurice's army, and after Francis was severely wounded in the head during the siege of Grave he then took over as command of English forces there. Early in April 1603 he was dispatched by his brother with a message to the new king. Upon the retirement of Sir Francis Vere, Sir Horace took his place in the Netherlands, but at first only the senior of the four colonels of the English companies, the others being Ogle, Sir Edward Cecil, and Sir Edward Harwood. The outset of Sir Horace's individual career in the Dutch States Army was marked by the fall of Ostend on 24 September 1604 to the Spanish general, Ambrosio Spinola. As a makeweight to Ostend, Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange meditated the recapture of Sluys. The Spanish general opposed the advance upon the town with a force of two thousand men strongly entrenched at Damme, situated between Sluys and Bruges. This force, under the Spanish general of horse, Velasco, had to be dislodged, a risky operation. Vere won for his command the approbation of the States-General. In July 1604 Spinola was foiled in an attempt to relieve the town, and on 20 August it was surrendered. Dutch Service At the battle of Mulheim on 9 October 1605 the cavalry were completely outmanoeuvred, and several of the troops broke. Vere crossed the river with four companies of infantry and kept the Spaniards at bay for over an hour, while the other forces had time to rally and retreat in some order. The battle of Mulheim was followed by Vere's return to England, and by his marriage in 1607. Two years later came the twelve years' truce between the United Provinces and Spain. In October 1609 Sir Horace succeeded his brother as governor of the Brill. In 1609 he was promised the reversion of the mastership of ordnance, after Lord Carew. In 1610 he served at the siege of Juliers under Sir Edward Cecil. In 1616 he yielded up the cautionary town of Brielle to the Dutch on the repayment by them of the loans received from England, receiving a life pension of £800 in compensation for his loss of the governorship. Two years later Sir Horace received from Maurice the governorship of Utrecht. He had previously aided the prince in disarming and suppressing the provincial levies, raised on behalf of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. Palatinate campaign In May 1620 James I was being strongly urged by popular opinion to defend the Protestant cause of his son-in-law, Frederick V, Elector Palatine. He allowed Count Dohna, the Palatine envoy, to levy a body of volunteers at his own cost, and to appeal for funds. Dohna, as paymaster, selected Sir Horace Vere, as commander; Buckingham had wanted the post for Sir Edward Cecil, and withdrew support from the expedition. News arrived of the treaty of Ulm (23 June), between the union of Catholic princes and the League, preparing the way for a catholic invasion of the palatinate, and money came in more rapidly. On 9 July Vere went to Theobalds to take leave of the king, and on 22 July the regiment, 2,200 strong, set sail from Gravesend to the Netherlands, to be escorted south into Germany and to the seat of war by a body of Dutch cavalry. By this time Vere was a professional soldier, even-tempered, brave and popular. The Earl of Essex was one of his lieutenants. Spinola was in the field with one army, Don Luis de Velasco in the way with another. Vere's plan was to effect a junction with the Protestant force near Mannheim, under the Margrave of Ansbach. He marched through Wesel into the neighbourhood of Coblenz, and then made a detour by a route through the Taunus, on the other side of which, in the valley of the Main River, Spinola made an unsuccessful attempt to cut him off. Vere crossed the Main by a ford, near Frankfurt, and then, by way of Darmstadt and Bensheim (there resting his troops), and proceeded to Worms, where the junction of forces actually took place. Spinola now adopted Fabian tactics in the hope of wearing the enemy out, until the approach of winter compelled the English and their allies to seek quarters. Vere divided his troops among the three most important strongholds of the Palatinate. He himself occupied Mannheim, Gerard Herbert he stationed in Heidelberg Castle, while Sir John Burroughs undertook to defend Frankenthal. Early in 1621 the Protestant union was broken up, and the English garrisons had to give up all hope of relief. The English governors were not closely pressed that year. The garrison under Vere at Mannheim received a visit early in 1622 from the dethroned elector, who had promised them a diversion, and who, in conjunction with Mansfelt, had inflicted a momentary check upon the imperialist army under Johann Tserclaes von Tilly at Wiesloch (April). A few weeks later, however, Tilly, having been reinforced by Gonzalez de Cordova, inflicted defeats on the Protestants, and in June the elector had finally to leave Mannheim. The English garrisons were now surrounded and threatened by a force of imperialists and Spaniards under Tilly, Cordova, and Verdugo. Vere resolved to hold out, though he knew that the military position was hopeless. On 16 September the town of Heidelberg was taken by storm, and the castle surrendered three days later. Sir Gerard Herbert had received a mortal wound during the siege. At Mannheim Vere, with a garrison of fourteen hundred men, without money or supplies, had to defend extensive fortifications. He retired to the citadel, but no extraneous help being forthcoming, he was forced to capitulate at the close of September, and, having marched out with the honours of war, withdrew to The Hague. Vere's defence was commemorated by George Chapman At Frankenthal, Burroughs did not surrender the place to Verdugo until 14 April 1623, and then only in response to direct orders from home. The courage displayed by Vere against great odds was recognised in England, when the general returned early in February 1623, even if his salary and expenses were never paid in full by the treasury. On 16 February 1623 he was appointed master-general of the ordnance for life, and he became a member of the council of war on 20 July 1624. On the death of his elder brother, John, in the same year he became his residuary legatee, with the reversion of Tilbury and Kirby Hall upon the death of the widow. Breda and the Brabant campaign In 1624 Sir Horace Vere travelled once more to The Hague in order to second Prince Maurice in the defence of the fortress of Breda, under siege by Spinola from August. Maurice died on 23 April 1625. The only ways to approach the siege works from outside were by causeways. The new stadtholder, Maurice's brother, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, resolved to attempt the causeways, and Vere was selected to conduct this hazardous operation. Taking with him some six thousand men, including three hundred pikemen led by his kinsman, Robert de Vere, 19th Earl of Oxford, Vere started an hour before the dawn on the morning of 13 May 1625. The English marched along the dyke, and after a sharp engagement captured the redoubt. Spinola thereupon sent strong reinforcements to the threatened point, and, incurring a very heavy loss, the English were forced to retire. On his return to England that summer Vere, high in military reputation, was created Baron Vere of Tilbury. His next enterprise in the Netherlands was in connection with the siege of 's-Hertogenbosch, one of the chief military positions in Brabant, undertaken by Prince Frederic Henry in April 1629. Sir Edward Vere (born ca. 1580), the illegitimate son of Horatio's first cousin Edward, Earl of Oxford, was mortally wounded in the lines on 18 August a few weeks before the place was finally surrendered. A large number of Englishmen who were afterwards distinguished soldiers served under Vere in the trenches at Den Bosch. Among them were: Thomas Fairfax and Philip Skippon, the future organisers of the New Model Army; Jacob Astley, Thomas Glemham, the future royalist generals; Sir John Borlase, and Henry Hexham, the historian of the Dutch wars. Fairfax, Skippon, and George Monck, particularly, were his pupils in the art of war. The services of the Veres in the Netherlands were closed by the Capture of Maastricht May–August 1632. Vere commanded a powerful brigade, and posted his headquarters opposite the Brussels Gate. Among those killed during the operations were Vere's kinsman, Robert de Vere, 19th Earl of Oxford, while among the wounded were his nephew, Sir Simon Harcourt, and Sir Thomas Holles. Death After the surrender of Maastricht, Vere returned to England. While dining with Sir Harry Vane, The Hague envoy and his diplomatic friend, at Whitehall on 2 May 1635, he was seized with an apoplectic fit and died within two hours. He was buried with military pomp on 8 May in Westminster Abbey, where the same tomb serves for him and his brother, Sir Francis. Marriage and issue Vere married, in October 1607, Mary Tracy (1581-1671), daughter of Sir John Tracy (d.1591) of Tuddington, Gloucestershire, and widow of William Hoby, by whom she had two children. With his death the barony of Vere of Tilbury became extinct. Vere left five daughters, who were his coheirs: Elizabeth Vere, who married John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare, grandfather of the first Duke of Newcastle; Mary Vere, who married, first, Sir Roger Townshend, Baronet, of Raynham in Norfolk, whence are descended the Marquises of Townshend, and secondly, Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland; Catherine Vere, who married, first, Oliver St John (1612/1613–November 1641 or 1642, son of Sir John St John, 1st Baronet, and Anne Leighton) and had Sir John St John, 2nd Baronet in 1648 (died 1657), and, secondly, John Poulett, 2nd Baron Poulett; Anne Vere, who married Sir Thomas Fairfax (afterwards 3rd Baron Fairfax of Cameron); and Dorothy Vere, who married John Wolstenholme, eldest son of Sir John Wolstenholme, bart., of Nostell, Yorkshire. Susana Vere (1619–1623) Died at a young age. Lady Vere continued to live at Clapton until the death of the widow of Lord Vere's eldest brother, John, when she succeeded to Kirby Hall, where she died on Christmas Eve 1670, aged 90. For a short while in the spring of 1645, after the death of the Countess of Dorset, the king's children, Elizabeth and Henry, Duke of Gloucester, were entrusted to her care. She was much in Parliament's favour; but (despite the handsome allowance) she transferred it to the Earl and Countess of Northumberland. Vere was a first cousin of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (1550–1604). Notes References Zedlers Universallexicon, vol.47, p. 211 Attribution Category:1565 births Category:1635 deaths Category:English military personnel of the Eighty Years' War Category:Barons in the Peerage of England Category:English army officers Category:People of the Tudor period Category:16th-century English nobility Category:17th-century English nobility Category:English people of the Thirty Years' War Category:English people of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) Horace Category:People of the Anglo-Spanish War (1625–1630) Category:Knights Bachelor

Our life is what we make of it. That said, I am awful at making mine a better life, and so, I am guilty of it. So, when you will feel disappointed in me (or of my actions, or especially the lack of them), at least have solace that I warned you beforehand. This entry was posted on luni, iunie 10, 2013 and is filed under insemnari . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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First a big thank you to all the organisers of systemd conference. You did an amazing job and I can not wait for 2016 edition. I do wish there would be some place in the program for lightning/ignate talks that are organized ad-hoc, but now I am just being picky. See you in 2016! rkt containers rkt containers are build with help of systemd inside and take different approach how to specify containers, then for example Docker. More details you can find in the video from Alban and Jon. I am holding my judgement of how I feel about whole rkt approach, but I can definetly agree with Alban and Jon that it goes a way to reinvent package management. And in this context I do not mean anything bad with reinventing. On the contrary, it shows that CoreOS developers have the same feeling about the current situation and state of packaging as me. package managers are broken! Maybe they did not want to upset anybody and they did not say it out laud but traditional packaging tools are broken. And as traditional I mean packaging tools that are used in more popular linux distributions (apt-get/deb, yum/rpm, brew, emerge, pacman, ...). It would make this blog post too long to explain everything properly and argue what I actually mean when calling tools broken. But I promise to come back in a 2 week with a blog post only about this. I promise!

Sérgio Paulico Sérgio Gabriel Rito Paulico (born 4 April 1991 in Covilhã) is a Portuguese footballer who plays for S.C. Covilhã, as a midfielder. External links Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:Portuguese footballers Category:Association football midfielders Category:S.C. Covilhã players

I think it’s pretty easy to tell I’m on a NE style kick lately based on my recent posts. I’m still determined to have some version on tap at all times. After my double IPA I wanted to bring things back to the IPA range and limit the hops to a couple of varieties. I really like being able to pick out specific hops in a hop forward style. One of my absolute favorite hops is Azacca, it’s normally very punchy and known for its tropical character like mango and pineapple as well as some citrus notes with tangerine. Spice and pine is also mentioned in the descriptors but I tend not to get the latter when I’ve used Azacca in the past. Based on all this and the fact that I’ve never used this particular variety in an IPA I thought it was the perfect choice for the majority of the recipe. Another variety I had on hand was Kohatu, it also has some tropical character and pine as well. This sounded like a perfect match for a juicy NEIPA with lots of tropical fruit flavors. The only downside to Kohatu is that in my experience it is a little mild compared to some of the really punchy hops out there. But I wasn’t planning on using a lot of it, it was merely being used to compliment but certainly not compete with the Azacca. Unfortunately this was one of those brew days where I learned something from making a mistake. I think providing you learn from your mistakes, that brew day is not entirely a failure. When I opened the bag of Azacca (from a high quality source) I was surprised that the hop aroma wasn’t that punchy. Sure it smelled good but it was much more mild than what I remembered from this variety. I should have subbed in another hop at this point, I should have trusted my nose. Especially since the Kohatu is also known for being mild. But I really wanted to make a NEIPA with these varieties so I stubbornly moved on as planned. As you can guess this turned out quite mild. There was nothing wrong with it per se, aside from how mild the aroma and flavor was compared to how much hops I used in the recipe. It was simply just ok. I let it go for a couple of weeks after kegging but I wasn’t really pouring it often because I wasn’t really enjoying it. This is where I decided to incorporate keg hops to breathe some life back into this NEIPA. I had used keg hop additions on a regular basis for quite a while. But when I started brewing NE styles I found I no longer needed to use keg hop additions to get punchy hop character. The dry hop addition early on in primary allows for biotransformation of the hop oil compounds and the addition I use on day 7 also helps to really make those hop aromas and flavors more pronounced. This time however I decided to throw in three ounces into the keg as a last ditch effort to bring this NEIPA back from mediocrity. I would have to say I was pleased with the results, within a few days the aroma and flavor had certainly become more intense. I’m not going to pretend this simple addition brought the beer from being mediocre to great. But it is more enjoyable now and I find myself pouring it more often so I think it was worth the easy fix. Still the fact that this batch didn’t turn out as planned has me itching to brew something similar again soon to get my juicy hop fix. Otherwise I think with a good batch of Azacca or another great hop variety this recipe is solid. Recipe Targets: 5 gallons, OG 1.061, FG 1.014, ABV 6.2%, IBUs 48, SRM 3.8 Grain: 3.80 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) 71.2 % 1.30 kg Oats, Flaked 24.3 % 0.24 kg Acid Malt 4.5 % Hops: 7.00 g Polaris [21.00 %] – Boil 60 min 17.9 IBUs 42.00 g Azacca [8.40 %] – Boil 10 min 15.5 IBUs 14.00 g Kohatu [6.40 %] – Boil 10 min 3.9 IBUs 35.00 g Azacca [8.40 %] – Steep 15 min 8.9 IBUs 28.00 g Azacca CHILLER [8.40 %] 0.0 IBUs 14.00 g Kohatu [6.40 %] – Steep 15 min 2.7 IBUs 14.00 g Kohatu CHILLER [6.40 %] 0.0 IBUs 42.00 g Azacca [8.24 %] – Dry Hop Day 3 28.00 g Kohatu [6.50 %] – Dry Hop Day 3 49.00 g Azacca [8.24 %] – Dry Hop Day 7 14.00 g Kohatu [6.50 %] – Dry Hop Day 7 28 g Azacca Keg Hop 28 g Amarillo Keg Hop 28 g Southern Cross Keg Hop Extras: 1 tsp yeast nutrient Boil 10 min Yeast: Wyeast 1318 London Ale III Brew day went as expected hit mash temp of 150F, pre boil gravity was slightly high at 1.051, 60 minute boil. Chilled to 60F, pitched LAIII, max temp of 72F reached during course of fermentation. Dry hops added on Day 3 and 7, kegged on day 11. OG 1.059 FG 1.012 ABV 6.2% Appearance: Pours with a white head, 1/4″ which fades to a thin ring within a few minutes. Light golden in color. Aroma: Slight hop aroma, tropical, citrus. Taste: Light hop flavor, some pineapple/mango as well as apricot. I believe the yeast vs hop flavors were close to being balanced which lead to more of a mix of flavors rather than the LAIII simply accentuating the character and making the Azacca more punchy. Mouthfeel: Light to moderate, medium carbonation, finishing slightly dry. Overall: I would say this turned out as mediocre. As mentioned earlier the hops just didn’t have the punch expected. My approach to brewing a NEIPA didn’t change so I have to believe it was the quality of the hops that made this difference. There wasn’t anything wrong with the flavor or aroma it simply lacked the punch I’m used to. As a result I added 3oz of dry hops to the keg after a couple of weeks. This noticeably increased the hop aroma and even flavor. It had much more citrus, fruit and tropical character after this addition. This brought the beer from mediocre to good. Not great but I enjoyed it more after this hop addition. While I don’t plan to go back to keg hopping on a regular basis it is nice to know I can “save” a batch I’m not overly happy with using this method.

Prague, 27 November 1997 (RFE/RL) -- The government of Uzbekistan and President Islam Karimov have received charcoal black marks from organizations which have monitored human rights since the country's independence in 1991. Uzbek officials always say the country is democratic but the foreign press continues to report that it is a "democracy" which does not tolerate opposition, and has banned parties it considers to be such. Karimov from the early days of independence has justified such policies by saying that economic reform must precede any political reform. Based on available information, it appears Uzbekistan has not had to suffer many of the socio-economic problems evident in the other CIS Central Asian states. From Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan there are reports of homelessness, hunger and unpaid wages and pensions; Tajikistan hasn't yet recovered from the damage of five years of civil war; and reports from Turkmenistan have spoken of extremely low wages and shortages. But Uzbekistan has avoided much of the misery, and there are indications which suggest Uzbekistan could now be experimenting with the idea of tolerating a political opposition. There's certainly no "Great Leap", but it's unusual that various meetings have been held recently in Tashkent, with the government's knowledge. Uzbekistan's main opposition parties were all banned shortly after independence. Birlik (Unity) and Erk (Freedom) were not allowed to register officially and most of the leadership from these two parties eventually fled the country. In the case of the other nascent party in early post-independence Uzbekistan, the Islamic Renaissance Party, it is more correct to say it was run out of the country. However in early September, the Independent Human Rights Society, led by Mikhail Azdzinov, met in Tashkent. In early October, about 30 members of Erk were allowed to meet in Tashkent to elect their secretary and were apparently undisturbed by the authorities. The Coordinating Council of the Democratic Opposition of Uzbekistan also met in October. Dissident figure Shukrullah Mirsaidov also can again freely receive visitors at his home outside Tashkent. After his dismissal as vice president in 1992, and after he began to criticize government policies, a series of charges were brought against him. Although most were later dropped Mirsaidov was forced to vacate his Tashkent apartment and move to the outskirts of Tashkent. There, he lived under house arrest for several months and was denied access to a phone and visitors were discouraged. None of these recent meetings received any republican press coverage on television or in print, but that they happened at all represents, on the surface at least, a marked improvement in a generally intolerant attitude by the Uzbek government toward any manifestation of opposition. However, at this stage it is difficult to say whether these events represent a policy change or merely political expediency. The recent leniency came during the two-month period prior to a visit by the wife of the U.S. President, Hillary Clinton. Last year Karimov pardoned a large number of prisoners in early June, and at the month's end was shaking hands with American President Bill Clinton in the White House. The Uzbek government has proven it takes measures to win America's friendship. A clear example is the UN vote on Cuba embargoes. The United States is virtually alone in calling for measures against Cuba and in voting has found only two supporters of its cause -- Israel and Uzbekistan. Considering the bad press Uzbekistan has received in regard to human rights policies, the events of September and October are a welcome change. It remains to be seen if this process will continue. It's worth noting that nothing which has happened since early September has had anything to do with religious groups. As mentioned, the Islamic Renaissance Party was ejected from Uzbekistan and efforts are made to ensure the party's supporters do not return. This November, President Karimov said in an interview with Russia's daily newspaper "Izvestiya," that he didn't consider Uzbekistan was presently an "Islamic" state though the vast majority of its citizens are Muslims. There is little chance Uzbekistan will be an "Islamic" state in the near future because of the watch the government keeps against perceived radical elements at the mosques and medrassahs.

The use of sclerotherapy for the management of oesophageal varices in portal hypertension. Although sclerotherapy is currently the most widely used treatment for the management of both acute variceal bleeding and the long-term management of patients with varices, its definitive role in the treatment of these patients has yet to be finally proven. Sclerotherapy appears to be the most effective treatment for the majority of patients with acute variceal bleeding. Failures require either a shunt or a transection and/or devascularisation procedure. Current evidence favours simple staple gun transection or a shunt (either a portacaval shunt or a side-to-side narrow diameter polytetrafluoroethylene graft between the portal vein and vena cava). In long-term management of patients after a variceal bleed the currently favoured treatment is repeated sclerotherapy. However, failures should be identified early. We define failures as patients who present with varices that are either difficult to eradicate by sclerotherapy or who have repeated life-threatening variceal bleeds during the course of repeated injection sclerotherapy. Such patients should have either a portal-to-systemic shunt or a transection and devascularisation operation. Further controlled trials are required to define the specific indications for the individual forms of therapy. Prophylactic treatment for varices that have not yet bled is unjustified at present.

Background ========== The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) defines Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) as "medical and health systems, applications and products currently not considered as part of conventional medicine" \[[@B1]\]. An increased interest in CAM is observed among both the general population and health professionals. Despite its rising popularity, CAM has been excluded from conventional medical training for many years, however recently there is a tendency to include it in the medical curricula in some countries \[[@B2]\]. CAM began to draw attention among medical circles in 1990 when it was found that 13.7 billion US dollars were spent on CAM applications and that one in three Americans made use of CAM in 1993 \[[@B3]\]. A follow-up study by the same research group showed that use of alternative medicine increased by 65 % in 1997, with an increase in spending by 45.2 % \[[@B4]\]. It appears that CAM gained increasing popularity among medical trainers and students \[[@B5]-[@B7]\]. Similarly, use of CAM methods has grown in popularity in Turkey. Surveys with patient subgroups have shown that many patients with chronic diseases have used at least one of the CAM methods. Most commonly used methods were herbal treatment, massage and acupuncture, but they shared this information rarely with their primary doctors. Most of these studies indicated that it is important for healthcare professionals to discuss and give counseling about use of CAM to their patients \[[@B8]-[@B16]\]. In 1996, a broad-based panel including medical and nursing schools and representatives from the American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Federation of State Medical Boards, Pew Health Professions Commission, American Medical Student Association (AMSA), and other organizations gathered to make an evaluation on CAM education, and proposed CAM's integration into the curricula by the discipline with its philosophical underpinnings, scientific bases, educational preparation, applications, and evidence concerning its reliability and effectiveness \[[@B17]\]. In some countries, medical curricula already have structured programs on complementary and alternative medicine. Studies about medical students' attitudes toward and knowledge of CAM in several countries usually showed positive attitudes towards and a high level of desire to learn about CAM in medical schools. In Turkey, practices of CAM vary widely regarding inclusion of CAM in the medical curriculum in the absence of a nationally agreed policy. Also, there are very few studies on students' attitudes toward, knowledge and desire to learn about CAM. Two studies with medical and nursing students were local studies included only one medical school \[[@B18],[@B19]\]. Another study carried out with general practitioners concluded that general practitioners wanted to learn more about CAM, and improve their knowledge \[[@B20]\]. So, there is lack of data at the national level. Therefore, this study aimed to examine knowledge and attitudes towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine among students attending faculties of medicine in Turkey, and find out whether they want to be trained in Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Methods ======= A cross-sectional study was carried out between October and December 2010 among medical students. In Turkey, there are 64 medical faculties, of which 54 are public, and a total of 34.869 students were attending these faculties at the end of 2009. Study population included 1st year, 5th year and 6th year medical students. For data collection, all provinces of Turkey were divided into three sub-groups on the basis of economic development level as measured by the State Planning Organization in 2009, and two faculties of medicine were randomly selected from each sub-group. Data were collected from a total of seven faculties of medicine, including six randomly selected faculties and Faculty of Medicine of Yeditepe University where the pilot study was carried out. The number of students required to represent the population of the study was 348 with a 95 % confidence level. For cluster sampling, we targeted to double the number of participants, and data were collected from 1st year, 5th year, and 6th year students attending the Faculties of Medicine in order to be able compare first-year undergraduates with intern students. Students completed the questionnaires during class hours after obtaining necessary permits from the Faculty administrations. The questionnaire used was prepared by the researcher after review of the relevant international literature, and finalized following a pilot application prior to data collection. The questionnaire consisted of three parts. The first part consisted of questions on sociodemographic characteristics of the students, such as age and gender. The second part consisted of yes-no questions asking the students whether they were familiar with the sixteen CAM methods that were selected based on a consensus of the study group after screening Turkish websites on CAM ; what they thought about the effectiveness of these methods; whether they would like to be trained in these methods; and whether they will be recommending these methods to their patients in their future professional lives. The third part consisted of 7-point Likert-type items, aiming to identify attitudes towards CAM designed on the basis of the questions used by Furnham in his 2003 study\[7\], after obtaining appropriate permission from the author. The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Yeditepe University. Data analysis ------------- Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v.19. Descriptive analyses and relevant significance tests were used for comparisons. The level of significance was set at p \<0.05. Results ======= Data were collected from a total of 943 medical students from seven faculties of medicine. Of these participants, 413 were female, and 511 were male, and 19 did not identify their gender. The mean age was 20.6 ±2.7 years. The most well known methods among the students were herbal treatment (n = 765, 81.2 %), acupuncture (n = 762, 80.8 %), hypnosis (n = 743, 78.8 %), and manipulative and body-based practices including massage (n = 726, 77 %) and meditation (n = 615, 65.2 %), respectively. Less than 10 % of the participants were familiar with homeopathy, chiropractic, the Alexander Technique, reflexology, shiatsu and chigong. Acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal treatment and meditation were better known among female participants compared to males (p \< 0.05), and a larger proportion of male participants were more familiar with chiropractic than females (p \< 0.005). A larger proportion of the 5th and 6th year students reported familiarity with bioenergy (p = 0.009), chelation (p = 0.000), neural therapy (p = 0.009), ayurveda (p = 0.023) and homeopathy (p = 0.042) compared to 1st year students. There were no significant differences between the grades in the most well known five methods in the study sample. Table [1](#T1){ref-type="table"} shows distribution of opinions on the effectiveness of the five most well known methods among students, their willingness to be trained in these methods, and future likelihood of recommending them to their patients. ###### Percentage distribution of answers to other questions given by participants who knew about Alternative Medicine Methods (n = 943)   **I know %** **Believe effectiveness %** **I want education %** **I will suggest to my patients %** ----------------------------------- -------------- ----------------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------------------- **Herbal Treatment** 81,2 79,4 66,6 70,6 **Acupunture** 80,8 74,5 61,2 63,4 **Hypnosis** 78,8 63,8 65,8 48,2 **Body work (including massage)** 77 77,8 60,9 66,4 **Meditation** 65,2 63,6 53,8 52,2 The only inter-gender difference in effectiveness was related with the method of meditation, with a larger proportion of the female participants reporting it as an efficient method. A larger proportion of the 1st year students believed that acupuncture, herbal treatment and manipulative and body-based practices including massage were effective methods compared to 5th and 6th year students (p \< 0.005). Opinions on the effectiveness of the remaining methods did not vary by grade. A larger proportion of female participants reported that they would recommend acupuncture (p = 0.003) and ayurveda (p = 0.019) compared to males, and future likelihood of recommending other methods did not vary by gender. A larger proportion of the 1st year students reported that they would recommend herbal treatment, acupuncture, manipulative and body-based practices including massage, meditation, shiatsu and ayurveda compared to 5th and 6th year students (p \< 0.005); and future likelihood of recommending other methods did not vary by gender. A larger proportion of the female participants expressed their willingness to be trained in acupuncture (p = 0.008) and meditation (p = 0.004) compared to males. Willingness to receive training in other methods did not vary by gender. In all methods except for homeopathy, a larger proportion of the 1st year students reported that they would like to receive training compared to 5th and 6th year students (p \< 0.05). Overall, attitude towards CAM among the students was positive; they believed that knowledge of CAM would be useful, and current CAM practitioners were not well-trained, and they had to be medically qualified. Overall, students believed that CAM should be taught in medical schools, and doctors should be familiar with CAM treatments, and knowledge of CAM would be useful in their future professional lives. Table [2](#T2){ref-type="table"} shows attitudes with the highest and lowest percentages of agreement. ###### Attitude questions with the highest (mean score \> 5.00) and lowest (mean score \< 3.00) mean scores (n = 943) **Items** **Mean ± S.D** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- All practitioners of CAM should be medically qualified. 5,37 ± 1,85 I am intereseted in exploring new teratment modalities. 5,28 ± 1,80 Women have more tendency to CAM than men. 5,20 ± 1,9 On avarage, practitioners of CAM make less money than other doctors. 2,93 ± 1,86 I beilieve in alternative approaches in health area 2,92 ± 1,85 Most Practitioners of CAM receive a thorough training. 2,88 ± 1,65 Much of CAM is actually dangerous to the health of the patients. 2,88 ± 1,66 Treating a condition using CAM is safer than using modern methods 2,69 ± 1,71 You need to be "gifted" to carry out CAM 2,25 ± 1,61 One person of my family is currently using CAM treatment 2,17 ± 1,9 Students who had a personal interest in CAM; who thought it as an important aspect of medical practice; those who had a family member currently receiving CAM treatment; who thought that modern medicine had limitations of its own; who thought that patients had a right to choose between modern medicine and CAM; and, who thought that spiritual phenomena have an effect on health were of the opinion that CAM modalities should be included in the medical curriculum (p \< 0.005). Significant inter-gender differences were found in attitudes in relation to five questions only (Table [3](#T3){ref-type="table"}). A larger proportion of the female students compared to male students reported that a doctor should be knowledgable about CAM (p = 0.001), and it would be helpful in their future professional lives (p = 0.015). A larger proportion of male students reported that CAM is more of an art than science (p = 0.026), patients have the right to choose between modern medicine and CAM (p = 0.004), and they believed in alternative approaches to health (p = 0.000). Table [4](#T4){ref-type="table"} shows inter-grade differences in the Likert-type attitude questions: 1st year students had higher mean scores for most of the items, whereas 5th year and 6th year students expressed more agreement with the following statements: CAM is underestimated in the world of medicine; it is effective in the treatment of minor complaints and illnesses only; it is certainly non-scientific and vague; and, use of CAM treatments are actually detrimental for the health of patients (p \< 0.005). ###### Attitudes in which there were significant inter-gender differences   **Men (n = 511)** **Women (n = 413)** **p** --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- --------------------- --------- CAM is more art than science (q18) 3,78 ± 1,82 3,51 ± 1,78 0,026\* A doctor should know CAM methods (q27) 4,46 ± 1,97 4,92 ± 1,75 0,001\* Knowledge of CAM is needed in my future professionalism. (q28) 4,20 ± 2,03 4,61 ± 2,37 0,015\* I believe in that patients have right to choose between modern medicine and CAM (q36) 3,79 ± 2,12 3,38 ± 2,03 0,004\* I believe in alternative approaches in medicine (q37) 3,16 ± 1,96 2,63 ± 1,67 0,000\* Mann--Whitney U test p values, \*p \< 0,05. ###### Distribution of the Items of the Scale on Attitudes towards Alternative Methods in Medicine by Grade (n = 943) **ITEMS** **First year** **5. and 6. class** **p** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------- --------------------- ---------   Mean ± SD Mean ± SD   All practitioners of CAM should be medically qualified. 5,51 ± 1,75 5,15 ± 1,98 0,024\* On avarage, practitioners of CAM make less money than other doctors. 3,12 ± 1,88 2,70 ± 1,89 0,000\* CAM has low status within medicine 4,14 ± 1,78 4,57 ± 1,85 0,001\* CAM is only effective in treating minor complaints. 3,91 ± 1,77 4,48 ± 1,94 0,000\* CAM is fairly unscientific. 3,09 ± 1,84 3,47 ± 2,05 0,014\* CAM has advanced considerably in recent years in understanding of illness and diseases 4,16 ± 1,65 3,52 ± 1,8 0,000\* Practitioners of CAM are more prepared to listen to their patients. 4,56 ± 1,73 4,21 ± 1,86 0,012\* Patients on CAM hardly ever get better 3,15 ± 1,57 3,84 ± 1,72 0,000\* Despite considerable research, there are few aplicable results in CAM. 3,85 ± 1,58 4,66 ± 1,80 0,000\* CAM should be thught in medical school. 4,66 ± 2,00 4,12 ± 2,13 0,000\* Women have more tendency to CAM than men. 5,93 ± 1,91 5,58 ± 1,70 0,000\* Most practitioners of CAM receive a thorough training. 3,03 ± 1,65 2,59 ± 1,63 0,000\* CAM is safer than modern medical treatments 2,76 ± 1,70 2,55 ± 1,72 0,027\* You need to be "gifted" to carry out CAM 2,38 ± 1,65 2,00 ± 1,51 0,000\* A surprising number of patients claim its effective at curing their illness. 4,44 ± 165 4,14 ± 1,88 0,027\* CAM is more cost-effective than modern medicine 3,47 ± 1,70 3,21 ± 1,79 0,020\* Much of CAM is actually dangerous to the health of patients 2,75 ± 1,58 3,14 ± 1,78 0,003\* The reason for the success of CAM is mainly due to treating the whole person. 3,73 ± 1,73 3,19 ± 1,72 0,000\* A doctor should know CAM methods 4,95 ± 1,73 4,13 ± 2,08 0,000\* Knowledge of CAM is needed in my future professionalism 4,67 ± 2,21 3,83 ± 2,08 0,000\* I believe that to suggest CAM modalities to their patients is responsibility of doctors. 4,20 ± 1,91 3,22 ± 2,04 0,000\* I am personally interested in CAM 4,16 ± 2,03 3,53 ± 2,14 0,000\* CAM is an important part of my professionalism 3,59 ± 1,95 2,80 ± 1,92 0,000\* CAM is an important part of my culture 3,52 ± 2,01 3,17 ± 1,95 0,013\* I believe that CAM may have positive effect on general health outcomes 4,25 ± 1,82 3,71 ± 1,84 0,000\* Mann--Whitney U test p values, \*p \< 0,05. Discussion ========== A majority of the medical students in the study population were familiar with some of the CAM methods while some were almost unheard of. Studies on the general population show that among the methods included in this study, herbal treatment, manipulative and body-based practices including massage and acupuncture are the most well known and the most frequently practiced modalities \[[@B8]-[@B16],[@B21]-[@B24]\]. Medical students are also a part of the general population, and it is only natural, especially for 1st year students, to know about the most well-known and most frequently practiced methods among the general population. Fifth and 6th year students were more knowledgeable about the methods that are less known to the study sample compared to 1st year students. None of the medical schools included in the study had a structured CAM training. Thus, it might be the case that 5th and 6th year students learn about less known methods from patients during their clinical practice or through sharing of experiences \[[@B7]\]. Overall, students were more likely to think that methods that they were familiar with were effective, and they were more likely to recommend these methods to their patients in their future professional lives. It was surprising that students expressed their wish to be trained on these methods independent of their familiarity. There were inter-gender differences in terms of the CAM methods known, opinions on the effectiveness of different methods, methods in which they wanted to be trained, and attitudes towards the methods. Female participants were more familiar with the most well known methods in the whole study group and had more positive attitudes toward CAM. Previous studies in different countries have also found that female have more positive attitudes towards CAM, and are more likely to use it \[[@B25]-[@B28]\]. As in the whole world, increasingly more female students have been choosing to study medicine than male students in Turkey. We can assume that this gender difference may increase medical students' willingness for training on CAM in the future. Many studies show that medical students have positive attitudes towards CAM, and they support its inclusion in the medical curricula \[[@B5]-[@B7],[@B29],[@B30]\]. Despite increasing interest in CAM, many faculties of medicine do not provide structured CAM training, and those that do provide it have very different teaching goals and content \[[@B31]-[@B34]\]. Only a few studies were carried out in Turkey on the knowledge and attitude of medical students towards CAM. In 2004, Uzun&Tan found that 64 % of nursing students of all grades reported that CAM could be included in the curriculum, and 62.3 % reported that it could be used in practice.\[19\] Nursing students had generally a more positive attitude than medical students. In a study conducted in 2006--2007 with the participation of medical students and nursing students of all grades at Ege University, Yıldırım *et al*. used questions developed on the basis of literature, and found that 61.3 % of the nursing students and 37.9 % of the medical student thought that CAM should be included in the school curriculum \[[@B18]\]. The difference might have been related to the methodologic differences in nursing and medical schools. Unlike our study representing all regions of Turkey, their study was carried out in a university from the Western part of Turkey, which was reported as one of the limitations of their study by the authors. Another study with general practitioners in Bursa, a city in the western part of Turkey, found that 62.7 % of the practitioners believed that a CAM training should be provided in faculties of medicine \[[@B20]\]. The present study can be considered complementary to these findings, showing that medical students in Turkey believe that CAM should be included in the curriculum, and that knowledge of CAM would be useful in their future professional lives, and doctors should be familiar with CAM methods. Many factors can be involved in shaping attitudes of the students, including environmental and individual factors such as having a family member who receives CAM treatment, having a personal interest in CAM, believing that spiritual phenomena have an effect on health, and belief in a patient's right to choose between modern and alternative medicine. Overall, positive attitudes towards and willingness to receive training in CAM methods declined as the number of years spent in the faculty of medicine increased \[7,35\]. This change of attitude probably results from increased exposure to evidence-based medicine, trainers who act as role models, and personal experiences with the patients. CAM applications make up a significant portion of health spending, and there is an increasing demand for CAM applications. Medical doctors, even if they are not CAM practitioners themselves and have negative attitudes towards CAM, will from time to time feel the need to be able to provide guidance for their patients and be familiar with CAM methods at least at a minimal level for drug interactions and treatment effects \[[@B32]\]. It seems to be the case that in future medical students will show a more strongly demand to receive training in this field. On the other hand, CAM is a very broad field with many different applications and despite increasing number of scientific research on some methods, not all methods are evidence-based. It is difficult to include all CAM applications into the curriculum, and locate them into the medical programme, and determine the level of training to be provided. Our study was limited in some respects. Because it had a cross-sectional design, it was not possible to analyze the factors that have an effect on attitudes over time. A different, prospective, and interventional design is required to interpret how current medical education and sociocultural factors have an impact on students' knowledge and attitudes. Although overall response rate was over 93 % and only a few students declined to complete the questionnaire, students with a negative attitude and less familiarity with CAM might have not answered the questionnaire and this may have affected some results. Because of high response rate and achievement to reach to the targeted number of students, we think this bias may have had some effect on overall results. Conclusions =========== Majority of the medical students were familiar with the CAM methods widely used in Turkey, and knowledge about the methods which were less frequently used has been increasing with the senior years in the medical faculty, even though these methods are not included in the curriculum. Overall, most students had positive attitudes towards CAM; they wanted to receive training on the subject; and they are likely to recommend CAM methods to their patients in their future professional lives. Currently, none of the medical curricula in Turkey has a structured standard CAM training. With a gradual scientific development and increasing popularity, there appears a need for a coordinated policy in integrating CAM into the medical cirruculum, and expectations of and feedback from medical students should be taken into consideration in setting educational standards. Competing interests =================== The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors\' contributions ======================= HA carried out the design and coordination of the study and data entry and analysis. HA also participated in the sequence alignment and drafted the manuscript. GĐ carried out the data entry and analysis and in the sequence alignment and drafted the manuscript. EK carried out statistics and also conducted data entry. ÇA, SA, ND,GE, CÖ, HAS carried out the study in their regions. OH designed the methodology of the study and performed the statistical analysis. OH participated in its design and coordination and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Pre-publication history ======================= The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here: <http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/12/115/prepub>

namespace weka.classifiers.rules; class OneRRule { isA Serializable,RevisionHandler; depend java.io.Serializable; depend java.util.Collections; depend java.util.Enumeration; depend java.util.LinkedList; depend java.util.ListIterator; depend java.util.Vector; depend weka.classifiers.AbstractClassifier; depend weka.classifiers.Classifier; depend weka.classifiers.Sourcable; depend weka.core.Attribute; depend weka.core.Capabilities; depend weka.core.Capabilities.Capability; depend weka.core.Instance; depend weka.core.Instances; depend weka.core.Option; depend weka.core.RevisionHandler; depend weka.core.RevisionUtils; depend weka.core.TechnicalInformation; depend weka.core.TechnicalInformation.Field; depend weka.core.TechnicalInformation.Type; depend weka.core.TechnicalInformationHandler; depend weka.core.Utils; depend weka.core.WekaException; /** * for serialization */ static final long serialVersionUID=-3459427003147861443L; /** * for serialization */ static final long serialVersionUID=2252814630957092281L; /** * The class attribute. */ private final Attribute m_class; /** * The number of instances used for building the rule. */ private final int m_numInst; /** * Attribute to test */ private final Attribute m_attr; /** * Training set examples this rule gets right */ private int m_correct; /** * Predicted class for each value of attr */ private final int[] m_classifications; /** * Predicted class for missing values */ private int m_missingValueClass=-1; /** * Breakpoints (numeric attributes only) */ private double[] m_breakpoints; /** * A 1-R rule */ private OneRRule m_rule; /** * The minimum bucket size */ private int m_minBucketSize=6; /** * a ZeroR model in case no model can be built from the data */ private Classifier m_ZeroR; /** * Returns a string describing classifier * @return a description suitable for displaying in the explorer/experimentergui */ public String globalInfo(){ return "Class for building and using a 1R classifier; in other words, uses " + "the minimum-error attribute for prediction, discretizing numeric " + "attributes. For more information, see:\n\n"+ getTechnicalInformation().toString(); } /** * Returns an instance of a TechnicalInformation object, containing detailed information about the technical background of this class, e.g., paper reference or book this class is based on. * @return the technical information about this class */ @Override public TechnicalInformation getTechnicalInformation(){ TechnicalInformation result; result=new TechnicalInformation(Type.ARTICLE); result.setValue(Field.AUTHOR,"R.C. Holte"); result.setValue(Field.YEAR,"1993"); result.setValue(Field.TITLE,"Very simple classification rules perform well on most commonly used datasets"); result.setValue(Field.JOURNAL,"Machine Learning"); result.setValue(Field.VOLUME,"11"); result.setValue(Field.PAGES,"63-91"); return result; } /** * Constructor for nominal attribute. * @param data the data to work with * @param attribute the attribute to use * @throws Exception if something goes wrong */ public OneRRule(Instances data,Attribute attribute) throws Exception { m_class=data.classAttribute(); m_numInst=data.numInstances(); m_attr=attribute; m_correct=0; m_classifications=new int[m_attr.numValues()]; } /** * Constructor for numeric attribute. * @param data the data to work with * @param attribute the attribute to use * @param nBreaks the break point * @throws Exception if something goes wrong */ public OneRRule(Instances data,Attribute attribute,int nBreaks) throws Exception { m_class=data.classAttribute(); m_numInst=data.numInstances(); m_attr=attribute; m_correct=0; m_classifications=new int[nBreaks]; m_breakpoints=new double[nBreaks - 1]; } /** * Returns a description of the rule. * @return a string representation of the rule */ @Override public String toString(){ try { StringBuffer text=new StringBuffer(); text.append(m_attr.name() + ":\n"); for (int v=0; v < m_classifications.length; v++) { text.append("\t"); if (m_attr.isNominal()) { text.append(m_attr.value(v)); } else if (v < m_breakpoints.length) { text.append("< " + m_breakpoints[v]); } else if (v > 0) { text.append(">= " + m_breakpoints[v - 1]); } else { text.append("not ?"); } text.append("\t-> " + m_class.value(m_classifications[v]) + "\n"); } if (m_missingValueClass != -1) { text.append("\t?\t-> " + m_class.value(m_missingValueClass) + "\n"); } text.append("(" + m_correct + "/"+ m_numInst+ " instances correct)\n"); return text.toString(); } catch ( Exception e) { return "Can't print OneR classifier!"; } } /** * Returns the revision string. * @return the revision */ @Override public String getRevision(){ return RevisionUtils.extract("$Revision: 10153 $"); } /** * Classifies a given instance. * @param inst the instance to be classified * @return the classification of the instance */ @Override public double classifyInstance(Instance inst) throws Exception { if (m_ZeroR != null) { return m_ZeroR.classifyInstance(inst); } int v=0; if (inst.isMissing(m_rule.m_attr)) { if (m_rule.m_missingValueClass != -1) { return m_rule.m_missingValueClass; } else { return 0; } } if (m_rule.m_attr.isNominal()) { v=(int)inst.value(m_rule.m_attr); } else { while (v < m_rule.m_breakpoints.length && inst.value(m_rule.m_attr) >= m_rule.m_breakpoints[v]) { v++; } } return m_rule.m_classifications[v]; } /** * Returns default capabilities of the classifier. * @return the capabilities of this classifier */ @Override public Capabilities getCapabilities(){ Capabilities result=super.getCapabilities(); result.disableAll(); result.enable(Capability.NOMINAL_ATTRIBUTES); result.enable(Capability.NUMERIC_ATTRIBUTES); result.enable(Capability.DATE_ATTRIBUTES); result.enable(Capability.MISSING_VALUES); result.enable(Capability.NOMINAL_CLASS); result.enable(Capability.MISSING_CLASS_VALUES); return result; } /** * Generates the classifier. * @param instances the instances to be used for building the classifier * @throws Exception if the classifier can't be built successfully */ @Override public void buildClassifier(Instances instances) throws Exception { boolean noRule=true; getCapabilities().testWithFail(instances); Instances data=new Instances(instances); data.deleteWithMissingClass(); if (data.numAttributes() == 1) { System.err.println("Cannot build model (only class attribute present in data!), " + "using ZeroR model instead!"); m_ZeroR=new weka.classifiers.rules.ZeroR(); m_ZeroR.buildClassifier(data); return; } else { m_ZeroR=null; } Enumeration<Attribute> enu=instances.enumerateAttributes(); while (enu.hasMoreElements()) { try { OneRRule r=newRule(enu.nextElement(),data); if (noRule || r.m_correct > m_rule.m_correct) { m_rule=r; } noRule=false; } catch ( Exception ex) { } } if (noRule) { throw new WekaException("No attributes found to work with!"); } } /** * Create a rule branching on this attribute. * @param attr the attribute to branch on * @param data the data to be used for creating the rule * @return the generated rule * @throws Exception if the rule can't be built successfully */ public OneRRule newRule(Attribute attr,Instances data) throws Exception { OneRRule r; int[] missingValueCounts=new int[data.classAttribute().numValues()]; if (attr.isNominal()) { r=newNominalRule(attr,data,missingValueCounts); } else { r=newNumericRule(attr,data,missingValueCounts); } r.m_missingValueClass=Utils.maxIndex(missingValueCounts); if (missingValueCounts[r.m_missingValueClass] == 0) { r.m_missingValueClass=-1; } else { r.m_correct+=missingValueCounts[r.m_missingValueClass]; } return r; } /** * Create a rule branching on this nominal attribute. * @param attr the attribute to branch on * @param data the data to be used for creating the rule * @param missingValueCounts to be filled in * @return the generated rule * @throws Exception if the rule can't be built successfully */ public OneRRule newNominalRule(Attribute attr,Instances data,int[] missingValueCounts) throws Exception { int[][] counts=new int[attr.numValues()][data.classAttribute().numValues()]; Enumeration<Instance> enu=data.enumerateInstances(); while (enu.hasMoreElements()) { Instance i=enu.nextElement(); if (i.isMissing(attr)) { missingValueCounts[(int)i.classValue()]++; } else { counts[(int)i.value(attr)][(int)i.classValue()]++; } } OneRRule r=new OneRRule(data,attr); for (int value=0; value < attr.numValues(); value++) { int best=Utils.maxIndex(counts[value]); r.m_classifications[value]=best; r.m_correct+=counts[value][best]; } return r; } /** * Create a rule branching on this numeric attribute * @param attr the attribute to branch on * @param data the data to be used for creating the rule * @param missingValueCounts to be filled in * @return the generated rule * @throws Exception if the rule can't be built successfully */ public OneRRule newNumericRule(Attribute attr,Instances data,int[] missingValueCounts) throws Exception { data=new Instances(data); int lastInstance=data.numInstances(); data.sort(attr); while (lastInstance > 0 && data.instance(lastInstance - 1).isMissing(attr)) { lastInstance--; missingValueCounts[(int)data.instance(lastInstance).classValue()]++; } if (lastInstance == 0) { throw new Exception("Only missing values in the training data!"); } double lastValue=0; LinkedList<int[]> distributions=new LinkedList<int[]>(); LinkedList<Double> values=new LinkedList<Double>(); int[] distribution=null; for (int i=0; i < lastInstance; i++) { if ((i == 0) || (data.instance(i).value(attr) > lastValue)) { if (i != 0) { values.add((lastValue + data.instance(i).value(attr)) / 2.0); } lastValue=data.instance(i).value(attr); distribution=new int[data.numClasses()]; distributions.add(distribution); } distribution[(int)data.instance(i).classValue()]++; } values.add(Double.MAX_VALUE); ListIterator<int[]> it=distributions.listIterator(); ListIterator<Double> itVals=values.listIterator(); int[] oldDist=null; while (it.hasNext()) { int[] newDist=it.next(); itVals.next(); if ((oldDist != null) && ((Utils.maxIndex(newDist) == Utils.maxIndex(oldDist)) || (oldDist[Utils.maxIndex(oldDist)] < m_minBucketSize))) { for (int j=0; j < oldDist.length; j++) { newDist[j]+=oldDist[j]; } it.previous(); it.previous(); it.remove(); it.next(); itVals.previous(); itVals.previous(); itVals.remove(); itVals.next(); } oldDist=newDist; } int numCorrect=0; it=distributions.listIterator(); itVals=values.listIterator(); oldDist=null; while (it.hasNext()) { int[] newDist=it.next(); itVals.next(); numCorrect+=newDist[Utils.maxIndex(newDist)]; if ((oldDist != null) && (Utils.maxIndex(newDist) == Utils.maxIndex(oldDist))) { for (int j=0; j < oldDist.length; j++) { newDist[j]+=oldDist[j]; } it.previous(); it.previous(); it.remove(); it.next(); itVals.previous(); itVals.previous(); itVals.remove(); itVals.next(); } oldDist=newDist; } OneRRule r=new OneRRule(data,attr,distributions.size()); r.m_correct=numCorrect; it=distributions.listIterator(); itVals=values.listIterator(); int v=0; while (it.hasNext()) { r.m_classifications[v]=Utils.maxIndex(it.next()); double splitPoint=itVals.next(); if (itVals.hasNext()) { r.m_breakpoints[v]=splitPoint; } v++; } return r; } /** * Returns an enumeration describing the available options.. * @return an enumeration of all the available options. */ @Override public Enumeration<Option> listOptions(){ String string="\tThe minimum number of objects in a bucket (default: 6)."; Vector<Option> newVector=new Vector<Option>(1); newVector.addElement(new Option(string,"B",1,"-B <minimum bucket size>")); newVector.addAll(Collections.list(super.listOptions())); return newVector.elements(); } /** * Parses a given list of options. <p/> <!-- options-start --> Valid options are: <p/> <pre> -B &lt;minimum bucket size&gt; The minimum number of objects in a bucket (default: 6). </pre> <!-- options-end --> * @param options the list of options as an array of strings * @throws Exception if an option is not supported */ @Override public void setOptions(String[] options) throws Exception { String bucketSizeString=Utils.getOption('B',options); if (bucketSizeString.length() != 0) { m_minBucketSize=Integer.parseInt(bucketSizeString); } else { m_minBucketSize=6; } super.setOptions(options); } /** * Gets the current settings of the OneR classifier. * @return an array of strings suitable for passing to setOptions */ @Override public String[] getOptions(){ Vector<String> options=new Vector<String>(1); options.add("-B"); options.add("" + m_minBucketSize); Collections.addAll(options,super.getOptions()); return options.toArray(new String[0]); } /** * Returns a string that describes the classifier as source. The classifier will be contained in a class with the given name (there may be auxiliary classes), and will contain a method with the signature: <pre> <code> public static double classify(Object[] i); </code> </pre> where the array <code>i</code> contains elements that are either Double, String, with missing values represented as null. The generated code is public domain and comes with no warranty. * @param className the name that should be given to the source class. * @return the object source described by a string * @throws Exception if the souce can't be computed */ @Override public String toSource(String className) throws Exception { StringBuffer result; int i; result=new StringBuffer(); if (m_ZeroR != null) { result.append(((ZeroR)m_ZeroR).toSource(className)); } else { result.append("class " + className + " {\n"); result.append(" public static double classify(Object[] i) {\n"); result.append(" // chosen attribute: " + m_rule.m_attr.name() + " ("+ m_rule.m_attr.index()+ ")\n"); result.append("\n"); result.append(" // missing value?\n"); result.append(" if (i[" + m_rule.m_attr.index() + "] == null)\n"); if (m_rule.m_missingValueClass != -1) { result.append(" return Double.NaN;\n"); } else { result.append(" return 0;\n"); } result.append("\n"); result.append(" // prediction\n"); result.append(" double v = 0;\n"); result.append(" double[] classifications = new double[]{" + Utils.arrayToString(m_rule.m_classifications) + "};"); result.append(" // "); for (i=0; i < m_rule.m_classifications.length; i++) { if (i > 0) { result.append(", "); } result.append(m_rule.m_class.value(m_rule.m_classifications[i])); } result.append("\n"); if (m_rule.m_attr.isNominal()) { for (i=0; i < m_rule.m_attr.numValues(); i++) { result.append(" "); if (i > 0) { result.append("else "); } result.append("if (((String) i[" + m_rule.m_attr.index() + "]).equals(\""+ m_rule.m_attr.value(i)+ "\"))\n"); result.append(" v = " + i + "; // "+ m_rule.m_class.value(m_rule.m_classifications[i])+ "\n"); } } else { result.append(" double[] breakpoints = new double[]{" + Utils.arrayToString(m_rule.m_breakpoints) + "};\n"); result.append(" while (v < breakpoints.length && \n"); result.append(" ((Double) i[" + m_rule.m_attr.index() + "]) >= breakpoints[(int) v]) {\n"); result.append(" v++;\n"); result.append(" }\n"); } result.append(" return classifications[(int) v];\n"); result.append(" }\n"); result.append("}\n"); } return result.toString(); } /** * Returns a description of the classifier * @return a string representation of the classifier */ @Override public String toString(){ if (m_ZeroR != null) { StringBuffer buf=new StringBuffer(); buf.append(this.getClass().getName().replaceAll(".*\\.","") + "\n"); buf.append(this.getClass().getName().replaceAll(".*\\.","").replaceAll(".","=") + "\n\n"); buf.append("Warning: No model could be built, hence ZeroR model is used:\n\n"); buf.append(m_ZeroR.toString()); return buf.toString(); } if (m_rule == null) { return "OneR: No model built yet."; } return m_rule.toString(); } /** * Returns the tip text for this property * @return tip text for this property suitable for displaying in theexplorer/experimenter gui */ public String minBucketSizeTipText(){ return "The minimum bucket size used for discretizing numeric " + "attributes."; } /** * Get the value of minBucketSize. * @return Value of minBucketSize. */ public int getMinBucketSize(){ return m_minBucketSize; } /** * Set the value of minBucketSize. * @param v Value to assign to minBucketSize. */ public void setMinBucketSize(int v){ m_minBucketSize=v; } /** * Returns the revision string. * @return the revision */ @Override public String getRevision(){ return RevisionUtils.extract("$Revision: 10153 $"); } /** * Main method for testing this class * @param argv the commandline options */ public static void main(String[] argv){ runClassifier(new OneR(),argv); } }

What will be in the next season? The first episodes have ended favorably. Disagreements and disputes were changed by well-being in the end. But the plot of the second season promises to be saturated. There are lots adventures ahead of each hero. From now, the adventures will be overcome not by one but by friendly family. The plot is based on the relationship of the OBrien family. The heroes have complex interrelations. But life forced them to look at each other again and see the positive sides and come to terms. The mother is the key character here.

[img][/img] Main Title: One Piece (a69) Official Title: One Piece Type: TV Series, unknown number of episodes Year: 20.10.1999 till ? Categories: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Manga, Navy, Shounen, Slapstick, Super Power, Swordplay, Underworld Tmp. Rating: 8.77 (4739) (AniDB) Stats: 598 eps, 14286 files, 251 groups Plot: It was a time when pirates ruled the seas. Several bands of pirates were battling over the great hidden treasure, One Piece, which was left by the now legendary pirate captain, Gold Roger. There was a young boy who admired the pirates, his name was Monkey D. Luffy. One day, he mistakenly eats the devil\'s fruit and turns himself into a rubber human being. Ten years have passed since that incident. Luffy sets out to sail all alone. He sets out to become a great pirate captain and that\'s when his great adventure begins. \"I\'m going to be the Pirate King! I\'m going to get One Piece!\".

Diversity of calcium ion channels in cellular membranes. Successful introduction of techniques for separation of different ionic currents and recording of single channel activity has demonstrated the diversity of membrane structures responsible for generation of calcium signal during various forms of cellular activity. In excitable cells the electrically-operated calcium channels have been separated into two types functioning in different membrane potential ranges (low- and high-threshold ones). The low-threshold channels are ontogenetically primary and may play a role in regulation of cell development and differentiation. A similar function may also be characteristic of chemically-operated channels in some highly specialized cells (lymphocytes). The high-threshold channels in excitable cells generate an intracellular signal coupling membrane excitation and intracellular metabolic processes responsible for specific cellular reactions (among them retention of traces of previous activity in neurons--"learning"--being especially important). Chemically-operated N-methyl-D-aspartate-channels also participate in this function. The calcium signal can be potentiated by activation of calcium-operated channels in the membranes of intracellular structures, resulting in the liberation of calcium ions from the intracellular stores. Although different types of calcium channels have some common features in their structure which may indicate their genetic similarity, their specific properties make them well suited for participation in a wide range of cellular mechanisms.

The role of desaturases in the biosynthesis of marking pheromones in bumblebee males. Bumblebee males (Hymenoptera) produce species-specific labial gland secretions called marking pheromones (MPs). MPs generally consist of terpenoids and fatty-acid-derived aliphatic compounds with various chain lengths predominantly containing one or no double bonds. The unsaturated fatty-acid-derived MP components were hypothesized to be produced by fatty acid desaturases (FADs) that exhibit diverse substrate specificities. To address this hypothesis, we isolated and functionally characterized FADs from three bumblebee species: Bombus lucorum, Bombus terrestris, and Bombus lapidarius. By employing RNA sequencing of the male labial glands and fat bodies of B. lucorum and B. terrestris, we identified five paralogous FAD-like sequences but only two FAD lineages were abundant and differentially expressed in the labial glands. We found that abundant FAD lineages were also expressed in the labial gland and fat body of Bombus lapidarius. Functional characterization of FADs in a yeast expression system confirmed that Δ4-FADs exhibited a unique Δ4-desaturase activity exclusively on 14-carbon fatty acyls and Δ9-FADs displayed Δ9-desaturase activity on 14- to 18-carbon fatty acyls. These results indicate that Δ9-FADs are involved in the biosynthesis of major unsaturated components of MPs in B. lucorum and B. lapidarius despite the diverse MP composition of these bumblebee species. The contribution of lipases, acyltransferases, esterases, and fatty acid reductases to production of the species-specific MP composition is also discussed in light of the transcriptomic data obtained in this study.

Pages One of my favourite things about cooking a large ham dinner is all of the leftovers. I think that I look forward to the leftover even more than the initial dinner and I always have fun trying new dishes using the ham. I recently came across the this recipe for a ham and leek tart on Picante Cooking and I immediately knew what I would be doing with some of the leftover ham in my freezer. This ham and leek tart is pretty simple and dead easy to make! It starts out with an all butter pie crust which you can easily make yourself or you could save some time by using a store bought one. Next up the ham and leeks are sauted, and mixed up with an egg, some cream, cheese and a touch of grainy mustard. After just 20 minutes in the oven the cheese is all melted and bubbling and golden brown and good. The ham and leek tart is amazingly tasty and all of the flavours work well together. I have to say that my tart disappeared way too quickly. :) I served the ham and leek tart with a simple arugula salad along with a glass of white wine. Directions: 1. Roll the pie dough out, fit it into the tart pan and trim the edges. 2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium. 3. Add the ham and saute until it starts to turn lightly golden brown, about 7-10 minutes and set aside. 4. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. 5. Add the leeks and saute until tender, about 7-10 minutes. 6. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute and remove from heat. 7. Mix the egg, cream and mustard. 8. Mix the ham, leeks, the egg mixture and 1 cup of the cheese and pour it into the tart shell. 9. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. 10. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted an the pie shell is a light golden brown, about 20 minutes. I feel the same way about a giant turkey dinner. I LOVE leftover turkey but ham is a close second. This look fab! I usually stick to split pea soup but I think I will try something new the next time I have ham, or just go get some right now! :) Kevin, the ham and leek tart looks great, and I'll give it a try this weekend when I have family visiting. I wanted to ask a question not related to this specific recipe, however. My daughter bought a chocolate peanut butter variety of the Nanaimo bar at a bake sale. She said it had the chocolate/nut base with the coconut, but the cream middle layer, while having the texture and underlying taste of the traditional filling, there was a peanut butter flavor that was fantastic, and she wanted me to try and whip up a batch. I've looked for recipes online, without much luck. Would you have any tips on how to add peanut butter, or whatever else might lend a peanut buttery flavor to the cream filling in your recipe? I just devoured a ham sandwich and I'm quite happy that I slowed myself down just in time to save some extra for tomorrow's lunch. With your Ham and Leek Tart recipe, I now have something to look forward to tomorrow. :-)My French friend often makes a Potato and Leek soup, it's quite common in France (according to her)but now I feel compelled to share your recipe with her. Anonymous: A peanut butter version of the nanaimo bars sounds good! You could start by replacing the walnuts in the base with peanuts. For the filling you could either just mix 1/3 cup peanut butter into the current recipe you could go with something like:1/3 cup butter (room temperature)1/3 cup peanut butter1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar) I'm definitely with you on the cooking hams and looking forward to the leftovers. I often choose my hams based on how I think the butcher will slice it (or how I will need to cut it later), so I know how it'll work in a big pot of ham and beans, hehe. Post a Comment About Me I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

Selective intracoronary injection of sestamibi to detect myocardial viability: Prediction of perfusion and contractile recovery after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The main limitation of myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in detecting hibernating myocardium is the poor delivery of radiotracers in hypoperfused areas supplied by severely stenotic coronary arteries. Increasing local availability of radiotracers by intracoronary injection might represent an attractive solution. The hypothesis that the intracoronary administration of sestamibi could improve myocardial SPECT accuracy in detecting hibernating myocardium was addressed in this pilot study. Seven patients with prior myocardial infarction and severe stenosis of the infarct-related artery underwent myocardial SPECT after intracoronary injection of technetium 99m sestamibi immediately before percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Wall motion and perfusion were evaluated, before and 1 month after PTCA, by 2-dimensional echocardiography and rest-redistribution thallium 201 SPECT. A "low-flow area" was identified on the pre-PTCA Tl-201 SPECT image as the area with less than 50% of maximum radiotracer uptake. Changes in wall motion and perfusion in the low-flow area were compared with results of intracoronary sestamibi imaging. On a pixel-by-pixel analysis, intracoronary sestamibi predicted perfusion recovery within the low-flow area with a 91% sensitivity, a 78% specificity, and an 82% overall accuracy. Only in the 5 patients with an extent of sestamibi uptake greater than one third of the low-flow area was an improved regional and global left ventricular wall motion observed after PTCA (wall motion score index decreased from 1.95 +/- 0.28 to 1.60 +/- 0.34, P =.007; left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 42% +/- 7% to 49% +/- 7%, P =.001; asynergic segments in the low-flow area decreased from 3.6 +/- 0.9 to 1.8 +/- 1.5, P =.021). In patients with prior myocardial infarction and severe stenosis of the infarct-related artery, sestamibi uptake after intracoronary administration identified viable myocardium that was undetected after rest-redistribution thallium SPECT but capable of clinically significant contractile improvement after revascularization.

When a timepiece, particularly a watch, is provided with several complications, it is difficult to accommodate these complications, both inside the watch case, and as regards the visible surface or surfaces of the complications, since most complications are connected to a visual display. Each dial is relatively rapidly filled where several complications are juxtaposed, and it is useful to utilise every available surface. There is known from CH Patent No 330897, in the name of Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Fontainemelon SA, a self-winding mechanism, wherein an oscillating weight is made in the form of a frame and carries several winding wheel sets, but does not carry any display functions. EP Patent No 2141558, in the name of Les Artisans Horlogers Sàrl, discloses a watch whose entire movement and the display carried thereby, pivots in a peripheral part and thus forms an oscillating weight of the self-winding mechanism. The object of this original arrangement is to give the time display a determined stable position, and to hold, by gravity, the plane of the balance in a reference plane regardless of the spatial orientation of the watch case. This design does not allow for the placement of additional displays, especially since it uses up space in the case, in particular to ensure the operation of the stem, which is made in two parts. It is known from EP Patent No 1826633, in the name of Blancpain SA, to use the oscillating weight of a self-winding watch to carry a power reserve display member. EP Patent Application No 2360535 A1 in the name of Blancpain SA also discloses a device of this type, wherein a hand and a dial for displaying the power reserve are mounted to rotate synchronously relative to the oscillating weight. CH Patent No 700222 in the name of La Fabrique du Temps SA discloses a timepiece movement wherein the oscillator and the escape wheel are mounted on the oscillating weight of a self-winding mechanism, and drive an output wheel. The escape wheel is carried, in particular, by a tourbillon carriage mounted on the oscillating weight and carrying the mechanical oscillator. In a “Cartier Astrorégulateur®” watch, made in accordance with this arrangement, the output wheel drives the hour and minute motion work, whereas the seconds hand remains integral with the arbour of the tourbillon carriage and is in constant rotation relative to the rotor.

Fig’n Pear Granola (raw, vegan, gluten-free) Figs, pears and cinnamon are a wonderful combination for thee ole’ pallet. Unlike apples, most pear varieties do not ripen nicely while still on the tree. Pears that are allowed to become too mature or to ripen on the tree develop a coarse, mealy texture and often have core breakdown. Whether you grow pears at home, or buy them in the store, it is sometimes challenging to know when to pick them, then how long to ripen them to perfection. How do you tell when a pear is ready to eat? Hold the pear gently but firmly in the palm…

Following our news of the home entertainment release of Toni Erdmann this May, we have an exciting new competition just for you, our readers! ‘One of the best films of the year’, Maren Ade’s Toni Erdmann comes to DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD on 29th May 2017, courtesy of Thunderbird... Read more A darling of last year’s Cannes Film Festival and a film we very much enjoyed – as you can see from our review – the Oscar-nominated Toni Erdmann is now set for its home entertainment release. Available in the UK from 29th May on Blu-ray and DVD, Toni Erdmann... Read more He turns 80 in about a week’s time – the 22nd, if you want to send a card – but Jack Nicholson has been noticeable by his absence for some time. Described by some as a “retired actor”, he last graced UK screens in 2011 in How Do You... Read more Another day, another case of Hollywood looking to capitalise once again on the success of a foreign hit. Gracing the likes of Cannes where it received widespread acclaim for the wonderful humour scattered throughout its father/daughter narrative, we deemed Toni Erdmann which is now in UK cinemas ‘the German... Read more The UK’s leading film critics picked their favourites from 2016 at yesterday’s nominations ceremony in London for the 37th annual Critics’ Circle Film Awards. Golden Globe nominee, Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, tied with Whit Stillman’s Jane Austen parody, Love & Friendship, for the most nominations, receiving seven each. Behind them came Maren Ade’s German... Read more

Novel spinal cord stimulation parameters in patients with predominant back pain. To examine the feasibility of novel high-frequency spinal cord stimulation therapy in a cohort of patients with chronic predominant back pain during a four day, percutaneous trial. Prospective, multicenter open label pilot trial. Twenty-four patients with back pain greater than leg pain who were candidates for spinal cord stimulation were trialed at five U.S. centers. Patients completed a percutaneous trial with a commercially available spinal cord stimulator. The implanted leads were then connected to the novel external stimulation device and patients were trialed for an additional four days. Pain intensity ratings, subjective descriptions, and patients' preference. There was significant improvement from baseline in overall pain scores (8.68 to 2.03, [p < 0.001]) and back pain scores (8.12 to 1.88, [p < 0.001]) with the investigational stimulation. The investigational stimulation was preferred to the commercially available systems in 21 of 24 patients (88%). Patients with predominant back pain reported a substantial reduction in overall pain and back pain when trialed with high-frequency spinal cord stimulation therapy.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (BRAIN) — Advanced Sport Enterprises, the 2-year-old company that is parent to the Performance Bicycle retail chain, Bike Nashbar and distributor ASI, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Friday morning. The move is likely to lead to the closure of at least 40 Performance stores in the coming months; the chain currently has 104 locations. It also could dismantle one of this industry's most vertically integrated large-scale organizations, with direct ties from Asian manufacturing through to brick-and-mortar and online retail sales, as well as wholesale sales to other retailers. ASE was created as the parent corporation after Philadelphia-based ASI acquired Performance and Nashbar in August 2016. ASI owns and distributes the bike brands Fuji, Breezer, SE Racing, Kestrel, Phat and Tuesday Cycles, and the component brand Oval Concepts. The entire organization has 1,944 employees, including 1,662 who work for the Performance retail operation. Patrick Cunnane, the CEO of ASE, said the ASI distribution business is profitable but the company was unable to turn around the retail business, which has seen sales declines for the last six years. "We tried to be more local and less national" — Pat Cunnane "We were undercapitalized from the start," he told BRAIN. "We bought (Performance) because two years ago Performance was heavily in debt to ASI. If Performance had failed then, ASI would have failed. So we would have been in this same position but two years ago." Cunnane told employees, suppliers and ASI's retailer customers about the plans on Thursday. Retail employees were told on a conference call that some stores would be closing within the next 60-90 days. Employees at some stores told BRAIN that they had already received liquidation signage from a third-party liquidation company. ASE has hired Gordon Brothers Retail Partners to conduct store closing sales. Cunnane said the business has been listed for sale since May. "I've talked to many, many, many potential buyers." D.A. Davidson & Co., an investment banker, has been marketing the business to potential buyers, including "private equity funds and family offices, 17 strategic parties and seven liquidators," according to court filings. "Potential strategic buyers include both domestic and international bicycle wholesalers and 17 retailers, sporting goods retailers, and other consumer products companies," the filing says. Davidson prepared information to sell the entire company, its wholesale division, or some of its brands. Chapter 11 protection will allow the company to renegotiate its leases. "When you look at the retail footprint of the business, it's sort of a perfect candidate for reorganization under the protection of Chapter 11," Cunnane said. "We will emerge with fewer retail locations." He said that under the current store leases, 40 locations are unprofitable and are set to be closed. But Cunnane said leases on some of those stores could be renegotiated to make the stores profitable and more likely to stay open. "We've been trying to renegotiate those leases since we bought (Performance)," he said. "It's hard to have any kind of leverage because we have about 100 landlords." Performance doesn't own any of its stores. The company owns its office in Philadelphia and its offices and warehouse in North Carolina. Since the 2016 merger, the new leadership has made some successful changes at Performance, he said. Stores were given more autonomy to cater their inventory to their local market and manage their own social media, for example. "We tried to be more local and less national," he said. Stores raised some retail prices to match the market and improve margins, and developed procedures to turn inventory better. ASE was able to integrate the Performance and Nashbar back end systems and warehousing, but was unable to fully integrate the retail and wholesale back ends. "Sometimes you have to spend money to save money, and we didn't have the money to invest to achieve the savings we wanted," he said. Under Chapter 11, ASE's assets will be auctioned off in parts or as a whole. Currently an auction is scheduled for Dec. 18. "That's the fact of bankruptcy and that's why we worked so hard to do this without bankruptcy, but we were unable to achieve that," Cunnane said. The company would have run out of money to operate in January if it did not file Chapter 11, he noted. Cunnane said Advanced Sports Europe GMBH, based in Germany, and Advanced Sports Asia, in Taiwan, will operate normally and are not directly affected by the Chapter 11 filing. Fuji and the other bike brands are owned by ASI in the U.S. but generate total sales of almost $50 million outside the U.S., he said. "The brands will survive this," Cunnane said. The filing will be seen as the latest in a series of bankruptcies of retail chains, from Sears and Toys R Us to Sports Authority and Sport Chalet. Cunnane told BRAIN he still believes retail chains can survive if they are not saddled with debt. Dick's Sporting Goods and REI, for example, appear to be thriving, he noted. "For us, it was not one thing. It was not the bank, not de minimis, not the landlords. It was just a combination of factors in a difficult environment and being undercapitalized," he said. In a news release, Cunnane said the business will continue as usual under the Chapter 11. "Orders will be fulfilled and Performance Bicycle stores will continue operating. Until the process of reorganizing our company before a bankruptcy court with counsel from Clear Thinking Group and Gordon Brothers is complete, I'm unable to announce any further actions. Employee layoffs and store closings are inevitable, but at this time I do not have enough information to announce those plans. My goal is to continue to work through this process and keep our business intact. My vision for ASE is to become a profitable, vertically integrated, omnichannel bicycle manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer." Who owns ASE? Jadeland Pacific Limited, a company started in 1998 to buy the Fuji brand, owns 55 percent of ASE. Jadeland is registered in the British Virgin Islands and Cunnane owns 24 percent of its shares. Ideal, a Taiwan bike maker, owns 17 percent of ASE. York Street Mezzanine Partners owns 21 percent and other minority partners own a total of 7 percent. In addition to his stake in Jadeland, Cunnane owns 3.1 percent of ASE's stock. What does ASI owe, and to whom? The company made five separate Chapter 11 filings Friday, which will likely be combined soon. They are for ASE, ASI, Bitech (the corporate name of the Performance retail chain), Nashbar Direct (Nashbar's e-commerce business), and Performance Direct (Performance's e-commerce division). ASE's capital structure includes secured debts with First Lien Credit Facility ($37.9 million), Advance Holdings Loan ($7.4 million), Trade Creditor Loans ($37 million) and York Street Loans ($20 million), totaling $102 million. Unsecured debts owed to trade suppliers include: Active Cycle, China: $4.4 million PT Insera, Indonesia: $3.3 million Vista Outdoor: $1.77 million Shanghai General Sports, China: $1.5 million Mizuki International, Taiwan: $1.4 million Todson: $548,000 Highway Two: $423,000 Marin: $480,000 Garmin: $290,000 Saris: $285,000 Elite: $264,000 Accell NA: $280,000 Aptos: $212,000 Louis Garneau: $204,000 Wahoo: $202,000 Pearl Izumi: $200,000 Eliptigo: $200,000 Lezyne: $198,000 Castelli: $196,000 J&B: $178,000 Vittoria: $159,000 Fox: $149,000 Clif Bar: $131,000 EN-R-G Food: $82,000 Team Tibco: $35,000 PeopleForBikes: $22,000 PinkBike: $11,000 Related stories:

Bristol Palin on Getting Some Work Done; Silver vs. Goldman Welcome to the Smart Set. Every morning we bring you the gossip coverage, filtered. Today: a Hollywood producer takes on a Wall Street heavyweight, The New York Times snags a New Yorker reporter, and Mr. and Mrs. Governator might still work things out It turns out surgery was the reason Bristol Palin's face looked so different at the Candie Foundation's gala last week in New York City. The soon-to-be Angeleno says she had "corrective jaw surgery...so my jaw and teeth could properly align" back in December, and that she doesn't consider the procedure to be plastic surgery. [Us Weekly] Joel Silver can proceed with his lawsuit against Goldman Sachs after a federal judge denied the investment bank's motion to dismiss. Silver, the producer of hits like Sherlock Holmes, Die Hard, and the Matrix movie says Goldman reneged on a deal to pay him $30 million in exchange for a share of the revenues from Dark Castle productions, the horror movie division of the producer's Silver Pictures. Goldman, through the offices of attorney David Boies, has called the suit "implausible." Silver is being represented by notorious Hollywood litigator Bert Fields, who couldn't resist the opportunity to crow over yesterday's ruling. "It's as simple as that," declared Fields. "Goldman agreed to pay him a lot of money and welched." [The Hollywood Reporter] The exodus of producers from CBS News shows no signs of slowing. Two days after Early Show executive producer David Friedman left his post, Rick Kaplan, Katie Couric's evening news producer for the past four years, is also departing his position. [Media Decoder] Don't send the moving vans to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver's house quite yet. The couple, which announced they were separating after 25 years of marriage Monday, might still reconcile. Schwarzenegger said yesterday the couple is "taking it one day at a time" and that they "both love each other very much." [The Hollywood Reporter] After a spring where the New York Times had its writers poached by competing publications at an alarming rate, the Grey Lady has finally pulled off a coup, hiring James B. Stewart away from The New Yorker to write a financial column for the paper. Stewart has authored numerous books, including Disney War, arguably the definitive take on Michael Eisner's final years at the company Everyone has someone on their holiday shopping list who’s impossible to buy for. For the second year in a row, we asked Atlantic readers to describe their someone, and brainstormed a few perfect gift ideas for them.

Q: How to change all cell's height and width in laravel excel I want to apply height and width for all row's in laravel excel I am able to change height and width for single row at time by using following code $sheet->setSize('A1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('B1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('C1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('D1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('E1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('F1', 25, 18); Now question is I have thousands of rows so How I can manage that ? I have following code \Excel::create('Users Report'.$time, function ($excel) use ($arrUsers) { $excel->sheet('Users', function ($sheet) use ($arrUsers) { // Set all margins $sheet->fromArray($arrUsers, null, 'A1', true); $sheet->setSize('A1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('B1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('C1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('D1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('E1', 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('F1', 25, 18); $sheet->row(1, array( 'Name', 'Username', 'Contact', 'Email', 'Verified', 'Inactivity' )); // Freeze first row $sheet->freezeFirstRow(); $sheet->cell('A1:F1', function($cell) { // Set font $cell->setFont(array( 'family' => 'Calibri', 'size' => '12', 'bold' => true )); }); }); })->store('xls')->download('xls'); Please help me out from this stuck. Thanks. A: Solve this by using the following code \Excel::create('Users Report'.$time, function ($excel) use ($arrUsers) { $excel->sheet('Users', function ($sheet) use ($arrUsers) { // Set all margins $sheet->fromArray($arrUsers, null, 'A1', true); for( $intRowNumber = 1; $intRowNumber <= count($arrUsers) + 1; $intRowNumber++){ $sheet->setSize('A' . $intRowNumber, 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('B' . $intRowNumber, 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('C' . $intRowNumber, 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('D' . $intRowNumber, 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('E' . $intRowNumber, 25, 18); $sheet->setSize('F' . $intRowNumber, 25, 18); } $sheet->row(1, array( 'Name', 'Username', 'Contact', 'Email', 'Verified', 'Inactivity' )); // Freeze first row $sheet->freezeFirstRow(); $sheet->cell('A1:F1', function($cell) { // Set font $cell->setFont(array( 'family' => 'Calibri', 'size' => '12', 'bold' => true )); }); }); })->store('xls')->download('xls');

GLA University GLA University is a private recognized university approved by university grants , located in Mathura Uttar Pradesh, India. GLA University, Mathura is approved and recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC), NCTE and Pharmacy Council of India. It has been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with ‘A’ Grade. History GLA University was started with the establishment of GLA Institute of Technology & Management offering B.Tech and MCA programs, in the year 1998 by the current Chancellor Mr. Narayan Das Agrawal In the year 1999, MBA program was introduced with 60 seats. It was in 2006 when GLA group of institutions came into existence with establishment of three new institutions, namely GLA Institute of Management, GLA Institute of Professional Studies, and GLA Institute of Pharmaceutical Research. New courses like BBA, BCA, B.Sc. Biotech, B. Pharma were introduced under these institutions. The GLA University, Mathura is managed by GLA Group of Institutions that later, in 2010, grew to become the GLA University through the U.P. State Legislative Act of 2009 (UP Act 21 of 2010). Institutes The Institutes under the university are: Institute of Engineering and Technology Institute of Applied Science and Humanities Institute of Business Management Institute of Pharmaceutical Research University of Polytechnic Faculty of Education Institute of Legal Studies References External links Official Website Category:Private engineering colleges in India Category:Private universities in India Category:Universities in Uttar Pradesh Category:Education in Mathura Category:Educational institutions established in 2010 Category:Engineering colleges in Uttar Pradesh